Survey says... pizza.

Make your gluten-free voice heard and vote for your favorite GF brands in Triumph Dining's first annual Best of Gluten Free Awards! Participants receive free dining cards. Check it out here: http://www.triumphdining.com/blog/best-of-gluten-free/

In *ahem* extremely exciting gluten-free pizza news, northern Delaware is now home to Extreme Pizza, located in downtown Wilmington. The good news: they deliver and the pizza is really good! (In fact, I voted for them in the Triumph survey.)

On the down side, it's pricey - almost $16 for a 12" plain cheese GF pizza and about $20 for specialty toppings. In comparison, Seasons Pizza is $9.99 but it's smaller and thinner. That's quite a splurge for pizza, but it may be worth it on rare occasions, since lazy + delivery + GF is no simple proposition. (Another unfortunate side effect of celiac disease: $20 pizza?!) Extreme's GF menu also includes a few salad choices. The specialty pizzas are very creative and have fun names like Mr. Pestato Head, Peace in the Middle East (shown above, with hummus, tomatoes, olives, onions, feta, fresh basil, pepperoncinis, and mozzarella), and Poultry Geist. Another perk: Extreme also offers soy cheese.

Happy gluten-free Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone had an enjoyable and gluten-free Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday! This was my first (knowingly) celiac Thanksgiving and it went really well. I hope more people will learn that it's so easy to make gluten-free dishes that your celiac friends and relatives can enjoy - there are many side dishes that are normally gluten-free or can be so easily adjusted that non-celiacs wouldn't notice a difference. Bottom line: just talk to us.

This year I was really craving stuffing, so I made my own. I used up several loaves of GF bread I had in the fridge or freezer (Udi's, Rudi's, and Food For Life) and Trader Joe's Stuffing Starter Mix (chopped celery, onions, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme). I toasted the slices of bread in the oven, let them sit out for a day to harden, then broke them into crouton-size bites. I sauteed the veggie/herb mix in olive oil, then blended them with my croutons and some water. I pressed the stuffing into a sprayed 9x13" pyrex and baked for an hour at about 325, covered with foil. Next time I would probably use broth for more flavor, or I'd recommend doing something to season the bread. I would also bake it for longer, or take the foil off towards the end. But it smelled heavenly and the texture was great (for my first stuffing attempt)! Craving satisfied, almost exactly how I remembered it.

The other dish I've been craving: sweet potatoes! I didn't measure my ingredients, but here's basically what I did. (Also, if I'm cooking small portions, I use my toaster oven since it's so much faster & less electricity than heating up the big oven.) Preheat oven to 350. Peel 2 sweet potatoes & cut into small pieces. Melt about 1 tbsp of dairy-free margarine (or butter) in the microwave. In a large mixing bowl, pour melted margarine and about 1 tbsp of canola oil over potatoes. I added some orange juice, ground nutmeg, cinnamon, a packet of Sugar in the Raw (or brown sugar, or omit), and a pinch of kosher salt. Mix it up, making sure the potatoes are evenly coated. Pour them into a foil-lined pan and bake for an hour, stirring once or twice. In the last 5 minutes, I added some marshmallow pieces on top. They were the absolutely perfect blend of gooey and crispy with an amazing caramelized, citrusy flavor. Really, this couldn't be easier or more delicious at any time of year.

Thanksgiving is also my favorite holiday because it's my birthday weekend. :D We celebrated with a trip to Padi, a new Thai/sushi fusion restaurant in Hockessin, DE from the owners of Wilmington's very yummy Rasa Sayang, another favorite of mine. Located in Lantana Square Shopping Center, Padi has a nice, modern vibe with a sushi bar and big modular booths. The service was attentive and the food was DELICIOUS! I ordered spicy tuna and salmon rolls for starters, drunken noodles with shrimp, and my beloved mango sticky rice for dessert. Our server was very understanding and the kitchen made my noodles without soy sauce. I brought a bottle of wheat-free tamari to use with the sushi, and when the manager came over to check on us, he noticed my soy sauce and asked if I'm gluten-free! He then commented that he's been trying to find a commercial-size container of wheat-free soy sauce so they can keep it in the kitchen, and said he has a number of friends who are gluten-free, so they are very aware and happy to make accommodations. Well, that's what it takes to sweep me off my feet, folks - fresh & tasty sushi, outstanding Thai/fusion entrees, and gluten awareness. I can't wait to go back - Padi is definitely a new favorite. (No links, as the restaurant doesn't have a website. Call for reservations - 302.239.1800.)

PF = my GF BF.

After spending this lovely autumn weekend locked up in the law library, I am FINALLY (mostly) finished a much-dreaded memo for school! To celebrate, I ordered takeout online from PF Chang's. Due to the wonders of technology, when I arrived at the designated time, I was told I still had to wait another 35 minutes for my food. Well, that turned out to be a good thing! In the same shopping center (The Shoppes at Brinton Lake) I discovered The Fresh Market. Not merely the only store open at 7:30 on a Sunday, it's a gloriously swanky, upscale food store. As their website says, "Our stores convey the atmosphere of an old world European market, all under one roof, where you can visit an array of departments... The open air feel of our market presents a feast for the senses as colors and fragrant smells fill the atmosphere and classical music plays wafts through the air." This joint is classy! One of my joys in life is wandering around food stores looking for new GF discoveries - again, not a hobby that fits well with the rigors of law school - so it was wonderful to do some guilt-free exploring.

I've read about the new King Arthur GF baking mixes but hadn't seen them in person - voila! Some other good finds included Sharwood's papadums and San-J tamari-ginger salad dressing. They also carry Caesar's frozen GF pasta entrees, which are fantastic, especially the manicotti. Because of the location and not-cheapness, I won't be shopping here often, but it seems like a lovely place to pick up odds & ends or high-quality organic produce and meat/fish.

In other news, this week I finally tried out Seasons Pizza's gluten-free pizza. It's now being offered at the Concord Pike, Christiana, and Elsmere locations. Real talk: nothing can replace the role of gluten in pizza crust, so no pizza is going to be the same. But this is pretty darn good! The pizza comes only in medium size for $9.99 (toppings extra). The pie is small, and the crust is very thin; almost crispy but not quite there, although the melty gooey cheese is so perfect that you can trick yourself. This is about as good as it gets for gluten-free pizza. (It's also good the next day if you pop it in the toaster oven, which does crisp up the crust a bit.)

Despite the pizza talk, I've decided I must recommit to being dairy-free, or as low-dairy as I can get. The time crunch has made me rely too much on carbs and dairy for quick fix meals lately, and it's having a drastic effect on how I feel and look. It's going to be hard but I think it's for the best. Goodbye cheese, I will always love you.

Gluten Free Torts.

Being a first year law student means you have very little time to breathe, let alone recognize life as you previously knew it, attend to your blog (ahem), or, you know, eat. Stress and celiac disease are not a winning combination. You don't have time to eat as healthfully as you might; your stomach is going to react to your emotions; and of course being celiac already makes things a little more challenging. There's nothing I can really eat on campus, and there's only one day a week when I have enough time to go out and grab lunch between classes. Fun! Somehow I am figuring out how to get by, although it often means eating while studying or standing over the kitchen counter. Long gone are the days of experimental 3-course dinners for one.

So recently I decided to strike back with a crustless quiche - it's very quick to prepare on a Sunday, and then it's ready to reheat all week for breakfast or lunch. (And frankly, it's better for you than real quiche - without all those calories and fat from the crust and cream!) I adapted it from this recipe. It's super easy, phenomenally delicious, and you pretty much cannot mess it up. Here's how I do it:

Chop up some of your favorite veggies. (I chop veggies in advance when I have time and keep them in containers ready to deploy as needed. Or buy them pre-chopped at the store.) Some suggestions: peppers, yellow squash, zucchini, onions, scallions, artichoke hearts, broccoli, asparagus, spinach. You could also do cubes of ham or bacon or cooked turkey if you're into that kind of thing.

Saute your veggies for a few minutes in a small bit of oil, til they're softened and the color is nice and bright.

Meanwhile, crack 6 eggs into a large bowl. (The original recipe calls for 5; I use 6 because my quiche is so loaded with veggies.) Add a little water and beat. Pretend they are your professors if necessary. Totally optional, but I add about 1 tbsp of Pamela's GF baking mix to thicken.

Stir your veggie mix into the eggs.

Cheese! Use a bag of shredded cheese, any kind you like. Depending on how cheesey you are feeling, put in the whole bag or half the bag or whatever. You could use shredded soy cheese too.

Mix it all up. Add some kosher salt, pepper, and (optional) some dried basil.

Pour your quiche mixture into a greased/sprayed 9" pie pan and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes until it's beautifully golden on top. Voila!

Some of my other favorite things right now:
* Apple season is here! (I love fall so much!) Organic granny smiths with peanut butter.
* Annie's deluxe rice pasta & cheese is the best (worst) mac & cheese since Kraft! It comes with a squeezy pack of cheese sauce so it couldn't be easier and it is just so yummy. By far the best commercial GF mac & cheese I've tried. (why yes, the time crunch means I have pretty much given up trying to be dairy-free)
* Progresso lentil soup - yup, it's GF! So tasty on its own, or add some ground cumin & garam masala to make it even more amazing (or try pureeing it a bit with a hand-blender and throw in some basmati rice - very filling and Indian-inspired).
* Baked ziti casserole with Trader Joe's brown rice pasta, red sauce, & shredded cheese
* Scrambled eggs with green peppers, onions & cheese (basically the even-faster version of my quiche)

Hope that gave you a few ideas for good fast food! And now I'm very late for a date with my BFF, my bed.

Odds and ends.

Just a few quick notes from today's Delaware Celiac Group meeting.

Two standouts from the sumptuous smorgasbord of snacks we sampled:

* The much buzzed-about Snyder's of Hanover GF pretzel sticks - hands down, these are the best GF pretzels I've tried. They're satisfyingly solid and crunchy and they taste just like normal pretzels, which is the highest praise I can offer. They're dairy-free, low fat, and have been certified by GIG. Definitely give these a try if you see them at your supermarket or Whole Foods (if you're lucky enough to live someplace - i.e., not Delaware - that has one).

* Best cupcake ever! Cupcake Heaven kindly donated a tray to the group, and they were indeed heavenly. Honestly, you'd never guess these were gluten free. The bakery is not dedicated GF but we were told they understand cross-contamination issues and thoroughly clean between batches. GF cupcakes are available by special order or may be bought frozen. Absolutely mouthwatering and highly recommended.

In other news, well-deserved congratulations to my friends at Fresh Thymes Café, recently dubbed Best of Delaware 2010 for healthy fare! Fresh Thymes is a cozy breakfast/lunch spot in Wilmington where the food is fresh, local, organic, super tasty, and very GF-friendly (including bread and treats from Amaranth and Sweet Christine's bakeries).

Sem aloo.

So last night for dinner I took my first test drive with The Indian Vegan Kitchen: More Than 150 Quick and Healthy Homestyle Recipes, which I posted about here. I wanted something fast and easy using what I had on hand, and the recipe for sem aloo (green beans and potatoes) fit the bill. The only ingredients: fresh green beans, one Yukon Gold potato, some spices, and a tiny bit of oil and water, plus I threw in some onion for good measure. (Sorry, but it's probably not cool to reprint a copyrighted recipe! You'll have to check out the book for specifics.) There's no sauce involved, just a nice blend of spices on the veggies as they simmer. Either some of my spices are stale or I'm accustomed to more pungent flavors than the recipe calls for, so I wound up adding more salt to help bring out the spices. But I did really enjoy the dish and I'm sure I'll make it again soon. Served on a bed of basmati rice, this was indeed a quick and filling GF summer supper.

In other news: California Tortilla has recently added gluten to their list of allergen info! Previously they only gave information about wheat content. CalTort can be found on Main Street in Newark DE, among other locations primarily in MD and VA. Now if only they could redo their amazing chicken tortilla soup to be GF!

Shore thing.

I blame the heat wave we're currently suffering through for sapping my ability to think, hence this long-delayed post! My oh-so-relaxing trip to the beach seems like ages ago already. I'm happy to report, however, that it was actually very easy to find meals, and I barely touched the huge bag of snacks I'd packed. My stomach was vaguely cooperative, and I can now say I survived my first celiac vacation.

Some of the snacks I brought, for reference: organic carrot sticks, tortilla chips and mini-packs of guacamole, Flamous falafel chips, Potato Flyers, Glutino chocolate peanut butter organic bars, a box of Imagine organic potato leek soup, Thai Kitchen's Bangkok Curry instant rice noodle soup, Dr. McDougall's instant Pad Thai and tortilla soup cups, and a bag of homemade squash muffins. (Naturally, after all that preparation, I didn't need any of it!)

Finding great gluten-free food so easily was the best surprise of the trip. Our first stop was at Lucky Bones Backwater Grille on Rt. 109 (the main road into town) in beautiful Cape May. A gluten-free menu is in the works, I was told, and the server and chef were incredibly helpful. I ordered a delicious filet tip sandwich with grilled peppers, mushrooms, and caramelized onions, served with the best herb polenta I've ever had (in lieu of fries - the fryer isn't safe) and a nice, tangy cole slaw. To my overwhelming shock, they had gluten-free hamburger buns on hand so I ate my first real sandwich in months! Not only that, the bun, from Against the Grain, was really good - great flavor and texture. The meal was nothing short of miraculous and I definitely recommend Lucky Bones for GF dining in the Cape May or Wildwood area.

Also, check out their brunch menu! We weren't there on a Sunday so I'll just have to go back and investigate (darn).

My next recommendation: La Piazza Cucina at 4600 Pacific in Wildwood. This dimly-lit, old school Italian restaurant is like stepping back in time to the golden days of Wildwood; I kept half-expecting Uncle Junior to sit down next to me. La Piazza offers one type of gluten-free pasta per day. I selected penne with clams in a spicy marinara sauce, my long-lost favorite Italian meal. The pasta was so perfectly al dente, I briefly wondered if there'd been some mistake - I'm used to the soggy mushiness of brown rice pasta. But no, this was Sam Mills Pasta d'Oro, made from corn, and the texture and flavor were outstanding and almost unrecognizably gluten-free. In the interest of disclosure, I will admit my stomach was not happy after this meal, but since I still have frequent trouble even with being GF and DF, I have no idea whether it was the pasta, the corn, the clams, the garlic, the red pepper, the preparation, or something else. Verdict: be cautious, but this was one fabulous dinner and I am very excited about discovering Pasta d'Oro.

My final review: Maui's Dog House at 8th and New Jersey in Wildwood. Junk food fans, rejoice. It's a hot dog stand with picnic bench seating out front under a tent - definitely not fancy digs, and they're open for lunch only. The harried proprietress overheard me inquiring about the deep-fryer situation, and yelled over, to our great amusement, "Gluten-free?" But yes, to my happiness, nothing goes in the fryer except fries. They serve a bajillion kinds of heart-stopping loaded hot dogs, burgers, and chicken sandwiches. The hot dogs are made of beef, pork, and veal, and since I don't eat pork or veal anyway, it wasn't an issue for me. But the hamburger-sans-bun (two patties for $4.50) was juicy and flavorful. It's such a treat to be able to order fries, so of course I had to indulge. The portions are enormous ($3 for regular, $3.50 for more Old Bay than I could handle) and served in doggie bowls. Somehow our lunch wound up costing more than our Lucky Bones dinner did.

Anyway, thank you, New Jersey, for some much needed oceanfront relaxation and for being more gluten-aware than I'd expected. Thanks also to Gluten Free Philly for the super helpful compendium of GF-friendly eateries, which provided a starting point to tackle the challenge of GF vacation dining.

p.s. This Sunday 6/27 is the first and last meeting of the summer for the Celiac and Gluten Intolerant Group of New Castle County, Delaware. The event will be held at Christiana Hospital and features guest speaker Michael of the aforementioned Gluten Free Philly blog. Check out the Gluten Free Delaware website for more details and to rsvp.

Delaweekend update.

I'm very pleased to report a semi-new GF-friendly restaurant option in the Wilmington, Delaware area. In the olden days Before Gluten, I meant to try out Big Fish Grill on the Riverfront, which opened sometime last fall, but I'd forgotten all about it. I won't make that mistake again. Not only do they offer a GF menu, there's also vegan, garlic-free, shellfish-free, dairy-free, and egg-free - how incredibly comprehensive is that? I ordered fresh grilled grouper with smashed potatoes and spinach, all of which I enjoyed. (Does grouper always taste like chicken?) I forgot to ask if any of the fish is local or sustainably caught, but I'll get on that next time. For now I'm delighted with their dietary inclusiveness. There's another Big Fish Grill (the original location) in Rehoboth Beach. (Photo from Big Fish Grill's Facebook page)

Another good choice in the Newark area: Cheeseburger in Paradise, a tropical island-themed chain restaurant. (For PA people, there are also locations in Exton and Oxford Valley.) There are several entrées, salads, and many burgers (sans bun) to choose from; beef, turkey, and veggie burgers are all GF. Today I indulged in the West Indies Burger, which is served with goat cheese, spring mix, and some manner of coconut-mango topping with banana jerk chutney dipping sauce and (ooh la la) french fries.

New product alert: Dr. McDougall's Asian Entrée Pad Thai instant noodle cup (not currently listed on the website). There are several other varieties in the Asian Entrée line but as far as I know, Pad Thai is the only one that's gluten-free. I found this in the organic section of my local Giant Food. (Extra bonus: "The cup you are holding is made from paper sourced exclusively from certified sustainably managed forests.") At 200 calories and 2g fat per serving, this is going with me on vacation next week for sure. Let's just hope it tastes good too.

I also discovered a new (to me) instant-favorite snack: Wholly Guacamole snack packs! They're gluten-free, made with actual food, and are 100 calories per pouch, so they are perfect for satisfying a guacamole craving without going overboard. I recommend dipping in with Green Mountain Gringo tortilla strips, which are GF-certified and all natural.

When GF is a little too good for my own good.

My mom (who is also gluten-free!) and I were recently reminiscing about trips to France, and of course the memories included FOOD. I'd need a straitjacket to keep me away from French bread and fromage, despite the pain of le pain, but one thing I don't have to pine for is crèpes! I will always lovingly remember the crèpes sold by Parisian street vendors but the GF version is super tasty as well, thanks to the geniuses at Pamela's Products.

Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix is, to my knowledge, generally regarded as one of the best ready-made GF flour mixes on the market. Their recipe for crèpes is incredibly simple and cooks up very quickly. Since I generally cook for one, I halved the recipe, yielding 4 crèpes. They are a little more gummy and fragile than their wheaty counterparts, but the taste resemblance is so close that I think anyone would enjoy them. I stuffed one with sliced strawberries, one with organic wild berry preserves, and sprinkled the third with a packet of Sugar in the Raw. (The fourth didn't last long enough to make it to the plate!) Absolutely delicious and a nice treat for brunch when you've got the energy.

In other baking experiment news, I bought a box of the famous Betty Crocker Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix a few months ago at Target (!) and was waiting for an opportunity to test it out. I had to make them with a stick of butter, since I didn't have any baking-friendly dairy-free substitute on hand. Not the best news for my stomach, but how could anything taste bad if it's got a stick of butter in it? The dough is crumbly and very stiff to work, but once the butter softens up, it gets more like regular cookie dough. I lined my baking sheets with parchment paper (I did not throw out my kitchen implements after my diagnosis, as many people do) and the cookies turned out beautifully.

I have to confess, I think they look better than they taste. The mix is so gritty, even if the cookies themselves are a perfect combination of crispy and chewy. I brought them to a get-together on Saturday night so I'd have something safe to nibble, and I gave everyone fair warning that these were not normal cookies. But to my surprise, non-GF people actually liked them - a LOT. Like most GF substitutes, once you get over your initial shock and comparison to wheat, these cookies really grew on me (literally. Hello, calories) and I like them better now than I did at first. All the same, I won't be making these often. I don't know how they'd turn out without butter, although now I belatedly see no butter instructions on the website (it would be nice if they'd printed it on the box!), and I really don't need the temptation since I'm constantly trying to lose a few pounds. (When I got diagnosed I thought, "Well, at least I'll lose weight." Yeah right. There's too much good food out there!) But thank you anyway, Ms. Crocker!

Gluten-free field trip.

Yesterday we took a road trip to our nation's lovely capital. We spent some time wandering around the Mall area before heading to Nationals Park for the Mets/Nats game. My main concern, not surprisingly: what can I eat?

Pickings are slim around the tourist areas of the Mall, besides overpriced food carts and museum cafeterias, but the Mitsitam Native Foods Café is a welcome exception. It's the cafeteria on the ground floor of the beautiful National Museum of the American Indian. There are four food stations, each one featuring indigenous specialties of a different geographic region, and all items are clearly labeled if they're vegetarian or gluten-free. The menu choices are thoughtful and creative, including buffalo/duck burgers, fire-roasted salmon, grilled bison steak, and quinoa salad.

Unfortunately they aren't kidding when they say "limited menu" after 3 p.m. When we got there at 4, only one station was open and there wasn't anything GF except for a few sad pieces of salad. Lesson learned! But the café is clean, sophisticated, and inviting; Mitsitam is definitely the place to eat interestingly and gluten-free on the Mall, but get there before 3 to do so.

I'd read that there were gluten-free snacks available at Nationals Park, so I was looking forward to investigating. There's a tiny cart in Section 110 called the Healthy Plate, which offers wraps, salads, yogurt parfaits (all non-GF), gluten-free chips ($3), and Redbridge beer ($6.50), which is made from sorghum. Noah's Pretzels does indeed sell gluten-free soft pretzels ($5.25), but I just can't recommend them. While I appreciate their effort, I thought my pretzel tasted awful. They are frozen and individually wrapped and heated so there's no cross-contamination worry. Mine was apparently produced in January 2009. Fresh, not so much. The main ingredient is tapioca flour, rather than a more promising flour blend, and the pretzel was dry, pasty, and had a displeasing flavor. Blech. Moral of the story: as always, dear celiacs, make sure you eat first, unless you can make a meal of chips and beer.

Wheat dreams.

Right after my diagnosis, I would have vivid, lovelorn dreams about forbidden gluten. (Really, it is just like getting dumped.) I would wake up raging like The Hulk after dreaming of pizza. Well, some major transformation has occurred in my subconscious since then. Last night I dreamed I had a gluten-free pb&j and someone placed their regular sandwich on top of mine, rendering mine inedible. I was crestfallen. It's funny that even my dreams have turned gluten-free. Or maybe a sandwich is just a sandwich.

One of the quirks of celiac life is that, at least in my experience, you need to shop at several different grocery stores to find everything you want. This has become something of an official hobby - I enjoy checking out new stores and exploring the gluten-free items. Even if I'm not interested in the products, it's still dorkily thrilling to see what's out there. (Many of my non-GF allies have gotten into the game as well.)

Newark Natural Foods, a local co-op, is a must for gluten-free staples and treats. The prices are steep (things are usually priced above Whole Foods, which doesn't exist in Delaware anyway, though I suppose that's the cost of supporting independent stores) but I like their selection of organic produce and their huge range of GF miscellany, most of which is conveniently labeled as such on the shelves, that can't be found at chain supermarkets.

Some highlights of today's new-to-me GF haul include Flamous Falafel Chips, which are, as advertised, delicious with hummus, and Amaranth's hot dog buns. If you forget what you used to know about hot dog buns, these are quite good - they're more like a whole wheat/multigrain bun. (Which, in fact, they are. They're made with a brown rice, millet, amaranth, tapioca, coconut starch, and arrowroot flour blend.) Not that I recommend eating hot dogs often, especially given yesterday's monumentally non-shocking news, but I've had a craving. At $6 for four buns, I am reminded that GF life is not for the faint of heart and/or wallet.

What's for dinner?

Some things never change, whether you have celiac or not: sometimes dinner means scrounging the pantry for anything edible, and sometimes I have the energy and initiative to cook something interesting. Tonight I made my first successful foray into the world of scallop searing and with this guide, it really couldn't have been easier.

Next time I will probably use my cast iron skillet to get more of that nice crispy sear, but they were tender and perfectly cooked. Just make sure you rinse them well and pat dry before cooking. For an alternative, coat the scallops in GF breadcrumbs and give them a quick broil. Or serve them in a wilted spinach salad, à la Macaroni Grill. I see a lot of pan-seared scallops in my future this summer, when using the oven is just too unpleasant.

I paired my scallops with roasted veggies - not as photogenic but they tasted great. I chopped up a small eggplant, green pepper, onion, and asparagus. Put them in a foil-lined pan (or not, but it makes cleanup easier) and drizzle everything with olive oil. Mix it up with your hands to make sure it's all evenly coated and season with some kosher salt and pepper, and if you are so inclined, a few garlic cloves and/or balsamic vinegar. Pop it in the oven at about 400-450° for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring once or twice. Super easy and extremely tasty.

On Friday I was in downtown Philly so naturally I had to drop by Sweet Freedom Bakery, a gluten-free, every imaginable allergen-free bakery on South Street between Broad and 15th. They have sidewalk tables and cozy indoor seating, where you can savor your GF treat and a beverage - or just bask in the heavenly aroma of baked goods you can actually eat. On this occasion I tried (only in the name of science and journalism, of course) the mint chocolate chip cookie and the strawberry-rhubarb oat cobbler. The mint was a bit overpowering for me, but the cobbler was the best thing I've tasted yet from SFB. It had a nice oatmeal cookie crust base with the sweet/tart fruity topping and oats sprinkled on top. A little oily and very sweet but I really enjoyed it. The cobbler and my willpower did not last long enough for a photo.

To complete my weekend wrap-up, I'd like to give a big celiac raspberry to Texas Roadhouse, which, in a rare turn for national chains these days, does not have a GF menu. I'm not sure what I expected from a restaurant that encourages patrons to drop peanut shells on the floor - classy! And the newly-added indoor caution sign is a bit "too little, too late" for those with severe peanut allergies. In my defense, it was close and I was starving. (I feel fine after having a sirloin sans seasoning, baked potato, and plain steamed broccoli, however.) I won't even mention the guy with the swastika tattoo. Check, please!