The Gluten Free Expo Review, What YOU Missed!

The Celiac Disease Foundation of South Florida sponsors a Gluten Free Expo in West Palm Beach. This year, the expo took place in the West Palm Beach Fairgrounds to accommodate the larger crowd with an interest in gluten free foods. Last year, over 1,300 people attended, this year, I would definitely venture to say there were much more than 1,300.

The scene was intense, it was a free for all, samples everywhere, people crowding every booth waiting for the next heated sample to get on plates, and into our mouths.

I was most interested in products I had not yet heard of -- and below are some of my top picks. If you've been eating GF for some time, you've heard of of tried the products I've already wrote blogs on - Kinnickinnick, Rudi's, French Meadow, Schar, Glutino, Nana's, Katz's, etc. Below are products that were new to me, so I hope I can show you something also new to you!

I didn't realize Whole Foods had its own gluten free bakehouse... I now know why, all of these products are not in every store! Like everything in life, if you want it, you need to fight for it with corporate. Check out the listing of all of the products they make, impressive, huh?

Smooze makes really yummy fruit ice, its a great snack, and best of all, its shelf stable. You can freeze them, unfreeze them and freeze them again, and they remain slushy and yummy. I tried the mango and was pleasantly surprised.

When's the last time you had a quesadilla? I had one on Saturday, thanks to French Meadow. This tortilla really tasted like what I remember tortilla's are supposed to taste like. It was great! Of course, I haven't yet seen this product in my local Publix -- another one I'll need to fight for!

Frozen chicken tenders are a big favorite of mine. I really did like these. I must say Bell and Evans is still my favorite, but, these were good.

Drum roll please.... My favorite item of the day..... ONION RINGS!!! Yes, you heard me, ONION RINGS are possible!

 Ian's Onion Rings, 12-Ounce (Pack of 6)

Ian's makes delicious onion rings, and the sample we had were out of a portable oven, imagine in a deep fryer!!!

I have to say, it was truly AWESOME to have various vendors let us gluten free folk sample their creations. The feeling of knowing you can try EVERY sample in the room and not get sick (and not have to ask is this GF) is incredible!!

If you couldn't make it this year, I strongly suggest you make the drive next year, THUMBS UP!!

Gluten Free in Orlando, Florida! Steak and Chocolate!!! Part 1...

If you've been reading, you know I can't live without steak and chocolate, and if you throw in good potatoes, I'm in heaven! This has everything to do with the post today, steak, potatoes and good chocolate! Let's just say I was a happy girl in Orlando =) Charley's Steak House and Babycakes NYC are what were talking about.

Charley's Steak House has AMAZING steaks. They are aged on site for 4-6 weeks, and seasoned for 30 hours before being grilled over an oak and citrus wood pit. You can taste the amazing wood flavor in the steak. I had the 10 oz filet (and even had enough to share).

Now... let me tell you, you'll be hard pressed to find better potatoes. I don't know their secret, but, I can say, these are ridiculous. So soft on the inside, and the perfect crisp on the outside. And... they are $2.99!!! I always order a second order, one just isn't enough.

And for dessert ~~

On to Babycakes NYC. They now have 3 locations, the latest being in Dowtown Disney. I have to say, walking by, you'd NEVER know Babycakes NYC was there. The location is poor marketing on their part. They are tucked in to Fresh-A-Peel, along side a Pollo Campero, but, you won't see ANY signage for it. Silly, I think.

On to the chocolate! I tried just about EVERYTHING they had - here are some pics for you.

The cupcakes... Sadly, these are my least favorite. I'm not in love with the icing, and the cupcake itself was not all that moist and scrumptious. I much prefer BITE's cupcakes than Babycakes NYC.

Now, this is where Babycakes NYC succeeds, the brownie bites are to DIE for!! Perfectly cooked brownie, and the icing on top of this is slight, and goes with the brownie much better than it does with the cupcake (from my point of view). (Tis why there was no way I could wait to take a pic before having a bite)... If you like sweet, sweet, sweet - this is for you!

Chocolate covered cake bites, these are EVEN BETTER than the brownie bites. The cake is perfectly moist and the chocolate its dipped in is perfection.

Chocolate crunch donut. It's ok. I prefer chocolaty galore, and this is ok. If you've tried and love Duncan donuts or crispy creme, this won't do it for you.

The chocolate chip cookies are the star of the show! I've been hard pressed to find delicious, moist, (not crumbly and ehh) gluten free chocolate chip cookies. These are the best I've found.

Cranberry loaf! This is a great breakfast food. It's not that crumbly, can be heated up as a warm loaf, the cranberries are great (wish there were more of them).

Bottom line, Charley's is your star in Orlando for a great gluten free meal, and for dessert, head over to Babycakes NYC, if you can find them!

THUMBS UP!

Talenti - Gluten Free Gelato Goodness!

Beware, Talenti is DANGEROUS! Yes, dangerous. I was thrilled to see it was gluten free, kosher, all natural, vegetarian... See for yourself below:

Talenti has 13 flavors of gelato and 5 flavors of sorbets. Almost ALL are gluten-free!!

I first tried the Double Dark Chocolate... and I hope my loved ones aren't reading... this is embarrassing. I opened up the container in my car (I knew I wanted it ASAP, so I got a spoon in the store). I was seriously in HEAVEN. I couldn't stop. I absolutely know what addicts feel like. I ate the ENTIRE pint in my car. It's seriously that good. So don't say I didn't warn you. Enjoy every bite!!

The chocolate chips and the rich chocolate taste are just perfect. Whoa!

I next tried the Cappuccino flavor, and let me say... same story. This time I was smart enough to serve my self in a bowl, so I could control my portion. I'd advise you to do the same, otherwise, there's no telling how much you would eat! The great news is Publix carries them!!

THUMBS UP!!!

Valentine's Day For us Gluten Free Folk!

When I think of Valentines Day, my chocoholic self of course thinks of CHOCOLATE!! So the question of the day, what chocolate can us gluten free eaters consume?

I found a great chocolate list for Halloween, published in the Broward/Palm Beach new times, and its also applicable here. Here are some of the options they list:

• Reeses
• M&M's (must check label to assure it DOESN'T say "May Contain Wheat" -- some products are made on the same line as the chocolate covered pretzels, but, M&M's will always let you know)
• Snickers
• Hersheys

For the big V-day, you may want to step it up a notch.

Sad news, but, important for us to know... Godiva's customer service website clearly states:

any person with a gluten allergy should NOT consume ANY of our
products.

Lindt chocolates made me feel a little better, their site states:

Is there gluten or barley malt in Lindt chocolate?

Gluten can be found in many of the premium chocolate products Lindt produces. Our white and extra dark (70% cocoa and above) chocolate products by nature do not contain barley malt. We have an allergen control program in place and adhere to strict Good Manufacturing Practices in order to reduce the risk of cross contamination. Lindt is aware of the growing prevalence of Celiac's Disease and other conditions. It is always important to review the ingredient declaration to make sure our products are compliant with your specific diet requirements and restrictions.

Ghirardelli even has a GF brownie recipe on their site, check it out here. The allergy information on Ghirardelli's site says its products contain soy, not gluten. I've read some blogs stating Celiac's consume Ghirardelli on a regular basis and are fine/no reactions.

Neuhaus has amazing chocolate, Epicure on Miami Beach sells it (so yes, its expensive, but, in my opinion is worth every penny). Neuhaus states on its website that the chocolate bars are safe for us.

What's your favorite gourmet gluten free chocolate??

Strongbow Cider - A Great GF Beer Alternative

Strongbow is a premium cider from the UK. Ciders are 100% gluten-free, and a great alternative to beer. I was previously a beer drinker, and occasionally miss the taste. I've found ciders to be the best alternative, thus far.

Strongbow is great because is has such a crisp, smooth taste. I was a Woodchuck Cider only fan until Strongbow came into my life! Woodchuck has flavored ciders (like pear, apple, amber). Strongbow on the other hand, is a dryer, but, doesn't lose its great taste in the process (or I wouldn't be a fan).

I want to know about places that have Strongbow on tap! If you know, please comment!!

THUMBS UP FOR STRONGBOW!

Lola's

Lola's on Harrison has a special gluten-free menu, and gluten-free at Lola's certainly doesn't mean taste free!

Lola's has a $10 off coupon on its blog... it is a couple months old, but, maybe they'll still honor it. I love coupons - getting a good deal is never a bad thing!

Back to the food!

I took a snapshot of Lola's gluten-free menu, so you could take a peak as well (its not on their website yet).

I know the pic is small... So here's the idea, mushroom tacos, shrimp, potato skins, lamb chops!, salmon tartar, lobster roll -- and this is just the starters!

I'm a huge goat cheese lover, so the goat cheese salad ($12) was right up my alley. Pistachio crusted goat cheese, fresh raspberries, toasted pistachios with a raspberry-shallot vinaigrette - YYUUMM! A perfect mixture, heaven in your mouth. I only wish there were more raspberries, the goat cheese was delicious - definitely a worthwhile salad!

Next up, grilled skirt steak ($24). Unfortunately, the parmesan potatoes au gratin are not GF, but, they were great about substituting another potato option that was. I'm not a broccoli lover, so they substituted asparagus for me. A+ for accommodations! I've had better steak for the price and likely would pick something else next time. It was just ok. The service was excellent, and they were wonderful about substituting items.

Would I try Lola's again - absolutely! I'm thrilled they have wonderful accommodations for Celiacs!

Thumbs Up!

Chilorios - Gluten-Free Mexican Fodd in Coral Gables!

Chilorio's, in the heart of Coral Gables, makes "very mexican" food, and is gluten-free accommodating! Gables Home Page wrote a similar review of gluten-free accommodating restaurants in Coral Gables, Chilorio's being on the list.

I work in the Gables, and was thrilled to order from Chilorio's for lunch. The staff and chef are knowledgeable about the gluten-free diet and were very helpful in making my indecisive self come to a decision! I love tacos, and really missed the tortilla taste. Chilorio's makes corn tortillas, so I chose those, with ground beef, chicken, and steak. They also come with sides of rice (with corn) and beans. Best of all, it's scrumptious!

This was a delicious, filling lunch! Thumbs Up to Chiliorio's!

Rudi's GF Bread - Am I Dreaming??

Rudi's gluten-free bakery was kind enough to educate me on their products and send me a loaf of gluten-free multi grain bread to sample. Rudi's bakery has been at it 30 years and now has a gluten-free line, and for that, I am thankful!! Rudi's makes white, multi-grain and cinnamon raisin gluten-free bread.

Important to note, is Rudi's charitable side. For every dollar coupon downloaded on Rudi's website, Rudi's will donate one dollar (up to $20k) to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA). Did you know there are an estimated 3 million people in the U.S. that have Celiac disease, but, only 160,000 diagnosed?? Alarming, huh? Thrilled there are socially conscious businesses, like Rudi's, that care to help make a difference...

On to the bread!

Let's just say WOOHOO!!! This multi grain bread, plain and simply R-O-C-K-S!! I have been searching for great gluten-free bread since I was diagnosed in 2010.

Best of all, it's kosher as well!

The texture feels like regular bread. Best of all, toasted with butter, it REALLY does taste like REAL bread!!! I've had non-Celiacs take a stab at this bread, and the conclusion is the same it tastes like real bread!!

Rudi's also shared some great recipes with me, that I'd like to share with you! For Gourmet Grilled Cheese and Bread Pudding, enjoy!!

I can't say enough about how thrilled I am to come across this product, thanks, Rudi's. I've already placed my recommondation to my local Publix to carry Rudi's gluten-free. Once you try it, you'll agree!

HUGE THUMBS UP FOR RUDI'S!!

Chili's - The Best Corn Ever! And a GF Menu!

Chili's Grill & Bar Restaurant has menu's catering to various food allergies, including egg, fish, wheat/gluten, dairy, shellfish, tree nuts and peanuts.

It may be surprising to some, but, my favorite food at Chili's is their CORN. It's incredible. Dripping with butter, salt and pepper rubbed on - I'm not sure what their secret is, but, it's always perfect sweet corn.

I also am a big fan of the margarita chicken, pictured below, with the corn on the cob and mashed potatoes.

Chili's has an email club, and offers coupons and free menu items for signing up.

Thumbs Up for Chili's!