Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Since I have a hole jar of tahini in the fridge, a new food processor and the Edamame Hummus turned out so good I decided to try regular hummus.  I have to admit I can't remember a time that I have actually ordered hummus at a restaurant or even bought it at a store.  I have eaten hummus at people's houses as an appetizer but that is the extend of my hummus experience.   After reading ATX Gluten Free post about Red Pepper Hummus I decided to give it a try!

What you Need:
1 can garbanzo beans / chick peas, drained
1/3 cup tahini
1/2 roasted red pepper diced
1/2 lemon juiced
1 clove garlic
3 tbsp EVOO (may need more for smoother consistency)
Salt and pepper

How to Make it:
Roast the red bell pepper.

Step 1 - Set oven to broil.  Rub vegetable oil on pepper.  Broil pepper until the pepper starts to turn black.  Rotate pepper as needed.  It took about 13 minutes.

Step 2 - Put pepper in bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let sit for 10 minutes. 

Step 3 - Peel off the outer skin.  Pull out the top.  Cut open and get the seeds out.  Dice up half the pepper for the recipe.

Put all ingredients in food processor except EVOO.  As it mixes put in EVOO.  The amount you use will vary depending on how thin you want your hummus.  Chill then serve!  Keeps covered in fridge for at least 3 days.

I have since had this tasty hummus on sandwiches with the other half of the roasted red pepper and with turkey and cheese.

Edamame Hummus

One of the amazing Gluten Free recipes I learned at the cooking class at Southern Seasons was Parmesan Crisps with Edamame Hummus.  This brilliant recipe was created by Breana Lai.

What you Need:
1 bag (12 oz) Frozen shelled edamame
2 tbsp tahini
1/2 juiced lemon with zest
1 clove garlic
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
2 tbsp EVOO

How to Make it:
Boil the edamame for 4-5 minutes.  Mix edamame, tahini, lemon, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin and coriander in food processor.  Drizzle in EVOO as it mixes.  For thinner hummus add water.  Will last for 3 days in refrigerator.

This is the tastiest hummus I have ever had.   The parmesan chips are super easy to make and add a nice salty compliment to the hummus.  Since pita chips are out for us Gluten Free eaters these are a great alternative!

When I made this recipe I cut it in half since I knew I would be the only one eating it.  On day two I enjoyed the hummus on a sandwich!

I still have half a bag of edamame in the freezer so I plan to make another batch next week.

Disclaimer: I am not cool or smart enough to come up with this awesome recipe on my own.  It was created by Breana Lai.

Broccoli and Quinoa Goodness

This dish was inspired by reading this blog about Broccoli Cheddar Nuggets.  I wanted to try them but decided to see how I could incorporate Quinoa.

What You Need:
12 oz bag of frozen broccoli
1/2 cup uncooked Quinoa
1/2 cup grated carrots
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
3 eggs
1/4 cup GF ranch dressing
1 slice of toasted GF bread cut up
Salt and pepper

How to Make It:
Cook the Quinoa according to the instructions on the box.  Heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Chop up the broccoli and mix with carrots.  Add cheese, egg and dressing to veggie mixture.   When Quinoa is done add with toast to mixture.  Cook for 10-15 minutes.

I used a mini-muffin tin that I sprayed to make mine.   This allows for a fun little finger food option.  These could be used as appetizers with a ranch dip, as a side item or as a healthy snack!  I put about half of them in the freezer for later and plan to eat the rest this week.  I love having good items in the freezer ready whenever I need something to eat!

The Quinoa added good texture and binding for the dish, I did rinse it first.  There is no one over powering taste in these, everything just melts together!  I think this is a great base to work off of.  I look forward to hearing how other people adapt the recipe to your tastes!

This post is linked to Allergy Friendly Friday and Gluten Free Homemaker

Banana Gluten Free Pancakes

I love Gluten Free Bisquick!  I use if for chicken, casseroles, desserts and pancakes!  The taste is great and it mixes up so well.

Over the weekend I decided to make my first banana pancakes (I love the Jack Johnson song!).

Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes

What you Need:
1 cup GF Bisquick
1 cup milk
2 tbsp vegtable oil
1 egg
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
2 ripe bananas
cinnamon
Optional - chocolate chips or pecans

How to Make it:
Cut up bananas and put in ziploc bag - sqeeeeeze (kids like this part)!  Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl.  Cut a corner off of the plastic bag and add to batter.  The batter will be lumpy.  Put 1/4 cup of batter on a warmed griddle  You can add chooclate chips or nuts if you want.   Flip when bubbles come through batter.   Cook 1-2 minutes on each side.

Plain for the toddler and chocolate for me!

Serve warm with fresh banana slices or powder sugar!

The pancakes smell like banana but did not have an over powering flavor of banana.  I would say it was a subtle hint of banana flavor.  The smell was what really brought home the banana effect!

I really enjoyed them and the Toddler ate them not even knowing I had hidden fruit in them!  Success!

Custom Choice Cereal Giveaway

 After trying Custom Choice Cereal and loving the option of creating my own Gluten Free cereal I wanted to share the experience with you!  Custom Choice Cereal was nice enough to donate ONE BAG of Cereal to one of the I'm a Celiac.com readers!

THE GIVEAWAY:
One bag of Custom Choice Cereal delivered to your door!  

HOW TO ENTER:
1. Leave a comment on this blog that includes what you will name your Custom GF cereal if you win (1 entry)
2.  Follow this blog and leave a comment saying you are following (1 entry)
3.  Follow @ImaCeliac on Twitter and leave a comment saying you are following (1 entry)
4.  Like I'm a Celiac on Facebook and leave a comment saying you liked the page (1 entry)
5.  Link to this giveaway through your blog and leave a comment with the link to your blog post (1 entry)
6. Link to this giveaway through Facebook and leave a comment saying you linked the giveaway (1 entry)
7. Link to this giveaway through Twitter and leave a comment saying you linked to the giveaway (1 entry)


Make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry!

This gives you 7 chances to get your name in the pot!  On Sunday April 3rd I will use Random.org to pick the winner.  The winner will have 48 hours to contact me to learn how to redeem your prize.   The winner will be listed on the blog and our Facebook page.

DISCLAIMER:
I was provided the bag of Custom Choice Cereal for this giveaway.
www.customchoicecereal.com

This giveaway has closed.  Congratulations to Halley!

Greensboro Gluten Free Bakery

When work took me to Greensboro, NC this week I knew I would have to make a stop into Lindy's Goodies Gluten Free Bakery!  This was only my second visit, you can read about my first visit here.

GF White Cupcake and GF Brownie

My visit this week was a double bonus because I finally got my first Gluten Free cupcake and I actually got to meet Lindy!  She was super sweet and told me all about the bakery and upcoming events she will be at.   Lindy also has a Gluten Free cook book that you can buy in the store or online.

The brownie was better than I remember it.  I ate it on my way home.  It had a nice chocolate flavor with chunks of chocolate mixed in to give it a nice texture.

The cupcake tasted like a yummy white, gluten-filled cupcake!  It didn't have a funny after taste or taste of "That's Gluten Free".   Lindy makes the icing in house and it was good!   The cupcake was pretty sweet so I cut it in half and ate it in two sittings.

Lindy's Goodies also carried ice cream and Gluten Free Waffle Cones!  I think I will try that on my next visit!

Custom Choice Cereal

I first heard about this Gluten Free cereal company through Twitter.   The concept intrigued me - build your own Gluten Free cereal!  Since finding out that I had Celiac Disease cereal has become my fallback meal.  Meaning in a pinch I know I can always eat cereal for any meal to get me through.  I have tried a number of different Gluten Free cereals, some have been better than others!  So when given the opportunity to make my OWN cereal I jumped on it.

My custom cereal: corn flakes, almonds, raisins,  and pistachios 

How it works: 
1. Visit www.customchoicecereal.com/
2. Choice your base of granola, corn flakes or good morning flakes 
3. Add fruit, nuts and seeds as you want
4. Name your creation and pay!

The price varies based on what you put in your cereal.  This is a great concept because you are not only in control of what goes in your cereal but how much it costs!

The cereal is made the same day if ordered by 3pm or the next business day if after 3pm.

When I found out the company was also local I decided to pick up my cereal so I could meet the owner, Hajo Engelke.

Hajo in his mixing area

After chatting with Hajo it was clear he is passionate about his company and providing a GOOD Gluten Free cereal option for Celiacs and Gluten Intolerant people.   He uses a dedicated Gluten Free facility and even tests all his ingredients to make sure they are free from Gluten before using them.

With a new bag of cereal in hand I of course had to try a bowl.  The result was a tasty cereal with quality ingredients.  The nuts added a nice crunch where the raisins added a chewy texture.

** The giveaway is up for your chance to win ONE FREE BAG of cereal from Custom Choice Cereal**

Easy Gluten Free Berry Cobbler

Since it is now officially spring I wanted to make a fun spring dessert.   Nothing says spring dessert better than berry cobbler!  We didn't have any fresh berries in the house (I ate all the strawberries last week with my Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake).  So I went to the freezer for the bag of mixed berries, the pantry for my Pamela's Baking mix and got to work!

What You Need:

• 4 tablespoons butter melted
• 1 1/4 cups GF  baking flour (I used Pamela's)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon GF baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon GF vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 cups of fresh berries or a 16 oz package of frozen berries)
• 1 tablespoon sugar crystals

Batter on the bottom - fruit on top

How to Make It:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together.

3. Mix in milk, vanilla and melted butter. Whisk together

4. Pour batter into 9x9 or 8x8 casserole dish.

5. Cover with frozen berries and sprinkle with sugar crystals.

6. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until cobbler is brown and bubbling.

It may sound strange to put the batter on the bottom but trust me - it works!  The batter rises to the top and the berries sink down.  From start to finish I had this dessert in the oven in 8 minutes!  Talk about easy and fast.  This is a great dessert to make when entertaining.  You can throw it in the oven as the guests arrive and it will be hot and ready in time for dessert. 

Batter on top and bottom - fruit on bottom!

Serve with cool whip or ice cream.  This dessert also reheats well if it isn't devoured in one sitting.


This post is linked to: Slightly Indulgent Tuesday and Gluten Free Wednesdays.

Sunday Gluten Free Wrap-up

We all live busy lives and don't always have time to read blog after blog about Gluten Free living.  So I have decided to compile a Sunday Wrap-up listing recipes and posts from the week.

Gluten Free Products and Reviews:

Gluten Hates Me - Gluten Free Top 5 Product List
Jules Gluten Free - Run Down from Expo West (3 posts)

Gluten Free Recipes:

Gluten Free Homemaker - Gluten Free Wednesdays

Simply Sugar and Gluten Free - Slightly Indulgent Tuesday

The Nourishing Homemaker - Broccoli Cheddar Nuggets 

Deals of the Week

Custom Choise Cereal - $10 gets you $20 worth!

Gluten Free Birmingham - Gluten Free Bisquick tip for Amazon

I'm A Celiac Recipes This Week

Strawberry Shortcake 

Scalloped Potatoes and Hamburger 

Whole Foods Gluten Free Hamburger Buns

With warm weather approaching I knew I would need to get some Gluten Free hamburger buns for all the cook outs!  (Note: in the south we call cooking on a grill a "cook out" instead of a "bar-b-que".  Bar-b-que is a whole different experience!)  I grabbed a bag of Whole Foods Gluten Free hamburger buns in the freezer section a couple of weeks ago.

We had a family celebration today that included a cook out with hamburgers and hot dogs.  It was a great time to try out my GF buns.  Last night I pulled one bun out, put it in a sandwich bag and set it on the counter to thaw over night.

I diligently read all the labels for my toppings: ketchup, mayo, cheese, and pickles.  The cheeseburger tasted great, just like a sunny Saturday afternoon cook out should.

The GF bun tasted great but I have to say that it was very dense.  So much so that I took the top of the bun off and just ate it open faced.  

I don't want to scare you away from this product because the overall taste is very good.  However, I found that the bread was so dense it was making it difficult to enjoy the burger.  I still have 5 buns left and will eat them.  My plan is to thinly cut the bun so the two sides are thinner.  Maybe toasting the buns with some butter would help soften them up.

Anyone have a suggestion?  I know Udi's is coming out with a hamburger bun but I don't think it is on store shelves yet.

Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberries were on sale at the grocery store so I was inspired to create a fun Gluten Free dessert!   I didn't want to go too fancy or difficult so I decided to go with good ol' Strawberry Shortcake.  During my gluten eating days I would love to use angel food cake.  I have never made shortcake before.

After searching around I found that Live Gluten Freely had a GF recipe using GF Bisquick - my favorite!


Here is their recipe

4 cups (1 qt) strawberries, sliced

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/3 cups Bisquick® Gluten Free mix

1/3 cup butter or margarine

3/4 cup milk

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup whipping cream, whipped

1.   In small bowl, mix strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar; set aside.

2.   Heat oven to 425°F. Grease cookie sheet. In medium bowl, combine Bisquick mix and remaining 1/4 cup of the sugar; cut in butter with pastry blender or fork. Stir in milk, eggs and vanilla. Drop by 6 spoonfuls onto cookie sheet.

3.   Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. With serrated knife, split shortcakes; fill and top with strawberries and whipped cream.

I did vary it a little. First I cut it in half because I was only cooking for the Hubs and me.  Second I added a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg to the dough.  A also let my strawberries sit in the sugar overnight.  This creates all that yummy, sugary juice!  Before baking I covered the top with melted butter and put baking sugar crystals on top.

The end result was fantastic and super tasty!  The shortcake was dry in the way shortcake is supposed to be dry.   It was also dense enough to hold the strawberries and cool whip without falling apart.

This is a keeper and if I'm honest I licked my plate - literally!
Happy Gluten Free Baking!

This post is linked to: The Gluten Free Homemaker and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

Scalloped Potatoes and Hamburger

This is a simple one dish meal for a cold evening.  It is basically a healthy version of a Hamberger Helper box meal.  All you need is ground beef and some potatoes.  I prefer to use red skinned potatoes but russets work fine.  I do not peel the skins off - partly because I'm lazy and partly because I like the taste.
Enjoy!

What you Need:

• 1 lb ground beef or turkey
• 6 medium potatoes, sliced
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• Garlic salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup cheddar cheese
• 1 box GF cream of mushroom soup

How to make it:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a skillet brown meat with onions, drain fat
3. Season meat with garlic salt and pepper to taste.  Add Worcestershire sauce
4. In a separate bowl combine soup and milk.
5. Add soup mix and potatoes to the meat and pour into casserole dish.  Cover with cheese
6. Cook covered for 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender 

This meal is great on a cold day and it heats up well if you have any left over!

You can also add more vegetables if you like. 

Figo Pasta Atlanta Restaurant Review

We took a trip to Atlanta for my Hubby's work over the weekend.  Prior to our trip I asked for Gluten Free restaurant suggestions on Twitter.   Lauren from Gluten Free and Southern was so sweet and sent me 3 suggestions!  One of the restaurants was Figo Pasta.  They had three locations in the Atlanta area.

I ordered the Gluten Free pasta and Siciliana sauce.  The menu had a lot of variety and it clearly marks which items are Gluten Free.   The deal is you pick the type of pasta you want and then pick your sauce. And there are a ton of options.  Once you order and pay you pick your table.   A very attentive wait staff brings your drinks and bread (non-gluten free) to the table.   When the meal is ready they bring it out with fresh parmesan cheese.

The Gluten Free pasta tasted like regular pasta!  The sauce had a lot of flavor.

It you are ever in Atlanta and want a safe, good Gluten Free meal head over to Figo Pasta!

Lunch at the Georgia Aquarium

We look a trip to Atlanta for my hubby's work.  He had a two day conference so I took off work and we all went.  While the hubs was working Saturday I went downtown with the Toddler to see the fish!  We had a blast walking around and looking at everything.

Our visit did include lunch - which has become challenging now that I'm Gluten Free.  After standing in line for the grill (hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken fingers) I decided none of that would work.  So we headed over to the sandwich/ salad station.  Luckily they had the option to "Make your own" sandwich this meant I had a chance!  I nicely asked the lady to put the bread on one plate and the insides on another.  When she looked at me funny I explained that I was allergic to bread but my daughter wasn't.  She quickly changed her gloves and got to work.  She put all the inside items (lettuce, tomato, cheese and ham) in one bowl and white bread in the other.  

While in the checkout line I noticed PopCorners!  I grabbed a bag for us to share - super tasty!  The lunch came out great and Gluten Free!  I shared the meat and cheese with the Toddler.  Then I cut up what was left and made a chef salad for me.

Traveling is possible as a Celiac / Gluten Free person it just takes a little planning and creativity!

Ikea Gluten Free Cake

We were on a road trip that just happened to take us by an IKEA so of course we went in. The toddler got to run off some energy and we got to look around.

We had lunch at the restaurant. I went with what I had last time: salad and potatoes. I also ate some of yogurt left by the toddler.

The meal was completed by a slice of Almondy cake. It is Gluten free! It is a thin, layered cake with nuts, toffee, creme and chocolate. It was very enjoyable. It was pretty sweet so I'm glad we shared it. A whole slice would have been too much.

I love being able to eat dessert!

My first attempt at Quinoa

I have heard about this food called Quinoa from other Gluten Free bloggers.  It is supposed to be super good for you - high protein and lots of amino acids.   I have seen it at a few grocery stores but have stayed away afraid of the unknown!

This week I looked Quinoa in the face and I won!  I picked up a small box to try it out.   After reading lots of recipes I decided to combine them.

What you need:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken broth
3 small carrots
1/4 onion
Garlic Salt

How to Make it:
Put all ingredients in a saucepan, make sure you have a lid for it.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 10-15 minutes.  I stirred twice during.

The Result:
It reminded me of rice.   The small balls are fun to eat and the texture is enjoyable.  I have to say it tasted a little "earthy" in the same way that venison tastes "gamey".  I think the more stuff you put in it the better it is.  Next time I will use more veggies.

We had some left over so I ate it for lunch the next day.  I heated it up with margarine and bacon pieces!  I then topped it with ranch dressing.  This combination was super tasty!  And the quinoa didn't have the "earthy" flavor on day two!

I still have more quinoa so I will have to be brave again soon!  Any quinoa recipes I should try?

Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

For my first Gluten Free baking adventure I decided to try Pamela's Baking and Pancake mix.   I bought the 24 oz bag at a local health food store with a coupon!  My ultimate goal is to try the many different GF baking mixes and create my own once I know what I like.  The main reason for this is cost - GF baking mixes can be pricey!

These came out amazing!  I downed one as soon as it was out of the oven.  I ate another one while the photos were uploading.  These will make a tasty breakfast this week. 

The pumpkin can actually said Gluten Free on the label!

What you need:

• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil ( can use applesauce)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup water (May not need all)
• 1 1/2 cups Gluten Free Baking Mix
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 
• (I used the mini's)

1.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray paper liners with cooking spray.

2.

Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together the baking mix, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.

3.

Fill liners 2/3 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

This post is linked to What's Cooking Wednesday,  Raising Homemakers, Tasty Tuesday, Gluten Free Wednesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Real Food Weekly and A Southern Fairy Tale.

Baked Chicken and Brocolli Gluten Free

We had planned to grill some chicken and had them marinating in Italian dressing over night.  Well it was pouring down rain Sunday so we had to switch gears.  Baked chicken seemed like a logical use for the chicken.  So I went to the pantry and freezer and threw this together.

It was super tasty.  The marinated chicken had a lot of flavor to it!  Sometimes the chicken in casseroles is bland but not this one!   This recipe came out with a thin sauce.  To thicken it up use less chicken broth or add some rice flour.   I just topped mine with cheese but some GF bread crumbs would have been nice.  Next time!

What you need:
3 chicken breasts cubed and marinated over night in GF Italian dressing
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup cheese
1 box GF cream of chicken soup (I used Pacific)
1-2 cups frozen broccoli
1/4 medium onion chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix broth and soup together in cassorole dish.  Add chicken, onions and brocolli to soup mix.  Stir together and cover with cheese.  Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Serve with rice or quinoa.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese Gluten Free

I love mac-n-cheese.  I have tried Annie's Gluten Free kind but it just isn't the same as Kraft Blue Box.  Baked chicken was on the menu and I thought homemade mac-n-cheese would be a tasty side.

The sour cream may look odd in the ingredients list but it gives it a subtle tanginess.   I used cheddar and parmesan cheese because that is what I had.  Feel free to experiment with different cheeses to add flavor.

You can make this recipe vegetarian by omitting the chicken broth.  I used it to compliment my main dish which it did nicely!  

What you need

16 oz of GF pasta
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper
1/8 cup chopped onion
1 egg
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup grated parmasan cheese
1/2 cup (4 ozs) sour cream

Hot out of the oven

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
While pasta is cooking: mix broth, milk, egg, onion, salt, pepper and sour cream together.  Add 1 1/2 cups of cheddar and all of the parmasan cheese.  When pasta is cooked add to bowl.  Cover with remaining cheddar cheese. Put in cassorole dish and bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

This was a big hit in my house.  Everyone had seconds!  I think next time I may try to mix in some veggies or bacon!

Gluten-Free Culinary Class at Southern Season

I had the opportunity to attend a Gluten Free cooking class at Southern Season last Saturday.  It was taught by Breana Lai a Dietitian and French trained chief.  She also had a Dietitian friend with her that has Celiac Disease.

The cooking classroom

The Chief on the right and Celiac Expert on the left

The class included three courses:

Parmesan Crisps with Edamame Hummas

This is the first ever Hummas that I have liked!  It had a great taste and smooth texture.  The Parmesan Crisp was a unique alternative to a cracker, it also added a nice salty flavor.

Beef and Potato Stew with Cocoa

The point of the stew was to show us that there are a lot of good food options that are Gluten Free on their own, no substitutions or alterations needed.  It was a little spicy for me but the beef was very tender and enjoyable.

Maple Frosted Pumpkin Fingers

The recipe was based on Bob's Red Mill baking mix and had an amazing homemade icing.


Great Gluten Free Cooking Tips:

1. Stir GF dough by hand.  If you mix the dough in a mixer it can get too tough
2. The onion to celery ratio should be 1:2.  So one cup of onion to .5 cup of celery
3. Eggs cook better if at room temperatures
4. Homemade icing tastes better than out of the can and it is easy to make

Ikea Food Gluten Free

Today I had to travel for work.  This traveling just happened to make me go by an Ikea!  I love Ikea so if I'm ever within a 30 minute drive I will go.  There is so much in there that I can always find something that I "need".

The trip today happened at lunch time with some co-workers.  I tried to do some online research on my phone as we walked in the building but couldn't find much.  I decided I would go with a caesar salad to be safe.  The problem came when all the caesar salads were pre-made with croutons.  The nice man behind the counter pointed me over to the side salads without croutons.  They also had some yummy looking mashed potatoes.  After grilling the nice man about what went in them I decided on the salad and the mashed potatoes.  Since I didn't know what brand of salad dressing they used I skipped it.  I find that a little salt and pepper can make a salad edible in a pinch.

They do have a Gluten Free dessert available called Almondy Daim.  It is an Almond chocolate cake.

I didn't get a chance to try it this time.  But it did look good.

Anyone else have suggestions on what to eat that is Gluten Free at Ikea?

Egg Frittatas

This is a great option for a Gluten Free make ahead breakfast.  The ingredients can be changed based on your families likes and what you have in your fridge.

What you Need:

• 6 Large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup of vegetables (I use onion and green pepper)
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup meat (I have used ham or bacon)
• 1 Gluten Free pie crust (I used Whole Foods brand. You can also make these in cupcake tins.  Just make sure you heavily grease the tins.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the eggs, milk and salt and pepper together.  Add the veggies, meat, and cheese.  Mix well.  Pour into pie crust and bake for 35-40 minutes until cooked through.  

You can eat this all week, just heat up a slice in the microwave for 45 seconds.  In my busy life anything that I can make ahead makes a big difference!