Swiss Fettucini Tart

I have had this recipe for years.  I don't even know where it came from.  This was a huge bummer when I found out I had celiac.  It is FULL of gluten.  Well, not anymore.  With all the great products out there now I have been able to convert it with little difference in taste.  Actually, this is requested often in my otherwise gluten eating house and I made this one as a birthday dinner.  Now, I won't even begin to pretend this is healthy but it sure is good!

SWISS FETTUCINI TART
Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, divided into 1/4 cups
2 garlic cloves, minced
Approx 7 slices of Udi's Whole Grain Bread (or 30 slices of your favorite GF French Bread)
3 Tbs superfine brown rice flour or other thickener
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
8 oz Tinkyada Fettucini
2 cups (8 oz) shredded swiss cheese
1/3 cup sliced green onions
2 Tbs minced fresh basil
2 plum tomatoes, slices thinly

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Melt 1/4 cup butter in small saucepan over medium high heat.
Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Brush 10'' pie plate with butter/garlic mixture.
Line bottom and sides of pie plate with bread. Brush bread with remaining butter mixture.
Bake for 5 minutes or until browned.

Reduce heat to 350 F.
Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter in medium saucepan over low heat.
Stir in flour and seasonings.
Gradually stir in milk and stir constantly until thickened.
Add parmesan cheese.
Remove small amount of sauce and add to eggs.  Stir until blended.
Return egg mixture to saucepan.  Mix well.  Set aside.
Combine cooked fettucini, 1 1/4 cup swiss cheese, onions and basil in large bowl.
Pour sauce over fettucini.  Toss to coat.
Pour into crust.
Arrange tomatoes on top and sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes.

Eat!!

Coolhaus - Austin

I have been chasing the Coolhaus truck for months!!  Maybe even since Thanksgiving.  I did track down one of the trucks about 5 weeks ago and, boo hoo, they didn't have any gluten free cookies that day.  Last week, while driving home from dinner in South Austin, I realized it had been literally just next door to where I had dinner (at Red's Porch).  I had already fought my way north on I-35 to central Austin.  Errr!  Elusive ice cream sandwich!  Well, today I made it.  Success!!!!
I had a rare day off today and located the truck down south again, just next to Red's Porch.  I was prepared for the possibility that they might again not have any GF cookies but it was just a matter of meeting a challenge at this point.  I had to give it a try.  Goal number one?  Check!  I found it just where it was supposed to be.

Goal number two?  Woohoo!  They had GF cookies.  My S.O. quickly asked "What about the ice cream.  Are they all gluten free?"  The answer made me want to laugh and cry a little: "Only the blood orange sorbet."  Gross!  Blood orange sorbet with a chocolate chip cookie?  NOT what I was looking for.  My S.O. was determined to fix it and asked "What about the vanilla?" The nice, young girl in the truck suddenly changed her tune stating that the sorbet was the only vegan flavor.  Just to be sure, she quickly texted her boss and confirmed that ALL the ice cream flavors were gluten free.  Thanks.
Now I had some hard choices to make.

They have lots of ice cream flavors to choose from but I felt only a few would really go with a chocolate chip cookie.  (Chocolate chip is the only GF cookie flavor.)  I went with traditional vanilla ice cream.  The cookie was a little hard and dry but still tasted pretty good.  I really can't complain about it because, hey, I was eating a GF ice cream sandwich. Plus, my S.O. had a glutenous one and it was so soft that it quickly fell apart.  My cookie did have just a touch of garbanzo bean flour in it which I don't care for much but not enough that I wouldn't eat it again.  There were a few actual chips in it, which I think works because I could easily try the other ice cream flavors in it.  I was also pleasantly surprised that it smushed down like an ice cream sandwich should.  I had to lick the sides.  It was fun!

Easter Candy

Happy Easter candy day!  No matter your religion or non-religion you are bound to be bombarded with Easter treats.  I personally make a huge basket full of wonderful candy then promptly take it all to work to land on someone else's thighs.  If you happen to have been the recipient of a beautiful basket this morning or of get the left overs in days to come, have no fear.  The 2011 Gluten Free Easter Candy List is here!  I got this list a few weeks ago from Myglutenfacts.com when I was looking about as confused as the bunny above while shopping for Easter candy.  The list is thorough and the website has some great info.  And if you do have great success with all your GF candy, remember, Tums are gluten free.  Bawk, bawk!!

Chicken Parmesan

My dinner companion said "I would have NO idea this was gluten free.  This tastes exactly like the real thing.  It is so good."  I initially wasn't planning on blogging on this.  I was just trying to throw something together for dinner and utilize our collection of cookbooks. Therefore, one picture, taken just prior to consumption.  With or without pictures, this is good stuff!
The recipe is from The Gluten-Free Good Health Cookbook.  I think this is the first thing I tried from this book but it was a very successful try.  Here is the recipe:

CHICKEN PARMESAN
From Gluten-Free Good Health Cookbook by Annalise Roberts and Claudia Pillow


Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/4 cup brown rice flour (I used Authentic Foods superfine brown rice flour)
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup GF bread crumbs ( I used Udi's whole grain bread dried in the oven and crushed in a blender)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cup favorite tomato sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease a baking dish with olive oil.

Pound chicken breast between 2 pieces of wax paper with a rolling pin.  Have fun with this.  Get all the day's frustration out!  Be loud!

Mix flour, pepper and salt.  Combine bread crumbs, Italian seasonings and Parmesan cheese.  Line up 3 shallow dishes: one of flour mix, one of beaten egg and one of crumb mix.

Coat chicken in flour then dip in egg.  Then, coat with bread crumbs.

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in skillet and brown chicken on each side.

Spread 1/2 cup of tomato sauce in bottom of baking dish and arrange chicken in dish.  Place 1/4 cup of sauce on each piece of chicken.  Sprinkle with mozzarella and provolone cheese.

Bake for 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly.  Sprinkle with herbs.

I placed it on some al dente Tinkyada pasta.

Olivia - Austin

I have had the pleasure of going to Olivia twice recently, once for brunch and once for dinner.  It wasn't my first time.  I always enjoy going to Olivia for any meal.  Quite pricey but great food.  They always have local, fresh food assembled in both beautiful and interesting ways.  The meal below is from the brunch menu.  It is the caffeinated cochon benedict with fried pork jowl, coffee mushroom soil, pea tendrils, turnips, poached farm eggs and espresso hollandaise.

Unfortunately, it was too dark during our outside dinner to get any decent pictures with my old fashioned iPhone.  I can say with confidence that every scallop I have ever had there is perfection.
There is not a dedicated gluten free menu but the servers are knowledgeable about gluten.  My last dinner the server even warned me against ordering the quinoa because it had farro cooked in it.  Despite the beautiful visions of the chef, he is always willing to change his dishes to be gluten safe.  The fresh ingredients make it easy to change thing in the kitchen.
I can't speak to the the safety of the entire dessert menu.  This is mostly because I can't get past the first item, the duck egg creme brulee.  It is so creamy and yummy and creamy.  Did I mention creamy?  It is a must try!

Chicken Noodle Soup with Lemongrass

It is hard to think about chicken soup when it is pushing 90 degrees outside.  Unfortunately, I was directed to eat it, along with a few other specific foods, by my acupuncturist.  I try to be a good patient but I just couldn't do plain chicken soup.  I wanted something a little more tasty.  The original recipe for this is from Fine Cooking Magazine.  I of course had to use gluten free soy sauce and a different noodle.  Udon noodles ar NOT GF.  Here is the recipe de-glutenized.

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP WITH LEMONGRASS

2-1/2 Tbs. canola oil 
2 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 3/4 lb.), butterflied (cut horizontally almost all the way through and then opened like a book) 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
3 medium shallots (about 4 oz.), peeled and thinly sliced into rings 
2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, outer layers discarded, halved lengthwise, and smashed with the side of a chef’s knife 
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger 
2 tsp. packed light brown sugar 
5-1/2 cups lower-salt chicken broth 
3-1/2 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and quartered (1-1/2 cups) 
9 oz. fresh gluten free noodles 
1 Thai bird chile (or 1 small serrano pepper), sliced into thin rings 
8 large fresh torn basil leaves; plus sprigs for garnish 
1 medium lime, half juiced and half cut into wedges 
1 Tbs. gluten free soy sauce; more to taste 
2 medium scallions, trimmed and sliced, for garnish (optional) 
1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks, for garnish (optional) 
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional) 

Heat 1-1/2 Tbs. of the oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Season the chicken with 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper, and cook without disturbing until it’s browned and releases easily from the bottom of the pot, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is browned and almost firm to the touch (just short of cooked through), 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to cool.

Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and the shallots to the pot. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until the shallots start soften, about 2 minutes.

Add the lemongrass, ginger, and brown sugar and cook, stirring, until the ginger and lemongrass sizzle and become fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, and raise the heat to medium high. Bring the broth to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add the mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the noodles, stirring, until just tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a colander and run under cold water to cool slightly. Drain well.

I used King Soba Black Rice Noodles.  They taste much like regular rice noodles but are more nutritious and much more interesting looking.

Use your fingers or the tines of a fork to shred the chicken. Add the chicken and noodles to the broth and cook until the noodles are completely tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Discard the lemongrass. Stir in the chilis, torn basil, lime juice, and soy sauce; season with more soy to taste. 

For soy sauce, I use Wheat Free San-J Tamari.  I have been able to find it at almost every grocery store in town.

I have even seen single serving, travel packs of it.  Great for travel or to take to a friend's house. 


Divide the noodles among 4 large, deep bowls. Ladle the soup over the noodles, and garnish with the basil sprigs and scallions, carrot, and cilantro, if using.

Serve with the lime wedges for squeezing.

This was really fast and easy to make and a nice variation on plain, old chicken noodle soup.  Not to mention, it's gluten free of course.  It tasted great.  My SO described it as: "nearly as good as the awesome Japanese noodle place I used to frequent in LA."

The chili pepper was quite spicy, however.  If you are not up for a few tears from the capsaicin, put the chili in cheese cloth or a tea strainer and take it out before serving.

Steeping Room - Austin

This is a favorite of mine.  The Steeping Room is a sweet, little tea room/cafe in the Domain.  I am always happy after a visit.  It is extremely flavorful, healthy feeling, and gluten friendly.  I have never had a bad experience in my numerous visits. 

I always start with tea.  They have a large tea menu with options for everyone.  Iced, hot, decaf, red, white, black and blue.  Okay, maybe not blue.  They are always yummy.

This day I tried a hot, decaf rooibos: Golden pear.  It was just right.

These pictures are actually from my SECOND visit this week.  I accidentally erased all the pics from my first visit.  I was a little upset at first but, then I realized that that means I needed to go back and eat more.  I mean take more pictures.  My return-visit meal choice was not as awe-inspiring as the first time but just as tasty.

Both visits had been for lunch.  Their food menu is great because it notes right on the regular menu what is gluten free.  I like it so much more when you can just read a menu and see what is safe rather than have a list of what is safe and then have to compare it to the "real" menu.  Also, the servers all know what is safe and what isn't, usually right off the top of their heads.  They have many options for gluten free, not only salad but great soups, grains and even sandwiches.  All of there sandwiches can be made with their rice bread.  It is not the best bread ever but it is good and works very well as a vehicle for all the tasty sandwich innards.

Earlier this week I had a Buddha bowl for lunch.  This is: the grain of the day, bean of the day, green of the day, protein choice, roasted sweet potato and sauce choice.  All of their sauces are gluten free and delicious.  That day I had black rice, Japanese red beans, kale and chicken breast with peanut sauce.  Yum!!!

On the second visit I went a little lighter.  Soup and salad.  Not just any soup and salad, though.  They had my favorite soup: tomato coconut.  I paired this with a huge and wonderful Rustica salad with musclun greens, arugula, toasted hazelnuts, cranberries, fennel and goat cheese.  For a salad - amazing. My aunt actually got the exact same thing.  The portion was huge but that didn't stop me from eating every bite, or from ordering dessert.

Speaking of dessert....

I can not even go near the Domain without stopping at the steeping room for a gluten free Carrot Cake Cupcake.  Moist and not too sweet;  the cream cheese frosting is the best I have ever had.  I am constantly trying to replicate it in my own kitchen.

I often order a few to take home with me.  The combination of this cupcake and a cup of warm tea is perfection.  If carrot cake is not for you, they have many other gluten free desserts including a bunch that are made daily and not on the menu.  I honestly haven't ever tried anything else because I am addicted to the carrot cake.  One day, maybe I will stray.  Or maybe I need to get TWO desserts.  I'll work on that.

Also of note, If you take a look at the menu you will notice many vegan foods as well.  I don't really pay attention to this detail anymore but I know many do.

Steeping Room is a wonder and a joy for the Celiac community.  They are a model of how every restaurant should be.  They make it a pleasure and just plain easy to be gluten free while still enjoying a fabulous, relaxing meal out with friends and loved ones.

Chocolate Heartache Cake

Wait, wait, wait.  I DID say chocolate NOT eggplant.  There is  a perfectly good explanation for this.  This recipe uses eggplant instead of butter.
WAIT!!!  Come back!! It is good, I promise!  Look.

That's better.  Really, this cake is fantastic!  I can say that because I did not make this up.   The recipe comes from the latest enemy to my waistline,  Harry Eastwood's "Red Velvet & Chocolate Heartache: The ultimate feel-good book of natural cakes that taste naughty."   I recently have been trying to be healthier and watch the calories but I can't stop the baking.  I just love it too much and it makes me happy, happy.   I found this book while searching online for healthy desserts.  It uses veggies such as eggplant, zucchini and butternut squash in every recipe.  I like to tell myself that the vitamins and fiber cancel out the sugar.  It could happen.
If you don't have a scale, get one!  I love mine.  All the recipes in this book are in British.  That means ingredients are weighed out by grams.  We are one of only 3 countries left that still doesn't use the metric system.  So get on board.  It is worth it for a bite of this cake (and others to come).

HEARTACHE CHOCOLATE CAKE:
From Harry Eastwood's Red Velvet and Chocolate Heartache Cookbook

Serves 12 @ 267 cal/piece

2 small whole eggplant (approx 400g)
300g dark chocolate, the good stuff, broken into squares
50g cocoa powder plus a little more for dusting
60g almond flour
3 medium eggs
200g honey
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBSP brandy

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 9 in round 3 in deep loose bottom pan with parchment and lightly brush with oil (I used Pam).

Cook the eggplants by puncturing their skins multiple times and placing in a bowl covered in cling wrap.  Microwave on high for 8 minutes until cooked and limp.
Discard any water at the bottom. Leave in bowl until cool enough to handle.

Next, skin and puree eggplants in the blender.  Once smooth, add the chocolate.  Set aside, covered, until all the chocolate has melted.

In a large bowl, whisk all the other ingredients until slightly bubbly.  Fold in melted chocolate/eggplant mixture until well blended.

Pour into prepared pan and place on the bottom rack of the oven for 30 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and let cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes.  Then turn over onto the rack and peel off parchment.  Quickly turn it the right way up and sit it on a plate so it won't have rack marks.

Sieve a little cocoa powder on top just before serving.

I used a square pan and we ate it before the pic.  Couldn't resist!

Taverna - Austin

I have seen Taverna many times on my drive home from work but never really gave it a second thought.  It just became part of the scenery.  So, when I was downtown to see Devo at the new Moody Theater last week, it was not on the top of the list for dinner.  After parking we headed to 219 West since we had had luck there before and they have a diverse menu.  No go: closed Sundays for dinner.  We walked around a few blocks and finally ended up right back where we started, in front of Taverna.  My original thought was "Italian?  No way I can find something gluten free there."

 Then I noticed the sign outside...

We had to try it!

Not only were they gluten-friendly but they had a full gluten-free menu.  It was quite extensive with lots of options.  The waiter was also quite knowledgeable about gluten and what he didn't know he had no qualms about asking the chef. 

I started with a very small but tasty caprese salad. (I was starving so it was pretty much gone before I remembered to take a picture.)  For dinner I had the special: a pork tenderloin with asparagus and Yukon potatoes.

It was huge, enough for 2 people easily, and it was very good.  Perfectly cooked; very flavorful; nice combination of spices.  I have read many reviews on Taverna since, with many poor ones showing up.  That was definitely not my experience.  My food was great, the staff was helpful and prompt and the atmosphere was comfortable and relaxed.   Unfortunately, I did not get to take a look at the dessert menu as I didn't want to miss The Octopus Project, the opening band.  I look forward to going back here to check it out though. 

Final opinion: Thumbs up!  I'll go back!

Pizza Dough

Before I was diagnosed and went gluten free I was a pizza freak!  I loved it.  I could have eaten it every night. I wasn't picky either.  I liked it all, from homemade to gourmet to domino's cardboard textured crust.  I liked it all.  I think it is a comfort food for me.   When I was young, my father would pick me and my brother up every other Friday night to spend the weekend with him. We would go directly to TK's pizzeria to pick up dinner.  I would sit in the car with the warm pizza on my lap, impatiently waiting to pull in the driveway and eat.  Often I was scolded for trying to sneak a piece of pepperoni off the top.  It was safety and family and it tasted good!

Later, as a pre-adolescent and teenager,  I spent many weekend afternoons and evenings with my father making homemade pizza.  We would talk as he prepped all the toppings and the sauce.  He would let me pound on, oh, I mean knead, the dough and would always grate extra cheese and cut extra pepperoni for me to "sneak" a taste of.

My first few years of being gluten free I tried and tried to find a good gluten free crust.  I tried a lot of homemade crusts.  They were all terrible.  Tasted disgusting, wouldn't rise, etc, etc. I then moved on to pre-made.  For a while I was using Whole Foods Bakehouse Pizza Dough which was okay but not like the glutenous stuff.  Then I found Gluten Free Kneads.  It is made with whole grains and is quite tasty.  It is super yummy and now most of the pizza places in town use it as their GF crust.  However, I still longed for the days of homemade pizza, dirty hands, messy counter, thick, bready dough.

So, I was visiting my parents back in January and my Dad wanted to do a pizza night.  Despite all my GF pizza dough failures he has continued to send me recipes, box mixes and encouragement.  We had picked up a few GF flours from the store to make some other baked good.  I was sure any try at GF pizza dough, especially with limited supplies, would be a disaster but I decided to prove it to my Dad.  I googled GF pizza dough recipes that had teff and went for it.  I found this recipe and had almost all the ingredients.  A few adjustments and we were a go.

It was fabulous.  I couldn't believe it.  It rose!  Even more than glutenous dough does.  Then, with complete disbelief, I tasted it.  It was good, really good, like real pizza dough.  Then my Dad tried it and said it was almost as good as his.  Amazing!!

Once I got home, I was skeptical about making it again.  It must have been a fluke.  My Dad continued to pester me to make it for my 2 other celiac family members because they had loved my homemade glutenous dough.  I gave it and tried it again.  With a few more tweaks, It worked!!!  I am so excited about this and may need to have pizza daily once again.  Waistline, watch out.  I realize that this is not the NY style, greasy pizza you can fold up but it is the closest thing I have tasted to a Sunday afternoon of cooking with my Dad I have had in 5 years.  I am so grateful and hope you like it too!

This is my version of the above recipe:

GLUTEN FREE PIZZA DOUGH

Ingredients

1¼ Cups Cornstarch
¾ Cup Millet Flour
2 Cups Authentic GF Classic Blend Flour
¼ Cup Teff Flour
1½ Tablespoons Xanthan Gum
1½ Teaspoons Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano

1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Package Active Dry Yeast
1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon Honey
1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
2  Medium Eggs
1 Egg White
1¾ Cups Warm Water (110-115°)

Directions

Place Cornstarch, flours, Xanthan gum, salt, oregano, garlic powder and yeast in mixing bowl; mix. 

Add vinegar, sugar, honey, oil, eggs, egg white and lastly the warm water; mix. 

Increase mixing speed to high, and beat for 4 minutes.

Coat your pizza pan with cooking spray and or use parchment paper. The dough is super, incredibly sticky. 

For a round pizza you can just pour the patter and use an oiled spatula to even out.

I like the pizza on a cookie sheet to make it deep dish and tried to spread it multiple ways.  It takes a little more time but the most effective so far is placing it using a pastry bag. I doubled up the edges to make a nice crust edge. 

Spray surface of pizza dough with cooking spray or olive oil (very light coating). 

Allow to sit in a warm, dry location (free of drafts) covered loosely with plastic wrap for 40 minutes. This allows time for it to rise.

Preheat oven to 375° and pre-bake crusts for 20 minutes. It will rise even more at this point so be prepared. 

Remove pizza crust from oven. Increase oven temperature to 400°.

Add pizza sauce, cheese and any other desired toppings to the pizza crust.

Place back in oven for an additional 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before cutting.  ENJOY!!!

Saltgrass Steakhouse - Austin

We were feeling mildly adventurous tonight.  Translation:  We were not too exhausted to go through the gluten questions at a new place.  It was decided that we needed a steak so I consulted Urbanspoon.  We were going for not pricey, not downtown and casual.  I came up with Saltgrass Steakhouse.  I thought it amazing that there was a steak house in an area of town I know well and I hadn't even heard of it.  Off we went to give it a try.

I was a little skeptical at first. The inside was a combination of early bird diners and daycare center.  Surprisingly,  it wasn't too loud or crazy though.  The menu reminded me of a chain.  Similar to Applebee's, Outback or Chili's.  Our waitress was very nice, and prompt.  She did freely admit that she had no idea what this gluten thing I spoke of was but kindly listened.  She quickly told me not to worry that the manager knew every ingredient in every meal and would help me out.  He did in fact show up to our table just as I was ordering and answered all of my questions.

I ordered a filet mignon (no seasoning just in case) and a loaded baked potato.  I started with a house salad with oil and vinegar dressing.  I was delighted at how helpful they were until my main dish showed up.  My steak was covered with onion rings. Fie!!! The person that brought it to us immediately saw my face and asked what the problem was.  The meal never actually got placed in front of me before it was whisked off to be remade.  Not one person rolled an eye when I said I needed a completely new one.  The manager brought a replacement over in just a few minutes.  Concerned with how quickly they cooked a brand new steak I questioned the manager.  Is this a new steak?  How could you have recooked it so quickly?  He looked me in the eye and assured me it was new and had not touched the onion rings.  He said that it was already on the grill for another customer but I had ordered first so he gave it to me.  Nice.

The steak was good, not the best, but good.  Equal to Outback.  The potato was fantastic.  I don't know what made this one potato better than another but it was.

Would I go back here?  Perhaps, though it was just not my style. The staff did a great job, considering their limited gluten knowledge.  Most impressive was their sincerity.  No one acted as though they knew something they didn't or like I was being difficult or crazy.  I have had all of those experiences in the past. I would certainly stop here if I was passing through on the highway (it is on the 183 bypass) or if my family wanted to go somewhere for a cheap steak.  The food was good and the service was great.  I wouldn't call it "gluten-friendly" but it was certainly not gluten-mean!  It was a nice tittle adventure and no tummy ache.

National Geographic/Lindblad Expeditions - Antarctica

As I planned this trip I thought "What if this wonderful trip is ruined by gluten?", "What if I am gutenized AND seasick?"  I am not normally anxious about gluten when traveling.  I simply bring some Larabars or GF pretzels and if I can't find something GF than I'm okay.  Antarctica, however, doesn't have  a lot of GF restaurants and due to the customs rules in Chile, bringing food was not necessarily going to be an option.  Bring on the anxiety.  I tried to keep things in perspective.  I could live on fruit or salad for 2 weeks.  Right?

There was little discussion regarding who we would travel to Antarctica with.  National Geographic all the way.  Reliable, small, scientists on board... nerds unite!!  I called Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic regarding my dietary restrictions before we booked.  I was told, "Don't worry.  We deal with dietary restrictions regularly.  Just be sure to write it down on your medical form when you send it in."  Too easy?  I would just have to see.

My first food experience on the Explorer was a delicious adult coffee.  They made a little Lindlad symbol on top.  Very detail oriented and encouraging.
Once I had checked out our room and settled in a little I sought out the restaurant manager, Gaylord, to start my gluten free quest.  He advised me to just contact him prior to every meal and he would make sure I stayed GF.  I could do that.

After the safety drills, announcements, etc., it was time for our first on board meal.  Dinner that evening was a buffet.  All but 2 of our dinners on board were real sit down, 3 course meals.  I was easily able to find Gaylord at the buffet line and he took me around, directing me to what was safe and away from what was not.  It was that easy.  For dinner I had rice salad, tomato and avocado salad, green bean casserole, roasted vegetables, perch with verde sauce and beet crisp, potato leek soup and some cheese for dessert.  All delicious.  I went to bed full, exhausted and without a tummy ache (if you don't count the sea sickness that started in the middle of the night as we hit open sea.)

The next morning, breakfast was again a buffet, as were all that followed.  Unfortunately, many of the brands were South American and all of the labels in Spanish.  Also, I did not have my trusty iPhone or an internet connection to check on things.  That meant no yogurt for the duration.  There was plenty to eat though.  Most mornings there was a collection of fresh and dried fruit which I placed in a bowl and poured a little milk over.  There was also a variety of eggs each morning to chose from.  I did not go hungry.  My first morning Gaylord even offered me some GF toast.  I happily accepted.  I thought "this is great!"  until I saw it.  It couldn't have been more than a little tapioca starch and some water.  Sad.  I certainly did appreciate the effort though.

Lunch was always a buffet similar to our first dinner.  Always mostly gluten free.  Each time Gaylord was there to let me know what was safe.  If there wasn't anything or I really wanted something that wasn't GF  he would have the chef make a special GF one for me.  One afternoon after a long day of hiking and penguin watching, I walked into the dining room to find a smorgasbord of pizza.  I thought I might cry a little.  How could they do this too me!!!!!  Gaylord immediately saw me standing there shell shocked and walked up to me. "What do you like on your pizza?"  he asked as he pointed to all of the options on the buffet. I could not believe he was asking me this.  After all our time together had he just not understood the concept of gluten?  In fact, he was offering me my own GF pizza with any toppings I desired.  I regret not taking a picture.  I was too busy eating I guess.  It was good!  The crust was obviously all white flours but it was thick and not resembling cardboard at all.  The toppings and sauce was delicious.  I was so excited.

No penguin burgers?

Dinners were usually very good.  They always had ice cream available and often had other options as well.  I simply told my waiter that I wanted my meal gluten free, picked what I wanted and the chef made it gluten free for me.  In a few days in every waiter would hand me my food and say "gluten free".  The gentleman who brought me my morning beverage would even set down my water or coffee and say "Your coffee ma'am, gluten free."
I did have a few close calls.  There was a pudding dessert that I was told was safe and when I took a bite it had little chocolates that crunched on top.  Crap.  Gaylord did not know what they were "some kind of cereal".  That did not instill confidence.  There was also something about once a day that I was told was GF but I just didn't trust.  Apparently, on ship they made most things with cornstarch rather that flour but I just couldn't bring myself to believe something breaded was safe.  It is entirely possible but I went for safe not sorry.  Plus, there was so much food that was safe, leaving one thing off my plate was not going to kill me.
All in all a very good GF experience especially considering the situation.  Nat Geo/Lindblad won my vote for GF friendly trip!!!  Go Antarctica.

Ushaia, Argentina and the Beagle Channel

Arriving in Ushuaia was breathtaking.  The town was cute and very Sound of Music with the tudor houses and the snow capped mountains.
We had had a 4 hour flight from Santiago to Ushaia.  Grawnola to the rescue again.

We were promptly put on a tour bus for our trip to Tierra del Fuego National Park.  I was very excited.  I am a total science and nature nerd.  I have always wanted to go to Patagonia and there we were.  Into Patagonia and to the Beagle Channel.  The same water way that Charles Darwin himself sailed over 175 yeas ago and started exploring as a naturalist.  WOW!!

After an amazing hike through the the park, the plan was lunch on a catamaran and a trip down the channel.

By this time I was very hungry.  We hiked town to the Canoero catamaran, the Elisebetta for lunch.  Tables were already set and a wrap appetizer was already on the plate.

Initially our server was Spanish speaking only so I got out my Triumph Dining Card.  It has Spanish on one side and English on the other. I have rarely used this and felt a little silly doing so but, it totally worked.  I was so surprised.  The server quickly brought over the English speaking manager who confirmed the ingredients of the lunch soup and that they were safe.  She sent over a very good salad, in place of the wrap, with packaged dressing. The amazing thing was the ingredients were so simple I could even read them in Spanish.  There was no obvious gluten so I went for it.

The rest of lunch was small but incredible good.  It was a beautiful beef curry soup.  The manager even double checked with me the ingredients were gluten free as it was served.  It was very good.  Small portion but the spices were just right.  Flavorful without being overly spicy, hot.

Then there was dessert.  It was a chocolate covered ball of black cherry ice cream.  The manager said it was safe.  I knew that maybe the chocolate may not be completely safe but this was one of those calculated risks and she did say it was safe.  I did not get sick, so I win.  Take that gluten!

Half eaten.  I couldn't wait. 

As I ran outside to take pictures of sea lions and cormorants I noticed some cookies by the door.  The boxes were sitting behind the cookies for identification.  They were gluten free!!!  It said it right on the box!!! "Sin Gluten"!

 Okay, I admit they were aweful!  Disgusting actually.  But what a great effort on their part.  There were no other glutenous cookies, just the GF ones for everyone.  Good show.  

For a small operation, that speaks a different language, they did a FABULOUS job of pulling off gluten free.  I was very impressed.

After our great lunch and tour of the channel we boarded our ship to Antarctica!  So exciting!

                                                                                     Antarctica here we come!!