As if I wasn’t completely spoiled enough by my new friends and family surprising me with gluten free meals over Easter weekend, we happened upon this little gem of a gluten free sweets shop while sipping coffee in Brooklyn. You don’t even have to be gluten free or vegan to love this place. AND you can order online. Do it. Now. You won’t be sorry.

I claim to live under a rock most of the time.

Sometimes it is even fun for me to blame the fact that I don’t have cable.

One day I woke up and realized that there was nothing on the one billion channels of cable and I was paying A LOT of money for it.

I opted out of cable and went the way of Hulu/Netflix/Amazon to get my TV fix. I mean, how else would I be able to watch all of last year’s Game of Thrones season in one week?

However, it turns out I am missing something without cable. I’m missing all my favorite cooking channels and shows. I don’t think Bobby Flay misses me nearly as much as I miss him.

And apparently this amazing little bakery called “Babycakes” based out of New York City (Brooklyn) is featured A LOT on these cooking channels.

I remember hearing about Babycakes circa 2009 when they opened as a gluten free bakery in NYC. Erin McKenna, the genius founder, was a pioneer in the gluten free universe.  She was showing up on all the gluten free blogs as a place to go and a woman to follow. THAT I remember. Then, well, I forgot…

…until this past weekend. I was sitting in a park in Brooklyn visiting with my family who are actually NYC locals. I remembered that there was this really great gluten free bakery in NYC that I had heard about years ago.

Just for fun, I decided to pull it up on the GPS. Know how big New York City is? Know the odds of how close by or convenient it might be to get to?

Turns out it was six blocks from where I was sitting! No subway or cab required. (And I was thoroughly enjoying navigating subways and learning how to hail a cab….obviously a tourist!)

The trek to gluten free (and vegan!) cupcake and donut mecca was well worth it.

In fact, it was such an exciting moment for this veteran gluten free connoisseur that I kind got a little star-struck when I got there.

I feel like I ordered one of everything. And do I have pictures to show for it?

Sadly, no.

Because we ate everything in all its glory so fast that I didn’t think about photographing it for you until it was way too late.

My very favorite treat was the gluten free carmel chocolate crumb-topping donut. Okay, that wasn’t the name of it. But that’s what it tasted like.

I think the lady behind the counter thought I was nuts when I kept asking, “Is this one gluten free?” I’m still not used to being in a store where EVERYTHING is gluten free.

“Ma’am, the whole store is gluten free…and vegan.” Brought tears to my eyes.

None of this, “We just have this one gluten free cupcake flavor” you may find in other cupcake establishments.

If you find yourself in NYC, Los Angeles or downtown Disney in Orlando, you MUST stop at Babycakes and be dazzled and amazed.

Even my non-gluten free fiancé loved everything we tried.

Not traveling anytime soon? Go to www.babycakesnyc.com and check out what you are seriously missing in your life.

p.s. They make way more than donuts and cupcakes. It is mind-boggling.

Grilled Fish Tacos happen to be one of my favorite meals, and very easy to make.

Did I mention all of the ingredients are naturally gluten free?

I have become quite the connoisseur of good grilled fish tacos. Just about every other restaurant here in sunny Southern California serves a version of fish tacos.

I remember when I moved here from Texas, land of chicken fried steak and BBQ, that a fish taco sounded disgusting to me.

My, how times have changed.

Quite frankly, there isn’t much to it. My favorite white fish for these tacos happens to be halibut. Sadly, for this particular meal there was no fresh halibut available, so I went with cod – which works great!

What really makes a great fish taco is fresh white fish (so many options) and the white sauce. Sure, you can’t have fish tacos without salt, pepper, lime, cabbage and cilantro, but that will always taste the same.

I like to make the white sauce with Greek yogurt, lime, garlic and cumin. It gives it a perfect tangy zest – and is much healthier than a sour cream or mayonnaise-based white sauce!

Step 1. Grill the fish (above)

Step 2: Prepare the toppings (above)

Step 3: SERVE!

This is a simple and delicious meal. Another topping option: mango and cilantro chutney!

You will spend more time chopping toppings than you will actually cooking the fish.

Grilled Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Greek Yogurt Sauce

Servings
6-8 tacos

Ingredients

Marinade

• 1 lb fresh white fish (ask for wild-caught or sustainable)
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice (2 limes)
• salt and pepper to taste

Cilantro Lime Greek Yogurt Sauce

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice (3 limes)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 whole freshly minced garlic clove
• 1 large bunch freshly chopped cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste

Toppings

• 8 White corn tortillas (check to make sure gf)
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 large bunch freshly chopped cilantro
• 2-3 limes cut into 1/4 wedges
• 2 whole green scallions, chopped

Directions

Marinade

• Whisk together marinade ingredients and pour over fish. Marinate 10-15 minutes as you chop the other ingredients.

Grilling the fish

• Heat the grill to medium/high (about 450 deg F). For best results, especially because these are usually thinner filets of fish, use a grill fish basket coated thinly with oil.
• Grill for 10-12 minutes until fish is easy to flake with a fork.

Preparing the white sauce

• Whisk all ingredients together and set aside. (These can also be blended together for a more creamy texture.)

Toppings

• Chop all of the toppings and set aside. Heat the tortillas in a warm oven or microwave with a wet paper towel for approximately 2-3 minutes until tortillas are soft.

Putting it all together

• Layer the fish, white sauce and topping in a corn tortilla. Serve!

Prep Time: 15 - 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 10 - 12 Minutes

Total Time: 25 - 32 Minutes

I’m honored to be participating in the Celiac Awareness Tour as it makes its way to San Diego, California, on March 16th and 17th.

What is the Celiac Awareness Tour, you ask?

 The Celiac Awareness Tour promotes celiac disease awareness and gluten-free food and beverage products.

Each stop on the Celiac Awareness Tour features presentations by celiac disease experts, chef demonstrations and dozens of gluten-free food and beverage exhibits from local and national gluten-free food and beverage manufacturers.

In 2012 over 100 gluten-free manufacturers exhibited and thousands of shoppers attended the events in cities throughout the Midwest, including Detroit, Chicago, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Louisville.

Come join us for a fun-filled gluten free St. Patrick’s Day in San Diego!

I’m very excited to announce that my son’s very own celiac doctor is one of the key note speakers. Dr. Kimberly Newton will be discussing the latest information about celiac disease and medical progress.

There will be nutritionists, chefs, speakers and a whole ‘lotta gluten free food sampling.

For the big kids – there is gluten free beer sampling!

For the little kids – a special Children’s Pavilion with many fun activities.

I will be speaking at the Children’s Pavilion on Sunday, March 16th, about our family’s experience with gluten free living and reading my children’s books.

We will have a special guest join me on stage for the first time. My son Jack will be fielding Q&A from the kids for a true children’s experience. They can ask him all their questions about what it is truly like to be a child successfully living with celiac disease.

Jack was diagnosed at the age of 22 months, and has now been 100% gluten free for almost nine years. He’s looking forward to answering your children’s questions!

More information and registration link:

SAN DIEGO

Del Mar Fairgrounds
2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd.
Del Mar, CA

Come join us for a fun-filled, gluten free, St. Patrick’s Day weekend!

For my gluten free friends, with or without a celiac diagnosis – this is worth reading!

This article comes to us from the Opinion section of the New York Times.

“WE know that the proteins called gluten, found in wheat and other grains, provoke celiac disease. And we know how to treat the illness: a gluten-free diet. But the rapidly increasing prevalence of celiac disease, which has quadrupled in the United States in just 50 years, is still mystifying.

This restaurant in Iowa City, Iowa, deserves a “shout out” or cartwheel, if you’re into that kind of thing, for having one of the very best gluten free menus I’ve been fortunate to sample.

“Monica’s Italian Bistro” is located near the University of Iowa, home of the Hawkeyes!

Am I a Hawkeye fan?

Well, I am now because I spent a week there this past December watching them save my young cousins life with open heart surgery. (Incidentally, less than two months later she was back home and I had the indescribable pleasure of cooking dinner with her.)

Despite the sub-zero temperatures during my visit, I must rave about both the University of Iowa Heart and Vascular Center Surgical team, the actual University of Iowa hospital and patient care AND Monica’s.

Why Monica’s? Because I was there a week, far away from home – and far away from a kitchen. I was craving a big gluten free meal.

I had been keeping vigil in ICU and picking my way through hospital food (found out the day that I left that the hospital HAD gluten free options!)

One day my cousin was able to sit up on her own and she insisted we go out to eat.

Driving down the road, in a city that was blanketed in snow and completely foreign to me, there was a BIG sign that said, “Monica’s. We have over 38 gluten free menu items.” (Insert screeching brake sound here.)

That was actually on their sign. Someone actually called out gluten free items on the restaurant street sign. Does Iowa City have a huge gluten free population that I don’t know about?

Monica’s definitely did not disappoint. Sadly, the pictures do not do it justice (taken with my iPhone 4).

What you should know are two things:

1. If you find yourself in Iowa City, Iowa, you MUST go to Monica’s for terrific gluten free Italian food and service.

2. If you go to Monica’s, you MUST get the gluten free rolls.*

*More on the gluten free rolls. They’re the “I can’t believe this isn’t gluten” gluten free rolls.

In fact, I had two different waiters look it up for me. They said, “Yes, they really are gluten free. From a company called French Meadow.” They said they special order them.

I know French Meadow makes both gluten and gluten free food. I called the manager of Monica’s the next day. She assured me they really were gluten free. (Unbelievable “normal” soft doughy role.)

That didn’t convince me, so I contacted French Meadow Bakery. Sure enough. They’re gluten free. But sadly, only distributed to restaurants.

The take-away there? If you want the best gluten free roll available, you need to go to Monica’s in Iowa City and/or find a local restaurant that carries these rolls. (If you do, please let me know!)

Part of the gluten free menu!

Yup. Those are gluten free rolls from French Meadow bakery with a side of cinnamon sugar butter. Heaven.

Trying to depict the soft, warm, doughy-ness that is this roll.

Thank you Monica’s for being a haven on a very tough trip.

PRODUCT REVIEW ALERT!

I’m disappointed to report that one of my favorite salad dressing mixes is now listing wheat as a main ingredient.

Thank you to our reader, Bonnie, for bringing this to our attention!

Every Thanksgiving, my oldest son requests these amazing gluten free popovers.

Before the days of King Arthur’s Gluten Free Multi-Purpose Flour, I used Carolyn Fenster’s gluten free flour blend from her cookbook: Gluten Free 101. (It was one of my original gf bibles and every recipe is fantastic!)

I must say, it’s a lot easier to use the King Arthur and not have to store and mix different flours. I’m incredibly impressed with the results from King Arthur’s mix. They were every bit as delicious as Carolyn’s. But to give credit where credit is due, for years she had the only recipe and her legacy made my son happy every Thanksgiving.

This is a very simple recipe. Blend the ingredients in a blender and pour into pan. The pans are preheated. Then you pour into the hot pan. Bake for awhile and then reduce heat and bake until you see the picture below. I altered the recipe on the back of the box slightly by adding the 1/4 cup cornstarch.

If you haven’t made something like this before…take note. They’re “popovers” because they fill with air and rise with the heat. Which means when you pull them out of the oven, they deflate pretty darn quick. So the lesson there is to “serve hot and fresh” and expect them to shrink within 5-10 minutes.

These are delicious served plain, dipped in gravy or smothered in butter. (I know, that’s “bad” but it’s so good.)

*You will need a popover pan (very deep muffin pan) for this to work properly. I got mine for about $16 at Bed, Bath and Beyond, but they’re sold anywhere they sell cooking/bakeware.

** If you can’t find King Arthur GF Flour, the blend is rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch and brown rice flour. Also, Carolyn Fenster’s book has a flour blend that has always worked well that include sorghum. I just couldn’t find it in the store this year.

Amazing Popovers - Easy and Gluten Free

Servings
6 popovers

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 3 Tbsp melted butter
• 1 1/4 cup lukewarm milk
• 3/4 cup King Arthur Gluten Free Multi-Purpose Flour

• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/2 tsp table salt

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400 deg F. Grease a 6-cup popover pan.
• Put all of the ingredients in a blender and blend for 30 seconds or until smooth.
• Preheat the popovers pan for 5 minutes. "Caution: Hot" Then using a potholder, set the pan on the stove and fill each cup 2/3 full.
• Bake for 25 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350 deg F and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the popovers reach a golden brown and have risen over the top of the pan.
• Let them stand for 5 minutes and then serve immediately. (They will be VERY hot.)

Prep Time: 10 - 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 40 - 45 Minutes

Total Time: 50 - 1 Hour

Thanksgiving in our home boasts just about the same dinner menu every single year.

This is by far the largest dinner we have all year long. (Recipes coming soon for the gluten free pop-overs and homemade cranberry sauce.)

THE Ultimate gravy   

You would never really know how much I disklike squash from what I’m about to say. However, please take note. I really dislike all forms of squash.

Except, apparently, for spaghetti squash.

This new love falls under the categories of “I had no idea,” “It doesn’t taste like squash,” and “I can’t believe I waited so long to try this.”

Inspired by my new friend Alyssa’s very funny story about how she blew up a squash in her microwave (the kind where it hung from the ceiling), I decided to post some of my favorite spaghetti squash recipes.

I’ve been cooking up spaghetti squash weekly this fall and currently have two favorite ways to eat it. This recipe would the top favorite dish and critically acclaimed by all my friends (even the young ones….as pictured below).

Queue up “It’s so easy….”

Editors Note: Spaghetti squash is very healthy for you, in addition to being delicious. Far lower in carbs than pasta and it is rich in folic acid, Vitamin A and beta caratene. Know what’s even better? It has only approximately 42 calories per 1 cup serving!

Cutting the spaghetti squash can be challenging.

Tips:

• Do not use a small knife.
• Do not use a dull knife.
• Plan on using a little muscle.
• Best approach: Wedge the knife in, hold one end of the squash and see-saw cut a vertical slice. The more ripe the squash, the easier it is to cut. Be patient and go slow.

Once they’re sliced lengthwise, put them face down on a cookie sheet with about 1/2′ of water. Bake face down, uncovered at 350 deg F for approximately 50  minutes.

Once the squash is done, scoop out the seeds and discard. Then, using a fork, simply scrape the insides which immediately yield “spaghetti” strands.

While the squash is baking, sauté together all of the other ingredients and add spices. (See cold Grilled Corn & Black Bean Salad variant). Add  balsamic, olive oil and cilantro last.

Toss squash and black bean cilantro filling together and place back in the squash halves for serving, or individual bowls (if there are more than two people!).

Serve!

Black Bean Cilantro Spaghetti Squash

Servings
2-4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 whole spaghetti squash
• 1 Tbsp olive oil (you'll use an additional 3 Tbsp listed below)
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 cup fresh grilled corn (you can use frozen or canned or non-grilled)
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions (green onions)
• 1 15 oz can black beans
• 1/2 cup chopped red pepper
• 1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
• Cut squash in half lengthwise and place face-down on cookie sheet in about 1/2" of water. Bake for 50-55 min until slightly soft flesh on the inside.
• While the squash is baking, sauté all of the vegetables and beans over medium high heat for 4-5 minutes.
• Add the spices and continue to sauté another 3-4 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add balsamic vinegar, 3 Tbsp olive oil and fresh cilantro. Set aside.
• When the spaghetti squash is done, let cool 5-10 minutes. Scrape out seeds and discard. Then, using a fork, scrape out the flesh into spaghetti strands.
• Toss squash with black bean cilantro filling and serve hot!

Prep Time: 15 - 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 50 - 55 Minutes

Total Time: 1:05 - 1 Hour 15 Minutes