gluten free vancouver

we recently attended the National Celiac Disease Foundation’s Annual Conference and Food Faire in Los Angeles on May 14, 2011. the conference was very well attended with people of all ages. the theme of the conference was to provide participants with a better understanding of celiac disease, gluten sensitivity and the gluten free diet. speakers included Alessio Fasano, M.D., who is the Medical Director of the Center for Celiac Research, Danna Korn, author of Living Gluten-Free for Dummies, and Carol Fenster, Ph.D., author and gluten free cooking expert. 

we especially enjoyed the food faire which comprised of over 100 gluten free exhibitors. we spent most our time in the food faire sampling new products, and meeting many of the owners behind these great businesses such as Breads From Anna, Solterra Foods, Venice Bakery and Elizabeth Kaplan of the Pure Pantry. we were also happy to chat with a few other companies we know well like Bard's gluten free beer, Udi’s Gluten Free Foods, Nature’s Path, Kettle Cuisine, Pamela’s and Enjoy Life Foods. we also tried amazing baguette style bread from Schar at their booth, everything was so good! 

besides tasting Bards and Green’s gluten free beer, and getting our hands on the coveted Udi’s hot dog buns, we found several other unique and new gluten free products. we hinted at a few of our favorite gluten free finds in our conference giveaway post, but we wanted to write more about why these up and coming products and companies look so good. 

Solterra Foods 

we were totally amazed at this company's new gluten free Bake-In-Bag pizzas. not only is the pizza great, but the idea is that you cook the pizza in the biodegradable bag, in any oven, without worrying about cross contamination because it is protected inside the bag! to us this product is ingenious. 

the CEO, Elaine Valenza-Opdahl, was at the booth, and it was such a pleasure to talk with her. her booth was buzzing all day long. we love the Solterra philosophy, "Keep it simple, Keep it pure." Solterra offers other amazing gluten free products such as pastas, gnocchi, and baking mixes. there are two pizzas: margherita cheese pizza, and vegan cheese pizza. Solterra is a Colorado-based business, and their products should be available in Canada in a few months. we will keep you posted! 

Venice Bakery 
this is a Los Angeles-based business specializing in gluten free pizza crusts and focaccia bread. we were so impressed with the quality and taste of their pizzas that we went back to their booth several times to sample their pizzas. the staff were so friendly and passionate about their great tasting pizza, it made trying their products that much better. they also introduced their new gluten free calzones at the show, which were simply amazing! 

Venice Bakery is not a dedicated gluten free business, however their gluten free products have been certified by the Celiac Sprue Association. gluten free products are produced at separate times and on dedicated equipment, and are then tested to be sure they are under 5 ppm. as a precaution, Venice bakery sends their product to Siliker Labs for testing. click here to see a video of the president of the company, Jimmy DeSisto, describe the company's history and what you can do with their gluten free pizza crusts. 


we have more to tell you about our fun trip to Los Angeles, and our next post will feature some of the great places to eat out gluten free in L.A. one of them we can't stop thinking about! bye for now, Andrea + Robyn.


celiac disease foundation   |   breads from anna   |   venice bakery   |   solterra foods

to celebrate we would like to share with you an awesome Red Velvet Cake recipe adapted from The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook by Cybele Pascal. this recipe was easy to follow, and most importantly turned out well without any drama! and the cake was delicious! all of the recipes in Pascal's book are dairy free, soy free, nut free, and of course, gluten free!


first you need to whip up Pascal's gluten free flour mix:
4 cups of superfile brown rice flour
1 1/3 cups potato starch (not potato flour)
2/3 cup tapioca flour


and here is the cake recipe:
2 3/4 cups gluten free flour mix (see above)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (mine was sweetened, and I used it anyway)
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp double-acting baking power (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups of hemp milk/ rice milk (I use Manitoba Harvest Hemp Bliss unsweetened)
1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar (I use Bragg apple cider vinegar)
3/4 cup vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance's shortening, which contains soy)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 6 tbsp rice milk (I used eggs and hemp milk)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)
1 oz bottle red food coloring (Pascal recommends Seelect Natural Food Coloring, order online)


•preheat your oven to 350° F. grease two eight inch round cake pans. Pascal recommends lining each with parchment paper, greasing again, then dusting with cocoa powder. I did this and it really helped get the cakes out.

•whisk together the flour mix, the cocoa powder, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. set aside.

•combine the rice milk and the apple cider vinegar, and set aside.

•using your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the shortening, sugar, egg replacer, and vanilla. beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, which takes about two minutes. next add the food coloring and mix until all the ingredients are combined. sift the flour mixture into the mixing bowl in three batches while alternating with the rice milk mixture. beat until smooth, this takes about thirty seconds. scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.

•divide the batter into the two pans and smooth down the surface using a spatula.

•bake in the center of the oven for approximately thirty-five minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. rotate the pans half way though the baking time.

•let the cakes cool on a rack for thirty minutes. then flip the cakes onto a plate, remove the parchment paper, then flip back right side up and let cool completely.

•once the cakes have cooled, use a serrated knife to level off the tops of the cakes. frost with velvet frosting (see recipe below).

velvet frosting recipe:

1 cup vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance's shortening, which contains soy)

pinch of salt

3 cups confectioners sugar (I use Wholesome Sweeteners fair trade organic sugar)

3 tbsps of hemp/ rice milk (I use Manitoba Harvest Hemp Bliss unsweetened)

1 tbsps of freshly squeezed  lemon juice (I buy all my organic produce from SPUD)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)

•in your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening and salt on medium speed for one minute.

•add the confectioner's sugar in three batches.

•add the rice/ hemp milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. beat on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, takes about five minutes.

•frost your cake and enjoy!

we are in los angeles! we decided to travel from vancouver to los angeles to attend the Celiac Disease Foundation's annual Education Conference & Food Faire which took place yesterday. we had such a great experience meeting new friends and of course trying out some of the best gluten free foods and beverages. 

our highlights were Venice Bakery's pizza and calzones, Green's amber ale, Udi's hot dog buns, Ciao Bella blood orange sorbet bars, and the Pure Pantry's cupcakes! we picked up a lot of great gluten free food samples and swag we don't know how we are going to carry it all home! 

since you couldn't make it, we would like to put together a prize pack full of some of the products we found here, including a Betty Crocker gluten free t-shirt, Pamela's Products cake and frosting mixes, Enjoy Life's new mega chunks chocolate chips, Udi's hot dog buns and granola, and so much more! 

to enter this giveaway please leave a comment with this post by Wednesday, May 18th at midnight. for extra chances to win, comment on our facebook page or tweet the giveaway (please add @gfvancouver to your tweet). good luck to all! we are heading out today to explore some of the gluten free bakeries and restaurants here in los angeles, so stay tuned for some reviews on the blog! Andrea + Robyn 


celiac disease foundation   |   follow us on twitter   |   follow us on facebook

celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects the digestive tract. when people with celiac disease eat food with gluten—a type of protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and non gluten free oats—it provokes an immune reaction that causes flattening and damage to the small protrusions (villi) in the small intestine. it is this flattening effect that disrupts the body's ability to absorb nutrients. common side effects include fatigue, weight loss, and nutrient deficiencies. untreated celiac disease can lead to osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, hypo and hyper thyroid disorders, and many cancers including lymphoma.

Whole Foods Markets got started back in 1980 with one small store in Austin, Texas. their mission was, and still is today, 'whole foods—whole people—whole planet'. what you will find at Whole Foods are natural, organic, and minimally processed foods. what you will also find at Whole Foods is a commitment to providing many allergen free and kosher foods, and this includes gluten free. a while back we posted about Whole Foods' gluten free shopping guide and their gluten free labeling system (orange tags that say gluten free). if you have already shopped here then you know that your grocery bill here compared to a grocery bill of similar items from IGA or Safeway, for example, will be noticeably more expensive. however, we already know that gluten free products are more expensive than non-gluten free grocery items. what I have begun to notice is that Whole Foods has an incredible selection of gluten free foods, it is really a gluten free one-stop-shop.

you will find gluten free everything here such as cookies and crackers, soups and pasta sauces, condiments, frozen meals, ice cream, spices, baking ingredients, and frozen and freshly baked goods. I admit I have always been a dedicated Choices Markets customer, and still am, however I have recently gone back to work (after my maternity leave) and I work close to the new Cambie and Broadway Whole Foods. I have been here frequently over the last few weeks, and I am now just beginning to have a grasp on the variety of gluten free foods here. for example, last week I was going to a Vancouver Canadians baseball game for work (corporate BBQ area), and I zipped over here to see if I could find some gluten free hamburger buns to take with me. 

I started looking in the frozen breads freezer near the bakery as this is where I get my sandwich bread. I like the Whole Foods brand prairie bread. I found some O'Dough's frozen hamburger buns, but I wasn't sure how I would get them defrosted in time, save for leaving them in the sun at the game. I wandered around a bit, and discovered a whole table dedicated to alternative bread and bakery items! how had I missed this before! (I admit I have not taken their complimentary gluten free tour). this table has many gluten free products, but beware they are not all gluten free, some are baked with spelt flour. the gluten free collection features products from two dedicated gluten free bakeries here in Vancouver, Panne Rizo, and Mountain Top Bakery (post on these businesses to come!). 

from Panne Rizo you will find:
bread crumbs
chocolate dipped macaroons
pecan snowballs
frosted swirls
tollhouse cookies
shortbread cookies
chocolate swirl biscotti
cinnamon dots

from Mountain Top Bakery you will find:
sugar free muffins
almond biscotti
chocolate biscotti
crunch granola/ granola bars
cookies
brown rice flax bread
white rice sesame bread
rice cheese bread
rice cinnamon raisin bread
rice sourdough bread (dairy free)
brown rice hamburger buns (dairy free)
rice herb garlic bread

as if these aren't enough, you will also find: 
a selection of O'dough's products (not frozen)
European Breads Bakery brown rice muffins
Red Square Happy Colon Chewy Energy Cookie (seriously, I know)

in the freezer you will find:
Udi's breads, muffins, cinnamon rolls, and pizza crusts
O'Doughs pizza making kits, banana bread, hamburger buns, breads, and cakes
Whole Foods breads, pizza crust, cookies, and muffins

I would never have believed this list five years ago when Robyn and I were struggling to figure out what to eat and how to eat when we were first diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and obviously things can only get better. Robyn and I would love to see some of Vancouver's boutique gluten free bakeries selling their amazing products at Whole Foods as well—the Sweet Tooth Cakery, Homestead Specialty Baking, Edible Flours, and the Gluten Free Epicurean.

one area that I still find difficult to navigate, and because of its size is also overwhelming, is the Whole Foods deli and self serve foods bars. many of the foods are gluten free, but a labeling system here would also be very helpful. in fact I will be meeting with Eden McDonald, the Healthy Eating Specialist to discuss how this area of the store can become easier to navigate and safer in terms of limiting cross contamination. stay tuned for the outcome of this meeting!

on another note, I have received many phone calls with people looking for gluten free foods, and I appreciate your calls, and I love to help. it reminds me how overwhelming it was when we were first diagnosed, Robyn and I had no assistance. we are very pleased that our blog has helped so many of you, we appreciate your positive feedback!  Andrea.



whole foods   |   panne rizo   |   mountaintop bakery   |   o'dough's   |   udi's

"You can change the world one bite at a time" is the philosophy behind Edible Flours, another emerging boutique bakery here in Vancouver, founded by husband and wife team Paul Briggs and Alli Neville. what is unique about Edible Flours is that it is an exclusively vegan bakery. all of their products are natural, dairy free, and egg free. Paul and Alli also provide goodies that are gluten free, wheat free, soy free, and sugar free. in fact, their online menu includes a helpful colored labeling system to help you identify which products are soy free (SF), wheat free (WF), gluten free (GF), and sugar free (SF). we love this! additionally Paul and Alli have included links to all of the ingredients for all of their products! 

Alli, who has been vegan since she was a teenager, believes in whole foods, and no refined sugar. this mindful way of cooking and eating was a big shift for her husband Paul, originally from England, as he describes himself as a meat-and-potatoes man. despite the difficult transition, Paul realized he felt better living vegan and eating a diet based on whole grains. Paul and Alli recently moved to Vancouver from New York, with the vision of creating a bakery dedicated to those with food allergies and sensitivities. while they were building the foundations of their new business, they began researching Celiac Disease in order to fully understand how to properly serve gluten free customers (thank you!). that is when a light bulb turned on for Paul, who had been suffering with IBS-like symptoms for many years, and while he did feel better on the vegan diet, he continued to suffer from inexplicable abdominal pain. recently Paul decided he should get tested for Celiac Disease and gluten sensitivity, and he discovered that he is has non-Celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). (we will be discussing this topic further in future posts)

Edible Flours will bake upon request, and their main products include cookies, cupcakes, loaves, and muffins. they have a few other gluten free specialty items including rice crispy squares (drizzled in chocolate), and brownies. Robyn and I already know that eliminating gluten from baking can be challenging, so we were curious to see how Edible Flours managed to bake not just gluten free, but also exclusively vegan! we were both really impressed with what we tried: chocolate chip cookies, rice cripsy squares, vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting, and their three bite brownies. I think what impressed me the most are the cupcakes, at first bite, the cake texture is unlike any cupcake I have ever eaten. it was spongy (in a good way), and not too sweet, and I loved it! try them for yourself and you will see what I mean! since I tend to suffer from sugar overload with headaches and sometimes stomachaches, I really loved this cupcake, it satisfied my sweet tooth, and left me wanting to eat more!!

Paul and Alli are committed to using all natural, high quality ingredients such as expeller pressed oils, whole grain flours, unrefined sweeteners, and filtered water. Edible Flours achieves their sweetness with ingredients such as agave nectar, brown rice syrup, natural cane sugar, and evaporated cane juice, which is the most refined product they will use.  since Edible Flours is not exclusively gluten free, Paul and Alli take extra precautions with cross contamination, and even more so now that Paul is gluten free himself. gluten free items are baked first thing in the morning, before anything else, and separate equipment is used. Paul and Alli also take care with regard to storage of their flours, and keep gluten flours separate from gluten free flours. some of Edible Flours' products contain oats or oat flour, so please check the ingredients carefully on their website if you do not eat oats.

Edible Flours has designated days on which they will deliver for free depending on your neighborhood; see their website for more information and regular delivery charges on other days to your area. Edible Flours requests about 48 hours notice to complete an order. this summer you will also find Edible Flours at several community markets including the Main Street Market on June 9th, the Kitsilano Market on July 4th, and the West-End Market on August 7th.

like the other Vancouver boutique bakeries we have written about here, Robyn and I are extremely thankful to Edible Flours for providing safe, healthy, and mindful treats that everyone can enjoy. gluten free businesses will continue to grow and expand with growing demand. please help to support these businesses, and shop local!  Andrea.  


edible flours   |   follow edible flours on twitter   |   edible flours blog   |   vancouver farmer's markets

we recently attended the National Celiac Disease Foundation’s Annual Conference and Food Faire in Los Angeles on May 14, 2011. the conference was very well attended with people of all ages. the theme of the conference was to provide participants with a better understanding of celiac disease, gluten sensitivity and the gluten free diet. speakers included Alessio Fasano, M.D., who is the Medical Director of the Center for Celiac Research, Danna Korn, author of Living Gluten-Free for Dummies, and Carol Fenster, Ph.D., author and gluten free cooking expert. 

we especially enjoyed the food faire which comprised of over 100 gluten free exhibitors. we spent most our time in the food faire sampling new products, and meeting many of the owners behind these great businesses such as Breads From Anna, Solterra Foods, Venice Bakery and Elizabeth Kaplan of the Pure Pantry. we were also happy to chat with a few other companies we know well like Bard's gluten free beer, Udi’s Gluten Free Foods, Nature’s Path, Kettle Cuisine, Pamela’s and Enjoy Life Foods. we also tried amazing baguette style bread from Schar at their booth, everything was so good! 

besides tasting Bards and Green’s gluten free beer, and getting our hands on the coveted Udi’s hot dog buns, we found several other unique and new gluten free products. we hinted at a few of our favorite gluten free finds in our conference giveaway post, but we wanted to write more about why these up and coming products and companies look so good. 

Solterra Foods 

we were totally amazed at this company's new gluten free Bake-In-Bag pizzas. not only is the pizza great, but the idea is that you cook the pizza in the biodegradable bag, in any oven, without worrying about cross contamination because it is protected inside the bag! to us this product is ingenious. 

the CEO, Elaine Valenza-Opdahl, was at the booth, and it was such a pleasure to talk with her. her booth was buzzing all day long. we love the Solterra philosophy, "Keep it simple, Keep it pure." Solterra offers other amazing gluten free products such as pastas, gnocchi, and baking mixes. there are two pizzas: margherita cheese pizza, and vegan cheese pizza. Solterra is a Colorado-based business, and their products should be available in Canada in a few months. we will keep you posted! 

Venice Bakery 
this is a Los Angeles-based business specializing in gluten free pizza crusts and focaccia bread. we were so impressed with the quality and taste of their pizzas that we went back to their booth several times to sample their pizzas. the staff were so friendly and passionate about their great tasting pizza, it made trying their products that much better. they also introduced their new gluten free calzones at the show, which were simply amazing! 

Venice Bakery is not a dedicated gluten free business, however their gluten free products have been certified by the Celiac Sprue Association. gluten free products are produced at separate times and on dedicated equipment, and are then tested to be sure they are under 5 ppm. as a precaution, Venice bakery sends their product to Siliker Labs for testing. click here to see a video of the president of the company, Jimmy DeSisto, describe the company's history and what you can do with their gluten free pizza crusts. 


we have more to tell you about our fun trip to Los Angeles, and our next post will feature some of the great places to eat out gluten free in L.A. one of them we can't stop thinking about! bye for now, Andrea + Robyn.


celiac disease foundation   |   breads from anna   |   venice bakery   |   solterra foods

to celebrate we would like to share with you an awesome Red Velvet Cake recipe adapted from The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook by Cybele Pascal. this recipe was easy to follow, and most importantly turned out well without any drama! and the cake was delicious! all of the recipes in Pascal's book are dairy free, soy free, nut free, and of course, gluten free!


first you need to whip up Pascal's gluten free flour mix:
4 cups of superfile brown rice flour
1 1/3 cups potato starch (not potato flour)
2/3 cup tapioca flour


and here is the cake recipe:
2 3/4 cups gluten free flour mix (see above)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (mine was sweetened, and I used it anyway)
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp double-acting baking power (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups of hemp milk/ rice milk (I use Manitoba Harvest Hemp Bliss unsweetened)
1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar (I use Bragg apple cider vinegar)
3/4 cup vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance's shortening, which contains soy)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 6 tbsp rice milk (I used eggs and hemp milk)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)
1 oz bottle red food coloring (Pascal recommends Seelect Natural Food Coloring, order online)


•preheat your oven to 350° F. grease two eight inch round cake pans. Pascal recommends lining each with parchment paper, greasing again, then dusting with cocoa powder. I did this and it really helped get the cakes out.

•whisk together the flour mix, the cocoa powder, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. set aside.

•combine the rice milk and the apple cider vinegar, and set aside.

•using your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the shortening, sugar, egg replacer, and vanilla. beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, which takes about two minutes. next add the food coloring and mix until all the ingredients are combined. sift the flour mixture into the mixing bowl in three batches while alternating with the rice milk mixture. beat until smooth, this takes about thirty seconds. scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.

•divide the batter into the two pans and smooth down the surface using a spatula.

•bake in the center of the oven for approximately thirty-five minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. rotate the pans half way though the baking time.

•let the cakes cool on a rack for thirty minutes. then flip the cakes onto a plate, remove the parchment paper, then flip back right side up and let cool completely.

•once the cakes have cooled, use a serrated knife to level off the tops of the cakes. frost with velvet frosting (see recipe below).

velvet frosting recipe:

1 cup vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance's shortening, which contains soy)

pinch of salt

3 cups confectioners sugar (I use Wholesome Sweeteners fair trade organic sugar)

3 tbsps of hemp/ rice milk (I use Manitoba Harvest Hemp Bliss unsweetened)

1 tbsps of freshly squeezed  lemon juice (I buy all my organic produce from SPUD)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)

•in your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening and salt on medium speed for one minute.

•add the confectioner's sugar in three batches.

•add the rice/ hemp milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. beat on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, takes about five minutes.

•frost your cake and enjoy!

we are in los angeles! we decided to travel from vancouver to los angeles to attend the Celiac Disease Foundation's annual Education Conference & Food Faire which took place yesterday. we had such a great experience meeting new friends and of course trying out some of the best gluten free foods and beverages. 

our highlights were Venice Bakery's pizza and calzones, Green's amber ale, Udi's hot dog buns, Ciao Bella blood orange sorbet bars, and the Pure Pantry's cupcakes! we picked up a lot of great gluten free food samples and swag we don't know how we are going to carry it all home! 

since you couldn't make it, we would like to put together a prize pack full of some of the products we found here, including a Betty Crocker gluten free t-shirt, Pamela's Products cake and frosting mixes, Enjoy Life's new mega chunks chocolate chips, Udi's hot dog buns and granola, and so much more! 

to enter this giveaway please leave a comment with this post by Wednesday, May 18th at midnight. for extra chances to win, comment on our facebook page or tweet the giveaway (please add @gfvancouver to your tweet). good luck to all! we are heading out today to explore some of the gluten free bakeries and restaurants here in los angeles, so stay tuned for some reviews on the blog! Andrea + Robyn 


celiac disease foundation   |   follow us on twitter   |   follow us on facebook

celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects the digestive tract. when people with celiac disease eat food with gluten—a type of protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and non gluten free oats—it provokes an immune reaction that causes flattening and damage to the small protrusions (villi) in the small intestine. it is this flattening effect that disrupts the body's ability to absorb nutrients. common side effects include fatigue, weight loss, and nutrient deficiencies. untreated celiac disease can lead to osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, hypo and hyper thyroid disorders, and many cancers including lymphoma.

Whole Foods Markets got started back in 1980 with one small store in Austin, Texas. their mission was, and still is today, 'whole foods—whole people—whole planet'. what you will find at Whole Foods are natural, organic, and minimally processed foods. what you will also find at Whole Foods is a commitment to providing many allergen free and kosher foods, and this includes gluten free. a while back we posted about Whole Foods' gluten free shopping guide and their gluten free labeling system (orange tags that say gluten free). if you have already shopped here then you know that your grocery bill here compared to a grocery bill of similar items from IGA or Safeway, for example, will be noticeably more expensive. however, we already know that gluten free products are more expensive than non-gluten free grocery items. what I have begun to notice is that Whole Foods has an incredible selection of gluten free foods, it is really a gluten free one-stop-shop.

you will find gluten free everything here such as cookies and crackers, soups and pasta sauces, condiments, frozen meals, ice cream, spices, baking ingredients, and frozen and freshly baked goods. I admit I have always been a dedicated Choices Markets customer, and still am, however I have recently gone back to work (after my maternity leave) and I work close to the new Cambie and Broadway Whole Foods. I have been here frequently over the last few weeks, and I am now just beginning to have a grasp on the variety of gluten free foods here. for example, last week I was going to a Vancouver Canadians baseball game for work (corporate BBQ area), and I zipped over here to see if I could find some gluten free hamburger buns to take with me. 

I started looking in the frozen breads freezer near the bakery as this is where I get my sandwich bread. I like the Whole Foods brand prairie bread. I found some O'Dough's frozen hamburger buns, but I wasn't sure how I would get them defrosted in time, save for leaving them in the sun at the game. I wandered around a bit, and discovered a whole table dedicated to alternative bread and bakery items! how had I missed this before! (I admit I have not taken their complimentary gluten free tour). this table has many gluten free products, but beware they are not all gluten free, some are baked with spelt flour. the gluten free collection features products from two dedicated gluten free bakeries here in Vancouver, Panne Rizo, and Mountain Top Bakery (post on these businesses to come!). 

from Panne Rizo you will find:
bread crumbs
chocolate dipped macaroons
pecan snowballs
frosted swirls
tollhouse cookies
shortbread cookies
chocolate swirl biscotti
cinnamon dots

from Mountain Top Bakery you will find:
sugar free muffins
almond biscotti
chocolate biscotti
crunch granola/ granola bars
cookies
brown rice flax bread
white rice sesame bread
rice cheese bread
rice cinnamon raisin bread
rice sourdough bread (dairy free)
brown rice hamburger buns (dairy free)
rice herb garlic bread

as if these aren't enough, you will also find: 
a selection of O'dough's products (not frozen)
European Breads Bakery brown rice muffins
Red Square Happy Colon Chewy Energy Cookie (seriously, I know)

in the freezer you will find:
Udi's breads, muffins, cinnamon rolls, and pizza crusts
O'Doughs pizza making kits, banana bread, hamburger buns, breads, and cakes
Whole Foods breads, pizza crust, cookies, and muffins

I would never have believed this list five years ago when Robyn and I were struggling to figure out what to eat and how to eat when we were first diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and obviously things can only get better. Robyn and I would love to see some of Vancouver's boutique gluten free bakeries selling their amazing products at Whole Foods as well—the Sweet Tooth Cakery, Homestead Specialty Baking, Edible Flours, and the Gluten Free Epicurean.

one area that I still find difficult to navigate, and because of its size is also overwhelming, is the Whole Foods deli and self serve foods bars. many of the foods are gluten free, but a labeling system here would also be very helpful. in fact I will be meeting with Eden McDonald, the Healthy Eating Specialist to discuss how this area of the store can become easier to navigate and safer in terms of limiting cross contamination. stay tuned for the outcome of this meeting!

on another note, I have received many phone calls with people looking for gluten free foods, and I appreciate your calls, and I love to help. it reminds me how overwhelming it was when we were first diagnosed, Robyn and I had no assistance. we are very pleased that our blog has helped so many of you, we appreciate your positive feedback!  Andrea.



whole foods   |   panne rizo   |   mountaintop bakery   |   o'dough's   |   udi's

"You can change the world one bite at a time" is the philosophy behind Edible Flours, another emerging boutique bakery here in Vancouver, founded by husband and wife team Paul Briggs and Alli Neville. what is unique about Edible Flours is that it is an exclusively vegan bakery. all of their products are natural, dairy free, and egg free. Paul and Alli also provide goodies that are gluten free, wheat free, soy free, and sugar free. in fact, their online menu includes a helpful colored labeling system to help you identify which products are soy free (SF), wheat free (WF), gluten free (GF), and sugar free (SF). we love this! additionally Paul and Alli have included links to all of the ingredients for all of their products! 

Alli, who has been vegan since she was a teenager, believes in whole foods, and no refined sugar. this mindful way of cooking and eating was a big shift for her husband Paul, originally from England, as he describes himself as a meat-and-potatoes man. despite the difficult transition, Paul realized he felt better living vegan and eating a diet based on whole grains. Paul and Alli recently moved to Vancouver from New York, with the vision of creating a bakery dedicated to those with food allergies and sensitivities. while they were building the foundations of their new business, they began researching Celiac Disease in order to fully understand how to properly serve gluten free customers (thank you!). that is when a light bulb turned on for Paul, who had been suffering with IBS-like symptoms for many years, and while he did feel better on the vegan diet, he continued to suffer from inexplicable abdominal pain. recently Paul decided he should get tested for Celiac Disease and gluten sensitivity, and he discovered that he is has non-Celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). (we will be discussing this topic further in future posts)

Edible Flours will bake upon request, and their main products include cookies, cupcakes, loaves, and muffins. they have a few other gluten free specialty items including rice crispy squares (drizzled in chocolate), and brownies. Robyn and I already know that eliminating gluten from baking can be challenging, so we were curious to see how Edible Flours managed to bake not just gluten free, but also exclusively vegan! we were both really impressed with what we tried: chocolate chip cookies, rice cripsy squares, vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting, and their three bite brownies. I think what impressed me the most are the cupcakes, at first bite, the cake texture is unlike any cupcake I have ever eaten. it was spongy (in a good way), and not too sweet, and I loved it! try them for yourself and you will see what I mean! since I tend to suffer from sugar overload with headaches and sometimes stomachaches, I really loved this cupcake, it satisfied my sweet tooth, and left me wanting to eat more!!

Paul and Alli are committed to using all natural, high quality ingredients such as expeller pressed oils, whole grain flours, unrefined sweeteners, and filtered water. Edible Flours achieves their sweetness with ingredients such as agave nectar, brown rice syrup, natural cane sugar, and evaporated cane juice, which is the most refined product they will use.  since Edible Flours is not exclusively gluten free, Paul and Alli take extra precautions with cross contamination, and even more so now that Paul is gluten free himself. gluten free items are baked first thing in the morning, before anything else, and separate equipment is used. Paul and Alli also take care with regard to storage of their flours, and keep gluten flours separate from gluten free flours. some of Edible Flours' products contain oats or oat flour, so please check the ingredients carefully on their website if you do not eat oats.

Edible Flours has designated days on which they will deliver for free depending on your neighborhood; see their website for more information and regular delivery charges on other days to your area. Edible Flours requests about 48 hours notice to complete an order. this summer you will also find Edible Flours at several community markets including the Main Street Market on June 9th, the Kitsilano Market on July 4th, and the West-End Market on August 7th.

like the other Vancouver boutique bakeries we have written about here, Robyn and I are extremely thankful to Edible Flours for providing safe, healthy, and mindful treats that everyone can enjoy. gluten free businesses will continue to grow and expand with growing demand. please help to support these businesses, and shop local!  Andrea.  


edible flours   |   follow edible flours on twitter   |   edible flours blog   |   vancouver farmer's markets

we recently attended the National Celiac Disease Foundation’s Annual Conference and Food Faire in Los Angeles on May 14, 2011. the conference was very well attended with people of all ages. the theme of the conference was to provide participants with a better understanding of celiac disease, gluten sensitivity and the gluten free diet. speakers included Alessio Fasano, M.D., who is the Medical Director of the Center for Celiac Research, Danna Korn, author of Living Gluten-Free for Dummies, and Carol Fenster, Ph.D., author and gluten free cooking expert. 

we especially enjoyed the food faire which comprised of over 100 gluten free exhibitors. we spent most our time in the food faire sampling new products, and meeting many of the owners behind these great businesses such as Breads From Anna, Solterra Foods, Venice Bakery and Elizabeth Kaplan of the Pure Pantry. we were also happy to chat with a few other companies we know well like Bard's gluten free beer, Udi’s Gluten Free Foods, Nature’s Path, Kettle Cuisine, Pamela’s and Enjoy Life Foods. we also tried amazing baguette style bread from Schar at their booth, everything was so good! 

besides tasting Bards and Green’s gluten free beer, and getting our hands on the coveted Udi’s hot dog buns, we found several other unique and new gluten free products. we hinted at a few of our favorite gluten free finds in our conference giveaway post, but we wanted to write more about why these up and coming products and companies look so good. 

Solterra Foods 

we were totally amazed at this company's new gluten free Bake-In-Bag pizzas. not only is the pizza great, but the idea is that you cook the pizza in the biodegradable bag, in any oven, without worrying about cross contamination because it is protected inside the bag! to us this product is ingenious. 

the CEO, Elaine Valenza-Opdahl, was at the booth, and it was such a pleasure to talk with her. her booth was buzzing all day long. we love the Solterra philosophy, "Keep it simple, Keep it pure." Solterra offers other amazing gluten free products such as pastas, gnocchi, and baking mixes. there are two pizzas: margherita cheese pizza, and vegan cheese pizza. Solterra is a Colorado-based business, and their products should be available in Canada in a few months. we will keep you posted! 

Venice Bakery 
this is a Los Angeles-based business specializing in gluten free pizza crusts and focaccia bread. we were so impressed with the quality and taste of their pizzas that we went back to their booth several times to sample their pizzas. the staff were so friendly and passionate about their great tasting pizza, it made trying their products that much better. they also introduced their new gluten free calzones at the show, which were simply amazing! 

Venice Bakery is not a dedicated gluten free business, however their gluten free products have been certified by the Celiac Sprue Association. gluten free products are produced at separate times and on dedicated equipment, and are then tested to be sure they are under 5 ppm. as a precaution, Venice bakery sends their product to Siliker Labs for testing. click here to see a video of the president of the company, Jimmy DeSisto, describe the company's history and what you can do with their gluten free pizza crusts. 


we have more to tell you about our fun trip to Los Angeles, and our next post will feature some of the great places to eat out gluten free in L.A. one of them we can't stop thinking about! bye for now, Andrea + Robyn.


celiac disease foundation   |   breads from anna   |   venice bakery   |   solterra foods

to celebrate we would like to share with you an awesome Red Velvet Cake recipe adapted from The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook by Cybele Pascal. this recipe was easy to follow, and most importantly turned out well without any drama! and the cake was delicious! all of the recipes in Pascal's book are dairy free, soy free, nut free, and of course, gluten free!


first you need to whip up Pascal's gluten free flour mix:
4 cups of superfile brown rice flour
1 1/3 cups potato starch (not potato flour)
2/3 cup tapioca flour


and here is the cake recipe:
2 3/4 cups gluten free flour mix (see above)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (mine was sweetened, and I used it anyway)
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp double-acting baking power (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups of hemp milk/ rice milk (I use Manitoba Harvest Hemp Bliss unsweetened)
1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar (I use Bragg apple cider vinegar)
3/4 cup vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance's shortening, which contains soy)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 6 tbsp rice milk (I used eggs and hemp milk)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)
1 oz bottle red food coloring (Pascal recommends Seelect Natural Food Coloring, order online)


•preheat your oven to 350° F. grease two eight inch round cake pans. Pascal recommends lining each with parchment paper, greasing again, then dusting with cocoa powder. I did this and it really helped get the cakes out.

•whisk together the flour mix, the cocoa powder, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. set aside.

•combine the rice milk and the apple cider vinegar, and set aside.

•using your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the shortening, sugar, egg replacer, and vanilla. beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, which takes about two minutes. next add the food coloring and mix until all the ingredients are combined. sift the flour mixture into the mixing bowl in three batches while alternating with the rice milk mixture. beat until smooth, this takes about thirty seconds. scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.

•divide the batter into the two pans and smooth down the surface using a spatula.

•bake in the center of the oven for approximately thirty-five minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. rotate the pans half way though the baking time.

•let the cakes cool on a rack for thirty minutes. then flip the cakes onto a plate, remove the parchment paper, then flip back right side up and let cool completely.

•once the cakes have cooled, use a serrated knife to level off the tops of the cakes. frost with velvet frosting (see recipe below).

velvet frosting recipe:

1 cup vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance's shortening, which contains soy)

pinch of salt

3 cups confectioners sugar (I use Wholesome Sweeteners fair trade organic sugar)

3 tbsps of hemp/ rice milk (I use Manitoba Harvest Hemp Bliss unsweetened)

1 tbsps of freshly squeezed  lemon juice (I buy all my organic produce from SPUD)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)

•in your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening and salt on medium speed for one minute.

•add the confectioner's sugar in three batches.

•add the rice/ hemp milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. beat on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, takes about five minutes.

•frost your cake and enjoy!

we are in los angeles! we decided to travel from vancouver to los angeles to attend the Celiac Disease Foundation's annual Education Conference & Food Faire which took place yesterday. we had such a great experience meeting new friends and of course trying out some of the best gluten free foods and beverages. 

our highlights were Venice Bakery's pizza and calzones, Green's amber ale, Udi's hot dog buns, Ciao Bella blood orange sorbet bars, and the Pure Pantry's cupcakes! we picked up a lot of great gluten free food samples and swag we don't know how we are going to carry it all home! 

since you couldn't make it, we would like to put together a prize pack full of some of the products we found here, including a Betty Crocker gluten free t-shirt, Pamela's Products cake and frosting mixes, Enjoy Life's new mega chunks chocolate chips, Udi's hot dog buns and granola, and so much more! 

to enter this giveaway please leave a comment with this post by Wednesday, May 18th at midnight. for extra chances to win, comment on our facebook page or tweet the giveaway (please add @gfvancouver to your tweet). good luck to all! we are heading out today to explore some of the gluten free bakeries and restaurants here in los angeles, so stay tuned for some reviews on the blog! Andrea + Robyn 


celiac disease foundation   |   follow us on twitter   |   follow us on facebook

celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects the digestive tract. when people with celiac disease eat food with gluten—a type of protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and non gluten free oats—it provokes an immune reaction that causes flattening and damage to the small protrusions (villi) in the small intestine. it is this flattening effect that disrupts the body's ability to absorb nutrients. common side effects include fatigue, weight loss, and nutrient deficiencies. untreated celiac disease can lead to osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, hypo and hyper thyroid disorders, and many cancers including lymphoma.

Whole Foods Markets got started back in 1980 with one small store in Austin, Texas. their mission was, and still is today, 'whole foods—whole people—whole planet'. what you will find at Whole Foods are natural, organic, and minimally processed foods. what you will also find at Whole Foods is a commitment to providing many allergen free and kosher foods, and this includes gluten free. a while back we posted about Whole Foods' gluten free shopping guide and their gluten free labeling system (orange tags that say gluten free). if you have already shopped here then you know that your grocery bill here compared to a grocery bill of similar items from IGA or Safeway, for example, will be noticeably more expensive. however, we already know that gluten free products are more expensive than non-gluten free grocery items. what I have begun to notice is that Whole Foods has an incredible selection of gluten free foods, it is really a gluten free one-stop-shop.

you will find gluten free everything here such as cookies and crackers, soups and pasta sauces, condiments, frozen meals, ice cream, spices, baking ingredients, and frozen and freshly baked goods. I admit I have always been a dedicated Choices Markets customer, and still am, however I have recently gone back to work (after my maternity leave) and I work close to the new Cambie and Broadway Whole Foods. I have been here frequently over the last few weeks, and I am now just beginning to have a grasp on the variety of gluten free foods here. for example, last week I was going to a Vancouver Canadians baseball game for work (corporate BBQ area), and I zipped over here to see if I could find some gluten free hamburger buns to take with me. 

I started looking in the frozen breads freezer near the bakery as this is where I get my sandwich bread. I like the Whole Foods brand prairie bread. I found some O'Dough's frozen hamburger buns, but I wasn't sure how I would get them defrosted in time, save for leaving them in the sun at the game. I wandered around a bit, and discovered a whole table dedicated to alternative bread and bakery items! how had I missed this before! (I admit I have not taken their complimentary gluten free tour). this table has many gluten free products, but beware they are not all gluten free, some are baked with spelt flour. the gluten free collection features products from two dedicated gluten free bakeries here in Vancouver, Panne Rizo, and Mountain Top Bakery (post on these businesses to come!). 

from Panne Rizo you will find:
bread crumbs
chocolate dipped macaroons
pecan snowballs
frosted swirls
tollhouse cookies
shortbread cookies
chocolate swirl biscotti
cinnamon dots

from Mountain Top Bakery you will find:
sugar free muffins
almond biscotti
chocolate biscotti
crunch granola/ granola bars
cookies
brown rice flax bread
white rice sesame bread
rice cheese bread
rice cinnamon raisin bread
rice sourdough bread (dairy free)
brown rice hamburger buns (dairy free)
rice herb garlic bread

as if these aren't enough, you will also find: 
a selection of O'dough's products (not frozen)
European Breads Bakery brown rice muffins
Red Square Happy Colon Chewy Energy Cookie (seriously, I know)

in the freezer you will find:
Udi's breads, muffins, cinnamon rolls, and pizza crusts
O'Doughs pizza making kits, banana bread, hamburger buns, breads, and cakes
Whole Foods breads, pizza crust, cookies, and muffins

I would never have believed this list five years ago when Robyn and I were struggling to figure out what to eat and how to eat when we were first diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and obviously things can only get better. Robyn and I would love to see some of Vancouver's boutique gluten free bakeries selling their amazing products at Whole Foods as well—the Sweet Tooth Cakery, Homestead Specialty Baking, Edible Flours, and the Gluten Free Epicurean.

one area that I still find difficult to navigate, and because of its size is also overwhelming, is the Whole Foods deli and self serve foods bars. many of the foods are gluten free, but a labeling system here would also be very helpful. in fact I will be meeting with Eden McDonald, the Healthy Eating Specialist to discuss how this area of the store can become easier to navigate and safer in terms of limiting cross contamination. stay tuned for the outcome of this meeting!

on another note, I have received many phone calls with people looking for gluten free foods, and I appreciate your calls, and I love to help. it reminds me how overwhelming it was when we were first diagnosed, Robyn and I had no assistance. we are very pleased that our blog has helped so many of you, we appreciate your positive feedback!  Andrea.



whole foods   |   panne rizo   |   mountaintop bakery   |   o'dough's   |   udi's

"You can change the world one bite at a time" is the philosophy behind Edible Flours, another emerging boutique bakery here in Vancouver, founded by husband and wife team Paul Briggs and Alli Neville. what is unique about Edible Flours is that it is an exclusively vegan bakery. all of their products are natural, dairy free, and egg free. Paul and Alli also provide goodies that are gluten free, wheat free, soy free, and sugar free. in fact, their online menu includes a helpful colored labeling system to help you identify which products are soy free (SF), wheat free (WF), gluten free (GF), and sugar free (SF). we love this! additionally Paul and Alli have included links to all of the ingredients for all of their products! 

Alli, who has been vegan since she was a teenager, believes in whole foods, and no refined sugar. this mindful way of cooking and eating was a big shift for her husband Paul, originally from England, as he describes himself as a meat-and-potatoes man. despite the difficult transition, Paul realized he felt better living vegan and eating a diet based on whole grains. Paul and Alli recently moved to Vancouver from New York, with the vision of creating a bakery dedicated to those with food allergies and sensitivities. while they were building the foundations of their new business, they began researching Celiac Disease in order to fully understand how to properly serve gluten free customers (thank you!). that is when a light bulb turned on for Paul, who had been suffering with IBS-like symptoms for many years, and while he did feel better on the vegan diet, he continued to suffer from inexplicable abdominal pain. recently Paul decided he should get tested for Celiac Disease and gluten sensitivity, and he discovered that he is has non-Celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). (we will be discussing this topic further in future posts)

Edible Flours will bake upon request, and their main products include cookies, cupcakes, loaves, and muffins. they have a few other gluten free specialty items including rice crispy squares (drizzled in chocolate), and brownies. Robyn and I already know that eliminating gluten from baking can be challenging, so we were curious to see how Edible Flours managed to bake not just gluten free, but also exclusively vegan! we were both really impressed with what we tried: chocolate chip cookies, rice cripsy squares, vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting, and their three bite brownies. I think what impressed me the most are the cupcakes, at first bite, the cake texture is unlike any cupcake I have ever eaten. it was spongy (in a good way), and not too sweet, and I loved it! try them for yourself and you will see what I mean! since I tend to suffer from sugar overload with headaches and sometimes stomachaches, I really loved this cupcake, it satisfied my sweet tooth, and left me wanting to eat more!!

Paul and Alli are committed to using all natural, high quality ingredients such as expeller pressed oils, whole grain flours, unrefined sweeteners, and filtered water. Edible Flours achieves their sweetness with ingredients such as agave nectar, brown rice syrup, natural cane sugar, and evaporated cane juice, which is the most refined product they will use.  since Edible Flours is not exclusively gluten free, Paul and Alli take extra precautions with cross contamination, and even more so now that Paul is gluten free himself. gluten free items are baked first thing in the morning, before anything else, and separate equipment is used. Paul and Alli also take care with regard to storage of their flours, and keep gluten flours separate from gluten free flours. some of Edible Flours' products contain oats or oat flour, so please check the ingredients carefully on their website if you do not eat oats.

Edible Flours has designated days on which they will deliver for free depending on your neighborhood; see their website for more information and regular delivery charges on other days to your area. Edible Flours requests about 48 hours notice to complete an order. this summer you will also find Edible Flours at several community markets including the Main Street Market on June 9th, the Kitsilano Market on July 4th, and the West-End Market on August 7th.

like the other Vancouver boutique bakeries we have written about here, Robyn and I are extremely thankful to Edible Flours for providing safe, healthy, and mindful treats that everyone can enjoy. gluten free businesses will continue to grow and expand with growing demand. please help to support these businesses, and shop local!  Andrea.  


edible flours   |   follow edible flours on twitter   |   edible flours blog   |   vancouver farmer's markets

we recently attended the National Celiac Disease Foundation’s Annual Conference and Food Faire in Los Angeles on May 14, 2011. the conference was very well attended with people of all ages. the theme of the conference was to provide participants with a better understanding of celiac disease, gluten sensitivity and the gluten free diet. speakers included Alessio Fasano, M.D., who is the Medical Director of the Center for Celiac Research, Danna Korn, author of Living Gluten-Free for Dummies, and Carol Fenster, Ph.D., author and gluten free cooking expert. 

we especially enjoyed the food faire which comprised of over 100 gluten free exhibitors. we spent most our time in the food faire sampling new products, and meeting many of the owners behind these great businesses such as Breads From Anna, Solterra Foods, Venice Bakery and Elizabeth Kaplan of the Pure Pantry. we were also happy to chat with a few other companies we know well like Bard's gluten free beer, Udi’s Gluten Free Foods, Nature’s Path, Kettle Cuisine, Pamela’s and Enjoy Life Foods. we also tried amazing baguette style bread from Schar at their booth, everything was so good! 

besides tasting Bards and Green’s gluten free beer, and getting our hands on the coveted Udi’s hot dog buns, we found several other unique and new gluten free products. we hinted at a few of our favorite gluten free finds in our conference giveaway post, but we wanted to write more about why these up and coming products and companies look so good. 

Solterra Foods 

we were totally amazed at this company's new gluten free Bake-In-Bag pizzas. not only is the pizza great, but the idea is that you cook the pizza in the biodegradable bag, in any oven, without worrying about cross contamination because it is protected inside the bag! to us this product is ingenious. 

the CEO, Elaine Valenza-Opdahl, was at the booth, and it was such a pleasure to talk with her. her booth was buzzing all day long. we love the Solterra philosophy, "Keep it simple, Keep it pure." Solterra offers other amazing gluten free products such as pastas, gnocchi, and baking mixes. there are two pizzas: margherita cheese pizza, and vegan cheese pizza. Solterra is a Colorado-based business, and their products should be available in Canada in a few months. we will keep you posted! 

Venice Bakery 
this is a Los Angeles-based business specializing in gluten free pizza crusts and focaccia bread. we were so impressed with the quality and taste of their pizzas that we went back to their booth several times to sample their pizzas. the staff were so friendly and passionate about their great tasting pizza, it made trying their products that much better. they also introduced their new gluten free calzones at the show, which were simply amazing! 

Venice Bakery is not a dedicated gluten free business, however their gluten free products have been certified by the Celiac Sprue Association. gluten free products are produced at separate times and on dedicated equipment, and are then tested to be sure they are under 5 ppm. as a precaution, Venice bakery sends their product to Siliker Labs for testing. click here to see a video of the president of the company, Jimmy DeSisto, describe the company's history and what you can do with their gluten free pizza crusts. 


we have more to tell you about our fun trip to Los Angeles, and our next post will feature some of the great places to eat out gluten free in L.A. one of them we can't stop thinking about! bye for now, Andrea + Robyn.


celiac disease foundation   |   breads from anna   |   venice bakery   |   solterra foods

to celebrate we would like to share with you an awesome Red Velvet Cake recipe adapted from The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook by Cybele Pascal. this recipe was easy to follow, and most importantly turned out well without any drama! and the cake was delicious! all of the recipes in Pascal's book are dairy free, soy free, nut free, and of course, gluten free!


first you need to whip up Pascal's gluten free flour mix:
4 cups of superfile brown rice flour
1 1/3 cups potato starch (not potato flour)
2/3 cup tapioca flour


and here is the cake recipe:
2 3/4 cups gluten free flour mix (see above)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (mine was sweetened, and I used it anyway)
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp double-acting baking power (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups of hemp milk/ rice milk (I use Manitoba Harvest Hemp Bliss unsweetened)
1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar (I use Bragg apple cider vinegar)
3/4 cup vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance's shortening, which contains soy)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 6 tbsp rice milk (I used eggs and hemp milk)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)
1 oz bottle red food coloring (Pascal recommends Seelect Natural Food Coloring, order online)


•preheat your oven to 350° F. grease two eight inch round cake pans. Pascal recommends lining each with parchment paper, greasing again, then dusting with cocoa powder. I did this and it really helped get the cakes out.

•whisk together the flour mix, the cocoa powder, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. set aside.

•combine the rice milk and the apple cider vinegar, and set aside.

•using your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the shortening, sugar, egg replacer, and vanilla. beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, which takes about two minutes. next add the food coloring and mix until all the ingredients are combined. sift the flour mixture into the mixing bowl in three batches while alternating with the rice milk mixture. beat until smooth, this takes about thirty seconds. scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.

•divide the batter into the two pans and smooth down the surface using a spatula.

•bake in the center of the oven for approximately thirty-five minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. rotate the pans half way though the baking time.

•let the cakes cool on a rack for thirty minutes. then flip the cakes onto a plate, remove the parchment paper, then flip back right side up and let cool completely.

•once the cakes have cooled, use a serrated knife to level off the tops of the cakes. frost with velvet frosting (see recipe below).

velvet frosting recipe:

1 cup vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance's shortening, which contains soy)

pinch of salt

3 cups confectioners sugar (I use Wholesome Sweeteners fair trade organic sugar)

3 tbsps of hemp/ rice milk (I use Manitoba Harvest Hemp Bliss unsweetened)

1 tbsps of freshly squeezed  lemon juice (I buy all my organic produce from SPUD)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)

•in your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening and salt on medium speed for one minute.

•add the confectioner's sugar in three batches.

•add the rice/ hemp milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. beat on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, takes about five minutes.

•frost your cake and enjoy!

we are in los angeles! we decided to travel from vancouver to los angeles to attend the Celiac Disease Foundation's annual Education Conference & Food Faire which took place yesterday. we had such a great experience meeting new friends and of course trying out some of the best gluten free foods and beverages. 

our highlights were Venice Bakery's pizza and calzones, Green's amber ale, Udi's hot dog buns, Ciao Bella blood orange sorbet bars, and the Pure Pantry's cupcakes! we picked up a lot of great gluten free food samples and swag we don't know how we are going to carry it all home! 

since you couldn't make it, we would like to put together a prize pack full of some of the products we found here, including a Betty Crocker gluten free t-shirt, Pamela's Products cake and frosting mixes, Enjoy Life's new mega chunks chocolate chips, Udi's hot dog buns and granola, and so much more! 

to enter this giveaway please leave a comment with this post by Wednesday, May 18th at midnight. for extra chances to win, comment on our facebook page or tweet the giveaway (please add @gfvancouver to your tweet). good luck to all! we are heading out today to explore some of the gluten free bakeries and restaurants here in los angeles, so stay tuned for some reviews on the blog! Andrea + Robyn 


celiac disease foundation   |   follow us on twitter   |   follow us on facebook

celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects the digestive tract. when people with celiac disease eat food with gluten—a type of protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and non gluten free oats—it provokes an immune reaction that causes flattening and damage to the small protrusions (villi) in the small intestine. it is this flattening effect that disrupts the body's ability to absorb nutrients. common side effects include fatigue, weight loss, and nutrient deficiencies. untreated celiac disease can lead to osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, hypo and hyper thyroid disorders, and many cancers including lymphoma.

Whole Foods Markets got started back in 1980 with one small store in Austin, Texas. their mission was, and still is today, 'whole foods—whole people—whole planet'. what you will find at Whole Foods are natural, organic, and minimally processed foods. what you will also find at Whole Foods is a commitment to providing many allergen free and kosher foods, and this includes gluten free. a while back we posted about Whole Foods' gluten free shopping guide and their gluten free labeling system (orange tags that say gluten free). if you have already shopped here then you know that your grocery bill here compared to a grocery bill of similar items from IGA or Safeway, for example, will be noticeably more expensive. however, we already know that gluten free products are more expensive than non-gluten free grocery items. what I have begun to notice is that Whole Foods has an incredible selection of gluten free foods, it is really a gluten free one-stop-shop.

you will find gluten free everything here such as cookies and crackers, soups and pasta sauces, condiments, frozen meals, ice cream, spices, baking ingredients, and frozen and freshly baked goods. I admit I have always been a dedicated Choices Markets customer, and still am, however I have recently gone back to work (after my maternity leave) and I work close to the new Cambie and Broadway Whole Foods. I have been here frequently over the last few weeks, and I am now just beginning to have a grasp on the variety of gluten free foods here. for example, last week I was going to a Vancouver Canadians baseball game for work (corporate BBQ area), and I zipped over here to see if I could find some gluten free hamburger buns to take with me. 

I started looking in the frozen breads freezer near the bakery as this is where I get my sandwich bread. I like the Whole Foods brand prairie bread. I found some O'Dough's frozen hamburger buns, but I wasn't sure how I would get them defrosted in time, save for leaving them in the sun at the game. I wandered around a bit, and discovered a whole table dedicated to alternative bread and bakery items! how had I missed this before! (I admit I have not taken their complimentary gluten free tour). this table has many gluten free products, but beware they are not all gluten free, some are baked with spelt flour. the gluten free collection features products from two dedicated gluten free bakeries here in Vancouver, Panne Rizo, and Mountain Top Bakery (post on these businesses to come!). 

from Panne Rizo you will find:
bread crumbs
chocolate dipped macaroons
pecan snowballs
frosted swirls
tollhouse cookies
shortbread cookies
chocolate swirl biscotti
cinnamon dots

from Mountain Top Bakery you will find:
sugar free muffins
almond biscotti
chocolate biscotti
crunch granola/ granola bars
cookies
brown rice flax bread
white rice sesame bread
rice cheese bread
rice cinnamon raisin bread
rice sourdough bread (dairy free)
brown rice hamburger buns (dairy free)
rice herb garlic bread

as if these aren't enough, you will also find: 
a selection of O'dough's products (not frozen)
European Breads Bakery brown rice muffins
Red Square Happy Colon Chewy Energy Cookie (seriously, I know)

in the freezer you will find:
Udi's breads, muffins, cinnamon rolls, and pizza crusts
O'Doughs pizza making kits, banana bread, hamburger buns, breads, and cakes
Whole Foods breads, pizza crust, cookies, and muffins

I would never have believed this list five years ago when Robyn and I were struggling to figure out what to eat and how to eat when we were first diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and obviously things can only get better. Robyn and I would love to see some of Vancouver's boutique gluten free bakeries selling their amazing products at Whole Foods as well—the Sweet Tooth Cakery, Homestead Specialty Baking, Edible Flours, and the Gluten Free Epicurean.

one area that I still find difficult to navigate, and because of its size is also overwhelming, is the Whole Foods deli and self serve foods bars. many of the foods are gluten free, but a labeling system here would also be very helpful. in fact I will be meeting with Eden McDonald, the Healthy Eating Specialist to discuss how this area of the store can become easier to navigate and safer in terms of limiting cross contamination. stay tuned for the outcome of this meeting!

on another note, I have received many phone calls with people looking for gluten free foods, and I appreciate your calls, and I love to help. it reminds me how overwhelming it was when we were first diagnosed, Robyn and I had no assistance. we are very pleased that our blog has helped so many of you, we appreciate your positive feedback!  Andrea.



whole foods   |   panne rizo   |   mountaintop bakery   |   o'dough's   |   udi's