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Showing posts with label safe food handling practices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label safe food handling practices. Show all posts

Monday, April 25, 2011

quick and perfect grilled cheese

photo credit André Baranowski, saveur.com
grilled cheese sandwiches are one of my all time favorite foods, especially since they are so easy to make. however, making a good gluten free version of the classic grilled cheese has not been so easy. my grilled cheese woes quickly disappeared recently after finding two fantastic products that are the secret to the most perfect gluten free grilled cheese sandwich: Udi’s gluten free bread and Toasta Bags!

Andrea and I recently reviewed Udi’s gluten free products, and we both think their breads taste great and toast well! Udi's whole grain or white sandwich bread are ideal for grilled cheese sandwiches, read our review of Udi's products here.

the cheese that I like to use is called Tre Stelle sliced cheese packs, and they come in a variety of flavors such as marble, cheddar, or swiss. if you are vegan, then you are most likely already aware of Daiya vegan cheese, and I hear it melts well too. there are some incredible variations to the classic grilled cheese, and Tastespotting has several pages of great recipes. add tomatoes, mushrooms, prosciutto, bacon and arugula, or even avocado and apples!

I found Toasta Bags at Ed’s Gluten Free Specialty store recently, and they are excellent for making the perfect toasted sandwich! Toasta Bags are made with a soft Teflon material that fits right into your toaster, eliminating the need for frying pans or sandwich makers!

Toasta Bags work best in a variable width toaster, and cooking times vary depending on the toaster you have, but generally they toast any sandwich to perfection and they also spare your toaster from a cheesy mess!

besides grilled cheese sandwiches, you can use your Toasta Bag for cooking other foods like pizza, french fries, pastries, and even salmon fillets quick and easy. each bag can be re-used up to 100 times and is dishwasher safe.

the best part about Toasta Bags is the fact that they aid in preventing cross contamination if you use a shared toaster at home or work. they are also great for traveling as well!
enjoy!  Robyn.


udi’s   |   toasta bags   |   ed’s gluten free specialty



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Saturday, October 9, 2010

gobble gobble, gluten free of course!

turkey, originally uploaded by mellowfood
it's Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada, and to all our Canadian readers we would like to extend a very Happy Thanksgiving to you all. if you are new to planning and preparing a gluten free traditional turkey dinner, you may want to check out a post we did last year with our mom's best gluten free turkey dinner recipe, instructions and ingredient suggestions. you can read the recipe here. if you are cooking your turkey dinner for guests who are gluten free, then you might also want to read our post on gluten free entertaining with some important do's and don'ts. feel free to email us if you have any questions. we'd also love to hear your recipes for a gluten free traditional meal! happy thanksgiving everyone!  Andrea + Robyn.



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Wednesday, May 5, 2010

gluten free goodies from the sweet tooth cakery

photo credit www.jerrywillows.ca
Andrea and I had the pleasure of meeting with Jenny Breckon, the owner and baker of The Sweet Tooth Cakery, which specializes in gluten free wedding and birthday cakes (we just love Hayden's first birthday cake pictured on the left). Jenny’s gluten free product line also includes cupcakes, cookies, and sweet breads, as well as the ‘best biscotti ever’. it was a great opportunity for us to not only meet Jenny in person and ask her a million questions, but to also hear about the drive, passion and inspiration behind her gluten free business.

Jenny’s venture into the world of baking began at her sister's wedding in 2005, when Jenny bravely agreed to make the wedding cake! at the time, Jenny was unaware of her gluten intolerance, and was still baking with gluten-containing flours. she does recall, however, that the day after the wedding her mom was extremely ill. in fact her and her mom had been dealing with health issues for some time, but it wasn’t until a year later that her mom was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. everything became clear to Jenny and her mom—they both have celiac disease, and they both had been suffering for a very long time.

Jenny took a break from baking, and actually wasn’t sure she would ever go back to it, especially without the knowledge of how to bake gluten free. slowly that started to change, and Jenny found herself testing and experimenting with gluten free cookbooks, particularly those by Bette Hagman, and eventually formed The Sweet Tooth Cakery. her mom’s name is Robin, and the logo behind the Sweet Tooth Cakery, a robin bird, is a dedication to her. in fact, Jenny’s entire business is dedicated to her mom “I bake for my mom” says Jenny, “I want her to be able to eat all the same desserts and treats like everyone else”.

currently The Sweet Tooth Cakery operates out of a shared bakery space called The Spelt Bakery on east hastings street. while this is a wheat free bakery, it is not a dedicated gluten free bakery. we spoke with Jenny about the measures taken to ensure that cross contamination is managed in a responsible manner. the bakery is not only immaculate, but Jenny does not share any of her equipment with the other bakers, and it is kept covered when she is not there. the only shared items are the wash-up sinks and the ovens, but since she bakes alone on dedicated days, she is the only one using the ovens on those specific days, and she uses her own trays. she gave us the peace of mind that only a fellow celiac can, and we happily enjoyed Jenny’s offerings.

we had the pleasure of sampling Jenny’s carrot cake with butter cream icing, chocolate chip cookies (she adds gf rice crispies), dark chocolate mint cookies, and coconut almond pecan pleasure cookies with quinoa flakes…yum! actually she recommends the coconut almond pecan pleasure cookie for anyone who is diabetic, as she sweetens this cookie with honey. they are very addictive! we also brought one of her sweet breads to a birthday party, the chocolate chip banana loaf, and it was a huge hit! the main ingredients that Jenny uses are: sorghum flour, rice flour, tapioca starch, xanthum gum, almond milk, organic evaporated cane juice, and of course butter.

Jenny bakes on request, and needs about a week for a birthday cake order. orders for wedding cakes depend on the cake design, which we think Jenny has a natural talent for, as you can see from the cake portfolio on her website. other baked items, such as cookies and sweet breads, can be special ordered. Jenny can also create dairy-free and vegan cakes on request.

where to find The Sweet Tooth Cakery you ask? starting this month look for Jenny at the Lonsdale Farmer’s Market starting Saturday, May 29th. subsequent dates include June 12th, August 14th, August 28th, September 11th, September 25th, October 2nd, and October 9th. The Sweet Tooth Cakery also has dates at the Ambleside Market in West Vancouver on Sunday, July 4th, and at the West End Farmer's Market on July 24th and October 23rd.

like all bakers, Jenny’s dream is to someday own her own bakery where she can spend her days baking and creating, and we think she’s not far off!

stay tuned for another gluten free vancouver giveaway courtesy of The Sweet Tooth Cakery!  Robyn.

***update: Jenny has had to cancel her market for Saturday May 29th, please email her if you would like to purchase any of her baking this weekend, see her website for contact info. she will resume on June 12th as scheduled.


the sweet tooth cakery   |   lonsdale farmer's market   |   ambleside market   |   west end farmer's market


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Thursday, February 18, 2010

gluten free pizza at rocky mountain flatbread

pizza, originally uploaded by slice.
finding gluten free pizza, or gluten free pizza crust is no easy task, let alone finding anything that actually tastes good. like french fries, pizza is one of my favorites and over the years, I have been determined to find a great tasting alternative.

I found a pizzeria in Victoria, B.C. last year called The Joint that makes gluten free pizza with an eye-opening amount of toppings to choose from including pesto chicken, mediterranean, greek, and ham and pineapple to name just a few. gluten free pizzas are available in either a 10 inch or 14 inch size (there is an extra charge for the gluten free crust but it was still reasonably priced). it was heaven!

today I found out that the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company, located in Kitsilano and North Vancouver, makes a gluten free crust as well! the crust is a blend of brown rice, buckwheat, tapioca and potato flours. every pizza on the menu can be made with the gluten free crust, and all of the toppings are gluten free as well. the only exception is the italian sausage which may contain gluten. italian sausage is one of the ingredients in the 'naturally meaty' pizza, and of course watch for any of their daily flatbread specials that may also include italian sausage. the gluten free pizza comes in a regular 10 inch crust and there is also an extra charge of $5. I tried the Rocky Mountain Flatbread gluten free pizza tonight, and it was excellent! I ordered the spicy pepperoni that is made with organic pepperoni, mushrooms, herbs, mozzerella cheese, cherry tomatoes, and onion. the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company is also a peanut free restaurant, and vegan friendly.  the staff are very knowledgeable about the issues of cross-contamination and will be able to skillfully answer any questions you may have.  the best part is the gluten free pizza's are prepared in a separate area of the kitchen, and are cooked in a separate gluten free oven (they are not made in the large pizza ovens with the wheat pizza), and staff ensure that clean pizza cutters are used too. I highly recommend trying it out!
it is important to note that both The Joint and Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company also make wheat pizza’s and can't guarantee that there will be no cross-contamination in the kitchen, but that efforts are made to ensure that cross-contamination is minimal.
making gluten free pizza crust at home is still the tastiest and most economical way to enjoy gluten free pizza. I have used Bob’s Red Mill gluten free pizza crust flour mix and it was excellent. local bakeries such as Choices Rice Bakery and Quejo’s also make fresh gluten free pizza shells that are good as well.

if you have a gluten free pizza crust recipe, share it with us in the comments!
Robyn.
rocky mountain flatbread company   |   the joint   |   bob’s red mill


Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company on Urbanspoon
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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

gluten free mom, shopping for less

it is no secret among us who must survive on a gluten free diet (for life) that gluten free products are generally more expensive than similar products that are not gluten free. therefore not only is finding gluten free products challenging, but we are also forced to spend a lot more on a basic necessity—food!

there are three people in my family, my husband, my daughter, and I, and among the three of us I am the only celiac, as far as we know, we are actually waiting for my daughter's blood test results. so we actually only need to buy specialty gluten free for me, however, sharing a kitchen with others who do eat gluten can be very challenging and stressful for celiacs. I am a new mom, and ensuring that I do not eat gluten by accident, even the smallest crumb, is extremely important. knowing that gluten will compromise my body's ability to absorb essential nutrients from food was a scary thought when I was pregnant, and now while I am breast feeding.

in order to ensure the safest environment for me, and thus the healthiest environment for my daughter, we all eat gluten free! my husband does still make toast from his favorite cheese bread (gluten containing) but I have set him up with his own toaster on the other side of the kitchen. he has his counter, and I have mine, with my own gluten free toaster, of course.

it can be very challenging for a gluten free parent to feed their child gluten. for my own personal reasons I held off on feeding my daughter gluten until she was one year of age. but at some point I needed to introduce it to her. all of the parents reading this will understand, that young children are not just messy eaters, but they love to eat with their hands, and then put their hands in your mouth, or on your plate, or anywhere that interests them. you could potentially have gluten on your bed sheets, or on your toothbrush. so introducing gluten to my daughter was extremely stressful, and I decided that it couldn't be me feeding her. I will only feed her gluten free food, and my husband can share his toast with her. she also eats gluten at her grandparents' house, but I always make sure her hands are well washed before interacting with her. I know this sounds over cautious, but it's necessary, and it will indirectly benefit her.

so now that I have explained why I shop gluten free for my whole family, you can imagine the extra expense we incur because of it. fortunately I have recently found a way to help with the extra cost of shopping gluten free. it's called the The Healthy Shopper, which is a coupon book for natural and organic products, and the best part is that many of the products are gluten free! the book can be picked up for free at participating natural food stores, I get mine at Choices Market. to find the store nearest you click here. it's also available online, but you will need to pay for shipping. if you register online, you will also have access to the ecoupons. all the coupons are valid for one year, the current book expires on march 31, 2010. the good news is that while the book is only available at certain stores, the coupons themselves are valid anywhere the products are sold. 

some of the gluten free product coupons are: 
Simply Natural Organic
Nature's Path or EnvroKidz
Glutino or Gluten-Free Pantry
Barbara's Bakery
Pamela's Products
San-J

please note that some of these companies are exclusively gluten free, while others are not. please check with the product websites to verify which products are gluten free. we have already posted on several of these, Simply Natural Organic Mustard, Glutino Crackers, and Pamela's Products Classic Vanilla Cake Mix.

the coupons range in savings from 50 cents up to 2 dollars off, so I easily save 10 dollars when I shop. I will be looking forward to the next edition of this coupon book in april, and hope to find even more gluten free product coupons to use next year!

Robyn and I will also be posting soon on another way to save money on a gluten free diet, if your doctor can verify that you have Celiac Disease, then you qualify for a special medical tax write-off in Canada. I am not sure about other countries, but it is worth looking into. Happy Saving!  Andrea.

the healthy shopper   |   canadian celiac association

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Friday, January 22, 2010

nature’s fair, gluten free in downtown vancouver

finding gluten free at lunch time in vancouver’s downtown core is quite tricky. I recently started a new job located downtown and was pretty eager to find a safe place to eat on days when I don’t have my own lunch prepared. I was excited to make a great gluten free discovery in the lower level of waterfront center’s food court, called Nature’s Fair. Nature’s Fair has a veggie and fruit salad bar, juice bar, and gluten free rice and chili! the chili is also vegan and sold in small or large containers. if you order the brown rice and chili you can ask for them in separate bowls, or they will put it all together for you. you can also order a side of rice with the salad you can make from the salad bar.

salad bars are not always safe, often foods are spilled between containers, and tongs can be used for multiple items, of which could be wheat based such as bread or pasta salad. on occasion, I notice a pasta noodle in the greek salad or a crouton in the tomatoes. don’t hestitate to ask for clean utensils and scrutinize what you take carefully.

Nature’s Fair also sells Glutino pretzels, Lara Bars, Barbara’s Bakery cheese puffs, and Wild Country organic nut bars. for those that are not as familiar with gluten free brands and varieties, this is a great assortment of gluten free snacks to grab on the go. Lara Bars are an excellent gluten free energy bar, made from a blend of unsweetened fruits, nuts and spices and they are also dairy free, soy free, non-GMO, vegan and kosher. they come in an impressive 16 gluten free flavors including cinnamon roll, key lime pie, and peanut butter cookie. the Wild Country organic nut bars are excellent too and are also gluten free, non-GMO and kosher. Wild Country's organic bars come in four gluten free varieties; almond nougat bar, cranberry nut bar, mixed nut sesame honey bar, and my favorite, mixed nut honey bar (note the granola bar is not gluten free). Nature’s Fair does not currently have a website, but they are located at R21-200 Burrard Street (604.683.0216).

there are also two great grocery stores downtown that have a wide selection of gluten free products; Capers Market located on robson and cardero in the west-end, and Choices Market located on richards and davie in yaletown. more downtown discoveries soon!   Robyn.

nature's fair   |   glutino   |   lara bars   |   barbara's bakery   |   wild country

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Wednesday, January 13, 2010

double kudos to joey’s gluten free menu

Joey is one of the first restaurants in Vancouver to develop a gluten free menu, and I recently (finally) had the chance to try it out. I had the Ahi Tuna Salad—it was a toss up between this and the Bombay Butter Chicken—and it was excellent! when Andrea and I began our blog, Joey’s was one of the first places we contacted for more information. I was curious about why they decided to accommodate the gluten free diet, and to maybe see why more restaurants are not following the lead. here is what the great staff at Joey’s had to say about it all; 

R. how are the gluten free items prepared in the kitchen? 
J. the gluten free items are prepared with specific guidelines to ensure there is no cross contamination. utensils and cookware are cleaned prior to use and all dishes are prepared from scratch omitting the ingredients that contain gluten. 

R. what inspired Joey to develop a gluten free menu? 
J. over the years we have noticed the number of guests living with celiac has increased significantly and, consequently, there has been strong demand for us to create such a menu. 

R. was it difficult to implement a gluten free menu? 
J. no, we simply looked at our menu items and determined which could most easily and safely be modified to fall into the gluten free category. 

R. what kind of education is provided to staff regarding gluten and allergies such as Celiac Disease? 
J. the servers and cooks are taught about this condition (and other allergens in initial training and throughout their tenure), what gluten is and how to communicate with our celiac guests to ensure that they are confident in our abilities. the process includes having the chef and manager oversee the production of these items when they are ordered.

the gluten free menu is currently not available on Joey’s website, but it will be posted soon. the gluten free menu is a separate sheet from the main menu so remember to ask for it when you arrive. Joey will also create a personalized menu to suit any other dietary restrictions, simply email before you plan to go. 

Joey Restaurants are located in Vancouver, Coquitlam, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Seattle and Bellevue, Washington.  Robyn.

Joey's (Broadway) on Urbanspoon

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Thursday, December 10, 2009

mom's best gluten free holiday turkey recipes

turkey, originally uploaded by mellowfood.
turkey dinner is a tradition for our family for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. when two out of three of my daughters (andrea and robyn) were diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2005, we had to really look at how we cooked our favorite celebratory dinner! no more heavy wheat flour laden gravy and processed pork sausage, nor any processed dried fruit that I love to add to our dressing. 

it seemed overwhelming the first year! together we researched gluten free products in order to make the gravy and stuffing. robyn discovered Roads End Organics organic golden gravy mix at Choices Market! we were delighted with the new gravy, it was light, flavorful and more of a light clear gravy. Roads End Organics organic gravy mixes are not only organic, but also gluten free, cholesterol free, and vegan. to thicken the gravy I use either Bob's Red Mill or Club House rice flour.

I found Hertel's gluten free pork sausage at IGA to use in the dressing. All but one of Hertel's products, the british bangers, are gluten and lactose free. I use rice bread crumbs from Choices Rice Bakery which made our favorite dressing taste exactly the same as before! we also now use fresh herbs and non-processed dried fruits that are gluten free.

our holiday dinner has not suffered at all, in fact we all think it tastes even better with a lighter, healthy, and flavorful taste. non-Celiac guests would never know the difference! in fact we keep the whole dinner gluten free. to avoid any cross contamination I do not even serve wheat bread at our table thereby creating a stress-free dinner for my daughters to enjoy.

Happy Holidays! Sharen.

gravy:
use all of the juices left after the turkey is removed from the pan, leaving a wing and dressing bits in for flavor, add the following and stir over low heat
  • Roads End Organic Gravy Mix
  • salt/pepper
  • poultry seasoning
  • rice flour mixed with water if thicker gravy desired
dressing:
combine everything and add hot cooked sausage meat
  • rice bread cubes
  • white onion chopped
  • celery chopped
  • dried apricots chopped
  • cooked Hertel's pork sausage 
shopping:
  • Roads End Gravy Mix can be found at Choices Markets
  • Hertel's pork sausage can be found at IGA, Thrifty Foods, Choices Markets, Quality Foods, and many smaller grocers. If your meat department doesn't carry Hertel's, you can ask that they order it for you, Hertel's delivers twice a week
  • rice bread cubes and gluten free buns can be found at Choices Rice Bakery
  • Bob's Red Mill rice flour is sold at Choices Market, Buy Low Foods, Whole Foods, Save On Foods, Capers, and Safeway 


roads end organics   |   hertel's   |   bob's redmill   |   club house
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Sunday, November 22, 2009

gluten free catering experience: part two

so here are the results of the party I went to the other night at Vancouver Special, catered by Tonina’s Catering & Deli Co. before I went, I called Jark, the owner of the business, to confirm what he planned to serve that would be gluten free, and how would I be able to identify it. it might sound like over-kill to be harassing this man so many times prior to the event, but I will avoid gluten contamination at all costs! I am a breastfeeding mom to my infant girl, and I cannot risk getting sick (more on being a gluten free mom in subsequent posts). he explained that he had prepared two gluten free pizzas with fresh organic toppings and assorted gluten free cheeses, and some gluten free organic deli meats, all of which would be labeled. great! I was so excited to go out to a party, mingle with friends, and eat without worry. as a new mom, I don’t get out to eat very often, and as a celiac I don’t go out to eat very often!

I arrived early-ish and found the food nicely displayed, with lot’s of space between the trays, so I felt that cross contamination would be minimal. I was most curious about the gluten free pizza's and was saddened to see that most of them were already eaten! I did get to try a few pieces that were saved for me and they were excellent! the ingredient label is shown here, and I doubt the photo does this pizza any justice. not only was the crust just the way I like it, thin and crispy, the toppings were superb. this was definitely one of the best pizzas I’ve ever eaten, except for the margarita pizzas Robyn and I gobbled on our way around Italy when we were younger (pre-celiac). I thought, this people is how it’s done! I have actually become accustomed to thick, doughy, white rice pizza crusts, and have even convinced my husband they are good! so in my opinion the pizza was a big hit, and would not hesitate to order these from Tonina’s again, maybe for my birthday!

I continued along the buffet table to try some of the other goodies, only to find the gluten free cheeses on the same tray as some kind of bun/ pastry? the cheese was being sliced, put on these buns, and being sliced again…whoops, contaminated, don’t touch! ok, let me try the meats. there were two kinds of deli meats labeled gluten free, some ham and some turkey, both of which were very tasty and fresh. they were on the same tray as non-gluten free meats but were separated by wax paper, well done Tonina’s!

the final item that was labeled gluten free were rice crispy squares, which made me excited, however on closer inspection, I could see oats, and corn flakes in the ingredients list, so I didn’t try them, sorry Tonina’s. oats and corn flakes are very tricky to navigate for celiacs. recent research claims that oats are in fact safe for people with celiac disease because it does not contain gluten, but oats are thought to be unsafe due to contamination with barley primarily during processing. it is possible to find gluten free oats (more on this subject soon), and corn flakes. for example, Nature's Path Organics makes gluten free corn flakes but other mainstream labels such as Kellogg's add barley malt to their corn flakes as a flavoring agent.

so would I recommend Tonina’s Catering & Deli Co? yes I would, but with the advice that you must work closely with Jark, or another staff member to ensure that the ingredients are 100% gluten free, and that safe food handling practices are met. plan your event well in advance, and ask questions! I found Jark to be extremely knowledgeable about food in general, and seems passionate about his business. stay tuned for part three where I visit Tonina’s and Jark in person to find out more about how they can provide a safe and enjoyable gluten free catered event.  Andrea


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Saturday, November 21, 2009

gluten free cupcakes

cupcake, originally uploaded by QuintanaRoo.
our sister in law recently told andrea and I that she saw gluten free cupcakes at Big City Cupcakes! we were eager to find out more information, especially since gluten free cupcakes are rarely available in local bakeries. I have personally only ever bought cupcakes from the Choices Rice Bakery, although they are only a bite sized specialty item, and usually only available around Halloween (but so very very good!). I spoke to one of the store managers at Big City Cupcakes to discuss the ingredients used and gluten free handling procedures. the gluten free items, available only on friday, saturday and sunday, are mixed in separate bowls, and in a separate area of the bakery. almond flour is used as the main gluten free ingredient.

however, the gluten free cupcakes are often placed on the same trays as the regular wheat based cupcakes during shipping to the stores as well as within the display cases. I mentioned to the store manager that, in my opinion, people coming to the store to purchase their gluten free (or egg and dairy free!) cupcakes recognize that Big City Cupcakes is not a dedicated gluten free facility, but not many would feel comfortable eating the cupcakes when they have clearly been in very close proximity to wheat products.

the value in the effort of making gluten free cupcakes is the ability to cater to a specialized but growing community of people. clearly, more education and awareness is needed to help others understand this importance, and not to mention the benefit of implementing some very simple policies and procedures to make your product safe for customers. we did discuss some measures Big City Cupcakes can take to separate their regular and specialty items, including placing the gluten, egg and dairy free cupcakes in separate containers. 

unfortunately at this time, I cannot recommend this product to fellow celiacs or others who may have a high sensitivilty level to wheat or gluten. it does make me wonder though, if gluten free products are not handled correctly, or if there is no desire to separate the items, then who is gluten free for anyway?  Robyn
choices rice bakery   |   big city cupcakes

Big City Cupcakes on Urbanspoon

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Showing posts with label safe food handling practices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label safe food handling practices. Show all posts

Monday, April 25, 2011

quick and perfect grilled cheese

photo credit André Baranowski, saveur.com
grilled cheese sandwiches are one of my all time favorite foods, especially since they are so easy to make. however, making a good gluten free version of the classic grilled cheese has not been so easy. my grilled cheese woes quickly disappeared recently after finding two fantastic products that are the secret to the most perfect gluten free grilled cheese sandwich: Udi’s gluten free bread and Toasta Bags!

Andrea and I recently reviewed Udi’s gluten free products, and we both think their breads taste great and toast well! Udi's whole grain or white sandwich bread are ideal for grilled cheese sandwiches, read our review of Udi's products here.

the cheese that I like to use is called Tre Stelle sliced cheese packs, and they come in a variety of flavors such as marble, cheddar, or swiss. if you are vegan, then you are most likely already aware of Daiya vegan cheese, and I hear it melts well too. there are some incredible variations to the classic grilled cheese, and Tastespotting has several pages of great recipes. add tomatoes, mushrooms, prosciutto, bacon and arugula, or even avocado and apples!

I found Toasta Bags at Ed’s Gluten Free Specialty store recently, and they are excellent for making the perfect toasted sandwich! Toasta Bags are made with a soft Teflon material that fits right into your toaster, eliminating the need for frying pans or sandwich makers!

Toasta Bags work best in a variable width toaster, and cooking times vary depending on the toaster you have, but generally they toast any sandwich to perfection and they also spare your toaster from a cheesy mess!

besides grilled cheese sandwiches, you can use your Toasta Bag for cooking other foods like pizza, french fries, pastries, and even salmon fillets quick and easy. each bag can be re-used up to 100 times and is dishwasher safe.

the best part about Toasta Bags is the fact that they aid in preventing cross contamination if you use a shared toaster at home or work. they are also great for traveling as well!
enjoy!  Robyn.


udi’s   |   toasta bags   |   ed’s gluten free specialty



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Saturday, October 9, 2010

gobble gobble, gluten free of course!

turkey, originally uploaded by mellowfood
it's Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada, and to all our Canadian readers we would like to extend a very Happy Thanksgiving to you all. if you are new to planning and preparing a gluten free traditional turkey dinner, you may want to check out a post we did last year with our mom's best gluten free turkey dinner recipe, instructions and ingredient suggestions. you can read the recipe here. if you are cooking your turkey dinner for guests who are gluten free, then you might also want to read our post on gluten free entertaining with some important do's and don'ts. feel free to email us if you have any questions. we'd also love to hear your recipes for a gluten free traditional meal! happy thanksgiving everyone!  Andrea + Robyn.



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Wednesday, May 5, 2010

gluten free goodies from the sweet tooth cakery

photo credit www.jerrywillows.ca
Andrea and I had the pleasure of meeting with Jenny Breckon, the owner and baker of The Sweet Tooth Cakery, which specializes in gluten free wedding and birthday cakes (we just love Hayden's first birthday cake pictured on the left). Jenny’s gluten free product line also includes cupcakes, cookies, and sweet breads, as well as the ‘best biscotti ever’. it was a great opportunity for us to not only meet Jenny in person and ask her a million questions, but to also hear about the drive, passion and inspiration behind her gluten free business.

Jenny’s venture into the world of baking began at her sister's wedding in 2005, when Jenny bravely agreed to make the wedding cake! at the time, Jenny was unaware of her gluten intolerance, and was still baking with gluten-containing flours. she does recall, however, that the day after the wedding her mom was extremely ill. in fact her and her mom had been dealing with health issues for some time, but it wasn’t until a year later that her mom was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. everything became clear to Jenny and her mom—they both have celiac disease, and they both had been suffering for a very long time.

Jenny took a break from baking, and actually wasn’t sure she would ever go back to it, especially without the knowledge of how to bake gluten free. slowly that started to change, and Jenny found herself testing and experimenting with gluten free cookbooks, particularly those by Bette Hagman, and eventually formed The Sweet Tooth Cakery. her mom’s name is Robin, and the logo behind the Sweet Tooth Cakery, a robin bird, is a dedication to her. in fact, Jenny’s entire business is dedicated to her mom “I bake for my mom” says Jenny, “I want her to be able to eat all the same desserts and treats like everyone else”.

currently The Sweet Tooth Cakery operates out of a shared bakery space called The Spelt Bakery on east hastings street. while this is a wheat free bakery, it is not a dedicated gluten free bakery. we spoke with Jenny about the measures taken to ensure that cross contamination is managed in a responsible manner. the bakery is not only immaculate, but Jenny does not share any of her equipment with the other bakers, and it is kept covered when she is not there. the only shared items are the wash-up sinks and the ovens, but since she bakes alone on dedicated days, she is the only one using the ovens on those specific days, and she uses her own trays. she gave us the peace of mind that only a fellow celiac can, and we happily enjoyed Jenny’s offerings.

we had the pleasure of sampling Jenny’s carrot cake with butter cream icing, chocolate chip cookies (she adds gf rice crispies), dark chocolate mint cookies, and coconut almond pecan pleasure cookies with quinoa flakes…yum! actually she recommends the coconut almond pecan pleasure cookie for anyone who is diabetic, as she sweetens this cookie with honey. they are very addictive! we also brought one of her sweet breads to a birthday party, the chocolate chip banana loaf, and it was a huge hit! the main ingredients that Jenny uses are: sorghum flour, rice flour, tapioca starch, xanthum gum, almond milk, organic evaporated cane juice, and of course butter.

Jenny bakes on request, and needs about a week for a birthday cake order. orders for wedding cakes depend on the cake design, which we think Jenny has a natural talent for, as you can see from the cake portfolio on her website. other baked items, such as cookies and sweet breads, can be special ordered. Jenny can also create dairy-free and vegan cakes on request.

where to find The Sweet Tooth Cakery you ask? starting this month look for Jenny at the Lonsdale Farmer’s Market starting Saturday, May 29th. subsequent dates include June 12th, August 14th, August 28th, September 11th, September 25th, October 2nd, and October 9th. The Sweet Tooth Cakery also has dates at the Ambleside Market in West Vancouver on Sunday, July 4th, and at the West End Farmer's Market on July 24th and October 23rd.

like all bakers, Jenny’s dream is to someday own her own bakery where she can spend her days baking and creating, and we think she’s not far off!

stay tuned for another gluten free vancouver giveaway courtesy of The Sweet Tooth Cakery!  Robyn.

***update: Jenny has had to cancel her market for Saturday May 29th, please email her if you would like to purchase any of her baking this weekend, see her website for contact info. she will resume on June 12th as scheduled.


the sweet tooth cakery   |   lonsdale farmer's market   |   ambleside market   |   west end farmer's market


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Thursday, February 18, 2010

gluten free pizza at rocky mountain flatbread

pizza, originally uploaded by slice.
finding gluten free pizza, or gluten free pizza crust is no easy task, let alone finding anything that actually tastes good. like french fries, pizza is one of my favorites and over the years, I have been determined to find a great tasting alternative.

I found a pizzeria in Victoria, B.C. last year called The Joint that makes gluten free pizza with an eye-opening amount of toppings to choose from including pesto chicken, mediterranean, greek, and ham and pineapple to name just a few. gluten free pizzas are available in either a 10 inch or 14 inch size (there is an extra charge for the gluten free crust but it was still reasonably priced). it was heaven!

today I found out that the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company, located in Kitsilano and North Vancouver, makes a gluten free crust as well! the crust is a blend of brown rice, buckwheat, tapioca and potato flours. every pizza on the menu can be made with the gluten free crust, and all of the toppings are gluten free as well. the only exception is the italian sausage which may contain gluten. italian sausage is one of the ingredients in the 'naturally meaty' pizza, and of course watch for any of their daily flatbread specials that may also include italian sausage. the gluten free pizza comes in a regular 10 inch crust and there is also an extra charge of $5. I tried the Rocky Mountain Flatbread gluten free pizza tonight, and it was excellent! I ordered the spicy pepperoni that is made with organic pepperoni, mushrooms, herbs, mozzerella cheese, cherry tomatoes, and onion. the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company is also a peanut free restaurant, and vegan friendly.  the staff are very knowledgeable about the issues of cross-contamination and will be able to skillfully answer any questions you may have.  the best part is the gluten free pizza's are prepared in a separate area of the kitchen, and are cooked in a separate gluten free oven (they are not made in the large pizza ovens with the wheat pizza), and staff ensure that clean pizza cutters are used too. I highly recommend trying it out!
it is important to note that both The Joint and Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company also make wheat pizza’s and can't guarantee that there will be no cross-contamination in the kitchen, but that efforts are made to ensure that cross-contamination is minimal.
making gluten free pizza crust at home is still the tastiest and most economical way to enjoy gluten free pizza. I have used Bob’s Red Mill gluten free pizza crust flour mix and it was excellent. local bakeries such as Choices Rice Bakery and Quejo’s also make fresh gluten free pizza shells that are good as well.

if you have a gluten free pizza crust recipe, share it with us in the comments!
Robyn.
rocky mountain flatbread company   |   the joint   |   bob’s red mill


Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company on Urbanspoon
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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

gluten free mom, shopping for less

it is no secret among us who must survive on a gluten free diet (for life) that gluten free products are generally more expensive than similar products that are not gluten free. therefore not only is finding gluten free products challenging, but we are also forced to spend a lot more on a basic necessity—food!

there are three people in my family, my husband, my daughter, and I, and among the three of us I am the only celiac, as far as we know, we are actually waiting for my daughter's blood test results. so we actually only need to buy specialty gluten free for me, however, sharing a kitchen with others who do eat gluten can be very challenging and stressful for celiacs. I am a new mom, and ensuring that I do not eat gluten by accident, even the smallest crumb, is extremely important. knowing that gluten will compromise my body's ability to absorb essential nutrients from food was a scary thought when I was pregnant, and now while I am breast feeding.

in order to ensure the safest environment for me, and thus the healthiest environment for my daughter, we all eat gluten free! my husband does still make toast from his favorite cheese bread (gluten containing) but I have set him up with his own toaster on the other side of the kitchen. he has his counter, and I have mine, with my own gluten free toaster, of course.

it can be very challenging for a gluten free parent to feed their child gluten. for my own personal reasons I held off on feeding my daughter gluten until she was one year of age. but at some point I needed to introduce it to her. all of the parents reading this will understand, that young children are not just messy eaters, but they love to eat with their hands, and then put their hands in your mouth, or on your plate, or anywhere that interests them. you could potentially have gluten on your bed sheets, or on your toothbrush. so introducing gluten to my daughter was extremely stressful, and I decided that it couldn't be me feeding her. I will only feed her gluten free food, and my husband can share his toast with her. she also eats gluten at her grandparents' house, but I always make sure her hands are well washed before interacting with her. I know this sounds over cautious, but it's necessary, and it will indirectly benefit her.

so now that I have explained why I shop gluten free for my whole family, you can imagine the extra expense we incur because of it. fortunately I have recently found a way to help with the extra cost of shopping gluten free. it's called the The Healthy Shopper, which is a coupon book for natural and organic products, and the best part is that many of the products are gluten free! the book can be picked up for free at participating natural food stores, I get mine at Choices Market. to find the store nearest you click here. it's also available online, but you will need to pay for shipping. if you register online, you will also have access to the ecoupons. all the coupons are valid for one year, the current book expires on march 31, 2010. the good news is that while the book is only available at certain stores, the coupons themselves are valid anywhere the products are sold. 

some of the gluten free product coupons are: 
Simply Natural Organic
Nature's Path or EnvroKidz
Glutino or Gluten-Free Pantry
Barbara's Bakery
Pamela's Products
San-J

please note that some of these companies are exclusively gluten free, while others are not. please check with the product websites to verify which products are gluten free. we have already posted on several of these, Simply Natural Organic Mustard, Glutino Crackers, and Pamela's Products Classic Vanilla Cake Mix.

the coupons range in savings from 50 cents up to 2 dollars off, so I easily save 10 dollars when I shop. I will be looking forward to the next edition of this coupon book in april, and hope to find even more gluten free product coupons to use next year!

Robyn and I will also be posting soon on another way to save money on a gluten free diet, if your doctor can verify that you have Celiac Disease, then you qualify for a special medical tax write-off in Canada. I am not sure about other countries, but it is worth looking into. Happy Saving!  Andrea.

the healthy shopper   |   canadian celiac association

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Friday, January 22, 2010

nature’s fair, gluten free in downtown vancouver

finding gluten free at lunch time in vancouver’s downtown core is quite tricky. I recently started a new job located downtown and was pretty eager to find a safe place to eat on days when I don’t have my own lunch prepared. I was excited to make a great gluten free discovery in the lower level of waterfront center’s food court, called Nature’s Fair. Nature’s Fair has a veggie and fruit salad bar, juice bar, and gluten free rice and chili! the chili is also vegan and sold in small or large containers. if you order the brown rice and chili you can ask for them in separate bowls, or they will put it all together for you. you can also order a side of rice with the salad you can make from the salad bar.

salad bars are not always safe, often foods are spilled between containers, and tongs can be used for multiple items, of which could be wheat based such as bread or pasta salad. on occasion, I notice a pasta noodle in the greek salad or a crouton in the tomatoes. don’t hestitate to ask for clean utensils and scrutinize what you take carefully.

Nature’s Fair also sells Glutino pretzels, Lara Bars, Barbara’s Bakery cheese puffs, and Wild Country organic nut bars. for those that are not as familiar with gluten free brands and varieties, this is a great assortment of gluten free snacks to grab on the go. Lara Bars are an excellent gluten free energy bar, made from a blend of unsweetened fruits, nuts and spices and they are also dairy free, soy free, non-GMO, vegan and kosher. they come in an impressive 16 gluten free flavors including cinnamon roll, key lime pie, and peanut butter cookie. the Wild Country organic nut bars are excellent too and are also gluten free, non-GMO and kosher. Wild Country's organic bars come in four gluten free varieties; almond nougat bar, cranberry nut bar, mixed nut sesame honey bar, and my favorite, mixed nut honey bar (note the granola bar is not gluten free). Nature’s Fair does not currently have a website, but they are located at R21-200 Burrard Street (604.683.0216).

there are also two great grocery stores downtown that have a wide selection of gluten free products; Capers Market located on robson and cardero in the west-end, and Choices Market located on richards and davie in yaletown. more downtown discoveries soon!   Robyn.

nature's fair   |   glutino   |   lara bars   |   barbara's bakery   |   wild country

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Wednesday, January 13, 2010

double kudos to joey’s gluten free menu

Joey is one of the first restaurants in Vancouver to develop a gluten free menu, and I recently (finally) had the chance to try it out. I had the Ahi Tuna Salad—it was a toss up between this and the Bombay Butter Chicken—and it was excellent! when Andrea and I began our blog, Joey’s was one of the first places we contacted for more information. I was curious about why they decided to accommodate the gluten free diet, and to maybe see why more restaurants are not following the lead. here is what the great staff at Joey’s had to say about it all; 

R. how are the gluten free items prepared in the kitchen? 
J. the gluten free items are prepared with specific guidelines to ensure there is no cross contamination. utensils and cookware are cleaned prior to use and all dishes are prepared from scratch omitting the ingredients that contain gluten. 

R. what inspired Joey to develop a gluten free menu? 
J. over the years we have noticed the number of guests living with celiac has increased significantly and, consequently, there has been strong demand for us to create such a menu. 

R. was it difficult to implement a gluten free menu? 
J. no, we simply looked at our menu items and determined which could most easily and safely be modified to fall into the gluten free category. 

R. what kind of education is provided to staff regarding gluten and allergies such as Celiac Disease? 
J. the servers and cooks are taught about this condition (and other allergens in initial training and throughout their tenure), what gluten is and how to communicate with our celiac guests to ensure that they are confident in our abilities. the process includes having the chef and manager oversee the production of these items when they are ordered.

the gluten free menu is currently not available on Joey’s website, but it will be posted soon. the gluten free menu is a separate sheet from the main menu so remember to ask for it when you arrive. Joey will also create a personalized menu to suit any other dietary restrictions, simply email before you plan to go. 

Joey Restaurants are located in Vancouver, Coquitlam, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Seattle and Bellevue, Washington.  Robyn.

Joey's (Broadway) on Urbanspoon

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Thursday, December 10, 2009

mom's best gluten free holiday turkey recipes

turkey, originally uploaded by mellowfood.
turkey dinner is a tradition for our family for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. when two out of three of my daughters (andrea and robyn) were diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2005, we had to really look at how we cooked our favorite celebratory dinner! no more heavy wheat flour laden gravy and processed pork sausage, nor any processed dried fruit that I love to add to our dressing. 

it seemed overwhelming the first year! together we researched gluten free products in order to make the gravy and stuffing. robyn discovered Roads End Organics organic golden gravy mix at Choices Market! we were delighted with the new gravy, it was light, flavorful and more of a light clear gravy. Roads End Organics organic gravy mixes are not only organic, but also gluten free, cholesterol free, and vegan. to thicken the gravy I use either Bob's Red Mill or Club House rice flour.

I found Hertel's gluten free pork sausage at IGA to use in the dressing. All but one of Hertel's products, the british bangers, are gluten and lactose free. I use rice bread crumbs from Choices Rice Bakery which made our favorite dressing taste exactly the same as before! we also now use fresh herbs and non-processed dried fruits that are gluten free.

our holiday dinner has not suffered at all, in fact we all think it tastes even better with a lighter, healthy, and flavorful taste. non-Celiac guests would never know the difference! in fact we keep the whole dinner gluten free. to avoid any cross contamination I do not even serve wheat bread at our table thereby creating a stress-free dinner for my daughters to enjoy.

Happy Holidays! Sharen.

gravy:
use all of the juices left after the turkey is removed from the pan, leaving a wing and dressing bits in for flavor, add the following and stir over low heat
  • Roads End Organic Gravy Mix
  • salt/pepper
  • poultry seasoning
  • rice flour mixed with water if thicker gravy desired
dressing:
combine everything and add hot cooked sausage meat
  • rice bread cubes
  • white onion chopped
  • celery chopped
  • dried apricots chopped
  • cooked Hertel's pork sausage 
shopping:
  • Roads End Gravy Mix can be found at Choices Markets
  • Hertel's pork sausage can be found at IGA, Thrifty Foods, Choices Markets, Quality Foods, and many smaller grocers. If your meat department doesn't carry Hertel's, you can ask that they order it for you, Hertel's delivers twice a week
  • rice bread cubes and gluten free buns can be found at Choices Rice Bakery
  • Bob's Red Mill rice flour is sold at Choices Market, Buy Low Foods, Whole Foods, Save On Foods, Capers, and Safeway 


roads end organics   |   hertel's   |   bob's redmill   |   club house
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Sunday, November 22, 2009

gluten free catering experience: part two

so here are the results of the party I went to the other night at Vancouver Special, catered by Tonina’s Catering & Deli Co. before I went, I called Jark, the owner of the business, to confirm what he planned to serve that would be gluten free, and how would I be able to identify it. it might sound like over-kill to be harassing this man so many times prior to the event, but I will avoid gluten contamination at all costs! I am a breastfeeding mom to my infant girl, and I cannot risk getting sick (more on being a gluten free mom in subsequent posts). he explained that he had prepared two gluten free pizzas with fresh organic toppings and assorted gluten free cheeses, and some gluten free organic deli meats, all of which would be labeled. great! I was so excited to go out to a party, mingle with friends, and eat without worry. as a new mom, I don’t get out to eat very often, and as a celiac I don’t go out to eat very often!

I arrived early-ish and found the food nicely displayed, with lot’s of space between the trays, so I felt that cross contamination would be minimal. I was most curious about the gluten free pizza's and was saddened to see that most of them were already eaten! I did get to try a few pieces that were saved for me and they were excellent! the ingredient label is shown here, and I doubt the photo does this pizza any justice. not only was the crust just the way I like it, thin and crispy, the toppings were superb. this was definitely one of the best pizzas I’ve ever eaten, except for the margarita pizzas Robyn and I gobbled on our way around Italy when we were younger (pre-celiac). I thought, this people is how it’s done! I have actually become accustomed to thick, doughy, white rice pizza crusts, and have even convinced my husband they are good! so in my opinion the pizza was a big hit, and would not hesitate to order these from Tonina’s again, maybe for my birthday!

I continued along the buffet table to try some of the other goodies, only to find the gluten free cheeses on the same tray as some kind of bun/ pastry? the cheese was being sliced, put on these buns, and being sliced again…whoops, contaminated, don’t touch! ok, let me try the meats. there were two kinds of deli meats labeled gluten free, some ham and some turkey, both of which were very tasty and fresh. they were on the same tray as non-gluten free meats but were separated by wax paper, well done Tonina’s!

the final item that was labeled gluten free were rice crispy squares, which made me excited, however on closer inspection, I could see oats, and corn flakes in the ingredients list, so I didn’t try them, sorry Tonina’s. oats and corn flakes are very tricky to navigate for celiacs. recent research claims that oats are in fact safe for people with celiac disease because it does not contain gluten, but oats are thought to be unsafe due to contamination with barley primarily during processing. it is possible to find gluten free oats (more on this subject soon), and corn flakes. for example, Nature's Path Organics makes gluten free corn flakes but other mainstream labels such as Kellogg's add barley malt to their corn flakes as a flavoring agent.

so would I recommend Tonina’s Catering & Deli Co? yes I would, but with the advice that you must work closely with Jark, or another staff member to ensure that the ingredients are 100% gluten free, and that safe food handling practices are met. plan your event well in advance, and ask questions! I found Jark to be extremely knowledgeable about food in general, and seems passionate about his business. stay tuned for part three where I visit Tonina’s and Jark in person to find out more about how they can provide a safe and enjoyable gluten free catered event.  Andrea


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Saturday, November 21, 2009

gluten free cupcakes

cupcake, originally uploaded by QuintanaRoo.
our sister in law recently told andrea and I that she saw gluten free cupcakes at Big City Cupcakes! we were eager to find out more information, especially since gluten free cupcakes are rarely available in local bakeries. I have personally only ever bought cupcakes from the Choices Rice Bakery, although they are only a bite sized specialty item, and usually only available around Halloween (but so very very good!). I spoke to one of the store managers at Big City Cupcakes to discuss the ingredients used and gluten free handling procedures. the gluten free items, available only on friday, saturday and sunday, are mixed in separate bowls, and in a separate area of the bakery. almond flour is used as the main gluten free ingredient.

however, the gluten free cupcakes are often placed on the same trays as the regular wheat based cupcakes during shipping to the stores as well as within the display cases. I mentioned to the store manager that, in my opinion, people coming to the store to purchase their gluten free (or egg and dairy free!) cupcakes recognize that Big City Cupcakes is not a dedicated gluten free facility, but not many would feel comfortable eating the cupcakes when they have clearly been in very close proximity to wheat products.

the value in the effort of making gluten free cupcakes is the ability to cater to a specialized but growing community of people. clearly, more education and awareness is needed to help others understand this importance, and not to mention the benefit of implementing some very simple policies and procedures to make your product safe for customers. we did discuss some measures Big City Cupcakes can take to separate their regular and specialty items, including placing the gluten, egg and dairy free cupcakes in separate containers. 

unfortunately at this time, I cannot recommend this product to fellow celiacs or others who may have a high sensitivilty level to wheat or gluten. it does make me wonder though, if gluten free products are not handled correctly, or if there is no desire to separate the items, then who is gluten free for anyway?  Robyn
choices rice bakery   |   big city cupcakes

Big City Cupcakes on Urbanspoon

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gluten free vancouver: dining & lifestyle blog by Gluten Free Vancouver is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.
Showing posts with label safe food handling practices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label safe food handling practices. Show all posts

Monday, April 25, 2011

quick and perfect grilled cheese

photo credit André Baranowski, saveur.com
grilled cheese sandwiches are one of my all time favorite foods, especially since they are so easy to make. however, making a good gluten free version of the classic grilled cheese has not been so easy. my grilled cheese woes quickly disappeared recently after finding two fantastic products that are the secret to the most perfect gluten free grilled cheese sandwich: Udi’s gluten free bread and Toasta Bags!

Andrea and I recently reviewed Udi’s gluten free products, and we both think their breads taste great and toast well! Udi's whole grain or white sandwich bread are ideal for grilled cheese sandwiches, read our review of Udi's products here.

the cheese that I like to use is called Tre Stelle sliced cheese packs, and they come in a variety of flavors such as marble, cheddar, or swiss. if you are vegan, then you are most likely already aware of Daiya vegan cheese, and I hear it melts well too. there are some incredible variations to the classic grilled cheese, and Tastespotting has several pages of great recipes. add tomatoes, mushrooms, prosciutto, bacon and arugula, or even avocado and apples!

I found Toasta Bags at Ed’s Gluten Free Specialty store recently, and they are excellent for making the perfect toasted sandwich! Toasta Bags are made with a soft Teflon material that fits right into your toaster, eliminating the need for frying pans or sandwich makers!

Toasta Bags work best in a variable width toaster, and cooking times vary depending on the toaster you have, but generally they toast any sandwich to perfection and they also spare your toaster from a cheesy mess!

besides grilled cheese sandwiches, you can use your Toasta Bag for cooking other foods like pizza, french fries, pastries, and even salmon fillets quick and easy. each bag can be re-used up to 100 times and is dishwasher safe.

the best part about Toasta Bags is the fact that they aid in preventing cross contamination if you use a shared toaster at home or work. they are also great for traveling as well!
enjoy!  Robyn.


udi’s   |   toasta bags   |   ed’s gluten free specialty



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Saturday, October 9, 2010

gobble gobble, gluten free of course!

turkey, originally uploaded by mellowfood
it's Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada, and to all our Canadian readers we would like to extend a very Happy Thanksgiving to you all. if you are new to planning and preparing a gluten free traditional turkey dinner, you may want to check out a post we did last year with our mom's best gluten free turkey dinner recipe, instructions and ingredient suggestions. you can read the recipe here. if you are cooking your turkey dinner for guests who are gluten free, then you might also want to read our post on gluten free entertaining with some important do's and don'ts. feel free to email us if you have any questions. we'd also love to hear your recipes for a gluten free traditional meal! happy thanksgiving everyone!  Andrea + Robyn.



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Wednesday, May 5, 2010

gluten free goodies from the sweet tooth cakery

photo credit www.jerrywillows.ca
Andrea and I had the pleasure of meeting with Jenny Breckon, the owner and baker of The Sweet Tooth Cakery, which specializes in gluten free wedding and birthday cakes (we just love Hayden's first birthday cake pictured on the left). Jenny’s gluten free product line also includes cupcakes, cookies, and sweet breads, as well as the ‘best biscotti ever’. it was a great opportunity for us to not only meet Jenny in person and ask her a million questions, but to also hear about the drive, passion and inspiration behind her gluten free business.

Jenny’s venture into the world of baking began at her sister's wedding in 2005, when Jenny bravely agreed to make the wedding cake! at the time, Jenny was unaware of her gluten intolerance, and was still baking with gluten-containing flours. she does recall, however, that the day after the wedding her mom was extremely ill. in fact her and her mom had been dealing with health issues for some time, but it wasn’t until a year later that her mom was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. everything became clear to Jenny and her mom—they both have celiac disease, and they both had been suffering for a very long time.

Jenny took a break from baking, and actually wasn’t sure she would ever go back to it, especially without the knowledge of how to bake gluten free. slowly that started to change, and Jenny found herself testing and experimenting with gluten free cookbooks, particularly those by Bette Hagman, and eventually formed The Sweet Tooth Cakery. her mom’s name is Robin, and the logo behind the Sweet Tooth Cakery, a robin bird, is a dedication to her. in fact, Jenny’s entire business is dedicated to her mom “I bake for my mom” says Jenny, “I want her to be able to eat all the same desserts and treats like everyone else”.

currently The Sweet Tooth Cakery operates out of a shared bakery space called The Spelt Bakery on east hastings street. while this is a wheat free bakery, it is not a dedicated gluten free bakery. we spoke with Jenny about the measures taken to ensure that cross contamination is managed in a responsible manner. the bakery is not only immaculate, but Jenny does not share any of her equipment with the other bakers, and it is kept covered when she is not there. the only shared items are the wash-up sinks and the ovens, but since she bakes alone on dedicated days, she is the only one using the ovens on those specific days, and she uses her own trays. she gave us the peace of mind that only a fellow celiac can, and we happily enjoyed Jenny’s offerings.

we had the pleasure of sampling Jenny’s carrot cake with butter cream icing, chocolate chip cookies (she adds gf rice crispies), dark chocolate mint cookies, and coconut almond pecan pleasure cookies with quinoa flakes…yum! actually she recommends the coconut almond pecan pleasure cookie for anyone who is diabetic, as she sweetens this cookie with honey. they are very addictive! we also brought one of her sweet breads to a birthday party, the chocolate chip banana loaf, and it was a huge hit! the main ingredients that Jenny uses are: sorghum flour, rice flour, tapioca starch, xanthum gum, almond milk, organic evaporated cane juice, and of course butter.

Jenny bakes on request, and needs about a week for a birthday cake order. orders for wedding cakes depend on the cake design, which we think Jenny has a natural talent for, as you can see from the cake portfolio on her website. other baked items, such as cookies and sweet breads, can be special ordered. Jenny can also create dairy-free and vegan cakes on request.

where to find The Sweet Tooth Cakery you ask? starting this month look for Jenny at the Lonsdale Farmer’s Market starting Saturday, May 29th. subsequent dates include June 12th, August 14th, August 28th, September 11th, September 25th, October 2nd, and October 9th. The Sweet Tooth Cakery also has dates at the Ambleside Market in West Vancouver on Sunday, July 4th, and at the West End Farmer's Market on July 24th and October 23rd.

like all bakers, Jenny’s dream is to someday own her own bakery where she can spend her days baking and creating, and we think she’s not far off!

stay tuned for another gluten free vancouver giveaway courtesy of The Sweet Tooth Cakery!  Robyn.

***update: Jenny has had to cancel her market for Saturday May 29th, please email her if you would like to purchase any of her baking this weekend, see her website for contact info. she will resume on June 12th as scheduled.


the sweet tooth cakery   |   lonsdale farmer's market   |   ambleside market   |   west end farmer's market


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Thursday, February 18, 2010

gluten free pizza at rocky mountain flatbread

pizza, originally uploaded by slice.
finding gluten free pizza, or gluten free pizza crust is no easy task, let alone finding anything that actually tastes good. like french fries, pizza is one of my favorites and over the years, I have been determined to find a great tasting alternative.

I found a pizzeria in Victoria, B.C. last year called The Joint that makes gluten free pizza with an eye-opening amount of toppings to choose from including pesto chicken, mediterranean, greek, and ham and pineapple to name just a few. gluten free pizzas are available in either a 10 inch or 14 inch size (there is an extra charge for the gluten free crust but it was still reasonably priced). it was heaven!

today I found out that the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company, located in Kitsilano and North Vancouver, makes a gluten free crust as well! the crust is a blend of brown rice, buckwheat, tapioca and potato flours. every pizza on the menu can be made with the gluten free crust, and all of the toppings are gluten free as well. the only exception is the italian sausage which may contain gluten. italian sausage is one of the ingredients in the 'naturally meaty' pizza, and of course watch for any of their daily flatbread specials that may also include italian sausage. the gluten free pizza comes in a regular 10 inch crust and there is also an extra charge of $5. I tried the Rocky Mountain Flatbread gluten free pizza tonight, and it was excellent! I ordered the spicy pepperoni that is made with organic pepperoni, mushrooms, herbs, mozzerella cheese, cherry tomatoes, and onion. the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company is also a peanut free restaurant, and vegan friendly.  the staff are very knowledgeable about the issues of cross-contamination and will be able to skillfully answer any questions you may have.  the best part is the gluten free pizza's are prepared in a separate area of the kitchen, and are cooked in a separate gluten free oven (they are not made in the large pizza ovens with the wheat pizza), and staff ensure that clean pizza cutters are used too. I highly recommend trying it out!
it is important to note that both The Joint and Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company also make wheat pizza’s and can't guarantee that there will be no cross-contamination in the kitchen, but that efforts are made to ensure that cross-contamination is minimal.
making gluten free pizza crust at home is still the tastiest and most economical way to enjoy gluten free pizza. I have used Bob’s Red Mill gluten free pizza crust flour mix and it was excellent. local bakeries such as Choices Rice Bakery and Quejo’s also make fresh gluten free pizza shells that are good as well.

if you have a gluten free pizza crust recipe, share it with us in the comments!
Robyn.
rocky mountain flatbread company   |   the joint   |   bob’s red mill


Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company on Urbanspoon
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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

gluten free mom, shopping for less

it is no secret among us who must survive on a gluten free diet (for life) that gluten free products are generally more expensive than similar products that are not gluten free. therefore not only is finding gluten free products challenging, but we are also forced to spend a lot more on a basic necessity—food!

there are three people in my family, my husband, my daughter, and I, and among the three of us I am the only celiac, as far as we know, we are actually waiting for my daughter's blood test results. so we actually only need to buy specialty gluten free for me, however, sharing a kitchen with others who do eat gluten can be very challenging and stressful for celiacs. I am a new mom, and ensuring that I do not eat gluten by accident, even the smallest crumb, is extremely important. knowing that gluten will compromise my body's ability to absorb essential nutrients from food was a scary thought when I was pregnant, and now while I am breast feeding.

in order to ensure the safest environment for me, and thus the healthiest environment for my daughter, we all eat gluten free! my husband does still make toast from his favorite cheese bread (gluten containing) but I have set him up with his own toaster on the other side of the kitchen. he has his counter, and I have mine, with my own gluten free toaster, of course.

it can be very challenging for a gluten free parent to feed their child gluten. for my own personal reasons I held off on feeding my daughter gluten until she was one year of age. but at some point I needed to introduce it to her. all of the parents reading this will understand, that young children are not just messy eaters, but they love to eat with their hands, and then put their hands in your mouth, or on your plate, or anywhere that interests them. you could potentially have gluten on your bed sheets, or on your toothbrush. so introducing gluten to my daughter was extremely stressful, and I decided that it couldn't be me feeding her. I will only feed her gluten free food, and my husband can share his toast with her. she also eats gluten at her grandparents' house, but I always make sure her hands are well washed before interacting with her. I know this sounds over cautious, but it's necessary, and it will indirectly benefit her.

so now that I have explained why I shop gluten free for my whole family, you can imagine the extra expense we incur because of it. fortunately I have recently found a way to help with the extra cost of shopping gluten free. it's called the The Healthy Shopper, which is a coupon book for natural and organic products, and the best part is that many of the products are gluten free! the book can be picked up for free at participating natural food stores, I get mine at Choices Market. to find the store nearest you click here. it's also available online, but you will need to pay for shipping. if you register online, you will also have access to the ecoupons. all the coupons are valid for one year, the current book expires on march 31, 2010. the good news is that while the book is only available at certain stores, the coupons themselves are valid anywhere the products are sold. 

some of the gluten free product coupons are: 
Simply Natural Organic
Nature's Path or EnvroKidz
Glutino or Gluten-Free Pantry
Barbara's Bakery
Pamela's Products
San-J

please note that some of these companies are exclusively gluten free, while others are not. please check with the product websites to verify which products are gluten free. we have already posted on several of these, Simply Natural Organic Mustard, Glutino Crackers, and Pamela's Products Classic Vanilla Cake Mix.

the coupons range in savings from 50 cents up to 2 dollars off, so I easily save 10 dollars when I shop. I will be looking forward to the next edition of this coupon book in april, and hope to find even more gluten free product coupons to use next year!

Robyn and I will also be posting soon on another way to save money on a gluten free diet, if your doctor can verify that you have Celiac Disease, then you qualify for a special medical tax write-off in Canada. I am not sure about other countries, but it is worth looking into. Happy Saving!  Andrea.

the healthy shopper   |   canadian celiac association

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Friday, January 22, 2010

nature’s fair, gluten free in downtown vancouver

finding gluten free at lunch time in vancouver’s downtown core is quite tricky. I recently started a new job located downtown and was pretty eager to find a safe place to eat on days when I don’t have my own lunch prepared. I was excited to make a great gluten free discovery in the lower level of waterfront center’s food court, called Nature’s Fair. Nature’s Fair has a veggie and fruit salad bar, juice bar, and gluten free rice and chili! the chili is also vegan and sold in small or large containers. if you order the brown rice and chili you can ask for them in separate bowls, or they will put it all together for you. you can also order a side of rice with the salad you can make from the salad bar.

salad bars are not always safe, often foods are spilled between containers, and tongs can be used for multiple items, of which could be wheat based such as bread or pasta salad. on occasion, I notice a pasta noodle in the greek salad or a crouton in the tomatoes. don’t hestitate to ask for clean utensils and scrutinize what you take carefully.

Nature’s Fair also sells Glutino pretzels, Lara Bars, Barbara’s Bakery cheese puffs, and Wild Country organic nut bars. for those that are not as familiar with gluten free brands and varieties, this is a great assortment of gluten free snacks to grab on the go. Lara Bars are an excellent gluten free energy bar, made from a blend of unsweetened fruits, nuts and spices and they are also dairy free, soy free, non-GMO, vegan and kosher. they come in an impressive 16 gluten free flavors including cinnamon roll, key lime pie, and peanut butter cookie. the Wild Country organic nut bars are excellent too and are also gluten free, non-GMO and kosher. Wild Country's organic bars come in four gluten free varieties; almond nougat bar, cranberry nut bar, mixed nut sesame honey bar, and my favorite, mixed nut honey bar (note the granola bar is not gluten free). Nature’s Fair does not currently have a website, but they are located at R21-200 Burrard Street (604.683.0216).

there are also two great grocery stores downtown that have a wide selection of gluten free products; Capers Market located on robson and cardero in the west-end, and Choices Market located on richards and davie in yaletown. more downtown discoveries soon!   Robyn.

nature's fair   |   glutino   |   lara bars   |   barbara's bakery   |   wild country

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Wednesday, January 13, 2010

double kudos to joey’s gluten free menu

Joey is one of the first restaurants in Vancouver to develop a gluten free menu, and I recently (finally) had the chance to try it out. I had the Ahi Tuna Salad—it was a toss up between this and the Bombay Butter Chicken—and it was excellent! when Andrea and I began our blog, Joey’s was one of the first places we contacted for more information. I was curious about why they decided to accommodate the gluten free diet, and to maybe see why more restaurants are not following the lead. here is what the great staff at Joey’s had to say about it all; 

R. how are the gluten free items prepared in the kitchen? 
J. the gluten free items are prepared with specific guidelines to ensure there is no cross contamination. utensils and cookware are cleaned prior to use and all dishes are prepared from scratch omitting the ingredients that contain gluten. 

R. what inspired Joey to develop a gluten free menu? 
J. over the years we have noticed the number of guests living with celiac has increased significantly and, consequently, there has been strong demand for us to create such a menu. 

R. was it difficult to implement a gluten free menu? 
J. no, we simply looked at our menu items and determined which could most easily and safely be modified to fall into the gluten free category. 

R. what kind of education is provided to staff regarding gluten and allergies such as Celiac Disease? 
J. the servers and cooks are taught about this condition (and other allergens in initial training and throughout their tenure), what gluten is and how to communicate with our celiac guests to ensure that they are confident in our abilities. the process includes having the chef and manager oversee the production of these items when they are ordered.

the gluten free menu is currently not available on Joey’s website, but it will be posted soon. the gluten free menu is a separate sheet from the main menu so remember to ask for it when you arrive. Joey will also create a personalized menu to suit any other dietary restrictions, simply email before you plan to go. 

Joey Restaurants are located in Vancouver, Coquitlam, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Seattle and Bellevue, Washington.  Robyn.

Joey's (Broadway) on Urbanspoon

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Thursday, December 10, 2009

mom's best gluten free holiday turkey recipes

turkey, originally uploaded by mellowfood.
turkey dinner is a tradition for our family for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. when two out of three of my daughters (andrea and robyn) were diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2005, we had to really look at how we cooked our favorite celebratory dinner! no more heavy wheat flour laden gravy and processed pork sausage, nor any processed dried fruit that I love to add to our dressing. 

it seemed overwhelming the first year! together we researched gluten free products in order to make the gravy and stuffing. robyn discovered Roads End Organics organic golden gravy mix at Choices Market! we were delighted with the new gravy, it was light, flavorful and more of a light clear gravy. Roads End Organics organic gravy mixes are not only organic, but also gluten free, cholesterol free, and vegan. to thicken the gravy I use either Bob's Red Mill or Club House rice flour.

I found Hertel's gluten free pork sausage at IGA to use in the dressing. All but one of Hertel's products, the british bangers, are gluten and lactose free. I use rice bread crumbs from Choices Rice Bakery which made our favorite dressing taste exactly the same as before! we also now use fresh herbs and non-processed dried fruits that are gluten free.

our holiday dinner has not suffered at all, in fact we all think it tastes even better with a lighter, healthy, and flavorful taste. non-Celiac guests would never know the difference! in fact we keep the whole dinner gluten free. to avoid any cross contamination I do not even serve wheat bread at our table thereby creating a stress-free dinner for my daughters to enjoy.

Happy Holidays! Sharen.

gravy:
use all of the juices left after the turkey is removed from the pan, leaving a wing and dressing bits in for flavor, add the following and stir over low heat
  • Roads End Organic Gravy Mix
  • salt/pepper
  • poultry seasoning
  • rice flour mixed with water if thicker gravy desired
dressing:
combine everything and add hot cooked sausage meat
  • rice bread cubes
  • white onion chopped
  • celery chopped
  • dried apricots chopped
  • cooked Hertel's pork sausage 
shopping:
  • Roads End Gravy Mix can be found at Choices Markets
  • Hertel's pork sausage can be found at IGA, Thrifty Foods, Choices Markets, Quality Foods, and many smaller grocers. If your meat department doesn't carry Hertel's, you can ask that they order it for you, Hertel's delivers twice a week
  • rice bread cubes and gluten free buns can be found at Choices Rice Bakery
  • Bob's Red Mill rice flour is sold at Choices Market, Buy Low Foods, Whole Foods, Save On Foods, Capers, and Safeway 


roads end organics   |   hertel's   |   bob's redmill   |   club house
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Sunday, November 22, 2009

gluten free catering experience: part two

so here are the results of the party I went to the other night at Vancouver Special, catered by Tonina’s Catering & Deli Co. before I went, I called Jark, the owner of the business, to confirm what he planned to serve that would be gluten free, and how would I be able to identify it. it might sound like over-kill to be harassing this man so many times prior to the event, but I will avoid gluten contamination at all costs! I am a breastfeeding mom to my infant girl, and I cannot risk getting sick (more on being a gluten free mom in subsequent posts). he explained that he had prepared two gluten free pizzas with fresh organic toppings and assorted gluten free cheeses, and some gluten free organic deli meats, all of which would be labeled. great! I was so excited to go out to a party, mingle with friends, and eat without worry. as a new mom, I don’t get out to eat very often, and as a celiac I don’t go out to eat very often!

I arrived early-ish and found the food nicely displayed, with lot’s of space between the trays, so I felt that cross contamination would be minimal. I was most curious about the gluten free pizza's and was saddened to see that most of them were already eaten! I did get to try a few pieces that were saved for me and they were excellent! the ingredient label is shown here, and I doubt the photo does this pizza any justice. not only was the crust just the way I like it, thin and crispy, the toppings were superb. this was definitely one of the best pizzas I’ve ever eaten, except for the margarita pizzas Robyn and I gobbled on our way around Italy when we were younger (pre-celiac). I thought, this people is how it’s done! I have actually become accustomed to thick, doughy, white rice pizza crusts, and have even convinced my husband they are good! so in my opinion the pizza was a big hit, and would not hesitate to order these from Tonina’s again, maybe for my birthday!

I continued along the buffet table to try some of the other goodies, only to find the gluten free cheeses on the same tray as some kind of bun/ pastry? the cheese was being sliced, put on these buns, and being sliced again…whoops, contaminated, don’t touch! ok, let me try the meats. there were two kinds of deli meats labeled gluten free, some ham and some turkey, both of which were very tasty and fresh. they were on the same tray as non-gluten free meats but were separated by wax paper, well done Tonina’s!

the final item that was labeled gluten free were rice crispy squares, which made me excited, however on closer inspection, I could see oats, and corn flakes in the ingredients list, so I didn’t try them, sorry Tonina’s. oats and corn flakes are very tricky to navigate for celiacs. recent research claims that oats are in fact safe for people with celiac disease because it does not contain gluten, but oats are thought to be unsafe due to contamination with barley primarily during processing. it is possible to find gluten free oats (more on this subject soon), and corn flakes. for example, Nature's Path Organics makes gluten free corn flakes but other mainstream labels such as Kellogg's add barley malt to their corn flakes as a flavoring agent.

so would I recommend Tonina’s Catering & Deli Co? yes I would, but with the advice that you must work closely with Jark, or another staff member to ensure that the ingredients are 100% gluten free, and that safe food handling practices are met. plan your event well in advance, and ask questions! I found Jark to be extremely knowledgeable about food in general, and seems passionate about his business. stay tuned for part three where I visit Tonina’s and Jark in person to find out more about how they can provide a safe and enjoyable gluten free catered event.  Andrea


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Saturday, November 21, 2009

gluten free cupcakes

cupcake, originally uploaded by QuintanaRoo.
our sister in law recently told andrea and I that she saw gluten free cupcakes at Big City Cupcakes! we were eager to find out more information, especially since gluten free cupcakes are rarely available in local bakeries. I have personally only ever bought cupcakes from the Choices Rice Bakery, although they are only a bite sized specialty item, and usually only available around Halloween (but so very very good!). I spoke to one of the store managers at Big City Cupcakes to discuss the ingredients used and gluten free handling procedures. the gluten free items, available only on friday, saturday and sunday, are mixed in separate bowls, and in a separate area of the bakery. almond flour is used as the main gluten free ingredient.

however, the gluten free cupcakes are often placed on the same trays as the regular wheat based cupcakes during shipping to the stores as well as within the display cases. I mentioned to the store manager that, in my opinion, people coming to the store to purchase their gluten free (or egg and dairy free!) cupcakes recognize that Big City Cupcakes is not a dedicated gluten free facility, but not many would feel comfortable eating the cupcakes when they have clearly been in very close proximity to wheat products.

the value in the effort of making gluten free cupcakes is the ability to cater to a specialized but growing community of people. clearly, more education and awareness is needed to help others understand this importance, and not to mention the benefit of implementing some very simple policies and procedures to make your product safe for customers. we did discuss some measures Big City Cupcakes can take to separate their regular and specialty items, including placing the gluten, egg and dairy free cupcakes in separate containers. 

unfortunately at this time, I cannot recommend this product to fellow celiacs or others who may have a high sensitivilty level to wheat or gluten. it does make me wonder though, if gluten free products are not handled correctly, or if there is no desire to separate the items, then who is gluten free for anyway?  Robyn
choices rice bakery   |   big city cupcakes

Big City Cupcakes on Urbanspoon

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Showing posts with label safe food handling practices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label safe food handling practices. Show all posts

Monday, April 25, 2011

quick and perfect grilled cheese

photo credit André Baranowski, saveur.com
grilled cheese sandwiches are one of my all time favorite foods, especially since they are so easy to make. however, making a good gluten free version of the classic grilled cheese has not been so easy. my grilled cheese woes quickly disappeared recently after finding two fantastic products that are the secret to the most perfect gluten free grilled cheese sandwich: Udi’s gluten free bread and Toasta Bags!

Andrea and I recently reviewed Udi’s gluten free products, and we both think their breads taste great and toast well! Udi's whole grain or white sandwich bread are ideal for grilled cheese sandwiches, read our review of Udi's products here.

the cheese that I like to use is called Tre Stelle sliced cheese packs, and they come in a variety of flavors such as marble, cheddar, or swiss. if you are vegan, then you are most likely already aware of Daiya vegan cheese, and I hear it melts well too. there are some incredible variations to the classic grilled cheese, and Tastespotting has several pages of great recipes. add tomatoes, mushrooms, prosciutto, bacon and arugula, or even avocado and apples!

I found Toasta Bags at Ed’s Gluten Free Specialty store recently, and they are excellent for making the perfect toasted sandwich! Toasta Bags are made with a soft Teflon material that fits right into your toaster, eliminating the need for frying pans or sandwich makers!

Toasta Bags work best in a variable width toaster, and cooking times vary depending on the toaster you have, but generally they toast any sandwich to perfection and they also spare your toaster from a cheesy mess!

besides grilled cheese sandwiches, you can use your Toasta Bag for cooking other foods like pizza, french fries, pastries, and even salmon fillets quick and easy. each bag can be re-used up to 100 times and is dishwasher safe.

the best part about Toasta Bags is the fact that they aid in preventing cross contamination if you use a shared toaster at home or work. they are also great for traveling as well!
enjoy!  Robyn.


udi’s   |   toasta bags   |   ed’s gluten free specialty



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Saturday, October 9, 2010

gobble gobble, gluten free of course!

turkey, originally uploaded by mellowfood
it's Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada, and to all our Canadian readers we would like to extend a very Happy Thanksgiving to you all. if you are new to planning and preparing a gluten free traditional turkey dinner, you may want to check out a post we did last year with our mom's best gluten free turkey dinner recipe, instructions and ingredient suggestions. you can read the recipe here. if you are cooking your turkey dinner for guests who are gluten free, then you might also want to read our post on gluten free entertaining with some important do's and don'ts. feel free to email us if you have any questions. we'd also love to hear your recipes for a gluten free traditional meal! happy thanksgiving everyone!  Andrea + Robyn.



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Wednesday, May 5, 2010

gluten free goodies from the sweet tooth cakery

photo credit www.jerrywillows.ca
Andrea and I had the pleasure of meeting with Jenny Breckon, the owner and baker of The Sweet Tooth Cakery, which specializes in gluten free wedding and birthday cakes (we just love Hayden's first birthday cake pictured on the left). Jenny’s gluten free product line also includes cupcakes, cookies, and sweet breads, as well as the ‘best biscotti ever’. it was a great opportunity for us to not only meet Jenny in person and ask her a million questions, but to also hear about the drive, passion and inspiration behind her gluten free business.

Jenny’s venture into the world of baking began at her sister's wedding in 2005, when Jenny bravely agreed to make the wedding cake! at the time, Jenny was unaware of her gluten intolerance, and was still baking with gluten-containing flours. she does recall, however, that the day after the wedding her mom was extremely ill. in fact her and her mom had been dealing with health issues for some time, but it wasn’t until a year later that her mom was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. everything became clear to Jenny and her mom—they both have celiac disease, and they both had been suffering for a very long time.

Jenny took a break from baking, and actually wasn’t sure she would ever go back to it, especially without the knowledge of how to bake gluten free. slowly that started to change, and Jenny found herself testing and experimenting with gluten free cookbooks, particularly those by Bette Hagman, and eventually formed The Sweet Tooth Cakery. her mom’s name is Robin, and the logo behind the Sweet Tooth Cakery, a robin bird, is a dedication to her. in fact, Jenny’s entire business is dedicated to her mom “I bake for my mom” says Jenny, “I want her to be able to eat all the same desserts and treats like everyone else”.

currently The Sweet Tooth Cakery operates out of a shared bakery space called The Spelt Bakery on east hastings street. while this is a wheat free bakery, it is not a dedicated gluten free bakery. we spoke with Jenny about the measures taken to ensure that cross contamination is managed in a responsible manner. the bakery is not only immaculate, but Jenny does not share any of her equipment with the other bakers, and it is kept covered when she is not there. the only shared items are the wash-up sinks and the ovens, but since she bakes alone on dedicated days, she is the only one using the ovens on those specific days, and she uses her own trays. she gave us the peace of mind that only a fellow celiac can, and we happily enjoyed Jenny’s offerings.

we had the pleasure of sampling Jenny’s carrot cake with butter cream icing, chocolate chip cookies (she adds gf rice crispies), dark chocolate mint cookies, and coconut almond pecan pleasure cookies with quinoa flakes…yum! actually she recommends the coconut almond pecan pleasure cookie for anyone who is diabetic, as she sweetens this cookie with honey. they are very addictive! we also brought one of her sweet breads to a birthday party, the chocolate chip banana loaf, and it was a huge hit! the main ingredients that Jenny uses are: sorghum flour, rice flour, tapioca starch, xanthum gum, almond milk, organic evaporated cane juice, and of course butter.

Jenny bakes on request, and needs about a week for a birthday cake order. orders for wedding cakes depend on the cake design, which we think Jenny has a natural talent for, as you can see from the cake portfolio on her website. other baked items, such as cookies and sweet breads, can be special ordered. Jenny can also create dairy-free and vegan cakes on request.

where to find The Sweet Tooth Cakery you ask? starting this month look for Jenny at the Lonsdale Farmer’s Market starting Saturday, May 29th. subsequent dates include June 12th, August 14th, August 28th, September 11th, September 25th, October 2nd, and October 9th. The Sweet Tooth Cakery also has dates at the Ambleside Market in West Vancouver on Sunday, July 4th, and at the West End Farmer's Market on July 24th and October 23rd.

like all bakers, Jenny’s dream is to someday own her own bakery where she can spend her days baking and creating, and we think she’s not far off!

stay tuned for another gluten free vancouver giveaway courtesy of The Sweet Tooth Cakery!  Robyn.

***update: Jenny has had to cancel her market for Saturday May 29th, please email her if you would like to purchase any of her baking this weekend, see her website for contact info. she will resume on June 12th as scheduled.


the sweet tooth cakery   |   lonsdale farmer's market   |   ambleside market   |   west end farmer's market


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Thursday, February 18, 2010

gluten free pizza at rocky mountain flatbread

pizza, originally uploaded by slice.
finding gluten free pizza, or gluten free pizza crust is no easy task, let alone finding anything that actually tastes good. like french fries, pizza is one of my favorites and over the years, I have been determined to find a great tasting alternative.

I found a pizzeria in Victoria, B.C. last year called The Joint that makes gluten free pizza with an eye-opening amount of toppings to choose from including pesto chicken, mediterranean, greek, and ham and pineapple to name just a few. gluten free pizzas are available in either a 10 inch or 14 inch size (there is an extra charge for the gluten free crust but it was still reasonably priced). it was heaven!

today I found out that the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company, located in Kitsilano and North Vancouver, makes a gluten free crust as well! the crust is a blend of brown rice, buckwheat, tapioca and potato flours. every pizza on the menu can be made with the gluten free crust, and all of the toppings are gluten free as well. the only exception is the italian sausage which may contain gluten. italian sausage is one of the ingredients in the 'naturally meaty' pizza, and of course watch for any of their daily flatbread specials that may also include italian sausage. the gluten free pizza comes in a regular 10 inch crust and there is also an extra charge of $5. I tried the Rocky Mountain Flatbread gluten free pizza tonight, and it was excellent! I ordered the spicy pepperoni that is made with organic pepperoni, mushrooms, herbs, mozzerella cheese, cherry tomatoes, and onion. the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company is also a peanut free restaurant, and vegan friendly.  the staff are very knowledgeable about the issues of cross-contamination and will be able to skillfully answer any questions you may have.  the best part is the gluten free pizza's are prepared in a separate area of the kitchen, and are cooked in a separate gluten free oven (they are not made in the large pizza ovens with the wheat pizza), and staff ensure that clean pizza cutters are used too. I highly recommend trying it out!
it is important to note that both The Joint and Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company also make wheat pizza’s and can't guarantee that there will be no cross-contamination in the kitchen, but that efforts are made to ensure that cross-contamination is minimal.
making gluten free pizza crust at home is still the tastiest and most economical way to enjoy gluten free pizza. I have used Bob’s Red Mill gluten free pizza crust flour mix and it was excellent. local bakeries such as Choices Rice Bakery and Quejo’s also make fresh gluten free pizza shells that are good as well.

if you have a gluten free pizza crust recipe, share it with us in the comments!
Robyn.
rocky mountain flatbread company   |   the joint   |   bob’s red mill


Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company on Urbanspoon
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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

gluten free mom, shopping for less

it is no secret among us who must survive on a gluten free diet (for life) that gluten free products are generally more expensive than similar products that are not gluten free. therefore not only is finding gluten free products challenging, but we are also forced to spend a lot more on a basic necessity—food!

there are three people in my family, my husband, my daughter, and I, and among the three of us I am the only celiac, as far as we know, we are actually waiting for my daughter's blood test results. so we actually only need to buy specialty gluten free for me, however, sharing a kitchen with others who do eat gluten can be very challenging and stressful for celiacs. I am a new mom, and ensuring that I do not eat gluten by accident, even the smallest crumb, is extremely important. knowing that gluten will compromise my body's ability to absorb essential nutrients from food was a scary thought when I was pregnant, and now while I am breast feeding.

in order to ensure the safest environment for me, and thus the healthiest environment for my daughter, we all eat gluten free! my husband does still make toast from his favorite cheese bread (gluten containing) but I have set him up with his own toaster on the other side of the kitchen. he has his counter, and I have mine, with my own gluten free toaster, of course.

it can be very challenging for a gluten free parent to feed their child gluten. for my own personal reasons I held off on feeding my daughter gluten until she was one year of age. but at some point I needed to introduce it to her. all of the parents reading this will understand, that young children are not just messy eaters, but they love to eat with their hands, and then put their hands in your mouth, or on your plate, or anywhere that interests them. you could potentially have gluten on your bed sheets, or on your toothbrush. so introducing gluten to my daughter was extremely stressful, and I decided that it couldn't be me feeding her. I will only feed her gluten free food, and my husband can share his toast with her. she also eats gluten at her grandparents' house, but I always make sure her hands are well washed before interacting with her. I know this sounds over cautious, but it's necessary, and it will indirectly benefit her.

so now that I have explained why I shop gluten free for my whole family, you can imagine the extra expense we incur because of it. fortunately I have recently found a way to help with the extra cost of shopping gluten free. it's called the The Healthy Shopper, which is a coupon book for natural and organic products, and the best part is that many of the products are gluten free! the book can be picked up for free at participating natural food stores, I get mine at Choices Market. to find the store nearest you click here. it's also available online, but you will need to pay for shipping. if you register online, you will also have access to the ecoupons. all the coupons are valid for one year, the current book expires on march 31, 2010. the good news is that while the book is only available at certain stores, the coupons themselves are valid anywhere the products are sold. 

some of the gluten free product coupons are: 
Simply Natural Organic
Nature's Path or EnvroKidz
Glutino or Gluten-Free Pantry
Barbara's Bakery
Pamela's Products
San-J

please note that some of these companies are exclusively gluten free, while others are not. please check with the product websites to verify which products are gluten free. we have already posted on several of these, Simply Natural Organic Mustard, Glutino Crackers, and Pamela's Products Classic Vanilla Cake Mix.

the coupons range in savings from 50 cents up to 2 dollars off, so I easily save 10 dollars when I shop. I will be looking forward to the next edition of this coupon book in april, and hope to find even more gluten free product coupons to use next year!

Robyn and I will also be posting soon on another way to save money on a gluten free diet, if your doctor can verify that you have Celiac Disease, then you qualify for a special medical tax write-off in Canada. I am not sure about other countries, but it is worth looking into. Happy Saving!  Andrea.

the healthy shopper   |   canadian celiac association

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Friday, January 22, 2010

nature’s fair, gluten free in downtown vancouver

finding gluten free at lunch time in vancouver’s downtown core is quite tricky. I recently started a new job located downtown and was pretty eager to find a safe place to eat on days when I don’t have my own lunch prepared. I was excited to make a great gluten free discovery in the lower level of waterfront center’s food court, called Nature’s Fair. Nature’s Fair has a veggie and fruit salad bar, juice bar, and gluten free rice and chili! the chili is also vegan and sold in small or large containers. if you order the brown rice and chili you can ask for them in separate bowls, or they will put it all together for you. you can also order a side of rice with the salad you can make from the salad bar.

salad bars are not always safe, often foods are spilled between containers, and tongs can be used for multiple items, of which could be wheat based such as bread or pasta salad. on occasion, I notice a pasta noodle in the greek salad or a crouton in the tomatoes. don’t hestitate to ask for clean utensils and scrutinize what you take carefully.

Nature’s Fair also sells Glutino pretzels, Lara Bars, Barbara’s Bakery cheese puffs, and Wild Country organic nut bars. for those that are not as familiar with gluten free brands and varieties, this is a great assortment of gluten free snacks to grab on the go. Lara Bars are an excellent gluten free energy bar, made from a blend of unsweetened fruits, nuts and spices and they are also dairy free, soy free, non-GMO, vegan and kosher. they come in an impressive 16 gluten free flavors including cinnamon roll, key lime pie, and peanut butter cookie. the Wild Country organic nut bars are excellent too and are also gluten free, non-GMO and kosher. Wild Country's organic bars come in four gluten free varieties; almond nougat bar, cranberry nut bar, mixed nut sesame honey bar, and my favorite, mixed nut honey bar (note the granola bar is not gluten free). Nature’s Fair does not currently have a website, but they are located at R21-200 Burrard Street (604.683.0216).

there are also two great grocery stores downtown that have a wide selection of gluten free products; Capers Market located on robson and cardero in the west-end, and Choices Market located on richards and davie in yaletown. more downtown discoveries soon!   Robyn.

nature's fair   |   glutino   |   lara bars   |   barbara's bakery   |   wild country

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Wednesday, January 13, 2010

double kudos to joey’s gluten free menu

Joey is one of the first restaurants in Vancouver to develop a gluten free menu, and I recently (finally) had the chance to try it out. I had the Ahi Tuna Salad—it was a toss up between this and the Bombay Butter Chicken—and it was excellent! when Andrea and I began our blog, Joey’s was one of the first places we contacted for more information. I was curious about why they decided to accommodate the gluten free diet, and to maybe see why more restaurants are not following the lead. here is what the great staff at Joey’s had to say about it all; 

R. how are the gluten free items prepared in the kitchen? 
J. the gluten free items are prepared with specific guidelines to ensure there is no cross contamination. utensils and cookware are cleaned prior to use and all dishes are prepared from scratch omitting the ingredients that contain gluten. 

R. what inspired Joey to develop a gluten free menu? 
J. over the years we have noticed the number of guests living with celiac has increased significantly and, consequently, there has been strong demand for us to create such a menu. 

R. was it difficult to implement a gluten free menu? 
J. no, we simply looked at our menu items and determined which could most easily and safely be modified to fall into the gluten free category. 

R. what kind of education is provided to staff regarding gluten and allergies such as Celiac Disease? 
J. the servers and cooks are taught about this condition (and other allergens in initial training and throughout their tenure), what gluten is and how to communicate with our celiac guests to ensure that they are confident in our abilities. the process includes having the chef and manager oversee the production of these items when they are ordered.

the gluten free menu is currently not available on Joey’s website, but it will be posted soon. the gluten free menu is a separate sheet from the main menu so remember to ask for it when you arrive. Joey will also create a personalized menu to suit any other dietary restrictions, simply email before you plan to go. 

Joey Restaurants are located in Vancouver, Coquitlam, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Seattle and Bellevue, Washington.  Robyn.

Joey's (Broadway) on Urbanspoon

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Thursday, December 10, 2009

mom's best gluten free holiday turkey recipes

turkey, originally uploaded by mellowfood.
turkey dinner is a tradition for our family for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. when two out of three of my daughters (andrea and robyn) were diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2005, we had to really look at how we cooked our favorite celebratory dinner! no more heavy wheat flour laden gravy and processed pork sausage, nor any processed dried fruit that I love to add to our dressing. 

it seemed overwhelming the first year! together we researched gluten free products in order to make the gravy and stuffing. robyn discovered Roads End Organics organic golden gravy mix at Choices Market! we were delighted with the new gravy, it was light, flavorful and more of a light clear gravy. Roads End Organics organic gravy mixes are not only organic, but also gluten free, cholesterol free, and vegan. to thicken the gravy I use either Bob's Red Mill or Club House rice flour.

I found Hertel's gluten free pork sausage at IGA to use in the dressing. All but one of Hertel's products, the british bangers, are gluten and lactose free. I use rice bread crumbs from Choices Rice Bakery which made our favorite dressing taste exactly the same as before! we also now use fresh herbs and non-processed dried fruits that are gluten free.

our holiday dinner has not suffered at all, in fact we all think it tastes even better with a lighter, healthy, and flavorful taste. non-Celiac guests would never know the difference! in fact we keep the whole dinner gluten free. to avoid any cross contamination I do not even serve wheat bread at our table thereby creating a stress-free dinner for my daughters to enjoy.

Happy Holidays! Sharen.

gravy:
use all of the juices left after the turkey is removed from the pan, leaving a wing and dressing bits in for flavor, add the following and stir over low heat
  • Roads End Organic Gravy Mix
  • salt/pepper
  • poultry seasoning
  • rice flour mixed with water if thicker gravy desired
dressing:
combine everything and add hot cooked sausage meat
  • rice bread cubes
  • white onion chopped
  • celery chopped
  • dried apricots chopped
  • cooked Hertel's pork sausage 
shopping:
  • Roads End Gravy Mix can be found at Choices Markets
  • Hertel's pork sausage can be found at IGA, Thrifty Foods, Choices Markets, Quality Foods, and many smaller grocers. If your meat department doesn't carry Hertel's, you can ask that they order it for you, Hertel's delivers twice a week
  • rice bread cubes and gluten free buns can be found at Choices Rice Bakery
  • Bob's Red Mill rice flour is sold at Choices Market, Buy Low Foods, Whole Foods, Save On Foods, Capers, and Safeway 


roads end organics   |   hertel's   |   bob's redmill   |   club house
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Sunday, November 22, 2009

gluten free catering experience: part two

so here are the results of the party I went to the other night at Vancouver Special, catered by Tonina’s Catering & Deli Co. before I went, I called Jark, the owner of the business, to confirm what he planned to serve that would be gluten free, and how would I be able to identify it. it might sound like over-kill to be harassing this man so many times prior to the event, but I will avoid gluten contamination at all costs! I am a breastfeeding mom to my infant girl, and I cannot risk getting sick (more on being a gluten free mom in subsequent posts). he explained that he had prepared two gluten free pizzas with fresh organic toppings and assorted gluten free cheeses, and some gluten free organic deli meats, all of which would be labeled. great! I was so excited to go out to a party, mingle with friends, and eat without worry. as a new mom, I don’t get out to eat very often, and as a celiac I don’t go out to eat very often!

I arrived early-ish and found the food nicely displayed, with lot’s of space between the trays, so I felt that cross contamination would be minimal. I was most curious about the gluten free pizza's and was saddened to see that most of them were already eaten! I did get to try a few pieces that were saved for me and they were excellent! the ingredient label is shown here, and I doubt the photo does this pizza any justice. not only was the crust just the way I like it, thin and crispy, the toppings were superb. this was definitely one of the best pizzas I’ve ever eaten, except for the margarita pizzas Robyn and I gobbled on our way around Italy when we were younger (pre-celiac). I thought, this people is how it’s done! I have actually become accustomed to thick, doughy, white rice pizza crusts, and have even convinced my husband they are good! so in my opinion the pizza was a big hit, and would not hesitate to order these from Tonina’s again, maybe for my birthday!

I continued along the buffet table to try some of the other goodies, only to find the gluten free cheeses on the same tray as some kind of bun/ pastry? the cheese was being sliced, put on these buns, and being sliced again…whoops, contaminated, don’t touch! ok, let me try the meats. there were two kinds of deli meats labeled gluten free, some ham and some turkey, both of which were very tasty and fresh. they were on the same tray as non-gluten free meats but were separated by wax paper, well done Tonina’s!

the final item that was labeled gluten free were rice crispy squares, which made me excited, however on closer inspection, I could see oats, and corn flakes in the ingredients list, so I didn’t try them, sorry Tonina’s. oats and corn flakes are very tricky to navigate for celiacs. recent research claims that oats are in fact safe for people with celiac disease because it does not contain gluten, but oats are thought to be unsafe due to contamination with barley primarily during processing. it is possible to find gluten free oats (more on this subject soon), and corn flakes. for example, Nature's Path Organics makes gluten free corn flakes but other mainstream labels such as Kellogg's add barley malt to their corn flakes as a flavoring agent.

so would I recommend Tonina’s Catering & Deli Co? yes I would, but with the advice that you must work closely with Jark, or another staff member to ensure that the ingredients are 100% gluten free, and that safe food handling practices are met. plan your event well in advance, and ask questions! I found Jark to be extremely knowledgeable about food in general, and seems passionate about his business. stay tuned for part three where I visit Tonina’s and Jark in person to find out more about how they can provide a safe and enjoyable gluten free catered event.  Andrea


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Saturday, November 21, 2009

gluten free cupcakes

cupcake, originally uploaded by QuintanaRoo.
our sister in law recently told andrea and I that she saw gluten free cupcakes at Big City Cupcakes! we were eager to find out more information, especially since gluten free cupcakes are rarely available in local bakeries. I have personally only ever bought cupcakes from the Choices Rice Bakery, although they are only a bite sized specialty item, and usually only available around Halloween (but so very very good!). I spoke to one of the store managers at Big City Cupcakes to discuss the ingredients used and gluten free handling procedures. the gluten free items, available only on friday, saturday and sunday, are mixed in separate bowls, and in a separate area of the bakery. almond flour is used as the main gluten free ingredient.

however, the gluten free cupcakes are often placed on the same trays as the regular wheat based cupcakes during shipping to the stores as well as within the display cases. I mentioned to the store manager that, in my opinion, people coming to the store to purchase their gluten free (or egg and dairy free!) cupcakes recognize that Big City Cupcakes is not a dedicated gluten free facility, but not many would feel comfortable eating the cupcakes when they have clearly been in very close proximity to wheat products.

the value in the effort of making gluten free cupcakes is the ability to cater to a specialized but growing community of people. clearly, more education and awareness is needed to help others understand this importance, and not to mention the benefit of implementing some very simple policies and procedures to make your product safe for customers. we did discuss some measures Big City Cupcakes can take to separate their regular and specialty items, including placing the gluten, egg and dairy free cupcakes in separate containers. 

unfortunately at this time, I cannot recommend this product to fellow celiacs or others who may have a high sensitivilty level to wheat or gluten. it does make me wonder though, if gluten free products are not handled correctly, or if there is no desire to separate the items, then who is gluten free for anyway?  Robyn
choices rice bakery   |   big city cupcakes

Big City Cupcakes on Urbanspoon

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Showing posts with label safe food handling practices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label safe food handling practices. Show all posts

Monday, April 25, 2011

quick and perfect grilled cheese

photo credit André Baranowski, saveur.com
grilled cheese sandwiches are one of my all time favorite foods, especially since they are so easy to make. however, making a good gluten free version of the classic grilled cheese has not been so easy. my grilled cheese woes quickly disappeared recently after finding two fantastic products that are the secret to the most perfect gluten free grilled cheese sandwich: Udi’s gluten free bread and Toasta Bags!

Andrea and I recently reviewed Udi’s gluten free products, and we both think their breads taste great and toast well! Udi's whole grain or white sandwich bread are ideal for grilled cheese sandwiches, read our review of Udi's products here.

the cheese that I like to use is called Tre Stelle sliced cheese packs, and they come in a variety of flavors such as marble, cheddar, or swiss. if you are vegan, then you are most likely already aware of Daiya vegan cheese, and I hear it melts well too. there are some incredible variations to the classic grilled cheese, and Tastespotting has several pages of great recipes. add tomatoes, mushrooms, prosciutto, bacon and arugula, or even avocado and apples!

I found Toasta Bags at Ed’s Gluten Free Specialty store recently, and they are excellent for making the perfect toasted sandwich! Toasta Bags are made with a soft Teflon material that fits right into your toaster, eliminating the need for frying pans or sandwich makers!

Toasta Bags work best in a variable width toaster, and cooking times vary depending on the toaster you have, but generally they toast any sandwich to perfection and they also spare your toaster from a cheesy mess!

besides grilled cheese sandwiches, you can use your Toasta Bag for cooking other foods like pizza, french fries, pastries, and even salmon fillets quick and easy. each bag can be re-used up to 100 times and is dishwasher safe.

the best part about Toasta Bags is the fact that they aid in preventing cross contamination if you use a shared toaster at home or work. they are also great for traveling as well!
enjoy!  Robyn.


udi’s   |   toasta bags   |   ed’s gluten free specialty



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Saturday, October 9, 2010

gobble gobble, gluten free of course!

turkey, originally uploaded by mellowfood
it's Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada, and to all our Canadian readers we would like to extend a very Happy Thanksgiving to you all. if you are new to planning and preparing a gluten free traditional turkey dinner, you may want to check out a post we did last year with our mom's best gluten free turkey dinner recipe, instructions and ingredient suggestions. you can read the recipe here. if you are cooking your turkey dinner for guests who are gluten free, then you might also want to read our post on gluten free entertaining with some important do's and don'ts. feel free to email us if you have any questions. we'd also love to hear your recipes for a gluten free traditional meal! happy thanksgiving everyone!  Andrea + Robyn.



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Wednesday, May 5, 2010

gluten free goodies from the sweet tooth cakery

photo credit www.jerrywillows.ca
Andrea and I had the pleasure of meeting with Jenny Breckon, the owner and baker of The Sweet Tooth Cakery, which specializes in gluten free wedding and birthday cakes (we just love Hayden's first birthday cake pictured on the left). Jenny’s gluten free product line also includes cupcakes, cookies, and sweet breads, as well as the ‘best biscotti ever’. it was a great opportunity for us to not only meet Jenny in person and ask her a million questions, but to also hear about the drive, passion and inspiration behind her gluten free business.

Jenny’s venture into the world of baking began at her sister's wedding in 2005, when Jenny bravely agreed to make the wedding cake! at the time, Jenny was unaware of her gluten intolerance, and was still baking with gluten-containing flours. she does recall, however, that the day after the wedding her mom was extremely ill. in fact her and her mom had been dealing with health issues for some time, but it wasn’t until a year later that her mom was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. everything became clear to Jenny and her mom—they both have celiac disease, and they both had been suffering for a very long time.

Jenny took a break from baking, and actually wasn’t sure she would ever go back to it, especially without the knowledge of how to bake gluten free. slowly that started to change, and Jenny found herself testing and experimenting with gluten free cookbooks, particularly those by Bette Hagman, and eventually formed The Sweet Tooth Cakery. her mom’s name is Robin, and the logo behind the Sweet Tooth Cakery, a robin bird, is a dedication to her. in fact, Jenny’s entire business is dedicated to her mom “I bake for my mom” says Jenny, “I want her to be able to eat all the same desserts and treats like everyone else”.

currently The Sweet Tooth Cakery operates out of a shared bakery space called The Spelt Bakery on east hastings street. while this is a wheat free bakery, it is not a dedicated gluten free bakery. we spoke with Jenny about the measures taken to ensure that cross contamination is managed in a responsible manner. the bakery is not only immaculate, but Jenny does not share any of her equipment with the other bakers, and it is kept covered when she is not there. the only shared items are the wash-up sinks and the ovens, but since she bakes alone on dedicated days, she is the only one using the ovens on those specific days, and she uses her own trays. she gave us the peace of mind that only a fellow celiac can, and we happily enjoyed Jenny’s offerings.

we had the pleasure of sampling Jenny’s carrot cake with butter cream icing, chocolate chip cookies (she adds gf rice crispies), dark chocolate mint cookies, and coconut almond pecan pleasure cookies with quinoa flakes…yum! actually she recommends the coconut almond pecan pleasure cookie for anyone who is diabetic, as she sweetens this cookie with honey. they are very addictive! we also brought one of her sweet breads to a birthday party, the chocolate chip banana loaf, and it was a huge hit! the main ingredients that Jenny uses are: sorghum flour, rice flour, tapioca starch, xanthum gum, almond milk, organic evaporated cane juice, and of course butter.

Jenny bakes on request, and needs about a week for a birthday cake order. orders for wedding cakes depend on the cake design, which we think Jenny has a natural talent for, as you can see from the cake portfolio on her website. other baked items, such as cookies and sweet breads, can be special ordered. Jenny can also create dairy-free and vegan cakes on request.

where to find The Sweet Tooth Cakery you ask? starting this month look for Jenny at the Lonsdale Farmer’s Market starting Saturday, May 29th. subsequent dates include June 12th, August 14th, August 28th, September 11th, September 25th, October 2nd, and October 9th. The Sweet Tooth Cakery also has dates at the Ambleside Market in West Vancouver on Sunday, July 4th, and at the West End Farmer's Market on July 24th and October 23rd.

like all bakers, Jenny’s dream is to someday own her own bakery where she can spend her days baking and creating, and we think she’s not far off!

stay tuned for another gluten free vancouver giveaway courtesy of The Sweet Tooth Cakery!  Robyn.

***update: Jenny has had to cancel her market for Saturday May 29th, please email her if you would like to purchase any of her baking this weekend, see her website for contact info. she will resume on June 12th as scheduled.


the sweet tooth cakery   |   lonsdale farmer's market   |   ambleside market   |   west end farmer's market


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Thursday, February 18, 2010

gluten free pizza at rocky mountain flatbread

pizza, originally uploaded by slice.
finding gluten free pizza, or gluten free pizza crust is no easy task, let alone finding anything that actually tastes good. like french fries, pizza is one of my favorites and over the years, I have been determined to find a great tasting alternative.

I found a pizzeria in Victoria, B.C. last year called The Joint that makes gluten free pizza with an eye-opening amount of toppings to choose from including pesto chicken, mediterranean, greek, and ham and pineapple to name just a few. gluten free pizzas are available in either a 10 inch or 14 inch size (there is an extra charge for the gluten free crust but it was still reasonably priced). it was heaven!

today I found out that the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company, located in Kitsilano and North Vancouver, makes a gluten free crust as well! the crust is a blend of brown rice, buckwheat, tapioca and potato flours. every pizza on the menu can be made with the gluten free crust, and all of the toppings are gluten free as well. the only exception is the italian sausage which may contain gluten. italian sausage is one of the ingredients in the 'naturally meaty' pizza, and of course watch for any of their daily flatbread specials that may also include italian sausage. the gluten free pizza comes in a regular 10 inch crust and there is also an extra charge of $5. I tried the Rocky Mountain Flatbread gluten free pizza tonight, and it was excellent! I ordered the spicy pepperoni that is made with organic pepperoni, mushrooms, herbs, mozzerella cheese, cherry tomatoes, and onion. the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company is also a peanut free restaurant, and vegan friendly.  the staff are very knowledgeable about the issues of cross-contamination and will be able to skillfully answer any questions you may have.  the best part is the gluten free pizza's are prepared in a separate area of the kitchen, and are cooked in a separate gluten free oven (they are not made in the large pizza ovens with the wheat pizza), and staff ensure that clean pizza cutters are used too. I highly recommend trying it out!
it is important to note that both The Joint and Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company also make wheat pizza’s and can't guarantee that there will be no cross-contamination in the kitchen, but that efforts are made to ensure that cross-contamination is minimal.
making gluten free pizza crust at home is still the tastiest and most economical way to enjoy gluten free pizza. I have used Bob’s Red Mill gluten free pizza crust flour mix and it was excellent. local bakeries such as Choices Rice Bakery and Quejo’s also make fresh gluten free pizza shells that are good as well.

if you have a gluten free pizza crust recipe, share it with us in the comments!
Robyn.
rocky mountain flatbread company   |   the joint   |   bob’s red mill


Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company on Urbanspoon
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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

gluten free mom, shopping for less

it is no secret among us who must survive on a gluten free diet (for life) that gluten free products are generally more expensive than similar products that are not gluten free. therefore not only is finding gluten free products challenging, but we are also forced to spend a lot more on a basic necessity—food!

there are three people in my family, my husband, my daughter, and I, and among the three of us I am the only celiac, as far as we know, we are actually waiting for my daughter's blood test results. so we actually only need to buy specialty gluten free for me, however, sharing a kitchen with others who do eat gluten can be very challenging and stressful for celiacs. I am a new mom, and ensuring that I do not eat gluten by accident, even the smallest crumb, is extremely important. knowing that gluten will compromise my body's ability to absorb essential nutrients from food was a scary thought when I was pregnant, and now while I am breast feeding.

in order to ensure the safest environment for me, and thus the healthiest environment for my daughter, we all eat gluten free! my husband does still make toast from his favorite cheese bread (gluten containing) but I have set him up with his own toaster on the other side of the kitchen. he has his counter, and I have mine, with my own gluten free toaster, of course.

it can be very challenging for a gluten free parent to feed their child gluten. for my own personal reasons I held off on feeding my daughter gluten until she was one year of age. but at some point I needed to introduce it to her. all of the parents reading this will understand, that young children are not just messy eaters, but they love to eat with their hands, and then put their hands in your mouth, or on your plate, or anywhere that interests them. you could potentially have gluten on your bed sheets, or on your toothbrush. so introducing gluten to my daughter was extremely stressful, and I decided that it couldn't be me feeding her. I will only feed her gluten free food, and my husband can share his toast with her. she also eats gluten at her grandparents' house, but I always make sure her hands are well washed before interacting with her. I know this sounds over cautious, but it's necessary, and it will indirectly benefit her.

so now that I have explained why I shop gluten free for my whole family, you can imagine the extra expense we incur because of it. fortunately I have recently found a way to help with the extra cost of shopping gluten free. it's called the The Healthy Shopper, which is a coupon book for natural and organic products, and the best part is that many of the products are gluten free! the book can be picked up for free at participating natural food stores, I get mine at Choices Market. to find the store nearest you click here. it's also available online, but you will need to pay for shipping. if you register online, you will also have access to the ecoupons. all the coupons are valid for one year, the current book expires on march 31, 2010. the good news is that while the book is only available at certain stores, the coupons themselves are valid anywhere the products are sold. 

some of the gluten free product coupons are: 
Simply Natural Organic
Nature's Path or EnvroKidz
Glutino or Gluten-Free Pantry
Barbara's Bakery
Pamela's Products
San-J

please note that some of these companies are exclusively gluten free, while others are not. please check with the product websites to verify which products are gluten free. we have already posted on several of these, Simply Natural Organic Mustard, Glutino Crackers, and Pamela's Products Classic Vanilla Cake Mix.

the coupons range in savings from 50 cents up to 2 dollars off, so I easily save 10 dollars when I shop. I will be looking forward to the next edition of this coupon book in april, and hope to find even more gluten free product coupons to use next year!

Robyn and I will also be posting soon on another way to save money on a gluten free diet, if your doctor can verify that you have Celiac Disease, then you qualify for a special medical tax write-off in Canada. I am not sure about other countries, but it is worth looking into. Happy Saving!  Andrea.

the healthy shopper   |   canadian celiac association

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Friday, January 22, 2010

nature’s fair, gluten free in downtown vancouver

finding gluten free at lunch time in vancouver’s downtown core is quite tricky. I recently started a new job located downtown and was pretty eager to find a safe place to eat on days when I don’t have my own lunch prepared. I was excited to make a great gluten free discovery in the lower level of waterfront center’s food court, called Nature’s Fair. Nature’s Fair has a veggie and fruit salad bar, juice bar, and gluten free rice and chili! the chili is also vegan and sold in small or large containers. if you order the brown rice and chili you can ask for them in separate bowls, or they will put it all together for you. you can also order a side of rice with the salad you can make from the salad bar.

salad bars are not always safe, often foods are spilled between containers, and tongs can be used for multiple items, of which could be wheat based such as bread or pasta salad. on occasion, I notice a pasta noodle in the greek salad or a crouton in the tomatoes. don’t hestitate to ask for clean utensils and scrutinize what you take carefully.

Nature’s Fair also sells Glutino pretzels, Lara Bars, Barbara’s Bakery cheese puffs, and Wild Country organic nut bars. for those that are not as familiar with gluten free brands and varieties, this is a great assortment of gluten free snacks to grab on the go. Lara Bars are an excellent gluten free energy bar, made from a blend of unsweetened fruits, nuts and spices and they are also dairy free, soy free, non-GMO, vegan and kosher. they come in an impressive 16 gluten free flavors including cinnamon roll, key lime pie, and peanut butter cookie. the Wild Country organic nut bars are excellent too and are also gluten free, non-GMO and kosher. Wild Country's organic bars come in four gluten free varieties; almond nougat bar, cranberry nut bar, mixed nut sesame honey bar, and my favorite, mixed nut honey bar (note the granola bar is not gluten free). Nature’s Fair does not currently have a website, but they are located at R21-200 Burrard Street (604.683.0216).

there are also two great grocery stores downtown that have a wide selection of gluten free products; Capers Market located on robson and cardero in the west-end, and Choices Market located on richards and davie in yaletown. more downtown discoveries soon!   Robyn.

nature's fair   |   glutino   |   lara bars   |   barbara's bakery   |   wild country

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Wednesday, January 13, 2010

double kudos to joey’s gluten free menu

Joey is one of the first restaurants in Vancouver to develop a gluten free menu, and I recently (finally) had the chance to try it out. I had the Ahi Tuna Salad—it was a toss up between this and the Bombay Butter Chicken—and it was excellent! when Andrea and I began our blog, Joey’s was one of the first places we contacted for more information. I was curious about why they decided to accommodate the gluten free diet, and to maybe see why more restaurants are not following the lead. here is what the great staff at Joey’s had to say about it all; 

R. how are the gluten free items prepared in the kitchen? 
J. the gluten free items are prepared with specific guidelines to ensure there is no cross contamination. utensils and cookware are cleaned prior to use and all dishes are prepared from scratch omitting the ingredients that contain gluten. 

R. what inspired Joey to develop a gluten free menu? 
J. over the years we have noticed the number of guests living with celiac has increased significantly and, consequently, there has been strong demand for us to create such a menu. 

R. was it difficult to implement a gluten free menu? 
J. no, we simply looked at our menu items and determined which could most easily and safely be modified to fall into the gluten free category. 

R. what kind of education is provided to staff regarding gluten and allergies such as Celiac Disease? 
J. the servers and cooks are taught about this condition (and other allergens in initial training and throughout their tenure), what gluten is and how to communicate with our celiac guests to ensure that they are confident in our abilities. the process includes having the chef and manager oversee the production of these items when they are ordered.

the gluten free menu is currently not available on Joey’s website, but it will be posted soon. the gluten free menu is a separate sheet from the main menu so remember to ask for it when you arrive. Joey will also create a personalized menu to suit any other dietary restrictions, simply email before you plan to go. 

Joey Restaurants are located in Vancouver, Coquitlam, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Seattle and Bellevue, Washington.  Robyn.

Joey's (Broadway) on Urbanspoon

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Thursday, December 10, 2009

mom's best gluten free holiday turkey recipes

turkey, originally uploaded by mellowfood.
turkey dinner is a tradition for our family for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. when two out of three of my daughters (andrea and robyn) were diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2005, we had to really look at how we cooked our favorite celebratory dinner! no more heavy wheat flour laden gravy and processed pork sausage, nor any processed dried fruit that I love to add to our dressing. 

it seemed overwhelming the first year! together we researched gluten free products in order to make the gravy and stuffing. robyn discovered Roads End Organics organic golden gravy mix at Choices Market! we were delighted with the new gravy, it was light, flavorful and more of a light clear gravy. Roads End Organics organic gravy mixes are not only organic, but also gluten free, cholesterol free, and vegan. to thicken the gravy I use either Bob's Red Mill or Club House rice flour.

I found Hertel's gluten free pork sausage at IGA to use in the dressing. All but one of Hertel's products, the british bangers, are gluten and lactose free. I use rice bread crumbs from Choices Rice Bakery which made our favorite dressing taste exactly the same as before! we also now use fresh herbs and non-processed dried fruits that are gluten free.

our holiday dinner has not suffered at all, in fact we all think it tastes even better with a lighter, healthy, and flavorful taste. non-Celiac guests would never know the difference! in fact we keep the whole dinner gluten free. to avoid any cross contamination I do not even serve wheat bread at our table thereby creating a stress-free dinner for my daughters to enjoy.

Happy Holidays! Sharen.

gravy:
use all of the juices left after the turkey is removed from the pan, leaving a wing and dressing bits in for flavor, add the following and stir over low heat
  • Roads End Organic Gravy Mix
  • salt/pepper
  • poultry seasoning
  • rice flour mixed with water if thicker gravy desired
dressing:
combine everything and add hot cooked sausage meat
  • rice bread cubes
  • white onion chopped
  • celery chopped
  • dried apricots chopped
  • cooked Hertel's pork sausage 
shopping:
  • Roads End Gravy Mix can be found at Choices Markets
  • Hertel's pork sausage can be found at IGA, Thrifty Foods, Choices Markets, Quality Foods, and many smaller grocers. If your meat department doesn't carry Hertel's, you can ask that they order it for you, Hertel's delivers twice a week
  • rice bread cubes and gluten free buns can be found at Choices Rice Bakery
  • Bob's Red Mill rice flour is sold at Choices Market, Buy Low Foods, Whole Foods, Save On Foods, Capers, and Safeway 


roads end organics   |   hertel's   |   bob's redmill   |   club house
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Sunday, November 22, 2009

gluten free catering experience: part two

so here are the results of the party I went to the other night at Vancouver Special, catered by Tonina’s Catering & Deli Co. before I went, I called Jark, the owner of the business, to confirm what he planned to serve that would be gluten free, and how would I be able to identify it. it might sound like over-kill to be harassing this man so many times prior to the event, but I will avoid gluten contamination at all costs! I am a breastfeeding mom to my infant girl, and I cannot risk getting sick (more on being a gluten free mom in subsequent posts). he explained that he had prepared two gluten free pizzas with fresh organic toppings and assorted gluten free cheeses, and some gluten free organic deli meats, all of which would be labeled. great! I was so excited to go out to a party, mingle with friends, and eat without worry. as a new mom, I don’t get out to eat very often, and as a celiac I don’t go out to eat very often!

I arrived early-ish and found the food nicely displayed, with lot’s of space between the trays, so I felt that cross contamination would be minimal. I was most curious about the gluten free pizza's and was saddened to see that most of them were already eaten! I did get to try a few pieces that were saved for me and they were excellent! the ingredient label is shown here, and I doubt the photo does this pizza any justice. not only was the crust just the way I like it, thin and crispy, the toppings were superb. this was definitely one of the best pizzas I’ve ever eaten, except for the margarita pizzas Robyn and I gobbled on our way around Italy when we were younger (pre-celiac). I thought, this people is how it’s done! I have actually become accustomed to thick, doughy, white rice pizza crusts, and have even convinced my husband they are good! so in my opinion the pizza was a big hit, and would not hesitate to order these from Tonina’s again, maybe for my birthday!

I continued along the buffet table to try some of the other goodies, only to find the gluten free cheeses on the same tray as some kind of bun/ pastry? the cheese was being sliced, put on these buns, and being sliced again…whoops, contaminated, don’t touch! ok, let me try the meats. there were two kinds of deli meats labeled gluten free, some ham and some turkey, both of which were very tasty and fresh. they were on the same tray as non-gluten free meats but were separated by wax paper, well done Tonina’s!

the final item that was labeled gluten free were rice crispy squares, which made me excited, however on closer inspection, I could see oats, and corn flakes in the ingredients list, so I didn’t try them, sorry Tonina’s. oats and corn flakes are very tricky to navigate for celiacs. recent research claims that oats are in fact safe for people with celiac disease because it does not contain gluten, but oats are thought to be unsafe due to contamination with barley primarily during processing. it is possible to find gluten free oats (more on this subject soon), and corn flakes. for example, Nature's Path Organics makes gluten free corn flakes but other mainstream labels such as Kellogg's add barley malt to their corn flakes as a flavoring agent.

so would I recommend Tonina’s Catering & Deli Co? yes I would, but with the advice that you must work closely with Jark, or another staff member to ensure that the ingredients are 100% gluten free, and that safe food handling practices are met. plan your event well in advance, and ask questions! I found Jark to be extremely knowledgeable about food in general, and seems passionate about his business. stay tuned for part three where I visit Tonina’s and Jark in person to find out more about how they can provide a safe and enjoyable gluten free catered event.  Andrea


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Saturday, November 21, 2009

gluten free cupcakes

cupcake, originally uploaded by QuintanaRoo.
our sister in law recently told andrea and I that she saw gluten free cupcakes at Big City Cupcakes! we were eager to find out more information, especially since gluten free cupcakes are rarely available in local bakeries. I have personally only ever bought cupcakes from the Choices Rice Bakery, although they are only a bite sized specialty item, and usually only available around Halloween (but so very very good!). I spoke to one of the store managers at Big City Cupcakes to discuss the ingredients used and gluten free handling procedures. the gluten free items, available only on friday, saturday and sunday, are mixed in separate bowls, and in a separate area of the bakery. almond flour is used as the main gluten free ingredient.

however, the gluten free cupcakes are often placed on the same trays as the regular wheat based cupcakes during shipping to the stores as well as within the display cases. I mentioned to the store manager that, in my opinion, people coming to the store to purchase their gluten free (or egg and dairy free!) cupcakes recognize that Big City Cupcakes is not a dedicated gluten free facility, but not many would feel comfortable eating the cupcakes when they have clearly been in very close proximity to wheat products.

the value in the effort of making gluten free cupcakes is the ability to cater to a specialized but growing community of people. clearly, more education and awareness is needed to help others understand this importance, and not to mention the benefit of implementing some very simple policies and procedures to make your product safe for customers. we did discuss some measures Big City Cupcakes can take to separate their regular and specialty items, including placing the gluten, egg and dairy free cupcakes in separate containers. 

unfortunately at this time, I cannot recommend this product to fellow celiacs or others who may have a high sensitivilty level to wheat or gluten. it does make me wonder though, if gluten free products are not handled correctly, or if there is no desire to separate the items, then who is gluten free for anyway?  Robyn
choices rice bakery   |   big city cupcakes

Big City Cupcakes on Urbanspoon

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