Delivery Pizza Again!!!

So, after having pizza withdrawls.... sticking to my anti-garlic jim's... I was told by a couple people that a local favorite is now offering gluten-free crusts! Alfy's! you go! I finally decided to stop by on my way home from work one night, pick up one to go and fell in love with it right away. It's a combo sit and eat, delivery and take-n-bake pizza deal! What a great idea... they combine it all and it works for them quite well. It's only an individual pizza, but in the end, that's all I really need. So after my first experience with they actually tasty pizza, I called to order for myself and my fellow gluten-free coworker today for work. The store was having food catered since well, it's the crazy-busy shopping weekend. I called before they were even open and placed the order so it would be delivered pretty much right after they opened and low and behold.... we got half priced pizzas!!! This is a deal they offer everyday from 11-2 and they honor it on ALL pizzas!!! Go Alfy's! I just can't say how happy it made me today and how much it literally just brought a highlight to my long long week and weekend! Those of you in the Seattle area, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM!!!!

New job and a new 'friend'

Who would have ever thought that I would actually work with someone that is also gluten-free! I'm super excited about this. She's been gluten-free for 20+ years and most of her family is also gluten-free and have been for years! I'm excited and look forward to swapping information and learning how to have a gluten-free kitchen that is efficient and doable for not only a tight budget but also a busy life style. When I told her I was also allergic, she was shocked. I'm assuming it's because of my weight.... which doesn't surprise me and is also one reason why I'm always undergoing more testing to see what other allergies I've developed. Although, if there's anything I've learned, is that a gluten-free person doesn't fit into any stereotype. We all have come to this lifestyle for different reasons and might have other allergies associated with us and other health problems. Granted, I'm not extremely overweight, but I'm also not skinny like a model. (But the issue that I haven't been able to lose more weight has raised concerns that there's more to my gluten allergy then originally thought.) Anyway... I love my new job working with my favorite arts and crafts and look forward to learning from a veteran gluten-free person!

Birthday!!!!

So... with the Betty Crocker mixes, my roommate made me a birthday cake... frosting... candles, the whole deal. I haven't had a birthday cake since I've been gluten-free. I haven't found a recipe I like, a mix that holds well, or anything to satisfy the craving for a birthday cake, but this did it! Chocolaty goodness and my oh my, was the wait worth it. I'm super impressed with the way the Betty Crocker mixes provide everything I've been looking for in a sweet-tooth gluten-free fix. Now, I've tried every one of their four mixes and can 100% say that everyone should try them. BTW, the regular coupons you'll find for Betty Crocker products work on the gluten-free mixes as well! Enjoy!

enjoy life foods - gluten free, soy free, dairy free, nut free, casein free : cookies : snickerdoodle cookies

While I have bene recently diagnosed as with more food allergies, it has been extremely hard to find foods that are entirely safe for me. Before I knew that I was also highly allergic to almonds with smaller allergies and sensitivities to soy, crab and lobster, I had bought enjoy life foods and fell in love with their snickerdoodles. Now, their brand has become a bit of a most in the house. Every now and then I also am sensitive to milk so not only are gluten free, but soy, nut and dairy, making them the perfect food for me to eat.
enjoy life foods - gluten free, soy free, dairy free, nut free, casein free : cookies : snickerdoodle cookies

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I would recommend Enjoy Life brands to pretty much anyone. Their website unfortunately doesn't life all their products they work with. For example, I also love a brand called Perky O's (http://www.perkysnaturalfoods.com) which is now part of the Enjoy Foods Family....

I hope you all find food that you can love and ENJOY!

Betty Crocker's GF Cookies! Oh My!

While I was still trying to locate a grocery store with my move that I can use as my go-to GF store, I discovered the Betty Crocker products at Central Market, which, is currently my go-to GF store. I was so excited, happy, and thrilled, that I called my mom right away to tell her of this discovery. I then, didn't buy them, because I wasn't sure when I'd use them. I should have just bought them AND ended up buying them anyway, BUT at QFC. So not only are they at a specialty natural foods store, but also in the mass market! I was even more excited! I only grabbed the cookies and the brownies and have made the cookies! They are beyond delicious and my roommate love them as well. While they admit that the texture is different, the taste is great and just like a 'normal' cookie! Unbelievable and yummy beyond! To top is off, I used a regular Betty Crocker coupon and got them discounted. Yeah for not only a great mix, for a big company to make GF products but also yeah for saving money on some GF products!!!! I love it!

Anti Garlic Jims!

So, while I love Garlic Jim's, I called to place an order, using an coupon that DIDN'T exclude gluten-free pizza's. When I emailed to complain about the order and inquire about the issue of trying to use a deal they called us about and explained upon how unfair it was due to the fact that being gluten-free isnt' an option and they were takign advantage of people... well lets just say I didn't hear back from them and haven't heard back from them since... here's my email: (it was in the heat of the moment for sure lol and yes, we've been having 100 degree days!)

Recently, we called to order pizza after receiving a phone call talking about a VIP special, buy one pizza, get the second one free. We called back to order one regular pizza and one gluten free pizza only to be told that the deal didn't apply to gluten free pizzas. Not only did the original message not mention the exclusion, but we didn't understand why charging for the gluten free pizza and getting a regular pizza for free was a big deal, because in the end, you are still making more money because of your overpricing for gluten free pizzas in general. Eating gluten free isn't an option for most people and taking advantage of their dietary needs is inexcusable. I was excited in moving to Washington to get gluten free pizza and now refuse to be a Garlic Jim's customer for the lack of consideration of the gluten free community and discriminatory actions of excluding gluten free options from your regular pizza deals. I'd rather heat up my oven in this heat, make my own pizza then be treated with such disrespect as I was on the phone with your staff. Thank you for your time.

Road Trip

So I'm in the process of moving to Seattle and have been worried about finding enough places to eat on the road and have been throughly impressed with the places that are everyday haunts for many, that have been extremely accommodating. We stopped at a Subway in Wyoming, somewhere between Cheyenne and Casper and when I asked them to change their gloves, they just did and treated my salad with great care trying to avoid cross-contamination and I was overly impressed by this, especially since we happened in there during a busy time of day- the great lunch time. After we hit the road again, I grabbed snacks that I had packed as I was concerned about finding food I could eat at the gas stations and what not. We stayed the night in Montana and ate at a Famous Dave's. When I asked for a gluten-free menu, they had a list typed up and the manager also came by and went over it to ensure I knew what I could and couldn't eat. With a glass of wine in hand and food in my belly, our first day on the road turned out to be a great learning experience and I was happy to come across very understanding people on the road who not only knew what gluten was but also took great care in helping make sure there was somethign I could eat!

Last Night in Vegas!

I've had an unbelievable time in Vegas and am so utterly thrilled that eating here wasn't a huge issues. for our last dinner, we ate at Le Burger Brasserie and they were all very helpful in creating and figuring out something I could eat, from our server to management they were very nice and accomodating making sure that not only I had enough to eat but also I could actually eat there. Keeping in mind that we had a party of 8, it can add to the difficulty of ordering gluten free foods. Sadly though, our service pretty much sucked, to the point where we left a little comment card. Having my background in food service that I do, plus Jen's background as a manager and Diane' 's chef background, we all know and understand bad shifts, rough times, etc, but really, she was just bad and having a difficult time handling a party of 8. Regardless of that, the burgers were HUGE! The fries were delicious!!! (You can mix and match what kind of fries you want and they are ordered a la carte.) I would highly recommend them for a delicious meal on the strip that is gluten free friendly.

P.S. Just walking through the Paris is a treat in itself. The Venetian to the Paris, the designs and structure of it all it beautiful. Sadly, the smells of the foods coming from the bakeries is gut wrenching when hungry and can make temptations all to easy, so I do recommend eating before strutting through them- especially Paris, as they have real French cafe' s with French bread and pizza and yeah, it's bad, and no, I asked, they don't have gluten free.

Full Day of VEGAS!!!!

So Vegas has been amazing! With the kitchens in the room, we had breakfast in our rooms, eggs, toast, come pancakes for some, juice, cinnamon rolls and enough gluten free food to boot! I loved it. A friend that came with us is a breakfast chef for a winery bed and breakfast in California so she's very familiar with not only the kitchen, but once she found out about my diet restrictions, she was excited to try new foods on me. She even packed some gluten free food for me in her suitcase!!! With last night's dinner being at a restaurant I have back home, it was easy for me to work with... Buffalo Wild Wings though is a favorite place of mine anyway so I didn't even need to ask, I just told that I have an allergy!

I'm very curious to see how the rest of the day goes with food and my only huge concern for the whole weekend is the breakfast buffets on Sunday- cross-contamination is such a huge thing and not easily controlled in a buffet! As we go out on the strip today, here's to hoping there's food I can eat!

In VEGAS!!!!!

So we are in Vegas and just picked everyone up from the airport. Since we are saying a little ways away from the airport and more in local territory, I'm not too worried about finding food to eat. We drove past a Chili's, Buffalo Wild Wings and a couple other places to get to our resort. Our rooms at the resort (The Grandview) have full kitchens (which I knew ahead of time) so it will be really easy for me to have food in the room if I'm too worried about it. Also, I brought snacks to eat and we drove past a Whole Foods as well, so I can get what I need. YEAH!!! Vegas better be ready for us!

Vegas Baby!

So I'm getting ready to leave for Vegas and have packed some food to bring along with me. Especially breakfast food like cereals. We had talked about going to see the Tournement of the Kings at Excalibur so I emailed them ahead of time and they said that they could accomodate it and would just need my section, isle and seat number. However, here is the menu that they can prepare for me:

Garden Salad with vinaigrette instead of the cream of tomato soup (the soup contains a thickening agent)
Plain Roasted Cornish Game Hen
Baked Potato with butter and sour cream on the side
Broccoli with cheese, but if you prefer, you may have plain steamed broccoli
Fresh sliced fruit for dessert instead of the apple square.

So we'll see what we end up doing!

Zio's

So tonight we are trying out Zio's and in looking at their menu online and much to my surprise they have a pretty extensive selection to fit the gluten free diet. check out the menu. Also, they have an amazing wine selection here so I'm stoaked about that. Elton John concert should be interesting in the selection of foods and drinks that I'll be able to choose from- cause we all know that conscession stands aren't very gluten free friendly. Here's to hoping!

*sing Benny and Jets*

Buffalo Wild Wings Email

Please visit here for moved posting! Thanks!

Old Chicago's Email

Old Chicago's wrote me back, but I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the response, I've very mixed on it as it seems they aren't even attempting to make an strides to even work with gluten-free bakers and makers of pizza crusts.... Oh well, le sigh.

Unlike most of our competitors, we serve pizza and cookies...
both of which we make from scratch... This means that we carry 2 kinds
of flour and our mixer is constantly mixing 3 kinds of pizza dough and
cookies. Those prep areas are not separated from other production areas
and as a result, there is flour in the air and potential
cross-contamination is almost assured.
Also, we do not have training programs in place that teach the
nuances of gluten free requirements and affects.

All that being said... there are menu selections that could be
considered free of gluten ingredients... all of our Ken's dressings, our
Ranch & Bleu Cheese dressings are gluten free (except Dorothy Lynch
Dressing), as are many of our meats... Steaks, Ham, Turkey, Canadian
Bacon, chicken wings, pepperoni, sausage & salami. Vegetables and salad
mixes are also appropriate selections. As an individual who is sensitive
to the details of gluten-free living... Guests can certainly come in and
tailor meals, based on ingredients known to be gluten-free... bun-less
burgers, corn chip nachos, steak, salad, veggies, and dressings (except
Dorothy Lynch Dressing). We are very good at providing special orders
upon request, but at this time it would be inappropriate, given our
homemade pizza position, to encourage Gluten Intolerant folks to make us
a gluten free destination through special menuing.

I hope this helps explain our place in the industry, please contact me
back if you have additional questions or requests... We would love to
provide a special menu but, as long as our kitchens are focused on
homemade pizza dough... flour/gluten cross contamination is certainly
more possible than in establishments without pizza.

Thank you for taking the time to write to us....

my response
Thank you for your response Mike. Have you considered working with local gluten-free bakeries that provide the pizza crust? It would still be homemade and I know of a national chain that does just that. Having worked in food service all of my life I understand the possibilities of cross-contamination, but assigning an oven as gluten-free as a trial run might be something more to look into to give your guests a variety. I enjoy going there, especially since you have cider, gluten-free beer on tap at the locations in my area, but having a better food selection would also be nice. Also, do you know if your chicken wing sauces contain any gluten?

Thanks again!!

Restaurants Gluten-Free Menus

So, I decided to great a listing of restaurants and their gluten-free menus for easy access! Enojy!

Updated 26 March 09

Beau Jo's Pizza
http://www.beaujos.com/glutenfree.cfm

Chili's
http://www.brinker.com/gr/allergens/Chilis%20Allergen.PDF

Chipotle
http://www.chipotle.com/Chipotle_Allergen_Card.pdf

Garlic Jim's
http://www.garlicjims.com/menu.asp
*Please call your local shop for actual gluten-free items, including sizes of crusts as they vary on location*

Johnny Carino's
http://www.carinos.com/menu/default.aspx
*Click on the Gluten Free link on the left side*

PF Chang's
http://www.pfchangs.com/pdfs/gluten.pdf

Qdoba
http://www.qdoba.com/Allergens.aspx

Red Robin
http://www.redrobin.com/UserFiles/File/Wheat_Gluten%20Allergen%20Menu%20(3-09)(1).pdf

*This menu updates every few months so please check the date that the menu is good until that is listed at the top of the 1st menu page*

Subway
http://www.subway.com/subwayroot/MenuNutrition/Nutrition/pdf/AllergenChart.pdf

Wendy's
http://www.wendys.com/food/pdf/us/gluten_free_list.pdf

Work

So I work at The Melting Pot and I'm surprised more and more every day with how many people are loving that we offer so many gluten-free options. I'm still working on my owners to get gluten-free bread and batter options (for the oil cooking styles), but corporate wide, all cooking styles are now gluten-free. They are looking into gluten-free teriyaki for the sirloin and the sauce used for dipping. Once I know more, of course I'll keep ya'll posted- especially now that we are done with Vday and I have a little more time!