Gluten Free, R U?: October 2019

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Knorr Selects - Four Cheese Risotto

My sister and mother picked this packet up for me last year and I never got to make it. So I finally made sure to check it out and make it this past weekend. I will start at the end... it was cheesy goodness and I would buy this again in a heart beat.

I followed the directions on the pack but offer this piece of advice... if you use rice milk, use less. The risotto was always a bit watery. It tasted just fine but I would have preferred it a bit more starchy than liquidy.

It cooked up quickly and smelled so good. I am so glad it tasted even better. It was such a great cheese flavor and it was very filling. I highly recommend this but always check that you are picking up the gluten free version as I know that Knorr Selects makes non gluten free options too.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Nourish - Sequim Washington

We stopped here 4 years ago and loved it, so when we had the opportunity again this year to stop in we did.

They are a 100% gluten free establishment! They also use as much local organic items that they can. Their menu is very eclectic and they can adjust if you ask. We were there for brunch and we couldn’t decide what to get. We finally decided to share the buckwheat pumpkin waffle special.

If Fall had a taste, I believe it would be this special. Oh my goodness it was soooo good. We also added thick bacon and it added even more to the dish. I am so glad we shared it as it was a huge meal.

I also added their Cheese Bread because it is soooo delicious.

I also checked out the dessert case and immediately ordered the one slice of Boston Cream Pie. I haven’t had that in 20 years. I was so excited to try it that I forgot to take a photo. Trust me, it was perfection.

This is one of my favorite places to eat and I hope we can stop in again next time.

I highly recommend a stop a Nourish and it couldn’t be easier to get to, it is right off the highway and the grounds are beautiful. Enjoy

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

New Day Eatery - Port Angeles Washington

I have known about New Day Eatery for a few years now but have not been able to get there on my travels from Seattle to Forks. This year, though, the construction was on hold for the week I was there and so I made the easy decision to travel the 101 North and stop in Port Angeles.

New Day Eatery was bigger than I expected and very nice inside. The service was very good and everyone was very nice.

I mentioned I was gluten free and the server started to tell me that the menu was marked with GF for certain items but there were no markings in the menu and she realized that they must have printed new menus. That saddened me as those designations reduce the amount of questions you need to ask.
But I managed to only ask two questions: Was the grilled cheese able to be made gluten free? Could they put chicken on the cheese pizza?

Both answers were yes.

I ordered the grilled cheese with homemade potato chips for lunch and a cheese pizza with chicken to go.

The grilled cheese was perfection. Hot, cheesy, buttery, the perfect amount of cheese and bread with some almost burnt parts and it was really oh so good. The potato chips were like kettle chips and they were still a little warm when they came out. I am so glad I ordered the grilled cheese and I would do so again in a heartbeat.

I was very excited for the pizza but it didn’t live up to my expectations. I am not sure if it was because I had to reheat it... and it definitely was not good cold at all.... or what the issue was. It was very dry, almost like there wasn’t enough sauce or the crust was too thick. I probably would not order it again or I would talk to them about it is made to see if there is a difference from other pizzas.

I hope I will get the chance to stop here again in my future travels to this area. I would like to try more of their menu... or just order the grilled cheese again :)

My gluten free history

When I turned 30 years old, I started to gain weight that I couldn't lose and I was getting back to back colds. The final straw was I got bronchitis and I had to take an antibiotic to help me get better. The side effect for 4% of people on this antibiotic was gastrointestinal issues. Yes, I was part of that 4%. The medicine basically stripped away whatever had been protecting me through my first 30 years of life. You see I have always had gastrointestinal issues since I can remember. My father also had the same issues and my paternal grandmother too. I was so sick from the medicine (or so I thought) that I had to go back to the doctor and do a series of tests. During this time I was following the BRAT diet (Banana, rice, a, toast). Saltines and toast were my go to comfort, little did I know they were NOT what I should be eating. My co-worker gave me an article about food allergies and there was a quiz. You only needed to answer 4 of the 8 questions with yes to fall under their designation and I had answered 6 of the 8 with yes. I was on my way. My husband and I cleaned out all our cabinets of the 7 allergens… all that was left was rice. After a few weeks, I was feeling somewhat better when I stayed at a home where they told me to eat whatever was in the fridge. I saw the rice and started eating. Within a hour I was violently ill. I couldn't understand. I took the rice with me to work the next day and when I told my other co-worker about my issue she asked to see the rice. It was orzo… pasta… gluten/wheat filled pasta! I had my first allergen to check off the list as being an issue. It turned out at the time dairy and eggs were also triggers but I have since been able to add them back. My husband and I went on a full gluten free diet and within a few months I had lost my weight, stopped living in my bathroom, looked healthy and was not terrified to eat things any more. Now it has been 15 years and while I have gained some weight back (darn those yummy gluten free cookies and pretzels) my issues are still in check and I couldn't be happier to figure out what was wrong with my body and be able to fix it.