Lobster Classic Chunk Style by Trans-Ocean

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IMG_0471 lobster 1Over three years ago, I wrote about Crab Classic Chunk Style by Trans-Ocean. That’s still available, and I’m still buying it. You can usually get a package at Wal-Mart for $2.50 each. And, there are about two servings per 8 ounce package which makes it pretty affordable.

What I recently discovered was that I could get the Lobster version for the same price. Again, like the crab, this product does not claim to be gluten-free. There is no gluten added, however, unlike the flake and leg styles. Those actually say “contains wheat” in the allergens. MAKE CERTAIN you do not buy those styles if you have a gluten or wheat allergy. It’s easy to confuse them as they all look nearly identical.

I prepare the lobster the same way as I do the crab – chop up some celery, add some mayonnaise (I use canola-based mayo), and instead of just stirring, I use a fork and a knife to break it up into smaller chunks. Then I serve it over salad for a healthy, cool, summertime meal. No salad dressing needed. Great for lunch or dinner.

From their website: “Lobster Classic is a premium blend of wild caught, sustainable Alaska Pollock and real lobster meat. The product has a unique, chunky texture and crisp flavor profile that is unlike other surimi seafoods. Use Lobster Classic for delicious lobster salads, hot casseroles and as a dip style appetizer with cocktail sauce. Certified by the American Heart Association, Lobster Classic is low in fat and cholesterol. It is also a source of Omega-3 EPA and DHA, providing 100mg per 3 oz. serving. It’s fully cooked, making it easy to enjoy seafood while helping build a healthy heart at the same time.”

It’s nice to eat something that tastes good that’s good for you. For more information on this product, go to http://www.trans-ocean.com/lc_chunkstyle.html

IMG_0478

White Box Bakery Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

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IMG_1912 white box carrot cakeO.M.G. Talk about an explosion of deliciousness. Three layers of wonderfully thick, spicy, nutty cake with a wonderfully smooth cream cheese icing await you.

Back in the dark ages, when I was a kid, there was a brand of frozen carrot cake loaf that was dense, moist, and delicious. This White Box treat reminds me of that, only better. It’s packed with nuts and a delightful medley of spices. It’s not cakey – it’s hearty and filling. I didn’t taste carrots – but I didn’t care. The cream cheese icing was light – it wasn’t oily or overly tangy. All the flavors complemented each other perfectly. And the icing on the cake (sorry, couldn’t resist that REALLY bad pun) was that the decor on the top was just lovely. Elegant, even. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Pretty much everything at White Box comes highly recommended by me. Super nice people, great food. Learn more about White Box on their website: http://www.whiteboxpiesbakery.com/  And by the way, folks – they ship.

White Box Pies Bakery and Cafe
28 E Sharp Ave.
Spokane, WA 99202

Lazy Gluten-Free Chicken Casserole

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lazy gluten free casserole IMG_5012web

Little effort; lots of yumminess.

Sometimes you just want something hearty, you know? Something like chicken pot pie, but way less complicated. Well, have I got the recipe for you. Fast, easy, and with food that’s already cooked. I just threw this together sort of capriciously, and certainly did not expect this to taste so good. I’m going to try to recreate it below – but you can’t really go wrong no matter how you do this. Add vegetables if you want. I think celery and onion might be good additions without overpowering the flavor too much.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cooked chicken breast, shredded or broken up  (or parts of your choice)
  • 2 cups g/f cornbread, loosely crumbled (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
  • 1 cup cooked white rice
  • 1 container g/f chicken broth or stock (I used Costco’s brand)
  • Italian-style shredded cheese for garnish (mozzarella, Parmesan, etc. blend)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine first three ingredients in 9×9 glass baking dish (I’m sure metal is fine, I used Pyrex). Mix well, with hands. Do not flatten or compact. Pour chicken broth just until you can see it come to the top of the mixture. Sprinkle a thin layer of the cheese over the top. Bake for 20 minutes at 350. Turn oven up to 400. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is browning on top. SERVES 4.

The rice and cornbread should have absorbed almost all the chicken broth, making them moist and fluffy. This is hot, hearty comfort food that can be tweaked to your preferred level of moistness. Leftovers can easily be reheated in a bowl – fill bowl with the amount you want, then pour any leftover chicken broth in. Microwave for about 2 minutes on 70%, stir, then an addition 30 – 60 seconds on high for one bowl. It should absorb the additional chicken broth as it sits.

As I said, this recipe was an accident, and was not measured. You may have to experiment a little to get the combination of broth/food that works best for your taste. However – the flavor is just awesome. Enjoy!

Heather’s Fairy Tale Bakery

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Well, I did a bad thing. Normally when I do a food review, I stage the goods nicely, take a photograph of them, then eat them. This time they went straight into my mouth. Oops. So, I apologize, I do not have any photos to go with this review.

I bumped into Heather’s Fairy Tale Bakery at a Farmers Market in Stevens County, WA. It was their last day there, so I decided to go out on a limb and try more than just one item. (I don’t get out much.) I wasn’t disappointed.

I’m not a big fan of chocolate chip cookies in general, but there was something about the way these looked in the case – like they were perfectly cooked. They were golden brown around the edges and spoke to me. Sure enough, chewy in the middle, loaded with chocolate chips, and no hint of being gluten-free. Yay Heather!

Next I tried the sugar cookie. I prefer a chewier consistency than what this offered, but I have to say, the flavor was unique and excellent. There was just a hint of a spice – perhaps cinnamon – that really made it a treat.

Last was a Nanaimo bar. I’d never had one of these before, and I was a bit reluctant to try it because it looked incredibly rich. I tend to appreciate more delicate flavors – but that’s just me. The flavor was a robust chocolate and a lovely creme. The consistency did not give away that it was gluten-free. Since I’d never tried one of these before, I didn’t have a clue what they were supposed to taste like, so I had a gluten-monger experienced with Nanaimos try it and he said it was right on the money. So there you have it. I spaced this treat out over about an hour’s time. Chocolate lovers will rejoice, for certain.

All gluten-free, all reasonably priced, and all delicious. Visit Heather’s Fairy Tale Bakery online at www.heathersfairytalebakery.com or in person at the address below.

Heather’s Fairy Tale Bakery
576 N Wynne
Colville, Washington

Healthy & Inexpensive Gluten-free Breakfast

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Here’s a quick video detailing a healthy, inexpensive and filling gluten-free breakfast, complete with nutritional information.  Enjoy!

Wendy’s Gluten-free Menu

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Of all the “fast food joints,” Wendy’s seems to be the friendliest towards folks with gluten intolerance.

You can check out their gluten-free menu here:  http://www.wendys.com/redesign/wendys/pdf/en_US_gluten_free_list.pdf  (new link as of 4-6-2014)

Sometimes, you just can’t help but need a bite to eat, and in a pinch – Wendy’s is my choice.  If you print out the gluten-free menu or at least study it before-hand, at least you won’t feel like you have no options next time the “this day went way longer than I expected and I’m out of snacks” happens to you.

Eat well!

The Organic Peddler in Del Norte, CO

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I’ve been bad lately.  I’ve been posting my gluten-free reviews to my regular blog instead of here.  Not that that matters, really, since no one seems to read this column anyway, but just in case this review helps one person find the food they need for their diet, here’s the link for it:  http://ksbrooks.wordpress.com/2011/04/22/review-the-organic-peddler-in-del-norte-co/

Gluten-Free Goodies at Whole Earth Center

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Date of Visit:  2-9-11
Whole Earth Center
360 Nassau Street
Princeton, NJ 08540
www.wholeearthcenter.com

Out of bread, snacks and patience during my cross-country adventure, my face became bright with hope as the Whole Earth Center on the eastern side of Princeton came into view. 

When I walked in, the store’s aromas soothed my mind, wooing me into a better mood.  An oasis of healthy living, its shelves loaded with organic goods, a deli offering gluten-free options, and an entire separate area dedicated to colorful produce from local growers.  As I had anticipated, the prices were a little higher than I was used to, but in the face of hunger, one has to make choices.

I chose a loaf of frozen bread for $7.19 and couldn’t resist the fresh-baked gluten-free cookies despite their $11/pound price.  Their assortment was excellent – at least 6 different flavors – and the homemade consistency and flavor were exceptional – worth every penny.  Even my non-gluten-free partner enjoyed them.

The staff was helpful and friendly, and the bathrooms were clean.

If you’re on the road and in need of something good to eat – stop in to the Whole Earth Center.

Gluten-Free Dining at the Ninety Nine

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2-5-11

RESTAURANT:
Ninety Nine Restaurant
149 So. Broadway
Salem, NH 03079
http://www.99restaurants.com/

Well this was a fun evening.  I hadn’t been to a 99 Restaurant in a very long time, and I’ll be honest with you, I was expecting it to be mediocre.  We picked the restaurant because of its convenient proximity to Route 93 in Salem, NH. I didn’t realize at the time that the “Nines” even had a gluten-free menu – one of my friends who met us there told me.  You can see the gluten-free menu on their website – the link is above.

To start, our waitress Connie was patient and gracious over the fact that our party arrived in spurts.  Then, when I asked for a gluten-free menu, she was very responsive.  That always gives me a good feeling.  (On the bill, it even says “allergy alert” next to my meal.) 

The food was served hot and in a timely manner.  And it was really good.  My 16 ounce sirloin tips were marinated and perfectly cooked until they were tender and delicious.  They came with excellent mashed potatoes and broccoli for only $11.99.  There was so much food I couldn’t eat it all.

Everyone at the table enjoyed their food, and Connie was even nice enough to take a photo of our group.   Well done, 99!

Josie’s Corner Cafe & Bake Shop, Fargo ND

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1-21-11

RESTAURANT:
Josie’s Corner Café & Bake Shop
524 Broadway
Fargo, ND 58102
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Josies-Corner-Cafe-Bake-Shop/73004689417
How nice was it to find this charming little place on a corner in Fargo after driving for hours in blinding snow all the way from Morris, Manitoba?  It was really, really nice.  And how much of a bonus was it to discover that Josie’s carries home made gluten-free cookies?  It was a HUGE bonus! 

On this cold and snowy day, to be able to get warmed up with hot tea in this cozy corner café was just wonderful.  We sat by the window, watching the snow and coddling our teas, enjoying our sweet cookie treats. 

The warm lighting, colorful artwork and stamped tin ceiling made for a lovely atmosphere.  Josie’s was a rejuvenating stop after a very stressful morning.