After my lovely deli experience at the Whole Foods in Redmond, WA I decided to try my luck at the Bend, OR store. This time I did the build a sandwich which meant I could pick from a bunch of options in several categories such as; spreads, meats, cheeses, veggies, etc. What I got (hummus and veggies) doesn’t really matter, what is notable is how different the sandwich was. First of all, in Redmond they used the whole grain Udi’s while in Bend it was the white Udi’s. I actually didn’t see the packaging, but I’m pretty sure on that. Then in Bend the sandwich was just 2 slices, while in Redmond it was 4. They also charged me less than the advertised price in Bend by $2.00 but think that was because I didn’t get any meats or cheeses. It was still a delicious treat to walk up to a deli counter and get a gluten free sandwich, but I was just a little surprised that Whole Foods’ around the Northwest weren’t standardized. I actually think that is actually a good thing~ variety is indeed a fragrant spice!

As much as I hate the fact that gluten free eating has been labeled a ‘trend’ I have enjoyed the upsurge in recognition of the diet. I was especially excited to see (on the Internet) a gluten free bakery in the two towns that happen to be where we are staying a few days on our vacation~ Lincoln City, Oregon and Bend, Oregon. The coast of Oregon is pretty small town-ish so I was quite surprised to see a website about a place called Lola’s that was a gluten free bakery, but, unfortunately I could not find it at the address where it was supposed to be, and it certainly was not for lack of trying. Out of business? I don’t know, but I wasn’t too upset because next we were headed to Bend with it’s own gf bakery to peruse. So, when I got to the Bend bakery I was met with an empty lot and a sign that said, “reorganizing…stay tuned.” Something tells me they don’t mean the shelves. So what is going on? Did these bakeries spring up only to not be able to sustain themselves? It’s a shame, but once again it makes me grateful to live in the greater Seattle region with it’s many gluten free options. We did go to a bakery on Newport Ave. in Bend, right next to the Newport Market, for coffee and I saw two gluten free options mixed in with the other regular cupcakes and such, and at Typhoon last night for dinner they were very accommodating and knowledgeable and making things gluten free, so there is definitely an awareness here. It makes me wonder if the ‘trend’ is dying though. Wonder what will be next…

Today I did something I haven’t done for years…went up to a deli counter and ordered a sandwich to go. It was so exciting! I never even realized how much I missed being able to do that. It was at Whole Foods and I am there every other day but never even thought to ask if they had gluten free bread back there in the deli. Today I did because my husband was getting one and I read the description of the ‘ranier’ and it sounded so delicious I just had to ask. I’m so glad I did! They used four pieces of Udi’s whole grain bread, then put the goods on and wrapped it like it was one big sandwich, so it was closer to the same size as the large french rolls they normally use. The Rainier sandwich is basically a caprese salad on bread with some greens piled on. Delicious. The only thing is, the bread got pretty soaked from the tomatoes and dressing very quickly, so as for taking the ‘to go’ sandwich far, it’d be better if it were a very dry sandwich.

The most noticeable thing about the gluten free fair yesterday was just how far all the gluten free foods have come since a few years ago. Everything we tried (I went there with my friend who can’t have gluten, dairy or eggs and her two little girls, one of whom can’t tolerate those items either) was good. Surprisingly good even. Of course, there were a lot of cookies and really, how bad can a cookie be? It seems like a lot of the gluten free companies are trending towards dairy and egg free too, probably because they get so many requests to modify for other allergies. There were also several soy free labels added on to the listings of food items that were not included. One that really stood out was Amy’s frozen mac and cheese that was indeed gluten free, dairy free and soy free. Quite good! The texture was spot on, the taste was creamy, and although it had a different taste than regular cheese, for those who can’t have any of the normal mac and cheese ingredients, this would hit the spot. There were cookies that you buy as cookie dough in the refrigerated section which had the nice benefit of being able to bake only as many as you want at a time. Schar was there with a variety of crackers that the girls both liked a lot~ including cheesy crackers that were simply gluten free. They are sticking with their specialty. The crackers from Glutino tasted the most like buttery crackers from my childhood that I’ve had since going gluten free. They have that same texture and thickness plus a dose of buttery-ness that I’m not sure is real butter or a substitute. (My personal favorite gluten free cracker is Blue Diamond though and it would take a lot to convert me. Their pecan nut thins are so salty and delicious.) Zing bars were there and we all tried the chocolate coconut flavor which was tasty, though you have to like that kind of bar~ the kind where it feels like the ingredients all were put into a processor until they come out in almost a jelly form, then cut into rectangles and baked to harden, kind of like the power bars of the 90’s except thinker and a little chunkier. I have no idea how they are actually made and I’m sure I’m far from the actual process, but there is just two basic ‘bars’ out there~ the somewhat granola-ish type, and then this other thick more processed type. I like the more granola kind best, but I know a lot of people like the other. Some of the Zing bars are just gluten free, others are also soy and/or dairy free, so make sure to read the label. There were others there, such as Udi’s and some salad dressings that we missed out on trying, but it looked as though those two companies were part of a gluten free barbecue outside that was certainly popular. In fact the whole fair, which consisted of vendors throughout the store giving out samples and information, was very well attended. There are so many people with food allergies now and it doesn’t seem like something that is miraculously going to go away. I’ve heard ‘gluten free’ called the new ‘low carb’, which is mildly insulting considering ‘low carb’ was a choice and no one is choosing gluten intolerance, but the I can understand the comparison in that the natural field always seems to grasp on to some trend or another and go whole hog with it. Didn’t someone say “moderation in all things”…? Anyway, all in all I was very glad we went and we both went home with new products that we tried.

My morning started out in the classic mother’s day fashion~ breakfast in bed. It contained fresh fruit, a scramble egg and an Udi’s blueberry muffin. This was the first time I’ve tried one of Udi’s baked goods besides their bread, (which I like the whole grain one but not so much the white version), although I eat their granola just about every morning. The muffin was light and spongy with a little dusting of sugar crystals on top and definitely was a nice bread-type accompaniment to the breakfast spread, but I wouldn’t buy them for general everyday mornings. I like baked goods with a bit more gravitas to them~ something substantial with maybe some healthy-ness to them. I’m glad I got to try them though and ate the whole thing by snacking on it all morning. (It was a large breakfast!)
Speaking of breakfast foods, my son loves Van’s french toast sticks. They are gluten free, egg free and dairy free which takes care of an awful lot of people. And they are good! I’ve tried them off my son’s plate and they taste like real food. They have that whole grain taste both my son and I crave without being overly filling like a bowl of oatmeal can sometimes feel.  His food sensitivities are much better than they were, but I still feel better starting him off with a breakfast that has none of his trigger points, and lately that means these french toast sticks and fresh strawberries.
Now my husband has taken the boys out to play with their uncle and his dog while I get to have a bit of time to relax. Ahhhh. Of course, being a mom I can’t help but look around and see other things I need to clean, so I better hop to it while I have the chance.

There are several gluten free english muffin recipes out there that look yummy, but they all also look a bit more labor intensive than I am used to with baked goods, which is a shame because I really miss Rudi’s Spelt english muffins in the mornings with either a hard boiled egg cut up on top, or cream cheese and sliced tomatoes. I decided to try Food For Life’s gf english muffins and have been pleasantly surprised. I bought them out of the freezer section so they went into my freezer and I take one out in the morning to let it defrost. Within about two hours or so it is completely defrosted and separated~ no fork needed. Toasted, they stay together well and have the exact same texture as expected from an english muffin. They are a nice treat, though not as good as the spelt ones, but that might be just me b/c I really loved the taste of spelt. Rudi’s spelt tortillas were another favorite, especially warmed with steamed broccoli and tofu inside and garlic sauce. Just not the same with corn tortillas, but still good.

Yesterday I was in the mood to cook, but everything I wanted to make seemed to have ingredients that I did not have in the house, and going to the store in the middle of the day on the weekends is something I try desperately to avoid. (Way too crowded.) I decided to flip through the Flying Apron cookbook to get some ideas, and found a recipe that I hadn’t noticed before called, Polenta Cannellini Bean Torte with Caponata. Most of the ingredients were things I already had, including the cannellini beans which I hadn’t used up with the last soup I made. A lot of people say you should not change a recipe the first time you make it, but I find that impossible to abide by because of a. food allergies and b. working with what I already have. To me it makes much more sense to look at a recipe for general guidelines, then incorporate whatever ingredients you have/like in the actual execution of the recipe. For that reason, and the fact that I don’t feel at liberty to write out someone else’s recipe here, I’m going to give some the basic idea of this Polenta/bean concoction and hope others riff off of it as I did, because it was surprisingly good. My meat-eating, gluten-tolerant husband was pleasantly surprised with this vegan, gluten free dish, which is always my biggest test. Here’s the general idea: Saute beans with onions and any spices, herbs, veggies, etc, in a pan. Prepare the polenta, or if using the premade store-bought kind, open it up and divide into two. Preheat oven to 350. Press half of the polenta into an oiled oven-friendly container. (I used a loaf pan but anything with sides will do.) Add the bean mixture then top with the rest of the polenta. Sprinkle the top with a bit more oil, salt and pepper and any other herbs/spices you want. Cook for about 25 minutes, or until the polenta is set. I’m excited about experimenting with other kinds of beans and veggies and love that it uses polenta, which is something I rarely eat even though it is delicious, gluten free, and easy to make. Plus this combination can be made to taste Italian, Mexican, Spanish, etc depending on the beans, veggies, and flavorings used~love the versatility. Flying apron always comes through with *flying* colors.