Gluten Free Living in a Non-Gluten Free World: Where You Should Eat And What You Could Try Archives - Page 2 of 7

May 6, 2015

Nothing Like Going To Some Weddings And The Beach Gluten Free & Pregnant: A 30 & 31 Week Update!

Ah there’s nothing like attending a wedding gluten free and very pregnant, so why not go to two? Dan and I were talking the other day about the last pregnancy versus this one and I couldn’t help but point out that it seems that my pregnancies have both been perfectly timed with everyone around us getting married, seeing as I’ve only really attended weddings in my mommy-to-be status over the past few years. So this time around we’ve been invited to two weddings spanning a week and a half this Spring, both of which taking place in the last leg of my pregnancy.

30 weeks and all dressed up! — 30 weeks in my best wedding attire!

Last weekend, at 30 weeks, we had the pleasure of attending my cousin’s wedding. Getting all dressed up while you’re expecting can be a great way to make a mommy-to-be feel a bit more glowy and beautiful than usual but it can also be pretty overwhelming in the actual getting dressed department. There’s no easy way around it, you need a bigger dress to accommodate your growing bump which in most maternity departments apparently translates to a growing height as well. I scoured stores and online for any dressy maternity option out there and even ordered a few to try out but it seems like it’s a huge feat to find the perfect formal dress for a short, pregnant woman. Just a reminder maternity stores, there are short, pregnant women out there and we only expand in the midsection not in our height when we’re expecting. So after turning maternity departments inside and out Dan joined in the efforts and we finally decided on two non-maternity but slightly stretchy dresses courtesy of Lord and Taylor.

Getting all dressed up in my first dress was a great way to get some of my glow back after not feeling so great the past few weeks and the wedding was pretty fun too. Weddings are always tough to attend gluten free so as far as the food was considered I’m never a huge fan of wedding food since most of it is chock full of gluten but armed with gluten free snacks and at least a guaranteed gluten free main course I was ready to have some fun and celebrate the day with my cousin. It was a great way to ring in my last ten weeks of pregnancy, feeling great and surrounded by everyone we love.

A beautiful spring day at the beach at 31 weeks! — A beautiful Spring day at the beach at 31 weeks!

With the first of our two weddings behind us and a week full of beautiful and actually slightly warm Spring days ahead we decided to treat our little family of three plus Nanny and Pop Pop to a day at the boardwalk as I turned into my 31st week. We took advantage of one of the gorgeous days and planned a quick trip to the boardwalk where we could enjoy the small aquarium, arcade games, the beach, and let’s not forget the non-gluten free boardwalk treats that I knew my little one would just love. The aquarium was a huge hit but the star of the day by far was spending a little bit of time playing on the beach. Our little girl loves the beach, water, sand, sea shells, all of it and couldn’t get enough of collecting shells and digging her hands and feet in the sand. It was tough to pull her away but I knew enticing her with lunch and a special snack would be the only thing that could beat staying on the beach. Next up, boardwalk pizza for the non-gluten free adults and as chosen by our little girl, some Kohrs orange and vanilla ice cream, a perfect choice that only her mommy would choose as well. While everyone enjoyed their boardwalk specialties I nibbled on some treats that I brought from home, again not very fun when you’re surrounded by amazing foods that look and smell delicious, especially while pregnant, but a few minutes of bliss would certainly not be worth the sickness after.

A great way to kick off my weeks in the 30s and even though I’m getting more and more tired as the days tick by I want to make sure that we always take advantage of any good weather and squeeze in special times like these. So what else is going on on the pregnancy front? Well the third trimester acid reflux and nausea are still present and accounted for but I know those will go when we meet our little girl. And even though I’m hungry almost 100% of the time, my appetite is just never quite there so eating is still a challenge but thankfully I have some of my favorite gluten free standbys that can help fill my belly from time to time.

But I guess what’s been overwhelming me the most as we’ve started down this last stretch is the anxiety about the delivery and postpartum recovery, which is becoming more and more heightened as my weeks pass by. There are always uncertainties about any birth but for my delivery it seems that there are a million open ended questions making it really hard to relax and not worry. Even though I had a c-section with my first little girl, since things didn’t go as smoothly as we had hoped we’re crossing our fingers that the stars align and our prayers are answers to have an uneventful vbac this time around. However, with the complications from my first delivery and the difficulties my venous angioma may present my doctors requested that I meet with the hospital anesthiologist to go over what happened last delivery and what the plan may be for this time around. So that was yesterday’s fun endeavor and to keep a long story short, delivering babies via a vbac with my added complications makes for a very scared mommy and daddy. Of course all of the worst case scenarios were laid out in front of us but having endured a few rare occurrences last delivery makes some of those seem more possible. So from here on it’s lots of prayers for a healthy baby but also a healthy mommy and that our delivery can be as peaceful and uneventful as we hope it will be.

Sincerely,

Lindsay (31 weeks)

May 5, 2015

Some Magic Kingdom Love, A Dole Whip For Mommy-To-Be, & Some Kona Cafe Gluten Free Noodles To Top Our Day Off!

Looking at Disney pictures is always a love/hate relationship, loving the memories that we made but hating that we’re not there right now but as they always say if you’re doing something all of the time it’s not as special anymore. Our last full day in Disney this year we tried out a breakfast at Crystal Palace and had some relaxing time meandering through Magic Kingdom before indulging in some dinner at the Polynesian courtesy of Kona Cafe.

We started our day off bright and early with a not-so-fun breakfast at Crystal Palace. Little one was not a fan of Winnie the Pooh and friends and I wasn’t very pleased with the gluten free food so needless to say the breakfast as a whole wasn’t a winner but thankfully it didn’t put a damper on the rest of the day. Once we finished with breakfast we were ready to explore some of the less frequented rides before our scheduled fast passes later in the day. But before the riding commenced we had to sneak in some photo time with Baby Girl #2’s first set of ears to commemorate her trip in Mommy’s belly, it was also a perfect way to announce that we were expecting a little girl.

A special baby announcement with the help of Minnie!

After a few pictures in the new gardens in front of the castle, we headed straight for Adventureland to enjoy some of our favorite attractions. Since we had only eaten a very light breakfast at Crystal Palace we were all more than ready for something to eat for an early lunch after a little bit of riding. Since we were in Adventureland we decided to try out Tortuga Tavern for Dan and little one while I requested a Dole Whip. They loved their nachos and cheese quesadilla and as for my Dole Whip, well let’s just say that the cup looks so much prettier when it’s filled with all of this deliciousness instead of empty. Everyone has their own way of enjoying a Dole Whip, mine is to get pineapple and vanilla swirl in pineapple juice, a huge winner for me pregnant or not pregnant! It is by far one of my favorite gluten free snacks in Disney World and a great use of a snack credit on the dining plan!

Gluten free Dole Whip, pineapple/vanilla swirl in pineapple juice! — Gluten free Dole Whip, pineapple/vanilla swirl in pineapple juice, at Aloha Isle!

Don’t worry I didn’t just eat a Dole Whip for lunch I did indulge in a few more snacks later on like Disney’s signature popcorn and roasted nuts from my favorite stand by Dumbo in Fantasyland. But in-between all of the snacking it was time to use our fastpasses for some of favorite rides like Winnie the Pooh, Little Mermaid, and Peter Pan with a few character meet and greets with Cinderella’s stepsisters and Ariel in there as well. It was a relaxing way to enjoy some time in Magic Kingdom and as our little one faded we decided to head out early, meander through some shops, and get in some pool time before our dinner later on.

Kona Cafe Gluten Free Chicken And Noodle Dish — Kona Cafe Gluten Free Pan-Asian Noodle and Chicken Dish

After a decent size nap, little one woke up back in the room where Mommy and Daddy were doing the less fun packing to go home. So we could squeeze in a little more time packing we treated little one to a Mickey lollipop and some tv time. Finally she donned her best Ariel bathing suit and joined Daddy for some perfect pool time while Mommy was on picture duty lounging outside of the pool. She certainly loves herself some time splashing around in the pool so I’m so glad we were able to squeeze in another round before one of our most anticipated dinners at Kona Cafe.

Before too long we were back at the Polynesian and ready for our dinner, a personal favorite for me in the gluten free department. After being seated, I was handed the new gluten free menu which I can say had both pros and cons. I definitely liked how you could see all of your options without waiting to speak to the chef and even though you can still request to speak with the chef I did feel like they didn’t really prefer you to do so now that the menu was clear. I personally always prefer to speak to someone who is knowledgeable about the food whether it’s a manager or chef but this trip I decided to forego that request and just order by the menu. I ordered my favorite Pan-Asian Noodle and Chicken dish with the Kilauea Torte for dessert and emphasized that they needed to be done very carefully and gluten free, unfortunately our waiter wasn’t very pleasant and just laughed at my request. I was so taken aback by his response that I told him that I’d get very ill and it wasn’t something to laugh about. This kind of reaction isn’t really new to me but at Disney it certainly was, so needless to say I was less than pleased with him the rest of our meal.

Our meals arrived shortly after the bread course which is always a winner for little one and I definitely enjoy the warmed gluten free dinner rolls with the special butter too. While little one gobbled down her Mickey raviolis, a star in her book, I nibbled at my noodle dish. I have to say that this time around I think a little too much seasoning was added for my taste and it was pretty dry too, not having nearly enough sauce like it always does. I’m not sure if it was the lack of talking to the chef personally or if that was just coincidence but after our experience this time around with the waiter I’ll most certainly always be speaking with the chef from here on. Despite the little bit of a flop that my main entree took, the dessert was just as delicious as always, the chocolaty lava cake spilling over with warm chocolate sauce inside was divine. Check out one of my older reviews to catch a peak of this delicious gluten free dessert option.

All together, our last full day was fantastic, great weather, great food, and tons of smiles and laughs, can’t ask for a better day than that. And to put the perfect finishing touch on the day we managed to make one final viewing of little one’s favorite parade. She loved everything about it, the music, the lights and floats, but by far her favorite part was waving frantically and screaming hi to every single friend she saw even getting a special hug hello from Snow White. There’s no doubt our little one is a Disney lover, I mean she watches Disney Junior daily, but watching our little two year old be so in love with a place as special as Disney World is beyond magical for her Mommy and Daddy.

Stay tuned for our last day’s worth of treats and adventures!

Sincerely,

Lindsay (31 weeks)

April 27, 2015

Back To Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival 2015 For A Lot More Flowers & A Tasty Gluten Free Dinner

Since our previous day at Epcot was on the chillier side we wanted to make sure we got back over there to enjoy the flowers, butterflies, and characters in a little bit of a warmer climate and thankfully we picked the perfect day for all of that. With the sun out and a little bit of a cool breeze first thing in the morning, we were off to explore some of the countries we missed the first time around and even squeeze in some of little one’s favorite rides! Before the World Showcase opened we finally made our way on Spaceship Earth which we had the pleasure of riding in French (makes for a funny ride and after story that’s for sure lol), Nemo and the aquarium which our little one loved exploring on her own, the butterfly garden which was just as much fun this time around as it was the first time, and I can’t forget our second visit to see Mickey, Goofy, and Minnie, friends that little one just had to revisit.

Mommy & little one love by the butterfly topiaries!

Once the World Showcase had opened it was time for us to head over and venture through some of the countries little one had slept through on our first Epcot day. Mexico was a big hit with the Donald featured boat ride along with actually getting to see the big guy himself right outside. Then we were onto Norway which was the perfect pit stop for a light lunch along with a sweet treat, not for myself unfortunately, sorry gluten free folks out there, but a winner for my daughter and husband. With someone’s belly filled with a little sandwich and a lot a sweet pastry, we were on our way again to explore a couple more countries before our planned early dinner in Italy.

Day 6 (6) — Lunch at Epcot’s Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar started with some SPECTACULAR gluten free bread by Rotella’s Italian Bakery.

After a fun filled morning, little one decided to close her eyes for a bit after an impromptu Snow White visit. While little one napped, Mommy and Daddy wondered through some gift shops and then parked in a perfectly shaded spot next to the lake to enjoy the cool breeze that almost put us down for our naps too. Before long, we were all up and going again and decided to head in for an early dinner at Tutto Gusto, the wine cellar in Italy that’s become by far of our favorite dining locations in Epcot. We were seated quickly and greeted by our waitress who brought along the manager to take my gluten free order. Not surprisingly I went with my usual favorite of Gluten Free Pasta Pomodoro with the Chocolate Cherry Panna Cotta for dessert, but not without a starter of gluten free bread.

The non-gluten free bread sticks and focaccia arrived for Dan and little one which made a certain somebody a happy camper with a bread stick in one hand and a cup of apple juice in the other. Not too long after, my plate arrived with some very appetizing new gluten free bread that I hadn’t had before. After some inquiries I found out that they weren’t too pleased with their previous gluten free offerings so they had chosen to go with a new brand of gluten free bread by Rotella’s Italian Bakery. This bread was by far the best gluten free bread I’ve ever had! It was fresh, soft, not crumbly in the slightest bit, and had some pull just like a normal slice of bread. It was SPECTACULAR, so much so I’ve already inquired on their website about hopefully ordering some for my enjoyment at home.

Day 6 (7) — Gluten Free Pasta Pomodoro courtesy of Epcot’s Tutto Gusto!

The gluten free bread was soon finished and this mommy-to-be couldn’t get over the sense of euphoria that the delectable bread put me in. It really was such a treat to enjoy a truly phenomenal gluten free bread that required no preparation and was just pulled straight from the bag! Anyway, soon after the bread delivery our main courses arrived and my Gluten Free Pasta Pomodoro looked just as delicious as always, so much so that little one decided to share my pasta with me instead of even tasting her chicken fingers. The pasta was cooked perfectly and was enveloped in a delicious tomato sauce with chunks of tomato and bits of burrata cheese scattered throughout. This is a perfect way to enjoy gluten free pasta and will keep us coming back for many trips to come.

Day 6 (9) — A Gluten Free Chocolate Cherry Panna Cotta is the perfect way to end a meal at Tutto Gusto!

And without further delay, my chocolaty dessert arrived making mommy and baby very happy. The Chocolate Cherry Panna Cotta is an amazing example of a gluten free dessert that goes above and beyond offering a plate of fruit or cup of sorbet. The cherries on top are delicious of course but the star for me is the chocolate panna cotta below which is light and airy but creamy at the same time, a delicious treat for any diner but especially a gluten free one who rarely gets to indulge in desserts like these.

Day 6 (4) — Mommy, Daddy, and Baby #2 while little one slept before dinner!

Dinner at Tutto Gusto was as always perfection. The staff there are phenomenal and perfectly attentive to the needs of a gluten free diner along with a little toddler who loves to say hello and show off her coloring and play-doh masterpieces. With another amazing meal under our belts at Tutto Gusto, it’s now become a must do dining experience with every vacation.

Day 6 (19) — A perfect ending to our Epcot experience during our 2015 Disney Vacation.

Since we had finished with dinner a bit earlier than usual we took our time meandering back through the rest of the countries and decided to hop on the monorail to enjoy some Magic Kingdom fun along with the parade later on that night. Our day in Epcot was such a relaxing one, allowing us to enjoy the warmer weather while exploring all of the Flower and Garden festivities with some Epcot fun in-between. We’re Epcot lovers so a little extra time there was perfect and definitely topped off an already special trip.

Sincerely,

Lindsay (30 weeks)

April 17, 2015

Warmer Days Were Ahead In Our 2015 Disney Adventure, Starting With Some Animal Kingdom Fun!

We love our Animal Kingdom days not only for the park itself but also the sheer fact that they are hands down much more relaxing and slower paced than any of the other days in our vacation. This time around our Animal Kingdom day was no different and was perfectly timed right in the middle of our trip. So with a little extra sleep under our belts and a slightly later breakfast we were off to indulge my little animal lover in one of her favorite adventures in Disney.

First on our schedule was the safari which I know some say is off limits when you’re pregnant but having ridden the ride before when pregnant I felt more than comfortable. We requested the front row in our vehicle so it was slightly less bumpy for this expecting mommy and we were off to enjoy the safari. We all loved this ride, by far one of our favorites in Animal Kingdom and if you haven’t heard this recommendation before, I highly recommend hopping on this one first thing as most of the animals are up and about. After our safari ride we wandered the shaded, curvy paths, letting our little girl get some energy out in a less congested venue while seeing some her favorite animals. With animal watching checked off the itinerary it was time for some snacks, a gluten free, frozen chocolate and nut covered banana for mommy and a Mickey pretzel for little one while we headed off to watch some of the best shows Animal Kingdom has to offer and Dan hopped on a rollercoaster. P.S. I love the frozen banana, such a delicious gluten free treat!!!!

With a full morning of fun we were more than ready for some lunch. Now this was an adventure to say the least. Just a word of warning if you’re visiting Animal Kingdom right now, there’s a lot of construction going on in certain areas so that means a lot of walls which isn’t a huge deal. Unfortunately though, our all time favorite lunch location in this park, Flame Tree Barbecue, has been closed for refurbishment since earlier this year so it too was walled up and missing. Good news is that you can still order some of their amazing barbecue offerings at other stands nearby and even dine at some of the pavillions towards the river but for the gluten free vacationer things are a bit more complicated than usual. Thankfully I could still order myself some gluten free pulled pork with a manager who was called to the stand, but the portion was much smaller than usual and you were limited to only getting a bag of chips for a side rather than the delicious fries that I love so much at Flame Tree. The meal was delicious as always of course but I just could have gone for a lot more pulled pork than what I actually got. I for one can’t wait until the refurbishments are finished and I can enjoy some gluten free barbecue in all of the splendor Flame Tree is known for!

While lunch was a little different than always, it was a huge relief that I could personally still enjoy my usual but sadly there was an even bigger disappointment in store at Animal Kingdom for the gluten free folks. One of my all time favorite perks of visiting Animal Kingdom is indulging in a BabyCakes breakfast treat, courtesy of the allergy stand, but unfortunately the menu has changed a bit and there appears to be little to no BabyCakes gluten free treats at the allergy stand any longer. I had heard that the product offerings had changed but crossed my fingers and hoped for the best anyway that maybe that day would be my lucky day. Sadly, it wasn’t, they no longer seem to offer my all time favorite gluten free treats by BabyCakes, their delicious and perfect donuts. I believe they still offer the cupcakes but I can’t tell you how disappointed I was that instead of the fresh BabyCakes breakfast treats they now offer the donuts by Kinnikinnick. I’m hoping that one day I’ll be lucky enough to witness a return of BabyCakes gluten free donuts, and maybe even more products, to the Animal Kingdom allergy stand and hopefully even more locations throughout Disney.

Overall our day in Animal Kingdom was fantastic as always with a few hiccups dining wise but with an early dinner scheduled at a new dining location for us we couldn’t have been more excited for our meal to come. So we called it an early afternoon and took a short bus ride over to Animal Kingdom Lodge. We’d never dined at any restaurant at Animal Kingdom Lodge before but we’ve always wanted to take a peak at the stunning resort and dabble in some of the eats, Dan more so than I seeing as I’m much more of a conservative and less adventurous diner. So this vacation we thought it would be a great time to dine with the animals in clear view and enjoy some new cuisine at Sanaa.

Gluten Free Naan at Sanaa! — Gluten Free Naan at Sanaa with three accompaniments!

We arrived early afternoon to hopefully explore the resort a bit while little one napped. The nap part was successful but instead of exploring we/I decided to rest our feet on a beautiful, shaded porch where we could watch giraffes, birds, and zebras wander by. It was the perfect, relaxing nap time with amazing views of all Animal Kingdom has to offer but the views from the porch were nothing compared to the front row seating at Sanaa itself. We checked in early and managed to snag a perfect seat right in front of a window allowing us to see all kinds of wildlife pass by. Little one was in rare form to start the meal so things were a bit chaotic at the beginning but thankfully they calmed down a bit allowing all of us all to take in the beauty of the experience.

Normally I’m hesitant to try new things but while pregnant I’m even more so mostly because of my extraordinarily sensitive palette and stomach. The gluten free menu had a huge selection but I decided to go simple and start with the gluten free version of the bread service that I’ve been reading so many phenomenal things about and try the tomato soup for my main dish. Along with the gluten free naan I chose three accompaniments including the Roasted Red Bell Pepper Hummus, Mango Chutney, and Cucumber Raita.

I cannot say enough fantastic things about the gluten free naan. It was AMAZING!!! While I’m not sure what regular naan is supposed to taste and feel like, the gluten free version is beyond phenomenal. I only wish I could indulge in the soft and chewy textured bread service while at home but that’s why vacations are special right! As far as the three accompaniments, I mostly chose them because the chef suggested them as the non-spicy options and I’m so glad that she did. The hummus and raita were by far my favorites, the mango chutney wasn’t really up my alley mostly because of the sweetness but Dan personally loved it. Thanks to the gluten free bread service alone at Sanaa we’ll definitely be back in the future, and I may even order my very own bread!

While Dan and little one’s main dishes arrived, my tomato soup had as well. The tomato soup was perfectly seasoned with a few pieces of cheese floating around as well, making it a perfect little dish. Even though the soup was definitely tasty, one of my least favorite pregnancy ailments had been large and in charge that day of our vacation so thanks to my acid reflux I only could enjoy a little bit.

I just couldn’t get over the amazing view we had while we were eating dinner. Most of the animals we were able to see grazing around and occasionally walking by but we were fortunate enough to have a closer visit from a little someone. Excuse my lack of knowledge of wildlife but we liked to call him the funny haired, tall bird who seemed to really enjoy the restaurant diners, coming over repeatedly and pecking at the windows where we were seated, definitely brought a few smiles to our little girl.

Gluten free Kulfi! — Sanaa’s Gluten Free Coconut Kulfi!

Dinner at any Disney restaurant isn’t complete without dessert so after rave reviews of all of our main dishes, we were ready to enjoy something sweet. I opted for the gluten free Kulfi which happened to be coconut that evening with some fresh fruit. It was certainly a delicious dessert but I’m personally not a huge fan of coconut so I only took a few bites and shared my fruit with little one who seemed to prefer mommy’s dessert over her own s’more sundae, certainly not what her mommy would’ve chosen out of the two. I’ve read that the Kulfi flavors do change so I’m certain I would’ve loved a different flavor but for me this one was just too much coconut.

sdfsd — Ending a peaceful Animal Kingdom day with a little Magic Kingdom fun, parade, fireworks, and some more night time splendors!

Our day at Animal Kingdom and dinner at Animal Kingdom Lodge were fantastic! It’s still one of our favorite days during our vacation and I can officially say after rave reviews from Dan and nearly finished portion of naan pizza by little one that we’ll be dining again at Sanaa. I’d say this Disney day was a success and I’ll be dreaming of that amazing gluten free naan until we meet again!

Sincerely,

Lindsay (28 weeks)

April 9, 2015

Some Hollywood Studios Fun With A Few Jackets And Lots of Delicious, Gluten Free Food

In all of my Disney travels over the years I can never remember having to wear a jacket, let alone pants. But our 4th day in Disney was definitely on the chillier side so jackets and pants were a must. The short spurt of chilly weather in the middle of our trip was certainly a rarity for us on our Disney vacations but I have to say I preferred it over the sweltering heat that we usually have experienced on our summer vacations. So with sweatshirts, jackets, and pants on we were prepared for our half a day in Hollywood Studios.

We usually don’t spend too much time in Hollywood Studios seeing as there’s a ton for our little one to do but we certainly packed a lot into our shortened day. We started off with a bang and twisted and turned on the Toy Story ride, which our little girl happened to love this time, attempting to pull the string and play the game with her too big 3D glasses on. On the way to Daddy’s Aerosmith rollercoaster, we had to make a quick stop to give some hugs to Pluto and Chip and Dale. We were back in route again and Daddy was off to ride his ride while little one and I picked up a new pressed penny book and added some new pressed pennies. After a little rest for Mommy and little one a warm bench, Daddy soon reappeared and we were off to catch the Disney Junior show, which is always a winner, followed by some hugs, kisses, and a little dancing too with Sofia and Jake. The last adventure before lunch was our little girl’s first time in the Honey I Shrunk The Kids inspired land which she absolutely loved; anything that includes climbing ropes, running around, and conquering twisty paths and slides is a winner for our courageous little girl.

Gluten free lunch at Studio Catering Co.. — Gluten free greek salad lunch at Studio Catering Co..

Since we were right next door we decided on Studio Catering Co. for lunch which in my book is a huge winner for gluten free diners. In the past I’ve taken advantage of their delicious gluten free roll choice and enjoyed a sandwich and fries, take a look at the Gluten Free Italian sandwich, but this lunch I was more in the mood for a salad so it was a gluten free greek salad this time around. My salad was put together safely and in a separate space and I was able to watch every bit of it being put together making me feel a lot more comfortable. Soon enough all of our meals were delivered and I was enjoying a Gluten Free Greek Salad with my favorite, an OMG Gluten Free Fudge Brownie for dessert. It was a perfect lunch, just enough to tide me over until a little snack that afternoon, a strawberry macaron maybe?

We finished up our day at Hollywood Studios with the Little Mermaid show, another winner for little one and headed out as our little girl had fallen asleep. We’d never taken the boats from Hollywood Studios but we decided it was a great opportunity especially since we had dinner at Epcot a little later and we could probably keep little one sleeping a little while longer that way. So with that we got a tour via boat of some of the other resorts between Hollywood Studios and Epcot and finally arrived at Epcot’s back corner near France. Since little girl was still sleeping and we happened to be in the right neck of the woods, I enjoyed another Gluten Free Strawberry Macaron from the snack stand while we put our feet up to enjoy some peace and quiet over in England.

Gluten free dinner at Rose & Crown Pub in Epcot's England. — Gluten free dinner at Rose & Crown Pub in Epcot’s England.

As nap time came to a close we decided to try to sneak in for an earlier dinner in England since it had warmed up enough to maybe enjoy an outdoor seat on the lake. Lucky us we were squeezed in early and got a great seat by an outdoor heater with a great view of the lake and the hustle and bustle on the main street, plenty to occupy our rambunctious toddler. Our waitress was phenomenal and made sure all of us were well taken care of, especially making sure the chef, Chef Joe, was out and tending to my gluten free needs without too much delay. We’ve dined at Rose & Crown before so Chef Joe actually remembered us, even recalling my order of a Gluten Free Filet with Garlic Herb Butter, Green Beans, and Garlic Mashed Potatoes. It was great to see a familiar face in the ordering process, especially one that remembered us too. So without further delay our orders were all placed and our food was soon on its way.

A Rose & Crown Pub gluten free filet with crispy green beans and garlic mashed potatoes.

The filet with the garlic, herb butter sauce was just as delicious as before, Chef Joe really did me proud. Each bite was just as tasty as the last and even though this pregnant mommy has really been off of meat this pregnancy I managed to eat a huge portion of my filet. I should mention that the accompaniments were just as delicious as the main star on the plate. The string beans were fresh and crispy and the garlic mashed potatoes were so creamy and had just the right amount of garlic. My main dish was delicious but I definitely was looking forward to a sweet treat at the end.

Rose and Crown gluten free English trifle with layers of fruit and custard, hold the cookie. — Rose & Crown gluten free English trifle with layers of fruit and custard, hold the cookie.

Per Chef Joe’s recommendation, I went with the Gluten Free English Trifle, sans the cookie, which is layers of fruit and custard. The custard was phenomenal and the strawberries were a perfect match. While I certainly enjoyed my dessert it was even better watching our little girl, who ordered the same treat I had but with the cookie addition, enjoy hers even more. Spoonful after spoonful elicited that grin and “mmm” sound making all of us smile along with her enjoyment.

All in all, I can’t say enough great things about dining gluten free at the Rose & Crown Pub. My whole family, along with our little girl, loves dining here each and every time, this time being no exception. Our meal outdoors, even though it was chilly, was so fun and made even better by our waitress who our little girl just loved talking and playing show and tell with. While the staff are truly fantastic as a whole, the highlight for us was the attentiveness of the chef. The chef himself brings out your meal and dessert and even checks on you to make sure all was to your liking. Chef Joe does a fantastic job catering to any request and deserves a huge thank you from my family and probably many others for the great work he does behind the scenes.

It was a perfect day in Disney, a little chilly, but from start to finish filled with good food and lots of fun. We had a great day in Hollywood Studios and an even better night in Epcot which we topped off with few rides. What we love about each of our Disney trips is that every day in Disney is special and holds so many different memories. This trip was no different and by Day 4 we had already created so many special memories and we couldn’t wait to enjoy even more the next few days!

Stay tuned for some Animal Kingdom fun!

Sincerely,

Lindsay (27 weeks)

March 30, 2015

Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival To Start Day 3 & Dinner At Hollywood Studio’s Brown Derby To Finish

If you’ve never been to Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival and you’re able to, I highly recommend planning your next Disney vacation between March and May to experience it. We were lucky enough to get down to Disney last May and we caught the tail end of the Flower and Garden Festival, but this year we were able to experience the kick off of the festival in all of its glory, from the concerts and food to the topiaries and our daughter’s favorite, the butterfly greenhouse! Each and every bit of Epcot we always love but the Spring additions made it that much better!

A day at Epcot's Flower & Garden Festival 2015. — A day at Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival 2015!

In the past, we’ve experienced your typical Disney vacation with very humid and hot days trekking through the parks, so vacationing this time in March was a totally different experience. I’ve never had to wear a jacket or two while I was on vacation in Disney but that’s vacationing in March for you, never know what weather you’ll get. So while most of our days in Disney were much more mild warm to hot, sunny days, we had about 1 1/2 to 2 days where the weather was in the 60s warming up sometimes to the 70s. It was actually a really nice treat to be in Disney and not be in sweltering heat like we have been every vacation in the past, but all I have to say is thank goodness I packed some maternity pants and jackets because this mommy-to-be would have been rocking some men’s winter Disney attire for a few days!

Loved all of the topiaries, but this one by far was our little girl's favorite! — Loved all of the topiaries, but this one by far was our little girl’s favorite!

So with a few layers we were ready to start our chillier day in Epcot and enjoy all that the festival had to offer. First up was the creme de la creme for my little girl, she was going to meet her favorite friends, Mickey, Goofy, and Minnie, but not without a quick pit stop to see Pluto first, without a line I may add. Her visits were filled with frantic waves and jumping in excitement to tons of hugs and kisses galore, these are by far her best friends in the world and there’s certainly no denying how much she loves them. After paying her friends a visit we were on to experience Soarin’, well Mommy and Daddy anyway, meanwhile little one collected some pressed pennies for her new book. Afterwards it was back to rides for our little girl, from the The Land to Nemo and her favorite experience, the aquarium. By the time we finished up with the early morning rides we decided to head over and check out the butterfly greenhouse. This was amazing and really made our daughter’s Epcot day extra special. She just loved spotting all of the butterflies flying around her and landing in the flowers, so much so that we probably did a good three to four laps around the greenhouse.

A turkey leg lunch in America while Dan enjoyed some food stand treats! — A turkey leg lunch in America while Dan enjoyed his very first Fish and Chips!

After taking in the butterflies it was time for the World Showcase to open so we headed over to start our worldwide adventure which was going to be chock full of princess visits. Since opening time is around lunch time we managed to squeeze in Alice in Wonderland and Belle before we were all chomping at the bit for some lunch. While Dan headed over to try out the Fish and Chips in England and our little girl was kept satisfied with a German soft pretzel, I decided to go with another Turkey Leg in America. To be honest, gluten free lunch options that are up my alley are few and far between in Epcot so I’m usually stuck nibbling on snacks but this time around mommy and baby needed something more substantial. The turkey leg was just as delicious as always and made a perfectly filling lunch.

Gorgeous flowers around the water. Can you spot the Mickey? — Gorgeous flowers around the water.

Once we were all refueled, we wandered through some more countries and finally arrived at my little girl’s favorite princess. Thankfully by this time it had started to warm up so we could all take our jackets off while waiting in the sunny line for Snow White, which normally is extremely unpleasant when it’s blistering hot but it was warmly welcomed on this day. Finally the big moment arrived and our little girl could give that long awaited hug to Snow White.

A dream dessert for any gluten free, pregnant mommy!

It was a long morning so not surprisingly after Snow White our little one crashed giving Mommy and Daddy a chance to see the countries a bit more and then sit down for some much needed rest ourselves but not without a special snack for mommy. I eyed this treat up since I first saw the Flower and Garden Festival menu so to say I was a little excited that it was indeed gluten free would be an understatement. So on our way to find some quiet benches for the rest of nap time we stopped at the food stand in France and picked up a Gluten Free Strawberry Marshmallow Macaron!

A Gluten Free Strawberry Marshmallow Macaron!

This macaron was AMAZING! I’m normally not a huge macaron person but this one was perfection. A light cookie with just the right amount of strawberry sweetness stuffed with a delicious marshmallow and a surprise strawberry jam center. It was a perfect little snack for this mommy-to-be, so perfect in fact I may have gotten another while we were in Epcot later in the trip!

After a great half a day in Epcot it started to get more chilly so we headed back to Wilderness Lodge to get changed before dinner that night. Ever since we had made our dinner reservations months ago we’ve really been looking forward to experiencing the Hollywood Brown Derby for the first time. I’d read really good things about the food and we decided to splurge on a special meal for just us three this time around. Sadly though, from start to finish the meal was a disaster and the food did not live up to the hype. We arrived for our 5:15 reservation and were left chasing around our little one for about 45 minutes until we were seated, needless to say we were exhausted before dinner even started and weren’t too happy about the late start. Our waiter took forever to greet us and was less than pleasant the entire meal but nevertheless I held out hope that their Cobb salad would meet my high expectations. Well, I had a good hour and a half to build up more excitement for my salad because we hadn’t seen any food until then, not even bread. I even had to flag the manager down to complain and hurry things along so at least our little girl had her food in the meantime but to say I was starving would be an understatement.

Creme brulee trio at Hollywood Brown Derby.

Finally, our food had arrived without any apology of the severe delay. The Gluten Free Cobb Salad was okay, nothing that I’d be too thrilled about and Dan sadly felt the same way about his meal. We quickly ordered dessert so we could get out of there before it got too late but it seems quickly doesn’t exist in that restaurant. My premade Creme Brulee trio took quite awhile to arrive and was again pretty underwhelming. As a whole, we most certainly would never dine at Brown Derby again not only because the service was terrible, I mean literally the worst we’d seen in Disney where each and every meal we’d ever had has been fantastic, but also because the food we felt didn’t warrant 2 meals from the dining plan.

It was an unfortunate ending to a really great day but thankfully that night we were able to catch a glimpse of the Magic Kingdom fireworks from our nice and warm room. Can’t ask for a better ending to a day then that! Stay tuned for more Disney fun!

Lindsay (26 weeks)

March 23, 2015

From First Roller Coasters & Gluten Free Slushies To All You Can Eat Ohana Dinner & Fireworks, A Perfect Disney Day!

Even though we’re not in Disney anymore doesn’t mean the magic is completely gone. And as we’re submerged deep in the trenches of potty training our little girl I just love taking some time and going through the tons of pictures and videos that we have from our most recent trip. Thanks to my blog, I get to relive my Disney days more often and share them with our little girl who even though loved every bit of Disney then, seems to be more than happy to be back in her normal routine, even taking huge steps towards potty training! So without further ado, today I’m taking you along on one of our Magic Kingdom days on our Disney 2015 vacation which was filled with rides, parades, pool time, and delicious gluten free food!

Since Magic Kingdom is home to some of our little girl’s favorite rides, and honestly mine too, we always try to sneak in as much time there as possible. Our second day in Disney was the perfect opportunity for an extra magic hour Magic Kingdom morning, pool time in the afternoon, dinner across the lake at the Polynesian, and a night filled with some rides, a parade, and fireworks too! After a gluten free breakfast sandwich courtesy of Roaring Forks at our home resort of Wilderness Lodge, we headed out to start our day with an early morning boat ride over to our favorite park and caught the opening show just in time. When the rush inside commenced, we took our time making our way back to hop on some non-fastpassed rides before the pre-planned ride surprises we had for our little girl. The biggest surprise of all was the Barnstormer which was up first so Dan took our growing toddler on her very first fast ride and pregnant mommy stood down below crossing her fingers that only smiles would walk through the gate, no tears. Just moments later I saw them soaring down the ride, smiling and seeming like they had plenty of fun, whew. It was a great morning filled with plenty of rides, some new to our little girl, and character visits that just melt my heart when I look back at them.

With a couple of hours in for the day already, we had an early lunch reservation at Be Our Guest so we headed over to check in and order our meals at the kiosks. An early lunch was just what we needed after our early start so after picking some grilled cheese and peach applesauce for little one, mommy decided on the Gluten Free Carved Turkey Sandwich with the Cream Puff for dessert that I thought our little girl might enjoy as well. After ordering, we headed into the rooms and picked a table in the ballroom right in front of the window where we could overlook the falling snow, sadly not a very foreign sight for us since we just left a snow storm but this version was much more magical and less cold too.

Lunch in the ballroom at Be Our Guest! — Gluten free carved turkey sandwich for lunch in the ballroom at Be Our Guest!

Soon enough our meals had arrived, my plate chock full of sandwich and delicious fries that pair perfectly with the dijon mayonnaise, if you haven’t tried this you absolutely should try it. The sandwich was pretty good, a little too much meat for me, more a side effect of me pregnant than my normal preferences, so I took off a couple huge pieces of turkey to make it more manageable for my sensitive self. But the star on the plate for me by far if you couldn’t have guessed it by now were the fries, perfectly seasoned and crispy and like I said delicious when you dip them in a side of the dijon mayonnaise that comes on the sandwich. The dessert was just as tasty as I remembered, a little too much lemon filling, in fact I’d probably prefer a plain old, regular cream puff, but nonetheless it’s just a real treat to enjoy a pastry along side my little family. As we finished dessert, we packed up and headed out to enjoy some more of Magic Kingdom before our sleeping beauty fell under her nap time spell.

Chesire Cat Lemonade Slushie — Cheshire Cafe Gluten Free Lemonade Slushie

A few short rides later and without too much of a delay, nap time was upon us so Dan parked me and little one in a shaded spot in Tomorrowland, brought over a nice cool treat, and headed off to hop on the Mine Train while I held down the fort. Ah that slushie, what a fond memory; a cool, tart drink from Cheshire Cafe that is a perfect treat on a hot day. On a previous trip I had the Raspberry-Lemonade Slushie drink but apparently this time the ingredients had changed and it was off limits so it was the Lemonade Slushie for me. So with my little girl sleeping peacefully, just like a Disney princess out of the movies, I rested my sore feet and enjoyed my Lemonade Slushie! Soon enough Dan appeared after his Mine Train fastpass and rested along side me for a little bit longer until we decided to head out for an afternoon swim between nap time and dinner.

Day 2 Ohana Dinner (1) — Ohana Salad, gluten free and so delicious!

It was a perfect morning at Magic Kingdom thankfully followed with a pretty good nap for our little girl so we decided to pop by the pool before we had to head out for dinner over at the Polynesian. Our little girl is definitely her Mommy and Daddy’s daughter as she loves the pool and probably would’ve loved a whole day there but thankfully we were able to sneak in at least some time, even if we had to get ready for dinner at record speed. After a bit of chaos on the transportation front, thanks to some downtime with the monorail, we finally arrived at Ohana with very big appetites. Soon enough we were seated, visited by the chef, and brought out our first course, an absolutely delicious gluten free island salad that even our little girl enjoyed. Every now and then she’ll request some of my salads that I eat so I wasn’t completely surprised when she liked it but the requests kept coming for more so I was very impressed with the toddler stamp of approval on Ohana’s salad. While I’m usually not a huge fan of sweet salad dressing on my salad, this one was amazing, which was probably why our little girl loved it so much! Needless to say, this salad didn’t stand a chance at our table especially since I’ve been on a huge salad kick the past few months, so I made sure to help myself to plenty of it.

Day 2 Ohana Dinner (2) — Warmed gluten free rolls with butter delivered right on time at Ohana!

While Dan indulged in some dumplings and bread, I happily continued to enjoy some of the salad until my warmed gluten free rolls arrived. I’m very picky when it comes to gluten free bread, as I’m sure many of my fellow gluten free diners are too, so I was pleasantly surprised to be treated with perfectly warmed, dinner rolls that weren’t tough like bricks or crumble apart in my hands. They paired perfectly with the Ohana butter and were an excellent complement to my favorite dish, the salad!

Day 2 Ohana Dinner (3) — Ohana gluten free seasoned vegetables and chicken wings!

Next round of food arrived for the non-gluten free eaters and although the lomein looked delicious and seemed to be a big winner with our little girl, I was happily delighted with my gluten free plate of vegetables and chicken wings. The chicken wings were crispy and well seasoned and could even be accompanied with the gluten free sauce that was brought out too. I have to say I wish that they could put together a gluten free lomein, kind of like the amazing noodle dish at Kona Cafe just using rice noodles and gluten free sauce because I think it would a great non-meat addition to the meal, but all in all it’s a real pleasure to see chefs really put forth a huge effort to create tasty and safe food for all of their diners.

Dinner at Ohana would not have been complete with fresh fruit, vanilla ice cream, and enjoy life chocolate cookies!

I should mention that between the chicken wings and dessert was the main course of skewer meats. By this point for me I was so filled with salad, bread, and chicken wings that I only nibbled a little on the chicken skewer but other than that I just saved room for dessert. Soon enough our final course arrived and for me a gluten free chocolate cookie, vanilla ice cream, and fresh fruit concoction. I loved the chocolate cookies which are Enjoy Life, they’re soft and brownie like and perfect with the fruit and ice cream. And even though she got her very own special dessert, a certain little girl couldn’t stop nibbling on mommies fresh fruit. A sweet finish to a delicious dinner at Ohana! It was a perfect dinner for everyone, and none of us left there hungry so we’ll definitely be considering this one again for our next trip, especially since our little girl was such a huge fan of so many of the dishes!

Nighttime Mommy and little girl Dumbo ride.

Well fed and rested we decided to head over to Magic Kingdom for a little nighttime fun. We got back over to the park just in time for the electrical parade where our little Snow White was greeted by Snow White herself and were able to get on a few rides like one of our favorites, Dumbo, a great one to go on at nighttime. And thanks to earlier parade and firework times in the first week in March we were able to catch the fireworks live and in person for the first time in quite awhile. Dan and I felt like we were little kids again seeing the Disney fireworks thanks to the new vantage point in Fantasyland and the look of sheer amazement in our daughter’s face. That’s why we go to Disney, to see that look of pure happiness and magic in our daughter’s eyes!

It was a long but great second day, but we were more than ready to head back for some much needed sleep. Stay tuned for more Disney adventures!

Sincerely,

Lindsay (25 weeks)

March 16, 2015

Doing Disney World Gluten Free & Pregnant: Our First Adventures

Not too long ago, pre-babies, Dan and I ventured to Europe and Disney World while I was pregnant with our first little one. We created so many amazing adventures with little one in my belly, ones that she’ll surely love hearing about down the road. Although they were both difficult for completely different reasons, they were so worth it for us to add to our memory book. Just as we were trying for our second baby we had been in talks for our 2015 vacation. We knew we wanted to do another Disney trip but the timing was of course a question. With no luck on the positive pregnancy test front yet we bit the bullet and booked our vacation for spring and two days later learned the excited news. We were so thrilled about the positive test result that we had almost forgotten we had planned a vacation that would put me nicely in my third trimester which for me was a no go. The next day we bumped up our vacation to a new time of year we hadn’t experienced in Disney yet and signed ourselves up for another vacation while expecting.

As the one who was actually expecting, I couldn’t have been more excited to be pregnant and bring my family to Disney again but I have to admit my constant nerves about the unexpected. You just never know how your pregnancy will go and planning a vacation, especially one like Disney where the weather can be really hot and uncomfortable and the intensity level is well, less than relaxing, is a pretty nerve wracking undertaking. Nonetheless, this mommy-to-be was Disney bound with our little toddler who’s surely a Disney baby and our new little one who would get to share a similar story with her sister of her visit in mommy’s belly, how cool?!?! I couldn’t help but be so excited for the vacation ahead, to experience the magic of Disney, create more family memories that will last a lifetime, and enjoy one last trip as a family of three before our new addition makes her appearance.

Day 1 — Disney World at 22 weeks with Baby #2

So as I turned into my 22nd week, I packed my maternity attire and emergency supplies and we were off to experience the magic of Disney. We headed out nice and early for the first flight of the day so we could get in a nice full first day. We all made it through the flight in one piece and were greeted in Orlando with warm and sunny weather, a stark difference from the impending snowstorm in the Northeast. We quickly switched into some summer clothes and were greeted by the Magical Express who whisked us away to our home away from home, the Wilderness Lodge. With magic bands on our wrists, we were ready to start our Disney adventure and couldn’t wait to head over to the Magic Kingdom to ring in our trip.

By the time we had checked in and caught the boat over to Magic Kingdom it was lunch time so we grabbed little one a quick lunch and mommy a little snack too from Roaring Fork at Wilderness Lodge and decided to hop on a few rides first before we lunched on something more substantial. Since our little girl’s favorite attractions are by far those in Fantasyland we headed that way first and caught a few Disney staples before this mommy-to-be was in desperate need of sustenance. For the first lunch of our trip we decided on one of my all time favorites, the Turkey Leg from the Frontierland cart over by Splash Mountain which is also conveniently located right next to a Mickey Pretzel stand that was music to our little girl’s ears.

I manned the pretzel stand and grabbed our little girl her very own Mickey pretzel, which are sadly not gluten free, while Dan checked over the turkey leg ingredients and picked up lunch for us. I’m normally not a huge meat eater, especially while pregnant, but just the thought of a delicious, juicy turkey leg made my mouth water so I knew it would be the perfect fit for lunch for me. And it was just as delicious as in my memory, thanks to the smoking it was a juicy cross between ham and turkey that is a hugely satisfying lunch for anyone out there. Since I hardly ever put a significant dent in a Disney turkey leg Dan agreed to share one for our lunch especially since we were eating an earlier dinner at Hollywood Studios. With both of us devouring the turkey leg, after some time sitting in the shade the turkey leg was no more and the Mickey pretzel, well didn’t really resemble Mickey too well after my little girl was through with it. With Daddy’s finishing touches on the pretzel we were off to enjoy a bit more of Magic Kingdom before a little afternoon nap.

We had a fantastic couple of hours in Magic Kingdom to kick off our vacation and were really looking forward to a perfect first dinner at 50s Prime Time Cafe. We caught our bus over to Hollywood Studios without too much of a delay and arrived for our dinner more or less on time, checked in, and waited a bit too long for our table to be ready. Our little girl was less than patient waiting for our table, pure exhaustion was setting in, which made the waiting a lot more painful, but thankfully we were called back and settled in without too much trouble. I requested to speak to the chef since our waitress hadn’t heard anything about my allergy free fried chicken pre-order which unfortunately was the same response from the chef. Despite my ordering ahead of time via email and phone, the chef told us that he hadn’t heard anything about the allergy order, which was so frustrating for me especially since I had taken all of the extra steps to make dinner easier. Last time this had happened the chef told us he couldn’t make the chicken for me but thankfully this chef was so accommodating and just told us it would take a little while but I could absolutely enjoy the chicken. So without too much delay my Gluten Free Fried Chicken had arrived piping hot and with an allergy pick sticking out of it.

50s Fried Chicken — Hollywood Studios, 50s Prime Time Cafe Gluten Free Fried Chicken

The chicken was just as tasty as I had remembered, crispy coating covering the juicy, tender meat inside. It was perfectly complemented with a garlicky mashed potato and crispy green beans, which my little girl was appreciative of enjoying as well. All together my entree was delicious but I do wish that my extra homework ahead of time paid off and not only guaranteed me my meal but also limited our wait too. Thankfully this dinner we got lucky and had a great chef who looked just as frustrated as we did when he heard what had happened but nonetheless put together a great gluten free meal for me.

Hollywood Studios, 50s Prime Time Cafe Gluten Free Dad's Brownie Sundae — Hollywood Studios, 50s Prime Time Cafe Gluten Free Dad’s Brownie Sundae

We certainly couldn’t finish our dinner at 50s without a Gluten Free Dad’s Brownie Sundae so it was one sundae for us three to split and trust me there’s more than enough to do just that. A perfect gluten free brownie smothered in all kinds of fixings, from hot fudge to vanilla ice cream and a mountain of whipped cream to all kinds of candies. It was perfection, my only complaint was the missing popcorn topping which may or may not still come on the sundae, not sure about that one, but that aside, the sundae was delicious!

Our first day of our Disney vacation was certainly a magical one filled with lots of smiles, delicious gluten free and non-gluten free food, and an extra special purple Mickey balloon for an extra special little girl. After so much excitement on our first day we called it an early night and relaxed back at our room only to find the biggest surprise of all, our room was in perfect view of Magic Kingdom’s firework show. With such an amazing surprise, we pushed off bedtime a bit and snuggled together on our balcony to enjoy the amazing firework show. Can’t ask for a better ending to our first day than that! Stay tuned for more Disney updates from our 2015 Disney vacation!

Sincerely,

Lindsay (24 weeks)

February 17, 2015

A Pre-Valentine’s Dinner With My Love At Toscano’s Ristorante Where Eating Gluten Free Is Stress Free

Happy belated Valentine’s Day! It was Valentine’s week last week for sure with some heart crafting, cupcake baking, valentine decorating, and a few special love episodes of our favorite Disney Junior shows. And making our Valentine’s week a little extra special, mommy and daddy were able to enjoy a meal just us two pre-Valentine’s day so we could celebrate the big day with our little valentine. Whenever we have a special day to celebrate or get a chance to sneak out and enjoy some alone time the first place we want to escape to is Toscano’s Ristorante in Bordentown, NJ. A cozy, Italian restaurant that’s been our home ever since we started dating, this gem holds a special place in our hearts and even more so now that they can flawlessly create an amazing dining experience for both of us.

The biggest joy in dining at Toscano’s is the worry free meal that we get enjoy. There’s no need to double check, triple check, quadruple check that your dish is gluten free here because the chef understands what a gluten free meal entails and is able to follow through without sacrificing flavor for a safe meal. I have to admit I’m an order the same dish every time you dine somewhere kind of girl, however here I’ve tried and loved many a dish, each one coming out exact or pretty darn close to how it’s described on the menu. Every single dish I’ve tried has been sauced and seasoned to perfection, which means we leave with nothing but big smiles and full bellies every time.

Okay so for our parents only, pre-Valentine’s dinner and my mommy-to-be appetite back in tact I decided to go with the gluten free versions of the Antipasto Salad (which is gluten free already), Vodka Rigatoni, and for dessert a Flourless Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Sauce. While I ordered my favorite dishes, true to form Dan indulged in two of the specials along with an extra special dessert just for him. Normally, we share desserts, if we even have room for them, and sometimes appetizers too but for this special occasion we had a lot to celebrate so we decided to splurge a little. As always, we didn’t have to wait too long until our appetizers arrived and oh my was I ever glad to see my heaping plate of antipasto salad placed in front of me.

By the way, pardon the less than stellar phone pictures, we left the camera at home but I just had to snap a few of the beauty of these dishes. Lettuce topped with cheese, mixed meats, kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, onions, celery, all mixed in their house made balsamic dressing. It’s a divine appetizer, one that both Dan and I absolutely love and I may have enjoyed on a few take out occasions prior to our meal out. What I love most, besides the amazing mixture of flavors, is that each ingredient is chopped into small, bite size pieces so every bite you enjoy is filled with antipasto deliciousness. While I could have easily finished the whole plate, I saved half for tomorrow’s lunch, making sure I had plenty of room for my creamy vodka penne (the gluten free pasta they stock) that was on its way. And with perfect timing as always, our entrees arrived not too long after we had digested our appetizers. And voila, my gluten free vodka penne was calling my name, steaming hot and looking just as beautiful as always. The gluten free pasta was cooked perfectly and smothered in a creamy vodka sauce chock full of prosciutto and tomatoes, all topped with a few slivers of cheese and some basil. This dish is by far my all time favorite pasta dish and Toscano’s does me proud every single time. I love a creamy, less tomato based vodka sauce and Toscano’s delivers just that. Needless to say, I finished every last bite of my entree, making me so glad that I saved some of my appetizer for the next day so I could enjoy my vodka penne at its best, fresh out of the kitchen.

To be honest, even pregnant me was pretty full at this point but Dan and I had decided to at least taste our desserts and save the rest for the next day if we needed to. I forgot to snap a picture of my Flourless Chocolate Cake but it was a beauty, especially with that gorgeous raspberry sauce drizzled all over it. Their cake is definitely more of a brownie cake texture rather than some flourless chocolate cakes that I’ve had that are more like eating a piece of fudge, both varieties I love and neither of which I would ever turn down mind you. This dessert though was the perfect, gluten free finish to our meal, even if I only took a grand total of 3 bites out of the huge piece of cake. Thankfully, I can report that flourless chocolate cake holds over very well until the next day.

All together, it was a great meal filled with delicious gluten free food and even better company. We love taking our little girl with us everywhere, especially out to eat, she completes us, so Dan and I rarely get out just us two. So on occasions like this one, we always like to celebrate just mommy and daddy and then have a family celebration too. This holiday we wanted to do just the same, reserving a romantic dinner for us a few days before and having a special day with little girl included on Valentine’s day. Love was certainly in the air for our Valentines day celebrations this year and I’m constantly reminded of how much love we share in our family. Not a day goes by in our house that kisses, hugs, and plenty of I love yous are shared and that’s just the way we like it. No matter how you celebrated I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine’s Day, filled with lots of love with your loved ones and plenty of tasty gluten free food!

Sincerely,

Lindsay (20 weeks)

November 20, 2014

A Mommy And Me Gluten Free Fall Lunch At Wildflour’s Bakery/Cafe

On one of the many beautiful fall days that we were blessed to have this year, little one and I ventured out for an early little lunch at my favorite gluten free friendly restaurant. Wildflour Bakery/Cafe is a local hidden gem that offers a huge selection of gluten free breads and pastries along with a savory menu, all of which you can enjoy in house or on the go. Since we were out to have some extra special Mommy and Me time, a lunch out was definitely in order so we picked the perfect table in the empty dining room and nestled in to enjoy a wonderfully gluten free lunch.

While the highlights for me at Wildflour Bakery/Cafe are by far on the bakery side of things, the dining menu is just as wonderful, they’ve just been super successful in wooing me with all of their delectable gluten free treats. As far as the menu, they have so many delicious choices, take a look for yourself here, but I usually am a creature of habit and if I find something that I like I tend to go with it each time after until I need a break. I decided this time around to go with a perfect lunch option that both me and my little one would enjoy, a grilled cheese sandwich big enough for us to share and my favorite, their strawberry banana pink smoothie that would sure to please my little girl. While we waited for our sandwich, I decided to request a few of their doughy, cheesy heavenly Brazilian Cheese Puffs, just to tide us over. These are one of Mommy’s favorites and turns out now one of my little one’s favorites too.

Brazilian Cheese Puff from one of our previous trips.

Soon enough our Grilled Cheese and Pink Smoothie had arrived. Little one dove into her very own cup of smoothie and couldn’t get enough of it. I had to insist on a few breaks to get in some of the grilled cheese but the winners by far in her book were the smoothie and cheese puffs. The grilled cheese for mommy was just as delicious as I remembered. It’s made on their housemade gluten free bread which beats any of the store bought varieties, you can just taste of all of the love that’s cooked into their food.

Gluten Free Grilled Cheese: Wildflour Bakery/Cafe

With our smoothies disappearing and our sandwich plate beginning to empty, I decided to top off our special lunch with a sweet treat. So I sprung my little one from her highchair so we could head over to the bakery cases and pick out just the right treat. Cookies, tarts, scones, cheesecake, and brownies galore, the cases were just overflowing with mouthwatering gluten free goodness. My little one though had her eye on an extra special chocolate treat, a chocolate brownie cake covered in a banana ganache icing. So we picked out our dessert, made our way back to our private table, and waited with anticipation for its arrival. Finally, our sweet finish had arrived, it was the perfect dessert made for sharing for just little one and me. The chocolaty cake was so moist and brownie like and when combined with the banana icing, so delicious! Our plate was cleaned with only a few minutes worth of work, so I think that’s a pretty reliable testament to just how tasty this dessert was. It was a perfect lunch for just us two, good food, full bellies, and plenty of smiles and laughs to go around!

Chocolate Banana Ganache: Wildflour Bakery/Cafe

Besides the delicious menu items that Wildflour Bakery/Cafe offers, the true joy of dining here is the ability to eat a meal with comfort and without fear of cross contamination. This restaurant is 100% gluten free, hence their bakery cases that are filled with unique bakery sweets and their menu overflowing with sweet and savory concoctions are 100% gluten free too. What an absolute treat to be able to choose from anything off of a menu without adjustment. As always, this trip to Wildflour’s was a true pleasure and I’ll anxiously be planning our next to go or dining in visit. Make sure you take a peak at all of my other Wildflour adventures in Gluten Free Living In A Non-Gluten Free World.

Sincerely,

Lindsay