We’ve been covered in ice since Sunday night, here in Atlanta.  Three days later, we still haven’t had school and just got the car out this morning.  Fortunately, we’ve had a plethora of soup and chili in the freezer that we’ve been going through, but today it was necessary to go to the store and reload.  Slim pickings…no trucks have delivered to our local Publix since the weekend and everything was picked over.  Everything.

The meat section: We managed to snag some beef tenderloin

Veggies?

Onions and potatoes usually go here

This shelf dashed my hopes of having something green tonight.

There were plenty of potato chips so David was happy.  Tonight we’ll be having beef tenderloin and twice baked potatoes.  So I can’t complain too much.

T minus 7 days until Thanksgiving supper…

Turkey Day  is happening at Casa Metcalf this year.  Yep, that’s right; David and I are hosting his family.  I can’t wait to host everyone in our new house and have an excuse to cook.

So, what are we making this year?

Turkey on the grill: David did such a great job with the turkey last year, so I see no reason to change the preparation method.  Also, grilling our bird, frees up our oven for more baking.  David plans on brining our bird 24 hours in advance.  David has also mentioned covering the turkey with bacon while grilling.  I won’t argue with that.  After much debate, we went with a fresh turkey from Publix.  I had grand plans that we would get a local turkey, that lived a happy and freely roaming life, but the price tag was too steep ($120!!).  Does that make me an awful person?

Brussels sprouts: I just can’t get enough of those little bites of goodness!  Maybe with a little pancetta?  My friend, Hannah, tried brussels sprouts with grapes recently, something I saw in Real Simple.  I’m interested.

Canned cranberry: I could attempt making cranberry from scratch, but I’ve always preferred the canned version as I grew up with the oddly smooth cranberry on orange slices.  Fortunately, canned cranberry’s GF.

Mashed Potatoes with baby red potatoes, skin on.  I love the texture the skin adds.

Butternut Squash (my mother-in-law’s recipe)

Stuffing: This is adventurous, and we’ve never GF stuffing before, but we’re going to try a recipe, substituting Sally’s Sandwich Bread for real bread.  Of course our stuffing will have sausage in it!

Apple & Pumpkin Pie (Thank goodness for Whole Foods’ Gluten-Free Bakey Pie Crusts)

I will be serving (but not making) pecan pie and dinner rolls, courtesy of Sally’s Bakery.

I’ve also learned that when hosting Thanksgiving, it’s not just the actual Thanksgiving dinner that you have to think about.  The Metcalves will be with us from Thursday through Sunday, so just a turkey and some cranberry won’t last us.

Here are some other items I’m going to make to keep our bellies happy when the last bit of turkey has been consumed and there’s no more pie left for breakfast:

Granola and pumpkin bread for breakfasts and snacking

Chicken chili for lunches, once the leftovers run out

Honey mustard chicken for a weekend dinner.  It’s just so easy.

What are you planning for your Thanksgiving feast?  What are your favorite gluten-free holiday recipes?

This past week, I was home alone, without my partner in crime, David.  I must say, it was totally weird not having my companion with me.  (Getting married a month after you graduate from college will do that to you!)  Especially in the last few months, we’ve spent a lot of time together, so it was an adjustment to be without my man.  I stayed busy though and I began to figure out what “meal planning for one” looks like.

Friends and family made the week much easier and of course, being the planner that I am, I had many things on my calendar.  My mom came to Atlanta for a visit at the beginning of the week so I made a big batch of chunky lentil soup.  I love this recipe, but after eating leftovers all week, I don’t want to see chunky lentils again for at least a few weeks.  (I did freeze some for future solo dinners.)  I also made a batch of super easy pumpkin bread, using Pamela’s Baking Mix.  (I consumed the whole loaf, with the help of others, but you can put half in the freezer or freeze individual slices to save for later.)

Chunky Lentil Soup

Mmm...pumpkin bread

I was a little nervous about the weekend sans my main source of entertainment.  Surprisingly, it flew by with activities like power yoga, cleaning out my dresser, making granola (stay tuned for my delicious new recipe), football watching, wine tasting, and skyping with my sister-in-law and nephew in Japan.  (I know…I lead a wild life.)

On Sunday morning, it was particularly unusual to be by myself in our home.  Usually David and I make some kind of breakfast (hopefully David’s specialty: pancakes).  Of course on Sunday morning there was no one to make me pancakes while I brewed coffee…

If you know me, you know that I love treats; I love any excuse to treat myself to a treat.  So on Sunday morning, I treated myself to a morning outing to Starbuck’s with a detour by Kroger in search of gluten-free bagels, a pitiful replacement for homemade chocolate chip banana pancakes.  The Kroger on Howell Mill has  quite a decent selection of natural foods and gluten-free items.  They don’t have Udi’s bagels which I’ve heard rave reviews about, so I went with Kinnikinnick cinnamon raisin bagels.  They are dairy free, which makes me a little nervous but pickings were slim.

Let’s be honest, Folks: For me, unless it’s Bodo’s, a bagel is just a vehicle for cream cheese and homemade jam.  My toasted Kinnikinnick bagel was not the easiest bread item to swallow, but it toasted well and did the job for my solo Sunday morning.  (It’s no Sally’s Bakery cinnamon raisin English muffin, for sure.)

So I sat at our table, and enjoyed the quiet of the morning, missing David, but content with a day of rest, a good cup of coffee, and a lot of cream cheese.

This weekend, I was back up in Virginia, for the wedding of my friends, Nancy and Lee.  More specifically, we were in Fredericksburg, a small town between Washington, D.C. and Richmond.  I’ve been so spoiled by my time in Virginia this month.  I’m convinced that October is the best time to be a Virginian.  (Don’t worry, Georgia: You, too, have a special place in my heart.)

Flowers in Downtown Fredericksburg

What a gorgeous fall weekend for an outdoor reception!  The wedding was in a quaint historic church in Loretto, Virginia and the reception was in Nancy’s family’s backyard.  It was a beautiful event.

The interior of Vauter's Episcopal Church from my seat in the balcony

My favorite date and me outside the church

At the rehearsal dinner on Friday night, the caterers wonderfully made me a gluten-free dinner, for which I’m always so appreciative.  (I enter into wedding weekends with the expectation that I won’t have any food options aside from what I bring for myself so I’m always grateful when I can enjoy something beyond peanuts and Lara Bars.)  So I enjoyed the filets and mashed potatoes with everyone else.  (Of course I still snacked on my peanuts too.)

On Saturday, I planned ahead, to enjoy a large lunch, to hold me over during the reception, so I wouldn’t be tempted by gluten foods at the reception.  (It’s hard to resist crab cakes and a pad thai station, but it’s worth it to stay healthy, right?)  The question then became, “Where to go for lunch?”  Normally, I am eager to try a local spot when I travel, and our hotel was in the middle of Fredericksburg’s downtown area which has many awesome shops and cool food spots.  We enjoyed coffee in the morning at a Hyperion Espresso but after walking around downtown, it was clear that there wouldn’t be too many gluten-free friendly options for me.  Lots of bakeries and sandwich places that looked delicious, but not gluten-free.

So, I saw this need for a guaranteed GF meal, as an opportunity to please David as well.  He’s always begging me to go to Outback Steakhouse.  He can’t resist the bloomin’ onion and they do have a great gluten-free menu.  (As I’ve mentioned before, the Outback in Roswell, GA goes above and beyond the national menu.) I totally applaud any restaurant that’s willing to create a GF menu and accommodate their diners with dietary restrictions, but I’m not always dying for chain food.  (Sure, you can call me a food snob, if you want.)  But, since my options were limited, I was relieved to type Outback into my iPhone and find a location in Fredericksburg, just off I-95, of course.  And, Outback was the perfect location since the bride and groom are heading to Australia for their honeymoon!

Perfect.  “No Rules.  Just Right.”  A happy husband, college football, and a full belly, all before any vows were exchanged.  Well, we headed to a strip mall off the highway, in pursuit of the Outback.  As we drove up, the parking lot looked unusually empty.  Much to David’s dismay, Outback doesn’t open until 2:00 on Saturdays (4:00 on weekdays).  Who knew?  Note to self: Outback Steakhouse, not a good lunch option.  After this heartbreaking discovery, and with my stomach beginning to growl, we broke out the iPhone again and I began to search for other chains that I know to be gluten-free.

We learned a Bonefish Grill was located in the near vicinity.  Bonefish also boasts a gluten-free menu at all of their locations.  Ok, I thought.  This situation can be redeemed.  Thank goodness for strip malls, and Fredericksburg had plenty.  It took us ten minutes to find Bonefish. (I kid you not: there were about ten strip malls in a 1-mile radius.)  We passed a Noodles & Co. on the way so we knew there would be a back up plan.  (They have GF rice noodles and a variety of GF sauces.)

As we pulled up to the Bonefish Grill, I began to feel like I was having a serious case of déjà vu and saw that they too, don’t open until 4:00.

Shoot.  Time was running short.  But the chain restaurant Gods were smiling on me yesterday because there was a Cheeseburger in Paradise located right next to the Bonefish.  I had never been to a Cheeseburger in Paradise before but I knew from my gluten-free research that they have a GF menu.  Great.  Table for two, please.  We sat at the bar and the manager proceeded to bring me a gluten-free menu with many options.  While they do not offer GF buns, most of their burgers (sans-bun) are gluten-free AND their French fries are gluten-free, made in a separate fryer from all of their other items.  Hurray!  Ravenous at this point, I ordered a side of fries and the citrus chicken salad (substitute grilled chicken for the roast chicken).  I was very pleased with my choice and everyone who served us was super careful about my order, and very pleasant.

My delcious gluten-free French fries

What a relief to have food options this weekend, and when Outback didn’t work out, there were other options for me.  While I sometimes turn my nose up at a chain restaurant, I’ve got to eat my words on this one.  I’m very thankful that there are restaurants throughout the country where I can walk in, and know that I will have options.  And yummy options too.

National chains are great for this exact reason: You’re in an unfamiliar place and unsure of the food options, so you know you can look up one of the following restaurants to find safe food.  Make sure you still remind your server and talk to the manager about your needs.  (Some of the locations might educate their employees more than others, so you just want to double check.)

National Restaurant Chains with Gluten-Free Menus:

• Outback Steakhouse
• Cheeseburger in Paradise
• Bonefish Grill
• P.F. Chang’s
• Ted’s Montana Grill
• Wendy’s (Who doesn’t love a Frosty?)
• Chili’s
• Carraba’s

What have I missed?  What’s your go-to gluten-free dining option when in a bind?

Also, I’m obsessed with my new iPhone for many reasons (I definitely drank the Apple kool-aid), and this weekend was a perfect example of why the iPhone can come in handy for those of us that have to put a lot of thought and research into where we eat.  Thank you, iPhone.  I’m so glad to have you on the journey.

Georgia is now home and while I love being an Atlantan, there’s something about Virginia, that I just can’t tear myself away from…especially Virginia in the fall.  I get to spend two weekends in Virginia this month and I feel like one lucky girl.

Even though this past weekend was unusually warm, it still felt like fall in Charlottesville.  Leaves were starting to change; everyone wanted to be outside; I had no responsibilities for the weekend except hang out with college friends.  Beautiful.

While I miss so many of the gluten-filled places I frequented as an undergrad, Saturday morning was a reminder to me that there are some gluten-free places for me in C’Ville.  Desperate to enjoy the beautiful weather, I wandered downtown to the Farmer’s Market, where of course, you can find table after table of beautiful produce, all gluten-free.  I even unexpectedly ran into three college friends while perusing the market…so fun!

It didn’t bother me that the cakes and breads at the market weren’t GF, because I headed right over to The Baker’s Palette and ordered myself a few of their gluten-free pumpkin muffins.  Baker’s Palette also sells GF banana muffins and biscotti, but I always stick with the pumpkin variety.  (They keep them frozen so I had to exercise major patience while I waited for my first one to thaw.  It was worth the wait.)

Baker's Palette: Just a quick walk from Charlottesville's Downtown Mall

A wonderful, gluten-free, morning.  Sure, when I got to the morning reception I attended, I couldn’t eat the Bodo’s bagels that were set out, but by that time I had my perfectly thawed, delicious pumpkin muffin.

I didn’t have a lot of time to eat out at restaurants this trip because most of my meals were at University events, but on Sunday morning I discovered a new found love of smoothies.  Now, I’ve never really been into the ‘liquid diet,’ but on Sunday morning they looked so good, and it was delicious.  My friend, Nina, and I went to Calvino Cafe, at the Main Street Market, next to one of favorite lunch spots, Feast.

I inquired about the yogurt Calvino puts in their smoothies and they use the Kroger generic brand, so I didn’t take a risk.  Instead they subbed milk for yogurt and it was so yummy.  (My smoothie still tasted nice and thick, not too icy.)  Calvino also offers soy milk as an option, in case you prefer to go dairy free.  We sat outdoors, enjoying our breakfasts, before taking a walk ‘on grounds.’  (That’s what we, UVA folks, refer to as ‘on campus.’)  A perfect way to end my Charlottesville visit before heading back to my family in northern Virginia.  And, I’ll be back up in the Commonwealth of Virginia this weekend too!

During our time in Montana, not only did we go to some delicious restaurants, but we also took advantage of the rare treat of having access to kitchens while traveling.  Between our own camping, staying with friends in Bozeman, as well as in Big Sky, we had plenty of opportunities to cook, which is a huge relief for those of us with dietary restrictions.

Don’t get me wrong, I love dining out, but sometimes I get tired of the stress and planning that often goes hand in hand with the combination of celiac disease and restaurants.  It’s so nice, when vacationing, to have the option of cooking.  In Montana, we had that option and used it!

Some my favorite meals on our trip were ones that were created in a kitchen, with friends, or in a cabin in the middle of nowhere.  Here are some highlights of our culinary adventures:

We spent a lot of time with our friends, Jason and Sarah, in Bozeman and basically squatted in their house for a week.  A true Montana-man, Jason hunts elk, antelope and other large mammals that I would run away from if I came across their path.  Well, Jason kills them.  We were the beneficiaries of Jason and Sarah’s hard work in the wilderness, and enjoyed homemade elk and antelope burgers one night.  Delicious!  We also roasted up some squash and made a salad, to make a perfect weeknight dinner.

When we weren’t mooching off Sarah and Jason, we stayed in Forest Service Cabins.  These cabins were the perfect idea of camping for me.  A large wood stove for cooking, an outhouse (with hand sanitizer and toilet paper!) and an enclosed space.  Of course this didn’t stop me from being convinced in the middle of the night that a serial killer, and/or bear, was coming to get me.

With the wood stoves, you could have quite the romantic meal in these cabins.  (Until you spill the entire bottle of red wine on the floor…broken glass and mopping sort of ruins the ambiance.)  David’s pyro skills were put to the test, getting the wood stove started but we made some delicious meals.  Steak in the skillet, roasted onions, potatoes and green beans.

I purchased all of the produce at the Bozeman farmer’s market the night before.  Yum!

We enjoyed steak, eggs and potatoes the next morning, for breakfast.  The perfect solution for leftovers.

At the end of our trip, we left Bozeman and cabins behind, and headed to Big Sky, a ski area in Montana.  We stayed with a large group and enjoyed relaxing and eating delicious food.  I was particularly nervous about this time and my dietary needs because of the size of the group and not knowing everyone, but our hosts had carefully planned all of the meals to be gluten-free.  Our friends, Stewart and Crawford, made sure that I was well taken care of.

We enjoyed lots of grilling, roasted potatoes, salads, and other yummy, naturally gluten-free dinners.  I had one of the most amazing risotto dishes ever, while in Big Sky, courtesy of our new friend, Parker.  Fancy mushrooms, shallots, and red wine.  I ate the leftovers for the next few days!

One night, David cooked one of his specialties, salmon on the grill, and it was just like being at home, except at a higher altitude.  Side note: roasted potatoes and risotto take much longer to prepare when in Montana.  Allow extra cooking time.

As you can see, I did not go hungry while out west.  We truly enjoyed the perfect combination of dining out and eating in.  If only all vacations could be this simple…

As I write this post, I’m uploading approximately 800 photos from our month away.  Don’t worry, I won’t put you through the pain of looking at all of those photos, (only my mom gets the unabridged version) but I just can’t resist giving you some highlights.  It makes me nostalgic for the west as I watch photo upon photo on the screen.  I still can’t believe we had the opportunity to go away for over three weeks, but the pictures are a great reminder that yes, it really did happen.

If you’ve never been out west, you must.  I know this is unsolicited advice, but Wyoming and Montana were two of the most amazing places I’ve ever been.  (I find that every time I describe these two states, I come back to the adjective, “amazing.”  I need to come up with a better descriptor, but that’s all I’ve got for now.)

Why do I want to pack my bags and move out west?  Well, I’m glad you asked…

Meeting your gluten-free needs, and beyond: Jackson Hole, Wyoming was one of the most gluten-friendly places I’ve ever been.  Every restaurant accommodated my dietary needs, and most already had something on their menu distinguishing the dishes that could be made GF.  Wow!  Eating out in Jackson was genuinely a treat, each time.  Muffins, brownies, fresh baked bread…oh, and it was all delicious too.

Sweet quinoa, coffee and a good book: What more could one want for breakfast?

Gluten-free samosa? Yes, please.

National Parks: Yes, I know this one seems obvious, but no matter how many times I hiked (and David can attest, we hiked a lot), I was still in awe of the scenery, the landscapes, the terrain, the views.  So much beautiful land to take in.  We were in Wyoming and Montana almost three weeks, and I still don’t feel like I saw it all.

Northwest Entrance to Yellowstone

Jenny Lake: Tetons

Boiling River in Yellowstone: Yes, we got in the water and enjoyed an early morning dip.

Summits & Altitude: While my lungs were a little confused (and angry) at first, my eyes and legs could not get enough of the many uphill hikes.  Pushing yourself to the top of a peak is so rewarding (even if you almost get hit by lightening as a result).  Who knew a view could be worth hours of sweat and climbing.  Of course, once you reach the top, then “it’s all down hill” and the hard work is done.  Snow makes the descent a little tricky.

Sacagewea Peak in the Bridger Mtns

Big Game: Since David did the bulk of the driving, he put me in charge of “finding big game.”  I’ve got to admit, I was terrible at finding animals lurking in the woods, but when the buffalo are right next to your rental car, it’s hard to miss them.  Fortunately, there were no bear sightings for this girl out west.  We did see a Mama moose and her baby, which was a little frightening.

Another buffalo, crossing the road

Water: I don’t typically think of water when I envision the west, but we saw some gorgeous rivers and alpine lakes.  Very different from the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic, but I’ll take a float down the Yellowstone River any day.

Yellowstone River

Snake River

Lava Lake in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness

Forest Service Cabins: A hidden gem, you can rent these cabins for a night (for about $30) and let me tell you, it’s glamorous camping.  Both of our cabins had wood stoves, which we used to prepare feasts each night for dinner.  Any camping that involves shelter, steak and wine, is good for me.  I still managed to get spooked out but no bears bothered us.

Our cabin in Dillon, MT (not to be confused with the Dillon, TX in Friday Night Lights)

David getting the wood stove started

Yummy dinner courtesy of the wood stove.

Rain or Shine: While we were in Montana, we saw nearly every kind of weather possible.  Hail, thunderstorms, ominous clouds, and even snow.  Sure, I would have loved sunny skies every day, but the summer months are short and folks out west take advantage of each day that’s not below freezing.  The weather didn’t stop us, or anyone we were with, from fly fishing, hiking, camping, rain or shine.

Is that a storm behind us? In retrospect, yes.

Snow in Big Sky: I was in the house reading; everyone else was fly fishing.

I’m glad to be back home, but I miss the days out west of hiking, relaxing, and being with friends.  I still have more to share with you though.  ‘Western tour nostalgia’ will continue in the weeks ahead.  Humor me.

Last week David and I were up in Virginia, visiting friends and family before moving into our new home in Atlanta.  While we were in Richmond, we discovered The Nile Restaurant,  an amazing, delicious and 100% gluten-free restaurant.

Thanks to our friends, Lee and Nancy, who were inspired by a recent episode of Top Chef that involved Ethiopian cuisine, for finding this great Richmond spot.  They decided to look for an Ethiopian restaurant in Richmond and stumbled upon The Nile Restaurant, which also happens to be 100% gluten-free.  I kid you not: every dish in the place is gluten-free, even the bread (yes, bread!) that you use to pick up your food.  That’s right, no silverware needed in this restaurant.

The ‘injera’ bread is made with teff flour, making it light and spongy.  The bread is basically used as your utensil so you grab your food with the injera.  So delicious!  Warning: Not all Ethiopian restaurants are entirely GF.  Our server informed us that a lot of restaurants use part teff flour and part regular flour in their bread, as a means of cutting costs because the teff is expensive.  This makes it not ok for us celiacs.

Delicious injera bread (100% teff flour)

When people ask me what I miss most now that I’m gluten-free, they usually expect me to say cake or pizza, but that’s not my response.  Honestly, I can make all of those items, and I make them pretty darn well.  For me, the thing I miss the most from my ‘gluten’ days is sharing experiences with people.  At wedding receptions, birthday parties, and events, I usually have to bring my own food.  At restaurants I can never ‘just have a bite’ of someone else’s dish because I don’t know what’s in it or it might be contaminated.  The Nile was a lovely break from my celiac-imposed dining restraints and I could dig in with the rest of my group.

At Nile, they serve the food communally, and I could enjoy and partake with everyone else.  I didn’t have to worry about contaminated utensils. (Oh wait, there were no utensils!)  No separate plates for me.  We all enjoyed every bite of our meal.  I think this might be one of the best dinners I’ve eaten all summer.

Buticha Roll (garbanzo bean paste appetizer)

Ayib Tikl (spicy cheese roll app)

We had no idea what we were doing since it was our first Ethiopian experience but the waiter was so friendly and helpful when it came to guiding us in our choices.  We went with a couple of appetizers, two ‘Nile Special Combination Plates’ (where you get a little bit of everything), and one entrée.  Everything was phenomenal.  We were all very satisfied at the end of the meal.  It was a lot of food but I felt refreshed and energized at the end, not overloaded.

The main event, the special combo plate...so good

Our main dishes came out on one large communal plate.  The photos do not do the meal justice.  It was amazing.  Take my word for it and if you’re in Richmond, check it out for yourself.

I highly recommend Nile, regardless of whether or not you are gluten-free.  There are many options and all of their veggie dishes and injera bread are vegan friendly too!  Next time I’m in Richmond, I’ll definitely be back.

Does anyone know of any other 100% gluten-free restaurants?

The Nile Restaurant – 309 N. Laurel St. – Richmond, VA 23220 – (between Broad & Grace St) 804-225-5544

Our bags are packed and we’re ready to go…

You might have noticed that there hasn’t been a whole lot of cooking in my home recently.  I’ve cooked on the Eastern Shore, in Richmond, in Alexandria, but not in our little Atlanta apartment.  That’s because our apartment looks like this:

Yup, we’re moving.  We only have two bowls, two spoons, and two glasses that haven’t yet been packed.  We initially moved to Atlanta for just one year, but we’ve decided to make Atlanta our permanent home and we couldn’t be more excited.

In the last few weeks, however, we’ve been dining out a lot more than normal since our kitchen and entire apartment are in a state of chaos.  Boxes are everywhere, we’ve been in and out of town, and well, it’s just been easier to go out to dinner.

Check out some of the meals I’ve enjoyed while my apartment is full of boxes:

Miller Union

Veggie Plate

Remnants of Feta Snack

Urban Pl8

Yeah! Burger

Taqueria del Sol

So today we move into our new home.  So long, one bedroom apartment.  You’ve been a great home for the last year but I must admit, I’m excited to have a little more space…a bigger kitchen, a dining room table that we don’t have to pull out from the wallwhen we have guests over, a fireplace, a fenced in backyard.

Our life has had a lot of transition in the last few years so I’m excited to be here, in our new space, cooking away, and enjoying our life in Atlanta.

As my grandmother says, “Home again, home again, quick as a jig.”

I’m excited to announce my latest article just came out in Atlanta’s Finest Dining Magazine. Not only am I happy that I’ve gotten published again (woohoo!), but I’m also thrilled that a mainstream magazine is committed to giving attention to the gluten-free community.

Please check out my article, “Enjoying the Seasonal Bounty.”  Isn’t “bounty” such a great word.  I have to give my friend Mary Stuart credit for the use of bounty associated with local food.  We get to share in the bounty of what our local farmers harvest, even in these swelteringly hot summer months.

Thank you, Farmers (Paige, Justin, Joe, Judith, Nicholas, Gretchen, John, Ashley, Stephanie, and many others), for working your tails off so we can eat your delicious food.

“Meals from a Gluten-Free Kitchen: Enjoying the Seasonal Bounty”