Special: Gluten-free Summer Favorites

I love how summertime brings out a completely different side of me--my appetite and food cravings shift from the rib-sticking comfort food of the colder months, to an endless search for new recipes and products to make summer just a little bit yummier each year. I don't like cooking much in the summer, indeed, I eat a huge variety of different salads like Belgium Endive with Roasted Pears and Roquefort, or Baby Beet Salad with Fennel and Walnuts. I'm pretty much obsessed with delicious and creative salads in the summer. Also, I adore anything that's been grilled on the BBQ, be it Ponzu Chicken Wings paired with cold Vermicelli and Grilled Baby Bokchoy, or Korean Red Pork Tenderloin with a chilled Brown Rice Cilantro Pilaf with Snow Peas.  These are just a few of my favorite summer dinners. In celebration of summer, I've compiled a list to share of my favorite products and ingredients to make every hour of summer delicious!

1) "So Delicious Coconut Milk Minis" in either Vanilla, Chocolate Almond, or Fudge. These little treats are vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free. They're a perfect light dessert to help cool you down on hot summer days, while adding a different nutritional profile to your diet. I'm addicted.

2) "Annie's Naturals Organic BBQ Sauce" This is a perfect gluten-free condiment to keep in your fridge. Unlike many other BBQ sauces out there that are super thick and processed, this brand really does deliver a great product. Simply baste on your meat in the last 5 minutes of grilling for an uber satisfying treat.

3) Fresh Herbs. If you have a little patio or window sill, I highly suggest investing in a boxed herb garden. Or create your own using materials from your local gardening store. My favorite herbs to grow are chives, basil, thyme, and my FAVORITE, flat leaf Italian parsley. Fresh herbs offer a welcomed hit of flavor to quick salads or marinades--I also like to add them to rice or quinoa during cooking to add another dimension of flavor.

4) Coconut Water. Another addiction of mine...a rather expensive addiction to say the least. But, in my opinion, nothing refreshes quite like it! If you haven't tried coconut water before, it may or may not take some getting used to. It's light (like water), but oddly really smooth (like gin, right out of the freezer). It's only slightly sweet and has a unique flavor I can't really describe without using the words "kinda coconutty, but not exactly" Regardless, pick some up. I love the brand "Taste Nirvana Natural Coconut Water with Aloe". It's packed with nutrients and low in calories. Drink up.

5) Watermelon. This is the cure-all. It's ultra cooling on a hot day, and it's packed in vitamins and nutrients--plus, it's mostly just water, therefore super hydrating. In fact, I ate half a watermelon yesterday and felt terrific afterwards. Good stuff.

6) Iced Coffee. Another daily staple for me, and simple to make. The night before, I brew a big pot of coffee, add a touch of Agave syrup or Honey, stir, and let cool on the counter for about an hour before transferring it to a pitcher and chilling it in the fridge overnight. The next day, add a couple ice cubes and a splash of soy milk and you've got yourself a perfect afternoon pickmeup.

7) "Origin's Bakery Baguettes" These carby sensations are essential to keep on hand. They freeze really well so don't be afraid to pick up a couple extra to store for an impromptu dinner party. They also defrost quickly! I adore these baguettes for creating delicious tasting platters when friends come over--try them with a Sage and White bean Hummus, Garlic Tapenade, Brie and Apple Canapes, or as a base for sampling different cured meats like  Spicy Soppressata and Porcuitto, or even get creative by making homemade vegetarian pates made from walnuts or pumpkin seeds! And remember, everything goes well with Sangria!

Restaurant Review: The Pink Bicycle Burger Joint (1008 Blanshard Street, Victoria BC)

A few days ago, I was notified that two restaurants in Victoria would begin carrying gluten-free bread products from Origin's Bakery. The Pink Bicycle is one of these two.
I have never had the pleasure of eating a burger, WITH A BUN, at a Victoria restaurant. If I ordered a burger, I would have to get it without the bun...which is hardly a burger at all. It's just a puck of meat with some lettuce. Not very exciting if you ask me. For the longest time, I just accepted this as my only option when dining out.

But something amazing happened this week...something so exciting I could hardly wait to try it: The Pink Bicycle began using gluten-free buns!

The Pink Bicycle has been revered as the "Best Burger in Victoria" for the last three years. I had begrudgingly read their menu and felt as though I would be forever left out of this special burger experience. I was tired of asking for burgers with no bun at other restaurants, it wasn't worth the money, or the shame I felt by destroying "what could have been". I'm happy to announce now though that I have eaten at the Pink Bicycle, I ate a real burger, with a damn good bun.

A little background of the Pink Bicycle is duly needed for this review: All the meats they use are organic, naturally-raised, and as local as possible. I applaud sustainable, and ethically produced meat--not only does it taste SO much better, it's good for our community and supporting small local economy, it's better for our land, and much better for our bodies. The Pink Bicycle also sources many of their other ingredients from local farms and small businesses--I am proud to support a restaurant that is so socially and environmentally conscious. Bravo, Pink Bike, Bravo.

Now, let's talk food!! Some things that gf people need to know about dining at The Pink Bicycle. The first thing, the beef burgers and the "swine burger" are seasoned with a sauce that contains minimal amounts of gluten. I steered away, but if your tummy is not as sensitive as mine, it would be fine. Next, there are three vegetarian burger options and two fish burger options if you don't feel like eating mammals and birds. I didn't get a chance to ask if these were gluten-free, but if YOU know, I'd love to know as I still enjoy a good veggie burger. Lastly, the fries and onion rings are fried in the same deep-fryer...therefore, cross-contamination does occur and those with Celiac should avoid the fries. On the bright side however, you DO get a salad with your burger, and the salad is delicious with candied pecans and local leaf lettuce.

I had the Island Bison Burger with Bacon on Origin's gluten free hamburger bun. The special sauce they put on it is gluten-free so no worries there. The servers are really knowledgeable and understanding about gluten allergies...I felt pretty safe :) Also, the desserts weren't gluten-free, but that's alright...I was stuffed after my burger and salad, plus I was just so happy to have had a real burger with a real bun :) It was so delicious, and I can't wait to go back and try every other burger they have. I'm especially excited about the Blue Cheese Lamb Burger and the Herbed Chicken Burger. This place is an absolute MUST TRY for all you living gluten-freely!

Message: Sorry for the lack of posts....

Today is Day 5 of gluten-rehab and I'm STILL super sick. I'm not really eating anything, or going anywhere...so ya....no posts really. I'll hopefully start eating real food again by the end of the week.

All this downtime is just fueling my passion of ensuring that gluten-free food can be accessible in Victoria. Furthermore, I'm considering taking action at UVIC to provide more gluten-free options, and hopefully educate food staff properly regarding allergies. We will see when I'm finally able to leave the house :p

I'm looking forward to potentially going out for a delicious lunch this upcoming weekend. I'm so hungry...it's been days without a good meal. Fingers are crossed.

Personal Story: The Worst Gluten-Poisoning We Fear the Most

Thursday will go down in history as literally, and quite possibly, the worst day I've ever had. Aside from struggling that morning to take a very difficult exam, and being notified my August Sociology class got cancelled (potentially disrupting my funding), I was super starving, and the University Centre cafeteria was closed because of convocation events (this is usually where I grab some fruit and yogurt). I went to the Biblio Cafe once I finished my exam, and decided to try their gluten-free bagel with lox and cream cheese, called the West Coast Classic.

I asked the cashier for the gluten-free bagel, I paid him, and I sat down to enjoy my first food of the day.

I knew I only wanted half of the bagel, so I separated the top from the bottom, and started eating.

I was so amazed at how good this bagel tasted, and it felt so good to eat something so delicious. I kept eating, marveling at the fluffy and chewy texture. I thought "Holy crap, they're getting really good at making gluten-free stuff now!!"

I was almost done my first half; only two bites left really, and I got a horrible feeling that something was not right. I wrapped up the bagel and brought it back to the cashier. I asked him if he gave me a gluten-free bagel...he replied "Oh...no...I didn't, sorry."

My eyes started to well-up with tears in the crowded cafe, I promptly left and started full-on crying once I got out the door. I knew I was in for total gut-hell...but for how long?? I mean, I've gotten sick from cross-contamination (think...a single bread crumb can make me sick)--what was going to happen to me after eating HALF A BAGEL?!?! I called my friend and she tried to console me while I waited for the nausea to set in. After about 10 minutes, I was super nauseous, and I called my dad to take me to the doctor to see if there was anything that could be done....once at the doctor's office, Mr. M.d. told me essentially there is nothing I can do, and that I can expect to feel really sick for about 3-4 days.

Today is Sunday--so far the easiest day post-gluten. Yesterday, however, was horrible. Every day was horrible actually. I'm making Borscht today to last me for the next few days while I give my tummy a rest and just eat really simple soups. I'm hoping to eat a really good, big meal on Thursday, but we'll see.

Lesson of the day kids: If it tastes too good to be gluten-free...it could be that it isn't actually gluten-free after all.

Personal Recipe: Meatball Subs with Tangy Slaw

I hadn't eaten a meatball sub since my glory-gluten days, and then two weeks ago, I decided that I would likely only get to eat a meatball sub if I made it myself. I didn't look for any recipes, I figured it was a pretty intuitive dish to make. I've seen people make meatballs and it always seems like a big event, with lots of complicated steps like soaking pieces of bread in milk, and grating parmesan (which I never keep in the fridge anyways). Here's my take on super quick, easy, delicious, and nutritious meatball subs!

1 lb ground beef (I prefer organic, and grass fed)
1 egg (free-range, organic, and local)
1/2 cup parsley (finely chopped)
1/2 large sweet onion, finely chopped
1 glove garlic, finely diced into teeny tiny pieces
1/2 cup quinoa flakes
1/2 tbs garlic salt
1 tbs nutritional yeast flakes (in lieu of the parm...but its still optional)
1 jar marinara sauce (I used Classico Tomato and Basil...it was on sale)
1 tbs chilli paste (optional, I just like a little bite in my marinara)
Sliced provolone cheese (optional)
Gluten free breads of somesort--I used Origin's baguette. Next time I'll use Kinnikinnick hot dog buns as they're slightly more cost efficient.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Sweat the onions in a skillet with butter, or olive oil, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Add the parsley and garlic and stir well. Remove from heat and let cool a bit.  In a mixing bowl, combine the meat, egg, quinoa flakes, and garlic salt. Next, add in the onion mix and mix well. With your hands, roll the meat into balls the size of your choice, and place them in a greased, oven safe dish. Cook for roughly 45 minutes.
Once the meatballs are cooked through, add them back into the same skillet you've already used for cooking onions, and add the marinara sauce and chilli paste and simmer on medium-low heat. Serve on gluten-free bread with provolone.

Tangy Slaw
1/2 bag of shredded cabbage mix
2 green onions. chopped
Dressing: 2tbs olive oil, 1 tbs apple cider vinegar, 1 tbs honey, 1/2 tbs dijon mustard, salt, pepper. Mix well, toss with the cabbage. Serve on the side.