Good GF Pasta

I was talking with a coworker recently, and learned his daughter has gluten sensitivies, and some other allergies besides, including corn. Yikes! That would be hard for me, corn being one of the grains that powers my day.

We got to talking about pasta and I told him (and any others out there in DC GF blog land) that this is the one I like best. The key is to actually undercook, letting it coast to doneness, and make only what you are going to use at one time.

Bionaturae gluten free pasta can be found at Whole Foods, look for the pink packages.

http://www.bionaturae.com/gluten.html

Interesting sounding but as yet untested GF desserts...

A coworker forwarded me a link to some yummy sounding desserts on Apartment Therapy:

Honey Lavender Panna Cotta

and

Gluten-Free Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

Amma Vegetarian Kitchen, or Ode to the Dosa

One night when my sweetie was out grabbing a burger with a coworker, I was driving home from work and said to myself, time for dosa! Inspired by the vision of tasy loveliness of the tangy lentil pancake filled with shredded paneer and other veg, I phoned in a takeout order and hopped over the bridge to Georgetown on my way home.

Amma is usually upstairs from M at around 33rd St. But recently for renovations, the dining room is actually at street level. In many ways I like this better - the diners/dining are more visible and i bet they get more walk in traffic too.

At any rate, one of my favorite things to eat there, and ever, are dosa. They are a huge flat pancake filled with one of a number of fillings. They satisfy the celiac's urge for something that goes crunch crunch crunch and you use the pancake thing to eat the filling. There are 2 dipping sauces that accompany, a veggie stewy thing and also coconut.

On this particular evening, I grabbed a paneer dosa and a mango lassi for takeout. Although the pancake part lost some of its crunch on the way home in the container, the flavor did not disappoint. I snarfed it all down and pronto.

CSA share veggies - week one

Our friends who just got married asked us if we wanted to pick up their CSA share while they were busy with wedding-stuff and honeymoon.

We said yes - natch! The farmer's market stand is at the Silver Spring market, it was super easy, they had a box ready to go and I picked it up on behalf of my friend. Inside: lots and lots of greens; turnips; swiss chard; spring onions; and I rounded this off by getting some baby zucchini, new potatoes and farm eggs at the market too.

Pictured is a salad I made today with some of the amazing greens, baby zucchinilettes, herbs, etc. I made a brown rice vinegar and orange juice dressing. Nice and tangy. Yum.

Sette Osteria in Dupont Circle

My sweetie emailed me today asking if I was interested in seeing friends for an impromptu dinner after work. Sure I said...and then learned it was at an Italian restaurant.

Great.

I'm sure there are some who recognize that sinking feeling: oh no, what am I going to eat? This is yet more dicey for those of us who are not carne nor pesce-inclined...

So my post is to report that I was very pleasantly surprised that Sette offered a gluten free pasta substitution for a nominal fee. Despair turned to hope turned to a bunch of cheezy peppery pasta in a bowl in front of me. Yum.

That was preceded by a simple buffalo mozarella salad, very tender and also yum.

Sorry no photos on this one. So, here is one Italian eatery where us GF's have some options!

www.setteosteria.com

Gluten Free Travels: Madison, WI

I'm back from a family weekend in the land of the cheese curd. Although as any celiac knows, travel away from the comforts of home and your own GF friendly kitchen can have its perils. Not so on this particular trip!

My boyfriend's rellies in Madison hit the bonanza of gluten free items for the home pantry. In fact, his sister Megan made a veritable shrine to GF delights in a corner of her kitchen:


The Silly Yak Bakery of Madison was where she picked up the bread pictured above (a rice flour based loaf) and also a vanilla cupcake with chocolate frosting (eaten before depicted). I grilled the bread in a pan and ate it for breakfast with eggs. As GF bread goes, it was on the better end of what I've had, definitely. The bakery apparently dedicates itself to GF delights on Tuesdays and Saturdays. In getting home and looking at the website, seems like they will ship to you! Megan said there are many more items in the bakery, like cakes, doughs, pizza, and more. Good find if you are in that part of the country.

As to the cupcake, described but not depicted...it was enjoyed and eaten in short order. I haven't eaten that much of a sweet in I don't know how long! Need I say more??

Megan planned a fun family outing (and with 12 in our party, yes this was really a major culinary expedition) of a delicious dinner of middle eastern cuisine at LuLu's Deli & Restaurant. We feasted on stuffed grape leaves, seasoned feta and olives, hummus, baba ghanoush; I ate amazing tart lemony lentil soup:

and Fool, a vegetarian dish of tomatoes, fava beans, chickpeas and rice:

I also ate a bite of her eggplant moussaka, which was deeply seasoned and tender. Mmm. Delicious food and and many vegetarian and gluten-friendly options. The server was great about checking with the kitchen, but it appeared that the main source of gluten was the pita bread (which everyone else quite enjoyed). We feasted at LuLu's until we burst, seated at the "low table" which suited me fine but not Megan's 6'6" fiance...

So if you find yourself in the land of the cheese curd, do not fear there are many friendly GF options (including of course cheese curds themselves, which I did eat and enjoy. Squeaky!).

Sushi from Thai Chef

Home late on a weeknight when my sweetie had other dinner plans, I decided to get some of my favorite veggie sushi...the fabulous garden roll from Thai Chef on Connecticut Avenue in DC. Crunchy, savory, sweet...a unique blend of veggies with the unexpected snap of pear!

So hungry I perched my dinner atop the laptop!

www.thaichefsushibardc.com