Category: Blog

Gluten-Free Travel: Barcelona

Be warned: Barcelona is a city designed for the hungry crowd. Restaurants and bars and cafes abound, and mealtime seems to stretch out all day — at one point, my husband noted there isn’t a fixed concept of breakfast, lunch, or dinner (though, if you’re looking for a full meal in the evening, note that many restaurants won’t even offer up a menu before 8 p.m., if not later!).

(See this post for a listing of restaurants where I found gluten-free options, plus a few I had on my list but didn’t actually eat at. And, if you’re visiting Sitges, a beach community about 30 minutes away by train, here’s a list of gluten-free restaurants for that city as well.) Continue reading “Gluten-Free Travel: Barcelona”

Eating Gluten Free in Sitges, Spain

Sitges is a beachside community about 30 minutes south of Barcelona via train. It is simply lovely, and we started our vacation there with a mind toward unwinding before tackling a bustling city. That was absolutely the right call, and many times during our week in Barcelona, we wondered why we hadn’t made the call to remain in Sitges and take the train back and forth…we will definitely go back! Continue reading “Eating Gluten Free in Sitges, Spain”

Is a Gluten-Free Diet Bad for You?

Lately, I’ve been seeing articles and headlines that suggest a gluten-free diet is unhealthy or even harmful. Digging into those articles reveals facts the link bait headlines don’t: essentially that a gluten-free diet is no more healthy or unhealthy than any other diet.

As we all know, being gluten free — and I do not believe one can be anything less than 100% gluten free — means avoiding all forms of wheat, barley, and rye. This means the whole grains, grains mixed into other products, flours, thickeners, whatever form these grains take. If you are gluten free, particularly for health reasons, none of these grains, in any form, should ever be ingested. Continue reading “Is a Gluten-Free Diet Bad for You?”

My Green Love Affair

As a child, I wouldn’t get anywhere near spinach. It came in cans and was disgusting. I believe every child in the world, at that time, would agree with my scientific assessment of spinach’s flaws. I grew up as part of a generation force-fed vegetables stripped of all their dignity. Later, I learned, there are veggies you can eat that are crunchy, fresh, not overly salted, and delicious!

My world changed. Continue reading “My Green Love Affair”

Bowls of Stuff

When Los Angeles Times food critic wrote a review about a restaurant in my area, he used the term “Things in a Bowl” to describe the restaurant’s offerings. Things. In. A. Bowl. This has become my favorite notion, though I sometimes rephrase it by saying “Bowls of Stuff”. Gold’s definition is simple: grains/rice/pasta, poached egg, and kale.

My definition is pretty close to Gold’s, though I mix up my greens a lot more. Not that there’s anything wrong with kale, but I love collards, chard, spinach (oh, do I love spinach!), and even beet or radish greens. And I like to fry or bake my eggs as often as I like to poach them. And I tend to add a bit more protein (meat or tofu) because I am a proteinaholic. Continue reading “Bowls of Stuff”

Condiments Beyond Mustard

Last week, I confessed my love for mustard. But you know the old saying: woman cannot live on mustard alone. Thankfully, there are many other condiments — gluten-free condiments! — that are ready, willing, and able to serve as you prepare delicious meals.

Because my weeknight dinners are always quick meals, a stash of condiments helps me add flavor, create sauces, and fix mistakes quickly. Even if dinner is just a plain chicken breast or piece of fish, the right condiment can turn ordinary meals into something delicious in mere moments. Continue reading “Condiments Beyond Mustard”