Celiac Eats is Back – Top 3: Westside

It’s good to be back from a lengthy hiatus after starting a new job and being diagnosed with histamine intolerance. Histamine intolerance is the lack of a particular enzyme to break down the histamine in foods. The buildup of histamine in the body causes a host of allergy-like symptoms. This added over 10 foods that I now have to manage to avoid on top of the gluten, dairy and soy free diet. So needless to say my restaurant dining decreased dramatically for awhile. But now that I've gotten a handle on managing my new diet, I’m back with the launch of a collection of my top three favorite restaurants by neighborhood; and to kick it off I’m starting with the Westside!

Miller Union

This is one of my favorites in all of Atlanta. Steven Satterfield and Neal McCarthy keep the focus on the farm – changing the menu frequently based on that week’s selection of crops. The great thing about true farm to table restaurants is that the chefs are always aware of which ingredients are in each dish. Every time I've dined there my waiter has been fully educated and works with the kitchen to ensure the best meal possible. Their wine menu has ample variety including the hard to find Albert Boxler Grand Cru Pinot Gris – Eat.Drink.Repeat’s Sarah-Ann Soffer’s favorite. I also love the bee hive collection in the back room and the unassuming yet well stocked bar.

Yeah! Burger

I’ve already written about Yeah! Burger but it’s still top of my list. You just can’t beat having a burger with a bun. My favorite addition to the menu is the crispy Brussels sprouts. They started these as a monthly special but luckily decided to keep them around. They are by far the best Brussels sprouts I've had in Atlanta. I've also finally ventured to try their salads which I never thought would be so good. The hydroponic lettuce is full of flavor and then tossed in house-made dressing. I go for the Lemon vinaigrette.

UrbanPl8

This paleo-focused restaurant, tucked away in a strip center off Huff Rd, is a hidden gem. I love going for brunch and order the vegan breakfast, a plate of roasted sweet potatoes, greens and a spicy pinto cake. If I’m more in the mood for lunch, I’ll get the bahn-mi style burger.

Atlanta Food & Wine Festival

The second Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, this past weekend, was leaps and bounds better than last year for those gluten free. I remember being so excited in 2011 when there were a handful of dishes I could eat. This year, there was such a selection that I didn’t know what to do with myself. So instead of rambling I’ll just get right on to the good stuff – here are my best gluten free picks of the weekend – separated into the best of each tasting trail.*

BBQ
The obvious winner for me was the Fox Bros. brisket. Fox Bros. states all their meats are gluten free. Their sauce contains dairy but the meat alone is still perfect for BBQ enthusiasts.

Tacos and Tamales
I was disappointed to see not one but two restaurants serving the basic taco lineup of beef, lettuce and cheese, buffet style; so Alma Cocina knocked everyone out of the water with their pork tamale topped with pico de gallo.

The Whole Pig          

This was the best section of the tasting tents. Farm Burger was the biggest surprise with their crispy pig ear tacos on handmade corn tortillas (made on site) and a trio of sauces.

Bistro AIX also held their own with Moroccan-spiced pork tenderloin with harissa-marinated watermelon and lentil chip.

Southern Sweets
I was so excited to find French Broad Chocolates from Asheville, NC. This family owned artisan chocolate company makes a whole line of vegan truffles – named the Buddha collection after their son who had a dairy allergy when he was younger. Some of the vegan truffles are also gluten free including the strawberry balsamic truffle with Hawaiian chocolate and crunchy cacao nib coating.
Southern Snacks
Blackberry Farm had a host of goodies including cured meats, pickled ramps, ramp jam and pickled okra. Savannah Bee was sampling honeycomb with fresh apples, blackberries and raspberries.  

Beverages
One of my new favorites is mezcal - an agave based liquor where the agave leaves are smoked before processing – which had a new presence at the festival this year. Illegal Mezcal showcased their three handmade varieties. Their anejo variety had a great smokey flavor and a perfect smoothness for those a bit timid of tequila. For those accustomed to the taste, the un-aged variety had a refreshing bite. In one of the morning sessions, Greg Best of Holeman and Finch showcased Mezcal in his corn-arita, using un-aged mescal, raw corn milk, lemon and pepper infused honey. 

* In full disclosure I received a media day pass to the festival. 

Fox Bros. brisket

Alma Cocina pork tamale

One Eared Stag beef tongue terrine

Farm Burger crispy pork ear tacos

Bistro AIX Moroccan-spiced pork

French Broad Chocolates

Blackberry Farm spread

Atlanta Chef’s Expo

This past weekend marked the inaugural Atlanta Chef’s Expo held at the Foundry at Puritan Mill with part of the proceeds benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The expo showcased a host of Atlanta chefs, restaurants and catering companies and their best dishes. The expo was one of first Atlanta food events to showcase a special gluten free/vegan section featuring Chow Baby, Chef Barry Garber of Creative Vegan Concepts, Dr. Sweet’s Cake Emporium and Honeysuckle Gelato.

Some of my favorites of the day included Dr. Sweet’s Cake Emporium's gluten free and vegan Ginger Cookies with Blackberry Juniper Jam, Barrelhouse’s Braised Short Rib and Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails’ Espresso Rubbed Apple Brined Pork Loin. While Honeysuckle Gelato didn't have any sorbet samples on hand their list of flavors like Apple Rum Cinnamon, Grapefruit Campari, Lemon Lavender and Orange Anis left me wanting to go pick up a pint.

Dr. Sweet's Cake Emporium's Ginger Cookies

Be sure to check out the event next year! 

Restaurant Review: Sun in my Belly

East of Decatur, nearby the train tracks lay a row of restaurants including Wahoo! Grill, Radial Café, Fox Brothers and Sun in my Belly. Sun in my Belly sits at the corner of College Avenue and Murray Hill Avenue in an unassuming brick building. Walk in and you’re greeted by a deli set up in front of you, to your left you’ll find a small waiting area squared off with antique suede couches and an intimate dining area, and further on in the back room you’ll find warm wood all around and a giant bureau covered with candles. The tables are topped with hand painted mason jars and Tibetian-esque paper streamers hang from ceiling.

While there isn’t a plethora of gluten free and dairy free dishes, the ones on the menu are definitely worth it. The Antipasto Starter includes a selection of cured meats, organic salami from the local producer Patakmeats, lemon zested artichoke hearts, rosemary scented olives and a selection of cheeses with sliced baguette. The staff is very understanding of intolerances and allergies and will happily serve the cheese and bread on a separate plate if you have others dining with you.

The Hermes salad made of fresh arugula, roasted pears, champagne vinaigrette and blue cheese can be ordered without the blue cheese. Many of the other salads can be gluten free and dairy free as well. During dinner hours, you can order off the Supper Club menu. I appreciate how you have the option to order the full Supper Club dinner or order off the menu al a carte. I ordered a green chicken chili soup that was heart warmingly homemade.

Overall, Sun in my Belly is a great place to enjoy a cup of espresso or a light dinner. It’s a good place to have on your list for when you’re looking for a restaurant to appeal to a large group.

Norwegian Christmas: Gluten Free Krumkake

Something I tend to forget is that my great grandfather was Norwegian. I never met the man but I know he was the epitome of a Norgwegian. He came to the states as a teenager with nothing but a giant truck he carried on his back. I’m reminded of his legacy by my lumberjack of a father, the excitement I get for Thor Hushovd during the Tour de France and the few Norwegian recipes my grandmother taught me.

One of my favorites is krumkake, a Norwegian cookie similar to a waffle cone. My family celebrated this past Christmas by figuring out how to make krumkakes gluten free and dairy free; and they turned out just the same! Here's the recipe my dad created on a whim. 

First one - added too much batter!

Gluten Free Krumkake

Makes:  about 30

2 cups sugar

½ butter alternative (I like using coconut butter)

2 eggs

2 cups milk alternative

1 ½ cup gluten free flour mix – see recipe below

We used what we had available in the house but pre-mixed would work as well

½ teaspoon freshly ground cardamom (freshly ground is key)

¼ teaspoon vanilla

½ cup corn starch

Gluten Free flour mix

·         5 cups sweet rice flour

·         5 cups rice flour

·         1 cup brown rice flour

·         1 cup sorghum flour

Mix all ingredients together until well incorporated. Pre-heat your krumkake iron. Pour about one tablespoon of the mixture onto the iron and slowly close; allowing the mixture to spread evenly. Cook for 1-2 minutes and then flip the iron. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from the iron gently and quickly roll with a rolling cone. 

Stress + Gluten-Free Eating

These past couple months have included the most challenging time in my life along with some of the best. The amount of changes I’ve gone through is safe to say enough to knock anyone on their heels – and the reason why Celiac Eats has been lacking in posts.

Through my life, career and location changes, my eating habits have severely diminished. Shamefully I can count several occasions where I ate French fries as a meal because I was either too busy, too tired to cook or to go to a decent restaurant. Of course my health has started lacking as a result. It’s been a cycle of tiredness, weakness, and achiness from eating poor/processed food. Finally, the other day when a rash appeared on my inner elbow I decided I had enough of eating poorly. I’ve started to get back into the habit of eating well but it’s challenging. I forgot how time consuming it can be to maintain a healthy diet when gluten-free.

Lunch at work is still my biggest challenge – sandwiches aren’t great because the bread needs to be heated and I have been too exhausted to make a big enough meal at dinner to leave leftovers. There aren’t many healthy restaurant options by my office either.

So, how do you maintain a healthy diet during busy times? I must admit I’m in a rut and in need of some help and inspiration!  

Gluten Free Overnight Oats

Today I am a guest blogger on Bob's Red Mill's blog! You can check out the blog here or read the post below along with additional photos.

Gluten Free: Overnight Oats

We all know that eating a breakfast is important to our health– from aiding in weight loss to helping kids stay energized through school. Yet most of us skip it. I try to eat a balanced breakfast but still find it hard sometimes to make a nutritious meal in the short amount of time I have in the morning. I also can get bored with the limited gluten and dairy free breakfast options.   

I love overnight oats because they are so simple to prepare and you can change the flavor profile easily with different mix-ins so you’ll never get bored.

If you have kids, turn them into an experiment after dinner. They’ll be so excited to test them in the morning and you’ll be happy to get them a filling breakfast.

Basic Overnight Oats

Adapted from Kath Eats Real Food

Serving size: 1-2

·  1 cup of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats

·  1 ¼ -1 ½ cups of coconut milk (use 1 ½ if you like your oats milkier)

·  2 tbsp agave syrup

·  1 tsp salt

Place oats and coconut milk into a container. Stir, cover and place in refrigerator. Let sit overnight.

Next morning, warm the oats in the microwave for 2 ½ to 3 minutes. Add in mix-ins.

PB&J Oats

Follow the basic overnight oats recipe. Mix in peanut butter and berries for a protein and fiber packed breakfast.

Cinnamon Blueberry Oats

Follow the basic overnight oats recipe. Sprinkle cinnamon and a few blueberries on top. For an extra treat crumble a blueberry muffin into the oats.

Additional Mix-ins

Fruit – berries, apples, bananas

Jams or jellies

Granola

Trail mix

Nuts and seeds

Honey

Mike’s Hot Honey

Maple syrup

PB&J Oats

Cinnamon Blueberry Oats