As of the beginning of September 2011, I recently learned that I have a gluten sensitivity/gluten intolerance. Omitting gluten from my diet was the answer to the various health issues I've been experiencing for over the past 10 years. Who knew that all along it was gluten causing me such physical and emotional grief?! It's been quite a learning experience needless to say but it has forced me to adapt my culinary view for the sake of my health. As I move forward with a gluten free lifestyle and approach to food, I'll specifically be including gluten free recipes* and resources here.
PANTRY STAPLES
Having a go-to gluten free flour blend to use in place of all purpose flour is a necessity in my kitchen. After trying a few prepared store-bought GF brands, I realized how much it was costing me and how much I was using! I needed to find a better and more economical way about this. That's when I came across Shauna's All Purpose GF Flour Mix. This is the best combination for my personal uses and has never failed me. I purchased a majority of the ingredients at an Asian market (at less than $.99/lb) and the other ingredients marked were Bob Red Mill brand. Cornstarch was Argo brand.
300 grams superfine brown rice flour
250 grams sweet rice flour
150 grams tapioca flour
100 grams sorghum flour
100 grams potato starch
100 grams cornstarch
Whisk together the above flours and store in an air tight container. To use, measure out 140 grams for every cup called for in your favorite baking recipe (NOT yeast bread recipes.) Add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum for every cup used in the recipe as well to help with texture and binding. Voila! You can bake gluten free with confidence!
RECIPES
*Note: I'll be including gluten free adaptations/substitutions for all recipes going forward from September 2011, so the recipes reflected on this page are not the only ones that are gluten free.
DINING OUT
It's been quite helpful knowing what ingredients and preparations go into cooking various dishes. This knowledge has made the transition to gluten free living much easier for me. Often times, friends and family will think I'm extremely limited to what I can eat on a gluten free diet. In my opinion, it's much harder and more challenging to have a 'South Beach' diet, 'Atkins' diet or even a 'Weight Watchers' diet. Living gluten free simply means avoiding gluten/wheat products. There are so many gluten-rich alternatives these days that I haven't really felt 'deprived' of any specific food. Here's some tips that have helped me when dining out at various restaurants...
- Asian - avoid dishes that involve soy sauce. Ask if tamari is available and if they can use it in place of soy sauce in dishes. If it's a fried dish, note that they may coat items in flour and see if they can coat items in cornstarch instead. Also, note that items friend may lead to cross contamination if flour coated/battered items are fried in the same oil.
- Italian - ask if they offer gf pasta such as those made with rice, corn, or quinoa.
Restaurants with multiple locations
- Aurelio's Pizza GF Pizza
- Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano GF Menu
- Big Bowl GF Menu
- Bonefish Grill GF Menu
- Boston Market GF menu
- Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. GF menu
- Carrabba's Italian Grill GF Menu
- Carson's GF Menu
- Cheeseburger In Paradise GF menu
- Chili's Grill & Bar GF menu
- Chipotle Mexican Grill GF burrito bowl
- Claim Jumper Restaurant GF menu
- Cooper's Hawk Winery GF menu
- Deerfields Bakery GF baked goods
- Ditka's Restaurants GF friendly
- Five Guys Burgers and Fries everything except buns are GF
- Flat Top Grill GF friendly
- Fleming's Prime Steakhouse GF menu
- Jason's deli GF Menu
- Francesca's Restaurants GF pasta, AH site has GF menu
- Kona Grill GF menu
- Las Tablas Columbian Steakhouse GF knowledgeable
- Lou Malnati's Pizzeria GF crustless pizza
- Maggiano's Little Italy GF Pasta
- Marcello's GF Menu
- McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants GF friendly
- The Melting Pot GF Menu
- Mon Ami Gabi GF friendly
- My Pi Pizza GF pizza & pasta
- Olive Garden Italian Restaurant GF Menu includes dishes made with GF penne pasta
- Outback Steakhouse GF Menu
- Pei Wei Asian Diner GF Menu
- PF Chang's China Bistro GF Menu
- Piero's Pizza GF pizza
- Pinstripes Bowling GF Menu
- Red Robin Gourmet Burgers GF Menu
- Roti Mediterranean Grill GF Menu
- Stir Crazy GF friendly
- Topolobompo & Frontera Grill GF friendly
- Pizzeria Uno's GF Menu
- Walker Brothers Pancake House GF pancakes are available, just ask!
- Weber Grill Restaurant GF Menu
- Wildfire Restaurants GF Menu
Restaurants in North Suburbs
- Bella Via (Highland Park) GF friendly
- Bob Chinn's Crabhouse (Wheeling) GF friendly
- Breadsmith (Highland Park) fresh GF baked on Wednesdays
- City Park Grill (Highland Park) GF Menu
- The Claim Company (Northbrook) GF Menu
- Di Pescara (Northbrook) GF friendly
- Golden Chef Cantonese & Szechwan Restaurant (Wheeling) entire menu available GF
- Goode & Fresh Pizza Bakery (Glenview) GF Menu
- The Happ Inn (Northfield) GF Menu
- Main Street Smoke House (Libertyville) GF Menu
- Malibu Pizza & Pasta (Skokie) GF Pizza
- Max and Benny's Restaurant (Northbrook) GF Menu
- Mitchell's Fish Market (Glenview) GF Menu
- Nirvana Wine Bar and Grillerie (Vernon Hills) GF Menu
- Rose's Bakery (Evanston) GF Bakery and Cafe
- Risotto's Italian Ristorante (Gurnee) GF Menu
- Smokin' T's BBQ (Long Grove) GF Menu
- Sushi Kushi Toyo (Lake Forest and Vernon Hills) GF soy sauce
- Tavern Libertyville Restaurant (Libertyville) GF friendly
- Tsukasa of Tokyo (Vernon Hills) GF teriyaki & soy sauce
Restaurants in Northwest Suburbs
- AFFRESCO Pizzeria & Lounge (Park Ridge) GF Menu
- Barrington Gourmet (Barrington) GF Menu
- Divino Gelato (Grayslake) GF Pizza
- Gluten-Free Cookie Passion (Mundelein) GF Bakery
- Graziano's (Niles) GF Menu
- Julio's Latin Cafe (Lake Zurich) GF Menu
- Kaiser's Pizza & Pub (Mundelein) GF Pizza
- Mambo Italiano Ristorante (Mundelein) GF pasta
- Nick's Pizza & Pub (Crystal Lake) GF Pizza
- The Pizza Place and More (Crystal Lake) GF Pizza
- Sunrise Grill (Des Plaines) (847)298-1600 GF friendly
- Sweet Pea Cakes (Barrington) GF cupcakes Friday & Saturday
- That Pasta Place (Grayslake) GF Menu
Restaurants in Chicago (partial list)
- Adobo Grill GF Menu
- Belly Shack GF Menu
- Ben Pao Chinese Restaurant GF Menu
- The Balanced Kitchen GF Menu
- Burger Bar ask for GF buns
- Cafe Ba Ba Reeba GF friendly
- Cassava Bread GF baked goods
- The Chicago Diner GF Menu
- Dawali Mediterranean Kitchen mostly GF, avoid pita
- El Nuevo Mexicano GF friendly
- Fattoush Lebanese Cuisine GF Friendly/GF pita
- Garcia's Mexican Restaurant GF friendly
- Geja's Cafe GF friendly
- The Grill on the Alley GF Menu
- Harry Caray's Tavern Navy Pier GF Menu
- Il Vicinato 773-927-5444 Cermak & Western GF Pasta
- Ina's GF Menu
- Italian Village Restaurant GF friendly
- M. Henry GF friendly
- Petterino's GF Menu
- RL Restaurant GF friendly
- Riva Crabhouse Navy Pier GF friendly
- Roy's Restaurant GF friendly
- Sol y Nieve GF Friendly
- Sola GF friendly
- Swirlz Cupcakes GF cupcakes
- Tipsy Cake GF baked goods
- Vinci Chicago GF Menu
- ZED451 GF Friendly
Restaurants in West Suburbs
- Barone's (Glen Ellyn) GF Pizza
- Da Luciano (River Grove) GF Menu
- Emilio's Tapas (Hillside) GF Friendly
- Gaetano's Cafe (Forest Park) GF friendly
- Glen Prairie Fine Food (Glen Ellyn) GF Menu
- Greco's Fine Italian Restaurant (Willow Springs) GF Pasta
- Lucca's Pizzeria and Ristorante (LaGrange) GF pasta & pizza
- Maya del Sol (Oak Park) GF friendly
- Mykhas's Restaurant (Glen Ellyn) GF friendly
- Prasino (La Grange & St. Charles) GF Menu
- Prima La Pizza (Hillside) GF pizza & pasta
- Q BBQ (La Grange) Gf Friendly
- Roberto's Ristorante (Elmhurst) GF friendly
- The Bank Restaurant (Wheaton) GF Menu
- The Clubhouse (Oak Brook) GF friendly
- Trattoria 225 (Oak Park) GF Menu
- The White Chocolate Grill (Naperville) GF Menu
Restaurants in South Suburbs
- Guardi's Pizza (Tinley Park) GF Pizza
- OMG It's Gluten Free Cafe (Frankfort) All GF Cafe
- Palermo's Italian Restaurant GF Menu
20 comments:
I'm so sorry you have a gluten sensitivity but I'm glad they were able to diagnose it. Selfishly I'm thrilled that your recipes will be gluten free as I am also gluten intolerant!!
I, too, was diagnosed in September. I've used the Bisquick gluten-free mix, but haven't really progressed beyond that. Lookiing forward to your adaptations!
I too was just diagnosed after being sick for years! I am looking forward to finding new recipes!
I was tested last spring. I am gluten-sensitive and allergic to 36 other very common foods!
I can slowly add in some items from the list of 36, but I don't ever want gluten again! I had some once on accident after I'd gotten it out of my system and it was awful!!
I was checking out the freezer meals when I saw the gluten-free tab. I truly believe that no one should be eating gluten and, thankfully, gluten free products are becoming more and more common these days. Thanks for your posts.
I am also gluten free and have been for 2 years. One of the best finds is the Domata Flour. They have an all purpose blend that measures cup for cup in recipes and tastes just like wheat flour! It is amazing. They also have a pizza mix that is fantastic. We have HyVee stores here and most of them carry the flour, but I prefer to order on line. It is amazing!!!
I hope you can visit my blog soon. Every one of the 150 recipes are gluten free, because my daughter has celiac disease. Hope this helps!
www.momwhatsfordinnerblog.com
Diagnosed 2 years ago. Once you get past the shock and start looking for restaurants and alternatives, it can be quite daunting. Thank you for publishing this info for all of us.
I'm not the only one!
Michelle
THANK YOU for the list of restaurants in the Chicago area that are GF-able. My sister and I are both GF and will be there in June with our mom who is not gf (yet!). What a great resource, thanks again!
If you have the time someday, it would be great if you would create a "gluten-free" category for all your recipes that are gluten-free. I've just started eating this way and just discovered your blog. It would just be much easier than trying to go through each recipe one-by-one. Thanks!
I just found your site via your freezer meal photo on Pinterest. Great blog!
Cindy
www.wheatlessfoodie.blogspot.com
Greetings from Finland. I have been on a gluten-free diet since March 1996. I have thousands recipes from all over the world and they´re all gluten-free, most lactose-free, some egg-free, soya-free, nut-free, naturally gluten-free, you name it. In case someone wants links to those recipes, let me know.
Mari
Turku, Finland
I was diagnosed diabetic 2 in September and lost 35 lbs. It wasn't as hard going off sugar then my Dr said I needed to go gluten free, was depressed for a couple of weeks. everything has sugar or wheat or both and i couldn't eat anything but vegetables and meat. I love my bread and rolls. Working on eating better, because I feel Better. Thanks for the encouragement.
You can add Carlucci in Downers Grove, Lincolnshire and Rosemont, and Strega Nona in Chicago for the GF pasta. AND Egg Harbor Cafe locations have a GF menu!
I gave up gluten in April of this year. I have been amazed with how much better I feel. Thank you for this list.
Thank you for posting the restaurants.I have been diagnosed with Celiacs.I was finally happy to know what was wrong with me,after suffering for 25years.I just want to mention that they do make a glutn free soy sauce,and I really like Udi's bread and buns.Now I have to do some checking on the restaurants here in Southern California.
My son is G intolerant as are several of his cousins. A couple of generations of over processed food including a huge jump in wheat consumption must be contributors. Our naturopath said alot of people with Celtic origins are susceptable. In addition to Gluten Free, she also has him on fish oils high in omega 9, vitamin B and zinc ( check your fingernails for white spots). If he has birthday cake at school, he comes home in a foul mood and ends up thumping his little brother. Its almost instant aggression with him. Consequently I've never cooked so much- I'm evven baking! Half my cooking has been duds- especially breads- absolutely awful. My reward for trawling is this blog, i'm going to work through your list until im a pro!
Thank you for your GF recipes.Where does Amanda order Domata Flour on-line? Also, for the ArtDesignJunkie: What causes the white spots on fingernails?
Thank you for the useful post ......
Thank you for the recipes and posting the comments, these are helpful. I would be interested in seeing the GF recipes that Mari of Finland has collected as well.
Kim
Sask. Canada
(kimmarsden@yahoo.ca)
What a delicious list! I am really happy that you have shared this. I appreciate it!
Post a Comment