Should I Eat Here? Dealing with Food Anxiety and Eating in Restaurants

It's a hard thing to decide when and where to eat when you have celiac disease. I have a reaction to gluten so severe that I've had to leave restaurants in an ambulance. People often say to me "well, why bother going out to eat?" To them, it's not worth the risk.

I've had a hard time reconciling this. Sure, common sense dictates that I should just avoid going out. But I refuse to be a slave to my disease. For one, it would mean shutting myself off to many social events. Whenever setting up a date with friends or family, the first thought is "so do you want to grab dinner/lunch/brunch?" Our culture and socialization revolve around food.

I also just love food. Sure, I consider myself to be a good cook. But I can't cook a lot of stuff, and I want to eat what I want to eat. Most restaurants can offer at least one gluten free option -- in fact, catering to food allergies is the law in Massachusetts. Restaurants must provide allergen awareness training here, and I love that.

More than anything else, what kind of life is it to live in fear the whole time? Obviously, I exercise common sense and don't take risks. But I'm not going to live as a shut-in, not when there are so many restaurants that really get it. There are some restaurants where I KNOW I'll be safe, and if I'm feeling nervous. I will eat here:

• Legal Seafoods
• Twist Cafe in Millis, MA (entirely gluten-free)
• Pica Pica Maize in San Francisco, CA (entirely gluten-free)
• Uncle Cheung's in Framingham, MA
• Anywhere in Disney World

It's hard not to have anxiety about food when a mistake or carelessness can land you in the hospital. This happened to me at Rancho Chico in Plainville, MA. Despite their insistence that they understood celiac disease, I was clearly exposed and had a seizure at the table. They put me in the hospital, and the manager insisted that I must have brought outside food in, and forced my party to pay for my food (I was in the ambulance so I couldn't pay), saying that if they didn't cough up, the server would have to cover the cost. 

I didn't eat solid food for a few weeks after this incident, because I was just so afraid and I'd start to panic whenever I looked at food. But I came to realize that this was no way to live -- food is amazing! It's just about going to places that aren't run by megalomaniac douchebags who still won't own up to it. So do your research! Be educated, and don't be afraid to ask for the manager or to speak to the chef. It's your body and you are the consumer -- be your own advocate and don't eat anything you're not comfortable eating. 

Gluten-Free Chinese Food: Uncle Cheung's in Framingham

I love Uncle Cheung's. We eat here at least once a month, and as someone who is Chinese, finding gluten-free Chinese food is a big deal. I miss being able to go out for dim sum or to meet my family in Chinatown for a big feast, but this is as close as I can get, and it's pretty damn close.

The day I found out there was gluten in soy sauce, I died a little inside. I am CHINESE, people. We live on soy sauce, and it's everywhere in a Chinese kitchen. This is also why I'm afraid to eat at a Chinese restaurant. The prep areas, the woks.. soy sauce everywhere! I'm also hesitant to trust a restaurant like this, because when there's a language barrier, I don't feel confident in my safety.

Then I discovered Uncle Cheung's. From what I understand, the owner's family has celiac, so they take it very seriously. They can make most of the items on their menu gluten free! As an extra bonus to me, they have an authentic Shanghai menu for Chinese people, with all of the classics that I grew up and love, like beef tendons, pea shoots, rice cakes, and steamed whole fish in ginger and scallions. They use water chestnut flour for frying, and they also use gluten-free soy sauce.

I've never gotten sick from eating at Uncle Cheung's, not once. I am VERY sensitive, so even the slightest error would send my stomach into a conniption fit, and that has never happened here. Is the food the best Chinese food in the world? No. But it's pretty solid, and I feel completely safe eating here, which is worth every penny. It's a little bit expensive compared to most Chinese joints in the area, but it's very tasty and the safety is well-worth the extra money.

Items to try:

• Garlic spareribs. Fried with hot peppers and super delicious. They also do fried calamari in a similar manner.
• Sauteed pea shoots. Delicate and flavorful.
• Shredded beef and leeks. Sweet and pungent, this is fantastic over rice. 
• Steamed whole fish with ginger and scallions. This tastes like my childhood!

If you're in the Boston area and are looking for a safe place to eat Chinese food, run, don't walk, to Uncle Cheung's. Even better, they're open on Christmas! My family and I did Christmas here last year, and it was wonderful. 

Boom Chicka Pop White Cheddar Popcorn Review

I am a snacker. I can't go more than three hours without eating something, so I always have two KIND bars in my purse, or a banana (is that a banana in your purse or are you just happy to see me?). My cubicle at work is lined with gluten-free snacks, so much so that it has been dubbed the "snack corner" of my office. Everybody is clearly jealous.

I recently discovered Angie's Boom Chicka Pop, as it was on sale at my local grocery store. It's certified gluten free and though not dairy free, it doesn't seem to affect my lactose-intolerant belly. There are only 60 calories per cup, but really, who only eats a cup of this stuff at a time?

It's really tasty. It reminds me of Smartfood, but not nearly as intense in flavor. On sale, I've gotten it for $2.50 a bag, so it's not terribly expensive either. The other flavors didn't interest me as much, but I'd be willing to try them. I'm guessing this would be delicious tossed with M&Ms or chocolate chips! The only warning I will throw out there is that the powdered cheese gets all over your face, and I gave myself a minor heart attack when I looked in the mirror and thought I had face dandruff.

Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef

Summer is underway and my garden is out of control! In the second week of July, we ended up picking close to 10 lbs of raspberries. Seriously.



Another common overgrowth item is zucchini or yellow squash. The problem with overgrown zucchini is that once it reaches a certain point, sauteing or grilling isn't really optimal -- the seeds are too big and tough. What I like to do is make cute little zucchini boats! Here's what you need and what you need to do for a yummy trip for your taste buds (get it? because they're boats?).

2 large zucchini
1 lb ground beef
2 cups pre-cooked rice or quinoa
1 large tomato, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 cup baby spinach, fresh and raw
1 can of cooking spray
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 a lemon

Preheat the oven to 375, then line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Halve the zucchini, then use a spoon to hollow it out, removing the seeds, until the desired shape of a boat. Spray with cooking spray, sprinkle with salt, and put in the oven for 12 minutes. You can start the next step while the zucchini are in the oven -- remove when the 12 minutes are up or the zucchini begins to brown.

In a cast iron skillet, start the olive oil on medium heat, then add the onions. Sprinkle with salt and stir until translucent. Add the garlic and saute for another 30 seconds. Add the beef, plus salt, pepper, and paprika. When the beef is browned, add the tomatoes. Continue to stir until tomatoes soften, then add the rice or quinoa. When the mixture is thoroughly mixed, taste and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. Add the juice of half of a lemon.

Use a spoon to scoop the mixture into the boats, making as high as you want. Pop into the oven for 10 minutes, then remove. Sprinkle with cheese. Put back in the oven for another five minutes or until the cheese melts. For extra flourish, you can top with chopped basil or parsley.

Gluten Free Review of El Pelon Taqueria: The Best Mexican Food in Boston

I don't just mean gluten-free Mexican food, too. I mean of all time. Ever. Famed statistician Nate Silver analyzed Yelp reviews of burrito joints across the U.S., and using some sort of metric that I will never understand (though I got an A in Statistics 115 back at BU!), calculated that El Pelon has the fourth best burrito in the country. Yup, sounds about right.

I've been eating at El Pelon (two locations: one in Brighton near Boston College and one in Boston proper near BU) since college, long before I was diagnosed with celiac disease. I was so sad that I would never be able to eat it again. To my surprise, much of what I love at El Pelon is gluten free! The only thing I can't eat are the burritos (cruel, considering the statistic above). However, the rest of the food is phenomenal and I don't feel like I'm missing a damn thing.

First off, the chips and guacamole (which is amazeballs) are gluten free. The limited menu means that they don't fry anything else in the fryer (except for some select other items that are also gluten free, and I'll get to that in a minute). The plantains are gluten free and perfect. They're not crispy, but they're the soft squishy fried ones that I believe are green, because they are not that sweet. They're served with a smoky red salsa, perfect for dipping.

My other favorite appetizer is the taquitos -- corn tortillas rolled up with shredded beef inside, served with a pico de gallo and the same intoxicating guacamole. These are a real treat -- perfectly fried and crisp.

But the piece de resistance is the fish tacos. Cornmeal-crusted whitefish in a corn tortilla, topped with limed onions and pickled cabbage with a squirt of arbor chile mayo and cucumbers. Absolute heaven, and by far the best fish taco I've ever had. The fish is fried, but as previously mentioned, there is no contamination in the fryer. Everything that's fried is corn-based!

Here is a picture of Brian's birthday meal this past weekend at El Pelon. The best part? All of this was less than $30.

Gluten-free Rice Cooker Pancake

Gluten free bisquick + a handful of blueberries + a rice cooker = deliciousness!

We decided to do breakfast for dinner the other day, and I've seen the rice cooker pancake going around on Buzzfeed. It looked too good to be true, but I figured I'd give it a shot. I don't have a fancy rice cooker (it's literally 15 years old), all it has is a single button that pops up when the rice is ready.

I have to say, I was really impressed with how it turned out. All I did was spray the rice cooker with cooking spray, pour the batter in, throw a handful of blueberries on top, and push the button. The top of it was not as cooked as I would have liked, so I transferred it to a baking sheet and popped it in the toaster oven for a couple of minutes. But otherwise, it was a rousing success.

My only suggestion would be to use a little more oil in the batter than the recipe calls for. I had a slightly difficult time getting the pancake out, as I do not have a nonstick rice cooker. Next time, I'm going to add chocolate chips!

BEST Gluten Free Treat in RI

Hands down, Del's wins. This goes for all treats, gluten free or not. When I take a sip/bite, I can close my eyes and feel all of my happy childhood memories coming back.   It is the perfect treat on a hot day! Gluten, dairy, fat free, what's not to love? Anyone who grew up in RI or in the area knows how amazing it is.

Pineapple and Beef Skewers

I made these beauties a few weeks ago, and Brian couldn't get enough of them. The pineapple juice with the tamari makes for a sweet and tangy marinade that I love.

Grilled Pineapple and Beef Skewers
½ a pineapple, cut into inch chunks
1 lb steak tips, cut into 1-2 inch chunks
1 onion, cut into inch chunks
¼ cup tamari or other gluten-free soy sauce
1/8 cup rice vinegar or lime (if using vinegar, be sure to check there's no malt or extra flavorings that could contain gluten)
1/8 cup fish sauce
Worcestershire sauce
Sriracha
Canola oil
Wooden skewers

In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and fish sauce. Add a drizzle of oil and continue to whisk. A dash of Worcestershire and a squeeze of sriracha (the amount depends on how spicy you like it) should then be added. If there is any pineapple juice left on the board from cutting it, add it in.

Pour mixture over cut up steak tips, then place in a zippered bag and let marinate for at least two hours, or overnight. Soak the wooden skewers in water an hour before the grilling. Put the marinated beef in a bowl and dispose of the bag and used marinade.

When ready to grill, make a skewer of beef, pineapple, and onion, in whatever order you prefer. Grill on high heat for 2-3 minutes per side, depending on how hot your grill is and what temperature you like your beef. Garnish with cilantro, serve immediately. For a complete meal, add brown rice.

Glutened at Paparazzi - Framingham

I normally have nothing but good things to say about eating gluten free at Paparazzi, but tonight did not go so well. I ordered the veal parmesan, which comes with gluten free pasta. The veal is battered in gluten free bread crumbs, and they swear that they're good about cross contamination.

Unfortunately for me, as I was eating the gluten free ziti, I noticed a spaghetti strand mixed in. When I called the server over, she let me know that the spaghetti meant that my pasta was not safe. Whoever cooked the pasta either cooked the pasta in the same water as the very gluteny pasta or strained it in the same strainer. The manager immediately came over, gave me his card, asked for my info so that he could follow up, and comped our meal.

I am truly not that upset because it's part of the risk of eating out, I'm just disappointed. The server and manager could not have handled the situation any better, of course. I do not blame them at all, as the server definitely noted that my meal should be gluten free and the manager was very kind and quick to act. It's just disappointing that I will probably never return there because now I know their kitchen staff is not well-trained in food allergies. It's frustrating to me that the line cook knew enough to use gluten free pasta, but didn't know to cook it in different water. So either Paparazzi doesn't train its chefs, or he/she just didn't care and thought I was one of those people who aren't REALLY gluten free.

Sigh. The headache is starting now, as are the abdominal cramps. This is going to be a long night.

Pureed cauliflower -- Awesome ingredient to keep just in case

I can't even believe how long it has been since I've posted. I've been super busy, but that's a conversation for another day. I was having a conversation with the moms today at the dance studio on healthy swaps for food. One of my favorites is pureed cauliflower in place of cream. It adds an awesome rich nuttiness, and since I've also been diagnosed with lactose intolerance, helps with creamy items.

You can work with either frozen or fresh cauliflower. If frozen, all you need to do is defrost, boil, strain, and puree in a blender with chicken broth and a little olive oil. If fresh, cut it up, boil until soft, strain, and puree in a blender with chicken broth and a little olive oil and salt. The trick in either cases is to make sure the cauliflower is really soft, so that it purees well and doesn't get gritty. I have a blender with a heating element directly built into it, so I just boil the cauliflower directly in the blender and then puree. It's a great buy, I highly recommend it: http://www.cuisinart.com/products/blenders/sbc-1000.html. The amount of chicken broth you use is entirely up to you based on what you're using the cauliflower for. If you have a lot of cauliflower, plan on using a lot of chicken broth. You can always use vegetable broth as well if you want to keep vegetarian.

It works as a great side if you puree it thick (not too much chicken broth) like the consistency of mashed potatoes, add salt and pepper, then scoop it into a roasting dish, spritz with cooking spray or drizzle olive oil/butter on top, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stick in the oven at 425. Once the top has browned, take it out and serve with your favorite meal. You could also top with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, or a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. This preparation could be used in place of mashed potatoes, like in shepherd's pie. 

On a cold day, you could puree it thin (lots of chicken broth) and make a nice cauliflower bisque! This is where bacon salt would come in handy, as it adds a nice smokiness. Add a lot more chicken broth, some Greek yogurt, and keep simmering on the stove. Add a flavored salt, like seasoned salt, adobo, or my all time favorite, bacon salt. You can chop chives or green onions and add as well. Stir in some grated Parmesan cheese, then serve with a sprinkle of chopped chives and a crusty piece of gluten free bread. If you really want to get fancy, you could cut up some pancetta or proscuitto and crisp it up, then sprinkle on top.

The real potential lies in what you could use it for in other dishes. I love using it for mac 'n cheese! Replacing half of the cream with pureed cauliflower and the other half with Greek yogurt, you end up with a lowfat replacement that honestly tastes better than the real thing. You're ending up with more fiber and more flavor. It is much more filling and no one's noticed the difference so far. It's delicious!

Pureed cauliflower also is great as a soup or gravy thickener. However, you need to make sure the cauliflower is REALLY smooth if you're using it in this capacity. Just stir it into the broth of whatever soup you're making to make it more hearty and stew-like.

The best part is that pureed cauliflower freezes really well. You could puree it relatively thick then freeze it for future purposes -- you could always add more liquid when you defrost. I like to freeze it in bags and lay it flat to save freezer space.

Any other pureed cauliflower ideas out there?