Eat Gluten-Free at Portland's Peruvian Restuarant - Andina

Eating out is quite the adventure with a wheat-free, dairy-free and low sugar diet. And that's why I have to give mad love to restaurants that get it right. Portland's Andina restaurant in the Pearl knows exactly how to take care of it's wheat/gluten intolerant customers. When I asked the manager about how a fancy-schmancy Peruvian restaurant came to the decision of providing a gluten-free menu--the answer was simple: our customers wanted it. Love it!

The food presentation is divine, the food is delicious and the desserts are absolutely lovely. Served tapas style, guests can choose from a wide variety of chicken, seafood and veggie dishes that are perfectly proportioned.

Photos from top to bottom:
-Palta Rellena De Cangrejo Y Langostinos - avocado stuffed with crab & prawns - YUM!
-Morada - house-smoked Draper Valley chicken with purple potato - my favorite!
-Yukon potatoes for dipping in the green chile salsa

-Torta de Chocolate - flourless chocolate-cinnamon cake
-Flan De Queso De Cabra - goat cheese and lemon cake with fresh raspberries

On top of ALL of that, the waitstaff at Andina is IMPECCABLE. Our waiter, Eric, was a pure gentleman and a lovely woman came over to us at the end of the meal to tell us how much she appreciated us visiting the restaurant.

What's YOUR favorite gluten-free spot in P-town (or anywhere in the world for that matter!)? Leave your comments here.

Happy Eating!
-Heather :)

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, No Refined Sugar Brewed Chocolate

With crisp Fall days here to stay and winter on the way, I often find myself craving a cup o' something hot -- especially in the mornings. However, my dietary restrictions and dislike for caffeine typically means my choices are super limited.

Recently, I discovered Cabaret - Brewed Chocolate. Sounds pretty interesting, right?

Get this--there are only two ingredients: water-brewed whole cocoa beans (cacao) and organic evaporated cane juice. So far, so good.

Even better, it has health benefits. Good ones too! Those who drink Cabaret Brewed Chocolate report a calm feeling afterwards, including INCREASED happiness.

A drink that tastes good, meets my dietary needs and makes me feel good? Where do I sign up?!
The taste is smooth and mellow with a slight hint of chocolate. It's heartier than regular tea and lighter (and better for your health) than coffee.

I did feel a bit more relaxed after drinking it too...I wonder if it was legitimate or just the product marketing? Either way, I'm now a huge fan and encourage you to check it out as well.

Already a fan of brewed chocolate?
Tell us about it here!

Happy Eating!
Heather :)

Wheat-Free, Dairy-Free, Low Sugar Homemade Applesauce

Having been raised in rural Oregon, I must confess, I'm a bit of a domestic girl. I like to bake, cook and (gasp!) can. Growing up, my mom canned everything from green beans to salsa and applesauce. This weekend I tried my hand at canning low sugar applesauce -- and it turned out SO good! Use whatever apple combo you'd like, just make sure you have a good mix of tart and sweet apples. And don't forget to patronize your local farmer's market for the goods...

35 lbs apple blend (20lbs Granny Smith, 5lbs Fuji, 10lbs Cameo), peeled and sliced

For every 12 cups of sliced apples:
1/2 cup Splenda (optional)
1 t cinnamon
1 cup water

In a large dutch oven pot, cook sets of 12 cups of apples at one time with water, cinnamon and Splenda. Cook until desired consistency is reached (for me, it was semi-chunky). Then, scoop applesauce into canning jars. Wipe around mouth of jar before affixing lid and ring.

Next, process the jars using canning equipment.
Voila! You've got applesauce.

The applesauce does not need to be refrigerated, but can be frozen, especially if you do not process the jars with canning equipment.

Happy Eating!
Heather :)

Gluten-Free Rolls in Brazil

During my recent 2.5 week trip to Brazil, I was confronted with a common travel problem for those of us eating wheat-free, dairy-free and low sugar -- there's simply nothing to eat when traveling abroad. The entire Brazilian diet seems to stem from flour products. Oy, vey. What's a girl to do?

Luckily, I loaded up on rice and beans, chicken and lots of veggies.
The day BEFORE I left Brazil, I discovered pao de queijo, made out of manioca flour (gluten-free!). While pao de queijo does include milk products, I was so thrilled to eat bread, I ate it anyway (and the cheese didn't bother my tummy one bit!).

Although I can find a mix with cheese to purchase, what I want to do is make the rolls and use my almond cheese. Stay tuned for more developments on that!

FYI - My blog will now return to its regular schedule.
Eat on!

Oh, and be sure to send any product ideas or recipes that you would like to share with the wheat-free, dairy-free and low sugar community.

Happy Eating!
Heather :)