Monday Motivation 12/28/2015

"Don't let someone who gave up on their dreams talk you out of yours."

~ Unknown

EAT: Gluuteny Bakery, Pittsburgh, PA

Happy Holidays, everyone! Time for holiday treats, gluten free of course! A new favorite place of mine to find treats is Gluuteny Bakery, a gluten free and dairy free bakery in the Squirrel Hill suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA. I have not had a chance to make a personal visit yet, but a friend brought me a couple of sugar cookies. Very tasty! Love the details with the icing and some of the best tasting gluten free sugar cookies I have had! The cookies were a nice thickness with the right amount of crunch. 

There are several ways to get Gluuteny's baked goods: in person, order online or by phone, and several locations carry a limited supply of their items around Pittsburgh. I can't wait to check out the bakery in person during my travels to the Pittsburgh area!

1923 Murray Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15217

412.521.4890

www.gluuteny.com

Monday Motivation 12/21/2015

"Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."

~ Joshua J. Marine

Monday Motivation 12/14/2015

"The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away."

~ Pablo Picasso

EAT: Recipe: Gluten Free, Corn Free Chicken Stew

Tonight's Gluten Free, Corn Free Dinner

2 Chicken Breasts
4 Chicken Thighs
1 Yellow Pepper, Diced
1 Green Pepper, Diced
1 Onion, Diced
1 Clove of Garlic, Diced
5 Strips of Cooked Bacon

1 Package of Queso Fresco
2 Tomatoes, Diced
1 Avocado, Diced

Simmer chicken, peppers, onion, garlic, and cooked bacon on Medium for 20 minutes. Add Queso Fresco to melt for 10 minutes. Serve with tomatoes and avocado.

Serves 4.

EAT: Twisted Vine Bistro, Fort Myers, FL

When in Fort Myers, FL, you must head downtown. Nestled next to the water, downtown is bustling on Friday and Saturday nights due to great dining options and weekly events, like the Art Walk and Live Music. Be sure to check out Twisted Vine Bistro, right in the heart of the historic River District. Although they do not have a gluten free menu, our server was most helpful with suggestions and checked on the menu items we were interested in to make sure they were safe options. 

We started with the Butcher Board with no crostini (gluten). The generous portions of pate, sopressata, pork belly, and duck prosciutto was delicious with olives, cornichons, and apple slices. Great start to the meal and we did not even miss the bread!

I decided on the Pork Belly with celeriac puree, braised red cabbage, sour apple and maple. Wow, the puree is my new replacement for mashed potatoes. So tasty! The red cabbage was a great compliment to the pork belly, which was cooked to perfection.

My dinner companion ordered the Walleye Pike with manilla clams, andouille sausage, swiss chard, fingerlings, and pipperade. The pike was pan seared, then baked and was very flavorful. The clams and the sausage paired nicely with the fish.

With its quaint dining room and soft live music, Twisted Vine Bistro is perfect for date night or dinner with friends. They have an extensive wine list and pride themselves of offering unique and eclectic food options. They grow their own herbs and spices, as well as sourcing local ingredients to bring you the freshest dining experience possible. Even though they do not have a gluten free menu, the server can guide you through the menu and make modifications to the menu. I highly recommend Twisted Vine and will definitely be back!

Twisted Vine Bistro
2214 Bay Street
Fort Myers, FL 33901
239.226.1687
www.twistedvinebistro.com

Monday Motivation 12/7/2015

"I want to inspire people. I want someone to look at me and say 'Because of you, I didn't give up.'"

~ Unknown

EAT: Mission BBQ

 

I just found a great BBQ restaurant! It is tough for me to find good BBQ restaurants outside of North Carolina (the home of BBQ), but Mission BBQ fits the bill. They have a great selection of BBQ, including pulled pork, beef brisket, Smoked Prime Rib, Chicken, Sausage, and Turkey. What really impressed me was how helpful the staff was to check on ingredients for me to make sure the items I was interested in were gluten free and corn free. Some BBQ restaurants will put a rub containing gluten and/or corn on the meat. And don't even get me started on the sauces...most of those are full of corn syrup. Not at Mission BBQ! The rubs on the meats are gluten and corn free, as well as all but one of the sauces (it contains A1 Steak Sauce in it). Love being able to have variety and the ability to try out the sauces.  They even have fun names, like Memphis Belle, Smoky Mountain, Bay-B-Que, Tupelo Honey Heat, NC Vinegar, and Craftsman Special. The Texas Twang has gluten in it, so please avoid.

The staff was also quick to let me know once they found out my food allergies that the french fries are gluten free and the only thing they fry in the fryer! Yum! I had to try the fries, as well as the pulled pork and beef brisket. All were very good. The pulled pork and beef brisket were crispy on the edges with a nice smoked flavor. I tried a couple of the sauces and they were a nice compliment to the meat.

I visited the Fort Myers, FL location, but Mission BBQ has 21 locations up and down the East Coast in Florida, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. You order at the counter and then wait for your number to be called. Another thing about Mission BBQ I really liked is all the service men and women memorabilia from police departments, firefighters, soldiers, and first responders everywhere in the restaurant. Fun fact, Mission BBQ opened on September 11, 2011 and the owners want to make sure our service men and women are represented and appreciated for all of their efforts. Giving back and good BBQ? A winning combination! God Bless America!

Mission BBQ
http://mission-bbq.com/