Having never visited Prague, I wasn’t sure about the restaurants and how gluten-free friendly they might be. Just as with Munich and Berlin, the two other cities we visited on our recent European family vacation, I did quite a bit of research online first to find what sounded like the best restaurants for gluten free dining. And, in fact, we may have ended up dining at the two only 100% gluten free full-scale restaurants in Prague: Alriso Risotteria Italiana and Restaurace U Agamy. We also found a gluten free bakery right near our hotel and had lunch at a creperie serving gluten free crepes not too far from Prague Castle. As in many cities, Italian restaurants are often the most gluten aware, and our choice of where to dine the first night in Prague, Alriso Risotteria Italiana, is 100% gluten free. What a treat to go to a restaurant where we don’t have to ask ANY questions, and we know Ryan will get a safe and delicious meal. Equally as exciting, it was right in the bustling Old Town area of the city, where you will likely be spending a lot of your time sightseeing and shopping. Aliso Risotteria Italiana... Continue reading

Last month, our family of four had the privilege of enjoying 8 days in Europe -- 3 nights in Munich, 3 nights in Prague, and 2 nights in Berlin. In this post, I'll detail our gluten free dining experiences in Munich and Berlin. (I'll cover Prague in a separate post.) As I planned the trip, I followed my usual protocol for choosing restaurants. I started by doing a fair amount of research online – looking at websites, apps, and blogs covering "gluten free Munich" and "gluten free Berlin." As always -- especially when traveling to a foreign country where English is not the official language -- I distilled the recommendations down to the restaurants that sounded safest. Ideally, it’s great to find a 100% gluten free establishment, especially when you don’t know the language and therefore may have a hard time asking questions and explaining the nuances of cross contamination. In this case, I did also come across reviews of places that weren’t dedicated gluten free but seemed to be very well-versed on how to keep Celiacs safe. The next step was to look at the menus online to see which would appeal most to our family, in terms of... Continue reading

I can’t say enough about the skiing experience in Park City, Utah. We had been there 14 years ago with our sons. In fact, it was there that they first learned to ski — at Deer Valley’s acclaimed ski school. Over the years we visited other highly acclaimed ski towns (Whistler, Aspen, Vail), but after each trip — as fun as they were — my husband and I always found ourselves saying we liked Park City the best. First off, we can get a direct flight into Salt Lake City, and from there, you can literally be at the base of the slopes in 40 minutes. Plus, Park City is also a very pedestrian friendly town. Depending on where you are staying, you may not even need a car during the course of your stay. We have always stayed at Marriott’s Summit Watch, right at the base of Main Street, which is lined with shops, restaurants, and art galleries. (We are Marriott Vacation Club owners, but you can stay at Marriott’s Summit Watch even without time share ownership, depending on availability.) And, of course, then there’s the skiing… Apparently even residents of Colorado come to Utah to ski. Typically the... Continue reading

This is a long overdue post to rave about one of the best gluten free dining experiences we've had in a long time. I know...none of us did much in the way of dining out for way too long during the height of the pandemic. But still, I'd put Nebo Cucina & Enoteca up against any gluten free dining experience in any big city. It was that memorable. Another reason it was memorable was because it was not just a meal, but rather a party to celebrate my mother-in-law's 80th Birthday. She didn't want to be involved in the planning, per se, preferring things to be a surprise, but she did request it be held in Boston, which is where she grew up. And, of course, we wanted to find a venue that was very "gluten free friendly," if not completely gluten free, as my mother-in-law (and my son and my sister-in-law) are all Celiac. We wanted my mother-in-law and the other GF folks to be able to eat everything we ordered, without having to "miss out" on anything served. Ideally, we had hoped to avoid chain restaurants and to find a great Italian restaurant, because who doesn't love an... Continue reading

Hello again after a long hiatus from posting. Now that our world has "opened up" to dining out again after the worst of the pandemic, I hope to regale you with more dining and travel profiles. This summer, our family didn't do any big trips. However, our younger son (who was diagnosed with Celiac over 17 years ago before he was even two years old and is the inspiration behind my Blog) made many trips down to Harrisonburg, Virginia from our home in northern Virginia. His girlfriend lives down there, and she and her family were always so gracious about finding spots where Ryan could safely eat. So here is the post I begged him to write, complete with all his recommendations. And please, if you know of any gluten free folks in Harrisonburg -- especially students at James Madison University -- send them a link to this post! Now I'll turn you over to Ryan... This summer I spent a good amount of time down in Harrisonburg, Virginia visiting my girlfriend. While there, she and I found a surprisingly large selection of gluten free friendly restaurants. While Harrisonburg is a small city, they offer all of the major chains... Continue reading

I realize it’s been some time since I’ve posted. But like most of you, our family has radically limited our travel since the pandemic began. However, to wrap up our summer before taking our boys to college, we planned a 5-night trip out to the San Diego area and stayed at the historic Hotel Del Coronado. Also known as "The Hotel Del" or just "The Del," it sits across the San Diego Bay from San Diego in the town of Coronado, on a strip of shoreline that's part of a narrow peninsula, easily accessible from San Diego by bridge or ferry. While I typically expect that resorts of this caliber will have plenty of gluten free options on the menus (and have them well labeled), that isn’t always the case based on our travel experiences. However, we were beyond impressed with how the Hotel Del goes the extra mile to make dining a relaxed and low-stress experience for anyone needing or opting for a gluten free diet. Gluten Free Notations on the Menus Make Dining Easy. From the first night, when we dined al fresco at Serea, right in the heart of the resort, we were greeted with an impressive... Continue reading

I'm sure you've noticed that I haven't published a post for a while. Like many of you, when it comes to "dining out," we've been somewhat hunkered down and generally relying on takeout food when we need a break from cooking. We were able to venture out a bit to restaurants we trusted -- and that had gluten free offerings -- back in the summer and early Fall. I knew it would be tough after the Holidays...with cold weather setting in and outdoor dining more challenging. But, being hell-bent on supporting our favorite restaurants despite the cold, I took the lead from some others in my neighborhood and am starting to organize deliveries from restaurants to a central location within our neighborhood. People place their orders ahead of time for a specific date that I schedule with the restaurant, and the restaurant sends a truck (or even just a delivery driver in a regular car) with all the orders. It's a win-win, since I reach out to restaurants that are a bit further beyond the radius where our neighbors would typically drive to pick up takeout. So we all get convenient delivery of something special, while the restaurants pick up... Continue reading

I think I first had taboulleh shortly after my husband and I first started dating. On a visit to his parent's house, his mom made it as a side dish served alongside a really good marinated and grilled leg of lamb. I loved both dishes and have made them many times over the years. However, I altered the taboulleh recipe once our younger son was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. I started making it with quinoa instead of bulgur wheat. (The irony is that my son doesn't eat it anyway, but I still always make it with quinoa since it's so healthy and adds a great source of protein.) Sometimes I use white quinoa, and sometimes I use red, as shown below. (There's also black quinoa, but I don't know that I've ever seen that at the store.) The cool thing about this traditional taboulleh recipe is that you can customize it however you want, adding or leaving out ingredients that you like/don't like. For example, I've seen some recipes that add a bit of crushed garlic. Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups water or chicken stock (I always use chicken stock -- or even bone broth -- for extra flavor, protein, and... Continue reading

The Inn on Randolph is a dedicated gluten free Bed and Breakfast in the heart of Napa and the glorious wine country. The original owner was gluten free herself, and the new owners have kept the establishment totally gluten free. This historic 19th century property and its buildings were fully renovated in 2012. The Inn immediately began receiving great reviews and accolades for its food and blend of charm and modern luxuries -- and has since become the #1 rated B&B in Napa. The decor of the Inn is hip, fresh, and luxurious with a whole new attitude. Run by young, innovative innkeepers, this stunning Napa property has become the destination of choice for savvy travelers who want the intimacy of a Bed and Breakfast Inn with the elegance and amenities of a boutique hotel. It's a perfect place to get away to right now if you need a getaway...but don't want to be among large crowds. And don't forget...harvest season in the wine country isn't too far off, so check their availability now to experience this amazing annual event. Amenities include heated bathroom floors and sumptuous beds that have become the talk of the travel sites. Outside you'll find... Continue reading

A couple weeks ago a recipe in the Wall Street Journal caught my eye (this is my all-time favorite publication, and, yes, they do occasionally have recipes!). They called it Smoky Strata, and it's a fairly simple recipe combining bread, eggs, tomatoes, onions, milk, ricotta and Parmesan. I decided to adapt it to be gluten free, of course...and also added chicken sausage for extra protein and flavor. I also omitted harissa, so my version isn't really "smoky" or spicy. It's a bit like a lasagna but with bread instead of lasagna noodles...and a lot more eggs than a lasagna would have (however, it's not an eggy breakfast dish, but rather a hearty lunch or dinner). Most of these ingredients you will probably have on hand already, and the others are easy to find. Here is my adaptation of this rustic, tasty meal that is sure to please everyone... Ingredients: 3 Tbsp butter 1 large Vidalia (sweet) onion, finely chopped 2 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1 tsp paprika 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, drained 2 large chicken sausages (or 6 smaller link style sausages), diced or crumbled. You can also use pork sausage if you prefer. 1/3 cup... Continue reading

Like many of you, our family has been trying to support both independent local restaurants -- as well as our favorite restaurant chains -- during the pandemic. Obviously, as in most areas of the country, we don't have the option of dining out restaurants right now. But after a couple weeks of exclusively cooking at home, we longed for some of our favorite restaurant dishes and felt the risk of virus "contamination" from takeout food was low, based on the reports we were hearing. While we are still preparing most of our dinners ourselves, as we've always done, we try to get takeout 1-2 times per week in order to give business to all the places we know and love -- and who have served our gluten free community so well over the years. We want to do what we can to help them stay in business during these challenging times. Restaurant ownership is a tough business, even without a pandemic to navigate around! Perhaps some of you have been shying away from takeout if you deem it too risky. That's certainly an individual decision, and I encourage you to stick to what's within your comfort zone. Perhaps another way... Continue reading

Recently I had the good fortune to try Reason to Bake's "cookies with heart." These are gluten free, made-from-scratch, artisan cookies available only through the company's website. That's because they are baked and shipped fresh, without preservatives like most cookies you find on store shelves. The best thing about Reason to Bake is that they are a company with a heart-warming mission: to hire and train intellectually disabled adults...and foster entrepreneurship among them. The company was founded by Elise Sampson and her daughter Carolyn in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. There are currently 3 varieties of cookies: Chocolate Chip, Cranberry Oatmeal, and Spicy Ginger (my favorite...like ginger snaps or gingerbread). They also occasionally offer other seasonal varieties, and you can order gift boxes and variety packs. My husband, son, and I absolutely LOVED these cookies. They were so fresh, were the perfect consistency, and each variety had an amazing flavor. If you did a "blind" taste test, you'd never know they were gluten free. They are a very high quality product, too. Reason to Bake cookies are all natural and non-GMO. They ship anywhere in the U.S., so you have no excuse not to try them! I can't... Continue reading

I've been working with Lesley Hayden-Hock at Travel Leaders for about a decade now. I've used her personally to plan many of our family's trips (domestic, international, and cruises), and I've referred countless gluten free families to her over the years. Lesley has mastered the questions to ask resorts and cruises when booking clients who have special dietary needs, whether they be gluten free, dairy free, or have other sensitivities. She works with the Food and Beverage Directors directly and has developed great working relationships with a wide range of high-end resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean where service is top-notch. Many of these resorts are also what's called "gourmet all-inclusive." Lesley's clients always get special VIP treatment. The resorts understand how to keep gluten free diners safe, and they aim to please. They even go so far as arranging for new dedicated gluten free toasters -- and bake a special cake or cupcakes for a gluten free child's Birthday. It ends up being a vacation for everyone! After all, in today's "do it yourself" world, we all often try to juggle too much. If you're like me, you may find there just aren't always enough hours in the day... Continue reading

Our family is lucky to have some good options in the Washington, DC metro area when it comes to gluten free dining. Whether we're venturing into DC for a show, game, or a day at museums -- or staying closer to home out in the Virginia suburbs -- there are a good number restaurant chains, as well as many independent restaurants, that "get it" when it comes to preparing delicious and safe gluten free meals. Not Your Average Joe's is one such restaurant chain (with locations in 8 states) that we've relied on over the years. We hadn't been there for a while, so we chose it for my mom's birthday celebration last weekend. The challenge is always finding someplace that pleases adults and teenagers...and where our son can have some interesting choices from a well-thought-out gluten free menu. Not Your Average Joe's, as the name would suggest, meets those criteria. Nothing is average or bland here. Their menu is huge, and you'll find there are tons of gluten free options, listed under their "Fit-For-You" part of the menu, which denotes gluten free, vegetarian, kept, paleo, vegan, and "Signature Joe" items. (When you click on their Menu page, you first... Continue reading

Well, we're a month into the New Year...a challenging time for many of us who had good intentions to once again eat healthier this year, only to find preparing healthy gluten free meals is easier said than done on most nights. Whether you're rushing home from work, taking the kids to a practice, or attending a meeting in your community, dinner plans can get squeezed. You may find you don't always have time to plan and shop for your menus, much less prepare a variety of nutritious gluten free meals each week. And if you're trying to lose weight or achieve other health goals (build lean muscle, reduce body fat, lower blood pressure), you're probably wondering how you should change your dietary habits to achieve your various goals. It can be frustrating, but believe me, you’re not alone. Sticking to a healthy, gluten free eating plan isn’t always easy. But the good news is that, no matter where you live, you can now access the help of a trained professional who can remotely guide you in your health, fitness, and dietary goals. The Follow My Nutrition Plan lets you work remotely with a trained professional to create a custom meal... Continue reading

Speaking from experience, London is one of the most fun -- and most gluten-free friendly -- cities for families. Our own family visited there over Christmas 2013. Even though our boys were only 10 and 12 years old at the time, they really got a lot out of the experience and still talk about the things we did while there. So I was especially excited to hear that one of our travel partners -- Ellen Morse of Gluten Free Travel-Us -- was planning a 6-day small group tour of London in July 2020, especially geared to gluten free families. She handles all the details, so you won't have to stress about planning anything -- either before the trip or while you're there. And if for some reason you aren't interested in traveling with a group (or the date doesn't work for you), Ellen can certainly plan the same trip for you at another time of your choosing. As with any of her itineraries, you can customize it according to your family's interests and preferences, budget, and time frame. If you plan to go on your own (not the group trip), you will have your choice of either a high-end hotel... Continue reading

We hosted some friends of ours for dinner on New Year's Eve, and I was looking to make a dessert that was a bit out-of-the-ordinary...something a step up from the usual tried-and-true favorites. So I looked through my dessert recipe binder, where I store the dozens -- maybe hundreds -- of dessert recipes I've collected over the years. I ran across one for Chocolate Bread Pudding, something I've enjoyed at restaurants but never made myself. I don't know where this recipe is originally from, as it's from a page I ripped out of a magazine years ago. In order for our Celiac son to be able to enjoy it, I tailored the recipe to be gluten free. This was easy, as all ingredients called for are naturally gluten free, minus the main ingredient, bread. For the bread, I simply substituted Canyon Bakehouse's 100% Whole Grain Country White Bread. Here is the recipe. I was so happy with how it turned out. It is not overly sweet but has a wonderful chocolate flavor. It's also quite easy and can be made earlier in the day and kept at room temperature. Ingredients: Butter for pan 4 eggs, plus 4 additional egg yolks... Continue reading

Iceland has become the most popular destination of the Nordic countries over the past 5 years, due to its stunning landscape and the unique experiences to be had. Imagine walking on glaciers, viewing geothermal hot spots and lava fields, bathing in geothermal healing waters, standing on the "Bridge Betweeen the Continents" connecting the American and Eurasian tectonic plates, and visiting volcanic craters, gorgeous waterfalls, black sand beaches, and the house where Reagan and Gorbachev met to begin the process of ending the Cold War. And, of course, there is charming Reykjavik to explore at your leisure, with all of its shops, cafes, and nightclubs. This itinerary has been put together by Ellen Morse of Gluten Free Travel-Us, in conjunction with an owner of the travel company Nordic Destinations, who also happens to be gluten free. As always, working with Ellen will ensure all your gluten free needs are taken care of, both at the hotel where you will stay (breakfast is included each day) and at the restaurants that she will recommend to you. Keep in mind that, although you get the benefit of "group pricing," this is not a group tour. You can travel whenever you want and with... Continue reading

It's not often you run across a completely gluten free resort, but alas, there's one nestled in a prime spot in Costa Rica. Anamaya is a completely gluten free resort specializing in yoga retreats, surfing, scuba diving, or just relaxing! They welcome everyone from complete beginners to more experienced yogis and surfers. (Or you can opt to just enjoy a beach vacation there -- full of snorkeling and local exploring.) "Anamaya" is Sanskrit for "good health," an ideal the resort's staff works very hard to promote through healthy meals, relaxation, exercise, and lots of fun. Anamaya offers weekly yoga retreats, yoga teacher trainings, a variety of workshops, gourmet organic meals, luxurious spa services and array of retreat vacation packages, all situated atop a cliff edge with one of the best ocean views in Costa Rica. There are also optional excursions to popular spots in Costa Rica and an optional scuba certification program. The resort is located in the tropical beach town Montezuma, just 25 minutes from Santa Teresa and its famous surf spots. Anamaya Resort has been 100% gluten-free for years now. The resort was inspired to become gluten-free after Chef Jeff Horton joined the staff. Chef Jeff made it... Continue reading

Our school system always gives kids a 4-day weekend in late October/early November at the end of the first quarter, and it affords families a nice opportunity to take a short trip when other areas of the country aren't on break. Therefore, you can travel at an off time when you can enjoy fewer crowds and better prices, no matter where you go! Our son, a junior in high school, wanted to visit the Georgia Tech campus, so this gave us an excuse to visit Atlanta -- a town we hadn't traveled to in 20 years. It was great visiting in early November, when the weather is a bit cooler! We stayed with some good friends in the area and also got to visit relatives. Of course, we managed to squeeze in some sightseeing, scooter riding, and wonderful gluten free meals, to boot! Within an hour of landing and renting a car, we stopped at Hell Yeah Gluten Free Bakery, near Inman Park. It's a good thing we swung by here when we did (just before lunchtime), as they were already running out of some of their more popular items. Their specialty is fresh-made donuts, so we got an assortment... Continue reading

If you love Italy but have already been to some of the popular tourist destinations like Rome, Florence, and Venice, you may want to consider a more "off the beaten path" tour of one of Italy's many beautiful and less touristy areas. This is Bluone Tours' specialty: guided, small group tours to many of the regions of Italy known for their history, medieval hilltop towns, religious sites, vineyards, olive groves, beaches, scenic vistas, and, of course, regional food and wine specialties. Fortunately, Italian restauranteurs are typically very well-versed about Celiac Disease and how to prepare safe gluten free meals for diners that require them. However, in some of these "less traveled" areas outside the big cities, it's smart to have an Italian-speaking guide who can make arrangements with the restauranteurs in advance -- and act as an advocate and liaison when arriving at the restaurant. After all, English is not always spoken as fluently by restaurant workers in these more provincial areas as it is in the big cities. But all of this is no worry when you travel with Bluone Tours. Marcello and Raffaella Tori, the couple that owns Bluone Tours, accompany all tour groups and have experience with... Continue reading

It has been quite a ride over the past 12 years serving the gluten free community. When I first launched GlutenFreeTravelSite back in April 2008, "Celiac" and "gluten free" weren't yet household terms. Many people weren't even aware of what they meant...not to mention how someone avoiding gluten would be able to dine out, travel, and attend social events involving food. That's why I launched the website, just a few short years after our own son was diagnosed with Celiac at age two. I felt the need to educate those recently diagnosed and to provide hope that, yes, there were indeed places we could all go and get a safe and delicious meal. It just took a bit of effort to find them.... So that's what GlutenFreeTravelSite -- and later our Dine Gluten Free mobile app -- set out to do. We gave the gluten free community a way to share their experiences dining out and traveling with others who needed to be sure they wouldn't get sick when venturing out. We made it easy to find and read peer reviews of places in the U.S. and all over the world that took gluten free dining seriously. We were the... Continue reading

VISIT THIS DREAM DESTINATION AND STAY SAFELY GLUTEN FREE South Africa has long been a popular destination, but many gluten free travelers have been hesitant to visit Cape Town or go on safari out of concern that they wouldn't be able to safely follow their gluten free diet. Now, thanks to travel agent Ellen Morse of Gluten Free Travel-Us, who has Celiac herself, this destination is a possibility for anyone following a strict gluten free diet. Ellen has worked with SITA World Tours, a top travel company based in South Africa. Together, they have thoroughly vetted hotels, safari camps, and restaurants in order to find the safest possibilities for gluten free clients. Ellen will take care of all your gluten free needs while also getting you the most advantageous pricing available through SITA World Tours. This is not a group tour, however. Like all Ellen's suggested itineraries for amazing destinations around the world, you can travel at any time, choose your desired length of stay, and customize the trip based on your interests. You'll visit Cape Town and see the harbor, Table Mountain, the downtown area and central business district, the Castle of Good Hope, and scenic vistas...and also take... Continue reading

Brazil has long been a popular destination for Europeans, and they still flock there for the gorgeous beaches and amazing sights such as Corcovado. It is a great option for Americans, as there is little if any issue with time zone adjustments, and the exchange rate is in our favor right now. (Also, please note that the Amazon fires are way off in a different part of the country than what you'd be seeing, so there are no issues regarding that.) This is a unique itinerary you won't find elsewhere. Ellen Morse of Gluten Free Travel-Us (gluten free herself for decades) has worked with Condor Tours and Travel and local suppliers to ensure a safe gluten free experience. No one else is offering this ability to see the highlights outlined below with the vetting that Ellen and Condor have done. And, as always, this is NOT a group tour, but it can be taken any time and adjusted to your individual timing and travel preferences. You'll start your journey in Rio de Janeiro, whose inhabitants call it the “Marvelous City.” Located on the Bay of Guanabara, Rio has a mountainous landscape that contrasts with an intensely blue sea. Here the... Continue reading