Gluten Free in Fredericksburg, Texas

Happy New Year everyone! My hubby and I just celebrated our 1 year anniversary in Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country! We stayed at a beautiful bed and breakfast called Hoffman Haus just off Main Street. Their chef did a wonderful job preparing gluten-free and grain-free breakfasts for us both mornings. I'm so excited to share our gluten-free finds with you!

We dined at Navajo Grill on our first night in Fredericksburg. The staff was very knowledgeable about gluten; they even made a note on our reservation and knew not to serve us bread! Hubby and I ordered the same meal - we both started with the Butternut Squash Soup, and then had the filet with mashed potatoes and zucchini. For dessert, we had the Chocolate Fix, which was a completely flourless cake with pecan crust; what a treat to get gluten-free dessert at a restaurant! Everything was completely grain-free AND delicious. I do not have a picture of the food, because we were both so busy enjoying the experience that documenting with photos was the last thing from either of our minds. Don't worry, we realized this later and all of the other meals have photos! :)

The next day, we had lunch at this adorable cafe called Beat the Wheat (cutest name ever!!!). It is a completely gluten-free kitchen! This was exciting. Not only are they gluten-free, but there is NO corn in their baked goods. Double exciting. Hubby chose chicken salad sandwich, and I chose the turkey panini. (Note: the bread is not grain-free; it does contain rice, which I eat on rare occasions.) We also got a snickerdoodle cookie to share, but I do not have a pic of that as we gobbled it down before the camera had a chance. The triple exciting news about Beat the Wheat? They ship! For information, visit their website.

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Turkey Panini

After our awesome experience at Beat the Wheat, we decided to tour several of the area wineries. We had a great time tasting the different Texas wines. 

Here is a list of the wineries we visited:

• Grape Creek Vineyard - very professional and knowledgeable; great first tasting
• Becker Vineyards - our favorite wines, crowded but beautiful, very friendly and kind staff
• Woodrose Winery - best tasting experience, each tasting is brought to your table, kind and welcoming staff
• William Chris Vineyards - eco-friendly methods used! My hubby's favorite of the day (Artist's blend) was here
• Chisholm Trail Winery - beautiful drive! West of Fredericksburg, off the beaten path

For dinner, we ate at the adorable Sunset Grill. Our waitress was so sweet and helpful with my food allergies. She made sure to check with the chef on anything she was unsure about. I have to admit, I had rice again at this restaurant. The hubby and I both got sushi, and it was very yummy. While I did not get sick, I do know that rice is something my system can only handle every now and then. The restaurant did an excellent job of making sure everything was gluten-free and corn-free. I started with this delicious, completely grain-free salad:

Next, the hubby and I both had sushi (with no soy sauce - it contains wheat!):

his

hers

 And lastly, we finished with homemade ice cream - no corn syrup! Hooray!

peppermint - for me

Peanut Butter - for my hubby

Lastly, I'd like to share a little more about our great bed and breakfast. Our room was beautiful, and the location was so convenient to restaurants and shopping. Our breakfasts both mornings were delicious and completely grain-free. The first morning we had crustless spinach quiche (no pic, sorry), and the second morning we had mushroom omelets. I highly recommend the Hoffman Haus! It's a great place for gluten-free travelers.

They deliver breakfast in a picnic basket!

We had a wonderful time in Fredericksburg; it was the perfect place to celebrate our first anniversary.

Food for a day away

What do you do when you have to be out all day, away from your kitchen, with no access to a fridge or a microwave, and no opportunity to eat out? It is very difficult to be gluten-free at all-day events that serve donuts in the morning and sandwiches for lunch, especially when you can't get in your car and go get some safe food during the lunch break. Tomorrow, I will be at a work event all day, and I am planning ahead! This is my go-to stash for situations where I can't eat safely, and also cannot bring my own prepared food such as a salad or soup.

Here are my tips for eating at a conference, workshop, a long day-trip in the car, or event where you do not have access to a fridge or your car:
1. Plan ahead. Stock your pantry with these items so you are prepared in the event you need backup food.
2. Eat a large breakfast that can sustain you well in to the morning. Tomorrow I will be having a hearty smoothie with fruits and veggies.
3. Choose items that have plenty of protein and can carry you through the day.
4. Pack in containers that you can easily carry with you. While it would be nice to bring your jar of almond butter along with a spoon, it's not very practical.

My food choices for tomorrow are:
1. Larabars. Oh my goodness. I. Love. Larabars. They are made from nuts, dried fruits, and spices. THAT'S IT! They are very healthy and are also delicious! My favorite flavor is Gingersnap. I always keep Larabars in my pantry for when I will be out and know it will be a long time between meals. They are a great snack. You can order them online here; they are also available in most grocery stores.
2. An apple with almond butter. This is one of my favorite snacks at home too! I love the Justin's Almond Butter individual packets - they are easy to pack and also easy to put on an apple as you eat. My favorite flavor is Maple Almond Butter - all safe ingredients.
3. Trail Mix. I made this trail mix in the bulk section at Whole Foods. It consists of organic raw pecans, cashews, and almonds, along with dried cranberries and organic chocolate chips.  A word of warning - double check ingredients every time. I have been to one Whole Foods where the banana chips were completely safe, and I happily added them to my mix. However, this time, the banana chips had been processed on the same equipment as wheat and were therefore cross-contaminated. So, no banana chips for me. (I think I might like this trail mix better without them though!)

Tomorrow, I will be a happy, well-fed gal. And I'm always more pleasant to be around when I am well-fed. Leave a comment if you have any other great ideas for on-the-go gluten-free foods!

Ruggles Green - Gluten Free and Organic Dining in Houston, TX!

My very favorite place to eat for a simple night out is Ruggles Green. They are a certified green restaurant, use organic produce and meats whenever possible, and have tons of gluten-free options. The staff (especially management) is very knowledgeable about gluten-free needs, and they are always willing to ask the chef if you have other allergies. I highly recommend this restaurant if you live in the Houston area or will be visiting!

Some of my favorite dishes: (always specify gluten-free when ordering)
Texas Caesar Salad
Goat Cheese Salad
Salmon Salad
Blackened Shrimp Salad
All Natural Beef Burger (NO BUN - the GF buns contain corn)
Gluten Free Pepperoni Pizza (note - the GF crust is corn free but does contain rice. I can only tolerate this pizza on occasion but it is delicious!)

Gluten Free Dessert Options:
Creme Brule (OMG!) - grain free
Hi-Protein Hemp Brownie - grain free
Gluten Free Domino Cake - contains corn (I have not had this, but my hubby says it's great)
Macaroons - completely grain free! These are not listed on the dessert menu, so you have to ask about them! Sometimes they have raspberries or blueberries in the macaroon cookie. Yum.

Visit their website and check out the awesome menu: www.rugglesgreen.com