You can check out their gluten-free menu here:  http://www.wendys.com/food/pdf/us/gluten_free_list.pdf

Sometimes, you just can’t help but need a bite to eat, and in a pinch – Wendy’s is my choice.  If you print out the gluten-free menu or at least study it before-hand, at least you won’t feel like you have no options next time the “this day went way longer than I expected and I’m out of snacks” happens to you.

Eat well!

Out of bread, snacks and patience during my cross-country adventure, my face became bright with hope as the Whole Earth Center on the eastern side of Princeton came into view. 

When I walked in, the store’s aromas soothed my mind, wooing me into a better mood.  An oasis of healthy living, its shelves loaded with organic goods, a deli offering gluten-free options, and an entire separate area dedicated to colorful produce from local growers.  As I had anticipated, the prices were a little higher than I was used to, but in the face of hunger, one has to make choices.

I chose a loaf of frozen bread for $7.19 and couldn’t resist the fresh-baked gluten-free cookies despite their $11/pound price.  Their assortment was excellent – at least 6 different flavors – and the homemade consistency and flavor were exceptional – worth every penny.  Even my non-gluten-free partner enjoyed them.

The staff was helpful and friendly, and the bathrooms were clean.

If you’re on the road and in need of something good to eat – stop in to the Whole Earth Center.

RESTAURANT:
Ninety Nine Restaurant
149 So. Broadway
Salem, NH 03079
http://www.99restaurants.com/

Well this was a fun evening.  I hadn’t been to a 99 Restaurant in a very long time, and I’ll be honest with you, I was expecting it to be mediocre.  We picked the restaurant because of its convenient proximity to Route 93 in Salem, NH. I didn’t realize at the time that the “Nines” even had a gluten-free menu – one of my friends who met us there told me.  You can see the gluten-free menu on their website – the link is above.

To start, our waitress Connie was patient and gracious over the fact that our party arrived in spurts.  Then, when I asked for a gluten-free menu, she was very responsive.  That always gives me a good feeling.  (On the bill, it even says “allergy alert” next to my meal.) 

The food was served hot and in a timely manner.  And it was really good.  My 16 ounce sirloin tips were marinated and perfectly cooked until they were tender and delicious.  They came with excellent mashed potatoes and broccoli for only $11.99.  There was so much food I couldn’t eat it all.

Everyone at the table enjoyed their food, and Connie was even nice enough to take a photo of our group.   Well done, 99!

RESTAURANT:
Josie’s Corner Café & Bake Shop
524 Broadway
Fargo, ND 58102
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Josies-Corner-Cafe-Bake-Shop/73004689417
How nice was it to find this charming little place on a corner in Fargo after driving for hours in blinding snow all the way from Morris, Manitoba?  It was really, really nice.  And how much of a bonus was it to discover that Josie’s carries home made gluten-free cookies?  It was a HUGE bonus! 

On this cold and snowy day, to be able to get warmed up with hot tea in this cozy corner café was just wonderful.  We sat by the window, watching the snow and coddling our teas, enjoying our sweet cookie treats. 

The warm lighting, colorful artwork and stamped tin ceiling made for a lovely atmosphere.  Josie’s was a rejuvenating stop after a very stressful morning.

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What a wonderful place for a coffee break, or for a cup of tea, and for a baked treat.  Freshies was clean, with an eclectic ambiance spurred by the music and the artwork on the interesting stone walls.  Not only was the staff super friendly, they were familiar with celiac disease and a light went on when I asked if there was anything wheat-free.  And there was!  The gluten-free cookies and goods were made on-site and were delicious.  So was the coffee. 

The comfortable and ecclectic interior at Freshie's

Seafood salad is also normally not an option as most of the imitation crab products contain wheat.  So, I was glad to discover Crab Classic Chunk Style surimi seafood.  Because it doesn’t say gluten-free on the product, I contacted Trans-Ocean, and their consumer service department replied immediately with this:

“We do not add any gluten containing ingredients to the Lobster Classic Chunk or Crab Classic Chunk formulas.  However, we do not certify these products to be gluten free.  Certification requires specially designed lines which we do not have.  We take all reasonable precautions to avoid cross contamination however we can not eliminate all risk.”

Since I am not that sensitive, that response was good enough for me.  I mixed some canola mayonnaise, light sour cream, chopped celery and a little bit of relish with the Crab Classic to make a delicious seafood salad for lunch.

So, if you are interested in something different for lunch, give Crab Classic a try.  More information on the product, including ingredients is available at:  http://www.trans-ocean.com/cc_chunkstyle.html

Sorry I’ve been scarce.  I’ve been writing articles for Celiac-Disease.com.  If you are looking for product suggestions and/or reviews, that site is extremely thorough.

Meanwhile, I’ve tried the Brownie Mix and Spice Cake Mix by Namaste Foods.  They are awesome:  moist, rich, and great flavor.  I didn’t even think the Spice Cake needed the gluten-free cream cheese icing I made.   Check out their website at www.namastefoods.com

That’s my tip for today…eat well!

Curiously, Franz Macaroon Cookies jumped out at me.  I checked the package, and the ingredients:  Dessicated Coconut, Sugar, Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Potato Starch, Dextrose, Egg Whites, Artificial Flavor, Soy Lecithin (Soybean), Nonfat Milk.  Those ingredients certainly didn’t seem dangerous to me, so I decided to purchase the package and check the Franz web site to see if I could get further information about the gluten content.

Their web site, www.usbakery.com did not have the answers I sought, however, a spokesperson for Franz Family Bakeries did reply to my inquiry with incredible speed:  “These cookies are produced in a bakery with other cookies that do contain gluten and on shared equipment.  We do have an allergen washout between production of the other varieties and the macaroon cookies, but there is never a 100% guarantee that there is no gluten present.   At this point, we don’t make the claim that they are gluten free.”

I do not believe I am as sensitive as most people to gluten, so I dug right in.  They are chewy, loaded with coconut, moist, tasty and sweet.  They are, in fact, satisfying when that quick snack urge rears its ugly head.  There are none of the tell-tale drawbacks that normally accompany gluten-free cookies like dryness or grittiness.  These are like the macaroons I enjoyed during my childhood.

Franz’ slogan on the package reads “The Good Cookie.”  And their macaroons certainly are good!

Franz is the largest family-owned independent bakery on the West Coast.  Their products are available primarily in the Pacific Northwest.  For more information, please visit their web site www.usbakery.com

©  K. S. Brooks – Gluten-Free Gusto