Find a Gluten-Free Bakery Near You

Craving a gluten-free sweet treat? Just check out the list below to find a gluten-free bakery in your area. If you know of a bakery that isn’t included in this list, please email [email protected].

ALABAMA

Bunch Bakeshop, Birmingham

ARIZONA

Gluten-Free Creations, Phoenix and Scottsdale

ARKANSAS

Wild Grains Gluten Free Bakery, Bentonville

CALIFORNIA

Babycakes NYC, Los Angeles
Breakaway Bakery, Los Angeles
Cloud 9 Bakers, San Juan Capistrano
Flour Chylde Gluten-Free Bakery, Novato
Flour Craft Bakery, San Anselmo
Gluten Free Gourmet, LLC, Saratoga
The Good Cookies & Beyond, Torrance
Julian Bakery, Oceanside
Karma Baker, Westlake Village
Mariposa Baking Co., Oakland and San Francisco
Melinda’s Gluten Free Bakery, Capitola
New Dawn Bakery, Auburn
Pushkin’s Bakery, Sacramento
Rising Hearts Bakery, Culver City
Sensitive Sweets, Fountain Valley
Twice Baked Baking Company,
Long Beach
Zoey Brooke’s Gluten Free Bakery, Bakersfield

COLORADO

The Gluten Escape, Centennial
Kim and Jake’s Gluten-Free, Boulder
Rheinlander Bakery, Arvada

CONNECTICUT

By the Way Bakery, Greenwich (also has locations in NY)
Dee’s One Smart Cookie, Glastonbury
Izzi B’s Allergen-Free Bakery, Norwalk
Still Delicious, Westbrook
Swoon Gluten Free Bakery, Ridgefield and Westport

DELAWARE

Mageline’s Confiserie, Dover
Sweetopia, Greenville

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Dough: A District Bakery (online; storefront not open yet)
Rise Gluten Free Bakery

FLORIDA

Big Mike’s Baking Company, Coral Springs
Island Gluten Free Bakery, Sarasota
Joey’s home Bakery Gluten Free, Boynton Beach
Stacy’s Gluten Free Goodies, Tampa
Start From Scratch, Pinecrest
Sweet Love Pastry, Hollywood
Sweet Theory Baking Co., Jacksonville

GEORGIA

2B Whole, Alpharetta
Create Your Cupcake, Sandy Springs
Gluten Free Cutie, Roswell
Marilyn’s Gluten Free Gourmet, Roswell
No Gluten Inc, Stone Mountain
Sally’s Gluten Free Bakery, Alpharetta and Sandy Springs

HAWAII

Maui Sugar Shop, Lahaina
Sweet Marie’s Hawaii Inc., Honolulu

IDAHO

Jake’s Gluten Free Market, Boise

ILLINOIS

Cookie Bar, Chicago
Defloured: A Gluten Free Bakery, Chicago
RegCakes, Posotum
Sweet Ali’s Gluten Free Bakery, Hinsdale
Sweet Natalie’s, Geneva
Two Wild Seeds Baking Co., St. Charles

INDIANA

Simple Taste, Carmel
Suzy’s Teahouse & Bakery, Franklin

IOWA

New Beginnings Gluten Free Bakery, New Hampton
Sweet Rewards Gluten Free Bakery, Waukee
Sweet Treat Without Wheat, Des Moines

KANSAS

Mama Resch’s: A Gluten-Free Bakery, Overland Park
Marie Antoinette’s Gluten-Free Bake Shoppe, Wathena
Olivia’s Oven, Kansas City
Shana Cake, Topeka

KENTUCKY

Annie May’s Sweet Café, Louisville

MAINE

AllerGeena, South Portland
Bam Bam Bakery, Portland
Raegamuffin’s Gluten Free Bakery, Veazie

MARYLAND

Gluten Free Bakery Girl, Easton
Harmony Bakery, Baltimore
One Dish Cuisine, Ellicott City
The Red Bandana, Bethesda
Sweet27, Baltimore

MASSACHUSETTS

Duke’s Bakery, Fall River
Gluten Free Me, Winchester
Something Sweet Without Wheat, Woburn
Violette Gluten Free Bakery, Cambridge

MICHIGAN

Bake it Best, Portland
Break O’ Day Farm, Webberville
Celiac Specialties Gluten Free Bakery, Rochester Hills
Ethel’s Edibles, St. Clair Shores
Foxglove Cake Creations, Middleville
Free Love Bakery, Portage
Gluten-Free Goodies by Brown, Fowlerville
Gluten Free Rox, East Lansing
Gluten Free Sensations, Three Rivers
Hawk Hollow Simply Free, Lansing
Kind Crumbs, Grand Rapids (in area businesses)
No More Belly Aching, Brighton
Ouma’s Cottage & Gluten Free Bakery, Muskego
Rumi’s Passion, Plymouth
Rise Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids (in area businesses)
Sandcastle Breads, Holland
Sugar Kisses Bakery, Berkley
Sweet Bree’s Bakeshop, Rochester
Sweet Encounter, Mason (opening TBA)
Tasty Bakery, Ann Arbor

MINNESOTA

BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery, Eagan
Mixin’ It Up, Sauk Rapids
New Generation Bakery, Mora

MISSOURI

Morgana’s Gluten Free Bakery, Raytown

NEBRASKA

Simply A Gluten Free Baker, Lincoln

NEVADA

Beau Monde Bakery, Las Vegas

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Chatila’s Bakery, Salem

NEW JERSEY

The Cake Over Bakery, Lake Hiawatha
Christine’s Italian Bake Shoppe, Northfield
Gluten Free Gloriously, Stirling
Isaura Bakery, Hawthorne
Kizbee’s Kitchen, Egg Harbor City
Luce’s Gluten-Free Artisan Bread, Berkeley Heights
Mo’Pweeze Bakery, Denville
Plum Bakery, Montclair
Posh Pop Bakeshop, Haddonfield
Starseed Bakery, Rockaway
Squirrel & The Bee, Short Hills
WHOS Gluten Free, Jersey City

NEW YORK

Allie’s Gluten Free Goodies, Hicksville
By the Way Bakery, New York
The Cookie Connection, Syracuse
Different Blend Bakery, Schenectady
Donna Marie’s Gluten-Free Bakery, Rochester
Elisa’s Love Bites, Brooklyn
Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC, New York
Everybody Eats, Brooklyn
Gluten Free Baked Goods, Amherst
The Gluten Free Bakery, Chatham
Jennifer’s Way Bakery, New York
Laurie’s Gluten Free Goodness, Schenectady
Noglu, New York
Saratoga Gluten Free Goods, Schuylerville
Sherry Lynns Gluten Free Bakery, Schenectady
Simply Sweet of WNY, Willaimsville
Sweet Cindy’s Gluten Free Bakery, Fulton
Tu-Lu’s Gluten-Free Bakery, New York
Yum-Yum’s Gluten Free Bakery and Café, Syracuse

NORTH CAROLINA

Beach Town Bakery, Cedar Point
Hillbilly Gluten Free Bake Shop and Icecream and Creamery, Mount Airy
JP’s Pastry, Benson

NORTH DAKOTA

Mehl’s Gluten-Free Bakery, Fargo

OHIO

Bake Me Happy, Columbus
Bouche Bakery, Lakewood
Cherbourg Bakery, Bexley
Food for Good Thought, Columbus
Sweet Felicity Bake Shop, Felicity
Tina’s Sweet Treats, Franklin

OREGON

Back to Eden Bakery, Portland
Elegant Elephant Baking Co., Eugene
Gluten Free Gem, Portland
Kyra’s Bake Shop, Lake Oswego
Petunia’s Pies & Pastries, Portland

PENNSYLVANIA

Baker Street Bakeshop, Coopersburg
The Gluten Free Oven, Mount Pleasant
Gluuteny, Pittsburgh
The Grain Exchange, Doylestown
The Happy Mixer, Chalfont
Made With Love Not Gluten, Mount Joy
Sunny Bakes Gluten-Free Bakery, McMurray
Sweet Freedom, Bryn Mawr, Collingswood and Philadelphia
Sweet Megan, Southampton
Taffets Bakery and Store, Philadelphia

RHODE ISLAND

EvaRuth’s, Middletown
Sans Gluten Free Bakery, Johnston

SOUTH DAKOTA

Heart of the City Bakery, Parker

TENNESSEE

Benefit Your Life Gluten Free Market & Bakery, Knoxville
Vegan Vee Gluten-Free Bakery, Nashville

TEXAS

Hannah’s Gluten Free Bakery, Dallas and Mesquite
I Heart Muffins Bakery, Hurst
Unrefined Bakery, Dallas

UTAH

Sweet Cake Bake Shop, Kaysville and Salt Lake City

VERMONT

West Meadow Farm Bakery, Essex Junction

VIRGINIA

Corbin’s Confections, Salem
GF Sugar Shack Donut Truck, Richmond (seasonal)
The Happy Tart, Alexandria
Triple Oak Bakery, Sperryville

WASHINGTON

Flying Apron, Redmond and Seattle
Gluten Free Angels Café & Bakery, Bellingham
Hidden Valley Bakery, Walla Walla
Sunny Valley Wheat Free, Ken
Wildflour Gluten-Free Baking Co., Bellevue

WISCONSIN

Happy Bellies Bake Shop, Appleton
Molly’s Gluten-Free Bakery, Pewaukee
Silly Yak Bakery, Madison

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Chef Secrets

Three chefs share their tips and tricks of the gluten-free trade

Chef Frederique Jules is the chef and owner of Noglu, a completely gluten-free restaurant with locations in Paris and New York.

I’m traveling a lot. As a person with celiac disease, I can’t eat anything good in the airports, planes and sometimes in cities.
I always have some rice crackers, almonds and dried fruits in my handbag. Rice crackers have been my best friends for
15 years now: they don’t need a fridge, they can survive a long time in my bag, office or kitchen, and they are also a good snack for my kids in emergencies.

Rice flour is the base in my kitchen. I start with it in the morning to make wonderful pancakes, use it to prepare a good quiche Lorraine for lunch, some cookies for my kids’ snack and then again in Italian gnocchi
for dinner.

For a soft, rich bread, chickpea flour is perfect. I’ve found the perfect mix with my Noglu team, and we are very proud of our bread, pizza crust, burger bun and focaccia made with chickpea flour. It is a flavorful and
soft flour.

I use seeds from morning ‘til night! In my granola, inside salads, in soy yogurt for a snack or to top pasta. Seeds are full of good nutrients. I love their crunchy texture, and they stave off hunger!

When I have to go to a restaurant with family or friends or for business outside of Noglu in Paris, I try to suggest restaurants where I know the chef. It’s so pleasant to not worry about ingredients or be afraid of getting sick. Japanese and vegetarian restaurants also work. I’m very careful to order simple plates like fish, vegetables or salads (without croutons). I completely ignore desserts, bread, amuse bouches and a lot of other very tempting things, but I enjoy being there and don’t want to focus on my gluten intolerance during the meal.
A lot of restaurants now offer gluten-free options, and if I’m still hungry after the lunch, I know that my rice crackers will save me in the afternoon.

Chef Alastair Mclean is the executive chef at Pantry in Natick, Massachusetts. He makes his best effort to accommodate gluten-free diners and has hosted a completely gluten-free dinner at his restaurant.

My focus when cooking gluten free is not trying to mimic foods containing gluten with gluten-free products. Instead
I construct dishes using naturally clean products. The best
way to do this is to stick to a combination of a protein (poultry and fish included) with a mix of vegetables. It’s a simple way
to enjoy fresh ingredients without the substitution shuffle.

Growing up in Australia I had a lot of South East Asian influence. This cuisine is great for those with gluten-free lifestyles. Few dishes have gluten in them, with most starch coming, of course, from rice, but this style
of dish is usually quick to prepare and offers the powerful flavors of lemongrass, ginger and cilantro to excite the palate.

Recently my favorite product is cassava flour. It’s great for thickening sauces, and it’s nut free, vegan and Paleo. I’ve found that most of the time it’s a 1:1 substitute for wheat flour.

Watch out for xanthan gum. Although xanthan gum is great and it has a lot of uses, be careful of the amount found in your gluten-free flour or try to find one without any in it. The gum is used to bind ingredients, but it can cause whatever you’re making to become…well…gummy. This is especially true in cakes, breads and pancakes. I’m not saying to skip it all together, just be cautious of the amount!

[Gluten-free] guests are putting a lot of trust into the chef and the rest of the team. The trust is relying on the server to know the menu, pass the information to the kitchen and for the kitchen to react correctly to the order. I suggest asking for the chef or the manager. This cuts out the game of telephone and gives the chef a chance to offer the gluten-free alternatives and give detailed information on how the food was prepared.

Chef Gregory Gourdet is the executive chef at Departure in Portland, Oregon. A Top Chef finalist in season 12, Chef Gourdet was named Chef of the Year by the Oregon Department of Agriculture in 2013.

Tamari is a great substitute for soy sauce as it imparts the same great umami flavor but is gluten free. Also, most tamaris are organic.

Gluten is a pretty complicated blend of proteins so replicating its properties in baking can take a lot of trial and error, which is why many gluten free bakeries are protective of their proprietary flour blends. At Departure we use rice flours in
our tart dough, we use a blend of coconut and tapioca flour in our pancakes, and I’ve found almond flour lends itself well to cakes and cookies. I think it’s important to remember not all flour blends are created equal and it does take some experimenting to find the flavors and textures that work best. I would [also] suggest really paying attention to baking and cooking times when working with gluten-free flours.

We make a lot of rice noodles at Departure, and you can find some really quality rice noodles at your local
Asian specialty store or natural grocer. I’ve also made Korean potato starch noodles made from sweet potato flour. They are translucent when cooked and have a nice chewy, bouncy texture. They also absorb flavors beautifully and can be served warm or cold.

With my experience working with Asian cuisines, I can definitely vouch that the food is great for gluten-free diets. Especially Thai food. It is very rice and rice noodle based, and a lot of flavors come from fish sauce—another great sauce to add flavor without adding gluten.

Mexican and Mediterranean cuisines are two others that lend themselves well to gluten-free diets. Mexican
also uses rice and/or corn as a base and uses spices and different vegetables to add flavor. Mediterranean
also focuses on vegetables as well as meats, seafoods and different oils to add flavor.

2 Apps for the Gluten-Free Kitchen

+FoodKeeper

How long can you keep chicken breasts in the fridge? Is that hamburger still safe if it’s been in the freezer for
6 months? Are those leftovers still good to eat?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has an app that aims to answer questions like these. FoodKeeper is
“the app that will help you store and cook your food properly,” the USDA says.

Users can search from a database of more than 400 food and beverage items to learn recommended storage timelines, cooking advice, food safety tips and more. For example, a search for ground beef will reveal that the
meat’s recommended storage life is 1-2 days in the refrigerator and 3-4 months in the freezer.

Users can utilize FoodKeeper to learn the USDA’s recommended cook times and temperatures. Type in “whole chicken,” and the app will recommend roasting the bird in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes per
pound or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. FoodKeeper also advises where to
insert the thermometer (the innermost part of the wing and thigh and the thickest part of the breast) and how
to roast a stuffed bird.

If users are unable to find what they’re looking for, they can use the app to ask the USDA a specific food safety question through Ask Karen, the USDA’s 24/7 support system. Most common questions have already been answered on the Ask Karen database, which is searchable and available in its entirety to app users.

Furthermore the app helps users keep track of what food in their kitchen is about to spoil. Simply tell FoodKeeper when you bought your fresh produce, meat or pantry staples, and you’ll receive a reminder when your food is approaching the end of its recommended usage life via your device’s calendar.

The app is free and available on Android tablets and smartphones in addition to Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

+Eat This Much

Eat This Much, a meal-planning site, has an app of the same name. The “virtual nutritionist and meal planner” app aims to make creating a diet plan easy and pain-free—including for those on the gluten-free diet.

The app works by creating a customized meal plan using recipes that meet your individual dietary, health and budget needs. Enter your overall goal—lose weight, maintain health or gain weight—and then input basic facts about yourself, such as your height, weight, gender and activity level.

The app also allows for specific dietary preferences. While users cannot choose “gluten free” as a basic diet (the service only specifically accounts for Paleo, vegetarian, vegan, Atkins or Mediterranean diets), the user can tell the
app they don’t want to see recipes with gluten, in addition to other common allergies or intolerances such as dairy, tree nuts, soy, etc.

Consumers can input a daily caloric goal or a preferred budget range. Cooks can also choose to only see recipes that match their cooking skill level.

The app is recommended for new vegans or vegetarians who want to ensure they’re getting an appropriate amount
of protein or other nutrients. And if you’re the type who can work through lunch before remembering to stop and eat, the app can even send reminders when it’s time for a meal.

Basic meal planning via the app is free, although users can pay $8.99 a month to upgrade to the premium version, which features weekly automated meal planning on the user’s typical grocery day, the ability to save and print meal plans for future use, and a tool that can incorporate leftovers from previous meals into future meal plans. The app is available on Apple and Android devices.

Slow, Sweet & Southern

Perfect recipes for a summer barbeque

With summer in full swing, many people have backyard grilling on the mind. But barbecues can be about more than burgers and potato salad, especially when they are done Southern style.

These recipes, which meet a variety of special diet needs, reflect the Southern barbecue preference for slow cooking and sweet flavors added to savory meals. You’ll find both in the summer-inspired Blueberry Balsamic Braised Brisket. Melt in Your Mouth Ribs also take their sweet time cooking to perfection in the oven and on the grill. Whether it’s a rainy or a sunny day, this gluten-, dairy- and nut-free recipe has you covered.

For a side dish, enjoy typically Southern Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Peas, which are gluten free and vegan and free of dairy and refined sugar. Add some refreshment to your meal with Tajín Salad, which combines fresh watermelon, cucumber, jicama and avocado in one flavor-packed Paleo dish influenced by cuisine from South of the border.

When it comes to dessert, think fruit and home-style goodness with delectable Southern Peach-Blackberry Cobbler that is free of gluten, corn, soy and nuts.

MELT IN YOUR MOUTH RIBS>>

Gluten, corn, soy and nut free

SLOW COOKER BLACK-EYED PEAS>>

Gluten, dairy and refined sugar free, vegan

BLUEBERRY BALSAMIC BRAISED BRISKET>>

Gluten, corn, soy and nut free

SOUTHERN PEACH-BLACKBERRY COBBLER>>

Gluten, corn, soy and nut free

TAJíN SALAD>>

Gluten, corn, soy, refined sugar, dairy and nut free, vegan

Granola With a Heart

Mary Molina knows what it’s like to ask for help. When she and her husband lost their family business, things got tough—they were forced to rely on social services and food pantries to put food on their table. Once he found a new job, Molina’s husband, Ernie, started eating fast food from dollar menus to save money. After he started gaining weight, he asked Molina to buy him some healthier snacks. But Molina wasn’t pleased with what she found in supermarket aisles. In addition to all the chemical ingredients she saw on food labels, her children have soy allergies, and finding a healthy soy-free snack proved nearly impossible.

So Molina rolled up her sleeves and headed into the kitchen herself.

A self-admitted terrible baker—“My cupcakes end up like lead weights,” Molina laughs—she decided to stick with something simple: granola bars. She grabbed honey, oats and dried fruits that she had in her pantry and whipped up a batch of bars. “Forty-five minutes later, I had this ooey-gooey, yummy smelling bar. I was a little hesitant to try it, because again—not the best baker—but I cut into it and I’m like, ‘Wow, this isn’t bad!’” Molina says.

Her husband agreed, and so did his coworkers. They all wanted to purchase Molina’s granola bars.

“No, no, no,” Molina told her husband. “I made a whole tray. I’ve got a lot of granola bars. I’ll just pack you extra in your lunch tomorrow.”

The next day, Molina received another call from her husband. “I don’t think you understand. One of these guys wants to order 30 bars. Another guy wants 40 bars. I think there’s something you need to look into,” he said.

“I’ve only made two trays so far,” protested Molina. “What if I can’t replicate it?”

“Well, try!” Ernie said.

Molina did try, and she’s succeeded. She’s taken her business, Lola Granola Bar, from her home kitchen to a gluten-free facility that stocks Whole Foods, Fairway Markets, Amazon and more. And she’s never forgotten what it felt like to receive help from others.

Once Molina saw how many people were asking if her bars were gluten free, she saw a need that wasn’t being met. Many customers needed a safe, gluten-free snack for their families, just as she needed safe, soy-free snacks for hers. So she started to use special gluten-free oats, switched to a gluten-free facility and decided to go for gluten-free certification.

“I just had more and more people coming up to me, so I [thought] ‘Why don’t I just taken this step?’ It might be a little extra money, but in the long run, it will benefit us, and it will really benefit the consumer,” Molina says.

Her family’s history has made Molina and her husband deeply sympathetic to hunger and need in their community.

They donate a certain amount of bars from every batch to the local food bank. Today they’re part of the BackPack Program through the food bank in Westchester, New York. Every Friday, their granola bars are packaged up along with other food and snacks for youth who may be at risk for hunger over the weekend. On weekdays, the children are guaranteed at least breakfasts and lunches through the school system.

“It was important to us not only for kids to be able to enjoy our bars but also for [at-risk] kids who are gluten free to have an option over the weekend of getting something [they can actually eat],” she says.

This is Molina at her core: See a problem, find a solution. And throughout it all, she stays positive, even on her worst days. “If you asked me 10 years ago would you be a baker, a granola bar maker, I would have [said], ‘No…why would I do that?’ Molina says.

She even considers her family’s hard times part of “a gift that was dropped in my lap.” Her exposure to social services and the food bank enabled her to see things she had not seen before.

“And I saw goodness out of it. I saw how I could help make things better,” she says. “I’m just so thankful that I get to be part of the food bank, but in a different way—where we’re giving back now.”

—Nicki Porter

The Prep Pad: A Scale With Smarts

As swimsuit season approaches, many of us start keeping a closer eye on the scale. But those newly diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity often find it difficult to focus on eating a balanced diet when they’re still learning to navigate a gluten-free one.

Worse yet, processed gluten-free foods often compensate for their lack of gluten with an excess of salt and sugar, meaning many on the gluten-free diet struggle with weight gain.

But there’s a scale that might be more helpful than the one in your bathroom when it comes to watching your figure: the Prep Pad, a “smart food scale” from The Orange Chef.

The Prep Pad is a slim, aluminum scale that connects to a free companion app, Countertop, via Bluetooth. “Prep Pad is the brawn and Countertop is the brain,” the Orange Chef website says.

As you weigh each ingredient on the Prep Pad, you’ll see the corresponding nutritional information appear on Countertop, allowing you to determine exactly what that spoonful of sour cream or handful of almonds adds to your meal.

Because the Prep Pad calculates nutritional information based on weight, it’s more accurate than using generic databases to calculate your meal’s nutritional value. To identify an ingredient, you simply select it from Countertop’s searchable database of more than 300,000 foods or scan a barcode with your iPhone or iPad camera.

Once your meal is complete, the app scores it on a hundred-point system based on your personal nutritional guidelines, which the app calculates using your height, weight and activity level. The app also allows you to customize your desired nutritional breakdown based on your personal needs.

If you opt to save information about your meals for future use, you can weigh out portions of leftovers and get accurate nutritional information based on those stored details. You can also see how using different ingredients—for example brown rice instead of white in a stir-fry—will affect your meal.

The Countertop app is currently only available for the iPad or iPhone. The Prep Pad is available for around $90 on Amazon.com.

Allergen-Free Pizza Recipes for Every Diet

Many gluten-free families don’t have the luxury of simply picking up a phone and ordering a pizza. And if another dietary restriction is added in, the odds of finding a gluten-free and dairy-, soy- or corn-free pizza parlor are even slimmer. Does that mean family pizza night is off the table?

Absolutely not.

The following recipes are just as good as—dare we say better than—that greasy pie from the pizzeria down the block. And they’re healthier, too.

Give traditional pizza a rustic Italian twist by using polenta in the crust. Or opt for a wholesome vegetable-based vegan pie with corn and zucchini in the crust. Though this crust takes most of the day to make, a lot of the time is hands-off so you can be doing other things while your crust turns wonderfully crispy in the oven.

Turn leftover pork, chicken or turkey into a Southern-inspired pizza with a Paleo Thin-Crust BBQ Pizza with Crispy Bacon. A second Paleo crust option is also free of nightshades, a group of plants that includes white potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes and peppers, as well as spice made from peppers such as paprika, red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper. A pesto that is also nut free substitutes for tomato sauce.

And if fast-and-easy is your preferred pizza method, we’ve got a pocketful of easy allergen-free combinations that you can use to top your favorite store-bought gluten-free pizza crusts—and all are decidedly more interesting than plain-Jane pepperoni pies.

So put the phone down. Fire up your latest Netflix find. Have the pizza cutter and your favorite toppings at the ready. Pizza night has never tasted this good.

NIGHTSHADE-FREE PIZZA >>

Corn, nut, nightshade free; can be made dairy free

THIN-CRUST BBQ PIZZA
WITH CRISPY BACON >>

Paleo and can be made dairy free

RAWSOME PIZZA >>

Vegan and nut, egg, and dairy free

POLENTA PIZZA >>

Dairy, egg, nut, refined sugar free and vegan

PIZZA CRUSTS FOR EVERYONE

We’re all for making your own pizza dough, but sometimes life calls for a little shortcut. Here’s a quick list of allergen-free store-bought pizza
crusts and mixes.

Udi’s Gluten Free Pizza Crusts: Dairy, soy and nut free
Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Mix: Dairy, soy, corn, xanthan and guar gum and nut free
Chebe Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Mix: Lactose, casein, soy, potato, corn, rice, egg, yeast, tree nuts and peanut free
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Mix: Dairy free, vegan if made without eggs
Rudi’s Pizza Crust: Soy, dairy and nut free
Ener-G Rice Pizza Shells: Casein, dairy, egg, soy and nut free
Smart Flour Gluten-Free Original Pizza Crusts: Nut, soy and dairy free

Use any of the crusts used in the previous recipes or your favorite store-bought or homemade gluten-free crust to make the following pizza combinations. Mix and match all you like—the choice is yours!

What Matters Most to You in 2016?

Gluten-Free Living is just as much your magazine as it is ours. We want our magazine to be about your needs, your interests, and the topics that matter to you, excite you and motivate you. So we’re kicking off 2016 by asking you, our readers: What do you want to read about in 2016? What are we doing right? What can we do better?

Our reader survey is designed to find out what you what to read about in 2016 and about which subjects matter most to you. Tell us what you want us to cover, and we’ll do our very best to deliver.

We also know that your life changed when you went gluten free. Let us know: What does your gluten-free life look like? What do you struggle with? What could make your life easier?

If you participate in the survey, you’ll be entered to win a free iPad Mini—and you’ll be making a difference in what you read about in the future. Please help us make Gluten-Free Living the very best it can be. We can’t do it without you!

Take our survey >>

Back on Track: 5 Super-Healthy Allergen-Friendly Recipes

Reboot and refresh from the over-indulgent holidays with these healthy recipes

Between the last week of November and the first day of January, we understand excess. Bring on the gluten-free pies, Christmas cookies and figgy puddings! Mound the stuffing! Pass the roast beef! A helping of that double-chocolate torte? Well, maybe just a bite…

Come Jan. 2, our waistlines aren’t the only thing crying out for a little moderation. All bathroom scales and gym memberships aside, by the time the holidays are over our palates are just plain tired of all the fat, salt and excess.

Enter the annual January healthy reboot, a time to refresh our palates and get our regular eating habits back on track. It’s not about punishment or atonement, either—after weeks of candy canes and cheesecake slices, a bunch of leafy greens or a bright bowl of vegetables is exactly what our bodies are craving.

These bright, healthy allergen-friendly recipes are just the thing to kick the New Year off right. If you’re the proud owner of a shiny new gym membership, you may be tempted to hit a fast-casual restaurant or sweet shop to reward yourself after a hearty workout. Kick that snacking temptation to the curb with some healthy homemade Chickpea, Cherry & Chia Power Bars. You’ll have enough energy to power through your post-gym commute sans burrito bowl or overpriced gym smoothie.

After a week of winter vacation, it can be tough to get yourself back in gear when that early-morning work alarm goes off. Make things a little easier on your pre-coffee self with make-ahead Egg-Free Quiches with Roasted Pepper & Basil. Though they make a perfect breakfast, they’re also terrific for brown bag lunches and afternoon pick-me-ups—and they’re endlessly customizable using whatever leftovers or veggies you have on hand.

As the nights get darker and longer, working up the motivation to whip up a healthy home-cooked dinner can become a New Year’s resolution in itself. But clean eating doesn’t have to take all night. Prop up your tablet or laptop on the counter, fire up an episode of Modern Family and have a hearty meal of Chicken with Mustard Greens, Quinoa and Oranges on the table before the final credits roll.

Or maybe your New Year’s resolution is to eat less meat and more veggies. Good idea—it’s a smart, heart-healthy and environmentally friendly goal to have.

But maybe you’ve got some meat-eating carnivores at home who can’t resign themselves to seven nights of salad. Change their meat-loving hearts and minds with Raw Vegan Chili or a stunning Fully Raw Lasagna. These new twists on classic dishes are so filling and so hearty that no one at your table will even think to ask, “Where’s the beef?”

Chickpea, Cherry & Chia Power Bars

See the recipe >>

Egg-Free Quiches with Roasted Pepper & Basil

See the recipe >>

Fully Raw Lasagna

See the recipe >>

Raw Vegan Chili

See the recipe >>

Chicken with Mustard Greens, Quinoa and Oranges

See the recipe >>

42 Gluten-Free Recipes for Christmas & New Year’s

2015 Gluten-Free Holiday Gift Guide

For more ideas, check out our previous gift guides here and here.

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5 Gluten-Free Brownie Recipes for National Brownie Day

December 8th is National Brownie Day. (Yes, really.) But why let the gluten-eaters of the world have all the ooey-gooey chocolaty fun? We’ve rounded up five gluten-free brownie recipes that range from ultra-indulgent to guilt free. Save us an end piece, ‘kay?

Gluten-Free Brownie Recipes

Black Forest Brownies

Inspired by traditional Black Forest Cake, these luxurious, moist gluten-free brownies are studded with sweet-sour cherries.

Refined Sugar-Free Salted Caramel Brownies

Avoiding refined sugars? A little stevia in this recipe boosts the sweetness in these brownies, which decreases the amount of coconut sugar needed.

Double-Chocolate Brownies

These corn-free brownies are easy to make and always please serious chocolate lovers thanks to a slightly cakey exterior with a dense, rich center.

Guilt-Free Brownies

This simple recipe uses black beans, though no one will ever guess. Each brownie is packed with protein and fiber so you can enjoy this chocolate treat guilt free.

Breads from Anna Roasted Cherry and Salted Almond Brownies

This recipe from our friends at Breads from Anna also uses a full can of black beans–perfect for sneaking a little nutrition into your dessert.

Finally! Carrabba’s is Now Serving Gluten-Free Pasta

Carrabba’s Italian Grill has added gluten-free pasta to the restaurant’s menu.

Diners can now choose from several pasta dishes featuring the restaurant’s gluten-free casarecce pasta. Dishes include Linguine Positano (with chicken and tomatoes), Shrimp & Scallop Linguine Alla Vodka, Fettucine Carrabba (with chicken, mushrooms, peas and alfredo sauce), Spaghetti Pomodoro, Spaghetti Bolognese, Fettucine Weesie (with shrimp and alfredo sauce), and Cavatappi Franco (with grilled chicken, vegetables and olives).

In June, the restaurant chain made changes in it’s grill base to make it gluten free. The grill base is “used to enhance the smoky flavor of wood-fire grill dishes,” according to the company. At the same time,select restaurants started test marketing the gluten-free pasta.

The restaurants do not have gluten-free kitchens, but take steps to prevent cross-contamination.

For a full list of Carrabba’s gluten-free offerings, see the restaurant’s online menu.

You can read our earlier story about Carrabba’s gluten-free menu here.

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31 Amazing Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Recipes

FDA Releases Proposed Rule on Gluten-Free Fermented, Distilled & Hydrolyzed Foods

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a proposed rule on fermented, distilled and hydrolyzed gluten-free foods today. The proposed ruling would also affect foods with fermented, distilled or hydrolyzed ingredients.

The FDA announcement contains details of what the proposed ruling would entail:

The proposed rule, when finalized, would require these manufacturers to make and keep records demonstrating assurance that:

the food meets the requirements of the gluten-free food labeling final rule prior to fermentation or hydrolysis, and
the manufacturer has adequately evaluated its process for any potential gluten cross-contact, and
where a potential for gluten cross-contact has been identified, the manufacturer has implemented measures to prevent the introduction of gluten into the food during the manufacturing process.

The ruling would affect foods such as saurkraut, kimchi, vinegar, pickles and olives.

The FDA also confirms that all hydrolyzed, distilled or fermented products would be required to follow the same standards as other products if they want to label their product “gluten free”:

Hydrolyzed, fermented, or distilled foods voluntarily bearing the “gluten-free” claim will also still have to meet the requirements of the gluten-free food labeling final rule, including the definition of “gluten-free,” which means that they are either inherently gluten-free or they do not include any of the following:

Ingredients that are gluten-containing grains
Ingredients derived from a gluten-containing grain that have not been processed to remove gluten
Ingredients derived from a gluten-containing grain that have been processed to remove gluten if use of that ingredient results in the presence of 20 parts per million (ppm) or more gluten in the food

In either case, any unavoidable presence of gluten must be less than 20 ppm.

The original gluten-free labeling law, released in 2013, acknowledged that it was difficult to scientifically detect gluten in fermented and hydrolyzed foods. The original rule stated the FDA would release a proposed ruling on this issue in the future.

Since this ruling is still “proposed,” changes to the language can still be made, and it will be some time before this ruling is finalized and put into effect.

The public can comment on the proposed ruling for 90 days. To comment on the ruling, go to www.regulations.gov/ and type in FDA-2014-N-1021 in the search box.

To learn more about the proposed ruling, see the FDA’s FAQ here.

Joseph Epstein Recalls Gluten-Free Meatballs for Having Gluten Over 20 Ppm

Joseph Epstein Food Enterprises is recalling one of its meatball products after falsely labeling it as gluten free.

The company is recalling approximately 190 pounds of 22-ounce cartons of “Mama Mancini’s Slow Cooked Italian Style Sauce and Turkey Meatballs.” The recalled products were shipped to be sold in New Jersey retail locations.

“The problem was discovered during the establishment’s third party laboratory testing; the product was found to contain an excess of the maximum allowable 20 ppm of gluten. The establishment notified FSIS of the problem,” reports the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

According to the official USDA news release, the mislabeled recalled products will have the establishment number “P-21734” inside the USDA inspection mark along with product code “4740” and an expiration date of 12/10/15.

“Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase,” states FSIS.

This recall is the second gluten-free mislabeling recall in the past week, following the news of the erroneously labeled Herr’s Sour Cream & Onion potato chip recall.

Consumers with questions about the recall can contact the president of Joseph Epstein Food Enterprises, Matt Brown, at 917-705-7514.

Herr’s Recalls Potato Chips Due to Gluten-Free Label Error

: Image: Herrs.com

Certain bags of Herr’s Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips were mislabeled “gluten free” and are voluntarily being recalled nationwide by the company.

The chips, sold in individual-size bags, contain wheat, which is spelled out in the ingredients list and a “Contains Wheat” allergen statement. The company says the gluten-free label was mistakenly put on the packaging.

The mislabeling only affects 1.875 oz bags dated from January 02, 2016 to January 30, 2016 (UPC code 7260000061, Product Code 122). No other flavors or bag sizes are affected.

The company states they have not received any reports of people becoming sick after eating the erroneously labeled chips. Consumers who mistakenly purchased the product believing it was gluten free can return the chips to the retailer for a full refund.

Consumers with questions about the recall can call Herr’s at 1-800-523-5030 from 9-5 EST, Monday through Friday.

Although many gluten-free consumers rely on gluten-free labels, particularly since passage of the Food and Drug Administration’s gluten-free labeling rules, it’s always a good idea to also read ingredients lists to be certain a product is safe.

New Frozen Gluten Free Beer Battered Cod

Get ready for some pub-style fish & chips nights in your future. Pacific Seafood is launching frozen Gluten Free Beer Battered Cod.

The batter is made with gluten-free Ground Breaker beer, which recently medaled at the Great American Beer Festival. The beer is made in a dedicated gluten-free facility.

“Our Classic and Gluten Free Beer Battered Cod is made with local Northwest ingredients ensuring quality and excellence with every product purchased. We are proud to use locally sourced ingredients to provide the most sustainable and delicious seafood possible,” said General Manager of Branded Sales Terry Horgan in a press release.

Pacific Seafood is based in Oregon and makes a number of gluten free frozen fish items, including Italian Breaded Sole, Parmesan Encrusted Cod, Fish Sticks, Battered Haddock, and more. See the full lineup here.

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The Secret Behind NYC’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookie? It’s Gluten Free

: The chocolate chip cookie at Untitled. Photo: Tim Schenck

Grub Street hails it as “one of the most impressive desserts in New York.” Food Republic calls it “NYC’s best cookie.” The twist? The acclaimed chocolate chip cookie at Danny Meyer’s Untitled restaurant at the Whitney Museum is entirely gluten-free.

: Pastry Chef Miro Uskokovic. Photo: Melissa Horn.

The cookie was born when pastry chef Miro Uskokovic took it upon himself to make the ultimate chocolate chip cookie.

“When it comes to chocolate chip cookies, I have my preferences but understand that others enjoy a crunchy cookie experience. So I set myself to the task to create a cookie that combined my preference for a soft, gooey interior and a toothsome, crunchy exterior. We played with varieties and ratios of sugar and butter, and settled on a combination of brown and white sugar with clarified browned butter—the result was wonderful,” Uskokovic says.

Then, to see if the cookie could be made gluten-free on special request, he tested the cookie with Thomas Keller’s Cup4Cup gluten-free flour. The result? The staff actually preferred the GF version.

“It was remarkable to see a gluten-free dessert getting so much love over a traditional recipe,” Uskokovic says.

The cookie costs $8 and comes with a glass of Madagascar bourbon-infused milk. For a more cost-effective snack, stop by the museum’s Studio Cafe and grab the cookie (sans milk) for $4.

And good news for gluten-free New Yorkers: Grub Street reports the cafe eventually plans to sell the cookie to go.

New Disney’s Frozen-Themed Chicken Nuggets Are Gluten Free

Few things in life make kids freak out quite like shaped chicken nuggets.

Now gluten-free kids can join in on the phenomenon with these new Frozen-themed chicken nuggets from Golden Platter.

Made with hormone-free chicken and no preservatives, these nuggets are certified gluten free by the Gluten Intolerance Group. The breading is made with corn flour, rice flour, rice starch and corn starch.

The nuggets are shaped like snowflakes, castles and hearts. (Sorry, no Olafs.)

The chicken nuggets will start appearing on store shelves this month. To find a store near you, use the Golden Platter store locator.

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What You Can Do to Get Gluten in Medications Labeled

A new interview with Congressmen Tim Ryan, sponsor of the Gluten in Medication Disclosure Act of 2015, reveals what consumers can do to help get the bill passed in Congress.

“I have a general philosophy that information is power and you need to empower consumers,” Ryan told the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) in the interview. “We must let people know what’s in their food, their prescribed medication, and other products that affect our health and wellness.”

Ryan was also the sponsor of the former Gluten in Medication Identification Act of 2012, which died in committee. The congressman from Ohio has a personal connection to the bill. His wife has a “gluten-related disorder,” Ryan says.

“With medication, lots of times you don’t know what’s in it,” he told the NCFA.

Getting the Gluten in Medication Disclosure Act passed will require some help from gluten-free consumers. The bill is currently assigned to the Health subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. In order for the bill to be voted upon, the subcommittee needs to hold a hearing on the bill.

“[The gluten-free community] should look at who is on that committee, where the membership is, and make sure that you start connecting your members in a particular state or region to that member of Congress.”

Then consumers can start contacting their members of Congress on that committee to lobby them to hold a hearing on the bill. These members “can ask the chairman to hold a hearing on the bill, pass the bill, and get it out of committee,” Ryan says.

Lobbying shouldn’t be a “dirty word,” the congressman says. “A lot of people think that ‘lobbyist’ is a dirty word, but everybody’s a lobbyist. For average people to come down and lobby on behalf of any issue is important. They are Americans and they have the right to petition their government,” Ryan says in the interview.

For readers interested in helping to get a hearing for the bill, you can find members of the Health subcommittee here.

If your state and region is listed, you can easily contact the House representatives by clicking on a member’s name. For example, the committee chairman, Joseph Pitts from Pennsylvania’s 16th district, can be found here.

To read the full interview with Congressman Ryan, visit the NFCA’S website.

Four “Goodbye Summer!” Gluten-Free Recipes for Labor Day Weekend

We’re at the brink of Labor Day Weekend, our chance to send off summer in style before resigning ourselves to pumpkin- and apple-picking. We couldn’t imagine a better menu than this easy-breezy menu from Isadora Lassance. Here’s what she had to say in our July/August issue:

Summer meals are best when they take advantage of all the seasonal fruits and vegetables so abundant this time of year. And it’s even better if they can be prepared quickly with little time in front of the stove.

You can whip up the Raspberry and Almond Oatmeal Bake in the cooler morning hours. In about 30 minutes you’ll have a delicious breakfast with rich, red raspberries that are so much better now than the ones you find in the supermarket at other times of the year.

A lunchtime Summer Sorghum Salad with Watermelon, Feta and Tomatoes is most enticing when the temperature rises. The combination of sorghum, arugula, watermelon, feta cheese and tomatoes makes this dish stand out from the lettuce, carrots and cucumber crowd. The recipe includes vinaigrette with just a touch of maple syrup.

When it’s time for dinner, a heaping pile of vegetables meets up with black beans, corn, tomatoes and spices before being scooped into corn tortillas in the recipe for Calabacitas and Black Bean Tacos. The tacos are prepared in a flash, but you can sit out on the deck or patio for as long as you like to savor all the flavor packed in.

Follow up with fresh, cold Creamy Mango and Pineapple popsicles, a perfect dessert you make yourself the day before with just four ingredients.

Gluten-Free Labor Day Weekend Recipes

Raspberry-Almond Oatmeal Bake

Sorghum Salad with Watermelon, Feta and Tomatoes

Calabacitas and Black Bean Tacos

Creamy Mango-Pineapple Popsicles

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Is Starbucks’ “Wheat Free” Bistro Box Gluten Free?

Starbucks announced this week it would be offering a “wheat free” bistro box due to customer demand.

The Wheat-Free Omega-3 Bistro Box contains smoked salmon cream cheese spread, cucumbers, edamame hummus, trail mix and wheat-free crackers.

“We decided to put together a snackable bistro box that’s easy to eat on-the-go, but still brings you the healthy, wheat-free options you crave,” reported the official Starbucks blog.

But why “wheat free,” not “gluten free?”

A Starbucks spokesperson told Gluten-Free Living that the box is not intended for people with celiac disease.

“While the components for the Omega 3 Bistro Box do not contain wheat as an ingredient, this product is not certified gluten free. It would therefore not be recommended for our customers with celiac disease,” said the spokesperson.

Under Food and Drug Administration rules that govern packaged products, though not restaurant meals, gluten-free food does not have to be certified by an outside agency. But it does have to contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten, a level largely considered safe for most people who have celiac disease.

Although the ingredient list does not include any gluten-containing ingredients, it is still unclear if the Starbucks is warning away customers with celiac disease solely because it’s not certified or because of possible cross-contamination or for another reason. We’ve reached out to Starbucks for further details and will update you once we learn more.

It’s unlikely the bistro box contains gluten, but when a company outright tells those with celiac disease that a product is not designed for them that’s plenty of motivation to spend gluten-free dollars elsewhere.

Curious consumers can find the ingredient list for the Bistro Box here.

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Your Back-to-School Gluten-Free Lunchbox Guide

Poll Says One in Five Americans Actively Choose Gluten-Free Foods

Another recent survey is taking a look at being gluten free in America. A new Gallup poll says one in five Americans actively try to include gluten-free foods in their diet.

On the flip side, however, 1 in 6 Americans say they actively avoid gluten-free foods. (The remainder say they simply don’t think about gluten-free foods.)

The number of consumers who say they actively choose gluten-free foods is quite a bit higher than the number of Americans that have celiac disease, which is estimated to be about 1 percent of the population.

Interestingly, nonwhite Americans were more likely than white Americans to include gluten-free foods in their diet (31 percent compared to 17 percent), while the percentage of both nonwhite and white Americans who say they avoided gluten-free foods was the same (17 percent).

Americans under age 49 were also more likely to consume gluten-free foods than their older counterparts.

For complete survey results, visit the Gallup website.

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Which Yogurts Are Gluten Free?

Yogurt has long been considered a safe breakfast option for those on the gluten-free diet. But as grains steadily infiltrate the dairy aisle, gluten-free consumers may need to pay closer attention to their yogurt purchases.

Yogurt companies are increasingly adding popular grains and seeds to their products in order to capitalize on the recent trends toward eating whole grains either mixed right into the yogurt or packaged on top of the yogurt container.

While nutritious seeds such as quinoa, amaranth, chia and flax are gluten-free additions, YoCrunch yogurt products come topped with a variety of gluten-containing cookies, cereal and a granola that includes wheat, barley, rye, spelt and triticale in its nine grains. Flavors that don’t list any gluten-containing ingredients in the topping come with a notation that they may contain wheat.

Oats can also pose problem when added to granola if they are not grown or processed to remove the gluten that results from cross-contamination.

But that doesn’t mean oats in yogurt are automatically unsafe as some companies are choosing to use gluten-free oats. Gluten-free oats have to meet the Food and Drug Administration standard of less than 20 parts per million of gluten, as does any finished food under FDA jurisdiction labeled gluten free. Look for products that have a gluten-free label.

Chobani reports the company uses only “carefully selected gluten-free steel-cut oats” in their Ancient Grains varieties of yogurt. Yoplait’s new Plentí line is labeled gluten free and a spokesperson says the oats are tested to ensure they comply with FDA standards. Both brands mix in the oats and gluten-free grains and seeds.

However, other companies, such as Zen Monkey, confirm that their oats are not gluten free.

You can also purchase your own gluten-free granola or other mix-ins so you’ll know exactly what’s going into your cup of yogurt each morning—and your DIY yogurt will almost certainly be cheaper than the preassembled versions.

Here’s our cheat sheet on the particulars of yogurt brands.

The Epic Seed Greek Yogurt + Chia

Contains: Chia seeds

Makes a gluten-free claim? Yes—uses naturally gluten-free ingredients

Yoplait Plentí

Contains: Whole grain oats, flax and pumpkin seeds

Makes a gluten-free claim? Yes—uses gluten-free oats that are tested to meet FDA standards

Chobani Ancient Grains

Contains: Quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, chia seeds, oats

Makes a gluten-free claim? Yes—uses gluten-free oats and gluten-free grains

Zen Monkey

Contains: “Juicy oats” soaked in apple juice

Makes a gluten-free claim? No—does not use gluten-free oats (reportedly about 20-40 ppm gluten)

Yoatz

Contains: Oats

Makes a gluten-free claim? Yes—certified gluten free and company regularly tests for gluten

YoCrunch

Contains: Cookies, cereal and 9-grain granola with oats, barley, white wheat, rye,
triticale, spelt, brown rice, millet and buckwheat

Makes a gluten-free claim? No—uses wheat and other gluten-containing ingredients

Survey Says 54% of Americans Still Don’t Know What Gluten Is

A new survey from certification organization NSF International says that while 90 percent of Americans have heard of gluten, more than half (54 percent) are unable to correctly define it.

Granted, the survey was a sampling of all Americans, not just those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities, who are almost certainly more knowledgeable about gluten-containing ingredients than the average person who has heard of gluten.

Twenty percent of consumers surveyed thought gluten was simply wheat or a protein found in all carbohydrates, while 26 percent thought that products without wheat were automatically gluten free. Barley and rye are also gluten-containing grains not allowed on the gluten-free diet.

Survey respondents also had trouble identifying ingredients that do not contain gluten. Nearly half (47 percent) believed rice contained gluten, while 34 percent believed that potatoes contained gluten. (For a fast primer on which products actually contain gluten, check out our Basic Diet guide.)

It should also be noted that the survey was done by a certification group, which has a vested interest in promoting the need for gluten-free labeling.

Interestingly, however, only about a third of survey respondents said they would look for a gluten-free certification label or seal as the first indication that a product is gluten free. Forty-six percent of consumers said that they would first look at the ingredient list to determine if a product was gluten free.

However, if many Americans wrongly believe potatoes and rice have gluten, this may not be the best way for consumers to determine if a product is truly gluten free.

We’re curious: How do you confirm a product is gluten free? How important is seeing a gluten-free certification label or seal when deciding to make a purchase?

Leave your answer in the comments below or tweet us @Gfliving.

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Three Gluten-Free Cherry Desserts to Celebrate Cherry Season

Cherry season is painfully fleeting, leaving us few just precious weeks to take advantage of sweet and sour cherries. Luckily, decent frozen, dried and canned options help us enjoy these ripe, red fruits all year round. In honor of one of summer’s most short-lived fruits, today we’re sharing three cherry recipes from our July/August 2013 issue. Some use fresh fruits, while others are more pantry-friendly. Here’s what our recipe developer, food editor Jackie Mallorca, had to say:

Of all the summer fruits I wait for each year with mounting anticipation, ripe cherries are my favorite. Sweet and juicy—but not messy, so you can enjoy them out of hand any time—they look delightful and taste even better.

Like all fresh fruits, cherries are naturally gluten free. They’re not only delicious but also healthful and rich in antioxidants. According to the USDA, a one-cup serving of raw, sweet cherries contains 87 calories, 0.2 grams of fat, 1.5g protein, 22g of carbohydrates (18g of sugar), 2.9g of fiber and a generous 9.7mg of vitamin C, plus choline, potassium, magnesium, beta carotene and lutein.

Cherries were used by Native Americans for healing and recent research points to their anti-inflammatory properties.

Cherries also have a special place in American history thanks to a dubious tale about George Washington’s childhood. Written by Mason Locke Weems, a parson, in 1800 after Washington’s death, the story goes that little George wrecked his father’s prized cherry tree. When questioned he admitted the dreadful deed, saying “I cannot tell a lie, I did it with my little hatchet.”

In that era, it was thought that children could learn moral lessons from national heroes such as George Washington, so the unsubstantiated story of his honesty was widely reprinted throughout the 19th century in children’s books.

It’s a fact that several kinds of cherries trees flourished at Mount Vernon, Washington’s Virginia home. The fruit was dried or preserved for winter use on the presidential table. Thanks to Martha Washington’s habit of writing down favorite recipes (her notebooks still exist), we know what one of George Washington’s favorite liqueurs tasted like.

Well, more or less. Her recipe, ‘”To Make Excellent Cherry Bounce,” instructs the reader to extract the juice of 20 pounds of well-ripened Morello cherries, add 10 quarts of old French brandy, sweeten to taste with white sugar, and add various spices and a pint and a half of cherry pits bruised in a mortar. After letting the mixture ferment for a few weeks, the cordial had to be poured into bottles with a lump of loaf sugar added to each one. Good luck if you try making it.

Printed cookbooks were rare in the American colonies the 18th century, but Martha Washington did own a copy of the most famous one of all, Hannah Glasse’s The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy. First published in England in 1747, it went through many editions.

As it happens, I’m lucky enough to own a 1770 edition of this book, which lists recipes for Jarr’d Cherries, Dried Cherries and Preserved Cherries with the leaves and stalks green (the author notes they look very pretty by candlelight in a dessert). Needless to say they are all labor intensive in the extreme.

Happily for us — a couple of centuries later — dried, frozen and canned cherries are readily available in supermarkets throughout the year. Soft dried cherries turn regular brownies into extra-special black forest brownies and give homemade trail mix an extra burst of flavor. Frozen ones can be turned into instant cherry sorbet in a food processor (mix in a little thick Greek yogurt to taste after puréeing them), and canned unsweetened sour cherries make a terrific cherry crisp with a crunchy oat topping.

In California, harvesting of the earliest-ripening cherry varieties usually begins around the end of April. As summer progresses, sweet and sour cherries are harvested throughout the country, and by early July, cherry season is in full swing.

This summer, why not delight family and friends with a red, white and blue gluten-free cake that includes fresh cherries and blueberries along with whole-grain corn flour. George and Martha would have loved it.

Fun facts about cherries

The average tart cherry tree contains 7,000 cherries—that’s 28 cherry pies.
Michigan produces about 75 percent of tart cherries grown in the U.S., and Traverse City is the unofficial “Cherry Capital of the World.”
Each spring, Washington D.C. celebrates the blooming trees with the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
The cherry is a powerhouse of antioxidants, containing more than even red wine and dark chocolate.

Gluten-free cherry dessert recipes

1. Black Forest Brownies

2. Cherry Crisp

3. Fresh Cherry & Blueberry Cake

Lean Cuisine Brings New Gluten-Free Options to the Freezer Aisle

Lean Cuisine, long seen as a convenient from-the-freezer meal option for dieters, recently released several new gluten-free options as part of the company’s ongoing rebranding.

The company is aiming to focus more on fresh ingredients and healthy lifestyles as opposed to diet food.

“Culinary culture has become richer and more diverse than ever, and our understanding of health and wellness has grown immensely,” says the company website. “We’re proud to announce that we’re making some major changes, starting with our Marketplace line. In 2015, that meant providing you with choices like dishes that are made with organic ingredients, gluten-free, high protein or provide one cup of vegetables.”

korean-beef-plate — *Lean Cuisine’s new gluten-free Korean-style beef.*

Gluten-free consumers can choose from options like Chicken Marsala, Sweet & Spicy Korean-Style Beef, Pomegranate Chicken and Spicy Beef & Bean Enchiladas.

Find the full lineup of gluten-free options here.

Fire Up the Grill This Fourth of July Weekend

America is heading into a long three-day holiday weekend, which means friends, family, fireworks and plenty of food on the grill.

This weekend, crack open a cold bottle of gluten-free beer and let the fire do the cooking with these summery recipes from Gluten-Free Living contributor Isadora Lassance.

Here’s what she has to say:

Move over meat.

You can do a lot more with your grill than cook hamburgers and steak. Potatoes, fruit and vegetables come off the grill with new flavor in the following gluten-free recipes.

Potato wedges are seasoned with five simple ingredients before they earn their grill stripes. You might not immediately think of peaches when grill season begins, but this flavorful fruit, fresh off the grill, is combined with goat cheese, almonds and mint in a tasty salad perfect for backyard dining. Zucchini, yellow squash and onion add a smoky flavor to pesto pizza when they first spend a little time on the grill.

If you still can’t get the thought of grilled burgers off your mind, try veggie burgers made with black beans to push your health and taste boundaries.

Four Fabulous Gluten-Free Independence Day Recipes

Southwest Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Grilled Potato Wedges

Grilled Peach Salad with Goat Cheese

Pesto Pizza with Grilled Vegetables

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GIG & Schar Provide Bunk Boxes to Gluten-Free Campers

: A happy camper holding a Generation GF bunk box.

It’s summer, which means thousands of kids around the country are packing their bags and heading off to summer camp. Thanks to Schar and the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG), many gluten-free kids won’t have to miss out on the camp bunk box tradition while they’re away from home.

The bunk boxes, filled with gluten-free snacks and swag, are part of the GIG’s Generation GF program, which focuses on developing gluten-free youth. “Generation GF was created to build confidence in kids, teens and young adults with gluten-related sensitivities and to help develop them into the future leaders of the gluten-free community,” GIG says on its website.

The boxes will be delivered to 1260 campers at 13 gluten-free camps across the country. For June and July, the boxes will contain only Schar products; in August, the boxes will also contain products from another Generation GF sponsor, Don’t Go Nuts.

The camps receiving the boxes are:

Camp Carolina Trails, NC
Flying Horse Farms, OH
Camp Gluten Freedom, IN
Camp Hertko Hollow, IA
Gluten Free Michigan Kids Camp, MI
Camp Kweebec, PA
Taylor Family Foundation, CA
Camp Setebaid, PA
ROCK Minnesota, MN
Camp Kanata, NC
Camp Sealth, WA
Camp Sweet Life, MN
Camp Aldersgate, RI

If your child’s camp is not on the list, parents can send the information for the camp directly to the GIG, and the organization will attempt to set up a program for next year.

“We have been so pleased with the overwhelming response to the bunk boxes that we have put together for the kids,” said Chris Rich, GIG’s vice president of development.

To learn more about the Generation GF program, visit gluten.org/community/kids. Your child can also sign up for a free 1-year membership.

In Case You Missed It: All 28 of Our Celiac Awareness Month Recipes

Gluten-Free Grocers Around the Country

robyn's-gluten-free-store — Robyn’s Gluten-Free Country Store

Mainstream supermarkets might be catching on to the boom in gluten-free business, but a handful of small stores across the country are completely committed. They sell only gluten-free products.

“This is my passion,” says Robyn Inglese of Robyn’s Gluten-Free Country Store in Branford, Connecticut. She opened the story to save gluten-free shoppers the trouble of having to look at every single label. They already know everything she stocks is gluten free.

The response has been heartwarming. “I’ve had people cry,” she says. “It makes me feel so good to be able to help them.”

Here’s a selection of exclusively gluten-free groceries.

Robyn’s Gluten-Free Country Store – Branford, Connecticut

This quaint market is designed to look like an old-time general store, complete with bowtie- and apron-clad employees. Robyn’s also offers an apothecary with natural remedies and a selection of fresh baked goods, including artisan breads, tea loaves and whoopie pies.
203-208-0989, robynsglutenfree.com

Gluten Free Specialty – Sacramento, California

In addition to groceries, this Northern California store carries a variety of fresh gluten-free baked goods from six local bakeries. You’ll also find a variety of gluten-free foods that are allergen-friendly, including corn free, soy free, dairy free, casein free and vegan products.

916-442-5241, gfspecialty.com

Jake’s Gluten Free Market – Boise, Idaho

This gluten-free retail store and bakery aims to be a gathering spot for people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivities. Jake’s offers events and programs including “Sample Saturday,” featuring free samples of bakery and grocery products, and “Thursday’s at Jake’s,” which hosts gluten-free experts and specialty groups.

208-322-5935, jakesglutenfreestore.com

Strictly Gluten Free – East Northport, New York

This gluten-free emporium on Long Island offers more than 1, 000 gluten-free products. The store also offers a wealth of services, including personal shoppers, dietitian referrals and cooking demos.

631-486-6835, strictlyglutenfree.com

Against the Grain – Salt Lake City, Utah

This gluten-free grocer’s first location was so successful, the owners opened up a second location nearby. The store provides a “Gluten-free Survival Guide” for those who are newly diagnosed, in addition to recipes and information about local gluten-free restaurants.

801-955-4418, againstthegrainslc.com

G-Free NYC – New York, New York

Every product in this Manhattan market has been tasted by the store’s gluten-free staff to ensure both safety and quality. The store features a daily rotating schedule of gluten-free baked goods from local bakeries and offers delivery anywhere in Manhattan.

646-781-9770, g-freenyc.com

Janell’s Gluten-Free Market – Kirkland, Washington

Janell’s — owned by Janell Farnsworth, who was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2008 — boasts more than 2,000 square feet of retail space. Though the main store is completely gluten-free, the store does have a “Low-Carb Annex” section for people on low-carb diets featuring products that may not be gluten free.

425-820-0022, janellsglutenfreemarket.com

Gluten Free, NOT Flavor Free: Dessert Recipes from Our Favorite Food Bloggers

It’s time for the final course in our Gluten Free, NOT Flavor Free “virtual potlock,” featuring seven fabulous gluten-free recipes from some of our favorite food bloggers. From summery strawberry shortcakes to non-dairy vegan parfaits, there’s something here to satisfy any sweet tooth. Happy baking!

1. Lemon-Berry Meringue Nests from Kristine Kidd

Kristine says: Cardamom-scented meringue nests are ethereal and crunchy with a not-too-sweet, not-too-rich yogurt and lemon curd filling—a perfect, naturally gluten-free finale for a festive meal.

2. Gluten-Free Classic Strawberry Shortcake from The Baking Beauties

Jeanine says: With berry season being in full swing, these easy gluten-free Strawberry Shortcakes are the answer to “What’s for dessert?” Short on strawberries? They are also great with blueberries or peaches.

3. Peanut Butter & Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches from She Likes Food

Isadora says: Not only are these delicious ice cream sandwiches both gluten free and vegan, but you don’t even need an ice cream maker to make them! They are the perfect dessert for the summer heat!

4. Angel Food Cake from Gluten Free Mom

Jamie says: Gluten free baking can be tricky. This recipe is a no-fail dessert that everyone loves. Serve with some fresh fruit and whipped cream for a great summer dessert.

5. Bourbon Bacon Cookies from In Johnna’s Kitchen

Johnna says: These are my favorite cookies to share at a gathering, since they work for so many of my friends. They are vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free and Paleo. I love a recipe that works for almost everyone!

6. Lemon Coconut Bundt Cake from Janice Amee’s Gluten Free

Janice says: It’s tangy and sweet, and moist and light, and crumbly (like a cake should be), and you would never know it’s not full of gluten. It can also be made dairy free and into smaller bundt size cakes, if you like.

7. Coconut Yogurt Cherry Parfait with Pumpkin Seeds from The Healthy Apple

Amie says: “Dairy-free desserts never looked so good. I could barely take pictures of this recipe without licking my fingers clean.”

Planning on making any of these delicious recipes over the weekend? Be sure to tag your photos on Instagram with #GFLgrams!

There are just a few days left to take advantage of our Celiac Awareness Month subscription offer, where you can receive a one-year subscription to Gluten-Free Living for just $20 — $5 of which will be donated to support celiac research. You’ll also be entered to win a 10-piece cookware set with bonus tools from Swiss Diamond. Subscribe today.

Be Heard: How the Gluten-Free Diet Has Changed Your Life For the Better

This week’s question for our Be Heard campaign was:

How has your life changed for the better on the gluten-free diet?

Here’s what our readers had to say.

For me, having celiac disease and living free of gluten is a blessing in disguise. I have learned so much about good nutrition and how to make healthier choices overall. I wouldn’t want it any other way! – Lisa Cantkier via Facebook

I no longer wake up with my fingers and wrists so swollen that I cannot even drive safely as I get my kids to school. – Maire Shannon O’Neal Shiu via Facebook

I have more energy, I feel more comfortable and I don’t miss wheat at all. – Natasha Simpson via Twitter (@tashsimpson1)

My son is gluten free, and his muscle aches are gone, and he is more willing to try new foods now. – Cindi Bailey via Facebook

Not having that excruciating pain, bloating, and acid reflux. I’m still recovering, still have a lot of symptoms and still have malabsorption. But I do feel so much better than I did, it’s been a long slow recovery. – Gayla Lineker Payiva via Facebook

I no longer say NO to social engagements. I just come prepared. -Elyse Murray via Twitter (@Justmurrayed)

Life changing. Inflammation was severe in my spine, IBS, reflux. 10 days after going gluten free – all gone. I feel so good now and it has made such a difference in my life. Lost a bunch of weight without even trying. The improvement in my health has been such a blessing and the weight loss was just a bonus. It was hard at first, but now I don’t even have to think about it. It’s been 1 1/2 yrs since I went gluten free. – Nancy Jernigan Thawley via Facebook

Gave up gluten 2 years ago & eliminated pain of fibromyalgia which I had lived with for 10 years. – Pamela Morra via Twitter (@PamMorra)

I’m not hungry all the time, I’m not bloating, no more indigestion, more energy, less pain, and a weird thing my mouth feels cleaner. – Wendy Weaver via Facebook

Fertility trtmts failed, went GF to manage endo pain, got pregnant a yr later! – Anne BeloncikSchantz via Twitter (@Anybee27)

I’m not anemic any more!!! -Sarah Anne Hayman Penninck via Facebook

I love trying new GF recipes! No more fast foods and processed foods! – Angela McElwain via Facebook

Note: The views, opinions and positions expressed by our Be Heard commenters are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Gluten-Free Living or its staff.

Don’t forget about our special month-long subscription offer, where you can receive a one-year subscription to Gluten-Free Living for just $20 — $5 of which will be donated to support celiac research. You’ll also be entered to win a 10-piece cookware set with bonus tools from Swiss Diamond. Subscribe today.

Be Heard: How has your life changed for the better on the gluten-free diet?

Welcome to the fourth and final week of our Be Heard campaign, where we’re asking people around the world to speak out and share their #myGFLstory by answering the same question.

Here’s this week’s question:

How has your life changed for the better on the gluten-free diet?

Speak out and spread awareness — we want to hear from you! Answer our question on your personal blog, on your Tumblr, on social media using hashtag #myGFLstory or in the comments section below. (If posting on your personal blog, leave your URL in the comments below so others can read your story.)

Be sure to use the button above when possible so we can easily find and read your answers.

On Thursday, we’ll share our favorite answers on our blog, so don’t forget to check back and see if you were featured!

Now go share your story…it’s time to Be Heard.

Don’t forget about our special month-long subscription offer, where you can receive a one-year subscription to Gluten-Free Living for just $20 — $5 of which will be donated to support celiac research. You’ll also be entered to win a 10-piece cookware set with bonus tools from Swiss Diamond. Subscribe today.

Gluten Free, NOT Flavor Free: Main Dish Recipes from Our Favorite Food Bloggers

We’ve reached the main event of our four-week Celiac Awareness Month virtual potluck: the main course. From vegetarian quinoa bowls to savory fish tacos, these seven gluten-free food bloggers have put together a little something to please everyone.

Gluten-Free Pasta Carbonara with Asparagus and Peas from Kristine Kidd

Kristine says: This beautiful and satisfying pasta dish features asparagus and peas which are now in season. I make pasta frequently for a quick dinner.
Black Bean & Roasted Plantain Tacos with Avocado from She Likes Food

Isadora says: Tacos are one of my favorite go-to meals to cook when I’m tired or don’t have much time. I’ve jazzed these ones up by making my own re-fried beans and adding some delicious roasted plantains!
Johnna’s Japchae from In Johnna’s Kitchen

Johnna says: Traditional Korean Japchae is served over noodles made from sweet potato starch. I enjoy spiralizing vegetables and used spiralized sweet potatoes in place of the traditional noodle in this dish. It’s a crowd favorite, my most requested dish!
Veggie Scampi from Janice Amee’s Gluten Free

Janice says: Light, fresh, easy to prepare, and perfect for those warm summer evenings – whether dining Al fresco or inside — with family or friends, it makes for a pretty main course or a side dish. You can make it with your favorite gluten free pasta OR go low-carb with zucchini noodles as I have done here.
Thick Crust Family-Sized Pizza from Gluten Free Mom

Jamie says: Family night is pizza night! This pizza is large enough to feed a whole family and easy to customize for picky eaters.
Red Quinoa Buddha Bowl from The Healthy Apple

Amie says: I’ve got one of my favorite quinoa recipes for you today…because cooking quinoa is super simple and fabulous!
Grilled Fish Tacos from The Baking Beauties
Jeanine says: Add a little adventure to your grilling with these Grilled Fish Tacos. A little heat, a little creaminess, a whole lot of flavor. (Free from gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, soy.)

Planning on making any of these delicious recipes over the long weekend? Be sure to tag your photos on Instagram with #GFLgrams! And don’t forget to come back next Friday, where we’ll be sharing our favorite main courses.

Don’t forget about our special month-long subscription offer, where you can receive a one-year subscription to Gluten-Free Living for just $20 — $5 of which will be donated to support celiac research. You’ll also be entered to win a 10-piece cookware set with bonus tools from Swiss Diamond. Subscribe today.

Be Heard: What’s Your Best Tip For Navigating Dinner Parties, Birthdays or Business Lunches?

Welcome to the third week of our Be Heard campaign, where we’re asking people around the world to speak out and share their #myGFLstory by answering the same question.

Here’s this week’s question:

What’s your number-one tip for handling social eating situations, such as dinner parties, business lunches or birthday parties?

Be sure to use the button above when possible so we can easily find and read your answers.

On Thursday, we’ll share our favorite answers on our blog, so don’t forget to check back and see if you were featured!

Now go share your story…it’s time to Be Heard.

Don’t forget about our special month-long subscription offer, where you can receive a one-year subscription to Gluten-Free Living for just $20 — $5 of which will be donated to support celiac research. You’ll also be entered to win a 10-piece cookware set with bonus tools from Swiss Diamond. Subscribe today.

Gluten Free, NOT Flavor Free: Salad & Side Recipes from Our Favorite Food Bloggers

Welcome to week 2 of our “Gluten Free, NOT Flavor Free” recipe round-up!

Nothing excites us more than a good gluten-free recipe, and this week we’ve got seven of them. For the second course of our Celiac Awareness Month “virtual potluck,” we’ve asked some of our favorite recipe bloggers from around the web to share some of their favorite sides and salads.

1. Corn Salad from Gluten Free Mom

Jamie says: Perfect side dish for a summer barbeque. A splash of lime and cilantro make this corn dish anything but boring.

2. Greek Quinoa Veggie Bowl

Janice says: This flavorful dish is full of fiber and can be served as a main dish or on the side. It’s perfect for vegetarians or vegans, but meat eaters are sure to love it too! Each serving contains almost 9 grams of protein, which comes from both the beans and the quinoa.

3. Grilled Cucumbers with Pickled Feta Dip

Isadora says: The grilled cucumbers marinated in vinegar go so well with the pickled feta dip, it is kinda like pickles on pickles and who doesn’t like that?

4. Mediterranean Potato Salad

Jeanine says: Loaded with red and green peppers, cucumber, Kalamata olives, red onion, and Feta cheese, this Mediterranean Potato Salad isn’t your Momma’s potato salad. This mayo-free salad is perfect for picnics and gatherings.

5. Ribbon Butternut Squash & Kale Salad

Amie says: Lately….I’m obsessed with butternut squash recipes. You’ll see why when you dig into this fabulous salad.

6. Roasted Potato & Green Bean Salad

Johnna says: Inspired by a dish at my favorite tapas restaurant, this salad is hearty enough to be a meal. The addition of avocado to the dressing adds creaminess to the salad, which has just a hint of sweet thanks for fresh figs.

7. Beet, Feta & Walnut Salad

Kristine says: For a memorable spring salad, I like to toss bite-sized pieces of beets with lettuce and a mustardy vinaigrette, and then sprinkle with feta cheese and walnuts. Roasting the beets intensifies their wonderfully earthy flavors.

Planning on making any of these delicious recipes this weekend? Be sure to tag your photos on Instagram with #GFLgrams! And don’t forget to come back next Friday, where we’ll be sharing our favorite main courses.

Don’t forget about our special month-long subscription offer, where you can receive a one-year subscription to Gluten-Free Livingfor just $20 — $5 of which will be donated to support celiac research. You’ll also be entered to win a 10-piece cookware set with bonus tools from Swiss Diamond. Subscribe today.

Be Heard: How You Explain Your Gluten-Free Lifestyle

Every Monday in May, we’ll be asking readers to answer a single question and share their #myGFLstory. On Thursdays, we’ll share some of our favorite answers that we received. Here’s this week’s question:

How do you explain your gluten-free lifestyle to people who haven’t heard of celiac disease or gluten sensitivity? How do you handle people who think it’s a fad diet?

Here’s what our readers had to say.

When I finally had learned about my diagnosis of having Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (+ some other autoimmune problems), I was so relieved. I heard a LOT of extremely invasive, hurtful and just plain rude comments about my health. What I heard most often was “I WISH I had your problem.” or “I wish I could lose weight like that.” Always, my response was, “Trust me, you don’t. I would never wish this on anyone.” – Courtney from LPHJ Kitchen; read the rest of her blog here.

I explain that I follow a gluten-free lifestyle for medical reasons. I tell them for me it isn’t a choice, but the only cure for celiac disease, which is a genetic disease. Following a gluten-free lifestyle allows me to live a healthy and full life. – Gluten-Free Go-To Guide

I tell people that it is a condition like diabetes, but I can eat sugar, just not wheat. Then I amaze them with how many foods have wheat in them, not just bread. – Sheila Williams

Just tell people you are gluten free. I have a lot of people ask how I know and what are my symptoms. I explain that for me it hits my stomach, like it is being cut in half, for my husband it is his arthrits, and my mother her heart. It is not a fad for us, but for our health. Usually they start asking more questions and I answer the best I can. – Diane Hinz

I say my Celiac diagnosis is a blessing and a curse, I can no longer eat the junk food, but I have learned not only to eat very healthy , but also to love a whole new way of eating. It is fun to inform people and teach them about the disease. I believe most people want to know. – Sara Schnaedelbach Ryland

I explain that for me it is an illness that requires me to stay away from wheat and any grains. I also explain my symptoms when I do eat wheat and that usually does it. I also tell them that I have been wheat free for many many years, way before it was prominent and before there were so many alternatives. I had NO choices but rice bread and rice flour. – Christine Hendy

I have explained my daughter’s illness that kept her out of school for 6 months on homeschool due to this issue that was ONLY resolved by following a gluten-free lifestyle. A 17 year old, straight honor student who was very active in school suddenly ill and not returning due to medical reasons has been enough of the story I have had to share so far. – Nina Hull

I tell people that it’s not a choice for me, that even a small amount of something with wheat, rye, oats or barley can affect me. For people who think it’s a fad, I say that I think it’s crazy for people to spend more money for something that often tastes pretty bad, if they don’t have to. –Pattie White

“I am always amazed when people say, “come on..one little bite won’t hurt you!” My response is as follows: “go ahead…step out onto that busy street…you will be fine.” They look at me funny and 99% of the time they just clam up and walk sheepishly away.” – Terri Twedt

Be sure to come back on Monday, where we’ll have another question ready for you to answer. And remember: Speak out. Raise awareness. Be Heard.

Note: The views, opinions and positions expressed by our Be Heard commenters are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Gluten-Free Living or its staff.

Beyoncé Co-Launches Vegan Meal Delivery Service

Heads up, all the single and vegan ladies: Pop star Beyoncé has launched a new vegan meal delivery service with her trainer, Marco Borges. All ingredients in the meals are also gluten free, dairy free, soy free and organic.

: The 22 Days Nutrition website.

The service, called 22 Days Nutrition, is based on the theory that by the 22nd day of trying something new it will have become a habit. The plant-based meals are delivered to clients’ doorsteps in biodegradable insulated coolers. Little cooking is required; recipients simply unpack their meals and reheat.

“We believe in the idea of embracing great foods, not avoiding bad ones,” the company says on its website.

Instead of using gluten-free alternatives such as tapioca flour or potato starch, the meals use naturally gluten-free foods including vegetables and gluten-free grains.

“We find that this is a more digestible and satisfying way to avoid gluten,” explains the company.

Customers can choose plans from one to three delivered meals a day with prices ranging from $9.24 to $16.50. Sample dishes include Curried Indian Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Bowl and Winter Beans with Zesty-Parsley Quinoa. The meals can be shipped anywhere in the continental United States.

Beyoncé was inspired to start the delivery service after eating vegan for the 22 Days Nutrition challenge with her husband, Jay-Z, in 2013. After the challenge the singer has made a greater effort to incorporate plant-based meals into her diet. For more information go to 22daysnutrition.com/vegan-meals.

Jeanine Friesen from The Baking Beauties Says Being Gluten-Free is a Prescription, Not a Preference

Every Tuesday and Wednesday during the month of May, we’ll be hosting a gluten-free guest blogger from around the web in honor of Celiac Awareness Month. Today we’re thrilled to welcome Jeanine Friesen from The Baking Beauties, who discusses how the gluten-free diet’s increasing popularity is both good and bad news for those who need to be gluten free for medical reasons.

The gluten-free diet has gotten a lot of attention over the past few years. The number of gluten-free products that have become available in the mainstream market is astounding and wonderful. But as awareness grows, there has also been a disturbing trend toward mockery and distrust.

Late night TV show hosts and Hollywood writers have caught on that something is going on here and so many of them have turned their sights on us in order to get cheap laughs. The other problem is gluten-free lifestyles are broadly associated with an entire spectrum of healthful living trends that doctors and research scientists are often very critical of.

Celiac disease is a serious problem. It’s an autoimmune disorder where gluten causes a person’s immune system to attack itself and, based on very good scientific evidence, leads 1 in 133 people on a new dietary path – a life-long prescription of eating strictly gluten-free. There’s nothing funny about it, and celiac disease’s existence has been verified by decades of rigorous science. Currently, the only way to treat celiac disease is with a strict gluten-free diet.

But celiac disease is not the only reason someone might be on a gluten-free diet. Many people eat gluten-free to relieve symptoms of wheat allergy, gluten sensitivity, autism, schizophrenia, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and Type 1 diabetes. People with joint pain, migraines, and unexplained gut issues have found relief from following a gluten-free diet. The science might not be there to show a link, but these people live the proof every day.

Whether you are eating gluten-free as prescribed by your doctor, or are eating gluten-free to feel better, we have all benefited from the boom in gluten-free products and awareness. Along with the benefits, however, there is also a downside.

Over the last few years, gluten has become a buzz-word and eating gluten free has become a fad of-sorts. Some people order a gluten-free pizza with a regular beer. The next orders gluten-free pasta, and just removes the garlic bread that was carelessly served along side it. When people in the service industry see this, it makes light of the fact that we need our food protected from these types of cross contamination.

What happens the next time someone like me orders gluten-free? Servers may not take me seriously – think I’m making a big deal out of something that isn’t a real problem. Unlike an allergy, ingesting gluten when you have celiac disease does not always have an immediate reaction. This delay often means the restaurant will not see the reaction or any consequences to their actions. Just because they don’t see it, however, doesn’t mean it didn’t affect me.

Right now, nearly every grocery store is selling products labelled “gluten-free”. Cereal, granola bars, bread, pizza, pasta – you name it, it’s available. Even large companies are seeing the market’s demand and are adding gluten-free items to their product line. Again, this is great but I want the GF community to be careful.

What happens when the fad-aspect of the diet passes? It will. It’s only a matter of time until fad dieters realize that they aren’t losing weight eating gluten-free pizza, cookies and cake. It’s only a matter of time until they realize they are spending four times more on a loaf of bread when they don’t actually need to. When the fad dieters go back to their regular wheat-filled diet – what will happen in the gluten free market? Will companies continue to manufacture gluten-free foods for us when less people are buying? Will restaurants continue to take us seriously and accommodate those who require a diet free from gluten? I hope so, and that’s why we should make sure we keep reminding them that, despite what the late night comedians might say, this issue has a serious side.

Food manufacturers and restaurants need to be reminded that, for many of us, eating gluten-free isn’t a choice. We would love to go to their restaurants and not have to ask for special considerations for our meal. We would love to be able to buy their cheaper, more readily available products. We would like them to understand that we aren’t eating gluten-free for attention or to cause them problems. We are eating gluten-free, literally, to save our lives.

Whether you are diagnosed with celiac disease, or you are eating gluten-free for other health problems, or even by choice, you deserve to know that the food you are eating is safe for you.

With May being Celiac Awareness Month, let’s celebrate the abundance and variety we currently have available to us. Let’s thank the restaurants and food companies who go the extra mile to provide us with those options and, without denying the seriousness of this problem, let’s bring the focus and attention back to the positive aspects of what living gluten free means for us. It’s our prescription for a long, healthy life.

Note: The views, opinions and positions expressed by our Celiac Awareness Month guest posters are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Gluten-Free Living or its staff.

Be Heard: How Do You Explain Your Gluten-Free Lifestyle?

Welcome to the second week of our Be Heard campaign, where we’re asking people around the world to speak out and share their #myGFLstory by answering the same question.

Here’s this week’s question:

How do you explain your gluten-free lifestyle to people who haven’t heard of celiac disease or gluten sensitivity? How do you handle people who think it’s a fad diet?

Be sure to use the button above when possible so we can easily find and read your answers.

On Thursday, we’ll share our favorite answers on our blog, so don’t forget to check back and see if you were featured!

Now go share your story…it’s time to Be Heard.

Don’t forget about our special month-long subscription offer, where you can receive a one-year subscription to Gluten-Free Living for just $20 — $5 of which will be donated to support celiac research. You’ll also be entered to win a 10-piece cookware set with bonus tools from Swiss Diamond. Subscribe today.

Gluten Free, NOT Flavor Free: Appetizer Recipes from Our Favorite Food Bloggers

At Gluten-Free Living, we’re tired of hearing people say, “Oh, I’m so sorry,” when they find out about someone’s gluten-free diet.

We’re wondering….what are you sorry about?

Not only are more gluten-free options on supermarket shelves than ever before, but today’s recipe developers are doing incredible things with the gluten-free diet.

To help spread the word about all the delicious gluten-free offerings out there, we’ve invited some of our favorite food bloggers to come show our readers that gluten free is NOT flavor free.

We’ll be hosting a virtual gluten-free feast every Friday. Our first course is appetizers, and you won’t believe the dishes our virtual potluckers have dreamed up. Show the gluten-haters in your life these fabulous recipes and we bet you’ll never hear a bad word about being “gluten free” ever again.

1. Tex Mex Sweet Pepper Poppers from She Likes Food $Gluten-Free Mexican Pepper Appetizer$

Isadora says: Mexican food has always been my favorite type of food so when I went gluten free I was so happy to find that most of my favorite Mexican foods were naturally gluten free! These Tex Mex Sweet Pepper Poppers are full of flavor and perfect for your summer get-together!

2. Butternut Squash Hummus from Kristine Kidd

Kristine says: Whenever my friends taste this scrumptious dip, they request the recipe. It is inspired by a dish I ate at one of my favorite Los Angeles restaurants.

3. Crispy, Sweet & Spicy Chicken Wings from The Baking Beauties

Jeanine says: You won’t believe how easy it is to make amazing wings at home. These Crispy, Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings are baked instead of fried so you still enjoy them while watching your calorie intake.

4. Pesto Stuffed Potatoes from In Johnna’s Kitchen

Johnna says: We will soon have a proliferation of fresh basil from the garden, perfect for making pesto. These tasty little bites are wonderful warm OR perfect for a picnic chilled.

5. Stuffed Artichoke Hors d’Oeuvres from Janice Amee’s Gluten Free

Janice says: I thought I’d try to make a lighter, gluten free, low-carb (since it doesn’t require chips or crackers) take on that warm, creamy artichoke dip we all enjoy by making an hors d’oeuvre version.

6. Rosemary Almond Flour Crackers from The Healthy Apple

Amie says: I’ve been making almond flour crackers for myself and my dad (who loves them)—I got him off of eating Ritz Crackers and Cheez-It’s for the past 15 years and now I have him hooked on almond flour crackers.

7. Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Bites from Gluten Free Mom

Jamie says: This recipe is a family favorite! We especially enjoy it during football season. This appetizer is easy to make, naturally gluten free and everyone loves it.

Still hungry for more appetizers? Check out these snacks and appetizer recipes from our archives:

Don’t forget about our special month-long subscription offer, where you can receive a one-year subscription to Gluten-Free Living for just $20 — $5 of which will be donated to support celiac research. You’ll also be entered to win a 10-piece cookware set with bonus tools from Swiss Diamond. Subscribe today.

Be Heard: What Gluten-Related Research You Want to See

If you had the chance to ask scientists to research one aspect of celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, what would it be and why is this important to you?

Here’s what our readers had to say.

“I want to know the link between celiac disease and infertility. My daughter is 11 years old and has celiac disease, it crushes me to know that she may not be able to conceive in her adulthood.” – Julia Roop via Facebook

“The neurological effects of gluten on balance and hearing loss.” – Linda Wilcox via Twitter (@GlutenFreeMe4U)

“Is there any connection between strep throat in children and developing celiac disease? In other words, do children who get strep regularly and carry the gene, have an increased chance of developing celiac disease?” – Susan Cohen via Facebook

“I would like to know the links between mental disorders and celiac disease. I went untreated for a very long time and had been diagnosed with so many different things that never really seemed to stick or fit the situation, all of which essentially disappeared and were retraced after the change in diet after finding out about my celiac disease.” – Carrie Iafrate via Facebook

I’d like to see celiac disease research re: eliminating carbohydrates as 80%+ do not heal on [the] GF diet alone.” – Lisa Cantkier via Twitter (@LisaCantkier)

Please locate the gene(s) we are missing to properly process gluten [and] then please devise a replacement therapy.” -Kristin Meaux via Disqus

“Why does celiac seem to be becoming more common in adults? I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 46!” – Natalie Preece via Facebook

“I would love to see research/studies done on the link between celiac and mental illness, or rather, the effects of gluten on the brain that cause mental reactions. And links between gluten and sensory disorders like SPD.” – Megan Mafitt via Facebook

World-wide, there are scientists researching celiac disease and the various aspects of digestion; the effects on our health, and also new drug treatments. I would really like to know if it is possible for a celiac digestive system to function ‘normally’ again, (like those who can consume gluten), after living a gluten-free life for many years? Having personally lived a gluten-free life for twenty years now, I am curious as to whether my digestive system has healed itself, or perhaps that is not possible? – GFchopstix via her blog

“I would ask that research be done along the lines of the whole autoimmune aspect of celiac disease. I’m comfortable with eating gluten free but the idea of being susceptible to other diseases concerns me.” – Yarimot Desta via Facebook

Be sure to come back on Monday, where we’ll have another question ready for you to answer. And remember: Speak out. Raise awareness. Be Heard.

Note: The views, opinions and positions expressed by our Be Heard commenters are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Gluten-Free Living or its staff.

Gluten-Free Gifts for Mom

Be Heard: What Would You Ask Scientists to Research?

Welcome to the very first week of our Be Heard campaign, where we’re asking people around the world to speak out and share their #myGFLstory by answering the same question.

Here’s our first week’s question:

If you had the chance to ask scientists to research one aspect of celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, what would it be and why is this important to you?

Be sure to use the button above when possible so we can easily find and read your answers.

On Thursday, we’ll share our favorite answers on our blog, so don’t forget to check back and see if you were featured!

Now go share your story…it’s time to Be Heard.

Don’t forget about our special month-long subscription offer, where you can receive a one-year subscription to Gluten-Free Living for just $20 — $5 of which will be donated to support celiac research. You’ll also be entered to win a 10-piece cookware set with bonus tools from Swiss Diamond. Subscribe today.

Something Sweet: An Inside Look at Gluten-Free Bakeries

I pull into Something Sweet Without Wheat just as the sun is rising. Snow piles nearly reach the roof of the bakery’s Woburn, Massachusetts, location. The air outside the bakery smells like apples and cinnamon, coffee cake and freshly baked dough, and I am suddenly very, very regretful that I skipped breakfast this morning.

Vegan cookies at Something Sweet Without Wheat — *Triple-chocolate vegan cookie dough gets stamped into cookies at Something Sweet Without Wheat. Credit: Nicki Porter*

Inside, Something Sweet Without Wheat looks very much like any other bakery: The display case is packed with frosted cupcakes, oversized cookies and flaky pastries. Soft, fresh-baked loaves of bread and dinner rolls line the shelves. Decorators pipe frosting flowers onto cakes in one room, miniature coffee cakes bake in another, and the head baker rolls pizza dough in a third. Owners Christine Penney and Sandy Federico lead me through the bakery, putting crispy-chewy chocolate cookies in my hands, showing me ovens larger than my hall closet and feeding me pillowy, cinnamon-coated apple cider doughnuts that are the best I’ve ever had.

Something Sweet Without Wheat's Christine and Sandy — *Owners Christine Penney & Sandy Federico at Something Sweet Without Wheat. Credit: Nicki Porter*

Something Sweet Without Wheat, with its bright pink walls and cheery cupcakes, may look like any other bakery, but everything baked within these walls is 100 percent gluten free.

You’d never know it, looking at the brightly frosted baked goods, fluffy muffins and assorted pastries. Indeed most gluten-free bakeries across the country offer the same products and services as bakeries fueled by wheat flour: artisan bread, custom wedding cakes, ready-made pizza dough and even locally roasted coffee. But gluten-free bakeries experience some very specific challenges— and, in turn, receive some very unique rewards.

A self-taught industry

Paula Dempsey of Dempsey Bakery in Little Rock — *Paula Dempsey of Dempsey Bakery.Credit: Nancy Nolan*

Owners of gluten-free bakeries across the country range from the wildly successful Erin McKenna of BabyCakes, who has several cookbooks and locations under her belt, to Paula Dempsey of Dempsey Bakery, which is still finding its feet and its customer base in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Many bakery owners are self-taught or employ a self-taught baker. After all, if you want to be a baker, you go to pastry school; if you want to be a gluten-free baker, you get in the kitchen and start baking.

And you fail. Often.

Recognizing her own limitations, Dempsey, whose large family has multiple food allergies, said she’d gladly open a bakery “if God drops a baker out of the sky.” Dempsey did eventually find a willing gluten-free baker, but it took an entire year of recipe development before she felt confident enough to launch her bakery. It took six months before Dempsey even started offering the finished baked goods to willing tasters for feedback.

Gluten-Free Brownies from Dempsey Bakery — A stack of brownies from Dempsey Bakery. Credit: Nancy Nolan

“The biggest challenge [to owning a gluten-free bakery] is that you don’t have gluten,” says Patti Crane of the popular Mariposa bakeries in the San Francisco Bay area. Gluten is what creates structure in standard baked goods, particularly in bread, so bakers need to get creative to maintain the structural integrity of their gluten-free baked goods. “It’s a challenge, but it’s a fun challenge,” Crane says.

Most bakeries develop their own flour blends. Some use a one-size-fits-all mix, while others, like Something Sweet Without Wheat, change their blends with each baked good they create. Since the recipes take so long to develop, they’re often one of the most precious commodities a gluten-free bakery has. After undergoing such a steep learning curve, “I’m not gonna give my recipes to anyone,” laughs Dempsey.

Staffing and training

Given the lack of professional training for gluten-free bakers, staffing is a major concern for many gluten-free bakeries. Bakers are usually trained in-house by shadowing current employees or the bakery owners themselves.

That means losing a staff member is potentially devastating: If you own a smaller bakery that only employs one bread baker, what happens when she goes on vacation? Or gets sick? Or worse, what happens if she quits? Since you can’t hire another experienced gluten-free baker right off the street, a bakery could be without one of its most crucial products for weeks at a time.

Staff members also need to be trained to handle gluten-free ingredients and to recognize the importance of preventing cross-contamination. Bakers generally ban their employees from bringing any gluten-containing products into the bakery and take the time to fully explain the medical consequences when someone with celiac disease or a wheat allergy consumes gluten.

Something Sweet Without Wheat's Gluten-Free Cupcakes — *A sampling of cupcakes decorated by Something Sweet Without Wheat staff member “Debbie-Does-It-All.” Credit: Nicki Porter*

Once they understand the medical importance of a 100 percent gluten-free bakery and see the grateful reception from the gluten-free community, however, staff members often become very dedicated to their bakeries. One staff member at Something Sweet Without Wheat, nicknamed “Debbie-Does-It-All” for her willingness to pitch in on anything at the bakery from office work to cake decorating, spoke with pride about serving the people who come into the bakery each day, from her regular weekly customers to the visiting family who flew back to Israel with a box of Something Sweet Without Wheat pastries.

For both staff and owners, you get the sense that this isn’t just about fulfilling someone’s sweet tooth. This is about ensuring that everyone at the table can have their cake and eat it too, no matter their dietary restrictions.

Working the front lines

mgfb-cookies — *Fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies from Molly’s Gluten-Free Bakery. Credit: Jen Kuhn*

Training back-of-house staff is a challenge all its own, but front-of-house staff need to be trained in dealing with customers with food allergies, dietary restrictions or even questions about their conditions.

Inevitably when you have “gluten free” or “without wheat” in your name, as Mary Burgdorff does in her Wisconsin-based Molly’s Gluten-Free Bakery, you become a sort of beacon or gathering place for the gluten-free community, whether you intended to or not. “Everyone has a story,” Burgdorff says, and many have no one to talk to.

Mary's GF Bakery's gluten-free flatbread — *A savory flatbread from Molly’s Gluten-Free Bakery. Credit: Jen Kuhn*

Burgdorff trains her staff never to give medical advice, but they do offer restaurant recommendations and share stories. The small bakery doesn’t even need to advertise: Word spreads among the gluten-free community by word of mouth.

Bakeries can also serve as an introduction to the gluten-free diet at hospitals and celiac disease centers by selling baked goods there. Something Sweet Without Wheat supplies many of the local hospitals with gluten-free baked goods. Once patients try the products in the cafeteria, they often head straight to the bakery upon release. Some parents bring in their children immediately after they’ve been diagnosed. It’s a way to turn a potential negative into a positive: “You can have anything you want in this bakery, and it won’t make you sick.”

Gluten-free bakeries may serve the same products as their gluten-containing counterparts, but emotions run much higher at gluten-free bakeries.

“People are so connected to food. They get so emotional,” says Crane.

Julie Moreno, of Jewel’s Bakery and Café in Phoenix, Arizona, agrees. “At least once or twice a week someone cries…[When people come in for the first time] they either curse—a good kind of curse—or they weep,” she says.

Jewel's Bakery & Cafe's Gluten-Free Cake — *A sample of some of the creative cakes available at Jewel’s Bakery and Café. Credit: Julie Moreno*

Not just gluten free

Gluten isn’t the only ingredient these bakeries have to avoid. They frequently receive requests for dairy-free, corn-free, soy-free or vegan baked goods as well. McKenna’s BabyCakes bakeries are both gluten free and vegan, and Something Sweet Without Wheat is about 80 percent dairy free. Special requests are also common. Moreno estimates that about 20 percent of all her orders require further customization. “I think you need to appeal to everyone,” she says. “Everyone—no matter what they eat— should be able to find something on your menu.”

dempsey-bakery-cake — *Elegant, alllergen-friendly cakes abound at Dempsey Bakery. Credit: Nancy Nolan*

Dempsey Bakery especially goes out of its way to accommodate food restrictions. The bakery is 100 percent gluten, soy and nut free, with many dairy-free, egg-free and sugar-free options. Dempsey’s family has numerous food allergies, so she’s no stranger to accommodating special requests. Her bakery once made a wedding cake with one gluten-free layer, one sugar-free layer and one egg/dairy-free layer. In fact, Dempsey’s signature “Everyone’s Bread” is so named because everyone at her family table can eat it. The bread is free of gluten, dairy, egg, soy, rice, corn and tapioca.

Finding a price point

One of the biggest challenges gluten-free bakery owners face is the cost and sourcing of their specialty ingredients. While many bakers can order giant, budget-friendly sacks of flour at wholesale suppliers, gluten-free ingredients like tapioca flour or arrowroot starch are much harder—and more expensive—to come by.

Some bakery owners, like Burgdorff from Molly’s Gluten-Free Bakery, say this is a major problem. She constantly searches for ways to keep prices reasonable while dealing with high-cost, premium ingredients.

Gluten-Free Burger at Jewel's Bakery & Cafe — *Jewel’s Bakery and Café offers just as many savory options as sweet ones. Credit: Julie Moreno*

Others, like Moreno from Jewel’s Bakery and Café, say their prices are comparable with other high-end, from-scratch bakeries in town. All agree that their main customer base—those with celiac disease, gluten sensitivity or other dietary needs—are generally used to paying a higher price for gluten-free baked goods.

Some of these customers will drive across state lines to load up the cars with bakery products. Others will gladly pay premium shipping costs in order to stock their home freezers with gluten-free muffins, breads and pizza dough. Several bakery owners say customers have begged them to start shipping their products, not only for their own personal use but also for care packages for gluten-free college students or faraway relatives.

‘Just as good, if not better’

Many owners stress the need for their products to be just as good as—if not better than—gluten-containing ones. If you order a gluten-free wedding or birthday cake, no one wants their cake to be called out as “weird” or “special.” It should look and taste just as good as any other cake on the market. The same applies to bread for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in a child’s lunchbox or a box of cookies served at a party. While a large percentage of customers do need to be gluten free for health reasons, bakery owners want them to be able to come in with non-gluten-free friends and have the same experience as any other bakery in the city.

Julie Moreno, owner of Jewel’s Bakery & Café. Credit: Justine Hankerson

Some bakeries even go toe-to-toe with the gluten-containing bakeries in town. Moreno entered her gluten-free cupcake in a charity cupcake competition as a favor for a friend. She ended up winning two categories, including best overall—beating every other gluten-containing big-name chef in town. Being able to compete with the gluten-containing bakeries is important for business, says Moreno. “Only about 1 percent of the population has celiac disease. If you just appeal to that 1 percent, I’m not sure you’re going to make it,” she notes.

Commitment to the cause

Gluten-Free Whoopie Pies at Something Sweet Without Wheat — *Something Sweet Without Wheat’s signature red velvet and chocolate whoopie pies. Credit: Nicki Porter*

The No. 1 thing you need to succeed as a gluten-free bakery? Commitment, owners agree.

“Food is a really fun business, but it’s a really tough one. You need to feel committed [to the gluten-free diet],” says Crane.

Bakers are often gluten-free or have a child who is. They get it. They’ve lived this. They’ve fought the same battles their customers have, and they know what it’s like to be told they can no longer have pizza, bread, croissants or cookies.

Many started out in their home kitchens, baking for friends and family who ultimately persuaded them to open up a shop. Many have spent long hours in the kitchen crafting flour blends, reconfiguring xanthan gum amounts or crunching the costs of brown rice flour. But for these owners, it’s more than a business. It’s a passion, a commitment and a service to the community.

Bakery treats that look and taste like gluten-containing versions is just one part of the business. Gluten-free bakeries have something more: a cause. A heart. A reason to open their doors each morning that goes beyond serving brownies, cupcakes and macaroons. And though they may have a steeper hill to climb than regular bakeries, each owner says that the long journey was worth it—and that they’d do it all over again.

Gluten-free bakeries are popping up around the country. Check out our map of gluten-free bakeries across the United States.

Nicki Porter is the associate editor of Gluten-Free Living and The Writer. She enjoyed this assignment for obvious reasons.

9 Gluten-Free Passover Recipes From Around the Web

The Jewish holiday of Passover, which starts on April 3rd, is just around the corner. Have you planned your menu yet? If not, you’re in luck: Here are our top picks for gluten-free Passover recipes from around the web.

1. Gluten-Free Matzo Ball Soup from Elana’s Pantry

Gluten-Free Matzoh Ball Soup for Passover — Photo provided courtesy of Elana’s Pantry

In our March/April issue of Gluten-Free Living, we featured this gluten-free matzo ball soup from food blogger and cookbook author Elana Amsterdam. Although it’s kosher for Passover, we think it’d be the perfect homemade remedy for colds all year long. The soup is also dairy and soy free and can be made vegetarian.

2. Divine Gluten-Free Chocolate Cookies from Food52

Flourless gluten-free chocolate cookies for passover — Photo credit: James Ransom

We love the look of these flourless chocolate cookies from Food52 user Jestei. They’re also super-simple—a must when you’re hosting guests or making other time-intensive dishes.

3. Mushroom, Zucchini & Quinoa Breakfast Muffins from May I Have That Recipe

Gluten-Free Mushroom, Zucchini & Quinoa Breakfast Muffins — Photo credit: MayIHaveThatRecipe.com

Recipe developers often focus on the Seder when developing Passover dishes, but we think these mini “breakfast muffins” from Vicky and Ruth of May I Have That Recipe would make a tasty on-the-go breakfast any time during the holiday.

4. Chocolate-Hazelnut Macaroon Torte from Smitten Kitchen

Smitten Kitchen Passover Torte - Gluten-free — Photo Credit: Deb Perelman of SmittenKitchen.com

Tasked with bringing a Passover dessert? We think this elegant torte from Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen would be a showstopping end to any meal. Note that if you observe strict Kosher laws and meat is being served as part of a Seder, you’ll want to use the nondairy alternative at the end of the recipe.

5. Braised Lamb Shanks with Dried Apricots, Plums, and Candied Ginger from Serious Eats

Gluten-free lamb shanks for Passover — Photo credit: Max Falkowitz/Serious Eats

Lamb shanks are a popular entree choice for Passover Seder menus, and we think this recipe from Serious Eats contributor Max Falkowitz would be an excellent addition to any menu. Best of all? You can make it in advance the night before.

6. Homemade Gluten-Free Matzoh Squares from Gluten-Free Canteen

Gluten-free matzo squares for Passover — Photo credit: Lisa Stander Horel of GlutenFreeCanteen.com

Want to make your own gluten-free matzoh instead of buying commercial versions? Try this recipe from food blogger Lisa Stander Horel of GlutenFreeCanteen.com. (For a kosher gluten-free flour blend, Horel recommends Authentic Foods.)

7. Passover Macaroons from OhNuts.com

Gluten-Free Macaroons for Passover — Photo credit: Elizabeth LaBau / OhNuts.com

Macaroons are a popular choice for Passover desserts, and this attractive version from OhNuts.com caught our eye. We think they’d make a nice finish to a Passover dinner or as a snack throughout the week.

8. Sephardic Charoset Truffles from Tori Avey

Gluten-Free Sephardic Charoset Truffles for Passover — Photo credit: Tori Avey of ToriAvey.com

These simple, fruit-filled charoset truffles from food blogger and culinary historian Tori Avey put a different spin on the traditional Passover dish. According to Avey, Moroccan Seders often feature charoset in truffle form instead of the loose, “spreadable” charoset Americans are more familiar with.

9. Apple Cinnamon Charoset with Candied Waffles

We couldn’t resist sharing our own recipe for charoset, contributed by Tori Avey for our March/April issue of Gluten-Free Living! This traditional version is gluten, dairy, and soy free; it’s also vegetarian and vegan if agave is used instead of honey.

Gluten-Free Passover

Gluten-Free Recipes

A Gluten-Free Pot o’ Gold: Our Top Picks for St. Patrick’s Day

Our Top 10 Gluten-Free Finds at Expo West

We ate our way through as many gluten-free products as we could get our hands on at last week’s Natural Products Expo West. (And yes, we do love our jobs.) In no particular order, here are our top 10 favorite gluten-free finds.

1. Cookies Con Amore Gluten-Free Linzer Cookies

Cookies Con Amore launched several new flavors of their “glutenetto” linzer cookies at Expo West, and a single bite of one convinced us that these cookies are indeed made with amore. With a short, buttery crumb surrounding a sweet-tart jam filling, Cookies Con Amore’s linzer tasted just like the wheat version of this classic cookie. We’d put them on our cookie tray any day.

2. Mr. Cheese-O’s

These salty, crunchy cheese snacks were so delicious, we’ve already priced a 18-bag case of them on Amazon. Then again, we’re not sure we can trust ourselves not to burn through an entire case of these addicting little snacks in a week. Made with quinoa, oat bran and brown rice, the “O’s” are corn free and made with real cheese. Available in four flavors: Sweet Chili, Original, Cheddar and Tuscan Herb.

3. Zemas Madhouse Sweet Potato Pancake Mix

We ate a lot of pancakes at Expo West, but the sweet potato pancakes made from a Zemas Madhouse mix stood out from the pack. These carrot-colored flapjacks were creamy, lush, and slightly sweet without being cloying. We think they’d work as a sweet breakfast with whipped cream and powdered sugar or as a savory one with crumbled goat cheese and bacon.

4. Canyon Bakehouse Brownie Bites

This brand-new offering from Canyon Bakehouse elicited an “Oh. My. God.” from one of our editors. Fudgy brownie lovers will flip for these moist, oh-so-chocolaty mini-brownies. Expo West visitors got an exclusive first taste of this new product; look for them in stores and online starting May 1st.

5. Natural Decadence Herb Stuffing Mix

At Expo West, we ate cookies, crackers, muffins, bagels and pizza, but nothing brought us to our knees quite like Natural Decadence’s Herb Stuffing Mix. The warm, soft, savory stuffing brought back memories of our family Thanksgiving dinners, and one bite made us instantly forget we were crammed into a crowded convention center with 60,000 other people. Good news for multiple-allergy families: The stuffing is also egg, dairy, and nut free.

6. Surf Sweets Candies

We fell hard for these organic, gluten-free and allergen-friendly candies at Expo West. While most gummy bears taste like vaguely fruit-flavored bits of rubber, Surf Sweets’ version actually tasted like fruit, with a pleasantly chewy (not rubbery) texture. The gummy bears were a revelation, but the jelly beans stole the show: With their bright, not-too-sweet fruity flavors and perfect texture, we may never buy another brand of jelly beans again.

7. Wtrmln Wtr

This watermelon water, or “Wtrmln Wtr,” admittedly sounds like something out of a Portlandia sketch: Cold-pressed, never heated, no preservatives or sugar, made from hand-peeled watermelon. But as ridiculous as it may sound, this cool, crisp, watermelon-packed drink was wickedly refreshing—exactly what we needed during a long day of walking around in the hot California sun. On a beach trip or on a scorching summer day, we’re betting nothing would taste better.

8. Lucy’s Brownie Crisps

Are you the kind of person who snags the corner pieces of brownies to enjoy those crispy, chocolaty edges? Us too. That’s why we love Lucy’s new brownie crisps, which offer a crispy-crunchy take on the classic brownie. In addition to being gluten-free, the crisps are vegan and free from dairy, eggs, peanuts or tree nuts. We think they’d be divine crumbled over vanilla ice cream.

9. Love Grown Foods’ Mighty Flakes

On the list of things we never would’ve thought of, bean-based flaked cereal has to be pretty close to the top. But Love Grown Foods’ Mighty Flakes, made with navy beans, lentils and garbanzo beans, were surprisingly good, with a hearty crunch and just the right amount of sweetness.

10. Russo’s Pizza

Gluten-free pizza options were everywhere at Expo West, and we ate everything from margherita pizzas to gluten-free bagel pizzas. Our favorite of the bunch? Russo’s Gluten-Free Mulberry Pizza, which was packed with four different types of meat and an abundance of mozzarella cheese. The crust was crispy, the toppings were plentiful, and we couldn’t help but smile as we ate a slice.

What We Saw and Ate at Expo West 2015

Gluten-Free Living spent last Friday and Saturday at Natural Products Expo West in sunny Anaheim, California. Our goal? Discover new trends, seek out the best new companies and find the very best gluten-free products for our readers.

Since Expo West isn’t open to the public, it’s our job to be our readers’ eyes and ears on the ground. From Udi’s new rye bread to kombucha to cricket flour, here’s a taste of what we saw and ate at Expo.

New product launches

Several companies were launching new products at Expo, including gluten-free versions of popular childhood favorite Lance sandwich crackers.

We also got a first look at Udi’s new gluten-free rye bread and Canyon Bakehouse’s new line of gluten-free bagels.

Schar was serving their new gluten-free croissants fresh out of the oven along with piping-hot cups of coffee. We found the croissants’ buttery, crispy outer crust impressive, with exactly the right amount of richness: any more and it would have been too indulgent, any less and it wouldn’t have been a croissant. Don’t expect the same experience you’d find in Paris—Schar’s version does lack the airy, ultrathin flaky layers that mark a gluten-containing croissant—but the end result is truly commendable, especially when served straight from the oven.

Pizza and pancake takeover

We couldn’t move 10 feet at Expo without running into either a gluten-free pizza or a pancake. These two products both had a strong gluten-free showing at Expo, and we ended up sampling multigrain pancakes, sweet potato pancakes, pancakes from a box and pancakes from a pouch as well as frozen pizzas, flatbread pizzas and bagel pizzas.

One standout was Batter World, which sells ready-made batter in resealable pouches. The batter is purchased frozen; once thawed, it keeps in the refrigerator for about a week. We think the ready-to-cook batter is perfect for getting kids in the kitchen, and the handy pour spout would make creating shaped pancakes a breeze. Be careful when shopping, however: Only one variety is gluten-free.

Bob’s Red Mill brings bevy of new products—and a band

Bob's Red Mill's band at Expo West — *Bob and the Bob’s Red Mill Band*

Of all the companies at Expo, no one put a smile on our face quite like Bob’s Red Mill. In addition to bringing a wealth of new products, Bob himself brought a big band to Expo and paraded around the convention center. After spending a few hours packed in a convention center with 60,000+ other attendees, dancing around with Bob’s band was a welcome respite from thrown elbows and long lines for the restroom.

On the food front, we’re most excited about Bob’s new coconut sugar. An official from the company that we spoke to said the sugar “tasted like butterscotch,” with no recognizable coconut flavor. We’re betting the sugar would taste amazing in a chewy, crispy-edged cookie, and we’re planning to buy a bag and start experimenting.

The company also brought their new gluten-free baking flour to Expo, which the company said can be used as a straight substitute for all-purpose flour in recipes. Though it’s not ideal for bread recipes, it’s reportedly good for cakes, cookies, and other baked goods. We haven’t started experimenting with the new flour yet; if you have, let us know your experiences in the comments.

Beverages gone wild

When you attend Expo West, you talk. A lot. And you eat. A lot. And you walk around in the hot California sun. A lot.

So hydration can be an issue—but not this year, thanks to all the beverage offerings at the show.

By the end of the show, we had sampled kombucha, cherry juice, ginger beer, gac fruit juice tea, cold-brew coffee, watermelon water, matcha green tea, kefir, drinking vinegar and six different flavors of coconut water. In the upcoming months, we expect to see the beverage case at our local grocery and convenience stores make room for alternative beverage options.

Bean-based mania

Healthy, filling, protein-packed beans are making their way into an increasing number of products. Although we’ve seen our fair share of bean-based crackers and dips, Expo West brought a massive wave of new bean products. Mediterranean Snacks launched their new Bean Stalk snack line at the expo, while Love Grown Foods showed off their new bean-based cereal.

One standout that we saw (but didn’t taste, unfortunately) was Tolerant’s line of bean-based pasta. We’re betting the black bean pasta in particular would make for a stunning bowl of pasta.

Jiminy cricket flour

The most unusual product we tried at Expo West? Exo protein bars made from cricket flour. They may not be for everyone, but hey, crickets are gluten-free…

That’s not the end of our coverage of Expo West: Be sure to come back tomorrow to see our picks for our top 10 favorite gluten-free products.

Think Spring with These Bountiful Bowl and Savory Salad Recipes

Got spring fever? We hear you: This winter has got everyone here at Gluten-Free Living craving warmer weather and green vegetables. Luckily for us, our March/April issue is bursting with fresh, bright recipes that aim to carry us into spring and summer.

Today we’re sharing four of our favorite winter-to-spring transitional recipes from Gluten-Free Living contributor Isadora Lassance. Here’s what she has to say:

The transition from winter to spring is underway, everywhere from our wardrobes to our dinner plates. It seems time to shed the heavier clothes and food that have sustained us through the cold, but Mother Nature isn’t quite ready to give the complete go-ahead.

These recipes for salads and bowls take into account where we are seasonally, as well as where we want to go, by pairing hearty pasta, potatoes, quinoa and rice with colorful fresh vegetables. Pesto and herb, citrus and lime dressings add just the right spring accent.

Bountiful Bowl & Savory Salad Recipes

1. Roasted Carrot, Chickpea & Quinoa Salad with Citrus Dressing

2. Watercress Pesto Pasta with Peas & Asparagus

3. Spring Burrito Bowls with Cilantro Lime Dressing

4. Creamy Herbed Potato Salad

MasterChef Junior Contestant Shares Cooking Advice for Gluten-Free Kids

Mia Wurster has cooked alligator, had her food critiqued by Chef Gordon Ramsey, appeared on national television and hosted her own gluten-free cooking videos. She is the primary cook for her family. Her Facebook fan page has more than 500 likes.

Wurster is 11 years old.

Wurster’s family has been gluten free since a nutritionist recommended the diet for Mia’s sister Faith, who has cerebral palsy. Wurster initially wasn’t too thrilled about the new gluten-free diet. But instead of complaining, she started making gluten-free meals and ultimately became her family’s primary cook.

Her time in the kitchen was well spent. She was accepted as a contestant on season three of MasterChef Junior, which began airing on Fox on January 6th.

Wurster made it to the final 12 on the show before being sent home, but her journey in the gluten-free kitchen continues. In our interview, she talks about her time on the show and cooking gluten free for her family. She also shares the secret to what Ramsey called “the best sausage of the year.”

Can you tell me a little bit about your sister Faith and your family’s decision to go gluten free?

My sister Faith is my best friend and is sweet, kind and a lot of fun. She is also the hardest working kid I have ever seen and has overcome so many challenges. To be her best, she does a lot of therapy and also eats a very special diet that includes no wheat and no dairy.

When we first found out Faith had to be gluten free we decided to do it as a family to support her, but I wasn’t particularly happy about it at first. My mom started to make gluten-free meals I wasn’t that excited about. Our nutritionist told my parents that I should find gluten-free meals I was excited about and try to make them myself. I quickly became our primary cook and started coming up with some exciting gluten-free meals that we all loved.

Being gluten free has really helped my sister and has been great for our family. My parents always say they are not sure if we could have done this if I hadn’t stepped up in the kitchen.

How long have you been cooking?

I can remember making pancakes with my dad when I was 2 years old. I could flip them by myself, but it made my parents a little nervous. Then I started to make guacamole and bake cupcakes. I make the best homemade frosting.

I started to become a real cook when we went gluten free, and I started making our dinners. I was making fish, chicken or a vegetarian gluten-free dish most nights. I was watching cooking shows like Barefoot Contessa or MasterChef Junior and going to restaurants to get ideas. I also read cookbooks. I would experiment a lot and try to get better every night.

What’s your favorite gluten-free dish to make for your family?

All of my dishes are gluten free. I like cooking fish, but my favorite dish to cook is parmesan and almond flour crusted chicken stuffed with goat cheese and roasted red peppers with a cauliflower puree and broccolini. I also really like the gluten-free lasagna that I make with zucchini instead of pasta. If I ever get upset about being gluten free I make my lasagna because it is way better than the real thing and a lot better for you. Check out my Facebook page, Mia Junior Chef, for a demonstration on how to make it.

Post by Mia Junior Chef.

How would you describe your cooking style?

I like to experiment and try new things. I try to cook healthy because I think food should taste great but also help you be your best. I know from watching my sister and [from] how I feel that eating right really helps your performance.

I saw a video of you in your grandparents’ garden – it looked huge! What are your favorite ways to use fresh vegetables?

I’ll make appetizers like stuffed zucchini with fresh tomato and goat cheese or soups and sauces. One of my favorite dishes is to make quinoa cakes with sundried tomato and goat cheese with a roasted red pepper sauce.

What was the hardest part of transitioning into a gluten-free lifestyle?

The hardest part of being gluten free is lunch at school. My friends will often trade tasty treats that I can’t eat. I also want to have sandwiches like my friends, but some gluten-free bread is not very good for you, and the healthier breads have a hard time of staying fresh during the day. So my lunches are not as exciting as the dinners I make.

What advice would you have for a kid who is just starting out on the gluten-free diet?

I would say that you will feel so good once you stop eating gluten. You will have more energy, less stomachaches and just feel better. I would say gluten free doesn’t mean taste free and that you can learn or create great gluten-free recipes. You can use almond or oat flour to create just about any dish that would have had gluten. I make a pizza from almond flour that my family loves. I make the dough and my sister Faith puts on the toppings.

I would also say to pay attention to gluten-free labels. Just because something says it is gluten free doesn’t mean it is the best thing for your body–you have to look at the ingredients. I would tell people to look for recipes using almond flour and oat flour. My sister Faith and I make really great pumpkin pancakes with almond flour. Also, last week Faith got a recipe for zucchini muffins. We substituted oat flour for regular flour and coconut sugar for regular sugar and the muffins were so good! We gave them to people at school, and no one knew they were gluten free or low sugar.

I would also say that many people have given up gluten and done very well without it. I love to swim and when we went gluten free I read a lot about Dana Vollmer and how she gave it up and went on to swim her best – her story was a real inspiration for me.

I saw your worried reaction to the homemade pappardelle challenge on MasterChef Junior. Some of the other contestants said they had previous experience with fresh pasta. Were you especially concerned about making gluten-containing pasta because your family has been gluten free for so long?

Yes, I was worried! All my friends on the show told me how they make fresh pasta weekly for their families! Luckily, I had seen Season 1 of Masterchef Junior so many times and watched the kids make the pasta on the first show. When I was practicing for MasterChef Junior, we bought a pasta maker just in case the challenge came up again, and I wanted to be prepared. When I was practicing at home, I made buckwheat pasta but that is much harder to make than regular pasta. So, when it came time for the pasta challenge, it went much better than I expected. Once I got going I felt very comfortable as it was much easier than making buckwheat pasta! By the way, they did not show it on TV, but my dish got great reviews from the judges and they loved the fried egg on top!

Did you do anything special to prepare for your time in the MasterChef kitchen?

Yes, I practiced a ton! I also went to restaurants for inspiration and came home and recreated those dishes. I was already a great cook, but in the two months before [the show] I think I spent about 15 to 20 hours in the kitchen each week – which was a lot because of school and swim practice! I also took two cooking lessons before the show to work on some types of meat. While I cook lots of fish and chicken, my dad is a vegetarian, and we don’t eat meat that often. I wanted to make sure I knew how to braise, grind, sear and use all other techniques on all kinds of meat. Unfortunately, we never practiced making alligator (I was kicked off on alligator)!

You did especially well in Episode 2 with the team sausage-making challenge. You and the other contestant Jenna seemed to have a very smooth partnership. Do you think having a sibling who helps you in the kitchen helped you be a team player in that challenge?

A lot of times when I cook it will either be with my sister Faith or one of my friends so I am very comfortable working together with someone in the kitchen. Also, Jenna and I are really good friends, and we ate together every night and still talk all the time. She is so nice and really easy to get along with and work with so I was thrilled to be on her team. I went to visit her last summer on the East Coast and will go again this summer!

Chef Gordon Ramsay said your sausage in that challenge was the “Best Sausage of the Year.” I’ve tried to make homemade sausage a few times and it always comes out dry! Got any sausage-making tips to share?

The key is getting the balance right between the meat and the fat. I’d say you want 25 to 30 percent fat. Ingredient choice is a huge part of the competition on MasterChef Junior. We chose chorizo, which has some fat, and we knew would have a nice spice and keep our sausage juicy.

Mia and Jenna serve the judges their winning sausage dish.

What would you say to encourage kids who want to start cooking gluten free for their families?

I would say it is fun and rewarding and can help you and your family feel great. I would encourage kids to experiment with different recipes and foods and to realize that what you cook is probably not going to be great the first time you try it. Gordon Ramsay wasn’t born a brilliant cook, he had to work hard to get better, so always have fun in the kitchen. But don’t worry if what you make isn’t quite as good as you were hoping. If you had fun in the kitchen and you’ve made something your family can eat, you’ve accomplished something great. And remember, gluten free does not mean taste free!

New England-Based Papa Gino’s Offers Gluten-Free Pizza

New England-based pizza chain Papa Gino’s announced today that they have partnered with Udi’s in order to offer a gluten-free pizza option.

Though the partnership was formally announced today, the company reportedly began serving the pizzas last Monday, February 16^thin all Papa Gino’s locations. Like Pizza Hut, Papa Gino’s will use Udi’s Gluten-Free Pizza Crusts, which will be stored in a separate, designated location. The pizzas start at $9.99.

Though Papa Gino’s does not have a designated gluten-free preparation area, the pizzas are built on parchment paper with a protective “pizza screen” to guard against cross-contamination. Employees are trained to put on a new pair of gloves before building a gluten-free pizza.

Though every pizza will be topped with the standard Papa Gino’s tomato sauce, the gluten-free pies will only be topped with sauce from a designated gluten-free container. Each pizza station will also have a color-coded ladle and pizza cutter.

Though the company says most toppings are naturally gluten free, three ingredients on the toppings menu do contain gluten: chicken tenders, meatballs, and mac and cheese.

“We take the needs of the gluten free community seriously and are passionate about providing a high quality gluten free pizza,” said Philip Smith, Director of Culinary for Papa Gino’s, in a press release.

For more information, see the official press release here.

A Valentine’s Day Menu Your Whole Family Will Love

The clock’s ticking: Do you have your Valentine’s Day menu planned out yet?

If not, you’re in luck: In our January/February 2014 issue of Gluten-Free Living, contributor Laura Hahn shared her favorite gluten-free, family-friendly Valentine’s Day menu. Here’s what she had to say:

My favorite Valentine’s Day memory happened when I was 12 years old. I was taking an after-school karate class, and my dad drove to the dojo and snuck into my mom’s car, which was parked outside. He filled the car with cards, treats and flowers for both of us.

As a pre-teen I thought it was so cute, but to this day that gesture reminds me that Valentine’s Day can be enjoyed not only with a significant other but with all loved ones around you.

Involving the whole family in Valentine’s Day celebration can make lasting memories like the one with my father. That’s what I had in mind when I created a Valentine’s meal that the whole family will love filled with cupids, chocolate and strawberries.

Gluten-Free Valentine’s Day Menu

1. Strawberry Salad

2. Chicken Mole

3. Salted Hot Chocolate

4. Guilt-Free Brownies

Pizza Hut Delivers New Certified Gluten-Free Pizza

Pizza Hut started selling certified gluten-free pizzas featuring Udi’s gluten-free crusts in roughly 2,400 of the chain’s 6,300 national restaurants on January 26.

Udi’s says it is the same crust available in stores nationwide, just in a slightly larger size. “We are excited that gluten-free consumers can now enjoy the simple satisfaction of ordering pizza,” said Denise Sirovatka, vice president of marketing for Udi’s. “And by partnering with Pizza Hut and the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG), we are able to ensure the needs of the gluten-free community are well represented.”

Pizza Hut worked with GIG to develop specialized preparation methods to avoid cross-contamination. Though Domino’s released a gluten-free pizza in 2012, the pizza was not recommended for people with celiac disease due to potential cross-contamination. Pizza Hut says it is the first major pizza chain to offer certified gluten-free pizzas.

“They have procedures in place that exceed the expectations for making safe, certified gluten-free pizzas,” says Cynthia Kupper, GIG executive director. Kupper has toured several Pizza Hut facilities herself in order to help the company ensure its products are safe for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

Each gluten-free pizza is baked fresh to order with materials from individually packaged gluten-free pizza kits. Each kit contains a Udi’s Certified Gluten-Free Crust along with certified gluten-free toppings. The kits are stored in an isolated container on a separate shelf in the refrigerator.

The assembled pizza is then baked on designated parchment paper. Pizza Hut employees are trained to wear gloves while handling the pizzas and to cut the pizzas with designated gluten-free pizza cutters.

Kupper reports that all designated gluten-free kitchen utensils are color-coded so there’s no confusion for employees. “There’s never the use of regular equipment except for the oven,” Kupper says. Cross-contamination in the oven is not an issue since the pizzas never touch the oven itself.

To ensure Pizza Hut’s gluten-free pizzas continue to meet the GIG’s standards, auditors from the organization will conduct surprise inspections of Pizza Hut locations. The auditors start by posing as customers to check front-of-house procedures. “We place an order like anyone else,” Kupper says. Once they’ve inspected front-of-house procedures, the auditors reveal they’re from GIG and head to the kitchens to inspect back-of-house operations.

Customers who experience problems or feel ill after eating a gluten-free pizza can file a complaint with GIG, which will launch an investigation. Consumers can also send complaints to Pizza Hut, which will launch its own investigation.

Pizza Hut will initially offer gluten-free pizzas in two flavors: cheese and pepperoni. The pizzas will sell for $9.99 and serve 1 to 2 people. Customers can customize their pizza with Pizza Hut’s other toppings, but the company notes that these ingredients are not certified gluten free and come from the same bar as the standard toppings, creating the likelihood of cross-contamination.

Pizza Hut intends to roll out gluten-free pizzas at its remaining locations over an extended period of time. For more information or to find a participating restaurant in your area, go to pizzahut.com/glutenfree.