The Organic Bistro has come out with several gluten-free entrees you can find in the freezer section of your local supermarket. Triumph Dining taste-tested six of these products and found them all unusually filling, nutritious, and high in quality. The delightfully flaky Wild Salmon Meal includes a cut of salmon with a rosemary orange glaze, broccoli with walnuts, and a mound of cranberry brown rice pilaf for the reasonable price of $30 per six meals. Kay’s personal favorite, the juicy Sockeye Salmon Cakes meal, is low-sodium with 600 calories, 1 gram of Omega 3 fats, and 34 grams of protein. If your supermarket doesn’t carry Organic Bistro, you can order the meals online.

 Some people have their ‘food musts.’ Anyone remember Kel of ‘Kenan and Kel’ fame and his love for orange soda? Is that just me? Well I think if I had to pick my food must, it would be coffee. I used to do the sugar-pumped brew, but I’ve since graduated to a black cup of joe each morning with a dollop of low-fat milk, mostly to cool it down. I suppose the pump of caffeine each breakfast isn’t the healthiest, but when you pull those late nights and still have to get up bright and early the next day, than it definitely qualifies for food must classification.

This love of coffee (and an equally strong love of cookies) made be buy Pamela’s Products’ Espresso Chocolate Chunk Cookies. The espresso is a pop of flavor when you take your first bite. While this extreme flavor is the first thing to jump out at you, you’ll quickly recall the second part of product name: chocolate chunk. The chunks of chocolate in these cookies are sweet and melty, as if freshly baked. Is texture important to you? I’d classify it as crumbly-in-a-good-way: these aren’t soft baked cookies, but neither are they a semi-edible rock, like others. I personally enjoyed the texture because when I first saw them I figured they would be rock-eque but they easily break at each bite.

What I find enjoyable about many gluten-free products are the other health conscious elements that seem to accompany them. While don’t get me wrong, Pamela’s espresso cookie is a cookie, I’m giving it a healthy nod for its ‘made with over 70% organic ingredients.’ So my recommendation for you concerning this organic-conscious, coffee-flavored treat? Grab an Espresso Chocolate Chunk Cookie and a cool glass of milk and go to town. If your food must is a cookie but you want to make it yourself, take a look at what Deliciously Gluten Free Products had to say about Pamela’s Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix.

We’re pleased to announce the first-ever $10k Challenge!

Triumph Dining is giving away FREE American Dining Cards until the end of August. There’s absolutely no purchase necessary; simply follow this link to get a FREE American Dining Card from Triumph Dining.

And, here’s the best part: We’re doing this to raise money for Celiac Disease Awareness! If we get 15,000 people to sign up for free dining cards, Triumph Dining will make a $10,000 donation in support of a national celiac disease awareness campaign. When we hit our goal, we’ll ask the gluten free community to help us decide which non-profit(s) receives the donation.

Together, we can build awareness on two fronts: With 15,000 more dining cards on the street, we’ll be educating more restaurants about the gluten free diet faster. And, with $10,000 funding behind a national campaign, we can diagnose and educate more Celiacs.

We’re working hard to give away as many dining cards as possible, but we’ll need your help to get to 15,000! Please sign up for a FREE dining card now and tell your friends about this offer.

Check back here for regular updates on the progress of our goal to give away 15,000 dining cards.

The FREE dining card offer is available at http://www.triumphdining.com/freediningcard.aspx.

Sick of your old tortilla chips? Dump the chips, and get strips. Green Mountain Gringo’s gluten free Tortilla Strips come in a couple varieties including organic blue corn. Personally, I think there’s not enough blue foods out there, so I went straight for those. They look a little more purple than blue, but hey, purple foods are rather rare too so I still felt like I was enjoying a pretty special treat.

Now if you couldn’t tell from the title of this entry, Green Mountain Gringo is all about the strips. “Not to be compared to any other ‘dipping utensil,’ the Strip was invented to go beyond sturdy and reliable to reach a whole new level of taste satisfaction. A solid rectangle of pure leverage makes it stable enough for the most aggressive dippers,” reads the blue Tortilla Strip product information. You have to appreciate their passion, don’t you? While I wouldn’t say it in those words exactly, I would say that I didn’t notice these Tortilla Strips break off in my guac.

While Green Mountain Gringo stresses the durability, I’d emphasis the taste and ingredients. Not too salty and a satisfying list of ‘no’s’ and ‘frees:’ no preservatives, no trans fat, GMO free, allergen free and, not least of all, gluten free.

While I used my Tortilla Strips to snack on some pretty yummy guacamole, you could test out that legendary durability with some of Green Mountain Gringo’s gluten free salsa. You can also try your hand at some bloggers’ gf creations. Check out Karina’s Kitchen’s tasty looking Blue Corn Chip Fritatta and Nachos Fabuloso for two creative blue chip recipes. Or if you want to eat some salsa and make it too, take a look at Cindalou’s Kitchen Blues for her Corn and Cilantro Salsa; this recipe looks good for all the cilantro lovers out there, and those who want a little spice with their Strip.

While I picked my Tortilla Strips up at Whole Foods, you can also order them at Green Mountain Gringo’s online store (a place for the Green Mountain Gringo enthusiast, with accessories that’ll let the world know where you fall on the strip versus chip divide.)

While wheat may be hidden in many products, some breakfast cereals passionately trumpet this ingredient, not only in their labels but in their names as well. Wheaties? Cream of Wheat? Come on, we get it already - you’re made of wheat! Perhaps this is ultimately helpful for the gf dieter, but it also seems like a taunt.

Maybe the fact that so many cereals are bursting at the box corners with wheat has driven several gf bloggers to take on the subject of gluten-free cereal. If you’re in the mood for a cold cereal that’s met with a gf blogger’s stamp of approval, check out The Gluten Free Blog’s review of New Morning’s Cocoa Crispy Rice or Allergic Girl’s thoughts on Erewhon’s Crispy Rice. Or even take a look at our previous posts on Rice Chex and EnviroKidz cereal.

But on the few cool June mornings that are left, sometimes a bowl of cold cereal just won’t cut it. You want something with a bit of heat, that will warm up your insides and be a satisfying beginning to your day. Afraid of gluten found in many hot cereals? Tell Cream of Wheat to ‘kiss my gf grits!’ because there are gf hot cereal options out there just waiting to be heated up.

I did a comparison of two rice cream cereals: Lundberg’s Purely Organic Hot’n Creamy Rice Cereal and Erewhon’s Brown Rice Cream. There are many similarities between the two: both are low fat, organic, obviously gluten free, and taste somewhat similar. However, while both advertise that they are whole-grain and made with brown rice, I think it’s Lundberg’s “oven-roasted organic whole grain California brown rice” that gives it a little extra something.

Also, Lundberg’s has microwave instructions, which does make it somewhat easier and faster to make for the completely cooking incompetent like myself (improv’ing your own microwave instructions for Erewhon’s, however, is completely possible - I did it). Although made for the stove, Erewhon’s hot cereal instructions also include an intriguing apple juice instead of water suggestion to give your cereal an added sweetness.

A word of advice when eating whichever cereal you choose: while I enjoyed my gf hot cereal sampler breakfast (adding some blueberries to give it a healthy but sweet kick), it is a heavy, stick-to-your ribs meal, so be aware. I’ve been eating lightly in the mornings for the last couple months and my stomach was in a bit of a shock at my breakfast change.

Update: I initially planned on doing a three way comparison of gf hot cereals so here it is! The third and final hot cereal I tried was Bob’s Red Mill Brown Rice Farina. While similar to the other two I tried in taste and contents, the Farina cereal has a unique quality: it’s texture. For those wishing to relive the days of grits, this cereal will let you do that. It’s grains of rice are less fine in texture and while you can alter the thickness and thinness of the overall cereal with how much you cook it (there are microwave instructions! yes!) the cereal is generally grainy. If a spoon full of rice grits in the morning is what you’ve been missing, try some and see if you have a new favorite breakfast.

If you haven’t noticed while browsing the shelves at your local grocery store, Stonyfield Farm is proudly proclaiming its recent gluten-free certification by GFCO on their yogurt tops.  While some of its products are still off limits, many others, like my sister’s favorite lowfat organic yogurt, have been given the green light for gluten-free dieters.  Since it was already in my refrigerator, I decided to reach for a spoon.

I’m rather picky about my yogurt, especially when it comes to texture.  I prefer those that call themselves ‘creamy’ or ‘whipped’ and have no smooth-defying fruit chunks.  Stonyfield Farm’s lowfat yogurts are made up of fruit, located at the bottom of the container, and plain yogurt on top.  If you have a chunky yogurt phobia like me, this is somewhat helpful; you can mix the yogurt to fit your desire.  However, I’m partial to zero fruit chunks so for me, the texture was okay but not great.

Out of Stonyfield Farm’s ten lowfat flavors, I’ve tried four: blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, and ‘Just Peachy.’  Each has a subtle and tasty flavor that I attribute mostly to the plain yogurt itself; while I usually pass if it’s plain, the unmixed yogurt tasted good just by itself!  And whether you’re dieting or indulging, Stonyfield Farm allows you to stick to your desired diet with their fat free, lowfat, and whole milk yogurt options.

If yogurt by itself doesn’t spark your interest, Stonyfield Farm has a database of recipes from pastas to desserts that use yogurt.  Either search for gluten-free recipes or try your hand at converting dishes into celiac-friendly delights.   (To be on the safe side, I’d make sure the gf recipes really are gf.)  And if none of these look good, check out Dianne at Gluten Free Journey’s tasting looking yogurt, honey, and walnut snack.  It’s looks both simple to make and like a good way to satisfy a sweet tooth.

If Stonyfield Farm’s flavors, calories, and fruit-lined bottom sound good, check out their store locator to find some yogurt near you.  And keep an eye out for more gf items from this company in the future.  While their yogurt, smoothies, and soy-yogurt  have been deemed gluten-free by the GFCO, other Stonyfield Farm products are in the process of certification.

Like chocolate bunnies on Easter or champagne on New Year’s Eve, cake is the treat of choice for birthdays.  Don’t let a fear of what’s in your local grocer’s cake mix make you deprive yourself of this classic dessert.

If you want to do it yourself, gluten-free cake mixes are available from brands such as Kinnikinnick and Cherrybrook Kitchen.  With Cherrybrook Kitchen’s frosting mixes, how to add finishing touches to your gluten-free cake shouldn’t be a worry either.  If you know your way around a kitchen and want something a bit more elaborate than a chocolate or vanilla cake, check out this equisite Praline Rooibos Opera Cake prepared by gluten-freer, Sheltie Girl.  But if you’re like me and are cooking-challenged, there are bakeries across the country that can supply gluten-free eaters with a delicious dessert on their birthdays.

I was lucky enough to sample some gluten-free desserts from Buzz, a bakery and cafe located in Alexandria, Virginia.  Their vanilla and chocolate cupcakes are delightfully sweet treats whether you are celebrating your birthday or simply having an afternoon snack.  Buzz can also make gluten-free chocolate, vanilla and German chocolate cakes from 6 to 16 inches, but make sure to call and order them 48 hours ahead of time.

My personal favorite Buzz treat, however, is their gluten-free bird brownie.  If you want to throw tradition to the wind and treat yourself to a birthday brownie, you won’t be disappointed.  They are both rich and moist, satisfying even my ravenous sweet tooth!  If you are both a chocolate lover and a nut lover like me, you’ll enjoy this brownie as well.  It contains both toasted almonds and walnuts and the additional ingredient of Illy espresso gives it a little extra something.  Make sure to call and place your order at Buzz ahead of time to ensure you get the cupcakes or brownies you want, when you want them.

As friends and loved ones’ birthdays roll around this year, give the gift of cake!  Whether your want to get it store-made or make it yourself, birthday cake (as well as other desserts) can go back on the menu for all those with celiac disease.

When I recall moments from childhood, time spent in my father’s vegetable patch inevitably races to mind. Splashes of green cabbages rotund like pregnant bellies and strawberry red tomatoes fat and full like starbursts on hyper active drugs strap my memory. These memories invade the same way stringy weeds overtake gardens at the height of late Spring.

Weeds. Humph! The stringy nemeses to plant life the world over. Little do these vegetation invaders know that they have an enemy in gluten-free.

According to the blog, Prairie Road, corn gluten meal is currently being promoted as a lawn fertilizer and weed killer. You can use this natural weed preventative, which contains 60% protein, from Spring to Fall.

More than a dozen companies sell this gluten-free agent.

So, why not fight the weeds in the months ahead, whatever their form, and do it gluten-free.

Pretzels remind me of crocheted hearts. Twist-tied, wood-colored and salt-dotted, these petite munchies reshape the traditional snack mold in that they easily traverse the chasm between health and junk food. Glutino Sans Gluten Free Pretzels continue this tradition by offering a wheat, barley, rye and oat-free version of a long-time favored treat.

I decided to give these celiac friendly pretzels, available at Whole Foods across the U.S. and online at Amazon.com among other places, a go last week. As my taste buds and expectations equally hightened, I ripped open the package with a wolf-like pursuit and a Speed-Racer-like alacrity. Upon taking my first bite, a surprising realization settled over me. “I know I have had these before.” An aha moment came, not quite unlike the one that comes to the Coyote in a Looney Tunes short the second he spots the Roadrunner.

Glutino pretzels rival their gluten-filled predecessors in that they offer the same taste without any of the grain-containing additives.

You can purchase Glutino Pretzel Twists by the bag for $5.99 at Whole Foods or through www.glutenfree.com . You can also order them by the case at www.amazon.com for a pricey $97.33.

The smell travels in a loose confederation of intervals. First, it wakes your nostrils from post-midnight, lucid dreaming. Then, it sustains your taste buds throughout early day.

Fault usually lies with a parent or a spouse. Fault lies with their hands, hands that wake you up a little too early, hands that make the steel spatula do it, that make the steel spatula commit culinary sin–producing the hideously, swell smell of pancakes on a Saturday morning.

If you’re lucky, this parent or spouse molds these cakes into fun shapes and incorporates a cup of walnuts here or a spoonful of chocolate chips there, forging a tasty truce between breakfast and dessert . If you’re a celiac, you hope the cooks in question do all of the above with the caveat that they do it gluten-free.

Whole Foods Grocery store chain makes all of the above possible with its Bob’s Red Mill Pancake Mix. Red Mill bucks the white-flour trend perfected by brand name giants like Mrs. Butterworth and Aunt Jemima. Instead, this gluten-free recipe incorporates potato starch, white sorghum flour, tapioca flour, corn flour and xanthan gum and more to generate a self-described light, fluffy taste.

I had the pleasure of sampling Bob’s Red Mill pancakes Friday morning. Upon preparing the mix, I noted a marked difference between Red Mill’s batter and that of gluten-containing pancake mixes. The gluten-free Mill version is grainier and thicker, where as the gluten-filled mix is more of a soupy or liquid consistency. As far as taste, I expected the Mill cakes to carry a bland, non-descript flavor. To my delight and astonishment, the cakes tasted as sweet as the syrup in which I coated them.

Whole Foods offers this product for $4.69.