Monday, December 27, 2010

Off the Menu: Panera


GLUTEN FREE LIST - Panera Bread **





**Although we try to meet your special requirements, we cannot ensure that these 


items have not come into contact with gluten in our bakery-café.





** Gorgonzola and bleu cheeses are commonly made with mold incubated on wheat.  


Some may choose to avoid these cheeses for this reason and you may substitute 


another cheese if you prefer. Items containing these ingredients are indicated 


below with (G) or (BC).





Salads:    (including the salad dressing)


(source of modified food starch is corn) 


Greek Salad 


Caesar Salad (without croutons) 


Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad (without croutons) 


Mediterranean Salmon Salad


Salmon Caesar Salad (without croutons)


Asian Sesame Chicken Salad (without Won Ton noodles) 


Classic Cafe Salad 


Tomato, Mozzarella & Basil Salad (without croutons)*


Strawberry Poppyseed Salad 


Strawberry Poppyseed Salad with Chicken 


Fuji Apple Chicken Salad (G) 


Orchard Harvest Chicken Salad (G)


Chopped Chicken Cobb Salad (G)


BBQ Chopped Chicken Salad


Fruit Cup: All watermelon


Mixed Fruit Cup: with watermelon, cantaloupe, red seedless grapes, and 


strawberry.








Soups:


Low Fat Vegetarian Black Bean


Creamy Tomato (without croutons)


Summer Corn Chowder


Low-Fat Chicken Tortilla Soup





Salad Dressings:


Balsamic Vinaigrette


Caesar


Greek


Poppyseed


Asian Sesame Vinaigrette


White Balsamic Vinaigrette


Cherry Balsamic Vinaigrette





BBQ Ranch





Beverages:


Coffee


Juice, both apple and orange


Lemonade


Milk


Soda, fountain and bottled


Tea, regular and Chai Tea


All lattes & Frozen beverages


Strawberry Smoothie


Strawberry Lemonade


Hot Chocolate


Pumpkin Spice Latte 


Gingerbread Latte





Panera Bread Potato Chips

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Is every meal out the last one?

I've been having a hard time handling my emotions toward food. I've gained a couple pounds and am at a higher weight than I have been for years. Looking back and consulting my trusted sources I realize that whenever I eat out I feel like it'll be my last meal.

Before I knew what I could eat, and where, I obsessed over finding tasty meals that were in line with my special dietary needs. Would I be able to eat this again? I found myself ordering the most enticing item on the gluten-free menu and eating all of it. NowI know there are multiple restaurants that cater to my diet, and they aren't inconvenient, but still have not convinced myself that I may not find a tasty meal ever again.

This is not something I've ever thought about or dealt with. Normally I can eat healthy and know that if I want to splurge one day during the week that I can...but now I feel as if I don't have that kind of control because I'd have to find the place, find a person to join me and worry about their willingness to eat where I can...it's tiring and makes me feel like a burden.

Now that I am aware of why I've been splurging more than normal I've been able to identify these situations...which is always the first step on the path of change. I'm sick of being a couple pounds over my normal weight but also sick of this disease. There are so many days I want to pick up a Lean Cuisine and know that I'm having a low calorie meal that I can afford and enjoy at the same time...and NOT get sick.

I just wish upon myself the strength to make good decisions and understand that no meal is the end and there are more to come in the future. I have a great support system that fully understands my Celiac and will help me through the physical and mental challenges I face.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Off the Menu: Pluckers

Wednesday night trivia at Pluckers was great! Plus they have a whole gluten-free menu. I can't find it online so I took some pictures so I could have it and share it with you all:

Wings - Gluten-Free Sauces:
Spicy BBQ
Dr. Pepper
Jamaican Jerk
Honey BBQ
Buffalo Medium
Fire in the Hole
Ranch
Goldrush
Cajun
Spicy Ranch
Buffalo Mild
Buffalo Hot

Burgers, Sandwiches and Tenders (Obviously w/out bun)
The Bypass Burger
Chicken Club
Honey BBQ Burger
The Larry Bird
The Boring Burger
Naked Boneless Wings

Sides
Plain Corn on the Cob (no cajun)
Side Salad
Side Caesar Salad


Salads
Grilled Buffalo Chicken Salad
Honey BBQ Chicken Chop
Grilled Chicken Garden Salad

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Gluten-Free Holiday Treats

So, I've been tempted by more holiday treats than I thought I'd be able to indulge in this holiday season. I've baked (just 2 things), talked to various individuals and snacked on multiple types of candy.

I learned that Namaste brownies are AWESOME and taste exactly the same. Just in case they were not going to I did add a package of Nestle milk chocolate chips. I took them to our holiday party for MyEdu and they went before I even got one...and no one knew!

As far as cookies I've made the Red Mill Foods chocolate chip cookies (texture was closer to an oatmeal cookie) and one of my fellow DG's told me their brand has good baked goods across the board.

Finally...candy. Candy canes are fine, so is chocolate as long as it doesn't have a filler or crunchy in it (peanut and other nuts are fine). As I said, for Thanksgiving I had a Hershey bar for desert but now I know I can enjoy a Christmas themed candy selection :)

If any of my readers have other suggestions please comment!