Alexandra’s “Gluten-Free” Pizza Not Safe for Celiacs

A few weeks ago, local pizza chain Alexandra’s joined Twitter (and followed our blog). I got extremely excited about their first tweet:

 

I immediately tweeted at them asking for more information. They put me in touch with their marketing consultant, who has family members with Celiac and who seemed to really understand my concerns about gluten-containing ingredients and cross-contamination. Her first e-mail gave some information, including the fact that the dough is made off-site to reduce the chance of cross-contamination.

But then something weird happened.

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Great Deals at Chops Meat Market!

A reader recently tipped us off to the great gluten-free options at the new Chops Meat Market in Burnside. (They’re located at the very bottom of Wright Avenue in the black and red building behind the Ultramar on Windmill Road.) One look at the recent deals on their Facebook page and we knew we had to pay them a visit!

Although you could tell that they are still getting organized and getting stock in, we were pretty impressed at the selection of meats and gluten-free items. Things that caught our eye included:

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What’s For Dinner? Restaurant-Style Sweet and Sour Chicken!

Why We Love It

Before discovering this recipe, our favourite sweet and sour chicken recipe was this slow cooker version. Although it’s delicious and easy, it doesn’t deliver the same textures that a battered, bite-size restaurant dish does. This recipe takes a bit more work but definitely feels like something you would get in a Chinese restaurant.

Ingredients – Chicken

• Three or four boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 ½ cup cornstarch
• 3 eggs, beaten
• ¼ cup canola oil

Ingredients – Sauce

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.
3. Place cornstarch and beaten eggs in separate bowls. Dip chicken into cornstarch then coat in egg mixture.
4. Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken until browned. Place the chicken in a 9 x 13 greased baking dish.
5. In a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, ketchup, vinegars, soy sauce, and garlic salt. Pour over chicken and bake for one hour in the preheated oven.

Tips

• Serve this dish with gluten-free chicken fried rice for a total takeout experience.

(Source: http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/03/baked-sweet-and-sour-chicken-recipe.html)

Gluten-Free Pillsbury Products Coming to Canada!

Yesterday, Pillsbury announced that they will start distributing their gluten-free products in Canada in August 2014. Two products will be available to start with: chocolate chip cookie dough and pie/pastry dough. 

 

 

According to their new Canadian website, it looks like distribution will start in Ontario and Quebec with some availability on the East Coast. The website also has recipes and coupons!

If you’re anxious to try this new product out, Jane’s Gluten-Free in Moncton already has stock! We’re hoping to see it in major grocery stores as well, and will post a review once we’ve had a chance to try it out. We’d like to hear your experiences with this product, too!

Taste Testing Bread by Rudi’s!

In May, I picked up some Rudi’s tortilla wraps from Jane’s Gluten Free. They were delicious, so I was excited to see their bread in Sobeys grocery stores a few weeks ago. (Jane’s also carries the bread, but due to travel restrictions, I hadn’t picked it up on our last trip.) I tried a loaf of Rudi’s original bread; multigrain and cinnamon raisin flavours were also available.

At $5.99 a loaf, it seems comparable to other gluten-free breads, including my current favourite (Udi’s white bread). However, there is a real difference in size: Udi’s loaves are 340 grams, while Rudi’s are 510 grams. That means that the slices of Rudi’s bread are much bigger. Below, you can see Udi’s on the right and Rudi’s on the left:

 

 

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What’s For Dinner? Grilled Scallops with Summer Compote!

Why We Love It

This dish is full of the flavours of summer, plus it’s super-healthy and filling. It’s impressive enough to serve to guests yet easy enough to whip up for a weeknight meal. The recipe as we have shared it makes about four servings, but can easily be doubled.

Ingredients

• About one pound of large sea scallops (400 grams)
• 2 ½ tablespoons herb pesto
• Half of a lemon, zested and juiced
• One small package of grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
• One cup peeled and diced English cucumber
• One cup diced fennel bulb
• 2 ½ tablespoons diced shallots
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped tarragon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Combine scallops, pesto, and about half a teaspoon of lemon zest in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for about half an hour.
2. In the meantime, mix the remaining ingredients (vegetables, tarragon, and olive oil) with half a teaspoon each of lemon zest and lemon juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Once scallops have finished marinating, heat a barbeque or stovetop skillet on high heat. (Be sure to grease the grill or pan with a little bit more olive oil.) Grill scallops for about two minutes per side.
4. Divide vegetable mixture among four plates. Top with scallops. Drizzle with lemon juice and serve.

Tips

• If you’d like a starch with this meal, try quinoa or wild rice.
• For added flavour, top this dish with a bit of crumbled feta cheese.

(Original Source: https://www.sobeys.com/en/recipes/grilled-scallops-with-summer-compote)

Urban Dining in Bedford with Resto

Last spring, we were sad to see Bedford favourite The Cellar close, but when their general manager teamed up with her family to open Resto Urban Dining in the same space, we were pretty excited. It’s been almost a year since Resto opened its doors so we decided it was time to finally pay them a visit.

Although we arrived at around 5 p.m. on a Friday, the place was in a bit of chaos due to a number of graduation events. (They also seemed somewhat understaffed.) We were disappointed that the much-lauded rooftop patio was completely booked but took a seat on the small front patio overlooking the Bedford Highway. To begin, I ordered a daiquiri ($7) and Michael ordered a red ale by Garrison
($5.50). A couple of notes on the food menu immediately grabbed my attention: all pizzas can be made gluten-free and you can substitute rice or quinoa pasta in any pasta dish. There is no upcharge for either item, which is really nice.

I asked our server about gluten-free options.

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