Last month I got the pleasure of spending a weekend in Paso Robles celebrating a good friend's 40th birthday.  It is no secret that I love wine, but finding gluten free snacks and lunches while wine tasting can be tricky.  Wineries and tasting rooms don't always have food, and if they do, the offerings are usually crackers, bread or a cheese selection, none of which I can eat.  Luckily, downtown Paso Robles is home to a delightful little bakery called Bless Your Heart Speciality Baking which offers gluten free, low glycemic and vegan options. My husband and I stumbled upon it last year and I was thrilled to find the bakery right where we left it.  

I'm a sucker for a tasty chicken salad (it was the food I craved the most while pregnant) and so I opted for their house-made rotisserie chicken salad on a gluten free sourdough bun with organic greens and vine-ripened tomatoes.  The chicken was so tender.  Amidst the tangy mayo was chopped apple, cranberry and celery.  The bread was still warm from the oven and had a soft and chewy consistency.  It was 11:00am and I was already in gluten free foodie heaven.  

The next day, we made a quick stop to the bakery before leaving Paso. I wanted to pick up a loaf of that bread and a couple cupcakes for the road.  I opted for the carrot cupcake and the lemon cupcake.  Having baked with chocolate lately,  I thought they would be a nice change of pace for my sweet tooth. 

For me, the lemon cupcake was not a favorite, though the presentation was adorable. ​On the other hand, the carrot cupcake was exceptional. The cake was so moist and not over spiced.  The vegan whipped cream on top had me licking my fingers and wishing I had stayed to ask for the recipe!  It was delicious.  Light and creamy...I could eat that whipped cream on just about anything.  The dusting of aromatic cinnamon complimented the cake perfectly.  Mmmm, it was so delicious. 

Last week, ​one of my fellow Pilates colleagues took a trip to Paso.  Much to my delight she came back with stories of wine tasting, her praise of this yummy bakery, and...

two carrot cupcakes just for me. ;-)

Cheers for gluten free cupcakes, 

Francine

The last two weeks I have been quite sick. Coughing, sneezing, fevering...you name it, I had it.  I eventually went to urgent care and was given antibiotics for a sinus infection, but the meds didn't stop me from reaching out to friends and family via Facebook for their favorite natural remedies to kick the common cold.  

I received so many great suggestions and many of them I tried. Some were familiar recommendations (gargle with salt water, drink hot lemon water, eat local honey, toss back a shot of whiskey....), while others were new.  One of my favorite new suggestions came from a friend who recommended elderberry syrup.  I didn't know what it was, but it sounded soothing and delicious.  When my husband came back with the bottle of Sambucus Black Elder Berry Extract* from the health food store, I immediately measured out a teaspoon as the directions indicated. I couldn't help but think of Mary Poppins, dispensing medicine to her charges after a day out in the rain.  Do you remember that scene? When I was a kid, I imagined that medicine to taste delicious.  When I tasted the elderberry syrup, it was as if I was tasting what I had always imagined!  Best of all, this gluten free syrup did indeed help my throat, and stifle the cough that came with the head cold and sinus infection. 

I did a little research and apparently one can make her own homemade elderberry syrup.  My bottle is still full, but when I run out I am intrigued to try this recipe.  How cool would it be to make my very own Mary Poppins Elixir.  ;-) 

In (better) health, 

Francine

*Tip: Check all your vitamins, supplements and cold medicines to be sure they are gluten free.  Most bottles are labeled these days, but if you have a doubt, I recommend contacting the manufacture or visiting the product website.  Often a FAQ page will address the question of additives. 

It's the first day of 2016, just minutes into my new year's morning.  And what do I wake up with? A scratchy throat.  You know the kind. The rough, painful swallow.  The miserable feeling when you cough.  The pending doom of a head cold.  Ugh. I hate scratchy throats. I would have rather had a hangover.

The day got worse.  The scratchy feeling turned to a sensation of daggers penetrating my throat as I drank my herbal tea.  Cough drops did nothing for the burning in the back of my mouth.  Gargling was only a temporary solution.  But I was hungry and needed some sustenance.   It was time for some soup. 

I think soups are a lost art. It is easy to run out and grab a burger, a slice of pizza, a salad, heck even fish tacos.  But soup? Harder to find.  And gluten free soups are that much harder.  Soups can have many "hidden" ingredients.  For instance, flour to thicken a broth, soy sauce for a salty taste, and even barley that maybe mistaken for rice.  Navigating the soupy waters is even trickier if you are also dairy free.  Consider that many soups have milk, cream, butter, and cheese to achieve the tasty concoction.  

Considering all of the above, I rarely order soup in a restaurant unless the chef is explicitly offering it as gluten and dairy free.  Soup at home is the way to go.  Not only can you control the ingredients, but also it is an extremely affordable meal that gets better with time.  A pot of soup can last for several meals and is great for a quick lunch or a satisfying dinner.  I love squeezing lime or lemon in my soup for a fresh twist with the citrusy pop of flavor. 

My husband was on soup patrol for me on New Year's Day, because along with my sore throat came a 100.3 degree fever.  A kitchen of sharp knives and a hot stove was not the best choice for me.  I am blessed with a husband who not only loves to cook but also is an excellent cook.  So of course when he said, want me to make chicken soup?, I nodded my fever-ridden head.  

Here his hearty chicken soup that is good anytime, even without the head cold. ;-) 

Buen provecho!