(The Frugal) Celiac Road Trip

Well, it's that time of year! Off to the Beach, the Mountains, or wherever for vacation fun!

I had a brief overnight at the Outer Banks (NC) this weekend, and I will fill you here in on the details of my gluten free eating while on this trip.

There is an essential item for every Celiac for any road trip, however brief. I can't think of anything more useful or more helpful.

Do you know what it is?

It's a COOLER!

Are you the type of person that hates to worry about tomorrow, hates to make food ahead, or loves to eat out?

Well, I want to encourage you to reinvent the way you think about food while traveling.

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Almost everywhere I go for more than a day, I take a cooler. I even take a cooler on many day trips, with lunches and/or dinners. This not only ensures that you can know with 100% certainty that your food is safe to eat, but also saves you money by preventing you from buying food and beverage!

And it's not like it takes up that much room in the car.

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What's in Emily's cooler?

You might be thinking: If it's a bunch of cold leftovers, I'll have to say, "no thanks."

Right. Well, I agree. Nothing like choking down that last piece of leftover chicken out of obligation (but you do have to do that now and then).

This overnight trip (noon Friday to noon Saturday) I filled my cooler with:

• 4 water bottles
• 3 diet coke bottles

• 2 Larabars
• 3 Attune probiotic white chocolate bars
• 1 Envirokids crispy rice bar

• 2 yogurt cups
  
• 4 frozen Pamela's Lemon Shortbread cookies
• 1 sliced tomato
• 4 pcs. sliced mozzarella cheese and fresh basil leaves
• 1 frozen Glutino plain bagel

• Don't forget Ice Packs

That sounds like a lot, but it's just a few drinks, snacks and meal food.

So what did I eat?

On the 3 hour trip going, I drank one water and ate one Attune bar.

For dinner, I went out to eat, at the Full Moon Cafe in Manteo, NC. I had their nacho plate. The waitress checked and they use Utz corn chips, which only have corn, oil, and salt. (remember, some restaurants, especially if they make their own chips, have corn chips that are not gluten free). It was good, no reaction for me.

For after-concert snack back at the hotel, while unwinding with friends--I had the mozzarella, tomato, and basil. MMM.

For 2nd day's breakfast, I had hotel coffee, 2 hard boiled eggs from the hotel's continental breakfast, my rice bagel heated in my room's microwave (topped with cream cheese from the hotel).

For lunch the 2nd day, I lunched at Adrianna's Restaurant on the water in Manteo, NC. They didn't have too much to choose from, but I had a Kobe burger without bun, and a house salad. It was very filling, and tasted very good. On my receipt it said "GLUT ALLERGY", so whether or not they really know what to do, they at least have it in their computer that they should do something.

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So was I completely isolated and did I hide in my hotel eating cheese and crackers out of my cooler? (Oh, cheese and crackers are good!).
--no! I was out and about, eating and asking questions.

Did I save money by not having to go out for breakfast and evening snack (2nd dinner)?
--absolutely!

But this little bit of planning ahead helped fill in the cracks of snacks and incomplete meals (like hotel breakfast). I always had something I could eat, so I knew I wouldn't starve. I didn't eat everything I took, but I could have if I needed to. And I could mix-n-match my food with the food I found (like using the hotel cream cheese).

What came home with me in the cooler?

• Yogurts
• 2 Larabars
• 1 Envirokids bar
  
• 1 Attune bar
• 3 Diet Cokes
• 1 water

Had I been staying longer, I'd have done a little more to eat things frugally in my hotel room. But this was a short trip and I had a carpool friend (so eating out was the better choice for some meals).

Maybe you are wondering--How did I keep all that from spoiling?

---ICE PACKS! and the hotel had a fridge in my room.

Oh, no! you say. What if my hotel doesn't have a fridge? How can I be a happy celiac traveler then?

--Easy. Old traveling musician trick. Keep all items in cooler. Take along a couple gallon-size ziplock freezer bags. When you arrive at the hotel, take the bags to the ice machine, and fill up with ice. Voila-- you have instant ice packs. You can keep refilling them as long as you stay at the hotel.

Underground tip: Don't stress out. Pretty much you can take all kinds of stuff to eat on road trips. Just plan ahead and think of what you'll need beforehand.

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Epilogue. The Pamela's Lemon Shortbread cookies. Did you notice they were unaccounted for? I don't know what happened, but they didn't make it home. Those cookies are missing in action. Where could they possibly have gone?? (read: my tummy says "mmm").

Taste of Thai Coconut Ginger Noodles, in the box

Here is a great standby quick dinner or lunch, on the go.  Taste of Thai Coconut Ginger Noodles.  I have been eating these on the road for years now.  At one point, all the varieties were Gluten Free, but I think this has changed, so be sure to read the box.

I have seen 4 flavors of these, but hands down, the Coconut Ginger Noodles is the best flavor.  What is great about this box is that all you need is a microwave, tap water, and sharp knife or scissors to open the seasoning packets.  It cooks right in the box.  

Pretty much, you could make this anywhere, I'd say even a boxcar, if you had those three things.  And a fork to stir/eat with.

and...voila!  These retail anywhere from 2.50-3.50.

Supplement with some carrot sticks or fresh grapes and you have a quick, easy meal on the go.  If you're really hungry, maybe even add a ziplock of Glutino GF pretzels or Envirokids Gorilla Munch.  Life is good, get out there and go live it!

GF Italian in Wilmington, NC

Hello, blogland!  Where to begin?  I have been on the road lately and working a lot.  Not much time for cooking, or blogging.  But that's why I've got quantities of food frozen ahead and Glutino bagels.  Trader Joe's frozen Enchiladas.  Brown rice flour tortillas and corn tortillas to make quesadillas (AKA mexican grilled cheese).  Bags of frozen veggies to cook up in the microwave, in a hurry.  These types of things.

Wilmington, NC

While I was there, I did an internet search for gluten free dining, and

 found a really great place to get some GF Italian food!  I hadn't eaten out for pasta/Italian for about 3 years until I went to Bella Monica in Raleigh a few weeks ago with the Gluten Free Greenie Blogger (Wendy).  But now, it seems that new opportunities are surfacing all over for GF dining.  This is so amazing compared to even just a couple years ago!

I was able to talk a carpool friend of mine into going with me to Toscana Cafe in Wilmington.  I could hardly contain my excitement--you always feel like such a wet blanket when you say, "no, I can't eat out Italian."  I asked this friend if Italian was OK, and he said, "I love Italian!"  So I felt like way less of a buzzkill...  

Toscana Cafe.  I had the Penne (Tinkyada) w/Grilled Shrimp, mushrooms, and sundried tomatoes in a tomato cream sauce.  It was amazing, and I was so delighted.  I haven't had good Italian food in so long (not counting Bella Monica).  It was very simple for them to just substitute the GF pasta with their sauce and ingredients.  But it was so far beyond anything I ever make for myself at home, and such a treat.  I hope more independent (mom & pop) restaurants realize they can substantially grow their customer base by offering safe GF choices!  If they cook it, we will come!

I met the manager, and the owner, and they both were very nice.  They explained they have more and more people, of all ages (even 60s, they mentioned, many recently diagnosed) who are ordering GF pastas all the time.  I thanked  them for providing the option for us.  They were very careful and I think they understand how to minimize the chance of cross-contamination.

I was very pleased, and hope you are, on your next vacation to Wilmington when you drop in for some Penne!

Tasty GF Eatin!

Hey Blog Readers!  So sorry it's been a while since I got a chance to post!  I've missed you!

A few weeks ago, my laptop and camera were stolen, so I was unable to blog properly for a while.  But I got that straightened out, and now--armed with a new camera and borrowed laptop, I am ready to tell you about the great stuff I've been cookin' up!

Here's a pic of the coffee cake I made, which was from a recipe right out of the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, substituted with Whole Foods GF flour blend.  It worked very well!  

Also, I have made homemade mushroom soup, which I have been enjoying with toasted Trader Joe's Gluten Free French Rolls.

Tonight I experimented with a pizza/flatbread crust, but I didn't get it exactly right.  I will have to try again (bake it a little longer before adding toppings, and/or modify the ingredients a little).  But the toppings were so good--fresh mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, and a drizzle of italian sauce, topped with a light covering of mozzarella cheese, that I enjoyed it thoroughly anyway.

I am on the road for a couple days, so I am packing the cooler with yogurt cups, carrots and Trader Joe's White Bean and Basil hummus, coffee cake, and pizza.  Pretty sure I won't have to eat out, which is nice because I know 100% that I will not be glutened!  And...think of all the dough that will stay in my pocket!

See you on the highway!

GF Breakfast at the Motor Inn

When on a road trip, staying at any hotel or motel, this is an easy GF breakfast:

1. Take a cooler.
2. Load it up with waters, sodas, whatever drinks you like.
3. Add one or two yogurt cups, depending on your meals you are planning. (breakfast only = one cup.  Breakfast and lunch = 2 cups).
4. Before check-in, stop at a SHEETZ gas station.  Go to menu screen.  Order 2-pack hard boiled eggs.  Get one orange juice bottle, if needed.

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Keep in hotel room fridge overnight.  If fridge is unavailable, take gallon ziplock bags to the ice maker and fill one or two.  Add ice bags to cooler--voila  (and surprise)--you have made your own fridge.

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Wake up tomorrow, and enjoy: Yogurt, 2 eggs, orange juice, bad hotel coffee, and a feeling of complete GF independence and joy.

Underground tip:  Actually, you can put anything you want in your cooler (but you already knew that).  These are just some ideas that work well for me.  When I found out I could get hard-boiled eggs at a gas station I was awestruck.  WAY better for you than a candy bar, overall!