Summary of Michigan Trip

I need to wrap up my Michigan vacation posts since tomorrow is my actual last day of summer vacation. I officially go back to work on Wednesday to start another year of teaching fourth grade! Plus, I've been working on some fun DIY projects I want to share. So this post sums up some memorable things I did (& that I have pictures of) while in Michigan last month.

I was fortunate that my sister, Jill and her husband allowed Iivana and me to come stay with them for a few days. While they were at work my parents and I took the kids to Potter Park Zoo one day. These two pictures crack me up! Maren is petting the goats and my dad is with Maren in the kangaroo cut out.

 Jett and my mom with the spider monkeys which was his favorite part.

After our zoo visit, we stopped by the MSU Diary Store.

We enjoyed some ice cream.

We went out to eat for Jill's birthday at Ruby Tuesday.

They had a gluten free menu, but it was a chain restaurant. If I'm at a chain, I usually try to pick something that doesn't require a lot of modifications. I'm not sure how knowledgeable the kitchen staff is about gluten free and cross contamination. So I kept it simple with the petite sirloin, a baked potato, and broccoli.

 I was able to attend my sister's annual 4th of July party with my baby, Iivana.

I think I pretty much scarred her for life of being terrified of fireworks. For some reason, I didn't think the noise would scare her because she hears loud planes all the time. But we retreated to the van for safety during their show.

But I still got a glimpse of some of the fireworks.

My niece, Maren was still going strong that night. She was a doll and put on her mama's shoes; she was so proud of herself.

I met up with some friends for drinks.

I tried some new gluten free beer that I don't have access to in Texas. (Thanks to my sister, Kristen for hooking me up!) Here I was drinking Dogfish Head's Tweason'ale beer. I thought it was a wonderfully refreshing summer drink. The strawberries and honey give the beer a fruity flavor that isn't as sweet as cider. I hope they start selling this in Texas soon.

Check these links for other Michigan things from my trip:

• Vince & Joe's
• Fruitiversary
• Crunch Granola
• More Goods from Vince & Joe's
• Yummy Filled Donuts
• Gluten-less Maximus IPA

Gluten-Less Maximus IPA

Still posting about my vacation in Michigan!

One night my mom and I met up with my sister, Julie, to eat dinner. Of course, I had to choose a place to eat that was gluten free friendly. I searched the Royal Oak and Ferndale area for something that would please every one's palates. Searching consumed a considerable amount of time. I looked for blogs, read Urbanspoon reviews, perused online menus, and even found myself on Facebook. And then it happened...I found out that Woodward Avenue Brewers just came out with a gluten free beer on tap! It is a rare occurrence to not only find a gluten free beer at a restaurant, but to find one on tap none the less.

My mind was instantly made; I wanted to have dinner at the WAB! Plus, it was a week night and we could score happy hour prices.

The beer was made from sorghum, like many I drink. But this beer was definitely different than what I'm used to with gluten free beer. I think because it was an IPA, it had a bitter taste. It had more of a beer (with gluten) taste. With each sip, I loved it more and more. I loved it enough to get a second one.

I assumed by the description that it was all gluten free. I wanted more proof and was searching the Internet to see if the gluten content was ever tested. But I really couldn't find anything about that. I did however, come across a question on Facebook.

Before we went to eat at WAB, I looked at their online menu. I figured if they had a gluten free beer, they would surely have gluten free food. I was disappointed to find nothing about gluten free on the menu; they only had vegetarian friendly items noted. I decided to call before we went to ask if they accommodated GF diners. My call left me a little hopeless, but I REALLY WANTED TO TRY THE BEER! There were some items on the menu that seemed like they could be okay with some rapid questioning. When we arrived, I asked about their tortilla chips, which I learned are made in a shared fryer across the street so those were out. After what seemed like a billion questions, I settled on a salad, the Southwest Chicken Salad. I opted out of the bacon because I wasn't sure, I ordered the salsa for dressing, and I asked what brand of BBQ sauce they use. I felt positive about my menu decision and proud of myself for asking the right questions. (After reading over the menu, I feel they could make some of their menu items GF as a way to expand their market along with their GF beer. If they used GF tortilla chips, a lot of their Mexican dishes could be GF. So take this hint WAB!) It was a nice treat to enjoy some GF beer at a restaurant like everyone else.

Yummy Filled Donuts

While in Michigan, my mom's co-worker told her about a store in Rochester Hills called Celiac Specialties. My mom insisted that we check it out since it's really not that far from my parent's house. I looked at the website before to see if anything caught my eye. I'm glad I did because I saw donuts filled with jelly and custard on the site. I haven't come across any filled donuts since being gluten free, so I was excited about the prospect to try some. When I went to the store, I couldn't find them but I asked a worker about them. She didn't have any out but went and found some in the back! I was happy that I looked at the website before because I could've totally missed out on these donuts. I picked out two raspberry filled donuts and two custard filled donuts. 

They came frozen which is nice because then you don't have to worry about eating them all at once. I pulled out one of each flavor and put them in the refrigerator the day before I wanted to eat them. The powdered sugar comes on the side, which makes sense because of them being sold frozen.

I just dabbed powdered sugar all over and felt like I did a decent job. Doesn't it look like a regular gluten filled donut?

A gluten free jelly filled donut! The donut was a delightful treat that I usually don't consume. The dough had an airiness to it, but was soft and had a good consistency. I thought these were a good reproduction for a donut.

The custard filled donut came with chocolate frosting on the side.

 I didn't do the best job of frosting this one. Ok, it looks pretty pathetic, but it's more about flavor than looks!


The chocolate and the custard was the perfect pair. I don't think I can say I liked one flavor better than the other. The two kinds I picked were different, yet I enjoyed each equally. I recommend these donuts and look forward to eating more in the future!

Their croissant rolls are also highly recommended. I brought some to Wisconsin where Kristen and I made some great turkey and ham sandwiches from them.

Sour Lovers

When I first moved to Texas 4 years ago, I sounded like a broken record at the grocery store. I'd say, "This product is cheaper at Meijer. Meijer has a wider variety. I miss Meijer." When I was in Michigan during the month of July, I had to find time to wander around Meijer. It was then that I came across Gimbal's Sour Lovers. (I'm sure they probably sell these in Texas too, but I haven't seen them here. I've seen the Cherry Lovers at the BX before, but never the sour heart candy.) 

Look at all these delicious flavors! I liked them all but my favorites where Georgia Peach, Bing Cherry, and Fuji Apple.

Gimbal's candies are free of 8 major allergens, which is awesome. Plus, they don't use high-fructose corn syrup.

 The heart shape is so cute too.

Smart Cookies

Since yesterday I posted about my Wisconsin stop on my visit north, I decided to write about another dessert my grandma made for Kristen and me. I have no idea where she found this recipe, obviously a magazine. These peanut butter cookies only contained four ingredients: chunky peanut butter, brown sugar, an egg, and baking soda. I think if you click on the picture, it will get bigger if you want to read the directions. Basically you mix it all together and bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes!

I think hers looked just like the ones in the magazine. These cookies were more on the crunchy side, but the wonderful flavor of PB is what makes them great! I will have to try to make them on my own. Another bonus for celiacs and non-celiacs who like to bake for someone with the disease, is that they don't require an expensive flour. They are flour-less!

Wisconsin - Favorite Things

Before we drove back to Texas, my mom, dad, Iivana, and I went to visit my grandparents in Wisconsin for a few days. It's almost been 2 years since I was diagnosed with celiac disease and when I go to visit my grandma and grandpa I am pleasantly surprised at what they've done to accommodate my dietary needs.

1. Schaum Torte

One of my favorite desserts that my grandma makes is called schaum torte. It's been a favorite of mine even before I was diagnosed with celiac disease, so I'm excited that it is a dessert that I can still indulge in. It is basically a meringue, but I think it is more fluffy and marshmallow-like. When my grandma makes it, I don't think she even uses a recipe. I was searching for recipes on the Internet to post, in case others were interested in making it. I think this one seemed close to what I remember of hers because I've made it with her when I was younger. Although I don't think she uses vinegar, but she does the second method cooking option like the recipe suggests where you preheat the oven and then turn it off after a couple minutes and allow the torte to cook for hours. Mine pictured below is topped in strawberries and whipped topping. I came across this lemon schaum torte recipe that I thought looked interesting to try to make in the future.

2. Chicken Rice Soup
Every time we would make the drive from Michigan to Wisconsin for as long as I can remember, when we would arrive my grandma would have homemade chicken rice soup ready for us for lunch. She normally uses bullion in her recipe, which contains wheat; but she makes a special batch for Kristen and me that doesn't use it. Mmm, I always try to replicate her soup, but hers is always the best.

3. Wisconsin Brick Cheese
These are my favorite Wisconsin things all wrapped into one trip! Because what is a trip to dairy land without cheese. We always buy brick cheese, which is a treat because we can't really find it other places outside of Wisconsin. It's a light, buttery tasting cheese which means you can eat slice after slice. I brought a couple pounds of it back to Texas with me!

Traveling

On this particular journey back to Michigan, we drove. Iivana came with me and it would be too hot during the summer for her to fly. My parents graciously picked me up and brought me back. I got back here Wednesday night. From Texas to Michigan, it is close to 25 hours of driving. With all the car time, eating gluten free while traveling can often be difficult. One thing we did that helped was pack meats, cheese, and fruit in a cooler. We'd stop at rest stops and take a break to have a little picnic. It always takes a little time to get all that food ready, but it is totally worth it because you know your food is safe to eat.

But for people who are in a pinch or didn't plan very well, I always recommend Wendy's. There are options besides just salads! Plus, they have a nice, helpful gluten free guide too. I always get their chili and a frosty.

If I'm feeling extra hungry, I order a baked potato with sour cream and chives.

Their chili is so filling and tasty. I even find it scrumptious on sizzling summer days; as long as you eat it in air conditioning.

I have many more updates to come about my trip. But this post seemed like a perfect transition post, now that I'm back in Texas.