CeliacChicks

Gluten-Free Amsterdam: Part Two

Please welcome Kathy Kelly (gluten-free since 2002) from Staten Island, as she shares the rest of her Amsterdam journey with us. Thanks again, Kathy!

Amsterdam is very lively. No matter where you go there are interesting things to observe.  Characters Bar & Grill at the Amsterdam Marriott is very accommodating but a little pricey.  They know all about gluten and will modify items for your needs. For about 23 euros I had a large salad, grilled burger and baked potato. Their menu includes grilled steaks, chicken and salmon. (address and more info)The name Characters certainly comes from what you will see while looking out the window. As I ate I saw the following: a group of young guys, one of whom was dressed in a tutu and butterfly wings, wearing a tiara, and waving a wand; someone in a gorilla suit, and many people riding on bicycles with baskets carrying their children or dogs.

Dinner at Restaurant Pantry was a sumptuous feast for a very fair price 21 euros. My meal consisted of a very large garden salad; roasted ham with mashed potatoes and vegetables - which was delicious; soda and coffee. There was so much food that I could only eat about half of it. It is a traditional Dutch restaurant and the staff will spend as much time as you need in going over the menu. They were warm and welcoming in their willingness to meet my needs. Please get to the restaurants before 7:00 p.m. so that the staff can specially prepare your meal.

On Sunday there was an all day free concert in the plaza at the Leidseplain and it rocked. The music could be heard for blocks. Everyone was dancing, singing, and enjoying themselves. A group of girls were body surfing an anatomically correct blow up man doll. When I wore myself out dancing, I was able to sit in one of the outdoor cafe/bars for a drink and relax for a bit. The plaza is surrounded on all sides by these cafes and clubs and you will find  everything from rock to sports to jazz to retro. Just stroll around and pick a place that suits you.

For a really good time go to Jazz Cafe Alto, a block off the Leidseplein, they have great live music and it is a laid back atmosphere with a mixed age crowd from 20's to 50's.  The barmaid, Daniela is fantastic and gets you served, unlike the usual long wait for drinks. Jazz Cafe Alto www.jazz-cafe-alto.nl

For the most part I have been eating foods that I have purchased in the markets.  I emptied out the minibar and I'm storing my food in there.  Following are the website addresses for markets that I highly recommend:  Marqt (farmer's market) http://www.marqt.com/, BioMarkt http://www.biomarkt.nl/ (this website is in Dutch) the address is Weteringschans 133-137 1017 SC Amsterdam

Another great market for gluten-free goods is Albert Heijn, one is right at the outskirts of the Red Light District (see this link for locations, there are many http://www.amsterdam.info/shopping/supermarkets/). 

 

 

Click on McDonald's menu graphics to enlarge.

Amazingly, on the back of their placemats, McDonald's has a list of all of the items on their menu and a chart of ingredients, including gluten. I went in to one and checked it out. Mostly it seems that a lot of the salads are gluten-free, and a few other items. There are several McDonald's in the area, so you will not have a problem finding one.

There are so many things to do in Amsterdam! There is a wealth of museums; scooter, bike, paddleboat,and boat rentals; canal tours; city bus tours; and my favorite thing which is just walking around and letting the day take me where it may. Everyone should go to Amsterdam at least once in their life. English is spoken fluently, so there is no language barrier. The Dutch are very sweet. They have a great energy and will always take the time to talk with you and to help you. The culture is laid back and they don't rush, go with the flow and enjoy it!

Gluten-Free Amsterdam: Part One

 

Please welcome Kathy Kelly (gluten-free since 2002) from Staten Island as today's guest blogger. Thanks for sharing, Kathy!

I love Amsterdam! My trip began on a Continental non-stop flight from Newark to Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. Continental provides gluten-free meals upon request at the time of booking.  It was suprisingly good.The meal consisted of a small green salad, sliced chicken over rice with steamed vegetables, fresh grapes, strawberries, and a Jennie's GF Coconut Macaroon. Before landing, I was given cut up fruit and another Jenni's coconut macaroon.

In Amsterdam, the best location to stay is near the Leidseplain. There are many hotels, restaurants, clubs, canal tours, and museums within walking distance. 

Upon my arrival at the Amsterdam Marriott, I asked the concierge about gluten-free food and dining.  He directed me to the Bio Mart, which is similar to a health food store in the US.  There I was able to stock up on gluten-free goods like power bars, gluten-free cereal, Schar brand crackers, cookies and bread; rice cakes, cheese, nuts and tomatoes. The prices are a little high, but worth having food to get me by.

While strolling around I came across Marqt at Overtoom 21-25 and found some great fresh items.  The market is open from the middle of May through the fall. Buying locally grown and produced strawberries, apples, pears, mushrooms, cheese and yogurt is a great way to eat healthy and delicious foods at low cost.

Gluten-Free India

Please welcome today's guest blogger who has chosen to be identified as the mysterious Gluten-Free Family Of Four In Boston. ~Kelly

We are just back from a trip to India, specifically the Golden Triangle comprising the cities of Delhi, Agra (location of the Taj Mahal), and Jaipur (the capital of Rajasthan.) We are a family of four, with two gluten free girls, ages 8 and 11. Complicating matters is that one of the girls is mostly vegetarian and the other is a ravenous carnivore.

Overall the food in India is fresh, unprocessed, gluten-free and delicious. The majority of food (with the exception of the obvious breads naan, chapati, and puri) is gluten-free. It is much simpler in India because you are not dealing with processed food so there are few hidden ingredients. A lot of the food is lentil and chickpea based and is almost always served with rice. 



Many meals, particularly in restaurants, start with papadam, which is made from lentils. This is great because so often my girls don’t get anything to eat until the main course and have to sit watching others eat bread sticks, etc. In India they ruined their appetites with papadam and I happily let them. Another great appetizer is pakoras. Pakoras are similar to vegetable tempura but with chickpea flour (aka gram flour.)

Gluten-Free Shopping in Scarborough, Maine

Here is the latest in our ongoing CeliacChicks Around The World feature. This was sent in by Kat Brooks. Thank you, Kat!

On 9-22-08 I discovered a fantastic store on Route 1 in Scarborough, Maine.  It's called Lois' Natural Marketplace and I felt like a kid in a candy store!  They had loads of gluten free foods - a great variety of manufacturers in all categories.  Quite a lot of it was produced locally by folks with celiac relatives and Lois, the owner, managed to get this huge assortment of foods in one place. 

There is also a sandwich and soup bar, and the chefs there make nearly everything gluten-free.  I got some Greek Chicken Soup and it was so nice to be able to eat something without worrying if the person just told me it was gluten free to brush me off.  Everyone I spoke to was very knowledgeable about celiac disease and they offered to special order anything I couldn't find.  It really was a pleasure to shop there!

The baked goods there are to-die-for! I can't even remember the last time I ate anything with pumpkin in it, which is my absolute favorite, and I was nearing ecstasy with their moist and decadent Pumpkin Chocolate Cake.  Yes, I ate the whole thing!  And this morning I ate the Blueberry-Peach Coffee Cake and that was delicious beyond words as well.  I am looking forward to polishing off my Carrot Cake tomorrow.

Gluten-Free Costa Rica Trip

Uvita National Park, Costa Rica. Photo courtesy of Magda Wojtyra.*

Anyone up for a week of hiking, kayaking, rain forest walks, beaches, swimming, zip-lining, and gluten-free meals enjoyed with a gluten-free nutrition and health expert?

[waving hand frantically] Oh, uh, I don't have any more vacation time left. [pout]