Gluten Free Pizza at BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse - Thin Crust, GF Beer, 2 enthusiastic GF thumbs up.

So, I just ate lunch at BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse in Newport Beach, near the Balboa Pier.
BALBOA
106 Main St.
Newport Beach , CA 92661
949.675.7560
949.675.7567 FAX
At Balboa by the Pier

It is a small place, with friendly waiters and a nice ambiance.

They have some new menu items that are GF, and their new gluten free pizza is the feature item in a new promotional campaign.

Here is the table flyer...

I shared my concerns about cross contamination (why Whole Foods gluten-free pizza is to be avoided) with the waiter, who assuaged my fears by explaining that the GF pizza has a separate prep station, separate sauces, and is very obsessively kept apart from the normal pizza.   

According to their Gluten-free selections menu, they have 5 salads, some soup, 4 types of stuffed potatoes, steak, salmon, and roasted chicken that can be prepared in a gluten-free manner.  I opted for the Gluten-Free Thin Crust Pizza. 

  Their menu describes it as "A flavorful, herb-infused, 10-inch crust baked to a golden brown and topped with your favorite gluten-free toppings.  With the exception of our meatballs, all of BJ's Classic Ingredients are gluten-free."

I opted for Hawaiian with a twist. Ham, Pineapple, Roasted Garlic.  I ordered a gluten-free beer on the side (Redbridge, reviewed in another post).  It arrived looking good, and tasted better.

The entire meal, pizza with three toppings and a $4.50 beer, came to less than $20.  It was great to be out at a pizza place at the beach, with beer and without worries.  I hope that this brings BJ's some additional business so that they keep the gluten free pizza.  I know I will be back, and bringing other customers with me.

Here is a photo of the outdoor menu..

The official website is here.  The pizza toppings are here.

Place to Try - Gluten Free Pizza at zpizza

Z Pizza has numerous locations.  Someone I know recently told me about the zpizza gluten free pizza crust option.  I have yet to check it out.  I want to double check if they use a separate station for the GF toppings to avoid cross contamination (CC for you GF geeks) and watch them make one before I can actually tell you to eat there....that said, look at the GF menu options here, the locations here, and let me know if it is worth going to (should you try it before me).

          Full disclosure: The pictures are from my screen shots of their website.

Product Review and Recipe - San-J Gluten Free Teriyaki Stir Fry and Marinade

Quick and simple recipe. Tastes like real teriyaki without the gluten.
Note: I'd like to make this again and use some pineapple.
food needed - chicken, rice, sauce, optional vegetables, olive oil
cookware needed - i use a wok.  rice cooker or pot for rice. something for whatever vegetables you want (not high on my priority list)
1.  Start rice cooking.
2. Cut chicken into pieces
3. Put a little oil in wok and then stir fry the chicken until it begins to brown.
4. Add teriyaki sauce (GF only) and continue cooking chicken until done (about 5 mins)
5. Make vegetables of your choice (maybe steamed)
6. Combine on plate artistically.
7. Eat and enjoy.

The finished product.  Yum.

Product Review - Trader Joe's Curried Lentils: Inexpensive hot lunch

Trader Joe's Curried Lentils on Cumin Flavored Basmati Rice are vegetarian and contain no gluten ingredients.  Great to microwave for a filling, inexpensive lunch or dinner (540 calories and 22 grams of protein).  Doesn't look like the package, but tastes great.  Close your eyes and it will taste much better... like an indian babyfood. 

Organic Almond Non Dairy Beverage

I was in Whole Foods and noticed a product that seemed far too cheap to be good.  There were 4 single serving Chocolate Almond beverages...gluten free and 4 for $1.50 (being phased out at Whole Foods).

Thought I'd give it a try.  8 oz and 100 calories per serving (small package).

In short: Like chocolate milk but without the chalky factor. Dairy-free and soy-free.  I'd drink it again...especially for less than 40 cents a box.  Left me refreshed and feeling slightly guilty (like I had eaten a chocolate bar and hidden the wrapper).  12 oz serving would be nicer.

This product is from Pacific Natural Foods. The direct product link would be found here. I got the picture from their website.


You can order it from amazon. It is about $22 for a 24 pack (not a bad price). 

CeliacsUnited.com hits 1000 views. (awesome*awesome=awesomer)

Not really a post...more of a milestone.  Sometime during the middle of last week (let's say Wednesday the 10th) the blog got its thousandth view.  I created the blog as a resource for myself, however it is gratifying that there are others of you out there using the blog as a go to place for information that you need to know but don't want to memorize.. ie. what is celiac disease?  what contains gluten?  what GF alcohol can I drink? 

As most of you do not comment, I have no idea what it is the brings you back... convenience? humor? bad puns? good resource?  a fellow celiac angelino?  anyway...thanks for reading.

GF Soy Sauce - Wok up an appetite

Gluten Free Soy Sauce...?  
Essential if you want to create stir fry dishes.  Lots of things I used to enjoy to eat elsewhere I must now create at home (how I miss you orange chicken 3 item combo...).  I'm planning to cook some GF Mongolian Beef sometime in the not-to distant future.

Anyway, back to the GF soy sauce...

I use the kind seen to the left in the ad...but I buy mine in a larger size for less money at Vons.  That said, wherever you buy it...be prepared to pay more than you think it should cost...(haven't you learned yet? GF versions of gluten items are generally more expensive)...also, my apologies for that long, strange, run-on sentence...I liked the sentence less than I wanted to, but not nearly enough to change it.

Overheard in the grocery aisle. 
Person 1 - "Do you have any gluten free soy sauce?"
Person 2 - "Isn't soy sauce made out of soy?"
Person 1 - "I'll take that as a no."
Yes, you devotee of Sherlock Holmes ...I was Person 1 in the story. 

I've located the San-J brand GF soy sauce at Vons and at Whole Foods.  The price at Vons is much better for keeping your money in your wallet...it is the exact same product.

As always, check the label for yourself to make sure that you are getting a GF product.  I have a list here of things that contain gluten.Wheat free is not always gluten free.

Wok are you waiting for...?  get out there and start stir frying!  and if you come up with a good version of GF Mongolian beef, please leave me the recipe as a comment.