Treetops Tapas and Grill at Tigh Na Mara

Last month my husband and I went up to Tigh-Na-Mara to soak in the mineral pool and enjoy the endless Tapas at the Treetops Tapas & Grill. I spoke to a couple of people on the phone and sent a couple of emails and it wasn't looking good until I got a call from a man named David from sales and catering. He was amazing. He assured me that he would make sure the chefs at the spa took care of me. I was nervous because I honestly felt that the odds on eating several different dishes without any gluten sneaking in were pretty low but I was willing to give them a chance.

We didn't go up for any spa treatments, just the dip & dine which is a nice treat. First we spent a couple of hours soaking in the mineral pools and then we put on our robes and went up to the restaurant to eat. We made early reservations so that we wouldn't hit a dinner rush which is a good strategy for celiacs, you always want to make sure the kitchen staff have the time to pay attention to your meal.

Well, they were amazing. I expected good food but they went above and beyond my expectations.

Tiger Prawn & Coconut Risotto
Lemongrass & Fresh Snow Peas

Portabello Pesto Pasta

Fresh Spinach and Buttermilk Cream

Gluten Free 

Lavender Honey and Tiger Prawn Salad
Nanoose Edibles Farm Greens

Tamarind and Lime Marinated Lamb Chop
(They brought me one without the cous cous but I don't have a picture of it)

Seared Ahi Tuna
Spice Encrusted
Sticky Rice, Vine Leaves
Cucumber and cilantro raita

Dungeness Crab Tien
Lemon Fromage Frais
Micro greens
Champagne Vinaigrette
(The brought me one without crackers)

Pork Tenderloin
Sun-blushed tomatoes
Feta cheese, Kalamata olives
My husband's was served on a Basil Orzo salad and mine on a bed of greens with a nice dressing

Grilled Scallops
Green chili relish
Smoked paprika oil

There were a few other dishes that I ate but didn't take any pictures of and several others that my husband was able to eat but that I couldn't partake of. At the end of this feast I told our server I certainly didn't expect any dessert because no restaurant I had ever been to served a gluten free dessert but that I would love a cup of tea and some fruit.

Then she brought me this:

Flourless chocolate cookie, chocolate mousse, strawberry mousse in a dark chocolate shell, a macaroon, a meringue with strawberries and whipped cream and creme brulee.

I'm not embarrassed to say I actually cried a little bit. I never get dessert out which is why I am constantly baking at home.  This was such an amazing treat. 

Then we did this some more. 

It was a perfect day and I would like to thank Tigh-Na-Mara for caring enough to feed me well. I am extremely sensitive to the slightest contamination and I didn't get sick. We will be back for more. 

Finding the silver lining

Celiac sucks and being 100% gluten free is really hard sometimes but days like today it is all worth it. 

2 1/2 months ago I could not walk my youngest son to school. 6 blocks was too far for me. My arthritis was crippling, I had no energy, every part of my body hurt. SIX BLOCKS was beyond me. I was terrified at the thought of living another 60 years in this body slowly becoming more and more crippled.

Today I completed my intro level sea kayak certification. An 8 hour long course, 4 of them in a kayak paddling against wind in ocean swell. Wet exits, eskimo rescues, using my upper body strength to lift and turn kayaks in the water and climb in and out of the boats. It was exhausting but I am so proud of myself. I was the only woman in the course and the other 3 participants were military men in great shape (my husband and 2 coworkers). I kept up with them all day and did everything that they did. Occasionally it took a couple of tries but I did it. 

The 2 coworkers and the instructors were horrified at lunch when I was telling them what I can't have because of celiac but it didn't phase me at all. Go ahead and eat your sandwich, drink your beer ... being gluten free has given me a life I always envied in others. 

I'm so happy right now. Exhausted and sore but happy. 

Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Strawberries and rhubarb were both on sale at the grocery store this morning so I made a crisp!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

1 cups white sugar
3 Tbsp GF all purpose flour blend (I used Pamela's Baking Mix)
3 cups chopped rhubarb
3 cups sliced strawberries
2 cups Gluten Free Oats (I used Bob's Red Mill)
1 1/2 cups GF All purpose flour blend (Again, I used Pamela's)
1 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Combine white sugar, 3 Tbsp flour and the fruit in a bowl, spread into a greased 9x13 baking pan.


In another bowl use a pastry cutter to combine oats, flour, sugar, butter and cinnamon.


Spread oat mixture over the fruit mixture. 


Bake for 45 minutes or until topping is golden brown. 


I have fiddled with this recipe a lot. I've doubled the fruit, used 3 cups of oats and less flour, less butter, less sugar, different fruit ... it's pretty flexible and really delicious. So don't be afraid to change it up if you have different stuff on hand. Just don't use less than 6 cups total fruit or 1/2 a cup of butter. 

What's For Dinner?

I noticed on some celiac/gluten free forums that people have a hard time finding things to cook for dinner. I cook for a family of 7 every night so meal planning is a must. I thought I would share a month of our menu. I try to keep repeats to a minimum but there are a couple.

1. Lentil soup, salad and GF cornbread
2. Hamburgers, steamed cauliflower and baked potato wedges
3. BBQ salmon, brown rice, steamed broccoli
4. Grilled skewers from M&M meats (they have several GF varieties), grilled asparagus and rice
5. Roast turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn
6. Turkey tostadas with homemade corn tortillas
7. Bacon & eggs, hashbrowns and fruit salad
8. Asian peanut butter pork, rice and broccoli
9. Green Thai curry with chicken, zucchini, carrots and baby corn, rice
10. Beef stir fry with lots of vegetables and rice or rice noodles
11. Salad and turkey soup made with the bones from last week's turkey
12. Tacos with corn taco shells, ground beef and homemade taco seasoning along with all the usual taco toppings
13. Breakfast skillet with potatoes, eggs, sausages and toast
14. Sole fillets fried with panko crumbs, cauliflower and rice
15. Chicken nuggets, fries and tabouleh
16. Maple salmon, brown rice and corn on the cob
17. Grilled steak salad and baked potatoes
18. Butter chicken, curried cauliflower and rice
19. Prawns sauteed in garlic butter with rice and grilled zucchini
20. BBQ chicken, Macaroni and cheese (I'll post a recipe for feeding a mixed family of gluten and GF eaters) and salad
21. Homemade pizza
22. Fritatta with potatoes, peppers and mushrooms, fruit and bacon
23. Beef stir fry with lots of vegetables and rice or rice noodles
24. Asian peanut butter pork, rice and broccoli
25. Hamburgers, salad and fries
26. Maple salmon, brown rice and steamed carrots
27. Chili and cornbread
28. Korean Ribs, rice and steamed broccoli

I don't generally plan a full 31 meals because there are always at least 3 evenings a month where we eat leftovers or eat out or just feel like oatmeal and tea.

That menu doesn't look any different from a regular meal plan does it? That's because it isn't. It's pretty much the same food we ate before I had to stop eating gluten. I just cook with some slight modifications. Where ever there is a bread product I either purchase a gluten free alternative for myself and a regular version for everyone else or I bake a gluten free version for everyone. I check labels obsessively and only use gluten free soy sauce, barbecue sauce, spices and I thicken soups and gravies with potato flour. Instead of burrito or fajita night we now have taco night and tostada night. We don't eat pasta often but when we do I make the sauce gluten free and cook seperate pasta for myself and everyone else.

For desserts this past month I have baked:

1. Holy Cow Cake from The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten Free
2. Gluten free apple crisp
3. Gluten Free Pantry Chocolate Truffle Brownies and vanilla ice cream
4. Boston Cream Pie from The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten Free
5. Coconut Cupcakes ... these were a bit of a disaster
6. Banana Splits

Cactus Club Cafe - First Review

I went to Cactus Club with my Mom and Grandma for Mother's Day and we had a lovely meal. You can check out their gluten free menu here.

This is half of the Raincoast Greens Salad, my Mom had the other half.

My Mom and I shared the Raincoast Green Salad and they were nice enough to split it between two bowls for us. It was really nice. Definitely a decent meal all by itself (if you ate the whole thing) and the only meal that is gluten free without leaving anything out.

Tuna Tataki with my own homemade gluten free ponzu poured over top.

I also ordered the Tuna Tataki without the Yuzu Vinaigrette. I brought my own homemade gluten free ponzu sauce and poured it over the tuna. It was wonderful.

Cactus Club Cafe was really nice about accommodating my needs. My food was brought out separately by the manager. I'm not sure if he cooked it himself, oversaw the preparation or just carried it to the table but it did show an extra level of care.

My only complaint is the usual... no gluten free desserts. I will go back for this meal again but it would be nice to end it with something sweet. Our server offered me a bowl of vanilla gelato with chocolate sauce but I am concerned with the risk of contamination in a tub of gelato that is being scooped into over and over again so I just had tea.

Udi's Cinnamon Raisin Bread

I grabbed a loaf of this bread the other day, I've been wanting cinnamon raisin bread to have for breakfast with my chai. Like most gluten free breads you will pay $6-$7 a loaf which is steep even for good bread and robbery for most of the barely edible gluten free offerings out there. Thankfully this is very good. Really, really good.

I usually put more effort into taking pictures for my blogs. Make sure the lighting is right and the food is positioned just right... not this time. I ate the first piece and then thought I should probably take a picture of this. So I did. On my messy desk. And then I ate it. 

The gold standard for gluten free breads seems to be whether or not you can feed it to gluten eaters. You could definitely feed this to your gluten eating loved ones but I think I'll keep it for myself and tell them it;s awful. 

VH Honey Garlic Sauce

This isn't really a recipe, more a product review. We are lucky to have VH sauces in Canada, they are almost all gluten free and made by Con Agra Foods who are very good about declaring gluten on their labels. It's nice to have gluten free sauces at regular prices.

I poured 1/2 a jar over 1 kg of chicken drumsticks and marinated them for several hours.

Then I cooked the chicken on the BBQ. While it was cooking I thickened the rest of the sauce in a little pot with some cornstarch and drizzled it over the cooked chicken.


Super good! I would definitely buy this again. Unlike their soy sauce which is nasty - but I guess that's a separate post.

Lefty's Fresh Food - First Review

Lefty's Fresh Food

As we all know, eating out for us gluten free folk is nerve wracking and doesn't always end well. It's nice to know there are places out there that care about our health and are happy, able and willing to make dining an enjoyable experience for us.

My son and I went to Lefty's Fresh Food in Qualicum Beach on a Sunday at lunch time.

Our waitress was very kind and patient and was happy to help me find a gluten free meal.

I ordered the Coconut Prawns and the Southpawtato Dippers. My son had a big gluten-filled Clubhouse sandwich.

The Soutpawtato Dippers came with 3 dips: sweet chili, chipotle mayo and a pesto mayo. The pesto mayo was not safe to eat but the other two dips were good. Unfortunately the potatoes were dry and not particularly good. I wouldn't bother with these again. You get a lot of potatoes for your $6 so maybe on another day the potatoes might not be so dry.

The Coconut Prawns were delicious. A hint of spiciness and served on a bed of creamy basmati and wild rice risotto. Definitely worth the $10 price tag. This is on the appetizer menu so it's not a large portion. Good for smaller appetites or with a salad or other appetizer to make a complete meal.

I will definitely go to Lefty's again and try something different. They stock gluten free pizza crusts and breads so they can make almost any sandwich gluten free.

My only complaints are that the waitress packed my gluten free leftovers in the same container as my son's sandwich so I wasn't able to finish my meal when we had to leave to catch a ferry. Also, a gluten free dessert selection would be nice.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are great, classic chocolate chip cookies. Your gluten-eating friends and family won't be able to tell the difference.

Don't they look perfect?

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I baked mine with the convection setting so I would suggest baking a very small batch first and adjusting your temperature and time accordingly.


1 cup white rice flour
1 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

2 cups chocolate chips

combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl with a whisk and set aside

In the mixer, cream the shortening and sugars until smooth
Add vanilla and 2 eggs, beat until nice and fluffy, scraping the bowl a few times.

Gradually beat in flour mixture until well combined

Stir in chocolate chips

Bake rounded tablespoons on parchment paper lined cookie sheets for approximately 10 minutes.

Cool on a rack. 

ENJOY!

Kinnikinnick All Purpose Mix

This mix is not listed for sale on Kinnkinnick's website currently. I phoned the company was told that it is currently listed as discontinued. Kinnikinnick is repackaging all their products and the All Purpose Mix might make a comeback in the future but nothing is for sure. It is still available at Save-On-Foods and perhaps Island Naturals though so I think I will stock up in case it doesn't reappear.

This mix makes amazing muffins. I haven't tried it for anything else like biscuits or buns because it makes such perfect muffins. 

There is a recipe on the back of the bag and I followed it with only a few small changes. I used half water and half orange juice for the liquid, added strawberries instead of chocolate chips, mixed in a little grated orange zest and sprinkled the tops of the muffins with sugar before they went into the oven.

Perfect, beautiful strawberry muffins. As good as any wheat muffins I've ever had. Soft, fluffy with a nice slightly crispy top from the sugar sprinkling.

The recipe on the back made 12 large muffins. 

Look at that! Fluffy muffin perfection. 

Welcome to Gluten Free Nanaimo

Hello and welcome.

You're probably here because you or someone you love is gluten free and you live in Nanaimo or are planning a visit. It is my hope that this blog will develop into a resource that helps people to enjoy all that Nanaimo has to offer the gluten free diner.

In addition to product reviews, shopping information, useful links and restaurant reviews I will be posting recipes whenever I manage to develop one that is worth sharing. Eating gluten free isn't always easy but it can be amazing and delicious and for those of us with gluten intolerance and/or Celiac disease it is always worth the trouble.