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.