NATIONAL GRILLED CHEESE MONTH

Can you tell I'm a fan of grilled cheese sandwiches? Being a gluten-free vegetarian has never stopped me and if I go vegan (not unlikely) I'm sure you'll see me with a grilled Daiya sandwich in hand!

 

AT PETER'S DINER NYC

SHOPPING FOR GLUTEN-FREE COOKIES

These gluten-free cookies were great! Buttery, sweet enough for my huge sweet tooth and reminiscent of the shortbread cookies (Walker was always my favorite brand) I'd enjoy before my celiac diagnosis. Only one thing makes these cookies a 9 out of 10.

GLUTEN FREE VEGETARIAN AT CRESPELLA BROOKLYN

This tiny four-stool eatery and take-out shop is a must-visit for any gluten-free Brooklynite or visitor the borough of Kings. And if you're a gluten-free vegetarian, you will be happy there, too. This creperie is manned by two personable young gents who oversee the miniscule prep area from which comes a very long list of savory or sweet crepes. I chose

GLUTENFREE VEGAN SPRING GREEN ASPARAGUS SOUP: OLD FAVE

Herbs and vegetables are great starting points for a spring dish and this fresh green asparagus soup is no exception. Here's the recipe:

GLUTEN FREE PEPPER CHEESE MUFFINS: Simply Gluten-Free Quick Meals

If you want the feeling of security that comes with making your own gluten-free meals at home, but hate the seemingly endless ingredient lists that accompany many gluten-free recipes, then this wonderful cookbook, Simply...Gluten-Free Quick Meals is for you, and this variation on one of Carol Kicinski's recipes admirably proves that simplicity can be delicious. 

RAW VEGAN GLUTEN FREE TREATS AT ONE LUCKY DUCK NYC

One Lucky Duck is the cozy, more affordable (but not cheap!) 18th Street little sister of the venerable and elegant Pure Food and Wine around the corner on Irving Place, not far from Union Square in Manhattan, NYC. 

BACK AT NAKED PIZZA FOR A GLUTEN-FREE PIE

Back to my neighborhood (well, after a bit of a walk...) Naked Pizza, this time to try some different toppings on their gluten-free crust: black beans, spinach and sundried tomatoes. I have to say that the sun-dried tomatoes with the NP tomato sauce is such a success it should almost be a required ingredient!

GLUTEN-FREE LUNCH AT THE CITY BAKERY NYC

Although I spend as much time as the next celiac reading gluten-free online menus of local restaurants before I take the plunge and spend some cash for a meal I want to be sure won't ruin my health, there are times I need to go with the good old "naturally gluten free" dishes to be found at the most unlikely of spots. Such as The City Bakery, in the Flatiron district of Manhattan, NYC, just a couple of blocks west of Union Square.

GLUTEN-FREE VEGAN MOTHER'S DAY

How about a light gluten-free vegan lunch this Mother's day? I'm posting this early so you have time to purchase a useful little heart-shaped cookie cutter, which as you can see below has many more uses than the traditional one. In addition to carrots and beets, try red peppers (roasted or raw) and cheese hearts (vegan or not). Or toasted heart-shaped croutons for your salad!

These cookies always make me think of tea parties, with their crunchy nuttiness, yet light lemon flavor. Here, they're shown baked with soy flour, but I find a mix of millet and sorghum to be a fine substitute for soy, if that's an ingredient you avoid. Here's the recipe.

GLUTEN FREE MUSHROOM POTATO PIE

This delicious gluten-free pie is one of those recipes whose quantities depend on the pie plate you use, so if only precisely measured ingredients work for you, please move on to the next recipe you see here. (But you'll be missing out on a tasty pie!)

GLUTEN FREE BRONX FIND: ATTIEKE

For a gluten-free celiac, immigrant neighborhoods, such as Little Senegal along 116th Street in Manhattan, can be a source of items such as these, which are almost impossible to find in mainstream groceries:

Last Sunday, a trip to the 1840s home of writer Edgar Allen Poe in the Fordham area of the Bronx led me to an African grocery across the street and what I found there will be a welcome addition to my gluten-free pantry.

DOLE RECALL IMPORTANT TO VEGETARIANS

LETTUCE RECALL

INFO HERE

GLUTEN-FREE VEGAN DINING AT V-NOTE NYC #2

Back again at the NYC upper east side restaurant and organic wine bar, V-Note, where a gluten-free menu provided upon request, we ordered chile relleno and mushroom tomato risotto. Portions were so generous that the chile plate was not quite finished and leftover mushroom risotto made a light lunch for two the next day (black beans and cheese added).

GLUTEN FREE VEGAN FREEFROM GINGER COOKIES

These Ginger Golden Crunch cookies are wheat-free, gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, and taste great, too! The combination of brown rice flakes and millet flakes give the cookies a real shortbread-like texture, and the mix of coconut and ginger is a total success. This is, however, a very sweet cookie.

GIVEAWAY: $10 DISCOUNT AT LUCKY VITAMIN

Leave a comment below WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS to enter this giveaway.

You will receive a $10 discount on your next order at LuckyVitamin.com.

Check out their gluten free section for excellent products at great prices!

Winner will be chosen at random from all valid entries received through April 30, 2012, and will be notified by email (don't forget to include yours, either in your comment here, or in an email to glutenfreeveg@gmail.com). One entry per household, please. Void where prohibited. Full disclosure: This giveaway is provided by LuckyVitamin.com, a supporter of this blog. You have 72 hours to get back to me after being notified you are a winner, after which a new winner will be selected.

GLUTENFREE VEGAN HUMMUS THREE WAYS: OLD FAVES

When the days get longer and sunnier, I always love to have dips and vegetables around like the sweet red pepper, edamame or garlic dips below. It's party time!

I was buying these tomatoes because of their beautifully patterned skin. The cashier asked, "You know they're hollow, right?" I hadn't known, and became even more interested in them!

DO YOU KNOW GLUTENFREEFROMNYC ON FACEBOOK?

GlutenfreefromNYC is a great place to find news of interest to healthy eaters, links to other gluten-free food blogs with a vegan, vegetarian or raw food slant, and to reviews of restaurant that are gluten-free veg friendly. Hope you LIKE it!

GLUTENFREE VEGAN ROASTED VEGETABLES ON LEMON KALE

I know. More vegan gluten-free roasted vegetables. Isn't this supposed to hit me in the fall? I don't know why, but it's hit me now. OK, the version above:

GLUTEN FREE VEGETARIAN LUNCH AT HOPE AND ANCHOR, BROOKLYN

A shopping trip to IKEA in the Red Hook area of Brooklyn led to a stop at this comfortable neighborhood eatery. If you're a gluten-free vegetarian, there are salads and omelettes, and a pleasing awareness of celiac needs.

GLUTEN FREE VEGAN ORGANIC DELIGHTS AT SUN IN BLOOM BROOKLYN

For the gluten-free vegan feeling lost in Brooklyn without Manhattan's famous Babycakes or Tully's gluten-free bakeries, fear no more. Sun in Bloom might (dare I say it?) be an even better choice.

GLUTEN FREE VEGAN YAM BEAN STEW: OLD FAVE

This is one of the most popular recipes at wheatlessandmeatless. With the weather as unpredictable as it's been lately, it makes sense to have something warming on hand.The flavor of this hearty, gluten-free, lowfat and colorful stew is rich and satisfying, and if you use canned beans, this beautiful dish will be done in minutes. Follow instructions to make the stew as spicy as you prefer. Serve on rice, in a tortilla, over steamed broccoli, or on its own. Versatile and delicious!