I love living in the Bay Area, for a million reasons, but most especially because of the incredible cuisine that originates from San Francisco and it’s nearby communities (and of course our fabulous weather).

That said, it’s sometimes feels like a struggle to find gluten-free friendly places within San Francisco limits.  But this 7×7 article sure proves me wrong… While I have devoured an Ike’s sandwich, this gluten-free-friendly article has put a number of restaurants on my must-visit list, including: Canteen, Zare at Fly Trap, American Grilled Cheese Kitchen, and Bacco.  Time to get my opentable reservations in order!

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Our Mac and Cheese girls night out (+ 2 toddlers) was a complete success.

We snagged one of the last tables (without having a long wait) promptly at 6 pm on a Tuesday night.

An array of cheesy (and one vegan) choices and of course, the long-awaited gluten free pasta (well worth the +$1.50).

My fellow GF friend loved her Bard’s Sorghum Beer; I tried the fresh tangy limeade, and some of the ladies went with the wine pairings with their mac and cheeses: chevre and sharp goat cheddar vs. pecorino and peppercorn.  Wine pairings with mac and cheese?  How much more delicious can it get.

Wonderful time was had by all; I plan to return many, many times to try the other versions.  Great service too! (and the chalkboard access for little kiddies is a huge plus).

400 40th street, oakland 94609
tel. 510.597.0400
info@homeroom510.com

http://homeroom510.com

Homeroom opens up today!  I already have a dinner date/girls’ night planned with my gluten-free and vegetarian friends to try out this fabulous new Oakland/Temescal restaurant.  With gluten-free pasta and a vegan dish (for my lactose-intolerant hubby); I hope to become a regular here!

Best of luck in their Grand Opening!

400 40th street, oakland, ca http://homeroom510.com
510.597.0400
info@homeroom510.com

Words can’t describe this unique San Francisco brunch place.  Well, maybe a few:

TINY (seats less than 20)
kitchy
delicious
gluten-free (options available)
Ahmed (once you’ll go, you’ll understand)

Visit on a weekday morning (I know, we all work… but take a morning off; it’s worth it); weekends are packed and be prepared for a looooong wait.

Many vegan options and if you’re super nice (and cool) Ahmed the owner will tell you what he can make GF for you.  I had the Glutton-Free French toast and it was amazing.

Red Door Cafe
1608 Bush St
San Francisco, CA 94108
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights

One of our family’s favorite Bay Area pizza places: Jules Thin Crust in Danville, CA.

Inventive (and healthy!) topping options, such as:

• Nitrate-free bacon, mozzarella, arugula, scallions, organic tomato sauce
• Brie, sliced pears, toasted almonds, rosemary, mozzarella

AND.. gluten-free and vegan cheese options!

820 Sycamore Valley Road
located in the livery & mercantile (in a shopping center; kind of hard to find, since the buildings look similar)
925-743-2790

I stopped dead in my tracks when I found gluten-free chicken noodle soup at my local Safeway store!

I like that the noodles (rice based) are very similar to “wheat” noodles; not clear, like Pho noodles.

Pretty satisfying, when in need of a quick lunch or snack; of course nothing beats homemade.

It’s been a cold (for the Bay Area) winter.  I’ve been consulting my favorite 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes cookbook and modified one of the gluten-free scone recipes to include the ingredients I had at hand (oranges, almond extract, and dried cranberries).

Voila. Homemade gluten-free Ravioli

I haven’t attempted homemade pasta in awhile; my first attempt resulted in so-so results (hard texture/chewy results).

Our friend Chef Brigitte (currently on Cooking Channel) was home for a visit and I asked if she wouldn’t mind lending her culinary skills to helping me make homemade gluten-free ravioli.

Here are some shots from our fun cooking session; Chef S eagerly willing to help out.  We used a premixed Gluten-Free French Bread mix for the dough; you can use your favorite GF bread or dough recipe.  We stuffed with a variety of ingredients (I went a little crazy at the market: fresh herbs, roasted butternut squash, pecorino, manchego, & mizithra cheeses, and italian sausage).

Brigitte added a lot more liquid & egg to the dough to ensure a nice soft, doughy texture.

Chef Brigitte with Sous Chef S rolling out the dough

My new favorite gluten-free lunch/snack/breakfast: Kinnikinnick’s incredible gluten-free bagels! I like “fancy” sandwiches… so cream cheese, sprouts, smoked salmon, fresh dill and basil and a little pesto spread make for a delicious lunch.

I have been poring over an exciting new cookbook that I just purchased, Cooking for Isaiah, which features gluten-free and dairy-free recipes. The PERFECT book for our family and our gluten-free/lactose-free needs!

This is the first dish I decided to try, as my Mom used to also make us a Chicken Tetrazzini when we were growing up, from Campbell’s Mushroom Cream Soup.

I substituted gluten-free breadcrumbs (from Mariposa Bakery bread) instead of rice cereal.

I’m looking forward to trying all the recipes; they all are very family-friendly and make you not miss the gluten!