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Review: BJ’s Brewhouse Gluten-Free Options

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 2 Comments

Today we took my dad out to celebrate a belated Father’s Day and birthday. We decided to give BJ’s Brewhouse a try, as it is right up the street and they had just added gluten-free pizza to their menu. I wrote an article a few weeks back talking about the new pizza and other gluten-free menu items.

There are a couple of things I want to point out about this menu. There is a note at the bottom of the menu that says “Items marked with F share fryers with other products that contain gluten.” The items marked with F are all of the appetizers, so stay clear of those. While I was disappointed that there was not a true gluten-free appetizer choice, I was pleased to see that BJ’s understood the importance of cross-contamination and noted it on the menu.

My son ordered the gluten-free cheese & pepperoni pizza. The pizza crust is an herb-infused 10″ thin crust that can be topped with your choice of toppings. **Meatballs are not gluten-free. My son was nice enough to share his pizza and allow me to have a bite. I was super impressed! The pizza crust was awesome! If I hadn’t known it was gluten-free, I would never have guessed it. I think it may be right up there with Zpizza!

As much as I wanted a pizza, I just had one at Zpizza the other night, so I opted for the garden medley salad with grilled salmon. The salad came topped with fire-roasted red peppers, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, feta cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette. I asked them to add avocado, too. The salad was great, but the salmon was overcooked. I loved the flavor combinations. I asked for the dressing on the side, as I always do, and it didn’t really need it with the avocado and feta cheese. The server and manager offered to get me a new piece of salmon, but I declined. They ended up taking it off of the bill. My dad ordered salmon and he was fine, so hopefully, mine was just a fluke.

My stepmom, Christy, ordered one of BJ’s giant stuffed potatoes. While Christy doesn’t have to eat gluten-free, her meal happened to be on the gluten-free menu, so I wanted to share it here. I couldn’t believe the size of the potato!! I took a picture of it with my Blackberry in the picture so you can get an idea of the size.

While there weren’t any desserts on the gluten-free menu, the Kid’s Sundae appeared to be gluten-free. On the reverse side of the gluten-free menu, BJ’s has an allergy list for all of its menu items. The sundae doesn’t have any wheat listed and after speaking with the server about the ingredients, we ordered it for my son. He inhaled it in under 2 minutes, so there is no picture. That is a teen boy for you!

We really enjoyed our meal at BJ’s and will be heading back in the future. I can’t wait to give one of those potatoes a try and then a pizza, too!

Have you had a chance to try the pizza at BJ’s? What did you think?

Review: Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bread

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 10 Comments

Earlier this month I wrote an article about Rudi’s new gluten-free Bread line. The gluten-free bread went on sale online earlier this week and I received some complimentary samples in the mail courtesy of Rudi’s. I received the bread on Wednesday, coincidentally it was right at lunchtime. I had been trying to figure out what I was going to make for lunch as I was cleaning up the kids’ mess and I heard a knock on the door. It was the UPS man, or the “gluten-free Fairy”, as I like to call him. I would never call him this to his face, but he is here quite a bit. I was excited to see the package was from Rudi’s. My lunch problem was solved!

I received one of each of the varieties of bread. I dove right into the Multigrain. I made a turkey, avocado, and spring mix sandwich with mustard. The bread is soft! I couldn’t believe that I was about to try yet another ground-breaking gluten-free bread! The gluten-free bread industry has come a long way and this year seems to be the time for these revolutionary gluten-free bread that doesn’t need to be toasted and can be stored on the counter.

Rudi’s joins Udi’s Gluten-Free and Canyon Bakehouse in the awesome gluten-free bread category. The bread is soft and has a great texture. The bread did fall apart a little in the middle while I was eating it, but I did have a lot on my sandwich, so that could have been more operator error than the bread itself.

I had the Cinnamon Raisin Bread for breakfast with some almond butter and fruit spread on top. I am storing the bread in the freezer. Rudi’s recommends keeping the bread in the freezer if it won’t be consumed within 4 days. I figured that I would be toasting this bread anyway, so keeping it in the freezer would work out just fine. I toasted the bread and added my toppings. I was really impressed with this bread. The bread was reminiscent of the Pepperidge Farm Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread, but with no swirl. I really enjoyed this breakfast.

Jon had the Original Bread for lunch with turkey & cheese. This bread was soft and tasted good, but not as good as the Multigrain. Jon said the bread was dry, but he doesn’t put any wet condiments on his sandwiches. I told him to add some ketchup. In his teenage boy’s way, he refused. I took a bite of his sandwich and it was no different in moistness level than the other 2 pieces of bread.

After tasting all 3 of these new gluten-free bread, I would have to say there is some steep competition out there. Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bread can be purchased online here. The bread is sold by the case. There are 8 loaves in a case for $42.78, which is $5.35/loaf. The price is comparable to Udi’s & Canyon Bakehouse. The one difference is that you can order Udi’s & Canyon Bakehouse by the loaf and Udi’s price goes down to $4.75/loaf when you order a case of their bread.

Gluten-Free Labeled Meal from Smart Ones

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 6 Comments

Every now and then I go gluten-free sleuthing at the grocery store. That means I randomly pick up products and start reading the ingredients to see if they might be gluten-free. I’ve found several things that were gluten-free, but not labeled as such when doing this. I’ve also found items that were labeled gluten-free, which is extra exciting for me. It’s likely that I might be flagged as one strange shopper at Publix. Most people don’t pick up thirty items, read the labels and walk out of the grocery store with only two things, after all.

Last week, I went grocery shopping with my husband and that’s not the best time to go gluten-free sleuthing. He’s a “get whatever is on the list and get out” kind of shopper. I’m whatever the opposite of that is. As I wandered rather aimlessly down the frozen food case aisle, the bright red Smart Ones boxes caught my eye. When I pulled the Santa Fe Style Rice & Beans out of the freezer, I noticed that the words “Weight Watchers” were listed above the product name. The ingredients were on one end of the box and the font was extremely tiny, but I thought I saw the words “GLUTEN-FREE” on the lower right side below the ingredient list. I assumed my eyes were playing tricks on me as I didn’t have my cheater glasses on so I pulled them out and sure enough, the product donned those magical two words – gluten-free.

Into the cart, my new gluten-free find went, even though the ingredient list was longer than any product I’ve seen in a while. The meal is 6 Weight Watchers points and has 310 calories. There is 16% of the RDA of fiber in it, but it contains 660mg of sodium. Yikes! Overall, I would not put this meal in the category of healthy products. However, in a pinch, it’s always good to know what convenience foods are readily available on the shelves of mainstream grocery stores. And as one who knows that gluten-free replacement foods often contain too much fat, sugar, and calories, having a low-cal meal with that much fiber (that cooks in the microwave) might come in handy every once in a while.

So, how was the actual taste of the Santa Fe Style Rice & Beans meal? I’m happy to report that it was surprisingly good. In fact, if it were not for the number of hard-to-pronounce ingredients in it, I’d probably keep it on hand in the freezer. It was a very flavorful meal and was quite filling, though it could have been spicier. We went through Santa Fe once and enjoyed some of the best Mexican food of our lives. This meal pales in comparison to the food in the city from which it gets its name, but it was tasty nonetheless.

When I contacted Heinz, who owns the Smart One’s line, they sent me a list of all of their gluten-free products. To my surprise, there were six other gluten-free meals in Smart One’s lineup listed. In addition to the meal I bought, the following meals are also gluten-free:

  • Smart Ones Broccoli & Cheddar Potatoes
  • Smart Ones Lemon Herb Chicken Piccata
  • Smart Ones Fiesta Chicken
  • Smart Ones Chicken Santa Fe
  • Smart Ones Cranberry Turkey Medallions
  • Smart Ones Honey Dijon Chicken

BJ’s Brewhouse Gluten-Free Menu

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff Leave a Comment

There has been some chatter across the web in the past few weeks that BJ’s Brewhouse has added gluten-free pizza to its menu. I emailed the company to ask for the gluten-free menu, as I couldn’t find it on their website. The initial email I received back had a gluten-free menu attached, along with a listing of all allergens in their menu items, but no mention of pizza on the gluten-free menu. I sent an email back asking specifically about the pizza. Turns out the gluten-free pizza is on the regular pizza menu! Who knew?

The menu is pretty extensive as far as gluten-free menus go. There are many salads on the menu, including several dinner salads. It is not common to see restaurants offering gluten-free soups, but there are 2 on BJ’s menu, a Tuscan Tomato Bisque, and Broccoli Cheddar. If you like potatoes, BJ’s has giant stuffed potatoes on the menu, just make sure to leave off the alfredo sauce, as it is not gluten-free. On the upside, it will make your potato a little healthier. Entree choices include 2 chicken dishes, steak or salmon. Then, the beloved pizza. Gluten-free pizza has just been added to the menu in May. All of the ingredients on the pizza menu page, with the exception of meatballs, are gluten-free. I may have to go every week or several times a week in order to sample all the varieties that I want to try! As far as viewing the gluten-free menu online, the only part I found online was the pizza on the regular menu pizza page. The entire gluten-free menu can be seen at the restaurant. I was able to get a copy via email.

BJ’S Brewhouse has locations in 14 states. BJ’s was started in 1978 by 2 guys who opened the first BJ’s Chicago Pizzeria in Santa Ana, California. In 1996, the first BJ’s brewery began production in Brea, California. The guests loved the handcrafted beer and the restaurant was renamed “BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery”. From BJ’s website:

Our passionate desire to provide extraordinary value for our guests in a high-energy, fun, child-friendly environment, along with a sincere commitment to support the communities in which we do business goes to the heart of what differentiates BJ’s from other restaurants. It is because of you, our guests, that we have been able to realize a dream and create the company and culture that thrives today. Thank you for being the biggest, and most important, part of what keeps our dreams alive!

Our Vision
To be the very definition of “WOW” for the casual dining experience.

Our Promise
Be the Best – Never Compromise!

The BJ’s Gold Standard of Operational Excellence
Our genuine commitment is to take pride in passionately connecting with every guest, on every visit, through flawless and relentless execution of every detail during every shift – to create and keep fanatical fans of BJ’s concept and brand.

I don’t know about you, but I am thrilled with another gluten-free pizza option out there. Uno’s Chicago Grill, Z Pizza, Boston’s Gourmet Pizza, Mama Mimi’s Take & Bake*, Mellow Mushroom*, and now BJ’s are just some of the locations where gluten-free pizza is available. It is awesome to be able to go out with friends and family and be able to eat pizza when they eat pizza. For children and teens, this experience can be priceless. The opportunity for your child not to stand out because of their diet restrictions means more than I could ever tell you. Sure, there will still be special ordering involved, but not many other kids will notice that. The experience of eating the pizza & giggling over it with friends will remain in their memories forever.

*Mama Mimi’s only offers gluten-free pizza on Thursdays
*Mellow Mushroom is only offering gluten-free pizza in select restaurants right now. They hope to go nationwide if the response is good. So, all of you with a Mellow Mushroom that serves gluten-free pizza – get busy eating pizza!

Qdoba’s Gluten-Free Menu

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 4 Comments

When you have celiac disease you really learn to appreciate the times you can easily eat at restaurants with your gluten-able friends. To be able to walk into a restaurant and order and know you can eat something is such a great feeling to someone who is restricted in what they can eat. It is an even better thing when restaurants clearly list allergens on their websites and what foods are safe to eat. Qdoba is one of those places. I am not much of a fast food fan, but burrito places are my indulgence, and I have always loved the roasted vegetables at Qdoba. It is nice to be able to get fast food that feels healthy and fresh compared to many of the alternatives. Earlier this year I wrote an article about the gluten-free options at Chipotle, which is another favorite of mine and I am equally happy to go to either.

Official Website Menu Information: Qdoba Gluten-Free Menu
Location Finder: Find a Qdoba Location Near You

Most of their items are naturally gluten-free, and their allergen page lists exactly what has wheat and what could possibly be cross-contaminated with wheat. Unfortunately, their chips are out, as they are fried with flour tortillas, but they do offer soft white corn tortillas that are listed as safe. According to their allergen list everything is wheat-free except for the tortilla chips, strips, taco shells, flour tortillas, brownies, ancho chile BBQ, fat-free ranch dressing, and the fat-free picante ranch dressing.

I have always enjoyed the flavor of their grilled vegetables which are not offered at Chipotle, so today I ordered a naked burrito (with no tortilla, served in a bowl) with the grilled vegetables (zucchini, yellow squash, and red pepper) and fajita vegetables (bell peppers and onions) and a side of their spicy queso dip. Today, I took my order to go and enjoyed the cheese dip at home with my own chips, but on other occasions, I would bring my own chips. The location I went to today seemed very knowledgeable about how to handle food allergies.

As always, you need to be aware of the risk of cross-contamination whenever eating somewhere where gluten foods are prepared. My usual practice when going somewhere where I watch them put together my food is to let them know I am gluten-free, or sometimes I will just say I have a wheat allergy because not everyone is aware of what gluten is. I then ask if they can replace their gloves and about 95% of them are already happily starting to do this before I finish my sentence. Since it seems people tend to grab the cheese with their hands, I will sometimes ask if they can grab cheese out of a new container.  Qdoba and Chipotle keep new cheese containers right under the work area, so they can easily grab some for you and not hold up the line.

Qdoba and Chipotle are both my top places to go for a quick meal. I am pretty sensitive and have always had a positive experience at both of these places. At Chipotle it is nice to be able to have the chips to add some crunch to my burrito bowl, but Qdoba has grilled vegetables that I love, and for a non-meat eater that is a great thing.

As always, when dining out gluten-free, do your due diligence and make sure the staff understands your needs. There are very few restaurants that are 100% gluten-free, so cross-contamination is always a risk. If you don’t feel comfortable with what you are hearing from the staff, perhaps it is best to dine elsewhere.

For information about other gluten-free restaurants menus, check out our gluten-free restaurants page.