The 5 Best Gluten-Free Things I Ate in March

Let's face it, sometimes it's hard to get excited about eating when you have celiac. It's not so bad getting a handle on satisfying things at home, once you have your go-to recipes and know where to get the best alternative ingredients, but eating out or with friends can be such a daunting task that you avoid it altogether. With so many celiac struggles, I figured it was time to focus more on the positives - all the great gluten-free things that I can eat!

I'm starting this new feature 'The 5 Best Things I Ate' every month not only to help remind myself of all the deliciousness I have enjoyed, but to share safe locations, delicious products and great recipes with you, too. Anyone who knows me can tell you I don't settle for mediocre food just because it's my only option. I always seek out the best, which is why I've also started a hashtag on Twitter and Instagram for further sharing with the gluten-free community: #celiacdoesntsuck. Sure, #celiacsucks a lot of the time (if Twitter's unending feed of the hashtag is any indication), but isn't there enough negativity floating around the internet already? Read on, and be inspired to eat better food, celiac be damned!




1. GF Jules's Limoncello poundcake

I was searching for something bright and citrusy for Easter when I came across Jules's recipe for a limoncello poundcake. With half a bottle of limoncino (the regional version bought on our holiday in Cinque Terre a few years back) still in the freezer, I knew I had found the winner. Since I'm always in the 'go big or go home' camp, I doubled the recipe so it could fit in a fancy bundt pan, perfect for our Easter brunch with friends. Jules apparently was as impressed as our guests, since she requested the photo to add to her recipe post. Thanks again, Jules, for making our Easter that much sweeter!




2. Truffle pasta in a parmesan bowl at Rudolph's in Hamburg

First off, finding a place that understands that gluten-free pasta can't just be thrown in the same water as glutenous pasta when feeding a celiac is next to impossible. Bless those Italians who know and understand this stupid disease. Add that safe pasta to some truffle and put it in a crispy 'bowl' made of parmesan, and this lunch special at Rudolph's in Hamburg was not only the best thing I ate last month, but perhaps so far this year. Decadent, but not too heavy. I would consider making the trip there just for this dish, no joke. (I'll be reviewing this place properly here on the blog very soon, so stay tuned because pasta is just the beginning of its gluten-offerings!)




3. The Sugar Hit's Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnuts

I started making these last year when I went on a doughnut-making kick and they are still one of my favorite recipes. The best part? They're yeast-free, so they come together in no time. A few minutes in the oil, roll in some cinnamon sugar and bam, hot, fresh doughnuts! So easy and delicious. No wonder Clementine Daily liked the looks of them! I've tried a couple different gluten-free flour options (just the same weight as glutenous flour in the recipe) and so far, my favorite is the starch-heavy Rewe Frei Von flour blend. Do let me know if you try them and what flour/s work best for you!




4. Bravo for Paleo's Plantain Nachos

Since my health has been a bit of a struggle lately (any other celiacs go through this regular roller coaster of wellness? ugh), I figured digging back into some of my favorite paleo recipes couldn't hurt, as any time I cut grains altogether (along with coffee and alcohol, which, let's face it, is a lot tougher), my gut feels much, much better. Monica's super easy nacho recipe (I use Fed + Fit's plantain chip recipe, since it's not so easy to come by the ready-made ones here in Germany: easy, but a bit more time-consuming than opening a bag) is such a great weeknight dinner in front of something like The Bachelor. I add cheese (not paleo), avocado, fresh coriander and a good douse of hot sauce - and try not to feel so guilty for eating nachos for dinner.




5. Easter Lakrids

I first discovered this flavor of one of my favorite candies last year on a sale shelf and have been waiting for Easter to come around again to see if they would be re-released. Thankfully, they were. Lakrid's Easter flavor, with crispy peppermint coating and a layer of milk chocolate around sweet, blissfully gluten-free black licorice, are my favorite way to satisfy my sweettooth. Plus, they're expensive enough to keep me from inhaling a whole jar in one sitting.



Don't forget to tag your positive gluten-free food photos and experiences with #celiacdoesntsuck - and help spread the gluten-free goodness!