All From Scratch Bakery - Oviedo

All From Scratch Bakery will be permanently closing its doors on Friday, November 13th, 2015. 

Last week, we stopped at All From Scratch Bakery in Oviedo on our way home from school.  

All From Scratch Bakery is a vendor at the upcoming Food Allergy & Celiac Convention at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort on Saturday, November 22nd.  They only use natural and organic ingredients in their traditional, vegan, and gluten free desserts.  

Different scoops, pans, and mixers are used when making gluten free desserts.  All cookies are baked on parchment paper, and all gluten free cupcakes are made with liners.  They try to bake gluten free baked goods first thing in the morning, before they bake with wheat flour, or on a completely separate day.  All tables are washed and sanitized between creations, and they use a triple sink system or a high-temp dishwasher to clean everything.  

My girls and I shared the four different gluten free desserts we brought home.  First, we tried the gluten free mini pumpkin cupcakes.  We all agreed that the flavor of the cake was incredible, but it was a little dry.  The vanilla frosting was too sweet, so we had to scrape some off to enjoy our cupcakes.  Allergy warning: contains almond milk, coconut milk, and soy.  

Next up, we tried the push-up very vanilla cupcake with chocolate frosting.  Everybody loved the packaging of this dessert.  We found the cake to be pretty moist, and there was the perfect amount of frosting.  Allergy warning: contains almond milk and coconut milk.  

My twins and my international student all loved the gluten free brownie.  It was so perfectly fudgy, but I would have preferred it without the chocolate chunks in it, because I like plain brownies without any add-ins.  My kids definitely weren't complaining, because this was their favorite dessert.  Allergy warning: contains egg, milk, and soy.  

We also really enjoyed the double chocolate chunk cookie, which was labeled gluten free and vegan.  It was actually my favorite dessert from All From Scratch Bakery.  I was definitely a little skeptical, because I usually don't enjoy vegan baked goods, but it had just the right amount of chocolate for me, and we liked the texture and taste.  Allergy warning: contains almond flour and soy.

Gluten free baked goods are available every day, and I was told that the fudges and toffees are gluten free.  We will definitely  have to try them on our next visit.

You can read more about All From Scratch Bakery on their website here.

They will be baking gluten free pumpkin and sweet potato pies for Thanksgiving.  Pies need to be pre-ordered by November 15th, and they will be ready for pickup on Wednesday, November 26th.

What are your favorite gluten free desserts from All From Scratch Bakery?

All From Scratch Bakery
407-878-9591
2781 Wrights Rd, Suite 1225
Oviedo, FL 32765
www.AllFromScratchBakery.com

Creamsicle Smoothie for Williams-Sonoma Smoothie Week

Last fall, one of my favorite smoothies was my persimmon orange smoothie.  If you have never had a persimmon, you are really missing out.  I first tried them through Harry & David's Fruit of the Month Club when I was a teenager living with my parents.  They instantly became one of my favorite fruits.  I always buy Fuyu persimmons, the ones that are squat like a tomato.  I don't like the heart shaped ones that leave a furry coating in your mouth if you eat them before they are fully ripe.

Costco usually sells Persimmons at this time of the year in bulk, which is great, because they can be a little pricey at my local grocery stores.

When Williams-Sonoma challenged me to create a post on my blog for Smoothie Week featuring the oddest smoothie combination I have ever tried or would attempt to try, I decided to kick up my persimmon orange smoothie with some superfoods, and make it even healthier.  I was going to swap out the orange juice and plain yogurt in my old version for kefir and clementines, but my clementines were just not sweet enough, plus I only had four small persimmons to work with this week, so I couldn't do too much experimenting.    

You can see the chia and flax seeds in my smoothie, but all you can taste is that amazing creamsicle flavor.  

Creamsicle Smoothie

Ingredients

1 large ripe persimmon or 2 small persimmons - sliced and frozen for 30 to 60 minutes

1/2 C plain Greek yogurt 

1 C orange juice

1 tsp chia seeds

1 tsp flaxseed meal

1 tsp orange blossom honey (optional)

Directions

Blend all the ingredients together until smooth

Recipe Notes

I sometimes use my immersion blender to make smoothies, but when using chia and/or flax, I use my NutriBullet to better blend in those ingredients.  If you have a high quality blender, like a Vitamix from Williams-Sonoma, that would work great as well.  

As I purchase more persimmons and some sweet oranges or clementines, I would like to try making this smoothie with fruit and kefir instead of orange juice and yogurt.  It's always nice to have options.  

I used one 5.3 oz container of Stonyfield Organic Greek Plain Yogurt.  Your smoothie will be even colder if you freeze your yogurt for about 30 minutes before making it.  

If you can find some local raw honey, I highly recommend it.  We use Winter Park Honey exclusively now, and their orange blossom honey is one of our favorites.

I had some other ideas floating around in my head for Williams-Sonoma's weird, wild, and crazy smoothie week, but none of them came to fruition in time.  Someday soon, I want to try making an Elvis inspired smoothie with frozen banana, PB2 powdered peanut butter, kefir, and honey, with crumbled maple-candied bacon on top.  Isn't everything better with bacon?  I will probably be adding some chia and flax too, because I try to make my smoothie recipes as healthy as possible.  

What is your favorite weird, wild, or crazy smoothie?  

Hollywood Studios Caramel Popcorn

Yesterday, I purchased some caramel popcorn at Disney's Hollywood Studios after having dinner at The Hollywood Brown Derby.  We ended up bringing it home, because we had already eaten plenty of food last night.

I have previously written a blog post about Disney Popcorn, which is gluten free, dairy free, and vegan.

The caramel popcorn at Hollywood Studios contains popcorn, brown sugar, water, corn syrup, baking soda, and vanilla, making it gluten free and dairy free as well.  The page I looked at in the ingredients binder had no allergy warnings for the caramel popcorn.  

We got to bring our popcorn home in this cute little souvenir bucket.  Hollywood Studios has several popcorn stands that sell the caramel popcorn, three of which can be found right around Mickey's sorcerer's hat.  

As far as taste goes, it reminds me of Cracker Jack.  It was good, but I prefer kettle corn to caramel corn, because it isn't as sweet, and I love the combination of salty and sweet.  

Have you tried the caramel popcorn at Hollywood Studios?  

Trader Joe's Gluten Free Stuffing Mix & Candy Cane Joe-Joe's

This morning, we headed to the Trader Joe's in Winter Park to look for their gluten free stuffing mix and candy cane Joe-Joe's.

I didn't buy the stuffing mix, because I make my own cornbread stuffing, but two of my blog readers said it was very good, and one described it as delicious.  

Gluten Free Shampoo & Conditioner

Six years ago, on my gluten free tour of the Whole Foods in Winter Park, I was told that I should use gluten free shampoo and conditioner.  My first reaction - that's ridiculous!  I don't eat shampoo and conditioner, and gluten can't be absorbed through your skin and make its way to your small intestine, so I dismissed this recommendation.  

I was looking for a new brand of shampoo and conditioner though, because I no longer had access to my favorite hair care products from Pittsburgh, so I started buying ShiKai, the brand my tour guide from Whole Foods said was gluten free.  I didn't believe that I needed gluten free shampoo & conditioner when I started buying them, but not knowing what brand to try, I decided to go with the gluten free one.  I have been using ShiKai hair care products for 6 years, and all of their shampoos and conditioners are gluten free.  I usually purchase them from amazon.com or Vitacost.com.  

I am not sure if it is the Florida sun, the Japanese straightening treatment I get at Salon Libby, my ShiKai hair care products, or a combination of the three that have made my hair so much lighter since we moved to Florida.  I don't even highlight my hair anymore.  

This first picture was taken on my twins' first birthday, 8 1/2 years ago, when we lived in Pittsburgh.  

This recent picture, shows my much lighter hair, that is nice and healthy with ShiKai hair care products.  I like their highlighting shampoo and conditioner, the gold shampoo, and their intensive repair conditioner.  

A couple of months ago, I purchased Kirkland Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner from Costco, because I had heard they were gluten free, and my daughters needed some new hair care products, so I thought I would try them.  They are sulfate free, 100% vegan, paraben free, and gluten free.  My hair felt so incredibly soft and healthy when using them, but I am really sensitive to anything with a strong scent.  I have a hard time being around people who have on a lot of perfume and cologne, and I buy unscented lotions, soaps, etc.  I actually liked how the Kirkland products smelled when I washed my hair, but the lingering scent bothered me at times, so I have continued to use my ShiKai products.

I have noticed that I let water run into my mouth while washing and conditioning my hair, so I will continue to use gluten free shampoo and conditioner.  You might want to check out this great post called Gluten in Shampoo, Conditioner and Other Hair Products.  

Do you use gluten free shampoo and conditioner?  What is your favorite brand?  

Chocolate Muffins

I recently purchased individually packaged DeLand Bakery Gluten Free Chocolate Premium Muffins from my local Whole Foods.  My girls and I loved how they tasted, but they were a little dry, so I decided to try and make chocolate muffins at home.  

My starting point was a recipe for Chocolate Breakfast Muffins from Nicole Hunn's Gluten-Free on a Shoestring Quick & Easy.  On my first attempt, I made 36 mini muffins instead of 12 standard size muffins, and subbed Greek yogurt and milk for the buttermilk.  My girls loved them, but I felt like they needed to be a little sweeter, and I wanted to add some fiber.  Today, I added honey, flax, and more cinnamon to the recipe, and they were just perfect.  

You could make 12 standard size muffins with this recipe, but I always prefer to make mini muffins.  They are great for portion control, they cook faster, and they freeze really well.  

I highly recommend buying some mini muffin pans if you don't already have them.  I have a 12 and a 24 count mini muffin pan, because a recipe for 12 standard size muffins makes 36 mini muffins.  When converting regular muffin recipes to mini muffins, cut the cooking time by 10 minutes.  

My daughters said they like these muffins as much as their favorite Mexican chocolate banana muffins, which makes me happy, because they are easier to make.  

Chocolate Mini Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 C (210 grams) gluten free all-purpose flour
3/4 C (164 grams) light brown sugar - packed
2/3 C (53 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
8 T ( 112 grams) unsalted butter - room temperature
3/4 C plain Greek yogurt - room temperature
1/4 C + 2 T lowfat milk - room temperature
2 extra-large eggs - room temperature
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 T honey
2 T flaxseed meal

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease muffin pan/pans.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and cinnamon, breaking up any lumps of brown sugar.  Add the butter, yogurt, and milk, stirring well to combine.  Beat the eggs before added them to the batter, along with the vanilla, honey, and flax.

Stir the batter until smooth, then fill the muffin cups with a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, slightly heaping.  Bake the muffins in the middle of the oven for about 12 minutes, until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Recipe Notes

If you are using an all-purpose flour without xanthan gum, add 3/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum to the dry ingredients.  I use Cup4Cup or  Better Batter.

I use Rodelle Gourmet Baking Cocoa, which is Dutch processed, but you can use unsweetened natural cocoa powder.

Other products I used: Bob's Red Mill Organic Golden Flaxseed Meal, Stonyfield Organic nonfat Greek yogurt, and Winter Park Orange Blossom Honey.

If you are making 12 standard size muffins, cook them for about 22 minutes.

The first time I made these muffins, I didn't have any unsalted butter, so I used salted butter, and cut the kosher salt down to 1/4 teaspoon.

These muffins freeze really well, so they are a great make-ahead breakfast for the work/school week.  I defrost three at a time for a minute in the microwave, put some fruit on the plate, and I have two happy kids.

November 25, 2014 Update - This morning, I used 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of low fat plain kefir instead of the yogurt and milk, and the muffins turned out great.

Best Disney Resorts for Special Diets - Port Orleans French Quarter

I was recently asked by one of my blog readers what are the best resorts at Disney World to stay at for gluten free dining.  I am teaming up with Dana Zificsak from Magical Moments Vacations to answer that question in my new series called Best Disney Resorts for Special Diets.  First up, we will look at Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter.  My commentary will be in blue.  

Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter

Resort Type: Moderate

Location: Downtown Disney Resort Area

Transportation: Busses to all theme parks and water parks, boat transportation to Downtown Disney, shares busses with Port Orleans Riverside

Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter brings New Orleans charm into Walt Disney World. As an added bonus for the gluten-free crowd, it offers us the opportunity to taste some of its cuisine safely! This resort is the smallest of the moderate category and has an extremely intimate feel.

Port Orleans French Quarter is a quaint moderate-level resort. Its walkways are cobblestone streets, and the buildings make you feel like you are right in the beautiful French Quarter of New Orleans. When you check-in, you are greeted with Mardi Gras beads by a colorfully-dressed cast member, and Mardi Gras theming can be found throughout the resort.  

At 314-square feet, the rooms at this resort offer either two queen beds or one king bed. (Please note: the King Bed rooms cost a little extra) Each room has a split bathroom: the toilet and tub are behind a door, and the 2-sink vanity is outside that door with a privacy curtain.  This layout makes it possible for multiple people to get ready at the same time. There is a small table and chairs, a dresser and nightstand, a coffee maker, a safe, a closet rod next to the vanity, and an iron and ironing board. There is a refrigerator, so bringing perishables and keeping them in your room is possible. 

The rooms have exterior walkways but do not feel like motel rooms. From your window and walkway, you have the choice of three views. A Standard View is the least expensive, and these rooms often require a 5 to 10 minute walk to the main building/ bus station.  Pool Views are convenient for those families who want quick access to the pool. For a view of the river that passes by next to the resort, you can book a River View room. 

There is a fun pool with a sea serpent slide and a playground close to the pool. Guests here can also use the pool facilities at Port Orleans Riverside. The two resorts are connected to each other by bridge and boat. 

There is only one restaurant at Port Orleans French Quarter, Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory, a quick-service restaurant themed after one of the Mardi Gras float-making group's workshop and warehouse. At any food station, just ask to speak to a chef, who will take your order and prepare it in a safe environment.  Port Orleans has one of the best teams of chefs on Disney property.  They are committed to keeping people with special diets safe, and there are plenty of gluten free options to choose from at all of their restaurants. The best part about this food court is the gluten-free beignets. They are quite the treat and rare to be able to get something so out-of-the-ordinary from the usual dessert options of gluten-free cookies or brownies. I have come out of my way to eat here just for the beignets. 

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory has plenty of gluten free options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Besides the amazing gluten, dairy, egg and soy free beignets, which are available all day, we love to order the Mickey waffles made with Cup4Cup Pancake & Waffle Mix for breakfast.  Another great option at breakfast are the new breakfast bowls. You can create your own, or order the ham & cheese or the Western breakfast bowls.  

For lunch, several of the burgers and Po' Boys are safe options with gluten free bread, or you can order gluten free pizza made with Udi's pizza crust, stuffed baked potatoes, or allergy friendly chicken tenders.  

For dinner, you can enjoy jambalaya, burgers and a hot dog on a gluten free bun, a chicken sandwich, a house-made veggie burger, grilled fish sandwich, chicken salad or tuna salad sandwiches, allergy friendly chicken tenders, stuffed baked potatoes, or cheese or pepperoni pizza.  You can view all of the gluten free options for breakfast, lunch and dinner here.  Be sure to ask for a chef at one of the food stations.  

Another amenity that is convenient is the boat that takes you to either Port Orleans Riverside or to Downtown Disney, soon to be renamed Disney Springs. The boat is driven by dedicated cast members who enjoy sharing their love of Disney during your time on the river. Downtown Disney opens up a lot of different gluten-free dining opportunities such as Raglan Road, Cookes of Dublin, Splitsville, Rainforest Cafe, T-Rex Cafe, Bongos Cuban Cafe, and Wolfgang Puck. For gluten free treats, head to Erin McKenna's Bakery NYC.  Port Orleans Riverside has its own accommodating quick-service restaurant, and a table-service restaurant as well, both of which have very nice options for gluten-free diners.  

Boatwright's Dining Hall at Port Orleans Riverside is one of our favorite table service restaurants at Disney World.  You can read my review here.  I recently ate at Riverside Mill Food Court, and was impressed with all of their gluten free options as well.   Port Orleans Riverside is a short walk from Port Orleans French Quarter, so you can easily enjoy the restaurants at both resorts.  

Port Orleans - French Quarter's small size, river boat ride, and its now-famous gluten-free beignets make it a very easy and popular option among gluten-free Disney fans. 

Dana is a Disney fan with Celiac disease. She is also a travel agent for Magical Moments Vacations, Authorized Disney Vacation Planners. She specializes in gluten-free travel, and can help you book a perfect gluten-free Disney vacation. Her services are 100% free to you - you pay the same price you would if you booked directly with Disney, but when you book with Dana, you get one-on-one help from a frequent Disney visitor who knows the ins and outs of gluten-free dining at Disney World. To learn more about Dana and stay up-to-date on Disney specials, like her Facebook page: www.fb.com/traveldealsbydana, or you can request a free, no-obligation quote by clicking here: http://traveldealsbydana.com/request-free-quote/request-walt-disney-world-resort-quote/

Dana Zificsak, Agent
Magical Moments Vacations
(484) 886-9225
danaz@mmvagent.com

Find me on Facebook!

http://www.traveldealsbydana.com/

June 10, 2015 Update

Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory has adopted a new allergy-friendly menu.  You can view the gluten free options on this menu in my blog post about Disney's Port Orleans Resort Allergy-Friendly Menus.

The Crystal Palace - Magic Kingdom

Last night, we had dinner at the Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom.  We have never had breakfast at the Crystal Palace, but we have eaten lunch and dinner there many times since moving to Orlando.  It has always been one of our favorite buffets at Disney, and we enjoy seeing Winnie the Pooh and friends while we dine.

Make sure you check out the topiaries of Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger as you enter the Crystal Palace, a building that was inspired by Victorian greenhouses of the late 1800s.  

Very quickly, a chef came out to take me on a tour of the buffet, which wasn't very crowded at 4:30 when we were seated.  

I came back to the table with two large plates of food.  On my first plate, I have the peel-and-eat shrimp, sweet potato salad, roasted plantain salad, and Yukon Gold mashed potatoes.  

I also chose the following gluten free options: Mediterranean sauteed chicken with feta cheese, tomato, basil, and garlic; tilapia with citrus beurre blanc and spring vegetables; roasted salmon with Asian style pesto; fire roasted corn spoonbread; rice; and a new pork dish that they are testing out, that disappeared before I could take a picture of the sign.  

I later visited the carving station to pick up some turkey and sirloin steak, and I couldn't resist a second helping of the spoonbread while I was up at the buffet.  It has always been my favorite dish at the Crystal Palace. 

The only desserts on the buffet that are gluten free are the vanilla and chocolate soft serve, and the coconut flan, which my family raved about, but I did not try, because I don't like coconut.  The chef said she could bring me a chocolate chip cookie, or a house made brownie from the back.  My daughters and I have always loved the gluten free brownie with vanilla soft serve on top.  They told me it was as good as the gluten-filled brownies they had from the buffet.  

I enjoyed every dish I tried last night, but my favorites were the spoonbread, tilapia, salmon, the sweet potato and roasted plantain salads, and my dessert.  I actually enjoyed this meal more than our dinner at Boma last weekend.  The Crystal Palace can be very pricey though, especially for dinner.  One tip our server gave us it to book the last lunch seating at 2:45, so you get to enjoy some lunch dishes like the flank steak and ham at the carving station, before the dinner items start coming out at 3:00.  The only differences between lunch and dinner are the price, the meats at the carving station, and the peel-and-eat shrimp.   

I love the ambiance at the Crystal Palace, and all the great pictures of my daughters with the characters that I have taken over the years.  Tusker House Restaurant and the Crystal Palace are definitely my favorite restaurants for character dining at Disney World.  

You can make advance dining reservations for the Crystal Palace on Disney's website here.

What are your favorite gluten free dishes at the Crystal Palace?

Disney's Countdown to Christmas Calendar

This morning, in the Port Orleans-French Quarter gift shop, I saw this adorable Countdown to Christmas Calendar.  It contains 25 milk chocolate presents, each in its own little window.  

I was so excited to see that they are gluten free!  I will definitely be picking up a couple of these advent calendars for my girls for Christmas.  Update - I went back later that day and purchased them for $13.95, minus my annual pass discount.    

October 31, 2015 Update 

I purchased two Countdown to Christmas Calendars today at Mouse Gear in Epcot.  The box looks almost the same as last year, except than Anna and Elsa have the coveted spot in front of the tree, and the ingredients and price have not changed.  My girls and I really enjoyed the chocolate presents, so I wanted to buy them again as soon as I saw them, because they sold out quickly last year.