Key Lime Pie - Kermit's Key West Key Lime Shoppe

We recently took a 7-night cruise on the Disney Magic, which stopped in Key West, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and Castaway Cay.

While in Key West, the adults in my family were all determined to have a slice of key lime pie, one of my favorite desserts, pre-celiac.  Using the Find Me Gluten Free App, I was able to find a couple of stores that sold a gluten free version of key lime pie.  

The first one we saw on our walk to Ernest Hemingway's house was Kermit's Key West Key Lime Shoppe on Duval Street.  

They had one slice of gluten free key lime pie left, which was all we needed, since I am the only one that has to eat gluten free in my family.  

The crust was the not the graham cracker pie crust that I prefer with key lime pie, but I still really enjoyed my pie with its traditional pie crust, which reminded me of the prepared pie crusts I buy from Whole Foods to make chocolate chess pie.  The pie was creamy and tart, just like key lime pie should be.  You can view the recipe for Kermit's Key Lime Pie on the Food Network's website here.

I made a key lime pie with Kinnikinnick Graham Style Crumbs a couple of years ago, and it was amazing.  The recipe, which you can view here, was a bit more tart because of the addition of lime zest.  I only used 1 teaspoon of grated lime zest, instead of the two called for in the recipe.

What is your favorite restaurant or recipe for gluten free key lime pie?

The Wave Dinner - Disney's Contemporary Resort

Last night, we had dinner at The Wave...of American Flavors at Disney's Contemporary Resort.  We have eaten at The Wave for breakfast and lunch, but this was our first time dining there for dinner.  The Wave's menus feature healthful dishes that often contain locally sourced or organic ingredients.

We were the first table to be seated when they opened, and a chef appeared right away to take my order.  All of the entrees except the lamb chops and ravioli were gluten free or could be modified to be gluten free, and there were plenty of choices for appetizers as well.

I received a basket of Udi's rolls with butter topped with Hawaiian sea salt.  The rolls were a little dry, and I would have actually preferred the Udi's bread they serve at breakfast.  

For an entree, I chose the red wine-braised short rib with butternut squash puree.  The short rib was tender, flavorful, and paired well with the butternut squash puree, which might have been my favorite part of the dish.  I enjoyed eating every bite of short rib with a little bit of the puree on top.  This entree was so good, I would definitely order it again on our next visit.  

I wasn't sure I would like the rainbow carrots that were served with my entree, so I asked for broccoli instead.  It came out completely unseasoned, so I used the butter from my bread to add some flavor.  

For dessert, I was offered gluten free carrot cake, vanilla ice cream, fruit, or a gluten free brownie or cookie.  I asked about the creme brulee, which I had eaten on a previous visit for lunch, and the chef reluctantly told me that it was an option, but said if I got three of them, there would not be enough for other guests to have them as part of the dessert trio.  When I found out that the creme brulee was eggnog flavored, I certainly didn't want three of them anyway.  

The gluten free carrot cake is very heavy on the icing, but that's ok with me, because I love cream cheese icing.  After I was done with my dessert, I found myself wishing I had just ordered the carrot cake, which is very good.  

I took one bite of the creme brulee, then gave it to my husband.  I haven't had eggnog in at least 20 years, because I don't like it, and this goes for eggnog creme brulee as well.  My husband was very excited to have a second one, because he loves eggnog, and thought the creme brulee was great.  

For a third dessert in my trio, I asked for vanilla ice cream, which I was told would be Haagen-Dazs.  From the first bite, I thought it tasted a little strange, like it was old, but when I mentioned this to our server, she apologized, but never offered to replace it with anything.  My daughters had hoped to order the gluten free brownie with ice cream, because they love the OMG...It's Gluten Free Brownies at Disney, but it turns out that they were out of them last night.  

After dinner, we walked over to the Magic Kingdom to see Cinderella's Castle, and ride the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Thunder Mountain at night, an experience that is not to be missed.

July 24, 2015 Update

Here are photos of The Wave's new allergy-friendly dinner menu.  Gluten free carrot cake is not listed, but I was told that it is still available.

You can make advance dining reservations for The Wave...of American Flavors, and view their menus on Disney's website here.

What are your favorite gluten free dishes at The Wave?

Palo - Disney Magic

On our recent cruise on the Disney Magic, my husband and I dined at Palo for brunch and dinner.

Palo is an adults only restaurant that serves Northern Italian cuisine.  The charge is $25 per person for both brunch and dinner.  Reservations are required, and can be made online when your booking window opens, or onboard the ship.  

Gluten Free on the Disney Magic

Last week, we took a 7-night western Caribbean cruise on the Disney Magic.  Our previous 5 cruises on the Disney Cruise Line were all on the Disney Dream, which you can read about here.  

The Disney Magic, Disney's first cruise liner, was recently re-imagineered.  It is smaller than the Disney Dream, and less grand, but I enjoyed the more intimate feel of the ship, and that it had many fewer passengers.  My travel agent always notes my gluten/wheat "allergy" on my reservation, so that my service team is alerted ahead of time.  After boarding, I headed to Carioca's, which was open for lunch, to pre-order my dinner with one of the Head Servers.  I don't know if this step is necessary anymore, because the Disney Cruise Line is now marking gluten free items on their menus on all of their ships.  My friend Sarah from Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free at WDW recently sailed on the Disney Dream, which now has gluten free and dairy free menu items listed on their menus.  

Whispering Canyon Cafe Breakfast - Disney's Wilderness Lodge

Yesterday, I had breakfast at Whispering Canyon Cafe at Disney's Wilderness Lodge with my friend Lorraine.  I have eaten dinner at Whispering Canyon many times, but have never had breakfast there.  Before we moved to Orlando, it was a favorite dinner spot of ours during our annual family vacation to Disney.  

At Whispering Canyon, you can order all-you-care-to enjoy skillets at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or you can choose from a variety of different starters, entrees, and sides.  Our server Jeff explained how they prepare special diets meals in a separate area of the kitchen, and how my yellow meal ticket with my order would be kept for 30 days.  

Chef Angela said she could make me pancakes, waffles, or any of the egg dishes on the menu.  

I ordered Mickey waffles with maple butter, candied pecan topping, and bacon.  

My order came with three Mickey waffles, which were overcooked and had a slightly burnt taste.  I'm not sure what mix they are using, because it didn't taste like straight up Bob's Red Mill, Namaste, or Cup4Cup, the three mixes commonly used at Disney.  

I was hoping the maple butter would have a more intense maple flavor, and the pecans would be a little sweeter.  I ended up using some butter, pecans, and syrup on my waffles.  After I was done, I found myself wishing I had asked Chef Angela for the bananas foster sauce that is served with the french toast.  Bananas foster is one of my favorite toppings for Mickey waffles, which is why I always want to go to Boma for breakfast.  

Lorraine asked for ketchup for her breakfast potatoes, and we both knew what was coming....lots, and lots, and lots of ketchup!  

Overall, I can't say I loved my breakfast at Whispering Canyon Cafe.  The highlight of my meal was the bacon, which was thick and crispy, just like I like it.  I also enjoyed spending some time walking around the Wilderness Lodge Resort, which is one of my favorite resorts on Disney property.

June 17, 2015 Update

This morning, my daughters and I had breakfast at Whispering Canyon Cafe, which now has allergy-friendly menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  You can read my lunch review here.

This time around, I decided to order the all-you-care-to-enjoy breakfast skillet with scrambled eggs, western home fries, bacon, sausage, and Mickey waffles.  Not being a fan of gravy, I asked if I could have bananas foster instead of the sausage gravy that usually comes with the skillet. 

My Mickey waffles were cooked perfectly this time, and I enjoyed eating them with the bananas foster.  I also liked my eggs, home fries, sausage and bacon, though I was a little disappointed the bacon wasn't the thick cut bacon I had on my last visit.  I was surprised when my skillet arrived with two pieces of toast, which was not listed on the allergy-friendly menu.  Our server said I received them in place of the biscuit, but if I had know they were going to substitute something, I probably would have asked for a blueberry muffin instead.  Overall, we were all pleased with our breakfast dishes this morning, and it was great to see so many gluten free options on their allergy-friendly menu.

You can view Whispering Canyon's breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus, and make advance dining reservations on Disney's website here.

What are your favorite gluten free dishes at Whispering Canyon Cafe?

Cinnamon Bun Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Last week, I saw a recipe for Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies on Lynn's Kitchen Adventures. I love Lynn's baked oatmeal recipes, so I had to try these cookies, but decided to cut out some of the sugar, add some flax and more cinnamon, and make a thicker glaze to ice the cookies with.

I just managed to squeeze 12 large cookies onto my baking sheet. Thankfully, they barely spread while they were baking.  

I think I like these breakfast cookies better than the Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal I love so much, and they have fewer calories. With the ingredients I used, each cookie is about 190 calories.  

Cinnamon Bun Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Ingredients

3 C gluten free quick cook oats

1 C lowfat milk

6 T (82 grams) light brown sugar 

2 large eggs

2 T unsalted butter - melted

1/4 C ground flaxseed meal

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp kosher salt

Glaze

1/2 C (58 grams) powdered sugar 

1 T heavy cream

1 tsp milk + more if needed

1/8 tsp cinnamon 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  

Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl, except the ingredients for the glaze. Mix well, then spoon the batter onto your cookie sheet, forming 12 cookies.  

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, then allow them to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet.  

Combine all the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl. Stir well, then spread a small amount on each cookie. The glaze should be thick and spreadable, like frosting. Add more milk if needed.   

Recipe Notes

I use GF Harvest quick oats, and Bob's Red Mill Golden Flaxseed Meal.  

I froze all my leftover cookies, layering them between sheets of parchment paper. I will reheat them in the microwave on defrost for 60 to 90 seconds before serving them.  

November 6, 2019 Update

Tonight, I made this recipe with a few changes. For the cookies, I used coconut palm sugar instead of brown sugar, half & half instead of milk, and avocado oil instead of butter. I did not have any heavy cream, so I used 1 tablespoon of half & half instead of the heavy cream and milk in the glaze. Because the cookies were thicker, and did not spread as much, I cooked them for 12 minutes. They turned out great!

Grand Floridian Cafe Dinner - Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Last night, my daughters and I dined at the Grand Floridian Cafe with my parents.  I was really excited for this meal, because we had never dined there before, and I had heard great things from my blog readers about this table service restaurant.  

The Grand Floridian Cafe is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and features moderately priced American cuisine.  

I decided to try the Grand Floridian Burger, which I first learned about on Instagram.  I couldn't pass up an Angus chuck burger with butter-poached lobster, red onion marmalade and arugula, with house-made chips.

I wasn't sure about the red onion marmalade, but the chef I spoke to assured me that it was sweet, and didn't have a strong onion taste.  For me, it ended up being the element that made this burger one of the best I have ever had.  I wouldn't have known the marmalade contained onion at all if I hadn't read it on the menu.  My burger was cooked to perfection, and covered with just the right amount of lobster underneath all of the arugula.  The GNI bun was nice and soft, and heated well.  

The chips, which were a mix of potato, taro, and boniato, were served with a side of mango ketchup.  They were all crispy and nicely salted, and the ketchup had a hint of sweetness from the mango.  

Gluten free dessert options include ice cream, sorbet, espresso creme brulee, or chocolate fondue.  I ended up ordering the espresso creme brulee, which I really enjoyed, but I was surprised it was called a creme brulee, because it lacked hard caramelized sugar on top.  It reminded me more of a pot de creme.  (2015 update - this dessert has now been renamed Mocha Pot de Creme, and is described as a coffee-flavored custard with whipped cream).  

My daughters ordered the chocolate fondue with fruit, brownie bites, and campfire marshmallows.  I was told that gluten free brownies are available for this dish, but my daughters didn't order them, because they do not need to eat gluten free.  

The chef that I spoke to said that all the dinner entrees at the Grand Floridian Cafe are naturally gluten free, or can be modified to be gluten free.  My mom said that the pork chop she ordered was the best she has ever had in a restaurant, and my dad raved about his salmon.  My only complaint was that it took almost 15 minutes for a chef to come to our table, which was surprising, because we were seated right after the restaurant opened.

When I asked for recommendations in my private Facebook group Gluten Free in Orlando, I was amazed at how many people responded with glowing reviews and pictures of their meals at the Grand Floridian Cafe.

March 18, 2015 Update

Last weekend, we dined at the Grand Floridian Cafe with my parents again.  This time, a chef arrived at our table just a couple of minutes after we were seated. 

There was no way I was passing up the Grand Floridian Burger, and my husband ordered it too.  In my newer photo, you can see the huge chunks of lobster on this amazing burger.  Both my husband and my daughter Katie, who ate half of his burger, loved it as much as I do. This time, I was served house made potato chips, but there were no boniato or taro chips like my husband had.  

For dessert, I wanted something light, so I ordered the pineapple sorbet, which was good, but a little sweet for my taste.  I think it would have been amazing with half pineapple sorbet and half vanilla ice cream.

November 7, 2015 Update

The Grand Floridian Cafe has allergy-friendly menus that list options for people with gluten/wheat, milk, egg, soy, fish/shellfish, and peanut/tree nut allergies.

Gluten free appetizers include the Caesar salad, caramelized onion soup gratinee, Autumn heirloom apple salad, and chilled jumbo shrimp cocktail.  The sustainable miso glazed Verlasso salmon, New York strip steak, pan-roasted chicken breast, surf and turf burger, corn-rice pasta, and the shrimp and grits  are entrees that can be prepared gluten free.  When we had dinner at the Grand Floridian Cafe last weekend, they did not have an allergy-friendly dessert menu, but the last time we dined there, options that are safe for people with gluten/wheat allergies include the seasonal sorbet, vanilla frozen dessert, assorted cookies, brownie, chocolate fondue, and the berry pyramid with mango sauce.

Kids ages 9 and under who cannot eat gluten can order the sliced apples, fruit salad, carrot and celery sticks, grilled chicken, fresh fillet of salmon, meaty macaroni, cheese pizza, chicken tenders, and worms in dirt.

My aunt and I split an Autumn heirloom apple salad and two entrees last weekend.  I really enjoyed the dried cranberries and apple cider vinaigrette on the salad.

I usually order the Surf and Turf Burger (formerly known as the Grand Floridian Burger), but I decided to try something different.  Our New York strip steak was served with roasted fingerling potatoes, which are hiding underneath the steak, and haricot verts.  I loved the herb mixture on the top of the steak, which was cooked to temperature, and my aunt and I enjoyed the vegetables.

For our second entree, we chose the sustainable miso glazed Verlasso salmon.  The salmon itself did not taste miso glazed, but I definitely tasted an Asian sauce on the green beans.  Overall, we thought both entrees were very good, and I would order them again, though next time we eat at the Grand Floridian Cafe, I think I will try the shrimp and grits.

Our server could not find an allergy-friendly dessert menu, so I had to speak to a chef, who took at least 15 to 20 minutes to arrive at our table.  I considered splitting a gluten free version of the chocolate fondue with my daughter Emma, but when the chef told me they use Hershey's syrup for gluten free diners, I decided to order a bowl of pineapple sorbet instead.  It was a little icy, and not the best sorbet I have had a Disney, but it was a nice palate cleanser, and I was in the mood for some fruit, which I requested with my sorbet.

I posted pictures of the Grand Floridian Cafe's allergy-friendly breakfast and lunch menus in my breakfast and lunch reviews.

You can read more about the Grand Floridian Cafe, view their hours and menus, and make advance dining reservations on Disney's website here.

What are your favorite gluten free dishes at the Grand Floridian Cafe?  

Angie's Holidrizzle Kettle Corn

This fall, I have found several great seasonal products that I have been able to enjoy, like Trader Joe's Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancake Mix and Angie's Holidrizzle Kettle Corn.  

My first bag of Angie's Holidrizzle Dark Chocolatier Sea Salt Kettle Corn was purchased from Costco.  I have always loved the combination of salty and sweet, and I love chocolate, so this kettle corn is right up my alley.  It has just the right amount of chocolate, so the flavor of the popcorn is still able to shine through.  

Ingredients: cane sugar, popcorn, sunflower oil, palm and palm kernel oil, cocoa powder, whey powder, sea salt, soy lecithin, natural flavor.  Allergen Statement: contains milk and soy.  

My local The Fresh Market has been selling smaller bags of both the Holidrizzle Dark Chocolatier Sea Salt and the Iced Gingerbread Kettle Corn.  The Iced Gingerbread is even more addictive that the Dark Chocolatier.  I have a hard time walking away and not eating the entire bag.  The Iced Gingerbread is not overly sweet for me, and it contains so many of my favorite fall spices.  I also like that it has a nice soft texture, and not a hard crunch like so many sweetened popcorns.  

Ingredients: cane sugar, popcorn, sunflower oil, palm and palm kernel oil, whey powder, nonfat milk powder, cinnamon, sea salt, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, soy lecithin, natural flavor.  Allergen statement: contains milk and soy.

Angie's also makes a Holidrizzle White Chocolatier Peppermint, but I have not seen it in anywhere in Orlando.  All three flavors can be ordered on Angie's website here. 

Angie's Holidrizzle is manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts, tree nuts, and wheat, but it is certified gluten free through the Gluten-Free Certification Organization, a program of The Gluten Intolerance Group.  Angie's products are made with non-GMO corn and non-GMO ingredients.

Have you tried Angie's Holidrizzle?  What is your favorite flavor?