Aunt April's Bakery

Aunt April's Bakery is Nashville's very first ALL gluten free bakery. In addition to being gluten free, the products are also soy and dairy free. Some of her options are also vegan. April's heart is to be able to make allergen free treats for any food allergies and is more than willing to accommodate them.

Aunt April's gluten free, vegan (no egg, no dairy) and soy free Heaven Cake is available to purchase at The Wild Cow in Nashville. It is an extremely moist chocolate cake with a creamy, decadent icing.

We had April make the Heaven cake for Brody's 2nd birthday. We ordered a sheet cake so we could cut it up into smaller pieces for the adults and bought cupcakes (also Heaven cake) for the kids. It was a big hit! The adults were going back for seconds and my husband and I had to hide the rest of the cake so we had leftovers. Everyone couldn't believe how many things the cake "didn't have in it", yet it was delicious! Aunt April's also offers seasonal gluten free, soy free, vegan cupcakes at The Wild Cow if you are not in the mood for chocolate or are allergic.

You can also find some of Aunt April's Bakery baked goods (muffins, brownies and cookies) at the Edgehill Cafe.

When you buy Aunt April's baked goods from one of these places, you will find that they are clearly labeled with what is not in it (gluten, dairy, soy, vegan (no milk or eggs), etc.) and you will find a detailed list of ingredients (which I love).

For Thanksgiving, Brody was able to have his first pumpkin pie. April baked a gluten free, egg free, milk free, crustless pie. I was so thrilled that he was able to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving treat.

Aunt April's Bakery is going to be opening (hopefully the end of February) inside The Green Wagon near East Nashville. April will offer her delicious baked goods, and will serve lunch, which will include homemade soup and sandwiches. I am so excited about this! How nice to be able to go and grab some yummy treats when you are out and about, or meet up with some friends at a place that really "gets" food allergies.

If you would like Aunt April's Bakery to make something for you special order, give her at least 48 hours to be able to make it just the way you need it!

You can sign up for Aunt April's Bakery VIP Program by sending a text to 56687 and put Aunt April in the body of the text. When you spend $100 over a period of time, you will get $8 back. Also, 5% goes back to a non profit.

Thank you Aunt April's Bakery for sponsoring our January F.A.C.T. meeting! The Heaven cupcakes were fabulous and we loved the baking tips.

Here is one of April's tips for baking egg free:

Substitute for one egg:

2 tsp of flaxseed meal

3 Tbsp boiling water

Mix together and then let sit for about 10 minutes. The end result will be a egg-like consistency.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact April. She is more than happy to answer your questions!

Aunt April's Bakery

615-568-0028

april@auntaprilsbakery.com

www.auntaprilsbakery.com

Olive Garden

Over mother's day weekend, my in-laws were in town and wanted to take us out for dinner. Olive Garden sounded good, but we hadn't tried it yet with Brody. I decided to give the manager a call and see if they could accommodate us.

The manager spent time going over what would be safe for Brody (there wasn't much that didn't have milk or eggs in it). The marinara sauce has butter in it (FYI) and the spaghetti noodles are made in a facility that processes egg, so that leaves out the traditional Italian cuisine.

BUT, on the children's menu, they have grilled chicken and a side of broccoli (it comes with spaghetti too, but we had to pass on this). The general manager was informed of Brody's food allergies and came over and took our special order and made it himself to make sure there was no cross-contamination. I was really grateful, and impressed. The chicken was made with no seasoning, had a little olive oil on it to give it flavor and the broccoli was just steamed (nothing on it).

We asked Brock (my non-allergic kid) what he wanted for dinner, and he chose the same meal as Brody. So sweet. It was nice to be able to eat out and for Brody to have a dinner that he liked and it helped that big brother wanted the same thing.

One more to add to the list!

Olive Garden
Spring Hill, TN
931-486-1294
General Manager: Richard Hill

FiddleCakes: Bakery.Cafe.Coffee

FiddleCakes sponsored our FACTS meeting the other night and brought delicious Vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (they were divine!), gluten free brownies, regular chocolate chip cookies and other treats for us to sample. Everything was yummy and moist!

FiddleCakes offers a variety of Vegan and Gluten Free baked good daily (they can even make cakes upon request...this is wonderful for us allergy moms), and Vegan and Gluten Free sandwiches, soups and salads are available upon request. They said they can accommodate any request that you may have (this is SO great!) Check out the menu on their website.

Besides being Allergy Friendly, they use local and organic ingredients (love this!)

FiddleCakes is located in the historic 8th Avenue district, an area largely known for its antique malls and thrift stores. If you haven't discovered this neighborhood yet, you are missing out! Come in for a treat and take a look around.

Fiddle Cakes Offers

• Vegan and Gluten-Free Offerings



• One-Stop shop for coffee, food and baked goods



• local and organic ingredients



• specialty dog treats



• gifts and party supplies



• free Wi-Fi

FiddleCakes

2206 8th Ave. South Nashville, TN

615-457-2127 (if you need additional information regarding allergy concerns, give them a call)

http://www.fiddlecakes.com/

Monday-Friday 7-pm/Saturday 8-2pm/Closed Sunday

Buca Di Beppo

Buca Di Beppo is one of my favorite non-mom and pop Italian restaurants. The other night, my mom and I were doing a late night consignment sale extravaganza and decided to go to Buca afterwards because we had a $10 off of $20 coupon (which would make for an inexpensive meal out...these coupons have been in the coupon inserts in the newspaper on Sunday).

We arrived around 8pm on a weeknight and there weren't too many people, so when our server came to take our order I asked him about "safe options" for my son who has food allergies. He told me to hang on, and next thing I know, Chef Jason is at our table talking to me about options for Brody. Even better, he came back to the table with his huge binder full of ingredients for all of their dishes (I am such a visual person...I want to SEE that it is safe). He even ripped off the ingredient list for the bread and brought it to me. He was extremely nice. This is one advantage of going to a restaurant that you are not sure about being safe without having to feed your child and being able to speak to one of the chef's personally because it was late....I was so excited!

I found out that their marinara sauce is safe (and if you were concerned, I made sure that the meatballs are not cooked in the sauce...it's just marinara) and he even brought out the box of noodles for me to look at. The noodles do not have milk, or eggs in them (but they do have wheat). I asked him if they have any gluten free noodles and he said no, but they have had customers who have brought them in and they have cooked the noodles for them. Pretty cool!

I was in Cool Springs doing some shopping yesterday, so decided to give it a try with Brody. He enjoyed is marinara/spaghetti. We used another $10 off $20 coupon and fed 2 adults and 2 kids for $12. What a deal! Plus, they gave us another coupon to use for the next time! One more eating out option....always nice!

I went to the Buca in Cool Springs and Chef Jason said it is him and Juan in the kitchen...FYI.

I asked about the bread that they serve for free with the dinner and here are the
Ingredients:
unbleached bread flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, wheat flour, malted wheat flour, ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), salt, yeast.

I would call ahead just to make sure that you will be taken care of and like always, tell speak to your server about the accommodations.


Buca Di Beppo
1722 Galleria Blvd
Franklin, TN
615-778-1321

9 Fruits Fresh Fruit Smoothies

Brody enjoying his 9 Fruits Smoothie!

We were in Cool Springs yesterday, and I remembered some of the moms from FACTS (Food Allergy Community of TN) saying that 9 Fruits was a safe place for smoothies. Brody has never had a smoothie out, because we have been concerned with cross-contamination.

We decided to stop in and were so impressed. Right on the menu, it says you can make your smoothie dairy free by adding soy yogurt for an extra .50.


I spoke to Kyle Banks, one of the owners and he showed me the soy yogurt that they use, So Delicious, which I have posted about on here and is our family favorite. So Delicious has extremely strict quality control to prevent contamination by undeclared food allergens (this is stated on the back of their container). You can add soy yogurt to make your smoothie dairy free OR you can just have the blended fruit. We opted for the blended fruit and it was delicious. Next time, we will definitely try adding the soy yogurt to our smoothie.


I spoke to Kyle about possible cross-contamination and he assured me that they clean the Vita-Mixers very well and have special equipment to do that. He also told me that many moms that have children with food allergies come in and they take care of them. He said to mention the food allergy to them before you order so they assure that your smoothie is safe. He was extremely accommodating. We will definitely be going back to 9 fruits. I appreciated the time that was taken to address my concerns and ensure my child could enjoy a safe smoothie.


After you order your smoothie, you can take off the holder from around the cup and get it stamped. Save it and bring it back with you each time and you get your 10th smoothie FREE.

Why 9 Fruits?
It stands for the nine fruits of the spirit in the Bible. These “fruits” are positive character traits: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control. Kevin and Kyle have dedicated their business to seeing lives transformed by sharing their two-fold message of physical and spiritual health with everyone. I love this!


Besides their Cool Springs location, they are going to be opening a 2nd store in the Lenox Village Lifestyle Center in South Nashville and on pace for a Spring 2010 launch.


I enjoy supporting businesses that are allergy friendly and serve healthy products!


You won’t find any sugar substitutes, purees, or syrups in the smoothies at 9 Fruits.

Check out the 9 Fruits Website...it's great!

Update for Safe Food at Cracker Barrel

From the previous post on Cracker Barrel, I have also added Wheat (gluten) options and information on peanuts CLICK HERE

If you would like to have a hard copy of this information, ask the manager to print it out for you. It is called Core Menu Item Recommendations For the 8 Major Food Allergens. I only listed milk, eggs, peanuts and wheat.

Cracker Barrel

Recently, my parents asked if we wanted to go to Cracker Barrel and they would treat us. Obviously, I wanted to go for a free meal, but I was hesitant because I thought there would be nothing for Brody to eat and he is at the point now that he sees us eating and wants what we have, so I didn't think that would be fair.

I decided to call and ask to speak to the manager. I figured at least bacon or sausage could be safe and I could bring him other food to supplement (This way, he could have something that we were eating). I explained the food allergy situation to the manger and he was extremely helpful. He told me that the meat is cooked on a separate grill from the eggs, etc. That sounded good to me, but then I thought, "What if someone ordered a cheeseburger and some of the cheese dripped onto the grill, etc.?" I know, I am thinking in extremes, but I want to be cautious. I expressed my concern to him about this remote possibility and he told me that they could clean the grill off before cooking Brody's food. He told me to ask for him when we arrived and he would take it from there (SO NICE!).

Not only did the manger take care of us when we were there, he brought me out a list of safe options. I am such a visual person...I love hard copies of information. This is probably another reason I started this blog to cut down on all of the papers I accumulate and to be able to have them accessible in one place.

This information was updated by Cracker Barrel on 1/03/10 and it must be from a handbook and on the bottom of the page, it says Quality Assurance.


Milk Allergen

The following food can be recommended for guests who are allergic to milk

• Breads: Sourdough Bread (regular and wheat), Westminster Crackers


• Apple Bran Muffins


• Eggs (fresh shell eggs only); Egg Beaters and Eggstrod'naire contain milk


• Grilled Meats: Bacon, Ham, Sausage, Grilled Chicken Tenders, Hamburger Steak-be careful to prevent cross-contamination from pancakes and breads other than sourdough, from cheese or from butter and margarine used to grill other foods.


• Dip Items: Meatloaf


• Side Items: Apple Sauce, Green Beans, Pinto Beans, Turnip Greens


• Tossed Salad, Grilled Chicken Tender Salad or Country Chef Salad (without Cheese, Egg and Croutons)


• The Following Salad Dressings do not contain Milk: Honey French (regular & fat free), Honey Mustard (regular & fat free), Thousand Island (regular & fat free), Reduced Calorie Italian
  

*All fried items should be avoided due to cross-contamination from the cooking oil.

Egg Allergen

The following foods can be recommended for guests who are allergic to eggs

• Breads: Biscuits, Sourdough Bread (regular and wheat), Westminster Crackers


• Grilled Meats: Bacon, Ham, Sausage, Grilled Chicken Tenders, Hamburger Steak, Ribeye and Sirloin Steaks-be careful to prevent cross contamination from Pancakes and French Toast


• Dip Items: Roast Beef and Gravy, Chicken and Dumplings, Turkey and Gravy


• Side Items: Apple Sauce, Green Beans, Pinto Beans, Turnip Greens


• Tossed Salad, Grilled Chicken Tender Salad or Country Chef Salad (without Egg, Cheese and Croutons)


• The following Salad Dressings do not contain Egg: Honey French (regular & fat free), Fat Free & Reduced Calorie Italian, Fat Free Ranch, Fat Free Thousand Island

*All fried items should be avoided due to cross contamination from the cooking oil

Wheat (Glutens) Allergens
The following can be recommended for guests who are allergic to wheat

• Eggs and Grilled Meats: Bacon, Sausage, Grilled Catfish, Grilled Chicken Tenders, Hamburger Steak, Ribeye and Sirloin Steaks-be careful to prevent cross contamination from Pancakes and French Toast
• Side Items: Apple Sauce, Carrots, Corn, Green Beans, Pinto Beans, Turnip Greens

*All fried items should be avoided due to cross-contamination from the cooking oil.

Peanut Allergies

Cracker Barrel does not cook with peanut oil and does not add peanuts to any of our menu items. The core menu items are peanut free. Please carefully check all labels for any promotional items, weekly specials, and regional menu items.

The items that are in bold are safe for Brody (milk, eggs, peanuts and wheat) as long as there is no cross contamination.

Many of the mothers at the FAAN meeting this week also expressed that they have had a good experience at Cracker Barrel and managers have went as far as to bring out labels on items for the parents to read to ensure that it was safe for their child. It is nice to know Cracker Barrel has some safe options, especially when you are traveling. You know you are going to drive by a ton of Cracker Barrel's on your way to your destination. Just hope that you get a manager who goes out of his/her way to accommodate and make you feel comfortable about how the food is being prepared.

One more thing I will add: on the back of my paper the manager put the label for the White Sourdough Bread. I figured I would just add this information since I had it.
White Sourdough Bread: ingredients: flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron, potassium bromate, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin), water, sugar, corn oil, potato flakes (dehydrated potatoes, mono and diglycerides, sodium acide pyrophosphate, citric acid., A natural mixed tocopherols [a natural source of vitamin E] added to protect freshness), salt.

One more safe eating out option to add to the list!

Some Allergy Friendly Restaurants

We had a FACTS (Food Allergy Community of Tennessee) meeting tonight and we discussed traveling with food allergies and shared some restaurants that are more than willing to accommodate those with food allergies. If you were not able to make it, here is the handout that was passed out...

Sit Down Restaurants

• Bonefish Grill-(Cool Springs)-cook to order/aware of food allergies
• Carrabba’s Italian Grill-cooked to order/aware of food allergies
• Outback-cooked to order/aware of food allergies
• P.F. Changs-cooked to order/aware of food allergies
• J. Alexander’s-Layne has had a good experience with them
• Cantina Laredo-Ginger recommends
• Bahama Breeze (Memphis, Atlanta)-while traveling we dined here and had a wonderful experience
• Cracker Barrel-the manager gave me a list of options that would work with my son’s allergies
• Corky’s
• O Charley’s

Tips for Dining Out

• Call the manager in advance and ask if they can accommodate with the food allergies and let them know when you are coming in to dine. Get their name and ask if they will still be on shift. If not, ask what manager to speak with when you arrive.
• Try to go at a time when it is not too busy (when the restaurant first opens or at an odd time is great since the manager will have more time to spend with you and the kitchen will not be slammed…this means less chance of a mistake/cross-contamination).
• Tell your server about the food allergies
• Ask to speak with manager (if you have the name of the manager, that is even better) once you are seated at your table.
• Hand a Chef Card (there is one on FAAN, HERE) to the manger so he can give to the chef so he/she has a hard copy of the allergies that they avoiding while cooking
• Thank them…Thank them…Thank them (make sure to give your server a good tip)
• Grab (or ask for) the manager’s card and follow up with an email thanking them or even email corporate to “brag” on the manager/restaurant if they have done a great job (mostly likely, they will remember you when you go in to dine again)

A quick Bite to eat

• Honeybaked Ham-ham and turkey are free of the common allergens: dairy, soy, gluten and nuts. They are also open for lunch (coupon HERE). There are also coupons in the inserts in the paper sometimes.
• Tossed (Cool Springs)-dairy free/gluten free tomato basil soup and salad options.
• Garlic Jim's (Cool Springs)-gluten free pizza/have non-dairy cheese available if you pay extra
• Red Robin-Layne has had a good experience

I am certain there are many more restaurants that are safe and/or accommodating in our area. The most important thing to do is get online, look up the menu, find out if there is something that looks like it could be safe and give them a call to make sure. It would be disappointing to get to the restaurant only to find out that nothing is safe to eat or the staff is not accommodating. You will get a feel for it on the phone if they want to take care of you and make sure the food is safe.

I have some of these restaurants and others under Safe Options for Eating Out


*Bonefish Grill, Outback and Carrabba’s Italian Grill are affiliated and more than willing to take care of those who have food allergies. Again, just mention to your server and the manager when you arrive.

Enjoy an Allergen Free Night Out!

HoneyBaked for Lunch

If you are like me, I usually think of Honeybaked for around the holidays; but what about for lunch?

We now know that the ham and turkey are safe, so I thought this was a great deal for $4.99. The lunch deal includes your choice of a whole sandwich, chips and a drink. If you are gluten free, I think just eating the ham or turkey by itself would be great!

Click here for the coupon. It expires on 3/6/2010 so you have a little while to use it.

The hardest thing that I have found is to have a safe place for lunch that won't break the bank...this is a great option!

The ham and turkey (smoked or roasted) are free of dairy, milk, eggs, glutens or wheat products, nuts or nut products, and soy products (soy flour, soy oil, etc.)

If you want the ingredient list for either the ham or the turkey, just email me at allergenfreeplease (at) gmail (dot) com and I will send it to you. It is the list from the company.

*If you go, I would speak with the person preparing your lunch and tell them about the food allergies.

I was told at the Honeybaked Ham that I go to, that the meat is sliced on a different slicer than the cheese (which is awesome!); but just make sure, you can never be too careful.

Bonefish Grill

There is another safe restaurant for you to eat at...Bonefish Grill. A few months ago, my in-laws took my husband and I out to dinner without the kids, and while we were there I asked the server if they would be able accommodate Brody with his food allergies. I was told to bring him in and they will make safe food, since they make everything cooked to order. I was excited to have another restaurant that was not annoyed or who didn't have a clue about cooking for someone with food allergies.

My husband and I were planning on going to Bonefish for a date night in the near future because they have $5 Bang Bang Shrimp (full of allergens) on Wednesday nights (this is one of our favorite appetizers). This is a great deal for this appetizer...and there is no limit on how many you can purchase :)

Well, we decided to bring the kids with us since it was a last minute decision to go. I got on the Internet, looked at the kids menu and saw that grilled chicken and fresh vegetables is one of the options (I figured this could definitely be safe). I called and spoke with one of the staff and asked again if they could accommodate Brody. I was told to come in and that they would take care of us.

When we arrived at Bonefish, I spoke with our server and she immediately brought the manager to our table. We spoke to him about the allergens that we are having to avoid. He said the grilled chicken with no seasonings and freshly steamed broccoli with no seasonings would be safe for Brody. He spoke with the chef and made sure that there would not be any possibility of cross-contamination. The manager personally brought Brody out a little plate of fruit so that he had something to snack on while his dinner was being prepared (I thought this was going over and beyond). Brody nearly cleaned his plate when his dinner was brought out. My parents joke that we are not going to be able to afford to feed my two boys as they get older :)

The manager came back to our table during dinner to make sure that everything was alright and I thanked him and told him it is so nice to be able to dine somewhere that the staff completely understands the food allergies and the severity of it. We had a wonderful, safe experience at Bonefish!

We ordered off the kids menu for Brody, but they have many adult options (not just seafood). Check out their menu online. They also have a Gluten Free menu.

The manager gave me his card and told me to give him a call before we come in and he would take care of us...

Nathan Miller

Manager

3010 A Mallory Lane

Franklin, TN 37067

615-771-1025

bg0802@bonefishgrill.com

To find a Bonefish Grill near you, click here. Also, you can call and make reservations, which is so nice!

Hope you are able to have an allergen free night out :)

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Tomato Basil Soup at Tossed

I was flipping through the new clipper magazine just now, when I saw coupons for Tossed (on page 6) and it said, "NEW! GLUTEN-FREE, DIARY FREE, TOMATO BASIL SOUP." I had to do a double take...REALLY? I called to confirm with the manager (at Tossed in Cool Springs), thanked her and got the prices for you.

A cup of the soup is $2.95 and a bowl is $3.95.

I am really starting to see some companies really step up and have items for people with food allergies and for those who choose not to eat gluten or dairy. I applaud them. This is one more place that I can add to my very small list of places to eat out...but the list is growing. I am really excited, especially with the cool weather approaching :)

Tossed

Cool Springs Blvd. at Aspen Grove Drive

Cool Springs

615-771-7747

Open Every Day 11am-9pm

http://www.tossed.com/

P.F. Chang's China Bistro Cooks Allergen Free!

P.F. Chang's China Bistro Cool Springs

Fried Rice with Gluten Free Soy Sauce and No Eggs

Grilled Chicken with Chang's Spicy Chicken Sauce

Brody and I enjoying our dinner out! Brody ate the fried rice with veggies

My in-laws have been in town and wanted to take us out for dinner. Since we have only a few options for going out to eat (none of which are sit down, tip your waiter type restaurants) I tried to think if there was any other place we could go. I remembered a lady from the Allergy Support Group in Nashville telling me about her great experience with P.F. Chang's China Bistro. I was a little hesitant at first, because the first thing that came to my mind was PEANUTS. I decided to give the manager a call during the day, before things got too crazy and see what he had to say. I told him about the food allergies that we are dealing with (milk, eggs, peanuts and wheat) and asked if he could accommodate us for dinner that evening. He started to think about dinner items that would be safe and told me to come dine with them and they would make something from scratch if they had to (wow! I was SO excited!). He also told me that they prepare meals for people with food allergies all of the time and the chef is very careful and knows what he is doing. He asked what time we would be there, how many people were coming, wrote down the allergies and said he would have a list of "safe" items once we got there. He said he would be off shift be time we arrived for dinner but the other manager would take care of us.


When we arrived, our table was set up and ready (even with a highchair). The manager came over to greet us with a list of safe foods that I could choose from. She went over everything with me. She told me that the meal would be prepared in a clean wok, new oil would be used and I didn't need to worry about cross contamination. I wasn't sure if I was going to let Brody eat there (if the restaurant messes up and I get a little of the allergen, I am not too worried since I am nursing and it is not as dangerous for Brody) but once I heard how much they knew about the allergies, I felt it would be alright for him to eat what I ordered.

At the table, they made the special sauce to put on the rice (soy sauce, hot mustard and chili paste). The waiter made a "normal" sauce for everyone else at the table and then prepared my gluten free sauce. He also brought out dried rice noodles for Brody to snack on while we waited for our food. When the food arrived, my food was brought out on plates that were different than everyone else's so the wait staff would know it was "allergy free."

The food was great (as always), the waiter and the manager were attentive to our table and went out of their way to make our experience safe and enjoyable. This was the first place that Brody has eaten at outside of our home. I was so excited about having a place that I didn't have to explain what gluten is, etc. They knew what I was talking about and took the necessary steps to ensure that our food would be free of the allergens. They made me feel so comfortable.

If you have food allergies, dietary restrictions, etc. and want to have a nice dinner out, I recommend P.F. Changs. It was so nice to go somewhere where you didn't feel that you were bothering them with your food allergies. They did an impressive job taking care of us!

*They even have a Gluten Free Menu

Thank you Garlic Jim's!

Tonight, I had pizza!!!! I LOVE pizza! I ordered my Garlic Jim's Gluten-Free pizza with no cheese (it had sauce and toppings). The crust was surprisingly good. I was somewhat expecting a cardboard like crust, but it wasn't. It was crispy like a thin crust pizza and it was flavored with Italian seasonings. The Gluten-Free pizza is $3 more than whatever "normal" pizza is on their menu, but I thought it was well worth it. I also LOVE that Garlic Jim's takes competitor coupons (example: Papa Johns, Pizza Hut, Domino's, etc.) When you call your order in, just tell them what coupon you would like to use and present it to them when you pick up your pizza. Even though my Gluten-Free pizza was $3 more, I saved that and more by using my coupons (Did I mention that I LOVE coupons?)

I realized that I didn't really miss the cheese on the pizza, it was being able to bit into crust that made me really happy. Everyone else had normal pizza and I had a large all to myself. I thought I was going to freeze the leftovers, but there is not much left. I got a little carried away. Guess I was making up for lost time.

Because Garlic Jim's is take out or delivery only, we found a picnic table close by since we were starving and it was all I could do from ripping the pizza out of the box and eating it in the car. We brought our own plates, napkins and drinks to make our night out even more affordable. It was a fun evening and I just thinking about Brody being able to eat pizza that is safe for him (one day soon) brought a smile to my face :) Thank you Garlic Jim's!

P.S.-When I picked up the pizza, I told the guy who rang me up, "thank you so much" and he laughed when he presented me my gluten-free, no cheese pizza. He told me he had a lady literally cry today when she picked her GF pizza up. I didn't cry, but my heart was happy! It's funny the simple things you miss when you can't have them.

Garlic Jim's Gluten Free Pizza!!!!!

I heard a couple of weeks back, that Garlic Jim's was going to have a new Gluten Free Pizza crust. I didn't have high expectations because I had heard that there was another pizza place in closeby that had a gluten free pizza crust, but when I called I found out that they put egg in the dough...so, that was out for us.

I called Garlic Jim's as soon as I heard the rumor and asked them about the ingredient list in the dough and sauce. The manager was not completely sure, so I called corporate and sure enough, both the dough and the sauce are Brody Safe (no milk, eggs, peanuts or wheat).

Now, my pizza will not have cheese on it, but I will make up for that in fresh veggie toppings. Who would have ever thought that I would be counting down the days till I can have a pizza with sauce and veggies on it? I am SO thankful that when Brody starts to eat, that he will be able to have pizza. Honestly, it was made me sad to think that he might not be able to enjoy a pizza night.

Garlic Jim's has received the rice flour that will make it a Gluten Free environment. That's right...a gluten free environment in a pizza chain! I have been calling and asking when they will be serving the pizza....WELL....IT STARTS ON MONDAY 8/3 at Garlic Jim's!!! Guess what I will be eating for dinner???? The rest of my family will have a normal pizza and I will be savoring mine. I figure, whatever I don't eat, I will put in the freezer in individual servings.

For a limited time, Garlic Jim's accepts competitors' delivery coupons. Going to be looking through my pizza coupons...I knew I saved them for something :)

I will let you know how Monday pans out!