3 Quick Gluten-Free Lunches

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Looking for some quick, tasty gluten-free lunch options for you or your child?  Sometimes, when you’re helping your son or daughter gear up for a new school year — or even rushing off to face another busy day yourself — throwing together a quick PB & J is easier than making a more nutritious alternative. But never fear; here are a few tasty, nutritious gluten-free lunch recipes that you can whip up in a jiffy!

Gluten Free Turkey Club Sandwich

Ingredients:

  • 2 Slices of gluten-free bread
  • Smear of gluten-free mustard (French’s Mustard is gluten-free)
  • 2 Slices avocado
  • 2 Pieces Romaine lettuce
  • 2 Slices roasted turkey (for an even healthier alternative, substitute low sodium turkey breast from your local grocery store)

Directions:

Toast bread. Smear mustard and avocado on the bread, then add lettuce and turkey slices.

Gluten Free Tuna Sandwich

Ingredients:

  • 1 5 oz Can solid white chunk tuna in water, drained
  • 2 Slices of gluten-free bread
  • 1 Lettuce leaf
  • Mayonnaise (Best Foods mayo is gluten-free)
  • 2 Slices tomato
  • 1 Stalk of celery, diced

Preparation:

Toast bread slices, if desired. Use a fork to mix the tuna and celery with about 1/4 cup mayo, then spoon the mixture onto the slices of bread. Add lettuce and tomato. If you’d like to make it a tuna melt, add a slice of gluten-free cheese, then microwave the sandwich for 30 seconds.

Gluten-Free Munchables (a gluten-free alternative to Lunchables)

Ingredients:

Directions:

Using a small round cookie cutter, cut 4 small circles out of the turkey breast slices and 4 small circles out of the ham slices. Using a small square cookie cutter, cut 4 small squares out of the white American cheese slice and 4 small squares out of the cheddar cheese slice. There are two ways to put this Munchable together. For a quick fix, stack each ingredient in it’s own separate area of the tupperware. Or, try it the way one creative mom did: To avoid cross-contamination, wash a Lunchables plastic tray by hand or put it through the dishwasher on a no-heat cycle. Then, stack crackers in the two center sections. The cheese slices go in two sections on the right. Finally, add the slices of deli meats to the sections on the left. Cover with cellophane and serve!

Recipes adapted from Elana’s Pantry and Adventures of a Gluten Free Mom.

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Gluten-free dining at amusement parks

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Each day, amusement parks provide effortless fun for the whole family — that is, until someone gets hungry. Something as simple as finding gluten-free fare at an amusement park can quickly escalate into a stressful challenge for even the most patient guest.

But as information about living a gluten-free lifestyle has spread, theme parks have increased the number of gluten-free options they provide their guests. As you plan your next trip to an amusement park, follow New Planet Beer’s simple steps to ensuring a fun, gluten-free day:

  1. Check the amusement park’s website for information about food allergies and special dietary needs. Some theme parks, such as Elitch Gardens and Hersheypark, list comprehensive guides on their website that note allergen information for specific foods sold at each restaurant or stand within their park.
  2. Make reservations in advance. Many theme parks offer gluten-free dining options, but suggest that you call in advance to reserve a table. Disneyland will take reservations up to 60 days before your trip, and Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando accept them up to 180 days in advance. When you call, be sure to mention your gluten intolerance so that the person taking your reservation can note it accordingly. It’s also a good idea to ask for the name of the person who takes your reservation and/or a reservation confirmation via email.
  3. Ask to speak with a manager and/or chef once you arrive at a restaurant within the park. Once you have informed the manager/chef of your gluten intolerance, they’ll usually provide you with a gluten-free menu and answer any questions you might have before preparing your gluten-free meal.
  4. Ask about cross-contamination. While an amusement park may provide gluten-free fare, ensure that the meal your getting isn’t contaminated by gluten as its being prepared. Don’t hesitate to ask the chef specific questions about whether or not he prepares the meal using clean surfaces, pans and utensils that haven’t come into contact with gluten.
  5. Bring your own food if the amusement park allows it. Check the theme park’s website to see if they specify whether or not you can bring your own gluten-free meal with you; some permit this, provided that you inform security of your gluten intolerance as you enter the park.

And above all else, remember to have fun!

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Throw a Gluten-Free BBQ

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Fire up the barbecue and break out some ice cold beers, because the Fourth of July is right around the corner! Invite over some family and friends then follow the tips below for a stress-free, gluten-free barbecue.

  1. Purchase gluten-free hot dog or hamburger buns. Some popular options include Rudi’s Multigrain Hot Dog Rolls and Hamburger Buns, Udi’s Classic Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns, Whole Foods Bakehouse Hamburger Buns, and Ener-G Tapioca Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns.
  2. Clean the grill. Gluten-free products shouldn’t be cooked on surfaces that have been contaminated by marinades or sauces that contain gluten, so be sure to clean off your grill before you start cooking.
  3. Grill gluten-free products separately. To avoid cross-contamination, cook gluten-free products first, keep them on one side of the grill, or grill them on aluminum foil.
  4. Top it off with gluten-free barbecue sauce. Make sure that all of the condiments and sauces you use to cook are gluten-free. When you’re shopping for gluten-free products, it’s important to check labels because ingredients are always changing. Some barbecue sauces that are gluten-free as of June 2012 include Randy Jones Gluten-Free BBQ Sauce, Organic Annie’s Original BBQ Sauce, Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce, Bone Suckin’ Sauce, Heinz Original BBQ Sauce, and Organicville’s Original BBQ Sauce.
  5. Chill out with an ice-cold New Planet Beer. Pick up a few packs of Tread Lightly Ale, 3R Raspberry Ale, or Off Grid Pale Ale, and throw them in a cooler filled with ice.

Happy Independence Day!

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Gluten-Free Apple Pie Recipe

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Father’s Day is Sunday—are you ready? Make sure you’ve wrapped dad’s gift, then break out this delicious recipe for a gluten-free apple pie that is sure to bring a smile to his face.

Gluten-Free Apple Pie

Ingredients:

  • 6 to 8 tart apples, pared, cored, and thinly sliced (6 cups)
  • 2 Tbsp gluten-free flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • A dash of ground nutmeg
  • A dash of salt
  • 1 package Gluten-Free Pantry Perfect Pie Crust
  • 2 Tbsp butter

Directions:

Prepare pie crust according to instructions on the package. Let dough chill thoroughly. Core, pare and thinly slice the apples. If apples lack tartness, sprinkle them with 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Next, combine gluten-free flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a dash of salt, then mix it with the apples.

Make sure that you didn’t roll the dough out too thin, then take a 9-inch pie dish and line it with the pastry. Next, fill it with the apple mixture, and dot it with butter. Adjust the top crust and cut slits for steam to escape through. Seal the top crust. Sprinkle the pie with sugar, then bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes or until done.

Remove from the oven, slice, and serve dad a slice of gluten-free apple pie accompanied by New Planet’s Tread Lightly Ale. It makes a difference, and not just to dad’s stomach, but also the planet; New Planet Beer donates a portion of their profits to organizations that support ecosystem conservation, such as Wildlands Restoration Volunteers.

Adapted from Glutenfreeda’s Recipe Index.

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Which Foods Contain Gluten?

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Looking to adopt a gluten-free diet? We’ve compiled a basic list of products and ingredients to avoid.

  1. Grains: Gluten is found in barley, rye, wheat, and any mixture of these grains. Gluten-free grains include corn, millet, rice, wild rice and quinoa.
  2. Cereals: Any cereal that has barley malt and/or sweetener listed on its ingredients label contains gluten.
  3. Pastas: Avoid pastas that are made from wheat or semolina, both of which contain gluten.
  4. Baked Goods: Many breads, bagels, cookies, cakes, sandwich or hot dog buns, pizza crust, and other baked goods are prepared using wheat contain gluten.
  5. Pre-cooked or processed poultry or meat: Although meat and poultry are gluten-free in their natural state, gluten is usually added as these foods are prepared. Any time a food is breaded or fried, gluten is added. Also be wary of products like hot dogs, which sometimes utilize gluten as a binding agent.
  6. Sauces and soups: Avoid soups or sauces made with wheat-flour or ones that contain barley or pastas that aren’t gluten-free.
  7. Spices: Spices that contain wheat starch or wheat flour aren’t considered gluten-free.
  8. Products containing triticale: Triticale is a cross between rye and barley that contains gluten.
  9. Wheat starch: While most products contain corn starch, which is considered gluten-free, check a product’s label to make sure it doesn’t contain wheat starch, which contains gluten.
  10. Beer and other fermented beverages: Wheat and malted barley are commonly used in preparing beer and other fermented beverages. Gluten-free beers like New Planet Beer are an easy-to-locate, delicious alternative.
Next time you’re at the local grocery store, we hope that you keep this list in mind and reach for a gluten-free product! For a list of other products and ingredients containing gluten, visit Celiac.com.
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Gluten-Free New Planet Beer-Battered Fish Recipe

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St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner. Have you figured out what you’ll be serving for dinner alongside your favorite flavor of New Planet Beer? Check out this delicious, quick and easy recipe for gluten-free beer-battered fish.

Gluten-Free New Planet Beer-Battered Fish

Ingredients:

  • Peanut oil, coconut oil , or any oil designed for high heat frying
  • 2 lbs fresh fish fillets
  • 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour mix
  • 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cayenne powder
  • 1 tsp gluten-free garlic powder
  • 1 tsp gluten-free onion powder
  • 1 12-oz bottle New Planet Beer or 12 oz club soda

Directions:

Combine gluten-free all-purpose flour, gluten-free baking powder, sugar, salt, cornstarch, cayenne pepper, sugar, gluten-free garlic powder, and gluten-free onion powder in a large, plastic zip lock bag. Shake bag in order to throughly mix all dry ingredients. Pour mixture into a medium-sized bowl. Add New Planet Beer or club soda, then mix until batter is smooth and not too thick or too thin. If batter is too thick, add more liquid. Next, dip fish fillets in batter so that both sides are coated, then hold above bowl in order to let excess batter drip off. Fry fish fillets in hot oil until golden brown. Add your favorite vegetables as a side dish.

Adapted from About.com Gluten-Free Cooking.

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Naturally Gluten-Free Foods

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On it’s most basic level, maintaining a gluten-free diet means cutting out grains like wheat, barley, and rye, and any mixture of these grains. But eating gluten-free doesn’t have to be as difficult or unhealthy as one may think! Here’s a  breakdown of twenty foods that are naturally gluten-free. Share this with someone who recently discovered their gluten intolerance or who’s experimenting with a gluten-free diet.

 

      1. Butter
      2. Eggs
      3. Water
      4. Fresh fruits
      5. Fresh vegetables
      6. Juices made of 100% fruits or vegetables
      7. Lentils
      8. Peanuts
      9. Seeds (such as flax seeds)
      10. Tree nuts (such as almonds)
      11. Corn
      12. Fresh fish
      13. Fresh shellfish
      14. Honey
      15. Milk that isn’t flavored using ingredients like malt, which contains gluten
      16. Soy
      17. Plain rice (glutinous or sticky/sweet, black, polished white, long-grained basmati, or whole-grain brown rices).
      18. Gluten-free flours made from rice, soy, corn, potatoes, or beans
      19. Raw Quinoa
      20. Tapioca

 

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Football Pizzas Served Gluten-Free

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Looking for more food to pair with New Planet Beer and serve at your football party? Here are two more game day pizza recipes that The Gluten Free Bistro shared with us.

 

Football Pizza for a glorious gluten-free Super Bowl

Ingredients:

  •  The Gluten Free Bistro Dough
  • Muir Glen Pizza Sauce
  • Pepperoni
  • Thick Shredded Mozzerella
  • String Cheese

Directions:
Before you start cooking, pick up a Gluten Free Bistro Frozen Dough Ball at your local Whole Foods Market in the Rocky Mountain Region; it’s delicious and whole grain. Next, be sure to watch The Gluten Free Bistro’s dough handling video. The Dough can be sticky so you will want to watch for quick tips.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using olive oil, oil your hands and the baking sheet like in the video. Cut the dough ball in half, and shape each half into a football shape directly onto the baking sheet, with the longest part of the football being about 10 inches across. Bake the football crusts, without any toppings, for 6 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove from oven and add toppings, adding the pepperoni last.  Reserve the string cheese for later. Place back in oven on baking sheet or slide onto your pizza stone, then bake for 12-15 minutes.

For the laces: On a piece of parchment paper, use the string cheese to shape the laces of the football, then bake on parchment for 3 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool before placing on the pizza.

Mexican Pizza

Ingredients:

  • 1 Pizza Crust from The Gluten Free Bistro (available at select Whole Foods, Lucky’s and Alfalfas’s Market) www.theglutenfreebistro.com
  • 1/2  of yellow onion
  • 5 mini peppers
  • 1 can green chilis
  • 1/2 can refried pinto beans
  • 1/4 can enchilada sauce
  • Shredded mozzarella and monterey jack cheese

Directions:
Chop yellow onion and a handful of mini peppers. Saute onion and peppers in olive oil until onion becomes translucent. Top frozen crust with red enchilada sauce (beware that most enchilada sauces contain wheat. Frontera is a good gluten-free sauce). Add organic vegetarian refried pinto beans over the enchilada sauce. Spread shredded cheddar and monterey jack cheese mix over the sauce and beans, then add 1 can of green diced chilis and saute mix of onions and peppers over the cheese. Sprinkle with oregano and pepper, then place on a warm grill set at low to medium heat for 7-9 minutes. When it’s done, the bottom should be crisp with grill marks. Remove from grill, slice and enjoy with a BIG BOMBER of New Planet’s 3R Raspberry Ale and hope your team wins!

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Gluten-Free Spinach, Mushroom and Feta Flatbread

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Looking for another easy-to-prepare, yummy appetizer for your the Big Game this weekend? Try out this Spinach, Mushroom and Feta Flatbread recipe that The Gluten-Free Bistro shared with us. Serve it with any New Planet Beer and you and  your guests will be all set to watch all the tackles and touchdowns!

Gluten-Free Spinach, Mushroom and Feta Flatbread

Ingredients:

  • 10″ Gluten Free Bistro pizza crust OR 1 Gluten Free Bistro dough ball, rolled out and par-baked (according to package instructions). For information, visit www.theglutenfreebistro.com.
  • 7 garlic cloves chopped
  • 3 tbs. olive oil
  • 6 cups of spinach, add more as needed.
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 – 1 cup feta cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sauté garlic cloves in olive oil for 3 minutes. Add spinach and chopped mushrooms, then cover and cook for 5 minutes. Drizzle olive oil on 1 10” Gluten Free Bistro pizza crust. Add the garlic, mushroom and spinach mix on top of the gluten-free pizza crust. Add the feta cheese, then bake in the oven right on the rack or use a pizza stone for about 12-15 minutes. Use a pizza cutter to cut into square appetizer size pieces, then serve with a New Plant Tread Lightly Ale Beer.

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Gluten-Free Mediterranean Pesto Pizza

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Do you have any parties planned for the 2012 Super Bowl? The Gluten-Free Bistro shared one of their pizza favorites – perfect for game day. Pair it with any New Planet Beer and your guests will thank you for the touchdown!

Gluten-Free Mediterranean Pesto Pizza

Ingredients:
  • 1 10″ GF Bistro Pizza Crust
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil pesto (see recipe below) or store-bought
  • 4 oz mozzarella cheese, grated
  • 1 roma tomato, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbs chopped sun-dried tomatoes (in oil)
  • 1tbs raw pine nuts (lightly toasted)
  • fresh ground pepper (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400° F. Spread fresh pesto over entire pizza crust. Top with mozzarella cheese, both tomatoes and toasted pine nuts. Bake directly on middle rack for 13-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly and crust is lightly browned and crispy. Slice and serve with fresh ground pepper.
Fresh Pesto 
Ingredients:
  • 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 2/3 cup olive-oil
  • kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese
Directions:
Combine the basil, garlic and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pesto into a large serving bowl and mix in the grated cheese.
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