Gluten Free Restaurants in the Seattle Area

If you are gluten free in Seattle there are lots of restaurant options for you.  I admit, with a toddler at home I am not as likely to go out to eat as I used to, but when I do here are the places I frequent.  Please let me know your favorites and I’ll add them to the list!

Kirkland

Café Veloce

An Italian restaurant in Totem Lake, Café Veloce offers gluten free pizza and pasta in addition to their regular menu.  We especially like this place because it is full of motorcycles (inside the restaurant), and my son loves wheels, so it keeps him entertained.  http://www.cafeveloce.com/

Rikki Rikki

Rikki Rikki is a sushi restaurant located in Park Place Center in Kirkland. It can be packed on weekends and in the summer.  I like it because they offer wheat free tamari sauce as an option (you have to ask for it though, it’s not what’s on the table).  Before I discovered this I used to travel with my tamari sauce when we went out for sushi.  Their sushi is excellent, though it can be pricey. http://www.rikkirikki.com/index.php

Garlic Jim’s Pizza

Who doesn’t love gluten free pizza delivered?  Garlic Jim’s does it well, and if you are lucky enough to have a coupon it isn’t even that expensive.  http://www.garlicjims.com/home/

Bellevue

Maggiano’s Little Italy

This is by far my favorite place to eat out gluten free in Bellevue.  They offer gluten free pasta options, and if you’re looking to make something else on the menu gluten free they will do whatever they can to accommodate you.  Tell them you are gluten free when you arrive and they will have a chef come out to talk with you about your order to make sure it’s right.  Oh, and if you order one of their classic pastas, you get a second one to take home. I love leftovers! Definitely call ahead to make reservations on the weekend; it can be a long wait otherwise. http://www.maggianos.com/en/Pages/home.aspx

P.F. Chang’s

Another decent Asian restaurant located in Bellevue Square, they also can be packed in the evenings, especially on weekends. I love their gluten free lettuce wraps and flourless chocolate cake. http://www.pfchangs.com/index.aspx

Redmond

Family Pancake House

While they don't have the best service, they do offer gluten free pancakes and chicken strips. Since I have a hard time eating breakfast out, this is a nice option. http://www.familypancakehouse.com/

Seattle

Anita’s Crepes

Located in Fremont, Anita’s Crepes offers gluten free crepes. It’s a small restaurant in a home on Leary Way. Definitely call ahead and make reservations. http://www.anitascrepes.com/

Five Fish Bistro

Yippee, you don’t have to drive to Portland, Oregon for gluten free fish and chips anymore!  Five fish bistro is on Capitol Hill.  They offer gluten free fish AND chips, as well as sandwiches.  http://www.fivefishbistro.com/ffm.pdf

Blue Moon Burgers

Burgers are one of those things I have always craved since going gluten free, and I was so excited when Blue Moon started offering gluten free burgers and fries. They also make an excellent milk shake. http://bluemoonburgers.com/

Flying Apron

I’m not in love with this bakery, but if you’re in Seattle and looking for gluten free baked goods this is an option.  Their stuff has a healthy spin on it, and they tend to use a lot of bean flour which I think can have a funny aftertaste. http://www.flyingapron.com/

Monroe

Guilt Free Goodness

My favorite bakery, hands down, is Guilt Free Goodness in Monroe.  They offer gluten free breads, muffins and cookies, and they also have some vegan options.  In addition they do special orders for cakes.  http://www.guilt-free-goodness.com/

Tacoma

Friesenburgers

It’s definitely out of the way for me, but if I’m passing through Tacoma I always stop by this hole in the wall for a burger. It’s located right near the Tacoma Dome, and they make a dang good burger if you ask me.  http://www.friesenburgers.com/

Broccoli Casserole

I am on a quest to get my toddler to eat more veggies. 

I have been trying to make interesting, tasty dinners that have veggies in them, so he doesn’t necessarily get an option of eating them.  One of the vegetables that he doesn’t particularly care for is broccoli.  He will eat the stems in my Pan Roasted Broccoli recipe, but he won’t eat the florets, and that’s were all the good nutritious stuff is stored.

I can remember eating broccoli and cauliflower as a kid with a white cheese sauce on it, but then I think about the toddler running in circles around me at 5pm while I’m trying to make a rue at the stove and realize that white sauce is not a happening thing in my house, at least for next few years.

This recipe is an easy make-ahead casserole that is a complete meal.  I admit it’s not low cal, but I served it for the first time tonight and munchkin actually ate it. And he never eats things the first time I serve them, so I think it’s a winner!

To cut down on the prep time, I have often cooked chicken the day before or cooked, cubed and frozen the chicken.  Then when I have leftover rice, I use it up in the casserole.  This recipe also does well with the chicken omitted as a vegetarian casserole.

Note: If you’re gluten free, you’ll want to use a GF cream of mushroom soup. I like Pacific Foods, shown here.

Broccoli Casserole

2 packages of frozen chopped broccoli

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

2 or 3 cups of cooked brown or white rice (optional)

1 lb cooked chicken breast, chopped (optional)
Cheddar cheese to taste (I use 8 oz of extra sharp cheddar and 4 oz medium cheddar, use less if you don’t include the chicken and rice)

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.  Pour into a 9 x 13 casserole pan and level.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until edges are brown and it is hot in the center.

White Chili with Ground Turkey and Chicken Sausage

I really wasn’t planning on posting this recipe.

Really.

It’s one of those throw together, made-up recipes that has become a staple in my house. Nothing special. Until tonight, when I decided to add kale to it since I’m trying to increase the amount of dark leafy greens my family eats.  And then my 17-month-old son actually picked the kale out of the chili and ate it.  That’s when I decided that this recipe is worth posting because if you have a toddler, you know that getting them to eat veggies is a challenge, especially something like kale.

White Chili with Ground Turkey and Chicken Sausage

1 package of ground turkey
1 package of ground chicken sausage (I like Iserno’s mild Italian chicken sausage)
3 -14 oz cans of Great Northern beans or white beans
2 onions
6 celery stalks
6 Lacinto kale leaves
1 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp cumin seed
1 tbsp coriander
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 can chopped green chilies (optional)
Cheddar cheese to taste (optional)
White or brown rice, cooked per instructions

In a soup pot, brown ground turkey and chicken sausage. Chop onion and celery.  Remove spines from kale leaves and chop.  In another pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion, celery and kale and cover. Steam/sauté for 20 minutes or until onion is clear and celery is soft, stirring occasionally. 

Rinse and drain beans.  Take one cup of beans and one cup of sautéed veggies and run it through the blender with the chicken broth until smooth. 

After the meat is cooked thoroughly, add veggies, beans, blended mixture, cumin, coriander, sea salt and green chilies to the soup pot and heat over medium-low heat until hot.

Serve with cheddar cheese over rice if desired.

Roasted Garlic Hummus

I love, love, LOVE roasted garlic, and it’s so easy to make!  This quick, easy, make-ahead dip is great for barbeque get-togethers or, in my case, a healthy snack for my one-year-old who loves to dip things.  You will need a food processer (Cuisinart) or a Vitamix for this recipe.

Roasted Garlic Hummus

1-14 oz can of garbanzo beans

1/4 cup sesame tahini, unsalted

2 medium size heads of garlic, roasted (see below for how to roast garlic) and peeled

2 tbsp fresh sqeezed lemon juice

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

3 sprigs of parsley (optional)

Trim stems off parsley.  Drain garbanzo beans. Combine all ingredients in a food processer or Vitamix and blend until creamy.  Let chill before serving.

How to roast garlic:

Cut the top quarter inch off the head of garlic (the pointy end).  Place on sheet of aluminum foil, cut end up.  Drizzle with olive oil and a little sea salt.  Close aluminum foil over garlic to create a loose sealed enclosure.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  I highly recommend letting the garlic cool before handling it.

Easy Brined Chicken

Spring is here! Yippee!  It’s time for barbequing season to start.  This is my favorite way to cook chicken on the barbeque.  Often chicken done on the grill is dry, but this chicken is moist and yummy.  If you’re feeling adventurous, play around with the seasoning. I’ve come up with some pretty good ones just using herbs from the spice rack and whatever happens to be in my frig.

My toddler son loves chicken cooked this way too.  It never fails!

This recipe is adapted from Williams Sonoma Essentials of Roasting Coockbook.

Easy Brined Chicken

1 to 2 lbs chicken breast or thigh, boneless, skinless

1/3 cup kosher salt

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

2 tsp celery seeds

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

1 leek, white part and 3 inches of green, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices (a chopped onoin will work too)

 4 or 5 fresh tarragon sprigs (optional)

Dissolve sugar and salt in approximately 1 quart of water completely.  Add all ingredients and marinate for at least 4 hours, up to 2 days.  Barbeque until chicken is cooked completely (170 degrees).

Broiled Asparagus

I have asparagus in my garden, finally!  We planted asparagus three years ago, and finally this year I am able to harvest a little to eat. Of course I had to broil it because it is (in my opinion) the best way to eat asparagus.  This is a super easy recipe that our whole family, including my one-year-old son, loves.  Asparagus can take a lot of seasoning, so don’t be bashful with the salt and pepper.

Broiled Asparagus

1-2 lbs asparagus

Olive oil

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Rinse asparagus and trim ends.  Lay asparagus in a single layer on a cookie sheet.  Brush lightly with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper, turning to coat all sides.  Move oven rack to top shelf.  Place cookie sheet on oven rack and broil, turning asparagus at least once, until asparagus turns lightly brown, or approximately 6-8 minutes. Cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of asparagus.

Gluten Free Chex Mix

Who doesn’t love Chex mix?  Before I went gluten free I used to buy the bags in the store all the time, especially in the summer when we went on vacation.  Since going gluten free I ‘ve realized that I still need that crunchy, salty “fix” every now and again.  This recipe definitely fits the bill!  It’s always the hit of the party, and I love making it because it always gets eaten. 

Gluten Free Chex Mix

4 cups Corn Chex

4 cups Rice Chex

3 cups gluten free pretzels (I use Glutino’s)

1 cup mixed nuts (optional)

6 tbsp butter

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt

3/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

Bake at 250 degrees for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.