Impressed with York Central Hospital

I had an appointment for an ultrasound and a blood test at York Central Hospital in Richmond Hill.  My usual hospital experiences, even with an appointment, generally involve cramped waiting rooms and excruciatingly long waiting rooms.  In fact, although my appointment was for before 8:30 am, I had booked off the whole morning from work because I figured it would take forever to get done.

Not today.  My appointment was for 8:20 am, and I was in and out before 9.  This included registering, an ultrasound, a brief meeting to make later appointments, and some blood tests.  Less than 40 minutes all told.  I was back at work before 9:45.  

I have no idea if this is the way things generally are at that hospital, but I have to say I was thoroughly impressed.  Since I was done so early, I took a quick look at the cafeteria.  It was early in the morning, so not all the food was out yet, but the fridge had a nice selection of fruits, yogurt, and salads that are good options for those avoiding gluten.  When I go back for a later appointment I'll do a better scouting job of the gluten free hot options available.

Here's to hoping that today's great experience was the rule, rather than the exception!

Preparing For This Month's Cookbook Review

Generally I like to review cookbooks that are specifically gluten free, but this month I'm picking a regular cookbook.  I'm going to pick the recipes for next week's menu plan from the book, and I'll pick ones that are either naturally gluten free, or I'll comment on how I modified the ingredients to make it gluten free.

My husband grocery shopping as we speak (have I mentioned how much I love him?) and I can't wait to try the new recipes.  If I'm organized enough (haha) I might even try a dessert for Valentine's day. 

Can't wait!

Too Tired to Think

This has been a pretty stressful week.  My mom has been sick for the past couple of months, and we've been waiting to find out when she would be booked for treatment.  She spent the last two days at the hospital, but today we finally got a few things settled.  She's got all her appointments lined up, her surgery is scheduled, and there finally seems to be a plan in place to move things along.  

This is a huge weight lifted.  We went to visit her tonight to see how she's doing, and now I feel as though all that waiting has finally caught up with me.  I'm too tired to think much, so I'm going to go to bed early and try to get an hour or two more sleep than usual.  Catch you tomorrow!

Soccer on a Warm Sunday

Found the Gluten Free Rice Krispies

So, after hearing about Gluten Free Rice Krispies coming to Canada in January, I finally found them!  Well, my husband found them, but that's not the point. 

The Fortino's in Vaughan has a great big display of them!  A friend of mine told me that she found them at the Super Store at Weston Rd. and the 401 in North York.  This is GREAT news! 

The best part?  My son loves them.  He thinks they're talking to him.   Love it!

Gluten Free Weekly Menu Plan

Happy Superbowl Sunday!!!!  Let's Go GIANTS!!!

Here's the menu plan for the week.

Monday:  Pulled Pork Tacos with Black Beans and Avocado

Tuesday: Ceviche

Wednesday: Steak and Vegetable Stir Fry (the dish we didn't end up makign last week) 

Thursday: Chickpea Chowder 

Friday: Shepherd's Pie 

Gluten Free at the Zoo? Not so much...

Today we spent the day at the Toronto Zoo.  Although some exhibits weren't open due to the cold, my son had a great time checking out the animals.  We saw the new polar bear cub, which was really, really, cute. 

From an entertaining the kiddies standpoint, the zoo is always a hit. 

However, when it comes to food, for those with food allergies or intolerances, it's another story altogether.

First, although it was a busy Saturday at the zoo, only 2 cafes and 1 beaver tail stand were open.  Trying to find a warm place to sit and buy some food was extremely difficult, requiring us to double back and cover ground we'd already seen, passing several closed food places along the way.  It was really inconvenient.

Second, once we did find one of the 2 places that serves a variety of food (since beaver tails are deep fried dough, which, are obviously off limits), the only options were burgers, pizza and salad.  And they were out of salad.  Maybe some of the other food places have some options, but since so little was open, it's besides the point. 

It wasn't a huge deal for us because we always bring food for our son wherever we go.  However, for one of the largest tourist attractions in the city of Toronto that attracts several million visitors per year, I would hope that there would at least be a few options for those with dietary restrictions. 

Just a friendly suggestion.

Five Things on a Friday

This week has been an eventful one, and the weekend is full of activity too. Here are a few things that happened this busy week or are scheduled for the weekend:

1- Exams marked, marks calculated, semester finished
2- Thesis Defense Done!
3- Planning a trip to the zoo tomorrow
4- Dinner with a friend
5- SUPERBOWL SUNDAY!!! 

It's no secret that I love football, so the Superbowl is always an event at my house, but this year my team (THE GIANTS) is playing, so it's extra special!!! 

Can't wait for the big day!  Don't worry though, the menu plan will still go up as usual.

Gluten Free Dining: Farro Ristorante

Last night, in celebration of passing my thesis defense, we went out to dinner at a local Italian restaurant called Farro Ristorante.  The restaurant is the perfect date-night place, with a sophisticated ambiance and an extensive menu of mouthwatering food.  I was a bit nervous about bringing an almost three year old in, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the restaurant is family friendly.  The waiter brought my son a small colouring book when we arrived, and they had high chairs and booster seats available. 

Normally, Italian food is a gluten-filled minefield, but not at this restaurant. 

Farro makes pasta in house, and they have gluten free pasta available.  They also make gluten free pizza, which is what we ordered for my son.  The gluten free didn't come in kid size, but I didn't mind.  We packed up what my son didn't finish and brought it home. 

How was the pizza?  Fantastic.  It was thin crust, with an authentic pizza texture to the crust.  I would say that it was the best gluten free pizza I've ever tried.  My son agreed, as he gobbled down three and a half slices! 

We ordered a simple Margherita pizza for him, but since they have an extensive pizza menu, we really could have chosen from several pizzas.  Ditto for the pasta dishes.  And since our son was so engaged with his pizza, my husband and I enjoyed our meals drama free. 

My husband ordered Tuscan bean soup to start, followed by bacon wrapped pork medallions with grilled vegetables.  I ordered a mixed green salad and the Gnocchi Gorgonzola  with spinach and sun dried tomatoes.  We would have had dessert, but it was getting late and my son had started rubbing his eyes, so we passed.

On our way out, I noticed that the restaurant has a small section at the back where they sell some specialty food products, including gluten free pasta.   

I really enjoyed our dining experience at Farro.  It's not a cheap restaurant, but the prices are reasonable for the quality of the food and the dining experience that the restaurant provides.  They also offer take-out if you call and order in advance, which is a great option for my family. 

This is a restaurant that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys good food, and wants more than one gluten free option to choose from.  It's perfect for a date night, a family function, or just an impromptu dinner to celebrate something special. 

My only suggestion for the restaurant would be to advertise their gluten free items outright on the menu.  They have a mention of spelt pasta, but no mention of the gluten free options.  I think that they could bring in more business if they did.

Farro Ristorante
2316 Major Mackenzie Drive
Maple, Ontario L6A 1W6
www.farroristorante.com

I Get to Be a Master of Something!

Yesterday I promised plenty of exclamation points if I passed my thesis defense today.  So here goes:
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Things went VERY well today, and my thesis was accepted by the committee!

I have to admit that I'm very relieved.  This has been a labor of love (and sometimes hate) for a very long time.

But now I'm DONE! 

Happy Me!

YAY!!!!