school lunches: “g” is for gluten.

Do you have a child in your life who is gluten sensitive or has celiac disease? Have you seen the school lunch menu? It goes a little something like this: Monday: gluteny gluten, gluten, and apple sauce. Tuesday: gluten with gluten, tater tots, carrot sticks, and gluten. Wednesday…I think you get where I’m going with this.

No problem, right? You are all set packing lovingly planned snacks and lunches. You got the kind of water bottle that didn’t have that scary BPA in it, got the cool eco-lunch bag. You’ve got your little cutie’s classmates coming up to you and saying, “Those crackers are so good! Can she bring more tomorrow?”

And please, Udi’s bread? Sandwiches are completely reclaimed by the GF world. Straight out of the bag, bread that is ready for sandwich action.

But dang: the lure of the forbidden fruit. Something about the words “hot lunch” conjure visions of steamy hot pizza, hot dogs, burgers, and yes, tater tots. Many parents report that their GF kid is longing for their place in the line with the other kids who are buying.  Every kid hates to feel left out. No matter how tasty the food is that a child brings from home, if everyone is making plans to get pizza and then eating it together and raving about it, the GF kid is going to feel left out.

So what is a parent to do? He or she can approach the administration and raise awareness about this issue. Problem solving can be a group effort. But the bottom line is if a school wants to make a change it is the district that is going to eat the cost, and that’s never easy for schools to do. For some, it may be impossible. Parents can get other parents and friends together and in partnership with the school create possibilities for GF choices. Note to self: don’t write “think outside the lunch box.” (Doh!)

What rights do children with special dietary needs have in public schools? The National School Lunch Program is a federal program. If a parent has documentation that their child has dietary needs that are not being met by the school district’s lunch program, parents can request that the school’s administration sit down with them to plan a 504. Section 504 is part of the Rehabilitative Act of 1973. This is a civil rights law which guarantees equal opportunity for Americans with disabilities. Anyone has the right to equal access to a program funded by the U.S. government. If a child does not have access to part of his or her school’s programs, then that is not equality. A very visual example of access and equality you might have noticed is the ramps that run along stairs at schools.

Parents are their child’s best advocate. With everything they’ve learned to help their child thrive on a GF diet, they can work in partnership with the school system to create change. Seeing the school’s administration in an adversarial light tends to not go well, but being patient and having a sense of being a team can bring about positive outcomes. Many parents are already working together with schools to make school lunches healthier; more choices for children with special dietary needs is a natural part of that goal.

Some kids always feel sensitive to being different. So, even if the school offers a GF pizza on pizza day…some kids will be super aware that the packaging is different; that they are different. Sometimes we’ve got to look at another part of the big picture: there are always going to be foods that are off limits. And that’s hard. Providing context can be helpful: “Remember Melissa who can’t eat peanuts? And Paco who just can’t have any dairy products? Ever?” But yes, it is hard. Staying with a child; empathizing when she feels difficult feelings is one of the most important parts of parenting. Not trying to make it better, not trying to jolly her out of her anger or sadness, but just being there. If you are a GF parent, you can make the most of teachable moments that present themselves. You can share how during a meeting, for example, homemade brownies were served, and how several colleagues asked why you weren’t having one, and some asked what the heck is gluten any way. You just might be surprised how one of these days, your little sidekick hears something like this and says with a smile, “I know just how you feel.”
. . .
Guest blogging by Janine Acevedo M.E.C.S.E. Janine is a GF mom of a GF kid and works as an early intervention special educator. She is also the San Francisco Early Intervention writer for examiner.com.

how to please your gf sweetie.

Looking to knock the socks off that special gluten free guy or gal this Valentine’s Day? Nothing says I care about your health and well being more than paying attention to someone’s eating restrictions. This can be confusing and time consuming, but don’t worry, we’ve got your back.

Whether you’re taking a day trip or perhaps an overnighter, dining out or dining in, delving into a decadent dessert or just getting your drink on, we are here to help and inspire.

First things first, you need our resource guide. Then, it is important to find out how sensitive your Mr. or Ms. Right is to gluten. Some folks can handle some ambient gluten, some can’t. So please note that most of the restaurants we suggest do not have a dedicated gluten free kitchen.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, let’s start north and work our way down….

Healdsburg

Gift idea: Relish Culinary Adventures – gift certificate for the Lab’s Baking with Alternative Flours Class on March 7.

Overnight: stay at Honor Mansion Bed and Breakfast, the owner will prepare a GF breakfast if you let her know ahead of time.

Day trip: stop by Big John’s Market or Shelton’s Natural Foods Market for all the fixins for a GF picnic to take with you on a wine tasting tour.

Dine out: go to Willi’s Seafood, request the gluten free menu and order one of their specialty cocktails with Chopin vodka. Or head to Café Gratitude (also located in Berkeley and San Francisco) for a healthy GF meal.

Dessert: sit next to the fire at Ravenous and eat flourless chocolate cake with a nightcap.

Napa

Dine out: Pica Pica is a delicious gluten free restaurant. If you’re in the area it’s worth a stop. Or head into Filippi’s Pizza Grotto for some gluten-free pizza and pasta.

Santa Rosa

Dine out: have a progressive dinner, starting with a glass of wine and the fritto misto at Rosso Pizzeria (breaking news! The Fritto Misto contains semolina flour, use caution!), then either head to Jackson’s Bar & Oven for GF pizza and a GF beer or to Stark’s Steakhouse, Willi’s Wine Bar or Monti’s Rotisserie and ask for their gluten free menu. Finish your night with the flourless chocolate cake at Willi’s Wine Bar.

Sebastopol:

Day trip: throw together a picnic for a bike ride or a drive out to the coast at Andy’s Produce – it’s like a GF treasure hunt in there!

Dine out: go to Pizzavino 707 and have a GF pizza (featuring The Lab’s very own crust recipe) and a cocktail, or perhaps a brown rice pasta dish or risotto at Pasta Bella. Hopmonk has a delicious quinoa salad, a great outdoor patio and live music most evenings.

Petaluma:

Dine out: for a laid back experience, stop by Aqus Café for a GF panini and you’ll be sure to catch some music, art or just a good vibe while you are there.

San Rafael:

Dine out: if you are anywhere near San Rafael we insist you stop at Sol Food. Try a sandwich with tostones in lieu of bread.

Mill Valley:

Dessert first: Gelateria Cici offers gelato made on-site using seasonal, local and organic ingredients, and, get this…only gluten-free cones are offered because it’s Celiac-owned!

San Francisco:

The SF Ferry Building Marketplace is always a fun eating and shopping adventure (plus especially romantic if you ditch the car and ride the ferry in) and the perfect place to surprise your loved one with an entire gluten free kiosk stocked by Mariposa Baking Company!

In general, the rice-based sushi, Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Mexican and Latin American cuisines offer up numerous options on their restaurant menus. In Sonoma County there is great awareness and knowledge among chefs about gluten avoidance; you can always call ahead and ask about GF entrées and often a restaurant will make substitutions.

If you are daring and want to try your hand at an in-home meal, here are some starting points:

Snacks: most of our local grocery stores have a number of GF options or hit up Trader Joe’s for some of our favorite snacks.

Bread: Udi’s breads are delicious or Grindstone Bakery offers some fresh, hearty GF breads. We like their quinoa cibatta.

Brown rice pasta: use Trader Joe’s brand, Tinkyada, or Hodgson Mill.

Underpinnings: rice, polenta, potatoes, legumes, quinoa are all safe and easy to work with.

Pizza: Bob’s Red Mill Pizza Crust Mix is a great base for all your favorite toppings.

Dessert: GF baking is not as straightforward as baking with traditional (albeit glutenous) all-purpose flour. If you want to give it a go, try one of Betty Crocker’s new GF box mixes or get one of Pamela’s baking mixes; they’re easy to use and the basic mix is fun to get creative with, and you can also use it for pancakes, waffles or muffins in the morning – if things go well…

Cookies: try our basic sugar cookie recipe, and decorate, frost, sandwich and jam to your heart’s content!

Almond sugar cookies
makes 18 – 24 depending on the size of the cookie cutter you use

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup almond meal
1/2 cup sweet rice flour (do not substitute white rice flour)
1/4 cup potato starch
1/2 cup brown rice flour
pinch salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with electric mixer about 2 minutes or until light in color. In a medium bowl, whisk dry ingredients, almond meal through pinch of salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Mixture will look crumbly. Beat in egg and vanilla. Dough will remain crumbly but should hold together when pinched.

Drop onto a large sheet of parchment paper. Form into a flat 6″ disc. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F and grease cookie sheet. Allow dough to rest at room temperature for 3 minutes, then roll with lightly floured rolling pin to 1/4″ thickness. Cut shapes with floured cutter. Transfer to greased baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned on bottom. Cool on sheet 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired, place in cello bag, tie with ribbon, and go here to grab the free, downloadable Valentine you see in the photo, which we designed at our day job (there are LOTS to choose from, you’ll be able to find something for everyone in your life, from your one true love to your nemesis)!

. . .

GFers love sweets because we have to work so hard to find good ones, so if you really want to seal the deal, order or make a dessert for your loved one. Here’s a list of bakeries that will make gluten free baked goods if you order ahead:

Sebastopol: ZIX Cookies {the GF ravioli cookies are delicious.}

Santa Rosa: The Velvet Crumb

Cotati: Sift Cupcakery, McNish’s Gluten Free Goodies

San Francisco: Cups and Cakes Bakery {go with the red velvet cupcakes}

Walnut Creek: Miglet’s Gluten-Free Bakery

Did we miss anything? If you have a favorite gluten free date, share it with us!

Happy Valentine’s Day, readers!

xoxo
The Lab

football fun facts and tasty snacks.

Football and gluten?? Wait for it…we’re good.

Rich Gannon is a retired football quarterback, who played for the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003. In 1998, Gannon’s three year-old daughter was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and he became very involved in raising awareness of the disease by serving as the national spokesperson for the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research. A big thank you to Mr. Gannon for all that work. And now that we can all support football – since we owe it to him – let’s kick this thing off…

The Superbowl is arguably not about football, it’s about snacks, which are always at the top of our priority list. In honor of Superbowl Sunday we offer a snack guide to help you ease into the day. Whether you are hosting or attending, you can gorge yourself alongside everyone else and feel like part of the team. GO TEAM!

If you’re visiting
Most often the missing piece at a snack table for a gluten-avoider is a vehicle with which to carry the hummus, bean dip, salsa, etc to one’s mouth. Our favorite options include…

Trader Joe’s has a whole slew of tastiness on their shelves…rice crackers, plantain chips, potato lentil curls, spaceballs, edamame crackers, sweet plantain chips and sesame crepes. Most of our local markets offer Mary’s Gone Crackers, Edward and Sons crackers, Udi’s bread, Glutino wafer cookies and many other tasty treats; we encourage you to comb the aisles and try something new. It’s Superbowl Sunday. Go long!

You’ll also need beer to wash down all those snacks, so stop by BevMo for a considerably wide selection of GF beers…Redbridge (our fave), Bards, Greens, New Grist or St. Peters. You can generally find at least one of these brands at BevMo, or look for an easier find, cider, at your local grocery store.

If you’re on home turf
The above snack and beer list will come into play in a big way but you’ll also need some side dishes. Superbowl Sunday is a great day to get familiar with substitutions. We encourage you to collect a few recipes with minimal changes needed, maybe your favorite pasta or macaroni salad or a Caesar salad. Substituting brown rice pasta for regular pasta can often go unnoticed, just don’t overcook it! We like the Trader Joe’s or Tinkyada brands. For a Caesar, just make sure the bottled dressing your using is GF-friendly, then toast up some GF croutons by cubing some Udi’s bread, coating it in olive oil and garlic salt, and toasting in the oven for a few minutes until brown and crispy.

And don’t forget about all those naturally GF dishes! Nachos, bean dip, potato skins, hummus, a taco bar, veggie and cheese plates are all crowd-pleasers, whether your crowd is GF or not. If you’re feeling like hunkering down with some cheesy mashed potato pigskins, give this recipe a try:

Potato pigskins (think cheesy mashed potatoes with a crispy outside)

6 medium russet (baking) potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 pound mozzarella, chopped
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 cup of fried and chopped bacon (optional)
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tbsp grated onion
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped green onions
3 large eggs
5 cups fine dry, tapioca or brown rice bread crumbs
About 1 1/2 cups olive oil

Generously cover potatoes with salted cold water (2 teaspoon for 4 quarts) in a large pot, then simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and chill in a large bowl until cool, about 45 minutes.

Mash potatoes, then stir in cheeses, bacon, onion, salt, parsley, green onion, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and salt to taste. Stir in 1 egg.

Make the breadcrumbs in a cuisinart and combine with parmesan, salt and pepper.

Form potato mixture into a patty (shape yours like a flattened football to keep the football spirit). Lightly beat remaining 2 eggs in a shallow bowl and put breadcrumbs in another shallow bowl. Dip the patty into egg, letting excess drip off, then coat in breadcrumbs. Transfer to a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining patties.

Heat 1/4 inch oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Fry in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Serve immediately.

Makes about 24 pigskins. Serve leftovers for breakfast the next day with eggs.

WOW. need we say more?

This week The Lab received a box of yum-yums from WOW Baking Company (WOW stands for With Out Wheat. Brilliant!). We were all busy with our day jobs, but we’ve got our priorities in order. Which means we all turned to each other and said “LET’S TRY THOSE COOKIES!” We very diplomatically proceeded to cut each cookie into four pieces and set them on a plate in an order that ranged from milder flavors to stronger flavors. Everyone have their palate-cleanser? Ready….annnnnddddd…BITE!

Snickerdoodle
A new addition to the family of WOW fresh baked goods, our WOW Snickerdoodle Cookie. A moist and chewy cookie packed with the delicious flavor of cinnamon and sugar.
Between bites, the comments that made it to our tasting book included very soft, delicate texture & flavor, and doughy. In fact, ALL of the cookies we tasted from WOW Baking Company fall under the doughy category, so if you like a crispity-crunchity cookie this is probably not the cookie for you. But if you’re a half-baked kind of a sweets-eater be prepared to eat more than just one.

Chocolate Chip
WOW Chocolate Chip Cookies are moist chewy and packed with rich, delicious flavor. Take a bite of this chocolate chip cookie, you’ll definitely want another.
The chocolate chip cookie shared the same doughy quality as the snickerdoodle – soft, delicate crumb, and we would imagine an ooey-gooey disc of deliciousness if heated a few seconds in the microwave – and the dough-to-chip ratio was perfectly balanced. Being the chocolate snobs that we are, we couldn’t help but wonder what this cookie would taste like if it featured a high-quality dark chocolate chip.

Oregon Oatmeal
A new “twist” on an old favorite. Our Oregon Oatmeal cookie filled with bits of cranberries & apricots will delight your taste-buds with hints of sweet & tart.
“Wait! Shhhh, quiet!” were the first words out of Molly’s mouth. As in, “Everybody stop talking NOW so I can taste this cookie better!” So needless to say, the Oregon Oatmeal was our elected favorite of the lot, and we actually roshamboed for the fourth and final segment of cookie (Heather won). We loved the mixture of fruits, the tooth, the just-right-sweetness and the doughy quality. Consider smooshing a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two of these bad boys, dipping it in melted chocolate and calling it an It’s-Better-Than-An-It’s-It!

Ginger Molasses
Our Ginger Molasses cookie is a must for any ginger lover! An amazing molasses cookie with bits of real ginger…where’s the coffee & tea?
We definitely got the ginger memo! Watch out for the POW-factor with the little bits of ginger strewn throughout this cookie. While it wasn’t our favorite, a serious ginger lover would go nutso for the intense flavor and moist crumb. As for the not-so-gingery folk, we’re envisioning ginger molasses crumbs as a delish cheesecake crust.

Peanut Butter
WOW! …now that’s a peanut butter cookie!” is what we hear when people try our WOW peanut butter cookie made with all natural, crunchy peanut butter.
We tasted this cookie at the Fancy Food Fair in San Francisco earlier this year and it kind of changed our paradigm for gluten-free cookies. And today’s tasting wasn’t much different. The cookie is tender and doughy, and the peanut butter is prominent. Heather likened the experience to eating a giant spoon of peanut butter with sugar sprinkled on top. And that’s a good thing.

Brownies
Taste our incredibly delicious, decadent WOW chocolate brownies. Eat using fingers or a spoon along with ice-cream.  Did we mention DELICIOUS!
Make the most of the fudgy quality of these brownies by piling on a couple scoops of ice cream, drizzling it with chocolate and caramel sauces, dolloping whipped cream on top and calling it a brownie sundae. Oh, it’s also delicious sans accoutrement.

. . .

Our overall recap? We love the packaging and the variety of products this line offers (I mean, c’mon…they sell DOUGH!). These are definitely not your run-of-the-mill crumbly and dry gluten-free cookies, these have a homemade quality both in taste and look that is lovable. You can buy a variety of WOW products in lots of retail shops (locals alert: the Santa Rosa Whole Foods purports to carry WOW products) or peep the Wow Baking Company website for an opportunity to buy one of everything!

welcome to oat month.

In the name of love, we have decided to dedicate the month of February to an exploration of oats. This may seem like a bit of a stretch upon first glance…what on earth does love have to do with oats? And February? Are oats really gluten-free? Huuuuhhhh?

But at the Fancy Food Fair in San Francisco last month, we met one of the most genuine food companies we’ve ever met in the food biz. Their products are made with care and integrity, their cookie recipe a refreshing taste of home-cookin’, conveniently wrapped up in a cello bag from the grocery store. They are Montana Monster Munchies. And while their cookies are wholesome (NOT in a crumbly-bite-of-cardboard way), so are the ingredients that make the cookies.

In addition to a super-delish oatmealy-chocolatey-peanut-buttery cookie, they also grow and produce their own gluten-free oatmeal. Look for GF rolled oats, GF quick-cooking rolled oats, GF oat groats, GF oat bran, GF oat flour, GF oat sprouts, and yummy GF granola, all of which you can buy on their website!

And take the time to learn more about the who, what and why of Montana Monster Munchies, it’s a thoughtfully written and educational minute worth spending…which – need we say – comes as no surprise!

creamy coconut rice pudding.

what is it about being cold and wanting to eat? it doesn’t really warm you up but somehow it takes the edge off. as rice month comes to a close we wanted to share a recipe for one of our favorite sweet, comfort foods…rice pudding. and it’s vegan! If you’re feeling experimental you could try making it with leftover rice, but we’d advise you to reduce the coconut milk and cooking time.  this recipe was adapted from a recipe on epicurious. you can add a garnish and serve it in fabulous glassware to a table of friends OR you can stand over the stove and eat it warm, straight out of the pot with a big wooden spoon. we’re partial to the second option…

Creamy coconut rice pudding

1 14-ounce can light unsweetened coconut milk
2 14-ounce cans regular unsweetened coconut milk
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2/3 cup short-grain or long-grain rice (such as arborio or jasmine)
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp gf vanilla extract

Combine coconut milks, sugar, shredded coconut, rice, cinnamon and salt in heavy large saucepan. Bring mixture to simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover partially, cooking until liquid is slightly translucent and pudding is thickened, stirring and scraping bottom and sides of pan frequently, about 35 to 45 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract.

Divide pudding among dessert glasses or short jars. Serve warm or at room temperature.

To spice it up before serving: Sprinkle with cinnamon, crispy coconut or grated lime peel, fan fresh mango slices over it, or add raisins near the end, when you add the vanilla extract.

*photo from epicurious.com

yo, teach’

The Gluten Free Lab is excited to introduce a new facet of our interactions with the world! This coming March, we are slotted to teach a class at the über-hip Relish Culinary Center in Headlsburg. Join us for our Baking with Alternative Flours class where we’ll share our years of gluten-free baking experience with you. We will share invaluable information about the characteristics of our favorite and most cost-effective gluten-free flours, special additives such as xanthan gum, and the best substitutes for everyday cooking tasks like dredging, breading, making gravy and thickening sauces, demonstrating a cheese sauce. Then our hands-on participants will make yeast dough for cinnamon rolls and quick banana bread. While those goodies are baking, we’ll shift to making four different batches of sugar cookies—same recipe, different flours—followed by a side-by-side tasting of all the baked goods right out of the oven. Each participant will leave with a comprehensive list of gluten free flours and their properties, experience baking with the most common types of flours, and a better understanding of which flours suit his/her personal preference. Just look at everything we’ll taste!

• Mac & Cheese
• Sugar Cookies made with four different flours (rice, soy, garbanzo and buckwheat)
• Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing
• Banana Chocolate Swirl Bread
• “Schwag” bag of gluten-free goodies

Sign up quick! This class is sure to fill up fast.

Sunday, March 7
1 o’clock
Relish Culinary Center, Healdsburg
$79

Note: The Relish Culinary Center is not a certified gluten-free cooking environment. Ingredients with gluten will not be used in the class but the environment may contain trace amounts. Dairy products (butter and/or cheese) will be used in all recipes.

camp celiac.

Whoa, who knew there would be a summer camp dedicated just to Celiacs?! Well whaddayaknow, the Bay Area is lucky to be in close range to the first Celiac Camp to California!

From the website: At 138 acre Camp Arroyo for its fourth year (July 25-30, 2010), Camp Celiac will again have numerous fun activities including: Rock Wall Climb, Challenge/Ropes Course, Boating, Swimming, Sports, Arts & Crafts, and Nature – all in a safe and Gluten-Free environment! Camp Celiac recognizes the Taylor Family Foundation for again hosting our camp at Camp Arroyo. The Taylor Family Foundation’s mission is to preserve the wellness and enhance the quality of life for children in Northern California with life-threatening and chronic illnesses, disabilities, and youth at risk through unique therapeutic experiences and support. For more information, please visit www.ttff.org.

For more information about menus, activities and fees, mosey on over to the Camp Celiac website. We hear that the camp fills up very quickly, so if you’re interested sign up right-quick!

not your typical pancakes.

I don’t usually have the gumption on Sunday mornings to make breakfast from scratch, so I generally rely on Pamela’s Baking & Pancake Mix for a helping hand. (And if you haven’t already tried Pamela’s, it is one of the very best GF pancake mixes out there, so get thee to a store or buy it online here!) But this morning I wanted to try and make a stick-to-your ribs pancake from scratch, one that would easily fit into our featured flour of the month: rice flour.

These are hearty and thick with an oatmeal-like texture on the outside and a soft, velvety crumb on the inside. Plan to add more milk than the recipe calls for if you like a thinner ‘cake.

Not your typical pancakes

3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup instant potato flakes
1/4 cup almond meal
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
salt to taste
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups milk or milk substitute

In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients, brown rice flour through baking powder. In a small bowl, whip egg and milk until just combined, then add to dry ingredients all at once, stirring with a whisk until the batter just comes together.

Cook on a hot, greased griddle or nonstick pan, using about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Cook until bubbly, a little dry around the edges, and lightly browned on the bottom; turn and brown the other side. Makes 8-10 pancakes.

paninis, music & pints.

Growing up in an Irish pub has its perks, but for John Crowley, owner of Petaluma’s, Aqus Café, it left him feeling community-less when he came to America. The idea of “third space,” as he refers to it, involves a meshing of work, home and community. So creating a third space in Petaluma is what he sought out when he opened his café.

Aqus is a culmination of music, art, food and family, all of which is hosted in an industrial-feeling warehouse space where people can connect on any and all levels. This ambiance is vividly illustrated by the pile of business cards and flyers on a table near the bathroom. And there is an all-inclusive feeling at Aqus, as if you were in someone’s giant living room, listening to music while they make you lunch. And to make you feel even more welcome, they offer gluten-free sandwiches and paninis, polenta pie, numerous salads and often GF baked goods, too. And he’s looking out for everyone with vegetarian and vegan offerings as well. [Please note that while Aqus staff is trained in cross-contamination, this is not a dedicated gluten-free kitchen.]

John’s work does not stop in the café, however, it extends further into the community with brother Tim Crowley, and a pet-project they call Veggie Friday. They are introducing the idea of vegetarian options being offered in restaurants in an effort to promote health of body and planet. Visit the Veggie Friday website or stop by the café to get more info on this project.

These Irish fellas make you feel like family, kind of like you do when you walk into an Irish pub, and they’re doing their part to build and give back to their community.