Tips to Selecting Gluten-Free Pizza Crusts and Other Gluten-Free Foods (Conclusion)

Gluten-free pizza crusts are an effective food substitute.

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust is An Effective
Food Substitute | 310-322-7357

Gluten-Free Pizza Crusts: Should You Go On a Gluten-Free Diet?

There may be great health benefits to starting and maintaining a gluten free diet, and using food substitutes such as gluten-free pizza crusts.

As we covered previously, The number of people who maintain a gluten free diet is growing. People who want to begin eating gluten free should consult their family physician. A physician can also be a good resource for a gluten free foods list. A doctor may also provide other ways to incorporate healthy whole foods and grains that do not contain gluten into a daily diet. Gluten is found in most processed foods. Going on a diet means avoiding eating processed foods, which often contain a lot of empty calories anyway. Avoiding processed foods becomes a natural way to lose weight. There are people who are sensitive to gluten but don't suffer from celiac disease. They would feel better with a diet consisting of gluten free foods. Gluten sensitivity is a common condition where people have adverse reactions to gluten. Some of its symptoms include stomach pain, bloating, fatigue, and pain in joints and bones.

Health Benefits of Eating Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

When going on a diet, you eat more vegetables and fruits. They are healthy food sources without starch.There are even websites that offer gluten-free recipes. A gluten free diet eliminates unhealthy oils and unhealthy carbohydrates from your system. It also reduces the risk of some cancers, diabetes, and even heart disease. The diet can also help protect from germs and viruses. A gluten free diet can help you lose weight. It is composed of gluten free foods that have essential carbohydrates, proteins and fat. You just have to keep the right portion size and choose starches without gluten such as sweet potatoes and brown rice.

Choosing the Right Foods It is easier to find foods without gluten today compared to the past. But not all of them are healthy as some contain high amounts of cholesterol and saturated fats. Since people with celiac disease can safely eat lean meat, fish, vegetables, fruits and low-fat dairy products, a gluten free diet will be made up of natural foods. If you have symptoms of celiac disease, or other symptoms of gluten sensitivity, then it will be beneficial to start eating gluten free foods. Though it is a great natural weight loss method, food choices will be limited because gluten is found in so many foods. You have to give up on breakfast cereals, breads, crackers, pastas, and most processed foods with gluten. You can also decrease your nutrient intake without a properly balanced diet when choosing gluten free. Therefore, it is ideal to consult with a dietitian before going on a gluten free diet. For now, know, that you have options, including gluten-free pizza crust.

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Venice Bakery
134 Main Street
El Segundo, CA90245
(310) 322–7357
http://www.venicebakery.com/

Gluten-Free Pizza Crusts and Why You Should Buy Some

Gluten-free pizza crusts fill a vital need particularly with people who have any sort of gluten-sensitivity, such as Celiac disease.

Gluten-Free Pizza Crusts | (310) 322–7357

Gluten-Free Food and Dangerous Gluten Sensitivity

Buying gluten-free foods makes sense in the event you or someone you love has been diagnosed with gluten sensitivity, a food allergy pertaining to gluten, or a more severe health problem related to gluten such as Celiac disease. And you want to be cautious with Celiac disease or any potentially dangerous food allergy or sensitivity.  

There is no cure for Celiac disease, and doctors don't know exactly what causes it, but there does seem to be a genetic component. So if someone in your family has gluten sensitivity, you probably will have it as well. If you don't know, make sure that you see a doctor. You don't want to go into anaphylactic shock and wake up in the emergency room with a doctor giving you the bad news. And that's if you are lucky

In some cases, the level of anaphylaxsis can be fatal. It makes sense if you think about it. Look at beestings. If you're sensitive, just one sting may be enough to kill you. The same holds true for gluten. So what do you do if you've been diagnosed with Celiac disease or some other form of gluten-senstivity? Do you live in fear the rest of your life of a bowl of pasta or a slice of bread? Not at all.

Gluten-Free Foods:  One Strategy to Manage Gluten Sensitivity

Living in fear is no way to live.  Like any food allergy or sensitivity, you just need to know how to manage it.  If you go to a potluck where there will not be a lot of gluten-free foods, what do you do? Eat beforehand and hurt or offend your host or hostess?  Not at all.  In fact, dealing with foods that aren't gluten free is simple, you bring some of your own.  You either bring a dish to share, or you bring your own food.  And no, not everything that you make that is a gluten-free food has to have a gummy texture or vile taste.  In fact there are dozens of gluten-free recipes like this one for gluten-free chicken parmesan.   You could even make a pizza with gluten-free pizza crusts.  

Living a gluten-free lifestyle is a healthy choice for people with gluten-senstivity.  So buy some foods that will help you to stay safe, like gluten-free pizza crusts.  

Venice Bakery
134 Main Street
El Segundo, CA 90245
(310) 322–7357
http://www.venicebakery.com/

The Gluten-Free Lunchbox Round-up

August is right around the corner and around the country, schools are starting super early. In Los Angeles, they start August 12th. When do your kids to go back to school? Venice Bakery knows that it can be tough to come up with five lunch ideas every week (we have kids too!), so we created this nice gluten-free menu for our families facing the fridge with fear!

Here’s a week’s worth of delicious, kid-friendly lunchbox recipes:.

Monday - BBQ Flatbread Sandwich Recipe:
INGREDIENTS:

• 4 small Bibb lettuce leaves
• 2 slices tomato
• 1 slice of red onion, cut in half
• 1 or 2 Venice Bakery Gluten-Free Flatbreads
• 2-3 oz of BBQ pork (pre-cooked that gets warmed in the microwave)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Arrange lettuce, tomato and onion evenly on one side of each flatbread.
2. Heat BBQ pork according to package directions. Place on flatbread. Fold flatbread over to cover filling; cut in half to serve. Serve with pickles and chips, if desired.

We know what you’re thinking; it’s going to take me forever to make BBQ pork for my child. Don’t worry! You can get pre-made BBQ pork that still tastes great from several grocery stores.  Add a vegetable or piece of fruit and a treat, and you’re all set.

Tuesday - Roast Turkey and Veggies Wrap from Today’s Parent: 
INGREDIENTS:

• 1-2 tablespoons of low-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons of Mild Salsa
• Venice Bakery Gluten-Free Wraps
• 3 oz. roast turkey deli slices
• 3  lettuce leaves
• Grated carrots
• 1 red bell pepper julienned (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise and salsa. Take a tortilla and spread
2. salsa mixture evenly over the surface. Arrange 2 to 3 slices of turkey on tortilla, cover with 2 lettuce leaves.
3. On lower third of tortilla, arrange grated carrot in a thick horizontal line. Place a
4. Quarter of the julienned red pepper on top of the carrot. Season with pepper.
5. Wrap up the tortilla, starting at the bottom, securing around the carrot and pepper to create a pretty visual when cut. Repeat 3 times.
6. Tuesdays are tough for everyone, so take it easy and make tasty wraps for your little ones. Plus, it’s easy to substitute veggies with this recipe in case you have a picky eater. Add a piece of fruit or a yogurt.

Wednesday - Cheese Pizza:
INGREDIENTS:

• 5’’ Venice Bakery Gluten-Free Pizza Crusts
• Fresh Mozzarella Cheese (sliced or grated)
• Tomato Sauce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Spread tomato sauce over the crust evenly
2. Place grated cheese or mozzarella slices on top over the crust
3. Follow the instructions on the package for cooking Venice Bakery pizza crusts, and enjoy!

What kid doesn’t love pizza? Have your child help you make it, and they can add any toppings they want. Add celery sticks and peanut butter for a delicious and nutritious snack.

Thursday - Martha Stewart’s Chicken Tenders:
INGREDIENTS:

• 1/3 cup gluten-free flour
• 4 cups Venice Bakery Gluten-free bread crumbs
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Salt and ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ pounds chicken tenders
• 12 cups reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 475. Place bread crumbs in a shallow bowl, and egg in a second one; season both with salt and pepper. Place oil and bread crumbs in a third shallow bowl.
2. Coat chicken: first in gf flour blend, then with egg, and finally in bread crumb mixture, pressing to help it adhere. Place onto a baking sheet, and bake until light golden brown and cooked through, 15-20 minutes, turning over halfway through.
3. Meanwhile, mix together sour cream, mustard, and honey. Serve with honey mustard on the side.
4. Leftovers are always a good option. Make a big batch of these delicious chicken tenders for dinner, and send the extras with your child to school the next day. Add sliced cucumber to go with it.

Friday - Peanut Butter and Jelly Wrap:
INGREDIENTS:

• Peanut butter
• Jelly
• 1 Venice Bakery Gluten-Free Wrap

DIRECTIONS:

1. Layout one wrap. Spread a layer of peanut butter over the center of the wrap, leaving an inch clear around the edges. Spread a thin layer of jelly over the peanut butter.
2. Fold the left and right edges over about an inch towards the center, then starting with the edge of the wrap closest to you, roll up the wrap. Cut in half in the center.

For the end of the week, pack something that tastes like dessert! Add a container of fresh fruit for a balanced meal, and your week of lunches is complete.

Venice Bakery134 Main StreetEl Segundo, CA 90245(310) 322–7357Gluten-Free Health News

The Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Salad

We put a twist on the traditional way to eat a salad. Lose the bowl and the fork and try these delicious Venice Bakery gluten-free salad adaptations!

1. The Pizza Salad

Normally, you pair a side salad with your pizza. This time, the salad tops the pizza. The twist on the traditional pairing is the perfect combination of crisp pizza crust with fresh, crunchy greens. A chopped salad tossed with vinaigrette dressing, and if you like, garnished with thinly sliced prosciutto, salmon or tuna, makes a unique yet incredibly delicious topping to our gluten-free pizza crusts. Thanks Fine Cooking for this recipe!

Ingredients:

• Venice Bakery Gluten-Free Pizza Crust
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbs. olive oil, plus 3 Tbs., and extra for greasing the pan
• Leaves from 4 sprigs thyme or 1 scant tsp. dried
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Fresh lemon juice
• One 6-oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts (about 1 cup), drained and roughly chopped
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 small cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 2 Tbs. capers, rinsed
• 6 large handfuls of assorted lettuces, torn into bite-size pieces
• One 5-oz. can tuna packed in oil, drained, or 1/4 lb. thinly sliced prosciutto (optional)
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 2 oz.)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the shallots and vinegar, then set aside.
• Brush the crust with the 2 Tbs. oil. Sprinkle the thyme evenly over the dough, press the leaves into it a bit, and season with salt and pepper. Bake the crust, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown on the bottom and the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 8-10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, to the bowl with the shallots and vinegar, add a splash of lemon juice and the remaining 3 Tbs. oil. Season with salt and pepper, then whisk together. Check the seasonings by quickly dipping in a piece of lettuce, shaking it off, and tasting. Top the dressing with the tomatoes, artichoke hearts, cucumbers, capers, lettuce, and tuna (if using) and set aside without tossing.
• When the crust is ready, transfer it to a cutting board. Toss the salad, check the seasonings, then mound it evenly over the crust, leaving a narrow border around the edges. Lay the prosciutto or salmon slices (if using) across the salad and scatter the feta over top. Cut the pizza salad and serve.

2. It’s a Wrap!

Wraps are not only a great lunch alternative to sandwiches, but they’re also a fantastic way to switch up your favorite leafy greens. Simply wrap your tossed salad in one of our Venice Bakery Gluten-Free Tortilla Wraps for an easy-to-pack, no fuss but tasty lunch! If you’re looking for a new salad to satisfy your taste buds, try wrapping up this Feta, Strawberries and Almonds Salad, courtesy of Food & Wine.

Ingredients:

• Venice Bakery Gluten-Free Tortilla Wraps
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, preferably Banyuls
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 12 cups packed assorted baby lettuces (about 6 ounces)
• 1 quart strawberries, hulled—small berries halved, large ones quartered
• 4 ounces feta (preferably French), crumbled (1 cup)
• 1 cup smoked almonds, chopped

Instructions:

• In a small bowl, stir together the mustard, honey, shallot and vinegar. Stir in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Put the lettuces in a large bowl. Add the strawberries, feta and almonds. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, toss well, spoon on to the wrap, roll up the wrap and enjoy!

3. It’s Greek to Me

Our Gluten-Free Flatbreads add the perfect extra Mediterranean flare to spice up   your everyday Greek salad. Slice and toast our flatbread and serve a tossed Greek or Mediterranean style salad atop the slices. It’s more of a tapas approach to your lunchtime staple. Using the salad as a garnish to the flatbread adds a refreshing and crispy edge. Try with this Greek Salad recipe, courtesy of Fine Cooking.

Ingredients:

For the tapenade:

• 1 medium clove garlic
• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1-1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar

For the salad & flatbread:

• Venice Bakery Gluten-Free Flatbread
• 1-1/2 cups seeded and finely diced English cucumber (about 1/2 medium)
• 1-1/4 cups seeded and finely diced Roma tomatoes (about 3 medium)
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta
• 1/2 cup finely diced radishes (about 4 medium)
• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups lightly packed baby spinach leaves

Instructions:

• To make the tapenade, put the garlic in a food processor and process until chopped. Add the olives, olive oil, and vinegar and process until spreadable but not completely smooth.
• In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, tomatoes, feta, and radishes. Add the olive oil, vinegar, oregano, and a few grinds of pepper and toss to combine. In another bowl, combine the 1/2 cup of spinach and 1/2 cup of salad mixture. Slice the Venice Bakery Flatbreads. Pile the spinach and salad mixture on the slices.  Divide the tapenade among the slices, spreading it evenly.

http://www.venicebakery.com/

Christi Silbaugh and Michele Vilseck’s Cookbook "Gluten-Free Made Easy”

Christi Silbaugh cooks and lives gluten-free. She has been writing her notorious blog Mom, What’s For Dinner? since her 16 year-old daughter Taylor was diagnosed with Celiac disease. Among Christi’s tasty recipes, we particularly love her 3 Cheese Pesto and Tomato Pizza, for  which she uses Venice Bakery’s Gluten-Free pizza crust.  Christi will thrill her readers with the publication of her new cookbook Gluten-Free Made Easy.  Co-written with Michele Vilseck, the book offers over 150 delicious gluten-free (GF) recipes as well as many useful tips for eating healthfully.

From GF margherita pizzas to yummy chicken tacos, cooking has never been easier. The authors also offer ways to use our other products, particularly our flatbreads.  You will have fun experimenting this season with Christi’s delish sides, desserts, vegetables and sauces!   Want to find out more and order the book?  Click here.   Order your copy of Gluten-Free Made Easy today on Amazon and get cooking!

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Fish Stick Friday with Venice Bakery Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs

Salmon is brain food. Just as your heart, muscles, bones and stomach depend on the nutrients from the food you eat, so does your brain.

Salmon provides a great source of omega-3, protein, vitamins and minerals that promote the longevity of your noggin. It’s a great source of DHA, the omega-3 fat may help prevent Alzheimer’s and it’s the best source of the hard-to-get vitamin D that is essential to keeping your brain on the top of its game.

We adapted this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis—a twist on typical fish sticks. Using salmon instead of cod or halibut as the fish meat is a nutrient-rich recipe fix.

Our new Venice Bakery Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs are the healthy and safe substitute to the crunchy coating that makes fish sticks, well, fish sticks!  The kids will love this recipe, too. It’s a great pre-test day dinner that will give your kids the extra mind boost they need to get that A+.

Ingredients:

1 (18-ounce) center-cut salmon fillet, about 9 by 4 inches, skinned
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup Venice Bakery Bread Crumbs
1/2 cup Jule’s Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour 
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 egg whites
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise or vegenaise
1/3 cup lowfat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or chives
Olive oil, for drizzling

Directions:

For the Fish Sticks: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Rinse the salmon fillet and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the fish in half to make 2 fillets each about 4 by 4 1/2-inches in size. Starting on the longest edge, slice the fillets into 1/2-inch pieces. Lay the widest pieces, from the center, cut side down, and slice in half lengthways so all the pieces are equally about 1/2 by 1/2 by 4 1/2-inches in size.  Season the salmon with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Place the egg whites in another bowl and beat until frothy, about 30 seconds. Combine the Parmesan and bread crumbs in a third bowl.  Dip the salmon in the egg whites and then into the Parmesan mixture, gently pressing the mixture into the fish. Place the breaded salmon pieces on a liberally oiled baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with the olive oil. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

Dipping Sauce  Mix the mayonnaise or vegenaise, yogurt, Dijon mustard, and parsley (or chives, if using) in a small dipping bowl.  Arrange the fish sticks on a serving platter and serve with the dipping sauce.

Cook's Note: The fish sticks can also be dipped in ketchup, marinara sauce, pesto, ranch dressing or vinaigrette.

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis and The Food Network.

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