Kauai Gluten Free - 2009

When we first went gluten free I mourned the fact that we would no longer be able to travel. We actually went camping about one week post diagnosis, and not knowing enough at the time, we starved by only eating grilled hamburger without the bun and yogurt and fruit.

Back  then, I could not comprehend how we would ever fly anywhere again with our restricted diet. I could not understand how God had given me this innate desire for travel while at the same time making it so hard.

Over time and with confidence, we realized we could travel again but that it would be easier to stay at condos instead of hotels. I have to admit that I also mourned for the luxuries of a hotel – I know I sound spoiled, but have you ever seen the hotels in Hawaii with their beautiful meandering pools and, better yet, pool side service, morning breakfast buffets . . .? To me, I served everyone at home so while on vacation I wanted to be served.

All of my past preferences being stated, I have fully converted at this point – we travel plenty and I have grown to prefer the convenience, space and savings offered by staying in a condo.

Yes, being gluten free requires planning ahead – you have to go on-line before you travel, seek out the places you can eat, and contact them before you go.

We also travel with a suitcase of our favorite gluten free pastas, bagels, muffins etc.

And, yes, I have to cook. But we go with easy meals and at least I am cooking in paradise. Moreover, the setting from the balcony on our condo in Kauai was quiet honestly more beautiful than any setting that a restaurant had to offer.

Lastly, when you are traveling with a family, a condo will give you twice the amount of space for the same dollars and you can save a bundle of money, I mean a bundle, by being able to prepare your own meals.

So what about Kauai gluten free??

Once again we felt blessed and taken care of, as our condo was within walking distance of the only gluten free bakery in the state of Hawaii.

Sweet Marie's is a dedicated gluten free bakery on Kauai. As the name implies, it is owned and operated by the most charming and sweet Marie. Marie is an east coast native (that is of the mainland US) who moved to Kauai almost 20 years ago. Being gluten free herself, she opened Sweet Maries just under two years ago. She bakes the most amazing muffins – our favorite was the Tropical muffin with toasted coconut and pineapple.  She also had to die for chocolate brownies. Even better, she will prepare gluten free meals for you during your stay on Kauai.

I emailed Marie before we left and we were able to stock up on muffins, cookies and brownies the first morning after our arrival. Of course, we went back later in the week for more! Marie is also very helpful with information about where to shop and dine on Kauai, and I feel like I have a new friend on the beautiful Island of Kauai.

At her recommendation, we ate our one meal out at Verde’s. It is set in a strip mall behind the Shell station in Kappa.  What was lacking in atmosphere was made up for in delicious Mexican food. This is authentic Mexican food, not your taco bell type, in huge portions. They were also very knowledgeable about all of the ingredients and cross-contamination. You can eat at the restaurant, or order carry out.

There are other places to eat out on Kauai, but we had the rest of our meals at the condo – getting ready to travel yourself? Here was our condo menu:

Breakfast – Sweet Marie muffins (so many muffins we do not need to eat any for a long time); eggs, yogurt, fruit, a box of Koala Crisp cereal

Lunch – (usually ate at the beach) salami, cheese slices, fruit, chips, quinoa salad, ham and cheese rolls ups (take a slice of ham and roll it around a mozzarella cheese stick)

Dinner – quesadillas with Food for Life brown rice tortillas that I packed; pork chops, Lundberg farm risotto and veggies; Bi-aglut spaghetti with some bruschetta bread from Bavarian Mills; grilled lemon chicken with Bi-aglut noodles and a salad; Pizza (Kinninnick now sells mini square pizzas that were perfect for traveling); Cobb salad and hot dogs for the kids.

What I brought along – Food for Life tortillas, bread, Kinninnick bagels and pizza crusts, Bi-aglut pasta, Lundberg Farms risotto, brochette from Bavarian Mills, quinoa, tamari soy sauce

Grocery list when we arrived – olive oil, cheese, salsa and chips, pork chops, chicken, hot dogs and hamburger meat for the spaghetti sauce, spaghetti sauce for spaghetti and for the pizza, butter, eggs, ham, cheese sticks, yogurt, avocados (for guacamole) onion, tomatoes, lettuce, two lemons, mustard and green onion, plus miscellaneous snacks like ice cream!