Gluten Free Apple Pancake

If anyone openly mourned about never being able to eat a Walker Brothers' Apple Pancake again after having to go gluten free, cheer up. It's actually pretty easy to make.

I based this recipe on the gluten version found here. As it does not require too much flour, pretty much any gluten free flour blend will do (make sure it has xanthan gum or guar gum in it, if not, add 1/4 tsp of either). I've used both the Bob's Red Mill 1:1 and Cup 4 Cup mixes.

This recipe makes a single large pancake which serves 2-3. (although all of us wanted more, just like at Walker Brothers).

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized apples (I used 1 Fuji and 1 Granny Smith), thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup cream, half and half or milk of your choice
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup gluten free flour mix (if no xanthan or guar gum in mix, add 1/4 tsp)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt

For Cinnamon sugar glaze:

• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 2 tbsp sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Over medium heat, in a cast iron or Le Creuset oven proof plan, melt butter. 
3. Add apples and sauté until softened. (about 10-15 minutes)
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine flour mix, sugar and salt
5. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs together, add cream
6. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. 
7. Mix but do not over mix.
8. Remove apples from heat. 
9. Pour batter over apples
10. Bake for 12 minutes
11. Meanwhile, melt 2 tbsp butter over low heat
12. Add 2 tbsp sugar and mix until melted.  
13. Add  salt, cinnamon and mix. 
14. Remove from heat
15. Take pancake out of the oven. 
16. Pour Cinnamon sugar mixture on top.
17. Return to oven for another 3 minutes
18. Remove from oven, let cool 5 minutes, serve and enjoy

Disneyland - the happiest Gluten Free Place on Earth!

This past year we decided to get Disneyland Annual passes. Disney Resorts are by far the most allergy-friendly places we've visited so we decided to put all our eggs in the Disney basket.

If you click on the "Disney" tab at the top you will see my top 10 list for Disneyland and Disney World.

For Disneyland, here is some more info on what we've eaten at each place on the top 10 list, what we liked, what we didn't like and what we'd like to try next time:

Blue Bayou (New Orleans Square, Disneyland)

We've dined here 3 times so far (our next visit is in a few weeks) and we've figured out exactly how we like to order- we've done 2 lunches and 1 dinner:

• The Giggler gets a kids meal
• The hubby and I split an entree plus 2 sides of veggies
• We all split a dessert

Favorites:

• Grilled salmon entree (lunch)
• Kids gluten free mac & cheese w/ fruit & broccolette
• Surf & Turf entree (Dinner)
• Chocolate mousse Mickey (presented when I was there for my birthday - I have no idea if this is a normal offering of if I was just lucky because I had mentioned it was my birthday)
• Creme Brûlée

OK:

• Paella
• Gluten free rolls

Hungry Bear Restaurant (Critter Country, Disneyland Park)

We love to have lunch here in the late morning, grab a table overlooking the Rivers of America and watch the boats, canoes and duck float by.

Favorites:

• Burgers (although the Udi's buns are kind of repulsive- we prefer just eating the burger on a plate)
• Sweet potato fries

OK:

• chicken salad

Carthay Circle (California Adventure Park)

We had a 4:50pm dinner reservation and were seated in a room which had a patio overlooking the Pixar Parade. Our server opened the door to the patio just as the parade started passing by and we had a great time watching from up above.

We did the World of Color Dining package which included passes to the best reserved area for the show (Center and raised up a bit from the water). We are returning in a few weeks and will just do a regular ala carte meal. We will try the same strategy as blue bayou: 1 kids meal for the Giggler, share 1 entree + 2 sides of veggies and share a dessert if we're still hungry afterwards.

Favorites:

• Creamed tomato soup
• The Giggler's filet kids meal (she can eat gluten so she was able to eat the gluten mac & cheese balls but the rest of the meal was gluten free so she could share w/ us)
• Pork Chop entree
• Panna Cotta dessert

OK:

• Appetizer salad (the only GF option on the appetizer menu unless you order the soup from the kids menu which we found out was an option after the fact)
• Salmon entree
• Gluten free rolls

Rancho Del Zocalo (Frontierland, Disneyland Park)

Definitely speak with the chef/manager to place your order. Many dishes are naturally gluten free but they will make your plate in the back so there is no chance for cross contamination.

Favorites:

• Grilled chicken plate with rice, beans and corn tortillas

That's all we've had so far. Very satisfying meal.

Storyteller's Cafe (Grand Californian Hotel)

We've been here 3 times - once for each meal. The chef will come out to help you decide what to order. They can prepare many things gluten free. They use the Venice Baking Company flatbread as gluten free bread (far better than those horrible ener-G rolls at the parks) so most sandwiches can be made GF and they're delicious.

Favorites:

• Flatbread (as bread basket for table)
• Grilled fish sandwich on flatbread
• Mickey mouse waffles
• Salads

OK:

• The rest of the breakfast buffet (eggs, sausage, bacon, fruit)
• Salmon entree
• Burger

Big Thunder Ranch BBQ (Frontierland)

Eating here includes a wild west show which is fun to watch and the Giggler got to dance on stage. Pretty much everything on the pre-set menu is gluten free except for the cornbread. They brought me a cupcake for my b-day but it was gluten so the Giggler ate it. Ask for extra bbq sauce when you place your order. Yum!

Favorites:

• Ribs
• Beans

OK:

• Chicken
• Cole Slaw

Ariel's Grotto (California Adventure Park)

We've done the Princess breakfast and lunch.

Favorites:

• Antipasto tiered tray at lunch
• Tri-tip breakfast
• Salmon entree at lunch (sustainable fish menu option that day)
• Tri tip lunch
• Dessert tray to share (fruit, warmed up brownie, maybe ice cream - don't remember)

OK:

• Warmed Udi's blueberry muffin (breakfast)
• Breakfast frittata
• Pasta (lunch) - tons of very thin mushy rice noodles w/ not enough of a bland red sauce

Redd Rockett's Pizza Port (Tomorrowland, Disneyland Park)

Order directly from the chef. Takes 15-20 minutes for food to arrive. Worth it.

They use the Venice Baking Company pizza crust. 

Our favorite thing was the PIZZA. That's all we had. That's all we needed.

Wine Country Trattoria (California Adventure Park)

Favorites

• Caprese Salad
• Osso Bucco

OK:

• gluten free rolls

Plaza Inn

We went here for Minnie's character breakfast on a day where Disneyland was open for early entry/magic morning (which we did not have access to) so we ate during the magic morning hour and then still made it to the regular rope drop so we could go over to the left side of the park when it opened with everyone else.

The chef brought us a huge tray of gluten free waffles, fruit, eggs, bacon, sausage and hash browns to share. Not our typical breakfast but it was a nice treat and we loved all the character interaction.

Flo's V8 Cafe (Carsland, California Adventure Park)

We loved getting a table outside on the patio so we could watch the Radiator Springs Racers ride.

Favorites:

• Roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and roasted veggies

OK:

• gluten free rolls

I see they now have some sort of Tamale breakfast on the menu. Got to find out if it's safe!

Please check the Disney gluten free top10 list page here to see the list of places I would not return to either due to their lack of gluten free offerings or in the case of Goofy's Kitchen, the overabundance of tempting gluten things which made it just too depressing.

Treats

• Handmade candy (English toffee, Turtles, etc.) - the candy shops at Disneyland make gluten treats as well so while the toffee and turtles may not contain gluten ingredients, the cast members will tell you everything has gluten in it. Use your best judgement. I have eaten both the toffee and turtles w/o reaction but I may have just been lucky so far.
• Ghirardelli in California Adventure and the ice cream places on the main streets in both parks have gluten free ice cream and sundae options which are all very good. In each case ask for the manager to place your order and they will make you sundae in the back with freshly opened containers.
• Dole Whips are safe! (next to the Tiki room in Adventureland) Go early to avoid the long lines or try the line inside the show waiting area.