Milk Bar Gluten Free B’Day Truffles

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This delicious treat came into my life by way of a good friend.  For a recent celebration, my friend was picking up a cake (gluten-full) from Milk Bar.  She wasn’t expecting to stumble upon a gluten-free item, but saw the truffles in the store.  While I wasn’t there myself, the story goes that she asked the associate behind the counter about the Gluten Free B’Day Truffles.  The employee not only recommended the treat, but said that many customers who aren’t gluten-free love them so much that they frequently purchase them over other gluten-full items.  She was sold, and picked up a box of 3 for me.

Milk Bar Gluten Free B’Day Truffles

Later that night as my friends were gathered, the cake was presented, and I was given my special gluten-free dessert.  As I took my first bite I was instantly hooked!  Birthday cake truffles are not something that would typically appeal to me, but after tasting these, I adjusted my thinking.  I immediately raved about the one bite of truffle I had taken, which lead to the story being shared about how much those who eat gluten enjoy them.  This piqued my other friends’ interest, and after some negotiation, I reluctantly cut one of the truffles into pieces to share.  Not surprisingly, my friends were all in agreement, these truffles are great!  The truffles have a soft and delicious cookie dough-like inside with a harder shell on the outside.  The bright sprinkles found throughout not only provide a fun pop of color, but add to the texture.

While I don’t live that close to a Milk Bar, I was excited to learn that the truffles are available for purchase on their website (linked below).  I highly recommend checking them out next time you are in the mood with a sweet gluten-free treat.

https://milkbarstore.com/

The Smith Restaurant & Bar

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There is one rule I’ve always followed; special occasions call for special meals. Every birthday, holiday, milestone, and other celebration must be accompanied with a special dining experience. Recently, a good friend and I were celebrating one of these special occasions, which we accompanied with a very special meal at The Smith Restaurant and Bar. The Smith has several locations in New York City and DC, and on this occasion we dined at the Midtown, Manhattan restaurant.

Part of the reason why my friend and I selected The Smith was because we were looking to have brunch, and they have a fantastic brunch menu. As I do every time I eat a meal out, I pre-screened the menu prior to making a reservation. While the menu did not indicate which items are gluten-free, they had enough items that looked like they should be gluten-free, so I was comfortable with the choice. Once we got to the restaurant, I entered my usual routine of explaining my limited diet to the waitress, and asked for some advisement when it came to ordering. Instead of being given a few items to pick from, I was asked what I wanted, and was informed that almost anything on the menu could be modified so that I could safely eat it (In many cases this included removing a bread item, since they did not have any gluten-free breads available).

My friend had eaten at the restaurant several times before with her boyfriend, and told me that her favorite item was the Avocado Toast (which was one of the few items I couldn’t make work for me), and her boyfriend always raved about the Short Rib Hash. Knowing my friend and her boyfriend are foodies, I decided to go with the Short Rib Hash, and nervously asked by waitress if that was something I’d be able to safely eat. She assured me that they could do it, so I excitedly placed my order.

What happened next was awesome! A few minutes after ordering, the manager came over asking which of us had the gluten-free order. I nervously identified myself, expecting to be told that there was some mistake, and I would have to select another menu item. Instead, I was informed that they just wanted to ensure me that my meal would be prepared safely for me, and let me know about their allergy protocol. All items that are ordered with an indicated allergy or other restriction have a red flag placed into them. They wanted to make me aware of this so I knew to look for the flag in my food. If for some reason my food arrived without the flag, I should let them know immediately, and they would take care of it.

The last part of the manager’s message was unnecessary. My meal arrived with a red flag prominently displayed. Not only did The Smith provide me with a safe meal, they provided me with a delicious one! The portion was huge, and while I don’t normally eat a lot during the mornings/early afternoons, I finished the entire thing! The Smith has definitely made it onto my list (which it really more of a note in my phone) of go-to brunch spots in the city.

My meal arrived with a red flag clearly indicating that it was prepared with care for an allergy/restriction.

For more information on The Smith check out their website: https://thesmithrestaurant.com

Tomato and Pepper Tilapia

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Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb. Tilapia Filet
  • 10-12 Cherry Tomatoes (About 3/4 c. when halved)
  • 6 Mini-Sweet Peppers (About 1/2 c. when sliced into strips)
  • 1 tsp. Garlic (chopped)
  • 1 tbsp. Butter
  • 1/2 c. White Wine
  • 1/2 tsp. Dried Basil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Oil (enough to coat your frying pan)

Directions:

  1. Prep the tomatoes and peppers.  Cut the tomatoes in half length-wise, and slice the peppers into strips.  
  2. Lightly coat your frying pan with oil and place over medium heat.  Add the butter.
  3. Once the butter is melted, add the tomatoes and peppers.  Keep on medium heat until the skins start to soften but the tomatoes and peppers maintain their shape (about 5 minutes.)
  4. Add the garlic and wine to the frying pan, reduce the heat to a low flame, and let simmer for about 15 minutes.  Add the dried basil when there is about 2 minutes left.  
  5. Prep the tilapia by sprinkling both sides of the fish with salt and pepper (to preference)
  6. Coat the bottom of a second frying pan with oil and heat over a medium flame.
  7. Once the second frying pan is hot, add the tilapia.  Cook the tilapia until the fish has turned white and begins to lightly brown (about 5 minutes per side).  
  8. Slowly pour the tomato and pepper combination over the fish, and let cook for another 2 minutes on low flame. 
  9. Serve and enjoy!