EnviroKidz's Organic Peanut Butter Panda Puffs

Brand: EnviroKids

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Product Name: Organic Peanut Butter Panda Puffs

Location Purchased: Safeway

Cost: $3.29

Total From A to Z: 3 Stars

A's Review: * * *
I personally like Peanut Butter Bumpers better, but since they use oat flour, that doesn't do us any good here. The flavor of the Panda Puffs was more subdued, which might not bother some people. I really like peanut butter, so I found that aspect disappointing. It held up well in milk though and the company does good things for conservation.

Z's Review: * * *
At first I wasn't sure if I liked the peanut butter flavor. In fact, I wasn't sure it tasted like peanut butter at all! But I enjoyed it more and more as I ate it. Also, I love EnviroKidz since they encourage organic and healthy eating in kids and part of their proceeds go to wildlife conservation. Personally I'm not sure I would buy this cereal again, but I do think kids would really like it - either with milk or as a dry snack.

Trader Joe's Loaded Fruit & Nut Granola

Brand: Trader Joe's

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Product Name: Loaded Fruit & Nut Granola

Location/Cost Info: Trader Joe's website (why oh why isn't there a Trader Joe's in Colorado?!?)



Total From A to Z: 4.5 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
I've never been a huge fan of granola, but as is so often the case with TJ's, I am starting to come around. Big, crunchy chunks of fruit and nuts that go very well in yogurt or even just by the handful. It is also not overly sweet, which is a plus.

Z's Review: * * * * *
This "granola" is quite chunky - maybe more like trail mix than granola. It's full of pecans, sunflower seeds, almonds, raisins, craisins, and some sort of gluten-free crunchy cracker. The whole combination is sweet and salty and crunchy and amazing. It would be great over yogurt or even straight out of the bag as a snack.

LARABAR's Cherry Pie

Brand: LARABAR

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Product Name: Cherry Pie

Location/Cost Info: LARABAR's website



Total From A to Z: 3 Stars

A's Review: * * *

It is hard to screw up cherries. Adding nuts and mashing them together must have struck the LARABAR crew as the perfect stopping point and these bars are tasty just as they are. Not a meal replacement, but a very good snack to hold you over.

Z's Review: * * *
The ingredients in this bar are as follows: dates, almonds, and unsweetened cherries. That's all! And the bar tastes just like eating cherries! It is a whole serving of fruit too! A good, healthy, gluten-free snack if you just need a little bit of energy.

Glutino's Cranberry Gluten Free Breakfast Bars

Brand: Glutino

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Product Name: Cranberry Gluten Free Breakfast Bars

Location Purchased: Whole Foods

Cost: $5.49 for five bars

Total From A to Z: 1 Star

A's Review: *

This was...weird. And not in a good way. Strangely artificial tasting.

Z's Review: *
No. No. No. This is not tasty. Like a spoiled fig newton. I'm not a fan.

Nature's Path Mesa Sunrise Waffles

Brand: Nature's Path

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Product Name: Mesa Sunrise Waffles

Location Purchased: Whole Foods

Cost: $3.69



Total From A to Z: 4.5 Stars

A's Review: * * * *

You know Eggo waffles? These are better. Not as sweet, just as crunchy, and GF!

Z's Review: * * * * *
I love these waffles. They only take a couple of minutes to make in the toaster oven and they have the added benefit of being full of Omega-3, which is really good for you. (Omega-3s are also supposed to be particularly good for people with RA, as they help control inflammation.) I think they taste great too. They are subtly sweet and not too dense or grainy, as some gluten-free products can be. Lately I've been eating these with cream cheese for a quick snack - my gluten-free replacement for bagels!

Glutino's Honey Nut Cereal

Brand: Glutino

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Product Name: Honey Nut Cereal

Location Purchased: Whole Foods

Cost: $5.49


Total From A to Z: 5 Stars

A's Review: * * * * *
This cereal got pure, uncut envy from our friends who had boring old regular cereal for breakfast. Good flavor, but the best part was they stayed crunchy in milk for a long time.

Z's Review: * * * * *
I have to admit that I was expecting this cereal to taste like Hone Nut Cheerios, since it is labeled "honey nut." But it doesn't taste like that. Instead, the light colored O's have a slightly sweeter flavor. But not too sweet. The O's also stay crunchy in milk for quite a while, which I love in a cereal. All in all, a very enjoyable gluten-free breakfast cereal.

Enjoy Life's Very Berry Crunch Granola

Brand: Enjoy Life

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Product Name: Very Berry Crunch Granola

Location/Cost Info: Enjoy Life's website


Total From A to Z: 3.5 Stars

A's Review: * * *
I don't think you get to call something Very Berry without there being actual berries in it. There are little pieces of freeze-dried raspberry in it but mostly it just tastes like granola that was sprayed with mixed berry medley before being baked, which is not bad but it should be more accurately called Berry Crunch Granola.

Z's Review: * * * *
Unlike the other two types of Enjoy Life granola, which contain big dried cranberries or raisins, this granola doesn't have any big pieces in it. Instead it has tiny pieces of freeze-dried raspberries to provide the berry flavor. Despite being tiny pieces, you can still taste the berry flavor. However, I think I would have liked some slightly bigger pieces of berry. Also, like the other Enjoy Life granola, the pieces are probably too small to eat out of your hand as a snack. Instead, this berry granola would add some great crunch to yogurt or ice cream. In addition to being gluten-free, this product is also "allergy friendly" - free of the 8 common allergens: wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish, and shellfish.

Enjoy Life's Cinnamon Crunch Granola

Brand: Enjoy Life

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Product Name: Cinnamon Crunch Granola

Location/Cost Info: Enjoy Life's website


Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *

Crunchy with just the right amount of cinnamon kick. Z and I are planning to use this as topping for the next GF apple pie we make...I can't wait. Must go bake now.

Z's Review: * * * *
You can smell the cinnamon in this granola the moment you open the bag, so I was a little bit concerned that the cinnamon flavor would be a bit overpowering. But, luckily, it isn't. The cinnamon flavor is actually pretty mild and it pairs really nicely with the sweet raisins. Like the cranapple crunch granola, this is a little on the small side to eat as a trail-mix style snack, but it would be great poured over yogurt and eaten with a spoon. This would probably even be good as an ice cream or apple crisp topping! In addition to being gluten-free, this product is also "allergy friendly" - free of the 8 common allergens: wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish, and shellfish.

Enjoy Life's Cranapple Crunch Granola

Brand: Enjoy Life

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Product Name: Cranapple Crunch Granola

Location/Cost Info: Enjoy Life's website


Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *

Crunchy and just a little bit chewy, this would be good over yogurt or in trail mix, but is a bit dry by itself.

Z's Review: * * * *
Some gluten-free products that we have tried have been labeled "granola" but really look nothing like you expect granola to look. This one looks just like regular granola. Paired with tiny bits of dried apple and dried cranberries, this granola really is a satisfying cranapple crunch. The apple flavor is actually pretty strong, despite the pieces being so small. Also, the pieces are perhaps a little bit too small to serve as a trail mix style snack, but this would be really great over plain yogurt. In addition to being gluten-free, this product is also "allergy friendly" - free of the 8 common allergens: wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish, and shellfish.

RECIPE: A&Z's Gluten-Freed Quiche

Gluten-Freed by A: I found the original recipe here, and it is very tasty and flexible. It provides a good basis for just about anything you want to toss into your quiche. We started with broccoli cheddar and then moved on to bacon cheese.

Ingredients

• 5 eggs
• 2 cups nonfat milk
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• 1 small head broccoli, steamed, and then cut into small chunks
• 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 Gluten-Freed Pie Crust
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and half-and-half. Season with salt and black pepper. Place broccoli and cheddar in the pie shell. Pour egg mixture over cheese.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and bake for 25 minutes, or until crust is golden and filling is set. Allow to set 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
   

Total From A to Z: 4.5 Stars

A's Review: * * * * *
I tried two different versions, one with half and half (like the original recipe calls for) and one with nonfat milk. The original recipe called for half and half, but I found that the nonfat milk could be dropped in with no loss in quality of quiche. We had a broccoli and cheddar cheese variant and a bacon and three cheese variant. Both were excellent. Fluffy, good flavor, and just the right amount of crunch from the crust. I didn't really keep track of what I did with the bacon and three cheese version, so I guess I'll just have to try it again.

Z's Review: * * * *
These quiches turned out really delicious. I think the pie crust mix we used worked pretty well for quiche too. The crust tasted buttery and flaked apart in your mouth. The eggs were light and fluffy, but solid enough to be cut in slices. The one with bacon and cheese had a lovely toasted layer of cheese on top. The broccoli one was really tasty too, but I would have liked a little bit more broccoli in it. Also, next time I might recommend a little less milk to make the eggs a tiny bit more solid. But, all in all, this quiche was delicious - we ate it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

Trader Joe's Cranberry Maple Nut Granola

Brand: Trader Joe's

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Product Name: Cranberry Maple Nut Granola

Location/Cost Info: Trader Joe's website (why oh why isn't there a Trader Joe's in Colorado?!?)



Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
Crunchy and just slightly sweet. We had it on plain yogurt, which was a very nice companion. This is a great option if you are GF because you'd never even notice that it is different.

Z's Review: * * * *
"Cranberry" is the first word in the name of this product, but I didn't actually get any cranberries the first time I poured this granola over yogurt. So I think: more cranberries! Aside from the lack of cranberries, because it doesn't use wheat and oats, the texture and feel of this granola is pretty different from "ordinary" granola. But it is crunchy, a little bit sweet, and added great flavor to my plain yogurt. I certainly enjoyed it.

EnviroKidz Gorilla Munch Cereal

Brand: EnviroKidz by Nature's Path

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Product Name: Gorilla Munch Cereal

Location/Cost Info: Nature's Path website


Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
Just like small, crunchy Kix. So...if you like Kix, I think you will like these.

Z's Review: * * * *
I have to admit that this cereal is a tiny bit too sweet for my taste. But, after all, it is marketed towards kids! And I do think kids would really love this cereal. It reminds me of Kix, only this version is organic, gluten-free, and part of the proceeds go to wildlife conservation! This cereal tastes good with milk (it doesn't get soggy too fast!), but I think kids would also like it as a dry snack.

RESTAURANT: The Huckleberry

A&Z

at
the
Huckleberry

Restaurant: The Huckleberry

Location:
Louisville - 700 Main Street - (303) 666 - 8020
Full-scre
Gluten-Free Options: Things that are already naturally gluten-free on the menu, such as egg dishes or things ordered without bread.

Total From A to Z: 3 Stars

A's Review: * * *

The Huckleberry is well-known for its breakfast and its tea offerings. The GF options are more limited though. I was hoping to find some truly creative dishes, but not very many of them were GF: the usual eggs dishes with a side of fruit, which were quite tasty but ultimately left me wanting more.

Z's Review: * * *
The Huckleberry is a very cute restaurant - both inside and out on the patio where we sat - and it has a really great tea menu. Since I don't drink coffee, the tea menu is especially appealing to me! However, other than the tea, there was nothing special about The Huckleberry for someone dining gluten-free. Basically the only GF options were the scramlettes - somewhere between an omelette and an egg scramble. I was initially excited to see potato latkes on the menu, but it turned out they were made with regular flour. Since all the scramlettes come with a biscuit, I opted to replace that with a side of fruit. The good news is that the fruit was delicious and fresh - watermelon, cantelope, honeydew, and strawberries.

RESTAURANT: The Original Pancake House

A&Z
at
the
Original
Pancake
House

Restaurant: The Original Pancake House

Location: National chain

Location We Visited:
Boulder - 2600 Canyon Road - (303) 449-1575

Gluten-Free Options: In addition to naturally gluten-free options, like eggs and bacon, the location in Boulder also serves gluten-free pancakes. (We're not sure if other locations have GF pancakes, though.)

Total From A to Z: 4.5 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
Gluten free pancakes are a rare find at a restaurant, and having them at the Original Pancake House was a real treat. It is always packed, but the hostess and the waiter were not too busy to answer our questions and they knew exactly what we were talking about when we asked about gluten free options. The pancakes themselves were great, slightly bigger than silver dollar pancakes and just the right amount of fluffy. The portions are generous too, so be sure you are hungry when you come. I would like to see waffles or other things made with the GF batter, but that was my only complaint.

Z's Review: * * * * *
After a full week of pancake-making on Gluten-Free From A to Z, we thought we'd feature a restaurant where someone will make your pancakes for you! Before I became gluten-free I always used to face a conundrum when we went out to breakfast: do I want sweet or salty? But when you're gluten-free you don't usually have the choice. Usually the only things on a breakfast menu that are gluten-free fall solidly into the "salty" category. But, in addition to a wide selection of salty breakfast foods, The Original Pancake House (at least the one in Boulder) offers gluten-free pancakes! I ordered mine with fruit and whipped cream on top and they were delicious! They were hot off the griddle with a really pleasing texture. My only complaint was that they only came plain - you couldn't get them with nuts or blueberries in them, like the regular pancakes. And now I want to lobby The Original Pancake House to start serving gluten-free waffles too! I would love to be able to order a Belgian waffle at breakfast!

SIDE NOTE: I don't know from experience, but this restaurant seems like a great place to take kids. They have a whole bookshelf full of children's books in the waiting area (and I think kids can take the books to the tables too) and they were handing out balloons! Gluten-free and kid friendly!

365 Everyday Value's Gluten Free Pancake & Waffle Mix

Brand: 365 Everyday Value

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Product Name: Gluten Free Pancake & Waffle Mix

Location Purchased: Whole Foods

Cost: $3.69 for 16 oz.

Note: This product was part of Z's Blind Pancake Taste Test! See the Results!

Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
This mix was also very close to real pancakes. Very nice.

Z's Review: * * * *
I actually had a hard time deciding between this one and Gluten-Free Pantry's pancake. Although this mix made a thinner batter than Gluten-Free Pantry, in the end I decided that this pancake was a bit too bread-like. However, it did brown nicely and the flavor was really good. So it is certainly a good option for a gluten-free pancake.

Gluten-Free Pantry's Brown Rice Pancake & Waffle Mix

Brand: Gluten-Free Pantry

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Product Name: Brown Rice Pancake & Waffle Mix

Location Purchased: Whole Foods

Cost: $4.99 for 16 oz.

Note: This product was part of Z's Blind Pancake Taste Test! See the Results!

Total From A to Z: 4.5 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
These were quite close to the wheaty pancakes, good enough that you could throw down a plate of these in front of any lumberjack and get asked for seconds.

Z's Review: * * * * *
Although I think Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix is still my favorite mix for pancakes, this mix was my favorite from the blind taste test. However, this mix made a really thick batter - almost too thick. I ended up having to spread it into the pan with a spoon. But the batter baked into a really nice pancake with a great, fluffy texture. It was buttery and it browned nicely. I don't think anyone would ever realize that this wasn't an ordinary pancake!

Arrowhead Mills' Gluten Free Pancake & Baking Mix

Brand: Arrowhead Mills

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Product Name: Gluten Free Pancake & Baking Mix

Location/Cost Info: Arrowhead Mills' website


Note: This product was part of Z's Blind Pancake Taste Test! See the Results!

Total From A to Z: 2.5 Stars

A's Review: * * *
My first thought when biting into one these pancakes was of cookies...snickerdoodles to be exact. There was a very strong flavor of cinnamon. Strange and not very good as pancakes but they might be better if the batter was re-tasked as cookie dough.

Z's Review: * *
This mix made a pretty thick batter and these pancakes didn't really brown on the griddle. The pancakes had a sweet, almost cookie flavor, which I actually enjoyed. However, the downfall of these pancakes was the texture. It was extremely grainy - almost like chewing sand. I would have liked these pancakes more, because the flavor was actually good, but I just couldn't get past the grainy texture.

Namaste Foods' Waffles & Pancakes Mix

Brand: Namaste Foods
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Product Name: Waffles & Pancakes Mix

Location Purchased: King Soopers

Cost: $5.99

Note: This product was part of Z's Blind Pancake Taste Test! See the Results!

Total From A to Z: 3 Stars

A's Review: * * *
The flavor was...close enough...but the texture was all wrong. These were thin and dense and crunchy instead of light and fluffy. Edible, but not a good substitute for the good ol' pancakes of wheat.

Z's Review: * * *
When I followed the directions on the bag, this mix made a really thin batter. I thought it was almost too watery, but at least it did end up cooking. However, of all the pancake mixes we've tried, this mix resulted in the least attractive pancakes. They were extremely thin - almost like stiff crepes - and had an almost greenish tint (which I think was probably from the vanilla in the mix). These pancakes also didn't brown no matter how long you left them on the griddle. The flavor was good, but the texture and appearance wasn't my favorite.

Z's Blind Taste Test #3: Gluten-Free Pancakes!

Z's Blind Taste Tests are a monthly feature on Gluten-Free from A to Z!

Z's Blind Taste Test #3: Gluten-Free Pancakes

How It Works: Z will cook/bake/prepare four different versions of the same gluten-free product and randomly label each version with a number. Then A and friends will try all four versions and rank them from most favorite to least favorite. The results will allow us to see exactly how different brands of gluten-free products compare to each other!

The Contenders:

1. Namaste Foods' Waffles & Pancakes Mix
2. Arrowhead Mills' Gluten Free Pancake & Baking Mix
3. Gluten-Free Pantry's Brown Rice Pancake & Waffle Mix
4. 365 Everyday Value's Gluten Free Pancake & Waffle Mix
   

The Final Results:

• Most Favorite: Gluten-Free Pantry (4 of 6 votes!)*
  
• 2nd Favorite: 365 Everyday Value (4 of 6 votes)*
  
• Tied for 3rd Favorite: Namaste Foods (3 of 6 votes)
  
• Tied for 3rd Favorite: Arrowhead Mills (3 of 6 votes)
  

*Although the votes did eventually come up with a first and second place, everybody had trouble deciding between Gluten-Free Pantry and 365 Everyday Value. After the tasting was over we discovered that these two brands actually have the exact same ingredients in the exact same order! So these two mixes are basically the same thing! No wonder people had difficulty deciding!

A's Blind Rankings:
(For A's comments on each cookie, please see the individual A-Z reviews!)

• Most Favorite: Gluten-Free Pantry
  
• 2nd Favorite: 365 Everyday Value
  
• 3rd Favorite: Arrowhead Mills
  
• Least Favorite: Namaste Foods

Z's Mama's Blind Rankings:

• Most Favorite: Gluten-Free Pantry - "fluffy, yet crispy; it looked pretty and browned"
  
• 2nd Favorite: 365 Everyday Value - "similar to favorite one"
  
• 3rd Favorite: Arrowhead Mills - "texture like cornmeal? sweet, vanilla flavor."
  
• Least Favorite: Namaste Foods - "flat & green!"

Our Friend MM's Blind Rankings:

• Most Favorite: Gluten-Free Pantry - "smooth, not chewy, pancakey!"
  
• 2nd Favorite: 365 Everyday Value - "sticks in my teeth! grimy, crunchy"
  
• 3rd Favorite: Arrowhead Mills - "crumbly, too sweet, cookie flavor, grainy"
  
• Least Favorite: Namaste Foods - "dense, good flavor, but really flat"

Our Friend TL's Blind Rankings:

• Most Favorite: 365 Everyday Value - "awesome! moist and pancake tasting, my favorite!"
  
• 2nd Favorite: Gluten-Free Pantry - "very good, still a little bland but generally quite tasty; not as good as my favorite but with butter and syrup totally passable for a regular pancake"
  
• 3rd Favorite: Namaste Foods - "a little bland, very strong floury taste; sort of unremarkable like those protein things they give astronauts - nourishing but not yummy"
  
• Least Favorite: Arrowhead Mills - "cinnamony tasting, which I like, but the texture is really gritty - ew! like chewing sand and syrup cannot hide it"

Our Friend MS's Blind Rankings:

• Most Favorite: 365 Everyday Value - "fluffy, buttery, holds syrup, mmm...."
  
• 2nd Favorite: Gluten-Free Pantry - "fluffy, colored well, not quite as buttery as my favorite"
  
• 3rd Favorite: Namaste Foods - "flat and not fluffy, really light in color but holds shape"
  
• Least Favorite: Arrowhead Mills - "a bit chalky and still flat, light in color but doesn't hold shape"

Z's Not Blind Rankings:
(For Z's comments on each cookie, please see the individual A-Z reviews!)

• Most Favorite: Gluten-Free Pantry
  
• 2nd Favorite: 365 Everyday Value
  
• 3rd Favorite: Namaste Foods
  
• Least Favorite: Arrowhead Mills
  

RESTAURANT: Walnut Cafe & South Side Walnut Cafe

A&Z
at
Walnut
Cafe

Restaurant: Walnut Cafe & South Side Walnut Cafe

Locations:
Walnut Cafe - East Boulder - 3073 Walnut Street - (303) 447 - 2315
South Side Walnut Cafe - South Boulder - 673 S. Broadway - (720) 304 - 8118

Gluten-Free Options: Things that are already naturally gluten-free on the menu: egg dishes, some salads, and burgers without the bun.

Total From A to Z: 3 Stars

A's Review: * * *

I find one thing particularly frustrating about the Walnut Cafe and its sister outfit the South Side Walnut Cafe. Both of these are neighborhood favorites and are almost always packed. This is not an easy task here in Boulder, but the formula they use is a good one: make lots of good food at a reasonable price while still offering many options for various dietary needs, like light/low calorie meals or vegetarian and vegan options. What is frustrating to me is that adding gluten-free options to that list of accommodations would not be terribly difficult. GF pancake mix, GF pie/quiche crust, and GF hamburger buns are all easily obtained, and many from local sources or bakers. I understand that there might be a cost premium associated with offering such options, but I don't think people would mind. The food at Walnut Cafe is very tasty and the staff is great. They've taken so many extra steps to help so many people find hearty, healthy, satisfying breakfasts and lunches...why not this one?

Z's Review: * * *
Both of the Walnut Cafes have a wonderful, local Boulder feel. There's local art hanging on the walls, the service is always super friendly, and they have a full coffee bar that's way better than Starbucks! Like any breakfast/lunch joint, there are naturally gluten-free selections already on the menu. This primarily includes egg dishes, some salads, and burgers without the bun. And, in my experience, the staff have been very helpful in assisting me with my order. However, I still have to admit to being slightly disappointed. The Walnut Cafes are extremely accommodating to other types of dietary restrictions. You can order soy cheese, tofu, tempah, garden burgers, or vegan sausage. You can even substitute free range eggs if you want to! But when it comes to being gluten-free, the menu is just not accommodating at all. For example, each breakfast meal comes with two sides, and there is a big list of sides, but the only gluten-free sides are fruit or grits. I ended up ordering fruit and fruit with my eggs! It seems to me that a place that is willing to carry tempah, soy cheese, and vegan sausage could at least throw in some gluten-free pancakes! Or maybe a crustless or GF quiche?