A Review of Jimbo's Naturally in Carlsbad, CA

Jimbo’s Naturally is a natural food and organic grocery store in Southern California. They have organic grocery stores in Carlsbad, 4S, Escondido and Carmel Valley. On my last trip to San Diego, I visited Jimbo's grocery store in Carlsbad. Jimbo’s is a delightful alternative to natural food supermarket chains like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. The store is committed to being a quality, neighborhood, organic grocery store. Jimbo’s natural food store is dedicated to providing gluten intolerant and celiac customers the highest quality foods. Jimbo’s also supports the non GMO movement. They sell foods that are predominantly manufactured by companies who pledge not to use GMO products. Their “Bill of Rights” summarizes the stores mission: to be customer friendly, socially responsible, support natural and organic food, provide a healthy workplace, embrace truth, integrity and respect. Besides fresh fruits and vegetables, Jimbo’s has a cornucopia of gluten free, non GMO, frozen and prepackaged foods. They have an assortment of frozen lunch and dinner entrées like Glutino's Macaroni and Cheese and Gluten Free Café's Lemon Basil Chicken. Jimbo’s also sells a wide selection of rice pastas, gluten free snacks and breads. There are even prepackaged, imported, specialty foods like gluten free khichadi. In case you are still hungry, Jimbo’s has a deli and bakery with prepared foods, cakes, cookies and gluten free sandwiches. I had a birthday party recently. A family member ordered a specially prepared, gluten free birthday cake from Jimbo’s bakery for the party. It was a small chocolate cake with chocolate icing. The cake was surprisingly, rich and chocolaty with a thick texture. It was the perfect addition to my birthday dinner celebration.

As a customer and someone with gluten intolerance, I am impressed with Jimbo’s customer service and commitment to providing its customers with safe gluten free foods. At the Carlsbad store's entrance, there is a small information center with pamphlets on a variety of topics including gluten intolerance, celiac disease and the gluten free diet. There is also a brochure which lists gluten free foods for sale in the store to aid celiac and gluten intolerant shoppers in making smart shopping decisions. The Jimbo's Carlsbad store is about half the size of Whole Foods market, but there is a larger selection of food and the prices are less expensive. The grocery store reminds me of the hip, local, health food co-ops I used to visit in Massachusetts and Vermont. Jimbo's Naturally is an organic grocery store in Carlsbad, and a mecca for organic food aficionados and anyone on a gluten free diet.

A Review of Pizza Nova in Solana Beach

Last night I ordered take-out, gluten free pizza from Pizza Nova in Solana Beach. What a relief to find excellent, gluten free pizza at a reasonable price in San Diego. Pizza Nova has been in business since 1990. They have three locations in the greater San Diego area; Solana Beach, Delmar and Point Loma. The restaurant specializes in homemade, gourmet, wood fire pizza, Italian pastas, appetizers, soups, salads and desserts. Besides delicious appetizers and salads, Pizza Nova’s menu has 17 varieties of gluten free pizza from pear gorgonzola to goat cheese. They also have free home delivery and catering services. I ordered the gluten free, Mediterranean vegetarian pizza and a caprese tomato and mozzarella salad. The caprese salad is a zesty blend of six large slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, yellow and red roma tomatoes, capers and a light blend of olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing. The salad serves one to two people. Pizza Nova's gluten free, Mediterranean vegetarian pizza is topped with sautéed Portobello mushrooms, zucchini, olives, tomatoes, onions, fontina, feta and mozzarella cheese. The pizza and salad arrived within 30 minutes of my telephone order. Pizza Nova’s 10 inch gluten free pizza serves one to two people and has about six slices. The wood fire gluten free crust is thick and somewhat chewy with a savory olive oil and herb flavor. My sister who is not gluten intolerant ate a piece of my gluten free pizza and liked it better than her regular cheese pizza from another local restaurant. I heartily recommend Pizza Nova for its excellent customer service. The staff at Pizza Nova is friendly and conscientious, and they are careful with gluten free pizza orders. The gluten free pizza at Pizza Nova in Solana Beach is some of the best gluten free pizza I have eaten in a long time.

Gluten Free Meals and International Travel

In the past, international travelers with gluten sensitivity and other food allergies had few regarding meal service on long international flights. Alot has changed in the airline industry. Most international airlines offer special meals for poeple with gluten sensitivity and lactose intolerance. The standard, airline,gluten free meal has no barley, oats, rye or wheat. The low or no lactose meal is a special meal without dairy, lactose, casein, cheese, butter or margarine. Medical meals must be ordered at least 24 to 48 hours before the flight’s departure. Airline travelers who are vegetarian and gluten or lactose intolerant have extremely limited meal service choices. Most gluten intolerant or low lactose medical meals also contain meat. Another good idea for celiac and lactose intolerant travellers is to bring extra gluten free or lactose free snacks in your hand luggage. My best experience with a special meal request was on Singapore Airline. Singapore Airline has a variety of meal choices on their international flights, and their in-flight service is excellent. Meal requests on Singapore Airline must be made at least 24 hours before the flight’s departure. On a recent flight from the United States to Singapore, I requested the Gluten Intolerance Meal. At the beginning of the flight, the airline cabin crew acknowledged my special meal request. The hostess placed a special sticker on my seat to ensure I would receive the proper meal. On Singapore airlines, the special, medical meals are served ahead of the regular meals to prevent confusion during the meal service. I was very pleased with the gluten free meal; a combination of crackers, fruit, and a main course. During the flight, fruit and ice cream were also served. In addition, Singapore Airline provides travelers with free beverage service; wine, soft drinks, fruit juice, tea and coffee. With research and planning, air travel for gluten and lactose intolerant travelers is less of a problem then in the past.

Easy Gluten Free Kitcheri Recipe

Kitcheri is a delicious gluten free Indian dish that is healthy, high in protein and easy to prepare. Kitcheri is a traditional meal in India made from dal, rice and ghee. It can be prepared with red or yellow lentils, seasoned and garnished according to taste. Many kitcheri recipes also include cooked vegetables. According to an ayurvedic specialist, Dr. Claudia Welch, kitcheri is easy to digest, balances all three ayurvedic doshas, and is the ideal food during times of stress. Kitcheri is the perfect food for someone with an upset stomach as it is nutritious and eases many digestive problems. It is a naturally gluten free meal, which is soothing to the body and soul. During panchakarma ayurvedic treatments, meals of kitcheri are commonly prescribed. Kitcheri is a gluten free meal that is healthy and easy to prepare. Here, is a basic kitcheri recipe for two people, which I received, from my Aunt Mary. To prepare the recipe for four people, double the amount of lentils, rice and water and season to taste.

Ingredients :

11½ split yellow lentils(mung dal)
1 cup basmati rice
4 cups water depending on desired consistency
3 (tbs). ghee (Add an additional tablespoon of ghee if preparing the meal for four people)
1 (tsp). cumin
1 (tsp). fennel
1 (tsp). coriander
1 clove

Cooking Instructions:

Wash and rinse the rice and yellow dal thoroughly at least four times. Place 4 cups of water in a pot on high heat and let the water come to a boil. If you are preparing the recipe for four people, then use 8 cups of water. Adding more water to the kitcheri will create a soup like consistency. Add the lentils and rice to the boiling water. Reduce the heat and cook for 45 minutes or until tender.

In a frying pan, melt the ghee on medium to low heat. Next, add the cumin and fennel to the melted ghee. Let the mixture simmer until it turns a yellowish, brown color. Add the remainder of spices and cook for two minutes on low heat. Next, add the rice and lentils to the ghee mixture. Cook the rice, lentils and ghee mixture for another 10 minutes on low heat and stir regularly. Garnish the kitcheri with grated coconut or a hint of ginger and serve !