Weekend in Review

This weekend was a beautiful and sunny (read: HOT!!) one in the DC area! I finally got the chance to lay out by the pool and soak up some sun with Jess and her family. We enjoyed several hours poolside before heading across the street to Dulles Town Center for lunch at Vapiano. Jess called ahead to check for gluten free options and they had a few salads to recommend. The four of us sat down to watch the soccer game and grabbed some cocktails. I stuck with wine (a light and fruity Riesling) because I wasn't sure about the gluten free status of the fancy martinis, but doesn't this Vapiano Martini with Gummi Bears look amazing?

Ever since the wonderful new caterers at work (more on that later) brought me their new Watermelon Caprese Salad, I have been obsessed. Caprese Salad is my new warm weather favorite food. When I saw this on the menu, it wasn't a hard decision.

This restaurant is nice in that you can watch them make everything right in front of you. They custom create every single order and you are welcome to ask questions and modify any ingredients. I asked for the Caprese Salad, which on the menu consists of, fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, basil and olive oil. The woman making my food didn't know what gluten was, but she was very helpful with telling me everything that was going on to my plate. She pulled out a huge ball of fresh mozzarella, added basil leaves and split tomatoes and then asked if I would like balsamic vinegar. YES.  Onions? YES. Then as she was drizzling olive oil over my dish, I asked if it would be possible to get grilled chicken with that. She seemed excited to make it for me and asked if I wanted fresh garlic. YES. She proceeded to grill the chicken on a small grill right next to her where I could continue to watch.The dish looked so pretty when she handed it over to me.

All in all a wonderful experience in Virginia and a big thanks to Jess' mom for use of her pool and for the lovely gluten free lunch!

Sunday morning I slept in (as long as the Princess would let me before she decided it was time for her breakfast) and took a long shower before getting a call from a friend (the fabulous Elise) to hit up our favorite Sunday brunch spot. You will hear many raves out of me about this little gluten free cafe in Bethesda, MD. Lilit is absolutely the best gluten free eats that I have experienced to date. It's even more amazing because my "normal" friends love it as well! This cafe is a beer and wine shop/deli. They are incredibly cautious of food allergies and have an extensive gluten free menu, including a selection of gluten free beers.

I believe, every single week we have gotten the hummus platter. I haven't tried all of the appetizers, but the ones I have sampled have been great. Their gluten free bread is soft and tastes like the real thing. The baguettes that can be made into sandwiches and come with several starter dishes are toasted and crunchy on the outside, yet soft and chewy on the inside. I have yet to be disappointed with a dish at Lilit.

Hummus Platter

I would like to reiterate my obsession with the Caprese Salad as of late. Obviously, my lunch was not a difficult decision. The hard part was trying to decide if I should take half of this sandwich home or eat it all there. I chose the later. 

Caprese Sandwich 

This sandwich is also available with turkey and on the plain sandwich bread. There are so many choices at Lilit, I HAVE to keep coming back so I can try everything. After I finish lunch, there is always the dessert choices. Lilit has plenty of gluten free options, including some beautiful gluten free cupcakes in several flavors (I love the lemon) and some amazing gelato in a variety of flavors. In the past I have been a fan of the toasted almond and peanut butter. Today, I opted for something light with a small coconut scoop. 

 I don't think my picture is blurry...I think my gelato was melting! 

Summer weekends with friends, and nothing at all to be missed out on! I filled in the blanks this weekend with some crisp chopped salads at home and quick corn tortilla and cheese roll-ups. Looking forward to some new recipes this week and another amazing adventure next weekend when I head to the beach for 4th of July. Stay tuned for more awesome gluten free meals!