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Tag: Gluten Free

6 Yummy Gluten-Free Bakeries in Indianapolis
Various gluten-free pastries at the Amp Farmers Market by Lydia Bootz Armstong

Exploring Non-Vegan, Gluten Free Bakeries in Indianapolis

People make much of eating gluten-free, calling it a lifestyle choice or making those who adhere to the diet change as if it isn’t a necessity. If you feel better, no matter how deep the condition goes, eating wheat-free can feel like a relief from getting rid of what ails you. Everyone — hopefully — can eat almond, tapioca, rice, potato, corn, sorghum or buckwheat flour, but not everyone can eat wheat.

For us – my partner, who has celiac, and I — we adhere to a GF diet because there is no choice. Eating alternative flour is the only way to go. However, we still want and crave butter and sugar, whether brown or the bad-for-you white. As such, I’m always looking for baked sweets that deliver with richness and decadence. The great thing about cooking with other types of flour is they add another layer of taste and deliciousness to an otherwise standard chocolate chip cookie or apple fritter.

I took it upon myself to showcase gluten-free bakeries in Indianapolis and those that create good old pastries made with alternative flour and lots of butter and sugar. I selected these specific bakers because they have a storefront, except for one.

These Indianapolis-based gluten-free bakeries prove that living without gluten doesn’t mean sacrificing anything. In truth, those who don’t know the difference could never tell if it was from wheat or cassava, and that’s a good thing. From the inclusivity of No Label at The Table to the luxurious The Cake Bake Shop, these bakers prove that gluten-free allows everyone to eat cake.

Aspasia Bakery

Baked goods at Zionsville-based Aspacia Bakery

Located on the border of Zionsville in a newly developed strip mall resides Aspasia Bakery, which opened in 2022. It’s a treasure trove for those seeking gluten-free baked goods made with butter and sugar and those seeking dairy and nut-free goods. Named after an ancient female Greek philosopher, owners Eva and Jeff Tomlinson built a charming restaurant that features breakfast through light supper items. For freshly made dinner rolls, brownies, or a scone, alt flour Aspacia offers a full array of goods. Like the Green Mermaid, it also has a drive-through for coffee and lattes. Special orders and shipping are available, too.
- Address: 5645 N Post Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46216
- Phone: (317) 663-4538
- Website: Aspasia Bakery
No Label at The Table

Various pastries and goods at No Label at The Table, Carmel

Plopped in the Carmel Arts District, No Label at The Table marries a gluten-free mission with a staff of individuals on the autism spectrum. That’s right; this bakery, created by Shelly Henley, which announced its opening in 2017, was for her son Jacob, who is on the autism spectrum. It began as an opportunity for him to become a chef and have a purpose. Still, it’s all about the delicious goods made in this no-frills space. Customers will find roasted garlic boules, doughnuts, cornbread sausage stuffing, hash brown casseroles and desserts, such as take-and-bake pies, cookies and cupcakes. Be aware that it’s dairy-free, too—lots of sugar, but no butter.
- Address: 111 W Main St #145, Carmel, IN 46032
- Phone: (317) 344-0452
- Website: No Label at The Table
Native Bread

Native Bread in Castleton

Since 2016, Native Bread has specialized in small-batch baking, creating loaves and pastries with impeccable texture and taste. From classic sourdough to focaccia and olive – and, importantly, burger buns (Do you know the difficulty in finding great GF buns?) – each product loaf is crafted using carefully selected ingredients. Made in the carry out on kitchen, the aroma of freshly baked bread hits individuals divinely.
- Address: 9546 Allisonville Road, Suite 106
- Phone: (317) 537 – 2707
- Website: Native Bread
1823 Bakehouse

Bite-Sized Hoosier Sugar Pie at 1823 Bakehouse

Head south to Franklin for 1823 Bakehouse, where everything on the menu is 100% gluten-free. Known for seasonal goods, the bakery makes everything from scratch using butter and sugar unless noted otherwise. Mornings can begin with their buttery biscuit egg sandwich or banana bread. We were finally able to eat a Hoosier sugar cream bite. Instead of a pie, it’s about a two-chomp sweet experience. They even have biscuits and gravy, chicken pot pie and a French Toast bake pan to-go. While they serve coffee, 1823 Bakehouse has a large selection of loose-leaf teas.
- Address: 9 W Washington St, Franklin, IN 46131
- Phone: (317) 739-6024
- Website: 1823 Bakehouse
The Cake Bake Shop

Gluten Free Chocolate Popcorn Cake at The Cake Bake Shop in Broad Ripple

Gwendolyn Rodgers’s The Cake Bake Shop is a Disney-fied bakery. Pink frills and swans, latticework and curlicues create a childlike atmosphere. While not exclusively gluten-free, the bakery offers plenty of options for those avoiding gluten. When we first moved to the area, I ordered a carrot cake for Nick’s birthday. It was an expensive endeavor, but the confection was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful presentations we’ve ever had—and delicious creamed butter and sugar.

Their gluten-free chocolate cake is decadent, while their jewel-toned French macarons and brownies are perfect for any occasion.
- Address: 6515 Carrollton Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46220
- Phone: (317) 257-2253
- Website: The Cake Bake Shop
Gluten-Free Creations

Gluten-Free Creations Pecan Tartlets

Lydia Bootz Armstrong of Gluten Free Creations has made my birthday cakes for the last four years. Even though she doesn’t have a shop, she makes everything with butter and sugar unless noted. In LA, where we are from, there are only a few vegan and gluten-free bakeries. It was either or. That may have changed five years later, but we wanted, in our new residence, cookies that would have made our grandmas proud. We wanted our treats to be flavorful and fat but made with alternative flour. Lydia, a home baker, does that with aplomb. Cinnamon rolls topped with sweet icing, freshly baked croissants and an array of cupcakes are just the beginning. Whether you’re ordering a custom cake for a special occasion or grabbing a treat to-go, Gluten Free Creations combines comfort and quality in every item they offer.
- Phone: (317) 270-4175
- Website: Gluten Free Creations
December 1, 2024
Goodie, Goodie, Gluten Free

Learning How to Make GF Sea Salt Pecan Bars with Indy’s GF Lady, Lydia Bootz Armstrong.

When we moved to Indianapolis from Southern California, we had already been on a gluten-free diet for several years. Before being diagnosed with celiac, doctors couldn’t understand my partner’s overwhelming gastrointestinal pain. The outcome was celiac, which now seems as common as a cold. But it’s actually not.

According to Beyond Celiac, a non-profit dedicated to eradicating the autoimmune disease, they estimate that one in 133 Americans has celiac. However, 83% of individuals with celiac may not even know they have it or are misdiagnosed with another ailment. Another six percent of the general population may have non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), says the World Journal of Gastroenterology, with symptoms ranging from acute abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. Still, all of this can be managed, states the Celiac Disease Foundation, with a lifelong adherence to a strict gluten-free diet, avoiding anything that contains wheat, rye and barley. While the cause of celiac disease is unknown, it is a genetic issue, handed down along a family line.

I can manage diet adjustments. Besides, a cake is a cake regardless of the flour used; it’s only a different ingredient. There might be some stretch or elasticity missing from the dough. If you toss in chocolate chips, some walnuts and buttercream, it can be as tasty as wheat-based – almond flour, anyone?- and sometimes even better. Pizza crusts made from rice flour offer a lovely chew and crispness, holding toppings even better instead of flopping. Of course, French macaron and marzipan quell a sweet tooth and happen to be made from almond meal, making them gluten-free.

Lydia Bootz Armstrong, Indy’s GF Lady

I was prepared to bake most of our cookies, cakes and breads when we set up a heartland home. However, it turned out to be easier to find wheat-free bakers in the Midwest than on the coasts. While most sell goods at local farmers’ markets, many brick-and-mortars provide tasty alternatives using proprietary blends crafted with tapioca, potato and rice. Baking, indeed, is a science.

This is how I came across Gluten Free Creations and Lydia Bootz Armstrong, a wheat-alternative baker but still uses true-blue butter, sugar and all the other tasty goodies found in confectionaries. While healthy is a good thing, we still wanted the experience of granulated sugar, not substitute sweeteners, no matter how good they might be. I’ve eaten her goods for the better part of the four years we have lived in Indiana.

Why did you start making gluten-free baked desserts? I began when several of my Purdue University Extension colleagues I worked with were celiac or had gluten sensitivities. I enjoy baking, creating things so everyone can eat at special events. The caterers (at work) couldn’t figure out different flours or alternatives for gluten-free, so I started working on transforming recipes from regular wheat flour to gluten-free.

I realized I also needed to be gluten-free, which I discovered. It made it even more urgent for me to dig in and expand, making things gluten-free for me and my family.

When did you start baking? I’ve been cooking since I was young, a little kid. I always enjoyed doing that and making desserts for my family.

When did you start it as a business? I started Gluten-Free Creations nine years ago this past April. It grew out of my desire to have gluten-free baked goods for people who needed something gluten-free that tasted better than in the commercial grocery stores. There were only so many options for local bakeries.

Have you found that gluten-free baked goods have grown? There’s definitely been growth, but only some things have improved with time. There are still plenty of dried, baked goods out there.

What would you like me to ask that I still need to include in your gluten-free story? I’m not the only gluten-free baker in town. I have colleagues, whether they are brick and mortar or from their homes; we all work together. If one of us doesn’t make a particular product, we call upon each other and give the referral. We’re in this work and business together and want everybody to succeed. We try to remember our humble beginnings to serve people who desire something delicious that they can eat without getting sick. It’s great knowing we can support our customers by providing products they enjoy knowing.

I’m glad to be a part of these options available, so that people can have regular everyday lives and enjoy the things they love.

Follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

Gluten Free Sea Salt Pecan Bar

Lydia Armstrong, President and owner of Gluten Free Creations, Inc. Carmel, IN, Makes 8×8 pan. 9 Servings

Ingredients:

1 ⅛ c GF Flour Blend (I use our house blend.)

¾ t baking soda

½ t xanthan gum

½ c Unsalted butter, softened

½ c Brown sugar, firmly packed

¼ c Granulated sugar

1 Egg

¾ t Vanilla extract

1/3 c Sea Salt Caramel Morsels

1/3 c chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ᵒ degrees. Line 8×8 pan completely with parchment paper and set aside. Whisk together GF Flour, baking soda and xanthan gum and set aside.

Combine unsalted butter and both sugars in a mixing bowl; beat on medium speed with mixer until light and fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla extract. Incorporate everything into the mixture. With mixer going, add in flour mix a little at a time until incorporated. Stir in morsels and pecans with spatula.

Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly with spatula. Place in preheated oven and bake for 25-30 min. Batter will rise during baking, but will “collapse” when finished. Remove pan from oven and place on cooling rack. Once cooled, remove bars by pulling them out by the parchment paper and place on counter/table to cut. Pull parchment away from the sides and cut into 3rds yielding 9 bars. Store in airtight container for up to a week.

October 19, 2023
i8tonite: One New York Woman’s Food Allergies Became an Award-Winning Bakery

Gluten-Free to Industry: Allie Luckman Overcame Food Allergies for Her Family and Found a Calling

“Do you mind if we chat while I’m driving?” starts CEO and owner of Allie’s GF Goodies, Allison Luckman. “I couldn’t find allergen-free gumdrops, so I’m on my way to the store to buy the ingredients to make them.” With that as an intriguing conversation starter, how could one not want to talk to her via Bluetooth? The Long Island, New York-based Luckman, like many of today’s mothers, found that she had genetically passed her many food allergies onto her kids. Therefore, she started baking for them to make sure her kids could eat baked treats just like their friends – without feeling left out of any celebration.

Starting with a hobby crafting cakes and muffins for tiny tots birthdays and celebrations in 2012, Luckman found the flowering enterprise grew into a bakery. The certified gluten-free and qualified kosher shop concentrates on baked goods free of potential allergens such as dairy, egg, soy, gluten, coconut, peanuts, tree nuts, or sesame. Hence, most of the products are also suitable for vegans. As her business grew, Luckman developed a following among those in the entertainment business. Her clients have included rapper Snoop Dog and hip-hop impresario Steve Lobel, as well as having been featured on A & E’s Married at First Sight and on an episode of Millionaire Matchmaker.

Almost two years ago, Luckman found a growing need to serve the gentile and Jewish communities by turning her baking business into a complete kosher pareve (dairy-free) enterprise. “I was getting more calls to omit eggs and milk products, so we decided to make a go. Our business gets supported by the many rabbis recommending our goods,” Luckman comments.

When asked what she finds the hardest to do, she doesn’t pause. “Finding good bakers. If they have been working for as a baker for a while, they don’t understand how to work with my recipes that I have personally developed, sometimes working on them for weeks, if not months. When someone fresh comes in, I can train them to work with the types of flours we use. It’s a specific process particular to our products.”

Luckily, those with allergies can now have some of the best in award-winning baked goods (TasteTV’s “Healthy Gourmet Snacks of the Year Awards” and ““People’s Choice Award for Most Innovative New Product” at the International Food Service & Restaurant Show) in the world including bagels, black and white cookies, and challah. Seriously, what child or adult could go through life without devouring a bagel and a smear? They won’t have to go without, due to Allie Luckman and her GF Goodies. #nochildleftout.

Allie GF Goodies are available online and can be shipped throughout the U.S. Follow on Facebook, website: www.alliegfg.com, or by calling (516) 216 – 1719.

Food People Questionnaire (with a nod to Proust):

What is your favorite food to cook at home?
I love to make either a full roasted turkey or chicken. My family loves it, giving them the feeling of comfort. Along the same lines I love to make them traditional chicken soup, and they have always loved mine the best.

What do you always have in your fridge at home?
In my fridge at home, we have freshly sliced turkey breast, a variety of cheeses, and kosher pickles, both half sour and garlic dill.

What marked characteristic do you love in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?
I enjoy eating with people who enjoy and appreciate good food.

What marked characteristic do you find unappealing in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?
I hate eating with people with bad table manners.

Beer, wine, or cocktail?
I am definitely a wine person.

Your favorite cookbook author?
My favorite cookbook author has always been Mark Bittman.

Your favorite kitchen or bar tool?
I have three favorites in the kitchen. Every baker/ chef needs a whisk, a KitchenAid stand mixer, and a food processor.

Favorite types of cuisine to cook?
I like to cook all types of cuisine as long as there is flavor, room for personal flair, and not too spicy (although my husband will eat as spicy as I give him)!

Beef, chicken, pork, seafood, or tofu?
I’m either a chicken or beef person. Never tofu.

Favorite vegetable?
I love asparagus and broccoli, although I’m not personally allowed many vegetables.

Chef or culinary person you most admire?
I admire Florian Bellinger, the pastry chef.

Food you dislike the most?
I truly dislike mushrooms. I loathe the texture. However, I don’t mind the flavor in a sauce or soup.

What is your favorite non-food thing to do?
My favorite nonfood thing to do, aside from catching up on sleep, is spending time with my husband and grown children, either watching television or traveling.

Whom do you most admire in food?
I admire Ron Ben Israel for his cake business that he’s created.

Where is your favorite place to eat/ drink?
I live on Long Island. My local faves are 388 Restaurant, where they make excellent family style Italian food. They carry and use my products, and are hyper vigilant about my celiac disease so that I can eat safely. I have always been a Peter Luger’s fan—like every New Yorker. And my go-to in Manhattan these days is Felidia, where they take celiac disease very seriously.

Do you have any tattoos? And if so, how many are of food?
I do not have a tattoo, nor will I ever. I’ve had so many surgeries that I’m marked up enough.

Recipe: Allie’s Banana Bread

Ingredients:
2 c Allie’s flour
3/4 c sugar
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 t salt
1/2 c unsalted butter or Earth Balance, softened
1 t baking soda
1 t vanilla
1/2 t cinnamon
2 eggs
1/3 T lowfat or hemp milk
1/4 c chocolate chips or blueberries (optional)

Directions:
• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar
• Beat eggs in separate bowl and add butter/sugar to the mixture. Then add bananas, milk, and vanilla until well blended.
• In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Then add to the banana mixture until fully blended.
• Add chocolate chips or blueberries, if desired.
• Pour into greased pan and bake 50-60 minutes for loaf.

– The End. Go Eat. –

December 5, 2017
i8tonite: with Raw Food Chef Diana Stobo, The Retreat Costa Rica and “Naked” Mac-and Cheese.
Food has transformative powers. There is no denying it. It can make you feel better but it can also make you feel terrible. That’s what makes Chef Diana Stobo’s story – a tale in eating naturally — fascinating. After attending Cornell University with a degree in the culinary arts and food chemistry, she had a career as a food professional. It was at that time, Stobo topped the scale at 247 pounds while she was pregnant with her twins. Once giving birth, she found the medications she had used to become pregnant – via in-vitro –they had perpetuated serious health issues. Furthermore, she states on her website and YouTube channel, that her weight was a proverbial yo-yo throughout most of her life. She is now a fit mother of three and defies age categories with her glowing taut skin, lean frame and healthy chestnut hair. She pulled this feat by transforming her diet and becoming a “vegan raw” chef. She now writes about her transformation and how she maintains it with her book such as Get Naked Fast and Naked Bliss. Matter of fact, the Southern California-based entrepreneur has fashioned a mini-empire discussing how she became fabulous and fit.

Recently, Stobo opened up The Retreat Costa Rica situated in a mountain area 45 minutes outside of San Juan, the Central American’s country capital. It’s a hotel – nay, a retreat — to provide calming sanctuary, yoga and amazing food. The secluded and verdant town of Altos del Monte is her backdrop, while Stobo’s fitness and food philosophy become realized with farm-to-table dining and daily yoga sessions. It provides visitors the opportunity to slow-down and experience the beauty of the country as well as quench the desire to become healthier through fitness and eating. All the food is provided by local farms including the meats and seafood. There are a variety of food menus – omnivore, carnivore and vegetarian — for guests to choose from and yes…there is even wine.

As I’m witness to my own family and their eating habits – my mother and stepmother are both severely diabetic — food can be quite toxic if not consumed with clarity, wellness and appropriately. There are all a variety of ways to be healthy and consumers need to be find the best fit for them.

How long have you been cooking? I’ve been cooking since I was a little girl. My mother and I would make specialty cakes, very decorative and festive. I remember one cake where we crystallized grapes and created a sugar crystal sculpture on top of a shaved coconut cake.

What is your favorite food to cook? Well, I am truly an artist, so many of my items need to have an art form, so baking and chocolates were my go to when I was in my early years, but now, I play with healthier version of everything- so making classic food with a healthy twist is my favorite go to now.

What do you always have in your fridge at home? I tend to have tons of produce, greens and fruits, almond milk (home-made of course), Kefir, green juice that I make fresh and tons of condiments. I’m sort of a grocery store addict, I love finding new condiments that add punch and flavor to a new dish when cooking on the fly.

What do you cook at home? I’m a simple eater but love throwing dinner parties. So when it’s time to party, anything goes. Again, I tend to take the classic home-style favorites and give them a healthy or what I call “naked” twist. Naked means substituting classic dairy, wheat, and sugar, with healthy alternatives. I just made ribs, with mashed yams, sautéed spinach with shallots and honey glazed carrots last weekend. What was new and unusual is that I made a broccoli coleslaw using cashew butter as the cream base instead of mayonnaise. Everybody loved it.

Thai Lettuce Wraps

What marked characteristic do you find unappealing in a customer? The unwillingness to try something new.

What marked characteristic do you love in a customer? Openness to new things.

Tupperware, Rubbermaid, or Pyrex? Pyrex- Glass ONLY!

Beer, wine or cocktail? Tequila or bust! And, only the best.

Your favorite cookbook author? I can’t say since I don’t follow cookbooks.

Your favorite kitchen tool? An 8” chef’s knife. (Global)

Your favorite ingredient? Goat cheese and coconut milk.

Your least favorite ingredient? Soy sauce.

Least favorite thing to do in a kitchen? Grate cheese ….. and dishes.

Favorite types of cuisine to cook? From all regions and international cuisines, I call them component meals. Making several different flavors and layering them on top of each other to make the perfect dish. Imagine Sprouted Quinoa Moussaka with Bean Béchamel, or Butternut Squash Lasagna, layered with Pine Nut Ricotta, Pistachio Pesto and Sundried Tomato Puree. I’m just making this up but you get the idea.

Beef, chicken, pork or tofu? None of the above.

Favorite vegetable? That’s a tough question, because I am a vegetable lover all around.

Chef you most admire? Jamie Oliver- not because of his food, but his message.

Food you like the most to eat? Totally embarrassed, but I love Mexican food. (It’s) mostly the beans — but what can I say, it’s the ultimate comfort food.

Food you dislike the most? I’m just not into meat. Once in a while I crave it, but really- it’s not my thing.

How many tattoos? And if so, how many are of food? Not a one.

“Naked” Macaroni & Cheese

Diana Stobo says of this recipe, “I’m a lover of rich sauces so a good, old-fashioned macaroni and cheese is at the top of my list as a decadent and delicious treat. If you like “mac and cheese” like I do, I know you will be delighted at this “Naked” version my daughter affectionately named “mac-a-faux-ni”. The butternut squash adds a bit of sweetness as well as creaminess. The macadamia nut butter and coconut milk provide a richness and the ghee gives it that buttery taste. The rest is magic.

Ingredients:
- 2 heaping cups of butternut squash cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 ½ tablespoons of ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 ½ tablespoons of sea salt
- 1 cup coconut milk
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 12 ounce package Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta elbows (or any gluten-free pasta of your choice).
For the topping:
- ¼ cup walnuts, pine nuts or sunflower seeds
- 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper (optional)
Directions:

In a 4-quart pot, prepare pasta according to package directions. Cook al dente, strain and run under cold water to immediately stop the cooking process. Pour cooled pasta back into the pot.

In a medium saucepan over the medium heat, melt ghee and gently sweat the squash, do not brown. Add sea salt and coconut milk, simmering uncovered for 10 minutes. Carefully pour hot squash into blender and add macadamia butter, nutritional yeast and lemon juice. Blend on low with the machine’s center cap lid removed to release the heat while blending. Slowly increase speed until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Pour mixture over pasta and stir.

This can be served immediately with topping sprinkled over the macaroni or baked in a 350 degree over for 15 minutes until browned.

The End. Go eat.
September 9, 2015