A few weeks ago, I took a trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico to visit my brother and sister-in-law. They moved there a couple of years ago and I’ve been wanting to check out their digs and see how they’ve settled into their new life. Thanks to an airline credit set to expire, I had an excuse to go!

Now, whenever I travel, I get really excited to check out the gluten free scene. Since I have celiac disease (read about my story here!), gluten free is a must. I’m from Omaha, Nebraska, and we don’t have many gluten free restaurant options – in fact, there isn’t a single dedicated restaurant here. So, I had a list of a few places I wanted to check out, thanks to recommendations from the Find Me Gluten Free app.

One thing I was excited for with this trip, though, is that I was staying in a home rather than a hotel. That meant I could stop at Sprouts (which was fun, since we don’t have one in Omaha!) and stock up on my normal food (protein and veggies!) rather than eat out at every meal. I feel best eating a paleo diet, so I try to stick to that while traveling as best I can.

I was also really excited to go to my sister-in-law’s gym, Athletics and Aesthetics. Jena has gone through a remarkable transformation over the last couple of years and has lost a tremendous amount of weight. She is one of the most dedicated people I know – in the kitchen and at the gym – so I wanted to see exactly what she did and where she did it! It was so much fun watching her meal prep in the kitchen and then training with her at the gym. If you are into fitness and want some daily inspiration, check her out @Jenaverse on Instagram. I’m so dang proud of her!

Okay okay, onto the gluten free food! We did eat out a few times and I had great luck with the places we chose. I never got sick, and the restaurants seemed more educated about gluten free procedures than many of the places I’ve been. It was a welcome change!

Here are a few of the places we ate in Albuquerque and nearby Santa Fe.

The Range Cafe

This is a great breakfast and lunch place! Our server was very knowledgeable about cross-contamination and was so helpful in accommodating me. I had the blue corn quesadillas and calabacitas on the side. If you’re like me and have no clue what calabacitas is, it’s a veggie side dish made with zucchini and corn. Everything was delicious!

El Pinto

That night for dinner, we went to El Pinto. I have to say, it was my favorite of all the restaurants we went to! The ambiance was just beautiful, with a lovely entrance encased in gorgeous flowers. It immediately felt like we were on a vacation far, far away. Inside, we sat in a courtyard which was equally as beautiful as the entrance.

El Pinto boasts a plentiful gluten free menu with everything from pork chops and ribs to enchiladas and tacos. The staff knew what they were doing, and our server was really personable. The chips and salsa are gluten free, which was a nice surprise! I had a fantastic margarita and then ordered the Chicken Enchiladas. Everything was very tasty! I can’t wait to go back on my next trip.

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The Revolution Bakery (Santa Fe)

This place was an absolute delight!! If you are ever near Santa Fe, you HAVE to stop by! This is a 100% gluten free bakery, and many of their goods are vegan as well. I messaged them beforehand and asked if they have fried gluten free donuts, and they actually set aside a whole dozen for me! And trust me, they were AMAZING!

I also stocked up on a wide variety of other things to take home, which were all fantastic. I bought a loaf of buckwheat bread, blueberry muffins, blueberry breakfast bars, mini egg and bacon breakfast loafs, cinnamon rolls, and even a peach danish. Trust me, they were all wonderful. And even better, talking to Dionne and Estevan was a delight. Such wonderful people with a great mission!

Check them out online or at 418 Cerillos Road #6. They are tucked away in a little strip mall, so if your GPS takes you to an unmarked building, just head on in and follow your nose!

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The Ranch House

After a fun morning walking around Santa Fe, we were ready for a late lunch! We stopped by The Ranch House on the way back to Albuquerque. Much of their menu is gluten free, and they were even able to accommodate a couple of my requests to make my meal just perfect.

I wanted the brisket nachos, but unfortunately, the chips aren’t safe. So, they made me loaded sweet potato fries instead! Delish!

For my entree, I had the Red Chile Honey Glazed Baby Back Ribs with coleslaw. The ribs were good (and actually, they were better warmed up the next day!), but I would say the fries were better.

And the dessert (as if I needed any after the donuts that morning!) was absolutely spectacular. It was a glass jar of peanut butter mousse topped with a very thick layer of chocolate ganache and sea salt. Oh my goodness, it was amazing! This far surpassed the standard gluten free creme brulee, so I was absolutely delighted by this masterpiece!

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The Mountains

On our last day, I had plenty of baked goods and leftovers to nosh on, so we didn’t go out to eat. Instead, we went hiking in the mountains. What a wonderful way to close out my trip!

While my gluten free finds were certainly delicious and a highlight of the trip, it was so wonderful to spend time with my family. We took long sunrise and sunset walks, lingered over coffee, spent hours chatting in the kitchen, played with the kitties, and watched the many hot air balloons. We hit up the local discount stores, did a whole lot of cardio, worked out in the rain, and laughed so damn hard. We talked about the future and where we’re headed.

And a special note to the Mamas reading this: going on a trip with no husband and no kiddos was absolutely restorative. It’s amazing how relaxing it is to have a few days of deciding what I want to do and take care of no one else but me. I got out of my head, cleared my mind, and gained clarity on all sorts of amazing things I know are in my future. So I encourage you – take the trip!!

Have you eaten gluten free in New Mexico? Let me know your favorite spots – leave a comment below!