I know how much it means to us all when we can eat out and know that it’s safe. That’s why when we discovered a cafe that is completely grain-free and dairy-free I couldn’t wait to tell you about it! Bordering Temecula, California is the cute little town of Murrieta. We spend a lot of time here in what I fondly refer to as “the triangle.” The three points of the triangle consist of the Murrieta Library, Farmstead Market (which we call, “cute market”), and the grain-free dairy-free cafe, Snackin’ Free.

It’s become a weekly tradition of ours to go to Snackin’ Free for lunch. When you eat-in you can get a soup and two Paleo breadsticks for $6! All of the soups are seriously great, as well as the bread. We also love the mock hummus and onion crackers. YUM!!!

Opened in 2013, Snackin’ Free is owned by Laura and Pepe Savinovich. Our daughter Zoe asked Laura if she could interview her, and Laura said yes (check out the Q & A below). If you’re looking for a gluten-free restaurant around Temecula, then maybe we’ll see you at Snackin’ Free soon!

♥, Kelly

Interview with Laura Savinovich of Snackin’ Free, Murrieta, CA

Zoe: Where did you get the idea to start a gluten- and dairy-free café?

Laura: That is a very good question. I never really thought about having a café until a few years ago after I began to eat a gluten, grain, dairy and soy free diet. I wasn’t feeling very well then because I have an autoimmune disease called Rheumatoid arthritis, but since I changed my diet my symptoms have greatly improved.

I started making gluten free treats that I was unable to find in the stores for my family and myself and later for friends. Then after doing some research, to understand why the way I ate was helping so much, I found that other people with other health issues could also benefit from eating this way. I thought maybe I could help others too so in 2012 I began my business. At first I just made things to sell to friends, then, I got a license to prepare and sell food to others from my home but soon the business started taking over my entire house. So after talking it over with my husband, we decided to try to get a small store where we could make things and sell them too. That is where I got the idea to start The Snackin’ Free café.

Zoe: How do you come up with your yummy recipes?

Laura: I have always loved to cook and bake but when I changed my diet I did not know where to look for inspiration. Most of the gluten-free foods that I had bought at the stores tasted very different from what I was used to eating. It was very different at first, there were ingredients that I was not used to using and some were very hard to find. I thought I would never be able to eat this way for long.

Cooking a meal was easy, it was the baking that was really hard. I just wanted a Chocolate Chip Cookie that tasted like the Chocolate Chip Cookies that I used to eat as a kid. I finally turned to the internet to try to find recipes that would satisfy my cravings for the kind of goodies I remembered eating. I found so many wonderful recipes and I did a lot of experimenting with them. I made a lot of mistakes but I think there have been a few successes too.

Zoe: What’s your favorite recipe at Snackin’ Free?

Laura: I really love all of my recipes but I think my very favorite is our Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip cookie recipe.

Zoe: Have you always enjoyed cooking?

Laura: Yes! I have loved cooking ever since I took my first Home Economics class in the 7th grade. I had a lot of opportunity to cook then too, my parents both worked so I would cook dinners and bake for my family to help my parents out.

Zoe: What’s the first thing you ever cooked?

Laura: The first thing I can remember cooking is Biscuits and Grape Juice Jelly that I made in my home economics class.