I blame Ireland. Honestly. I blame Ireland for making me love gnocchi so much.
On my final trip there, which happened to be just a couple of months before the Celiac diagnosis, I was at The Tea Room at The Clarence Hotel…feasting on one of the best meals I have ever eaten in my life…
Gnocchi.
Potato and Sage Gnocchi at that. Seriously…it was sex on a plate. And the chef was kind enough to share the recipe with me, but the version that my friends and I made at home wasn’t quite the same as the one we had in Ireland. But, let me tell you…this really, really, really made me fall in love with those potato pockets of pasta goodness.
So…it was Ireland and not Italy that introduced me to the pillowy goodness of gnocchi. And I have been in love ever since.
And then…I had to go gluten-free. Before that happened completely, I was able to feast on a couple more gnocchi meals from different restaurants…all of which were divine…and reminded me of why I fell in love with gnocchi in the first place. I was enamored.
Since then, I have had a couple of varieties of gluten-free gnocchi. Some have been good. Some have been…okay. And I think one didn’t even impress me at all. So, I figured what did I have to lose when it came to testing out the shelf-stable (not frozen or refrigerated) variety made by Delallo, who have also put out some gluten-free pastas. I have tried them…and they are really good. So, I had some high hopes for the gnocchi.
Tonight…I got to cook it up and test it out.
Nothing is easier to make. Put 4 quarts of water into pot and bring to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and then pour in the gluten-free gnocchi. Bring water back up to a boil by covering the pot and cook for about two minutes. Once they are floating, drain and then add to the sauce. Allow to cook for 2 more minutes in the sauce (of your choice) to marry the flavors together. Then serve.
I cooked the Delallo Gluten Free Gnocchi in a Squash and Pumpkin Pasta Sauce. For real. It smelled fantastic. And once I added the pasta to let it all cook together, my mouth was nigh on watering. I served it up in two bowls with a slice of my local gluten free bakery (Annie May’s Sweet Café) vegan garlic bread. Amazing. Simply divine.
And I’m not just talking about the vegan garlic bread. The Delallo Gluten Free Gnocchi cooked up to perfection. They were soft and creamy, little perfect Italian dumplings without the wheat. These are soft pillows of delicious goodness that didn’t stick together or get gummy. In fact, they were pretty much perfect, which was more than I could have asked for! According to Delallo, the Gluten Free Gnocchi is crafted with over 85% potato, bringing the absolute perfect texture of traditional gnocchi. I couldn’t agree more. I already want to rush out to the store and purchase some more…try it with other sauces…devour, devour, devour!
Delallo Gluten Free Gnocchi is made from rehydrated potatoes, rice flour, potato starch, salt, lactic acid, and sorbic acid (as a preservative). This pasta is non-GMO, cholesterol free, fat free, gluten-free, sheat free, and made in a dedicated gluten-free facility in Italy. Yes…in Italy. These gluten-free gnocchi are imported.
So, what about the nutritional aspect of this pasta? It’s not bad. The Delallo Gluten Free Gnocchi serving is 1 cup of the pasta. This serving dishes up 250 calories and absolutely no fat at all. This serving has 760 mg sodium and only 1 gram of sugar. The sodium is higher than I normally would like, but the sugar is very low. This pasta has 2 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. Not bad at all for pasta!! Especially gluten-free.
LOVE. That’s what the Delallo Gluten Free Gnocchi is made with and of. LOVE. Lots and lots of gluten-free love. And I am forever going to make a point to keep this in my kitchen pantry. When it doesn’t take long to cook up, it makes for a relatively quick meal to prepare and then eat. And I love convenient. Delallo definitely hit it out of the park this time. Delicious!
Delallo Gluten Free Gnocchi with Organic Squash and Pumpkin Pasta Sauce and Gluten-Free and Vegan Garlic Bread
Remember those wafer cookies that ever child grows up eating? Those ones that come in chocolate, vanilla and strawberry? You know…thin wafer cookies with that thin layer of sugary cream in between layers? Remember those? I do…because I loved them. The strawberry were my favorite. Always my favorite.
Granted, I’m sure those cookies were (and still are…except I can’t eat them anymore and haven’t since I was a child, regardless) loaded with a plethora of artificial ingredients. They were simple, but delicious.
Fast forward to three years since my Celiac diagnosis. While gluten free snacks are everywhere, sometimes finding good ones are difficult. And don’t get me started on how most gluten free products out on the market are snack foods. As in cookies, chips, crackers, etc. Which, is all fine and good. Because, as we all know…I am a snacker…but I’m also an athlete who does try to keep snacks on the healthier scale.
That being said, this doesn’t mean I ban snack foods from my life. In fact, I like to indulge every now and again. And dessert is a necessity in my life. I grew up having a cookie or a scoop of ice cream after dinner. My family loves our dessert. Honestly. And nothing will ever change that. However, I try to either make my own desserts or really choose my treats carefully.
I admit…I didn’t use any methodical choice when I picked up a bag of the Glutino Gluten Free Hazelnut Wafer Cookies. Nope. I didn’t even look at ingredients. They just intrigued me. They were like…a grown-up, bite-size version of those sugar wafer cookies I grew up loving! And I didn’t care, as I put them in my shopping basket, whether they were good for me or not. These were cookies I simply just…wanted!
Cookie monster, remember?
So, tonight, after having a roasted vegetable sandwich for dinner, I pulled out the bag of Glutino Gluten Free Hazelnut Wafer Cookies for dessert. I was really excited about them and my anticipation was evident as the bag pretty much ripped as I attempted to open them! HA! This cookie monster wanted her treat. I got out my kitchen scale and placed a handful on a paper towel, weighing out a serving. I might love my sweets, but I always eat them in moderation and stick to that serving size. It was the perfect amount.
These little bite-size wafer cookies are light and flavorful and fantastic. They are the epitome of the sugar wafer cookies I grew up on…better in that instead these vanilla cookies have a chocolate hazelnut cream layer. And these layers are repeated, making them repetitively delicious. Honestly. The thin layer of cream is just enough to kick up the sweetness level of what would otherwise be a relatively bland vanilla wafer cookie. Absolutely amazing. They were light, so they didn’t leave you feeling guilty or guiltily stuffed. And, most importantly, they were delicious. A grown-up version of those cookies you ate as a child. Each bite-size cookie offered up the right hit of flavor and sweetness without being too much all at once. These cookies are layered in love.
So, let’s talk about the ingredients, shall we? Glutino Gluten Free Hazelnut Wafer Bites are made from potato starch, cane sugar, coconut oil, hazelnut paste, cocoa powder, soy oil, soy lecithin, salt, ammonium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, and natural flavor. These cookies are gluten-free and cholesterol free.
But how sinful are they? For cookies…not bad at all. A serving of the Glutino Gluten Free Hazelnut Wafer Bites is 30 grams (which the box says is 7 cookies, but it is actually more!). This serving of little bite-size wafer cookies will serve you 150 calories and 7 grams of fat. This serving also dishes up 45 mg sodium and 9 grams of sugar. And finally, you will be taking in less than 1 gram of fiber and less than 1 gram of protein. Like I said…they won’t fill you up…except with awesome cookie goodness.
Oh, it’s safe to say that this cookie monster definitely indulged and enjoyed dessert tonight. Glutino hasn’t had a miss yet with one of their products for as much as I have tried them. And this is only a good thing, my friends. They are certainly doing something right. Because, everything so far has been oh…so good! Another perfectly indulgent item! One that I’d buy again in a heartbeat!
Tastefully Simple Gluten Free Cinnamon Apple Cake Mix
Product: Tastefully Simple Gluten-Free Cinnamon Apple Cake Mix – $10.99
I want to give another quick shout-out to my friend (all the way back through middle school!), Rebecca Fifield, who not only is just an all-around fantastic person, but is also a consultant for Tastefully Simple. She was kind enough to send me a batch of the original four gluten-free mixes that Tastefully Simple were putting out on the market. I have one more to go, and this one isn’t one of them.
The product I am reviewing today, the Tastefully Simple Gluten-Free Cinnamon Apple Cake Mix, actually is part of their second round of gluten-free mix offerings, which also brought about a Gluten-Free Coconut Lime Cake Mix. Actually, I am just now realizing that Tastefully Simple sneaked out two more mixes while I wasn’t looking…a Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix and a Gluten-Free Cinnamon Apple Pancake Mix. I think I know what I’ll be ordering soon!
Anyway…when Tastefully Simple first released second round of products (Coconut Lime Cake Mix and the Cinnamon Apple Cake Mix), I was determined to buy at least one of them. I would have purchased both, except I was already planning on buying more of the Gluten-Free Beer Bread Mix. Hey…that stuff is awesome. So after a little back and forth with myself…I finally chose the Gluten-Free Cinnamon Apple Cake Mix for this time around.
And last night…I baked it up.
One of the things that makes Tastefully Simple products so appealing is how…simple…they are to make. Normally, they require the addition of 2-3 items, all of which get stirred together and then popped into the oven to bake. Seriously…that easy. I love something that won’t take up too much of my time in the kitchen. Let’s face it…I may love to cook and bake, but I’m a busy girl and I value my time.
As it was, the Tastefully Simple Gluten Free Cinnamon Apple Cake Mix only requires 2 cups of chopped apples (and, hey, my CSA bin gave me apples this week!), 2 eggs (or egg replacer if you are vegan), and 1 cup of chopped walnuts (which are optional, but I always add nuts!). So, I poured the mix into a mixing bowl, chopped up two large Gala apples, broke two eggs into the bowl, and then added the walnuts. I stirred the contents until everything was combined and no powdery mix remained in the bowl. This took a couple of minutes because the only liquid in the bowl came from the two eggs, and for a moment I didn’t think it was going to come together. I will never doubt again, because it all mixed in beautifully. I poured the batter into a greased baking pan and threw it into the oven to bake. This normally takes about 45-55 minutes. Surprisingly, my old oven perfectly baked the cake in 45 minutes.
Tastefully Simple Gluten-Free Cinnamon Apple Cake Mix (baked and fresh from the oven)
First of all, the Tastefully Simple Gluten Free Cinnamon Apple Cake smells AMAZING as it is baking. We’re in the midst of September, and autumn is coming. This made my entire apartment smell like fall. For real! When it came out of the oven, it took everything in my power to let it cool down before I sliced it up and tried it for myself. I’m not good with self control, but somehow…I managed.
The end result?! One of the most fantastic, moist, and flavorful cakes I have ever had. This is no joke. Not one bit. The apples provide a nice hit of sweetness and texture. The top of the cake gets this nice crust on it, which crumbles as you slice into it. It was a beautiful thing. And the cake itself…aside from being moist, this cake tastes like a flavorful and delicious coffee cake. It has this rich flavor to it, with the cinnamon adding a sweet spice to it that I love and my taste buds crave. I was so surprised with how moist this cake was. I was a bit concerned about it, but I should have known to trust Tastefully Simple. I might be addicted to this cake. Self control is definitely being exercised as I have an entire cake now. It sure does taste like autumn around here.
So, let’s take a look at the ingredients. The Tastefully Simple Gluten Free Cinnamon Apple Cake Mix is made from sugar, rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, sodium bicarbonate, sodium acid pyrophosphate, salt, cinnamon, and xanthan gum. It is cholesterol free, gluten free and kosher.
The Tastefully Simple Gluten Free Cinnamon Apple Cake Mix isn’t bad for a cake. Remember though, this is for the mix only, but even after everything is added in, the calories and fat all stay in check. A serving of the mix is 1/4 cup, and the mix itself makes 9 servings. This serving will give you 190 calories. It is fat-free and cholesterol free (until you add the eggs, of course!). The mix has only 260 mg sodium and a whopping 29 grams of sugar. But…it’s cake. It’s going to be sugary! The mix itself has no fiber and only 1 gram of protein.
Not bad at all for nutrition of a cake, that’s for sure. I honestly was so pleasantly surprised by this cake. I think it’s going to become a pantry staple in my apartment. Because…wow…I am beyond impressed.
Now, I know you’re dying to try it! You must be. And you should be. So, head over to Rebecca Fifield‘s page and place an order. I promise…you won’t be disappointed.
A slice of Tastefully Simple Gluten-Free Cinnamon Apple Cake (serving size)
Product: Glutino Gluten Free Original English Muffins – $5.29+
Some mornings, it’s easy to decide what to make for breakfast. Other mornings, I have way too much going on to make something great and elaborate. These are the mornings that the gluten-free toast and gluten-free bagels usually rear their heads. And yes, I am certainly aware of the “good carbs vs. bad carbs” argument when it comes to breakfast foods and how you start your day. But…with a strict budget and, honestly, the need for something quick that doesn’t take a lot of time some mornings…I have to do what fits into my mornings.
I don’t feel guilty about it. An egg scramble isn’t hard, but to not overcook the eggs, it can take awhile. Where as something like a gluten-free bagel or a couple slices of gluten-free toast can toast up while I take a quick shower, having just returned home from my early morning spin class or from doing laps in the pool. Regardless…some mornings, it’s what has to be done.
So, this morning, despite having some gluten-free bagels in my freezer, I reached for something that I had been wanting to try for a very long time.
And if you read the subject of this post, you already know that I’m talking about Glutino’s Gluten Free Original English Muffins.
After my local Whole Foods stopped carrying the LivWell brand of English Muffins that I fell in love with…and since Katz Gluten Free requires an online order…it was nice to be able to duck into one of my local grocery stores/natural food stores and pick these up out of the freezer section. I did a bit of a double-take, I admit, when I first purchased them, as they are a bit of a yellow-orange color in the packaging. Odd. But, it didn’t deter me from buying them. Nope. So, purchase made, they found their way to my freezer, I found myself out of town and using up other products that needed using…until this morning.
After that morning spin class I previously mentioned, I drove home, turned on the oven and put the two Glutino Gluten Free Original English Muffins onto a baking sheet. I had left them in a Ziploc bag to thaw while I was gone. I handed my roommate her bowl of cereal, put the English Muffins into the oven and went to take a quick shower. They could cook without me needing to babysit them. I was all about that for sure! Makes for an easy breakfast that can be done while I am doing something else. I love to be able to multitask.
So, after I was dressed and ready for work, I made my way back out to the kitchen, where the Glutino Gluten Free Original English Muffins were still happily toasting away. I pulled down some plates and got out the Earth Balance spread and some blueberry jam (made from real fruit only!). I checked on the English muffins and they were almost to that perfect golden toasty color. So, I got out the butter knife and then grabbed the hot pad holder to remove them from the oven. They looked perfect. I slathered each half of the Glutino Original English Muffins with Earth Balance spread and then…topped that with the most perfect schmear of blueberry jam. It looked heavenly and I was already anticipating my very first bite.
I picked up my plate and settled in for breakfast. I lifted the English muffin and took my very first bite.
I was anticipating something that was heavy and dense and just…not what an English muffin should be. But I was wrong. I was definitely wrong. The Glutino Gluten Free Original English Muffins actually were quite light. The toasted areas had this nice crispiness to them, but the inner layer was soft and light. I loved that it wasn’t dense. I loved that it felt like I was eating a normal English muffin. In fact, the powdery cornmeal dusted on top helped add to that illusion too. I was loving every bite. And it paired so well with the classic toppings of butter and jam. It was pure breakfast perfection. And now that they were toasted, that strange color didn’t look so scary anymore. I happily noshed away on my entire English muffin, wanting to savor, but not wanting it to get cold either. I found the perfect balance, enjoying every bite and commenting on just how surprised I was by the taste and texture. These were, for sure, a winner!
The Glutino Gluten Free Original English Muffins are made from water, corn starch, tapioca starch, skim milk powder, corn flour, egg whites, can sugar, canola oil, salt, cellulose gum, yeast, baking powder, gluconon-delta-lactone, pectin, sodium bicarbonate, sodium alginate, modified cellulose, corn meal, iron, nacin, tracalcium phosphate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, and riboflavin. Yes…I am aware of how chemically some of those ingredients sound. And that word modified is a bit of a bother. It’s sad…because, if you’re like me and actually care about that sort of thing…it sort of lessens my excitement for these breakfast treats.
A serving of the Glutino Gluten Free Original English Muffins is one English muffin. This one English muffin will provide your body with 170 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. I think that’s freakin’ fantastic. A serving also provides 440 mg sodium and 7 grams of sugar. Not bad for a bready breakfast item. These English muffins are also cholesterol free. And, finally, this serving will give you less than 1 gram of filling fiber and only 4 grams of protein. So, this is why I paired it with a bowl of cereal…because otherwise, I’d be starving within an hour. It will not leave you feeling full for very long, that’s for sure.
Regardless, I am a huge fan of the Glutino Gluten Free Original English Muffins. Great flavor, great taste, great texture…which means I’ll treat myself to them every now and again. Because, on some mornings, sometimes the only thing you want is an English muffin. And when, normally, due to Celiac or gluten intolerance, this isn’t something that can happen on a regular basis…this is a nice treat indeed. I highly recommend these English muffins. In fact, I even think people who can eat Thomas’ English Muffins would appreciate these as well. There…I said it.
Put it to the test. For me…no need. I’m in love. I’m in love all over again with breakfast. Thank you, once more, for another fantastic product, Glutino. Thank you.
Product: My Dad’s Cookies Gluten Free Cinnamon Biscuits – $7.99+
Yep…I found another version of the My Dad’s Cookies brand of gluten free cookies at my local grocery store, Lucky’s. I’ve been more than pleased with the flavor and texture of these gluten-free delights. For sure. So, it seems, as long as they have cookies that I haven’t tried yet, I’ll keep going back for more. Why? Because, it seems, I must EAT. ALL. THE. COOKIES.
What started off with buying the Gluten Free Black and White Cookies has turned into a bit of a cookie obsession for me. No joke. The My Dad’s Cookies brand are not a gluten free brand that I had heard of prior to visiting Lucky’s…but now that I know of them, and know how good they are…well…I’m a bit unstoppable. For sure.
So, after trying the Gluten Free Black and White Cookies, the Gluten Free Vanilla Grahams, the Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies, and the Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti…I went in with a much smaller selection this time around. I keep hoping they’ll restock the Lemon Cookies, but that hasn’t happened just yet. So, from the meager selection remaining, my roomie and I went through the stacks of what was left. And after much deliberation between us, we opted for the My Dad’s Cookies Gluten Free Cinnamon Biscuits.
Cinnamon cookies.
Mmmm…two of my favorite things. Cinnamon. And cookies. How can this be a bad thing?
Tonight, I found out. And the answer…it can’t be a bad thing.
My roommate and I often get a little creative with our cookies and with the My Dad’s Cookies Gluten Free Cinnamon Biscuits, we thought…S’mores. Nothing beats a delicious s’more, right? It’s even better when I can make it vegetarian (no marshmallows here…just Fluff) with some dark chocolate. Oh yeah. But, I still wanted the cookie to be the star, so I made sure I balanced the campfire favorite flavors to perfection.
The result?
The My Dad’s Cookies Gluten Free Cinnamon Biscuits were cookie perfection. The biscuits themselves were sturdy enough to hold up to the additions I sandwiched between them. They didn’t crumble like gluten free graham crackers do and the fluff and dark chocolate squares stayed in place thanks to the sturdiness of these cookies. The texture was perfection. Crispy, but without crumbling, these cookies were a great blend of sweet and spice. The cinnamon adds this nice hint of flavor to the cookies. They reminded me of the crispy bottom of sugar cookies and snickerdoodles. Nothing wrong with that combination, for sure. It was one amazing dessert, for sure. And the My Dad’s Cookies Gluten Free Cinnamon Biscuits made these “no way I’m camping to have s’mores” dessert sheer perfection tonight. These are love.
My Dad’s Cookies Gluten Free Cinnamon Biscuits are made from a gluten free flour blend (tapioca, brown rice, white rice, soy, potato starch, and xanthan gum), sugar, water, organic palm oil, cinnamon, agave syrup, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. These cookies are gluten-free, dairy free, nut free, vegan, cholesterol free, and kosher.
As far as nutrition goes, for cookies, these stats aren’t half bad. A serving of My Dad’s Cookies Gluten Free Cinnamon Biscuits is 4 cookies. These 4 cookies will serve up 150 calories and 6 grams of fat. These cookies also provide 50 mg sodium and 9 grams of sugar. Not too bad for 4 cookies! And, finally, you’ll be consuming 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein. A sweet treat that won’t fill you up…but it is full of flavor for sure!
My Dad’s Cookies is definitely baking up gluten free deliciousness in cookie form. And these cookies are no exception. I’ve been really enjoying exploring the different varieties I can find at the store. The Gluten Free Cinnamon Biscuits were just the right cookie at the right time. They make a great treat on their own, or doctor them up. Whatever you choose. But don’t miss out on these!
I was on a mission one afternoon. I needed to pick up a few supplies at the grocery store. As I was leaving, my roommate told me to splurge a little and pick out a product that I have been wanting to try, but haven’t found a way to justify it. Within reason. Which, knocked out a few options…but I wasn’t without a few choices.
It was a hot summer afternoon, and I found myself wandering around the tiny, but stocked, natural foods area. I ducked over to the freezers and let my eyes peruse some of the options inside.
And then…I saw what could be one of the most epic dessert options in the gluten-free and dairy-free world – Dream Sea Salt Caramel Gelato.
Gelato…that is dairy free? You bet your lactose-intolerance! The Dream Sea Salt Caramel Gelato is an almond-based non-dairy frozen dessert. Yes! You read that right…almond-based. Mmmm…almond milk! And, it just happened to be one of my favorite flavors in the entire world – salted caramel. SOLD! And, it definitely fell into the ‘within reason’ addendum my roomie threw into the deal. Happily, I took it to the register, checked out, and came home to store it in the freezer.
That was a little while ago…but I had some cookies and bread and other delicious frozen treats to work through first. I have a system. But tonight, on a story, thundering evening, after eating some gluten-free and vegan mac and cheese…I chose the Dream Sea Salt Caramel Gelato for dessert.
I dished up two servings of the frozen treat. In fact, certain that the Dream frozen treats would act like coconut milk based treats, I allowed the gelato to sit out on the counter while my roommate and I shoveled our main course into our faces. Okay…we might have been a little daintier than that, but we were hungry and Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville makes some of the best mac and cheese out there for someone like me, with multiple food allergies.
It was the right move. After we finished eating and rinsed the dishes, I got out a 1/2 measuring cup and some bowls and got to work on dishing up dessert. Gelato is usually rich and creamy. While the Dream Sea Salt Caramel Gelato is definitely rich, the creamy nature gets a bit lost in the almond milk base. Much like coconut milk, it is a little harder and tends to break apart instead of just slipping onto the spoon. But it was delicious…and that was the important thing.
Oh…my sweet Italian dessert. Holy goodness. This was one fantastic, sweet treat. This frozen dessert combines a hint of saltiness with a rich, smooth caramel flavor. The result is a decadent and delicious dessert that is created without the use of dairy. The almond base lends a nice, slightly nutty flavor and gives it a thick texture. Not creamy like I associate with gelato, but still rich and smooth. The dessert melted on my tongue and I savored each burst of flavor. This had just the right amount of caramel flavor and the right hit of salt to make it one of the most perfect frozen desserts in my freezer. It was so hard to keep to that serving size.
So, let’s get down to the bones of it…
The Dream Sea Salt Caramel Gelato Almond-Based Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert is made from filtered water, evaporated cane syrup, almonds, tapioca maltodextrin, expeller pressed oil, brown rice syrup, and contains 2% or less of natural flavors, cocoa butter, soy protein, sea salt, potato starch, guar gum, carrageenan, carob bean gum, sunflower lecithin, soy lecithin, caramel color. This gelato is cholesterol free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and kosher.
As far as nutrition information goes, a serving of the Dream Sea Salt Caramel Gelato Almond-Based Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert is 1/2 cup. There are 4 servings in the pint. A serving of the gelato will provide you with 140 calories and 6 grams of fat. In addition, you will take in 115 mg sodium and 15 grams of sugar. That is definitely a lot of sugar, but this is a gelato. Finally, you will be consuming only 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein. Not filling…but totally delicious!
I was blown away by the amazing flavor, rich texture, and the sweet and salty nature Dream Sea Salt Caramel Gelato Almond-Based Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert. Each bite was an icy, decadent treat, for sure. It was so tempting to just polish off the pint, but this means I have one more evening with this dessert. Tomorrow will sure be delicious. If you haven’t tried Dream’s frozen desserts, I highly recommend starting off with the Sea Salt Caramel Gelato. It’s a new favorite. Definitely.
A serving of Dream Sea Salt Caramel Gelato Almond-Based Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert
Cookies! Ooooh…cookies! More gluten-free cookies for this cookie monster to just…devour. Mine…all mine.
I was hanging out in Columbus, Ohio, visiting my friend Jenn, when she took Cathy and I over to her local natural food store, praising them for the huge gluten-free selection that they carried. I was hard pressed it could be anything beyond what we have around here, but I was instantly schooled. She was completely correct…The Raisin Rack in Columbus, Ohio, went above and beyond all my expectations for a gluten-free selection. It was huge. And there were items I hadn’t seen in my own area before. Call me one happy girl.
I piled a basket full of goodies…one of which was a box of Annie’s Homegrown Gluten Free Ginger Snap Bunny Cookies. While we do carry some gluten-free bunny cookies from Annie’s Homegrown, I hadn’t seen the Ginger Snap variety in my area as of that time. I’ve since found it, of course. But…that’s beside the point.
With a lot of fresh fruit items and other products that were in the pantry that would expire first, these cookies just sort of sat on the shelf. But after having to cancel my CSA bin this past weekend and having worked through everything else, when I was putting lunches and snacks together for today, these cookies were getting their time to shine.
I opened up the box and weighed out the contents to a perfect serving. I snapped a lid on the container and took them to work with me to enjoy for my morning snack. I eyed the little container all morning, glancing at the clock just as often, already anticipating these cute little cookies. When the time finally came…I lifted off the lid and grabbed one of the little bunny shaped cookies.
One bite…and that was all I needed to know that I had hit a jackpot with these cookies. The Annie’s Homegrown Gluten Free Ginger Snap Bunny Cookies were very reminiscent of my childhood where I could eat Teddy Grahams and Graham Crackers like they were going out of style. That’s what these little bunny shaped cookies reminded me of. Especially the graham cracker thing. I was a child that didn’t need the peanut butter of the chocolate and marshmallows for my graham crackers. I loved to eat them just the way they were…plain and right out of the sleeve. The initial flavor of the Annie’s Homegrown Gluten Free Ginger Snap Bunny Cookies takes me back to that…and then a bit of sweetness from the ginger comes through right at the end. It’s a nice play on the taste buds. I was elated and had to resist grabbing the rest of the little cookies in my palm and just shoving them all into my mouth and chewing for 5 minutes to completely chew them up and safely swallow. Because…it was tempting. But…I took my time an savored. These were fantastic little bites of cookie goodness for sure.
So, let’s talk about the ingredients. The Annie’s Homegrown Gluten Free Ginger Snap Bunny Cookies are made from rice flour, yellow corn flour, organic brown cane sugar, palm oil, tapioca starch, crystallized ginger, molasses, soy flour, corn starch, natural butter flavor, organic tapioca syrup, ginger, salt, soy lecithin,guar gum, and baking soda. The ingredients are all grown and processed without GMO’s. These cookies are gluten-free, peanut free, dairy free, egg free, tree nut free, nut free and vegan.
A serving size of Annie’s Homegrown Gluten Free Ginger Snap Bunny Cookies is 29 cookies (or 30 grams). This serving will provide you with 130 calories and 4 grams of fat. These cookies contain 55 mg sodium and 8 grams of sugar. Not bad for cookies. Also, a serving will provide 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein. You won’t feel very full after eating them, but, boy, they sure are delicious.
These cookies were so amazing, not only because they reminded me of things I grew up eating and used to be able to eat, but because, on their own, they stand out as a tasty, delicious, bite-size cookie treat. The flavor was perfect – not too much ginger, but not too little either. It certainly brought balance to each bunny-shaped treat. I am totally in love with these and will treat myself to them again sometime. No doubt.
It was two weekends ago that I was walking around the Indiana State Fairgrounds at the Living Without Gluten Free Food Allergy Fest. I had such a great time going up to the various booths, some from big name and well-known gluten-free companies and corporations. And then…some of the booths belonged to local businesses…bakeries and sauce makers and the like. It was an amazing variety and a great time. I had a blast talking to the various vendors, from local and nationally acclaimed businesses and finding out more about their products and/or company.
One booth that I dropped by was BeeFree Gluten Free Bakery, based out of Noblesville, Indiana. The bakery is owned and operated by Jennifer Wiese, the mother of four teenage boys, the eldest of which is on the autism spectrum. She attended an autism conference a few years ago where she learned about the benefits of a gluten-free and casein free diet in helping to alleviate some of the behavioral issues associated with autism. With a limited amount of good gluten-free and casein free food in Nobelsville, and an 8-year-old with limited patience for being asked to give up some of his favorite foods, Weise decided to get creative. With the assistance of her mother, they eventually were able to put together a winning combination of rice, tapioca, coconut, and potato flours, with corn starch, as a base for her baking.
In the end, the diet had positive effects on her son. And Weise wanted her son to be able to eat at social events, often meaning she had to bake a cake or pizza to be offered alongside the glutinous one that everyone else was eating. When people started complimenting Weise on how good her creations were, she began to get asked to bake for their parties.
With the demand there, Weise decided that starting a business was the next step. So, in 2010, BeeFree Gluten Free Bakery opened. Weise rented out kitchen space in a restaurant after hours and would start baking. After a year, she realized she couldn’t keep up with her orders and grow the business like she wanted to, so she rented a bakery and started producing her baked creations on a larger scale. This meant she could do her baking in the morning while the equipment was freshly sanitized and there wasn’t any wheat flour wafting around the air.
Today, Weise’s entire family has gone gluten-free. Now that Weise has more time freed up for working on business, she is interested in getting BeeFree Gluten Free Bakery carried more widely across the region and expanding her line. She recently even developed a cereal for people on the Paleo Diet, which tends to avoid grains, legumes, dairy products, salt, refined sugar and processed oils.
So…here the bakery was, participating in a huge gluten-free expo. As I strolled up to the table, they were offering samples of their Warrior Mix (which is a cereal). But, for sale, I noticed one lonely loaf on the table…and it caught my attention for one reason – it was LEMON!
I love, love, LOVE lemon flavored things. And so does my roommate. Which, I immediately pointed the loaf out to Cathy and she nodded her head. I spoke to the guy behind the counter and said that I’d love to take the Lemon Loaf off their hands. He picked it up and informed me it was the last one they had. WOOT! Good timing. Cathy passed over the $3.00 they were asking and we walked away with something lemon and delicious looking.
Upon returning home from our day in Indianapolis, Cathy and I sorted out our stash of free goodies and the items we bought, including ones that needed to be refrigerated. The BeeFree Gluten Free Lemon Loaf went into the refrigerator. I had every intention of busting into it before today…but we were working hard on polishing off the banana bread I had prepared from the mix I reviewed a couple of weeks ago. And then…we were heading out of town, and taking my own gluten-free zucchini bread loaves with me to my parents home. So…with all of that finally gone…this morning’s after-gym breakfast had to be simple…and I had nothing. NOTHING. Until I recalled…the BeeFree Gluten Free Lemon Loaf. Breakfast…was served.
That morning, before we left for the gym, I pulled out the Lemon Loaf and opened it up. The serving size was 1/4 of the loaf, so I cut it in half, then cut that half in half…so that my roommate and I each had a serving. I immediately noted the gorgeous lemon yellow color of the loaf. However, I was a bit uncertain about the white layer of thick icing on the top. I’m not big on frosting or icing…and the sheer amount of it was a bit…overwhelming. But…I placed the slices into a container and we were off to face the cardio machines.
After going to the gym this morning, we hiked over to the office and I removed the two slices (or half of the loaf) from the cooler I bring on gym mornings. I placed each slice on a plate and gave it a small warming (about 15 seconds) in the microwave before handing off one slice to Cathy and settling in at my desk with the other.
I cut through the top part, getting the huge chunk of icing with a little bit of the loaf. I took a taste…and aside from the sweetness of the lemon-flavored icing…the loaf itself was moist, rich, sweet, sour, and just plain…delicious! Yes…delicious. I ended up breaking the icing away and cutting it up so that I could get smaller bits of it with each bite instead of having it just sitting on top. Because…there was a lot of it. By breaking it up like that, it definitely gave the loaf more depth as I got a bit of icing with a bit of bread with each bite. Otherwise, I’d just get the icing and it was far too sugary sweet for a breakfast. More like a dessert. Maybe that’s what this was meant for. Dessert for breakfast…it happens. But…with the volume of icing, it was best eaten this way. Trust me.
I was rather impressed with the texture, taste, density, and flavor that came in the BeeFree Gluten Free Lemon Loaf. It was light, and airy, not dense and heavy. Like I said, my only complaint is that the ratio of loaf to icing was…way off, in my opinion. It was a little overwhelming with that thick layer of icing on top, but I made it work. Truth is, the loaf would have been just as delicious even without the icing. And probably would make it feel like less of a dessert too. But, to each their own, and this is truly just a personal preference.
The BeeFree Gluten Free Lemon Loaf is made from sugar, organic enriched rice milk, corn oil, eggs, white rice flour, tapioca flour, corn starch, organic lemon juice, organic lemon peel, coconut flour, potato flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and sea salt.
As for nutrition, a serving of the the BeeFree Gluten Free Lemon Loaf is 1/4 of the loaf. In this serving, you will be consuming 250 calories and 11 grams of fat. You will also be consuming 125 mg sodium and 22 grams of sugar. And finally, you will be taking in 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein. It isn’t filling…but it is one sweet treat in the morning.
I love supporting a local business, so I was excited to tear into my BeeFree Gluten Free Lemon Loaf this morning. Fantastic flavor and just the right amount of lemon. For my own tastes, I find the amount of icing a bit of overkill, but it does add great flavor to the loaf. I was one happy lemon lover this morning. And this loaf gets another eating on Thursday. Already anticipating.
Me, holding my niece Baileigh Kendyl, and with my nephew Chace Tanner
It’s Sunday morning, August 31, 2014.
I should be out on the course, probably around Mile 16-ish of the Tupelo Marathon in Tupelo, Mississippi.
I should be logging a finish this morning…in just slightly over an hour from the typing of these words…of my 7th marathon this year.
I should be tired, slogging through heat and rain (it is SO raining there), my mind focused on that finish line.
I should be putting all my hard training over the past few weeks to work to accomplish a goal that I signed up for and got myself in shape for, right?
*crickets chirp*
Well…I’m not.
I’m not doing any of those things.
Instead, I am sitting in my room at my parents home in Birmingham, Alabama. I have an exercise mat spread out on the floor and a cold bottle of water at my side. I just completed a set of some of the things that have been my day-in-and-day-out for the past month and a half. Push-ups, crunches, squats, and some ab toning exercises.
My feet are currently “booted” (it’s the best description) in KT Tape that is being used to stabilize my ankles and my feet in general. I sort of look like I have racing strips up my calf muscles. It’s not a good look. It definitely doesn’t go well with dress clothes. But it will surely be the look of next spring. Just…take my word on this, okay? HA!
Why?
No one and no test can tell me. Honestly. I have become yet another marvel to my podiatrist and the radiologist. But I am, as usual, getting ahead of myself. Let me rewind to a month and a half ago. It was a warm Tuesday morning, around 3:30 a.m. My NYC training plan called for 6×800 meters with a 45 second break in between each one. I have no track nearby so I was going to just have to do circles in my parking lot and just really watch the distance on my Garmin. I hated that…but you do what you have to with the circumstances you are given. In my case – no track…dark parking lot…3:30 a.m. darkness…and a whole lot of hate for speed work. Let’s face it…these short legs are made for distance and endurance…not so much speed! But…I set to it, doing my 1 mile warm up and then hitting those intervals the best I could manage and being diligent about that 45 second recovery. I stopped for water on a couple, because hydration is important to me. Anyway…I finished those up and went on my cool down mileage to round it off to the planned 7 miles on my plan.
And that’s where it all went to hell.
I was finishing up the last mile, not even a quarter of a mile through it when my foot started to hurt. It hurt so bad that I could hardly run a few steps without just pain. My immediate reaction was to stop running. So…I did. I think I differ from a lot of my running compatriots in that when something hurts…I don’t “push through the pain” nor “push myself to the point of puking.” I stop. I can’t fathom pushing through something and damaging my body further or worse. My brain can’t wrap around that mentality. I hobbled home, feeling defeated and more than a little worried about my foot. That morning, I called my podiatrist’s office and tried to get in for an appointment. The earliest one they had was 2 weeks away. I explained my problem and they said that if they had something open up sooner, they’d call me. I sighed…and said okay. That afternoon, they called and said they had a 9:00 a.m. opening on the following morning…Wednesday. I took it.
Long story made as short as I can manage…
The initial X-Rays showed what he called my foot “thinking” about fracturing. So it wasn’t quite a stress fracture…but the foot was right on the cusp. I was ordered into 2 weeks of no running, no spinning, no fierce walking…just upper body weights and swimming. I was going to get fitted for some new orthodics as well…ones that were more flexible so I would be okay running in them. My feet had changed. My orthodics no longer fit my feet right. It was causing problems. Big problems, apparently. I took my 2 week running/gym/spinning hiatus with much misery and complaining. I bought some hand weights and a kettlebell. I went to the gym every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning at 5 a.m. to swim laps in the pool. I’m not a strong nor a fast swimmer so my goal began to be to at least get in 1800 yards…or 1 mile…which would take me between 50-55 minutes. Told you…I’m slow. After my required time off, I went back in and had my feet molded for the new orthodics and X-rayed again. The foot looked much better and I was given the okay to start running again…only 2-4 miles. If it hurt…I was to back off. I could start that the very next day. It was a Thursday. That morning, I got out of bed and donned my running and reflective gear. The foot was still sore, but I chocked that up to being because of being poked and prodded by the podiatrist the previous afternoon. I put on my Adidas Boosts…I took in some water…and I turned on my Garmin, heading down my apartment stairs to get in 2 miles. I’d start small and build. I went about 3 steps before I started to feel pain. I thought maybe I was stiff and managed to get to the very end of my parking lot before pausing my Garmin and turning around. Maybe I should put my orthodics in. Second verse…same as the first. Maybe if I wore my Newtons instead. Third time wasn’t the charm. I managed 1/4 mile of excruciating pain. Feeling defeated and deflated…I hobbled back inside, cried, and put on shoes to head to the gym and hit the weight machines. I tried the next few mornings…and couldn’t get more than 10 steps. After a week of this and no improvement, I called my podiatrist back. They had me come in on that Thursday in the morning. Another round of X-Rays were taken…and again showed nothing. So, my podiatrist taped up my feet again and scheduled me for an MRI. They were hoping for that very same day…but it wasn’t happening until Monday. Another weekend of nothing but swimming and weights. I was not happy.
MRI day came and went and that following Thursday, I was back in my podiatrist’s office to get the results. The MRI showed nothing…nothing at all. No fractures. Nothing wrong with the bones. When my podiatrist got the results on Tuesday, he phoned the radiologist and they went slide-by-slide through my MRI because, as he said to the radiologist…”I have an elite runner who wants to get back to running yesterday and she can’t because her foot is hurting. We need to find out why.” And so…after 25 minutes working together, they decided it had to do with the fluid in my foot and the inflammation it was causing. Joy. I was delegated to more rest. Another week of no running and this new tape job. I was prescribed Celebrex, which my insurance refused, so 2 days later, that mess got resolved and I was put on Mobic for the inflammation. I was told I could walk, I could bike, I could (finally) get back on the eliptical, I could swim, I could do more upper body weights…just no running for a week. I went back to spin class that Friday. It was tough. I feel out of shape. I feel that time off did mess with my fitness despite doing my best to stay active with slower than a snail swimming and weights. I could tell I hadn’t been sweating it out or doing cardio. I was happy to be there. I was happy to be sweating again.
Tupelo Marathon was this coming weekend. On Friday…I ran 1 mile. Slowly. With minimal pain. It was there…it just wasn’t the stabby ow ow ow I am going to die pain I had been feeling. It was slow…and steady…and just a mile.
I had already resigned myself to the fact that I was going to DNS my second marathon this year (the first one being Mercedes back in February due to a severely sprained ankle). There was no way that Tupelo could happen. I was a month and a half without running. No. I wasn’t going to go from 0 miles to 26.2 miles when a mile was still not perfect.
But I also believe things happen for a reason…
On Wednesday, August 27, 2014, at 1:37 p.m., my sister welcomed into the world a beautiful baby girl, Baileigh Kendyl, weighing 8 pounds 2 ounces. She was beautiful and perfect. And now that I didn’t have a commitment to be in Tupelo to run a marathon…I could slip down to Birmingham, Alabama and see my niece. For the first time, hold one of the new babies in my family (this makes my sister’s 3rd child, my brother has 4)…when they were brand new. The best part was…only my parents knew I was coming down. I wanted to surprise my sister. I left Friday after work, the same day she and Baileigh were released from the hospital to go home. I got to my parents house late…due to Labor Day traffic…around 11 p.m.
The following day, after lunch, I was walking into my sister’s house…no one having a clue I was there…and getting to meet my beautiful and perfect new niece. It topped packet pickup and trying to find somewhere to get a gluten-free pizza in Tupelo, Mississippi…any day. I was smitten and in love with the newest addition to the family for sure. And every chance I had to hold her…I totally did.
I paused there, without you knowing it (which, now you do…because I told on myself) to go out for another slow run. I managed 2 miles here in my parents neighborhood, but I’m feeling it. I definitely feel like I’ve lost a good amount of fitness with the 1.5 month hiatus I’ve been on. My foot still twinges…though not debilitating when it does so. And I fight for each step more than I normally would have to. If I feel pain…yes…I stop. I couldn’t fathom risking further or worse injury to myself and pressing on. Do I hate that a majority of my friends are running half marathons, marathons, or some semblance of miles this weekend…and I can barely squeak in 2 miles? Yep. I don’t hate them for it…I hate my body for breaking on me. I hate that I can’t be joining them on these hard-earned and fought for miles.
But…my 26.2 miles was not meant to be. I was needed in Birmingham. I was supposed to be here…with my family…as we welcome Baileigh Kendyl to our humble, fun, and quirky lives. I was meant to be loved on and spend a lot of time with my nephew, Chace, who usually shies away from me…because I’m hardly here. He was all about me yesterday and I ate up every moment he spent clinging to me. I love him so much. I loved seeing Landon…ride his bike, play games, and watch the Auburn game. I loved talking with him…and getting hugs and love. Yes…this was way better than any race…even if the medal at the end was pretty stellar.
What this brings me to is this…
LIFE IS A MARATHON.
It’s not meant to be a sprint. So…slow down. It’s okay to set high standards and goals, but understand these don’t have to be accomplished right away. Give it and yourself time. You’re in it for the long run. Things shouldn’t and won’t happen right away. There will be obstacles and setbacks…but they will only make you stronger. Strive for greatness, but be prepared to fall and to fail. Just don’t give up. Aim for the stars…you will eventually get there. Pace yourself. Don’t overtrain. Don’t overdo it. Be bold. Be daring. But be kind to yourself. Don’t miss out on special moments and amazing events because of a training schedule or a diet or a race. You can hit a reset the next day…or the day after that. Keep your eye on the prize, but also your mind and heart on the important things in life. Know that change doesn’t happen overnight. And, yes…life is hard. It’s meant to be hard. We wouldn’t grow or overcome anything if it were easy. So…take it one step at a time. You come into this life a perfect baby…but you leave it with imperfections. It’s okay to have flaws and to fall short…never give up…never stop trying…but try within reason and don’t miss out on life’s most precious moments. Slow down. Take it in. Breathe. Stretch. And love. Love life and everything you do in life. Don’t obsess and don’t try to control the outcomes of things you have no control over. If it’s meant to be, it will be. If not…you will always have other opportunities. The finish line, regardless of how quickly you get there, is always right ahead. You aren’t finished yet…because in the marathon of life…you have a lot more than 26.2 miles. But each step…each breath…each time you push yourself just a little more…you get a little stronger…and a little better. And when you do reach that finish line, you’ll know it was all worth it in the end. Even if it took longer than you thought.
Welcome to my world, Baileigh Kendyl Morrow. I can’t wait to take your hand and guide you through some of it with me.
Ah, Martha Stewart. I have to hand it to you! You always come through for me in a pinch. Always.
You see, I’m running short on time and have quite a few things left from my CSA bin delivery. Yes. I know. I don’t even eat out that often anymore. Once a week…generally on the weekend…and it’s usually always at Annie May’s Sweet Café on Saturday morning.
But…with my bin ingredients needing some attention, I noted this morning that my avocado was now ripe. Not just ripe…but at that perfect creamy ripeness. So…I scrapped my original plan to make Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts and instead thought about what I could do with the ingredients I have in my fridge and pantry…that I could use avocado with.
I puzzled it out for much of the day…until I found this recipe. It’s one of Martha Stewart’s. And yes…it is sheer perfection. The only thing I did differently was I used kale in my sauce instead of parsley…because I have plenty of kale to use! HA! Oh, and I used slices of gluten-free sandwich bread instead of the crispy French bread that you would normally use to make bruschetta.
Trust me…you’ll eat this up as fast as Cathy and I did tonight!
Recipe: Gluten Free Avocado Bruschetta with Green Sauce
5 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
Place the garlic in a food processor, and pulse.
Add the kale, basil, 5 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste; puree.
Set the sauce aside.
Cut the avocados into 1/2-inch chunks. Toss with the lemon juice and remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil.
Spread a scant tablespoon of the green sauce on each slice of bread.
Arrange the avocado chunks on the bread, sprinkle with a pinch of ground pepper.
Serve immediately.
~*~*~
This dinner was so simple and yet…so fantastic all at once. It really wasn’t hard to make at all. When toasting the bread is what takes up most of your time, you’re doing it right. Seriously…this was a flavor haven of sheer recipe awesomeness. The avocado was smooth, creamy, and soft. The sauce had this great flavor to it…without being overly oily. Think of it as a sort of kale and basil pesto. What that ended up doing was really bringing this amazing earthy and light flavor to the dish itself.
One bite…and you’ll be hooked. I added a sprinkle of red chili flakes to mine…because a little hit of heat is an amazing thing. I sort of want to make it all over again. YUM!
The Celiathlete 