Here is what I love about Glutino – I have yet to try one of their products and not like it. Everything has been impressive and delicious and amazing. So close to what I used to be able to eat…it’s scary…and amazing…full of gluten-free awesomesauce all at once. They were the first to bring me gluten-free pretzels. The first to give me gluten-free toaster pastries. And now…the first to create the ultimate gluten-free tortilla chip…meant for dipping.
Remember Tostitos Scoops? You should. Because they are actually one of Frito-Lay’s gluten-free products. Yeah. Well, think Tostitos Scoops…but done in a completely gluten-free facility. That’s what you get when you purchase Glutino’s Gluten-Free Tortilla Dippers.
Glutino’s Web site declares that these Tortilla Dippers are made for the bold, the brassy and the sassy. And that may not be far from the truth. The entire point of a dipper is to get all wild and crazy with what you choose to scoop with them. Or…the toppings you pile onto them. The entire point is that they must, I repeat…MUST…hold up to the toppings or the weight of the scoop, be it nacho cheese, salsa, guacamole, or some other amazing dip of your own creation. If they fall apart or crumble…no good!
I spotted Glutino’s Gluten-Free Tortilla Dippers while at my natural food store on an end cap. The Glutino products were on sale…so I allowed the splurge. I knew there would be something I could make with them, regardless. And I was right. It just took me about a month to actually get around to using them. But, my roommate had her last wisdom tooth removed this past week, and after being stuck on mushy food for the entire week, yesterday she had one request…
NACHOS FOR DINNER!
So, I complied. After all, I had some Trader Joe’s queso (gluten-free) in the pantry that was begging for some action. In addition, some black beans that would add some delicious protein. Oh…and avocado. Because if there is a reason to add avocado to something I am going to. Heck, I’ll just eat the avocado. But I digress…
Since she was ready for crunchy food again, I agreed to make some nachos per her request. And I already had everything at home to make it happen. BONUS!
I pulled out the beans and got them heating on the stove. While that was happening, I went ahead and chopped up some fresh tomatoes and got the avocado sliced, pitted, and chopped. Then…the queso was warmed in the microwave. Soon…dinner would be ready. All I needed now was the chips.
So I pulled the Gluten-Free Tortilla Dippers out of the pantry and doled out a serving for each of us. Then the beans were tossed on top…followed by the tomatoes, the avocado, then the queso. Dinner took almost no time at all…and was now ready to be served. I added a bit of vegan Sriracha sour cream to the top, and for me a few jalapeno peppers.
Time to dig in and see how the Tortilla Dippers handled my toppings.
The fact was, Glutino did it’s job well. Not only do these chips have an amazing texture and crunch to them, you can really taste the sweetness of the corn. It adds a beautiful balance to the dish you are using them with, honestly. I had to try a chip on its own, and I felt that they tasted even better than Tostitos Scoops. And I used to heat the hell out of those. They didn’t get mushy, nor did they crack and crumble when the toppings were piled on top. I asked Cathy what she thought and she raved about them. This is always a good thing, because she can be rather finicky at times about things that are close to a favorite product…and she really has always loved to the Tostitos Scoops.
So, let’s talk about nutrition. For a chip, these are identical in comparison with Tostitos Scoops. Honestly. A serving is 28 grams, or about 12 chips. This serving sets you back 140 calories and 7 grams of fat. Not bad for a corn chip. A serving also only dishes up 120 mg of sodium, 2 grams of fiber (one more gram than Scoops), and 1 gram of protein. Everything else is identical. This has one gram less in carbohydrates. Aside from that…nothing too different. But when I can get something that is certified gluten-free…that’s what I am going to purchase. So, Glutino…you win!
As far as ingredients go, Glutino’s Tortilla Dippers are made from ground whole white corn, vegetable oil, toasted corn germ, and salt. Four ingredients. Simply made. Simply delicious. Simply good.
Don’t take my word for it though. These are definitely a bit pricier than Tostitos, but I’d pay the extra few dollars again. Without batting an eyelash. And we all know I live on a strict budget…so that’s saying something.
Next time you’re feeling the need to make a salsa, queso, guacamole, or other dip…give Glutino’s Gluten-Free Tortilla Dippers a try. I promise…you’ll love them!
Nachos made with Glutino’s Gluten-Free Tortilla Dippers
Every week, I receive this amazing little green bin on my doorstep that is stocked with fresh, organic, local vegetables. Depending on the week, I can churn through these fresh goodies quickly…or I struggle to use them up before the next week when another great bin arrives. This week, it was one of the slower-through-the-produce weeks as my roommate had her last wisdom tooth removed and was on soft food. But she humored me the other night…and let me use up quite a few of our veggies to create this amazing dish.
I spotted this recipe on Pinterest…and it seemed easy enough…and very, very delicious!! So, with my roomie’s permission and blessing, this is what I fixed for dinner. Of course, I tweaked it a little to use up some of the ingredients I had from my bin…but those will be noted in the recipe.
The recipe itself is taken from the blog Healthful Pursuit. As I said…I added my own fresh veggie twist on it to polish off some of the items from my bin.
1 tomato, chopped (I roasted and chopped organic beets)
Salsa (optional, I didn’t use)
Corn Tortillas (optional, I didn’t use)
Directions:
Make the taco seasoning. In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container.
Add sliced onion and water to a medium-sized saucepan. Heat on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, until onions are softened.
Add chickpeas and taco seasoning and reduce heat to medium. Cook uncovered for another 2-3 minutes, until heated through.
Meanwhile, add guacamole ingredients to a small bowl and mash with a fork to combine. Set aside.
Make the cilantro lime dressing. Feed cilantro leaves through food processor tube and process until finely minced. Add lime juice and process a few seconds. Slowly pour olive oil through food processor tube and process until dressing emulsifies. Add honey, season with salt and pepper, and process a few seconds to combine.
Pile all of the salad ingredients in a bowl. Top with guacamole and taco “meat”.
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This made a lot of salad. I doubled the recipe when I made it the other night. It was filling and very, very delicious. I was very impressed with the way the flavors came together. Instead of salsa, I made a cilantro lime dressing, which really topped off all the ingredients nicely. And instead of tomatoes, I roasted up some organic beets by wrapping them in foil and putting them in a 425 degree for an hour and a half. After letting them cool, I peeled off the skins and put them in the fridge until dinner time the following day. Then I chopped them up for the salad. It added a nice earthy flavor. The lettuce was replaced with the cabbage I had in my fridge as well. It was a nice substitution that really, really worked well.
Substitute, dress it up as you like. This vegan taco salad is amazing whether you make it your own or follow the original recipe. Filling, full of great proteins, healthy fats, and great flavor.
I also made my own taco seasoning…and it was awesome!
Product: The Good Bean Sweet Cinnamon Chickpea Snacks – $2.99+
I love snacking. No really…I do. And, it can be done in a healthy manner too. Oh yes. Snacks don’t have to mean chocolate and chips…not all the time. In fact, one of my favorite snacks these days come in these little 2-serving pouches. They are nothing more than roasted chickpeas. Yep. Roasted chickpeas. You read that right. Made by The Good Bean, these snacks have a lot going for them. And I was not the least bit hesitant to snatch up a couple of different flavors this last time…because the Sea Salt variety I tried a month or so again rocked my world. I was prepared to once again be wowed.
You see, I’m moving into a Clean Eating diet, prescribed by my sports nutritionist. Less processed food, more natural food. It’s an easy balance to strike for me, as I much prefer fresh produce and and fresh ingredients. I don’t even mind making my own snacks. In the past I have baked up my own granola bars and the like. Currently, however, the problem is I don’t have a lot of extra time…between working full time, training, and everything else I’m already trying to squeeze into the time I am awake to the time I go to sleep…well…I’m out of hours before even I know it.
Sometimes…you just have to find the cleanest, healthiest choice out on the market.
When it comes to following a Clean Eating lifestyle, I have discovered that The Good Bean’s products fit the bill. In fact, on their Web site, The Good Bean points out the fact that they use clean ingredients, meaning their products contain ingredients that are non-GMO, Hexane-free, fair trade, and follow good manufacturing practices…so that cross-contamination is not an issue with their products. It’s a snack food I can trust from a company that has high standards and actually cares about the quality of the product they are putting out on the shelves.
With the success I had with The Good Bean Sea Salt chickpea snacks, I was very excited to be giving their Sweet Cinnamon vareity a taste on Friday. After all, everyone benefits not just from the healthy aspect of the chickpeas, but the added health qualities of cinnamon. Nutritionally speaking, this snack is a powerhouse of awesome ingredients that are beneficial to everyone. A serving size is 1/4 cup (or 35 grams if you weigh your food like I do), which is exactly half of the contents of the pouch. In this serving you will be getting 140 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. Not bad for a snack, right? It gets better. This serving also only sets you back 160 mg of sodium and 6 grams of sugar. But, because these are made from actual chickpeas, you get a healthy 6 grams of fiber and a protein punch of 6 grams in each serving.
As for ingredients…it’s so easy and basic…no wonder these are clean eating. All that go into The Good Bean Sweet Cinnamon chickpea snacks are roasted chickpeas, brown rice syrup, Sumatra cinnamon, vanilla, coarse salt, gum arabic, and non-GMO expeller-pressed canola oil. Seven ingredients definitely falls into the clean eating profile. All of which are ingredients I recognize and don’t question. Nothing fake. Nothing processed. Just a whole lot of flavor and good ingredients in one small package.
So…how about taste?
Crunchy. Sweet. Savory. It’s everything packed in one very healthy 1/4 cup. Tons of flavor. And it hits every note on the flavor palate. It’s what the ultimate snack should be. Great crunch, fantastic texture, sweet but not too sweet, with the savory note of the chickpeas themselves. It’s like eating cinnamon toast without having to toast, butter, and dust the bread. This snack basically captures the very essence of cinnamon toast, but leaves out the fat, the white flour, the unnecessary carbs, the calories, the gluten, the sugar, and yes…the butter. This low-fat, gluten-free, high in filling fiber, and have less fat than nuts. How can you not like that? Every crunchy bite leaves me reaching for more. As much as I’d love to savor them…they just beg you to keep popping them. Better than popcorn and chips…The Good Bean totally wins with their chickpea snacks. Even more…the sweet cinnamon is a tasty, sweet, but sinless treat that will leaving you returning to your serving and devouring until the very last one is gone.
I am so impressed so far with the two flavors of The Good Bean chickpea snacks. I absolutely fell in love with the Sweet Cinnamon. The spice of the cinnamon and allspice with the sweetness of the vanilla makes this snack everything your taste buds could ask for. Trust me. I’m ready to rush out to the store and buy more.
It’s simple. It’s fast. And, wow…is it ever full of flavor and epically delicious. This is no exaggeration. And the most surprising part is this isn’t made from scratch. It comes from this little microwavable pouch. A simple 90 second zap and something to serve it with (I love pouring this over jasmine rice) and dinner is ready in less than five minutes.
LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES!
Is it possible that something tasty can come from a little microwavable pouch?
You bet your Indian-food loving self something can…and it does. So far I have been highly impressed with the line of Indian meals from Tasty Bite, but none have really wowed me as much as the Channa Masala. And the surprising part is just how simple this dish really is.
The night before, to save on time, I cooked up some jasmine rice on the stove top and stored it in the fridge for the following evening. Monday is my evening fun run with my running group, so dinner has to be fast…not too heavy…but substantial enough to see me through at least three miles of road. So, it’s usually grilled cheese or something equally as easy…and since I have a pantry shelf of Tasty Bite meals…these make a quick, easy, and perfect meal for such busy days.
Channa Masala is a slightly spicy Indian dish that uses chickpeas as the main component. Tasty Bite does just that with their version. In addition, they add simple, natural ingredients to the mix. Not one item listed on the pouch is something I am unfamiliar with. In fact…I’ll list the ingredients here: onions, water, chickpeas, tomatoes, sunflower oil, coriander, salt, spices, chilies, bay leaf, and turmeric. Vegetables, beans, a little oil, and some spices. Like I said…all natural ingredients. All ingredients are vegan, vegetarian, kosher, gluten-free…and yes…non-GMO! Here is something I can totally get behind.
So with all that being said, let me dive right in. The Channa Masala was LOVE at first taste. Honestly. One bite and I was hooked. There is a bit of a warm spice…that heat you get when you eat really good Indian food. Not overpowering or overwhelming. Let’s just say my roomie is a heat wimp and this is also one of her favorites so far. It’s just enough to make the bite interesting. Honestly. The chickpeas heat up to perfection and the sauce has that perfect blend of spices and flavor from the vegetables. It went so well over the rice and the entire meal was just amazing. I had to keep myself from hoovering the entire bowl and pace myself, let the flavor linger on my tongue, enjoying every bite. It may not be much to look at, but wow…the flavor, texture, and just outright sheer awesomeness of the meal itself is enough to make you rush out to the store and buy up every pouch on the shelf.
Nutritionally speaking, this is a very healthy meal, for a prepackaged meal. One serving is half of the Channa Masala inside the pouch. This serving dishes up a 180 calories and 8 grams of fat. One serving only has 400 mg of sodium, which isn’t bad for packaged food on the shelf of a grocery store, honestly. It is also cholesterol free. Thanks to the chickpeas, this serving provides a filling 6 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein as well. Like I said…it’s filling without being heavy…making it the perfect quick meal to turn to on busy days.
As you can tell, I am absolutely LOVING the variety, the flavors, the versatility, and the natural goodness of the Tasty Bite meals that I have had the honor of trying. Channa Masala, however, has quickly worked its way up to the top of my list. I am in love with this one…and already am pondering different ways to dish it up next time. Perhaps in tacos. Mmmmm…fusion!
Take my word…these affordable, healthy, and amazingly quick meals are one of the most fantastic products on your grocery store’s shelves. Purchase them. Enjoy them. Quick doesn’t mean it has to be bad for you. Tasty Bite puts out some of the best packaged food out there. I can attest to that. And with them catering to so many varieties of special diets…it means there is something for everyone.
I lead a very busy life. No, really…I do. There are some weeks that I just never really find a moment to relax. Between my training sessions, my gym time, my yoga, my JOB, life can sometimes spin wildly out of control and just keep me too busy for my own liking. Honestly. I sometimes have to eat breakfast standing up in the kitchen, I can be that busy.
Monday is one of my busiest and most hectic days. Not only does it mean the start of the work week, but it also brings in my fun run. Every Monday night and I hate missing it. This, however, does require bolting home from work, changing into my running gear, and shoveling some sort of dinner down my throat. I have to be particular though…because in less than 30 minutes after that, I’ll be out running. Not hard…but still. Nothing worse than something not sitting right in your stomach before a run (eggs, anyone?).
Normally, a gluten-free (and vegan) grilled cheese sandwich is my go-to option on Monday night. But…I have a lot of “easy meals” in my pantry and I’m attempting to sort through all that craziness. After all…can’t change up the eating habits until the old stuff is out.
One of the best choices in my pantry, however, is a heap of Indian-inspired meals that are ready in 90 seconds. No…really! These little pouches of deliciousness are made by Tasty Bite and I have found them in regular grocery stores and natural food stores. This past Monday morning, I cooked up two servings of jasmine rice, because that’s easy to reheat in minutes when I get in from work. I figured I could grab one of the Tasty Bite pouches from the pantry and serve up a filling, but not going to kill my stomach when I run, sort of meal.
My flavor of choice – Spinach Dal.
For those of you unfamiliar with Indian food, Dal is simply lentils. And I am a huge fan of lentils!! The Tasty Bite Spinach Dal is a blend of spinach, yellow lentils, and spices. Nothing hot. A lot of people just assume Indian food is going to be hot. I wouldn’t want to eat something spicy before a run either. The Spinach Dal is the perfect balance of mild Indian spices with delicious lentils and spinach, cooked down, and served over the rice I made that morning.
And it only takes 90 seconds. Told you…it’s an easy, go-to, and VERY tasty meal.
I actually prefer spice, but the milder choices make for great Monday Run Day meals, I’ve found. The combination of the carbs from the rice and the protein from the lentils is that perfect balance I need to fuel my body for what is always my second run of the day. The spinach was soft and spiced to perfection. The lentils added a nice hit of texture and flavor…and a bit of meatiness to this vegetarian meal. I found the spices to mesh perfectly with the ingredients.
Speaking of ingredients…what all went into this? You’d be surprised at the short list of natural ingredients. This is why I love having these on hand. The Tasty Bite Spinach Dal meal contains simply water, spinach, lentils, tomatoes, onions, sunflower oil, salt, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, sugar, chilies, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, pepper, and spices. I recognize every ingredient on that list. Every single one. And while there are more than the 6-7 ingredients I prefer to see, most of them are spices and I’m okay with that. The less salt and sugar used, the better.
Nutritionally speaking, this is a healthy choice for a meal as well. One pouch contains two 100 calorie servings. Each of these servings also deliver 5 grams of fat to your daily intake. For being a packaged meal, the fact that it only contains 480 mg sodium per serving is awesome. In addition, you get a healthy dose of 3 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. While sugar is listed on the ingredient list…only 2 grams are found in each serving. The Tasty Bite Spinach Dal is also vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and kosher! Awesome!
Healthy. Tasty. Delicious. You really can’t go wrong with these. If you love Indian food as much as I do…and need something easy to prepare for dinner one night…look no further than Tasty Bite. And, if you aren’t afraid of cooked spinach and lentils…than the Spinach Dal makes for one of the best choices they have. Very delicious! Very…well…tasty!
I admit…I’m a sucker for interesting and different cookbooks. Really, I am. I just can’t help myself when I see them. Thankfully, for the most part, I don’t always purchase said cookbooks. I just simply borrow them from my library and page through them until something catches my eye.
Of course, being a gluten-free vegetarian, this sometimes means I am only hitting up the sides or vegetable sections of said cookbooks…but at least it’s fun to look at some recipes and imagine how I could redo them without the use of meat. I rarely actually put these re-imaginings into action…but it’s the thought that counts.
But then…sometimes I run across a cookbook that was just meant for me. That was the case on my last visit to the local library, where on the shelf of new books to the library, I spotted one called Wild About Greens: 125 Delectable Vegan Recipes for Kale, Collards, Arugula, Bok Choy. and Other Leafy Veggies Everyone Loves by Nava Atlas. I get a lot of fresh greens in my CSA bin and a cookbook dedicated specifically to utilizing them in a variety of vegan recipes just totally made my day. There were few pictures in this book…which makes it difficult to judge a recipe, but one of them that did have a picture was for Curried Sweet Potatoes with Chard and Chickpeas. And, wow, did it ever look fantastic?!
I just had to make it…and since I had fresh kale in my CSA bin, I changed out the chard for that…and we were golden. I had everything else on hand except the sweet potatoes, but as my roommate had been craving baked sweet potatoes, we picked up a bunch of them while out grocery shopping earlier that week.
Recipe: Curried Sweet Potatoes with Kale and Chickpeas
2 large sweet potatoes or 4 medium garnet yams, peeled and cut into large dice
One 16- to 20-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
One 16-ounce can diced tomatoes (try a flavorful variety such as fire-roasted)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons good-quality curry powder, or more, to taste
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger, more or less to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin, or more, to taste
8 to 12 ounces kale (or chard, or any other leafy green on hand)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley, or more or less to taste
1/4 cup raisins, optional (but highly recommended)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat the oil in a large skillet or a stir-fry pan. Add the garlic and sauté over low heat until golden.
Add the sweet potato dice and cup and a half or so of water; bring to a simmer and cook until just tender, adding just enough additional water if needed, as they cook, to keep the mixture moist.
Stir in the chickpeas, tomatoes, scallions, curry powder, ginger, and cumin and bring the mixture to a simmer again; cook over low heat for 10 minutes or so, until the sweet potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile, strip or cut the kale leaves away from the stems. Slice the stems thinly, and cut the leaves into strips.
Add the kale to the skillet, in batches if necessary, and cover. Cook briefly, just until the kale wilts, then stir in. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until the kale is tender but not overdone. Stir in the cilantro and optional raisins. Season with salt and pepper, then serve.
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Oh…yes!! This was really, really, really good. The flavors just worked well together. I loved how the sweet potatoes and the kale meshed with the variety of spices and seasonings that went into this dish. It was fantastic. And it made enough for a couple days between my roommate and I. I agree with the book…add the raisins. I did…and it just added a nice bit of texture and burst of sweetness. I would make this again in a heartbeat.
Delicious. Nutritious. Packed with flavor and all things good for you. Yep…can’t ask for a better supper than that. YUM!
Product: The Good Bean Sea Salt Roasted Chickpea Snacks – $2.99+
I’m on a mission. A mission that was set forth by my sports nutritionist.
Yes…I have a sports nutritionist.
Why? Because I’m preparing to run my first marathon and I want to make sure I am doing everything right. From following a good training plan to making sure I am fueling my body to the best of my abilities. This is important to me. So, as I work through some of the stuff that is in my pantry…as I am cheap and won’t throw it away…I am already looking for new things to replace some of these snack items with.
I found a winner at World Market a couple weeks ago. I broke them out on Friday as my snack at work and I fell in love at the first bite.
The product: The Good Bean Sea Salt Roasted Chickpea Snacks.
Yes…roasted chickpeas.
And yes…I am quite aware that I could easily make these myself, but my life is pretty busy and hectic as it is. Maybe when things settle down in a couple months I’ll work more toward making a lot of my own food items. But…this is pretty much as healthy as it gets when it comes to a snack. Let’s start with the nitty-gritty and work into my opinion on these.
These are…what the bag says they are…roasted chickpeas. I love chickpeas and I have my mom to thank for that (Thanks, Mom!). However, I had never tried them roasted (but have pinned many recipes for this very snack on Pinterest to try…one day). I chose to start with a trial on the original. The very first snack by The Good Bean – roasted chickpeas flavored simply with…sea salt. This concept was inspired by street vendors in Indian cities, who roast chickpeas in salt, resulting in hard little beans that give off this nutty, crispy, buttery texture of awesomesauce. Yes…that is an accurate description. Building off this concept, the people at The Good Bean roast their chickpeas in salt, bringing out the natural deliciousness of the chickpea itself. Let’s face it…chickpeas are awesome. They are a powerhouse of nutrition and just taste really good. They taste even more badass when they are roasted. Trust me.
So, let’s talk numbers. No one likes numbers…but these…these are impressive. The Good Bean Sea Salt Roasted Chickpea Snacks will only set you back 140 calories for a serving of 1/4 cup (which is the serving size). This will also serve you up only 2 grams of fat (the healthy kind you get from beans!), 6 grams of fiber, 7 grams of protein, and only 260 mg of sodium. Nice. These chickpeas are low fat, nut-free, gluten-free, cholesterol-free, contain nothing over-engineered, nothing artificial, and are just SO good for your body, your heart, your waistline, and for giving you energy. Nutritional powerhouses…that’s what these are.
But what about taste, right? You gotta go off of taste!
Mark my words…these are totally AWESOME!! Crunchy, tasty, with just the right about of salt to excite the taste buds. Oh yeah…these are full of yumminess. I loved the buttery texture and how, instead of having a mushy bean, you get this crunchy snack. It’s like eating potato chips that are good for you. Honestly. I was so impressed by these. In fact, I bought two of the other flavors today while grocery shopping. That’s how yum-tastic these are. As I move towards cleaner eating, these are more of the snacks I’ll be turning to. Thankfully…these are delicious!!
So, if you’re looking to break your potato chip habit, I totally recommend The Good Bean’s roasted chickpea snacks. Start with the basics…Sea Salt was the ideal place to start with me. But if you want to be bold…try one of the other three flavors available. I promise…you’ll love every crunchy bite of them.
Sometimes…I have to step away from my grocery list and just…splurge on something. Just take the plunge…grab a product that interests me…and try it out. That’s what happened when I was in my local natural foods store a couple weeks ago. I had gone in specifically to pick up some Udi’s Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls while they were still on sale. The problem is…whenever I go into this store for something specific, I find something else that interests me. A lot.
This time…it was a product I had never seen before. Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine Vegan & Gluten-Free Poblano Chick(pea) Patties.
Intriguing. Definitely intriguing. Especially since I love chickpeas and I love poblano peppers. Screw the budget…screw the grocery list. I was going to get this. I had to try it. I just had to. So, it came home with me and I tossed it in my freezer for a day where I would need it.
Well…on Friday I was greeted with my first CSA bin in two weeks (I’d been out of town the past two weekends and had to cancel them)…and inside were beautiful cucumbers. My roommate suggested that I make my tzatziki using the cucumber. I thought that was a fantastic idea…as soon as I figured out what we would eat with it. Then, on Saturday morning, we finally made it back to Annie May’s Sweet Café, the local allergen-free bakery here in Louisville, and made a splurge purchase of a bag of their dinner rolls. We hadn’t tried the gluten-free dinner rolls yet…so we figured…why not?
And that’s when inspiration struck. As the request for my tzatziki was made…and now we had dinner rolls…what if I used these Poblano Chick(pea) Patties and make sort of a “falafel” slider of sorts. The roomie was totally all about it…so that was the plan. This afternoon, while she took in Timothy Dalton as James Bond (GAG!), I was in the kitchen making my infamous tzatziki. I got it mixed and made and into the fridge. And a couple of hours later…dinner time was approaching.
I went to the freezer and pulled out the box of Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine Vegan & Gluten-Free Pobalno Chick(pea) Patties. Not real falafel…but something I could work with, yes? I preheated the oven to 350°F and pulled the tray out of the box. Per the directions, I lifted one corner of the plastic film to vent and put the tray on a baking sheet. Into the oven it went to cook for about 30 minutes. While that was happening, I sliced up a leaf of fresh romaine lettuce (also from my CSA bin) and prepped the gluten-free dinner rolls to join the Poblano Chick(pea) Patties in the oven to get a light toasting.
They finished up at the same time. I removed the tray from the oven and let it stand for one minute. Then, I carefully removed the film.
The tray contained two large patties made from chickpeas, kettle cooked chili onions, brown rice, roasted poblano and red bell peppers. Included was a roasted corn salsa as well, which I ended up just mashing into the patties. With the dinner rolls sliced, I placed a small dollop of tzatziki on the bottom half, then placed a little bit of romaine lettuce. Next came the mix of Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine Poblano Chick(pea) Patties. I separated each patty into thirds and began to spoon up the chickpea-poblano mixture with some of the included corn salsa. I placed this over each leaf of lettuce, then topped it off with a small bit more tzatziki. The top of the dinner roll was placed over everything and…voilà…mock falafel sliders. YES!
I handed my roommate her plate and went to fix mine. And before I even started compiling my round of sliders, she was already digging in. And she was already voicing her thoughts on it through happy grunts between bites. I asked how the chickpea patties were and she said they were really tasty. She, as she is a bread person, raved more about the rolls.
So, with my sliders now put together exactly as hers were, I settled in to my own dinner. I couldn’t wait to try these out. They smelled amazing. They looked stunning, if I do say so myself. So…I lifted one carefully to my mouth and took a bite.
First of all, she was right…the dinner rolls were out-of-this-world good. But…that will be dedicated to another blog.
Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine got it right with these Vegan & Gluten-Free Poblano Chick(pea) Patties. Honestly. Packed with flavor. The peppers aren’t spicy at all, and the combination of the chickpeas, peppers, onions, and the corn salsa with my homemade tzatziki…it just all played together so well. The toasted roll and the crisp lettuce just were the perfect combo to elevate these from microwave dinner to…fine dining. Seriously…I am in love with this product and can’t wait to purchase more. Maybe I’ll eat it straight next time. Or maybe I’ll make more sliders from these delicious patties.
A little bit about Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine. It was created in 2005 by founder and culinary artist, Michele Rostelli. The company is committed to providing healthy, sustainable, flavorful vegetarian cuisine that is made with only natural and organic ingredients. LOVE IT. You can really taste the quality of the products in each bite. Trust me…I couldn’t stop eating these sliders I made out of the patties.
As for nutrition…you’ll love this. A serving is the entire box (both patties). My roommate and I split the contents, but if you were to sit this down and eat it straight, you would only be consuming 230 calories. You would also only be set back 3 grams of fat. A serving of the Poblano Chick(pea) Patties contains only 510 mg of sodium. But, in addition, you get 9 grams of filling fiber and a kick of 9 grams of protein. These are completely cholesterol free. How awesome is that? Healthy and delicious. Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine totally got this one right.
Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine makes quite a variety of products, some gluten-free, some lactose free, some vegan…some a combination of all of them. But if this is any indication of the quality of their products, then I can’t wait to try more of their gluten-free options. Blown away. Simple, yet powerful ingredients yield delicious products. This certainly proves that.
“Falafel” Sliders made from Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine Vegan & Gluten-Free Poblano Chick(pea) Patties (on Annie May’s Sweet Cafe Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls)
It seems like it has been ages since I reached into my pantry for a Tasty Bite.
Does that sound weird to you?
It shouldn’t. You see, there is this amazing company called Tasty Bite, who specialize in these little pouches of deliciousness. I am not exaggerating. I have bought many a pouch of ethnic-style cuisine. Why? Because there are some days that I don’t have time to cook up lentils or beans for a homemade curry, Indian dish, or even something with a bit of Asian flair. I wish I did always have that time, but I work full-time and I run…a lot. And all of that does cut into the hours of my day. And when standing in front of a stove and cooking dinner means that it might be 7 p.m. before I sit down to eat…I’d rather reach for something I know will be good. And it’s simple and takes only about 90 seconds to prepare.
This past Monday was my traditional fun run night. This means I book it home from work, eat something, and then drive into Louisville to hit up my running store, and hopefully traffic doesn’t make me late. Because I run with a group of people there and I hate missing my run.
This means…easy dinner. Nothing that will upset my tummy. And it has to taste good.
As I’ve had amazing luck with the Tasty Bite meals…I just happened to have one in easy reach in my pantry. That morning, I cooked up some jasmine rice that I could easily reheat for a couple of minutes before warming up my Tasty Bite meal.
On today’s menu…Tasty Bite Madras Lentils.
Madras Lentils is a classic combination of lentils, red beans, and classic Indian spices, all in a creamy tomato sauce. The ingredients of this pouch are so simple and recognizable. Water, tomatoes, lentils, red beans, onions, cream, salt, butter, sunflower oil, chilies, and cumin. That’s all. Everything in this pouch is pronounceable and probably something you’d rind in your pantry, on your spice rack, and in your fridge. You have to love that. I know I do.
So, I gave my rice a quick nuke in the microwave, splitting it between a bowl for myself and my roommate. Then, I tore a small opening in the bag for Tasty Bite Madras Lentils, placed it in the microwave for 90 seconds, and let it heat all the way through. That’s all it took. In this pouch emerged a steaming bag of creamy lentil goodness. It smelled fantastic.
I split the bag (it serves 2) between my roommate and I and handed her a bowl. We settled in to eat…and were both blown away.
If you like spicy Indian food, the Madras Lentils are probably not going to be your first choice. However, for those days you want to give your palate a break from the heat and bring flavor to the forefront…I highly, highly recommend the simplicity, yet delicious flavors of Tasty Bite Madras Lentils.
I admit, sometimes Indian food isn’t the prettiest cuisine to look at. But use your other senses and you will be amazed. For a pouch of food with simple ingredients and flavors, this really does hit the mark on taste. The sauce is creamy, yet smooth. You can see the lentils and tomatoes, two main ingredients that should easily stand out. And yeah…while there is a small hint of spice, it’s not a hot spice. Rather, it warms you on the inside and leaves you just wanting to go and take another bite only to experience it again.
I am a huge fan of Tasty Bite. I have yet to have one of their little pouches of easy-to-make cuisine that I haven’t liked. The simplicity of the preparation, ingredients, and the flavor really make these meals worth every cent. If you can find them…buy them. Try them all. Just…make sure the ones you pick up are gluten-free.
The Madras Lentils is not only gluten-free, but also vegetarian and certified kosher. One serving (half of the pouch) is only 150 calories and will provide you with only 6 grams of fat. The sodium content is at 510 mg, which is a little high, but this is processed food, so I’ve come to expect that. It’s actually on the lower end when you compare it to other pre-packaged items along the same line. And, best yet, a serving packs a protein punch of 7 grams. NICE!
Delicious. Nutritious. And easy to make. In no time you’ll be sitting down to a classic Indian meal. And all it took was a little microwave time. You gotta love that.
There is something that is so awesome about your locally owned businesses. I love going to the local restaurants whenever possible and trying them out. Especially when they have something that a gluten-free vegetarian can eat. And, let me tell you, not everywhere is equipped to handle that kind of patron.
I, however, am that patron. And that is my life…from restaurant to restaurant.
I actually got quite upset with Taco Punk the day I was to go and eat there. My roomie decided that Taco Punk would be the place to eat before hitting up the Pink concert at the KFC Yum! Center that night. I mean…Taco…PUNK. Pink. Yeah…it just seemed to work. She had read in our local independent paper, LEO, about how Taco Punk had vegetarian/vegan options, as well as some gluten-free options as well. Knowing that I wouldn’t have to depend on a protein bar stashed in my purse was a nice plus.
HOWEVER…
This is where Taco Punk fell short. I pulled up the menu the morning of the show and browsed it, trying to get a feel for my options and what I might be able to try. Not sure what ingredients went into what, I went ahead and shot them an e-mail via the “CONTACT” button on their Web site. I explained my dietary needs and the reason I was contacting them…because with a concert to get to, I didn’t want to have to question everything and anyone at the counter prior to the show. Going in prepared puts me at ease and helps make everything run a bit more smoothly in the end.
But…no response ever came. No e-mail. Nothing. My inquiry was either ignored…or just not important enough to get back to me. Which, honestly, put a sour taste in my mouth when it came to dining there the night of the show. Especially since I was running in a road race the following morning and have to be more cautious than normal prior to races about what I eat. One smidgen of gluten and I could be down for the count, out of the race, and out the money I poured into the race, not to mention the time and energy I put into training for each one. So, yeah, I bitched rather loudly at my office about not hearing back. My roommate offered to go somewhere else to eat, but I told her I would just go ahead and now call Taco Punk and see if they could spare a moment to talk to me about my dietary needs.
So, I called. And a woman answered the phone and very gratiously explained that while the house-made tortillas are not gluten-free, they keep corn tortillas that are on hand. So any taco could be made with those. As for vegetarian, they offer a Seasonal Veggie Mole Taco and that the Black Beans they have are vegan. So…there were some options. With that taken care of, I hung up and prepared to head out of the office to get some dinner pre-concert.
Taco Punk is a local restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky, that offers quick service gourmet tacos. Yep. They pride themselves on using only the freshest, highest quality ingredients in their food, to make the dining experience that much more enjoyable and offering only the best flavors. The tortillas, fillings, salsas and toppings are all made by hand, every day, in their kitchen. They believe in using locally raised, all natural meats, sustainably caught seafood, and local produce while it is in season. They also biomass and recycle everything they possibly can. Which, I find to be exceptionally awesome when all is said and done. And who doesn’t like a gourmet taco, right?
Upon entering Taco Punk, the first thing I noticed was the set-up. You are guided toward the back of the shop where a counter is set up, sort of like at Q’doba or Moe’s. It’s like…Subway done by way of tacos. I let Cathy order first since I was the oddball gluten-free vegetarian. Cathy placed her order…deciding to try out one of their Grilled Adobo Chicken Taco ($3.95) as well as Chorizo and Potato Taco ($3.25) with a side of chips and salsa. The woman at the counter shouted back to the kitchen for the chicken to be cooked up and she went to starting the rest of the order for Cathy, grabbing two of the housemade tortillas and prepping them for the fillings. Then she took my order.
I decided to go with the two suggestions that are available to me…Gluten-Free Seasonal Veggie Mole Taco ($3.95) and the Gluten-Free Black Beans and Cheese Taco ($3.25). I just got that with the chips and salsa as well. The woman called back for the veggie order and then asked another employee to change his gloves and start working on my order. She explained that they always did a glove change to cut down on cross-contamination, which I totally appreciated and told her so. He pulled out four of the corn tortillas and put them on the grill behind the counter to warm. It looked like a separate grill used only for the corn tortillas. That also put my mind at ease.
Cathy’s order was filled and she got us fountain drinks and went to find somewhere to sit. There were plenty of places to choose from as the restaurant wasn’t that busy. My order was filled next, and I had both tacos filled with their main ingredients, then topped off with cabbage, jalapenos, and pickled onions. It just sounded yummy. As I was using corn tortillas, they doubled them up so they would hold up to the fillings and proteins. My chips were added and I was directed over to the salsa bar to choose between their house made salsas. I’m a spicy salsa girl, but I decided to do a little of their Hot Salsa Roja, which is a hotter version of their tomato salsa; the Pineapple Habenero Salsa, a sweet and spicy combination, and of course, the Salsa Verde, a mix of tomatillos and green chilies.
I tried the salsas first, just in case I wanted to add them to my tacos. The first one I tried was the Salsa Verde. And I loved it. It was definitely mild, but I love the sweetness of salsa verdes anyway, and this one hit the mark. The next one I tried was the Pineapple Habenero…which I detested. It was far too sweet for my liking. So this one just got pushed off to the side. The Hot Salsa Roja was next. Very tomato-y in flavor, with an undertone of heat. It was good. It was. I just expected a little more heat with it. Needless to say, I used them only for tortilla chip dipping and nothing more.
As for the tacos…they were…pretty good.
The first one I decided to eat was the Black Beans and Cheese Taco. I picked it up, and the weight of the filling was already tearing through both of the corn tortillas that it was wrapped up in. And, this one wasn’t even that full. Ah well, that’s why we have forks. I took a bite…and loved the flavor of the black beans. The sofrito black beans that they use are flavored really well. This could be a really bland taco…but it wasn’t. The cheese was sort of a non-entity. I couldn’t even tell it was on there. And I was glad I went with the cabbage for some crunch and the pickled onions for some acidity…and the jalapenos for a little heat. I think this taco would have suffered without those additions. While the beans were cooked perfectly and seasoned well, nothing really was a flavor punch to the taste buds. And, I definitely have made versions of this in my home…and it tasted just as good as what I got here.
The Seasonal Veggie Mole taco, however, I was very excited about. Mostly because I have made veggie tacos at home, but never in a mole. And this mole was a pumpkin seed mole. So, it was even something a little offbeat and different. Loved that. This taco was packed full of sauteed seasonal veggies that were swimming in a pumpkin seed mole. It looked almost like a curry thrown into the corn tortillas. Smelled like that too. I was intrigued. It was definitely different…and in a good way. I loved how the vegetables were seasoned and how the mole tasted. But…it wasn’t as enticing as it sounded on the menu board. I appreciate the effort and the inventiveness of this taco…but it just wasn’t as amazing, to me, as it looked and sounded.
As for what Cathy thought of her tacos…she said they were…okey-dokey. Which, when I asked her to elaborate, she said that they were good…but nothing that just knocked her over and really made her want to go back in the near future for more.
And, unfortunately, I couldn’t agree more. I hate to say something like that about a local business. Espeically one that is having a bit of trouble lately and might be on the verge of closing. I love my local businesses, I do. But they have to impress me. They have to draw me back time and time again. Most of them succeed. Sometimes my roommate and I have to decide where to eat on Saturday and/or Sunday because there are so many local places that we enjoy going to and frequenting. This time, we decided to try somewhere new. And while I am happy for the experience and appreciate their high standards and food safety…I regret not being as amazed by their food as I was the care they put into making everything.
Would I go back to Taco Punk? Probably. But it wouldn’t be at the top of my list, nor would it be somewhere I actively sought out to return to when there are other places I know I enjoy more.
The food wasn’t bad, though. Don’t get me wrong. It just wasn’t something that stood up against other local restaurants and their flavors and food and impressed me. I was okay with what I was eating…but I felt, for the most part, I could just have easily made all of this in the comfort of my own kitchen and had it turn out the same…if not even better. It was a let down. And it’s too bad because I’ve been eagerly looking forward to dining at Taco Punk since I first learned of it. It took me awhile to get there. And now…it might take awhile to get me back.
If you love tacos and varieties of tacos that you normally can’t get anywhere…I encourage you to at least go in and try some of the offerings from Taco Punk. They are at least worth a stop and a sample. And, perhaps I was just there on an off day.
But, if it is any consolation…I still haven’t received a response to my e-mail…and it is two days past the day I sent it now. And it bothers me, more than a little, that an inquiry about ingredients and their food, went unanswered.
Taco Punk’s Black Beans & Cheese Taco and Seasonal Veggie Mole Taco with a side of chips and three house made salsas
The Celiathlete 