I want to tell you a story about two different pizza places.
While at the convention in Denver, Colorado, I wanted to order a pizza for dinner one night. While I did have a rental car, parking was a bitch on Saturday night and if my roomie or I left the hotel, we’d have to pay for parking elsewhere (as our spot would be gone!) and as guests of the hotel, that just didn’t seem right. So, I pulled out my iPhone and pulled up my Find Me Gluten Free app to search for nearby places that would deliver pizza. The first place that caught my attention was the place recommended to us by the guy at The Gluten Escape Bakery on Friday. NICE! The place…Pizza Doodle. Not only did they offer gluten-free pizza…but gluten-free garlic bread too. I was one happy girl. I never get to have garlic bread while eating pizza. I mean…I was on top of the world. My app said they were about 7 miles away…so, I called in an order for the Gluten-Free Garlic Bread and a 9-inch Gluten-Free Tree Hugger Pizza (that would be pesto sauce, onion, garlic, artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers on what their menu advertised as THE BEST GF CRUST!). I made sure to order this with vegan cheese. The lady took the order and my phone number and said it would be forty-five minutes. Cathy and I decided to go wait outside for the pizza, and ended up waiting for well over an hour. I finally called back and was told that they don’t deliver to the DTC.
IT. IS. SEVEN. FREAKIN’. MILES. AWAY!
I was starving and angry. And really pissed off that they didn’t call (even though they claimed they did…I was holding my phone the entire time and it never rang once and I had no missed calls or messages). All day I had been looking forward to gluten-free garlic bread…and now I wasn’t going to get it. Cathy took my phone to find somewhere else to have pizza and I stormed off in tears (hunger + emotional wreck because I never get gluten-free garlic bread).
Cathy apparently found a place that could accomodate my diet…though without the garlic bread. The place…zpizza!
Actually, she told the guy on the other end of the line the storry about what Pizza Doodle pulled and inquired as to if they did gluten-free garlic bread. He said they did not, but he upgraded our pizza to a large for no extra cost. They did the vegan cheese, so that was sufficient. Although…it wasn’t what I wanted.
About thirty minutes later, my phone rang as I was in my friend, Marc Gunn’s, concert. Cathy and I hurried out to meet the pizza delivery guy from zpizza, give him a nice tip, and thank him for the food. We dashed up to the hotel room to finally eat. I was so ready to dive in…but I remembered to get a picture for the blog.
Cathy ordered the Gluten-Free Napoli Pizza ($15.40 – with the cheese substitution and gluten-free crust) from zpizza. This pizza is their gluten-free crust topped with tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella cheese (we got vegan though), basil, and a roasted garlic sauce.
She did good.
I was really disappointed to flip open the box and see the thin-crust that I always get with a gluten-free pizza (my local gluten-free bakery, Annie May’s Sweet Café, has spoiled me with their thick pizza crust!). I might have pitched an unhappy fit over that, but I was still in garlic bread mode…and nothing was making me happy at that point. With the photo for the blog out of the way…we dug in.
While the Gluten-Free Napoli Pizza from zpizza was not what I wanted…it was really, really good. Okay, the crust was a bit of a disappointment, but I’m used to that cracker crust by now. And, honestly, it wasn’t bad. The tomatoes were fresh. The basil was a nice seasoning touch. And the vegan cheese was melted to perfection! That’s not always easy to do…trust me. The best part, however, was definitely the roasted garlic sauce. That sauce made this pizza. It was delicious. I love a white pizza, and anything with garlic involved is going to immediately be my friend. When Cathy said they upgraded us to a large, I told her the two of us wouldn’t be able to eat a large pizza. But the two of us devoured that pizza. Really…really quickly. We were extremely hungry and I was an emotional mess and was now stuffing my face with each gluten-free slice I could get my hands on. Epic pizza toppings for sure. I’d be more than happy to order from zpizza again. And, despite not being a gluten-free environment, they, like most pizza places that offer gluten-free crust, did a fine job of not cross-contaminating anything. I didn’t get sick. And the pizza was a dream come true. I wanted to hate it since there was no gluten-free garlic bread…but there was nothing to dislike about this pizza. Fantastic!
Where Pizza Doodle, although highly recommended, failed…zpizza triumphed. I thank them from the bottom of my gluten-free heart for the delivery to the hotel. I was beyond upset with Pizza Doodle and it was nice to have a place step in and make things awesome again. The pizza was stellar. The toppings were fresh. And I was pleasantly full as I polished off the last slice of my half of the pizza. Although they didn’t have to, they felt bad for what happened to us with the other pizza place and gave us an upgrade free of charge. That’s great business right there.
I’ll order from them again in a heartbeat!
zpizza’s Gluten-Free Napoli Pizza with Vegan Cheese
I have my friend, Pecos, to thank for turning me on to the newest gluten-free bakery near the Denver Tech Center in Denver, Colorado. I make a yearly sojourn out to Denver for Starfest, an annual sci-fi/fantasy convention, and am always looking for places that can safely feed me. A couple of months before I headed that way, Pecos mentioned this place on Facebook. Sure enough, it wasn’t far from my hotel at the convention at all. Insert a happy traveler right here!
As it turned out, we’d be hitting Denver at the right time to stop into said bakery for lunch. And I couldn’t be happier. Cathy and I budgeted some money (and then she added on after we settled in to eat and after purchasing a few things for later…but I’m getting ahead of myself) for this stop to be our official lunch and snack stop on Friday afternoon. It was perfect. And…after getting a little lost trying to find the place, we finally located it (under a storage awning, of all things).
The Gluten Escape. Their slogan…”Where gluten is a 4-letter word…gone!”
Love it.
The bakery itself is quite small and cozy. You see the counter with all the baked goods in the case and on top of the case the moment you walk in. To the left is a fridge, a toaster, a microwave, and coffee/tea stuff. To the right, a small dining area for those who are dining in. The back and far walls had little shelves with some of the items they had for sale…as well as cakes. Cathy scoped those out while I was preparing lunch…but I’m getting ahead of myself again.
We were greeted by a very nice gentleman behind the counter when we entered the bakery. We told him that we were from the Louisville, Kentucky area and had been told about this bakery by a good friend of ours in the area…and we were starving travelers. I was eying the brownies and bars in the case at the front when Cathy tapped me on the shoulder and said…”Bagels!”
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Onion Bagel and Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll
SOLD!! They were out of the Everything Bagel, which would have been my first choice. The other two options were Onion and Cinnamon Raisin. I jumped at Cinnamon Raisin, but Cathy said…”Really? You want that one?” Which means…she didn’t. So, I gave in for the Gluten-Free Onion Bagel ($3.00). And let me tell you…this bagel looked AWESOME!! Even better than Udi’s Gluten-Free Bagels. All of them. So, we got the Gluten-Free Onion Bagel with the Daiya Cream Cheese (yay for vegan cream cheese!) to split as we also purchased one of the Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls ($2.25) to split as well.
We also picked up other goodies…but I’ll get into that in a moment.
Let’s focus on lunch. We were handed the bagel, which he sliced for us and told that the toaster was right behind us. Awesome. I got to work toasting it while he grabbed the dairy-free cream cheese and then the cinnamon roll. He handed that to Cathy and told her she might want to give it a 20 second warm-up in the microwave. Which…she did. The toasting on the bagel was taking a bit of time and I was hoping I wasn’t going to burn it. Because…FRESH MADE GLUTEN-FREE BAGEL!! HELLO!! Do you realize how uncommon that is to find??!! Trust me…you don’t see it very often. I don’t see it at all, honestly. The bagel popped and I plated it and carried it to the table. Photos happened and then I spread the bagel with the cream cheese and we each took a bite.
Holy gluten-free bagel, Batman. This was fantastic. It was light, not heavy. The flavor was amazing. You really got the onion flavor without it being overpowering. It had that nice crust on the outside, but was still chewy and bread-y in the middle. It was heaven. I cried. Seriously. Tears of joy. Because, save for the Udi’s processed gluten-free bagels…I hadn’t had an actual bagel since I had to go gluten-free. This…was life changing for me. Life affirming even. I might survive after all. I set the bagel down so I could try the cinnamon roll.
This was not what I was expecting when I cut the cinnamon roll in half. Honestly. It looked more like a muffin than the traditional cinnamon roll. It was way different from the gluten-free cinnamon rolls that I purchase from Sinfully Gluten Free in Dayton, Ohio and Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky. Like I said…it looked more like a muffin. But…we all know that cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite indulgences…and I was looking forward to splitting this with Cathy. I sliced it in half…a pocket of cinnamon flavoring nestled right in the center. I lifted it and took a bite. It reminded me of…apple pie, oddly enough. I think it was the spices that went into the dough and the cinnamon center. I loved that it wasn’t coated in icing, but lightly drizzled. I am not a fan of icing or frosting…so the less the better in my book. And this definitely gave it a nice level of sweetness. It wasn’t my favorite gluten-free cinnamon roll, but it was delicious. And we ended up buying another one!
This brings me to our side purchases…
For breakfast the following morning, Cathy and I picked up two of the Mini Chocolate Donuts ($1.59), the Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar, and the Lemon Raspberry Bar as well. I would have bought one of everything if I could have afforded it. So, after I went for a run that morning, I returned to the hotel room and got our breakfast prepped. I sliced the bars in half and delivered those to Cathy, along with her donut. As I was getting the rest of my breakfast ready for me to settle in and enjoy…I hear the happiest noise in the world.
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Bar, Gluten-Free Chocolate Donut, and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar
“You HAVE TO try the donut RIGHT NOW!” I was told.
So, I took a bite.
OMG…best gluten-free donut I have had yet. From anywhere. And, trust me, I’ve eaten a lot of gluten-free donuts…in gluten-free bakeries and the store-bought kind. Seriously…reminded me of a Dunkin Doughnuts Chocolate Munchkin. I was once again in tears. It was a cake doughnut, but without the denseness and heaviness that I often find with gluten-free donuts. These were light and airy, and amazing. The chocolate chips inside were a very nice treat as well. I was starting off breakfast with a bang. YUMMY!!
The next thing I sampled was the Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Bar ($3.75). This had this delicious crust and was topped with a sweet and tart lemon filling and then capped with something akin to raspberry jam or compote. Whatever it was…the flavor combination was awesome. The crust gave it a little bit of texture as well as dulled the sweetness of the berries and the tartness of the lemon. I liked this bar a lot, but found myself wishing that it was just the lemon on there. I love raspberries and all…but LEMON…is the ultimate bar. Forever.
The Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar ($3.75) snagged my attention away from the brownies that were in the case. Those were tempting too. But…pretzel! HELLO! This was a lot like a blondie…but with gluten-free pretzels baked into it and scattered across the top. I’m thinking…sweet with salty. I was right. This bar was fantastic. The pretzels were slightly on the stale side, but that’s because I had bought them the day before and they were sitting on top of one of the tables in the hotel room all night. It didn’t take away from the deliciousness though. I loved the play and sweet and salty, which is my favorite flavor combination These were amazing. For real.
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookie
Later on that day, Cathy and I decided to have a snack. We indulged in some fruit we had picked up at the grocery store. And with it, we split the Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookie ($2.50) that we also purchased while there. This was my first time ever encountering a crispy snickerdoodle cookie. But…the flavors were spot on. The sweetness from the sugar, the heat from the cinnamon. Snickerdoodles, as we all know, are my absolute favorite cookie and these were different from what I’m used to, but I loved it all the same. So, it wasn’t the chewy cookie I associate snickerdoodles with. Didn’t matter. It tasted like a snickerdoodle. That’s what counts, yes? RIGHT!
I won’t lie…the buying didn’t stop there. Nope. Not at all. Before we left the bakery on Friday afternoon, Cathy pointed out the Gluten-Free Biscotti and the Gluten-Free Puppy Chow on one of the shelves. I also found a Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar that was definitely intriguing, since pumpkin flavored everything rules! I ended up buying the Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar ($2.25), the Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti ($1.95), the Grain Free Mocha Almond Biscotti ($3.25), and a container of the Gluten-Free Puppy Chow ($3.99-ish?).
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Puppy Chow
I tried the Puppy Chow on Monday morning on my way to the airport. Cathy and I needed to swing by Voodoo Donut to pick up some dounuts for a co-worker of ours. So, while there, Cathy ordered a donut for herself. As for me…it was Puppy Chow time. The Gluten Escape’s Puppy Chow is a mix of Chex cereal, puffed rice, pretzels, and corn flakes. They are dusted in powdered sugar. And it was really, really good. I loved the different textures and flavors with each bite. You got the salty from the pretzels, the sweet from the cereal, and each cereal was different, making it crunchy or softer or just snack-able by the handful. I loved it. I ate half of it before hitting the airport and brought the other half to the office with me the following day.
The Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar was…lacking sweetness, in my opinion. It was good. And they definitely had the right pumpkin spice flavor down. It wasn’t overpowering. But…the bar just seemed flat. It was very crunchy, which is fine…granola bars can go either way. But I kept waiting on something that would sweeten the deal. Like chocolate chips or something. I just think it needed a touch of sugar (not too much…just something to elevate it). Regardless, it was good and I downed that entire thing at the office.
As for the two biscotti that I chose…WOW!! Just…WOW!! They complimented my morning coffee beautifully for one thing. The first one that Cathy and I tried (we split them) was the Grain Free Mocha Almond Biscotti. OH MY GOD!! So delicious. I enjoyed dunking it in my coffee and just having that flavor mingle and mix. Oh…it was divine. And totally made my morning, if you couldn’t tell. The Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti was the same way. I loved the crispness that would soften when dunked in the coffee and the chocolate chips were a nice lingering sweet touch. I was in total coffee heaven those mornings. Seriously. I will probably buy whatever biscotti they have next time I am in town. For real. That…was love at first bite for sure!
I know that Colorado is a hotbed for gluten-free companies and businesses…and I love visiting there for that reason. But, if you happen to be near the Denver Tech Center (DTC)…I strongly encourage you to take the trip up the road to The Gluten Escape and indulge in some of their daily specials and their baked goods. Everything looked fantastic. I really would have purchased one of everything had the budget and my belly allowed. But, that’s why there is always a next time. And there will be a next time.
Beyond impressed!
The Gluten-Escape’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar, Grain-Free Mocha Almond Biscotti, and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti
Remember that Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter that I raved about not too long ago?
No? If not…refresh your memory here. If you do…welcome to me sampling some more flavors from Wild Friends Foods. Because the delicious awesomesauciness of the Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter was enough to drive me to try some more options. And while I was in Birmingham, Alabama a couple weeks ago, I picked up some more sample packets of the Wild Friends Foods line of peanut and almond butters. I only hoped they would live up to the one that really blew me away.
So…I came home with three flavors…and had some gluten-free bagels in the freezer.
See where I am going with this?
So, one morning, I toasted up these bagels…and realized I used up all my vegan cream cheese.
Never fear. Never. Because where cream cheese fails…nut butter comes through.
My roommate and I sampled two different flavors that morning, as these are the small sample packs. But…in this blog I am focusing on the Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Sunflower Seed Almond Butter.
Yes…
Chocolate. Sunflower Seed. Almond Butter.
Three epically delicious things in life all combined in one plastic jar with a cute winking squirrel on it. How could this be bad?
In truth…it can’t!! And…it wasn’t.
The Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Sunflower Seed Almond Butter is crazy good. It isn’t too sweet, so they’ve managed to strike a nice balance between the amount of chocolate and the salty-savory flavor of the nuts. It was creamy and amazing. And who doesn’t like something chocolate for breakfast, right? This was really good on my gluten-free bagel. I was noshing it happily and enjoying the blend of flavors. Almond butter is the most prevalent, but it leads off with that sweetness of the chocolate. And the sunflower seeds…nice touch that adds great texture. It is like nothing you have ever had before…but you will totally want it again.
Delicious!
Let’s talk basic and simple ingredients, okay? That’s easy to do…because Wild Friends Foods only uses real ingredients in their nut butters. The Chocolate Sesame Seed Almond Butter contains almonds, organic agave, unsweetened dark chocolate, sunflower seeds, sunflower oil, and sea salt. That’s it. Basic. Simple. CLEAN! Wild Friends Foods uses only all-natural ingredients, no white sugar, it’s non-GMO, non-dairy, vegan, and kosher. Also, this product has no gluten ingredients. YAY!
Nutritionally speaking, a serving of Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Sesame Seed Almond Butter is 2 tablespoons. This serving will provide you with 180 calories and 15 grams of fat…all of which are is the healthy fats you get from nuts. YAY! This product is cholesterol free and contains only 40 mg of sodium. Nice. Additionally, you will be consuming 3 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. Trust me…it’s filling. Especially on a bagel.
LOVE…is nut butters from Wild Friends Foods…and why choose between a sweet or a salty spread when you can have the best of both worlds? Yeah…now you don’t have to. Forget Nutella. Eat something so much better for you!
Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Sunflower Seed Almond Butter (on a gluten-free bagel)
Product: O’Doughs Gluten-Free Apple Cranberry Bagel Thins – $3.99+
It had gotten to the point, as of late, where I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I was never, ever, ever…EVER going to stumble across the third flavor of gluten-free Bagel Thins from O’Doughs. Seriously. Because my local grocery store that actually stocks this brand only carries the Original and Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Seed versions.
And while I appreciate that…I was in search of ALL the Bagel Thins.
Leave it to Organic Harvest (my happiest place in Birmingham, Alabama), a natural food store in the aforementioned Birmingham, Alabama, to carry this particular product in their freezer section. And…because I think ahead…I had a cooler with me for transport back to Indiana when I finished up my visit with my family. I was actually in town for the Making Tracks for Celiacs 5K race with my mom (I ran; she walked) and the gluten-free expo that followed. All of that was fine and good, but with lunch looming at a diner where there is really nothing my mom or I can eat, we make our way over to Organic Harvest and pick up one of their small salads and usually a dessert to split between us. But, while there, I had permission to shop a little and pick up some items that I can’t find in Louisville.
YAY!
And so…I began to walk the aisles, scanning the shelves…looking for items of interest. Something that would grab me, shake me, and beg me to take it home. Not really though, because if food started to do that, I might scream and run away. But…if we’re just talking figuratively…I wanted to make the best decision as to what was coming home with me. Nothing worse than grabbing an item and then finding out it was crap.
Well, my roomie does get just as excited about gluten-free goodies as I do (which I love…since she can eat ALL the food and doesn’t have to eat gluten-free). And she spotted the O’Doughs Gluten-Free Apple Cranberry Bagel Thins in the freezer section while she meandered quicker through the store with my dad. She hurried over to find me…and alert me of this finding. I immediately said, “THAT…is definitely coming home with us!”
And so…it happened. Into the basket with a couple (I behaved) other items and my lunch for that day. We checked out, put things in the cooler, went to lunch, and then went back to my parents house to store the items in the freezer until we left the following morning.
With another trip looming, this time to Colorado (the iconic home of all things gluten-free and awesome!), I’m starting to work my way through some of these things. And, with my morning being a crazy hot mess with spinning and everything…well…something quick that could happen while I showered was ideal. So, out of my freezer came the O’Doughs Gluten-Free Apple Cranberry Bagel Thins.
O’Doughs Gluten-Free Apple Cranberry Bagel Thins
I pulled out a baking sheet (I don’t own a toaster), and then sliced two of the bagel thins in half. I was expecting to see flecks of cranberry throughout, but I didn’t. Ah well. I never know what to expect. And as the oven was warming, I tossed the pan in and went to take a quick shower. By the time I was out and dressed, the bagel thins were toasted up and ready for the vegan cream cheese schmear. Breakfast was served (with a side of my left over Mustard Roasted Potatoes).
One thing that I do find is that bagel thins, while they are less calories, aren’t truly a bagel. I miss that doughy middle section and that crunch on the outside with the softness in the middle. That’s a bagel (spoken like a true New Yorker!). But…I also love to save some calories for other indulgences…like dark chocolate to keep me awake when I’m drowsing off at my desk. You know…those unexpected things in life. So, when you bite into one of O’Dough’s Gluten-Free Apple Cranberry Bagel Thins, you get a crunch. If you toast it…you get a crunch. And then…you get cream cheese. Even just using a serving size of the cream cheese…you get cream cheese.
But…when you break off a piece that didn’t get well schmeared with the cheese…and taste it on its own…you still kind of don’t get inundated with the flavors of the bagel thin itself. It does have a nice hint of sweetness to it, thanks to the apples and almonds. And you get some very mild undertones of cinnamon and raisins and maybe even some citrus. But it’s not strong. Which…is not a bad thing. You don’t want to overpower the product with too many flavors. However, I was hoping that the apple and cranberry flavor would really take a front seat here. Unfortunately, it didn’t. That being said, the texture and the taste of these little bagel thins are really good. And if you don’t want a strong flavor to your bagel thins, but you want little hints of it in each bite, these may be the way to go. These would also probably be really good with butter on top. But I’m a cream cheese girl at heart.
Let’s talk ingredients for a moment, shall we? The O’Dough’s Gluten-Free Apple Cranberry Bagel Thins are made from filtered water, potato starch, tapioca starch, chickpea flour, soya flour, whole grain rice flour, organic evaporated cane juice, cellulose fiber, dried apples, dried cranberries, raisins, glycerine, sunflower oil, yeast, sea salt, salba chia seed, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, dehydrated fruits and vegetables (oranges, apples cranberries, tomatoes, broccoli, shiitake mushrooms, carrots).
Hmmmm…tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms, broccoli and carrots in my bagel? Really?? REALLY??! That’s…different.
Nutritionally speaking, a serving size is one bagel thin. One of O’Doughs Gluten-Free Apple Cranberry Bagel Thins will supply you with 100 calories and 1 gram of fat. These thin little bagels have 300 mg sodium and 2 grams of sugar. They also have 2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein. They are cholesterol free, gluten-free, all-natural, and preservative free. These are an fantastic source of fiber as well. Oh, and those veggies I was talking about up there are part of the 7 different fruits and vegetables that are contained in these bagel thins…which is nutritionally equivalent to 2 servings of fruit and veggies. Go figure.
Overall, I thought these were pretty good. I wish these came sliced, however, because slicing a bagel thin is a tricky task. Cut one bit too thin and it gets burned in the toaster or oven. It’s all just about holding it right and cutting it right. If they came pre-sliced, things would be so much easier on all of us. Other than that…these were good. What they lack in appearance, they do make up for in taste. And that…is saying something.
If you haven’t been able to find O’Doughs Gluten-Free Apple Cranberry Bagel Thins in your grocery store…see if they can order them in. They are definitely worth trying. Especially if (like me) you are a cinnamon-raisin lover. It’s…sort of similar to that flavor.
O’Doughs Gluten-Free Apple Cranberry Bagel Thins with Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
The final flavor was the Apple Cranberry. These made for a nice change as they had the wonderful sweetness from, you guessed it, apples and cranberries with the subtle undertones of raisins, orange, and spicy cinnamon. These reminded me of my beloved cinnamon raisin bagels back in my pre-Celiac diagnosis days. Top them with either butter or cream cheese and you are really good to go – their flavor is just robust enough that anything other than a simple topping would likely be a mistake on these. – See more at: http://www.glutenfreemike.com/odoughs-new-bagel-thins/#.U17c_qKwVFY
The final flavor was the Apple Cranberry. These made for a nice change as they had the wonderful sweetness from, you guessed it, apples and cranberries with the subtle undertones of raisins, orange, and spicy cinnamon. These reminded me of my beloved cinnamon raisin bagels back in my pre-Celiac diagnosis days. Top them with either butter or cream cheese and you are really good to go – their flavor is just robust enough that anything other than a simple topping would likely be a mistake on these. – See more at: http://www.glutenfreemike.com/odoughs-new-bagel-thins/#.U17c_qKwVFY
The final flavor was the Apple Cranberry. These made for a nice change as they had the wonderful sweetness from, you guessed it, apples and cranberries with the subtle undertones of raisins, orange, and spicy cinnamon. These reminded me of my beloved cinnamon raisin bagels back in my pre-Celiac diagnosis days. Top them with either butter or cream cheese and you are really good to go – their flavor is just robust enough that anything other than a simple topping would likely be a mistake on these. – See more at: http://www.glutenfreemike.com/odoughs-new-bagel-thins/#.U17c_qKwVFY
Mmmm. I love a good breakfast. I love doing something different and outside the box. I love breakfast so much that I could (and have) eat it for every meal of the day. Seriously. But when you get a little tired of various ways to do breakfast food, there is always another option out there. And, thankfully, for me, I discovered a great looking recipe via I Heart Eating’s blog, which I adapted to be dairy-free and gluten-free…for an overnight French toast recipe.
Sort of like a breakfast bread pudding.
But with bananas. And vegan cream cheese. And rum.
Yes. RUM!
And that is why, the day after I ran a marathon, I found myself in my kitchen baking up a fantastic breakfast treat. It was Easter morning, and that meant something special needed to start off the day. Aside from a short shakeout run…my only other plans that morning was to bake up this breakfast. I had actually prepared it the night before and all night it was marinating in my fridge…just waiting to be placed in that warm oven.
So, without further adieu…I give you the recipe for Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Overnight Bananas Foster French Toast Casserole!
Recipe: Gluten-Free and Dairy Free Overnight Bananas Foster French Toast Casserole
Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Overnight Bananas Foster French Toast Casserole
4 tablespoons butter, melted (I used Earth Balance)
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon dark rum
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 medium ripe (not overripe) bananas, sliced
French Toast
2/3 loaf gluten-free challah bread, cut into cubes (I used Katz Gluten-Free)
4 ounces Toffutti Better Than Cream Cheese
6 large eggs
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Powdered sugar (for dusting)
Directions:
Make the banana topping by stirring together the melted butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla extract, dark rum, and cinnamon. To make banana topping, stir together butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, extracts, and cinnamon.Lightly grease a 9×9-9nch baking pan.Pour the butter sauce into the prepared pan.Place banana slices over the sauce.Layer half of the bread cubes over the bananas.Dot the bread cubes with the vegan cream cheese.Cover with the remaining bread cubes.Whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Be sure to mix it well.Pour the egg mixture over the bread. Smoosh the bread down a little so that the bread can absorb the egg mixture.Cover and refrigerate overnight.In the morning, remove the pan from the refrigerator and leave it out while preheating the oven to 375°F.
Uncover and bake on a rimmed cookie sheet (in case the topping bubbles out…mine didn’t…but you can’t be too careful) for about 30-40 minutes or until the eggs have set.
Allow it to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes.
Invert to serve and sprinkle with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Enjoy!
~*~*~
While I have made plenty of overnight recipes before, there was definitely something special about this one. The flavor was fantastic. The banana portion, once inverted was rich and creamy, and the bread toasted to perfection, giving a nice play on both taste and texture. I was beyond impressed with the way this turned out. It totally made for the most amazing Easter breakfast I have made yet.
I mean…here I was…walking through the freezer section of a natural food store in Columbus, Ohio…and there you are…just screaming at me from your shelf in the freezer: CROISSANT.
Seriously…that was all I needed before jamming it into my rapidly filling basket and hoping the giant box wouldn’t take up too much of my allotted room. My roommate was treating me to gluten-free treats…things I couldn’t get anywhere else…but I had one medium-sized basket. My friend Jenn and I were pretty certain that we could “Tetris the shit” out of the basket with the products that were inside if needed. But…I was rapidly filling up and this box was one of the last items I put in. Mostly due to package size.
But…CROISSANT STYLE ROLLS! HELLO!
I wasn’t sure exactly how I wanted to utilize these, but I knew they were coming home with me. Fast forward to another meager living out of the pantry, fridge, and freezer week (I was out of town again, so no CSA bin). I happened to have some avocado on hand (because I always have that on hand) and a can of chickpeas, so I whipped up a delicious chickpea and avocado salad. I needed a vehicle in which to serve this on…and the Celiac Specialties Gluten-Free Plain Croissant Style Rolls were screaming (once again) to me from my own freezer. BINGO!
So, after a long day at work, I was ready for an easy dinner. I had set two of the four rolls in the box out on the counter to thaw in a bag. They did so beautifully. You can just eat them straight like that, but I like to toast my bread. So, I sliced the Gluten-Free Plain Croissant Style Rolls in half, drizzled lightly with olive oil, and popped them in the oven for about 5 minutes to lightly toast. While that occurred, I washed some baby kale and got the chickpea and avocado salad put together. When the Plain Croissant Style Rolls were ready, I popped them out of the oven and plated them. Then on went the kale and then a scoop of the chickpea and avocado spread.
Dinner was simple…and served.
When I first got these rolls out to toast, I noticed how light they were. Well, they were still light. Very light. In fact, toasting them didn’t really add any additional weight to them. I love that. Because so often bread can overshadow the dish. There is just so much of it. Well, this was not the case here. And upon taking my first bite, I found it to taste exactly like fresh bread right out of the oven. It had that crusty, warm, delicious, lightness to it. And it didn’t have any weird aftertaste or horrible flavor. It was just…plain bread. Very good plain bread. In a croissant roll form. And it was really, really good. I mean, really good. I was sad I only had 2 days worth of it, honestly. I liked it that much. Anything that can remind me of homemade, fresh bread is okay by me. Sure, this wasn’t seasoned with special flavors, but it’s honest-to-goodness good. And that’s all that matters.
Let’s look at the ingredients, shall we? Celiac Specialties Gluten-Free Plain Croissant Style Rolls are made from water, whole egg, tapioca starch, corn starch, corn flour, canola oil, potato starch, xanthan gum, sugar, rice flour, active dry yeast, and salt. That’s it. They are gluten-free and dairy-free.
As for nutrition… a serving size is 1 roll. In this roll, you will be consuming 110 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. One of the Celiac Specialties Gluten-Free Plain Croissant Style Rolls contains 50 mg cholesterol, 140 mg sodium, and 1 gram of sugar. That’s not too bad for bread. Trust me. You will also be taking in only 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein. They are light and fluffy, remember…but not very filling. So, be sure you sandwich it up with something good and packed with both fiber and protein (like chickpeas and avocado!).
I wasn’t sure what these were going to taste like…and I admit, after my initial excitement, I was a bit worried that they would taste like cardboard…or worse. But that wasn’t the case. These actually tasted like real, “normal” bread rolls and I was thrilled that I made the decision to go ahead and give them a try. I hope I can find more of the various products that Celiac Specialties sells so I can give those a try as well.
Next time…two boxes.
Chickpea and Avocado Salad Sandwich made with Celiac Specialties Gluten-Free Plain Croissant Style Rolls
You know…I’ve had a difficult time finding decent and delicious gluten-free bagels. Being that I grew up in New York, bagels are more than just breakfast. They are a thing. No…really. They are religion. And when you are able to eat “normal” bagels, finding a good one isn’t a problem, even outside of the Bagel State of the World.
When you are gluten-free, however…this can be a task. I struggled to find a tasty and authentic bagel after I had to go gluten-free. There were so many failures. In texture, taste, and even size. I am a bagel connoisseur. I know what makes a good bagel…and the gluten-free ones just weren’t making the cut. And I was depressed.
My friend, Sara, who at the time was gluten-free, pointed me in the direction of Udi’s bagels. They were pricey…but…damn…they tasted just like the bagels I grew up eating. I was beyond impressed. And to this day, they are one of (now three) brands that I will all-out purchase because I trust that they will be good. O’Doughs Gluten-Free Bagel Thins are another. And…Katz Gluten Free rounds out the Trifecta of Gluten Free Bagel Awesomesauce™.
Katz Gluten Free introduced the bagels to their already amazing lineup of delicious gluten-free baked goods last year. I was stoked. I couldn’t wait to try them. But then…I just never got around to ordering them. When I had to order the $35 loaf of Gluten Free Braided Challah Bread…I added on some items to take me to $50 for the free shipping. One of these items was the Katz Gluten Free Everything Bagels.
FINALLY!!
And this morning, I pulled them out of my freezer to finally give them a try.
Katz Gluten Free Everything Bagels
First of all…keep in mind that Everything Bagels are not meant to be clean. As in…they are coated in seeds and seasonings and…well…you are going to make a mess. It just happens. But, you see, Everything Bagels are the iconic bagel. They have all the best toppings in one place. They are legendary. And they are delicious. I hoped the Katz Gluten Free version would be as good as the ones I grew up eating.
After allowing two of the four bagels that come in a pack thaw on the counter while I went to my spin class, I returned home and turned on my oven. I removed the bagels from the ziplock bag I had them in to thaw and eased their pre-sliced halves apart. I set each one on a baking sheet and threw them into the oven to toast while I took a quick shower before having to head to work.
They toasted up beautifully. Sheer bagel toasting perfection. As I emerged, now dressed for work and no longer a hot, sweaty mess I pulled them from the oven and put a schmear of vegan cream cheese on each half. I served up one bagel to my roommate (who has had Everything Muffins, but not an Everything Bagel) and allowed her to dive in while I put the cream cheese on my own halves, poured my coffee, and went to tuck in to my own brekkies.
One bite…and I was transported back to my bagel-eating days of yore. For real. These bagels are packed…and I mean packed with flavor and all the authentic ingredients of a “real” Everything Bagel. Katz Gluten Free knows exactly how to make bagels. This was spot-on perfect in taste, texture, and…yes…even size. Udi’s Gluten Free Bagels can be a bit…large (but, OMG…SO YUMMY!), and the bagel thins are made to be thin without as much bread. This…this is the happy medium. Seasoned to perfection. No lacking in any of the toppings. Gluten Free Bagel of Everything and More!! WOW!
I’m already salivating knowing I still have two more in my freezer.
Let’s talk ingredients, as we always do. The Katz Gluten Free Everything Bagel is made from a gluten-free flour blend (tapioca, white rice, brown rice, potato, soy, corn), egg whites, water, cellulose fiber, oil, corn syrup, sugar, cellulose gum, yeast, salt, corn fiber, soy lecithin, lactic acid, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, minced garlic, and minced onion! Yep…that’s an Everything Bagel to me. These are not just gluten-free but also dairy-free.
Nutritionally speaking, these aren’t bad for bagels. Not at all. A serving size is one bagel. This serving will provide you with 250 calories and 9 grams of fat. You will also be getting 150 mg sodium and 6 grams of sugar. These are cholesterol-free. In addition, you will be consuming 12 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein, so you will certainly feel full. That’s always nice!
Oh yeah…Katz Gluten Free Everything Bagels are definitely a hit. I intend to stock my freezer with them more often. For sure. If you haven’t tried them yet…get right on it. You will thank me for it later.
Katz Gluten Free Everything Bagel toasted with a schmear of Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
The final product from Sophie’s Kitchen for me to review. Well, there are a couple other products out there, just none that I have found in this area yet. All the ones that are available in the various natural food stores around here…have now been eaten, consumed, and reviewed. It all ends here…with Sophie’s Kitchen Breaded Vegan Calamari.
Yes…my freezer has now been cleared of my delicious vegan seafood. And the Vegan Breaded Calamari is another fine example of how Sophie’s Kitchen is doing vegan seafood well! I mean…I was blown away.
Back before I became a vegetarian, I began eating calamari after moving to Indiana. My roommate and her family were huge fans of splitting the appetizer calamari at any restaurant it was offered in…especially Red Lobster. That being said, I grew to have a taste for the little rubbery rings of…squid. But after making a conscious decision to go vegetarian…I gave up seafood and all other meats. And when going gluten-free was necessary, anything breaded went the way of the dodo in my diet.
Until…Sophie’s Kitchen brought breaded “seafood” back into my life.
The other night, the Breaded Vegan Calamari remained in my freezer. And as I had been out of town and had no fresh produce bin delivered…I was living out of my pantry, fridge, and freezer. This seemed like an easy enough thing to prepare for dinner. All I hoped for was that it would live up to the standards and quality of the other Sophie’s Kitchen products I had in the past.
I should have known it wouldn’t disappoint.
Sophie’s Kitchen Breaded Vegan Calamari (frozen)
Sophie’s Kitchen Breaded Vegan Calamari is so simple to prepare. You can do it in either the oven or a skillet, but I opted for the oven this time. I placed the Breaded Vegan Calamari rings on a pan and put them in the oven for about 15 minutes. When I retrieved them, they smelled amazing and were now a beautiful golden brown. I plated the rings and served it up with some marinara for dipping (because calamari should always be eaten with marinara…always!). My roommate and I tucked into our basic, simple dinner…and we were both once again WOWED! I mean…totally in awe at how accurate the texture and taste of these vegan seafood products are to the real thing. I loved how the Breaded Vegan Calamari rings had that bit of rubbery texture…just like actual calamari. I thought it had amazing flavor, and the breading was more than seasoned correctly and packed with amazing flavor. I might have devoured mine in record time. I told my roommate that this one was ranking up there in popularity as far as my favorites to eat. So delicious. Beyond impressed. And now I want to restock my freezer with all of the products again…and work my way through them once more. This just clinches the fact that Sophie’s Kitchen makes high quality products that gluten-free vegans can enjoy!
So…what exactly is vegan seafood made from? Well, the Sophie’s Kitchen Breaded Vegan Calamari is made from water, konjac powder, beta glucan, potato starch, organic agave nectar, sea salt, canola oil, rice flakes (from brown rice), potato starch, turmeric, white pepper, carrageenan, alginate, and calcium hydroxide. Is it clean eating…nope. Not even close. But…it’s not too bad as processed, frozen products go. Not at all. These are soy-free, vegan (100% plant based), non-GMO, gluten-free, contain no artificial preservatives, no artificial colors, no MSG, they are free of trans fats, and they are cholesterol free. These also contain no added sugar. Nothing about them is artificial. Nothing.
Nutritionally speaking, a serving size of Sophie’s Breaded Vegan Calamari is 4 pieces (or about 3 ounces). This serving size will dish you up 210 calories and 9 grams of fat. You will also be taking in 250 mg sodium and only 2 grams of sugar. Love that! In addition, you will be consuming 4 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. Trust me…you will feel full after eating these. But deliciously full!
I have become a huge fan of Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Seafood items. The Breaded Vegan Calamari ranks right up there as one of the best products in the lineup. Try it. Even if you aren’t a vegan, you might appreciate a healthier, and environmentally-friendly seafood. You won’t be disappointed. Trust me!
Sophie’s Kitchen Breaded Vegan Calamari (baked) (served with marinara sauce)
Product: Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins – $4.99
When it comes to gluten-free goodies…it doesn’t get much better than Katz Gluten Free. Honestly. I have never, ever, ever, ever, ever…etc. been disappointed by anything that I have ordered from Katz Gluten Free on their Web site. In fact, I strongly encourage others to take the plunge and try some of Katz Gluten Free products. If you are lucky, you won’t have to always order online. Perhaps one of your local natural food stores carries some of their products. Which is great…if that is the case.
For me…I can find the pies and the breads…but for the most part…my luck stops there. So when something else catches my eye…that’s when I hit the Web site to place an order.
Trust me…you won’t ever regret hitting that check out button.
This time, after ordering the Gluten-Free Large Braided Challah Loaf, I figured I’d order a few extra items in order to round out the amount I was spending to get free shipping. I was over halfway there with just the challah…so I felt it was worth it. After perusing the items available, I made a decision to try the Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins.
Now, I’ve tried their Gluten Free Original English Muffins before and absolutely loved them. They taste like real English muffins. Perhaps even better. So, since I love cinnamon raisin things, I figured this would be right up my alley to try. Since I was out of town and don’t have a CSA bin to prepare meals from this week, my gym mornings were spent noshing down on things in my freezer. One such item…the Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins.
I pulled two of the English muffins (one for me and one for my roomie) out the night before to thaw in a plastic bag. I sliced them in half before packing them up while I went to the gym. I got into office after my sweat session and put these on a dedicated plate, put them in the toaster oven, and let them get all toasty and golden and warm. It took about 8 minutes from the time I put them in the toaster oven.
When they came out, they were golden and gorgeous…and smelling like cinnamon rolls. No…seriously. And we all know I love my cinnamon rolls. I put a little butter and honey on one half…and on the other half I tried out a new kind of almond butter (Wild Friends Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter). I served up a plate to my roommate and went to tuck into my hard-earned brekkies.
First bite and I was hooked. I started with the side with the butter and honey, knowing the flavor would shine through more. I was totally right about that. I loved the hint of spice from the cinnamon and the sweetness from the raisins. The texture was light…airy…perfect. These are in no way dense at all. They have the right amount of heft to them. And…that cinnamon raisin flavor is outstanding. When I tried it with the super-special almond butter, I might have fallen deeper in love. These English muffins are fantastic. Katz did amazing things with the original flavor. They are doing even better things with the Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins. I am hooked. And now I wish I had ordered more. Dang it.
Let’s talk ingredients. Katz Gluten Free puts the following into their Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins: gluten free flour (mix of potato flour and rice flour), water, potato starch, quinoa, tapioca starch, canola oil, sugar, dry yeast, baking powder, guar gum, salt, corn flour, cinnamon, and raisins. They are completely cholesterol free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, dairy-free, and egg-free.
Nutrition-wise, these are actually really good on the dietary scale. For English muffins that is. One serving of Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins is one English muffin. This will provide you with 170 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. You will also be taking in 260 mg sodium and 7 grams of sugar. Not bad for a gluten-free baked item. Honestly. In addition, you will be consuming 2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein.
Seriously…if you love English muffins…you will definitely fall in love with these. Katz Gluten Free really knows how to put a quality item out on the market. And if you can’t find these in your local natural foods store…go to their Web site and place an order. I promise, you won’t ever regret doing that! I never do. And all I get out of it is tasty gluten-free goodies.
There is one thing that I love to do over at my friend Jenn’s house…and that’s cook. Especially a breakfast on Sunday. Saturday we sometimes cook in…sometimes we out. But Sunday…we normally always make something. And that was the case this past weekend after we discovered a drool-worthy recipe on Pinterest…hosted on Smitten Kitchen’s blog. What drew my attention to it was the salted caramel portion of the bread pudding recipe. It sounded divine.
So…I planned it out with Jenn. I’d order the gluten-free challah bread if she could get the rest of the necessary ingredients.
The plan to bake this on Sunday morning was totally on. And that morning, with my ginormous gluten-free braided challah loaf from Katz Gluten-Free ready to slice…we set to work. While this recipe does take some time to prep…it’s worth it. I’d make this again in a heartbeat. And I will. I have plenty of extra bread to use up. So…go ahead…try it. Don’t be intimidated. My modifications were made to make it gluten-free. It didn’t take away from any part of this dish. The texture and flavors were to DIE for.
One word of warning…that caramel can get pretty hard…so make sure you don’t do what we did and throw it in the freezer. LOL!! Lesson learned.
Recipe: Gluten-Free Morning Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel
Gluten-Free Morning Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel
3/4 cup plus (optional) 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt or just 2 or 3 pinches of a coarse one
10 to 12-ounce loaf brioche or challah bread (cut into slices about 1/2-inch thick and about 3 inches square or round, which sounds really persnickety, but they really do fit better in the pan this way) (I used Katz Gluten Free Large Braided Challah Loaf)
6 large eggs
1 cup mascarpone cheese, divided (1/4 cup for custard; 3/4 cup for serving)
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Directions:
First, choose your baking dish. We opted to use a 9-inch round cake pan, which was a squeeze, but we made it work. Other options would be 2-quart oval gratin/roasting dish, a 9- to 10-inch cast iron skillet, a 2-quart casserole dish or 1 deep-dish pie pan.
If your dish is safe for the stove top, use this to make the caramel. If not, use a small, heavy saucepan and place 3/4 cup sugar, butter and sea salt and heat over medium heat. The butter will melt and, after 7 to 10 minutes, the sugar will dissolve and begin to brown. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir with a spoon or spatula so that it browns evenly. The butter does separate from the sugar, but that’s okay. Just continue to stir them together. It will all work out in the end even if it splits. I know…because ours did!
If you’re using a saucepan, your caramel is done when it reaches a copper color. Pour it over the base of your baking dish.
If you’re making the caramel in your dish (like a cast iron skillet), your caramel should be taken off the stove a step sooner, a shade more pale than copper, something of a medium brown; this is because it will continue cooking and darkening for a minute off the stove.
Regardless of what you choose to bake it in, place the dish in refrigerator and chill until caramel is cold and solid, about 30 minutes. Once chilled, arrange the bread slices. Place the heel of the bread in the center and do what you can to fan the slices around it, overlapping each slightly and knowing with complete confidence that even if your dish doesn’t resemble a blooming rose, nobody will care at all. Mine looked nothing like a blooming rose…and, honestly, no one cared.
In a large bowl whisk together eggs, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar (if using; I skipped this) and 1/4 mascarpone cheese (save rest for serving), until very smooth. Add milk and almond extract. Pour this over the bread, making sure to saturate all of it. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill for about 30 minutes to an hour. You can let it soak overnight if you have that sort of time or plan that far in advance. If you bread seems too high in the vessel to get a good soak, you can weight it with a plate in the fridge.
After the allotted time (or in the morning), take your dish from the fridge. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove plastic from dish and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until moist but not wet in center. Remove from oven and run a knife around edge of dish, loosening bread from sides. Place a serving plate over top of dish (bottom side up), and, using potholders, hold pudding over sink and flip pudding onto the plate. Lift baking dish off plate; scrape any extra caramel from pie dish over pudding.
Serve, cutting it into wedges at the table and spooning a healthy dollop of mascarpone onto each plate.
A slice of Gluten-Free Morning Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel
~*~*~
While the original recipe called for this to soak overnight, we were busy watching Thor 2…so that didn’t happen. The fact that we only let it soak for about 30 minutes in the fridge did not, at all, make the dish any less of a delicious treat. It worked perfectly. So, don’t feel like you have to make it the night before…unless you have that sort of time. Do plan ahead though, because this does take some time. Jenn and I took out 2 of the eggs from the original recipe as we thought 8 eggs was a bit much. I think we made a good call. This cooked up to a beautiful perfect meal. And we all sat and enjoyed it…and kept the leftovers for the next couple of mornings. SO amazing and delicious!!
The Celiathlete 