It isn’t often that Cathy comes right out with a breakfast request. Normally, I ask the question the night before…”What do you want for brekkies?” Her response usually comes with a shrug, a garbled “Idunno…” And then leaves it to me to figure something out. Which…fine…I’ve grown used to that. But sometimes I don’t want to make the breakfast decision. Sometimes I actually do want to make something that she definitely wants to have in the morning.
But…last week…the unthinkable happened. Without a prompt from me…I got, “Can we have pancakes for breakfast?”
Can we ever!! Finally…some input. Finally…a request. FINALLY…a reason to bust out a new brand of gluten-free pancake mix. HA!
It was time to pull the Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix out of my pantry and welcome it to the wonderful world of my teeny-tiny kitchen. Mixing bowl time…at last.
I found the Authentic Foods brand of pancake mix while browsing the small food section at our local Home Goods store. I can’t believe how many different gluten-free foods they have in there by brands that I am unfamiliar with. And, to top it off, this was being sold at an unbeatable price. When the normal price is $3.00 more than what Home Goods is selling it for…well…you better believe my pantry is going to have a bag of it inside. Purchase made…and the wait time as I work through the products that came before it happened.
Until Cathy’s request. PANCAKES!
Now…simple pancakes would have been just fine. But I felt like making one of my favorite things from childhood. In fact, so many of my friends associate my sleepovers with the chocolate chip pancakes my mom would cook up for all of us the next morning. We all looked forward to it…putting on a nice slab of butter, then dowsing it with maple syrup. Oh yeah…my mom always treated us to chocolate chip pancakes…and my friends knew it.
So…I thought I’d bring it back. So, I mixed up the batter as instructed on the packet…1/2 a cup of the mix added to 1 beaten egg, 1/2 cup almond milk (milk or milk substitute), 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. I then folded in some of Enjoy Life’s mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. Voila…these were ready for my skillet.
The most amazing thing happened. No joke. These pancakes, after they began to cook on the skillet…puffed up and got fluffy…like real pancakes do. Like the pancakes my mom used to make me when I was growing up. I was thrilled to see the edges bubble up and the batter just sort of…expand with the heat. I was already anticipating flipping these over and seeing if the trend continued. And when the bottom side was an amazing golden color, these were flipped…and yes…they remained fluffy. You cannot even imagine the happy dance I was doing in front of my skillet. So many times gluten-free pancakes don’t rise…they just are flat…but these…fluffy and beautiful. Perfection!
Authentic Foods Pancake & Baking Mix is composed of a blend of stone-milled Garfava (a blend of flour made from garbanzo, fava beans, and Romano beans) and superfine brown rice flour. It was like biting into a traditional all-American pancake. Honestly. And with my addition of the mini chocolate chips…you better believe this breakfast took me back to those mornings my mom would treat us to this very same breakfast.
I served the pancakes with a drizzle of pure maple syrup…and settled in. These pancakes got that amazing golden crust on the outside. Inside…so fluffy and light. Not heavy and dense. Just the most perfect pancake I have made so far from these gluten-free mixes. I want to go see if Home Goods has more of this mix…because it made me so happy with each and every bite. For real. When pancakes make your day…there is something special going on.
Supposedly this mix is perfect for making waffles, muffins, cookies, donuts, crepes, and so much more. I just bought a donut cutter. Game on!
Nutritionally speaking, this pancake mix isn’t too bad for you either. I mean…these are carby…amazing…fluffy…REAL tasting gluten-free pancakes. Just take them for what they are and enjoy!! But…as I always cover this…a serving size of this pancake mix is 1/4 cup…which gives you light and fluffy…130 calories per serving and 1.5 grams of fat. So…really not so bad, right? Right! You will be getting 170 mg of sodium and 1 gram of sugar. Also these serve up a filling 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. So…woohoo!
If you have been longing for the light and fluffy pancakes you used to know…I highly recommend giving Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix a try. So far…it’s the one that has impressed me the most. I hope to find other products by Authentic Foods and see how they compare. Until then…I’m thinking pancakes for breakfast tomorrow.
Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon Friend Toast Sticks
Product: Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon French Toast Sticks – $4.99+
It was the morning before the biggest race of my life. My first marathon. THE CHICAGO MARATHON.
I had just run an easy 3 miles before showering, getting dressed, and trying to find something a little substantial for breakfast for me, Cathy, and our friend Jenn before the three of us hit the road to Chicago. Lunch was not going to happen…so our food was going to be the snacks I made/packed and then a nice dinner at a restaurant that does gluten-free options out the wazoo for dinner. So, along with a bowl of Chocolate Chex…I reached into the freezer and pulled out the box I had of Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon French Toast Sticks.
I love French toast, and being gluten-free…I don’t get it unless I make it. BUT…that normally means that it’s French toast made with sandwich bread. Not delicious brioche or some other fancy-schmancy bread like all the “regular” people get to eat. Prior to these…I had been spoiled by the gluten-free delicious awesomesauce that is Van’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon French Toast Sticks. I mean…those blew me away. So, when I spotted Ian’s own version at my local natural foods, I picked them up for the occasion where I couldn’t cook an elaborate breakfast (which I am known to do…even on weekdays). The morning before a long-ish road trip seemed like the perfect time to break these out and give them a try. I was excited…because the pizza I had from Ian’s was SO amazing and good. I only expect good things now from them.
I noticed that the box indicated these were best cooked in the oven…which is what I intended to do regardless. So, I preheated the oven as directed by the box and then opened up the package to get a look at the contents.
Here is where my first issues with this product fall. Obviously, this product is geared more toward kids, however, I still think that the French toast sticks could be normal bread size. Van’s French Toast Sticks are the size of regular bread. The version by Ian’s…about the length of my thumb…maybe a little longer, but not by much. Strike One. The box also says that there are 5 servings inside. A serving is 4 sticks. I had enough for my friends and I to have 1 serving each and then split one lone stick into thirds to make it even-Stevens. Five servings my marathon-running behind!! So aggravating. So…Strike Two.
What did intrigue me about these miniature French toast sticks is that they had this white crust of sugar on them. Okay…this was new. I figured that would cook up and melt down in the oven and be a delicious part of this, so far disappointing, product. My faith went all to Ian’s here…I trusted them. So…into the oven they went…cooked as directed, and removed when done.
I dished up a serving and 1/3 for each of us, warmed up some maple syrup, and breakfast was served.
I really, really, really wanted these to be good. Two strikes so far…they needed to taste epic. But…they didn’t. That white sugar-like coating did nothing to enhance the flavor of this bland product. In fact, when it cooked, it didn’t melt and give that warm cinnamon-sugar feel I was hoping for. Instead it created this hard crust around each little piece of French toast. Not impressed. The maple syrup, I hoped, would soften it up. I always warm my maple syrup…but that didn’t even help. And the flavor, overall, very, very bland. I hated the fake sugary flavor that these had. I hated the texture…so tough on the outside thanks to that coating of sugar. Yep…Strike Three.
You better believe these will never find their way into my freezer again. So disappointing coming from Ian’s.
Regardless…I still feel I need to discuss the ingredients and the nutritional worth of this product. Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon French Toast Sticks are made from cinnamon brown rice bread, tapioca starch, cinnamon, yeast, cane sugar, and a batter consisting of water, white rice flour, cane sugar, tapioca flour, potato starch, cinnamon, sea salt, and xantham gum, While I admire and approve of the fact that I recognize every single ingredient on that list (no preservatives, no chemicals, nothing fake), I just wish this product tasted good. Because…it was a rather epic fail on the food scale. This product also contains no wheat or gluten, no milk or casein, no eggs, no nuts, and no soy. It is vegan safe…but not vegan tasty.
As for the nutrition information…as I mentioned earlier, a serving of Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Allergy Friendly Cinnamon French Toast Sticks is 4 of the little mini pieces. These four bites (seriously…bites) will serve you up 170 calories (NOT WORTH IT!) and 6 grams of fat (NOT WORTH IT!). You will also be supplied with 95 mg sodium and 2 grams of sugar. You only receive 2 grams of protein and absolutely no fiber from these. So, these will not leave you feeling full or satisfied for hours. Nope. In fact, we were all reaching for the homemade gluten-free madeleine cookies I baked up about halfway to Chicago. So annoying.
There is absolutely nothing redeeming about this product. It was a total and complete disappointment from the moment I opened the box. I was hoping it would only get better from there…but it was a false hope. And the three of us who ended up eating them despite not really caring for them…were not impressed nor happy with our breakfast that morning. It was a good thing dinner was fantastic. And it’s a good thing I bake a mean gluten-free madeleine!!
Never…ever…again. Sticking with Van’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon French Toast Sticks forever and always!
Sorry, Ian’s…but you lost me on these. At least your pizza is still good…
Love Grown Foods Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters
Product: Love Grown Foods Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters – $4.99+
Granola is something that I buy…every week…when I’m at the grocery store. I have to be selective. I have to. The requirement is it must be gluten-free and have a low amount of sugar. I don’t want my granola to be packet with sugar. I already take in way more sugar every day than I should. So…two requirements. You’d be surprised how many granola brands on the market do not fit that bill.
A lot.
That being said, there are a few select brands that do…and they are brands that I am quite familiar with and return to in my constant rotation of granola through my pantry.
This week…I let my roommate choose. She and I both adore, love, and cherish the granola we get from Love Grown Foods. So, she opted with that brand. YAY! Her flavor choice, however, was a new one for us to try. It is their Apple Walnut Delight. Since I am putting this granola over Greek yogurt and caramelized apple…I figured this was actually a very good choice. Therefore…it was the granola gamble of the week.
I have fallen in love with every flavor of the Love Grown Foods Oat Clusters that I have brought home. They strike that perfect balance, whether eaten on their own, with milk, or in one of my infamous breakfast parfaits. The seasoning is spot on, the sweetness is at the right level. The flavors are subtle…yet…just there, so your taste buds catch every part of the cluster…the granola mix…but it doesn’t overwhelm the palate. Love Grown Foods distributes love with each sack of granola. For real.
The Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters are truly…delightful. The granola is a blend of gluten-free oats, honey, walnuts, coconut, agave syrup, expeller pressed canola oil, dried apples, sunflower seeds, pure vanilla, milled flaxseed, cinnamon, and sea salt. There is truly a touch of sweet and savory in this one…but it means you keep on going back for a little more…then…a little more. It’s a fantastic balance.
The dried apples are really good, and the walnuts add a bit of rustic flavor to the mix. But the star is the sweetened gluten-free oats. The way the agave and cinnamon play against each oat flake is amazing. The touch of vanilla livens everything up. And each bite will leave you quickly spooning your bowl for another one. Or, at least that’s what happened in my case. I was loving the clusters in this one…the pockets of cinnamon and vanilla, mingling with the nuts and the fruit. It’s one flavor party in a bag…in my breakfast…and in my belly.
Let’s talk nutrition for a moment. A serving of Love Grown Oats Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters is 1/4 cup. This serving provides you with 130 calories and 6 grams of fat. A serving is low in sodium (only 35 mg) and only contains 7 grams of sugar. That is fantastic for a granola. Trust me. Each serving provides 3 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein as well. This granola is cholesterol free, gluten-free, and non-GMO!
Loving it.
And loving Love Grown Foods once again. If you love the taste of apples and cinnamon…with a hint of nuttiness with the addition of the walnuts…then you should definitely try this granola. These oat clusters are fantastic. Love Grown Foods really does put a lot of love into their products. That is beyond evident. Every time I try a new product from their lineup.
Still impressed. Still loving it!
Caramelized Apple and Greek Yogurt Breakfast Parfait with Love Grown Oats Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters
I feel as though I may have stumbled into an anomaly…or perhaps some alternate universe. Why?
Because I managed to find a new product before many other places had it. And in this area, that is a rare and unnatural thing.
You see, I was in my Whole Foods just browsing. I had to just browse because the food budget purse strings had been tightened. There were so many things I wanted to try, but the roomie said, “Not this week…next week.” Which is code for…NEVER. Or so it seems. Because whenever I am told that…it seems like forever until I actually get to have said product that caught my attention. But…the budget was tight coming back from my epic vacation…so I guess never it will be.
That was…until I spotted something I had never seen before on the top shelf of the gluten-free bread area in my store. I pointed to them…”What is that?” I asked. My roommate looked up…looked at me and sighed. “Want them?” As if she had to ask. The product I am speaking about is the Udi’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins. And you better believe those were put in the cart and immediately shuttled to the register for ringing up before she changed her mind.
Then the week from hell happened and these delicious muffins remained untouched in my fridge for the whole of the week. Until Friday morning.
Friday morning I was going to be working from home. So, I allowed myself to get up later, go for a 5 mile walk, go into work to drop off a few items and pick a few more up, then head home. The roommate was up after a rough week of being in the hospital…and she was ready for breakfast. She didn’t even bother to pour herself any cereal…so that’s what she got started off with. Next time, she can manage that on her own. But I needed a main course for our brekkies that morning and these muffins were quick and easy and would allow me to get myself logged into work and getting my job done a lot sooner. So…out came the muffins. I warmed one up for her and one up for me…and breakfast was done.
These scream fall flavor. Pumpkin flavored everything is everywhere and I eat it up. I love pumpkin. I love the taste and flavor of pumpkin. The only time I do not like pumpkin is pumpkin pie. I’ve never liked pumpkin pie. Pumpkin anything else and…DING DING DING…we have a winner. I’m weird…I know.
So, how were the Udi’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins?
Let me put it this way…the first day of fall is coming…and this was like the flavor of fall in one amazing and delicious bite. Honestly. The Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins actually do taste like pumpkin. It’s not just a name for the product. It doesn’t overpower, but strikes that right balance. The muffin itself is light and fluffy. I always heat mine up in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds and it’s like taking them fresh from the oven. Soft, springy, and warm all the way through. I loved the addition of pumpkin seeds throughout the muffins themselves. It really added to the pumpkin experience. The hints of cinnamon and nutmeg were so warming…just what you want in anything that includes pumpkin. After all, the weather is getting cooler…the food should definitely make you feel warm and cozy. These muffins are, probably, my second favorite thing in the Udi’s line-up. My favorite being the Harvest Crunch Muffins…these probably are tied with Blueberry Muffins for second. Yeah…they’re that good.
I think my only comlaint would be how uneven the muffins were. My batch looked like they were set on their side when they baked. But, you know…at least they tasted amazing.
So, let’s take a look at what Udi’s puts into these muffins, shall we? Ingredients include dried cane syrup, eggs, pumpkin, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, water, palm oil, canola oil, dry molasses, pumpkin seeds, salt, cinnamon, orange zest, caramel color, xanthan gum, ground ginger, nutmeg, and baking soda. So…yes…the first ingredient is basically sugar…but…it is a muffin. And, let’s face it, muffins are sweet.
Nutritionally speaking, these aren’t a complete waistline buster. One muffin is the serving size. And with that one muffin, you will be consuming 260 calories (which isn’t the best for a muffin, but not bad either!) and 10 grams of fat. While there are 200 mg of sodium in these muffins, the high 19 grams of sugar is a bit of a shock. Yikes. That’s over half the sugar I am actually allotted each day. Well, as long as it’s not an every day thing…right? In addition, one muffin also provides 1 gram of fiber and 3 grams of protein. So with that sugar level and the lower levels of fiber and protein, don’t expect this muffin to keep you full through lunch. It’s not happening.
Be that as it may…they are super-duper delicious. If you love the flavor of fall…the flavor of pumpkin…you’ll definitely want to pick up these if you can find them in your area. I haven’t seen these since, so I’m glad I splurged that week and picked them up. And now, naturally, I just want more of them.
Guess that’s how it works.
Keep an eye out this holiday season for Udi’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins. You’ll fall in love at first bite.
In the previous blog, I reviewed some bagel thins which were made of awesome and happiness. Like butterflies and unicorns.
Well, I also mentioned vegan cream cheese. My usual go-to vegan cream cheese is Tofutti. Which I LOVE so much. It’s just really, really tasty. But, you see, my favorite vegan cheese company, Daiya, had just released some vegan cream cheese of their own…and yes…I really wanted to try it.
It was just a matter of finding it, in stock, here in my area.
It took a little while…but I finally stumbled across it at my local grocery store. The last place I expected to find it…but there it was in all it’s dairy-free glory. So, you bet your bagel-loving butt that I snatched up a container of it. With bagel thins in my freezer…I needed some cream cheese, yes? Of course. Justifying the grocery budget here!
Anyway…having tried two other vegan cream cheese options and loving them…Daiya had a lot to live up to. But…Daiya is a brand that I love and trust, so I wasn’t worried. Not one bit. And when those bagel thins came out of the oven that morning…I was ready to give each half a nice, healthy schmear.
Which…is exactly what happened.
Compared to the other vegan cream cheese spreads I have used, Daiya was definitely not as creamy or as spreadable as the rest. It was a bit clumpy when I dished out a serving to put on each half of the bagel thin. That being said, it did spread out just fine, especially on the toasty top of each bagel, even melting down like regular cream cheese does. And the taste? Well…it tastes like Daiya. That’s about all I can say. Daiya has this distinct flavor to it. But it is the absolute best vegan cheese out there and I found myself enjoying the taste of this the more I ate. Honestly. At first, I wasn’t too sure about it…but then as I kept eating, I liked it…then loved it.
So, let’s talk about Daiya Deliciously Dairy Free Plain Cream Cheese Style Spread, yes? Yes. As with all Daiya products, the Plain Cream Cheese Style Spread is casein free, lactose free, and soy free. It is made up of filtered water, coconut oil, non-GMO expeller pressed canola and/or safflower oil, potato starch, pea protein isolate, sea salt, vegetable glycerin, xanthan gum, lactic acid (for flavor) agave syrup, natural vegan flavors, titanium dioxide (a naturally occurring mineral), vegan enzyme, and cultured sugar. So, it’s not a complete chemistry experiment when it comes to ingredients. Although not everything is all natural either. But, you have to make exceptions sometimes, right?
Nutritionally speaking, Daiya Deliciously Dairy Free Plain Cream Cheese Style Spread is doled out in servings of 2 tablespoons. These two tablespoons contain 90 calories and 7 grams of fat. That’s not too bad. Each serving contains no cholesterol and a scant 190 mg of sodium. A serving of this spread does not contain any fiber and only 1 gram of protein.
So, as it stands, Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese is a better option, however…it does contain soy. If you are sensitive to soy or limiting your consumption of soy, than Diaya is the way to go. The cream cheese works great on bagels and I hope to dish up a delicious cheese cake with it in the very near future. Maybe for Thanksgiving since I am playing host for the first time. We’ll see.
Give it a try…see what you think!
Daiya Deliciously Dairy Free Plain Cream Cheese Style Spread over O’Doughs Gluten Free Original Flavor Bagel Thins
Product: O’Doughs Gluten-Free Original Flavor Bagel Thins – $3.99+
I am a bagel zombie.
Mmmmm…bagel…bagel…mmmmm….nom nom nom.
Seriously. I’m a New York girl and I grew up enjoying the carby awesomeness of bagels. Give it a schmear of cream cheese and happiness could be found in each bite. As I got older…my love for bagels continued…but I started to watch the waistline. Bagel thins came out. And I fell in love with the thin, crispy goodness that these offered. All the taste of bagels without all the bread. Nice.
And then…Celiac.
I sampled so many gluten-free bagels at first, having given up even finding something close to a bagel. Most of the ones I tried were shaped like donuts, not bagels. Small, bready, and just all wrong texture-wise. And then…Udi’s came out with bagels that rocked my world. Seriously…amazing.
And then…while out grocery shopping one day at our local Earth Fare, I spotted O’Doughs Gluten-Free Bagel Thins. I did a double-take. I backed up, snatched them from the cooler, and tossed them into my shopping cart. No questions asked…these were coming home with me. I was so thrilled with this discovery without even having tried them yet. I had a great company for bagels…now maybe it was time to let the bagel thins shine.
I hadn’t had anything from O’Doughs yet. So, this was going to be the first product I sampled from this company. I stored these in my freezer for over week while I was out of town, but then…then it was time to have these for breakfast…because I came back into town with little groceries in my fridge and freezer and was trying to make do with what I did have on hand.
O’Doughs Gluten-Free Original Flavor Bagel Thins
That morning, I turned on my oven and put two bagel thins on the pan and let them toast up gently in the oven. You could totally do this in a toaster, but I got rid of mine when I was diagnosed with Celiac, wanting to eliminate any potential for cross-contamination. Now that my roommate eats only gluten-free bread too (for my sake!) I could totally get a new toaster now. I just have nowhere in my kitchen for one at the moment.
Anyway, these bagel thins toasted up beautifully in the oven. Because these are bagel thins…not bagels…I kept a close eye on them to keep them from burning. After removing the golden toasty bagel thins from the oven, I gave each half a schmear of gluten-free and vegan cream cheese. Served them up with some fruit that morning and VIOLA…breakfast was served.
One bite and I knew O’Doughs got these bagel thins right. I was amazed. The Original Flavour variety tastes just like a regular bagel. The outside gets that nice crispness to it, and the thin innards toast to a beautiful golden color and still maintain a bit of that chewy texture you want with a bagel. What this means is that the thin texture provides a base for any topping you want to top it with. Nothing takes away from anything else. The toppings compliment the bagel and vice versa!
So, now that you know they are amazing…let’s talk shop.
These bagel thins are composed of filtered water, soya flour, tapioca starch, chickpea flour, whole grain rice flour, cellulose fiber, glycerine, yeast, sunflower oil, salt, organic evaporated cane juice, xanthan gum, baking powder, and baking soda.
Not too bad as far as ingredients go. Not exactly clean eating…but…better than some other options out there, yes? Yes!
Nutritionally speaking, a serving is one bagel thin. And one bagel thin only contains 100 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. Consuming one bagel thin also means you will be taking in 300 mg sodium and 1 gram of sugar. These bagel thins contain no cholesterol, no trans-fat, no eggs, are non-GMO, and are kosher. One bagel thin also gives you 2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein.
And yeah…they are really amazing. O’Doughs makes three varieties of bagel thins. Original, Sprouted Whole Grain Flax, and Apple Cranberry. I finally have found the Sprouted Whole Grain Flax at my local grocery store…but have yet to find the Apple Cranberry out in the wild.
But, if you should spot O’Doughs Gluten-Free Original Flavor Bagel Thins…grab them. Toast them. Top them. And enjoy them. Trust me…you’d never guess it was gluten-free. They taste like the regular thing. Perhaps even better. I am in love.
O’Doughs Gluten-Free Original Flavor Bagel Thins with Daiya Vegan Cream Cheese
Gluten-free granola is a staple in my apartment and my pantry. Honestly. My roommate and I go through it each week, using it on the breakfast parfaits that are part of the morning rotation every other day. It’s nice to change things up every now and again and have something other than cereal. I often will pair Greek yogurt and granola with fresh berries…or caramelized apples or pears. Sometimes even banana. It just depends on what produce I happen to have in the house.
Recently, while scouting the grocery store for some granola, I had my roommate choose the one she’d like to have. Now, she, like me, has her favorites. But, she chose one we hadn’t tried before. I was actually surprised. Even more as this was actually a newer product from Nature’s Path.
Now, Nature’s Path has a few great gluten-free options. I have eaten their EnviroKidz cereals (and still do!) and have even given some love to their regular cereals and one of their frozen waffle options. So, Nature’s Path is rather consistent on quality products. I don’t think I’ve had a product that I haven’t liked. Which is why I am not ashamed of my EnviroKidz Koala Crisps in my pantry.
But…granola? Why not?
My roomate chose the Gluten Free Selections Summer Berries Granola. This granola is a blend of gluten-free rolled oats, yogurt chips, freeze-dried blueberries, freeze-dried strawberries, and freeze-dried strawberries. Now, I’ve always been a fan of the dehydrated fruits in cereals because I find them to be so packed with flavor. I was actually looking forward to sampling this one.
Well…Nature’s Path really nailed it. The Gluten Free Selections Summer Berries Granola is amazing. While the sweetened and seasoned gluten-free rolled oats make for a great base, and the intensity of the freeze-dried berries brought a great sweet tang to each bite. But the star of this granola…far and away…was the yogurt chips. They really won me over with each bite.
I always sample the granola on its own, and would have been happy eating just this, on its own, for breakfast. But granola hits the Greek yogurt and the fruit in my kitchen, so I caramelized apples and served them up over the Greek yogurt, topping them off with this granola. How would the berries blend with the sweet caramelized apples? Perfectly. Every bite of this granola, whether on its own or in my breakfast parfaits was a burst of flavor. But should you get a bite with a yogurt chip…the magic happens. I commend Nature’s Path for that decision!
Let’s dive deeper into this product, shall we? Nature’s Path upholds its commitment to providing safe, gluten-free products. The ingredients in this granola are organic, non-GMO, and free of synthetic preservatives and additives. I love that.
A serving of this granola is 1/4 cup. This serving will provide you with 140 calories and 4 grams of fat. Impressive, yes? Each serving only has 8 grams of sugar, 55 mg sodium, and is cholesterol free. You also are provided with 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. Not bad at all.
Nature’s Path Gluten Free Selections Summer Berries Granola is sweet, savory, and so refreshing. Start your day off right with a granola that sings across your taste buds and tastes like summer. Even with fall creeping in, you can still enjoy that sweet taste of summer each morning. And do seek out those yogurt chips…and see why I say they really make the mix.
Nature’s Path Gluten Free Selections Summer Berries Granola over a Caramelized Apple and Greek Yogurt Breakfast Parfait
It’s an important day. And not just because it’s International Talk Like A Pirate Day.
It’s important…because it’s my birthday.
And this year I was turning the big double 3. Yes. I don’t mind my birthday or getting older. It’s one of my favorite days…even though most of the time I do nothing really to commemorate it. But this year…I decided to enjoy the delicious offerings of two of my favorite, local, gluten-free businesses, both of whom went above and beyond to make the occasion more than special.
It all started on the day before my birthday when my roommate and I took a longer lunch from the office and headed down to Frankfort Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky to pick up the birthday cake we ordered from Annie May’s Sweet Café. Now…by now most of you know that my local running store nicknamed me Wonder Woman last year. It’s stuck. And I mean…stuck! I get called Wonder Woman more than I care to admit. It’s flattering. I love it. Wouldn’t change it for the world.
Well, back when Annie May’s Sweet Café started showing off some of their custom cakes they were making, I told them they were definitely doing a special cake for my birthday this year. They replied on their Facebook page…”How about a Wonder Woman cake?” (See…my reputation precedes me). I was totally all about it. They actually made a simple birthday cake for me last year too (strawberry cake with a vegan chocolate ganache), which is how I found out about them…and how they won me over in the first place (that and the apple cider donuts we bought when we picked up the cake…just sayin’.). The cake was amazing. So, naturally, as it is my belief that no matter how much you love to cook and bake…you should never have to make your own birthday cake…we hit them up again this year. And, per their suggestion via their Facebook page months and months ago…I thought…I think I should have a Wonder Woman cake.
As we are in Annie May’s Sweet Café every Saturday morning if we are in town for their delicious breakfast offerings…that Saturday we went ahead and placed the cake order (and a soft pretzel order for Soft Pretzel Wednesday) to pick up on Wednesday around lunch time. My roommate asked what kind of cake I wanted. I’m not big on cake…and I like simple. So…this year I went with a vegan vanilla cake with vegan vanilla icing. And yes…WONDER WOMAN!
On Wednesday, when we showed up to pick it up, I was blown away. Kenna does the cake decorating and she did fantastic. I made sure I told Annie May that whenever possible (and I told Kenna when I saw her the following Saturday morning!). Seriously…I couldn’t have been happier with the way it turned out. The Wonder Woman logo was PERFECTION!! I mean, Kenna nailed it!! And the cake…SO delicious. The flavors were vibrant. The icing was sweet and meshed well with the vegan vanilla cake layers. Four layers…of cake-y goodness. And this from a girl who isn’t big on frosting or cake. How about that? I was SO happy with this cake. It was a 6-inch round cake that we got 12 good-sized portions from. I was in sugar-rush heaven. And happy to devour it all. Well, I had some help from Cathy (the roomie), Harry, and Laura.
But…here is the cake in all it’s gluten-free and vegan wonder (woman):
Honestly…I have yet to have anything I didn’t like from Annie May’s Sweet Café. So…even if you don’t have food allergies…get over there. My friend Greg (not food allergic at all) would definitely direct you to their gluten-free Double Fudge Brownies. Me? I say…their allergen-free Chocolate Chip Cookies. Or…honestly…EVERYTHING!! Support local businesses!! I will continue to support this one.
HUGE thanks going out to Annie May, Kenna, and the rest of the staff who continue to show the world (or at least the Louisville area) just how good and delicious gluten-free can be!!
But…the birthday celebrations didn’t stop with a cake. Nope. Not for 33. Not ever.
Very randomly, about two weeks out from my birthday, I went over to the Facebook page of my favorite local (and gluten-free) food truck, Sweet ‘N’ Savory, and commented that I would love them forever if around my birthday, at one of their outings, if they could offer a Crepe Suzette, as it has always been one of my favorite types of crepes. I was told that they would be happy to cater a private event for me, featuring a 3-course meal, for only $20/person. I needed to make sure that I would have a decent enough crowd for them, and started asking my closest friends if anyone was interested. Most everyone I knew was free on the Sunday, September 22, and said they would be happy to come and celebrate with good eats. I was thrilled. And I went ahead and set it up with Richard and Ashley, the fantastic owners of the food truck.
They found a location, at Louisville’s The Beer Store in NULU. This turned out to be a perfect setting as they had a patio for seating and the side door was opened so we could trek out to the food truck to place our orders, return our plates, and all that good stuff. Guests could also imbibe in beers of any kind (SO MANY) or sodas or water…or whatever else they could find inside. It was a hit. I ended up having 10 of the 12 guests show up to the shindig, so that wasn’t bad at all. Very pleased. Although totally missed the ones who were unable to make it.
It was a very diverse crowd, but they all came hungry and they all socialized and blended well. YAY!!
So, what did Sweet ‘N’ Savory cook up for my special day? An amazing menu that every guest raved about and devoured. No one left hungry. In fact, we were all completely stuffed. But it was a good kind of stuffed. Trust me.
The menu, as I mentioned, was 3 courses: appetizer, entree, dessert (like Chopped…but without the surprise basket of ingredients!).
For the appetizer round, Sweet ‘N’ Savory prepared two of my favorite gluten-free vegetarian crepes: Caprese and Veggie Caponata. You could either get one large one of your choice, or one of each in a mini-crepe form. I totally forgot to take a picture of mine, but I went with one of each in the mini-form. What a way to start out. Everyone raved about them…especially the Veggie Caponata. That seemed to be the crowd favorite (and mine as well!!). It was the perfect way to start off the feast that day. We were given plates and a ticket and when we were done with the appetizer, all we needed to do was walk the plates and ticket back out to the truck, hand them over, and they would get to work on the entree.
The entree…is super special. Awhile back, Sweet ‘N’ Savory took part in a food truck event called Cluster Trucked. Each truck served up food that wasn’t their normal fare. For the event, Sweet ‘N’ Savory did gluten-free ravioli. And I fell in love with them all over again. For my event, they were dishing up two different varieties of ravoili. Once again, you could either get a full serving of one version, or split the difference and try both. The options: Butternut Squash, Ricotta, and Sage Ravioli topped with a Brown-Butter Sage Sauce or Four-Cheese Ravioli topped with a Red-Pepper Cream Sauce. When I was at Cluster Trucked, I had the Four-Cheese with Red Pepper Cream Sauce. I am in LOVE with that red-pepper cream sauce. I want to beg for the recipe. Seriously. But at my party, I was all about the Butternut Squash, Ricotta and Sage Ravioli with the Brown-Butter Sage Sauce. They had told me all about this one prior to the event and that was all I wanted. Observe:
Sweet ‘N’ Savory’s Gluten-Free Butternut Squash, Ricotta and Sage Ravioli with a Brown Butter Sage Sauce
I made a fantastic choice. The ravioli was so rich and creamy. The pasta itself was melt-in-your-mouth good. The sauce…so much flavor. The filling…it doesn’t get better than butternut squash (a personal favorite) with ricotta and sage. Honestly. I fell in love with the way this entire dish just danced across my taste buds. Savory. Rich. Delicious. I was in food heaven. I think I might have hoovered this up and licked the plate. It’s possible. For real. For being a gluten-free crepe food truck, they totally rock the ravioli. That is NO joke!
Following the dinner portion of the meal…naturally is something that hits that sweet tooth. And, per my request, Sweet ‘N’ Savory offered up a Crepe Suzette. What is a Crepe Suzette? It’s a crepe with sugar that has Grand Marnier poured over it, and then is ignited. Flaming food! The alcohol in the liqueur evaporates and what emerges is a thick, caramelized sauce. I first had a Crepe Suzette in Denver, Colorado a couple years back and I fell in love with it. So it was nice that they took an extra step to provide this for me at my request. Along with the crepe, they offered some of their famous and delicious gluten-free gelato…either (my personal favorite) Salted Caramel or Vanilla.
They attempted to light the crepes tableside, but the wind wasn’t cooperating. Points for trying!! That being said…CREPE SUZETTE FTW!! There is a reason this is one of my favorite sweet crepes to devour…er…eat. It’s sweet…it has brilliant flavor to it…and it’s still light. So it isn’t too much. I, naturally, paired mine with the Salted Caramel gelato. Best choice ever!! It paired so well with the Crepe Suzette. So, while this is not something that usually graces their menu, I was so glad when they offered this just for my little event. Heaven was in the form an amazing dessert crepe that day. Topped off with delicious gelato. YUM!
Sweet ‘N’ Savory’s Gluten-Free Crepe Suzette
I am eternally grateful for both Annie May’s Sweet Café and Sweet ‘N’ Savory Food Truck for helping to make my birthday so special this year. Everything they gave me was awesome. And no one would have guessed any of it was gluten-free. Because these places make food that is just that amazing. No one was disappointed and everyone commented on how good everything was.
Birthday win. Done with a little local flair.
And check out these beautiful people who came out to celebrate and enjoy good food, good conversation, and good times. I love them all!
Me & My Gang (from left and looping around to right): Kelsie, Cathy, Harry, Harold, Michael, Judi, Natalie, Me, Justin (Not pictured: Greg (he’s taking the photo) and Maureen (who hid from the camera))
With our California girls needing to return to work…and since we were sort of already out that way…and sort of missed out on our usual journey to Denver, Colorado in April due to my roomie’s teammate…Cathy and I decided that we would take that journey to Colorado. I admit, for much of the planning stages, tacking on the Denver portion was a nightmare…but we got it all worked out. And with that, we got to spend Wednesday through Sunday in beautiful Colorado.
There is so much to do and see in Colorado…and we’ve been here enough times that we have our favorites that we wouldn’t miss out on…ever. But, we also had our sights on some new adventures, both with friends and with food.
So…here’s how a gluten-free vegetarian eats while in Colorado!
Zamparelli’s Italian Bistro – Lafayette, Colorado
Zamparelli’s Italian Bistro, Lafayette, Colorado
It was our first day in Colorado. After landing at the Denver airport and getting our rental car (free upgrade to the Toyota Prius), we hit the road for our drive up to the Boulder, Colorado area. We were staying at the Boulder Twin Lake Inn, where many a famous runner has spent the night. I was thrilled. I was hoping maybe I was in the room Shalane Flanagan stayed in so that I could channel some of her speed. The inn is actually owned by runners, which is why it is popular with runners. Well, after getting checked in, we were starving…so Cathy and I made a short little drive to Lafayette, Colorado. Our Find Me Gluten-Free app had directed us toward a place called Zaparelli’s Italian Bistro…and it had many gluten-free options. Including…gluten-free pizza. Which, mind you, I was thrilled about, as I was doing my long run the following morning around the area the inn was located in…a full 12.5 mile run. Pizza was just the thing I needed.
Wanting to try something we couldn’t get anywhere else, we decided to get a Gluten-Free Johnny V’s Vegan Pie ($15.00). It just sounded intriguing…and, as I said, the toppings were different from anything we’d been able to get out anywhere else. Order in. At Zamparelli’s…the gluten-free crust is a $2.00 upcharge, but when you have to eat gluten-free, what are you going to do? The gluten-free pizza is a 12-inch pizza crust…and in this case…it is topped off with a garlicky white bean spread, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, sauteed spinach, roasted mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and a spicy salsa rosa. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine was just reading the description. I liked that it was vegan…no cheese to upset my delicate stomach as it sometimes does. Also important with that long run looming.
The pizza was delivered and boy…did it look and smell amazing. It tasted just as good as it looked too. The white bean spread acted as the base, instead of a tomato sauce. The roasted red peppers elevated a lot of the flavor, especially when paired with the caramelized onion. Sweet and savory. Very delicious. But the star, believe it or not, were the artichoke hearts. That just brought all the other toppings together. Fantastic. The crust was really good. Not undercooked, but done to perfection. It was a thin crust without being a cracker crust, which I appreciated. I was quite happy with this meal and my roommate and I walked out of there satisfied, full, and quite happy.
The Buff Restaurant – Boulder, Colorado
The Buff Restaurant, Boulder, Colorado
I first heard about The Buff Restaurant on Man vs. Food. They are best known for their “Saddlebags” which are pancakes that are stuffed with either bacon, sausage or ham, and then topped off with two eggs. They are massive, mind you. Like…steering wheel size. So much more of the menu now has a gluten-free option available (including the Saddlebags…except being vegetarian…not for me)…but I had just done a 12.5 mile run and I was wanting some protein.
I ended up getting one of the omelettes. In fact, I went with the Veggie Omelette ($9.50). This thing is, honestly, the size of my head. But…full of delicious veggie goodness. This particular omelette comes packed with broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and onions, with a touch of blended cheddar. Along with this massive egg-splosion of goodness (see what I did there?), you get a side of their potatoes…or you can upgrade to the fruit for just $1.00 more. I wanted my carbs…so I stuck with the potatoes. And, with it came a slice of gluten-free toast. YUM! As I was in need of some caffeine, I ordered a Café Au Lait with almond milk ($3.50). It was just the hit I needed, especially since the cup it came out in was, again, the size of my head. I think I was wired for much the rest of the day. But it was good.
So was the food for that matter, but I already knew that. I’ve been eating at The Buff for three years now. I make a trip to Boulder specifically to eat there and go to the Celestial Seasonings factory. Honestly. I do. It’s the truth. The eggs are always done to perfection. The toast is crispy and never burned. I love it with their homemade jam. SO delicious. And the potatoes…they are my favorite way to consume carbs. Seasoned to perfection. Done with that bit of crisp on the outside and that soft center. I ate mine with hot sauce. The omelette too. HEAVEN…on a plate. Which I demolished, mind you. I ate every last piece. I was full for the rest of the day.
St. Bon’s Café – Highlands Ranch, Colorado
St. Bon’s Café, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Around 5 p.m. after my massive breakfast, however, the tummy was starting to get a case of the rumblies. And my roommate had researched the perfect solution for said problem. We were now down in Denver for the remainder of our stay and it just so happened that Denver is the home of a 100% gluten-free deli and bakery. Seriously.
St. Bon’s Café was an absolute nightmare to get to. And we were getting hungry and cranky as we made our way through rush hour traffic on a Thursday night. Our GPS got us down to the right area, but had so much trouble actually getting us to the store. I finally looked it up on my iPhone and managed to get us there. But it was about 30 minutes before they were going to close. It was a good thing we already had an idea of what we wanted to eat…because we were cutting it close.
That being said, the owner, Kurt Fulwider, was behind the counter and ready to take our orders. He told us not to worry about it. He had a meeting he needed to get to across town and already called to say it wasn’t happening and that he would be late. So…we ordered…not just dinner…but a dessert to split. More on that after I tell you about our sandwiches.
For me…I wanted The 3 Wisemen Panini on the house made Rosemary Thyme Focaccia ($7.99). The 3 Wisemen is a basic caprese sandwich. It’s freshly sliced tomatoes, basil leaves and mozzarella. Cathy went with her favorite…something cheesy…opting for The Trinity Panini on the house made Basil Garlic Focaccia ($7.99). This sandwich is stuffed full of three different cheeses…creamy havarti, sharp white cheddar, and smooth meunster. We decided we could split a dessert and I had my heart already set on the Blasphemous Bread Pudding ($3.99), which was a gluten-free bread putting with a delicious custard and dark chocolate. With our orders now paid for, we settled at a table until they were ready.
Let me tell you…the wait wasn’t bad…and the food was fantastic. Absolutely FANTASTIC! I fell in love with the rosemary thyme focaccia. The flavors meshed so well with the fixings in my sandwich. The basil was so fresh and so fragrant. The mozarella was melt-in-your sammie good. And the tomatoes were ripe, and didn’t bleed juice all over my bread. The focaccia was toasted in the panini press to perfection, giving that nice golden crispiness to each bite. I was in love with this sandwich. Cathy tried a piece and said while she loved hers…she really loved the bread on mine.
As for that sinful dessert…oh…yeah. It was rich…creamy…and beyond blasphemous. This was a sin to eat. The custard was rich and creamy, but not overly heavy. The dark chocolate…melt my heart to pieces…so good. It paired so well with the custard. I was so happy when eating this. So very happy. I sort of want to recreate it for myself. If possible. It’s worth a try. Yep…that good. Mouth watering…sinfully…satisfyingly…perfect for when you are PMS-ing or any other time because you just need some chocolate dammit…good!! I hope I can get back here when I’m in Denver in May. It must happen.
Coquette’s Bistro and Bakery – Colorado Springs, Colorado
Coquette’s Bistro & Bakery, Colorado Springs, Colorado
I love crepes. LOVE them. With the exception of my local food truck, I normally can’t have them. I don’t have a good crepe pan to do them myself…nor would they come close to what Sweet ‘N’ Savory can cook up for me in their food truck. Normally when I am in Colorado, I would go to La Creperie Cafe in Denver. But…they closed. THEY CLOSED!! I was saddened by this, but started doing some research. What I did run across though was a little cafe that does only 100% gluten-free food. The catch was…it was in Colorado Springs. The best thing is…that doesn’t phase Cathy. We hopped in the car on Friday morning and took a little drive down to Colorado Springs.
Nestled at the foot of Pike’s Peak, Coquette’s Bistro and Bakery has the perfect location to entertain visitors and locals alike. The place and the food has won numerous awards over the four years it has been open. And it claims that the food is so amazing, you’d never guess it was gluten-free. This little restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, espresso, and cocktails. There is a little bit for everyone.
But Cathy and I made the journey for…yep…crepes. None of their savory crepes are vegetarian. That was fine for Cathy, and she ended up ordering the Rise and Dine ($11.00), which is a crepe that is stuffed full (and I mean full) with two scrambled eggs, ham, red onions, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese. The crepe is then topped off with hollandaise. It came with a side of fruit or their truffled potatoes. She went potatoes. I swiped one. OMG. Amazing. I swiped more than one after that. I think she welcomed the help as her crepe was HUGE. I would have gone savory had there been a vegetarian option…but I was okay going sweet. Most of the offerings were what I could get from my local gluten-free crepe food truck…so I went with the one that I hadn’t been served by my local go-to gluten-free crepe place. And that was the Bananas Fosters Crepe ($8.50). This dessert crepe (hey…dessert for breakfast is allowed on vacation!) is a delicious crepe that is topped off with banana and a rum brown sugar flambé. The crepe is served with some house made whipped cream on the side. My crepe was definitely the size of my plate, but being a dessert crepe, it is usually dusted with cinnamon and sugar on the inside and then topped off with the goodness on the outside. Much less to navigate through. But…let me tell you…this was one fantastic crepe. I loved the rum brown sugar sauce. The whipped cream was a nice touch. And the banana, being one of my favorite fruits in this world, made it all taste a little like heaven. I devoured it. Like…completely. Cathy had a good portion of her crepe remaining. Not me. I went all vegetarian piggy on that plate. Worth it. YUM! I am making this a required stop from now on. It must happen. It is that good. And I feel safe eating there.
Baker Street Pub & Grill – Denver, Colorado
Baker Street Pub & Grill, Denver, Colorado
It’s no secret…my roommate and I are completely obsessed with Sherlock Holmes. For real. No…seriously. And when we discovered that just a short walk from our hotel room at the Denver DTC was one of Colorado’s four Baker Street Pub & Grill locations, well, you better believe we knew what we were doing for dinner after hiking around Colorado Springs and the Garden of the Gods. Hey…you work up an appetite doing that.
We walked over to Baker Street Pub & Grill from the hotel on Friday evening. I loved how you got to seat yourself. Our server, a bubbly and enthusiastic woman came over to see about drinks. I was sticking with water. But Cathy decided to take in Happy Hour and went with a Baker Street Brown Ale ($4.25). And with that…her usual pub fare…a half portion of the Fish & Chips ($7.99). As for me…I went with the Baby Spinach and Feta Cheese Salad ($9.99), which I added avocado slices to ($1.49) with a side of the Serrano Coleslaw ($1.99). Our waitress put in our order and we sort of geeked out over Sherlock Holmes until it arrived.
My salad was MASSIVE!! And it looked absolutely amazing to top it off. This salad was a blend of baby spinach, feta cheese, gala apples, red onions, candied pecans (they didn’t candy mine), and red grapes. All of this was tossed in a fantastic raspberry vinaigrette dressing. And let’s not forget my deep love of avocado…which topped off my salad nicely and gave it this rich creaminess that I truly love in a salad. The flavors really, really worked together. I loved the way the fruit played well with the vegetables and how the sweet, yet savory vinaigrette just brought it all together. The avocado…if you order a salad…always top it with avocado…trust me!! As for the coleslaw…eh…it was coleslaw. With the wording of Serrano Coleslaw, I expected something with some heat behind it…but it just tasted like your run-of-the-mill coleslaw. Probably my only disappointment. The rest…so good!
Cathy was very impressed with her fish. In fact, we both enjoyed our food so much we came back on Saturday night, our last night in town. The manager on duty rustled up some can coozies for us and let us get in the big phone booth outside and took a picture. It was epic. We ordered the same thing…minus the coleslaw and rounded out the perfect stay in Colorado at one of our new favorite places in Denver…just a short walk from our hotel. Perfection.
Udi’s Café and Bar – Denver Airport – Denver, Colorado
Udi’s Café & Bar, Denver Airport, Denver, Colorado
I had every intention of making it out of Denver without eating at the airport. I figured Cathy and I would grab something in Atlanta. It’s a good thing she talked me out of that because we had no time for food in Atlanta as it turned out. So, her plan to eat something in Denver before heading to our gate for the first leg of our journey back to Louisville was a stroke of sheer genius.
And to our delight, Terminal B at the Denver Airport has an Udi’s Café and Bar. Udi’s is one of the major names in gluten-free breads and other products on the market. And…they are based in Denver. So the fact that the airport has one of these cafés shouldn’t be a surprise. I was so happy they did.
We settled in at a table and a waitress came over to give us menus and let us look them over. We had a vague idea of what we wanted to eat…sandwiches…with fries. Filling. Which is exactly what we needed, honestly.
Cathy went with the BLTA ($9.35), which is a bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado sandwich with chipotle aioli and served on ciabatta bread. She got hers with the standard fries that come with the sandwich. As for me…I went with the Gluten-Free Caprese Sandwich ($9.95) and substituted the regular fries for Sweet Potato Fries ($2.00). Gluten-free sweet potato fries. Pardon my dance of joy and glee. This was the second time this trip I was getting sweet potato fries. This is me…being happy.
It was a little bit of a wait, but Cathy and I soon received our plates full of food. The sandwiches were huge. The fries…a big portion. But this was our meal for the day…so while we weren’t starving…we dove in.
My fries were FANTASTIC! Better than the ones I waited forever for at Disneyland. They were crispy, fried to perfection. I was in love with them. In fact, I saved them for the last bite because I wanted to remember those fries. As for the sandwich…epic win. Served on Udi’s bread (of course), this sandwich was stuffed with mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, and a pesto aioli. And the flavors just popped. I have been eating a lot of caprese things since going gluten-free and this was one of the best sandwiches put together. Simple flavors…executed perfectly. And served with SWEET POTATO FRIES!! I was thrilled to actually be able to eat something other than a fruit cup, a salad, or some unhealthy snack at the airport. Seriously. This was my happy that day.
~*~*~
So…there you have it. I find eating gluten-free in Colorado to be so easy. Both Rudi’s Gluten-Free and Udi’s Gluten-Free are based out of Colorado (one in Boulder…the other in Denver). Granted, on Saturday when we went up into the mountains to Rocky Mountain State Park…my lunch was a banana, some yogurt, and some Boulder chips…but…I’m in the mountains. I will cut them some slack.
This was one of my best foodie trips to date. Both California and Colorado offered me so many options and such delicious food. I wasn’t really disappointed with any of the restaurants that we chose to dine in. And that…is amazing!!
Colorado…see you in May. I hope my favorite places to eat will be ready for me again!
Between Disneyland and the little out-of-the-way places that we ducked into for food and anything else…I was well-fed and felt very safe in my food choices while visiting friends in California. In fact, Indy and her hubby, Evan, even went out to Whole Foods and picked up gluten-free cookies and some gluten-free crackers for me to have while staying with them. They are, honestly, the best. Nice to have people take my food allergies and everything else in stride and not totally panic. Best hosts…EVER!
So, I spent a total of three days at Disneyland and then one full day seeing bits and pieces of California. All the while…taking in food and enjoying every single bite. I’m breaking this posting down into two separate posts because…well…the dinner I had at Napa Rose needs its own little post. Honestly. Because it was the best meal I have ever had. (Sorry, Mom…but it’s true!).
So…I guess we’ll start at the very beginning…
Flo’s V8 Cafe – Cars Land – Disney California Adventure Park
Flo’s V8 Café, Cars Land, Disney’s California Adventure Park
You know…I give Disney props. Both theme parks on each coast do their best to work with people with specific diets and specific food allergies. And this was incredibly clear when I sat down to eat a “light” lunch (I was getting pizza later that evening) while out and about in California Adventure on Saturday. I hadn’t yet made it to the race expo, but I knew I needed a small bite to get through until it was time to eat my required pre-race gluten-free pizza. We were in Cars Land at the moment, so we stepped into Flo’s V8 Café and took a look at the menu board. When we got up to the register, my traveling party (Cathy, Indy & Tawn) all decided they were going to eat elsewhere…which made me not want to eat here…but…I wasn’t sure what there would be outside that would be nutritious and still filling. At the register, I mentioned that I was a gluten-free vegetarian so the cashier went to go and retrieve the chef. The chef came out a couple of moments later and I reiterated that I was a gluten-free vegetarian. She said it wasn’t a problem and mentioned the items I could get, including the Citrus Turkey Salad, sans turkey. Actually, none of it sounded like anything I wanted…the side dishes were just…eh…meh. And the salad was…well…a salad. But, I needed something…so I said I would give the Citrus Turkey Salad ($11.49), no turkey, a go!
I paid the cashier and took the receipt up to the counter. And my salad came up…gluten-free roll…but…UGH…the turkey had been placed on the salad. I mentioned that my salad wasn’t supposed to have turkey on it, so the worker at the counter sent it back to the kitchen and spoke with the chef. It took a few minutes, but my new salad came up, gluten-free roll, little dish of dressing, GODZILLA-sized salad, which was a basic mix of mixed greens, carrots, cucumbers, and yellow peppers. It came with a citrus-tarragon dressing. And trust me…this salad was HUGE. I knew I wouldn’t be able to finish it. But, if anything was certain, I was going to devour that roll. The roll, by the way, looks like the Udi’s gluten-free rolls I can buy at specialty stores around here. I think they were Udi’s. I loved the roll. I loved it to pieces…and pieces…and pieces until it was all gone.
The salad itself was fresh and crisp. And the dressing made a nice flavor addition to the raw vegetables. It was…a general salad, just taken to extreme proportion. I ate about 3/4 of it before I called it quits. It was just a lot of food. The vegetables were fresh and crisp, the dressing was served on the side instead of just being poured over the salad, and perhaps drowning the vegetables. It was good. But…let’s face it…it’s a salad I could have made at home for a lot cheaper.
Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port – Tomorrowland – Disneyland Park
Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port, Tomorrowland, Disneyland Park
It was the evening before the Disneyland Half Marathon, and Indy and I were in desperate need of some carbs. And it is a requirement…I mean one of those dead-set superstitious athlete requirements for me to eat gluten-free pizza the night before a big race. It has to happen. If it doesn’t happen…I make it happen. Somehow.
Indy knew that this was a must coming into the trip, so she asked around at Disneyland about good places to get a gluten-free pizza. She was directed to Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port, which is a cafeteria-style, quick service joint in Tomorrowland. We got there just before a flood of people and we spoke to one of the people manning the counters about gluten-free and vegetarian options. She said she would go and fetch the chef. I ended up standing there for around 10-15 minutes waiting on the chef, long enough for a couple of employees to ask if I needed help. Indy and Tawn had already gotten their pastas and were now waiting with me. Cathy was waiting because we weren’t sure if this was going to be a personal pizza or one we’d need to split. You just never know.
After the wait continued, I told Indy and Tawn to go and pay and eat while their food was still hot. I didn’t want them to settle in with cold pasta. Gross! So, they finally agreed, and just after they walked away…the chef finally emerged to talk to me. I told him that I was a gluten-free vegetarian, and he said I had two options…a gluten-free personal cheese pizza…or gluten-free rice noodles with a tomato marinara. Night before the race…it has to be pizza. So, I put in my order for gluten-free cheese pizza ($8.99). I was told it would take 10 minutes so to go ahead and pay and then come back to the counter in about 10 minutes. I did just that, grabbed some plastic dinnerware, napkins, and some crushed red pepper packets and went to join my friends. Cathy had gotten one of the pizza slices and some breadsticks and joined them in eating. And I watched them eat for about 5 minutes as it took me awhile to pay. When 10 minutes was up, I got up from my table and made my way back to the counter to, hopefully, get my food. But my pizza wasn’t up yet. There was a group of four ahead of me. And that took about 5 minutes for them to get their gluten-free pizzas served to them. Then…it took another 3-5 minutes waiting on mine. By now Indy and Cathy were done eating. When my pizza was sliced and finally put on a plate…I went to rejoin my friends and only Tawn was still nomming on her pasta.
The pizza was nothing to write home about. It was the same gluten-free cheese pizza I ended up getting while at Disney World in February. Just a small, personal-size pizza on a gluten-free crust (at least the crust was fluffy), with tomato sauce and cheese. It was…okay. I mean, I have definitely had worse…but I have most definitely had better. I seasoned it with some red pepper flakes and just wolfed it down. At that point I was starving and we had World of Color Fast Passes and the clock was ticking. Nothing to write home about. Just…pizza. Eh. Not impressed.
Hungry Bear Restaurant – Critter Country – Disneyland Park
Hungry Bear Restaurant, Critter Country, Disneyland Park
It was the afternoon after I ran 13.1 miles through Disneyland and Anaheim, California. It was just three of us. Indy, who also ran, said she needed to rest and recover. Poor thing. So this meant our new guide for the day was the great, the epic, TAWN!! And she knew all the places to hit. We had a busy and very stressful morning…between race logistics, running, cheering, and finishing…then heading out to the park…
We rode rides and soon we knew we needed to eat something small before we hit the hotel early to rotate through showers and start getting ready for the most epic meal of our lives…courtesy of Indy. But…that gets it’s own post. For now…we focus on what I ate for “lunch” the day of the Disneyland Half Marathon.
I had heard tales and rumors that Hungry Bear Restaurant did gluten-free sweet potato fries. Sweet potato fries are one of my most favorite things in the world. Honestly. Sure, fries probably aren’t the best recovery meal…but they were what I wanted. That was it. It was all I needed. Tawn walked me over to Hungry Bear and I headed up to go place my order. I reached the cashier and told her I heard they could do gluten-free sweet potato fries. She confirmed this and said she’d go and get the chef.
The chef emerged a few minutes later and said that fries could certainly be done gluten-free. I said that was all I wanted and went ahead and put in the order – gluten-free sweet potato fries ($3.99). I was sent up to the counter and I passed off the receipt and was told it would be a few minutes. I politely stepped aside, knowing this would be the case. But a few minutes turned into 5. Then 10. Soon the staff was shouting back to the kitchen about the gluten-free sweet potato fries because it had been on order for 15 minutes. The manager came out to apologize to me, saying that there had been a mix-up in the kitchen and it would be a few more minutes. He offered me a free dessert, but none of their desserts were gluten-free so I passed. After just over 20 minutes, my one little serving of sweet potato fries came up and I snagged them, went to grab some ketchup and finally went back down to meet Tawn. She had been waiting a long time. We had left Cathy at a table with her lunch, and it was long gone by the time we returned. Tawn went off to find herself something to eat and I finally dug in.
To their credit…the sweet potato fries were perfect. Crispy on the outside, soft in the center. Warm. Hot. Seasoned well. And just what I wanted. They were phenomenal. Definitely better than the oven baked ones that I make at home. I mean, I love making my own, but there is something so fantastic about sweet potato strips that are literally fried to perfection, seasoned well, and served up piping hot and fresh. So, while I think I aged a little standing in line waiting on an order the kitchen at Hungry Bear Restaurant forgot about…it was well worth the wait.
Tiki Juice Bar – Adventureland – Disneyland Park
Tiki Juice Bar, Adventureland, Disneyland Park
DOLE. WHIP. Need I say more? Let me say it one more time. DOLE WHIP! I love Dole Whip and ended up coming to the Tiki Juice Bar twice during my 3-day stay in Disneyland.
The second time I contemplated getting a Dole Whip Float…but wasn’t sure I had enough money for one. So, both times I ended up getting the standard Soft Serve Dole Whip ($3.69). LOVE.
It’s pineapple goodness in a cup. One that I will always take time to indulge in whenever I roam at Disney. Yeah…Dole Whip is an experience. One that shouldn’t be missed. EVER!
Carnation Café – Main Street, U.S.A. – Disneyland Park
Carnation Café, Main Street, U.S.A., Disneyland Park
The only other request that I made for while the four of us were all at Disneyland was simple. I needed gluten-free Mickey waffles in my life. So, Indy, as always being the rockstar, sought out a place that served them. She’s awesome like that. So, after a late night and an early morning (for me…as I went running for 7 miles for my marathon training), we headed into Disneyland for our last meal together as a group of four. Tawn was leaving that afternoon to head back to Fresno.
We arrived at Carnation Café just ahead of our reservation time. We were asked if we wanted to sit outside or inside. It was such a gorgeous morning that day that we chose to sit outside, as long as we were somewhere shady. The hostess found us the perfect spot and we all settled in and started to look at the menu.
When our waitress came over to the table, she explained that we actually had a different server, but he was on his break so she’d be taking care of us until he returned. We went ahead and told her that I couldn’t have gluten, something they were already aware of because Indy mentioned this when she made the reservation. Of course none of this was an issue. She said she’d go to get the chef and he would go over some options with me. He did emerge a few minutes later and asked what I was interested in having for breakfast. I gave him the hopeful eyes…Mickey waffles? He said he wasn’t sure they could make gluten-free Mickey waffles due to the surface they were cooked on…but he might be able to do regular pancakes (not Mickey shaped). But he said he’d go double check. He returned after everyone else placed their orders and said that he could make me gluten-free mini Mickey waffles safely. I was a happy girl, because I really, really wanted Mickey waffles while at Disneyland. Dreams really do come true.
I went ahead and ordered gluten-free Mickey waffles ($10.49) with fresh fruit instead of the sausage or bacon side…since I am vegetarian. They were happy to make that substitution for me. I also had this with fresh brewed Joffrey’s Coffee ($2.99).
The coffee was really good. Not too bitter. I sweetened it with real sugar…as my coconut sugar was left back in Indiana. After a short wait…out came our food. Only Tawn and I kept with the plan to get waffles. Indy ended up getting the Huevos Rancheros and Cathy got the All-American Breakfast.
My mini waffles were…delicious. Definitely not the golden crispy goodness that Tawn got out of her Mickey head waffle. But…the miniature Mickey waffles tasted amazing. I poured a little pure maple syrup over them and dug right in. I was given four Mickey waffle heads and ate all four of them without any shame or guilt. The fruit was gone in a flash. I am a fruit monster. They were able to accommodate me and get me the item on the menu that I truly wanted. Carnation Café was made of win.
So were the waffles…for the record. Epic…gluten-free…WIN!
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar – Disneyland Resort Area – Disneyland Hotel
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar, Disneyland Resort Area, Disneyland Hotel
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar is like no other bar you have ever experienced. The food they serve is unique bar food. The drinks they serve are fun. The manner in which some drinks are served are SUPER fun and invoke chanting and lights flashing, ships going down, all of that. It’s a place you have to go to grab a drink. And, as this was our final day in Disneyland…we chose to do just that.
Food choices, for me, were rather limited. But, Indy was telling me about this amazing Green Papaya Salad ($?.??) that they served. We inquired with the bar tender about the ingredients and he went to check with the chef to see whether it was gluten-free and vegetarian. Turns out…it was. So, while Cathy and Indy split the Panko-Crusted Chinese Long Beans, I was served up a refreshing and quite delicious Green Papaya Salad.
No trip to Trader Sam’s is complete without having one of their famous drinks. As I’m always iffy and careful with alcohol…I decided to go with one of the non-alcoholic beverage specials served at the bar. My choice of Sam’s No Booze Brews was the Jungle River Sunset ($4.49) which is a mix of orange juice, falernum, and hibiscus grenadine, all topped off with soda water. And, yes…I ate my garnish.
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta – Paradise Pier – Disney California Adventure Park
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, Paradise Pier, Disney California Adventure Park
It was getting late and our plan to see Fantasmic that night was about to be put into action. That being said, our appetizers from Trader Sam’s were long gone and we were definitely ready to eat some food. We ended up coming to Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta…because we were just really wanting Italian or something. Because originally I was going to get something else, but when they kept mentioning the pizza and pasta place…it just sounded better.
So, we entered Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta and it was another counter service sort of thing. I went up and mentioned that I was a gluten-free vegetarian and they sent for the chef. He was out in no time. Honestly. And when I told him I was a gluten-free vegetarian, he immediately mentioned the two standbys that the Italian restaurants have on hand at Disneyland…a personal-size gluten-free cheese pizza or rice noodles with a tomato marinara sauce. I’ve done the pizza. It’s the same as always…and not really worth the repeat. So, I went with the Gluten-Free Rice Pasta with the Tomato Marinara ($9.49). He said it would take about 10 minutes. And when he went back behind the counter, he immediately changed his gloves to start preparing my food. I breathed a sigh of relief. Cathy ordered a regular Spaghetti With Meatballs and Indy went with the Five Cheese Ravioli. They were both made to order, but Cathy’s came up way ahead of ours. We sent her outside to get us a seat. About 5 minutes later, my spaghetti arrived. And this serving was HUGE. We’re talking the King Kong of spaghetti dishes. Holy crap!! I figured I’d get maybe halfway through it and be done. Indy’s was the last to come up…so she was the last to join us at the table. Cathy had already started eating…I was just starting…so we had timing. At least none of us were left without food when all was said and done.
The rice pasta was really al dente. Not bad…but not as soft as normally rice pasta would be. The tomato sauce was rich and delicious and really made the dish, in my opinion. The spaghetti really would have been lackluster and disappointing without it. I sprinkled a bit of crushed red pepper onto the pasta to give it that slight kick that I like. Me and spicy food make for a loving relationship. Honestly. I like it hot. So, the spaghetti, like the quick service pizza, was…just okay. Nothing to really write home about…or go on any longer in this blog.
Indy’s Egg Scramble of Awesome
Indy’s Egg Scramble of Awesome
When you have fresh ingredients in your garden…what happens? You make your husband and your friends one of the most epic egg scrambles ever. Honestly…this was amazing. So delicious. So yummy. I still think about it. That’s why a homemade dish is being put into my blog. None of you, unless you also know Indy, will be able to taste this dish. None of you will get to enjoy it for the low cost of FREE…at her kitchen table…while drinking fresh and really delicious coffee. It’s just not going to happen.
She cooked and diced and sauteed potatoes in coconut oil, added fresh vegetables from her garden, and then scrambled up some eggs. Simple…but highly, highly delicious. One of my favorite breakfasts I’ve ever consumed. And it was filling. Perfect way to start off a day that took us to many glorious sandy locations!
The Local Peasant – Sherman Oaks, California
The Local Peasant, Sherman Oaks, California
This gastropub has no sign hanging up outside. There is no neon flashing the name of the pub. This is one of those places that if you didn’t know it was there, you would walk right on past it. Thankfully, it turned up on Find Me Gluten Free…and it just happens to be one of Indy and Evan’s favorite dining spots in their area. And I picked it. All by myself!
It was our last night in Los Angeles, and it was also Indy’s birthday. So, we went out to eat…although she told me to find somewhere. I was mainly focused on finding Cathy a place to have some fish and chips, so I focused on that first. The menu for The Local Peasant had not only vegan options marked, but also gluten-free options marked. And my requirement to eat something with avocado while in California would definitely be fulfilled.
It was a special night, so I went against my usual abstaining from alcohol for training purposes…mostly because it was Indy’s birthday and we were celebrating. But, they also had Green’s Quest Gluten-Free Triple Ale ($15.00). I’m not a beer drinker…at all…but it was a celebration. And, besides, Micky Dolenz of The Monkees was at the table next to ours. I needed something to take the fangirl edge off.
Where there is beer…there is also food. Our waitress just happened to also be gluten-free (in fact, her entire family is)…so she was a huge help. But…as I said…I had my heart set on something with avocado in it. I had to eat avocado while in California. It had to happen. So, when it came to dinner, my choice was obvious…the Edamame Vegetable Salad ($11.00). Why was that obvious? Because this salad was composed of edamame, corn, jicama, green beans, roasted peppers, avocado, toasted pepitas, and cashews with a rosemary and ginger vinaigrette.
It sounded like no salad I have had anywhere else. It had avocado on it, and really…it just sounded awesome. When it arrived, it was in a huge bowl…and I happily dug in. The vegetables were so fresh and awesome. I loved the texture the cashews and pepitas gave the entire dish. The green beans still had that nice, fresh crispness to them. The edamame is always one of my favorite things…and it was super good. Loved the depth the roasted peppers gave. The avocado, however, gave it this amazing creaminess. It was topped off with that really flavorful vinaigrette that really just brought everything together. It was the meal I needed to have. It was the last thing I would eat in California. It was…fantastic.
I’d go back to this gastropub in a heartbeat. And I hope to…the next time I find myself in California!
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So…there it is. What I ate in California. I didn’t blog about the fries from In-N-Out Burger…because I did that back in 2011. But I did go there…and their frier is dedicated to just potatoes and makes their fries completely safe for me to eat. Part 2 will be all about the fantastic dinner that Indy treated our party to at Napa Rose. Trust me…that was a dining experience I wish I could relive over and over again. But you’ll read about that in the next blog…
The Celiathlete 