Breakfast – Page 30 – The Celiathlete

January 28, 2013

Chebe Gluten-Free All Purpose Bread Mix slides in just short of really good gluten-free bread

Product: Chebe Gluten-Free All Purpose Bread Mix – $3.29+

You know…I raved once, almost two years ago, I believe, about Chebe Cheese Bread Mix. I had made up the little breaded balls of goodness to accompany a pasta dinner I was preparing for a friend who was coming for the weekend. Much to my delight…Greg (the guest), my roommate, and I all loved the taste, texture, and fluffiness these had.

So, Chebe rose to the top of my gluten-free go-to’s. Even though I didn’t really purchase anything further of the brand until my local grocery store put their entire gluten-free section on closeout. Picture me in panic mode as I grabbed a huge shopping cart and began tossing items I had wanted to try, but never got the chance to, into my cart for the reduced price.

One such product was Chebe Gluten-Free All Purpose Bread Mix.

The great thing about Chebe Gluten-Free All Purpose Bread Mix is how allergen friendly it is. Not only is it gluten-free, but it is also soy free, corn free, rice free, potato free, yeast free, peanut free, tree nut free, egg free (unless you use it in the mix instead of egg substitute), lactose/casein free, iodine free, and sugar free. This mix is also non-GMO and certified kosher!

Well, my pantry is quite full of numerous mixes and delicious things to try. So, this just sort of sat. But with the expiration date fast approaching…it was time to give them a shot. And, I was thinking something light and savory for dinner. So, I hit up Pinterest and found a recipe for BBQ Portobello Sliders. Now, I didn’t have portobello mushrooms, but had rather large crimini ones in my fridge from my CSA bin. I had the rest of the ingredients too. What I lacked was the most obvious part of the slider…the slider buns.

Then…it dawned on me that I had this mix in my pantry…and it was getting close to the time it needed to be used up. So, out it came and I got to work on making up my own little gluten-free slider buns.

Slider buns made from Chebe Gluten-Free All Purpose Bread Mix

This was a simple process. Following the instructions on the box, I simply poured the bread mix into a bowl, added two eggs and 2 tablespoons of olive oil…mixed that together…then slowly added exactly 1/4 cup of water. Once that was all incorporated and blended, I kneaded the dough with my hands until it was smooth and all one large lump of bread dough.

And here is where I went off script. The rest of the recipe created 4 sandwich buns…but I wanted slider buns. So I made 10 little rolls out of the lump of bread, flattened them down into little round disks like the recipe said, and brushed each one with olive oil. I then put it in my oven at 375° F for about 25 minutes and allowed them to bake.

When time was up, I removed them from the oven and allowed them to cool on the baking sheet while I prepared the mushrooms, caramelized the onions, and sliced an avocado.

First of all, I was hoping these would crisp into a beautiful golden-brown…but they never quite did. They looked anemically pale. It was a bit off-putting, but…that was the last of my problems. The mix, prior to putting everything together was a very white, very thin powder. That being said, this Chebe mix is made up simply of tapioca powder, modified tapioca starch, cream of tartar, sea salt, and sodium bicarbonate. You can add cheese to the mix, but I didn’t…as the sliders were going to have cheese on them. Still, with the brushing of olive oil…one would think there would still be some golden crust forming.

That was the first disappointment. The second disappointment was that they really didn’t puff up much. The flat little disks of dough rose only slightly in the heat of the oven. So…these made for very flat slider buns.

Finally…the third disappointment was…the taste. Not that these tasted bad…they just weren’t light and soft like the Cheese Bread that I made from Chebe. This dough wasn’t too dense, but it was definitely not soft and squishy like a slider bun should be. It just felt…wrong. The flavor was fine…but it was the texture that was just all wrong for me this time. It just didn’t work.

But…I went ahead and sliced the flat rolls in half (as best I could) and filled them up with my mushroom caps, vegan cheese slices, caramelized onions, avocados and a drizzle of barbeque sauce and used them for the purpose I baked them up for. It wasn’t bad. I just wish they had been softer and a bit fluffier.

That being said, I have six more rolls in my fridge that I’ll use up tomorrow by making breakfast slider sandwiches. I am kind of sad about the way this mix turned out, because I have raved about Chebe in the past and was really hoping for that trend to continue. Sadly…this one failed to win me over.

Maybe, with some convincing, I’ll give another mix a try. But this one…won’t find it’s way into my pantry again any time soon.

BBQ Mushroom Sliders sandwiched between buns made from Chebe Gluten-Free All Purpose Bread Mix

January 24, 2013

Überly Nuts over Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Bar

Product: Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Roll – $1.99+

You know…I’m a nutty person. No…for real.

So, it should come as no surprise whatsoever that I fell completely head over feet in love with the Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Roll fruit and nut bar. I mean…honestly…what’s not to love?

Confession time – today was not the first time I ever ate one of these. Honestly, I was in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania at a convenience store/gas station…and in desperate need of a snack. Aside from a fruit cup, I was finding very little that this gluten-free girl could eat. And then…I spotted a stash of the Roasted Nut Roll Lärabar Über’s…and I grabbed it.

Like I said…I was a hungry girl in the middle of nowhere, so no pictures were taken. But…this bar ROCKS!! I loved it then…and I loved it even more today as I settled in for my 3 p.m. snack time.

It’s sort of nice to come into snack time on a new snack and know, for sure, that it will be delicious. I have been burned a few times by sub-par gluten-free products. But Lärabar is a name I trust. Every flavor I have ever had has been good…some great…quite a few more delicious…but this one…this one is pure awesomeness.

What I think makes this bar so amazing is that perfect balance of sweet and salty.

Even more…I think it’s the fantastic inclusion of so many varieties of nuts that gives it that super nutty flavor. The Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Roll contains a fantastic mix of roasted almonds, cashews, roasted peanuts, pecans and macadamia nuts. YUM!! It’s like a Planters Mixed Nut blend…but healthier…and sweeter. Why sweeter? Because in addition to the nuts, the bars also contain brown rice syrup, dates and honey. Add a dash of sea salt…and what you get is über perfection. The perfect blend of sweet and salty. Honestly…it was hard not to just shove the entire bar in my mouth and chew it until it was gone.

I think you can pretty much guess how I feel about these. And as far as nutrition facts go…these bars contain 220 calories per bar and 16 grams of fat. So…definitely not the healthiest of options…but still amazing and good. They have 5 grams of sugar and only 7 grams of sugar, which is awesome. At least the fat in this bar comes from the nuts…which means it is at least they are healthy fats.

Oh yeah…these are just yumminess personified. Trust me…buy these. Buy these now.

Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Roll (unwrapped)

January 23, 2013

Forget Krispy Kreme – Katz Gluten Free brings glazed donuts to the gluten free masses

Product: Katz Gluten Free Glazed Donuts – $6.99

Were you like me and once upon a time used to be able to eat what everyone else does?

If so, you might recall one of life’s simplest, sweetest, most divine treats – a simple glazed Krispy Kreme donut.

Sure…a donut is a donut, right? Or…you might think that until you have to give them up. Trust me…no matter how healthy you are or how good you are trying to be…everyone appreciates a good donut every now and again.

Problem: when you are gluten-free…a good donut isn’t always easy to come by. Even more difficult…finding one that is reminiscent of the ones you used to be able to savor.

Now…I absolutely love donuts. And I’ve tried out quite a few different gluten-free ones. While the ones in stores are all fine and good…the only brand that has really made me sit up and remember what eating at Dunkin’ Donuts after swim class was really like…has been Katz Gluten Free. Yes, once again I am lifting upon high the fantastic products that Katz Gluten Free puts out on the market. Why? Because they truly are worthy of such high praise. I have yet to find something I have tried that I haven’t liked.

A couple weeks ago, I received an e-mail regarding new products from Katz Gluten Free. One of the items listed was…glazed donuts. So, upon returning to my desk at the office, I went ahead and ordered some…because they looked absolutely scrumptious in the announcement. They arrived two days later and I skipped to the freezer at the office to store them, brought them home and put them in my freezer, then…could hardly wait a week before I was pulling them out to use as breakfast after hitting up the gym.

Yes…hard workout at the gym = gluten-free donut (with some fruit…give me some credit!) for breakfast at the office.

Anyway…I got to the office and went into the kitchen with the donuts. I pulled out a plate and set one in the microwave, giving it a very quick nuke for 10 seconds. With it and some freshly chopped pear from my CSA bin, I took the first one to my roommate at her desk. Then, I returned to the kitchen to repeat the process for me.

As I settled in at my desk, I started on the pear. My roommate came over to show me something and I asked her how the donut was. She lifted her eyebrows, looked at my untouched one, and simply said…”Take a bite.” Who am I to argue when a gluten-free glazed donut is sitting right there waiting for me to devour it.

I lifted it up, drawing in that amazing scent of sugar from the glaze. It smelled like all those donut shops and bakeries that seem to torture me now. I savored that aroma for one moment more…then took my first bite.

WOW! No…honestly…WOW!! While these are definitely not as light and fluffy as the famous Krispy Kreme donuts…these are just as delicious. And I don’t mind the extra definition to the donut. I like that it has a little heft to it. Honestly…these were melt-in-your-mouth-Krispy-Kremeish-fantasticness. Yes…that really is an adjective. Trust me.

I couldn’t believe how much I fell in love with this donut. It was like, the moment I had a bite…I had to have another one. Every donut I ever ate before my diagnosis seemed to pale in comparison. This…was one fantastic glazed donut. And for the first time ever, I lost myself in the taste and texture of this little treat. I don’t even care that the office has Krispy Kreme’s and other donuts on occasion now…because I have Katz Gluten-Free Glazed Donuts. They…are even better, in my opinion.

Dear Katz…if you keep expanding your donut line…I might just love you even more. Especially if they keep getting better and better…like these.

I love you.

No really. I do.

Looks like it’s time to order more donuts…

January 15, 2013

The Really Great Food Company mixes up really great gluten-free Spinach Cheese Biscuits

Product: The Really Great Food Company Gluten-Free Spinach Cheese Biscuit Mix – $6.19+

You know…when a gluten-free company goes all out and calls itself The Really Great Food Company, well, they better be able to back up that claim. That being said, I had never heard of said company prior to a little visit to Milwaukee and a stop inside the Gluten-Free Trading Company. If you are ever in Milwaukee, do stop in. It’s a completely gluten-free grocery store. And it is awesome!!

Anyway, on my second visit there in two days, I was stocking up on more goodies for the gluten-free pantry at home and came across a few mixes that were produced by The Really Great Food Company. Huh. I was actually intrigued because this was something I couldn’t get where I lived.

After toiling over which product to try, my roommate and I finally decided that the Spinach and Cheese Biscuit mix sounded like it could be an epic win (or an epic fail), so we went with that. Purchase made. And a lot of products to go through in my pantry prior to this one meant…it sat…and sat…and sat. Until last night.

You see…our workout schedule runs so that we go to the gym every other day. Well, this week it just happens to be a Monday, Wednesday, Friday sort of week. And after hitting up the gym, we head to our office and I nuke something I brought (homemade or otherwise) for us to feast on because by then we are truly starving. Since this mix was getting close to expiration, this is what I mixed up and baked up for post-workout brekkies this week.

Now, the box itself says that it only makes 9 biscuits. Heh. I managed to get 13 out of it. And as these are not made in traditional biscuit methods (not drop biscuits or cooked up in a pan), but rather made in muffin tins…they seem more like a roll than a biscuit…but this is just me nitpicking every little detail.

The Really Great Food Company Gluten-Free Spinach Cheese Biscuit Mix (mixed and prepped with cheese and spinach)

Making these was super easy. In a bowl, I beat together 2 eggs, some canola oil, and some unsweetened almond milk. From there, I the mix itself and beat that in as well. Then, the spinach, chopped cheddar cheese, and shredded Parmesan cheese all got folded into the mix. The resulting mixture was then placed into muffin tins and baked in a 375°F oven for about 27 minutes.

Now, if possible, I do try to bake an extra item of the new product I am trying out…just in case it isn’t any good. Because, after a hard workout, the last thing you want to find out is that your breakfast is nasty. Not good. That being said, I put it to the test, as always, with my roommate. I gave her the 13th biscuit and eagerly awaited her reaction.

“Pretty good.”

Hmmm…pretty good is not what I strive for when I bake something up. But she wasn’t spitting it out making obscene facial expressions, so…pretty good would have to do. The rest of the biscuits/rolls were put into containers and prepped for our three gym days this week.

After hitting the gym this morning, we arrived very hungry at the office. I set to the task of getting our breakfasts ready. Here was the first snag. Apparently I needed to spray down the muffin papers I baked them in because I found that the wrappers stuck to the product itself. Booo. But, this wouldn’t be the first time I encountered that…so I set to work, carefully peeling and making sure I was getting mostly paper and not mostly biscuit. Once I accomplished that task, it was a simple reheat in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Good to go.

When I asked my roomie her thoughts on the biscuits, she said, “I like the cheese.”

Again…not very helpful or useful for my blog…so…here’s my rundown…

The Really Great Food Company knows how to make biscuits! Honestly. What shocked me most was that, despite being filled with chunks of cheddar cheese and slices of spinach, these biscuits aren’t dense in the slightest. They are light and airy. And the Parmesan cheese that was added to the batter melted down into the biscuits as they baked, giving each bite a cheesy flavor. Get a bite with a chunk of cheddar and it’s like cheese nirvana in your mouth. Light…fluffy…and delicious. I couldn’t stop eating mine. I had two biscuits for breakfast and they were devoured faster than I’ve eaten anything on a gym day. Every bite just tasted amazing. From the spinach to the cheese to the light batter itself, this biscuit was gluten-free perfection.

My only regret now is that I can’t find this brand around here. Thankfully, they do have a Web site and you can order their products online. And, trust me, I think I may do that…see what else they offer and if it lives up to the standard these biscuits have now set.

Gluten-free doesn’t have to mean heavy, dense breads. Nope. The Really Great Food Company proved once and for all that even something as simple as a biscuit/roll can have a light, airy texture and tons of flavor. I’m really, really hooked. The hard part now will be saving them specifically for gym days.

It may sound cheesy (heh heh…see what I did there?) but these biscuits truly are a gluten-free culinary work of art. If you can find the mix…purchase it and bake it. If you can order it online, I encourage you to do so. I was beyond impressed.

I was wowed!

The Really Great Food Company Spinach Cheese Biscuits

January 13, 2013

Lärabar brings a taste of cherry cobler to Über line

Product: Lärabar Über Cherry Cobbler – $1.99

Who can argue with a snack that tastes like a classic summer dessert? You won’t find a lot of people complaining about that. Least of all me. As we all know…I love dessert. Love it. I could skip a meal if it mean a bigger dessert (that would be the trade-off). Of course, getting dessert isn’t easy for the gluten-free vegetarian…so I take what I can get.

With that in mind…I found myself awake on a race morning, having just eaten my cereal and knowing that I was going to need a little more closer to race time to see me through the race. If I don’t fuel about 30-40 minutes before a 5K, I normally find my stomach growling at the start of the race or halfway through. Nothing can throw you off your running mojo like hunger in the middle of a run. And with a 5K race, GU and Sports Beans are a bit excessive. It’s 3.1 miles…it’s not a half marathon.

That being said, I tend to come prepared for such things with my snack bars and protein bars. This particular morning, I found myself busting open a box of Lärabar Über that I picked up at the grocery store on Manager’s Special. I mean…the Über line is completely all natural, gluten-free, kosher, non-GMO, have no added preservatives, fillers, colorings, and no added sulfites.

LOVE that.

So, about 40 minutes before I was to start off on this 5K jaunt Saturday morning, I broke out my fuel, being my Lärabar Cherry Cobbler Über. My roomie (who was up and there to cheer me on) decided we would split it. So, I broke it in half and she took a bite. Being that she’s not big on cherry anything, the fact that she kept eating it was a good sign.

My turn.

Oh. Yeah.

This fruit and nut bar is hearty, made with chunks of fruit and nuts, rather than having it all ground together like the standard Lärabars. I love being able to see the full bits of dried cherries, raisins, and dates mixed with the almonds, cashews, and pecans. I love the rich flavor that the brown rice syrup, the salt, and the honey bring to the bar itself. When you take a bite of this bar, you actually get the illusion that you are eating an actual cherry cobbler. That’s exactly what it tasted like. And with the blend of fruit and nuts, nothing is too overpowering. Nothing at all. It is a nice balance of sweet and salty and one that settled perfectly into my stomach before a hard run on hilly roads.

I love how nutritious these bars are as well. Despite tasting like a dessert, the Lärabar Cherry Cobbler Über bar will only set you back 190 calories and 12 grams of fat, most of which is provided in the healthy form from the nuts. This particular variety offers of 14 grams of protein and no cholesterol. Yeah! Despite the addition of salt, the brown rice syrup, the dried fruits and the nuts, there is only 135 mg of sodium in each bar. That’s amazing. And while this does have 12 grams of sugar, I’m relatively certain that mostly comes from the dried fruits that are used and the brown rice syrup and honey that help bind the bar together.

In the end, what you have is a tasty bar that actually satisfies your hunger, keeps you going, and is nutritionally sound. And…it tastes like dessert. What could be better?

January 9, 2013

Eco-Planet dishes up a mighty fine Gluten-Free Apples and Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal

Product: Eco-Planet Gluten-Free Apples and Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal – $5.19+

Oatmeal.

It has been my go-to, inexpensive, gluten-free lunch of choice since I was told by my doctor to go gluten-free. Sure, not all brands are inexpensive, but when compared to the price of gluten-free bread…gluten-free condiments…oh…and those pesky rising costs of fresh fruits and vegetables…oatmeal is the way to go.

Besides…it’s hearty. And, more often than not, delicious.

Well, awhile back a local grocery store I frequent suddenly had a massive closeout on items in their gluten-free section. Fearing that I was about to lose my gluten-free shelves of goodness, I stocked up on items that I loved and a couple items I had been meaning to try, and just hadn’t talked myself into it.

One of the items in the latter category was the Gluten-Free Apples & Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal from Eco-Planet.

Today was the day that I busted this out of the pantry to take to work and enjoy at lunch. At least…I hoped I was going to enjoy it. I had high hopes because Eco-Planet is the very same company that is putting out Gluten-Free Toaster Pastries (yes…gluten-free Pop Tarts!). I wanted it to be good. I hoped it would be good.

Individual packet of Eco-Planet Gluten-Free Apples and Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal

Before we get to that, however, how about a little information on the product itself? The gluten-free instant oatmeal from Eco-Planet is definitely one of the more nutritious finds out there. It is composed of seven whole grains, including whole oats, buckwheat, sorghum, brown rice, puffed amaranth, quinoa and millet. Each packet of oatmeal contains 500 mg of Omega 3.

Not only that, one serving (which is one pouch) is only 150 calories! That’s awesome. Each serving contains only 3 grams of fat and 10 grams of sugar. Not bad for a hot cereal, yes? And for me, as a gluten-free, vegetarian…who is also an athlete…the 4 grams of protein is a sweet addition to every spoonful.

So…now to the nitty-gritty of this review…the actual review.

Making the cereal up at work is super easy. Empty the pouch into a bowl and add 1/2 cup of water (or milk…but I use water). Stir and then microwave for 1-1/2 minutes to 2 minutes. Remove from microwave…and enjoy!

I tend to forget that the microwave at the office is much stronger than the one I have at home…so when I put this in for 2 minutes, it turned out a bit thicker than I normally enjoy my hot cereal…but it wasn’t bad. The taste…well…surprisingly good. I mean, like most oatmeal, it isn’t much to look at…but one bite…and I knew that this was a good thing. I didn’t need to break out the back-up lunch plan today. Nope. The oatmeal was thick, hearty, and seasoned well with dried apples and that spicy hint of cinnamon. Yummy!

I was pleasantly surprised with the texture, flavor, and quality of Eco-Planet’s Gluten-Free Apples and Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal. I would love to try the Maple and Brown Sugar one next if I can find it somewhere. I am very impressed with the way the company chooses ingredients, makes sure they maintain the integrity of the gluten-free product, and in the end, put out a product that is amazing and delicious.

I’m hooked and ready for more!

Eco-Planet Gluten-Free Apples and Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal (prepared)

January 1, 2013

Nothing sinful about Sinfully Gluten Free’s light and fluffy table rolls

Product: Sinfully Gluten Free Table Rolls – $3.25

I attempted to make dinner rolls back when I first went gluten-free. The problem? They just came out way too dense. Super, duper heavy. I wasn’t a fan…but my roommate and I ate them with our breakfast (usually making egg sandwiches out of them) or with our dinner…doing what we could to make them lighter. Or at least…not feel so dense.

And I attempted cheddar biscuits using Gluten-Free Bisquick once with a non-gluten-free friend of mine…and they were dense. My mom attempted to do it for Christmas Eve so I could enjoy bread with everyone. My dad was the guinea pig…and he said they were too chewy. They were definitely dense and heavy…and not up to par. My mom ended up making a regular batch for everyone else and I consumed two of the ones that she attempted gluten-free.

Dinner rolls were turning out to be an epic gluten-free fail.

But…over the New Year, I was heading to Ohio to hang with my friend Jenn. And one of the trips we planned was to head to Dayton, Ohio…for the sole purpose of hitting up Sinfully Gluten Free. You see…I love their Cinnamon Rolls (which they only have on Saturdays) and Jenn is a huge fan of their Lemon Bars (yes…and Jenn doesn’t even have to eat gluten-free!)…so I called ahead to make sure they had 4 trays of them on hand for me. I didn’t want to make the trip and be disappointed by ending up walking away without any cinnamon rolls. Well, the snow started the night before and continued through much of the next morning…delaying the journey to Dayton. But…we eventually dug out the car and made our way onto the slick roads for our road trip to Dayton.

By the time we got there…it was lunch time. Lunch was now going to be part of the fun at Sinfully Gluten Free. I had mentioned that I put in an order for Cinnamon Rolls, but that I would get it after I ate lunch. So, we all ordered lunch, settled in to eat, then made our purchases afterwards.

However…it just so happened that there were these table rolls in the pastry case. And now I was intrigued. The original plan for that evening was gluten-free stuffed shells…and I thought some dinner rolls might go well with it. So, I also picked up a bag of those along with the 4 trays of cinnamon rolls I had ordered the night before. Jenn…well…she bought them out of every lemon bar they had in the place. We are gluten-free rockstars, friends!

With the later lunch, however, we weren’t hungry enough for the gluten-free stuffed shells. I didn’t want to freeze the table rolls, because when I pulled them out of the bag at home, I realized how soft and light they were. I hadn’t held a gluten-free dinner roll that was light yet. I wanted to definitely eat these before they had to see a refrigerator or freezer. So, after a little thinking of something light to do for dinner…we settled on table rolls with scrambled eggs.

Once the eggs were in the pan, I gave the table rolls a little warm-up in the microwave. This took their soft and light texture to a warm version of it. With a schmear of butter…it would be the perfect compliment to…any meal, really…but that night…it was scrambled eggs.

I wanted to eat part of the roll without the butter to start with. Just to see what it tasted like. First of all, these heated up so well. I think they would have also done well with a slight toasting in the oven…but the microwave warmed them through and gave them that fresh out of the oven feel. I loved that. They were still very light and steam rolled back as I tore into mine and took a bite.

Light. Fluffy. Soft. Chewy. They were dinner roll perfection. Put one of these down in front of someone who wasn’t aware that they were gluten-free and I guarantee that you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Honestly. These were not dense at all. I wish I knew the secret to making gluten-free dinner rolls that didn’t feel and taste so heavy. These were light as a feather and delicious. And they complimented the eggs perfectly. I gave part of mine a small pad of butter and topped it with a bit of the scrambled egg…and it was a match made in heaven.

These rolls would compliment any dinner to be sure. They are the perfect bite of gluten-free bread. No feeling like you’re eating an entire loaf. These were light to the touch and just plain light in texture. And the taste…phenomenal.

Sinfully Gluten Free is sinful in the respect that everything they put out is a delicious bite…and just sheer gluten-free magic. I hope to purchase more dinner rolls from them next time I’m in town because I was highly impressed.

How do they make them so light and fluffy? I may never find out…but thankfully Sinfully Gluten Free bakes them up that way…so that even the gluten-free community can enjoy a good dinner roll every now and again!

YUM!

Sinfully Gluten Free Table Rolls with Scrambled Eggs

January 1, 2013

Caramel oozes from tasty Katz Gluten-Free donuts

Product: Katz Gluten Free Caramel Donuts – $5.99

Giant donut balls of caramel goodness. There is no other way to describe the new donuts from Katz Gluten Free. Honestly.

Now…I was a little weary about purchasing one of the filled donuts from Katz Gluten Free. I have yet to try the custard donuts or the jelly donuts. While they both look fantastic…I’ve heard that the filling is actually a bit skimpy in them. It is probably the biggest complaint I have heard regarding the filled donuts.

But…when I saw the announcement for the new Caramel Donuts from Katz Gluten Free come over my e-mail, I didn’t even hesitate to order them. I love caramel…so this just sounded fantastic from the instant I read about it. Drool-worthy even. My spontaneous purchase, I hoped, would pay off.

The donuts arrived two days later and into the freezer they went. Until this weekend. Because my friend Jenn is just as much of a caramel connoisseur as I am. So, when I was heading to her place for the New Year, I promised donuts. And so…the other morning, Jenn, Cathy and I each had one full donut and 1/3 of a donut to ourselves.

I let the donuts thaw overnight on the counter in the container. Then, when we were ready for breakfast…into the microwave they went. A 15 second warmup. It was enough to just give them that fresh-from-the-oven effect. Honestly. The caramel oozed from each donut. No skimping on the filling here.

But the best part…the powdered donut that surrounded the donut. I mean, the caramel was good and all, but the cakey donut that surrounded the filling was the true star. I love the powdered donut from Katz Gluten Free anyway…so it was no surprise that this was my favorite part of this breakfast treat.

Would I purchase these again…probably. But I much prefer the gluten-free powdered donuts and the cinnamon donuts over the filled. But the oozy caramel was definitely not skimped on in these. So, for those of you who are gluten-free (or even if you aren’t…both Jenn & Cathy are not gluten-free…but love these donuts as much as me!)…these donuts are amazing and tasty…and are definitely not lacking in the filling.

Oh…and they are tasty too.

Mmmm…gluten-free donuts that are amazing. Thank you…again…Katz Gluten Free!!

December 20, 2012

Great texture with Hodgson Mill Gluten Free Buckwheat Creamy Hot Cereal…just bland!

Product: Hodgson Mill Gluten Free Buckwheat Creamy Hot Cereal – $4.40+

I’m going to be the first to admit it. When I pulled out this box from the pantry to take to work with me as my lunch today, I was more than a little nervous about it. At first, I thought nothing of it. But the more I looked at the box, the more I thought this spontaneous gluten-free sale item might have not been the wisest choice while out grocery shopping. And the only reason I think that is that it sort of makes a reference to grits. And I do not like grits.

So…yeah…wasn’t too sure about this one.

But that’s what happens when I get caught up in the moment of a great gluten-free sale. When items get marked down or put on closeout, I snatch them up as fast as I can. Sometimes I think twice about them…but not this time. My local grocery store was having a closeout on their entire gluten-free section. And that made me think that they were getting rid of it. Thankfully, they didn’t…they were going to expand it and were moving things off the shelf. But…it put the fear of a gluten-free-less pantry into my head and I just started grabbing whatever was marked down on closeout and throwing it in my cart.

Hodgson Mill Gluten-Free Buckwheat Creamy Hot Cereal was one such item. And today…was the moment of truth…

It wasn’t…horrible. It wasn’t what I was used to either. And I think that might have been part of the problem. The texture was actually nothing like grits…more like oatmeal. I’m okay with that. I always eat oatmeal for lunch. In fact, I was so concerned with the texture that I caramelized some apples up this morning to reheat and add to the cereal…and that’s what I did when lunch time hit. I settled in at my desk at work with a hot, steaming bowl of the Gluten Free Buckwheat Creamy Hot Cereal and took a bite.

It wasn’t sweet at all…and that was what I missed. While I’m not a fan of loading things down with sugar, even with the caramelized apples it was just bland. I went to add some sugar to it…and it was just not a good idea. It actually made the flavor a bit worse. So, I stuck it out, figuring tomorrow I’d try again, maybe with different fruits and some brown sugar or maple syrup to sweeten it. It wasn’t horrible…it just needs some additional work to get it to where I like it.

So, I’ll try it again tomorrow…with different fruit and something to sweeten it up. It was the texture I had been worried about originally…but that wasn’t the problem with this one. It was the flavor, or lack thereof, despite my attempts to make it taste a little sweeter through the use of fruit and additional sweetener.

I guess only time will tell when I give this another shot with a different fruit and a different sweetener. All in all…not bad…but not my favorite. It’s…edible at least.

Hodgson Mill Gluten-Free Buckwheat Creamy Hot Cereal (with caramelized apples)

December 18, 2012

Full-fledged and fantastic French toast that conjured up tears of joy…and a very full belly!

Restaurant: Annie May’s Sweet Café, Louisville, Kentucky

I’ve blogged about my local allergen-free bakery a few times now. But here’s the thing…they keep drawing me back in. Not only are their baked goods amazing (trust me, you wouldn’t guess that everything the serve there is gluten-free), but they offer specials each day they are open.

One of my favorite days to go to Annie May’s is Saturday. Why? Because they serve my favorite meal of the day: BREAKFAST!

A couple of weeks ago, my roommate and I were in the bakery for their allergen-free waffle breakfast. Unfortunately, their waffle irons were giving them issues that day. After a little bit of waiting…which we didn’t mind…the waffles finally emerged. But that week, when they reopened on Tuesday, they announced that after the issues with the waffles over the weekend, they threw away their waffle irons and would now offer a variety of French toasts instead.

I was immediately intrigued. Granted…I make French toast with my gluten-free sandwich bread at home all the time. And I do it a variety of ways too. Plain, stuffed, etc. But…something just screamed at me that I needed to have Annie May’s French toast.

Unfortunately…this is the holiday season and the past couple of weekends have been busy, busy, busy. Between races, shopping, holiday events, and long runs…getting over to the bakery in time for breakfast has not been easy. And the same seemed to be true for this weekend as well. Except my roommate, Cathy, is made of complete awesome. Despite heading out to Indianapolis for a race on Sunday, she said that this Saturday we could grab breakfast over at Annie May’s Sweet Café.

Much rejoicing and happiness. And after running a couple of errands in the morning prior to heading up to Indianapolis, Indiana for the race expo, packet pick-up, and whatever else we felt like doing, we pulled into Annie May’s Sweet Café with rumbling tummies ready for some food.

Of course, we now faced a dilemma. You see…they are also offering breakfast sandwiches, including one that is allergen-free…that had veggie sausage and everything. Oh…so tempting. And we almost went with that, but we had been discussing French toast prior to that. So…we stuck with that.

So, we each decided to get the Cinnamon French Toast ($9.99). I got mine with Earth Balance and she chose butter. But we both got maple syrup. Mmmm. It sounded heavenly. While we waited on our meal, we decided we would each enjoy one of Annie May’s delicious gluten-free doughnuts. The case had a variety of Gluten-Free Apple Cider Doughnuts. And I chose the Cinnamon-Sugar Apple Cider Doughnut ($2.49) and Cathy went with the Chocolate Ganache Apple Cider Doughnut ($2.49). Oh, it was a fine way to take away the tummy rumblies.

Let me tell you, though…after devouring my doughnut, imagine my surprise when my order of Cinnamon French Toast came out to the table. Being so accustomed to my usual French toast, I figured sandwich bread slices.

What emerged from the kitchen, however, were two thick-cut slices of gluten-free brioche bread, sweetened with cinnamon and sugar, and cooked to perfection. There was this beautiful golden crust on it. It wasn’t at all what I was expecting and I was suddenly regretting the decision to calm the hunger with a doughnut just prior to receiving the plate.

After giving a light spread of Earth Balance to each slice of bread, I sliced into the brioche, loving how the crusty outside gave way to the soft inside of the bread. I gave it a little dunk in my maple syrup and took my first taste.

It has been years since I have been able to eat French toast that wasn’t any thicker than the store-bought gluten-free sandwich breads. One bite and I thought I was going to cry. I now remembered why I fell in love with French toast. Because when it is done with the proper bread, it is beyond amazing. Honestly. There is just something so fantastic about eating a slice of French toast done with brioche. The thick-cut bread honestly makes all the difference. Tears of joy. Just…honest tears of joy at that first bite.

The French toast was super delicious. The crust was awesome…and I kept saving it for the last bites. I mean crisped up to perfection, golden, and seasoned with cinnamon. It melted with each bite. Pure perfection in French toast form. I was so happy.

But…these were definitely very filling. And after that first slice of French toast, I realized that either my roommate and I should have skipped the doughnuts or we should have split an order of the French toast. It was FILLING. But…we also were aware that we were not going to eat again until dinner in Indianapolis, so we polished off our plates and managed to waddle out of there quite full and quite satisfied.

My roommate can have French toast at any restaurant and she was raving about Annie May’s. The Cinnamon French Toast just hit the spot. Both of us killed off the food on the plate and enjoyed it down to the very last bite…even if we were already stuffed to the max. The French toast is definitely worth the trip into the bakery. Trust me…it is the best French toast I have eaten…anywhere. And the fact that no one would be able to tell it was gluten-free is what makes it even more amazing. Done to perfection…I’ll be dreaming of this breakfast for weeks.

If you live in the Louisville, Kentucky area, you should make a stop at Annie May’s Sweet Café a priority. Even if you don’t have food allergies, the food is so delicious, no one would be able to tell the difference.

I’m already looking forward to my next breakfast at Annie May’s Sweet Café. There is a gluten-free veggie sausage breakfast sandwich awaiting me. And I can’t wait to try it out. Because I haven’t had anything bad from Annie May’s Sweet Café yet. I have a feeling that isn’t going to change anytime soon.

Thank you, Louisville, for this gem of a bakery! Because of Annie May’s…I’ve been able to enjoy things I thought were forever off my food list. But because of this great bakery…that is no longer the case. And, more often than not, the item I purchase and indulge in is better than what I recall from before the food allergies struck. And that, dear foodies, is a food miracle.

Annie May's Sweet Café's Gluten-Free Cinnamon French Toast (with Earth Balance and maple syrup) — Annie May’s Sweet Café’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon French Toast (with Earth Balance and maple syrup)