Breakfast – Page 32 – The Celiathlete

November 21, 2012

Katz offers little bites of big flavor with new cinnamon sugar donut holes

Product: Katz Gluten-Free Cinnamon Donut Holes – $4.49

I still remember the day the announcement from Katz Gluten-Free came through my e-mail. It was this little bright spot in a busy, hectic day. After having introduced gluten-free donuts (which are the best out there…hands down!), Katz Gluten-Free was now offering…donut holes! YES…donut holes!

And why not? No bit of delicious gluten-free donuts should be wasted. Not even the little center part that gets cut out.

I knew…that moment…I had to have some. So, I placed an order.

And when they arrived I did a little dance of joy. Happiness. Donut holes. Just like what I used to eat as a kid from Dunkin’ Donuts. Just…smaller. And healthier for me too, when it comes to donuts. I have always been a sucker for donut holes. They are easy to just bite into and nibble on. Little bite-size wonders of donutty goodness. Few things make me as happy as donut holes…except gluten-free donut holes…because I can actually eat those.

Well, after the immediate elation of having Katz Gluten-Free Cinnamon Donut Holes…they ended up just being packed away in the freezer. Life was busy…and I was working my way through other delicious gluten-free treats. But with this being a short week thanks to Thanksgiving…I needed something to eat after hitting up the gym yesterday. My answer was found in my freezer. And Katz Gluten-Free once again saved the day. These little donut holes were there and I now had something to fill my belly after hitting up the cardio and weights at the gym before heading into work. Perfect.

I was a bit confused on the serving size. I think the nutrition information that is on the carton actually pertains to the Katz Gluten-Free Cinnamon Donuts. The box says that it serves 6, which would mean each package contains enough for each serving to be 3 donut holes with two left over. This seems like a very small serving for 160 calories. But…that’s what the package said, so I ran with it. As I was hitting the gym, I decided that I’d eat one of the extra ones in the serving size. Why not? I let them thaw overnight in a plastic bag and when I got into the office the next day, I put them on a plate and gave them a quick 10 second heat in the microwave.

Yeah…these just cemented the reason that Katz Gluten-Free have my favorite donuts. Even the donut holes are awesome. What I love about the Cinnamon Donut Holes is that they are little bites of sweetness, without being too much. I love donut holes for that reason. They are the perfect size to just…pop!! Let me tell you…I’d be hard pressed to not sit down with the entire package and devour them all in one sitting. It won’t happen. But…it would be oh…so tempting. These little donut morsels are soft, and have a great cake donut texture. They aren’t heavy in the slightest.

My only complaint would be that I would definitely feel more satisfied for the 16o calories if I were actually eating the donut. Then again…like I said…the nutrition information is definitely incorrect on the donut holes, so who is to say what the serving size is or how many calories I was consuming. Maybe an entire box is only one donut. I don’t know. I just will portion these out so as not to go through them too quickly and enjoy every little donut hole bite.

Truly delicious.

Katz Gluten-Free…you keep winning me over. And if you keep making donut varieties such as this…well…my paychecks will continue to head your way. Thank you for setting such a high standard for gluten-free foods and treats. I have yet to meet a product I didn’t like.

November 21, 2012

Annie May’s Sweet Cafe satisfies my cinnamon roll craving

Product: Annie May’s Sweet Café Take & Bake Cinnamon Rolls – $12.00

Sometimes being gluten-free can be difficult. I don’t say that to garner sympathy or anything. The fact is…sometimes I just want a bagel. Or a doughnut. Or even cinnamon rolls.

YES!! Cinnamon rolls.

In fact, this past couple of weeks I had been out-and-out craving gluten-free cinnamon rolls. While I could easily go to the grocery store and pick up some from Udi’s…let me tell you…that is not what I wanted. In fact, Udi’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls are the one item by Udi’s that I have not liked or praised up and down. I am just not a fan of the texture and taste of them. I wanted something with a crust on the outside and that was still gooey on the inside. You know…just like mom used to make…back when I was little and could still eat cinnamon rolls whenever I wanted.

Yeah…the gluten-free gig is a bit of a challenge at times, but I have no choice. Thankfully, however, I have a local bakery in Louisville, Kentucky that caters to those with food allergies. Everything they make is free of gluten, nuts, tree nuts, and soy. Upon request, they can make most of their goodies vegan as well (minus dairy/eggs). You gotta love that.

Well, I absolutely LOVE Annie May’s Sweet Café. I try to get over there for something whenever I am in town. This past Friday was the exception. I was actually heading out of town, but saw on their Facebook page earlier that week that they had Take And Bake Cinnamon Rolls. Oh…that hit the craving switch again so I inquired if they might have them in on Friday. They said they would, so I asked if they could hold one package of them for me. They said they could…and all I had to do was get to Friday and go pick them up.

After leaving work at noon, I headed into Louisville, Kentucky and swung by Annie May’s Sweet Café to pick up my order. As promised, they had a package there for me, along with the delicious icing to go with it. I was thrilledto say the least. And they looked awesome too. Nothing tiny about these cinnamon rolls. Each one weighed around 6 ounces and they just looked fantastic…even without being baked yet. The package of 4 cinnamon rolls ran me $12.00, but it was totally worth the cost. I was already wishing it was Saturday morning in Ohio so I could bake them up and devour them with my roomie and my friend Jenn.

Annie May's Sweet Café Gluten-Free Take & Bake Cinnamon Rolls (baked) — Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Take & Bake Cinnamon Rolls (baked)

Into the cooler in the car they went…and they made the long journey to Columbus, Ohio. Upon arriving at my friend’s house, I put them in the refrigerator until the morning.

When morning came, I sent my roomie out for coffee while Jenn and I prepared the rest of breakfast. I got out the cinnamon rolls and preheated the oven, according to the directions on the package. The oven was at 325 degrees and in went the pan. The package said to cook for around 7-9 minutes. I went with 7 to start with. And at the end of it, they weren’t yet golden, so I let it run a little longer. After 9 minutes passed…still not golden. The scrambled eggs we were having with them were done, so we dug in and I got a bit daring and set the timer for 2 more minutes. Still not golden. And still doughy in the middle. Not good doughy…but raw doughy. So…back into the oven they went. This time…for 5 more minutes. I was aiming for that golden brown that I associate with cinnamon rolls. When the timer went off this time, they were starting to turn a light shade of brown. So, I decided five more minutes, and after that I would call it done regardless.

We finished up our eggs and I impatiently waited for the timer to sound. When it did, I removed them from the oven and prodded them momentarily with a knife. Still not a rich golden color. Still a little soft in the middle…but it was good enough for me.

Annie May's Sweet Café Gluten-Free Take & Bake Cinnamon Rolls (baked and iced) — Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Take & Bake Cinnamon Rolls (baked and iced)

I set them down on a hot pad holder and pulled out a knife to apply the icing to the tops. Do it while it’s hot and it sort of just melts over the tops. Yummy. There were three of us and four cinnamon rolls, so I split one of them into thirds and began to serve them up.

For the amount of time it took to bake them, I can say this much…it was worth it. Not only did these cinnamon rolls leave me stuffed (perhaps we really didn’t need the eggs like we thought), but they did have a bit of a golden crust on the outside and that delicious soft middle going on. I was in cinnamon roll heaven. I love having a place nearby that can satisfy that craving for me whenever I need it. Really good gluten-free cinnamon rolls are difficult to come by…but Annie May’s Sweet Café really, really does it right. And I love that these are big. Like…Pillsbury Grand big. Size of a fist big. Just…big and packed with flavor. The icing, the soft middle…it was cinnamon roll nirvana for me.

I don’t know what I would do without Annie May’s Sweet Café in my life. Honestly. How I had never heard of them before this past year is beyond me. Now that I know about them…I can’t help but go back weekend after weekend. They are often my source of a breakfast if I am running in Louisville that Saturday morning. They have so much to offer, not just baked goods, but also soups, sandwiches, and pizza. Oh…I have got to go in sometimes for their pizza.

As it stands…cinnamon rolls were a huge hit with me. I am addicted. My mouth is watering even as I type this up. Another craving is hitting. But it’s Thanksgiving week…and their orders are at capacity. So my craving might have to wait a week or so before I can satisfy it again. Whether it was a temperature flaw or something with the oven…I don’t care. What emerged….in the end…was just like the cinnamon rolls my mom used to make.

In fact…they were better.

Annie May’s Sweet Café…thank you for setting up shop in Louisville, Kentucky and giving people with food allergies amazing, delicious food. My roommate and my friend don’t have to eat gluten-free…but when I am there…they do. And they agree…the cinnamon rolls were nothing short of awesome. I might have been full sitting at that kitchen table on Saturday morning…but I was full from your really good product. You haven’t let me down yet.

Annie May's Sweet Café Gluten-Free Take & Bake Cinnamon Rolls — Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Take & Bake Cinnamon Rolls

November 2, 2012

Recipe: Gluten-Free S’mores Hot Cereal

You know…sometimes I get into a breakfast rut. I know…that might be hard to believe…but it happens. I’ll get on a pancake kick, or an egg kick (I get on the egg kick a lot because it is SO easy and versatile), and that’s what I do. For awhile. And then…eventually, I find something else to entertain me.

But…I had an ingenious stroke of breakfast inspiration the other night. And I warned my roommate that when she woke up, I would have an experiment ready for us to try at breakfast. She looked a little concerned. But agreed she would brave whatever it was that I created. And if it was crap, I told her that I’d be happy to whip something else up for us.

Thankfully, however, my little experiment turned into a delicious breakfast treat. One I would totally make again. Just not every day. Given that it is mostly chocolate…it’s good for a nice, sweet morning eat every now and again.

Recipe: Gluten-Free S’mores Hot Cereal

Servings: 2
Time: Prep 5 minutes; Cook 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup hot cereal (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal)
1-1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (divided)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon zero calorie sweetener (I used Truvia)
2 dark chocolate mini candy bars, chopped (I used Nestle Special Dark)
1 tablespoon white chocolate morsels
2 gluten-free graham crackers, crumbled (I used Kinnikinnick S’moreables)
2 tablespoons Marshmallow Fluff

Directions:

Bring water and salt to a boil. Stir in 1/2 cup cereal and 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder. Immediately turn heat to very low, continuing to stir until cereal and water are blended. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and add the vanilla, 2 tablespoons cocoa, and and sweetener to taste.

Split between two bowls.

Over the top, sprinkle each with chopped dark chocolate, white chocolate morsels, and crumbled gluten-free graham crackers. Place a dollop of Marshmallow Fluff on each serving. Toast with kitchen torch or just serve.

Enjoy!

~*~*~

The best part about this breakfast was just how much it really tasted like S’mores. If you aren’t a fan of dark chocolate, feel free to use milk chocolate. Or just use chocolate chips instead. The possibilities are endless…and yield a delicious treat for breakfast. The chocolate melts into the hot cereal and it’s just…yum! Really, really yum! Forget the campfire at night, now you can have S’mores for breakfast. Trust me…you’ll want to make this one again!

November 2, 2012

Enjoying breakfast with a taste of Enjoy Life’s Cranapple Crunch Granola

After checking Enjoy Life’s Web site, I’m not 100% certain this product is even available anymore. Which is definitely too bad. And here’s why…

It is fantastic!

Simple and to the point on this blog. I picked up this pouch of granola at Big Lots one day while I was out and about. They just happened to have it on sale…and I just happened to snatch it up with one of the Double Chocolate Crunch granola pouches as well. I figured I could use it on homemade, gluten-free apple crisp. And then I realized it was highly unlikely that I would get around to making apple crisp anytime soon, despite the overflow of apples in my CSA bin every week. So, this morning…I got a little creative with breakfast.

With it being fall/winter time, apples are in abundance when it comes to my produce. So, I see them every week and try to come up with easy, efficient ways to use them. Even if it means just slicing them and eating them straight. Well…that could have happened this morning. And then…I had a brilliant stroke of brilliance (as I like to say). And I dug the bag of Enjoy Life Cranapple Crunch Granola out of my pantry and got set to work some of my breakfast magic.

I ended up getting out my vanilla Greek yogurt, caramelizing up some apples, and then serving it in parfait form with the Enjoy Life Cranapple Crunch Granola serving as the crunchy bit to give it texture. Assembling it was easy. Caramelizing apples I can do in my sleep. And throwing Greek yogurt over everything is something I’m used to doing…often. So, as I am still quite sleep deprived thanks to noisy downstairs neighbors, this simple task was just what I needed this morning.

Upon opening the bag of granola, however, I knew I needed to sample it on its own. Quality control and so I could give a true statement about flavor and taste via this blog. I thought it looked a lot like Rice Krispies with craisins and dried apples thrown into the mix. Which, isn’t a bad thing. I reached in and pinched up a bit of the granola and some of the dried fruit to eat and tossed them back. The bits of brown rice flakes were crunchy and really packed with flavor. And the bits of dried cranberry and dried apple really brought a bunch of fruity flavor to the mix. Honestly. I was beyond impressed. I wasn’t expecting much, because at first glance…it looks like something I could have easily thrown together. But it just packs that apple flavor with the cranberry to add to the tartness. And I loved that it didn’t have huge chunks like most granola does. This was just flakes of brown rice bits and the dried fruit.

And how did it fair in my breakfast parfait? Awesome!! It complimented the vanilla Greek yogurt and the caramelized apples better than any granola that has come before it. My taste buds were extremely happy with each flavor that danced across my tongue. Really delicious. And it stayed crunchy even with the fruit and yogurt. It’s hearty and I like that…considering it looks like regular cereal.

Nutritionally speaking, this granola hits at a good level when it comes to sugars. While some I have tried have had ridiculous amounts of added sugar to them, this stands with only 10 grams in a serving. The calorie count will only set you back 160 calories and 3 grams of fat. And the serving size is 1/2 cup. Way more than most granola offers, which is normally about half that serving. Love it.

Enjoy Life makes really amazing gluten-free and allergen-free products. They are processed and made minus the top eight food allergens (meaning they are Wheat Free, Dairy Free, Peanut Free, Tree Nut Free, Egg Free, Soy Free, Fish Free, Shellfish Free). The Cranapple Crunch Granola is a great gluten-free granola that packs a wildly delicious flavor punch and is definitely more nutritious than others out there on the market. It’s peace of mind.

And, beyond that, it’s delicious.

IF this flavor, the Cranapple Crunch Granola, is still one of Enjoy Life’s products…or if you can seek it out and find it…definitely get it. Definitely try it. And definitely enjoy it. Now I feel like I need to savor every bite…because who knows if I can ever get it again!

October 31, 2012

Sinful, soft, and scrumptious Cinnamon Rolls from Sinfully Gluten-Free

Sinfully Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls with Icing

Product: Sinfully Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls – $4.95

One of my biggest cravings since going gluten-free has been for, believe it or not, cinnamon rolls. Honestly. And it’s not that there aren’t gluten-free options out there. Udi’s makes some pre-packaged cinnamon rolls…which are…eh…okay, but definitely not one of their better products. And I attempted to make cinnamon rolls from a Chebe mix…and that was an epic fail of monumental proportions. Just…trust me on this one.

So, with the smell of Cinnabon lurking…everywhere…I resigned myself to the fact that unless I make my own (no easy task), that I would probably just have to stick with what Udi’s offers. Edible…but not a cinnamon roll in my mind.

And then, as luck would have it, I was in Dayton, Ohio for a chocolate festival. Yes…mock all you want…I am a female and I love chocolate. So the words chocolate festival will bring me to Dayton. Trust me. After sampling and buying a few items at the chocolate festival and doing a bit of antique shopping, my usual partners in crime (Jenn & Cathy) and I headed toward Centerville because, after dining at Sinfully Gluten Free before the Air Force Marathon 10K, I knew I had to go back. And I always will while in Dayton. Hands down.

Well, after placing our food order, I went shopping. Because here I am in a dedicated bakery/café…of course I’m going to buy some of their products. Among the items purchased…Sinfully Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls. Happiness abounded. And it even came with its own little tub of icing. YUMMY!

Of course, as is the case…these weren’t devoured immediately. Nope. They went back to Columbus, Ohio with me first. And then made the trip back to the Louisville, Kentucky area with me, via a cooler. And from there…they went into my freezer. But then…a busy weekend left me with no time to make gluten-free scones for my gym days…so…lo and behold…the cinnamon rolls were about to make their debut.

Sinfully Gluten Free’s Cinnamon Rolls come in a container of 4. Each roll is around 4 ounces in weight. Since I froze them, I pulled them out of the freezer to thaw in the container overnight. After my hard gym workout, I carried it into work with me and settled in the kitchen with two plates and four cinnamon rolls. My roommate received two of them and I received two. I saw that you could just go ahead and microwave the lot of them in the container they came in (minus the lid), but I needed time to ice them and keep mine warm while I took the roomie hers. So…I slid them onto a plate, and put them in the microwave for about 1 minute. They emerged piping hot and ready for a schmear of icing. I topped them off, put the other two for me in the microwave, and heated them up while I delivered the other pair to my roommate across the office.

I returned soon after just as the microwave beeped. Out they came, hot and ready for icing. I topped them off and happily carried them into my office and settled in at my desk with a fork. They looked absolutely perfect. Just like the ones my mom used to make…but better…because these didn’t come from a can marked Pillsbury. With much anticipation building, I slid my fork through one of the rolls, feeling the dough happily give way, how soft it was on the inside, and with that…I took my first bite.

These made me beyond happy. They were a perfect texture, despite being nuked in the microwave. They were gooey on the inside. The icing complimented them, without being too sweet and overpowering. It melted right over the top and into the rings of the cinnamon rolls. The rolls themselves weren’t too dense. They were light, with a little weight from the cinnamon rolled up inside. Sweet. Savory. And just phenomenal. Honestly. I savored each bite for as long as I could, dragging out my breakfast because I didn’t want it to end. I didn’t want to reach that last bite.

But…sadly…like all good things…this did come to an end. One final bite and I messaged my roommate and said, “I wish we had more of those in the freezer.” So, needless to say, next time I’m in or around Dayton, I hope Sinfully Gluten Free has some of those on hand because they have to be the best gluten-free cinnamon rolls to exist in the gluten-free world. Honestly. I have yet to find better. They got it all right and I was totally lucky enough to have the chance to indulge and enjoy.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but they deserve the high praise again. Sinfully Gluten Free…you take gluten-free goodness to sinfully divine levels. This gluten-free girl is one happy customer, always hoping to find herself in or around Dayton…just so I can come by and purchase more of your scrumptious goodies. I hope the cinnamon rolls make it back into my life…and soon!

Sinfully Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls (iced)

October 28, 2012

Lärabar’s Peanut Butter Cookie just like the real thing…only better

Lärabar Peanut Butter Cookie (snack size)

Product: Lärabar Peanut Butter Cookie – $1.99+

Two of my favorite things – peanut butter and cookies.

I thank Lärabar every time I open one of their bars and experience the promised flavor on the package. The thing is…they do this with simple ingredients…no more than 9 to a bar. The amazing thing is how much they actually taste like what they are setting out to make the bar taste like.

This past weekend, I took along a mini Lärabar to eat about 30 minutes before the start of a 5K race I was running. I have found this to work. Too often I’ve just had cereal before a race and I end up finding myself starving just before the start or at least a mile in. That’s no good. I want to have energy before a race. These…do the trick.

I grabbed three to choose from and ended up going with the Peanut Butter Cookie variety at chow time. I was pretty pscyhed about this one. Why? Well, as I said…peanut butter and cookies are two of my favorite things in life. And here they were…together…in the form of a gluten-free protein bar that I am able to eat.

The Peanut Butter Cookie Lärabar is made up of three ingredients. That’s it. Peanuts, dates, and sea salt. Seriously. The snack size bar contains only 100 calories and 3 grams of protein. It has 6 grams of fat in it, brought to you mostly in part by the peanuts. But that’s a healthy fat and something your body needs regardless.

So now that I’ve given you the nutritional rundown, how exactly did it taste? Moist. Fresh. And soft. And yes…it was just like eating a very soft peanut butter cookie. The flavor was spot-on! Three ingredients…and Lärabar totally delivered on it. This bar was chewy and tasted like it was fresh off a cookie sheet. The best part was the balance of flavor. While I love peanut butter and could totally eat it out of the jar on a spoon (and do that on occasion, LOL!), I didn’t want this to taste like that. And it didn’t. It honestly tasted like a peanut butter cookie. And it was love at first bite. I devoured it faster than I probably should have…but it was delicious and I was hungry. Therefore…nom.

The Peanut Butter Cookie Lärabar is gluten-free, kosher, dairy-free, soy-free, and vegan. It’s also delicious and now one of my current favorites! Looking for a quick bite on-the-go that is good for you, delicious, and like eating dessert without being a dessert? Try the Peanut Butter Cookie Lärabar. You’ll be hooked like me.

I sort of wish I had more…

But…on to the next flavor…

October 25, 2012

Recipe: Parmesan Baked Potato Halves

You know…it’s because of places like Pinterest that I can find new and exciting ways to fix up some of the produce that comes in my CSA bin every week. Honestly. While working with potatoes isn’t at all difficult, sometimes I can just get accustomed to making them one way and not really branching out from there. I was determined not to just slice these up into cubes and make home fries to go with eggs in the morning.

My organic fingerling potatoes are beautiful, mind you. And back when I first signed up for Pinterest, one of the recipes that I pinned was for Parmesan Baked Potato Halves. Sounded great. And here I was with some fingerling potatoes, ready to see if this recipe was all it was cracked up to be. But you know me…I always take a recipe and twist it up some way. In this case…I added…more cheese and a different flavor at that. In addition to spices as well.

The original recipe comes from Favorite Family Recipes. But below is my take on it.

Recipe: Parmesan Baked Potato Halves

Servings: 2
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Bake 45 minutes

Ingredients:

6-9 small potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half
2 tablespoons butter (I used Smart Balance)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup grated Chives & Dill Jack cheese
garlic powder
other seasonings (to personal preference) (I used a touch of crushed red pepper, rosemary, and salt)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt butter and pour into a 8×8 inch pan and spread evenly across the bottom.

Generously sprinkle Parmesan cheese and Chives & Dill Jack cheese and lightly sprinkle other seasonings all over the butter.

Place potato halves face down on the butter and seasonings.

Place in preheated oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Enjoy.

~*~*~

My roommate enjoyed her half of this tasty potato dish this morning with some ketchup. As for me…hot sauce was my game. Or, you can serve with whatever dip you choose to enjoy potatoes with…or just plain on their own. They are yummy that way too. It’s a simple recipe that really just takes a little time to bake up. But the cheese melts and crusts against the top and packs a whole bunch of flavor into each bite.

I’m making it again tomorrow morning! Go ahead…try it out. Flavor with whatever cheeses you fancy and whatever spices compliment it. Get creative!

October 24, 2012October 24, 2012

Brownie Crunch by thinkThin a chocolate and protein packed treat

Product: thinkThin Brownie Crunch High Protein Bar – $1.99+

I had just finished running my fastest half marathon yet. And I was in the land of chocolate. Seriously. It was just after the Hershey Half Marathon. I had downed my protein shake in the recovery area and had returned to the hotel to take a shower. But before doing that, I needed to get some further protein into my body before continuing on with the day.

With me, I had packed a thinkThin High Protein Bar. This flavor was Brownie Crunch. While I liked the Chocolate Fudge well enough, Brownie Crunch sounded even more intriguing. So, after a well run race…I tore into my chocolate-coated protein bar with gusto. I mean, in the land of Hershey’s chocolate…you best be eating some chocolate.

First bite…and it was like biting into a tough chocolate-coated brownie. Honestly. I think it was frozen from being out in the chilly weather that morning, but man…my jaw got tired of chewing it after awhile. The flavor was good. No aftertaste of protein on this one. But, it was very chewy…again, I do think much of that was from being out in 43 degree weather for over 2 hours. But after running 13.1 miles…my jaw really wasn’t feeling the chewing. I powered through it though…and gobbled it up.

As far as protein bars go, thinkThin definitely provides a tasty alternative to the other brands out there. What I love about these, aside from being gluten-free, is the 0 grams of sugar in each bar. Do note, however, that the Brownie Crunch is listed as having 12 grams of sugar alcohol. Aside from that, this protein bar will set you back 230 calories and 8 grams of fat. You will get 20 grams of protein, however, in each bar. And that…is fantastic. Especially for someone like me…who is a gluten-free, vegetarian athlete.

Due to the high value of protein in this bar, it does make for an excellent meal replacement. The fiber content is low, so this would also be a good option pre-workout/run. I don’t know if I can do chocolate before a run, but this might be something to experiment with.

So, of the protein bars I have tried, this has been one of the better ones. The texture was a little tough for me, but again, I don’t know how much of that was exposure to cold air. That being said, the flavor was great and I enjoyed bits of almond that were incorporated into the brownie filling to give it a little crunch. Overall, one of the better ones yet. Still not up to the Peanut Butter ones…but this one I’d buy if none of the others were available.

Looking for a meal replacement bar or a boost of protein for pre- or post-workout? thinkThin is definitely the way to go. Falling in love with their bars one trial at a time.

thinkThin Brownie Crunch High Protein Bar (unwrapped)

October 18, 2012

Nothing processed and nothing artificial in Love Grown Foods Raisin Almond Crunch granola

Product: Love Grown Foods Raisin Almond Crunch – $3.49+

You know what granola goes great with? Yogurt and fruit. Seriously, it’s one of my favorite things to make in the morning. My yogurt parfaits are legendary. But in order to build a beautiful and tasty parfait, you need a solid, delicious base with the granola you choose.

While out grocery shopping the other day, the manager’s special table included a bag of Love Grown Foods Raisin Almond Crunch granola. I had previously enjoyed a bag of their Sweet Cranberry Pecan granola and was pretty excited about this one because of that. Besides, I love raisins and I love almonds…so this had to be good.

On Monday morning, I got to find out. It was a frantic morning already as I took to attempting to caramelize apples for the parfait, get my morning coffee going, and get the gluten-free muffins warmed up and iced for breakfast. Needless to say…I had too much going on at once. However, the bright spot of the morning was I got to try the Love Grown Foods Raisin Almond Crunch.

I tore into the bag and happily reached inside to snag a few of the clusters to eat on their own. This would give me a sense of the flavor associated with it. Let me tell you…this variety of Love Grown Foods granola is fantastic.

The granola mixture itself is a combination of whole almonds, plump raisins, certified gluten-free oats, honey, organic agave syrup, coconut, sunflower seeds, canola oil, flaxseed, pure vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt. What emerges is one of my favorite granola to date. The whole almonds give this granola a nice crunch to the mix. The raisins are sweet. The coconut is the perfect addition to help tame the sweetness from the hone, agave, and raisins. What emerges is a healthy blend that is filling and just simply…delicious.

Love Grown Foods was created by a couple while attending the University of Denver. Each of the young entrepreneurs brought a knowledge of healthy living, healthy eating and love of an active lifestyle to the kitchen. And why not? What emerged was a perfected recipe for granola that started off with simple sample packs and grew from that into a business. And who can argue with a company that delivers amazing flavor in each handful that isn’t tainted at all by artificial sweeteners or sugar. Their granola is sweetened by either honey or agave.

Their food is produced with love…and that is something that is evident in the flavors and care that goes into their products. The granola is out-of-this-world good. And without all the additional sugars that normally go into granola, this is one of the best ones out on the market. In fact, a serving of 1/4 cup will only set you back 130 calories and 6 grams of fat. There are only 7 grams of sugar in a serving, which is fantastic for granola, which is usually heavy on the sugars. Thanks to the almonds, a serving also provides a hit of 3 grams of protein. Gotta love that.

And I do. For real.

Love Grown Foods is my go-to granola these days. They taste great and are good for you. Baked and created with love…and it shows.

October 16, 2012

thinkThin Chocolate Fudge a protein-packed rich chocolate treat

Product: thinkThin Chocolate Fudge Protein Bar – $1.99+

I’m a vegetarian and gluten-free athlete. This means I run. I run often. I run hard. I run far. And this means that despite my diet, sometimes meeting specific diet requirements, like the right amount of protein, can be a challenge.

Well, be that as it may, thankfully there are options out there. One such option are the protein bars offered by thinkThin.

This past weekend, I went on my final training run before the Hershey Half Marathon, which I am running on Sunday. That means I needed to clock 10 miles. And I did it…in record time. However, running long often depletes the body of important nutrients. For me, replenishing my protein stores is of highest importance. Chocolate milk is ideal, but I’m also lactose intolerant, and the chocolate soy/almond/rice/coconut milk options don’t have enough protein per serving to help with muscle repair.

So, after my run, I drank down one of my vegan chocolate protein shakes and then tore into one of the thinkThin bars I had in my drawer of fuel for before/after my runs. On that particular Saturday…it was the thinkThin Chocolate Fudge Protein Bar.

thinkThin describes this particular protein bar as a smooth, rich, classic fudge flavor. Well, after tearing into the bar and taking a bite, it definitely is rich and smooth. The classic fudge flavor, however, might be a little bit of an exaggeration. Let’s face it…protein shakes and protein bars have that strange protein-ish flavor to them. And even this bar, as decadent as it is, tastes like protein.

But…this is a protein bar…so of course it’s going to have that bit of an aftertaste. With all that being said, what the bar is is a creamy, chocolatey, rich middle coated in (my personal favorite part) chocolate. Mmmm…chocolate. I am a chocoholic and this…this bar was truly satisfying in that aspect. Overlook the aftertaste and what you have is a chocolate bar with nutritional value. It’s like candy…but good for your body (and soul, let’s face it!).

The thinkThin Chocolate Fudge Protein Bar is packed with 20 grams of protein and 0 grams of sugar. You know what? That’s my favorite part of the thinkThin bars. Lots of protein…no sugar. I love it. I am a sugar addict and as an athlete, I try to cut out as much of it as possible…but I love ice cream and chocolate too much sometimes. So this is a nice change of pace when it comes to a protein bar. This particular bar will set you back 240 calories and 8 grams of fat. These bars are naturally gluten-free and with it’s lack of sugar…pretty much guilt-free too.

The important thing to remember here is that this is a meal replacement bar. I ate mine for breakfast post-run. And it did the job just fine. I was satisfied and full until my lunch that afternoon. So, the flavor is a bit…off. You know what? I can deal with the strange aftertaste. The creamy, rich texture was reminiscent of fudge and the chocolate coating helped provide that illusion. Would I buy this one again? Sure. But only after I exhaust the peanut butter varieties.

If you are an athlete, a diabetic, gluten-free, or just looking for a meal supplement bar, thinkThin is one of my favorite varieties to go with. They are packed with flavor, good with texture, and don’t bulk up their products with added sugar. Gotta love that. Go ahead…indulge. It’s not every day chocolate fudge comes with such benefits to the body!

thinkThin Chocolate Fudge Protein Bar (unwrapped)