Dessert – Page 15 – The Celiathlete

June 20, 2014May 11, 2015

Product Review: So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert

Product: So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert – $6.99+

Pause.

Observe.

Stare at the product listed above.

Did you figure out why I had to have this in my life? Did you?

I’ll give you a hint. Two words.

Not “dairy free” (although my stomach is thankful that it is)…not “gluten-free” (although…if I’m eating it, obviously it is).

Keep looking. Ah…you saw it too?

COOKIE DOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you aware that, growing up, cookie dough ice cream was my absolute favorite thing in life. I mean, it blended two of my all-time favorite things in life…ice cream and cookies. Not just cookies…but that soft, rich cookie dough that everyone (save me) just ate out of the bowl. I love the ice cream…we were just never a cookie dough out of the bowl kind of family. But…COOKIE DOUGH ICE CREAM THAT IS VEGAN AND GLUTEN-FREE!!!

Yes…that is in my freezer. In fact…two pints of it are in my freezer. HA!

The ice cream itself is actually labeled to be a “frozen dessert,” as technically it doesn’t contain any cream…but…we all know it’s ice cream. Made by the coconut milk people, So Delicious (a brand and name I trust!), makers of much epic goodness! Seriously, I’ve yet to find a product of theirs that hasn’t just been amazing! They are called So Delicious for a reason. That’s quite the reputation to live up to…but they do it with style!

This product is just what it sounds like…a vanilla coconut milk based ice cream that is packed with gluten-free cookie dough chunks and crispy chocolate flakes. Happy memories flooded my mind as i pulled this out of the freezer and let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes. When you have dairy-free ice cream, you need to let the it sit out to thaw a little so it’s easy to scoop. Just…trust me on this. I am a pro. I haven’t indulged in cookie dough ice cream in ages. And I really haven’t since I had to go gluten-free three years ago. SO…EXCITED!

As it is mega hot and stupid humid outside…ice cream just sounded amazing. Ice cream always sounds amazing though. I grew up in New York and ate ice cream year round…even when it was negative something degrees outside. Ice cream is just one of my comfort foods. And, trust me, not all dairy-free varieties are up to par.

But this one is. I never doubted it since it was made by So Delicious. In fact, I found it to be really good. You can’t even taste the coconut in the base. It just tastes like a light vanilla ice cream. The gluten-free cookie dough balls give this great body and texture. I loved getting to one of the hunks of cookie dough and letting it melt for a moment on my tongue. Mmmm…

…must not raid freezer for other pint…

And the flakes of chocolate give it a great crunch as well. That’s the key to cookie dough ice cream…creamy, gooey, crunchy, sweet, and a bit of salt (from the dough). It’s the most magical ice cream, because it literally can trip every switch on your taste buds. Mmmm…

…put the spoon down…

As you can guess…I LOVED IT!

Let’s take a look at what So Delicious pours into their So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert (which is a tasty mouthful…literally!), shall we? The ingredients are listed as containing: organic coconut milk, organic dried cane syrup, cookie dough (made from rice flour), chicory root extract, chocolate flake, carob bean gum, guar gum, natural vanilla flavor.

How’s that for ingredients, eh? And remember, this ice cream is vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, and kosher.

As for nutrition…well…it’s ice cream. A fantastic dairy-free ice cream…but still ice cream. A serving of the So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert is 1/2 cup. This serving will dish up 170 calories and 9 grams of fat. Do not freak out over the fat. Yes…some of it is from the “dough” part of this ice cream…but some of it is the healthy kind that you find in the coconut milk. This ice cream is cholesterol free, contains only 35 mg sodium and 16 grams of sugar. Yeah…that is a lot of sugar. But…it’s a treat. A serving will also provide you with 7 grams of fiber and 1 gram of protein.

As I tuck the pint back into the freezer and lick my bowl clean…I just want to reiterate how happy this frozen dessert made me. I can’t thank So Delicious enough for putting a dairy-free and gluten-free cookie dough ice cream out on the market. I’ve been craving cookie dough ice cream for years now…and finally…I have the liberty to indulge.

As you can tell…that’s never a problem with me! If you haven’t tried the So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert…then you’re missing out. So get to your grocery store and snag yourself a pint. It’s a taste of cookie heaven in a creamy, dreamy ice cream base. It’s…all that is good in life! It is, simply put, amazing.

And yes…so delicious! (See what I did there? So clever!)

A serving of So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert

June 19, 2014

Product Review: Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Buns

Product: Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Buns – $5.99

I love it when Katz Gluten Free puts out new products. Why? Because it means they are expanding on the line of goodies that I already love and adore. And, trust me, in today’s gluten-free-filled world…quality is what I look for. I’ve been suckered into new products from big companies before only to have a product that tastes like sawdust or something worse. And then…sometimes you get these little known companies that put out the best gluten-free product you have ever tasted.

And that medium can rock back and forth. Honestly. Gluten-free foods are more science than anything else. And if the texture or flavor are even the slightest bit off…well…the consumers will make it known.

I am a huge fan of Katz Gluten Free. Fell in love with their products from the instant I ordered their free Sample Pack (all you do is pay for shipping!) a long, long, long time ago. Okay…it was probably about two years ago, but still…it feels like I’ve been ordering Katz Gluten Free products my entire life. I was blown away by the standards they maintain and the quality of each product they put out for their consumers and customers. If you’re new to gluten-free foods…I highly suggest ordering this pack…and while you’re at it…order the Gluten Free Powdered Donuts…because…they’re amazing. Just trust me and add it to your shopping cart!

Good. Now that that’s done…let me talk to you about one of their newest products! One that I squealed and squeaked and cheered for when I saw the e-mail announcing it to their product lineup. Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Buns. Like…cinnamon rolls…with the icing already applied. Oh…hell yes!! We all know my weakness for a good cinnamon roll. And finding a good cinnamon roll is not easy when you’re gluten-free. HA…there’s an idea for a Tumblr…”It’s Not Easy Being Gluten-Free.” But I digress.

Cinnamon Buns.

Gluten-Free. Freakin’. Cinnamon. Buns.

There…back on track.

I ordered these the instant they came up as a new product. And then froze them, per instructions, until today. Because it was a gym morning…and I was out of foods that were easy to take to the gym in a cooler to have at the office. These…are easy. And, being that they are a product of Katz Gluten Free…I was pretty certain they’d suffice for a breakfast. I wouldn’t take a bite and wish that I had brought something else. Of that, I was certain.

So, last night I removed two of the four buns from the package of Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Buns, placing them in a plastic bag to thaw. I don’t know why I do this when I know I’m going to microwave the product anyway. I just think it’s easier to get the right temperature when it’s not coming from frozen. So, overnight, they sat and thawed on my counter…and this morning, I packed them in the cooler and hauled my booty to the gym…and then to work. My reward…breakfast that consisted of one of the Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Buns. My roomie got the other one.

One quick 20 second zap in the microwave is all I gave each of these rolls. And it was just what it needed. Because I could have eaten them at room temperature…but you want that fresh from the oven feel, right? I know I do. That’s why I normally thaw them and then give a small zap each time I eat a Katz Gluten Free product. I do the same with the donuts…and OMG!

So…I settled in at my desk with my warmed Cinnamon Bun, the icing now all gooey from the quick heating…and that cinnamon filling just ready to be sliced into. I took my fork, gave it a neat cut, and then took my first bite.

And this is where it gets complicated. Because I like these. I like these a lot. The only issue I had with them was that the outer part of the Cinnamon Bun was…dry. Yes…even with the icing. It was just…dry. The further you ate into the bun, toward the center, it was moist (and that may have to do with the filling being inside the roll), but that first initial bite just was not the moist and delicious cinnamon roll texture I was anticipating. BUT…that being said…the flavor was awesome. The cinnamon gave just enough spice…the sugar…sweetness…the icing wasn’t too much, but it kept each bite sweet yet satisfying…without taking over and just coating your mouth in sugar, which can happen. It was just a light drizzle of icing, and for that…I was happy. Because…I’m not a frosting/icing kind of girl. I often find it way too sweet. But this was icing perfection. The Cinnamon Bun, itself, had great flavor. And after that first initial twist in the roll, it got a bit moister. It tasted like a cinnamon roll. Maybe a day old cinnamon roll…but that might be due to freezing (you have to keep them frozen as these have no preservatives in them…as is the case with a lot of baked gluten-free goodies), or the microwave, or a flaw in the roll itself. But…I wouldn’t turn my nose up at these. Not at all. I’m already contemplating when the best time to bust out the other one might be. HA!

Taste good…a little dry on the outside…but delicious once you get to that inside. YUMMY!

So, let’s talk about ingredients. As I mentioned, there are no preservatives added to the Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Buns. So, they do need to sit in your freezer if you aren’t going to eat them right away. The Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Buns are made from a gluten-free flour mix (potato, tapioca, sorghum, white rice, brown rice, and corn), trans free margarine, water, sugar, eggs, brown sugar, confection sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, dry yeast, honey, xanthan gum, salt, corn syrup, baking powder, sunflower lecithin, emulsifier, nutmeg, canola oil, and orange juice. These Cinnamon Buns are gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free.

As for nutrition…well, it is a breakfast pastry. Yep. Pastry. Which means…sugar, sugar, sugar. It’s true. And while I am trying to cut down on the amount of sugar that I consume…sometimes you just have to have a treat. A serving of the Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Buns is only one of the rolls. Trust me though…it’s plenty. This one Cinnamon Bun has 280 calories and 15 grams of fat. Yes…15 grams of fat. Pastry. Remember? In addition, you will be consuming 25 mg cholesterol, 110 mg sodium, and 14 grams of sugar. It’s a lot…I know…but not bad for a pastry. These shouldn’t fill you up, considering they contain only 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein…but it kept me going until my morning snack time.

So…a solid product from Katz Gluten Free. I was not disappointed with the Gluten Free Cinnamon Buns. They had great flavor. And since it was only the outer ring of the roll itself that seemed dry…well…I can blame that on freezing them…or even reheating in the microwave. Regardless, that small point isn’t enough to prevent me from picking these up again. But…I’d have to really be talked out of ordering the Powdered Donuts. It’s the truth. I love cinnamon…and these definitely hit all the right flavor tones.

June 17, 2014

Product Review: Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins

Product: Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins – $3.99+

I am not going to lie…I’ve been eying the Garden Lites Veggie Muffins since the day I first spotted them in my local natural food and grocery stores. Why did it take me so long to get a box? Well…it probably would have taken me longer, but my roomie surprised me with a box one day after I sent her out on a grocery expedition. I obviously forgot some sacred ingredient to something I was cooking right then…or I would have gone. But the roomie often picks up little surprises when she’s sent on these emergency runs. Maybe it’s to tame me, since I’m usually wound up about missing something I need. Whatever the reason…she brought me a box of Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins. And I was all too excited to try them.

I just…never did. They just remained in my freezer.

I think I got all caught up in making my Breakfast Banana Splits and other such “real” food items, that opening the freezer for breakfast hadn’t happened in a long time. I knew they were in there…

Lo and behold…after a week of Cathy being down with a cold and sitting out of gym workouts (meaning I’d go really early and get mine in, then come home and make breakfast instead of hauling it to work post-gym), I had no idea what to have after our time at the gym. I began to search the pantry and fridge. I found grapes…but those only get you so far. I’d include some…but what to eat to refuel and recover?

And then…I remembered the box of Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins. Problem…SOLVED!

I know what you’re thinking…zucchini with banana with chocolate chips…how could that possibly be good? Well…zucchini bread is good. Banana bread is good. Both types of bread with chocolate chips are damn good. So…why not combine them? It should work, right?

Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffin (individually wrapped)

I won’t lie…even I questioned it this morning as I packed the box of muffins in the cooler. After the workout, we walked to our office and I got to work on breakfast. These little muffins couldn’t be easier to prepare. They come individually wrapped. And all you have to do is pop the wrapped muffin into the microwave for 35 seconds. Carefully remove the muffin from the microwave and then the plastic wrapper…and viola…your muffin is ready.

I think my biggest fear was that these were going to be soggy. Or mushy. Or just…gross. But, I cooked up all four of them, two for me and two for Cathy, and our breakfast was ready. In less than three minutes. That has to be a new record!

I settled in at my desk with my first batch of work and my breakfast. And after one bite, I knew the stack of paperwork was going to have to wait while I gave my full attention to the Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins. Oh. My. God! No…really…who knew that a muffin made primarily from vegetables and fruit could taste this fantastic. Or this moist. It was like biting into a luscious piece of banana bread. But with zucchini in it. You can’t even taste the zucchini, you just sometimes get those green flecks in the muffin. And the chocolate chips…just enough to sweeten the deal without consuming the flavor of the muffin itself. This was truly one amazing product and the love I have for it surprises even me. I never would have thought about pairing zucchini with banana…but…damn…it works. It works in delicious ways!

I don’t think my morning could have started any better…

So, let’s take a look at the ingredient list for the Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins, shall we? These muffins are made from zucchini, pasteurized egg whites, sugar, pasteurized whole eggs, certified gluten-free oats, soluble corn fiber, semi-sweet chocolate chips, banana, sorghum flour, brown rice flour, corn starch, baking powder, canola oil, natural banana flavor, salt, and vanilla extract.

Recognize all those items? I sure do. And when mixed together and baked…epic things happen, both flavor, texture, and food-wise.

Now, how about the nutritional aspect of these muffins? A serving is only 1 of the Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins. As all we had before working out was a breakfast fruit, yogurt and granola parfait, Cathy and I each had two. But…if you stick to the serving size, you will be consuming 120 calories and 3 grams of fat. In addition, you will be taking in 20 mg cholesterol, 170 mg sodium, and 11 grams of sugar. I know the sugar seems high, and while some of that comes from the chocolate chip, some of it comes from the real banana that is included in the ingredients of the muffins. One serving will also give you 5 grams of filling fiber and 3 grams of protein! These muffins are gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free!

Nutritional and yummy too! Gotta love it. And I sure did. I want to try the other varieties of muffins. Yes…they have other flavors. In fact, in addition to the Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins, Garden Lites has Veggie Muffins in the following flavors: Carrot Berry, Golden Corn, Veggie Blueberry Oat, and Zucchini Chocolate! So…I must try all the Veggie Muffins. Because these honestly did impress me. And I lasted all the way through my snack time. And that doesn’t always happen. Good quality food…great product…

I’m hooked. On muffins made with veggies and fruit.

Oh yeah…loving it!

Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins (cooked)

June 17, 2014

Product Review: My Dad’s Cookies Gluten-Free Black & White Cookies

Product: My Dad’s Cookies Gluten-Free Black & White Cookies – $7.99+

I grew up in Upstate New York. And one cookie that New York prides itself on is…the Half Moon Cookie (sometimes called Black & White Cookies). It has been ages since I’ve eaten one…and I miss them terribly. And when I got the Celiac diagnosis…well…I pretty much figured that unless I made my own (which I could, but it wouldn’t be pretty!), I’d never have these delights I grew up eating ever again.

That all changed, however, two weekends ago, when I stepped into Louisville’s newest food market, Lucky’s. With a plethora of gluten-free offerings throughout the store, I was the most excited to spot a brand of cookies called My Dad’s Cookies. I had never seen them before, but there were some really delicious sounding choices. What I didn’t realize was that a table further back in the store housed the cookies that would be the game-changer for my budget that week. Because, as we were getting ready to leave, my roommate told me that I could pick out one item to try. And as I thought about it and pondered…my eyes spotted a familiar looking cookie.

And then the words…GLUTEN-FREE.

I knew the package cost $7.99, which is outrageous for cookies, but I didn’t care. Cookie Monster wants. Cookie Monster gets. Cookie Monster pays extra this week because…GLUTEN-FREE BLACK & WHITE COOKIES!!

Ahem!

Sorry about that…it’s the little things in life.

So, what is the deal with the brand, My Dad’s Cookies? The company itself was started by a baker named Elan Molina, based out of New York City (HA! That’s why he makes black & white cookies!). He began the company back in 2010 for children who have Celiac in order to give them the opportunity to eat their favorite cookies as their friends were eating. Molina set out with a mission and a goal to create cookies that looked and tasted like the real ones, so no child had to feel left out or get bullied about eating a cookie made from potatoes and rice. He wanted to make sure that all of the cookies he produced would be made with the finest ingredients, be non-dairy, nut-free, and also Kosher. In 2013, his vision became a reality, after countless tastings and trial-and-error baking, My Dad’s Cookies Gluten-Free brand was created.

The rest…is history.

The My Dad’s Cookies Gluten-Free Black & White Cookies made their way from the store, to the register, to a shopping bag, to my pantry. And tonight…as the USA Men’s National Team took on Ghana in the World Cup…I busted these out for dessert.

What is a Black & White Cookie, you ask? Traditionally, I believe, the cookies are chocolate. But I’ve also seen them like these are made…as a spongy, vanilla base. The cookies themselves are a sponge-cake like cookie (so…soft and moist) that is covered with half vanilla and half chocolate icing. New York tradition. And now…I was finally getting to indulge again! My mouth was watering just thinking about the first bite.

I bet you’re wondering if it lived up to my expectations. Well…

YES! Yes they did. They were lacking that usual chocolate base for the cookie, but it didn’t take away from the simple deliciousness of this cookie. FOR REAL! It’s not too sweet. And the spongy cookie is the perfect consistency. The icing…is divine. It adds the right amount of sweetness without being too little or too much. Delicious. I savored…as long as I could…before jamming the rest of the cookie into my mouth. SO delicious. They brought back happy memories of days I’d purchase these cookies at the grocery store and just devour them. They may only be three bites, but they are three bites worth taking. I am already anticipating dessert tomorrow! Cookie Monster is back with a vengeance and I really want all of the cookies that My Dad’s Cookies produces…to see if they equal up to this one. Honestly…I hope so. They are worth the hefty price tag if that’s the case. Beyond impressed…even when I was certain I wouldn’t be.

Let’s talk ingredients for a moment, shall we? My Dad’s Cookies Gluten-Free Black & White Cookies are made from a gluten-free flour blend (white rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, xanthan gum), egg, vanilla dip (made from sugar, vegetable shortening, emulsifier, and vanilla), chocolate dip (made from sugar, soybean oil, cocoa, chocolate liquor, salt, and vanilla extract), sugar, fructose, organic palm oil, natural flavors, baking powder, salt, and agave syrup.
As stated before, these cookies are gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and kosher.

How about nutrition? Well…they’re cookies…so let’s keep that in mind. A serving size of My Dad’s Cookies Gluten-Free Black & White Cookies is…ONE cookie. Yes…only ONE of these small cookies (about three bites!). This one cookie will provide you with 120 calories and 6 grams of fat. The cookies also have 25 mg cholesterol, 45 mg sodium, and 10 grams of sugar. Okay…10 grams of sugar does seem like a lot…but…it’s a cookie! With icing. Two kinds of icing. Take it for what it is. A treat. In addition, you will be also taking in no fiber and only 2 grams of protein. Unless you eat them all in one sitting…then these will not fill you up.

If memories were cookies…these remind me the most of my childhood in New York. Half Moon (or Black & White) cookies are a New York staple when it comes to cookie goodness. And I was thrilled that I found these, but even more thrilled that they tasted so amazing. Love…in cookie form.

Pardon me while I eat the entire container…

June 15, 2014

Product Review: Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten Free Vegan Garlic Bread

Product: Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten Free Vegan Garlic Bread – $4.25

I love that my local gluten-free bakery is growing. I love that they are getting enough business to even offer more of their business aside from their daily lunch specials and daily specials in the case. This makes me insanely happy.

On Saturday, on the third anniversary of the opening of Annie May’s Sweet Café on Frankfort Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky, I finally got to partake in the newest feature of the bakery…

Take-n-Bake goodies from their freezer. I am talking their (FAMOUS AND DELICIOUS) pizza crusts, garlic bread, vegan garlic bread, cinnamon rolls, and even some of their pastas…(like the best mac & cheese ever). All items are gluten-free and most are allergen-free. They make a point when doing gluten-free to also try to do allergen-free. But some items (like the regular garlic bread and the mac and cheese) contain dairy.

I had stuck my head in the deep freeze earlier in the week when I was in for Soft Pretzel Wednesday (because pretzels on a Wednesday make the best lunch ever!). The key words that made me happy was…Vegan. Garlic. Bread. Short on money in the middle of the week, and knowing I was stopping in for the celebration of three years at that location on Saturday, I vowed to make a purchase then. Little did I know I’d walk out of there with not just the Vegan Garlic Bread, but also the Mac & Cheese, and the Pizza Crust (seriously…best gluten-free pizza crust on this planet…hands down!). I might have also walked out with an Allergen-Free Banana Spice Muffin (of heaven!).

But, I digress with the muffin.

Let me focus on the entire reason I pulled open that freezer in the first place…

Gluten-Free and Vegan Garlic Bread.

Annie May's Sweet Café Vegan Garlic Bread (frozen) — Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten Free Vegan Garlic Bread (frozen)

What you get is a half of a half loaf of bread that has been slathered down with a vegan butter and garlic topping. Then…wrapped and frozen with baking instructions on the label. Talk about easy. Just preheat the oven and place the garlic bread on a pan and into the oven and allow to cook for allotted time. Once done…enjoy.

That’s what I did tonight (and served it up with the Mac & Cheese which I baked at the same time!)

I cried when I took my first bite. Tears of happiness. Tear of joy. Because I haven’t had garlic bread in a very long time. I tried to order some gluten-free garlic bread from a pizza place in Denver, but they wouldn’t deliver to the hotel (which was only 4 miles away). So…unless I make it out of gluten-free sandwich bread, it hasn’t happened. And trust me…that’s not the same. Annie May’s Vegan Garlic Bread was amazing. Delicious. The crust got all golden and crunchy and the middle…soft…chewy…garlic and vegan buttery goodness. Honestly. Seasoned perfectly. Tears. When a food makes me cry…then it’s damn good. We only ate half the loaf tonight with dinner…I almost cooked up the second half. I think this will become another staple that I always purchase from Annie May’s when she has it in stock…much like her cinnamon rolls and her macaroni and cheese! This…is one of my favorite things I have ever eaten since going gluten-free. Real food. Really good. Make you cry good! Even my roomie was blown away. She had taken a bite before I had and she gave me the saddest eyes. When I took my bite…I understood why. She liked it better than the garlic bread she has been able to eat. I liked it better than any I had prior to having to go gluten-free. Honest…good…food! That’s what Annie May’s bakes up every single time!

Annie May’s Sweet Café has literally changed my life. With all the restaurants in Louisville’s blossoming foodie areas, all I want is Annie May’s! Why? Because not only can I get safe treats and meals there, but now…I can take a whole lot of their good stuff home to bake up myself when it is convenient. I hope that the take-n-bake freezer takes off for them and expands, because I would be totally willing to purchase these convenient meals and items every week…just to make one day of my life (if not more) a lot easier.

Happy Third Birthday, Annie May’s…and here’s to many, many more delicious, allergen-free years!!

Annie May's Sweet Café Gluten Free Vegan Garlic Bread (baked) — Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten Free Vegan Garlic Bread (baked)

June 14, 2014

Product Review: Gone Pie Vegan Bakery Coconut Brownie

Product: Gone Pie Vegan Bakery Coconut Brownie – (part of Cuisine Cube and no price online)

Are any of you familiar with Cuisine Cube? I wasn’t either. Not until a special offer came across my Groupon-like gluten-free saver sort of mailing that I belong to. I showed the e-mail to my roomie and said I wanted to try it. She said to go for it. Want to make me happy? Tell me I can get Cuisine Cube.

So, for those of you who don’t know what Cuisine Cube is…let me explain. Cuisine Cube is a subscription-based, monthly delivered box of gluten-free foodie goodness. The concept was crafted by a team of enthusiastic eaters, food professionals, and allergy sufferers from New York City who were on the hunt for great gluten-free food. They became aware that gluten intolerance is more prevalent today. And, while gluten-free brands are more readily available in supermarkets all over the country…sometimes the bigger the brand the more preservatives and additives they contain. Gluten-free foods are a lot of processed foods. And, they…much like me…want to cut out as much processed food as possible. And…at the same time…keep the food we do eat tasty. We all know, even the biggest brands in gluten-free foods don’t always taste the best. So, the creators of Cuisine Cube sought out lesser known brands made by small artisan producers, which they found often tasted better and were better for you. Not to mention, it meant supporting small businesses. But sometimes finding these smaller and lesser-known brands can be hard. Thankfully, Cuisine Cube does the leg work for you. They select different foods in each meal category and the box is delivered to my door. All of it is gluten-free…and affordable. Seriously.

I received my first Cuisine Cube in May. And, with the exception of one product inside, I hadn’t ever heard of any of the other brands inside. Gotta love it.

So…tonight…it was time to give one of these products a try.

And I made the most obvious choice…

Dessert.

The dessert category in May’s Cuisine Cube was by Gone Pie Vegan Bakery. And the item…the Gluten-Free and Vegan Coconut Brownie.

I had never heard of Gone Pie Vegan Bakery before. And for good reason. Gone Pie is a Brooklyn based brownie maker who went from shop owner to wholesale producer. Listening to the customer’s needs, all items that Gone Pie produces and sells are gluten-free as well as vegan.

This…is my happy face.

So after eating my fantastic gluten-free pizza for dinner…dessert was the next logical step. Time for some Gone Pie Vegan Bakery Coconut Brownie! I opened up the plastic wrapper and removed this very moist and chocolatey brownie. It looked so rich and smelled amazing. On top, you could see toasted coconut flakes. I couldn’t wait to take a bite. But…first I needed pictures for the blog and to split it in half so the roomie could indulge too.

She took the first bite…so I had to know what she thought. She said it was pretty good…and it tasted…familiar. That didn’t tell me much and since she’s congested, I decided just to go off my own thoughts on this one. I settled in…and took a bite.

Soft. Moist. Amazing. You could really taste the toasted coconut that is baked inside and toasted on top. I loved the richness of this brownie, and how it was kept soft and decadent with the inclusion of dates. But the dates don’t overpower or take away from that brownie feel, so don’t worry about that at all. The chocolate is the star…and it is prevalent in each bite…without being too sweet. So fantastic. I wish I had more of these. Seriously!

While these have no nutritional information, I can give you a run-down of the ingredients! The Gone Pie Vegan Bakery Coconut Brownie is made from vegan fairtrade sugar, gluten free flour blend (sorghum, buckwheat, amaranth, garfava, tapioca, potato, brown rice), dates, brown rice syrup, coconut milk, gluten-free vegan fairtrade semi-sweet chocolate, gluten-free vegan fairtrade chocolate liquor, non-GMO canola oil, vegan fairtrade unsweetened cocoa powder, aluminum-free baking powder, and spices

Thanks to Cuisine Cube, I am being introduced to some fantastic and unique products I never would have even known existed. I never would have even known about Gone Pie Vegan Bakery or their amazing products if not for Cuisine Cube. In fact…I have since visited Gone Pie Vegan Bakery’s Web site. Their variety of gluten-free goodies sound so good. And now, I will make a point to order something else and give it a try.

Yes…this brownie impressed that much.

Thank you Cuisine Cube and thank you Gone Pie Vegan Bakery!

June 13, 2014

Product Review: Jovial Gluten Free Fig Fruit Filled Cookies

Product: Jovial Gluten Free Fig Fruit Filled Cookies – $5.99+

Do you know how long it has been since I have eaten a Fig Newton? Three years. This journey began three years ago…and…I won’t lie to you…there are times I walk past items in the grocery store and it’s all I want. Fig Newtons were one of my favorite snacks. Always were…even growing up. They were dropped from my diet when Celiac entered my life. And I have missed them. A lot.

While Jovial is one of my favorite makers of gluten-free pastas on the market, I hadn’t ventured much beyond that. A few of our local natural food stores carry other Jovial items…like their gluten-free cookies. I’ve just never justified spending money on them. I know…I’m a cookie monster, but there are usually more pressing matters on my grocery list…like…whole foods and fruits and vegetables and…the non-processed, doesn’t come with a label, best foods out there for you kind of stuff. And while I splurge every now and again, I find my budget growing tighter and tighter and my money less and less.

And it sucks.

But…sometimes…you end up in Birmingham, Alabama, visiting your family and splurges happen. Often. And this last visit, when my mom and I went shopping out at Organic Harvest, I decided that it was time to give into that craving to, perhaps, relive some Fig Newton goodness…and I purchased a box of Jovial Gluten Free Fig Fruit Filled Cookies. And they came home with me. And…I kept staring at the box, wanting to open them…wanting to see if they were even close to reminiscent of my Fig Newton noshing days.

Well, the day finally came. Today, while at work, my morning snack (because cookies in the morning is perfectly logical, yes?) became the Jovial Gluten Free Fig Fruit Filled Cookies. Hey…cookies with fruit in them can be a good morning snack! Right?!

I knew you’d agree with me!

So…at 10:30 a.m….I opened up my little package of figgy cookie goodness…and took my first taste.

So…here’s the deal with the Jovial Gluten Free Fig Fruit Filled Cookies…

They do taste a lot like Fig Newtons. They really do. Except for one…very minor…but important detail. The cookie part…the part that encases the entire figgy center…is so dry. It’s so dry that it’s crumbly. Think…shortbread texture. That’s what it immediately reminded me of. And the fact that it didn’t have that rich, soft, gooeyness that Fig Newtons had (you know…one bite and it all melts together), was actually more of a let down. The flavor is spot on! I LOVE that part. But I found the fig center to be under-stuffed and that cookie to be dry and a bit of a distraction from the fig fruit middle. It was disappointing, but not disgusting. I will (and intend to) polish off this box of cookies…but I don’t think I’ll purchase them again. At least not in the near future. My roomie tried one too…and she thought the same thing about both the cookie and the lack of fig center. And she has recently had both Fig Newtons and Fig Newmans…so, she’s in the right figgy frame of mind for this.

Ingredient-wise, these are actually really well put together. They are made from organic figs, organic rice flour, organic sugar, organic potato starch, organic palm fruit oil, organic rice starch, organic rice syrup, organic eggs, organic chick pea flour, organic arabic gum, leavening, salt, pectin, citric acid, and guar gum. They are gluten-free and casein-free. And, granted, these are the first gluten-free option for people who love figs! I will give them that! And, according to the Web site, the Jovial Gluten Free Fig Fruit Filled Cookies are baked in small batches with ingredients that are mixed by hand. They use a unique and delicate process to hide the filling completely inside the cookie before baking (unlike Fig Newtons & Fig Newmans where you see the fig filling on each end).

Nutritionally speaking, a serving size of the Jovial Gluten Free Fig Fruit Filled Cookies is 2 cookies. These two little two-bite cookies serve you up 130 calories and 4 grams of fat. Two cookies will also provide you with 5 mg cholesterol, 65 mg sodium, and 12 grams of sugar (YIKES!). Additionally, you will be taking in 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein…so this is not a filling treat either. Just keep that in mind.

Yes…I was disappointed by the cookie shell of the Jovial Gluten Free Fig Fruit Filled Cookies, but…they weren’t a complete loss. The flavors were there. The cookie was just crumbly and the filling a bit scant, that’s all. And that’s me…being the cookie monster that I am…looking for the quality that I pay for. And these cookies are not cheap. Like I said, I’d eat them again…sure. But I won’t actively seek them out on a consistent basis. I would, however, like to try the other two cookie options available by Jovial.

June 11, 2014

Product Review: Halo Top Creamery Lemon Cake All Natural Light Ice Cream

Product: Halo Top Creamery Lemon Cake All Natural Light Ice Cream – $5.49+

So…a couple weeks ago I posted my first blog on my first flavor of Halo Top Creamery All Natural Ice Cream. It was the vanilla flavor…and save for some not-so-creamy texture…it ranked high in my book! What’s not to love about an ice cream that has fantastic flavor, dishes up like ice cream, and is low in calories and high in protein? There is SO much to love about that…let me tell you!

So, I was sort of (okay…maybe a little more than sort of) excited about dishing up a bowl of the other flavor that my roomie and I decided to pick up that day there was a special on them at our natural food store. I chose Vanilla Bean. She chose Lemon Cake. This shouldn’t surprise anyone…as she is a lemon freak! Like…freaky freak over lemon. Like Rick James Superfreak over lemon. I mean…I love lemon too, but she takes her lemon love to a new and somewhat disturbing extreme. HA!

Recall…the Halo Top Creamery Vanilla Bean All Natural Light Ice Cream had amazing flavor, but was less creamy than regular ice cream. It wasn’t bad through and it didn’t fall apart and flake when dished. It still rolled up perfectly in the ice cream scoop and made pretty little balls of ice cream in my bowl.

Well…tonight…it was the Lemon Cake flavor’s turn to shine.

We polished off dinner (Gluten-Free and Vegan BLATs [vegan bacon (made with black beans and buckwheat groats…yes…I make it myself!), lettuce, avocado, and tomato sandwiches) with grilled corn-on-the-cob. I asked if she wanted ice cream of cookies for dessert. She had no opinion…and I didn’t care. Since we had the ice cream longer than the cookies…I opted for the ice cream. Besides, she has a cold and up until this morning a sore throat…so ice cream is the best remedy for that, right? Of course!

I pulled it from the freezer, got my 1/2 cup measuring cup out (yes…I portion-size everything!), ice cream scoop, and ice cream bowls. I was ready to dish. The ice cream scoop went into the pint…and it flaked. It flaked!! It didn’t roll up into the scoop. It busted up into little ice cream like pieces…and crumbled. The result was a bowl of ice cream that looked more like scrambled eggs than ice cream.

BUMMER!

So…the texture on this one was WAY off. But…what about the flavor?

On the Web site, the Halo Top Creamery Lemon Cake All Natural Light Ice Cream is described as being not too sweet and not too sour. It states that it has the perfect amount of zesty freshness and sweet richness. And it’s called Lemon Cake because it has a “smooth cheesecake-y texture.”

*eyes scrambled egg-like ice cream in bowl*

REALLY??!!

Okay…the flavor was actually a very delicate and enticing blend of lemon flavor. It wasn’t overwhelming…but Cathy didn’t even realize she was eating the Lemon Cake Halo Top Creamery Ice Cream. I mentioned it after and she said, “That was the lemon cake?” I don’t know what to say about that…because she also is fighting a cold. To me…the lemon flavor was actually spot-on. It wasn’t overpowering but it wasn’t too under-the-radar either. It had great flavor.

But…my GOD…it was not at all ice cream-like. More like…sorbet gone wrong. And it’s too bad. It really is too bad because I had such high hopes for the Halo Top Creamery Lemon Cake All Natural Light Ice Cream. If you don’t mind flaky, crusty ice cream…then this is for you. But, it is called ice cream for a reason. And this…was not the texture I was hoping for when I bought it.

Disappointment.

The Halo Top Creamery Lemon Cake All Natural Light Ice Cream is made up of milk and cream, cultured non-fat milk, cage-free eggs, whey, erythritol, organic cane sugar, chicory root, casein protein, acacia gum, sea salt, organic lemon peel, organic lemon oil, organic sunflower oil, organic carob gum, organic guar gum, carrageenan, and organic stevia.

As for nutrition…a serving of Halo Top Creamery Lemon Cake All Natural Ice Cream is 1/2 cup. This serving dishes up only 70 calories and 3 grams of fat. A serving also gives you 43 mg cholesterol, 89 mg sodium, and 4 grams of sugar. This 1/2 cup serving will also provide you with 4 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein. Not bad.

Too bad the ice cream is not good…

This was a huge disappointment. I wanted to try all the flavors, but this sort of made me not want to waste my money.

Sad.

A “scoop” of Halo Top Creamery Lemon Cake All Natural Light Ice Cream

June 11, 2014June 11, 2014

Product Review: PB Crave Cookie Nookie Peanut Butter

Product: PB Crave Cookie Nookie Peanut Butter – $6.99+

It’s no secret around here…my go-to food for…whatever emotion I’m feeling…is peanut butter.

PEANUT-FREAKIN’-BUTTER! When I’m stressed, sad, lonely, hungry, angry, confused, and yes…even happy or content…I have a jar…and a spoon…and I eat all the peanut butter.

Well, that’s not what I set out to do…but that’s normally what happens because when it comes to the creamy, rich, sweet and salty flavor of peanut butter…I sometimes can’t stop myself. Honestly, it would be best for me if I had Cathy hide the peanut butter. This may have to happen.

That being said, this morning I opened up a new dreamy jar of a new kind of peanut butter. My friend Jenn found a jar of PB Crave (my local World Market seems to be the one place locally I can get this!) and was kind enough to pick one up for me. The flavor – Cookie Nookie. As in…cookie flavored peanut butter. And, before you fret, it is gluten-free! It’s been sitting, standing on it’s lid (it’s all natural, so the ingredients separate), in my pantry, since I brought it home from Columbus, Ohio. But the time had come. I didn’t want to wait any longer. That and Cathy really seemed to want the gluten-free bagel thins instead of eggs this morning…and I needed something to schmear on them. Congratulations PB Crave…your time to shine.

I uncapped the jar this morning and got out a butter knife to begin the task of stirring the ingredients together. Hey…I don’t mind working for my peanut butter. Honestly. It smelled amazing…like peanut butter cookie dough, so I couldn’t wait to get it on that bagel. I worked for about 5 minutes, making sure the oil was mixed in well and that there were no clumpy bits. I hate clumpy bits in my peanut butter. Then, I recapped it and got the bagels out to toast in the oven. They were lightly toasted and I was ready to top them off.

PB Crave is the brainchild of Curt Riess, who was raised on traditional peanut butter and (gasp) hated it! But that all changed one day when he tried a combination of peanut butter, raspberries, and chocolate. The new twist on an old classic was what sparked the idea to begin his own peanut butter company. Curt’s Peanut Butter Company was born and soon developed four very unique flavors for their line PB Crave. The company is based out of Cannon Falls, Minnesota, and they believe in quality, citizenship, and innovation. They are not only re-inventing peanut butter (and doing a fine job of it too!), and focusing on quality products, they are setting out to change the world. No joke. Their Web site has a link to Project Peanut Butter, where the company donates a minimum of 2% of the profits from every jar of PB Crave to Project Peanut Butter, a non-profit organization that focuses on treating malnourished children. So, PB Crave is actually setting out to make a difference. You gotta love that!

But, I digress…

Kinda.

So, the gluten-free bagel thins were now dressed up in PB Crave Cookie Nookie Peanut Butter and ready for their first taste test. I handed Cathy her plate and went to clean up a little and pour myself some coffee. As she is fighting off a cold, I didn’t bother to ask her what she thought of it. I always get the same response anyway these days and I grow weary of hearing it every time. So, I settled in with my own plate and took a bite.

Rich. Creamy. And it tastes like peanut butter cookie dough with chcolate chips in it. It’s like…eating dessert on my bagel. Man…it was amazing. And really fantastic with the texture. It stirred together well and just became this smooth spread with chocolate chips throughout. And…that’s exactly what it should taste like. The PB Crave Cookie Nookie Peanut Butter is a delicious combination of chocolate chips, cookie dough flavor, wild honey, and premium peanut butter. So…cookies…peanut butter…chocolate chips…honey…did I die and go to peanut butter heaven? This was one rich, sweet treat to have on my bagel this morning. I fell in love with first bite…and then wanted to lick the plate.

I actually did lick the plate.

PB Crave is crafted using high-quality ingredients and proven practices. These jars of twisted peanut butter gives you the flavor combinations you crave without the stuff you don’t…and that your body doesn’t need. In other words, PB Crave has no hydrogenated oils, no artificial flavors, no syrups, no high-fructose corn syrup, and…yes…it is gluten-free and cholesterol free. PB Crave Cookie Nookie Peanut Butter is an artisan-crafted blend of peanuts, sugar, palm oil, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, whole milk, natural flavor, salt, maltodextrin, soy lecithin, honey, and vanilla.

Nutritionally speaking, a serving of PB Crave Cookie Nookie Peanut Butter is 2 tablespoons. This serving gives you 180 calories and 15 grams of fat. A serving of PB Crave Cookie Nookie also dishes up 130 mg sodium and 5 grams of sugar. You also will be taking in 2 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. Honestly, not bad for a peanut butter.

The problem is keeping yourself limited to that serving size. Because now it’s peanut butter and dessert rolled into one. I’ve eaten peanut butter for dessert…but this is like a whole new level of spoon-licking awesomeness. Spread it on anything. Apple slices…toast…celery…and kick it up a notch. Substitute it in your recipe for peanut butter cookies. When peanut butter is elevated to a new level…it becomes PB Crave Cookie Nookie.

It just becomes PB Crave. And now I want to try all four flavors. PB Crave also is offered in Choco Choco (double dose of dark chocolate with peanut butter and honey), Coco Bananas (tropical blend of bananas, cocoa, honey and peanut butter), and Razzle Dazzle (twisted blend of red raspberry, honey, white chocolate, dark chocolate, and peanut butter).

Sound epic?

You bet your peanut butter craving panties it does!

Time to go on the hunt…or at least place an order online. This is a necessity for the pantry. For always.

Now, pardon me while I go raid the rest of the jar…

June 6, 2014

Product Review: Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Joe Joe’s Chocolate Vanilla Creme Cookies

Product: Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Joe Joe’s Chocolate Vanilla Creme Cookies – $3.99

COOKIES!!

COOKIE MONSTER STRIKES AGAIN!!

It’s been a little while now since I spotted the Gluten-Free Joe Joe’s on the shelf of my local Trader Joe’s. At the time, I had so many cookies in my pantry that I couldn’t justify purchasing them. I’m a cookie monster, for sure, but even I know where to draw the line at times. HA! Or…so I like to tell myself anyway. I am she of no self control when it comes to certain things (Helllllllllllo….peanut butter!). I tend to behave, most of the time, when I know what still waits for me at home.

I was happy to have these though. When my friend, Stacey, threw a challenge at me to make a gluten-free and vegan grasshopper pie…I was short on my pie crust, so I pulled out six cookies, scraped out the filling (which Cathy then snacked on), and then threw them in the food processor…ultimately getting my pie crust amount right where it needed to be. Happiness and joy. But…now I had an open box of sandwich cookies.

Oh…I guess I forgot to mention that. In case you don’t know about Trader Joe’s and their products, they have their own version of an Oreo cookie…called Joe Joe’s. Well, I think around a year ago, they introduced a gluten-free version of these cookies. Sandwich cookies…are amazing. Growing up, I was an Oreo fiend. I would pour a giant glass of milk and grab Oreo after Oreo…dipping them in the milk and keeping it there while that delicious chocolate cookie would grow soft. That’s the ultimate and best (in my opinion…but honestly…it is) way to eat a sandwich cookie.

When I went gluten-free, I thought my cookie eating days were over. Until I realized that the gluten-free cookie industry is BOOMING! Really, if it’s an unhealthy snack, there is a gluten-free version of it somewhere. Some better than others, of course. And my first gluten-free sandwich cookie (of Oreo-like goodness) came from Glutino…thanks to my mom. There are other brands out there that I still need to try (K-Toos for one), but I have stuck it out with Glutino for the longest time. Because…they are flippin’ fantastic. For real! But…there came a moment of weakness during a quick Trader Joe’s stop…where a box of the Gluten-Free Joe Joe’s made it into my basket and then into my shopping bag…and then into my pantry.

So…last night…since the box was now open, I figured this would be an easy dessert. Besides, you give the option of milk (for me almond milk) and cookies to my roommate, and you have a happy roomie. HAHA! It’s the truth. She wanted to have nothing of the other dessert options that I listed off. I said milk and cookies and…that’s what she zeroed in on. And that…was what we had.

I poured her a glass of skim milk and me a glass of my unsweetened almond milk and pulled out two cookies each for us. Suddenly, I was feeling like a kid again. I felt like I was sidling up to the breakfast table at my friend’s house with the entire package and devouring most of said package in that sitting as we just kept dunking and eating and enjoying those tasty, delicious, amazing Oreo cookies. The instant I dunked that cookie into my almond milk and held it there, counting silently to the magic number that gets the cookie all soaked and mushy without it breaking off and pooling at the bottom of the glass (hate when that happens). I carefully lifted it to my lips…and that first bite…pure magic.

These…are fantastic. They are damn good. They might not be up to the level of Glutino, but they are also less expensive to purchase, and it’s been awhile since I even had the Glutino sandwich cookies…so perhaps the comparison is unfair. The chocolate cookie part itself is rich and dark and just…that right amount of crunchy and crumbly. Perfect balance. It didn’t take long for it to soak up that almond milk and get it to that level of sogginess that I love when I eat these sorts of cookies. The creme layer itself is…different. I found it to be a bit dry…and a little on the thin side. As in…I expect these cookies to have a good layer of creme (not double-stuff, but still a good layer!). So, that creme filling was a little lacking. I loved, however, that you could actually see the vanilla bean specks inside the creme. No fake and artificial vanilla flavor here. That’s the real deal. Too bad they sort of skimped out on that filling, eh? But…the cookie is the star and the cookie was amazing. The chocolate flavor just floods your mouth…and I think that’s where that creme layer needed to really be there…to sort of bring a balance. But…it’s something they can consider for the future. If a product is a cookie with creme…give me the damn creme!

Two cookies…gone way too soon. The temptation to get the package and just keep going was definitely there. Oh…to have the metabolism I had as a child…and no knowledge of what the hell a calorie was. Ignorance really is bliss. Sandwiched between two chocolate cookies. *sigh*

Let’s take a look at the ingredients that go into Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Joe Joe’s Chocolate Vanilla Creme Cookies, shall we? These cookies are made from: cane sugar, grain blend (corn flour, rice flour, cornstarch, potato flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, xanthan gum, arabic gum, and carrageenan), palm oil, cocoa powder, expeller pressed canola oil, invert syrup, cocoa powder, egg white powder, sea salt, baking powder, vanilla bean seeds, soy lecithin, natural flavors and ammonium bicarbonate. Not a fan of the canola oil, the carrageenan…honestly. But…I don’t eat these often, so as a treat…

As far as nutrition goes…these are cookies…keep that in mind. A serving size is 2 of the Gluten-Free Joe Joe’s Chocolate Vanilla Creme Cookies. I know it’s difficult…but try to keep to that serving size. This serving will provide you with 130 calories and 6 grams of fat. Additionally, you will be taking in 65 mg sodium and 11 grams of sugar. These cookies are cholesterol free. Finally, you will be provided with less than 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein. Filling…it’s a cookie…it’s not going to be filling. It is going to be a nice sweet treat though.

So…yes…I know these are not clean eating, nor are they healthy. But, you can’t be 100% all the time. And since I can’t eat Oreos anymore…I have to find my alternative. Trader Joe’s does a decent job with their Gluten-Free Joe Joe’s Chocolate Vanilla Creme Cookies! They are packed with flavor…just not with filling. Which, might be a blessing rather than a curse (keeps that calorie count down!). However, let’s face it…the creme is one of the best parts of sandwich cookies…so I want to be aware of it when I binge on these addictive little treats (made even more addictive when dunked…I can’t explain it…but it’s true!). So, I’m not disappointed with this purchase, and would probably buy these again in the future. After all…sometimes you just can’t beat that Trader Joe’s price!