Category: Dessert

Posted on

What I Ate in Colorado

With our California girls needing to return to work…and since we were sort of already out that way…and sort of missed out on our usual journey to Denver, Colorado in April due to my roomie’s teammate…Cathy and I decided that we would take that journey to Colorado.  I admit, for much of the planning stages, tacking on the Denver portion was a nightmare…but we got it all worked out.  And with that, we got to spend Wednesday through Sunday in beautiful Colorado.

There is so much to do and see in Colorado…and we’ve been here enough times that we have our favorites that we wouldn’t miss out on…ever.  But, we also had our sights on some new adventures, both with friends and with food.

So…here’s how a gluten-free vegetarian eats while in Colorado!

Zamparelli’s Italian Bistro – Lafayette, Colorado

Zamparelli's Italian Bistro, Lafayette, Colorado
Zamparelli’s Italian Bistro, Lafayette, Colorado

It was our first day in Colorado.  After landing at the Denver airport and getting our rental car (free upgrade to the Toyota Prius), we hit the road for our drive up to the Boulder, Colorado area.  We were staying at the Boulder Twin Lake Inn, where many a famous runner has spent the night.  I was thrilled.  I was hoping maybe I was in the room Shalane Flanagan stayed in so that I could channel some of her speed.  The inn is actually owned by runners, which is why it is popular with runners.  Well, after getting checked in, we were starving…so Cathy and I made a short little drive to Lafayette, Colorado.  Our Find Me Gluten-Free app had directed us toward a place called Zaparelli’s Italian Bistro…and it had many gluten-free options.  Including…gluten-free pizza.  Which, mind you, I was thrilled about, as I was doing my long run the following morning around the area the inn was located in…a full 12.5 mile run.  Pizza was just the thing I needed.

Wanting to try something we couldn’t get anywhere else, we decided to get a Gluten-Free Johnny V’s Vegan Pie ($15.00).  It just sounded intriguing…and, as I said, the toppings were different from anything we’d been able to get out anywhere else.  Order in.  At Zamparelli’s…the gluten-free crust is a $2.00 upcharge, but when you have to eat gluten-free, what are you going to do?  The gluten-free pizza is a 12-inch pizza crust…and in this case…it is topped off with a garlicky white bean spread, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, sauteed spinach, roasted mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and a spicy salsa rosa.  Is your mouth watering yet?  Mine was just reading the description.  I liked that it was vegan…no cheese to upset my delicate stomach as it sometimes does.  Also important with that long run looming.

The pizza was delivered and boy…did it look and smell amazing.  It tasted just as good as it looked too.  The white bean spread acted as the base, instead of a tomato sauce.  The roasted red peppers elevated a lot of the flavor, especially when paired with the caramelized onion.  Sweet and savory.  Very delicious.  But the star, believe it or not, were the artichoke hearts.  That just brought all the other toppings together.  Fantastic.  The crust was really good.  Not undercooked, but done to perfection.  It was a thin crust without being a cracker crust, which I appreciated.  I was quite happy with this meal and my roommate and I walked out of there satisfied, full, and quite happy.

The Buff Restaurant – Boulder, Colorado

The Buff Restaurant, Boulder, Colorado
The Buff Restaurant, Boulder, Colorado

I first heard about The Buff Restaurant on Man vs. Food.  They are best known for their “Saddlebags” which are pancakes that are stuffed with either bacon, sausage or ham, and then topped off with two eggs.  They are massive, mind you.  Like…steering wheel size.  So much more of the menu now has a gluten-free option available (including the Saddlebags…except being vegetarian…not for me)…but I had just done a 12.5 mile run and I was wanting some protein.

I ended up getting one of the omelettes.  In fact, I went with the Veggie Omelette ($9.50).  This thing is, honestly, the size of my head.  But…full of delicious veggie goodness.  This particular omelette comes packed with broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and onions, with a touch of blended cheddar.  Along with this massive egg-splosion of goodness (see what I did there?), you get a side of their potatoes…or you can upgrade to the fruit for just $1.00 more.  I wanted my carbs…so I stuck with the potatoes.  And, with it came a slice of gluten-free toast.  YUM!  As I was in need of some caffeine, I ordered a Café Au Lait with almond milk ($3.50).  It was just the hit I needed, especially since the cup it came out in was, again, the size of my head.  I think I was wired for much the rest of the day.  But it was good.

So was the food for that matter, but I already knew that.  I’ve been eating at The Buff for three years now.  I make a trip to Boulder specifically to eat there and go to the Celestial Seasonings factory.  Honestly.  I do.  It’s the truth.  The eggs are always done to perfection.  The toast is crispy and never burned.  I love it with their homemade jam.  SO delicious.  And the potatoes…they are my favorite way to consume carbs.  Seasoned to perfection.  Done with that bit of crisp on the outside and that soft center.  I ate mine with hot sauce.  The omelette too.  HEAVEN…on a plate.  Which I demolished, mind you.  I ate every last piece.  I was full for the rest of the day.

St. Bon’s Café – Highlands Ranch, Colorado

St. Bon's Café, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
St. Bon’s Café, Highlands Ranch, Colorado

Around 5 p.m. after my massive breakfast, however, the tummy was starting to get a case of the rumblies.  And my roommate had researched the perfect solution for said problem.  We were now down in Denver for the remainder of our stay and it just so happened that Denver is the home of a 100% gluten-free deli and bakery.  Seriously.

St. Bon’s Café was an absolute nightmare to get to.  And we were getting hungry and cranky as we made our way through rush hour traffic on a Thursday night.  Our GPS got us down to the right area, but had so much trouble actually getting us to the store.  I finally looked it up on my iPhone and managed to get us there.  But it was about 30 minutes before they were going to close.  It was a good thing we already had an idea of what we wanted to eat…because we were cutting it close.

That being said, the owner, Kurt Fulwider, was behind the counter and ready to take our orders.  He told us not to worry about it.  He had a meeting he needed to get to across town and already called to say it wasn’t happening and that he would be late.  So…we ordered…not just dinner…but a dessert to split.  More on that after I tell you about our sandwiches.

For me…I wanted The 3 Wisemen Panini on the house made Rosemary Thyme Focaccia ($7.99).  The 3 Wisemen is a basic caprese sandwich.  It’s freshly sliced tomatoes, basil leaves and mozzarella.  Cathy went with her favorite…something cheesy…opting for The Trinity Panini on the house made Basil Garlic Focaccia ($7.99).  This sandwich is stuffed full of three different cheeses…creamy havarti, sharp white cheddar, and smooth meunster.  We decided we could split a dessert and I had my heart already set on the Blasphemous Bread Pudding ($3.99), which was a gluten-free bread putting with a delicious custard and dark chocolate.  With our orders now paid for, we settled at a table until they were ready.

Let me tell you…the wait wasn’t bad…and the food was fantastic.  Absolutely FANTASTIC!  I fell in love with the rosemary thyme focaccia.  The flavors meshed so well with the fixings in my sandwich.  The basil was so fresh and so fragrant.  The mozarella was melt-in-your sammie good.  And the tomatoes were ripe, and didn’t bleed juice all over my bread.  The focaccia was toasted in the panini press to perfection, giving that nice golden crispiness to each bite.  I was in love with this sandwich.  Cathy tried a piece and said while she loved hers…she really loved the bread on mine.

As for that sinful dessert…oh…yeah.  It was rich…creamy…and beyond blasphemous.  This was a sin to eat.  The custard was rich and creamy, but not overly heavy.  The dark chocolate…melt my heart to pieces…so good.  It paired so well with the custard.  I was so happy when eating this.  So very happy.  I sort of want to recreate it for myself.  If possible.  It’s worth a try.  Yep…that good.  Mouth watering…sinfully…satisfyingly…perfect for when you are PMS-ing or any other time because you just need some chocolate dammit…good!!  I hope I can get back here when I’m in Denver in May.  It must happen.

Coquette’s Bistro and Bakery – Colorado Springs, Colorado

Coquette's Bistro & Bakery, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Coquette’s Bistro & Bakery, Colorado Springs, Colorado

I love crepes.  LOVE them.  With the exception of my local food truck, I normally can’t have them.  I don’t have a good crepe pan to do them myself…nor would they come close to what Sweet ‘N’ Savory can cook up for me in their food truck.  Normally when I am in Colorado, I would go to La Creperie Cafe in Denver.  But…they closed.  THEY CLOSED!!  I was saddened by this, but started doing some research.  What I did run across though was a little cafe that does only 100% gluten-free food.  The catch was…it was in Colorado Springs.  The best thing is…that doesn’t phase Cathy.  We hopped in the car on Friday morning and took a little drive down to Colorado Springs.

Nestled at the foot of Pike’s Peak, Coquette’s Bistro and Bakery has the perfect location to entertain visitors and locals alike.  The place and the food has won numerous awards over the four years it has been open.  And it claims that the food is so amazing, you’d never guess it was gluten-free.  This little restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, espresso, and cocktails.  There is a little bit for everyone.

But Cathy and I made the journey for…yep…crepes.  None of their savory crepes are vegetarian.  That was fine for Cathy, and she ended up ordering the Rise and Dine ($11.00), which is a crepe that is stuffed full (and I mean full) with two scrambled eggs, ham, red onions, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese. The crepe is then topped off with hollandaise.  It came with a side of fruit or their truffled potatoes.  She went potatoes.  I swiped one.  OMG.  Amazing.  I swiped more than one after that.  I think she welcomed the help as her crepe was HUGE.  I would have gone savory had there been a vegetarian option…but I was okay going sweet.  Most of the offerings were what I could get from my local gluten-free crepe food truck…so I went with the one that I hadn’t been served by my local go-to gluten-free crepe place.  And that was the Bananas Fosters Crepe ($8.50).  This dessert crepe (hey…dessert for breakfast is allowed on vacation!) is a delicious crepe that is topped off with banana and a rum brown sugar flambé.  The crepe is served with some house made whipped cream on the side.  My crepe was definitely the size of my plate, but being a dessert crepe, it is usually dusted with cinnamon and sugar on the inside and then topped off with the goodness on the outside.  Much less to navigate through.  But…let me tell you…this was one fantastic crepe.  I loved the rum brown sugar sauce.  The whipped cream was a nice touch.  And the banana, being one of my favorite fruits in this world, made it all taste a little like heaven.  I devoured it.  Like…completely.  Cathy had a good portion of her crepe remaining.  Not me.  I went all vegetarian piggy on that plate.  Worth it.  YUM!  I am making this a required stop from now on.  It must happen.  It is that good.  And I feel safe eating there.

Baker Street Pub & Grill – Denver, Colorado

Baker Street Pub & Grill, Denver, Colorado
Baker Street Pub & Grill, Denver, Colorado

It’s no secret…my roommate and I are completely obsessed with Sherlock Holmes.  For real.  No…seriously.  And when we discovered that just a short walk from our hotel room at the Denver DTC was one of Colorado’s four Baker Street Pub & Grill locations, well, you better believe we knew what we were doing for dinner after hiking around Colorado Springs and the Garden of the Gods.  Hey…you work up an appetite doing that.

We walked over to Baker Street Pub & Grill from the hotel on Friday evening.  I loved how you got to seat yourself.  Our server, a bubbly and enthusiastic woman came over to see about drinks.  I was sticking with water.  But Cathy decided to take in Happy Hour and went with a Baker Street Brown Ale ($4.25).  And with that…her usual pub fare…a half portion of the Fish & Chips ($7.99).  As for me…I went with the Baby Spinach and Feta Cheese Salad ($9.99), which I added avocado slices to ($1.49) with a side of the Serrano Coleslaw ($1.99).  Our waitress put in our order and we sort of geeked out over Sherlock Holmes until it arrived.

My salad was MASSIVE!!  And it looked absolutely amazing to top it off.  This salad was a blend of baby spinach, feta cheese, gala apples, red onions, candied pecans (they didn’t candy mine), and red grapes.  All of this was tossed in a fantastic raspberry vinaigrette dressing.  And let’s not forget my deep love of avocado…which topped off my salad nicely and gave it this rich creaminess that I truly love in a salad.  The flavors really, really worked together.  I loved the way the fruit played well with the vegetables and how the sweet, yet savory vinaigrette just brought it all together.  The avocado…if you order a salad…always top it with avocado…trust me!!  As for the coleslaw…eh…it was coleslaw.  With the wording of Serrano Coleslaw, I expected something with some heat behind it…but it just tasted like your run-of-the-mill coleslaw.  Probably my only disappointment.  The rest…so good!

Cathy was very impressed with her fish.  In fact, we both enjoyed our food so much we came back on Saturday night, our last night in town.  The manager on duty rustled up some can coozies for us and let us get in the big phone booth outside and took a picture.  It was epic.  We ordered the same thing…minus the coleslaw and rounded out the perfect stay in Colorado at one of our new favorite places in Denver…just a short walk from our hotel.  Perfection.

Udi’s Café and Bar – Denver Airport – Denver, Colorado

Udi's Café & Bar, Denver Airport, Denver, Colorado
Udi’s Café & Bar, Denver Airport, Denver, Colorado

I had every intention of making it out of Denver without eating at the airport.  I figured Cathy and I would grab something in Atlanta.  It’s a good thing she talked me out of that because we had no time for food in Atlanta as it turned out.  So, her plan to eat something in Denver before heading to our gate for the first leg of our journey back to Louisville was a stroke of sheer genius.

And to our delight, Terminal B at the Denver Airport has an Udi’s Café and Bar.  Udi’s is one of the major names in gluten-free breads and other products on the market.  And…they are based in Denver.  So the fact that the airport has one of these cafés shouldn’t be a surprise.  I was so happy they did.

We settled in at a table and a waitress came over to give us menus and let us look them over.  We had a vague idea of what we wanted to eat…sandwiches…with fries.  Filling.  Which is exactly what we needed, honestly.

Cathy went with the BLTA ($9.35), which is a bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado sandwich with chipotle aioli and served on ciabatta bread.  She got hers with the standard fries that come with the sandwich.  As for me…I went with the Gluten-Free Caprese Sandwich ($9.95) and substituted the regular fries for Sweet Potato Fries ($2.00).  Gluten-free sweet potato fries.  Pardon my dance of joy and glee.  This was the second time this trip I was getting sweet potato fries.  This is me…being happy.

It was a little bit of a wait, but Cathy and I soon received our plates full of food.  The sandwiches were huge. The fries…a big portion.  But this was our meal for the day…so while we weren’t starving…we dove in.

My fries were FANTASTIC!  Better than the ones I waited forever for at Disneyland.  They were crispy, fried to perfection.  I was in love with them.  In fact, I saved them for the last bite because I wanted to remember those fries.  As for the sandwich…epic win.  Served on Udi’s bread (of course), this sandwich was stuffed with mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, and a pesto aioli.  And the flavors just popped.  I have been eating a lot of caprese things since going gluten-free and this was one of the best sandwiches put together.  Simple flavors…executed perfectly.  And served with SWEET POTATO FRIES!!  I was thrilled to actually be able to eat something other than a fruit cup, a salad, or some unhealthy snack at the airport.  Seriously.  This was my happy that day.

~*~*~

So…there you have it.  I find eating gluten-free in Colorado to be so easy.  Both Rudi’s Gluten-Free and Udi’s Gluten-Free are based out of Colorado (one in Boulder…the other in Denver).  Granted, on Saturday when we went up into the mountains to Rocky Mountain State Park…my lunch was a banana, some yogurt, and some Boulder chips…but…I’m in the mountains.  I will cut them some slack.

This was one of my best foodie trips to date.  Both California and Colorado offered me so many options and such delicious food.  I wasn’t really disappointed with any of the restaurants that we chose to dine in.  And that…is amazing!!

Colorado…see you in May.  I hope my favorite places to eat will be ready for me again!

Posted on

What I Ate in California – Part 2

I dedicate this entry to, honestly, the best meal I have ever consumed in my life.  No joke.  Sorry mom…but it’s true.  Never before have I been treated to such an exciting and taste-defying tasting menu, all of it done by the chef’s whim.  And yes…all of it done to suit any food allergies at the table.  For me…being a gluten-free vegetarian.  For my friend Tawn…no shrimp.

What am I talking about?

Disneyland.

Napa Rose.

Chef’s Table.

OMGTHEFOODWASAWESOME!

Okay…now that I got that out of my system…kind of…let me explain…

You see, Disneyland has a lot of nice treasures inside its gates.  And, after running the Disneyland Half Marathon, Indy wanted to treat all of us, plus her hubby and her dad, to a nice meal out…which would be our Christmas and Birthday gifts.  She chose Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa as the scene of this adventure.  After a long day, the four ladies got all dressed up and met up with Evan (Indy’s hubby) for a ride over to the restaurant.  Her dad was staying there so he’d meet us there.

A few drinks in the lounge and two Joey Fatone (from *NSYNC) sightings later, we were making our way to the Dessert Counter and being seated, napkins placed on our laps, and about to be treated to one of the finest, most epic, amazing meals of our lives…complete with wine tasting.  All of this…completely at the whim of the chef.

So…let’s get started:

Amuse-Bouche: Plum with Grape Relish and Gluten-Free Flatbread

Amuse-Bouche: Plum with Grape Relish and Vegan & Gluten-Free Flatbread
Amuse-Bouche: Plum with Grape Relish and Vegan & Gluten-Free Flatbread

The rest of the counter was treated to a Panna Cotta with Great Relish…but not this girl.  The chef kept is simple, elegant, and instead of the panna cotta, served me up an amazing warm Plum with Grape Relish on top.  The plum was sweet, pairing beautifully with the slightly sour tones of the chopped grapes.  It was the perfect way to wake up the palate and prepare it for the rest of what was to come that night.

In addition, while the rest of the counter got to share this large basket of various breads, a basket of vegan and gluten-free flatbread was delivered to me.  This bread had a fresh herbiness to it.  It was crispy, yet still soft.  And when it was fresh and warm…there was nothing like it in the world.  It was a nice change from the gluten-free rolls I am so used to getting.  It’s not everyday this girl gets to indulge in flatbread.  And indulge I did.  Because I just couldn’t stop eating it!!

First Course: Cauliflower Tower

Cauliflower Tower
Cauliflower Tower

What…you may ask…is a Cauliflower Tower.  Simply what it sounds like.  Cauliflower…in a tower.  But…it is really so much more than that.  In fact, while the base of this dish was, in fact, a cauliflower mash, it was blended with couscous, raisins, pistachios, and was drizzled with a blood orange sauce.  I love cauliflower, so using it as a base for this meal was sheer brilliance.  The couscous gave it a bit more body.  Toss in the sweet raisins with the salty nature and crunch of the pistachios and you have a meal made in heaven.  Seriously.  Angels eat this when they picnic on the clouds.  I swear.  The blood orange sauce just sealed the deal.  It gave this savory dish a little zing.  It was fantastic.  Down to the very last bite.  If this was any indication of what was left to come, I was all in.  I didn’t record the type of wine any of my meals were paired with…but I loved them.  All of them.

Second Course: Grilled Peach Salad with Green Beans and a Peach Yogurt Sauce

Grilled Peach Salad with Green Beans and a Peach Yogurt Sauce
Grilled Peach Salad with Green Beans and a Peach Yogurt Sauce

 The usual version of this dish is served with roasted duck.  But, being that I was the sole vegetarian at the table, the chef made one with duck, which Indy received, and made mine without it.  But this made me want to grill peaches ALL the time.  ALL the peaches.  And then consume ALL the peaches with ALL the food that I could think would pair well with them.  I will say this…I never would have paired peaches with green beans.  But…this worked.  This worked remarkably well.  The peaches had this rich sweetness to them, the green beans were cooked perfectly, so they had that crispiness to them.  And that yogurt sauce just tied everything together.  This was fantastic.  I could have eaten plate after plate of this and been one happy girl.  But more goodness was still ahead.

Third Course: Heirloom Tomatoes with Golden Tomato Essence with Fava Beans and Parmesan

Heirloom Tomatoes with Golden Tomato Essence with Fava Beans and Parmesan
Heirloom Tomatoes with Golden Tomato Essence with Fava Beans and Parmesan

 I do believe either Tawn or Cathy made the Silence of the Lambs reference when I was served this beautiful, rainbow dish.  I mean, the colors on this dish just popped.  The sweet tomato essence was what really made this dish so savory.  The beautiful heirloom tomatoes were ripe, gorgeous, juicy and the flavors danced across my taste buds with the first bite.  The fava beans added a little body…and some texture.  And to top it all off…shaved Parmesan cheese, which gave the dish that big of salty seasoning that just brought it all together in the end.  Rich, succulent…and fantastic.  Each dish was topping the last…

Fourth Course: Chef’s Creation – Vegetarian Mushroom and Tomato Plate

Chef's Creation - Vegetarian Mushroom and Tomato Plate
Chef’s Creation – Vegetarian Mushroom and Tomato Plate

 Be jealous.  Because the chef made this one specifically for me.  His gluten-free, vegetarian diner.  What exactly was it?  Savory goodness, that’s what it was.  Honestly…this was fantastic.  From the first bite he reigned me in with perfectly cooked mushrooms, beautifully seasoned and topped with gorgeous heirloom tomatoes and greens.  I wanted to hoover this dish so much, but I sat there like the lady I am and ate it like the sophisticated foodie I see on television and dream about becoming.  No…really.  I savored this dish.  Every bite of it.  And I never wanted it to end.  But…my fork fell onto the last slice and soon it too was gone.

Dessert: Meyer Lemon Crème Brûlée with Blueberries and Mint

Meyer Lemon Crème Brûlée with Blueberries and Mint
Meyer Lemon Crème Brûlée with Blueberries and Mint

 Without even knowing anything about me save for my food allergies and preferences, the chef sent out the most perfect dessert for me.  It involved lemon and blueberries…and that pairing is, by far, one of my absolute favorites.  So, without even knowing it…the chef capped off the perfect evening with the perfect dessert.  His Meyer Lemon Crème Brûlée with Blueberries and Mint was a stunning plate to start with.  The crust on the crème brûlée was brilliant.  And that lemon flavor was just enough without overpowering the entire dessert.  Toss in the blueberries (one of my favorite berries) and the hint of mint and I was in a delicious, tasty food coma.  Seriously.  I dug right into this dessert and savored it as long as I could.  I even ate the drizzle of chocolate letters around the plate wishing me an early happy birthday.  Yes…I enjoyed it…for real…down to the very last bit.  But, I’m a dessert girl…and this was one hell of a dessert.

My hat is off to Indy, for this fantastic food experience.  If I were to choose my last meal on Earth…it would be this.  I would want to be at Napa Rose…at the Chef’s Counter…once again receiving the dishes of his choosing for me.  I loved being surprised and not knowing what to expect when my plate was carried out and placed in front of me.  The company was the best I could ever be with at this venue.  The food was outstanding.  I’ve been spoiled.  No other meal has come close to equaling this one…and I am starting to wonder if one ever will.

My food hat is off to the chef of Napa Rose…the food that is served there…the wine it is paired with (SO GOOD!)…and the good friends I shared the experience with.  If any of you find yourself at Disneyland…do try to experience this for yourself.  It isn’t cheap…I can tell you that…but the food and the experience is worth every dollar you put towards this meal.  I promise.

Posted on

What I Ate in California – Part 1

Between Disneyland and the little out-of-the-way places that we ducked into for food and anything else…I was well-fed and felt very safe in my food choices while visiting friends in California.  In fact, Indy and her hubby, Evan, even went out to Whole Foods and picked up gluten-free cookies and some gluten-free crackers for me to have while staying with them.  They are, honestly, the best.  Nice to have people take my food allergies and everything else in stride and not totally panic.  Best hosts…EVER!

So, I spent a total of three days at Disneyland and then one full day seeing bits and pieces of California.  All the while…taking in food and enjoying every single bite.  I’m breaking this posting down into two separate posts because…well…the dinner I had at Napa Rose needs its own little post.  Honestly.  Because it was the best meal I have ever had.  (Sorry, Mom…but it’s true!).

So…I guess we’ll start at the very beginning…

Flo’s V8 Cafe – Cars Land – Disney California Adventure Park

Flo's V8 Café, Cars Land, Disney's California Adventure Park
Flo’s V8 Café, Cars Land, Disney’s California Adventure Park


You know…I give Disney props.  Both theme parks on each coast do their best to work with people with specific diets and specific food allergies.  And this was incredibly clear when I sat down to eat a “light” lunch (I was getting pizza later that evening) while out and about in California Adventure on Saturday.  I hadn’t yet made it to the race expo, but I knew I needed a small bite to get through until it was time to eat my required pre-race gluten-free pizza.  We were in Cars Land at the moment, so we stepped into Flo’s V8 Café and took a look at the menu board.  When we got up to the register, my traveling party (Cathy, Indy & Tawn) all decided they were going to eat elsewhere…which made me not want to eat here…but…I wasn’t sure what there would be outside that would be nutritious and still filling.  At the register, I mentioned that I was a gluten-free vegetarian so the cashier went to go and retrieve the chef.  The chef came out a couple of moments later and I reiterated that I was a gluten-free vegetarian.  She said it wasn’t a problem and mentioned the items I could get, including the Citrus Turkey Salad, sans turkey.  Actually, none of it sounded like anything I wanted…the side dishes were just…eh…meh.  And the salad was…well…a salad.  But, I needed something…so I said I would give the Citrus Turkey Salad ($11.49), no turkey, a go!

I paid the cashier and took the receipt up to the counter.  And my salad came up…gluten-free roll…but…UGH…the turkey had been placed on the salad.  I mentioned that my salad wasn’t supposed to have turkey on it, so the worker at the counter sent it back to the kitchen and spoke with the chef.  It took a few minutes, but my new salad came up, gluten-free roll, little dish of dressing, GODZILLA-sized salad, which was a basic mix of mixed greens, carrots, cucumbers, and yellow peppers.  It came with a citrus-tarragon dressing.  And trust me…this salad was HUGE.  I knew I wouldn’t be able to finish it.  But, if anything was certain, I was going to devour that roll.  The roll, by the way, looks like the Udi’s gluten-free rolls I can buy at specialty stores around here.  I think they were Udi’s.  I loved the roll.  I loved it to pieces…and pieces…and pieces until it was all gone.

The salad itself was fresh and crisp.  And the dressing made a nice flavor addition to the raw vegetables.  It was…a general salad, just taken to extreme proportion.  I ate about 3/4 of it before I called it quits.  It was just a lot of food.  The vegetables were fresh and crisp, the dressing was served on the side instead of just being poured over the salad, and perhaps drowning the vegetables.  It was good.  But…let’s face it…it’s a salad I could have made at home for a lot cheaper.

Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port – Tomorrowland – Disneyland Park

Redd Rocket's Pizza Port, Tomorrowland, Disneyland Park
Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port, Tomorrowland, Disneyland Park

 

It was the evening before the Disneyland Half Marathon, and Indy and I were in desperate need of some carbs.  And it is a requirement…I mean one of those dead-set superstitious athlete requirements for me to eat gluten-free pizza the night before a big race.  It has to happen.  If it doesn’t happen…I make it happen.  Somehow.

Indy knew that this was a must coming into the trip, so she asked around at Disneyland about good places to get a gluten-free pizza.  She was directed to Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port, which is a cafeteria-style, quick service joint in Tomorrowland.  We got there just before a flood of people and we spoke to one of the people manning the counters about gluten-free and vegetarian options.  She said she would go and fetch the chef.  I ended up standing there for around 10-15 minutes waiting on the chef, long enough for a couple of employees to ask if I needed help.  Indy and Tawn had already gotten their pastas and were now waiting with me.  Cathy was waiting because we weren’t sure if this was going to be a personal pizza or one we’d need to split.  You just never know.

After the wait continued, I told Indy and Tawn to go and pay and eat while their food was still hot.  I didn’t want them to settle in with cold pasta.  Gross!  So, they finally agreed, and just after they walked away…the chef finally emerged to talk to me.  I told him that I was a gluten-free vegetarian, and he said I had two options…a gluten-free personal cheese pizza…or gluten-free rice noodles with a tomato marinara.  Night before the race…it has to be pizza.  So, I put in my order for gluten-free cheese pizza ($8.99).  I was told it would take 10 minutes so to go ahead and pay and then come back to the counter in about 10 minutes.  I did just that, grabbed some plastic dinnerware, napkins, and some crushed red pepper packets and went to join my friends.  Cathy had gotten one of the pizza slices and some breadsticks and joined them in eating.  And I watched them eat for about 5 minutes as it took me awhile to pay.  When 10 minutes was up, I got up from my table and made my way back to the counter to, hopefully, get my food.  But my pizza wasn’t up yet.  There was a group of four ahead of me.  And that took about 5 minutes for them to get their gluten-free pizzas served to them.  Then…it took another 3-5 minutes waiting on mine.  By now Indy and Cathy were done eating.  When my pizza was sliced and finally put on a plate…I went to rejoin my friends and only Tawn was still nomming on her pasta.

The pizza was nothing to write home about.  It was the same gluten-free cheese pizza I ended up getting while at Disney World in February.  Just a small, personal-size pizza on a gluten-free crust (at least the crust was fluffy), with tomato sauce and cheese.  It was…okay.  I mean, I have definitely had worse…but I have most definitely had better.  I seasoned it with some red pepper flakes and just wolfed it down.  At that point I was starving and we had World of Color Fast Passes and the clock was ticking.  Nothing to write home about.  Just…pizza.  Eh.  Not impressed.

Hungry Bear Restaurant – Critter Country – Disneyland Park

Hungry Bear Restaurant, Critter Country, Disneyland Park
Hungry Bear Restaurant, Critter Country, Disneyland Park

 

It was the afternoon after I ran 13.1 miles through Disneyland and Anaheim, California.  It was just three of us.  Indy, who also ran, said she needed to rest and recover.  Poor thing.  So this meant our new guide for the day was the great, the epic, TAWN!!  And she knew all the places to hit.  We had a busy and very stressful morning…between race logistics, running, cheering, and finishing…then heading out to the park…

We rode rides and soon we knew we needed to eat something small before we hit the hotel early to rotate through showers and start getting ready for the most epic meal of our lives…courtesy of Indy.  But…that gets it’s own post.  For now…we focus on what I ate for “lunch” the day of the Disneyland Half Marathon.

I had heard tales and rumors that Hungry Bear Restaurant did gluten-free sweet potato fries.  Sweet potato fries are one of my most favorite things in the world.  Honestly.  Sure, fries probably aren’t the best recovery meal…but they were what I wanted.  That was it.  It was all I needed.  Tawn walked me over to Hungry Bear and I headed up to go place my order.  I reached the cashier and told her I heard they could do gluten-free sweet potato fries.  She confirmed this and said she’d go and get the chef.

The chef emerged a few minutes later and said that fries could certainly be done gluten-free.  I said that was all I wanted and went ahead and put in the order – gluten-free sweet potato fries ($3.99).  I was sent up to the counter and I passed off the receipt and was told it would be a few minutes.  I politely stepped aside, knowing this would be the case.  But a few minutes turned into 5.  Then 10.  Soon the staff was shouting back to the kitchen about the gluten-free sweet potato fries because it had been on order for 15 minutes.  The manager came out to apologize to me, saying that there had been a mix-up in the kitchen and it would be a few more minutes.  He offered me a free dessert, but none of their desserts were gluten-free so I passed.  After just over 20 minutes, my one little serving of sweet potato fries came up and I snagged them, went to grab some ketchup and finally went back down to meet Tawn.  She had been waiting a long time.  We had left Cathy at a table with her lunch, and it was long gone by the time we returned.  Tawn went off to find herself something to eat and I finally dug in.

To their credit…the sweet potato fries were perfect.  Crispy on the outside, soft in the center.  Warm.  Hot.  Seasoned well.  And just what I wanted.  They were phenomenal.  Definitely better than the oven baked ones that I make at home.  I mean, I love making my own, but there is something so fantastic about sweet potato strips that are literally fried to perfection, seasoned well, and served up piping hot and fresh.  So, while I think I aged a little standing in line waiting on an order the kitchen at Hungry Bear Restaurant forgot about…it was well worth the wait.

Tiki Juice Bar – Adventureland – Disneyland Park

The Tiki Hut, Adventureland, Disneyland Park
Tiki Juice Bar, Adventureland, Disneyland Park

 

DOLE. WHIP.  Need I say more?  Let me say it one more time.  DOLE WHIP!  I love Dole Whip and ended up coming to the Tiki Juice Bar twice during my 3-day stay in Disneyland.

The second time I contemplated getting a Dole Whip Float…but wasn’t sure I had enough money for one.  So, both times I ended up getting the standard Soft Serve Dole Whip ($3.69).  LOVE.

It’s pineapple goodness in a cup.  One that I will always take time to indulge in whenever I roam at Disney.  Yeah…Dole Whip is an experience.  One that shouldn’t be missed.  EVER!

Carnation Café – Main Street, U.S.A. – Disneyland Park

Carnation Café, Main Street, U.S.A., Disneyland Park
Carnation Café, Main Street, U.S.A., Disneyland Park

 

The only other request that I made for while the four of us were all at Disneyland was simple.  I needed gluten-free Mickey waffles in my life.  So, Indy, as always being the rockstar, sought out a place that served them.  She’s awesome like that.  So, after a late night and an early morning (for me…as I went running for 7 miles for my marathon training), we headed into Disneyland for our last meal together as a group of four.  Tawn was leaving that afternoon to head back to Fresno.

We arrived at Carnation Café just ahead of our reservation time.  We were asked if we wanted to sit outside or inside.  It was such a gorgeous morning that day that we chose to sit outside, as long as we were somewhere shady.  The hostess found us the perfect spot and we all settled in and started to look at the menu.

When our waitress came over to the table, she explained that we actually had a different server, but he was on his break so she’d be taking care of us until he returned.  We went ahead and told her that I couldn’t have gluten, something they were already aware of because Indy mentioned this when she made the reservation.  Of course none of this was an issue.  She said she’d go to get the chef and he would go over some options with me.  He did emerge a few minutes later and asked what I was interested in having for breakfast.  I gave him the hopeful eyes…Mickey waffles?  He said he wasn’t sure they could make gluten-free Mickey waffles due to the surface they were cooked on…but he might be able to do regular pancakes (not Mickey shaped).  But he said he’d go double check.  He returned after everyone else placed their orders and said that he could make me gluten-free mini Mickey waffles safely.  I was a happy girl, because I really, really wanted Mickey waffles while at Disneyland.  Dreams really do come true.

I went ahead and ordered gluten-free Mickey waffles ($10.49) with fresh fruit instead of the sausage or bacon side…since I am vegetarian.  They were happy to make that substitution for me.  I also had this with fresh brewed Joffrey’s Coffee ($2.99).

The coffee was really good.  Not too bitter.  I sweetened it with real sugar…as my coconut sugar was left back in Indiana.  After a short wait…out came our food.  Only Tawn and I kept with the plan to get waffles.  Indy ended up getting the Huevos Rancheros and Cathy got the All-American Breakfast.

My mini waffles were…delicious.  Definitely not the golden crispy goodness that Tawn got out of her Mickey head waffle.  But…the miniature Mickey waffles tasted amazing.  I poured a little pure maple syrup over them and dug right in.  I was given four Mickey waffle heads and ate all four of them without any shame or guilt.  The fruit was gone in a flash.  I am a fruit monster.  They were able to accommodate me and get me the item on the menu that I truly wanted.  Carnation Café was made of win.

So were the waffles…for the record.  Epic…gluten-free…WIN!

Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar – Disneyland Resort Area – Disneyland Hotel

Trader Sam's Enchanted Bar, Disneyland Resort Area, Disneyland Hotel
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar, Disneyland Resort Area, Disneyland Hotel

 

Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar is like no other bar you have ever experienced.  The food they serve is unique bar food.  The drinks they serve are fun.  The manner in which some drinks are served are SUPER fun and invoke chanting and lights flashing, ships going down, all of that.  It’s a place you have to go to grab a drink.  And, as this was our final day in Disneyland…we chose to do just that.

Food choices, for me, were rather limited.  But, Indy was telling me about this amazing Green Papaya Salad ($?.??) that they served.  We inquired with the bar tender about the ingredients and he went to check with the chef to see whether it was gluten-free and vegetarian.  Turns out…it was.  So, while Cathy and Indy split the Panko-Crusted Chinese Long Beans, I was served up a refreshing and quite delicious Green Papaya Salad.

No trip to Trader Sam’s is complete without having one of their famous drinks.  As I’m always iffy and careful with alcohol…I decided to go with one of the non-alcoholic beverage specials served at the bar.  My choice of Sam’s No Booze Brews was the Jungle River Sunset ($4.49) which is a mix of orange juice, falernum, and hibiscus grenadine, all topped off with soda water.  And, yes…I ate my garnish.

Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta – Paradise Pier – Disney California Adventure Park

Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, Paradise Pier, Disney's California Adventure Park
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, Paradise Pier, Disney California Adventure Park

 

It was getting late and our plan to see Fantasmic that night was about to be put into action.  That being said, our appetizers from Trader Sam’s were long gone and we were definitely ready to eat some food.  We ended up coming to Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta…because we were just really wanting Italian or something.  Because originally I was going to get something else, but when they kept mentioning the pizza and pasta place…it just sounded better.

So, we entered Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta and it was another counter service sort of thing.  I went up and mentioned that I was a gluten-free vegetarian and they sent for the chef.  He was out in no time.  Honestly.  And when I told him I was a gluten-free vegetarian, he immediately mentioned the two standbys that the Italian restaurants have on hand at Disneyland…a personal-size gluten-free cheese pizza or rice noodles with a tomato marinara sauce.  I’ve done the pizza.  It’s the same as always…and not really worth the repeat.  So, I went with the Gluten-Free Rice Pasta with the Tomato Marinara ($9.49).  He said it would take about 10 minutes.  And when he went back behind the counter, he immediately changed his gloves to start preparing my food.  I breathed a sigh of relief.  Cathy ordered a regular Spaghetti With Meatballs and Indy went with the Five Cheese Ravioli.  They were both made to order, but Cathy’s came up way ahead of ours.  We sent her outside to get us a seat.  About 5 minutes later, my spaghetti arrived.  And this serving was HUGE.  We’re talking the King Kong of spaghetti dishes.  Holy crap!!  I figured I’d get maybe halfway through it and be done.  Indy’s was the last to come up…so she was the last to join us at the table.  Cathy had already started eating…I was just starting…so we had timing.  At least none of us were left without food when all was said and done.

The rice pasta was really al dente.  Not bad…but not as soft as normally rice pasta would be.  The tomato sauce was rich and delicious and really made the dish, in my opinion.  The spaghetti really would have been lackluster and disappointing without it.  I sprinkled a bit of crushed red pepper onto the pasta to give it that slight kick that I like.  Me and spicy food make for a loving relationship.  Honestly.  I like it hot.  So, the spaghetti, like the quick service pizza, was…just okay.  Nothing to really write home about…or go on any longer in this blog.

Indy’s Egg Scramble of Awesome

Indy's Egg Scramble of Awesome
Indy’s Egg Scramble of Awesome

 

When you have fresh ingredients in your garden…what happens?  You make your husband and your friends one of the most epic egg scrambles ever.  Honestly…this was amazing.  So delicious.  So yummy.  I still think about it.  That’s why a homemade dish is being put into my blog.  None of you, unless you also know Indy, will be able to taste this dish.  None of you will get to enjoy it for the low cost of FREE…at her kitchen table…while drinking fresh and really delicious coffee.  It’s just not going to happen.

She cooked and diced and sauteed potatoes in coconut oil, added fresh vegetables from her garden, and then scrambled up some eggs.  Simple…but highly, highly delicious.  One of my favorite breakfasts I’ve ever consumed.  And it was filling.  Perfect way to start off a day that took us to many glorious sandy locations!

The Local Peasant – Sherman Oaks, California

The Local Peasant, Sherman Oaks, California
The Local Peasant, Sherman Oaks, California

 

This gastropub has no sign hanging up outside.  There is no neon flashing the name of the pub.  This is one of those places that if you didn’t know it was there, you would walk right on past it.  Thankfully, it turned up on Find Me Gluten Free…and it just happens to be one of Indy and Evan’s favorite dining spots in their area.  And I picked it.  All by myself!

It was our last night in Los Angeles, and it was also Indy’s birthday.  So, we went out to eat…although she told me to find somewhere.  I was mainly focused on finding Cathy a place to have some fish and chips, so I focused on that first.  The menu for The Local Peasant had not only vegan options marked, but also gluten-free options marked.  And my requirement to eat something with avocado while in California would definitely be fulfilled.

It was a special night, so I went against my usual abstaining from alcohol for training purposes…mostly because it was Indy’s birthday and we were celebrating.  But, they also had Green’s Quest Gluten-Free Triple Ale ($15.00).  I’m not a beer drinker…at all…but it was a celebration.  And, besides, Micky Dolenz of The Monkees was at the table next to ours.  I needed something to take the fangirl edge off.

Where there is beer…there is also food.  Our waitress just happened to also be gluten-free (in fact, her entire family is)…so she was a huge help.  But…as I said…I had my heart set on something with avocado in it.  I had to eat avocado while in California.  It had to happen.  So, when it came to dinner, my choice was obvious…the Edamame Vegetable Salad ($11.00).  Why was that obvious?  Because this salad was composed of edamame, corn, jicama, green beans, roasted peppers, avocado, toasted pepitas, and cashews with a rosemary and ginger vinaigrette.

It sounded like no salad I have had anywhere else.  It had avocado on it, and really…it just sounded awesome.  When it arrived, it was in a huge bowl…and I happily dug in.  The vegetables were so fresh and awesome.  I loved the texture the cashews and pepitas gave the entire dish.  The green beans still had that nice, fresh crispness to them.  The edamame is always one of my favorite things…and it was super good.  Loved the depth the roasted peppers gave.  The avocado, however, gave it this amazing creaminess.  It was topped off with that really flavorful vinaigrette that really just brought everything together.  It was the meal I needed to have.  It was the last thing I would eat in California.  It was…fantastic.

I’d go back to this gastropub in a heartbeat.  And I hope to…the next time I find myself in California!

~*~*~

So…there it is.  What I ate in California.  I didn’t blog about the fries from In-N-Out Burger…because I did that back in 2011.  But I did go there…and their frier is dedicated to just potatoes and makes their fries completely safe for me to eat.  Part 2 will be all about the fantastic dinner that Indy treated our party to at Napa Rose.  Trust me…that was a dining experience I wish I could relive over and over again.  But you’ll read about that in the next blog…

Posted on

Recipe: Paleo Cinnamon Glazed Pumpkin Donuts

Baking makes me as happy as cooking does.  Especially when I am doing it for other people.  And it has become a bit of a habit for me to spend my Friday nights in my little closet of a kitchen, baking up something for all the runners who come out and do their long distance run on Saturday morning.  I am a part of this group.  And, I think we all need something to run for, when it comes down to it.  Why not a little treat…a reward for pushing through all those miles and ending up back at the coffee house where those who didn’t go as far, or perhaps ran a little faster, congregate and catch-up for a bit.

There is one member of this group of amazing people who has been having so many issues with the foods she eats.  She is currently trying the Paleo diet, but working in some of those “forbidden” foods…because she is an athlete and she needs certain things to power her through.  It’s just been a matter of seeing how her body reacts to certain things.  Have I ever been there, done that.  While most of my goodies are gluten-free (the Paleo diet is gluten-free), they haven’t always had items that she could eat.  I was determined to change that this week.

As I have donut pans that are always begging for use…I went out, purchased a small bag of coconut flour (for an ungodly amount of money) and spent the later hours of the evening making donuts for my group the following morning, using a recipe from FastPaleo.  Paleo donuts.  Donuts she could, in fact, eat.  Who would have thought?  And I made them with two of my favorite things…pumpkin and cinnamon.  Yummy!

Recipe: Paleo Cinnamon Glazed Pumpkin Donuts

Paleo Cinnamon Glazed Pumpkin Donuts
Paleo Cinnamon Glazed Pumpkin Donuts

Servings: 10
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Bake 25 minutes

Ingredients for Donuts:

  • 1 cup pumpkin
  • 2 eggs (room temperature)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice

Ingredients for Glaze:

  • 2 tablespoons coconut crystals
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions:

The Donuts:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease doughnut pan with coconut oil.

Combine all ingredients in a mixer, food processor or blender (anything works) except for the glaze.

*Note that coconut oil and maple syrup is needed for the doughnut and the glaze.  Optional ingredient if it appears too dry: 1 cup room temperature applesauce (the kind with cinnamon would rock).

Evenly distribute onto the baking pan and bake for 20 minutes.

Cool on a cooling rack.

When cool, flip over to allow them to fall off pan.
The Glaze:

Combine the coconut oil and maple syrup in a dish.

Combine the coconut crystals and the cinnamon in a bowl.

Use a pastry brush to brush the top (or all sides) of the donut and then dip it onto the dry mix.

~*~*~

It’s really that easy.  I didn’t need to add applesauce to my mixture of ingredients.  And these donuts were soft, moist, and really, really packed with flavor.  I was beyond impressed.  So was my group, apparently.  Because I ended up baking 20 of these and only 3 of them were left on Saturday morning after we all finished our runs.  And the leftover three were devoured by my roommate and I this morning for breakfast.  Even gave them a little warm-up in the microwave, as if they were fresh out of the oven.  Honestly…SUPER delicious.

One of the group was raving to me afterwards about the donuts.  It makes me happy to share something I love to make with those I enjoy being around.  And with those I know appreciate the time and effort I put into these.

My Paleo runner was not there this past week…but after this three week hiatus where I am out of town…I’ll resume my baking trend and see what I can create that will be safe for her as well.

Until then…I intend to make many many more of these donuts.  And at 104 calories and 6 grams of fat per donut…it’s a treat that is definitely worth indulging in.  Epic yum!  Try them.  You don’t have to be gluten-free or Paleo to enjoy them.  Obviously.  My running buddies proved that.  High marks and high praise all around.

Posted on

Restaurant Review: Seviche – A Latin Restaurant, Louisville, Kentucky

Seviche - A Latin Restaurant, Louisville, Kentucky
Seviche – A Latin Restaurant, Louisville, Kentucky

Restaurant: Seviche – A Latin Restaurant, Louisville, Kentucky

After a lot of talking about doing it…and then never…never…ever getting around to actually doing it…my roommate and I, along with our co-worker, Justin, have been making a point of visiting various local restaurants in the ever-expanding foodie city of Louisville, Kentucky.  And why shouldn’t we?  It’s in our own backyard.  We live here…and yet we fell into always going to the same spots over and over again.  And yet, Louisville is really finding its voice in the culinary world.  Why overlook the spoils that we are readily provided?

Yesterday, we upgraded a little as far as restaurant choice.  We opted to go to Seviche – A Latin Restaurant, located on Bardstown Road in Louisville, Kentucky.  In all the years I’ve lived here, I have often walked by this restaurant, gazing in as I’ve passed…seeing the white table cloths and wondering…what the food was like.

Tack onto that the fact that the restaurant’s kitchen has three-time James Beard semifinalist, Anthony Lamas, at the wheel.  Anthony Lamas has been featured at the Atlanta Food and Wine Festival, the Charleston Wine and Food Festival, and Bobby Flay’s Breeders’ Cup “A Taste of the World” event.  He proudly serves only sustainable seafood at Seviche.  He opened Seviche in 2005 and since then, the restaurant and Lamas has garnered major praise and attention.  Esquire magazine said that “Seviche has emerged as one of America’s best and most innovative Nuevo Latino restaurants with plenty of the chef’s personality in every dish.”  It later states that if you have time for one meal in Louisville…you should make it Seviche.  In 2011, Lamas won the title of Extreme Chef on the hit Food Network show by creating a wedding menu with $99 worth of ingredients from a 99 cent store.

As for the restaurant itself, it was named “one of the ten great places for Latin flavor and flair” by USA Today in 2009.  Louisville, Kentucky is very lucky to have this little gem.  Honestly…I was impressed, hands down, even before I reached the restaurant.

Here’s why…

You see, with my special dietary needs, I tend to look at menus ahead of time and then get in contact with the restaurant itself in order to better prepare for my visit.  It’s always good to know if I’ll be dining on a protein bar while my friends eat or if I, too, can indulge in the food that is being served.  That being said, I sent an e-mail to the General Manager, Hap Cohan, who replied promptly to my inquiry about gluten-free and vegetarian options.  After all, I was heading to a restaurant known for…seafood…so I wasn’t sure what would be good for me to eat.  He replied that they do not have any gluten-free vegetarian options on the menu, per se, but the chef would be more than happy to make something for me.  They often do a local vegetable plate with whatever fresh produce is in house…or they could build an entree with the items that are on their regular menu.  He also recommended the gazpacho that was served during the summer.  He asked for my name and party I am dining in so he could notate my requirements on the reservation so the chef and manager on duty would be aware when we arrived.

And when I arrived, I didn’t even have to specifically ask for the gluten-free menu.  The hostess was already grabbing for it for me.  I felt a lot of relief.  We were seated and given a chance to look over the options for dinner.  I was really stoked about being all dressed up for dinner at local restaurant that has received so much praise and high accolades for its food and its chef.  I already had an idea of what I’d be eating…but then an option caught my eye on the gluten-free menu.  So, I think I had my mind made up right away.  As for drinks, while they had an amazing list of alcoholic beverages to choose from, with a 20 mile run awaiting me the following morning, I stuck with water, which comes with a cucumber in the glass.  Refreshing.  And different.  Loved that.  When Justin arrived (fashionably late), we all settled in to decide on what we’d like to eat that evening.

Time to place our orders.  Justin went with the Mahi Mahi Tacos ($19.00), which included pico de gallo, cabbage, and a cuban lime aioli.  Cathy went off the specials menu…ordering first the Sopa de Dia, which that evening was a Chipotle Cheddar Potato Bisque ($7.00).  With that, she went out of her comfort zone, ordering the Albacore Tiradito Seviche ($15.00).  She always said she hated tuna…so this surprised me.  Turned out she forgot Albacore was tuna.

As for me, I ordered the Roasted Beet Salad ($13.00), which included lemon arugula mojo, capriole goat cheese, and mustard.

Seviche - A Latin Restaurant's Roasted Beet Salad
Seviche – A Latin Restaurant’s Roasted Beet Salad

With our orders in, we were able to sit and chat, drink our water (or in Justin’s case…his mojito)…and just talk about whatever we wanted…that didn’t involve work.  As we all work together…that seems to be the way of it.  And it’s nice that way.

When food arrived, I was just blown away by the sheer beauty of the plates.  First of all, every plate on our table was a different size and shape.  We joked with the waiter who brought out the food about it being culinary Tetris.  But, we managed to get it all on the table and soon we were diving in.  Cathy first tried the soup, immediately falling in love.  She said it was right at her heat threshold…the perfect amount of spice and heat without it killing her palate.  This is saying something because, as stated before, she is a heat and spice wimp!  As for her Albacore Tiradito Seviche…she was in love.  It was paired with watermelon, yuzu, and chili flakes with it.  And yeah…she was enamored.  With TUNA!!  I applaud her foodieness.  I told her not to judge tuna by the stuff in the can.  She agreed!

We asked Justin how his Mahi Mahi Tacos were, and he was already done with one of the two he was served.  Obviously…he was impressed.  This was good, because he didn’t look at the menu before coming to the restaurant and had a bit of sticker shock at the prices.  It was good that the food did live up to the cost.  Besides…sustainable seafood.  That’s important.

But…with the gluten-free vegetarian dining at a Latin Restaurant known for seafood dishes…well…I was the tricky one.  First of all, the Roasted Beet Salad looked stunning.  So bright and vibrant.  Beets are a great food for runners.  So, that was part of the reason I chose it with my long run the following day.  It’s supposedly like legal doping.  Who knows.  I’ve grown very fond of roasted beets, so this salad won me over.  Pairing it with the goat cheese and the mojo and mustard was fantastic.  Fresh tomatoes were scattered about the beets as well.  Super delicious.  I savored each bite.  And this was not a giant salad by any means.  But every bite of it was amazing.  I definitely cleaned the plate.

When our waitress returned…we had clean plates and smiles on our faces.  She inquired if we were interested in desserts.  Cathy said…”We are always interested in desserts!”  She retrieved the dessert menu and we made the initial inquiry as to what, if anything, was gluten-free.  She didn’t think anything was, but went to the kitchen to check.  She returned a short moment later, saying that the renowned The “Avocado” dessert was gluten-free, as was the Bourbon Butterscotch Pudding and the Housemade Ice Cream.  Since they were known for The “Avocado,” Cathy and I decided we had to get that.  So we decided we would split it.  Justin got one all to himself.

The “Avocado” ($7.00) is avocado ice cream, formed into the shape of half an avocado and sitting in a chocolate shell.  The pit is a bourbon chocolate truffle.  It is accompanied by dulce de leche and a coffee pine nut soil.  It definitely sounded intriguing.  And…hello…avocado ice cream.  SOLD!

This dessert was gorgeous.  Literally…gorgeous.  I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was plated beautifully and totally looked like an avocado.  I love whimsical dishes and this definitely was a fun play on a favorite food.  All in delicious dessert form.  It looked gorgeous, but how did it taste?  SUPER!  Cathy took the “pit”…the bourbon truffle…and ended up saving it for last because, while she is not a fan of bourbon…she loved the flavor of that particular morsel.  The avocado ice cream was fantastic.  Seriously.  It was mild, but had light citrus (perhaps lime) notes to each bite.  The chocolate shell was crumbly and yummy.  And that dulce de leche…the best pairing with the avocado ice cream and chocolate.  As for that coffee and pine nut “soil”…when you put everything together…it was magic in your mouth.  I was beyond impressed.  I was in dessert heaven to be honest.  One of the best desserts I have ever been served.  Seriously.  EVER!

I couldn’t agree more with the sentiment about visiting Seviche if you had just one restaurant to go to in Louisville, Kentucky.  Be prepared for a high quality meal…and with that…higher prices than someone might be accustomed to paying.  But Seviche, the servers, and the chef all took great care of me and worked with me and my food allergies.  For that, I am forever grateful.  And the food…it blew me away.  I’ve been spoiled.  I loved every bite of everything I ate there.  I’ve heard good things about their guacamole (also on the gluten-free menu), so next time I venture to that restaurant…I think an appetizer might be in order.

For what it’s worth…Seviche is worth its weight in gold because it really does put out fantastic food, great service, and it’s all right here in my own city.  I am one lucky gluten-free girl.

Seviche - A Latin Restaurant's The
Seviche – A Latin Restaurant’s The “Avocado” dessert
Posted on

Product Review: Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans

Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans
Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans

Product: Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans – $2.99+

I love chocolate covered espresso beans.  They are little “pellets of power” as my roommate calls them.  And she couldn’t be more right.  But they have to be dark chocolate coated.  Why?  Because dark chocolate…as I stated before…is my favorite chocolate and the only one I prefer to consume.  Milk chocolate is not for me.  And white chocolate…it’s never really impressed me.  Dark chocolate, with all it’s healthy antioxidants and heart-healthy qualities is the way to go.

I still remember reading one of Dean Karnazes’ books (he is the Ultramarathon Man for those of you who are unfamiliar with the name) about running in his first ultra marathon.  He was at one of the checkpoints and he was given a slice of brownie.  What made this brownie the most amazing thing he had ever tasted…was the espresso beans that were baked inside the chocolate fudgey treat.  Runners love that extra kick that caffeine can give to their runs…and having it with a hit of chocolate is my favorite way to eat espresso beans.

Imagine my joy when I was at my local Earth Fare store and spotted the Endangered Species line of chocolate bars.  They had so many varieties on their shelves and my roommate told me to pick one.  ONE!!!!!  How was I supposed to choose?  But…I did.  And while the Dark Chocolate Bar with Blueberries was very tempting (blueberries…another super food for runners!)…I ended up selecting the Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans.

And I couldn’t be happier with my choice.  This chocolate bar ended up getting tucked away in my drawer of run goodies in my kitchen.  And, like the chocolate bars that came before it…I totally forgot that they were in there.  With sell by dates coming up…I figured now was as good a time as any to work my way through them.  A nice little sweet treat for the office day.  Perfection.  Just what I needed for that mid-afternoon pick-me-up.  With the espresso beans, that shouldn’t be a problem.

So, this past week, I opened up the bar and broke it up into 1/5 portions.  The serving size on the back indicates that the actual serving is 1/2 of the entire bar.  But I just needed a taste…not half a bar at 2 p.m.  Just saying.

Let me say this…this bar won me over at first taste.  The dark chocolate is some of the best I have ever had the chance to taste.  Rich.  Smooth.  It wasn’t too bitter at all.  Just the perfect hit of dark chocolate goodness.  And it’s the perfect percentage for dark chocolate so that it isn’t too bitter and you still know you are eating dark chocolate.  This particular bar sits pretty at 72% cocoa.  The espresso beans…oh…yeah.  Just like eating a few dark chocolate espresso beans.  That’s what this tastes like.  Caffeinated love with a hit of coffee flavor.  Color me a happy chocolate-eating girl.

This chocolate bar is certified gluten-free, vegan, uses Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa, it’s kosher, and it’s non-GMO certified.  The cacao is sourced from ethically traded  cacao farms that ensure fair trade, responsible labor practices and sustainable farming.  Are you sold on this yet?  What is even better, 10% of the net proceeds of each bar purchased are donated to help support species, habitat and humanity.  That means…indulging in a cause.  A very good and important cause.

So…this clean eating chocolate loving lady gives this bar a huge, huge thumbs up.  Honestly.  I’m totally addicted.  Maybe it’s the espresso beans.  Maybe it’s the delicious bittersweet dark chocolate.  But I’d wager it’s the combination of the two.  As far as ingredients go, this chocolate bar is made up of bittersweet chocolate, and roasted coffee.  No…really.  How’s that?  It’s sweetened from vanilla and beet sugar.  Clean eating chocolate for sure.

Nutritionally speaking, by breaking it up into 5 portions of 3 squares, I only consume 84 calories and 7 grams of fat.  But, if you were to consume the 1/2 bar (or 43 grams) listed as the actual serving size, you’d be taking in 210 calories and 17 grams of fat.  It is cholesterol-free and sodium-free.  Seriously.  And, for a chocolate bar, the 12 grams of sugar isn’t enough to make my eyes bug out of my sockets.  There is also 5 grams of filling fiber and 3 grams of protein as well.  Love it.

If you want a sweet treat without breaking up with your diet…if you just require a hit of chocolate every now and again, I highly recommend the Endangered Species brand.  Even better…if you love coffee…indulge a little in the Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans.  You won’t be sorry.  And it does give the right hit of bittersweet goodness and a little pick-me-up when you need it most.

Indulge in a cause.  Indulge in Endangered Species Chocolate.  Enjoy!

Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans (unwrapped)
Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans (unwrapped)
Posted on

Product Review: Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar

Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar
Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar

Product: Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar – $3.59+

If there is one treat (aside from peanut butter) that I allow myself on a daily basis…it’s dark chocolate.  Why?  Because I love, love, love dark chocolate.  I have never been a big fan of the mild milk chocolate…and white chocolate…that’s not even chocolate.  Dark chocolate has and will always be my one true chocolate love.  I blame my mom for this…as she was a dark chocolate fiend when we were growing up.  I guess I do get some of my best traits from mom!

Anyway…I had a stash of these Dark Chocolate Dream dark chocolate bars in my drawer at home.  I got them when a local store put them on closeout…as if they were going away forever.  At the discounted price…I couldn’t let them get away without me trying them.  Right?  Right!

Well…I forgot I had them.  *hangs head in shame*

No…really…I forgot.  I FORGOT I HAD DARK CHOCOLATE IN MY HOME!!  What in the world is wrong with me??!  Anyway, I uncovered them not too long ago, as I was digging for a protein bar to take with me in case a restaurant didn’t have food for me.  It was like uncovering treasure.  A stash of like…six dark chocolate bars.  All different.  All just waiting to be devoured…savored…or whatever.

Working my way through them…the other day, without a dessert plan in mind after dinner (dessert is important…it must happen and it always does in my home!), I remembered that I had a Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar in that drawer…and in my pantry…Marshmallow Fluff and some gluten-free graham crackers.  Do you see where I am going with this?

S’MORES!

I mean…gluten-free s’mores for dessert?!  Brilliant, yes?  Absolutely!

So, I went to the drawer and dug out the Pure Dark bar.  Prior to this, I had a couple other Dark Chocolate Dream Dark Chocolate Bars…the Raspberry and the Rice Crunch.  I broke off two of the squares for the s’more, retrieved the gluten-free graham crackers from the pantry and the fluff.  One graham cracker got the bit of chocolate placed onto it…the other one…layered with Marshmallow Fluff.  I took my kitchen torch (yes…I have my own kitchen torch) and toasted up the fluff before sandwiching them together for the perfect gluten-free (and vegetarian) S’more.

One bite…and I knew I was in Pure Dark heaven.  Because the star of the s’mores was not the toasted fluff (although that is delicious) or the gluten-free graham crackers.  No…the star is that hit of bittersweetness that can only come from amazing dark chocolate.  This chocolate is rich…which meant it was the perfect thing to pair with the sweet fluff and the salty-sweet graham crackers.  It just brought balance to everything.  And…the Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar is simply that…dark chocolate.  Nothing else.  Just solid dark chocolate.  And…yes…it is amazing.  Let’s not forget, dark chocolate is actually considered healthy and good for you.  It is loaded with antioxidants and heart healthy stuff.

So…what is this amazing Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar made from?  According to the wrapper, the Pure Dark bar from Dark Chocolate Dreams contains evaporated cane juice, unsweetened chocolate, roasted soy flour, soy lecithin, cocoa powder, pure vanilla extract.

As for the nutritional value.  Well…it’s chocolate.  Need I say more?

But for those genuinely interested…one serving of the Dark Chocolate Dreams Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar is 1/2 of the bar.  That would be four squares.  This serving would provide you with 240 calories and 14 grams of fat.  This is why I only do one square at a time…which works out to 60 calories and 6 grams of fat.  Regardless…let’s say you really needed chocolate that day…so you went with half the bar.  This would also provide you with 15 mg sodium, 23 grams of sugar, 1 gram of fiber, and 3 grams of protein.  So…all-in-all…not too bad.  Not great.  But, this is to be a treat.  I recommend 1 square a day…not half the entire bar.  Much more manageable.  Oh, and you get to enjoy it longer too.

Dark Chocolate Dreams has really impressed me.  Honestly.  I have enjoyed all three of the dark chocolate bars that I had in my drawer.  Each one had something different about it that sort of set it apart from the others.  But for the simple love of something dark chocolate and sweet…I highly recommend the Pure Dark bar.  It doesn’t get much better than the original.

Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar (unwrapped)
Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar (unwrapped)
Posted on

Product Review: Vanilla Chex Gluten-Free Cereal

General Mills' Vanilla Chex Gluten-Free Cereal
General Mills’ Vanilla Chex Gluten-Free Cereal

Product: General Mills’ Vanilla Chex Gluten-Free Cereal – $3.29+

It’s been awhile since Chex cereal came into my pantry.  Honestly.  While I have previously touted it as one of the more affordable gluten-free cereals, the fact of the matter is that some of the ingredients just don’t fit into my lifestyle anymore.  While I’m not doing Clean Eating 100%…where I can cut out the processed food and the additives and such that I don’t need to be consuming…well, I cut them out.  There are better, healthier cereals out there.  Yes…I might have to pay a little more for them, but I feel better about the ingredients.  Peace of mind.

That being said, I also know that since I heard about the newest and latest Chex cereal flavor…and that it was one of their gluten-free options…I did want to try it.  I didn’t really go searching for it, but one day while in a local grocery store, I spotted a couple boxes on sale…mostly because the boxes were dented.  Hell, I don’t care what the box looks like.  As long as the inner packaging is still sealed…

So, into my arms came General Mills’ Vanilla Chex Gluten-Free Cereal.  And home it went in a grocery bag.  I put it into the pantry, as I was polishing off an all natural chocolate cereal at the time (which was SUPER yum!).  But yesterday was the big day for the Vanilla Chex.  I had used up the last of my previous cereal and this one was about to have its moment to shine.  It had a few spoonfuls to win me over.  So, I wished it luck and poured out a serving of the cereal, snatching a few pieces to try dry before adding my unsweetened almond milk to the mix.

First of all, this cereal, as with the other flavored varieties of Chex cereals, is a blend of regular Rice Chex, and then the flavor-dusted cubes.  The vanilla variety has this dusting of a sugary-sweet vanilla powder on them.  My first taste, without the almond milk, was not one to win me over.  While the flavor is awesome…think…Rice Krispies meet Nilla Wafers…it was really, really, really sweet.  I mean…SWEET!  And I love sweets.  This was almost a little too sweet though.  And it’s not often you’ll hear me say that.  Trust me.

I was about to head to the gym for an hour of cardio and strength training, so I hoped that the almond milk tamped down the sugary-sweet flavor and also prayed that it wouldn’t revisit me after the workout.  I poured in a splash of almond milk and settled in for breakfast.

Adding the milk helped.  Probably because some of that vanilla sugar on the squares washed off and into the milk.  That was fine.  It definitely made the cereal easier to eat.  And it really, for the life of me, tasted like I was eating a bowl full of Rice Krispie treats.  Now, I love Rice Krispie treats (thank you gluten-free Rice Krispies) as much as the next person…but I like them in moderation.  And this serving feels almost too big (though it is a standard serving) given the sweetness factor of this particular variety of the Chex cereal.

So…for me…this one is okay…but I’d rather snatch up the Honey Nut or Cinnamon or Chocolate varieties first.  This one…while good…just was…too much for one sitting.

But, as always, I have to break this down for you.  Why doesn’t Chex Cereal come into my house much anymore?  Well, it’s this little additive called BHT.  This version also has a lot of sugary ingredients, including sugar, fructose, and molasses.  No wonder it tastes like a never-ending dose of Rice Krispie Treats.

As for the nutritional information, a serving of Vanilla Chex is 3/4 cup, which will provide you with 120 calories and 2 grams of fat.  In addition, this cereal is cholesterol-free and only contains 190 mg of sodium.  For being so sweet, the fact that it contains only 8 grams of sugar is shocking…but that’s what the nutrition panel tells me.  Finally, you will be consuming a scant amount of fiber and very only 1 gram of protein, so expect to feel hungry soon after you eat it.

For a sugar rush or an occasional treat, I think Vanilla Chex would be a good stand-in for something.  I also think it would rock some gluten-free Muddy Buddies and the like.  But as a cereal I found it way too sweet for my liking.  So, now that I’ve tried it…I’ll polish off the box and move on to the next gluten-free cereal to come my way.

It’s good.  It’s just too sweet for me.  That’s all.

Posted on

Product Review: Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

Product: Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix – $5.99+

Cookies.

We all know by now that I am obsessed with cookies.  I love them.  I’m a human cookie monster.  Or…at least I was…back when eating cookies was easier for me.  After the Celiac diagnosis, that had to change.  Sort of.

There is absolutely no small amount of gluten-free cookies out on the market.  Not just the pre-made and pre-packaged stuff…but mixes are out there…and even refrigerated tubs of gluten-free dough.  Nope…gluten-free cookies are abundant throughout the marketplace.  And I have probably consumed a majority of the ones that are offered.

Somewhere along the way, I acquired a box of Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix.  I mean…if you’re going to prove that a cookie has potential, then you have to go with the classic chocolate chip variety.  I haven’t met someone who doesn’t enjoy a chocolate chip cookie.  So, when choosing a cookie (gluten-free or otherwise), always go chocolate chip.  ALWAYS!

I don’t remember where I got this mix…but I had it in the pantry for a long while.  I know…shocker.  But…I was in the mood to bake the other night.  And, you see, I belong to this fantastic group of runners who meet up every Monday and run together.  A couple weeks back, I made a gluten-free Minion (from Despicable Me) cake.  So, I figured…why not treat them to something nice after a good run?  Normally I would make these from scratch, using my mom’s famous recipe from when I was a kid.  But…I was short on time that evening.  So, I dug out this mix and simply got to making it.

First of all…super simple to make.  I mean…easy-peasy!!  I love making cookies (even gluten-free ones) from scratch…but since I had this and it was so convenient…I figured…just do it.  The mix went into my KitchenAid mixer along with 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter (room temperature) and 3 tablespoons of vegetable shortening.  It got mixed up until it was crumbly and incorporated.  One egg gets added and it mixes on low until the dough starts to come together.  I ended up adding 1 tablespoon of water to mine before it really started to come together.  I kneaded the dough with my hands for a moment more until it was stiff and slightly crumbly.  Perfect.

One tablespoon for each cookie…that was the plan.  I managed to rock out 24 cookies…and still had dough leftover.  But my roomie is a dough fiend and asked if after I filled up the second baking sheet if she could have what was left…if there was any.  I agreed.  And she enthusiastically devoured the raw dough…saying it tasted really amazing.

Into the oven the cookies went for about 12 minutes.  I watched them carefully, waiting for them to start to get that golden brown color to them.  I removed them just as they were beginning to get golden so I would have a chewier cookie.  I prefer a little crust on the outside with a chewy cookie.  It’s my favorite way to enjoy a cookie.  So that’s what I was going for.

And I succeeded.  The cookies were a huge hit.  And I loved the size of them.  They were two to three-bite cookies, perfect for a simple snack after a run.  In fact, the cookies are what got some of the runners up the hill at the very end of the run.  “If I run this entire hill…I can have a cookie.”  Hey…anything to get through, right?  RIGHT!!  Everyone gave me their opinions and all of it was positive.  Quite a few people in the group are gluten-free…but there are others who are not.  And they said you couldn’t even tell they were gluten-free.  They had that savory hit of saltiness to them…the sweetness from the chocolate…and this chewy, but slightly-dense texture to them.  They were almost the perfect chocolate chip cookie.  But they baked up beautifully and they were really, really enjoyed by all who ran.  Some even took 2…or even 3.  WIN!

Heartland Gourmet is a family operated business that understands that time together with family is important.  This is why they offer healthy, wholesome, and delicious gluten-free, gourmet, and organic baking mixes and kits.  Why?  Because it gets your treats cooking without taking away time from your family.  Even better…get your loved ones to help you make something special.

Now…the science of it all.  The Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix is made up of a gluten-free flour mix (rice flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, xanthan gum), granulated sugar, medium brown sugar, chocolate chips, vanilla, non-fat dry milk, salt, baking soda and butter.

A serving is 1/4 cup of the dry mix, which is about 130 calories.  Each serving contains 1 gram of fat, 65 mg sodium, 22 grams of sugar, 1 gram of fiber, and 1 gram of protein.  So…treat it like a treat.  No need to over-indulge.  The entire point of making bite-size cookies was to satisfy the sweet tooth without sabotaging the hard work that goes into keeping the body fit and healthy.

Heartland Gourmet really bakes up traditional, yet very delicious gluten-free goodies.  Their gluten-free chocolate chip cookies are amazing and definitely need to be shared.  No one would be able to tell they were gluten-free.  Honestly.  They are really that good.  Chewy, delicious…and somewhat healthy.  Heartland Gourmet is, as their box says…naturally good.

Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Posted on

Product Review: Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream

Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream
Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream

Product: Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream – $5.99+

I have to give some major props to my favorite local grocery store in my area – Earth Fare.  What I love about Earth Fare is the deals that they have every now and again…especially over the weekends.  Because if it wasn’t for some of those deals, I wouldn’t have even thought about getting some products that are offered.

This past weekend, the special deal going on was for a brand of ice cream that I never even noticed before.  It’s a brand from New York (the Brooklyn area) known as Phin & Phebes.  And in my area, only Earth Fare carries it.  The deal was…for a if you spent $5 at Earth Fare, you could get a pint of Phin & Phebes ice cream (any flavor) for $1.  With one thing in my cart I had already spent that much…so…I went to the freezer and eyed a few options.  I already had banana ice cream from my local ice cream shoppe (YAY COMFY COW!) in my freezer, so I didn’t want to get the pint of Banana Whama Ice Cream.  It turned out I couldn’t anyway…because it had vanilla wafers in it.  So…good call.

Other flavors that I could find included Coconut Key Lime…which would have been like a key lime pie.  I couldn’t have that one either…due to the graham cracker chunks throughout that.  There was Ginger Cookie Snap…which is ginger flavored ice cream with ginger cookies and lemon icing filling.  Again…one I couldn’t have.  I was starting to think my roommate was going to be the one benefiting from this deal…not me.  I kept looking…finding Vietnamese Iced Coffee flavor, which was one I could have…as it was simply coffee flavored ice cream with a hint of chicory and cardamom.  But…I knew Cathy disliked coffee ice cream.  This left…as far as I could tell…Vanilla Cinnamon…which is what I ended up grabbing.  It was simply vanilla ice cream blended with Vietnamese cinnamon.  I could tell Cathy was less than thrilled, so I almost said I’d get the banana one and she could have that while I ate the one from The Comfy Cow that was in our freezer…but didn’t bother.  We put it in the cart and moved along.

Then…as we were perusing the freezer section just before heading to the checkout counter…I spotted it.  I spotted ONE LAST PINT of what had to be the best flavor EVER of Phin & Phebes Ice Cream.  It was all they had left so I grabbed the Vanilla Cinnamon from the cart, threw it into the freezer and snatched the last pint of…DARK CHOCOLATE SALTY CARAMEL.  It was like it was meant to be.  I love dark chocolate.  And salty caramel anything grabs my attention.  We called it a day and checked out.

Later that week…for two days…we each got to enjoy the awesome, awesome, awesome flavor of this ice cream.

Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream ice cream is just what it sounds like.  Dark chocolate ice cream that has been sprinkled with salty caramel to create this uber rich, satisfying, and super-delicious treat.  After dinner, I went to retrieve the pint from the freezer and dished up a serving (the standard 1/2 cup) for my roommate.  I handed the bowl off to her and she dug in.  I heard her say, “OMG!  OMG!”  I was like…”What?”  And she said…”BEST ICE CREAM EVER!”  Or something to that affect.  She told me she wanted to see me take a first taste because she was having a hard time not hoovering hers.  The reluctance to have a brain freeze was what kept her in check, I think.

So, my bowl now held a perfect 1/2 cup serving.  The pint was returned to the freezer and I settled in to have my first taste.  One bite…and it was a done deal.  Whenever this flavor was in stock…it had to be in my shopping cart and then in my freezer.  Holy cow!!  This flavor is kept in balance by the perfect blend of rich, smooth dark chocolate ice cream with the salty, slightly sweet caramel.  I mean…perfect balance.  It was everything an ice cream should be.  It was…it was a blend of my two favorite flavors from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream in Columbus, Ohio.  Right there.  In one pint.  It was heaven.  It was delicious.  It was worth savoring…but not too much because ice cream soup is not as much fun as ice cream.  I immediately tweeted to my friend Jenn and told her she needed to venture to the other side of town to their Earth Fare and just snag a pint of it.  She wouldn’t be sorry.  It had to happen.  That’s how much I loved it.

This treat…is certainly a treat.  A dessert among desserts.  And sometimes…the taste and flavor is enough to negate any thought of how non-nutritional it really is.  I mean…it’s ice cream!!!  Live a little.  But…as always, I like to share the nutritional information with my readers.  A serving of Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream, which as mentioned is 1/2 cup, dishes up 230 calories and 14 grams of fat.  So as tempting as it is to make it an every night sort of thing…DON’T DO IT!  It’s fine every now and again.  And worth it too.  Also, you will be scooping up 500 mg sodium and 20 grams of sugar.  In addition, you’ll get 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein.

So…for a treat on a week when dark chocolate and salty caramel goodness is the only thing that is going to make life better…I highly, highly recommend Phin & Phebes brand.  The Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream is a total WIN in my book.  It does everything right.  It tastes amazing.  And…oh…it’s simply…the best.

You’ll want to lick the bottom of the bowl.  Trust me.

NOTE: On the Web site, there is one further flavor listed that I didn’t see at all.  Again, this wouldn’t be one I could indulge in, but it is Peanutty Pretzel, which is peanut butter ice cream with chocolate covered pretzels.

A serving of Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream
A serving of Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream