I totally broke tradition. I did. I was in New York City to run the TCS New York City Marathon…and so far I had managed really amazing gluten-free pizza the night before the race. Normally, after I race, my friends and I go to a pub to celebrate the occasion.
Not. This. Time.
But, it was of my own doing that we ended up in Harlem just after 6 p.m. on Sunday evening.
How?
Well…since we were going to be in New York City, I thought it might be fun to check out a restaurant that belongs to one of my favorite chefs of all time.
The venue: Red Rooster.
The chef: Marcus Samuelsson.
After all, we were celebrating my finish at the marathon earlier that afternoon. Why not make it special. So, yeah…I broke tradition and decided to forgo the pub for something…a little different. And I have never made a better decision in my life.
Prior to heading to New York City, I had told Cathy that I really wanted to go into Harlem and eat at Red Rooster. She knows how much I adore Marcus Samuelsson. And, honestly, we’re both foodies…she was right there with me. So, she went ahead and called the restaurant and talked to them about reservations on marathon eve. She mentioned that I was a gluten-free vegetarian and they said that food for me would not be an issue. With that done, Cathy set up a reservation for 6 p.m., giving me plenty of time to run, shower, walk around, come back and change, and get there with my group of friends. We had reservations for 4 people…me, Cathy, Heather, and my good friend Marisa.
So, that night, I dressed up in this elegant vintage dress…but kept on my recovery compression socks (and wore them with my heels, HA!), and my three friends and I went down to the subway and hopped the train to Harlem. We emerged steps away from Red Rooster. Literally.
And about 10 minutes late. Whoops. But…we got there…before they handed our table away.
We were seated near the kitchen, which was fantastic for me because I could see the people bustling around in there, working hard at the various stations. I loved the feel of Red Rooster…very chic casual. A fun, vibrant, laid back, but classic vibe. It was the kind of place I would want to return to and bring everyone I know…at least once. Totally my style.
Our server, Ryan, came over to greet us. He said that if we had any questions regarding the menu to let him know. I mentioned that I was a gluten-free vegetarian, and he said that wouldn’t be a problem. In fact, he would go and talk to the chef and see what they could do for me. I thanked him and we all studied the different menu options. At one point, I know Cathy was trying to convince Marisa to try the soup with tripe in it, but that wasn’t happening.
Ryan returned, and said that he mentioned that I had run the TCS New York City Marathon and was a gluten-free vegetarian, to which he said the chef would like to create a dish for me. I was thrilled and thanked him for checking.
Glasses of Brotherhood Riesling
With that said, Cathy took one matter into her own hands. We were, after all, celebrating. So, she ordered a bottle of wine for the table. We went with a sweet wine (Heather prefers dry…but she was a good sport), opting for a local Riesling – the 2013 Brotherhood from Washingtonville, New York ($48.00).
We were ready to order, it seemed. Ryan already had mine. He said the chef was going to do up a Vegetable Plate ($21.00) for me. So, I was excited to see what would emerge from the kitchen. Cathy went with Marcus Samuelsson’s signature dish – Helga’s Meatballs, which are served with lingonberries, braised green cabbage, and buttermilk mashed potatoes ($23.00). Heather ordered the Triple-Double Burger, which is served with bacon, jarlesburg, and rooster sauce ($19.00). Marisa did a little picking and choosing, and went with the Upstate Farms Squash Soup, which includes yogurt, honeycrisp apples, and lentils ($12.00) with a side of the Cornbread ($4.00). And, because they sounded good…Heather and I split a side of the Hearth Roasted Brussels Sprouts ($8.00).
Red Rooster Entrees: Helga’s Meatballs, Upstate Farms Squash Soup, and Triple-Double Burger
Ryan went to put or order in and we all got down to talking about New York, about work, about life, about the race, about food, about events…whatever we wanted to talk about. We were in no rush and the restaurant was not rushing us. I loved being able to just drink in the atmosphere.
Just before the food arrived, Ryan returned with our Riesling bottle, pouring a little bit into Cathy’s glass. Cathy lifted the glass and took a sip. And it was love at first taste for her. So he poured some in each of our glasses, and I made sure to keep drinking my water too. No dehydration here.
And then…our entrees arrived, each one settled down in front of us carefully.
The plates…were gorgeous!
Chef Creation: Vegetable Plate – Curried Black Eyed Peas, Charred Broccolini, Berbere Carrots and Parsnips, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts
The chef created a fantastic dish for me. In a bowl on my left was Curried Black Eyed Peas. And on the platter beside it…Charred Broccolini, Berbere Carrots and Parsnips, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Oh…I will note, these Brussels Sprouts tasted different than the side that Heather and I were splitting. It was chef magic. And it was a beautiful and gorgeous plate. One that I looked forward to eating.
Let’s start with the Curried Black Eyed Peas. Just…WOW. WOW! So much flavor. Lots going on. And yet…simple. I like to traditionally have black eyed peas on New Years Day…and this is how I would want them this year. For real. Just this incredible depth of flavor with the curry spices. Not hot…just simply bringing out more of the peas themselves. One of the best dishes involving peas of any sort I have ever had in my life. And, trust me, I’ve eaten plenty.
The vegetables that the chef prepared were a delicious and filling treat for me. The broccolini was gorgeously cooked and vibrant green. It had the right amount of crisp to it, yet, still soft and easy to bite through. I love broccolini, and this was just as it should be…simple and delicious. The Brussels Sprouts were roasted to perfection, giving that outer layer some depth of flavor, yet keeping the vegetable itself soft on the inside. Fork tender perfection.
My favorite thing, however, on that plate was the Berbere Carrots and Parsnips. HOLY COW! This side is exactly why I rushed out to a spice store in order to purchase berbere. This spice is awesome. It has this great flavor to it, followed with a little bit of heat at the end. It paired beautifully with this root vegetables. In fact, these were what I saved for my last bite. Completely in love with a plate of vegetables. How amazing! My compliments to the marathoning chef. My meal was sheer perfection.
Red Rooster’s Hearth Roasted Brussels Sprouts
And I know you’re wondering about the Hearth Roasted Brussels Sprouts that Heather and I split, right? Of course you are! These were different from the ones that were on my plate. These sprouts had this amazing char to them, but also hit up with a bit of a lemon or citrus flavor. Sprinkled on top were macadamia nuts. It was a combination that I hadn’t had before with Brussels sprouts…and I liked it.
But, wait…there is more!
Because when we celebrate we get dessert too! We were handed the menus so we could peruse the options. Ryan was taking care of another party at that moment, so I asked the new server about gluten-free options. She highly recommended The Green Apple Viking Delight ($11.00). I was game. Heather actually ended up doing that too. Leave it to the Scandinavian Minnesotans to order something with the word “viking” in it. HA! Cathy knew she wanted to have cheesecake in New York City, so her choice was the obvious one…Vanilla Cheesecake, served with yogurt, a granola crumble and pomegranate sorbet ($11.00). Marisa went for the signature dessert of the restaurant, the Red Rooster Doughnuts, which are filled with sweet potato and coated in cinnamon and sugar ($12.00). It came with an icing to dip them in as well.
Red Rooster’s Vanilla Cheesecake and Red Rooster Doughnuts
Red Rooster’s Green Apple Viking Delight
Desserts arrived shortly after and…yeah…we were quite happy with our choices. I thought The Green Apple Viking Delight was like a cold crème brûlée. It was a green apple sorbet set on top of a white chocolate fennel cream. On the side was chopped apple and fennel. And a little tuile was set on top, giving it a little crunch and texture. I was totally in love with the flavors, even though I wasn’t completely certain, at first, that they would work. They complimented each other perfectly and each bite was a burst of sweetness, with a bit of richness from the white chocolate. Divine.
Cathy loved her cheesecake (it looked deconstructed…so cool!) and Marisa was more than pleased with the doughnuts. Needless to say…we are girls. Desserts are awesome. But these…these took awesome up to the next level. Which I guess is phenomenal. Or, in the culinary world, a sweet note to end the night on.
We left the restaurant completely satisfied with the meal. The ambiance of Red Rooster was like no other restaurant that I have been in to date. A live jazz band had started to play during our desserts and we really just took a moment to not only savor the food, but savor the experience as well.
I have been a Marcus Samuelsson fan for years…being able to eat at his restaurant was a dream come true. Having a dish created for me, and having a careful and very caring staff made it unforgettable. I was congratulated so many times on finishing the marathon. It was an amazing day, but that night really just sealed it as one of the best days of my life. Good race…good friends…good food…good times.
GF Jules and me at the Gluten-Free Food Allergy Fest in Indianapolis, Indiana!
This past Saturday, I had the honor of being able to attend the Gluten Free Food Allergy Fest up in Indianapolis, Indiana. I love going to gluten-free expos and events and Indianapolis seems to always have one at some point during any calendar year. This year was no exception, and I was thrilled to read about the new location for this year’s event – the Indian State Fairgrounds. With all the vendors and exhibitors I saw listed, I knew this year’s event was going to be HUGE! I was not let down at all.One of the magazines I currently subscribe to, Gluten Free & More (formerly Living Without), was putting on the Living Without Gluten-Free Food Allergy Fest in various cities this year as a way to show those with food allergies and/or sensitivities that we can live life without deprivation and missing out on delicious food. It was a coming together of the magazine, as well as over a hundred of their favorite exhibitors to celebrate living well. And it was open to anyone who wanted to stop in.
Tickets went on sale and, as a subscriber, I received a free entry, and then received a discount code for another ticket…so I had Cathy taken care of as well. So, on Saturday morning, we ate a light breakfast before climbing into the car and hauling up to Indianapolis. We timed it perfectly because we burned through our breakfast just as we got up there, about 30 minutes after it officially opened.
And…there was already a line waiting to get in.
Oh…that made me happy, indeed.
It was a hot summer day already and standing outside in the blazing sun didn’t sound like too much fun…but it wasn’t going to be a long wait. Just about 5 minutes, at the most. And while standing in line, I got to listen to people who have done expos like this before (like me) describe the events and how things work to the first timers. I even got to geek out over favorite products and the like for a few moments. I love making gluten-free friends!
Before we knew it, we were inside the doors, in the air conditioning, and getting the tickets scanned. We were given blue wristbands to wear (for re-entry purposes and to show we paid!). Cathy and I put them on and headed into the expo proper. We were greeted at the door by people passing out reusable shopping bags from Glutino (a personal favorite!). Perfect for all the samples and products you are bound to pick up and buy.
Trust me, you don’t walk out of these events empty-handed.
Cathy and I decided that we were going to be systematic about our approach to each table/vendor/aisle. We’d start on one side and then work our way up, then come back down the other side. This was a good plan in theory, and we decided to start in the middle aisle to avoid the congestion of the end aisles. We soon found out…no matter what…it was just hopping and congested. People were surrounding tables, getting free samples, trying products, trying local baked goods, and the like. So, we ditched our original systematic plan for the…let’s just see what there is and wriggle into open areas when we can.
We’re pros. HA!
That being said, we began our Gluten-Free Food Allergy Fest at the Glutino/Udi’s/Earth Balance booth, which was giving out samples of Udi’s Gluten-Free Salted Caramel Cashew Cookies as well as Glutino’s Gluten-Free Multigrain English Muffins, schmeared with Earth Balance Creamy Coconut and Peanut Spread. It was all crazy, crazy delicious. I actually have the Glutino English Muffins in my freezer, I just haven’t tried them yet. Now…I know buying them wasn’t a mistake at all. They were delicious. And that Earth Balance Creamy Coconut and Peanut Spread…out-of-this-world good!
And from there…it only got better. We made a point to stop by each vendor’s table and talk to them about their products, if we had tried them. If we hadn’t…we would ask all about them. I made a point of raving to the Pamela’s Product people about the Figgies & Jammies. Because they are awesome and worthy of praise. I talked to the Hodgson Mills representative and when I mentioned being a food blogger he said to reach out to the Hodgson Mills team anytime. I was told the same thing by various other vendors as well. And one local vendor who was selling the most amazing bar-b-que sauce and seasoning (which we purchased) said to tag her on Facebook when I use their products so they can read my blog. I was having a great time.
I think, though, the best moment had to come at the Freedom Foods table. Because, as many of you are aware, Freedom Foods only makes my favorite gluten-free cereal, Tropic-O’s. NOM NOM! I can’t find this cereal here anymore, since my Whole Foods stopped carrying it, so my parents ship it to me from Birmingham, Alabama. We have a system down. But, recently, they put out a gluten-free, dairy-free, and not-free version of Nutella…which I fell in love with. My local Kroger is the only place that had it…and I bought the last jar of it a few weeks ago. It has never been restocked. So…I stocked up on some Quinoa Pancake Mix, lots of “Smudge” (that’s the Nutella stuff!), and a few other products to try, all the time raving about how much I love their products and how they honestly care about what ingredients go into all of their stuff. It didn’t hurt that the guy at the table had a New Zealand/Australian accent. HELLO! I actually ended up going back to the table before leaving that day and buying 4 more jars of Smudge. I hadn’t opened the one I had at home for fear I would never find it again. Now…it’s on!
I was able to sample some of the best gluten-free Snickerdoodles I have ever eaten. And this pasta that was made from lentils that tasted exactly like regular pasta…but I couldn’t afford the hefty price tag on it. Unfortunately. It was nice to sample it, however. At the very back of the building, for those over 21, was the gluten-free cider/beer tasting area. There was so much food and samples…so I was glad we ate light. And Cathy and I have a system down…where we split a sample so we aren’t filling up on our own. It always works at these events.
However, I have to say the greatest moment ever was when I finally got to meet GF Jules in person. GF Jules (formerly Jules Gluten Free) was one of the first Celiac/Gluten-Free bloggers/recipe makers/amazing people I started to follow on social media after my diagnosis. While I have been to events where she has been present, I have never been able to actually meet her. That changed. We discovered that we were food allergy soul sisters, both of us being vegetarian Celiacs who also can’t handle dairy. Go figure. She was so nice and just so easy to talk with. I picked up one of her cookbooks, which she signed, and she was kind enough to take a picture with me. I might have geeked out a little bit. Or a lot. You know how it goes…
And soon, after a couple hours of tasting, testing, buying, talking, and exploring, our time at the expo drew to a close. We were going to meet our friend, Greg, for lunch that day, so we bid adieu to the fantastic event and made our way out to the car.
This event was probably the best one I have attended so far. Great people, great vendors, great information all around. And I came home with samples and products to try in the very near future. Can’t argue with that, right? Right!
I hope they return next year. I’m already making plans to attend. If one of these events happens near you…I definitely encourage you to go!
I have my friend, Pecos, to thank for turning me on to the newest gluten-free bakery near the Denver Tech Center in Denver, Colorado. I make a yearly sojourn out to Denver for Starfest, an annual sci-fi/fantasy convention, and am always looking for places that can safely feed me. A couple of months before I headed that way, Pecos mentioned this place on Facebook. Sure enough, it wasn’t far from my hotel at the convention at all. Insert a happy traveler right here!
As it turned out, we’d be hitting Denver at the right time to stop into said bakery for lunch. And I couldn’t be happier. Cathy and I budgeted some money (and then she added on after we settled in to eat and after purchasing a few things for later…but I’m getting ahead of myself) for this stop to be our official lunch and snack stop on Friday afternoon. It was perfect. And…after getting a little lost trying to find the place, we finally located it (under a storage awning, of all things).
The Gluten Escape. Their slogan…”Where gluten is a 4-letter word…gone!”
Love it.
The bakery itself is quite small and cozy. You see the counter with all the baked goods in the case and on top of the case the moment you walk in. To the left is a fridge, a toaster, a microwave, and coffee/tea stuff. To the right, a small dining area for those who are dining in. The back and far walls had little shelves with some of the items they had for sale…as well as cakes. Cathy scoped those out while I was preparing lunch…but I’m getting ahead of myself again.
We were greeted by a very nice gentleman behind the counter when we entered the bakery. We told him that we were from the Louisville, Kentucky area and had been told about this bakery by a good friend of ours in the area…and we were starving travelers. I was eying the brownies and bars in the case at the front when Cathy tapped me on the shoulder and said…”Bagels!”
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Onion Bagel and Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll
SOLD!! They were out of the Everything Bagel, which would have been my first choice. The other two options were Onion and Cinnamon Raisin. I jumped at Cinnamon Raisin, but Cathy said…”Really? You want that one?” Which means…she didn’t. So, I gave in for the Gluten-Free Onion Bagel ($3.00). And let me tell you…this bagel looked AWESOME!! Even better than Udi’s Gluten-Free Bagels. All of them. So, we got the Gluten-Free Onion Bagel with the Daiya Cream Cheese (yay for vegan cream cheese!) to split as we also purchased one of the Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls ($2.25) to split as well.
We also picked up other goodies…but I’ll get into that in a moment.
Let’s focus on lunch. We were handed the bagel, which he sliced for us and told that the toaster was right behind us. Awesome. I got to work toasting it while he grabbed the dairy-free cream cheese and then the cinnamon roll. He handed that to Cathy and told her she might want to give it a 20 second warm-up in the microwave. Which…she did. The toasting on the bagel was taking a bit of time and I was hoping I wasn’t going to burn it. Because…FRESH MADE GLUTEN-FREE BAGEL!! HELLO!! Do you realize how uncommon that is to find??!! Trust me…you don’t see it very often. I don’t see it at all, honestly. The bagel popped and I plated it and carried it to the table. Photos happened and then I spread the bagel with the cream cheese and we each took a bite.
Holy gluten-free bagel, Batman. This was fantastic. It was light, not heavy. The flavor was amazing. You really got the onion flavor without it being overpowering. It had that nice crust on the outside, but was still chewy and bread-y in the middle. It was heaven. I cried. Seriously. Tears of joy. Because, save for the Udi’s processed gluten-free bagels…I hadn’t had an actual bagel since I had to go gluten-free. This…was life changing for me. Life affirming even. I might survive after all. I set the bagel down so I could try the cinnamon roll.
This was not what I was expecting when I cut the cinnamon roll in half. Honestly. It looked more like a muffin than the traditional cinnamon roll. It was way different from the gluten-free cinnamon rolls that I purchase from Sinfully Gluten Free in Dayton, Ohio and Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky. Like I said…it looked more like a muffin. But…we all know that cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite indulgences…and I was looking forward to splitting this with Cathy. I sliced it in half…a pocket of cinnamon flavoring nestled right in the center. I lifted it and took a bite. It reminded me of…apple pie, oddly enough. I think it was the spices that went into the dough and the cinnamon center. I loved that it wasn’t coated in icing, but lightly drizzled. I am not a fan of icing or frosting…so the less the better in my book. And this definitely gave it a nice level of sweetness. It wasn’t my favorite gluten-free cinnamon roll, but it was delicious. And we ended up buying another one!
This brings me to our side purchases…
For breakfast the following morning, Cathy and I picked up two of the Mini Chocolate Donuts ($1.59), the Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar, and the Lemon Raspberry Bar as well. I would have bought one of everything if I could have afforded it. So, after I went for a run that morning, I returned to the hotel room and got our breakfast prepped. I sliced the bars in half and delivered those to Cathy, along with her donut. As I was getting the rest of my breakfast ready for me to settle in and enjoy…I hear the happiest noise in the world.
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Bar, Gluten-Free Chocolate Donut, and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar
“You HAVE TO try the donut RIGHT NOW!” I was told.
So, I took a bite.
OMG…best gluten-free donut I have had yet. From anywhere. And, trust me, I’ve eaten a lot of gluten-free donuts…in gluten-free bakeries and the store-bought kind. Seriously…reminded me of a Dunkin Doughnuts Chocolate Munchkin. I was once again in tears. It was a cake doughnut, but without the denseness and heaviness that I often find with gluten-free donuts. These were light and airy, and amazing. The chocolate chips inside were a very nice treat as well. I was starting off breakfast with a bang. YUMMY!!
The next thing I sampled was the Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Bar ($3.75). This had this delicious crust and was topped with a sweet and tart lemon filling and then capped with something akin to raspberry jam or compote. Whatever it was…the flavor combination was awesome. The crust gave it a little bit of texture as well as dulled the sweetness of the berries and the tartness of the lemon. I liked this bar a lot, but found myself wishing that it was just the lemon on there. I love raspberries and all…but LEMON…is the ultimate bar. Forever.
The Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar ($3.75) snagged my attention away from the brownies that were in the case. Those were tempting too. But…pretzel! HELLO! This was a lot like a blondie…but with gluten-free pretzels baked into it and scattered across the top. I’m thinking…sweet with salty. I was right. This bar was fantastic. The pretzels were slightly on the stale side, but that’s because I had bought them the day before and they were sitting on top of one of the tables in the hotel room all night. It didn’t take away from the deliciousness though. I loved the play and sweet and salty, which is my favorite flavor combination These were amazing. For real.
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookie
Later on that day, Cathy and I decided to have a snack. We indulged in some fruit we had picked up at the grocery store. And with it, we split the Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookie ($2.50) that we also purchased while there. This was my first time ever encountering a crispy snickerdoodle cookie. But…the flavors were spot on. The sweetness from the sugar, the heat from the cinnamon. Snickerdoodles, as we all know, are my absolute favorite cookie and these were different from what I’m used to, but I loved it all the same. So, it wasn’t the chewy cookie I associate snickerdoodles with. Didn’t matter. It tasted like a snickerdoodle. That’s what counts, yes? RIGHT!
I won’t lie…the buying didn’t stop there. Nope. Not at all. Before we left the bakery on Friday afternoon, Cathy pointed out the Gluten-Free Biscotti and the Gluten-Free Puppy Chow on one of the shelves. I also found a Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar that was definitely intriguing, since pumpkin flavored everything rules! I ended up buying the Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar ($2.25), the Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti ($1.95), the Grain Free Mocha Almond Biscotti ($3.25), and a container of the Gluten-Free Puppy Chow ($3.99-ish?).
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Puppy Chow
I tried the Puppy Chow on Monday morning on my way to the airport. Cathy and I needed to swing by Voodoo Donut to pick up some dounuts for a co-worker of ours. So, while there, Cathy ordered a donut for herself. As for me…it was Puppy Chow time. The Gluten Escape’s Puppy Chow is a mix of Chex cereal, puffed rice, pretzels, and corn flakes. They are dusted in powdered sugar. And it was really, really good. I loved the different textures and flavors with each bite. You got the salty from the pretzels, the sweet from the cereal, and each cereal was different, making it crunchy or softer or just snack-able by the handful. I loved it. I ate half of it before hitting the airport and brought the other half to the office with me the following day.
The Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar was…lacking sweetness, in my opinion. It was good. And they definitely had the right pumpkin spice flavor down. It wasn’t overpowering. But…the bar just seemed flat. It was very crunchy, which is fine…granola bars can go either way. But I kept waiting on something that would sweeten the deal. Like chocolate chips or something. I just think it needed a touch of sugar (not too much…just something to elevate it). Regardless, it was good and I downed that entire thing at the office.
As for the two biscotti that I chose…WOW!! Just…WOW!! They complimented my morning coffee beautifully for one thing. The first one that Cathy and I tried (we split them) was the Grain Free Mocha Almond Biscotti. OH MY GOD!! So delicious. I enjoyed dunking it in my coffee and just having that flavor mingle and mix. Oh…it was divine. And totally made my morning, if you couldn’t tell. The Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti was the same way. I loved the crispness that would soften when dunked in the coffee and the chocolate chips were a nice lingering sweet touch. I was in total coffee heaven those mornings. Seriously. I will probably buy whatever biscotti they have next time I am in town. For real. That…was love at first bite for sure!
I know that Colorado is a hotbed for gluten-free companies and businesses…and I love visiting there for that reason. But, if you happen to be near the Denver Tech Center (DTC)…I strongly encourage you to take the trip up the road to The Gluten Escape and indulge in some of their daily specials and their baked goods. Everything looked fantastic. I really would have purchased one of everything had the budget and my belly allowed. But, that’s why there is always a next time. And there will be a next time.
Beyond impressed!
The Gluten-Escape’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar, Grain-Free Mocha Almond Biscotti, and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti
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!
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.
For the first time in my life…I was excited to be heading to Disney. Yes…I’m in my thirties. No…I’ve never been to a Disney park. No Disneyland. No Disney World. My family could never afford to go when I was growing up…so that was one thing many of my friends had done that I hadn’t yet achieved. It was certainly on my bucket list, and from what I had been told…I’d enjoy it more now that I was older anyway.
That being the case…the perfect opportunity to go there arose with the Disney Princess Half Marathon. Originally, I was going to run this one in 2012, but I didn’t have the money for it. So, the moment registration opened for the 2013 Disney Princess Half Marathon, you better believe I was registered and ready to run. The way I figured it…if I went ahead and registered, I couldn’t talk myself out of it due to financial reasons. No looking back. I signed up the minute registration was opened…and I was locked in.
Disney World.
Trust me…I do not travel without doing some research as to what I might be able to eat. Thankfully, Disney World is pretty much the #1 go-to vacation spot if you have food allergies…especially Celiac or gluten intolerance. Trust me. I was expecting to have to eat many a Go Picnic meal while on vacation, but I only had to break into one of the little packs I brought…and that was at the Atlanta airport on the way home. That definitely speaks very highly of the park and of Disney.
So…here I go with yet another combination blog about my amazing dining experiences while at Disney World. I wanted to be particularly safe in my food choices being that I was there to run a half marathon and being glutenized while on vacation sucks enough…but being glutenized before running 13.1 miles sucks even more.
Safety was key…and I never felt as if I were in any danger of becoming sick at any dining establishment where my roommate and I chose to dine.
I suppose the best place to start…is at the beginning of the trip…
Sanaa – Animal Kingdom Lodge
Restaurant: Sanaa – The Animal Kingdom Lodge
What better way to experience Animal Kingdom, our first park of choice, than by eating at the Animal Kingdom Lodge that night for dinner. What really added to the ambiance of this particular dining attraction was that you could literally gaze out of the window and see exotic animals roaming around the Sunset Savanna as you eat. The cuisine is African-inspired with Indian flavored. Mmmm…I totally dig Indian food.
My roommate and I arrived about 15 minutes ahead of our reservation. As we checked in, the hostess said that she saw that there was one person in the party with a gluten allergy. I nodded and said that it was me. She handed us our little pager thingy and we took a seat to wait for our table. Despite arriving early, we were taken back as soon as something opened up…which was just before our reservation time anyway.
I loved the dimly lit quarters in which diners were seated. All around were decorations from Africa, really adding to the
Hazelnut Rooibos Tea
amazing feel of the restaurant itself. And, once seated, our waiter came over to the table to get our drink order and talk about some specials. I went ahead and ordered a hot tea to go with my dinner, settling on the Hazelnut Rooibos tea ($6.29) with some water.
As he was going over some of the favorites on the menu, he noted that I had the gluten-free menu in front of me and said that a chef would be out to talk to me specifically about the menu, but that if anything on the regular menu looked like it had gluten in it…it was not on mine. Just as he was starting to go over the gluten-free bread option should I want to do the Indian-style bread service, which means I get poppadoms instead of the traditional bread, the chef, Jake, came out to speak to me about the menu.
Chef Jake really did a lot to put my mind to ease. Not only did he promise to watch my ticket carefully as it was prepared, he also went over the poppadoms that I could use for the Indian-style bread service, should I choose to do that. He went over which sauces/chutneys would be okay with that (they were listed on the menu) and said that I could put my mind to ease…as they would take good care of me. I thanked him for his time and he returned to the kitchen, leaving us once again in the capable hands of our server, Chris.
With a little bit of time to decide on what we wanted, my roommate and I placed our orders. Cathy decided on the Chicken Tandoori Pilaf ($17.99). As for me…the Sanaa Vegetarian Sampler ($14.99) sounded awesome. I was able to choose two of the five vegetarian dishes and have them served with basmati rice. I was able to choose between Paneer Tikka; Stewed Lentils; Spicy Peas, Chickpeas, and Potatoes; Mixed Seasonal Greens and Tomatoes; Vindaloo-style Vegetables. I knew for certain I wanted the Vindaloo-style Vegetables, so the difficult part was deciding what the other choice would be. After a little back and forth, I chose the Stewed Lentils as my second option.
Chris went to put in the order and I left my fate in the hands of Chef Jake and his knowledgeable kitchen staff.
Food arrived at our table and I couldn’t wait to try it out. It looked fantastic. Three bowls were placed before me. The middle one held the basmati rice, the one on the left had my tewed lentils, and the one on the right had the vindaloo-style vegetables. It smelled fantastic and I couldn’t wait to dig in.
The basmati rice was perfect with each of these dishes…for one thing. And the rice was cooked to perfection and lightly flavored, so as not to take away from the dishes that accompanied it. I started with the Vindaloo-style Vegetables. This dish included a blend of okra, tomatoes, green beans, cauliflower and onion. It wasn’t packed with flavor…as I was expecting a bit of a spice to accompany it. But, that being said, it wasn’t lacking either. I thought this was going to be the highlight of my sampler…but it was slightly too mild for me and definitely not as full of flavor as I anticipated. That being said, it did taste good. I just was familiar with my last vegetarian vindaloo experience where I had a lot of heat in each bite. This wasn’t at all bad…it just wasn’t as fantastic as I had built it up in my mind.
The stewed lentils, however, are another story. These golden lentils were not only packed with protein (me and my protein!), but also seasoned to perfection. They were creamy and had a hint of spice to them that I enjoyed. I dished some rice into them and it was a perfect combination when mixed together. I loved the texture and taste of these lentils. Nothing grainy…nothing too bland. Perfection. These thrilled me.
Despite being full, Chris talked my roommate and I into dessert. As we were both rather full, we decided to split something. And the dessert menu at Sanaa was not lacking as far as gluten-free options went. As we were splitting, Cathy and I chose to try our waiter’s suggestion, the Banana Kulfi Sundae ($5.49), which he described as a banana split without the banana. Well, I was totally sold!
Sanaa’s Banana Kulfi Sundae
The dessert was brilliant. A cube of banana flavored kulfi (which is sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk that is flavored) is served with a wedge of dried pineapple, warm chocolate sauce, strawberries, a dollop of whipped cream, and spiced cashews. Kulfi is a bit denser than ice cream and actually takes longer to melt. Pretty awesome. And the dessert…was fantastic. Amazingly tasty. I especially loved the strawberries that came on the side. I tried to mix as many of the components together for a bite and it was magical. I suggest to anyone dining at Sanaa they save room for dessert and give the Banana Kulfi Sundae a try. Trust me…it was worth the extra money and indulgence.
Sanaa was certainly a good way to kick off my week at Disney World. I was put to total ease from the moment I checked in and never felt like I needed to second guess any of the food placed in front of me. Total win.
Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant – Downtown Disney
Restaurant: Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant – Downtown Disney
Well, by now, you know how it is when a pub is in the vicinity with my roommate and I. We definitely love our pub grub. She definitely always has more of a selection because being gluten-free at a pub is definitely not easy and being a vegetarian on top of it…even more difficult. But, I still love the atmosphere of Irish pubs and we chose this one specifically because of how it was rated with gluten-free fare. Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant is located in the bustling, busy, crowded Downtown Disney.
Let me preface this by saying that of all the places I ate at Disney World…this one was my least favorite. There were options on the menu for me…many dishes being labeled as having a gluten-free version of it (and yes…this included the fish and chips). So, that was very calming for me as far as menu choices went. The thing was…beyond a salad, there wasn’t too much for a vegetarian to have…aside from the Raglan Risotto…which I almost settled on. The server said I could also enjoy the Portobello Beauty Sandwich without the bread. But…with all that being said…I decided to stick with something I could pretty much guarantee wouldn’t make me sick.
Let it be known, Cathy cannot enter a pub without getting the Fish and Chips ($19.00) which she always gets with a drink, and since they had Magners ($7.00 – and it’s gluten-free) on tap…she was definitely one happy girl.
I decided to stick with water for my beverage and finally settled on one of the salads on the menu that was vegetarian and gluten-free. My choice…the Vroom Salad ($12.00) with a helping of some gluten-free carbs…a side of their fries (or chips as they say in Ireland) ($5.00), which would be prepared gluten-free for me.
Dinner arrived at our table. My roommate loved how her fish and chips were served traditionally…wrapped in paper and poured out onto her plate. She loved the tartar sauce that came with it. She did enjoy the fish, but the chips lacked.
As for me…the Vroom Salad intrigued me right away. The Vroom Salad is made up of gluten-free quinoa grains with cider vinegar marinated
Raglan Road’s Vroom Salad with a side of Chips
beans, sweet and sour carrots, watercress, and served with a honey mustard dressing. It was presented in the center of a plate in a pile, which I totally destroyed with my fork to scatter things about the plate and mix with the dressing.
As far as a salad goes…this one was actually one of the better offerings I have had at a pub. The addition of the quinoa was a fantastic protein-packed addition to the usual greens and vegetables that I get stuck with at such establishments. The flavors from the beans and carrots only heightened the flavor of the salad. I felt they were a little heavy-handed with the watercress, but it added a nice green throughout the salad, once I mixed it up. The watercress was the most unwieldy part of this salad. It was the best part of this meal.
That being said…my roommate and I were more than disappointed with the chips. These fries were mostly soggy and lacking that firm crunch I love on the outside of fries. I don’t get to eat fries out much, so I was looking forward to these. And they were a huge disappointment in the end. I ate more of them than I intended, but as I was paying for them…it seemed like I had to put some effort into it.
Would I go back to Raglan Road on a follow-up visit? Not likely. Which is too bad…because I do love pubs.
No dessert…instead my roommate and I hit up Downtown Disney Babycakes NYC bakery for a gluten-free cookie sandwich. My favorite thing I ate all night. But I’ll get to Downtown Disney’s brach of Babcakes NYC soon enough…
Sunshine Seasons – Epcot
Restaurant: Sunset Seasons – Epcot
With all the food options available at Epcot…there was very little around the park that I could actually eat. Today was the day before the race and I needed to be very sure about the food I consumed. One bit of cross contamination could be disastrous for me and my race that I paid so much to run and trained hard for in the cold weather of Indiana.
My roommate already knew what she was going to consume at the park – Lamb Schwarma Platter ($12.99) from Tangierine Cafe in Morocco. That plate of food came complete with her protein of choice (lamb) as well as a side of hummus, tabouleh and a Tangierine couscous salad with fresh Moroccan bread. We had met up with our friend Indy, who was also running in the race, and she ventured over to Japan for some sushi. This only left me to find food. And while I hoped for some gluten-free vegetarian sushi, I was informed that only the Tariyaki Salmon was gluten-free in Japan. No good. I left feeling down. Looked like it was back to the original plan for me that day…grabbing something at Sunshine Seasons in the food court at Epcot.
I was told they were famous for their soups…but it was hot outside and I wasn’t feeling soup. I checked out some of the grab-and-go options…including the sushi…but not gluten-free. Of course. *sigh* With no other options, it looked like I was having yet another salad. We spoke to the person at the salad bar to find out if the Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese Salad ($7.89) was gluten-free. She wasn’t certain, so she went to check with the chef. He said that as long as there was no cracker served with it…it would be okay for me.
I wasn’t feeling it…but I was hungry. So…that’s what I ordered.
Sunshine Season’s Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese Salad
The salad was rather small, comparatively speaking. It was basically roasted red and yellow beets, served over lightly dressed spring greens. Generous heaps of goat cheese were served with it. And, on top, cinnamon-roasted pecans to add a bit of texture and flavor. The entire salad was dressed with a mild honey-sherry dressing.
It was…okay. I liked the nuts and goat cheese the best. The beets were, actually, a good choice for the day before the race. But there was nothing really great about this meal. Grab-and-go is not my favorite thing as it is…and food courts are…not always the best option as a go-to for me. But…I had to eat. While all the flavors worked together…this just wasn’t what I really wanted that day, so it paled in comparison to anything else I could have sought out. The problem was…this was all there was. So, while the salad was good…it wasn’t amazing. And I probably wouldn’t order it again even if it were the only option once again.
Meh.
Damn you Epcot and your lack of gluten-free, vegetarian ethnic food throughout your showcases.
Riverside Mill Food Court
Restaurant: Riverside Mill Food Court – Port Orleans Riverside
This…was not a planned food stop on this trip. Not at all. But…here’s the thing. I am an athlete through and through and I have my traditions and my superstitious. And here is the thing…before every big or long race I run…I love to have gluten-free pizza. And if pizza is not available, gluten-free pasta will do in a pinch. But it’s that gluten-free pizza that seems to power me through the following morning. And after spending the day at Epcot and only consuming a small salad…I needed something that would give me some energy for the early morning race (the race kicks off at 5:30 a.m.).
Panic mode. None of the restaurants that have gluten-free pizza were in range of the resort. My roomie and I were staying at Port Orleans Riverside. And we had made it back over that way when I said I needed to have my gluten-free pizza/pasta tradition. Honestly…this isn’t something I take lightly. But with nothing close…I wasn’t sure how to accomplish this.
My roommate went to speak to the concierge on duty. His name was Will and he was fantastic. He said he knew how difficult it was to be a Celiac and said he would see what he could do to help. He picked up the phone and called down to the food court in the resort to see if there was something they could help me with. He was told to send us down and have us ask to see as chef. We thanked him for his help and meandered that way.
Chef Will (from Columbus, Ohio) came out to see us and we explained that I was running in the half marathon the next morning and have a tradition of either gluten-free pizza or pasta prior to the race. He said he could prepare either one of them for me. So, my roommate and I each decided to get one of the gluten-free pizzas. She could have actually gotten anything from the food court, but I think she was just trying to keep it simple. Chef Will went to go prepare two gluten-free cheese pizzas for us (individual size) and I was forever grateful and already feeling better about the run in the morning. He went over to the kitchen at Boatwright’s Dining Hall to actually cook the pizzas. Then, after they were ready, he walked them out himself.
Pre-race, individual size, gluten-free cheese pizza ($8.99) made specifically because I had a dietary need…from the Riverside Mill Food Court. I was impressed.
The pizza was…not one of the better ones I’ve had. The usual rice cracker crust with pasta sauce and some cheese…warmed through and put onto plates. Nothing special. Nothing fantastic. Nothing that made it stand out from some of the other places I have dined on gluten-free pizza. But at the moment…nothing could have tasted better. I appreciate the effort that Port Orleans Riverside put forth for me, specifically the help that both Will and Chef Wes gave to me to help me get the food I needed the night before my reason for being in town.
Huge sigh of relief. Mediocre pizza…but man…that night…it tasted oh, so good!
Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano – Hollywood Studios
Restaurant: Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano – Hollywood Studios
Of all the places I ate at Disney World…this one, ironically, was my favorite. Really. I say ironically because it is, after all, an Italian restaurant and for the most part…Italian food is a no-go for the gluten-free diet.
Unless places can accommodate patrons.
And this place was rated high on how they can deal with food allergies…specifically gluten-free dining.
We arrived a little early for our reservation, but they didn’t mind. A short wait and we were still seated ahead of our reservation time. Loved that. Our server, Elizabeth S., came to the table and noted the tag marked “ALLERGY.” She inquired as to what the allergy was and I told her gluten. She said the chef would be out to speak to me about my options.
A few moments later, Chef Michael was coming to the table to talk about the menu. He said that the pastas could be made gluten-free…and he
Mama Melrose’s Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls
also had gluten-free flatbreads and dinner rolls. And, should there be room for dessert…a gluten-free flourless cake. He asked if I knew what I wanted and I explained that since I was a vegetarian as well, I was really looking at the Spaghetti Marinara ($14.99). He said that he could even throw in some vegetables for me if I would like. I’ve never met a vegetable I didn’t like…so I told him I was totally game for that and he could have some fun with it. He asked if I was interested in the gluten-free dinner rolls, and I had run 13.1 miles that day…so of course I was.
That being decided he returned to the kitchen and Elizabeth returned to the table. Cathy opted for the Spaghetti with Meatballs and a Four Cheese Sauce ($18.99), which came with complimentary bread.
This would also be a great time to mention that my gluten-free dinner rolls…were also complimentary. No charge. Not at all. And I was given 3 in my basket when they came out to the table…warm and ready to eat. I broke one open and took a bite. Delicious. It tasted like what I remember a honey wheat bread to taste like. But…it was completely gluten-free…warm…amazing…soft…and just plain YUMMY!
Mama Melrose’s Gluten-Free Spaghetti Marinara with Chef Michael’s Vegetable Selection
Entrees arrived at the table and I was taken aback by just how much food was in that bowl. Lots of pasta. Lots and lots of pasta. And my favorite part was the plethora of vegetables that Chef Michael added to my dish. I found carrots, broccoli, peppers, spinach, and mushrooms. It was so much fun seeking out those little morsels and mixing them with the rice noodles and the delicious marinara. I fell in love with this meal. So much. And, sadly, there was a lot of it. I couldn’t finish it. But I at least did the chef justice by eating every last vegetable I could find in that bowl. It was a treasure hunt and I enjoyed every single bite of it.
As I had two dinner rolls remaining, I chose to take those with me to have as lunch while out and about in the parks the following day. We were heading back to Epcot and I knew there was little for me to eat there…so now I had something that could quell any hunger pains before dinner that night.
Now…if you will recall…I mentioned that this was my favorite place I dined while in Disney World. And, for me, that meant…I wanted more. I was so intrigued by this gluten-free flatbread that I asked if, perhaps, on our last day there…if we could go back for dinner. We had a big breakfast planned that morning but nothing else, and I figured we’d want something to eat before heading back to the resort to finish packing and turn in for the night.
The problem was…there was no reservations available for us. We checked with the concierge at Port Orleans Riverside the night before…but nothing. We checked again the following morning…still nothing. So, it seemed we were out of luck. On a whim, however, we decided to at least hop down to Hollywood Studios that evening to see if they might be taking walk ins. That…was a negative. However, the hostess did tell us to check back around 6:30 p.m. if we wanted to wait that long (it was just over an hour wait), because some people never turn up for their reservation, opting to go to the Fantasmic! show instead.
I was starving by this point, mind you, and the thought of waiting that long was daunting. However, hopping the bus back to Port Orleans Riverside to dine on Go Picnic meals on our last night in Disney World was less than exciting. Our other option was Sanaa, but online reservations would have us at 6:50. Might as well wait until 6:30 here at Mama Melrose’s and see if something opened up. If not…we’d figure something out…
Luck was with us that night. We turned back up at 6:30 p.m. as instructed. The hostess radioed back to see if they could take a party of two…and they could. It meant a 20 minute wait, but I had already come this far to eat here again, I wasn’t going to stop now. I think our wait was actually less than 20 minutes…but well worth it. We were seated, and the allergy tag was stuck on the table once again. Our waitress tonight was Rose. She said that we might have to wait a little on the chef tonight, as a party of 14 was seated near us and they had kids with multiple food allergies.
The wait was well worth it. Chef Michael came to our table and welcomed us back, already setting a basket of gluten-free dinner rolls down. He remembered us!! Two nights ago he made me a fantastic Spaghetti Marinara. And we told him that we had returned tonight, since he intrigued us by gluten-free flatbread and flourless chocolate cake.
Cathy and I chose to split the Wild Mushroom Flatbread ($12.99). He said he would get right to work on that and would keep in mind the
Mama Melrose’s Gluten-Free Wild Mushroom Flatbread
flourless chocolate cake. YAY! Rose came over to record the order to put it into the system and let us sit and enjoy our hot dinner rolls. Chef Michael returned with some olive oil and spices to dip our rolls in, as well as some fresh butter to spread over it should we choose. We did both. And both were delicious choices. We actually devoured all of the rolls before the flatbread came to the table.
The Wild Mushroom Flatbread is sort of like a pizza. This one is a gluten-free flatbread crust that is topped with roasted cremini and button mushrooms, a garlic-shallot spread, and then finished off with the most amazing balsamic reduction. This was complete love at first bite. The balsamic reduction was the best touch for this, but all of the components worked together. And the gluten-free flatbread was beyond fantastic. Finally…a “pizza” I could really enjoy on this trip. Amazing. We had no trouble splitting this and polishing it off.
Mama Melrose’s Gluten-Free Brownie à la Mode
As for that flourless chocolate cake though…the chef searched high and low…and couldn’t find one. But here is where the magic of Disney happens. Because he had promised it…he instead sent out a gluten-free brownie topped with ice cream and chocolate sauce…free of charge. The brownie was crisp on the outside, soft and warm on the inside. And the cold ice cream sitting on top of it only enhanced the already amazing chocolate flavor of the brownie. Right here is proof enough that gluten-free doesn’t mean tasteless or hard or dense. This brownie was hot, rich, and packed with fudgy chocolate flavor. It was a truly decadent and sinful treat. But it was our last night there…and I was ready to indulge.
A very nice tip was left for our waitress and lots of praise and thanks were shared with the hostess to pass on to Chef Michael.
And I would dine here over and over again…and next time I’m at Disney…I will do just that.
La Hacienda de San Angel – Epcot
Restaurant: La Hacienda de San Angel – Epcot
Epcot…oh, Epcot. Returning to the land of very little food for me. But this was different. This was dinner. And the one place that my roomie researched when it came to gluten-free options was this beautiful Mexican restaurant in the World Showcase of Epcot. The restaurant – La Hacienda de San Angel.
Now…I love authentic Mexican food. I don’t eat much of it anymore because there are just too many factors that go into the food that could lead to cross contamination. But the reviews about this place were a huge help and brought a sense of comfort with the service and the food that would be served.
In fact, it was stated online that La Hacienda de San Angel makes their own gluten-free corn tortillas in house! This was exciting news. My roommate took the time to print off the vegetarian menu from the Internet prior to leaving, so I had an idea of what I was going to get from that. The Enchaladas de Vegetales actually sounded very appetizing to me as that day I was suffering a little from the banana split I had for dessert the night before (too much dairy!). So, with an off stomach…Mexican food was sounding very daunting…but I wanted to give this a go.
We showed up early to the restaurant. Actually, we thought we were right on time, given that there was a huge line that we went to stand in just to reach the hostess outside of the restaurant. But, after a few minutes of standing there, the entire line cleared up. So we were now a good 40 minutes early for our reservation. The hostess looked up our reservation and sent us through the doors to the restaurant to have a seat and wait. I actually anticipated waiting the entire time, but we were actually shown to our seats soon after that.
Our waiter let us slide into our booth and then he settled a napkin on each of our laps. Ooooh….fancy. I suddenly felt under-dressed now. This happens every time I get a napkin placed on my lap. But, you know…they didn’t seem to care about my jeans and t-shirt at all. So, that fleeting moment of fashionista critic passed in a blink. We were handed menus and asked what we would like to drink. I once again stuck to water.
And here…was where a wave of panic settled in. I started to peruse the menu…and save for the Ensalada de la Hacienda…there wasn’t much for me to eat. Upon the return of our server, we were asked if we knew what we wanted to eat. I explained that I was a gluten-free vegetarian and he said that they could easily whip up their Tacos de Vegetales (Vegetable Tacos) for me on corn tortillas. I decided that would be much preferable to yet another salad and gave a nod of approval and said that sounded fantastic.
While we waited on our food, our server brought out the house made (and gluten-free) corn tortilla chips with two different types of salsa. One red. One green. The red one was robust in tomato flavor and had a nice kick to it. But, surprisingly, it was the salsa verde that I fell in love with. I normally go for that heat kick, but the sweet salsa verde blended so well with the corn tortilla chips. I couldn’t stop dipping into it. But I knew I had tacos on the way, so I kept my pre-meal chip snack to a bare minimum.
Cathy ordered the Tacos de Camarones ($23.95). These were basically flour tortilla tacos that were filled with fried shrimp, cabbage, lime, salsa verde, and a chipotle-lime aioli. It was the chipotle-lime aioli that caught her eye. In fact…she said that the description reminded her a lot of the shrimp tempura tacos that she gets at our local eatery, Dragon King’s Daughter (locations in New Albany, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky). And when they arrived, they actually sort of resembled that too, save for the addition of the cabbage.
My Tacos de Vegetales ($19.95) were a similar story. I was so impressed with these…and that was at first glance when they set them down in
La Hacienda de San Angel’s Tacos de Vegetales on corn tortillas (gluten-free)
front of me. These corn tortillas were stuffed full of grilled vegetables, cabbage, roasted corn, black beans, and topped with a little queso fresco. My tacos were also topped off with a bit of the chipotle-lime aioli as well and…yeah…it was magic. A Mexican fiesta in my mouth for sure. The depth of flavor in these simple tacos was astounding. The black beans were awesome and added a nice protein aspect as well as a richness that the tacos really needed. The cabbage gave it some crunch. And the roasted corn and grilled veggies were delicious. The corn was the star of the tacos though. Roasted to perfection and full of flavor. I devoured all three of the tacos on my plate.
La Hacienda de San Angel’s sides of Mexican Rice and Refried Black Beans
Our meals were served with sides of refried black beans and Mexican rice. The rice was fantastically seasoned and spiced. It had a bit of a kick to it, which I enjoyed and appreciated. But the star of the sides that came with our food was definitely the refried black beans. They were rich and full of this depth of flavor that was astounding. I wanted to eat the entire bowl, but the tacos were very filling, so I had a couple of spoonfuls of both the rice and beans and left it at that.
Dessert was offered, but we chose not to indulge tonight as our meal was quite filling on its own. We left completely full and quite happy with the value of the meal and the quality of the food we experienced. I loved how the staff didn’t even bat an eyelash when I said I was a gluten-free vegetarian, immediately having a dish that they could offer me. I enjoyed how they assured me everything was gluten-free and safe for me to eat. And I enjoyed every…filling…bite.
I would have gone back to this restaurant in a heartbeat as well…but they were booked solid the night we were there and not accepting walk-ins at all…so I bid it adios and was thankful for the dining experience.
1900 Park Fare – Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Restaurant: 1900 Park Fare – Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Let it be said that you should never travel to Disney World and not attend one of the character breakfasts. For real. My roommate did all the planning on this one, deciding on a breakfast at 1900 Park Fare, located inside the Grand Floridian Resort. Now, this resort is rather grand on its own…outside and inside.
But the Supercalifragilistic Breakfast was our character breakfast of choice. This is basically a festive, all-you-care-to-eat breakfast buffet, with Disney character guests that make appearances while you eat. We actually arrived earlier than anticipated because our Disney bus driver dropped us off at the resort instead of having us get off at one of the parks to catch a bus to the resort. Awesome. We appreciated that, but it left us with a bunch of extra time.
So, after wandering around the lobby we noticed a line forming at 1900 Park Fare and decided that we could at least check in with the hostess and maybe get seated earlier instead of with the 8:30 a.m. wave. They were happy to accommodate and noticed that there was a food allergy listed on the reservation. They handed me two tickets for the breakfast, both marked “ALLERGY.” When they opened the doors to seat us, we handed over these tickets and were shown to our table. I was informed by the woman who seated us that a chef would come over to talk to me. While Cathy could have gone and loaded up her plate with breakfast goodies, she opted to wait for me to see the chef.
The chef did arrive a little bit later and asked me to walk with him. What he did was take me through the buffet line, pointing out what foods I could safely eat. They were good about keeping things were there would be no cross-contamination. The fruit was okay, the scrambled eggs were safe, the potatoes were safe…etc. And then he said the words that made me the happiest gluten-free girl in Disney that morning. That he could make me gluten-free waffles. Gluten-free Mickey Mouse waffles. Just. For. Me.
THRILLED! I said that waffles sounded amazing and he said he would get to work on them and bring them to my table…but to go ahead and get anything else from the buffet that he pointed out to me. So, with that said, I joined Cathy at the table and said he was making me some waffles, but we could hit up the buffet now.
From 1900 Park Fare’s Supercalifragilistic Character Breakfast Buffet (Fresh fruit, hash browns, eggs, and strawberry soup)
In the line of the buffet, I went ahead and got a bunch of different fruits…honeydew melon, cantaloupe, watermelon, strawberries, grapes…yummy. In addition, I ladled a little of the strawberry soup into a bowl to try. I decided to give the hash brown potatoes and some of the scrambled eggs a try as they were deemed safe for my consumption. And I was hungry.
As I settled back into my seat and started eating some of the sweet fruit, the chef appeared at my side with a plate of four gluten-free Mickey Mouse waffles. I thanked him and couldn’t wipe the smile off my face as I moved one over to my plate, sliced off an ear, and gave it a dip in the real maple syrup he brought out with it.
1900 Park Fare’s Gluten-Free Mickey Mouse Waffles
Waffles never tasted so good. They were sweet and light and fluffy and SHAPED LIKE MICKEY MOUSE! I mean…come on!! It doesn’t get much better than that. And honestly, I’ve eaten quite a few gluten-free waffles at places, as well as made my own, and had the frozen kinds…and none come close to equaling these. Perfection. The fact that they weren’t heavy made it a synch to eat all four of them. And I still went back for more fruit, more eggs, and a few more hash browns. WORTH IT.
And, to top it off…our Disney character guests arrived and made their way around the dining room to greet the guests. At the Supercalifragilistic Breakfast, we had the honor of meeting Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, and The Mad Hatter. And all of them were so much fun to talk to, get pictures with, and interact with. I don’t care if I’m in my thirties…I loved every moment of this breakfast and meeting the characters. You’re never too old for Disney characters. Mary Poppins sure was charming and I had been wanting to meet her all weekend. So this was AWESOME!
The Supercalifragilistic Breakfast is $21.95 per person and includes the buffet and a non-alcoholic beverage. The food was really delicious. The company was awesome. And the care was above and beyond expectations. I am already wanting to go back and do another character breakfast!
Babycakes NYC – Downtown Disney
Restaurant: Babycakes NYC – Downtown Disney
The one place that I was anticipating indulging in as often as possible was Babycakes NYC in Downtown Disney. The most difficult part, at least the first night we were there seeking it out…was locating the place. For the record, it is located in the same building as Pollo Campero and Bodie’s…right next to LEGO Land. So…now you won’t have to log onto the Web site and look it up. You’re welcome.
Cathy and I were seeking this out at night to have breakfast ready in the room, that way we could get an early start and not have to wait for 9 a.m. to roll around to get breakfast…and then eat…and then head out for the day. This way…we were set and could head out after a quick bite in our room. This was a fantastic arrangement, by the way. And the baked goods were just as good the following morning.
I own a Babycakes NYC cookbook and the vegan & gluten-free foods sounded fantastic. I haven’t made it up to New York City yet…but the fact that they have a branch at Disney World was enough for me to tell Cathy that we were eating there every single morning that it was feasible. And, with the exception of two days…we did exactly that.
Being that we were seeking out breakfast…we stuck to the case with the doughnuts and loaves. We each would pick a doughnut and a loaf to enjoy the following morning. And there was quite a selection to choose from too. All of these were both vegan and gluten-free…meaning I had nothing to worry about when it came to my breakfasts. The most difficult part was choosing what I wanted to eat.
So…it went like this:
Babycakes NYC Gluten-Free Doughnuts and Loaves (Top Right: Day 1; Top Left: Day 2; Bottom Right: Day 3; Bottom Left: Day 4)
Trip #1: Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut ($3.49) and a Blueberry Toastie (Loaf) ($3.49)
Trip #2: Vanilla Glazed Doughnut ($3.49) and a Pumpkin Chip Loaf ($3.49)
Trip #3: Chocolate Dipped Doughnut ($3.49) and a Pumpkin Loaf ($3.49)
Trip #4: Jam Twist Doughnut ($3.49) and Banana Loaf ($3.49)
And that was just breakfast. In addition…Cathy had a few other options as well that I didn’t get for me, but we sampled each other’s choices. Cathy fell in love with the Lemon Poppyseed Loaf ($3.49), the Chocolate Cookie Crunch Doughnut ($3.49), and her favorite…the Cornbread Loaf ($3.49).
Okay…my most favorite of the doughnuts was the Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut…but cinnamon sugar has always been one of my favorite doughnuts to eat (blueberry being my favorite!). But here was the thing…they were so moist, so light and so very delicious. No one would be able to tell that these were vegan and gluten-free just by eating them. I was in sugar-rush heaven. I’m not big on glazed or dipped doughnuts, but these weren’t too bad. I find glazes and dips to be heavy…and these were…but the doughnuts were light and fluffy and flavorful…and when all is said and done…they worked well together. Everything just worked.
And the loafs…OH. MY. GOD. My favorite had to be the Pumpkin Chip Loaf…but they were all very good. They were sweet enough to satisfy that food craving and filling without being too much…even with the doughnuts. I found each one full of flavor. And my roommate will forever rave about that corn bread loaf. It was her favorite thing…and she only was able to get it one night…so thankfully she took a chance on that when she did. I also really liked the Blueberry Toastie…which had tons of fruity flavor and sweetness with the glaze and all. And of course, pumpkin and banana bread…you can’t go wrong with either of them. So moist. Bite-for-bite…even after sitting overnight in a box on the table in the hotel room…these were still moist and tasted like they were fresh from the bakery. Yeah…beyond impressed.
But we also sampled some other choices from Babycakes NYC as well. For dessert one night, we split one of their Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwiches ($3.49), which was fantastic. The chocolate chip cookies are thin, and crunchy, and sweet. Honestly…gluten-free cookie perfection. Normally I’m a chewy cookie kind of girl…but these were wafer-thin and had that perfect crumbly, sweet texture that works with chocolate chip cookies. And the frosting was vegan and made with cane sugar. It was moist and very sweet…so I was glad Cathy and I were splitting the cookie sandwich. I actually forgot to take a picture of that…but it was delicious.
Babycakes NYC Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie
So, on our last night there…we picked up our breakfast doughnuts and loaves…and they had a special on their gluten-free chocolate chip cookies ($1.00). So, we got two of them…one for each of us…because they were each discounted by $0.50…and when you’re on vacation and stocking up on sweets…that’s a good deal. We saved these for our last walk around our resort, and happily chewed away at the crunchy, buttery-flavored, amazing cookies. Yeah…heaven in cookie form. It was the right amount of sweetness and really hit the spot. It was the best way to wrap up our stay at Disney World…enjoying a vegan and gluten-free treat from the place we visited the most – Babycakes NYC.
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And there it is…my dining experiences at Disney World. Nothing catastrophic happened. I had my favorite food moments and my favorite food places…and I had meals that amazed me…meals that made me want to go back…meals that made me happy…and only a couple of disappointments. Not bad for this gluten-free vegetarian traveler. I am so thankful that Disney World is trained, prepared, and helpful to people with dietary restrictions. It took a load off my mind…and helped me focus on enjoying myself…and of course…preparing for the half marathon I was there to run.
Which…went so well, despite being high humidity (yes…at 5:30 a.m.)…leading to me shaving 2 minutes off my personal record and setting a new record for myself. I enjoyed the race…I enjoyed Disney World…and I enjoyed eating there and feeling confident in the fact that they truly were looking out for me in those kitchens.
That was all it took to fall in love with Annie May’s Sweet Café.
And that was just based off a birthday cake my roommate got for me back in September. Since then…this little bakery/café has become one of my favorite places to stop in for something to eat. Especially on Saturday’s…because breakfast is being served! And yes…we all know how much of a breakfast fiend I am.
For a few blogs now, I have mentioned my breakfast adventures there. From the gluten-free waffles (now discontinued) to the gluten-free French toast to the delicious gluten-free donuts…cookies…cupcakes…you name it…it’s allergen-free/gluten-free…heaven. Especially for someone like me who developed food allergies as an adult and has to sometimes make do with things that are just not as good as the ‘real’ thing. Add to that the extra challenge of being a vegetarian first…and it makes up a recipe for culinary problems everywhere.
Not at Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky.
Very recently, Annie May’s added a new item to their breakfast menu. Breakfast sandwiches. Yep. You read that right. These breakfast sandwiches are composed of your choice of a protein on their own vegan/allergen-free bun and served with that day’s fresh fruit.
When I went in today, after a long 8 mile run, I was hungry. So, along with my usual gluten-free donut ($2.49), I ordered up one of the breakfast sandwiches. My choice: the Allergen-Free/Vegan “Sausage” and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich ($6.99). This sandwich is composed of a vegan sausage patty that is also gluten-free, created by a local gourmet burger truck called Grind. These vegan sausage patties are a housemade blend of spaghetti squash, chickpeas, lentils, onions, sage, and a red pepper spice blend. It’s perfect for these breakfast sandwiches. And they are GOOD!
My roommate decided to give the Bacon, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich ($7.99) a go this morning. So, we placed our orders, settled in at one of the tables and devoured our donuts while we anticipated the breakfast sandwiches.
Let me preface this by saying that this vegetarian hasn’t had a vegan/veggie sausage in a LONG time. Not since having to go gluten-free. Every single one in the freezer section of the grocery store has gluten ingredients in them. So, the fact that I was just about to enjoy my first vegan sausage patty in a long, long time made me stupidly excited. The “cheese” portion of this breakfast sandwich was Daiya Vegan cheese…one of my favorite brands. And the bun…is Annie May’s creation…delicious, golden, and soft on the inside with that crisp golden crust on the outside.
Breakfast heaven.
When this sandwich arrived at the table, I had to restrain myself from diving right in and devouring it. The donut had helped with the hunger…it just looked so amazing. I wanted to try it immediately. But, photos had to be taken first…so I did that as quickly as I could. Then, after eating the grapes that came with the breakfast sandwich, I reached the point of breakfast I had been looking forward to the most…
Allergen-Free/Vegan Breakfast “Sausage” and Cheese Sandwich time.
I lifted the sandwich up to my mouth and took my first bite. The vegan sausage is fantastic. All of those ingredients blend really well and you totally get a sausage-like flavor from it. I loved it. Honestly. The spaghetti squash does sometimes get stringy, but that happens sometimes with real sausage too. It was the perfect blend of vegetables, spices, and proteins. I loved it. The Daiya cheese was melted on top…a simple amount, nothing too overwhelming. It didn’t take away from the vegan sausage at all.
And that vegan/allergen-free bun…was the icing on the cake. Metaphorically speaking, of course. It was a gorgeous golden color, soft on the inside, a little flaky, and crusty on the outside. It was my favorite part of the breakfast sandwich to be honest. And coming from the girl who missed vegan sausage patties so much…that’s saying something. Think of the most perfect biscuit you have ever eaten. THAT…is what THIS tasted like. Kudos to you, Annie May’s Sweet Café, for this delicious bread for your Saturday morning breakfast menu. Let me tell you…I’m totally addicted to those rolls. I’d eat them with a schmear of Earth Balance, all hot and toasted and…mouth-watering good.
I’m so lucky to have Annie May’s Sweet Café in my backyard. Louisville, Kentucky is lucky to have them. As Kentucky’s only allergen-free bakery…they offer a lot of allergen-free/vegan treats for everyone. And you don’t have to be a vegan or gluten-free to enjoy these products. My roommate is neither and she loves coming here for breakfast and the occasional treat as much as I do.
I hope Annie May’s remains in business for a very long time. This place is a real gem and a much needed place for me, the allergic girl, here in Louisville, Kentucky.
Thanks for your delicious Saturday breakfasts, Annie May’s. Maybe one of these days…I’ll skip breakfast and come in for your Saturday pizza. Yeah…that’s next on the list.
Annie May’s Sweet Café Allergen-Free/Vegan “Sausage” and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich
Were you like me and once upon a time used to be able to eat what everyone else does?
If so, you might recall one of life’s simplest, sweetest, most divine treats – a simple glazed Krispy Kreme donut.
Sure…a donut is a donut, right? Or…you might think that until you have to give them up. Trust me…no matter how healthy you are or how good you are trying to be…everyone appreciates a good donut every now and again.
Problem: when you are gluten-free…a good donut isn’t always easy to come by. Even more difficult…finding one that is reminiscent of the ones you used to be able to savor.
Now…I absolutely love donuts. And I’ve tried out quite a few different gluten-free ones. While the ones in stores are all fine and good…the only brand that has really made me sit up and remember what eating at Dunkin’ Donuts after swim class was really like…has been Katz Gluten Free. Yes, once again I am lifting upon high the fantastic products that Katz Gluten Free puts out on the market. Why? Because they truly are worthy of such high praise. I have yet to find something I have tried that I haven’t liked.
A couple weeks ago, I received an e-mail regarding new products from Katz Gluten Free. One of the items listed was…glazed donuts. So, upon returning to my desk at the office, I went ahead and ordered some…because they looked absolutely scrumptious in the announcement. They arrived two days later and I skipped to the freezer at the office to store them, brought them home and put them in my freezer, then…could hardly wait a week before I was pulling them out to use as breakfast after hitting up the gym.
Yes…hard workout at the gym = gluten-free donut (with some fruit…give me some credit!) for breakfast at the office.
Anyway…I got to the office and went into the kitchen with the donuts. I pulled out a plate and set one in the microwave, giving it a very quick nuke for 10 seconds. With it and some freshly chopped pear from my CSA bin, I took the first one to my roommate at her desk. Then, I returned to the kitchen to repeat the process for me.
As I settled in at my desk, I started on the pear. My roommate came over to show me something and I asked her how the donut was. She lifted her eyebrows, looked at my untouched one, and simply said…”Take a bite.” Who am I to argue when a gluten-free glazed donut is sitting right there waiting for me to devour it.
I lifted it up, drawing in that amazing scent of sugar from the glaze. It smelled like all those donut shops and bakeries that seem to torture me now. I savored that aroma for one moment more…then took my first bite.
WOW! No…honestly…WOW!! While these are definitely not as light and fluffy as the famous Krispy Kreme donuts…these are just as delicious. And I don’t mind the extra definition to the donut. I like that it has a little heft to it. Honestly…these were melt-in-your-mouth-Krispy-Kremeish-fantasticness. Yes…that really is an adjective. Trust me.
I couldn’t believe how much I fell in love with this donut. It was like, the moment I had a bite…I had to have another one. Every donut I ever ate before my diagnosis seemed to pale in comparison. This…was one fantastic glazed donut. And for the first time ever, I lost myself in the taste and texture of this little treat. I don’t even care that the office has Krispy Kreme’s and other donuts on occasion now…because I have Katz Gluten-Free Glazed Donuts. They…are even better, in my opinion.
Dear Katz…if you keep expanding your donut line…I might just love you even more. Especially if they keep getting better and better…like these.
Giant donut balls of caramel goodness. There is no other way to describe the new donuts from Katz Gluten Free. Honestly.
Now…I was a little weary about purchasing one of the filled donuts from Katz Gluten Free. I have yet to try the custard donuts or the jelly donuts. While they both look fantastic…I’ve heard that the filling is actually a bit skimpy in them. It is probably the biggest complaint I have heard regarding the filled donuts.
But…when I saw the announcement for the new Caramel Donuts from Katz Gluten Free come over my e-mail, I didn’t even hesitate to order them. I love caramel…so this just sounded fantastic from the instant I read about it. Drool-worthy even. My spontaneous purchase, I hoped, would pay off.
The donuts arrived two days later and into the freezer they went. Until this weekend. Because my friend Jenn is just as much of a caramel connoisseur as I am. So, when I was heading to her place for the New Year, I promised donuts. And so…the other morning, Jenn, Cathy and I each had one full donut and 1/3 of a donut to ourselves.
I let the donuts thaw overnight on the counter in the container. Then, when we were ready for breakfast…into the microwave they went. A 15 second warmup. It was enough to just give them that fresh-from-the-oven effect. Honestly. The caramel oozed from each donut. No skimping on the filling here.
But the best part…the powdered donut that surrounded the donut. I mean, the caramel was good and all, but the cakey donut that surrounded the filling was the true star. I love the powdered donut from Katz Gluten Free anyway…so it was no surprise that this was my favorite part of this breakfast treat.
Would I purchase these again…probably. But I much prefer the gluten-free powdered donuts and the cinnamon donuts over the filled. But the oozy caramel was definitely not skimped on in these. So, for those of you who are gluten-free (or even if you aren’t…both Jenn & Cathy are not gluten-free…but love these donuts as much as me!)…these donuts are amazing and tasty…and are definitely not lacking in the filling.
Oh…and they are tasty too.
Mmmm…gluten-free donuts that are amazing. Thank you…again…Katz Gluten Free!!
I’ve blogged about my local allergen-free bakery a few times now. But here’s the thing…they keep drawing me back in. Not only are their baked goods amazing (trust me, you wouldn’t guess that everything the serve there is gluten-free), but they offer specials each day they are open.
One of my favorite days to go to Annie May’s is Saturday. Why? Because they serve my favorite meal of the day: BREAKFAST!
A couple of weeks ago, my roommate and I were in the bakery for their allergen-free waffle breakfast. Unfortunately, their waffle irons were giving them issues that day. After a little bit of waiting…which we didn’t mind…the waffles finally emerged. But that week, when they reopened on Tuesday, they announced that after the issues with the waffles over the weekend, they threw away their waffle irons and would now offer a variety of French toasts instead.
I was immediately intrigued. Granted…I make French toast with my gluten-free sandwich bread at home all the time. And I do it a variety of ways too. Plain, stuffed, etc. But…something just screamed at me that I needed to have Annie May’s French toast.
Unfortunately…this is the holiday season and the past couple of weekends have been busy, busy, busy. Between races, shopping, holiday events, and long runs…getting over to the bakery in time for breakfast has not been easy. And the same seemed to be true for this weekend as well. Except my roommate, Cathy, is made of complete awesome. Despite heading out to Indianapolis for a race on Sunday, she said that this Saturday we could grab breakfast over at Annie May’s Sweet Café.
Much rejoicing and happiness. And after running a couple of errands in the morning prior to heading up to Indianapolis, Indiana for the race expo, packet pick-up, and whatever else we felt like doing, we pulled into Annie May’s Sweet Café with rumbling tummies ready for some food.
Of course, we now faced a dilemma. You see…they are also offering breakfast sandwiches, including one that is allergen-free…that had veggie sausage and everything. Oh…so tempting. And we almost went with that, but we had been discussing French toast prior to that. So…we stuck with that.
So, we each decided to get the Cinnamon French Toast ($9.99). I got mine with Earth Balance and she chose butter. But we both got maple syrup. Mmmm. It sounded heavenly. While we waited on our meal, we decided we would each enjoy one of Annie May’s delicious gluten-free doughnuts. The case had a variety of Gluten-Free Apple Cider Doughnuts. And I chose the Cinnamon-Sugar Apple Cider Doughnut ($2.49) and Cathy went with the Chocolate Ganache Apple Cider Doughnut ($2.49). Oh, it was a fine way to take away the tummy rumblies.
Let me tell you, though…after devouring my doughnut, imagine my surprise when my order of Cinnamon French Toast came out to the table. Being so accustomed to my usual French toast, I figured sandwich bread slices.
What emerged from the kitchen, however, were two thick-cut slices of gluten-free brioche bread, sweetened with cinnamon and sugar, and cooked to perfection. There was this beautiful golden crust on it. It wasn’t at all what I was expecting and I was suddenly regretting the decision to calm the hunger with a doughnut just prior to receiving the plate.
After giving a light spread of Earth Balance to each slice of bread, I sliced into the brioche, loving how the crusty outside gave way to the soft inside of the bread. I gave it a little dunk in my maple syrup and took my first taste.
It has been years since I have been able to eat French toast that wasn’t any thicker than the store-bought gluten-free sandwich breads. One bite and I thought I was going to cry. I now remembered why I fell in love with French toast. Because when it is done with the proper bread, it is beyond amazing. Honestly. There is just something so fantastic about eating a slice of French toast done with brioche. The thick-cut bread honestly makes all the difference. Tears of joy. Just…honest tears of joy at that first bite.
The French toast was super delicious. The crust was awesome…and I kept saving it for the last bites. I mean crisped up to perfection, golden, and seasoned with cinnamon. It melted with each bite. Pure perfection in French toast form. I was so happy.
But…these were definitely very filling. And after that first slice of French toast, I realized that either my roommate and I should have skipped the doughnuts or we should have split an order of the French toast. It was FILLING. But…we also were aware that we were not going to eat again until dinner in Indianapolis, so we polished off our plates and managed to waddle out of there quite full and quite satisfied.
My roommate can have French toast at any restaurant and she was raving about Annie May’s. The Cinnamon French Toast just hit the spot. Both of us killed off the food on the plate and enjoyed it down to the very last bite…even if we were already stuffed to the max. The French toast is definitely worth the trip into the bakery. Trust me…it is the best French toast I have eaten…anywhere. And the fact that no one would be able to tell it was gluten-free is what makes it even more amazing. Done to perfection…I’ll be dreaming of this breakfast for weeks.
If you live in the Louisville, Kentucky area, you should make a stop at Annie May’s Sweet Café a priority. Even if you don’t have food allergies, the food is so delicious, no one would be able to tell the difference.
I’m already looking forward to my next breakfast at Annie May’s Sweet Café. There is a gluten-free veggie sausage breakfast sandwich awaiting me. And I can’t wait to try it out. Because I haven’t had anything bad from Annie May’s Sweet Café yet. I have a feeling that isn’t going to change anytime soon.
Thank you, Louisville, for this gem of a bakery! Because of Annie May’s…I’ve been able to enjoy things I thought were forever off my food list. But because of this great bakery…that is no longer the case. And, more often than not, the item I purchase and indulge in is better than what I recall from before the food allergies struck. And that, dear foodies, is a food miracle.
Annie May’s Sweet Café’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon French Toast (with Earth Balance and maple syrup)
For awhile, I never thought I’d ever enjoy a donut hole again…unless I made them myself, and trust me…donut making is a lot of tedious work. In fact, I bake my donuts in a donut pan. So, there never really is a donut hole. So, therefore, I never thought I’d enjoy another donut hole again. It was one of those things you don’t realize how much you enjoyed eating them…until you no longer can just run to the store or bakery and just buy some.
And then, Katz Gluten Free introduced their line of donut holes. Two flavors – powdered and cinnamon.
I already devoured my container of cinnamon donuts…leaving me with the package of powdered donut holes, which came free with a special offer order that I placed. Katz Gluten Free was kind enough to make sure I had the powdered donut holes in my order as I had previously ordered the cinnamon ones…and I really wanted to try the other kind. What great customer service from a great company! I was impressed.
Well, I haven’t really had a moment to do my scone baking for gym day this week, so I was looking for something that would work. Lo and behold, my freezer held the key to my problem – Katz Gluten Free Powdered Donut Holes. I’d just pair them with a fruit (in this case, naval oranges) and my roomie and I were set after a hard, long cardio workout for a treat for breakfast.
Yesterday was the moment of truth when it came to the Powdered Donut Holes. I got out of the gym and trudged to the office. I simply placed four donut holes onto a plate and gave them a 10 second heat up in the microwave. Serving it with naval orange slices just sort of made it so that I was eating more than just 4 little donut holes.
I brought my roommate hers first. She doesn’t have to eat gluten-free, but she does because I am the cook in the apartment. So I always love to get her take on products. Her favorite gluten-free donuts are Katz Powdered Donuts, so it came as no surprise that she literally devoured the donut holes.
And who doesn’t love donut holes? I do. Let me tell you…the Powdered Sugar Donut Holes from Katz Gluten Free are the best I have had. I know some reviewers have said that they didn’t have enough sugar on them, but I totally disagree. They taste like bite-size versions of the Katz Powdered Sugar Donuts…and is a good and delicious thing. The texture is awesome. It has the right amount of cakey feel to it, without getting too sweet with the dusting of sugar. I loved it. From the first one I popped to the last. I have another round for my roomie and I in the freezer for tomorrow’s after the gym breakfast and I can’t be happier about that. They are fantastic. It would honestly be difficult not to just sit and devour the entire container. This is why I keep them frozen, thaw out the serving as needed, and then give a little warm up to them to give the illusion that they are fresh baked. It works.
It works deliciously well.
I don’t know the particulars of the nutrition information on these. It looks like the label is that of the powdered donuts…so my best guess is that 4 donuts holes (or about 1 ounce) would provide you with 150 calories. That’s awesome. And they really are some of the best donuts I have ever tasted. Yes…EVER. Back before I even had to eat gluten-free.
If that’s not enough of an endorsement for you, I encourage you to hop over to the Katz Gluten Free site and order yourself some of their delectable, delicious donuts. You won’t be sorry.
Now that my stash is almost gone…looks like it’s time for me to place yet another order.
The Celiathlete 