I know a few Celiacs and gluten-free peeps around here. I run with a couple of them too. And one of them, my friend Keith, has been raving about Uncle Maddio’s for just about as long as I’ve known him in our running group. And for some reason…I fell into the black hole of all the other local gluten-free pizza places, not branching out or just not going for pizza at all. Despite the high recommendation and regards concerning their safety procedures when it comes to preparing gluten-free pizza for their customers…this one just kept sliding through the cracks.
I am happy to report, however, that this past Saturday…I went to Uncle Maddio’s…and yeah…I can see why Keith and so many other people have raved about this place.
First of all, Uncle Maddio’s looks to be a very small chain that is expanding. They have a few locations in Georgia and the one here in Louisville, Kentucky. I am so thankful for the location here in Louisville now that I have checked them out.
It was just about right after they opened when my roommate and I made our way over to Uncle Maddio’s for lunch. One reason, aside from meaning to have checked it out long ago, was that we were already in the area. I had been in the local park running a 5K race that morning. After some coffee and a bit of shopping on Bardstown Road, we were ready for some actual food. And there it was…conveniently…offering me gluten-free pizza. Yeah…this was ideal.
So, my roommate and I entered and were greeted by the guy behind the counter. We explained that it was our first time there and that I am gluten-free. He immediately began changing his gloves. “Oh, gluten-free? No problem.” So, we eyed the menu for a moment and finally I told my roommate to pick a pizza, because as long as it is vegetarian, I’ll eat any topping. I’m not as picky as she is. So with a moment of consideration, she decided to go with one of their signature pizzas. Her choice – the Portobello Pesto ($9.99 (regular $7.99 + $2.00 up-charge for gluten-free)). What I really felt good about was when we placed the order, the other guy behind the counter pulled out a list to check the ingredients to make sure they would be gluten-free. Wow…that was an amazing thing.
Granted, Uncle Maddio’s does not make their own gluten-free crust. They have a pre-made vegan/gluten-free crust that is made from: rice flour, tapioca flour, potato flour, water, olive oil, sugar, yeast, and salt. It is only available in one size, a medium, which means six slices. I am certain this has everything to do with cutting down on any sort of cross-contamination. They have an extensive list of gluten-free toppings for the pizza as well. It’s kind of cool because of the way they are set up, you can watch as your pizza goes down the line if you so choose…like someone would watch their sandwich get prepared at Subway.
The Portobello Pesto Pizza is basically the gluten-free crust topped with their herb pesto sauce, mozzarella , portabella and white mushrooms, feta cheese, Roma tomatoes and fresh basil. Simple ingredients on a simple pizza, yes? My roommate made a fantastic choice, because the toppings would mean that I could really get a taste of the crust without sauce overpowering it…and also be able to clearly taste all the toppings on this, one of their signature pies.
We went to fill our drinks and take a seat at a booth. It actually took a little bit of time for the pizza to be prepared, which I actually do like. It means they aren’t being careless or taking shortcuts.
The pizza did arrive at our table and man…it looked absolutely delicious. Stunning. A work of gluten-free pizza art. I hated that I had to take pictures of it, because, honestly, I was ready to dive in for a slice. But I have to make sacrifices for this blog at times. Pictures first. Then…pizza time!
I served my roommate up a slice of the pizza, then placed a slice on my plate. With a fork and knife, I cut through the toasted crust, hearing the knife cut through the pre-made crust. I liked the thin-crust and the crunch that they achieved without burning it. Sometimes some places overcook those thin-crust gluten-free pizzas…but not Uncle Madio’s. It was perfection. And with the very first bite…I knew that this combination of toppings was now one of my favorites. Enough for me to declare that I needed to start making pesto. Hey…I love to be in my kitchen and lord knows I keep olive oil on hand. It all worked. The basil pesto didn’t overwhelm the pizza as a base. It wasn’t too strong…just right. And the rest of the toppings were seasoned and fresh. The portobella mushrooms were cooked to perfection. Not drippy or wet. They were absolutely stunning, laying on top. I could taste the freshness in the Roma tomatoes and the basil. The feta and mozzarella cheese were not piled high on top, but used more as a compliment to the other toppings. It wasn’t overwhelmed with cheese so the flavors really shined.
Yeah…I was impressed. I was beyond impressed. I was happy to be eating there. I was already trying to come up with the next vegetarian pizza to get there and try out. See how it does. Or…maybe get this one again. Because it truly wowed me. When in doubt…go with a signature pizza. They are signature meals for a reason, yes? And this one totally deserved its spot up on that board.
Peace of mind and a great serving and slice of pizza. I left there after eating half of the pizza and wasn’t crazy-full…a definite plus as well. The fact that they take such care with their customers who order gluten-free makes me feel confident about my next return. And yes…there will be a next time!
Product: Mrs. Leeper’s Corn Vegetable Radiatore Pasta – $3.69+
I was standing in Whole Foods last year, around the time I had to go gluten-free, just gazing at the prices on the gluten-free items and trying very hard not to break down into tears…yet again. I was overwhelmed. Having to change my diet so drastically so fast and not really having the means in which to fund said diet was weighing on me.
And then, this angel appeared at my side and just by looking at me could tell that I was in distress. And she said, “I’ve been gluten-free for years…” And she began listing off some of her favorite products for different uses…such as pizzas, breads, and yes…pasta.
At that point, I had only just started experimenting with the brown rice pastas. While I found them to work, they didn’t reheat well and often would turn to mush or get gummy in the process. I recalled this lady in Whole Foods telling me that one of her favorite pastas is Mrs. Leeper’s. I had never heard of Mrs. Leeper’s before…so I made a mental note of it and went on purchasing my brown rice noodles.
Then…I discovered gluten-free corn noodles. And I found out how much better they held up, not just in the initial cooking process, but also reheating leftovers. I was thrilled.
And then, my local grocery store just happened to begin to stock the very pasta brand this woman told me about ages ago. Mrs. Leeper’s. The selection was minimal, but they did have the Mrs. Leeper’s Corn Vegetable Radiatore pasta. So…one day while it was on sale, I picked up a bag of it and put it in my pantry. And then proceeded to use up the other pasta noodles that came before it. Until tonight…when with the Amish cheese I picked up in Pennsylvania…I decided to cook up my mom’s infamous macaroni & cheese (gluten-free style)!
Mrs. Leeper’s Corn Vegetable Radiatore Pasta (cooked & drained)
I had no open pasta noodles so tonight it was time for Mrs. Leeper’s to be put to the test. I opened up the bag and measured out the 6 ounces I needed for the baked macaroni and got a pot of water on the stove to bring to a boil. Once it got there, I poured the colorful pasta noodles into the water, gave it a stir, and let it cook for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
It was easy to drain, and I was quite happy to see that none of the noodles stuck together or fell apart. It was a great consistency, very colorful, and would really bring some color to my mom’s recipe. I began to layer up the casserole dish with noodles, onions, broccoli, seasoning, and two types of Amish cheddar cheese. Repeat. And the entire time, I didn’t have mushy noodles to contend with. Even after I poured the white sauce over the top and stirred it all together before putting it in the oven to bake, nothing was falling apart. Mrs. Leeper’s Corn Vegetable Radiatore pasta was rally doing its job and holding up.
And 45 minutes later, I removed the hot, bubbling casserole dish from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes before dishing out two servings – one for myself and one for my roommate. Despite the cooking and then the baking, Mrs. Leepers Corn Vegetable Radiatore pasta really came through in the end. Even better…the texture of it was fantastic. The fun colors is an added incentive, but the look of it is rather unique from other pastas on the market. And it was a lot of fun to see the different colors through the melted cheese in the final dish.
Mrs Leeper’s brand of pasta evolved as a wheat free and gluten-free line of enticing and often colorful rice and corn products for people who seek alternatives to wheat. Using time-honored methods, simple and pure ingredients, and care when it comes to production, Mrs. Leeper’s products have met the demands of a constantly changing marketplace by offering innovative products that focus on integrity, quality and service.
Both my roommate and I agree that Mrs. Leeper’s turned out to be a really good pasta. We’ll see how it does on the reheat tomorrow evening with some of the leftovers, but if it is anything like the corn pasta we have had in the past…it will hold up just fine. Definitely hope to try more pasta options from Mrs. Leeper’s in the near future. Full of yum. And a definite pasta win!
Homemade Gluten-Free Macaroni & Cheese using Mrs. Leeper’s Corn Vegetable Radiatore Pasta
Isaac’s Famous Grilled Sandwiches, Ephrata, Pennsylvania
Restaurant: Isaac’s Famous Grilled Sandwiches, Ephrata, Pennsylvania
I have to once again break my vow to not blog about chains. And why? Because I recently visited a chain restaurant that is only found in Pennsylvania. Much like California’s own In-N-Out Burger, this little sandwich shop is only available regionally. Therefore, I will not be able to find anything like it where I live in Indiana.
Welcome to Isaac’s Famous Grilled Sandwiches. This chain began on August 25, 1983, when two friends attending college, Phil Wenger and Isaac Williams, met. After graduating and going in two separate directions (Phil taking a job in sales for a flower wholesaler and Isaac working as a chef in a local restaurant), the two friends began to brainstorm the idea of a deli/restaurant. Isaac provided the knowledge of cooking and his flair for decorating, and created an eclectic interior and a working menu. Phil provided the experience of running a business and his desire to create something that would give back to the community. And with that…Isaac’s Restaurant and Deli was born in the heart of Pennsylvania. Now with 20 restaurants in 6 counties of Pennsylvania, this local chain is providing a delicious menu with a variety of choices in soups, salads, and sandwiches.
So, how did this out-of-towner stumble upon this little chain? The Internet, of course. My roommate was researching possible places to eat after I ran in the Hershey Half Marathon while we were out and about in other areas of Pennsylvania. She came across Isaac’s on Find Me Gluten Free, and it had really great ratings. It also had gluten-free flatbread! Now there was something new and worth checking out, yes?
So, after a very successful run that morning in Hershey, Pennsylvania, my roommate, my friend Jenn, and myself headed out of town toward Ephrata, Pennsylvania. We wanted to stop by the grave of Major Richard D. Winters, best known from Band of Brothers. After the drive out there and the visit to the cemetery, we found that we were ready for lunch. There was actually an Isaac’s in Ephrata. Even better…it wasn’t that far away either. BONUS!
We made our way to the Cloister Shopping Center and pulled in to park. The actual center itself looked a bit sketchy. In fact, Isaac’s was located next to an open (WOW!) Blockbuster Video. I wasn’t feeling too confident about the situation. But, at this point, we were committed. We stepped up to the door, which thankfully had a large-scale version of their menu up. I double-checked the gluten-free option and it was listed…so we stepped inside. As we came in near the Blockbuster Video, we had to walk down a very long hallway in order to get to the restaurant itself. We stepped inside and went to the hostess station in order to be seated.
A table was just clearing up where the three of us could sit, so we were told it would only be a minute. Looks had to be deceiving, because Isaac’s was quite busy. Every table was taken. I glanced around in awe, as it didn’t look like much from the outside. Inside, it was very much like the old diners you are used to seeing in movies. There are crazy decorations and colors throughout the interior. And right next to the hostess stand…the dessert case. The three of us too a moment to ogle the pies and cakes inside…but then were told the table was clean and ready for us to be seated.
We followed the hostess to the booth and got situated. She said our waitress would be right with us and left us to peruse the menu. There were a lot of options to choose from. So much sounded really good. I was having a hard time deciding and I knew both Jenn and Cathy were also eying a few options as well. Our waitress came to our table to get our drink order, and we all stuck with water. She returned and gave us a little more time with the menu. When we were all set…a different waitress came over. Our waitress just got assigned a large party and they wanted to get our order in first. We appreciated that…and so we began to put in our order.
Jenn decided to create her own sandwich. She put salami and provolone on a pretzel roll ($6.99). It came with a side of ranch dressing. And she kept the chips as her side item. Cathy opted to do the half soup-half sandwich combo. She went with a half Mockingbird Sandwich (thinly sliced grilled ham and provolone cheese, topped with tomatoes and onions with mayo on hearty multigrain bread) with a cup of Isaac’s Famous Pepperjack and Tomato Soup. She had that with a side of the Utz Potato Chips ($7.39). As for me, I alerted them that I am a Celiac and was interested in trying the Gluten-Free Larkspur, which consisted of muenster and cheddar cheeses, fresh tomatoes, spinach and sprouts all wrapped up in a gluten-free flatbread and served with ranch dressing, which I was assured was also gluten-free. I ordered the dressing on the side and opted for the baby carrots as my side ($8.04).
I will point out that there is an up-charge for the gluten-free option on the menu. The gluten-free flatbread carries an additional $0.75 charge. Not a problem. After all, most restaurants charge a lot more.
Our orders went in and we had a good amount of time to sit around and chat. I mostly talked about how interested I was in this gluten-free flatbread. After our wait, our meals were brought out to us.
Let me tell you, the sandwich I got was nothing like what I expected. But…it looked fantastic. The gluten-free flatbread was grilled to a beautiful golden color. Inside it was stuffed with spinach, sprouts, and tomatoes. The cheeses were there…but not in overabundance. I appreciated that. And, as I asked, the ranch dressing came in a cup on the side. I was dying to try this out. Pausing only long enough to take a picture for my blog, I picked up the knife and sliced into the sandwich. I took that little wedge, dipped it in the ranch dressing and took a bite.
I died and went to sandwich heaven. The gluten-free flatbread was definitely the star of the show. In fact, what it reminded me of the fried bread that Taco Bell Chalupas were made in. They had a nice crisp outside but were great and soft when you chewed them. I found it to be the perfect compliment to my vegetables inside. And I honestly appreciated that the cheese wasn’t filling the sandwich. It complimented it instead. I gave a piece of the bread to both Cathy and Jenn and even they liked it. I savored every bite, not wanting the sandwich experience to come to an end. But with each bite…my sandwich grew smaller and smaller.
Here’s what I have to say…while it looked like an absolute dive on the outside, inside, Isaac’s is a quirky, fun little soup/sandwich/salad deli establishment. I had a great dining experience there. The waitress wrote in big letters on the order that mine was gluten-free. And the receipt also made mention that it was gluten-free and yes…it was an allergy. These are the little things that someone like me appreciates while eating out. It just puts your mind a little more at ease.
I never knew how much I missed flatbread until I could have it again. And this was a great place to start as far as finding one that had lots of flavor, no strange texture, and was just awesome with every bite. I didn’t even need the dressing…the bread provided a lot of the necessary flavor for a sandwich filled with fresh vegetables. This was love in flatbread sandwich form. And I was one happy gluten-free customer.
If I find myself back up in southeastern Pennsylvania again, I will actively seek out Isaac’s as a safe place for me to eat. Looks can be deceiving as I have come to find out quite often. And in this case…this little dive of a place in a strip mall provided me one of my favorite gluten-free sandwiches to date. The care of the staff at the restaurant and the variety of gluten-free options on the menu was awesome. Totally worth a repeat visit sometime!
Traveling is one of the hardest things for me to do and find a place that I can trust to serve me food that won’t make me sick. Honestly. It can be quite nerve-wracking. Put on top of that the added pressure of having a half marathon the next day and the last thing you want to do is eat something that might send your GI track into an unhappy rage.
Well, that was the situation this past weekend. I was heading to Hershey, Pennsylvania to run in the Hershey Half Marathon on Sunday morning. My journey began by going to my friend Jenn’s in Ohio, and then she, my roommmate, and I all headed up to Pennsylvania the following morning. Now, Jenn loves me lots and has a gluten-free pantry shelf of stuff we can eat when I am in town. Good friends are awesome! But, here we are on the road! However, because she loves me, she got on Find Me Gluten Free and found a little Italian place in Hershey, Pennsylvania with what looked like an extensive gluten-free menu.
As I have found that my best races so far have been after I have eaten gluten-free pizza, finding a gluten-free Italian place that has not only gluten-free pizza, but pasta, starters, subs, salads, entrees, and yes…desserts…right where I was going to be running a long, big race was probably one of the happiest finds ever. To top it off, a friend of mine didn’t live far from the resort where we were staying, and she just happened to know the owners of this amazing restaurant. So…we all had plans to meet up and go and enjoy a fantastic, safe (for me), Italian meal.
Let me tell you…with my lunch-on-the-go consisting of Chobani yogurt and a KIND bar, I was ready for some real food.
The place that we selected to eat was Piazza Sorrento, located on Briarcrest Square in Hershey. From what we had discovered online, this was a independently run local restaurant, where the owners and staff dedicate themselves to providing the Hershey area with the finest service, food, and wine at a fair and competative price. While striving to keep the history of the dish and region that it stems from intact, they provide regional and classic Italian cuisine using only premium ingredients. Part of that process is by sourcing local ingredients from the local commerce of the Hershey area. I loved that.
What I also loved was the extensive gluten-free menu that came up on their Web site.
After arriving in Hershey and heading over to Hershey Park to pick up my race packet and walk around the little expo that was attached, Jenn, Cathy and myself headed over to Hershey World to see what was going on, what prices were for things we were interested in doing, and to do some preliminary shopping in the gift shop. That took a little bit of time, so when we finished up, we hopped back into the car, checked into our resort, and just sort of relaxed while waiting on Kathy (yes…another one, different spelling) to arrive so she could direct us to the restaurant the four of us would be dining in. She arrived early…and we were okay with that because we were hungry! Heading out, we met up in the garage of the resort, and she offered to drive to show us the sights of the area. A sort of grand tour if you will. But first…food.
We arrived just a little before 5 p.m. at Piazza Sorrento and headed inside. We were greeted by a very friendly hostess who asked if we wanted to dine in the restaurant or the pizza shop. We weren’t aware there was a difference, but we decided on the restaurant in the end. It took only a moment for them to ready a booth for the four of us, and we asked for one gluten-free menu for me. She happily complied, and went and took us to our seat, letting us know that our server, Lydia, would be with us shortly.
Lydia did arrive rather promptly to the table to see what we would like to have to drink. As I was running, I was all about the water. And it seemed everyone else at the table felt that way too. So, water it was. She came back and went over the specials on the menu, noting that since I had a gluten-free menu, to mention what specials were gluten-free…and this included soups. I loved how knowledgeable she was. It really put me at ease. And the fact that I didn’t have to give my, “I’m a Celiac…” speech was a nice change of pace. She went to ready the bread basket and asked me if I would like a gluten-free roll. I was so shocked that it took me a moment to answer. But I answered correctly. “Yes, please.”
Piazza Sorrento’s Gluten-Free Roll
She returned with the bread basket and two plates of herbs for dipping. The one she set down in front of me was the gluten-free one. All we had to do was add the oil. My roll wasn’t out yet, but my dinner guests waited until it was delivered to the table before they dug into the regular bread basked.
This roll looked fantastic. The plate that it was sitting on came with a tag, marking it as one of Piazza Sorrento’s Gluten-Free Options. I love that they have a labeling system. With oil poured onto my herbs, I reached down and tore a hunk of my gluten-free roll off. A little steam rose from it and it smelled amazing. Fresh. Delicious. I took my first bite without the oil and herbs. I wanted to savor the roll and enjoy it on its own first. Really just draw my opinion from the bare bread itself. It was…fantastic. Very light. Very soft. Warm. Fresh. I wanted to devour it and ask for another one. But, I behaved.
And soon, Lydia was at our table preparing to take our orders. Cathy wanted to get one of their House Specialties, so she asked Lydia if she had to recommend one item on the menu…what would it be. Lydia said she couldn’t limit it to one, but she could tell her some of her favorites and house favorites. Which she proceeded to do and then, left Cathy to ponder for the time it took the rest of us to order our meal.
Jenn went with the small order of Crab and Tortellini ($16.00). Kathy opted for the Chicken Piccata ($18.00). Cathy finally decided on the Pappardelle Bolognese ($17.00). As for me…I needed pizza to fuel my run. So after going back and forth between a couple of the vegetarian, gluten-free options (because…yes…there were lots of options), I settled on the Gluten-Free Old World Pizza ($9.00). Lydia went to put our orders in and we had plenty of time to talk about Hershey, the park, the race, and just get caught up on what was going on with whom and why and it was the perfect little get together. Great setting too.
Piazza Sorrento’s Gluten-Free Old World Pizza
When food arrived at the table it looked absolutely delicious. My pizza was once again marked with one of the slips of paper declaring it to be a Piazza Sorrento Gluten-Free Choice. Food labeling makes me feel at ease. This was the smallest little touch…and yet, it meant the world to me. With our food in front of us, we all just dove right in. Sort of. I had to take pictures and both my phone and my camera were acting up. But…I got it sorted and photographed and then wasted no further time before lifting my first slice of pizza and taking a bite.
The Gluten-Free Old World Pizza from Piazza Sorrento is the classic Old World Style pizza. It is the crust, with a layer of provolone cheese, then topped with tomato sauce and finished off with a sprinkling of Romano cheese and some oregano. I had never tried an Old World-style pizza before and this was one of the House Specialties on the menu…so I figured why not try something I haven’t been able to get anywhere else. I’m glad I did.
The crust on the pizza was a thin crust pizza, probably of a rice flour base. It cooked up crispy…with a little softness to it. So…just right for me. I love a thin crust pizza anyway…always have. Gluten-free pizza crusts are usually quite thin, so this transition has been easy for me. The hard part is finding one that is really fantastic on its own. Piazza Sorrento has a really delicious one. The Gluten-Free Pizzas only come in the 10 inch size, which is pretty normal of any establishment that serves gluten-free pizza. I knew there would be leftovers…meaning my friends and I would have pizza for dinner the following evening…as our resort suite had a fridge and a microwave. SCORE! But I am digressing…
Let’s return to the star of the table at the moment…the food. My friends all really enjoyed their meals. And I happily downed two slices of my Gluten-Free Old World Pizza. The provolone cheese on the bottom was melted to perfection. The sauce over it was packed with flavor. Not bitter at all. The tomato flavor really shined. And the light dusting of Romano and oregano really just topped it off. I probably could have eaten more, but I didn’t want to stuff myself to the max in case…there was room for dessert.
And with us…there normally is. Especially when there are gluten-free options available.
Lydia brought out the dessert tray and went over the what each item was and explained which ones were available as gluten-free. Both Jenn and Kathy opted for the tiramisu (one of the gluten-free options) ($7.00). Cathy went with her favorite Italian dessert…cannoli ($3.50). As for me…I went with the Gluten-Free Ricotta Cake ($8.00). It just looked…really yummy.
The Ricotta Cake is basically a very light sponge cake that was drizzled with white vermouth and topped off with Ricotta cheese and fresh fruit. It is one of the favorites among customers…and now I know why. When dessert arrived…I couldn’t wait to dig in. I picked up my fork and slid it easily through the cake. It was like a hot knife going through butter. So creamy. So soft. So moist. I was already anticipating my first bite. And when I took it…I think I melted. Seriously. This had to be the best cake I had ever bitten into. I had to share a bite with my friends. I honestly did. Because it was that amazing. Had Piazza Sorrento been open on Sunday, I probably would have stopped in just for cake. In fact, my friend Jenn had mentioned doing just that because even she fell in love with it at the one bite she had. We both said that it tasted like cannoli in cake form. Honestly…super good. Just melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
After dining there, I tried to e-mail the restaurant to see about getting the recipe…but the e-mail kept bouncing back to me. I finally settled on messaging them on Facebook…but have yet to receive a response.
There is nothing bad I can say about Piazza Sorrento. Honestly it has been one of the best dining experiences I have had, coupled with one of the best meals I have ever eaten. I didn’t need to worry about if the food was going to react poorly with me, especially before such a big race day. I felt confident in the competence of Lydia and the rest of the staff there. And the food was great…and I didn’t get sick at all.
Whoever said that gluten-free was boring and lacked variety and choices hasn’t been through Hershey, Pennsylvania and tried out Piazza Sorrento. I encourage you, whole-heartedly, that if you happen to be in the land of chocolate…or within driving distance, to check out Piazza Sorrento and see for yourself. The gluten-free menu will blow you away, the service and safety the staff take will astound you. But it will be the taste of the food that will make you wish that you had this place in your own hometown. I envy the people who live here…because this has joined the ranks of one of my favorite places to eat. But when you live in Indiana…it means returning won’t happen too often.
Oh…I also encourage you, should you go to eat at Piazza Sorrento, to try the delicious Gluten-Free Ricotta Cake. It’s worth saving room for…or finding room for. Trust me.
Before I had to go gluten-free, I fell in love with these amazing Italian potato dumplings known as gnocchi. The problem being, even though made from potato, these contain flour and that puts it on the no-no list for Celiacs. I was quite…sad, depressed, and unhappy when this happened. It was like I was being denied something that I had only just discovered and fallen in love with.
And then, one day while walking through the Liquor Barn, of all places, with my roommate, we discovered Caesar’s Gluten-Free Potato Gnocchi in the freezer section. Enter me doing a happy dance of joy right there. I wanted to take it home with me that day, but I had enough products in the house at the moment to work through.
Then…a couple weeks later, while on that side of town, my roommate and I stopped in again and this time a bag came home with me. And then…it sat in my freezer. I can’t explain why. It just sort of happened that way. With the influx of fresh vegetables and fruits coming in with my CSA bin, getting to the frozen foods in the freezer or the items in my pantry got a little less common.
However, this past weekend, I was heading out of town to stop by my friend Jenn’s house and then…the following morning, the three of us were going to venture out to Hershey, Pennsylvania as I was running in the Hershey Half Marathon on Sunday. So, I was bringing dinner to make things easy on us all on Friday night.
That evening, after arriving and settling in at her home, we got out the pot of water and got it up and boiling before pouring in the frozen potato gnocchi. I was quite disappointed right off with the amount of pasta in the bag. The sack said it was meant for four people, but there was barely enough to serve as an entree for the three of us. We let that slide however, and put the small amount of gnocchi in the bag into the boiling water. With gnocchi, the way you tell if it is done or not is that they float up to the top. Problem number two with Caesar’s Gluten-Free Potato Gnocchi…half of them floated immediately. How can we tell if they are done if the frozen dumplings are already floating? We decided, instead, to just time it for the 4 minutes suggested on the package.
While that was going, we heated up some sauce for the meal and set the table. We checked on the gnocchi after four minutes. Not all of them were ready, so we let it go a little longer. Finally, we figured we were where we needed to be. Again, kind of hard to tell when half floated right off the bat.
We drained the pan, then dished out the miniscule amount of gnocchi between the three of us. We added the sauce…then a sprinkling of cheese and settled in at the table.
Only to be immediately disappointed. I’m not joking. Maybe a third of the gnocchi dumplings were perfectly cooked. Some were gummy. Some were still hard. It was inconsistent. And I was less than impressed. This didn’t make me remember the amazing gnocchi I was able to eat before having to go gluten-free. And that’s sad. Because this was the first gluten-free gnocchi I was able to find. I could make my own, of course, but it’s a lot of work and time I currently don’t have. But…I may be headed that way.
I’ve tried Caesar’s Gluten-Free Stuffed Shells and really enjoyed them. But these didn’t make the cut this time. Not at all. I was so unimpressed with the potato gnocchi. Therefore, I don’t think I’ll be purchasing them again.
I have heard that the best gluten-free gnocchi is made by Nuovo, which I finally found at one of my local grocery stores. But Caesar’s gluten-free gnocchi will never make it into my apartment again. Totally not worth the money.
Caesar’s Vegan Gluten-Free & Wheat-Free Potato Gnocchi with tomato sauce
So, my CSA bin this week contained a beautiful bunch of very large, amazing romaine lettuce leaves. Immediately, the first thing I thought of to do with it was make lettuce wraps. They are simple, tasty, and low carb. And, you can literally put anything you want to inside of them. Pack them with your favorite foods, roll them up, enjoy.
As I’m attempting to use up the fresh produce in my fridge before my upcoming trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania for the Hershey Half Marathon, I had plenty of options to choose from. What I ended up doing was cooking up some quinoa (a pantry staple in my kitchen), tossing it with some beans, green chilies, and roasted red peppers, giving it a dusting with vegan cheese, and viola…lettuce wrap perfection. My actual recipe follows…
Recipe: Quin-y (Quinoa) Bean-y Lettuce Wraps
Quin-y Bean-y Lettuce Wraps
Servings: 2
Time: Prep 5 minutes; Cook 15 minutes
Ingredients:
6 large romaine lettuce leaves
2 Wild Garden Traditional Hummus On-The-Go pack (1.76 ounces each) (…or your favorite hummus)
1/2 cup quinoa, dry (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
1/4 cup organic black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons roasted red pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons green chiles (I used Ortega Fire Roasted Diced Green Chiles)
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
2/3 cup cheddar cheese (I used Cheddar Flavor Rice Shreds)
Directions:
Cook quinoa according to package directions.
While the quinoa is cooking, rinse and dry romaine lettuce leaves. Spread hummus over each leaf and sprinkle with red onion.
When quinoa is cooked, remove lid from pot and add black beans, roasted red pepper, and the green chilies. Stir. Cover and allow to steam to heat through. Remove from heat.
Spoon quinoa mixture into each leaf. Top off with cheese. Fold romaine lettuce around the filling.
Enjoy!
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These were really delicious. My roommate even asked if we could have them again tonight. And that is definitely the plan. Not only are they easy to make and assemble, but they are full of flavor, low carb, high in protein, and just delicious. As I like a little zing to mine, I added a splash of Cholula Hot Sauce to mine.
Looking for an easy meal to prepare without a lot of hassle and that’s not high in carbs or calories…give these a try. Fill them with whatever you have on hand…or give my own recipe a try. I’m totally looking forward to dinner tonight!
This is definitely one of those cases where looks can be deceiving. For real.
It was the evening of my Fun Run over in Louisville, which meant that I had to book it home from work, eat something, change, and get over to the running store that hosts the run before everyone took off without me. The run usually begins around 6:10 p.m. And that day at work, a meeting I was in ran over and it was closer to 5 p.m. when I walked in the door of my apartment.
That’s when Tasty Bite meals come in handy. I was already planning on eating one, as they are super fast, super simple, and super yummy. The previous evening, I steamed up some jasmine rice to act as a base. All I had to do was reheat that, then heat up the Tasty Bite entree of my choice. The one that was in the pantry was the Chunky Chickpeas.
The packaging of this particular entree shows golden chickpeas that have been bathed in aromatic spices. They looked super delicious. So, after giving the rice a quick warm and dividing it into two bowls (one for me; one for my roommate), I followed package instructions and tore about a 2 inch slit into the little envelope, stood it up in my microwave, and ran it for 90 seconds.
Yes…these meals only take 90 seconds to heat and then enjoy! Gotta love that.
When the pouch was done warming, I pulled it out of the microwave, opened it further and began to pour the contents over the first bed of rice. What came out was a grey, chunky mess. Seriously. It didn’t look appetizing at all. What happened to my golden chickpeas? These looked like chickpeas that had a round of mud wrestling and lost…badly. I emptied the other half into the other bowl and almost turned up my nose.
Granted, the aroma that wafted from the meal itself was fantastic. But the grey color was a little off-putting. I checked the packaging again…yep…golden. So what was this? Ah well. I didn’t have time to come up with reasons in my head. I had a run to get to, and before that…a meal to consume.
“This doesn’t look very appetizing,” I said to my roommate as I carried out her bowl and handed it to her. “But maybe it tastes better than it looks.”
She gazed down into the bowl. “Ewww.”
I went to retrieve the other bowl, gave it a big stir to mix the rice in more, and found that it made the entree look better. As I was walking back out to the couch, my roommate was in the process of devouring the entree. This…was a good sign.
And as I dug in, I knew for certain that the reason for her hasty bites wasn’t because we were running late to my run. Nope. It was because this entree tasted absolutely amazing. The chickpeas warmed and softened to perfection. And the spices. Oh. My. God. The spices were pure Indian through and through. The Chunky Chickpeas entree is actually chickpeas that are added to water, onions, sunflower oil, garlic, ginger, coriander, salt, cumin and other spices that really turn up the notch of flavor. These don’t have a lot of extra sauce or juice on them, so they do make a good topping for a salad, or in a tortilla or something. But, I enjoyed them over my rice…despite kind of resembling wet dog food.
Honestly…looks are deceiving. What every bite of the Tasty Bite Chunky Chickpeas did was deliver a spoonful of layered flavors. This meal isn’t spicy at all, but it doesn’t have to be. The spices that the chickpeas are marinaded in are the stand-out of this meal. Honestly, look past the appearance and put your faith in your taste buds. What you’ll discover is one tasty bite (see what I did there?) after another.
And the nutrition on these is fantastic. A serving is half of the pouch (4 ounces), which only sets you back 210 calories and 7 grams of fat. The sodium content on these is fantastically low. And this particular entree packs a 9 gram protein punch with each serving. Gotta love that. And I did…and still do. The Chunky Chickpeas entree is also vegetarian, vegan, kosher, and gluten-free.
Indian food that is easy to prepare, easy on the stomach, and easily delicious is available…and it’s available at local grocery stores. Just look for Tasty Bite. And yes…even despite the appearance, I totally recommend the Tasty Bite Chunky Chickpeas entree. Because underneath all that grey is one flavor-packed entree that is worth raving about and getting others to try.
You know…with all the produce that I get delivered right to my door, it’s amazing I talk myself into buying anything else while out at the grocery store. However, for some reason, I had the urge to make portobello mushroom burgers this week. I have plenty of produce to use already, but no…these just had to be made. I had made up my mind already in my head and all I needed were organic portobello mushroom caps…which my local grocery store happened to have.
The rest…was inspired by a recipe on Pinterest…which I then deviated from to work with the fresh veggies and items I had on hand in my fridge. So…here is the recipe…
1 tablespoons soy sauce (I used San-J Reduced Sodium Tamari)
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
6 grape tomatoes, sliced into rounds
1/4 roasted red pepper, chopped
1 ounce goat cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I used Galaxy Mozzarella Rice Shreds)
2 leaves romaine lettuce
2 buns, split (I used Schär Gluten-Free Sandwich Rolls)
butter for spreading on buns
Directions:
Heat grill to medium-high heat.
Combine balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic powder and onion powder in a small bowl. Pour over mushrooms, tossing a few times, and let marinate for 10 minutes.
When grill is nice and hot, turn heat back to medium and grill mushrooms for about 5 minutes each side.
During the last 2 minutes of grilling, throw buttered buns on just long enough to heat through, melt butter, and impart a nice grill mark on bread.
Remove mushrooms and bread from grill.
Place tomatoes, peppers, goat cheese and mozzarella cheese inside portobello cap. Place in a hot pan and sprinkle water inside. Cover to allow cheese to melt. Remove from pan.
To assemble the burger, place romaine lettuce leaf on bun, then top with the vegetable and cheese topped mushroom. Place top of bun on top and enjoy!
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I handed this over to my burger-loving, meat-eating roommate and she took the first bite. Her exact words were, “This tastes like a burger. If you didn’t tell me it was a portobello mushroom, I wouldn’t know!”
Awesome. I must say, the marinade does make all the difference when it comes to eating something like mushrooms. This was a fantastic burger to dine on. I added a little kick to mine buy spreading each bun with some Koops Arizona Heat mustard. It was a really delicious and healthy dinner. And it’s very easy to make and assemble too, which is even better.
Love mushrooms? Or looking for an alternative to red meat? Give this one a try. Honestly…it was SO good.
This was definitely one of those recipes I had to make to believe that it was even possible. I came across the recipe from my friend Robert, who made them last week for his family and raved about them. And…something of the like had been up and on Pinterest for awhile. I never pinned it though because I was wondering how that might work. Granted, I have a ton of other recipes that involve using cauliflower as the “bread” part of a dish…but this one…this one I never pinned.
But with Robert’s seal of approval…and with a head of cauliflower in my crisper drawer from my last CSA bin…I figured…why not give it a shot? It could bake while I did my circuit training and then as it was finishing up, I could heat up the sauce to dip it in.
So, with massive thanks to Robert and to Healthier Every Day on Tumblr, I share with you this delicious, naturally gluten-free, and very nutritious take on breadsticks.
Recipe:
Cauliflower “Breadsticks”
Servings: 4 (two slices per serving, as pictured)
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Bake 50 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 head of cauliflower, grated
1 whole egg, plus one egg white, lightly beaten
1/4 cup 2% shredded mozzarella cheese
Herbs and spices – whatever you love!
1 teaspoon olive oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients together (except oil) in a large bowl until evenly distributed.
Line a Pyrex dish with parchment paper and use olive oil to grease the parchment paper.
Spread and flatten the cauliflower mixture on the parchment paper evenly – about 1 inch thick. Square off the edges so it looks like a rectangle or square.
Bake for 40 minutes until slightly dried out, browning, and firm to the touch.
Remove from oven and using a spatula carefully peel away from parchment paper. Flip over and return to oven for 10 more minutes.
**They are a little eggy, but the longer you cook them, the more bread-like and crispy they become.
Enjoy!
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As a dipping sauce, I heated up a serving of Dave’s Gourmet Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce. It was a nice pairing.
Now, as far as how I seasoned this massive mixture of cauliflower, I simply threw in (and I didn’t measure…just eyeballed it all) some dried parsley, some dried oregano, some dried basil, some dried thyme, some dill weed, some dried rosemary, a touch of garlic powder, and a little dash of ground red pepper. I also mixed in some freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. My co-worker had suggested some of my gluten-free breadcrumbs…but I was hungry and didn’t want to fuss with it…this time. I have a feeling I’ll totally be making this again and will include those.
Needless to say…while they aren’t exactly the same texture as breadsticks, they are healthy, low calorie, low carb, and very nutritious. And, they smell like pizza hut breadsticks as they are baking. How awesome is that?
A serving (that’s 2 pieces) will set you back only 95 calories and 4 grams of fat. One serving also provides 6 grams of carbohydrates and 5 grams of protein. Filling…while also not adding to the waistline. Gotta love that.
Looking to incorporate more vegetables in your diet…this is a great way to do it. I recommend giving it a try. I loved them and can’t wait to make them again…and see how else I can dress up the recipe.
Okay…I’ve become addicted to using hummus as the “saucy” part of a pizza. I admit it. Why? Because it challenges me to come up with flavors that will pair well with it. After my use of it yesterday on my version of a Tostada Pizza…I was ready to take on a new challenge. And that’s exactly what I did.
Tonight, I created a version of a Mediterranean Pizza…once again utilizing hummus as the base and building the flavors on that. Tonight’s result turned out to be one of my favorite pizzas that I have created to date. I only wish I had a much more clever name for it. But…that can always change.
There is some prep involved in this, but I promise…all the roasting, toasting, and caramelizing is worth it in the end!
Recipe: Gluten-Free and Vegan Mediterranean Pizza
Gluten-Free & Vegan Mediterranean Pizza
Servings: 4 – 12 (depending on the size crust you use)
Time: Prep 40 minutes; Cook 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 Pizza crust (either homemade or store-bought) (I used Rustic Crust Gluten-Free Napoli Herb Crust)
Wild Garden Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, roasted
6 organic plum tomatoes, sliced
2 ounces (more if you are doing a larger pizza) goat cheese
4 ounces mozzarella cheese (I used mozzarella flavor rice shreds)
1 cup chopped spring mix lettuce
2 tablespoons (more if your pizza is larger) toasted pine nuts
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Wash the red bell pepper and place on a cookie sheet. Roast in the oven, turning every 15 minutes, until done (about 30 minutes). Place roasted peppers in a covered bowl or brown paper bag to make the skin easier to peel. Once the peppers have cooled, carefully peel off the blackened skin and discard. Pull or cut off the top of the pepper and squeeze gently to remove the seeds. You can do this ahead of time, slice the peppers, and then keep in the refrigerator until you need to use them.
Once your peppers are out of the oven and chopped, dust your pizza stone with cornmeal and place in the oven to preheat. If you are using a pizza pan, you do not need to do this.
Caramelize your red onion. Slice your onions into half-rounds and place in a hot pan with olive oil. Cook the onions over medium low heat, stirring every couple of minutes. Adjust the heat so that they merely sizzle and continue to cook on medium-low to low heat, stirring, until the onions are soft and anywhere from honey-colored to deep brown, depending on how caramelized you like them.
While the onions are caramelizing, get out a small skillet and place over medium-low heat. Pour in your pine nuts and shake the pan until the nuts are a golden brown. Take off the heat and set aside.
Remove your pizza stone from the oven (or prep your pizza pan). If you made your own pizza dough, cook it as you normally would, then remove to add the toppings. If you are using a store-bought crust, simply place the crust in the center of the stone or pan.
Spread a layer of Wild Garden Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus across the crust. Next, sprinkle the pizza with the caramelized onions. Add the slices of plum tomato. Then scatter your chopped roasted red pepper over the pizza.
Using your fingers, break apart the goat cheese and carefully drop small pieces of it around the pizza surface over the vegetables. Add as much as you like. Then, give a light dusting of mozzarella cheese to the pizza.
Place in the oven and cook the pizza for 8 – 10 minutes, allowing the crust to turn golden and the cheese to melt. Remove from the oven and scatter chopped mixed lettuce greens over the top.
Next, drop toasted pine nuts over the top of the pizza and place back in the oven for 1 minute more, allowing the greens to just wilt.
Remove from oven, slice, enjoy.
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Whew. Like I said…the prep work that goes into this particular pizza can be quite daunting, but honestly, so much of it can be done ahead of time, or while something else is going on the stove or heating in the oven. Chopping the vegetables is easy
The result, however, is a bold, delicious pizza with an amazing crisp crust. The hummus creates a rich base that pairs beautifully with the roasted, toasted, and caramelized flavors of the toppings to this pizza. I added the pine nuts for a bit of texture and they were a fantastic addition in the end. It was my first time ever using pine nuts and now I can’t wait to try something else with them in it.
Looking for a different sort of pizza to serve on pizza night? Try a blend of Mediterranean flavors that is sure to impress your taste buds and your dinner companions.
The Celiathlete 