Category: Food

Product: Tinkyáda Brown Rice Lasagna Noodles – $3.49+

Who says gluten-free pasta has to be bland and mushy?  While I have definitely had my fair share of these, nothing has ever come close to the amazing texture and flavor of regular pasta as Tinkyáda Rice Pasta.

Trust me.

I’m a gluten-free vegetarian who runs.  Pasta is in my life on a constant basis.

When a friend of mine from high school recommended Tinkyáda, saying that it was the best gluten-free pasta on the market, I knew that there had to be something to it.  I have tried a couple of their products in pastas and caseroles and have never been disappointed.  But this time, I was embarking in a dish I hadn’t tried to make since going gluten-free.

Lasagna.

Not just any lasagna.  Five Cheese Lasagna.

Yeah…go ahead and drool a moment.  I can wait.

I needed a good lasagna noodle to hold up against my delicious blend of ricotta, mascarpone, Parmigiano-Reggiano, fresh mozzarella, and goat cheese.  On instinct, I knew it had to be Tinkyáda’s.  So, off to the grocery store I went and happily returned with a box of the gluten-free, brown rice, lasagna noodles.

Cooking it up to get it oven-ready was easy.  Boil water and put desired amount of noodles into pan.  Cook for about 12-14 minutes.  Drain.  Rinse with cold water.  Yep.  Easy as that.  These got them to just under al dente, so that they wouldn’t overcook in the oven.  A layer of gluten-free butternut squash sauce, noodles, layers of cheese, more sauce, more noodles, more cheese, more sauce, more noodles, more sauce, more cheese…and the lasagna was assembled and ready for the oven.  It cooked for about 35 minutes at 350 degrees and came out a bubbly mass of pastas perfection.

The noodles definitely stood up against the test of the oven and the layers of cheese and sauce.  They had fantastic texture, just like actual lasagna noodles.  And they paired so well with the mix of cheese and the sweetness from the sauce.  Gluten-free cheesy goodness all in one dish.  All made possible by the sturdy, delicious, gluten-free noodles made by Tinkyáda.

Accept no substitutes.  They make the best gluten-free pasta on the market.

Hands down.

Product: Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Homestyle Pancakes – $2.99+

Who doesn’t love pancakes?

I love them.  Honestly.  Every carby bite of them.  But, they didn’t always love me back.  And after I went gluten-free, I had to find a new way to make them so that I could once again indulge in these battery cakes of breakfast goodness.  I mean, melt some butter between a stack of them, pour hot maple syrup over them and just slice into them, mopping up the pool of syrup on the plate with each forkful.

Yeah.

The problem is, sometimes making pancakes (especially gluten-free pancakes) can take some time.  And if you don’t want to spend a good chunk of your morning over a mixing bowl and a skillet, there is at least one delicious, gluten-free (and diary free) option out there.

Thank you, Trader Joe’s.

I discovered the Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free & Dairy Free Homestyle Pancakes existed through a Facebook ad on my profile.  When a Trader Joe’s opened up in Louisville, my roommate and I went on the hunt for these.  We both love pancakes and wanted to totally give these a go.  I mean, I normally will make some if I really must have them, but there are days where I just want to sit on the couch and relax, not stand in the kitchen for 30 minutes preparing breakfast.  Lo and behold, we found them in the freezer section and snatched up a box of them.

This morning, I went on a long training run.  Seven miles down and I came home ready to eat breakfast.  After a run, staying on my feet for awhile mixing up batter and pouring it out into a skillet didn’t sound like fun.  Instead, I opened up the freezer, pulled these out, and got to making a simple, quick, pancake breakfast.

These pancakes come in serving size packages, which is three pancakes.  Just open up the packet, separate the frozen pre-made pancakes and warm.  Three options: oven, toaster, microwave.  I went for toaster because I figured it would be the most like a skillet pancake, giving the pancake a nice toasty crust instead of just being mushy in the microwave and taking 15 minutes in the oven.

Into the toaster they went, and as they were warming, I got out the margarine and heated up my gluten-free maple syrup.  Up popped the pancakes, and I put them back down for another minute or so to insure that the center was warmed all the way through.  Popping them up, I plated them, spread a little margarine throughout the stack of three, then drizzled over 1/4 cup of maple syrup.

One bite, and I was hooked.  They tasted almost homemade.  Almost.  The toaster was a great call.  However, I did find the center to be a bit doughy despite the extra time to warm through.  At least it wasn’t cold.  I thought the texture was great and the serving (3 pancakes each) was perfect!  Delicious, pancake-y goodness in the morning.  And as easy as opening a package and throwing it in the toaster.  Yeah…breakfast can be that easy and still be good.

I appreciate Trader Joe’s making not only vegan options but gluten-free (and vegan or vegetarian) options for those of us who fall into that category.  But even if you aren’t gluten-free or dairy-free, I think you will enjoy the taste of these amazing pancakes.  Go ahead, pick some up, throw them in the toaster, heat, top with syrup and indulge.

Delicious and easy.  How can it possibly be bad?  And being from Trader Joe’s…I completely trust the product.  Go ahead…easy pancakes as easy as a Sunday morning.

Product: Imagine Natural Creations Creamy Portobello Soup – $1.50+

Thank goodness not everything tastes the way it looks.  If that were the case, I never would have attempted to eat the Creamy Portobello Mushroom Soup from Imagine Natural Creations.

I mean…upon first glance you might think you are getting served a bowl of sewage.

Yeah…it doesn’t look appetizing.  So, when I began heating it up on my stovetop, I was pretty certain that I was going to want to find ways to spice it up and make it…palatable.  With it reaching a simmer and the soup warmed through, I finished up the gluten-free (and dairy-free) grilled cheese that was accompanying the soup for dinner and dished up a bowl for both myself and my roommate.

Soup is tricky when you are gluten-free.  Some are safe.  Some are not.  Thankfully, Imagine labels their soups gluten-free and this was one of the ones that I found at Big Lots for a great price and couldn’t pass it up.  I brought my roommate her serving of soup and sandwich and she sort of eyed it and looked at me with this ‘you must be out of your birds’ kind of look on her face.  But I went to go grab my dinner from the kitchen and she was already sniffing the ladle of soup on her spoon and taking a taste.

Thank the cooking gods…she seemed to like it.  And if she liked it, well, something had to be right.

I settled in and gave my own spoonful a cooling blow before taking a cautions slurp of it.  What I discovered was, once again, judging a book by its cover is not the best way to assess something.  This soup was one of the most flavorful ones I have had yet from this line of gluten-free soups.  It packs a rich, intense, earthy flavor, seasoned with onion and garlic.  Perfectly seasoned, I might add.  It was delicious without having to bulk it up with potatoes or onions or mushrooms.  It could stand on its own as a broth and be fantastic.

So, yes…it may not look appetizing, but the Creamy Portobello Mushroom Soup from Imagine’s creamy soup line-up has wowed me and moved to the front of the pack as one of my absolute favorites.  If you can’t get past the gray color, close your eyes and take a sip.  I promise, it’s fantastic and full of flavor.  You won’t be disappointed in the taste.

Product: Garden Lites Zucchini Soufflé – $3.49+

Zucchini.

It’s a fun ingredient.  Versatile.  Delicious.  I mean, who doesn’t like buttering up a delicious slice of (gluten-free) zucchini bread.  Or…even better…chocolate zucchini bread.  It’s a fantastic vegetable, perfect for a variety of meals, sides, and savory treats.  You can sautee it on the stove and dust it with Parmesan cheese…yeah.  Winning.

And yet, it’s an underrated vegetable if anything.  So many people count it out before giving it a fair shake.

Thanks to Garden Lites amazing soufflé meals, vegetables are getting a fantastic, light, delicious, and healthy upgrade.

Being a vegetarian, if it’s a vegetable, I’ve probably eaten it.  I’ve probably loved it (although not always the case).  And I’ve probably played around with it in various recipes and food experiments.  But, let’s face it…cooking your vegetables night after night, and trying to find a way to kick them up a notch can be quite time consuming and difficult.

But these frozen delights are the cure for the common vegetable ailment.  Seriously.

The Zucchini Soufflé was the third installment of the frozen soufflé marathon.  And while I liked it better than the Cauliflower Soufflé, it didn’t quite measure up to the variable flavor of the Roasted Vegetable Soufflé from last night.  Zucchini is such a mild flavor as it is, so this soufflé is dressed up with onion, potato, and cauliflower to pack more of a flavor punch.  Additional spices and egg white are also in the ingredients.

Now, while the flavor wasn’t as bold as the Roasted Vegetable variety, the zucchini one was still quite fantastic on its own.  As with the other two, I split this in half with my roommate and we served it up with Ore Ida Sweet Potato Fries.  The Zucchini Soufflé was the star of the dinner though.  And this mini-meal packed a healthy, filling , gluten-free, and vegetarian punch.  Even just eating half of the soufflé, I was perfectly filled for dinner.  The fact that each time I took I bite, I immediately wanted another one is saying something!

Garden Lites is doing something completely right with these soufflé meals.  All of them are low calorie, low fat delights for your taste buds.  I am very much looking forward to sampling the other three varieties.  When you’re company is known as “the vegetable company” you better do vegetables right.  These…are done to perfection.

Love your vegetables a little more with Garden Lites soufflés.  Zucchini might be a good jumping off point!  And it only takes about 5 minutes of microwave time to prepare.  So easy…so good!

Product: Garden Lites Roasted Vegetable Soufflé – $3.49+

My on-a-whim, screw-the-food-budget, frozen food purchases are paying off in spades when it comes to these light, airy, tasty frozen soufflés from Garden Lites.

I mean, these were literally made for someone like me, to come home to and dig into after a stressful, busy day.  And the best part is…they are delicious.  This is the second of the series of six that I had housed in the confines of my freezer.  Just snagging off the top, tonight’s delicacy was the Roasted Vegetable Soufflé, which is a delightful conglomeration of onion, carrots, broccoli, spinach, potato, red pepper and zucchini, folded into egg whites and delicately seasoned.

I was impressed with the first one, which is a good thing, since I bought every flavor without trying just one first.  They are easy to warm up in the microwave and ready in less than five minutes.  Gotta love that.

This one was definitely more colorful than the Cauliflower Soufflé, which definitely gave it a lot of appeal when it came to digging in.  And, once again, the taste was spot on.  Every vegetable that was part of the blend can be tasted within various bites.  It isn’t overly seasoned, and despite that it is being nuked from frozen to soufflé puffy, it’s not watery or runny either.  And that, my friends, is where the magic only begins.  Once again, it tastes much like a pot pie would taste.  And the flavors just melt on your tongue after each delicate forkful.

I really enjoyed the plethora of flavors that accompanied this one, and it was very visually appealing too.  Garden Lites are definitely doing something right with these gluten-free and vegetarian mini-meals.  I served mine (because there is only 1 per box, so my roommate and I split one) with a side of sweet potato fries and it was filling and delicious.

I can’t wait to pluck the next one out of the freezer and give it a shot.  Because, while I don’t like to eat frozen meals, when the necessity for one calls, I like to make sure I’m getting something healthy and not laden down with chemicals and unrecognizable ingredients.  These soufflés by Garden Lites have only ingredients (most of them natural – like vegetables and egg whites) that you can recognize off the bat, without having to Google what some chemical or additive might be.

Love that.

And loving the delicious flavor that the Garden Lites Roasted Vegetable Soufflé added to my dinner plate.

I guess you could say I’m delighted!

Product: Garden Lites Cauliflower Soufflé – $3.49+

Soufflés are the bane of chefs everywhere.  Why?  Because they can be so finicky when you cook them.  And, at most restaurants, if you want a soufflé for dessert, they ask that you place that order when you order your entrees because it does take time to whip up and bake to perfection.  And…you have to act fast, because that airy lift in soufflés can disappear quickly and you don’t want to serve a collapsing soufflé to a paying patron.

But then, a company called Garden Lites introduced a new line of frozen entrees – the vegetable soufflé.  Coming in six varieties (of which, all have made it into my freezer), these light, airy frozen packages bring the glory of the soufflé to your microwave.

I spotted these while at Fresh Market (and again at Whole Foods) one day while grocery shopping for some gluten-free goodies.  And, yes…every one of the six selections are vegetarian and gluten-free.  So…I snagged them all.

Tonight, for dinner, I decided to cook one up.  My weapon of choice tonight – the Cauliflower Soufflé.  It was going to make the perfect mini-meal.  Extremely mini, though, as I read only the front of the box when I grabbed one of each.   The wording said there was only 140 calories persoufflé, so I assumed there was at least two in the box.  WRONG!  There is only one, so my roommate and I split it for dinner and I baked up a side of Ore Ida Extra Crispy Tater Tots to go with it.  Purchasers…take note.  One box = one soufflé.

Anyway…aside from my own error in not turning the box over and looking at the number of servings per package, I found this to be a rather surprising, tasty, and filling (even at half a soufflé) meal.  It doesn’t get much easier.  Heat up tray in microwave, in overwrap, for 4 minutes.  Let sit for one minute.  Then heat at half power for another minute.  Serve.  Simple, yes?  Oh…yes.

My biggest concern with this was that it was going to be runny and watery and just…wrong.  But it slid from its bowl easily after I nuked it according to package instructions.  And, as my microwave is really, really old, I ran it longer than instructed.  It was still a bit frozen in the middle after I sliced it in half, so back into the microwave for another 30 seconds and…voula…done!  Pair it with the tots and there was dinner.

I was quite impressed with the light texture that accompanied the soufflé upon reheating in the microwave.  The Cauliflower Soufflé, a mix of egg whites, spices, cauliflower, carrots, potato and onion tasted a lot like a pot pie, to be honest.  Just a lighter, non-crusty pot-pie.  It was, surprisingly, very delicious.  I enjoyed every bite I took from it, tasting the various vegetables that were used in the creation of this soufflé.  I mean, it doesn’t puff up like a real soufflé would, but it doesn’t need to.  It’s good just the way it warms up.

Color me impressed.

I wasn’t expecting to like this as much as I did.  But it heated up nice in the microwave, it was light, it was filling, and it was delicious.  Score one for the soufflés.  If you like cauliflower, I recommend trying this delicious treat by Garden Lites.  It’s gluten-free, vegetarian yum!

 

Product: Pamela’s Products Gluten-Free Cornbread and Muffin Mix – $4.67+

Ah…cornbread.

I’ve gone through the motions with gluten-free cornbread.  Honestly.  I’ve had it seem rubbery and dense.  I’ve made my own with a gluten-free baking mix (ironically, Pamela’s) and cornmeal.  So it went from…blech to ehhh…

Before heading to a race one night, however, I was browsing the aisles of a grocery store in that city and spotted a manager’s special on a package of Pamela’s Products Gluten-Free Cornbread and Muffin Mix.  I figured, as so far every product I’ve tried by Pamela’s has impressed me, that I’d go ahead and pick this up and find a good occasion to bake it up.

Well, that occasion arrived this past week when my roommate had to have a wisdom tooth pulled.  I had made up a gluten-free Pappa al Pomodoro soup for the occasion, and to accompany it, I thought cornbread might be awesome.  So, I pulled this package out of my pantry, got all the ingredients together to mix it up (eggs, sugar, melted butter, water) and got to work in my little kitchen.  It was so easy to make.  I waffled a bit on putting the sugar into the cornbread.  Being a girl from New York, the idea of sugar in cornbread turns it into cake.  But as this was for my roommate’s sake, I asked what she wanted and she opted to keep the sugar in.  So, in it went.  Mixing it was easy and the consistency of the batter was awesome.  I was pretty excited when I went to pour it into my baking pan and put it into the preheated oven to cook up.

It doesn’t take long.  About 25 minutes and…done.  What emerges from the oven is a fluffy, delicious looking pan of gluten-free cornbread.  Naturally, my roommate and wanted to try a piece right away.  So, we let it cool some before I sliced into it (16 pieces) and we each picked one to immediately nosh on.

My roommate immediately said the best thing I did was add the sugar to it.  She was in cornbread heaven.  To me, I still think the sugar is too much, but the instructions on the package do indicate that if you want less sweet, it is okay to eliminate the sugar.  Which, I might do next time.  But, that’s not saying this was no good.  In fact, I had never been so happy with a gluten-free cornbread mix in my life.  Honestly, the texture is amazing, the taste is superb, and it really made a delicious addition to the week of soup and soft breads while her mouth healed.  I was beyond impressed.

When it comes to gluten-free products, you just learn to rely on some brands for quality.  I have become quite fond of Pamela’s Products line of gluten-free goods.  And every time I walk by the gluten-free section at the grocery store, I begin plotting the next mix or cookie or treat that I’ll purchase and then try.  When a company gets it…they get it.  Pamela’s Products continues to wow me with super-great products that are safe for me to eat…and delicious to boot.

I’m a fan for life.