Food – Page 38 – The Celiathlete

August 4, 2014

Product Review: So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk Dairy Free Frozen Dessert

Product Review: So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk Dairy Free Frozen Dessert – $6.99+

I scream. You scream. We all scream for…

NON-DAIRY COCONUT MILK ICE CREAM!

Or…at least I do. Especially when it’s from So Delicious. And…even more so…especially when it’s Vanilla Bean.

Why Vanilla Bean?

Because when you have vanilla as your base flavor…you can do whatever you want to it and make it your own. Or, if you’re traditional…you can eat it strait and it has a flavor that is uniquely…vanilla. I love vanilla. It’s like the blank canvas of ice cream flavors. Seriously. Which is why, tonight, after a disappointing attempt at squash chips (they burned…dammit!), and after polishing up a delicious gluten-free yellow tomato sandwich with some homemade guacamole on the side (and served with gluten-free tortilla chips I had on reserve)…I was ready for my dessert. I earned it. After all, it’s Monday…and we should always have dessert on Monday especially! (Garfield logic!)

I actually wasn’t prepared for ice cream dessert, so when we decided that was the way we would go…I pulled the pint out of the freezer and let it sit on the counter top for about 10 minutes. My roommate and I amused ourselves by watching Chopped All Stars until my timer beeped and I got up to start dishing up dessert. While I was scooping, I got some caramel sauce working in the microwave to top off the flavor. WOOHOO!! I also figured…why not go all out…and pulled down some chopped walnuts as well. Gotta have those omegas, yes? YES!

So, with each serving size scoop in our ice cream bowls, I drizzled each scoop with caramel, topped it with nuts…and it was time to dig in. I settled in and started up Chopped again, and took my first bite…which was just the vanilla on its own. Purist here…gotta taste it without the accessories first.

Holy Vanilla Bean, Batman! First of all, I think this is the first time in coconut milk dessert history where I can call it…CREAMY!! It was silky smooth, packed with flavor, and just…light and fluffy and delicious. This was just like eating freshly churned ice cream. This is a lactose intolerant ice cream lover’s dream here. The vanilla flavor is amazing, not too much…but not too subtle either. The coconut milk creates this solid, yet creamy base, flecked with the insides of the vanilla bean. It is just delicious. Topping it off with caramel and nuts was the icing on the cake, but I could have grabbed a spoon and dug into the pint and been just as happy without playing dress up with dessert. Seriously. Fantastic. So Delicious definitely knew what it was doing. And…you would never in a million years be able to tell that has no added sugar. Seriously, it is just as sweet and just as perfect as any ice cream or ice cream like dessert should be.

So Delicious…YOU ROCK THE VANILLA WORLD!!

With all that high praise and excitement, you know we have to hit on the scientific stuff. Because nutrition and ingredients are all part of what makes a food great. And this wasn’t just great. This was…life changing.

The So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk Dairy Free Frozen Dessert is made from organic coconut milk, gum arabic, vegetable glycerin, chicory root extract, erythritol, vanilla extract, natural flavors, sea salt, locust bean gum, guar gum, carrageenan, monk fruit extract, and vanilla bean specks. This frozen treat is gluten-free, cholesterol-free, dairy-free, vegan, kosher, and non-GMO! No Sugar Added Vanilla Bean So Delicious Dairy Free Frozen Dessert is…AWESOME!!

But how awesome are the nutritionals? Well…a serving size of the So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk Dairy Free Frozen Dessert is 1/2 cup. This 1/2 cup portion will provide you with only 100 calories and 8 grams of fat. I know you’re thinking that the fat seems high, but it’s the healthy fats found in coconut…so don’t freak out over that…it will be okay. In addition, you will be taking in only 70 mg sodium and 1 gram of sugar. LOVING IT! And, finally, you will be consuming 10 grams of filling fiber and 1 gram of protein.

Oh, So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk Dairy Free Frozen Dessert…I would devour you every day of the week if I could. I can’t be happier with this flavor and all that it represents. Thank you, So Delicious, for sending me a pint of goodness which came on a day where I just needed something simple, elegant, and yet…amazing. That’s this flavor for sure!

I can’t help falling in love with So Delicious over and over again. Their products really are tops!

A serving of So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk Dairy-Free Frozen Dessert

August 3, 2014

Product Review: CLIF Mojo Cranberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar

Product: CLIF Mojo Cranberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar – $1.49+

Today…was one of those days where I just never take a moment to settle in and eat something in the middle of the day. Always on the go. After hitting up the pool this morning for some laps, I was ready to get my shopping on. So, after returning home and taking a nice shower, it was off to the brand new factory outlet store that opened up in the Louisville area. Retail therapy…it’s great for what ails you and stresses you out.

So is the pair of Tommy Hilfiger skinny jeans I bought too…but that’s beside the point.

What is my point?

My point is…there are days that I just don’t get to sit down and settle into an official “lunch.” I am very good about eating breakfast and often make it the bulk of my daily meal. I hit up good protein sources, healthy carbs, and those healthy fats (HELLO AVOCADO!). Dinner is always a must, but it’s usually something very light and easy, unless it’s a weekend where I have some time to prepare an actual dinner…like a casserole or something…where I freeze the leftovers and keep them for those days where life is just spiraling out of control and the very thought of cooking a meal from scratch is too much to bear.

But lunch. Lunch sometimes consists of oatmeal or overnight oats, especially during the week. It’s something light but filling. But on a day like today, where you’re trying to beat the crowds and actually find a parking spot at a brand-spankin’-new outlet mall…you grab and go. And that’s what I did, pulling open my kitchen drawer of “run snacks” and retrieving the next protein bar in the lineup.

Today…the CLIF Mojo Cranberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar. It was easy to transport and I figured I liked the blueberry one well enough, why not? So, my roommate grabbed her snack and we were out the door and hitting the road to check out the shops. On the way, it was time to fortify ourselves for what would be at the very least an hour and a half at the outlets. At least. She dove into her snack…and I broke into my bar.

Once again, I have to make the fair comparison between these bars and the KIND bars. They are loaded with dried fruits and nuts, and you can see each and every ingredient right there. To give it some added bulk, CLIF also mixes in rice crisps…which you can also see. I was hungry from my time in the pool…so I took my first bite.

YES!! CLIF one again hits the flavor combination on the head. In fact, I want to say it tastes a lot like the fruit and seed mixtures that are included in a few of the Go Picnic box meals every now and again. You know…the kind that Enjoy Life produces. That’s what this bar tastes like. It tastes like a sweet snack victory to me. It was chewy…yet not overly so. In fact, this one was a bit more solid than the blueberry, but I think some of that was due to the fact that it had been warm…then in my cool apartment…so it solidified. Nonetheless, I was loving each and every bite of this bar. It had that tangy zing from the cranberries and that hit of salt from the almonds. The rice crisps brought something chewy. And it was all bound together in this outrageously tasty bar. I had to keep myself from just shoving the entire thing in my mouth and chewing for about 10 minutes. I savored…and I’m glad I did. This bar hits all the right notes at all the right times. Amazing.

So, let’s talk ingredients. CLIF is proud to use non-GMO ingredients in their Mojo bars. And…about 70% of the ingredients are organic. In the CLIF Mojo Cranberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar, you will find the following ingredients: organic almonds, cranberries, organic tapioca syrup, organic rice crisps, organic roasted soybeans, organic inulin, organic sunflower oil, sea salt, citric acid, and natural vitamin E. This bar is gluten-free, cholesterol free, low glycemic, and high in fiber.

Nutritionally speaking, this bar definitely stands up to those that are similar to it. And in some cases, the stats are even better. A serving size is one bar. One CLIF Mojo Cranberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar will serve up 180 calories and 10 grams of fat. Don’t panic over the fat. Most of that is derived from the almonds, making it a healthy fat. This bar also will give you 110 mg sodium and 11 grams of sugar. The sugar is higher than I like it, but I’m guessing some of that actually does come from the cranberries. And, you will also be consuming 4 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. So, you definitely will feel full after eating it and it does a good job of sticking with you.

I’m finding a lot of great flavor, great textures, and great nutrition from the CLIF Mojo Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bars. The two that I have tried thus far have blown me away. The flavors just blend so well and pop in your mouth. I guarantee that you’ll enjoy these bars. And…for that price…go ahead and stock up. I know next time I hit the store, I will be doing just that!

CLIF Mojo Cranberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar (unwrapped)

August 1, 2014

Product Review: Thumbs Cookies Gluten Free Sugar Cookies

Product: Thumbs Cookies Gluten Free Sugar Cookies – $20.00+

Who says good things don’t come in small packages? Certainly not me. I often find some of the best things in life come in smaller packages. Heck, I’m a 5’3″ runner…so I’m a small person as it is. The smaller…the more likely I am to take a second glance at it or even…purchase it.

I never would have even known about the existence of Thumbs Cookies if not for my monthly delivery from Cuisine Cube. These little cookies (seriously….the size of your thumbprint) were inside my June box as the dessert treat. And, for you regular readers…we all know how I feel about cookies. If I were blue and furry with googly eyes, I really would be cookie monster.

GIVE ME ALL THE GLUTEN FREE COOKIES!

And all the cookies is possible this time, as Thumbs Cookies are tiny. Teeny-tiny, pop-in-your-mouth morsels of cookie goodness. Cuisine Cube included the original Sugar Cookies in the June cube…which is fine by me. I love a good sugar cookie. And, since creator Robyn Frank, has immortalized her family recipe that her mother used, these cookies are close to as good as it gets without being fresh from your own oven. Seriously…Frank, in fact, hand rolls each and every cookie in the palm of her hand and finishes them with her thumbprint. She used to bake these alongside her mother whenever she made them for special occasions.

I love a good cookie story…especially when family and family history are involved.

The evening was shaping up to be a busy one. Work was finally over and I had been intending to do the last of the BlueMile Brew Miles (a local running store’s mile runs at different pubs in the Louisville area), but an almost stress fracture sidelined my plans to run. My roomie said that we could still go and walk it…if we took it slow and steady. But this meant a quick bite at home and then off to the races, as it were. I was reheating homemade soup, serving it with gluten-free crackers, and then having these cookies for dessert. Simple. Quick. Efficient. Especially on a busy night.

So, after downing our soup, we cleaned our dishes and I snagged the little box of these teeny-tiny cookies for dessert. I figured they were small…so we’d just split the entire package. Why not? We were off to walk a mile anyway. So, I doled them out and we settled in to pop them, one-by-one…

First of all…we probably could have split these between two nights, but they were so fantastic, I didn’t care. I really didn’t. I put the first one in my mouth…and it was just this soft little butter cookie with a hint of cinnamon and a bit of sugar sprinkled on top. Like…mini snickerdoodles. Little sugar cookie morsels of amazing goodness. I was in love. In fact, I believe I looked up at my roommate and said, “Well that’s a fantastic little bite!” And I wasn’t joking. These won’t melt in your mouth, but they aren’t brittle or hard. They are just these nice little poppers of cookie yumminess. Seriously, if I had just opened the pack for me, I probably would have eaten them all without a second thought. So, eating half the container didn’t leave me berating myself either for indugling so much. These really are itty-bitty cookies…and I enjoyed each and every bite.

As far as ingredients go…you can tell these are homemade. The Thumbs Cookies Gluten Free Sugar Cookies are made from shortening, sugar, cinnamon, more sugar, and Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Flour. These are homemade, to order, and no nutritional information is available on them. Just rest assured, they are small but mighty and it is so easy to just keep popping them like candy.

I’m always told that I am small, but fierce. That is definitely these cookies. They are small…but they pack a mighty flavor punch. Cookie perfection in little bites. And for that…Thumbs Cookies hits all the right notes. Fantastic flavor, great texture, and…well…when it’s a cookie…and when it’s a delicious cookie…you have me sold. I can’t wait to dig up some more of these. I might not share this time. HA!

Once again…thank you, my dear Cuisine Cube…without you, I’d have no idea these even existed.

July 29, 2014

Product Review: So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Butter Pecan Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert

Product: So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Butter Pecan Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert – $6.99+

There is a short list of treats that I forever want in my life. Seriously. This ranges from my local gluten-free bakery (Annie May’s Sweet Café) vegan chocolate chip cookies to my gluten free lemon chiffon cake…to ICE CREAM!

The thing with ice cream is…as much as I love ice cream, being lactose intolerant means that sometimes…the ice cream doesn’t love me back. This means that it’s better for me to skip it all together…or find something that is equally as delicious…and just like that rich, creamy, amazing dairy-filled treat that I grew up eating…year round!

The answer, my friends, is no further than your grocery store freezer.

The amazing and wonderful people at So Delicious Dairy Free sent me a few pints of their new Gluten Free and No Sugar Added frozen dessert offerings. Yes…their coconut milk ice cream, if you will. And me, being the ice cream lover that I am…am thrilled to try these flavors out. I’ve already reviewed the Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert and the Gluten-Free Cookies ‘N Cream Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert.

Tonight…it was on to the No Sugar Added (and still gluten-free) flavors. I asked my roomie to choose a flavor from the ones that are in the freezer. Without any hesitation she immediately chose…

…the So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Butter Pecan Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert.

Butter Pecan just happens to be her mom’s favorite ice cream flavor. Fact. Now you know.

After a very long, and somewhat stressful day…I made dinner upon getting home and after we devoured that….dessert was up. As usual, I tend to pull the pint out of the freezer while we eat dinner to allow it to soften up. Because it is made without the dairy, it sometimes gets a little more frozen than regular ice cream, so the time sitting on the counter while we dine means that it’s ready to scoop when dessert time rolls around. I was pretty stoked myself, having always enjoyed a great butter pecan ice cream. It’s one of those oddball flavors that I so rarely get, that I only remember how much I love it when I actually get it.

I dished up two bowls of ice cream, with the proper serving all measured out. I served it up and we dug in while watching Food Network (because…we love our Food Network!). One bite. That was all I needed to fall in love with this frozen treat. Honestly. WOW! First of all, the texture is perfect. Creamy, light, not gritty. Pure ice cream perfection. You’d never guess this was made with coconut milk. It is that perfectly balanced. But, my rave doesn’t stop there. FLAVOR! Holy cow. The flavors incorporated into the So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Butter Pecan Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert stand up and just dance with your taste buds. Dance. Maybe a tango. Maybe the conga. vanilla with butter and pecans…oh…it’s so good. You can really catch all those rich and amazing flavors. And the pecans bring this great crunch and texture to the creamy ice cream. And all of this…without any added sugar. You can’t argue with that. My roommate actually licked her bowl clean. I think this is her new favorite so far!

So, what all goes into the So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Butter Pecan Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert? Well, it all comes together using organic coconut milk, pecans, gum arabic, vegetable glycerin, chicory root extract, erythritol, natural flavors, sea salt, locust bean gum, guar gum, carrageenan, and monk fruit extract. This dessert is organic, dairy-free, gluten-free, kosher, and vegan. It is also cholesterol free.

And with that, you know we have to take a peek at the nutritional information. A serving of the So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Butter Pecan Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert is 1/2 cup. In this serving you will be taking in 140 calories and 13 grams of fat. Don’t panic over that fat content. It’s derived from coconut milk, which means that’s the healthy fats. A serving dishes up 65 mg sodium and only 1 gram of sugar. LOVE THAT! And finally, you will be taking in 10 grams of filling fiber and 1 gram of protein.

LOVE! That’s what this ice cream is all about. A dairy-free twist on a classic flavor! The So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Butter Pecan Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert is truly a pint of love. The flavors and texture are fantastic and amazing. And I am totally in love with it. It will take all my (currently non-existent) self-control not to devour the entire pint right out of the carton. It would be worth it though…

So Delicious…keep on making these amazing treats…because you certainly got my attention. No sugar added just proves that sugar free doesn’t mean flavor free. I am totally in love with you, my So Delicious people. Thank you!

A serving of So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Butter Pecan Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert

July 29, 2014

Product Review: Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Sea Salt Multiseed Snack Crackers

Product: Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Sea Salt Multiseed Snack Crackers – $1.49

So, I haven’t been into Aldi since I went there on Mother’s Day and stocked up on ALL THE GLUTEN FREE ITEMS that I could get my hands on and that I truly needed. I had so many mixes that I really didn’t need to add to the growing collection in my pantry. But, man…it sure was nice for Celiac Awareness Month (May, in case you didn’t know) for Aldi to bring out a gluten-free line of products to test on the market. From the way it sounded, people were gobbling these products up. My store had run out of the gluten-free wraps (dang it!) by the time I had gotten there.

Now, with only a couple products remaining from my original haul…I have since heard that the gluten-free products are nigh on impossible to find now. I truly hope that Aldi didn’t do away with this line permanently. I was really looking forward to a restock…since less than $30 got me a whole lot of food. And rather good food too.

Which leads me to this installment of the next Aldi liveGfree product that came into the rotation. Snack time at work is a very important time and I take my snacks very seriously. On weeks where I am without the fresh fruit and veggies from my bin, I turn to my pantry. Such is the case this week and the next product that happened to be up were the Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Sea Salt Multiseed Snack Crackers. From the packaging, they closely resemble Crunchmaster crackers in both size and appearance.

So, I tore into the bag last night and loaded up a little container with a serving of the crackers. And as snack time rolled around today, I was all set to revel in my Crunchmaster-wannabe crackers. I expected them to taste every bit like a Crunchmaster cracker.

Boy…were my taste buds surprised.

For one thing…the Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Sea Salt Multiseed Snack Crackers are less about the salt…and lean more on the sweet. Yes…these crackers are sweet. More of the sesame seed shines through over any seasoning or any other seed incorporated. So, while I was anticipating a salty, savory bite, what I ended up getting was something that tasted of sweetened sesame seeds. And that’s okay…just not what I expected. I do appreciate that, while these are a Sea Salt flavor, they aren’t overly salty. I’m not sure I’m 100% sold on eating them on their own. With the abundant sweetness, I sort of feel like it needs a creamy, spicy kick of hummus to tame it. I definitely prefer Crunchmaster over these, but at more than half the price, these are a great deal.

Sort of on the fence, as it were. I did find the more I ate them…the more they grew on me…

So…since I can’t figure out how I feel about the taste, let’s talk about ingredients and delve into those nutritionals, shall we?

The Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Sea Salt Multiseed Snack Crackers are made from brown rice flour, long grain white rice flour, brown sugar, sesame seeds, long grain brown rice flour, corn starch, vegetable oil (corn and/or canola and/or sunflower), flax seed, quinoa seeds, millet, sea salt, oat fiber, and natural flavor. They are certified gluten-free and are cholesterol free.

As for the nutrition information, a serving of the Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Sea Salt Mulitseed Snack Crackers is 1 ounce, or about 13 crackers. This serving will provide you with 130 calories and 5 grams of fat. A serving also dishes up 120 mg sodium and 3 grams of sugar. In addition, you will be taking in 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein. These crackers are definitely not made to make you feel full. So, remember to stick to that serving size and know that you will feel hungry soon after your snack.

While I honestly believe these crackers would be better served with some sort of fantastic dip, like a hummus, they aren’t bad on their own. They just seem to need something that would help balance out the sweetness and that sesame seed flavor that just permeates each bite. They aren’t bad…but I would buy Crunchmaster first before coming back to these. I applaud the effort for a snack cracker by Aldi and would definitely encourage them to keep this line around.

I hope they are listening!

July 28, 2014

Product Review: CLIF Mojo Wild Blueberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar

Product: CLIF Mojo Wild Blueberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar – $1.49+

As an active and extremely busy on-the-go girl, I often find myself in places where I need something to eat, and given my dietary restrictions…that’s not always a simple thing. I always…always…have some form of a snack bar or protein bar on hand. And while my usual go-to’s include KIND, Lärabar, and Luna Protein…I have since been expanding on my protein bar options.

Leave it to my roommate then, to head out to the grocery store on an errand and return with some gluten-free bars that were on Manager’s Special. This is always a nice treat to find gluten-free anything market down at the grocery store…usually by half price. The bars were the CLIF Mojo Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bars…of which she grabbed one of each variety that were on the markdown.

I went out of town this past weekend, and while I knew I’d have plenty of options in the Columbus area (and my friend Jenn is awesome at keeping gluten-free stuff around for me!), I wasn’t so sure if I’d need something to eat on the journey home. So, as usual, I threw a couple of bars into the food bag we haul with us everywhere…and I was so so glad we did. About the time we hit Columbus, my delicious breakfast had been burned through and my stomach was starting to grumble that it was hungry. We were trying to race bad weather (that never hit!) home, so stopping somewhere wasn’t an option. Besides, there are only a couple of places I have been to and would trust in Cincinnati…and we weren’t anywhere near them at that point. As we didn’t go to Dayton to hit up Sinfully Gluten Free, nor did we go to Cherbourg Bakery while in Columbus, there were no gluten-free baked treats begging for devouring.

But…we each had our bars. So, at the first chance I had, I dug through the bag and found Cathy a bar and then dug around more, pulling out the first CLIF Mojo Fruit and Nut Trail Mix Bar I could find.

It just so happened to be the Wild Blueberry Almond Bar.

Sounded yummy as I am a huge fan of both blueberries and almonds. It was like it was made to make me one happy girl at that point.

I unwrapped it, making immediate note as to how the CLIF Mojo Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bars looked a lot like the KIND bars that I love. That was definitely a good sign, for sure. I snapped pictures for the blog, then broke off my first piece to taste. I was hoping it was as good as the KIND bars I rave about constantly.

Guess what? It was amazing. Huge flavor, partially because the fruit part of this bar is from real, organic, wild blueberries. Seriously…you can see the berries when you bite into or break off pieces of the bar. They are one of the most prominant ingredients too. With almonds being the second. And since the bar is the CLIF Mojo Wild Blueberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar…I suppose it better be full of blueberries and almonds. You won’t be disappointed. The blueberries bring this amazing sweetness to each bite, and the almonds counter it with that little crunch and that saltiness. It finds perfect balance between both tastes and makes for one fantastic bar to eat on the go. I was won over by the first bite. And I’m super excited that I have three other flavors left at home in my running snack drawer to try. But the CLIF Mojo Wild Blueberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar is one fantastic bar. Serious flavor without a serious amount of calories.

So, let’s talk ingredients, shall we? The CLIF Mojo Wild Blueberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar is made from: almonds, organic currant raisins, organic tapioca syrup, organic wild blueberries, organic cashews, organic rice crisps, organic roasted soybeans, organic inulin, organic sunflower oil, sea salt, citric acid, natural flavor, and natural vitamin E. This bar is gluten-free, cholesterol free, low in sodium, and is low glycemic.

A serving of the CLIF Mojo Wild Blueberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar is one bar. In this one bar, you will be provided with 160 calories and 8 grams of fat. Do not panic over that fat count through, most of that comes naturally from the nuts, and is a healthy fat. You will also be taking in 110 mg sodium and 12 grams of sugar. Yes…the sugar does seem high…but I’m hoping a lot of that is naturally occurring in the fruit. In addition, you get 210 mg potassium, 4 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of protein. Yes…you will feel full after consuming this bar. And that’s the whole point of a bar like this. You don’t want to eat it and feel hungry an hour later. You want something that will stick with you for awhile. And the CLIF Mojo Wild Blueberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar does just that.

Super delicious!! If you haven’t tried the gluten-free CLIF Mojo Wild Blueberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bars, I highly encourage you to head to the grocery store and pick some up. I can definitely recommend this flavor. Just a burst of sweet and salty in each bite, making this one epic bar…any time you like. Trust me…you won’t be disappointed.

CLIF Mojo Wild Blueberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar (unwrapped)

July 28, 2014

Recipe: Gluten Free Lemon Bread Pudding

It’s become a sort of tradition whenever Weekend at Jenn’s happens…Sunday morning means creating one of our, now legendary, breakfast treats to feast on. No more eating out…no more eating day old goodies from the local gluten-free bakery (although, I’m okay with that…just sayin’.) We usually plan it out the week of the visit…and I sprung this one on her sort of as an afterthought a day or two before my drive up that way. She, thankfully, had everything but the bread…which I had in my freezer, leftover from our last bread pudding adventure. Seriously, if you ever want a sturdy bread…order the Katz Gluten Free Braided Challah loaf…the big one…and you will have at least 6 uses out of it. I know I got my money’s worth, that’s for sure.

Anyway…I don’t know why…but I was feeling lemon this week. And it just so happens that my two partners in crime, Jenn and Cathy, are both lovers of lemon and lemon flavored things as well. This recipe was going to be a match made in heaven. Jenn and I took a recipe, originally posted by Bijouxs, and put our own little touches on it to make it easier as well as change it to gluten free. We also made ours dairy free…because I’m sort of lactose intolerant and every little bit helps!

This bread pudding smelled SO amazing as it was baking up on Saturday morning. It does take an hour to do. And Jenn and I prepped the dish the night before and let everything soak up and sit in the fridge until we were getting ready for breakfast. I recommend doing this. The original recipe called for homemade lemon curd. We weren’t feeling that. Jenn had a 12 ounce jar…so we just used every bit of that jar in our version of this dish. Just make sure that the lemon curd is gluten-free (not all of them are!).

And now…you can make it yourself and see what I mean!

Recipe: Lemon Bread Pudding

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

1 French bread baguette, cut into 1 inch slices (I used Katz Gluten Free Braided Challah (of [delicious] DOOM!))
1 12 ounce jar of lemon curd
2 cups cold whole milk (I used coconut milk)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs, cold
3-4 lemons, juiced (around 1/3 cup juice)
zest of 2 lemons (about 2 tablespoons)
pinch of kosher salt

Directions:

Place the bread slices cut sides down in a lightly buttered 10 x 8 inch oval ovenproof baking dish. Fit the bread slices together in a single layer to completely cover the bottom of the pan.

Spread the top of the bread slices with all of the lemon curd.

Whisk together the milk, sugar, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest and pinch of salt, mixing well and pour over the bread.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or overnight like we did!), to allow the bread to absorb the milk mixture. Remove from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes prior to baking.

Preheat the over to 325° F.

Cover the bread pudding with foil and bake on top of a sheet pan for 30 minutes.

Remove cover and bake for an additional 30 minutes until puffy and golden brown.

Dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired.

~*~*~

OMG…amazing. Bright, zesty, tangy…it was a citrus flavored treat all rolled into one amazing little bread pudding. This makes a day brightening breakfast or a light, palate cleansing dessert. No matter how you slice it, all of us were digging into this delicious treat. I brought some home and reheated it for breakfast this morning. This reheats beautifully. Seriously. Nothing got soggy or gross in the fridge and it didn’t get destroyed when nuked in the microwave for about 2 and a half minutes. Still amazing. Still tangy. Still…OH so good!

July 28, 2014

Product Review: Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Tiramisu

Product Review: Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Tiramisu – $5.99+

Oh, great and wonderful and powerful (because you keep drawing me in) Raisin Rack natural food store in Columbus, Ohio. I love you. I love you in so many ways I can’t even begin to count them. And one of the many reasons I love you is that your extensive gluten-free section offers me A LOT of options I can’t get here in Louisville, Kentucky…or anywhere else for that matter. Seriously…there are some items I have never even heard of…and then I head up to Columbus to visit my friend Jenn…and BAM…I am educated on products that are out on the market that I didn’t even know existed.

After making about 10 laps of the gluten-free aisles and filling up my basket (actually, I behaved and didn’t fill it up…no need to Tetris anything this time)…I made one final decision before checking out. And that was for dessert. After all, Cathy, Jenn and I were cooking Italian that night (gluten-free pasta with gluten-free foccacia), so I figured…despite having made a delicious homemade buttermint ice cream…we might as well keep with the Italian theme. So…I went back to the freezer section and pulled the Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Tiramisu from the shelf. Into the basket. Up to the register. Into a bag. Back to Jenn’s. I put it in the fridge to let it thaw…and dinner time came and went and I was so ready to dive into dessert. I mean…I don’t get to have tiramisu that often. In fact…I never get to. So this was indeed a nice treat and one I was looking forward to.

I had pulled the box out of the refrigerator to let it thaw the rest of the way while we ate dinner. And when dinner was appropriately devoured…it was time to work on dessert. And I was super excited about the Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Tiramisu, which was suddenly on the menu. And I was not alone. Jenn is Italian…and she knows good tiramisu. And I couldn’t wait to get her thoughts on this. Cathy doesn’t do tiramisu too often, so she’s sort of a non-entity in this review…because Jenn is an expert and I’m a fan. So…after clearing the table…I opened up the box, removed the container with the tiramisu…and eagerly and carefully popped the lid.

And…the entire top layer stayed on the lid. Well…crap.

Oh well…I went to Jenn’s silverware drawer and pulled out a knife to see if I could salvage that layer of dusted cocoa. I gave it my best shot, so, the top of the tiramisu isn’t as pretty as it should be…however…as Jenn always says…it still tastes the same. So…I just sort of incorporated the cocoa dusted layer over the fluffy mascarpone cheese layer as best I could…then split the delicate dessert into thirds. This dessert is actually meant for two people, but there were three of us…so we had ice cream with it. HA!

Anyway…the layers were soft and light as my butter knife sliced through it. The dessert itself was easy to lift out of the little plastic container it had been frozen in. A little messy…but workable. Desserts are good to be messy. It’s just means more opportunities to lick the plate clean. We all settled in with our forks and plates with the layered dessert of ladyfingers dipped in coffee, mascarpone cheese and cocoa…and took our first bites.

Cathy, as I said, is excluded from this review of the Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Tiramisu as she isn’t a tiramisu person. That being said, she loved the fluffy layer of mascarpone cheese. She said she could take or leave the ladyfingers. EH. Whatever. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. Jenn, however, is a tiramisu expert. And both she and I hoovered this slice of gluten-free Italian dessert heaven without so much as a breath, I think. We both agreed that the ladyfingers were moist and soft and good. The mascarpone layer was so light and fluffy, whipped up to perfection. The espresso flavor was sort of lost…we both said that we were sort of looking for that coffee flavor, but overall, Jenn said she never would have guessed it was gluten-free if she hadn’t found it for me in the freezer. HA!

There you go. I’m a huge fan. And now I want to try more and more from Russo’s Gluten-Free Gourmet. And it seems like they have quite a few items I might consider next time I’m at Raisin Rack.

Let’s talk about what goes into Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Tiramisu, shall we? The ingredients are gluten-free lady fingers (made from rice flour, corn starch, rice extracts, tapioca dextrin, and xanthan gum) mascarpone cheese, whole eggs, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso, and cognac. Simple ingredients for sure. And I recognize each and every one of them. That’s a plus. Interestingly enough, this is a family owned and operated company that dedicates itself to gluten-free products with exceptional quality. They are certainly doing their job right. This was fantastic.

A serving size of the Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Tiramisu is 1/2 of the container (or 4 ounces). A proper serving will provide you with 160 calories and 11 grams of fat. Yeah…it’s worth every gram. You will also be taking in 85 mg cholesterol, 30 mg sodium, and 9 grams of sugar. I’m impressed by the sugar count, as I thought it would be higher for such a decadent dessert. But…it’s actually in a decent range. Finally, you will be consuming 1 gram of fiber and 4 grams of protein.

Honestly, this was one very rich, moist, light, amazing dessert. I am beyond impressed with my introduction into the lineup of products from Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet. This more than solidifies the fact that I will pick up other items by their company and try them out next time. I’m already thinking dinner will be gluten-free mozzerella sticks. And pizza bites. Yep. Both. Because…why the hell not? Beyond enthusiastic. Beyond surprised. Just…totally blown away by this dessert. Add a bit more of that coffee flavor and it would be absolute tiramisu perfection.

Well done, Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet. Well done!

July 28, 2014

Product Review: Domata Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix

Gluten Free Foccacia Bread made with Domata Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix

Product: Domata Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix – $7.99+

It’s no secret…I love pizza. Pizza, to me, is the perfect food. Honestly. Some people would probably disagree…but, I ignore them. Because every thing that is right and good in this world…can happen on a pizza. Pizza is a basic staple in my diet, especially the night before a big race. I just have found that if I eat pizza before a half marathon or marathon (or, hell, even the shorter distances), I seem to run better. I don’t know if it’s all just in my head, or if I have found that magic food that offers that perfect balance of protein, carbs, and fats that fuel my body on the long run.

Regardless…I love my pizza. I love to make pizza and order pizza. Around here, there are quite a few places in Louisville, Kentucky that offer gluten-free pizza. And I love them for that. On this side of the river, options are definitely more limited. Therefore, I usually end up making my own (on the best gluten-free pizza crust ever…from Annie May’s Sweet Cafe – here in Louisville, Kentucky) or purchasing a frozen one (usually Udi’s, Ian’s, Glutino, or even Daiya). That’s if I’m not planning on pizza that day. Otherwise, I normally will head to Annie May’s Sweet Café on Friday or Saturday (pizza day’s) or hit up one of the restaurants around the area that offer gluten-free pizza…but I have to feel safe eating there, and that narrows down the possibilities.

That being said, on a recent trip to Columbus, Ohio, I made a stop by the infamous natural food store I have come to love…Raisin Rack. In the aisle with various baking flours, I spotted this red and white box with bold black lettering. It really stuck out and, therefore, it drew my attention. It turned out to be the Pizza Crust Mix from Domata, a company owned by David and Julie Madison, who understand how difficult a gluten-free diet can be, and also believe in the importance of affordable gluten-free foods. They kept this in mind when they created their gluten-free flour mixes: Recipe Ready Flour, Pizza Crust Mix, and their Seasoned Flour. These flours are easy to work with too. The recipe ready is a cup-for-cup exchange on all recipes and the pizza crust mix…well…I’ll get into that. These products are made in a dedicated gluten-free and nut-free manufacturing facility, so there is no worries about cross contamination. And Domata does pride itself on using all natural ingredients with nothing artificial. I appreciate that too.

Ironically, I didn’t use this mix to make pizza crust. Not this time, anyway. This time, I used it to make the recipe for Gluten Free Foccacia Bread that is listed on the box. Because, I was in Columbus, Ohio, visiting my friend Jenn…and we were making pasta for dinner. Foccacia bread is a great side to have with gluten-free pasta…so that evening, after a busy day of shopping around town (and hitting up Raisin Rack for more goodies), she and I got busy in her kitchen, prepping this super-easy recipe for gluten-free foccacia.

The great thing about the Domata Gluten Free Pizza Drust Mix is that all you need to do is add water. It’s that simple. Put it in a mixer and blend the dough. It will be sticky. That’s why you turn it out onto a floured surface. Jenn and I skipped this step because…eh…we didn’t want to mess with it. So, using our oiled fingers, we spread the dough out in the baking pan and gave it a little brush of olive oil and seasoned it with the garlic powder and dried oregano that the recipe on the box suggests. Super simple. Into the oven it went to bake for 20 minutes. We started to prep the water to cook the gluten-free noodles in and got out the marinara sauce for the noodles and, of course, to mop up with the bread. When the noodles were in, the bread came out to get a dusting of Parmesan cheese…then it was back in the oven for another 5 minutes. The noodles finished up. They were drained and properly sauced (the Italian way), and dished up. The bread was set on the table to rip into (instead of slicing it into strips) as we wanted to get as much as we wanted. Dinner was served.

I have to say…I was very impressed with the quality and flavor of the Foccacia bread that we baked with the Domata Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix. It wasn’t too heavy or dense and it browned up beautifully. The herbs that we scattered throughout the dough and on top brought a nice pop of flavor. And the bread itself was airy and light, rather than the kind that feels heavy and sits like a lump in your stomach. The crispy outside gave way to a soft middle, which was bread perfection, if you ask me. I have enough of the mix left to do a pizza crust with and I think I might do that sometime this week or next…just to see how well it works in pizza crust form. But as a flour to make Gluten Free Foccacia bread…Domata totally wins. It was delicious!

When Domata exclaims that “life is hard enough, baking gluten free shouldn’t be”…they hit the nail on the head. This flour requires no time to rise. It’s straight from the mixer to the pan to the oven to the table to the plate to the stomach. It is fantastic and so easy!! We all (me…the Celiac, and my two non-gluten-free compatriots, Cathy (the roomie) and Jenn (the hostess with the mostest!)) agreed that it made a very tasty and highly acceptable loaf of gluten-free foccacia bread. Definitely impressed with the flavor, the lightness, and the texture. I’d purchase this again in a heartbeat. I mean, come on…you just add water!!!! It doesn’t get easier than that!

So, let’s talk ingredients for a moment. The Domata Gluten Free Pizza Dough Mix is a blend of rice flour, corn starch, tapioca dextrim, nonfat dry milk, whole egg, sugar, salt, xanthan gum, baking powder, soybean oil, and rice extract. It is gluten-free, nut-free, and kosher.

Nutritionally speaking, a serving of Domata Gluten Free Pizza Dough Mix is 1/4 cup. In this serving you will be taking in 150 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. This serving will also be giving you 30 mg cholesterol, 460 mg sodium, and 2 grams of sugar. In addition, you will be taking in 1 gram of fiber and 3 grams of protein. Not bad for a pizza crust or pan of foccacia bread, right? Especially when it’s gluten-free. Because so often the calories and fat go way, way, way up in gluten-free items such as this.

Impressive!

I am definitely more than willing to try the other two flours and purchase the Domata Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix again. Honestly. I was impressed with how easy it was to make the bread with and how delicious each bite turned out to be. If this holds true for their Seasoned Flour and their Recipe Ready Flour…you might just have me sold on it for life…simply for simplicity. HA!! But let’s not forget, it also bakes up into something amazing and totally delicious. I want to make more foccacia bread. I want to make pizza crust. I just want to bake it all and see how this flour fares against others I have used…including my current favorite.

Only time will tell…but this was a winning flour mix in my book!

July 28, 2014

Product Review: Van’s PB & J Strawberry and Peanut Butter Gluten Free Snack Bars

Product: Van’s PB & J Strawberry and Peanut Butter Gluten Free Snack Bars -$4.99+

While I have only spoken ill of a couple of the snack bars/breakfast bars that I have tried going gluten-free…I believe my quality standards have been raised. I love Glutino to death, I do…but, while I don’t dislike their snack/breakfast bars, they are a little bit…tasteless when compared to the amazing bars I have had the chance to devour this past week.

And I owe this all to Van’s. Yes…Van’s. Van’s who makes the best gluten-free waffles. Amazing gluten-free cereal. And have since branched out into other products, such as gluten-free crackers, chips, granola, pasta, and yes…snack bars and granola bars. And some of my local stores have started to carry some of these other products from Van’s…and I couldn’t be happier about it.

Usually during the day, I have two snacks because I eat a good breakfast, a light lunch, and a sensible dinner. I snack in between breakfast and lunch and lunch and dinner. Yes…even when I’m not running. But I am generally very specific about what I choose to snack on. Currently, however, I am attempting to whittle down some of the products I have accumulated in my freezer and pantry. So, by checking out expiration dates, I began to go in order. And this week I finally cracked open my box of snack bars from Van’s Gluten Free.

While the store I purchased these snack bars at had many to choose from, I selected Van’s PB & J Strawberry and Peanut Butter Gluten Free Snack Bars because…I’m addicted to peanut butter for one thing…and I love a good peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Seriously…it’s one of the simplest pleasures in life. And not one that I indulge in too often as gluten-free bread is stupid expensive. But…I figured this might be a good way to enjoy one of my favorite things to eat.

This past week…I got to see for myself.

Wednesday morning…around 10:30 am, I tore into my little wrapped snack bar. It looked like a slap of peanut butter with a jelly middle…sort of like a sandwich minus the bread. I was intrigued. I could see the oats rolled into that peanut butter layer and really couldn’t wait to take a bite. A picture for the blog had to come first though…despite wanting to rip into it. It smelled amazing…like peanut butter and jelly…so it was already living up to its name. I snapped a quick picture and then tore off a corner to take a bite.

WOW! This bar is truly like eating a delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The strawberry filling is sweet without being too tart or too strong. It just is this layer of sweetness that totally works with the savory peanut butter that encompasses it. The rolled oats give a great texture, making it seem like a real sandwich. Each layer of texture and flavor brings a whole new level of deliciousness to this bar. They are soft and chewy, just like a sandwich should be. And none of that “like cardboard” outer crust that a lot of snack/breakfast bars have. Every bite brings 10 grams of nutrient-rich whole grain oats and real peanut butter…which definitely makes each bar a nice and filling snack. Honestly, I’m rarely ever starving when lunch time rolls around, and I find myself delaying it slightly because this little mighty bar of peanut butter and jelly goodness has done it’s job as a snack. Beyond impressed.

Let’s take a look at the ingredients and nutrition information when it comes to Van’s PB & J Strawberry and Peanut Butter Gluten Free Snack Bars.

As far as ingredients go, the Van’s PB & J Strawberry and Peanut Butter Gluten Free Snack Bars are made from gluten free oats, invert cane sugar, peanut butter, non-GMO expeller pressed canola oil, sweet rice flour, strawberries, apple powder, fruit juice concentrate (pineapple, pear, apple and peach) tapioca starch, rice bran, peanut flour, peanut extract, glycerin, natural flavor, citric acid, pectin, locust bean gum, sea salt, red cabbage extract and annatto (for coloring), and baking soda. These bars are gluten-free and dairy-free. In addition, Van’s, as always, states that these are ingredients that they are proud of. I can totally see why!

As for nutritional information, a serving size of the Van’s PB & J Strawberry Peanut Butter Gluten Free Snack Bars is 1 snack bar. One bar has 160 calories and 6 grams of fat. Don’t worry, much of that comes from the peanut butter…and that is a healthy fat. These bars are cholesterol free, contain 115 mg sodium, and a (rather high) 14 grams of sugar. I guess that has a lot to do with the fruit and fruit juices that are inside each bar. A little high in sugars, but the 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein help make up for it, making it more than a sweet treat, but a filling snack. Honestly…your appetite will be satiated.

Big kudos, once more, to Van’s for another amazing gluten-free treat. It just goes to prove that when you use quality ingredients (that you are proud of) you always put out a quality product. And that…that is what it is all about. The PB & J Gluten Free Snack Bars come in two flavors, currently: strawberry and blueberry. I’m a huge fan of the strawberry…so I can’t wait to get my hands on the blueberries. And the other snack bars and snacks that Van’s has to offer. It is definitely a name I can trust.

If you love peanut butter and jelly…then you’ll definitely LOVE these.

Van's PB & J Strawberry and Peanut Butter Gluten Free Snack Bar (unwrapped) — Van’s PB & J Strawberry and Peanut Butter Gluten Free Snack Bar (unwrapped)