Okay…with me it happens all the time…but let’s ignore that fact for a moment here.
Picture walking through the frozen food section of your local natural foods store (this was Whole Foods, in case you were wondering) and catching just a quick glimpse of an interesting sounding product. That’s what happened here. I normally never would have thought twice about this little green bag of sliced apples…but…the fact that they were frozen apple fries…that got my attention. Baking apple strips and making them into a healthy alternative to potato fries. BRILLIANT!
So…I bought them. I had to. I needed to give these a try.
The brand is Peas of Mind, and they tout all-natural eats for growing children.
Kid food. Kids sometimes get the best food. And the fact that these were all-natural, non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, fat-free, egg-free, soy-free and vegan…well…they were definitely safe for me to eat. I didn’t care that these were intended for children. This kind of food was good for all ages. That’s how I figured it.
Peas of Mind makes a variety of healthy eats for kids. And their veggie fries come in a few different flavors, including carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and apple. YUM! But the apple ones were the ones that caught my eye…so those were the ones making the trip to my freezer.
And, as with most things…I bought these and then kept forgetting to cook them up. Until the last time I prepared my gluten-free veggie burgers. I figured a side of fries would go nicely. But instead of slicing up a sweet potato or potato and baking them up in the oven…I pulled these out of the freezer and prepared a baking sheet to get them cooking. I have to say…they were a lot thicker than I anticipated…not the gorgeous fry-shape that is shown on the packaging. But…my food doesn’t have to look like the package. It just has to taste good.
Before we get to that, however, let’s hit up the ingredients and nutritional information. The Peas of Mind Baked Apple Fries are made up of apple, dehydrated potato, water, canola oil, cinnamon, sea salt, and baking powder. One serving is 57 grams (or about 14 fries). In this serving, you will be consuming 70 calories and 0 grams of fat. Remember…fat free! You also get served 50 mg sodium and 2 grams of sugar. These will not be very filling as that serving has only 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein. Each bag provides 6 servings of fruit. Definitely healthy. Definitely different.
So…how were they?
Different. They were…different. In fact, I’d venture to say they were slightly on the bland side. I felt that they needed a dip of some sort. Peas of Mind recommends (on the packaging) ketchup or honey. I’m not a fan of honey on its own nor am I fan of apples in ketchup. So…I ate them without. Although now I”m tempted to do up a whipped agave dip for the next time I make these. Hmmm.
Anyway…the apple flavor is barely there…and they seem to need more cinnamon, quite honestly. The dehydrated potato sort of gave them this odd…blandness. If it were just apple strips, these would have been amazing. But the added flakes of potato just subtract from that sweet apple flavor. So, they were definitely a disappointment. I think next time I bake up a round from my bag in the freezer, I might sprinkle with a bit more cinnamon and try to draw out more flavor.
So, they weren’t bad…but they didn’t wow me either. Next time…I might just slice an apple into slices and give them a good bake in the oven and see how that goes. I wasn’t blown away, but I am definitely curious enough to try the other veggie varieties to see if they work out better than this fruity version.
Peas of Mind has definitely drawn me in…even though this first product I sampled from them didn’t really thrill me, I am eager to see what else they have to offer. I love healthy alternatives to foods. And this was definitely a healthy choice…just not one that was as delicious as it was healthy. I hope that changes as I give the other versions of the veggie fries a chance in the future.
Product: Nuovo Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi – $5.99+
This was it. The last of the gluten-free gnocchi that I randomly spotted and purchased from my local Earth Fare store. I was so happy to find three varieties…all three had to come home with me that day. I knew I wasn’t going to get to them that quickly…so I froze them until I was ready to try them out. Smart move on my part…because it took a bit longer than originally anticipated.
I was thrilled…just thrilled with the Classic Potato and the Basil and Potato varieties that I devoured before. I saved the Gluten-Free Sweet Potato version for last because…I love, love, love sweet potatoes. Like…more than most foods in this world. Sweet potatoes make me super happy. And I will eat them in different ways too. So…why not in a gnocchi?
Thanks to Nuovo, this was simple to do which made my evening a lot more enjoyable. I didn’t have to spend most of the evening prepping my own dough for this gnocchi. All I did was take it out of the freezer and place it in the fridge prior to going to work…when when I got home…put them in some salted boiling water and allowed them to cook just as the package stated.
Easy. SO easy. And I was already anticipating digging into a helping of this as it was cooking in the water…and I was warming a sauce (a marinara…because that was all I had on hand). I drained them, tossed them with the sauce…and dinner was served.
So…with all the anticipation…was it worth it? Was it just as I imagined it would be.
Nuovo Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi (boiled and drained)
Well…not really. In fact…I was more than underwhelmed by this particular variety. Where I raved and applauded the gluten-free Classic Potato and gluten-free Basil and Potato varieties…I was…just disappointed with the one I was anticipating the most. The Sweet Potato gnocchi definitely had a hint of that sweet potato flavor…however, it wasn’t the first thing to hit the palate. It was okay…it was still good…but it just didn’t knock my culinary socks off. The majority of the flavor came from the marinara sauce I tossed these potato pasta goodies in. I just felt like these were missing something…not texture-wise, but definitely in flavor. If you are going to be sweet potato…something…you need to have that sweet potato flavor there. I wanted to taste the sweet potato, not feel that it was masked. And that’s what I felt happened with these.
Nuovo is so very kind to offer a gluten-free version of their famous fresh pastas. I totally enjoyed the other two versions of gnocchi that I had from Nuovo…but this one just didn’t kick it up like the other two did. I think of them all, the Basil and Potato was my absolute favorite of the bunch.
Nutritionally speaking, the Nuovo Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi serves up 2 servings…so my roommate and I split the pack. This serving dished up 270 calories and 1 gram of fat. A serving will also provide you with 350 mg of sodium and 11 grams of sugar (which I think is high…but it is a sweet potato…). And finally, you will get 5 filling grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein.
Not bad for a potato-pasta! Not at all. I just wish they had a better all-over flavor to them. But…you can’t win them all, right? If you are looking for a great sweet potato flavor…spend the time to make your own. Otherwise…Nuovo offers two other flavors in their gluten-free varieties that really rocked my gluten-free gnocchi loving socks!
Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi in Mezzetta Napa Valley Bistro Homemade Style Marinara
It isn’t often that Cathy comes right out with a breakfast request. Normally, I ask the question the night before…”What do you want for brekkies?” Her response usually comes with a shrug, a garbled “Idunno…” And then leaves it to me to figure something out. Which…fine…I’ve grown used to that. But sometimes I don’t want to make the breakfast decision. Sometimes I actually do want to make something that she definitely wants to have in the morning.
But…last week…the unthinkable happened. Without a prompt from me…I got, “Can we have pancakes for breakfast?”
Can we ever!! Finally…some input. Finally…a request. FINALLY…a reason to bust out a new brand of gluten-free pancake mix. HA!
It was time to pull the Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix out of my pantry and welcome it to the wonderful world of my teeny-tiny kitchen. Mixing bowl time…at last.
I found the Authentic Foods brand of pancake mix while browsing the small food section at our local Home Goods store. I can’t believe how many different gluten-free foods they have in there by brands that I am unfamiliar with. And, to top it off, this was being sold at an unbeatable price. When the normal price is $3.00 more than what Home Goods is selling it for…well…you better believe my pantry is going to have a bag of it inside. Purchase made…and the wait time as I work through the products that came before it happened.
Until Cathy’s request. PANCAKES!
Now…simple pancakes would have been just fine. But I felt like making one of my favorite things from childhood. In fact, so many of my friends associate my sleepovers with the chocolate chip pancakes my mom would cook up for all of us the next morning. We all looked forward to it…putting on a nice slab of butter, then dowsing it with maple syrup. Oh yeah…my mom always treated us to chocolate chip pancakes…and my friends knew it.
So…I thought I’d bring it back. So, I mixed up the batter as instructed on the packet…1/2 a cup of the mix added to 1 beaten egg, 1/2 cup almond milk (milk or milk substitute), 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. I then folded in some of Enjoy Life’s mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. Voila…these were ready for my skillet.
The most amazing thing happened. No joke. These pancakes, after they began to cook on the skillet…puffed up and got fluffy…like real pancakes do. Like the pancakes my mom used to make me when I was growing up. I was thrilled to see the edges bubble up and the batter just sort of…expand with the heat. I was already anticipating flipping these over and seeing if the trend continued. And when the bottom side was an amazing golden color, these were flipped…and yes…they remained fluffy. You cannot even imagine the happy dance I was doing in front of my skillet. So many times gluten-free pancakes don’t rise…they just are flat…but these…fluffy and beautiful. Perfection!
Authentic Foods Pancake & Baking Mix is composed of a blend of stone-milled Garfava (a blend of flour made from garbanzo, fava beans, and Romano beans) and superfine brown rice flour. It was like biting into a traditional all-American pancake. Honestly. And with my addition of the mini chocolate chips…you better believe this breakfast took me back to those mornings my mom would treat us to this very same breakfast.
I served the pancakes with a drizzle of pure maple syrup…and settled in. These pancakes got that amazing golden crust on the outside. Inside…so fluffy and light. Not heavy and dense. Just the most perfect pancake I have made so far from these gluten-free mixes. I want to go see if Home Goods has more of this mix…because it made me so happy with each and every bite. For real. When pancakes make your day…there is something special going on.
Supposedly this mix is perfect for making waffles, muffins, cookies, donuts, crepes, and so much more. I just bought a donut cutter. Game on!
Nutritionally speaking, this pancake mix isn’t too bad for you either. I mean…these are carby…amazing…fluffy…REAL tasting gluten-free pancakes. Just take them for what they are and enjoy!! But…as I always cover this…a serving size of this pancake mix is 1/4 cup…which gives you light and fluffy…130 calories per serving and 1.5 grams of fat. So…really not so bad, right? Right! You will be getting 170 mg of sodium and 1 gram of sugar. Also these serve up a filling 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. So…woohoo!
If you have been longing for the light and fluffy pancakes you used to know…I highly recommend giving Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix a try. So far…it’s the one that has impressed me the most. I hope to find other products by Authentic Foods and see how they compare. Until then…I’m thinking pancakes for breakfast tomorrow.
Quick Indian meals are usually my Monday thing. I mean…I have to get home from work, scarf something down, and get changed and out the door to head to my running group’s Monday meet-up at 6 p.m. Not easy when construction is going on and often traffic is at a stand-still going across the river. It can be frustrating. And when trying to take a little bit of stress out of the day…the best thing to do is have a simple meal prepared.
But this time…this was a Wednesday thing. I had eaten a big lunch on the way back from Chicago the Monday before I had this…so no food was necessary that evening. Not a bite. But…Wednesday marked a big heaping deal of a run. My good friend, Natalie, was completing her pledged 180th straight day of running to raise money for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. And she invited the group at the store to run those last miles with her. She chose 4.15 miles, in honor of the date of the bombings, April 15.
So, that evening sort of ran (heh…no pun intended. See what I did there?) like a Monday night. That morning, I cooked up two servings of jasmine rice, let it cool, and tucked it away in the fridge for later. Upon returning home from work…I heated up the rice, pulled out my next packet of Tasty Bite goodness…and got ready to dive in.
This week…Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani. Paneer, for those of you not familiar with Indian cuisine, is a soft, vegetarian-friendly cheese. It can be firm or soft…depending on how it is made. But it is…delicious. Makhani is a Hindustani word meaning “with butter.” So…this is basically Butter Paneer. Don’t freak out…really it’s these cubes of paneer that are cooked in this fantastic, creamy tomato sauce…spiced just right to give it that Indian flavor. I love the taste of Indian food. So yummy.
So…what happens when said entree comes in a microwavable pouch? What happens when it only takes 90 seconds to heat and eat? Magic. Because Tasty Bite knows what it is doing when it comes to these fun little meals. Honestly. I wasn’t too sold on the thought of a buttery cheese dish…but…they proved me wrong.
The Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani is just what I described above…home-style paneer cheese in a creamy, spiced sauce. This pouch is a delicate balance of natural ingredients that are non-GMO, vegetarian, and gluten-free. Happy dance. In fact, the ingredients in this particular Indian meal include tomatoes, paneer cheese, water, onion, cream, cashew nuts, sunflower oil, ginger, garlic, salt, coriander, chiles, and spices. Sounds delicious, yes? Of course it does. So, after giving my jasmine rice a quick steaming in the microwave to reheat it…this little pouch of goodness was put in and given it’s 90 seconds to warm through.
I poured the contents over two bowls of rice…and dinner was done in 5 minutes total.
So, we all know that this Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani was easy to prepare…but how did it stack up in flavor and taste?
It was good. It was really good. I loved the bit of mild heat from the variety of spices in the sauce itself. The sauce was the perfect thickness…not too runny, but not too thick either. Perfect consistency. I wished I had more of the sauce, honestly. The cheese was…pretty good. I love paneer cheese, but this just seemed a bit rubbery. Probably because it is, after all, in a microwavable pouch. It wasn’t bad…it was still soft…but it wasn’t the star of this dish like it should have been. Major props to the sauce. It saved this one. I’d probably invest in this variety again…but only if nothing else caught my eye. The Paneer Makhani wasn’t about the paneer at all. It was all about that Makhani sauce.
So, let’s talk nutrition. A serving of the Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani is 1/2 of the pouch. This serving dishes up 220 calories and 17 grams of fat. YIKES!! Some of that, however, does come from the cashews…but most of it comes from the paneer. That’s…a hefty dosage of fat, I think. I mean, 150 of those 220 calories come from fat. That’s…not that great. A serving of the Paneer Makhani also will provide you with 440 mg of sodium and 3 grams of sugar. Not bad for a shelf-stable, processed meal, right? Also, you will be getting 1 gram of fiber and a whopping 10 grams of protein. Low fiber, high protein…good for running.
So, while the flavor was there in the Paneer Makhani, the paneer cheese definitely fell flat, but the sauce saved it. I would recommend trying this one, if you are a fan of Indian flavors. And if you love paneer cheese. Just know…fresh cheese that isn’t sealed in a pack and kept on the shelf definitely stands up better when used in Indian cuisine. But when you are an on-the-go kind of person…this definitely works in a pinch. So…not one of my favorites, but not bad either. Tasty Bite hasn’t put out a bad product…this one just didn’t wow me like the others have so far.
Da Luciano – Pizza, Pasta & Catering, River Grove, Illinois
Restaurant: Da Luciano – Pasta, Pizza& Catering, River Grove, Illinois
This…was an important dining choice to make when I was coming to Chicago, Illinois. I mean…for real. This was a big…heap…deal.
Why?
Because I was in town for the Chicago Marathon. I needed a safe meal…one that would guarantee that I would have no stomach issues…and…being that I was running on Sunday morning…this needed to include gluten-free pizza. It HADto be gluten-free pizza. That is my stipulation when it comes to the night before a big run. If it’s a half marathon or marathon…it has to be gluten-free, vegetarian pizza. It just works for me. Some down pasta…not this girl. This girl indulges in a few epic slices of (hopefully) amazing pizza. Gluten-free pizza isn’t tasteless cardboard, you know. When done right…it is a culinary work of art.
And I’ve eaten good and bad gluten-free pizzas…as they are well documented in this blog.
But there was something special about Da Luciano, which is one of the reasons, despite meaning a car ride outside of downtown Chicago, that I felt I needed to eat there the night before the Chicago Marathon.
What was so special about this place?
They understand Celiac Disease. They totally get me. They totally know how to handle and prepare my food so that I won’t get sick from eating there. And how do I know this? Well, as stated on their Web site, the owners, Luciano and Rosalia, were first introduced to the gluten-free world when four of of their seven children were diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Being an Italian family, bread and pasta were daily staples in their diets. Rosalia set out on a mission to find quality gluten-free bread and pasta for her children, but found that her options were limited. So, she began to experiment with her own recipes, succeeding in making gluten-free bread, pasta, pizza, and desserts that satisfied all of her children. When Da Luciano Pizza, Pasta & Catering opened the following year, they decided to offer their customers a gluten-free menu featuring Rosalia’s amazing recipes. The response from the gluten-free community was huge.
So…as you can see…this place won me over right from the start. And, upon arriving at the restaurant, we were immediately asked if anyone needed a gluten-free menu. I didn’t have to request one. I didn’t have to ask if one even existed. The hostess just flat-out asked. And so, when we were seated, I was given their rather extensive (no one sheet of paper here…but a true menu, my friends!) gluten-free menu to peruse.
So many of the dishes sounded awesome. And part of me wanted to do the gluten-free bruschetta for an appetizer…but we had all decided that dessert was happening…so the appetizer went to the wayside…this time. The gluten-free menu at Da Luciano is about as big as the regular menu. So many of the dishes are offered as a gluten-free option. From the dishes with meat (as I’m a vegetarian, I didn’t look at the extensive seafood, chicken, and veal offerings), but there were many amazing sounding pasta dishes. BUT…I never change up the night before a race…and it was one of their individual gluten-free pizzas for me.
When our waitress returned to the table to take our orders…we were all settled on what we wanted. Heather is not big on carbs, so she went with one of the chicken entrees. Her choice – Chicken Scaloppine ($14.95), which was thinly sliced chicken served in what looked like a tomato and mushroom sauce. Cathy opted for the Rigatoni Porcini ($11.95), which was rigatoni pasta cooked with porcini mushrooms in a light cream sauce. Jenn went with the Gnocchi al Pesto ($11.95), which was delicious looking gnocchi served in a creamy (probably) basil pesto sauce. It looked fantastic.
Da Luciano’s Gluten-Free Pizza with Mushrooms, Onions, and Roasted Red Peppers
But for me…I went with the Gluten-Free Pizza ($8.50) topped off with mushrooms, onion, and roasted red pepper ($0.75 each). I couldn’t wait to get a taste of this pizza. And…I wanted to make sure that Heather got a bite as well, because she suffered through the disaster of Pizza Ranch in Minnesota with me…and I wanted her to know good gluten-free pizza was out there. If we had been in Louisville…I’d take her to Annie May’s Sweet Café and split one of those amazing pizzas with her…but when in Chicago…you find a place that works.
We had a little wait, but soon our food was arriving at the table. And it all looked and smelled amazing! I photographed every dish…especially my pizza. And it was time to dig in.
So…
WINNING!! Granted, I still like my local bakery’s crust better…but this definitely is one of the best crusts I’ve had on a gluten-free pizza. Cooked to golden perfection, so it was crispy, without being burnt or overdone. And it still had that nice doughy texture with it as well. The sauce was amazing. The cheese…was more than I would have liked…but…it starts off as a cheese pizza. The other toppings get added. The star of the toppings, however, were the roasted red peppers. OMG…YES! Packed with flavor. Mild…but with that right amount of kick to keep the palate interested. The onions didn’t overpower anything. And the mushrooms were done to perfection. Nothing watery. Nothing disappointing. And, as I cut off pieces for my friends to try, the rest of it was mine. All mine. And yes…I devoured it all. Every slice. I might have licked the plate clean. It was delicious…and I needed to top off the tanks for the marathon the next morning. This was the key.
And, as I mentioned earlier…dessert was going to happen. I had 6 options to choose from on the gluten-free dessert menu. And while they all sounded fantastic, I was down to three choices…the cream puffs, the tiramisu, and the cannoli. It took a lot of pondering, internal debate, and deliberation with myself to pick between them. I rarely have so many options for a dessert…so choosing one was not easy. The cream puffs almost won, but I wasn’t sure how big they were and it came with two on the plate. The tiramisu was SO tempting. I haven’t had tiramisu in a long, long time. I wanted it. But…ultimately…I settled on the Gluten-Free Cannoli ($4.95). Both Jenn and Cathy opted for the regular Cannoli ($3.95) and Heather went with the regular Tiramisu ($3.95).
I was so excited when our desserts emerged from the kitchen and at our table. My cannoli definitely looked different from Cathy & Jenn’s…but it was the color and thickness of the shell. That was the only difference. Heather’s tiramisu looked absolutely amazing. Next time…(and there will be a next time!)…I’ll get the gluten-free tiramisu. It looked fluffy and amazing.
So…how was the gluten-free cannoli? SO SO SO good. SO GOOD!! MMMMMMMM….GOOD! OMG…GOOOOOOOOOD! The cannoli cream was amazing. Sweet, but not overly sweet. Creamy. Amazing. Delicious. It had bits of chocolate chips and fruit. There was a candied orange peel on each end. And the shell…sugary-sweet goodness. The crunch that it had with each bite was satisfying. And it all just blended together. It worked. And I devoured my dessert happily.
With that…I went and purchased a few bags of their gluten-free pasta, available at the register, and we paid our bill. As we were leaving, I overheard the restaurant manager explaining to a customer that the way the manage no cross-contamination is that all the gluten-free dishes are prepared in the kitchen upstairs at the restaurant…and the regular menu items are all done in the kitchen downstairs. Brilliant. And so safe for Celiacs. I loved learning that about Da Luciano’s. It’s nice to know I had nothing to worry about when eating there…which is good because the last thing you want before running 26.2 miles is tummy troubles.
We had to head back downtown…after dropping Heather off at a train station to head back to her hotel. We had plans for when she would arrive at The Hilton Chicago to meet up with us before the the marathon the following morning. We were all satisfied and happy with the meal we ate at Da Luciano. I will be back the next time I find myself in Chicago…which I hope is soon.
Speaking of which…the gluten-free pizza worked its magic as always…I had a fantastic marathon. Thank you, Da Luciano…for giving me my pre-race carbs in my favorite form. I can’t wait to come back and try more of your amazing menu.
So, if you find yourself in the Chicago area, make a point to head to River Grove and eat at the fantastic Da Luciano – Pasta, Pizza & Catering. It’s worth the short drive because the food is simply that amazing.
Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon Friend Toast Sticks
Product: Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon French Toast Sticks – $4.99+
It was the morning before the biggest race of my life. My first marathon. THE CHICAGO MARATHON.
I had just run an easy 3 miles before showering, getting dressed, and trying to find something a little substantial for breakfast for me, Cathy, and our friend Jenn before the three of us hit the road to Chicago. Lunch was not going to happen…so our food was going to be the snacks I made/packed and then a nice dinner at a restaurant that does gluten-free options out the wazoo for dinner. So, along with a bowl of Chocolate Chex…I reached into the freezer and pulled out the box I had of Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon French Toast Sticks.
I love French toast, and being gluten-free…I don’t get it unless I make it. BUT…that normally means that it’s French toast made with sandwich bread. Not delicious brioche or some other fancy-schmancy bread like all the “regular” people get to eat. Prior to these…I had been spoiled by the gluten-free delicious awesomesauce that is Van’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon French Toast Sticks. I mean…those blew me away. So, when I spotted Ian’s own version at my local natural foods, I picked them up for the occasion where I couldn’t cook an elaborate breakfast (which I am known to do…even on weekdays). The morning before a long-ish road trip seemed like the perfect time to break these out and give them a try. I was excited…because the pizza I had from Ian’s was SO amazing and good. I only expect good things now from them.
I noticed that the box indicated these were best cooked in the oven…which is what I intended to do regardless. So, I preheated the oven as directed by the box and then opened up the package to get a look at the contents.
Here is where my first issues with this product fall. Obviously, this product is geared more toward kids, however, I still think that the French toast sticks could be normal bread size. Van’s French Toast Sticks are the size of regular bread. The version by Ian’s…about the length of my thumb…maybe a little longer, but not by much. Strike One. The box also says that there are 5 servings inside. A serving is 4 sticks. I had enough for my friends and I to have 1 serving each and then split one lone stick into thirds to make it even-Stevens. Five servings my marathon-running behind!! So aggravating. So…Strike Two.
What did intrigue me about these miniature French toast sticks is that they had this white crust of sugar on them. Okay…this was new. I figured that would cook up and melt down in the oven and be a delicious part of this, so far disappointing, product. My faith went all to Ian’s here…I trusted them. So…into the oven they went…cooked as directed, and removed when done.
I dished up a serving and 1/3 for each of us, warmed up some maple syrup, and breakfast was served.
I really, really, really wanted these to be good. Two strikes so far…they needed to taste epic. But…they didn’t. That white sugar-like coating did nothing to enhance the flavor of this bland product. In fact, when it cooked, it didn’t melt and give that warm cinnamon-sugar feel I was hoping for. Instead it created this hard crust around each little piece of French toast. Not impressed. The maple syrup, I hoped, would soften it up. I always warm my maple syrup…but that didn’t even help. And the flavor, overall, very, very bland. I hated the fake sugary flavor that these had. I hated the texture…so tough on the outside thanks to that coating of sugar. Yep…Strike Three.
You better believe these will never find their way into my freezer again. So disappointing coming from Ian’s.
Regardless…I still feel I need to discuss the ingredients and the nutritional worth of this product. Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon French Toast Sticks are made from cinnamon brown rice bread, tapioca starch, cinnamon, yeast, cane sugar, and a batter consisting of water, white rice flour, cane sugar, tapioca flour, potato starch, cinnamon, sea salt, and xantham gum, While I admire and approve of the fact that I recognize every single ingredient on that list (no preservatives, no chemicals, nothing fake), I just wish this product tasted good. Because…it was a rather epic fail on the food scale. This product also contains no wheat or gluten, no milk or casein, no eggs, no nuts, and no soy. It is vegan safe…but not vegan tasty.
As for the nutrition information…as I mentioned earlier, a serving of Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Allergy Friendly Cinnamon French Toast Sticks is 4 of the little mini pieces. These four bites (seriously…bites) will serve you up 170 calories (NOT WORTH IT!) and 6 grams of fat (NOT WORTH IT!). You will also be supplied with 95 mg sodium and 2 grams of sugar. You only receive 2 grams of protein and absolutely no fiber from these. So, these will not leave you feeling full or satisfied for hours. Nope. In fact, we were all reaching for the homemade gluten-free madeleine cookies I baked up about halfway to Chicago. So annoying.
There is absolutely nothing redeeming about this product. It was a total and complete disappointment from the moment I opened the box. I was hoping it would only get better from there…but it was a false hope. And the three of us who ended up eating them despite not really caring for them…were not impressed nor happy with our breakfast that morning. It was a good thing dinner was fantastic. And it’s a good thing I bake a mean gluten-free madeleine!!
Never…ever…again. Sticking with Van’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon French Toast Sticks forever and always!
Sorry, Ian’s…but you lost me on these. At least your pizza is still good…
Love Grown Foods Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters
Product: Love Grown Foods Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters – $4.99+
Granola is something that I buy…every week…when I’m at the grocery store. I have to be selective. I have to. The requirement is it must be gluten-free and have a low amount of sugar. I don’t want my granola to be packet with sugar. I already take in way more sugar every day than I should. So…two requirements. You’d be surprised how many granola brands on the market do not fit that bill.
A lot.
That being said, there are a few select brands that do…and they are brands that I am quite familiar with and return to in my constant rotation of granola through my pantry.
This week…I let my roommate choose. She and I both adore, love, and cherish the granola we get from Love Grown Foods. So, she opted with that brand. YAY! Her flavor choice, however, was a new one for us to try. It is their Apple Walnut Delight. Since I am putting this granola over Greek yogurt and caramelized apple…I figured this was actually a very good choice. Therefore…it was the granola gamble of the week.
I have fallen in love with every flavor of the Love Grown Foods Oat Clusters that I have brought home. They strike that perfect balance, whether eaten on their own, with milk, or in one of my infamous breakfast parfaits. The seasoning is spot on, the sweetness is at the right level. The flavors are subtle…yet…just there, so your taste buds catch every part of the cluster…the granola mix…but it doesn’t overwhelm the palate. Love Grown Foods distributes love with each sack of granola. For real.
The Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters are truly…delightful. The granola is a blend of gluten-free oats, honey, walnuts, coconut, agave syrup, expeller pressed canola oil, dried apples, sunflower seeds, pure vanilla, milled flaxseed, cinnamon, and sea salt. There is truly a touch of sweet and savory in this one…but it means you keep on going back for a little more…then…a little more. It’s a fantastic balance.
The dried apples are really good, and the walnuts add a bit of rustic flavor to the mix. But the star is the sweetened gluten-free oats. The way the agave and cinnamon play against each oat flake is amazing. The touch of vanilla livens everything up. And each bite will leave you quickly spooning your bowl for another one. Or, at least that’s what happened in my case. I was loving the clusters in this one…the pockets of cinnamon and vanilla, mingling with the nuts and the fruit. It’s one flavor party in a bag…in my breakfast…and in my belly.
Let’s talk nutrition for a moment. A serving of Love Grown Oats Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters is 1/4 cup. This serving provides you with 130 calories and 6 grams of fat. A serving is low in sodium (only 35 mg) and only contains 7 grams of sugar. That is fantastic for a granola. Trust me. Each serving provides 3 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein as well. This granola is cholesterol free, gluten-free, and non-GMO!
Loving it.
And loving Love Grown Foods once again. If you love the taste of apples and cinnamon…with a hint of nuttiness with the addition of the walnuts…then you should definitely try this granola. These oat clusters are fantastic. Love Grown Foods really does put a lot of love into their products. That is beyond evident. Every time I try a new product from their lineup.
Still impressed. Still loving it!
Caramelized Apple and Greek Yogurt Breakfast Parfait with Love Grown Oats Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters
While out grocery shopping this weekend…my roommate and I both made it abundantly clear that we were craving burgers. Now, she’s a carnivore…and I’m a vegetarian…but she loves veggie burgers…especially when I make them out of real ingredients…fresh…not frozen…not a patty of artificial preservatives and more chemicals than a science lab holds.
Which…makes me incredibly happy!
I’m heading to Chicago this weekend…nothing major…just RUNNING IN THE CHICAGO MARATHON…that’s all. So, I’m trying to use up as much of my produce that will inevitably go bad while I’m out of town. So…I had a brilliant moment of brilliance while out running 4 fast miles this morning. Because…when I run…I think about food. And I thought…purple sweet potato…and some sort of bean from the pantry. I have cans and varieties, folks. When you’re a vegetarian…this happens. So…after returning home and taking a shower…I got to work in the kitchen creating my base for my veggie patties that I would form upon returning home from work. A sit in the fridge might actually help the mixture, yes?
I seasoned it up with paprika, cumin, salt, onion powder, and a little hit of black pepper. That’s where the smokiness comes from. The rest…well…see for yourself…
Recipe: Gluten-Free Smokey Purple Sweet Potato and Chickpea Veggie Burgers
Gluten-Free Smokey Purple Sweet Potato and Chickpea Veggie Burger (with a side of homemade beet chips)
2 cups coarsely mashed sweet potatoes (or yams), about 2 large potatoes (I used purple sweet potatoes, but you can use any variety)
1 cup chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup gluten-free bread crumbs (I used Southern Homestyle Gluten-Free Corn Flake Crumbs)
1/3 cup flour (I used Better Batter Gluten-Free All Purpose)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1-1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Pierce the potatoes (I used 2 large) all over with a fork and place on in the microwave on a paper towel. Microwave for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for 5 minutes more. Remove the potatoes and slice them in half, allowing them to cool enough so that you can scoop out the flesh.
In a large bowl, coarsely mash beans with a fork. Add the sweet potatoes and mash together. Add in the cumin, paprika, onion powder, spices, salt, pepper, minced garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, and flour. Mix together until combined.
Refrigerate the mixture for 15-20 minutes or all day while you’re at work (like me). This will help make it easier to form them into patties…but they still can be quite messy. Trust me. then place bowl in the fridge for 15-20 minutes. This helps form them into patties, but as a warning they are still somewhat messy.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons coconut oil (or olive oil).
Remove the mixture from fridge and form into 8 equal patties. Once the skillet is hot, place the patties in the pan and allow to cook on one side for about 5-6 minutes. Make sure it has a nice crust on that first side before carefully flipping it over and allowing to cook for another 5-6 minutes.
Toast buns if desired. I toasted the gluten-free hamburger buns I picked up from my local allergen-free bakery, Annie May’s Sweet Café.
Assemble the burger with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
I served mine with homemade beet chips.
Yum!
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These burgers can be a bit crumbly…but they are so packed with flavor. I loved the smokiness brought on by the paprika. And the sweet potatoes and chickpeas definitely made a nice base for this patty. All it took was a little binder and my favorite toppings (kale, caramelized onion, and avocado slices)…and dinner was an epic burger of vegetarian awesomesauce. I also made a vegan roasted garlic sriracha aioli to top off the burgers. DELICIOUS!
I am so glad I have 6 more of these patties in my freezer. They were truly fantastic. A lot of flavor in each bite. That’s how veggie burgers should be done. They were a bit crumbly…but on the whole…a total win.
I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking…”Squash…again?” Heck yeah. It’s the time of the year where my CSA bin is inundated with squash. It’s unstoppable. You can’t stop it. You just have to embrace it, find new ways to eat it, and then enjoy the fruits of your labor.
In this case…that’s exactly what I did.
This is the second time my CSA bin has thrown delicata squash my direction. I copped out last time and chopped it, steamed it, then threw it on a broccoli crust pizza. But this time…I really wanted to experience the delicata squash. So, I went hunting on Pinterest (because…hello!) and happened across a recipe originally posted on the blog Peanut Butter & Peppers, which focuses on health, fitness, and good food. As delicata squash was not something that came up a lot on Pinterest…and I had the squash and goat cheese…I figured I could at least wrangle up a pomegranate (or 2…because I love pomegranate) and give this recipe a try.
Tonight…was that night. And below…is said recipe.
Recipe: Baked Delicata Squash with Pomegranate and Goat Cheese
Baked Delicata Squash with Pomegranate and Goat Cheese
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, but highly recommended)
2 tbsp. pomegranate arils
1/2 oz goat cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray.
Wash delicata squash, cut off the ends.
Slice squash in 1/2″ pieces. With a spoon take the seeds out.
Place the squash in a bowl and toss with olive oil, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne pepper.
Place squash on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes, flip the squash and bake for another 10 – 12 minutes or until fork tender and skin slightly blistering.
Place squash on a plate and top with pomegranate arils and goat cheese.
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This dish is a flavor explosion. You have the sweet creaminess of the roasted winter squash. Then you have the sweet tang of the pomegranate arils. And then that savory, rich flavor of the goat cheese. The cinnamon and cayenne pepper give it this nice warmth (not heat, but warmth)…with just the right amount of sweetness. It all balances out and comes together right on the plate.
As I was eating, the only fault I could find was that there wasn’t more of it. This is a fantastic dish…and very nutritious too. Clean eating, once again, for the win!!
I’m sure any winter squash would be a good stand in, but the delicata squash made for a beautiful, and more importantly, delicious plate.
I’ve said it countless times before…because, after all, this is pumpkin season. So…I’ll say it again.
I. LOVE. PUMPKIN.
Get it? Got it? Good!
Well, this past weekend I met up with some great friends at the local ice cream shop. There, I indulged in a great ice cream called “Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice.” Why? Because it’s pumpkin time and it’s one of the seasonal rotating flavors. It only comes around in the fall, my friends…so I take advantage…believe me! Of course, as I am sitting there eating it, I’m wondering if I could make something like this…but using the coconut milk and the cans of pumpkin I had in my pantry.
After a little researching, it turned out I could. And with a little guidance from PBS and Kitchen Explorers, I was able to make my own pumpkin spice ice cream…completely vegan…gluten-free…packed with flavor. I was one happy girl when I took this out of the ice cream maker.
Recipe: Gluten-Free and Vegan Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream
One 13.5 ounces can coconut milk (do not use skim or low-fat) (I used the 11 ounce carton of So Delicious Culinary Coconut Milk)
1-1/2 cups unsweetened canned pumpkin puree (I used Libby’s)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Whisk all the ingredients in a large bowl until well mixed and smooth.
Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container, cover the ice cream with plastic wrap, cover with the lid, then freeze until firm.
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Yes…it truly is that easy. And the flavor. OMG…the flavor. This is now going to be incorporated into my Thanksgiving Day menu. I’m hosting this year…and I got inspired with this ice cream to do a dessert for the occasion. No pumpkin pie at my house. I hate pumpkin pie with a passion. But this…this will blow away the pie competition anyway. The flavor of this ice cream is like eating a chilled pumpkin pie…except that it tastes good. It’s hard to stick to just the one serving, but if you do…you’ll have 8 delicious 1/2 cup servings of this amazing ice cream.
It’s my favorite one I have made so far. And now I just want to keep making it to keep it stocked in my freezer. You will too. Trust me.
The Celiathlete 