Food – Page 91 – The Celiathlete

October 16, 2012October 16, 2012

A banana split of Titanic proportions at Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt in Fishers, Indiana

Restaurant: Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt, Fishers, Indiana

It was at long last that I finally made it to Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt. After hearing all about it from my friend Andy, who loves their banana split, and attempting to have it over Labor Day weekend, only to find the shop closed for the holiday…I was elated to find them open for business (which they are…year round) on Saturday while I was in the Indianapolis area for a Gluten-Free Expo.

I had just shared a gluten-free pizza with my roommate so I wasn’t exactly sure of what we might be getting when we pulled up to the little corner shop in Fishers. You don’t eat inside, mind you. There is no dining room and no tables scattered about the place. The people that were there were taking their treats to their car to enjoy.

But, we had decided to try this banana split that Andy raved about. I mean, it was coming with such high regard and a full endorsement from an Ironman athlete himself. Why not? We’d find that hatch in our stomachs, open it, and make some room. We stepped up to the window and the young man behind the sliding glass awaited our order. We were easy…banana split. Traditional. That meant we took off the dowsing of crushed red maraschino cherries that usually is slathered over the chocolate ice cream and replaced it with hot fudge. That’s how I like it. Traditional.

With the order in…my roommate and I stepped aside and began to watch the construction of our banana split through the window. In a clear plastic tub (no kidding!), we watched as mounds…huge heaping mounds of strawberry ice cream, chocolate ice cream, and vanilla ice cream were piled high in the container. We both looked at each other. HOLY CRAP! That was going to be a lot of ice cream and this banana split was going to be…huge. No dinner for us tonight. Whew. Once the ice cream was scooped out in three massive piles, the next step was the toppings. There was a brief food porn intermission though while our server took a moment to rip into a banana and slice it up into rounds. Then…they brought on the toppings. Pineapple was poured over the mountain of vanilla ice cream. Strawberries went over the strawberry ice cream. And, per our request, hot fudge drenched our chocolate ice cream. Atop of that went a mixture of chopped nuts. The the bananas were scattered throughout the sundae…everywhere they would fit. Finally, an avalanche of whipped cream was squirted on top. No cherry for us as we requested they be left off the chocolate ice cream. And so…it was handed over to us.

The Handel’s Banana Split ($5.75) is truly a work of art…of Titanic proportions. I don’t even know how we managed to find room for all of this…but we found a bench nearby in front of a shop at the strip where Handel’s is located (NO ice cream in my car…ever!) and dug in.

O.M.G. So good. I started with the strawberry, as strawberry ice cream is one of my favorite things in the world. It was really good, but I found the strawberry topping to almost overwhelm the ice cream itself. It was so sugary-sweet and a bit too much. My roommate agreed and we both pretty much scraped off the topping to enjoy the strawberry ice cream below it. The vanilla was a simple vanilla. Nothing outstanding or to make it really stand out from other vanilla ice cream that I have enjoyed. Again, the pineapple topping was far too sweet and we sort of worked it off and enjoyed the ice cream beneath it. The chocolate ice cream was decadent, delicious, and coated in amazing hot fudge. I’m so glad we went with hot fudge because I am afraid if we left the cherries on…we’d be scraping those off too. But the hot fudge was out-of-this-world good and it made a perfect banana split topping for the chocolate ice cream. I’m not a whipped cream girl, so my roommate ate much of that. While the ice cream was good…the real stand out in the banana split was…the mixed nuts. No kidding. They were crunchy, not salty, and just amazing. We raved about them and would seek out bites with the nuts included. So delicious. And the other thing about Handel’s Banana Split is that I love it when places chop up the banana. It’s unconventional, I know, but it makes eating the sundae that much easier. So…that was awesome too.

Now that I look at the Handel’s Web site, I realize that this is actually a small chain, with stores scattered throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Virginia, California and Florida. The Handel’s dynasty has actually been around since 1945, where they make their ice creams and yogurts fresh on the premises every day. The products, equipment, methods, and recipes are exclusively Handel’s…so you won’t have anything like it anywhere else. They operate on the philosophy of using the best ingredients available…and always in abundance. If you saw the size of the banana split…you would see that they aren’t kidding. They don’t skimp on portions, toppings, or flavor. You definitely get what you pay for!

I admire a company that has been around and scooping since 1945. I was kind of sad to see it was a bit of a chain, despite being relatively local and small. I have this love of independently owned ice cream shops…where you only get that kind of ice cream there. Now I know that if I really want Handel’s Ice Cream while in Columbus, Ohio…I can get it. Of course, in Columbus I stick to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream.

So, while Handel’s did deliver a colossal banana split to my roommate and I…which we powered through and then promptly declared ourselves at max capacity for the day, it wasn’t the best one I have ever eaten. It definitely had it’s moments. The rich chocolate ice cream, the hot fudge, and the nuts being the stars of this banana boat show. But next time I’m in the area, I might seek out one of the locally owned, independent ice cream shops and give that a try. Handel’s was a solid, delicious stop. The toppings were really sweet and too much, but the flavors were awesome. And we definitely devoured the banana split down to the very last bite…which was the strawberry ice cream for me and the chocolate for my roommate. It was good…but I have definitely had better.

If you are craving ice cream that is made fresh every day, packed with flavor, and comes in epic proportion sizes…check out Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt. They are definitely worth a stop, a look, and a taste. Spoonful-for-spoonful…the ice cream was really good…and very filling. So bring a friend to help you get through it all.

Handel's Banana Split — Handel’s Banana Split

October 16, 2012

Monical’s gluten-free pizza a solid, but unimpressive slice of gluten-freedom

Restaurant: Monical’s Pizza, Fishers, Indiana

Okay…granted, Monical’s Pizza is actually a chain. A very small chain consisting of over 60 restaurants that are mainly in the Wisconsin/Illinois/Indiana region. But…I had never heard of them and they aren’t in my area. Thus…this chain will be getting a blog.

This past weekend, I was up in Indianapolis to attend the Gluten-Free Living Now Expo. It was a great event with lots of vendors, samples, information, and way too much gluten-free goodness for my wallet to handle. I showed up hungry and took bits and bites here and there. But when all was said and done, and I had covered much every inch of the expo space…I was now ready for lunch.

The original plan had been to go to Uno’s and try their gluten-free pizza. However, aside from already being in Carmel, Indiana, and the other place we wanted to go was where we were, driving South for pizza just seemed…ridiculous. Only because we’d have to drive North again to hit up our ice cream place (aka: the other place). So, after some searching on Find Me Gluten-Free, my roommate found a place called Monical’s Pizza. And…the gluten-free option on their menu is a simple 10″ pizza.

We drove from the expo to the Monical’s Pizza in Fishers, Indiana and were promptly seated with fun activity place mats and the menu. Obviously as I am completely gluten-free…pizza was on our mind. My roommate and I had gone back and forth on what we wanted on the pizza. Originally we thought onions and mushrooms. But upon sitting down, she said the Margherita Pizza sounded good. I told her just to pick one, as I just wanted gluten-free pizza. So, when our waitress returned with the water we ordered as our drink, Cathy took the initiative and ordered Monical’s Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza.

With our order in, we sat around and talked. I actually did some of the activities on the menu. And a little bit later…our pizza was arriving. I did love that it actually took some time to arrive. When I order, I don’t want my food to immediately show up on my table. I don’t want to even think about my food being prepared ahead of time. I want my food made when I order it and fresh when it hits my table.

The thin-crust gluten-free pizza arrived and it looked really amazing. The Margerhita Pizza was a nice version of a white pizza here. The crust was brushed with olive oil and then topped with mozzarella cheese, tomato slices, minced garlic, and Parmesan. It is actually one of my favorite pizzas out there. While this one looked really good, and for the most part tasted very good…I found the gluten-free crust to be a huge disappointment.

Call my a cynic if you will, but since the inception of this blog as a gluten-free blog…pizza has been one of my passions. And while at first the simple, pre-packaged, not made at the pizzeria crusts wowed me, they don’t anymore. I have had one too many amazing gluten-free pizza crusts. Some, like those at the Mellow Mushroom, exceed every pizza crust I have ever had while eating out. Why? Because it feels, tastes, and looks like a real pizza. None of this cracker-thin-crust stuff.

But, at Monical’s Pizza, the thin crust is the standard. It wasn’t bad. The crust didn’t lose its crispness. Nor was it tasteless or grow soggy with the toppings. In fact…the crust wasn’t bad. Not at all. It just wasn’t something that blew me away. And trust me…when it comes to gluten-free pizza, the crust needs to shine. It is what sets it apart. It is the very foundation of the gluten-free pizza. A meh crust will yield a meh pizza which in turn yields a meh response from the gluten-free customer.

Monical’s delivers a solid, good gluten-free crust. It reminded me a lot of Puccini’s Smiling Teeth. Which is…good. Just not great. I love that the option is there…and I am very glad I can go into someplace like this and have the staff take proper care with my food preparation so as I won’t become ill from eating there…but…I love being able to rave about my food.

The toppings on this pizza were executed perfectly. Honestly. The cheese, tomato, garlic, olive oil combination is one of my all-time favorites and I found their toppings to be really good. But the gluten-free crust needs some work. Again, it wasn’t that it was bad, it’s just that I have had better. Much better.

Would I go back to Monical’s for pizza? Sure. I mean, the gluten-free option is there and the pizza was good. Honestly. I just have grown to expect more from gluten-free pizza. This is what happens when you start to get spoiled by restaurants who really know how to safely prepare a gluten-free crust in-house. I’ve had many slices of gluten-free pizza and this one…was rather forgettable when all was said and done, and the pizza completely consumed.

All-in-all…a very good pizza…a lack-luster crust. But…let’s not bite the hand that feeds us, right? I appreciate the gluten-free option and wish more places would take the care and time to offer such things on their menus.

Monical's Pizza Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza — Monical’s Pizza Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza

October 16, 2012

thinkThin Chocolate Fudge a protein-packed rich chocolate treat

Product: thinkThin Chocolate Fudge Protein Bar – $1.99+

I’m a vegetarian and gluten-free athlete. This means I run. I run often. I run hard. I run far. And this means that despite my diet, sometimes meeting specific diet requirements, like the right amount of protein, can be a challenge.

Well, be that as it may, thankfully there are options out there. One such option are the protein bars offered by thinkThin.

This past weekend, I went on my final training run before the Hershey Half Marathon, which I am running on Sunday. That means I needed to clock 10 miles. And I did it…in record time. However, running long often depletes the body of important nutrients. For me, replenishing my protein stores is of highest importance. Chocolate milk is ideal, but I’m also lactose intolerant, and the chocolate soy/almond/rice/coconut milk options don’t have enough protein per serving to help with muscle repair.

So, after my run, I drank down one of my vegan chocolate protein shakes and then tore into one of the thinkThin bars I had in my drawer of fuel for before/after my runs. On that particular Saturday…it was the thinkThin Chocolate Fudge Protein Bar.

thinkThin describes this particular protein bar as a smooth, rich, classic fudge flavor. Well, after tearing into the bar and taking a bite, it definitely is rich and smooth. The classic fudge flavor, however, might be a little bit of an exaggeration. Let’s face it…protein shakes and protein bars have that strange protein-ish flavor to them. And even this bar, as decadent as it is, tastes like protein.

But…this is a protein bar…so of course it’s going to have that bit of an aftertaste. With all that being said, what the bar is is a creamy, chocolatey, rich middle coated in (my personal favorite part) chocolate. Mmmm…chocolate. I am a chocoholic and this…this bar was truly satisfying in that aspect. Overlook the aftertaste and what you have is a chocolate bar with nutritional value. It’s like candy…but good for your body (and soul, let’s face it!).

The thinkThin Chocolate Fudge Protein Bar is packed with 20 grams of protein and 0 grams of sugar. You know what? That’s my favorite part of the thinkThin bars. Lots of protein…no sugar. I love it. I am a sugar addict and as an athlete, I try to cut out as much of it as possible…but I love ice cream and chocolate too much sometimes. So this is a nice change of pace when it comes to a protein bar. This particular bar will set you back 240 calories and 8 grams of fat. These bars are naturally gluten-free and with it’s lack of sugar…pretty much guilt-free too.

The important thing to remember here is that this is a meal replacement bar. I ate mine for breakfast post-run. And it did the job just fine. I was satisfied and full until my lunch that afternoon. So, the flavor is a bit…off. You know what? I can deal with the strange aftertaste. The creamy, rich texture was reminiscent of fudge and the chocolate coating helped provide that illusion. Would I buy this one again? Sure. But only after I exhaust the peanut butter varieties.

If you are an athlete, a diabetic, gluten-free, or just looking for a meal supplement bar, thinkThin is one of my favorite varieties to go with. They are packed with flavor, good with texture, and don’t bulk up their products with added sugar. Gotta love that. Go ahead…indulge. It’s not every day chocolate fudge comes with such benefits to the body!

thinkThin Chocolate Fudge Protein Bar (unwrapped)

October 10, 2012

Recipe: Cauliflower “Breadsticks”

This was definitely one of those recipes I had to make to believe that it was even possible. I came across the recipe from my friend Robert, who made them last week for his family and raved about them. And…something of the like had been up and on Pinterest for awhile. I never pinned it though because I was wondering how that might work. Granted, I have a ton of other recipes that involve using cauliflower as the “bread” part of a dish…but this one…this one I never pinned.

But with Robert’s seal of approval…and with a head of cauliflower in my crisper drawer from my last CSA bin…I figured…why not give it a shot? It could bake while I did my circuit training and then as it was finishing up, I could heat up the sauce to dip it in.

So, with massive thanks to Robert and to Healthier Every Day on Tumblr, I share with you this delicious, naturally gluten-free, and very nutritious take on breadsticks.

Recipe:

Cauliflower "Breadsticks" — Cauliflower “Breadsticks”

Servings: 4 (two slices per serving, as pictured)
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Bake 50 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 head of cauliflower, grated
1 whole egg, plus one egg white, lightly beaten
1/4 cup 2% shredded mozzarella cheese
Herbs and spices – whatever you love!
1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together (except oil) in a large bowl until evenly distributed.

Line a Pyrex dish with parchment paper and use olive oil to grease the parchment paper.

Spread and flatten the cauliflower mixture on the parchment paper evenly – about 1 inch thick. Square off the edges so it looks like a rectangle or square.

Bake for 40 minutes until slightly dried out, browning, and firm to the touch.

Remove from oven and using a spatula carefully peel away from parchment paper. Flip over and return to oven for 10 more minutes.

**They are a little eggy, but the longer you cook them, the more bread-like and crispy they become.

Enjoy!

~*~*~

As a dipping sauce, I heated up a serving of Dave’s Gourmet Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce. It was a nice pairing.

Now, as far as how I seasoned this massive mixture of cauliflower, I simply threw in (and I didn’t measure…just eyeballed it all) some dried parsley, some dried oregano, some dried basil, some dried thyme, some dill weed, some dried rosemary, a touch of garlic powder, and a little dash of ground red pepper. I also mixed in some freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. My co-worker had suggested some of my gluten-free breadcrumbs…but I was hungry and didn’t want to fuss with it…this time. I have a feeling I’ll totally be making this again and will include those.

Needless to say…while they aren’t exactly the same texture as breadsticks, they are healthy, low calorie, low carb, and very nutritious. And, they smell like pizza hut breadsticks as they are baking. How awesome is that?

A serving (that’s 2 pieces) will set you back only 95 calories and 4 grams of fat. One serving also provides 6 grams of carbohydrates and 5 grams of protein. Filling…while also not adding to the waistline. Gotta love that.

Looking to incorporate more vegetables in your diet…this is a great way to do it. I recommend giving it a try. I loved them and can’t wait to make them again…and see how else I can dress up the recipe.

October 10, 2012

Recipe: Gluten-Free and Vegan Mediterranean Pizza

Okay…I’ve become addicted to using hummus as the “saucy” part of a pizza. I admit it. Why? Because it challenges me to come up with flavors that will pair well with it. After my use of it yesterday on my version of a Tostada Pizza…I was ready to take on a new challenge. And that’s exactly what I did.

Tonight, I created a version of a Mediterranean Pizza…once again utilizing hummus as the base and building the flavors on that. Tonight’s result turned out to be one of my favorite pizzas that I have created to date. I only wish I had a much more clever name for it. But…that can always change.

There is some prep involved in this, but I promise…all the roasting, toasting, and caramelizing is worth it in the end!

Recipe: Gluten-Free and Vegan Mediterranean Pizza

Servings: 4 – 12 (depending on the size crust you use)
Time: Prep 40 minutes; Cook 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Pizza crust (either homemade or store-bought) (I used Rustic Crust Gluten-Free Napoli Herb Crust)
Wild Garden Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, roasted
6 organic plum tomatoes, sliced
2 ounces (more if you are doing a larger pizza) goat cheese
4 ounces mozzarella cheese (I used mozzarella flavor rice shreds)
1 cup chopped spring mix lettuce
2 tablespoons (more if your pizza is larger) toasted pine nuts

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Wash the red bell pepper and place on a cookie sheet. Roast in the oven, turning every 15 minutes, until done (about 30 minutes). Place roasted peppers in a covered bowl or brown paper bag to make the skin easier to peel. Once the peppers have cooled, carefully peel off the blackened skin and discard. Pull or cut off the top of the pepper and squeeze gently to remove the seeds. You can do this ahead of time, slice the peppers, and then keep in the refrigerator until you need to use them.

Once your peppers are out of the oven and chopped, dust your pizza stone with cornmeal and place in the oven to preheat. If you are using a pizza pan, you do not need to do this.

Caramelize your red onion. Slice your onions into half-rounds and place in a hot pan with olive oil. Cook the onions over medium low heat, stirring every couple of minutes. Adjust the heat so that they merely sizzle and continue to cook on medium-low to low heat, stirring, until the onions are soft and anywhere from honey-colored to deep brown, depending on how caramelized you like them.

While the onions are caramelizing, get out a small skillet and place over medium-low heat. Pour in your pine nuts and shake the pan until the nuts are a golden brown. Take off the heat and set aside.

Remove your pizza stone from the oven (or prep your pizza pan). If you made your own pizza dough, cook it as you normally would, then remove to add the toppings. If you are using a store-bought crust, simply place the crust in the center of the stone or pan.

Spread a layer of Wild Garden Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus across the crust. Next, sprinkle the pizza with the caramelized onions. Add the slices of plum tomato. Then scatter your chopped roasted red pepper over the pizza.

Using your fingers, break apart the goat cheese and carefully drop small pieces of it around the pizza surface over the vegetables. Add as much as you like. Then, give a light dusting of mozzarella cheese to the pizza.

Place in the oven and cook the pizza for 8 – 10 minutes, allowing the crust to turn golden and the cheese to melt. Remove from the oven and scatter chopped mixed lettuce greens over the top.

Next, drop toasted pine nuts over the top of the pizza and place back in the oven for 1 minute more, allowing the greens to just wilt.

Remove from oven, slice, enjoy.

~*~*~

Whew. Like I said…the prep work that goes into this particular pizza can be quite daunting, but honestly, so much of it can be done ahead of time, or while something else is going on the stove or heating in the oven. Chopping the vegetables is easy

The result, however, is a bold, delicious pizza with an amazing crisp crust. The hummus creates a rich base that pairs beautifully with the roasted, toasted, and caramelized flavors of the toppings to this pizza. I added the pine nuts for a bit of texture and they were a fantastic addition in the end. It was my first time ever using pine nuts and now I can’t wait to try something else with them in it.

Looking for a different sort of pizza to serve on pizza night? Try a blend of Mediterranean flavors that is sure to impress your taste buds and your dinner companions.

October 9, 2012

Wildly enthusiastic over Wild Garden Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus

Product: Wild Garden Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus – $3.49+

Mmmmm…one of life’s greatest treats is the healthy, delicious, creamy treat of really good hummus. Honestly. What’s better to top off a cracker or dip fresh vegetables in? It’s a far healthier choice than fat-laden creamy dips. And what’s even better is when you find one that really has a great flavor to it and a creamy texture to match.

That’s what Wild Garden does best when it comes to their hummus. While I’ve often had the Traditional variety (in those handy Go Picnic meals), this was the first time I’ve ever had the Sun-Dried Tomato variety of hummus. Needless to say…I wasn’t disappointed at all.

The Wild Garden Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus has an orange-red hue to it…not the standard tan that you normally associate with hummus. Its ingredients are all-natural with no preservatives and no trans-fats. The varieties (they have six of them) are all vegan and gluten-free. This particular variety is made simply with a blend of chickpeas, sesame paste, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, sea salt, natural spices, and citric acid. Anything on there you don’t recognize? I know what each and every one of those ingredients are. Love that.

The Sun-Dried Tomato hummus has a nice, rich tomato flavor to it. It doesn’t take away from the fact that it is a hummus, but the change in the flavor is a welcome one.

A tetra deli pack of Wild Garden Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus

I actually used a pack of the Wild Garden Sun-Dried Tomato as a base for my gluten-free pizza tonight. With the other flavors I was adding, I felt it would work better than a tomato sauce. While I could have done a white pizza, I totally thought hummus would provide not only a good base for the ingredients, but also a nice protein hit.

I absolutely love how it worked with my caramelized onion, roasted red peppers, slices of tomato, and goat cheese. The flavors just blended perfectly together. That was another great thing about Wild Garden Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus – it didn’t detract from the other parts of the pizza. It complimented without overpowering. And that…is a great thing.

This dip is crazy-good. Very creamy and rich. And Wild Garden makes this specific flavor in little on-the-go pouches that means you can take them with you anywhere. I happened to pick up a box of these while out at my natural food store awhile back and I’m finally finding some ways to use them. Of course…my gluten-free crackers and veggies are always available as well.

I’m quite happy with Wild Garden and the products that it puts out. Their hummus is killer. Seriously. I could eat it all and not feel bad about it. The little on-the-go pouches have only 63 calories and 3 grams of fat. The best part…the whopping 6 grams of protein that each pouch provides. As an athlete who is a vegetarian…protein is very, very important to my diet and I seek out ways to get the amount I need. This is a fantastic, not to mention, tasty option!

If you love hummus, I encourage you to try the varieties offered by Wild Garden. Check your local grocery store or natural foods store. Even my non-hummus-loving roommate can’t get enough. I’d definitely call that a win!

My take on a Mediterranean Pizza (using Wild Garden Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus as a base)

October 9, 2012

Recipe: Gluten-Free (and vegan…for me) Tostada Pizza

This was one of my favorite recipes for my mom to make when I was growing up. Honestly. She was the best at making her Tostada Pizza…including mixing the dough from scratch.

Of course, since my childhood a few things about me have changed. First of all…I became a vegetarian back in 2010 and have never looked back. So, the first alteration to the recipe I had to make was replacing the ground beef. Thankfully, Trader Joe’s makes an amazing gluten-free and vegan chorizo. YUM! Secondly, I had to go gluten-free back in 2011. So, the crust recipe had to change as well. While I can make a gluten-free pizza crust, it was getting late, so I used a pre-made gluten-free pizza crust instead. It worked just as well.

I’m going to post the original recipe for my mom’s Tostada Pizza here. But I am going to make note as to how I changed it up to make it gluten-free and vegan. If you are simply looking for a good pizza recipe, need a good gluten-free pizza recipe, or need a good gluten-free and vegan pizza recipe…this will do it (and hopefully not confuse you too much).

Recipe: Tostada Pizza

Servings: 4 – 12 (depending on crust you use and size)
Time: Prep 15 minutes; Cook 15-25 minutes

Ingredients for pizza crust**:

2 tbsp yellow cornmeal
2 cups packaged biscuit mix (use gluten-free Bisquick or other gluten-free pizza crust mix)
1/2 cup water

**Or…use a pre-made and store bought gluten-free pizza crust to save time. I used Rustic Crust Gluten Free Napoli Herb crust, which I purchased at the grocery store**

Ingredients for pizza:

1 pound ground beef (I used Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free & Vegan Soy Chorizo)
3 tbsp chopped green chilies
1 package taco seasoning (make sure this is gluten-free) (I didn’t use this in my recipe as I was using vegan chorizo, which is already spicy)
3/4 cup water
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans (I used Wild Garden Traditional Hummus)
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese (I used Rice Shreds)
1 cup lettuce, chopped
1 cup tomato, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
taco sauce

Directions:

Sprinkle your pizza stone or a well-greased 12 inch pizza pan with cornmeal.

If making your own crust, combine the biscuit mix and 1/2 cup of water. Stir with a fork until dough forms a ball. Turn dough on a lightly floured surface; knead 5 to 6 times. Roll to a 14 inch circle, pat into pizza pan or place on pizza stone, crimping the edges. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

If you are using a store bought pizza crust or gluten-free pizza crust…simply heat up your stone with the cornmeal on it. Do not pre-bake the crust unless it is raw.

If you are not a vegan/vegetarian, brown the meat; drain grease. Stir in the green chilies, taco seasoning mix and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes. Skip this step if you are making a vegetarian version, unless you opt to use soy crumbles. To take out the guesswork on the taco seasoning, I simply went with a vegan and gluten-free chorizo that I didn’t need to cook or add seasoning to.

Spread refried beans (or in my case, hummus) over the pizza crust. Top with the meat and chilies. Bake at 425 degrees for 8 – 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top with cheese. Bake 2 minutes more or until cheese melts. Remove from oven and sprinkle with lettuce, tomato, onion, and taco sauce on top.

~*~*~

I apologize for the unwieldy nature of this recipe. But…changing up my mom’s original recipe to suit my dietary needs isn’t always easy. And…I didn’t want to take away from the original recipe (even in this…a vegetarian food blog). So…make substitutions as you see fit…just as I did.

The result…a pizza just like how my mom used to make it…except completely vegan in my case! I remember why I loved it so much. It’s like eating a taco in pizza form. Two of the best comfort foods out there.

Want something different…go ahead and give this recipe a try. Whether you are a vegan/vegetarian or not…and whether you need to eat gluten-free or not…this recipe will work either way.

Yummy!

October 9, 2012

Schär doesn’t come up short with Shortbread Cookies

Product: Schär Shortbread Cookies – $4.99+

Yes. The Cookie Monster is back and in full swing. This shouldn’t come as a surprise at all. After all…we all know that I love my cookies.

And it just so happens that one of my go-to gluten-free companies makes some killer gluten-free cookies. But I didn’t know this until yesterday.

The cookies were actually a giveaway at the Gluten-Free Expo I attended back in Birmingham, Alabama. They have been in my pantry just anticipating the day I would get to them. Finally, after much pantry sifting and working through products that expired first…the evening arrived last night. And Schär Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies were my dessert.

These cookies are little golden biscuits of shortbread. But these aren’t typical shortbread. Schär makes gluten-free products, so these shortbread cookies contain no ingredients that have wheat, lactose, or gluten in them. These are made with corn flour, giving them a sweeter taste to them. But it doesn’t stop there, these are also sweetened more with a kiss of honey and sugar.

The result? A delicious golden biscuit that has a slight crunch when you bite into it, but keeps that buttery-rich texture as you chew. They aren’t your typical shortbread cookies, but…trust me…these are amazing and delicious. I could see how they would be fantastic crushed up to use as a crust or as a topping for an apple crisp or the like. They are that smooth, buttery, golden flavor that you remember shortbread as tasting, but these cookies aren’t rock hard and they are just as good on their own…or dipped in melted chocolate. And my favorite part is the lingering taste of vanilla after each bite.

Of note here…while these do have that buttery texture to them, these cookies contain no butter at all. Now that’s a true test for a shortbread cookie, yes? I love the crispiness and richness in each bite. And one serving is 4 cookies. FOUR COOKIES!! YES! And that will only set you back 130 calories. A serving of these cookies has only 5 grams of fat and, get this, only 5 grams of sugar. That’s amazing for a cookie. But with shortbread, you want the sweetness to come from the honey and vanilla…and that’s what you get here.

If you are gluten-free and looking for a different sort of cookie than the run-of-the-mill sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, and such that are offered in the grocery stores…seek out Schär Shortbread Cookies. Take a bite out of golden sunshine.

Schär…once again you have impressed me. You definitely live up to your golden reputation for delicious gluten-free foods.

October 9, 2012

Rolling out the spice with Guy Fieri’s 7 Pepper Salsa

Product: Guy Fieri 7 Pepper Salsa – $5.99+

When the jar says, “Burn Baby Burn” on it…I’m expecting this salsa to pack some heat. Heat and spice. That’s what I love about a good salsa. And with one by television chef Guy Fieri, I figured this one would be “off the chain” as he would say.

And…for the most part…it was.

Guy Fieri’s 7 Pepper Salsa is a blend of seven different peppers ranging in level of heat. These include red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, guajillo chile peppers, habenero peppers, chile de arbol peppers, chilaca peppers, and black pepper. Add to that the cooling and mild flavors of tomatoes, onions, lime, garlic, cilantro, and some seasoning, and what you have…is a jar of 7 Pepper Salsa.

Please note…a few of the peppers used are sweet…not spicy. Too much spice is not nice. You want heat, not burn. I don’t know about you, but despite being a spicy food lover, I still want to be able to taste the food. I want more than the spices on my palate. Everything has to mix and blend. No sense burning off my tastebuds with the first bite. How can I enjoy food then?

So…here is the run down on Guy Fieri’s 7 Pepper Salsa:

Is it spicy? Yeah. A little. I think Guy is definitely trying to cater to your average Joe Schmoe here as far as the promised heat. It seems rather tame. No burning going on. No disco inferno in my mouth. A little mild heat is what I got. No breathing fire. None of that madness. Needless to say…I was a bit disappointed by the heat level or lack thereof.

In the lineup of Guy’s salsas, this one is supposed to be the hottest. But I feel that Guy played it safe here with the heat level. So, if you heat freaks out there are looking for something to set your mouth aflame…look elsewhere. This is not the salsa for you. It has the potential to be so much hotter without being stupid hot…but this falls just short of that. Sadly enough.

As for the rest of it…the salsa itself is thick and chunky. I like that in a salsa. I don’t want something that is runny and will fall off the tortilla chip or dribble out of my taco. The various chunks are definitely full of the fragmented chile peppers. Don’t let the inclusion of habanero peppers scare you away. This didn’t singe, scorch, or burn the roof off my mouth. There was no real level of heat that made me rush to grab something to tame it. Nope. This was more of a medium heat variety to me. The flavor is amazing…rich, chunky, and packed with that meaty salsa flavor and texture that I want. But the heat fizzled in the end.

So, while the spice level was a bit of a let-down, let me say this…for a salsa, this is exactly the texture I would be looking for. I don’t mind a milder spice when it comes to these thicker salsas. And I give props to Food Network pawn, Guy Fieri, for bringing his love of spice, salsa, and sauces to the general public. I would totally buy this again. It made a great topper for my Gluten-Free and Vegan Tostada pizza tonight. And now I’m ready to try it out with some tortilla chips as well.

If it’s heat you seek…the burn promised with this salsa will not satisfy you. But if you are searching for a medium-spice, chunky salsa with huge flavor…this will definitely satisfy.

Guy Fieri 7 Pepper Salsa atop a gluten-free & vegan Tostada Pizza

October 9, 2012

Wild about Wild Garden Traditional Hummus

Product: Wild Garden Traditional Hummus – $3.49+

This is one of the best inventions I have ever come across when it comes to simple, on-the-go food stuffs. Hummus-To-Go squeeze packs from Wild Garden. I spotted these at my local natural food store on a shelf and knew I had to try them. So, I bought them. And, then despite the plethora of gluten-free crackers in my pantry and closet…they have just sat there.

Rest assured though…I know this is a good product. You know those amazing Go Picnic meals? Well, the hummus and cracker variety of Go Picnic includes a Hummus-To-Go pack by Wild Garden. And I devour my Go Picnic meals on a regular basis as I am usually on the go and this is far cheaper and less of a hassle for me to eat on the road than trying to find somewhere that can cater to my dietary needs.

So, while I have used the Wild Garden Hummus packs before…this was the first time I have used it in a way that is not the traditional way to eat hummus.

You see…I have gluten-free pizza crusts. Are you following me yet? Well…these gluten-free pizza crusts were sitting in my pantry and nearing their expiration date. So, tonight after a morning of hard cardio at the gym, a day at the office, and then an evening 5 mile run, I was starving. I also had received a beautiful pizza stone for my birthday last month from my dearest friend Judi, and I was ready to test it out. So, after sprinkling it with some corn meal and setting it in the oven to heat up…I got busy on the pizza.

Not just any pizza though. A take on my mom’s famous Tostada Pizza that I grew up eating. Of course, in the years that have passed since I lived at home, I have not only become a vegetarian, but I also had to begin eating gluten-free. So…this meant a few changes had to be made to the original recipe. Instead of ground meat and taco seasoning, I opted for Trader Joe’s vegan and gluten-free soy chorizo. This eliminated the meat portion of the dish and I didn’t need to invest in taco seasoning either. The other change I made was that instead of refried beans (not all are gluten-free!), I used Wild Garden Traditional Hummus instead. The rest of the recipe remained the same as how my mom made it.

So…while the pizza stone heated and seasoned in the oven, I took a gluten-free pizza crust (Rustic Crust, if you are curious) and spread one packet of the Wild Garden Traditional Hummus across the top of it. Then, I topped it with some of the Trader Joe’s Soy Chorizo and some green chilies. Once the stone was warm, the pizza crust was place don top of it and cooked for about 8 minutes. The edges were turning a beautiful golden color when I removed it. The next thing I did was add some chopped onion, some tomato, and my vegan cheddar shreds to the top. The stone went back into the oven for 2 minutes. Once more out of the oven to finish it off with some organic spring mix lettuce that I chopped up. One more minute in the oven and…viola! A fantastic Tostada Pizza…vegan and gluten-free style!

Of course…the entire point of this blog was not to give a recipe, but share my thoughts on the Wild Garden Traditional Hummus. Well…what can I say? It worked beautifully in place of the refried beans. Honestly. It was the right creamy texture…but definitely a lot healthier and a lot tastier, in my opinion. It served as the perfect base for the pizza (the sauce, if you will). Paired with the rest of the ingredients, it all just meshed really well. I was quite pleased with it as I wasn’t sure how baking it on a pizza crust was going to work out.

A tetra deli pack of Wild Garden Traditional Hummus

Wild Garden Traditional Hummus is simply made from chickpeas, sesame paste, water, sea salt, natural spices, and citric acid. It is naturally gluten-free, vegan, kosher, and low carb. This brand of hummus has no GMO’s, no preservatives, no hydrogenated oils, and no trans fatty acids. In addition, they are shelf-stable until opened and so good for you. Rich and creamy with a mild flavor, these hummus varieties won’t take away from the food you are pairing with them.

I found the texture and taste to be preferable to the refried beans in the original recipe. It paired well with the spicy hit from the soy chorizo and green chilies. And the vegetables were a shoe-in for paring with hummus. Not only are Wild Garden Hummus varieties great for dipping foods or topping off crackers…but it looks like they make a fantastic base for a pizza as well.

If you are wild about hummus and want to taste one that is packed with flavor and loaded without all the preservatives and additives, Wild Garden Hummus is for you. I found the Traditional to be a fantastic, mild, creamy flavor that left me feeling satisfied and raving over the taste. Wild Garden offers six flavors of their hummus, although not are all available in the to-go packs.

Whether eating at home, needing a snack, or on-the-go…pack some Wild Garden Traditional Hummus. Pack in the protein, the nutrients, and the goodness of hummus done right.

And eat it in whatever way you can dream up…imagine…or crave.

Gluten-Free and Vegan Tostada Pizza (using Wild Garden Traditional Hummus as a base)