Frozen – Page 18 – The Celiathlete

July 26, 2013

Arctic Zero Mint Chocolate Cookie another epic frozen dessert fail

Product: Arctic Zero Mint Chocolate Cookie Frozen Dessert – $4.99+

You know, when I first heard about Arctic Zero, I was elated. I mean, how could you not like the idea of eating an entire pint of “ice cream” for 150 calories. Yep. One pint…150 calories. It sounded too good to be true. And when I finally started to see it crop up on shelves at various local grocery stores that I frequent, I couldn’t wait to work it into the budget and try it.

I think, at first, the hype got to me. Because when I first reviewed the Chocolate Peanut Butter variety, I was all about it. Thinking back, I realize it really wasn’t all I made it out to be. Even worse…it only went downhill from there.

Welcome to the land of epic frozen dessert fails.

In concept, it’s great. Especially if you are dieting and still want a little sweet, cold, ice cream-like treats in your food regimen. However…I want you to know cast aside any preconceived notions of just how amazing this dessert could be…because the fact of the matter is…it’s not. It’s not amazing at all. It’s a little…sickening actually.

First of all, it’s sickening that I bought three pints of three different flavors without first trying it and making sure it was…you know…actually consumable. That means I was out over $15. Live and learn, I suppose. Secondly, it is sickening because it just doesn’t pan out. It doesn’t work. It isn’t what it seems. Not at all. The flavor…the texture…the taste…the mouthfeel…it’s just all wrong. COMPLETELY WRONG!

I understand that Arctic Zero is not ice cream. When heavy cream is not in your ingredients, you really can’t call yourself ice cream, right? Right. And they don’t. They call themselves a frozen dessert. But the look, the packaging…it all equates in your mind as…ice cream. So…it should at least be close…oh so close to that. Yes? Of course.

First of all…you have to let this thaw for about 10 minutes before even dreaming of being able to get a decent scoop out of this container. That’s fine. I’m sort of used to that, being that I eat a lot of non-dairy based, ice cream-like frozen desserts. No problem. But once it gets beyond that…that’s where the trouble begins…and never seems to end.

Let’s talk flavor first. Once it’s scooped and in your bowl…ready to eat…you take a bite. And…YES…you actually get the flavors of chocolate and mint. It’s amazing. It’s as advertised. It’s not quite like eating a Thin Mint cookie…but…it might be close. It just might be.

But once it starts to melt…it all goes terribly wrong. Already you’ve let the Arctic Zero frozen dessert thaw to be able to scoop. You’ll probably notice this frothy film forming on the product. You ignore it, thinking it’s just the melting ice cream. No product should froth…and here’s why…

Arctic Zero Mint Chocolate Cookie frozen dessert begins to take on this slimy consistency. And it’s not just in the bowl. It’s in your mouth. Even if you are eating the more solid parts of this dessert, the moment it hits your tongue and starts to melt, you get this slimy film. It’s unappetizing. It’s disgusting. And no amount of mint or chocolate flavor can keep that texture away. It’s unappealing to look at and even more so to taste. It really turned me off. I had so many high hopes for Arctic Zero’s frozen desserts, but none of them have been any good. They’ve had issues with flavor. Texture. Taste. And now…SLIME! I’m sorry, but no dessert should be slimy. No food should ever be slimy. While this one might have won me over with the flavor…the rest of it was so unappealing and such a turn off, eating the 1/2 cup serving was hard enough to stomach.

So let’s talk about the ingredients and nutrition for a moment. A serving size of Arctic Zero Mint Chocolate Cookie Frozen Dessert is 1/2 cup. From this serving, you will be taking in only 37 calories. You will also be ingesting 80 mg of sodium and 5 grams of sugar. You will also be consuming 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. This dessert is fat free, safe for the lactose intolerant, and gluten-free. The ingredients include purified water, whey protein concentrate organic cane sugar, chicory root, dutch processed cocoa powder with alkali, guar gum, xantham gum, natural flavors, sea salt, and monk fruit concentrate. It all looks good in print…

…but once you taste it…you’ll wish you had just splurged on an actual dessert that tastes good.

Do NOT waste your money on these products. None of the three flavors have impressed me at all with flavor, with taste, with texture…and I’m now out over $15 that I could have spent on something much more appetizing. It’s dessert. Spurge and get something worth treating yourself to eating. Don’t waste it on a product that gets everything wrong. Trust me. DO NOT BUY THESE!

July 19, 2013

Reliving childhood memories at The Dairy Barn

Restaurant: The Dairy Barn, Horseheads, New York

I grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. And while this town was small, there are still parts of it that I still talk about today.

Not just school. Not just softball. Not just my friends.

But places I used to go. Even small towns have malls…and as a teenager, I spent a lot of time at the Arnot Mall in Big Flats, New York. However…my most favorite place to go was what we locals referred to as “The Old Barn.” However, when this old barn was transformed into an ice cream shop, it became known as The Dairy Barn.

I spent so many spring and summer days eating ice cream off a cone. Usually I got a small chocolate/vanilla twist. Or the Dole Whip in a cone. Sometimes I’d get it dipped in chocolate or cherry topping. Sometimes I was allowed to have sprinkles. And on some rare occasions, I was able to pick from the hard ice cream flavors and have a really special treat.

When I went up to Utica, New York to run in a road race, Cathy and Jenn, my travel compatriots and two of my biggest race support crew, indulged me by allowing a rather big detour down through the Big Flats area. I had let those in the area know that I was going to be in town, briefly, on Sunday afternoon…and that should they want to get together…I would be hitting up The Dairy Barn.

Yes…this lactose intolerant girl was going to indulge in some ice cream. And why not? Ice cream is usually how I round off a race day anyway. This was no different…just somewhere else.

I can’t really write up a review of The Dairy Barn in Horseheads, NY. They are not like my local ice cream shop or Jeni’s up in Columbus, Ohio…meaning they don’t make their own ice cream. They do serve up Perry’s Ice Cream, however. Perry’s Ice Cream is native to Upstate New York…so at least it is somewhat local! So, I do give them that. The Dairy Barn can make up different sundaes (including banana splits…and I was tempted!) in addition to their regular ice cream in a cone or cup.

With my friends all assembled, we placed our orders. And there were definitely some fun flavors to choose from. I appreciated that The Dairy Barn had out their allergen list of all the flavors they were serving. This took a lot of guess work out and also meant that I could go with some of the hard ice cream instead of the Dole Whip, should I so choose. And so…that’s what I did.

The Dairy Barn serves up a “small” scoop of Perry’s White Lightning Ice Cream.

Now, these flavors are definitely fun and delicious. Jenn went for the flavor called Piece of Cake, which is light yellow cake ice cream with chocolate flavored frosting swirls and pound cake pieces inside. Cathy went with a unique flavor she had never seen before. It was definitely one of the more interesting sounding ones…being that it was popcorn flavored ice cream with sea salt caramel swirls and caramel truffles. My friend Karen got the same kind. As for me…I originally was going to get a flavor called Fools Gold (peanut butter ice cream with peanut butter candy swirls and chocolate coated toffee pieces), but changed my mind after spotting one called White Lightning. White Lightning is dark chocolate ice cream with streaks of thick mint flavored white fudge lightning. And it was AMAZING! Rich dark chocolate with yummy fudge throughout it. It was two of my favorite things all packed into a giant “small” scoop. Mint. Dark Chocolate. Heaven. I let it just melt away on my tongue and took my time to eat it…loving and indulging in every sinful spoonful.

If the ice cream shop isn’t making their own ice cream, I give them props for choosing a company that is based out of Upstate New York and quite regional. Loved every bite of my ice cream. And at The Dairy Barn, they don’t skimp on portions either. All of us got a cup of our ice cream of choice, and it was a big scoop of ice cream…probably 2 servings packed in. I didn’t care. I was going to devour every bit of it. And each cup of ice cream was very affordable too. That large serving of delicious Perry’s ice cream ran us $2.50 each. Can’t beat that. And that was for the “small” size. I can’t imagine what the large size would be.

But the best part of this journey was getting reacquainted with people I hadn’t seen in years. It was way too short of a time, but I enjoyed every moment with Jenn, Karen, and Shannon…who I hadn’t seen in 15 years…since graduating high school. No one really has changed. We all are still goofy, still having fun, and still enjoying life. And we all got to do it together…for about 45 minutes…over ice cream.

If you find yourself passing through the Horseheads/Big Flats area…swing by The Dairy Barn and grab a scoop of ice cream. Try out a flavor you may not see anywhere else. Go with family. Go with friends. Indulge. Do it with a smile. And know that The Dairy Barn keeps a list of all allergen information for all of their flavors at the counter. So do so with a sound mind.

And if you happen to be returning to the area…get together with friends. Friendship, smiles, laughter and ice cream. That’s what these days are all about.

Jen, Karen, Shannon and Me...some of my high school friends who made it out for ice cream and some catching up. WOW...I missed them! — Jen, Karen, Shannon and Me…some of my high school friends who made it out to The Dairy Barn in Horseheads, NY, for ice cream and some catching up. WOW…I missed them!

July 18, 2013July 18, 2013

Charlie’s Pizza rolls out a fantastic gluten-free crust for this Boilermaker runner

Restaurant: Charlie’s Pizza, Utica, New York

It’s the second weekend in July…and that means one thing when you live in Utica, New York.

Yep…

The Boilermaker!

Confused? Don’t be. The Boilermaker 15K Road Race was established in 1976 and has grown to become the largest 15K road race in the United States. Not only that, the Boilermaker is ranked as the most competitive 15K in the world, drawing people from all across the United States as well as from other countries. It’s a big freakin’ deal. And that was why I found myself in Utica, New York this past weekend. I was running in The Boilermaker 15K.

And…as we have established from blogs past…before any major road race, my fuel of choice is a gluten-free pizza.

Lucky for me, a lot of the guesswork on this trip when it came to food was taken out of the equation. My high school friend, Jean, lives in Utica and she was the one who really directed me toward this race. I was going to run it the year before, but…I had a conflict in the schedule. Not this year. So, when I told her that I would require a gluten-free pizza the night before, she was sending me two different local Italian places that both offered gluten-free pizza. They both sounded good, so my roommate and I flipped a coin.

And the winner…Charlie’s Pizza.

Jean said it was her favorite place to grab food, so this was already sounding promising.

After a long day on the road, getting reacquainted with old friends I hadn’t seen in 15 years, hitting up the race expo, and taking my friend Jenn to Florentine’s to place an order for delicious baked goods she used to get when she lived in Utica…we all were rather hungry. So, our next stop was dinner. And that meant we all piled back into Jean’s car and headed toward Charlie’s Pizza.

Looks can be deceiving, and when you first catch a glimpse of Charlie’s Pizza in Utica…well…you might be tempted to go elsewhere. Located next to the Big Lots, it’s a little strip mall sort of joint. It looks like a dive at first glance, but I’ve learned, sometimes these “dives” are the gems of the area when it comes to food. I wasn’t casting judgment. I was going to get my pizza! We walked in to Charlie’s Pizza and it reminded me a lot of those establishments that are run down but for all the right reasons. They’ve got longevity. They’ve been there awhile. One of the ladies behind the counter asked if we were dining in. We said we were so she told us to take a seat anywhere. As we were a party of five, we took the big table at the back, underneath the television. Soon, menus were passed our way and we began to peruse the selections while our drink orders were taken. This allowed the rest of us to decide what we were going to order. Cathy and I were definitely splitting a gluten-free pizza. Jen W. and Jean were going to split a large pepperoni pizza ($14.99). And Jenn went for an order of their Stuffed Shells ($9.99).

All Cathy and I needed to do now was choose our toppings. In the end, we went for what is becoming one of our favorite pizzas to order when all ingredients are available. We settled on a Gluten-Free Pizza with Onion, Mushroom, and Pineapple ($15.50 – small cheese pizza: $9.00, made gluten-free: add $3.00, with two extra toppings: add $2.00; with one premium topping: add $1.50).

With orders in, we settled back into talking. Jean and Jenn W. were high school friends of mine, and when I moved away in 1998, I hadn’t been back to see them. We had lots to talk about and to catch up on, so you can imagine the conversations we had while waiting on food. With their pizza and pasta, there were side salads and soup for “The 3 J’s” at the table. Both Jen and Jean got the tossed salad (minus the olives) and Jenn went with the Italian Wedding Soup. It was a nice way for them to calm their rumbling stomachs. And not too long after they polished those off…food began to arrive.

Everyone’s food looked great. Jenn had expected more than just three stuffed shells with her order, but she said it turned out to be just enough. Jean and Jen’s pizza looked amazing.

But this gluten-free vegetarian was ready to dive into her own pizza creation.

Charlie’s Pizza offers up the usual gluten-free crust…cracker crust. I am not a huge fan of cracker crust when it comes to pizza as it can go wrong so easily. However…Charlie’s Pizza got it totally right. For one thing, the waitress informed us that they pre-bake the crust before they top it and put it in the oven again. This helps get the right amount of crispness to the dough so that it doesn’t remain soggy toward the middle. There is nothing worse than a soggy gluten-free pizza crust. And trust me…I have had my share of those! The cheese was melt-in-your-mouth good. And it really paired well with the fresh vegetables and the pineapple that topped the pizza. The onions and mushrooms were baked in to perfection, so that the flavors melted into the cheese and crust instead of being too bold and standing out. And the sweet pineapple was ripe and added the right hit of sweetness. The sauce was fantastic. And I loved that, while it took a bit of time to eat, the crust never once grew soggy as it sat on the tray. Not once. It remained crisp and a beautiful golden color. No burned edges. No struggling to get the pizza out of the pan. This was easy…simple…and totally delicious. I was impressed.

Highly impressed!!

Much thanks to Charlie’s Pizza for the amazing gluten-free eats the night before what turned out to be a fun, but grueling 15K the following morning. I felt well fueled for the run and have them to thank for not making me break my pre-race-night food tradition. I felt completely safe eating there as it came highly recommended by Jean. The pizza wasn’t greasy…which means everything sat well in my stomach. And it was honestly just really good food made by a great family-run business.

Thanks for the suggestion, Jean. Outstanding pizza to compliment an outstanding trip!

Charlie's Pizza's Gluten-Free Mushroom, Onion and Pineapple Pizza — Charlie’s Pizza’s Gluten-Free Mushroom, Onion and Pineapple Pizza

July 11, 2013

Arctic Zero Cookies & Cream frozen dessert a complete let down

Product: Arctic Zero Cookies & Cream Frozen Dessert – $4.99

When you think Cookies & Cream ice cream, what do you envision? For me…it’s a rich and creamy vanilla base that is filled with chunks of cookies. So, when I saw that Arctic Zero offered a frozen treat that was labeled Cookies & Cream, you better believe I got all excited about it.

While I tried and enjoyed the Chocolate Peanut Butter frozen dessert from Arctic Zero well enough…I mentioned that it seemed to be lacking a lot of the peanut butter flavor. And trust me…when you buy something that has the words PEANUT BUTTER listed, you want to be able to taste peanut butter.

Well, the same concept sort of holds true for something that is called Cookies & Cream. You just sort of expect to get cookies with your ice cream, right? EXACTLY!!

And that’s exactly what I immediately noticed was missing when I opened up this pint of the Arctic Zero Frozen Dessert I picked up at Whole Foods not too long ago. I mean…a gluten-free ice cream-like dessert that involved COOKIES??!! I was sold. And tonight, after a quick dinner, this was going to be dessert. I hurried into the kitchen to open the pint, which I let sit on the counter while my roommate and I ate because I discovered that lactose-free desserts do better when they are left to soften a little. I popped off the lid…and was staring at this gray-brown Italian ice-like substance. Given that I had eaten a flavor of Arctic Zero before, I was expecting the sorbet-like look. I wasn’t expecting the brown-gray color. And…AND…there was NO sign of anything cookie-like scattered throughout it.

I was totally bummed.

But, I figured maybe it was supposed to just taste like cookies and cream, in which case…the picture on the front is very misleading. That being said, I scooped up a 1/2 cup serving for my roommate and handed her a bowl, then went to scoop mine. She gave it a taste…and said that…it didn’t taste like cookies and cream. It almost tasted…caramel-like.

I finished scooping up my serving and put the pint back into the freeze. Then, I settled in and took my first taste. She was absolutely right. So, not only did I not have any cookies in my Cookies & Cream dessert…it tasted like caramel. Not cookies. Not cream. Caramel. Now, I like caramel…but not when I want cookies and cream. FOR REAL!! False advertising.

This was a serious let-down for me. It totally bummed me out on every level I could think of. I’m still upset about it. I could have forgiven them for the lack of cookies, but I can’t forgive them for getting the flavor wrong. This is NOT cookies and cream. This is…a disappointing let-down. Not what I wanted. Not what I was told I was getting.

Now, speaking nutrition-wise…the Arctic Zero Cookies & Cream Frozen Dessert is gluten-free and safe for the lactose intolerant. The entire pint will only serve you up 150 calories. But a regular serving, which is 1/2 cup, is only 36 calories and is fat free. In addition, one serving has only 80 mg sodium, 10 mg cholesterol, and 5 grams of sugar. Finally, one serving of the Cookies & Cream Frozen Dessert from Arctic Zero gives you 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein.

As far as ingredients go…well…I can see how it would be best not to skip to these low-calorie substitutions. All the ingredients are, as listed: purified water, whey protein concentrate (milk), organic cane sugar, chicory root, sugarcane fiber, dutch processed cocoa powder with alkali, guar gum, xanthan gum, natural flavors, organic vanilla, sea salt, and monk fruit concentrate.

Definitely not the cleanest nor the best when it comes to ingredients. And this is not a vegan treat as it does contain whey protein. Just a warning.

For me…on this the second flavor I have tried from Arctic Zero…I’m beginning to see a trend…and I’m saying don’t waste your $5 on this. Go for something delicious that you know you’ll like. Be it real ice cream…or something offered from So Delicious or other non-dairy offerings that are SUPER delicious. This…is just not worth it.

A serving of Arctic Zero Cookies & Cream Frozen Dessert

July 9, 2013

Everything right about Udi’s Gluten-Free Everything Inside Bagels

Special Delivery of Udi’s Gluten-Free Goodies – including brand new products!

Product: Udi’s Gluten-Free Everything Inside Bagels – $6.49+

Ah, bagels!!

I’m a New Yorker. I grew up loving bagels. I was raised eating bagels. And I was okay with that. They are filling, and delicious, and you can top them however you want. What’s even better…there are varieties of bagels. Blueberry, cinnamon raisin, you name it…it’s probably a bagel.

But a constant favorite among bagel eaters is the Everything Bagel. What is an Everything Bagel? Simple…a bagel…with just about everything in it. In the most basic, standard format, a real Everything Bagel has poppy seeds, carraway seeds, and sesame seeds baked into it and coating the top. In addition to this, the nice flavor of salt, garlic and onion are baked into the bagel. It’s a mess…but a delicious mess. And it is definitely a New York thing…not to mention one of the most flavorful things you will ever sink your teeth into.

And, sadly, the gluten-free community was missing out on this amazing treat. But no longer…thanks to Udi’s Gluten-Free…once again putting on it’s gluten-free cape of awesome and saving the gluten-free shelves from monotony!

You see, a little while back I was sent a nice box that contained an assortment of Udi’s Gluten-Free products, some classics and some new products. And I went through each and every one of them. The last item from the tasty box of gluten-free awesomesauce that I chose to eat just happened to be Udi’s Gluten-Free take on the Everything Bagel. They call it the Everything Inside Bagel…and I was really, really excited about sinking my teeth into this one.

Let’s start off with the basics…those nitty-gritty nutrition and ingredient facts.

Udi’s Gluten-Free Everything Inside Bagels are composed of water, tapioca starch, brown rice flour, canola oil, egg whites, evaporated cane sugar, tapioca maltodextrin, tapioca syrup, xanthan gum, millet seed, flax seed, poppy seeds, dehydrated onion, yeast, salt, dehydrated garlic, and cultured corn syrup solids (used as a natural mold inhibitor. While some of this definitely reads as foreign to me, I went and found out that tapioca maltodextrin is a food starch that can add a sweet flavor to it. Good to know. I recognized everything else on the ingredient list…but I wanted to know what all I was consuming.

Nutritionally speaking, the Udi’s Gluten-Free Everything Inside Bagel is a very healthy choice. Honestly. One serving is an entire bagel. This one bagel will provide you with a hearty 290 calories and 10 grams of fat. Okay, the 10 grams of fat is a little high…but no bagel is without a higher level of fat. But, keep in mind, many gluten-free items can be a little higher in fat than regular products. It’s just the truth. These bagels are cholesterol free, contain only 490 mg of sodium, and only 5 grams of sugar. Not too bad. And… you also get a filling serving of 3 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein! Trust me, you will feel filled when you finish devouring this bagel.

And devour you will. Because now we will talk about flavor.

OH MY GOD! These bagels are fantastic. I love the blend of the onion and garlic flavor baked into the bagel. The addition of the various seeds (a different, and perhaps healthier take on the regular version) throughout the bagel is a nice addition to not just the flavor but also the texture. These are packed with flavor. My roommate said that they were “REALLY YUMMY.” This is a good sign. When we go out to eat at one of our favorite brunch places, she always enjoys their Everything Muffin, which is sort of the muffin take on the bagel. So to have her send such high praise up for this gluten-free bagel, which I added a schmear of Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese to, is saying something. REALLY YUMMY indeed. These might have just taken over as my favorite bread-like product from Udi’s. I am blown away by these. Texture, taste…the entire package. Fantastic. Seriously good eats.

Find these. Hunt them down. Request them at your grocery store. Do whatever you can to get your hands on these. Definitely my new favorite easy-to-make breakfast. A simple toasting and top it however you like…and you’re in delicious breakfast heaven. Yep…I’m definitely anticipating the next time I can stock my freezer with these!

Thank you, Udi’s…for your sample pack of your amazing, versatile, and never-boring products. This gluten-free girl has been in heaven with each and every bite!

Udi's Gluten-Free Everything Inside Bagels (one full, one halved) — Udi’s Gluten-Free Everything Inside Bagels (one full, one halved)

July 5, 2013

Arctic Zero gives the gluten-free and lactose intolerant a tasty 150 calorie per pint Chocolate Peanut Butter frozen dessert

Product: Arctic Zero Chocolate Peanut Butter Frozen Dessert – $4.99+

For the past few months, I have been giving googly eyes to my grocer’s freezer. Why? Well…other than my love of ice cream and all things frozen, I had come across a brand called Arctic Zero . What makes Arctic Zero so…interesting?

Well, for those of you who may never have run across these pints, these ice creams contain less than 150 calories in the ENTIRE pint of ice cream. Which means, indulging doesn’t feel as guilt-ridden and laden with sin, right? Of course. Also is the fact that all of their flavors are gluten-free, fat-free and suitable for the lactose intolerant. Loving this even more. You also won’t find chemicals in these pints, for they are made with only organic and natural ingredients. An entire pint provides 8 grams of fiber as well. Oh…and these have no sugar alcohols in them, so they are suitable for children and adults. And to top it all off…kosher and non-GMO!

Love at first sight.

But what about first bite?

That was what I was going to figure out.

The difficult part was deciding which one to start with. But, finally, I decided to go with two of my most favorite things in the world: chocolate and peanut butter.

The Arctic Zero Chocolate Peanut Butter Frozen Dessert is not going to be the rich and creamy ice cream that you find in stores. In fact, it’s definitely more like a sorbet in texture. So, if you are going into this expecting rich, creamy goodness…look for regular ice cream. But…if you’re okay with sorbet, and I am…this is really really good. I wasn’t actually expecting the sorbet texture, so when I was trying to scoop it into a gluten-free ice cream cone, I was a little bit surprised, but everything frozen goes good in an ice cream cone! I got my roomie situated with hers first and I was dishing up my own dessert, I saw her giving hers a taste. I asked how it was…and she liked it.

I settled in with my own gluten-free ice cream cone and took my own taste. Chocolate. That’s what hit me first. And that’s what hit me most. In fact, I can barely make out the traces of peanut butter flavor in this, which is disappointing because I LOVE peanut butter. I was expecting something that would taste like an amazing peanut butter cup. The frozen dessert itself is definitely good. But…you might as well just call it chocolate because the peanut butter is really hard to find in the flavors. Other than that…this was highly impressive on the frozen treat standards. It wasn’t too rich. It wasn’t filling either. And, with a serving only dishing up just over 30 calories (for 1/2 cup), you can’t argue that this is a guilt-free treat indeed. And it does have great taste. Just wish the peanut butter was more in the forefront of the flavor on this one.

I also highly recommend that you let the pint sit out on the counter for at least 15 minutes to let it thaw out some. Otherwise it is really difficult to scoop. Letting it soften up a bit worked very well and I did this just out of being a lactose-free ice cream freak and knowing that they usually have to sit out in order to be able to scoop them. No big deal. It thawed a bit while I ate dinner. And by the time dishes were done, it was ready to be put in the gluten-free ice cream cone. Delicious!!

Let’s talk ingredients! All of the chocolate based ones, like the Chocolate Peanut Butter Frozen Dessert, from Arctic Zero are composed of purified water, whey protein concentrate, organic cane sugar, chicory root, dutch processed cocoa powder with alkali, guar gum, xanthan gum, natural flavors, sea salt, and monk fruit concentrate. This one also includes the addition of peanut butter!

Nutritionally speaking, a 1/2 cup serving of Arctic Zero Chocolate Peanut Butter Frozen Dessert will provide you with 37 calories and 0 grams of fat. Yep. Fat-free! Each serving only contains 80 mg of sodium, 2 grams of fiber, and 3.4 grams of protein. So, you really don’t feel too guilty if you end up sitting down and indulging in the entire pint. We showed restraint and kept it to a serving (or less) as I was filling up gluten-free ice cream cones.

I’m impressed with Arctic Zero. These were much better than I anticipated. Which is good…because I have two additional flavors in my freezer already. I think the only fault I find with the Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor is that the peanut butter flavor almost seemed lost in the rest of it. It was there…but just a hint of it every now and again. But I’m looking forward to seeing how the Mint Chocolate Cookie and Cookies and Cream stack up!

TOTAL WOW. TOTAL YUM! ZERO GUILT!

Arctic Zero Chocolate Peanut Butter Frozen Dessert on a Goldbaum's gluten-free ice cream cone — Arctic Zero Chocolate Peanut Butter Frozen Dessert on a Goldbaum’s gluten-free ice cream cone

July 5, 2013

Going Beyond Meat for vegan and gluten-free not-chicken options with Southwest Style Chicken-Free Strips

Product: Beyond Meat Southwest Style Chicken-Free Strips – $4.99+

Something happy happened to me the other day when I was in Whole Foods. Something that I had been hoping for for a very long time.

I discovered…gluten-free vegan “chicken.” Normally…any vegan/vegetarian protein has some sort of ingredient that contains gluten, normally used for texture purposes. Sure, it can be left out, however, that is what the leading brands will tell you…it is for texture. So, for these past two years, save for the Health Is Wealth Gluten-Free Vegan Not Chicken Nuggets, my not chicken food habits have been non-existent. And…to top it off, my grocery store no longer carries the Health Is Wealth Gluten-Free Vegan Not Chicken Nuggets because they were told they were discontinued. I think I cried…no…I did cry when I was told that.

But then Whole Foods saved the day.

The brand…Beyond Meat. Their objective is simple – to become the market leader in the development and introduction of new plant protein products, specifically focusing on perfectly replacing animal protein with plant protein. And to be able to pull this off cost effectively…not just for the company, but the consumer.

Beyond Meat was founded by Ethan Brown, who learned all about animal-based agriculture at his father’s dairy operation in Western Maryland. As he grew up, he developed a career in the clean energy sector and contemplated whether the world would continue to raise and eat animals in such staggering numbers if a plant-based replication of the meat existed. So, he began searching for a way to do just that. Along the way he met Fu-hung Hsieh and Harold Huff at the University of Missouri, and after several years of collaboration, Beyond Meat was born with the sole purpose of driving innovation and progress on meat-free plates around the world.

Enter my little happy dance of joy…because not only is Beyond Meat’s products vegan…but they are also gluten-free. And they come in three varieties: Lightly Seasoned, Grilled, and Southwest Style.

I grabbed the two kinds they had. And I already had a dish in mind. I was going to make my mom’s famous Mexican Chicken Casserole…but do it with the vegan chicken product and vegan cheese. These strips were actually perfect. And with the fact that it was a Mexican sort of dish, the Southwest Style Chicken-Free Strips would be ideal. The Grilled was the other version…and those got tucked into the freezer for the time being.

So…how does this stack up?

For a gluten-free and vegan meat alternative…this is actually quite palatable. The texture reminded me of the Quorn variety I ate before having to go gluten-free. And the flavor was just as good…maybe more on the Morningstar level for taste…but that’s not bad. In fact, I could actually, despite it being in a casserole, taste the not-chicken strips. And what I loved about the Southwest Style variety was that little kiss of lime flavor you got with each bite. It was a really nice surprise and a great addition of flavor to the entire dish. These chicken strips didn’t turn to mush when they were cooked in the casserole. In fact, they remained in full strips as real chicken would. I was very impressed. Both with the taste and the texture. This is definitely a substitute I would do again.

Nutritionally speaking, the Beyond Meat Southwest Style Chicken-Free Strips have 4 servings per container. Each serving dishes up only 130 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. That is awesome!! A serving also contains only 370 mg of sodium and no sugar. That’s always nice to see. And, you will also receive 2 grams of fiber and a whopping 20 grams of protein. Yes…20 grams of protein in each serving. How amazing is that?!

So…what are these not-chicken strips made out of? Well…the basics are water, soy protein isolate, pea protein isolate, amaranth, vegan chicken flavor, expeller-pressed canola oil, soy fiber, carrot fiber, and they contain 0.5% or less of: white vinegar, salt, lime juice concentrate, garlic, black pepper, chili powder, onion, sugar, cumin, coriander seed, sodium alginate, dipotassium phosphate, titanium dioxide (color), calcium sulfate, oregano, paprika, red and green pepper powder, cayenne pepper. If anything looks confusing to you, the website for Beyond Meat lays out what each unfamiliar ingredient may be. It takes any guess work out of it. And you’ll be happy to know…those couple of chemical sounding ingredients aren’t chemicals but things that appear naturally in nature. Yep. I learned something too.

If you are looking to cut back on meat, or perhaps are vegetarian or vegan, Beyond Meat is a fantastic choice. While there is a literal sea of vegan/vegetarian meat alternatives out there, very few of them on the market are gluten-free. Beyond Meat finally brings the protein back to the gluten-free vegan/vegetarian plate. And for that, I am forever grateful.

With how much I enjoyed the Southwest Style Chicken-Free Strips, I am totally anticipating giving the Grilled ones a try too. These were just what I needed!

Mexican “Chicken” Casserole using Beyond Meat Southwest Style Chicken-Free Strips

June 26, 2013June 27, 2013

Apple Pie Gelato from Pure Gourmet is a scoop of sweet apple goodness

Product: Pure Gourmet Apple Pie Gelato – $5.99+

I think I need to get the roomie to indulge in beer flights more often…especially just before we hit up Whole Foods. Because when the roomie gets tipsy…the grocery budget gets a little bigger. Mostly because I find stuff I’ve been wanting to try…but know the budget won’t handle it. When the Tipsy Wonder is feeling the after affects of a beer flight with dinner, well…suddenly I start getting gluten-free gifts. Yes…this needs to become a tradition.

Why am I relaying this little anecdote? Well…because this happened on Friday night. And as a result, I ended up with quite a few bits of goodness in my freezer, pantry, and refrigerator. One of my new Thinking Outside The Gluten-Free Budget Because Someone Had A Beer Flight™ purchases happened to be a pint of Pure Gourmet Apple Pie Gelato.

Pure Gourmet was created by Philadelphia natives, Andrea Perrier, Kelly MacLeod, and Michael MacLeod. The three of them all shared a love for everything natural and gourmet. That’s why they launched their first line of sorbets, using natural, healthy ingredients. Soon after, they launched a line of gelato. Pure Gourmet’s entire concept is built upon the founder’s passion for enjoying pure foods with naturally bold and intense flavor. And all of their products are gluten-free and kosher. Loving it.

So…out of all the flavors to choose from…I grabbed the Apple Pie Gelato. Why? Because it was on closeout. Whole Foods was getting rid of that flavor. Which meant, the other gelato flavors and the sorbets would still be there. But not this one. Not for much longer. And that is how it beat out the Chocolate Caramel Sorbet. Honestly.

Tonight, the power went out (which means I took pictures of the product by the light of my oil lamp…so they are a bit dark…so sorry!). We had some huge storms sweep through the area and I had, thankfully, just finished toasting up my gluten-free veggie quesadilla when the lights went out. I was hoping they wouldn’t be out too long…but alas…my roommate and I managed to eat our dinner in the dark and there was no sign of the power returning yet. In fact, the storm was still raging outside. So…dishes and then dessert would have to be prepared in the dark.

Dessert was something I had been thinking about all day. I tend to think about food a lot. We had been working on a container of Udi’s Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles, but only one serving (2 cookies) remained. So I came up with the idea of Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles A La Mode. For real. Each of us got one of the remaining cookies in the bottom of the bowl. Then, one small scoop of the Pure Gourmet Apple Pie Gelato and a sprinkling of the cookie crumbs from the bottom of the container and…BAM…easy dessert.

I passed off a bowl to my roommate and went to tuck the gelato back in the freezer, which would remain closed until the return of the power. She dove in immediately and all I heard was, “The gelato is sooooooo goooooood!”

Happy squee time. But I had to find out for myself. I settled in on the couch. The first thing my spoon touched was that gelato. I wanted to see for myself.

She was so right. It tasted like a frozen apple pie. But…creamy and rich and smooth. I loved the apple flavor. And pairing it with a gluten-free snickerdoodle was an amazing combination. It was like having a cinnamon crust on a delicious apple pie. Honestly. And the sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar over the top just gave it that extra little bit. However, this gelato is crazy-good on its own. Trust me. I tried it without any embellishments as well. You can really taste every flavor in this gelato. And it has the perfect consistency too. Creamy and dreamy. Apple pie…taken to the next level. It definitely satisfied the ice cream lover in me. I wish my Whole Foods wasn’t going to stop carrying this variety. It is fresh apple pie meats gourmet ice cream good. Apple pie a la mode…in just the a la mode part. SO good!

Nutritionally speaking, this is gelato…so understand that it’s a dessert. A treat. Treat it as one. Don’t overindulge. Do NOT…I repeat…DO NOT sit down and eat the entire pint in one sitting. I always measure out or weigh my servings so I know exactly how much I am eating. I am very, very good about sticking to the portion-size. And I do everything to make sure this is always the case.

That being said, a serving of Pure Gourmet Foods Apple Pie Gelato is 1/2 cup (or if you prefer to weigh food, like I do…102 grams). This serving will contain a cold helping of 210 calories and 10 grams of fat. This gelato has 21 grams of sugar, 70 mg of sodium, 40 mg cholesterol, 1 gram of fiber, and 4 grams of protein. Remember…this is a treat. You should never feel bad about having dessert. Just plan accordingly.

And as far as ingredients go, this gelato is not only gluten-free but also kosher. It is made from milk, cream, sugar, evaporated apples, glucose, nonfat dry milk, whey, natural green apple flavor, cinnamon, guar gum, lotus bean gum, and carrageenan. So…I recognize most of those. I had to look up what carrageenan was…and for those of you who want to know, it is a member of the linear sulfated polysaccarides that are extracted from red seaweeds and used throughout the food industry for their gelling, thickening and stabilizing properties. These are most often used in dairy and meat products due to their strong binding to food proteins.

Good to know.

I guess.

Anyway…if you haven’t found this yet in your grocer’s freezer…and you love gelato…I highly recommend Pure Gourmet. It is delicious and the perfect compliment to any meal. And I highly recommend the Apple Pie Gelato…should you be able to find it. If not, talk to customer service and see if they can order it for you. Trust me…you’ll want to devour this.

A scoop of Pure Gourmet Apple Pie Gelato atop an Udi's Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle — A scoop of Pure Gourmet Apple Pie Gelato atop an Udi’s Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle

June 25, 2013June 25, 2013

Udi’s Gluten-Free serves up a dose of protein with delicious Omega Flax and Fiber bread

Special Delivery of Udi’s Gluten-Free Goodies – including brand new products!

Product: Udi’s Gluten-Free Omega Flax and Fiber Bread – $5.99+

When it comes to gluten-free breads, there is one brand that you will always see at the top of the lists. Consistently. They were also the very first gluten-free bread I ever ate. So they set the standard that all other gluten-free breads were to measure up to. Some have. Some haven’t.

I am, of course, speaking about Udi’s Gluten-Free.

Not too long ago, I received a very generous shipment that included not only some of their classic products, but also a few new ones as well. I was elated. And as I work through them, I am having fun discovery items I hadn’t tried yet…and rediscovering the ones I fell in love with originally.

While Udi’s Gluten-Free Omega Flax and Fiber bread has been out on the market for awhile, I had not found it in my area, nor had I had the opportunity to try it. As it was one of the loaves of bread included in my big box of gluten-free goodness, I was ecstatic to be able to finally try another variety, besides the three classic standbys – white, whole grain, and cinnamon raisin.

The other loaf of bread was the Gluten-Free Millet-Chia variety, which I absolutely fell in love with when I first sampled it. So, with that in mind, I couldn’t wait to dive into the Omega Flax and Fiber bread. Yesterday…was that day.

It was Monday, which means my dinner has to be quick and easy…because I have to meet up with my running group after a full day at the office by 6:00 p.m. This means, I hurry home and make a vegan and gluten-free grilled cheese sandwich before changing into my running clothes, hurrying to my car, and hoping I beat the traffic into Louisville to make it to the running store in time to run with the group. These are manic Monday’s indeed. But this is my pattern every week.

Last week I polished of the loaf of Udi’s Gluten-Free Millet-Chia bread, so while I was at work, I thawed out two slices of the Udi’s Gluten-Free Omega Flax and Fiber bread. It was perfect and ready for me to toast up with some vegan cheese sandwiched inside when I got home. And, guess what…I fell in love with this variety too.

Udi’s Gluten-Free Omega Flax and Fiber bread is made from naturally gluten-free ancient grains. The Omega Flax and Fiber bread contains a blend of Omega 3, 6, and 9, is packed with protein, full of antioxidants, and has a good serving of filling fiber as well. And that…is a wonderful combination! This bread is flavored with chia seeds, which supplies a healthy dose of nutrients and contributes to the unique and tasty flavor that each slice contains.

Yes…I said tasty. Because this bread is fantastic. It tasted really good without being toasted, but once I set it in that skillet, it just transformed into the most perfect specimen of gluten-free bread. The omegas, chia seeds, and flax seeds lend this nutty flavor to the bread. I loved how well it held up. Despite having been frozen and thawing in a plastic bag all afternoon, this bread didn’t crumble at all when I spread it with a little hot mustard and put a slice of cheese and some onion slices inside to grill up. This bread held up to the butter that I cooked it in. And it didn’t crumble or fall apart when I flipped it over. Too often I find that gluten-free breads can be quite delicate and brittle. But Udi’s Gluten-Free Omega Flax and Fiber bread worked perfectly. I loved the flavor and the texture of it. What’s even better about both this and the Millet-Chia bread was that with the additional fiber and protein in these slices, I don’t feel hungry immediately after eating. Most gluten-free breads don’t leave me feeling satisfied, but that’s not the case with Udi’s new Ancient Grains line. I got through my run and wasn’t starving immediately after. That’s a big change from my usual Monday night.

So, let’s talk nutrition. A serving of Udi’s Gluten-Free Omega Flax and Fiber Bread is 2 slices of bread. One serving will provide you with 150 calories (not bad at all!) and 6 grams of fat (UGH!). I think my biggest complaint with gluten-free products is how many of them have more fat in a serving than the normal equivalent of said product has. It’s a burden I have to bear though, because there is no other way I can eat. In addition, this bread contains 6 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. Loving that. No wonder I didn’t immediately feel hungry. I also love that this bread is low in sodium (260 mg) and has only 3 grams of sugar. It is definitely one of the healthiest gluten-free bread options out on the market.

Once again, Udi’s is proving why they continue to win awards and accolades for their gluten-free products. This bread was fantastic. Taste, texture…everything was spot on. As usual, my only complaint is with the size of the slices. They are so small…I feel like I’m eating half the sandwich my roommate eats. It sort of looks like I am too. Regardless…Udi’s is definitely serving the gluten-free community products that are top of the line. I only hope we continue to get more great additions to the gluten-free product line-up as time goes on.

A grilled cheese sandwich made with Udi's Gluten-Free Omega Flax and Fiber Bread and vegan cheese slices — A grilled cheese sandwich made with Udi’s Gluten-Free Omega Flax and Fiber Bread and vegan cheese slices

June 25, 2013

Mighty taste and mighty flavor make Udi’s Gluten-Free Mighty Bagels a mighty breakfast food

Special Delivery of Udi’s Gluten-Free Goodies – including brand new products!

Product: Udi’s Gluten-Free Mighty Bagels – $6.49+

I spent all of my childhood growing up in New York. One thing that New Yorkers know is their bagels. Bagels are famous, especially in New York City, and can be found pretty much on every corner and in every bakery. Bagels, when done right, care the most amazing carbohydrate-filled breakfast out there. Especially when toasted, warm, and given a light schmear of cream cheese.

Are you drooling yet?

Two years ago, I was in search of the most perfect gluten-free bagel. I tried so many brands, before finally spending a few extra dollars and purchasing the Gluten-Free Plain variety from Udi’s Gluten-Free. I swore I would never find a more perfect bagel than what Udi’s offered then. And, since that time, they have expanded their bagel selection from just the Plain, to offering Whole Grain and Cinnamon Raisin, and expanding it even more this past year with the addition of the Everything Inside Bagel and the Mighty Bagel.

I was thrilled to receive both the Everything Inside and Mighty Bagels in a nice box that Udi’s Gluten-Free sent to me. While I had thoroughly enjoyed their bagels, I hadn’t made it a habit to purchase them. The reason mostly being that I am on a tight budget and while the craving for a good gluten-free bagel (they don’t get better than Udi’s) hit every now and again, I had too much stuff at home to really justify another purchase. Especially when it comes to breakfast food. Because I am a breakfast girl. Anyway, the box was a true treat as it contained some of their classic items they are best known for, as well as a smattering of their newest products out on the market. It struck a nice balance. And the box definitely made me smile.

Well, the craving for bagels could now be satisfied. And, finally, at long last…today I could truly cave to that craving.

After a 6 mile training run early, early, early this morning, I returned home to hop in the shower and then start getting everything together for breakfast. I had no plans and no idea what to make. I just knew I was running behind more than usual, so something easy would be best. I opened up the freezer and there they were…shining at me like the beacon of gluten-free goodness that they are…Udi’s Gluten-Free Everything Inside and Mighty Bagels. Eenie meenie miney mo…the Mighty Bagels won the draw this morning.

I went ahead and put the bagels into a plastic bag to thaw out while I heated up my oven to toast them (when I was diagnosed as a Celiac, I had to get rid of the toaster as my roomie loves her wheat bread and we had definitely used the hell out of that toaster when I was eating bread too). My roomie was going to experience her first gluten-free bagel. I had no idea what a Mighty Bagel included, but I could see what I thought were chopped nuts hovering on the surface…so now I had to give the package a good perusal.

Udi’s Gluten-Free Mighty Bagels include dried cranberries, quinoa flour, sunflower seed, pepitas, millet seeds, and flax seeds. I hadn’t realized that. I just thought they were called “Mighty Bagels” because they were bigger than the original. This is what happens when you don’t read the packaging. No nuts, but plenty of amazing goodness packed into a bagel, that’s for certain. I was really excited about these, because the ingredients reminded me a lot of the Harvest Crunch Muffins that I had back when I first received the Udi’s Box of Awesome.

The moment of truth came about 5 minutes after these were popped into the oven to toast. I put a light schmear of Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese over the halves and served one bagel to my roommate and did the other one up for me. Given that Cathy is not a bagel person…she devoured this. In fact, I was still putting the vegan cream cheese on my bagel as she was nomming away, and I asked…”How is it?” I was awaiting…”It’s okeydokey.” Which usually means, “I’m not a fan, but I’m being nice.” But…she said, “It’s really tasty!” SCORE!

My turn. I settled in for breakfast with my bagel, my fresh watermelon slices I cut up earlier that morning, and a cup of coffee. Now fully nestled in my breakfast spot, I took a bite…and it is definitely gluten-free bagel nirvana. Mighty tasty. Just amazing and awesome and delicious. They toasted up to perfection. And the generous scattering of the different seeds and the cranberries is evident…and totally delicious. It definitely added a nice hint of flavor to the bagel. Plain is all fine and good, but this definitely turned up the volume by mighty proportions.

And on the nutrition front…these do okay. They are a bit high in calories, but what bagel isn’t. I guess that’s why I simply paired it with a bowl of watermelon. Anyway, one serving is one Mighty Bagel. This bagel will provide you with 300 calories and 11 grams of fat. Welcome to the gluten-free world. (*SAD FACE*). You get served 3 grams of fiber and an amazing 8 grams of protein. Loving those berries and seeds. These bagels are cholesterol free, low in sodium (370 mg) and contain 9 grams of sugar. For a bagel…not bad. For a gluten-free bagel…definitely not bad.

Once again, Udi’s proves how they remain on top of the gluten-free products lists time and time again. Taste, texture, flavor, even the size of the bagels all compare to the regular (gluten-filled) bagels I ate growing up and into my early adulthood…before gluten and I became mortal enemies. I am thankful to have a company that I can turn to and know they keep their standards high when it comes to their products. You can tell, because more often than not…they hit it out of the park. They certainly won me over with the Gluten-Free Mighty Bagels. Welcome to my freezer…you’ll be there often.

Udi's Gluten-Free Mighty Bagels (one halved, one full) — Udi’s Gluten-Free Mighty Bagels (one halved, one full)