So, last night I set out to work some culinary magic with some items in my refrigerator and my freezer. What came out of the plethora of ingredients I had on hand was one of the most amazing taco dinners I have ever created. I made mine gluten-free and vegan to fit my dietary needs, but if you happen to like real shrimp…use it. If you can eat regular sour cream…use it. The great thing about recipes is…they are made to be modified.
By popular demand, here is the recipe for my Gluten-Free and Vegan Shrimp Tacos with a Mango Salsa and Sriracha Sour Cream.
Recipe: Gluten-Free and Vegan Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa and Vegan Sriracha Sour Cream
Gluten-Free and Vegan Shrimp Tacos with a Mango Salsa and Sriracha Sour Cream
Servings: 2 (2 tacos each)
Ingredients for Avocado, Tomato and Mango Salsa:
Avocado, Tomato and Mango Salsa
1 mango – peeled, seeded and diced
1 avocado – peeled, pitted, and diced
4 medium tomatoes, diced
1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped red onion
3 tablespoons olive oil
Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the mango, avocado, tomatoes, serrano, cilantro, and garlic.
Stir in the salt, lime juice, red onion, and olive oil.
To blend the flavors, refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving.
Note: You will have left-overs…so enjoy with some gluten-free corn tortilla chips or save for the next day.
While the salsa is chilling in the fridge…prepare the rest of the tacos…
Ingredients:
4 Rudi’s Gluten-Free Fiesta Tortillas
1 box of Sophie’s Kitchen Gluten-Free Breaded Vegan Shrimp (or you can use real shrimp if not a vegetarian/vegan, just make/use a gluten-free breading)
2 leaves of Romaine lettuce, chopped
1/4 cup vegan sour cream (I used Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream – or use real sour cream)
1 tablespoon Sriracha
Directions:
Preheat the oven and cook the shrimp according to the instructions on the box. If using Sophie’s Kitchen Gluten-Free Breaded Vegan Shrimp, it takes about 10-15 minutes.
Mix together the vegan sour cream (or real sour cream, if using) with the Sriracha to make the Sriracha sour cream.
Warm the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Fiesta Tortillas in the microwave for about 20 seconds.
Remove and place on plates.
Placed chopped lettuce on each of the tortillas.
Scoop about 1/4 cup of the Avocado, Tomato and Mango Salsa over the lettuce.
Top the salsa with the cooked shrimp.
Top each taco with the Sriracha Sour Cream.
Fold tortillas around filling and ENJOY!
~*~*~
I’m already considering making this again tonight, because I still have a good chunk of the salsa remaining and…it was really, really, REALLY good. The combination of the sweet salsa with the savory vegan shrimp (don’t mock…they are awesome) and the hint of heat from the vegan Sriracha sour cream all just worked together. My roommate (who doesn’t have to do gluten-free or vegan…in fact…loves real shrimp) fell in love with this dinner and said it was one of the best dinners I ever made.
Sometimes…I have to step away from my grocery list and just…splurge on something. Just take the plunge…grab a product that interests me…and try it out. That’s what happened when I was in my local natural foods store a couple weeks ago. I had gone in specifically to pick up some Udi’s Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls while they were still on sale. The problem is…whenever I go into this store for something specific, I find something else that interests me. A lot.
This time…it was a product I had never seen before. Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine Vegan & Gluten-Free Poblano Chick(pea) Patties.
Intriguing. Definitely intriguing. Especially since I love chickpeas and I love poblano peppers. Screw the budget…screw the grocery list. I was going to get this. I had to try it. I just had to. So, it came home with me and I tossed it in my freezer for a day where I would need it.
Well…on Friday I was greeted with my first CSA bin in two weeks (I’d been out of town the past two weekends and had to cancel them)…and inside were beautiful cucumbers. My roommate suggested that I make my tzatziki using the cucumber. I thought that was a fantastic idea…as soon as I figured out what we would eat with it. Then, on Saturday morning, we finally made it back to Annie May’s Sweet Café, the local allergen-free bakery here in Louisville, and made a splurge purchase of a bag of their dinner rolls. We hadn’t tried the gluten-free dinner rolls yet…so we figured…why not?
And that’s when inspiration struck. As the request for my tzatziki was made…and now we had dinner rolls…what if I used these Poblano Chick(pea) Patties and make sort of a “falafel” slider of sorts. The roomie was totally all about it…so that was the plan. This afternoon, while she took in Timothy Dalton as James Bond (GAG!), I was in the kitchen making my infamous tzatziki. I got it mixed and made and into the fridge. And a couple of hours later…dinner time was approaching.
I went to the freezer and pulled out the box of Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine Vegan & Gluten-Free Pobalno Chick(pea) Patties. Not real falafel…but something I could work with, yes? I preheated the oven to 350°F and pulled the tray out of the box. Per the directions, I lifted one corner of the plastic film to vent and put the tray on a baking sheet. Into the oven it went to cook for about 30 minutes. While that was happening, I sliced up a leaf of fresh romaine lettuce (also from my CSA bin) and prepped the gluten-free dinner rolls to join the Poblano Chick(pea) Patties in the oven to get a light toasting.
They finished up at the same time. I removed the tray from the oven and let it stand for one minute. Then, I carefully removed the film.
The tray contained two large patties made from chickpeas, kettle cooked chili onions, brown rice, roasted poblano and red bell peppers. Included was a roasted corn salsa as well, which I ended up just mashing into the patties. With the dinner rolls sliced, I placed a small dollop of tzatziki on the bottom half, then placed a little bit of romaine lettuce. Next came the mix of Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine Poblano Chick(pea) Patties. I separated each patty into thirds and began to spoon up the chickpea-poblano mixture with some of the included corn salsa. I placed this over each leaf of lettuce, then topped it off with a small bit more tzatziki. The top of the dinner roll was placed over everything and…voilà…mock falafel sliders. YES!
I handed my roommate her plate and went to fix mine. And before I even started compiling my round of sliders, she was already digging in. And she was already voicing her thoughts on it through happy grunts between bites. I asked how the chickpea patties were and she said they were really tasty. She, as she is a bread person, raved more about the rolls.
So, with my sliders now put together exactly as hers were, I settled in to my own dinner. I couldn’t wait to try these out. They smelled amazing. They looked stunning, if I do say so myself. So…I lifted one carefully to my mouth and took a bite.
First of all, she was right…the dinner rolls were out-of-this-world good. But…that will be dedicated to another blog.
Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine got it right with these Vegan & Gluten-Free Poblano Chick(pea) Patties. Honestly. Packed with flavor. The peppers aren’t spicy at all, and the combination of the chickpeas, peppers, onions, and the corn salsa with my homemade tzatziki…it just all played together so well. The toasted roll and the crisp lettuce just were the perfect combo to elevate these from microwave dinner to…fine dining. Seriously…I am in love with this product and can’t wait to purchase more. Maybe I’ll eat it straight next time. Or maybe I’ll make more sliders from these delicious patties.
A little bit about Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine. It was created in 2005 by founder and culinary artist, Michele Rostelli. The company is committed to providing healthy, sustainable, flavorful vegetarian cuisine that is made with only natural and organic ingredients. LOVE IT. You can really taste the quality of the products in each bite. Trust me…I couldn’t stop eating these sliders I made out of the patties.
As for nutrition…you’ll love this. A serving is the entire box (both patties). My roommate and I split the contents, but if you were to sit this down and eat it straight, you would only be consuming 230 calories. You would also only be set back 3 grams of fat. A serving of the Poblano Chick(pea) Patties contains only 510 mg of sodium. But, in addition, you get 9 grams of filling fiber and a kick of 9 grams of protein. These are completely cholesterol free. How awesome is that? Healthy and delicious. Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine totally got this one right.
Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine makes quite a variety of products, some gluten-free, some lactose free, some vegan…some a combination of all of them. But if this is any indication of the quality of their products, then I can’t wait to try more of their gluten-free options. Blown away. Simple, yet powerful ingredients yield delicious products. This certainly proves that.
“Falafel” Sliders made from Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine Vegan & Gluten-Free Poblano Chick(pea) Patties (on Annie May’s Sweet Cafe Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls)
Ah…Dayton, Ohio. I have so many things to thank you for. First and foremost…Sinfully Gluten Free. I can’t go to Dayton and not stop in there for a treat, or lunch, or dinner. It is one of my favorite things in your city.
BUT…that’s not all. I also feel the need to thank you for this little grocery store chain called Dorothy Lane Market. If you are unfamiliar with Dorothy Lane Market, you are not alone. The only reason I took note was that, while driving through Dayton for a chocolate festival, we saw a few of them along the way. My friend Jenn and I were intrigued, and as lunch was not yet being served at Sinfully Gluten Free, we thought to drop in and check it out.
Dorothy Lane Market is a grocery store that sort of specializes in hard-to-find items and products. NICE!! I mean, it has your general produce and brands, but it had a lot of things I had never seen before. Evidence by the fact that I walked out of there with quite a few gluten-free goodies that were not available in my area. So much for just checking it out, right?
One very interesting fact was that they had this amazing gluten-free aisle. And while I was perusing it, an employee came over to talk about the gluten-free items and the fact that a gluten-free tasting fair was coming up. I would have loved to come back for it, but it happened on the weekend I was going to be running in Hershey, Pennsylvania. No good. But I was totally interested in some of the products she was highlighting.
Out in the asile, there was a tray of sample gluten-free bread. The one that happened to be cut up was the Cranberry Walnut Bread from Eban Bakery. She mentioned that Dorothy Lane Market often sells products from local businesses, and they had items from Sinfully Gluten Free as well as Tina’s Sweet Treats, among others. I was overjoyed with the fresh baked items from local bakeries…and ended up picking up a few items. Nothing from Sinfully Gluten Free, as I was going to do that when I got to the bakery itself. But, some Sub Rolls from Tina’s Sweet Treats and a loaf of the bread I sampled, Eban Bakery Gluten-Free Cranberry Walnut Bread, did make the cut.
With that purchase made, we headed out to eat at Sinfully Gluten Free, enjoy the chocolate festival, and then drive back to Columbus, Ohio.
When it came time to leave Ohio and head back to Indiana, I packed up the cooler with all the gluten-free goodness that I bought from Dorothy Lane Market and Sinfully Gluten Free. And it came home with me. And it got cozy…in my freezer. While the sub rolls were used rather quickly, a loaf of bread sometimes takes some getting around to eating. And, sadly, this one got buried under a lot of other stuff in my freezer. It happens.
Until I cleaned it the other day and organized it. And I knew immediately what to do with this bread.
French Toast.
Oh. Hell. Yes.
But first…it had been so long since I had sampled this bread, I needed to have it on its own. Just to see what all the hype was when I snagged it from the shelf.
Eban Bakery Gluten-Free Cranberry Walnut Bread is awesome. It is a bit dense and heavy, but a lot of gluten-free breads are. It is just something I have come to expect. However, slice it up, and the slices feel light. They are certainly filling. But the best part is the flavor. The bread is sweet, with the bits of cranberry scattered throughout. In addition, the walnuts bring a saltiness to it, as well as add something to the texture of the bread itself. It is delicious. And I knew it was going to make really amazing gluten-free French toast.
I sliced four pieces of the bread from the loaf and began to prep the egg with some vanilla and cinnamon. I even added a touch of nutmeg. I beat all of that together, then dipped the bread into the egg mixture. The great thing about this bread was that it absorbed the egg without becoming soggy and falling apart. Onto the griddle the slices of bread went to brown and crisp up like French toast should.
In the meantime, I warmed up some gluten-free real maple syrup and mixed together some cinnamon and sugar to dust over the top of the finished product. I flipped the bread over to toast the other side and before I knew it…breakfast was served. Maple syrup and cinnamon and sugar topped it all off.
I settled in with my roommate for breakfast. She was halfway through her French toast before I managed my first bite. She was raving about how yummy it was, so that was a good sign. She was right.
This bread worked fantastic as a base for French toast. Being that it was sturdier than regular sandwich bread, the egg wash didn’t make it crumble or become soggy. Instead it just absorbed it and made it toast up golden and beautiful. The flavor of the walnuts and cranberries took on a caramelized and toasted flavor which only elevated it to the next level. It was phenomenal.
On its own or dressed up, Eban Bakery really blew me away with the flavor, taste, and texture of their gluten-free bread. The Gluten-Free Cranberry Walnut Bread is definitely a welcome addition to my kitchen any day.
Eban Bakery is a gluten-free bakery based out of Ohio that specializes in breads, baked goods and sweet treats in small batches that use all natural and organic ingredients, free of gluten, preservatives, and additives. In other words…no bad stuff goes into their goods. Ever. And that is evident with how delicious and amazing their products taste. Love at first bite. When I next find myself anywhere with Eban Bakery goods, I’ll definitely purchase some more. Very impressed.
And thanks to Dorothy Lane Market…I now know of this otherwise unknown gluten-free bakery. Eban Bakery…you’ve definitely won the heart of this Indiana girl. When I next find myself in Ohio, I’m seeking out more of your products and going on a tasting frenzy. The Gluten-Free Cranberry Walnut Bread was certainly a great place to start.
French Toast made from Eban Bakery Gluten-Free Cranberry Walnut Bread
Special Delivery of Udi’s Gluten-Free Goodies – including brand new products!
A couple of weeks ago, I was the proud recipient of a box of goodies from Udi’s Gluten-Free, one of the first gluten-free companies to really wow me with their products. This two year journey into the gluten-free world was a struggle at first, and then…I discovered the wonder of Udi’s. First bread I liked. First cinnamon rolls I had after going gluten-free. First muffins that tasted like they were fresh out of the oven at a corner bakery. Yep…I had a deep love affair with Udi’s, which continues to this very day. I have yet to meet one of their products that I don’t love.
Case in point…
Last week, my mornings were hectic and stressful. I was pulling extra hours at the office, trying to fit in my training runs, and still make it to the gym every other day. It meant that cooking something for breakfast was near impossible. I didn’t have time for that. At all. Thankfully, this box came along at the perfect time…and with it…brought perfect breakfast bliss.
Back in January of last year, I blogged on the epic tastiness that are Udi’s Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins. What I said back then still applies today. And let me tell you, I have devoured the blueberry muffins on more than one occasion. My mom tends to buy some sort of muffin from Udi’s lineup when I come home for Christmas to visit. This past holiday…blueberry. Yep. Love. Every morning was full of blueberry love. A simple warming in the microwave and it was like it was hot out of the oven. They are soft and moist, and you would never, ever guess that they were frozen or refrigerated prior to consumption. That’s how good Udi’s is with these products. That’s how much care they put into their food. It doesn’t taste manufactured. My favorite part of the blueberry muffins, aside from the sweet berries and moist cakey muffin part…is the crystal sugar that is dusted over the top. It puts a little crunch into the product, which is already flavored with lemon and vanilla. Blueberry muffin bliss…every time. These have never disappointed. And, as long as Udi’s keeps this tradition alive…they never will.
In my mind then…nothing could ever top the Udi’s Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins.
What might this product be? Well…muffins for starters, duh!
But, these were nothing like what I expected.
Enter…Udi’s Gluten-Free Harvest Crunch Muffins.
What in the world are Harvest Crunch Muffins? Well, I can elaborate for you.
Udi’s Gluten-Free Harvest Crunch Muffins are everything you want a muffin to be…and then some. Not only do they pack a nutritious punch with each muffin, being that they are filled with healthy ingredients that are rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals…but they are just sheer awesomeness baked in muffin form. Allow me to elaborate.
Harvest Crunch Muffins are a Udi’s take on a more savory, yet still sweet, muffin, making these ideal for any time…but I devoured mine at breakfast. And when I say devour…I mean devour. What made them so nom-worthy? Well, for one thing, they combine the sweetness of cranberries, with the salty (and texture-giving) pepitas (pumpkin seeds), along with sweet potato and quinoa flour. What emerges is this rich, sweet and savory flavor that is so satisfying to the palate, you’ll find yourself digging in for more. I hope my area gets these muffins soon (we tend to run a year behind on new products in the gluten-free market), because these were crazy-good. Stupid-good. Amazing.
And, as I mentioned a bit earlier…nutritious too.
A serving is one muffin. These come in a pack of four. And with one muffin, you are served 250 calories and 10 grams of fat. That’s really, really good when it comes to muffins. Regular muffins can sometimes be twice that for an entire muffin. I am SO impressed. In addition, you get 4 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein in each serving. LOVING it. These are also low in sodium as well. And I love that the ingredients are all real food that I recognize and don’t need to hit up a dictionary to know what it is I am consuming.
Blueberry muffins will always be one of my favorites, but I really think Udi’s outdid itself with the texture, flavor, taste, and just sheer awesome nutritiounal powerhouse with those Harvest Crunch Muffins. Look for them. Buy them. DEVOUR!! Trust me…you won’t just eat them…you honestly will devour them.
But that’s okay…
Gluten-free goodness can still be hard to come by. Thanks to Udi’s…it’s a given.
Sophie’s Kitchen is bringing seafood back into my life…without actually being seafood. What’s even better…these items are things I used to enjoy back when I was a meat/poultry/seafood eater. Nothing could make me happier. Finding a gluten-free and vegan substitute for many proteins is difficult at times. However, thanks to the product line-up from Sophie’s Kitchen…I won’t need to worry about that any longer.
A month or so ago, I gave Sophie’s Kitchen gluten-free Breaded Vegan Fish Fillets a try. And while they tasted nothing like fish…and the texture wasn’t quite right…they weren’t bad. Not at all. They were actually quite tasty and gave me a reason to make a homemade tartar sauce for my roommate and I to enjoy with them. It was a nice introduction to the products that Sophie’s Kitchen offers. While not exactly like how I remembered fish fillets, these were decent enough.
So, while out at the grocery store a few weeks ago, I spotted the Breaded Vegan Shrimp in the freezer section. With the veggies from my CSA bin, I had it in my head that I could totally throw together some gluten-free and vegan shrimp po boys for dinner one night. My roommate was all for that, so we went ahead and purchased a box of the Breaded Vegan Shrimp and took it home. I picked up some Schär Sub Sandwich Rolls to hold the po boys, and then just had to decide on when to make them.
Work had been crazy…and my training schedule for running has taken up a lot more time since my mileage increase as I train for my first marathon. But a week ago, I made up a small snack to tide us over while I worked on putting my shrimp po boys together.
Sophie’s Kitchen really outdid themselves on the Breaded Vegan Shrimp. Honestly. They were really easy to cook. Thank goodness. Just let them thaw in the fridge (I didn’t do this, but managed to break them apart so they could cook properly in the end) and put them into the oven to cook as directed. While they were in the oven, I went ahead and began slicing up my vegetables, which included romaine lettuce, carrots, green peppers and shallots. I topped them off with sliced of avocado for my own personal touch. And…I just honestly love avocado. I mixed up some vegan sriracha mayonnaise to apply to the toasted sandwich buns and had that all ready just as the shrimp was finishing up in the oven.
When they emerged, the breading had turned a beautiful golden color and looked like fried shrimp would normally look. Already, I was impressed. I just hoped that it would taste as good as it smelled and looked. So, I got to work assembling the po boys…giving the bread a schmear of the vegan sriracha mayonnaise, then topping that with the lettuce, The shrimp were next, followed by the rest of the vegetables. The avocado topped it off and then I dabbed a bit more of the mayonnaise on top. Dinner…was served.
And, boy, was I ever blown away when I settled in to feast on my stuffed sandwich. The shrimp are packed full of amazing flavor. With all the different components on the sandwich, it was what really stood out. Rightfully so, as it was the protein. But the texture was fantastic. But it was the flavor of the breading and the shrimp itself that really impressed. I was blown away and kept eating and eating and just enjoying every single bite…until I reached the end of my sandwich and had to lick my fingers clean. Just sensational. Sophie’s Kitchen really nailed it on the head with these Breaded Vegan Shrimp. They are, so far, my favorite item off their product list. And while I was on the fence with the fish fillets, I am standing up and shouting my love for this product. Amazing. Delicious. Outstanding. YUM!
For those of you who do pay attention to nutrition facts, as I do, then you’ll want to take note. Each box contains 2.5 servings, which is about 7 pieces of shrimp per person. My roommate and I just split the entire box. We have no shame. In a single serving of these Breaded Vegan Shrimp, you will consume 240 calories and 11 grams of fat. These shrimpy delights are cholesterol free and low in sodium (only 270 mg). Even better, you get 4 grams of protein in each serving as well. Gotta love that.
I can’t stop singing the praises of Sophie’s Kitchen gluten-free Breaded Vegan Shrimp. Amazing. Super delicious. And next time, I may just eat them on their own. But, the po boy was super delicious and I would make and consume that with as much vigor as I did initially. Super yum. Thank you, Sophie’s Kitchen, for bringing seafood back to this gluten-free vegetarian. I. LOVE. YOU.
Gluten-Free Vegan Shrimp Po Boy made with Sohpie’s Kitchen Gluten-Free Breaded Vegan Shrimp
There has been a common ingredient in my past two CSA bins that have arrived at my doorstep on Friday evenings. For the last two weeks, my bin has had asparagus in it. And I absolutely LOVE asparagus. But I hadn’t even used the previous week’s bunch and here I was with a fresh stock of it as well. I needed to come up with something…and fast. I could always toss it in with pasta…or make up a risotto, both options I have done before. But…I wanted to try something different. Think outside the box.
And thanks to a pin that showed up on my feed on Pinterest, I had to look no further than a simple pizza.
Pizza!
This truly was a simple pizza, made with ricotta cheese, asparagus, Parmesan, garlic, salt and pepper. That’s it.
I figured, why not try it? After all…I had some vegan ricotta cheese lingering in my fridge and now had a recipe to use it in again.
So, last night for dinner, I baked up a gluten-free version of the recipe that was posted on Just A Taste, a blog about exploring life through food. Hmmm…my kind of blog. Anyway, I made the necessary adjustments to make this fit into my gluten-free diet. Below is my version of the original recipe.
Recipe: Gluten-Free Asparagus and Ricotta Pizza
Gluten-Free Asparagus and Ricotta Pizza
Servings: 2 (half of the pizza)
Time: Prep: 15 minutes; Bake 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 Udi’s gluten-free pizza crust, or gluten-free crust of your choosing or making
Cornmeal, for dusting baking sheet/pizza stone
Olive oil
3/4 cups ricotta (I used Tofutti Better Than Ricotta Cheese)
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I used 1 tablespoon dried parsley)
1 pound asparagus (medium thickness)
Lemon, for garnishing
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 500ºF.
Sprinkle your baking sheet or pizza stone with cornmeal. Place the pizza dough/crust on the baking sheet and brush the top lightly all over with olive oil.
In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, parmesan cheese, garlic and parsley. Season the cheese mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
Using a vegetable peeler, shave the asparagus length-wise into thin ribbons. (There’s no need to remove the tough ends first, as you can use them to more easily grip the asparagus as you peel them. Just make sure not to shave off any of the tougher part.) In a small bowl, toss the ribbons with 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
Spread the cheese mixture all over the pizza, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges, then evenly distribute the asparagus ribbons on top of the cheese.
Bake the pizza for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating it half-way through, until the crust is fully baked and golden brown.
Remove the pizza from the oven to a cutting board, drizzle it with fresh lemon juice.
Slice and serve.
~*~*~
The picture over on the blog I got the original recipe for was much prettier than mine…but my vegetable peeler was not liking the asparagus. It just didn’t want to shave it cleanly. So, I made do with what I could manage. And probably got a little overzealous with the amount I put on the pizza…but…it was a nice change of pace for a pizza.
I loved how even the vegan ricotta cheese melted down to creamy perfection, forming the perfect base layer for this pizza. When roasted in the oven on the pizza, the asparagus took on the texture of a green pepper. It was fantastic. I loved each bite of this pizza. And the crust was golden and crispy and held up to the unwieldy toppings that I tossed on there. Next time…prettier asparagus shavings. But this was good for a first attempt. I would totally make this again. And I might have to try other pizzas with that vegan ricotta base. The creaminess mixed with the crunch of the crust and the crisp, oven-roasted asparagus really made the texture of this pizza perfect.
I encourage you to experiment with some asparagus…and whip it up on a pizza. It was amazing.
Product: Udi’s Gluten-Free Classic French Dinner Rolls – $8.99+
You read that right. But go ahead…read that blog title again. Befuddled, are you? Did I mistype? Am I playing some sort of cruel practical joke?
Not at all. What you read is the absolute truth.
Last year, Udi’s unveiled their new dinner rolls (two different kinds: Whole Grain and Classic French), and my area finally got them in. It only took a year. And trust me…I’ve been hunting high and low.
Why? Because every attempt I have ever made at making my own gluten-free dinner rolls have had less than satisfactory results. Too heavy. Too dense. Not the right taste. Wrong. Wrong. All wrong.
But that doesn’t have to be the case anymore. Because Udi’s made gluten-free dinner rolls a no-hassle event. Honestly. These rolls are kept in the freezer. And even though they come from a frozen state, they are so easy to prepare. Put them on a pan and cook from 10-15 minutes. What emerges are perfect dinner rolls, crusty on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. Light. And. Fluffy.
These rolls are so versatile. Sure, you can serve them up as a side at dinner, with a schmear of butter. Or…you can use them in other ways too. In fact, that’s exactly what I did tonight. After a 4.5 mile run after work, I wanted to come home to an easy-to-prepare dinner. My thought…sliders. While I didn’t have any gluten-free veggie burger patties prepped, I did have some of my gluten-free and vegan homemade bacon in the freezer. I also had some fresh veggies…tomato, avocado, onion, spinach…a deluxe BLT slider looked like it was shaping up.
Udi’s Gluten-Free Classic French Dinner Rolls (toasted and fresh from the oven)
So, I preheated my oven to 400°F and put the rolls onto a pan. Into the oven they went…for about 5 minutes. Just enough to warm them through. After 5 minutes, I pulled them out and sliced each of them in half. I topped one half with a slice of vegan cheese. Then, I turned on the broiler. Back into the oven they went for a couple of minutes…just enough to melt the cheese. They emerged lightly toasted to perfection. I topped off each slice with the veggies and the vegan and gluten-free bacon, gave it a schmear of my own creation – a sriracha vegan mayonnaise. I pressed the halves together and…viola…Deluxe Gluten-Free and Vegan BLT Sliders. All compliments of Udi’s and their Classic French Dinner Rolls.
I am not going to gussy this up with flowery words. The Udi’s Gluten-Free Classic French Dinner Rolls are AMAZING! Honestly. If you had company over for dinner and placed these in a bread basket for dinner…no one would even guess that they were gluten-free. My roommate, as we know, does not have to eat gluten-free and she LOVED these rolls. Loved them. Especially how weightless they seem. They taste fantastic…on their own or dressed up however you like it.
If you haven’t tried these amazing dinner rolls from Udi’s Gluten-Free…you are missing out. Find them. And if you can’t…see if your grocery store or natural food store can order them in. Trust me. They are amazing and I intend to always keep them stocked in my freezer. I can build meals around these…or just let them shine as a side.
Thank you Udi’s…for filling the dinner roll gap I had in my life. Much love.
Gluten-Free and Vegan Deluxe BLT Sliders made with Udi’s Gluten-Free Classic French Dinner Rolls
It’s amazing how you never realize how much you miss something until you no longer have the option of having it. Like…a dinner roll. Something that simple. And at first, maybe you just say…”I don’t need that anyway. I don’t need those calories…” But after awhile…when everyone else at the table has something to scoop up their sauces with…you sort of miss having the option.
Maybe not to the extent of being jealous. But sometimes…the social binder that is the bread basket at dinner on the holidays or at gatherings does leave a void…when you are a Celiac or gluten intolerant.
But…that’s all about to change.
Awhile back, Udi’s introduced a couple of new bread products to their line-up. Among them were a gluten-free French baguette, classic French dinner rolls and seeded whole grain dinner rolls. All of which I had been dying to try…but never quite allowed myself to purchase when on my strict grocery budget. But…a Groupon happened to come around for a local natural foods store…and I purchased it. As the expiration date was swiftly approaching, my roommate and I ducked in there this past weekend (during the chaos of a Vegetarian Tasting Fair) to get some products we really wanted to try.
One of the first products that was overwhelmingly decided on were…Udi’s Gluten-Free Seeded Whole Grain Dinner Rolls.
My usual mojo is that items end up sitting in my freezer or pantry for awhile as I use up other items that came before it. But I had nothing quite like these…and I really, really, really wanted to test them out. As I was making a pasta dish for dinner the other night, it would be the perfect side dish to accompany the meal.
Udi’s Gluten-Free Seeded Whole Grain Dinner Rolls (toasted and fresh from the oven)
Nothing could be simpler. Open bag of frozen dinner rolls, remove, place on a baking sheet, and warm in an oven at for about 10-15 minutes…and they are ready to serve. Yes…really that easy.
Before I get into the taste, let’s start with the basics. The serving size is one roll. Yep. One roll. These rolls are about 2.5 inches in length and about 2 inches in circumferance, so they are a very good size. You only really need one. Each roll is 100 calories (not bad for bread!), 4 grams of fat, 3 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of protein. It’s pretty much a powerhouse. Where does all that protein come from? Simple. Udi’s makes their Seeded Whole Grain Dinner Rolls with healthy chia, sunflower, and flax seeds. Right there is a healthy combination that you wouldn’t get with regular bread. They are even healthier than Udi’s own Gluten-Free Classic French Dinner Rolls. How about that?!
Now…I’ve utilized these in two ways…
Udi’s Gluten-Free Seeded Whole Grain Dinner Roll (sliced in half with a schmear of vegan butter)
The first two times I ate them, I ate them just as a side dish. This was the perfect side for my pasta dish. And then, last night, my roomie and I each had a roll with my Chickpea Teriyaki over Steamed Spinach. I simply toasted these in the oven, sliced each roll in half, and gave them a light schmear of vegan butter. It was perfect like that for each dish. What was the best part of eating the rolls like that was that I truly got to taste the bread. My pasta didn’t have a sauce with it (I coated it with vegan butter and Parmesan), so again…I could taste the bread.
My roommate found that it tasted a lot like a honey wheat bread. She loved it…and she can have regular rolls!! She isn’t the one that has to eat gluten-free. She does…because I have to. We both agreed…these got a nice crispy crust on the outside in the oven…but were so soft and fluffy on the inside. They aren’t heavy or dense at all. Amazing. I probably could have eaten another one each time…but resistance was futile.
And the reason for that being…tonight I took the last four rolls and made each of us gluten-free and vegetarian “meatball” mini-subs. OH. MY. GLUTEN. FREE. GOODNESS. No…for real. This was probably one of the best ideas I came up with. I simply threw some marinara sauce into a pan on the stove while my oven warmed up. In went the vegetarian meatballs (I used Franklin Farms Veggieballs) to heat through while the sauce simmered. Then, I placed the rolls on the baking sheet and put them in the oven for 5 minutes at 400°F. When 5 minutes were up, my sauce was simmering and the veggieballs were heated through. Perfect timing. I pulled the pan from the oven and turned on the broiler. Then, I sliced each roll down the center, making sure I kept the bottom in tact. I opened it up (sort of like a baked potato) and spooned two veggieballs inside, coating them with some of the remaining sauce. I threw some Daiya vegan mozzarella shreds on top, tossed the mini sub rolls under the broiler for about a minute…just long enough for the cheese to get a good melt on it, and BAM. Dinner was served. And these rolls made the best mini sub rolls I could have asked for. Honestly. Still light with the crusty outside, it made holding them and eating the sandwich easy and less messy. Texture is important and these were spot-on. For real.
I’m already putting these on my grocery list this week because now I can’t imagine not having a bag in my freezer. They are super delicious. Super easy to prepare. And best of all…good for you. Especially where gluten-free breads are concerned.
Hunt these down in your local grocery stores. Find them. And try them. I guarantee you…you’ll fall in love with them too.
Gluten-Free and Vegetarian “Meatball” Mini Subs made with Udi’s Gluten-Free Seeded Whole Grain Dinner Rolls (also used: Franklin Farms Veggieballs and Daiya Mozzarella Shreds)
Sophie’s Kitchen Breaded Vegan Fish Filets (Gluten-Free)
Product: Sophie’s Kitchen Breaded Vegan Fish Filets – $5.99+
Wait.
Hold the phone.
Vegan.
Gluten-Free.
FISH FILETS??!!
That, my dearest friends, is not a typo. Not at all. And to blame for this discovery is none other than grocery store heaven, Jungle Jim’s in Cincinnati, Ohio. Because it was as I was perusing the freezer section that this box jumped up and flagged me down.
But…but…vegan seafood?
Oh…it has been done before. Yves put out a Shrimp Scampi that I tried years ago…and couldn’t eat. It was disgusting. But this…this looked absolutely mouthwatering on the box. Which, I know is the entire point of marketing said items…but…really…
And since going vegetarian and then gluten-free…breaded fish filets with…I don’t know…maybe some hand cut fries…they were just a dream. A memory. A figment of my past.
NOT ANYMORE! You better believe upon spotting this box it made it’s way into my shopping basket, to the register, and then to my freezer. And for quite a few incidents, I had plans to cook them up for dinner for my roommate and I. But then…found something else to do. Something that wouldn’t require writing up a review. So, instead, I choose one of my busiest weeks to give these a try. But why not? I busted these precious little filets out in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. It was time for some oven-baked fish and chips. Good ol’ Irish fare if I do say so myself.
And I do.
So…after slicing up (by hand…no mandolin slicer here) some fingerling potatoes into shoestring fries, I got those working in the oven and pulled out this box from the freezer.
Sophie’s Kitchen Breaded Vegan Fish Filets (frozen)
Sophie’s Kitchen. Apparently, Sophie’s Kitchen has a wide variety of vegan seafood options out there, most of which are also gluten-free. So, if this was actually edible…maybe even delicious…then perhaps I could indulge a little more. I’ve found two stores in the area that carry Sophie’s Kitchen products…and of which at least half in the freezer are gluten-free and vegan. YAY!!
These were actually really simple to prepare. Place filets on baking sheet. Put in oven set for 375°F. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the filets are a golden brown on top. Nothing could be easier. And I couldn’t believe when I took two of the four patties in the package out…how much they truly resembled fish filets. Very reminiscent of my seafood days.
I can tell you this as well…they smelled amazing as they baked up in the oven too. It was amazing. I was actually anticipating eating these. It was the first time since the Yves incident that something vegan seafood-ish actually appealed to me.
After 15 minutes, the filets were a beautiful golden color, so I removed them from the oven, along with my shoestring fries. I plated each item on two plates, one for myself, and one for my roomie, and dinner was served. She took the first bite…and I couldn’t tell what she made of the actual filet itself. So, I took my own bite.
It’s…different. Stringy at times. The taste is really good, but the texture is…well…it reminded both my roommate and I of those cheap fish sticks you eat growing up as a kid, not really noticing the odd texture because, they’re fish sticks…they’re fun…and you can drown them in ketchup. That’s what these reminded us of. And yes…we ate them with ketchup.
Needless to say, I wasn’t exactly jumping up and down with delight over these…but they weren’t bad either. If you can get past the texture of it, then you’re golden. Flavor-wise…these are awesome. No strange fishy flavor. The breading is light, and the “fish” is basically TVP (textured vegetable protein)…which is something I’ve wanted to try now for awhile. These filets are also composed of canola oil, potato starch, organic agave nectar, sea salt, rice flakes, turmeric, white pepper, ginger, powdered cellulose and konjac powder. It actually is more appetizing than it sounds.
Nutritionally speaking, one filet will only set you back 180 calories and 8 grams of fat. Each filet packs an 8 gram protein punch and serves up 3 grams of fiber. These are also very low in sodium and totally cholesterol free. You can’t argue with those numbers.
Sophie’s Kitchen totally is ruling the vegan seafood market. Trust me. While these did have an odd texture, it was actually very nice to sit down for a meal of “fish” and chips for St. Patrick’s Day. I even made it again for dinner tonight. So, as you can see, it wasn’t overly offensive. The seasoning helps and the texture isn’t bad…it’s just…different. Stringy rather than flaky like seafood.
But…I could totally look past that.
I give major props to Sophie’s Kitchen for stepping into a niche that definitely needed some help. I can promise you this…they were successful in filling it. I hope to seek out more of their gluten-free and vegan products very soon.
Sophie’s Kitchen Breaded Vegan Fish Filets (oven baked and served with hand cut shoestring fries and organic ketchup)
Do you know what happens when I forget that I have a certain item from my CSA bin in my crisper drawer until the day the new bin is to arrive and I’m attempting to make room for it? I’ll tell you what happens…I start to panic and then think up, as quickly as possible, one of the most efficient ways to use up said ingredient.
Normally with snap peas, I would totally stir-fry them. But I had just polished off a stir-fry and wasn’t feeling it this week. So, instead, I decided to make a risotto.
I have more than a lot of rice in my pantry…and two large bags of Arborio rice. So…why not? Everything that got added to this risotto was something I already had in my pantry or fridge or freezer from previous bins or the current one…
And, since it’s been awhile since my last recipe post…I figured it was time to shake things up in the kitchen.
Heat about half the olive oil in a medium pan on medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and the onions to the pan. Don’t stir for a moment. Add a pinch of salt and allow to cook. Give the onions and mushrooms a stir every now and again, allowing the onions to soften and the mushrooms to brown slightly. Remove the mushrooms and oions from the pan, reserving in a dish.
Add the remainder of the olive oil to the pan. Pour in 1 cup of rice. Stir for 3-4 minutes, coating the rice with oil. Add one cup of the warm veggie stock and stir until absorbed. Continue to add broth, one ladleful at a time. While the rice is cooking, put the broccoli, snap peas, and green peas into a bowl and cover with a plate. Place in the microwave for about 4-5 minutes and allow to steam and soften. Carefully remove.
Once risotto has achieved a soupy, creamy consistency and the rice is cooked, toss in the snap peas, green peas, broccoli, onions, mushrooms, scallions and Parmesan stir to incorporate throughout the rice. Season with salt and pepper and give it one final stir.
Serve immediately with a little more Parmesan if desired.
~*~*~
I am a huge fan of risottos and I loved the way this one came out. The vegetables were a nice touch, and each with different textures…it all just fit in with the starchiness of the Arborio rice. It was filling and highly nutritious being that much of the serving was vegetables as opposed to the rice. I really love a good veggie risotto and this was was rather good. Any vegetable can be substituted for your favorite veggie or what you have on hand, of course.
I’d make this again in a heartbeat though. Yes, risottos are tricky and do mean a lot of standing over the stove and stirring…but I always love the end product.
ENJOY!
The Celiathlete 