Fruit – Page 17 – The Celiathlete

February 5, 2013

XO Baking Co mixes up perfect Gluten-Free Banana Bread

XO Baking Co. Gluten-Free Banana Bread Mix

XO Baking Company Gluten-Free Banana Bread Mix – $7.99+

It happened once upon a time…back a couple years ago when I was instructed by my doctor to adopt a gluten-free diet. I attempted, from scratch, to make banana bread. And…it failed. Miserably. It was dense, heavy, and…WET! And I disliked it enough to throw it away. And from that moment on…I never attempted it again. Never. I designated any over-ripe bananas to another cause.

And then, while out shopping one afternoon and randomly stopping into a Home Goods store, I stumbled across their gourmet food section. Danger, Gluten-Free Will Robinson, Danger!! They actually had quite a good selection of gluten-free foods and products. And I…just had to try them. The one that seriously caught my eye, however, was the XO Baking Co’s Banana Bread Mix.

I mean…it had been forever since I had had good banana bread. I was craving. For real!

So, it and a few other items made their way into a basket I ran back to the door to get and soon I was checking out with a plethora of new gluten-free goodness. Or…at least I hoped.

And then, because my pantry is overflowing with gluten-free goodies…this had to sit and wait…and wait…and wait…and wait…

…and then I realized that the expiration date was approaching…so I dug it out and intended to make it over the weekend. Without reading the back for ingredients, I went grocery shopping for my regular items…and then came home to get to work on my bread (which would serve as breakfast for the entire week!)

It was only then that I realized that I required three large overly-ripe bananas for the bread mix. DUH! I don’t know why I assumed this would magically taste like banana on its own. So, my roomie and I dashed back out to the grocery store. And NONE of the stores had any overly ripe bananas. In fact…they were all very green. I mean…GREEN!

What to do? We finally discovered a couple at Target…but needed one more. So, we grabbed on that wasn’t quite as green as the rest and decided to just run with it. When you are handed under-ripe bananas…you attempt to do your best to make banana bread.

Back at home, mixing this together was easy. I mashed the bananas then put them into my Kitchenaid mixer. To that, I added eggs, oil, and almond milk. That got beat together until just combined. Then, in went the bread mix straight from the package. A little more mixing and it was done. As I’m working on shrinking the amount of items in my pantry, I added the rest of the chopped pecans (about 1/2 cup) and then put in 1/4 cup of Reeses peanut butter chips and 1/4 cup chocolate chips. I folded these into the batter, poured them into the pan and baked for about an hour.

The entire time it baked, I couldn’t help but return to the kitchen to steal another whiff of the bread. It smelled fantastic as it cooked up. And when it emerged, it was a beautiful golden color on the outside. I allowed it to cool in the pan before turning it out and setting it to cool the rest of the way.

The big test came the following morning when I sliced it up to make some French toast with it. O.M.G. No…for real.

I didn’t do anything fancy to the French toast batter. Just egg, a little light coconut milk, vanilla and cinnamon…dunked the bread and put it on my skillet. Flipped it once it got golden, then served it with a bit of hot maple syrup (homemade and delicious from my friend Erica).

This bread is packed with flavor. Even done up as though it were French toast (which definitely was preferred to the usual gluten-free sandwich bread I use). The nuts, the peanut butter chips, and the chocolate chips really compliment that banana flavor. The texture isn’t too dense or heavy. In fact, it seemed perfect for this kind of loaf of bread. I was enamored with the variety of flavor that hit my palate. BUT…to be fair, I needed to taste it without dressing it up too much. So, the following morning, I just gave the bread a light toasting in the oven to warm it. Then a small schmear of vegan butter and a drizzle of honey…and BAM. Banana bread perfection. The sweet honey worked well with the nuts and different flavor chips that were baked in.

Oh…this is a definite must have for your gluten-free pantry. If you can’t make a good banana bread from scratch, then you should totally give this mix a try. The guess work when it comes to what flour to use and how long to bake is taken out of the equation.

This mix is created using a gluten-free flour blend (which includes cassava flour, unmodified potato starch, organic coconut flour, and xanthan gum). Brown sugar adds a nice hint of sweetness to it. Baking powder gives it that necessary lightness to rise, baking soda, sea salt, and organic vanilla flavor. That’s it.

As for the nutrition standing…the mix contains 110 calories for 1/12 of the loaf. I went ahead and sliced mine into 12 slices so that I was certain of the servings when I began carving into it. That’s not bad. Not bad at all. This mix is also completely all natural, rice-free, trans fat free, gluten-free, wheat-free, and soy-free.

And in the end, you are left with a delicious, moist, banana-flavored bread that you can dress up however you like or just leave with simply bananas. Any way you slice it…it is AMAZING! XO Baking Co. is off to a good start and winning me over already.

January 30, 2013

Recipe: Gluten-Free Lemony Lemon Brownies

When your CSA bin hands you a bunch of lemons…

…make lemon brownies?

Okay…it sounds a bit esoteric…perhaps a little strange. Maybe even weird. However, don’t judge a recipe by its cover. No…these are not chocolate brownies (although when I first mentioned making them to my roommate, she thought they were with lemon in them. All I can say is…EW!). These are brownies that are made with an all-purpose flour…and instead of cocoa…you add lemon juice and lemon zest…creating this mellow lemon base which then gets topped off with two layers of lemon glaze…which makes this entire recipe SING!

Trust me.

I discovered this recipe (shock!) on Pinterest and it originally comes from Becky Charms. So glad I ran across it because I never would have imagined making lemon “brownies” before this.

If you love lemon…make some lemon brownies tonight.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Lemony Lemon Brownies

Servings: 16
Time: Prep 20 minutes; Bake 25 minutes

Ingredients for “brownie” batter:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour (I used Better Batter Gluten-Free All Purpose)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Ingredients for tart lemon glaze:

1 rounded cup powdered sugar
4 tablespoon lemon juice
8 teaspoons lemon zest

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease/Spray an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with butter/cooking spray and set aside.

Zest and juice two small/large lemons; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the flour, sugar, salt, and softened butter until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice until combined. Pour into the flour mixture and beat at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.

Pour into baking dish and bake for 23-25 minutes, or until just starting to turn golden around the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before glazing. Do not overbake, or the bars will be dry (even with the yummy glaze).

When brownies are cooled completely, make the glaze.

Sift the powdered sugar, add lemon zest and juice, and whisk together all three ingredients.

Spread 1/2 the glaze over the brownies with a rubber spatula. Let glaze set. Spread the remaining glaze over the bars, and let it set. This glaze does not harden like most. Cut into bars, and serve!

~*~*~

Lemony, lemony goodness. These are definitely not the brownies you’re used to having. Nothing brown about these. But what they are are lemony-fresh, delightful on the palate, and just really, really damn tasty. They are very easy to make and all the effort pays off in the end…because it was love at first bite with these. I am a lemon fiend and these totally filled my lemon-lover craving.

I made mine gluten-free…but you can certainly use any all-purpose flour instead. I will totally make these again. In a heartbeat.

January 30, 2013

Annie May’s Sweet Café serves up Saturday breakfast with a gluten-free vegan breakfast sandwich to die for

Restaurant: Annie May’s Sweet Café, Louisville, Kentucky

One bite.

That was all it took to fall in love with Annie May’s Sweet Café.

And that was just based off a birthday cake my roommate got for me back in September. Since then…this little bakery/café has become one of my favorite places to stop in for something to eat. Especially on Saturday’s…because breakfast is being served! And yes…we all know how much of a breakfast fiend I am.

For a few blogs now, I have mentioned my breakfast adventures there. From the gluten-free waffles (now discontinued) to the gluten-free French toast to the delicious gluten-free donuts…cookies…cupcakes…you name it…it’s allergen-free/gluten-free…heaven. Especially for someone like me who developed food allergies as an adult and has to sometimes make do with things that are just not as good as the ‘real’ thing. Add to that the extra challenge of being a vegetarian first…and it makes up a recipe for culinary problems everywhere.

Not at Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky.

Very recently, Annie May’s added a new item to their breakfast menu. Breakfast sandwiches. Yep. You read that right. These breakfast sandwiches are composed of your choice of a protein on their own vegan/allergen-free bun and served with that day’s fresh fruit.

When I went in today, after a long 8 mile run, I was hungry. So, along with my usual gluten-free donut ($2.49), I ordered up one of the breakfast sandwiches. My choice: the Allergen-Free/Vegan “Sausage” and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich ($6.99). This sandwich is composed of a vegan sausage patty that is also gluten-free, created by a local gourmet burger truck called Grind. These vegan sausage patties are a housemade blend of spaghetti squash, chickpeas, lentils, onions, sage, and a red pepper spice blend. It’s perfect for these breakfast sandwiches. And they are GOOD!

My roommate decided to give the Bacon, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich ($7.99) a go this morning. So, we placed our orders, settled in at one of the tables and devoured our donuts while we anticipated the breakfast sandwiches.

Let me preface this by saying that this vegetarian hasn’t had a vegan/veggie sausage in a LONG time. Not since having to go gluten-free. Every single one in the freezer section of the grocery store has gluten ingredients in them. So, the fact that I was just about to enjoy my first vegan sausage patty in a long, long time made me stupidly excited. The “cheese” portion of this breakfast sandwich was Daiya Vegan cheese…one of my favorite brands. And the bun…is Annie May’s creation…delicious, golden, and soft on the inside with that crisp golden crust on the outside.

Breakfast heaven.

When this sandwich arrived at the table, I had to restrain myself from diving right in and devouring it. The donut had helped with the hunger…it just looked so amazing. I wanted to try it immediately. But, photos had to be taken first…so I did that as quickly as I could. Then, after eating the grapes that came with the breakfast sandwich, I reached the point of breakfast I had been looking forward to the most…

Allergen-Free/Vegan Breakfast “Sausage” and Cheese Sandwich time.

I lifted the sandwich up to my mouth and took my first bite. The vegan sausage is fantastic. All of those ingredients blend really well and you totally get a sausage-like flavor from it. I loved it. Honestly. The spaghetti squash does sometimes get stringy, but that happens sometimes with real sausage too. It was the perfect blend of vegetables, spices, and proteins. I loved it. The Daiya cheese was melted on top…a simple amount, nothing too overwhelming. It didn’t take away from the vegan sausage at all.

And that vegan/allergen-free bun…was the icing on the cake. Metaphorically speaking, of course. It was a gorgeous golden color, soft on the inside, a little flaky, and crusty on the outside. It was my favorite part of the breakfast sandwich to be honest. And coming from the girl who missed vegan sausage patties so much…that’s saying something. Think of the most perfect biscuit you have ever eaten. THAT…is what THIS tasted like. Kudos to you, Annie May’s Sweet Café, for this delicious bread for your Saturday morning breakfast menu. Let me tell you…I’m totally addicted to those rolls. I’d eat them with a schmear of Earth Balance, all hot and toasted and…mouth-watering good.

I’m so lucky to have Annie May’s Sweet Café in my backyard. Louisville, Kentucky is lucky to have them. As Kentucky’s only allergen-free bakery…they offer a lot of allergen-free/vegan treats for everyone. And you don’t have to be a vegan or gluten-free to enjoy these products. My roommate is neither and she loves coming here for breakfast and the occasional treat as much as I do.

I hope Annie May’s remains in business for a very long time. This place is a real gem and a much needed place for me, the allergic girl, here in Louisville, Kentucky.

Thanks for your delicious Saturday breakfasts, Annie May’s. Maybe one of these days…I’ll skip breakfast and come in for your Saturday pizza. Yeah…that’s next on the list.

Annie May's Sweet Café Allergen-Free/Vegan — Annie May’s Sweet Café Allergen-Free/Vegan “Sausage” and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich

January 24, 2013

Überly Nuts over Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Bar

Product: Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Roll – $1.99+

You know…I’m a nutty person. No…for real.

So, it should come as no surprise whatsoever that I fell completely head over feet in love with the Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Roll fruit and nut bar. I mean…honestly…what’s not to love?

Confession time – today was not the first time I ever ate one of these. Honestly, I was in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania at a convenience store/gas station…and in desperate need of a snack. Aside from a fruit cup, I was finding very little that this gluten-free girl could eat. And then…I spotted a stash of the Roasted Nut Roll Lärabar Über’s…and I grabbed it.

Like I said…I was a hungry girl in the middle of nowhere, so no pictures were taken. But…this bar ROCKS!! I loved it then…and I loved it even more today as I settled in for my 3 p.m. snack time.

It’s sort of nice to come into snack time on a new snack and know, for sure, that it will be delicious. I have been burned a few times by sub-par gluten-free products. But Lärabar is a name I trust. Every flavor I have ever had has been good…some great…quite a few more delicious…but this one…this one is pure awesomeness.

What I think makes this bar so amazing is that perfect balance of sweet and salty.

Even more…I think it’s the fantastic inclusion of so many varieties of nuts that gives it that super nutty flavor. The Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Roll contains a fantastic mix of roasted almonds, cashews, roasted peanuts, pecans and macadamia nuts. YUM!! It’s like a Planters Mixed Nut blend…but healthier…and sweeter. Why sweeter? Because in addition to the nuts, the bars also contain brown rice syrup, dates and honey. Add a dash of sea salt…and what you get is über perfection. The perfect blend of sweet and salty. Honestly…it was hard not to just shove the entire bar in my mouth and chew it until it was gone.

I think you can pretty much guess how I feel about these. And as far as nutrition facts go…these bars contain 220 calories per bar and 16 grams of fat. So…definitely not the healthiest of options…but still amazing and good. They have 5 grams of sugar and only 7 grams of sugar, which is awesome. At least the fat in this bar comes from the nuts…which means it is at least they are healthy fats.

Oh yeah…these are just yumminess personified. Trust me…buy these. Buy these now.

Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Roll (unwrapped)

January 13, 2013

Lärabar brings a taste of cherry cobler to Über line

Product: Lärabar Über Cherry Cobbler – $1.99

Who can argue with a snack that tastes like a classic summer dessert? You won’t find a lot of people complaining about that. Least of all me. As we all know…I love dessert. Love it. I could skip a meal if it mean a bigger dessert (that would be the trade-off). Of course, getting dessert isn’t easy for the gluten-free vegetarian…so I take what I can get.

With that in mind…I found myself awake on a race morning, having just eaten my cereal and knowing that I was going to need a little more closer to race time to see me through the race. If I don’t fuel about 30-40 minutes before a 5K, I normally find my stomach growling at the start of the race or halfway through. Nothing can throw you off your running mojo like hunger in the middle of a run. And with a 5K race, GU and Sports Beans are a bit excessive. It’s 3.1 miles…it’s not a half marathon.

That being said, I tend to come prepared for such things with my snack bars and protein bars. This particular morning, I found myself busting open a box of Lärabar Über that I picked up at the grocery store on Manager’s Special. I mean…the Über line is completely all natural, gluten-free, kosher, non-GMO, have no added preservatives, fillers, colorings, and no added sulfites.

LOVE that.

So, about 40 minutes before I was to start off on this 5K jaunt Saturday morning, I broke out my fuel, being my Lärabar Cherry Cobbler Über. My roomie (who was up and there to cheer me on) decided we would split it. So, I broke it in half and she took a bite. Being that she’s not big on cherry anything, the fact that she kept eating it was a good sign.

My turn.

Oh. Yeah.

This fruit and nut bar is hearty, made with chunks of fruit and nuts, rather than having it all ground together like the standard Lärabars. I love being able to see the full bits of dried cherries, raisins, and dates mixed with the almonds, cashews, and pecans. I love the rich flavor that the brown rice syrup, the salt, and the honey bring to the bar itself. When you take a bite of this bar, you actually get the illusion that you are eating an actual cherry cobbler. That’s exactly what it tasted like. And with the blend of fruit and nuts, nothing is too overpowering. Nothing at all. It is a nice balance of sweet and salty and one that settled perfectly into my stomach before a hard run on hilly roads.

I love how nutritious these bars are as well. Despite tasting like a dessert, the Lärabar Cherry Cobbler Über bar will only set you back 190 calories and 12 grams of fat, most of which is provided in the healthy form from the nuts. This particular variety offers of 14 grams of protein and no cholesterol. Yeah! Despite the addition of salt, the brown rice syrup, the dried fruits and the nuts, there is only 135 mg of sodium in each bar. That’s amazing. And while this does have 12 grams of sugar, I’m relatively certain that mostly comes from the dried fruits that are used and the brown rice syrup and honey that help bind the bar together.

In the end, what you have is a tasty bar that actually satisfies your hunger, keeps you going, and is nutritionally sound. And…it tastes like dessert. What could be better?

December 20, 2012

Great texture with Hodgson Mill Gluten Free Buckwheat Creamy Hot Cereal…just bland!

Product: Hodgson Mill Gluten Free Buckwheat Creamy Hot Cereal – $4.40+

I’m going to be the first to admit it. When I pulled out this box from the pantry to take to work with me as my lunch today, I was more than a little nervous about it. At first, I thought nothing of it. But the more I looked at the box, the more I thought this spontaneous gluten-free sale item might have not been the wisest choice while out grocery shopping. And the only reason I think that is that it sort of makes a reference to grits. And I do not like grits.

So…yeah…wasn’t too sure about this one.

But that’s what happens when I get caught up in the moment of a great gluten-free sale. When items get marked down or put on closeout, I snatch them up as fast as I can. Sometimes I think twice about them…but not this time. My local grocery store was having a closeout on their entire gluten-free section. And that made me think that they were getting rid of it. Thankfully, they didn’t…they were going to expand it and were moving things off the shelf. But…it put the fear of a gluten-free-less pantry into my head and I just started grabbing whatever was marked down on closeout and throwing it in my cart.

Hodgson Mill Gluten-Free Buckwheat Creamy Hot Cereal was one such item. And today…was the moment of truth…

It wasn’t…horrible. It wasn’t what I was used to either. And I think that might have been part of the problem. The texture was actually nothing like grits…more like oatmeal. I’m okay with that. I always eat oatmeal for lunch. In fact, I was so concerned with the texture that I caramelized some apples up this morning to reheat and add to the cereal…and that’s what I did when lunch time hit. I settled in at my desk at work with a hot, steaming bowl of the Gluten Free Buckwheat Creamy Hot Cereal and took a bite.

It wasn’t sweet at all…and that was what I missed. While I’m not a fan of loading things down with sugar, even with the caramelized apples it was just bland. I went to add some sugar to it…and it was just not a good idea. It actually made the flavor a bit worse. So, I stuck it out, figuring tomorrow I’d try again, maybe with different fruits and some brown sugar or maple syrup to sweeten it. It wasn’t horrible…it just needs some additional work to get it to where I like it.

So, I’ll try it again tomorrow…with different fruit and something to sweeten it up. It was the texture I had been worried about originally…but that wasn’t the problem with this one. It was the flavor, or lack thereof, despite my attempts to make it taste a little sweeter through the use of fruit and additional sweetener.

I guess only time will tell when I give this another shot with a different fruit and a different sweetener. All in all…not bad…but not my favorite. It’s…edible at least.

Hodgson Mill Gluten-Free Buckwheat Creamy Hot Cereal (with caramelized apples)

December 11, 2012

Julie’s Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich a gluten-free frozen treat…with a cherry on top

Julie's Organic Gluten-Free Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies — Julie’s Organic Gluten-Free Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies

Julie’s Organic Gluten-Free Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwich Cookie – $5.99+

I didn’t know they existed until I was wandering down the frozen food aisle of my local Earth Fare grocery store. I was just glancing in and out of the freezers, looking for something…anything…that might catch my eye. Something that might be gluten-free. Maybe. If I prayed really hard and closed my eyes…maybe it would be so.

Or something to that affect…just less dramatic.

The fact of the matter was, I was at the grocery store and as I was searching the aisles, I stumbled across two new flavors of gluten-free ice cream sandwiches from Julie’s. Thrilled? Yes. Ecstatic? Very much. Did I buy them? OF COURSE!

And then…the reality of my overflowing gluten-free pantry hit…and I didn’t get to eat them. Not right away. Not until two nights ago, in fact. Thank goodness there was no freezer burn on them. I would have cried had it been so.

The Cherry Cheesecake Sandwich Cookies are amazing. No…they really are. Picture with me, if you will…two chocolate sandwich cookies (manufactured by Glutenfreeda…so they are gluten-free) that are packed…literally packed full of cherry cheesecake ice cream. If that sounds amazing to you, then let me tell you…this is not a figment of my overactive foodie imagination. No, my friends. This reality was brought to life by Julie’s Organic Ice Cream.

Cherry and chocolate is a fantastic combination as it is, but this ice cream sandwich brings out the best of everything sweet that I love. Cherries…check. Cheesecake…check. Chocolate…check. Ice cream…check. Totally gluten-free too. Which means…I get ice cream sandwiches!!

I had been previously blown away by the taste, texture, and awesomeness of the original (chocolate gluten-free cookies with vanilla ice cream) ice cream sandwiches and the Lemon Yogurt Ice Cream Sandwiches (lemon yogurt between vanilla gluten-free cookies). So, I figured this one had a lot to live up to. But…I have a lot of faith in these products as they have not only impressed me, but impressed my friends who can eat regular ice cream sandwiches. So much that they prefer these instead!

The Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwich Cookie is a mouthful to say…but it’s a delight to eat. Honestly. I love the way the soft chocolate cookie melts away with the delicious and smooth cherry cheesecake ice cream. Totally wowed by this flavor. The lemon is still my favorite thus far…but this one is a very close second. It was like biting into a cheesecake with a chocolate crust. It brought back so many delicious and amazing memories. I can’t wait to devour the other one waiting for me in the freezer.

As far as sweet, ice-creamy snacks go, the nutrition information on this one isn’t too bad. One ice cream sandwich will set you back 200 calories and 9 grams of fat. That’s not bad for an ice cream sandwich. And, let me tell you, it is worth every creamy, dreamy calorie. For real.

Search high and low for these at your local grocery store…and if you don’t see them, see if the store can order them in. Trust me…you’ll want to take a bite out of these…and then polish it off. It’s hard to eat just one.

Julie's Organic Gluten-Free Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwich Cookie (unwrapped) — Julie’s Organic Gluten-Free Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwich Cookie (unwrapped)

December 11, 2012

No pastry shell needed for Lärabar Über Apple Turnover bar

Product: Lärabar Über Apple Turnover – $1.99

All the taste of an apple turnover without the guilt-laden pastry shell. I kid you not.

Welcome to the wonderful new line from Lärabar. In early 2012, Lärabar launched their new line of protein bars – the Über. In four flavors, this product combined sweet and salty flavors of classic desserts and brought them into bar form. No joke.

And after a 10 mile run the other day, I was hungry and needing something to satisfy my stomach while I went to an eye appointment before getting a late lunch. I happened to pick up one of each flavor of the Lärabar Über bars on Manager’s Special at my local grocery store. Super sale on a product that is gluten-free…yeah, I’ll buy that. And since they had an abundance of each flavor on the market, I grabbed one of each. The Über bars are available in Apple Turnover, Bananas Foster, Cherry Cobbler, and Fruit and Nut Roll.

First up, by the scientific method of grabbing the box in front…was the Lärabar Über Apple Turnover Bar.

Lärabar is known for making their products strictly from fruit, nuts, and spices/seasoning. That holds true with the Über bars. In fact, the Apple Turnover variety has 9 ingredients in them. That’s it. And they are all things you could find in your pantry. It’s true. They are composed of walnuts, dried apples, brown rice syrup, raisins, dates, pecans, honey, sea salt, and cinnamon. That’s it. Nothing unrecognizable. Defintiely not made up of chemicals that you’d have to Google to figure out what they were (if you dared!) or something completely unpronounceable and unknown to anyone but a chemist. I love that about Lärabar. What you see is what you get.

The Lärabar Über Apple Turnover bar contains only 190 calories for the entire bar. It contains 11 grams of fat, but is very low in sodium (125 mg) and serves up 3 grams of protein. Not too bad, overall.

The best part…the Apple Turnover bar tastes just like an apple turnover would. Seriously! It’s fantastic. The combination of dried fruits, nuts, and seasonings really lend that illusion that you are eating a sinful pastry. But you’re doing it at a fraction of the calories and fat. Honestly, you won’t even miss the flaky, fattening pastry crust. I fell in love with it at first bite. And so did my roommate. We both agreed that the apple flavor is there, without dominating. All of the ingredients get their time to shine, and when they are together…you really feel like you’re sitting down to a fantastic pastry. Just…without the guilt. Love that.

These bars are soft, chewy, and provide a hint of sweet/salty flavor to each bite. Not to mention, the Apple Turnover Über bar is gluten-free, dairy free, soy free, made from all-natural ingredients, vegan, kosher, non-GMO, has no added sulfites and no preservatives, fillers or colorings. It’s wholesome and all natural and for that, I feel confident continuing to purchase products from Lärabar. Not only do they fit my dietary needs, but they are delicious as well.

If you love to indulge in a dessert but want to do so without the guilt, I recommend the Lärabar Über Apple Turnover bar. And if you are gluten-free…I also recommend this variety. Honestly, you won’t even miss the pastry crust. Just indulge in the moment and savor every bite.

Lärabar…the Apple Turnover bar is Über delicious!

December 10, 2012

Another Lärabar treat with Apple Pie flavored bar

Product: Lärabar Apple Pie – $1.99+

It seems apple pie is everywhere these days. I guess it just comes with the time of year. Apples are always in season, but so many people associate them with the fall/winter. It is, after all, the height of apple cider time. And I do love apple cider. Heck, I just love apples. One of my favorite desserts is apple crisp, after all.

That being said, yesterday was another race morning. Nothing big. No reason to cream an entire protein bar down my throat before the run. Thankfully, I have a bunch of Lärabar mini bars still in my run-snack drawer. And the next one up just happened to be…Apple Pie.

I packed this away in my bag to take with me to eat an hour before the short 4K run. After all, the race wasn’t long…but I knew the cereal I ate when I woke up wouldn’t last through to the 9:00 a.m. start time. I always come prepared with a bar on race days now. There is nothing worse than standing at that starting line and hearing your stomach rumble. Or worse…being halfway through and realizing your cereal has burned off and now…you’re running on fumes. Best to just properly fuel.

So, the Lärabar Apple Pie Mini Bar accompanied on my drive over the river to Louisville, Kentucky and the park that was hosting the run. I actually pulled into the park exactly an hour before the race started. So it was perfect timing. Out came the Lärabar. I unwrapped it and took a small bite.

Okay…it actually does taste like apple pie. I can safely say that because my dessert last week was gluten-free apple pie. Honestly…this was just like having a slice. Really good. Although, even though it tastes like apple pie…it isn’t one of my favorite ones. Maybe it is the underlying hint of cinnamon that just kept creeping into my palate. But, while it was good, some of the others have been far better. But, it can be hit or miss with protein bars. That’s not to say this one wasn’t good. I would eat it again if it were offered to me. I wouldn’t turn my nose up at it. It’s just really not up to par with the other ones that have come before it. (Cashew Cookie is still my absolute favorite!)

So, a little information about this little protein bar. The Lärabar Apple Pie Mini Bar is comprised of of six ingredients. That’s it. These are dates, almonds, unsweetened apples, walnuts, raisins, and cinnamon. I knew there was cinnamon in there. All together, you sort of get this illusion that you are biting into a slice of apple pie…crust and all. The apples really shine. And the cinnamon gives it that warm flavor to it, though I found it a bit overpowering at times. As for the nuts and the raisins and dates…it just lends to that illusion of crust and filling. The texture was soft and yes…this one was delicious, despite not being one of my favorites.

The mini bar offers you 90 calories and 5 grams of fat. It only has 2 grams of protein to it. Not much on that protein, now that I look at it. The full-size bar, however is a bit more. It would set you back 190 calories and 10 grams of fat. With it, you would get 4 grams of protein. But…it is definitely filling and the fiber count (3 grams in the mini; 5 grams in the full-size) is the reason for that.

Again, this was a really good bar, it just wasn’t as amazing as some of the other ones I have eaten. That being said, if you love apple pie…then you will truly love taking a bite into this bar.

December 8, 2012

A little slice of heaven in Katz Gluten-Free Apple Pie

Product: Katz Gluten-Free Apple Pie (Personal Size – 6 inches) – $7.49

Do you know how long it has been since I’ve had apple pie? Seriously?!

Actually, up until this past summer when I was visiting my family in Minneapolis, Minnesota, it had been…years since I last had an actual slice of pie. I’ve never been big on pie. It’s like my cake…I prefer it sans frosting. Weird, I know. But that’s just me. So, pie had sort of slipped off my radar up until…my cousin’s husband did a gluten-free version of his family’s famous strawberry pie. I never ate so much pie in my life. It was amazing. And he was kind enough to share the recipe with me, so I made it once as well. And so…my long absent admiration of pie finally returned.

But, after I made the strawberry pie for an office luncheon (made it vegan in addition to gluten-free), I just didn’t have the drive to attempt another pie. A different pie. A classic pie, perhaps. Like cherry or apple or something. A lot of it is…making pie crust can be tricky. Especially that top layer. And using a gluten-free flour can be…well…it can be an absolute mess if you don’t use it appropriately. Even the pre-mixed gluten-free all-purpose blends work well in some things better than others. And a pie is a huge time commitment…so I never could quite commit to trying to bake one up for myself.

But, one day my roomie went ahead and placed an order with Katz Gluten-Free. I wasn’t allowed to look at the receipt that came through my e-mail. I was to wait and see what turned up in the box. Let me tell you, it was like Christmas when the order arrived at the office that day. One of the products inside:

Katz Gluten-Free Apple Pie.

A PIE!!

Well, as usual, I have more than enough desserts/sweets in my pantry and freezer to go around, and other items had to be used up first. So, it wasn’t until yesterday that I finally got around to pulling the pie out of the freezer. I allowed it to thaw on the counter for a bit, before putting it into the refrigerator while I was at work.

That evening was a busy, busy, busy one. Not only, after working all day, did I have leftovers to reheat, gluten-free bread to toast, and a salad to throw together, but we were trying to hustle out the door to drive into Louisville to see the Dave Matthews Band in concert as well. At least the main part of the dinner (Scalloped Russet Potato and Yam Gratin with Fresh Herbs, in case you were wondering) was just a simple reheat and salads don’t take too long to throw together when all is said and done. With the bread toasted in the oven, I got dinner together and we chowed down.

And I knew…despite being in a hurry, that dessert was necessary.

After we polished off our plates, I got up and gave my usual question: “Dessert?”

“Yes ma’am!” came her response.

And so, into the fridge I went and pulled out the Katz Gluten-Free Apple Pie that was just sort of chilling in there. I turned it over before tearing it open to check serving size and nutrition information. And with that in mind, and some So Delicious Creamy Vanilla Soy Milk Ice Cream lingering in my freezer door, I made a decision to make up some Gluten-Free Apple Pie À La Mode. And the star of the show was going to be a slice of Katz Gluten-Free Apple Pie.

Since normally 1/4 of the 6 inch pie is the serving size, totaling up to 230 calories and 12 grams of fat, I decided to make each already tiny slice into two even tinier slices of pie. That way I would half the calories and fat…and the pie would last longer. But…I am not kidding when I say these slices are teeny-tiny. They were already small when cut into fourths, imagine in eighths. The things we do accommodate the addition of ice cream.

Three-bite slice of pie…why not?

A slice of Katz Gluten-Free Apple Pie (1/4 of pie serving size)

Aside from the tiny serving size…this pie is actually quite good. As I stated before, I’ve never been someone who would actively order pie. But if my mom made it for the holidays, you bet I was having a slice (except if it was pumpkin pie…never been a fan!). So, after slicing the pie into quarters, I halved each one and removed the tiny sliver of pie, placing it on a plate and giving it a quick zap in the microwave to warm it. Then, once it was removed, I scooped up a small bit of ice cream (small pie = small ice cream scoop) to have with it. Viola. Gluten-free (and dairy free) Apple Pie À La Mode.

So, how did it taste?

Well…it warmed up to perfection. The inside was soft and hot, the apples sizzling with the heat as though it was fresh from the oven. And the crust was flaky and toasty and just amazing. And, take my word for it…this pie pairs very well with ice cream (or dairy-free ice cream like what I used). Honestly. While the dessert was a simple couple of bites and then gone, it is still very satisfying. The pie honestly reheats without falling into a mushy mess. The crust is the true star of the show. Sure, it’s not crispy like it would be fresh out of the oven, but it has that buttery, flaky texture to it that I remember from my mom’s homemade pies.

I have attempted to get some local grocery stores to carry some of Katz Gluten-Free Products. One said that they carry a couple of things by the company, but can’t carry the pies because they contain high fructose corn syrup. Now, I have been over the label and ingredients countless times and I haven’t found mention of high fructose corn syrup anywhere. I refuse to buy anything with high fructose corn syrup in it and do my best not to consume anything that might contain it. Whether this is old information or I’m missing a code word on the label, I don’t know. Perhaps it is something I should talk to the company about to make sure.

In the end, however, my seemingly high fructose corn syrup -free gluten-free apple pie from Katz was a total win with both myself and my roommate. Even though the slices are itty-bitty (if you are working within certain calories for the day), they really end up being just enough to satisfy the need for something sweet at the end of a meal. If calories and fat aren’t something you care to watch…dig on in and have a quarter slice or even half the pie. Trust me…these are small pieces.

If you feel like you’ve been missing out on pie…go ahead and place an order with Katz Gluten-Free. I am absolutely in love with this apple pie and a friend of mine has raved about the blueberry pie…so I think I might have to look into trying that one in the near future.

Oh…and trust me…dish out some ice cream with this. It’s a divine treat all around.

Nailed it again, Katz. Nailed it again!