Gluten-Free – Page 119 – The Celiathlete

January 24, 2012

Cauliflower gets a lift in Garden Lites frozen soufflé

Product: Garden Lites Cauliflower Soufflé – $3.49+

Soufflés are the bane of chefs everywhere. Why? Because they can be so finicky when you cook them. And, at most restaurants, if you want a soufflé for dessert, they ask that you place that order when you order your entrees because it does take time to whip up and bake to perfection. And…you have to act fast, because that airy lift in soufflés can disappear quickly and you don’t want to serve a collapsing soufflé to a paying patron.

But then, a company called Garden Lites introduced a new line of frozen entrees – the vegetable soufflé. Coming in six varieties (of which, all have made it into my freezer), these light, airy frozen packages bring the glory of the soufflé to your microwave.

I spotted these while at Fresh Market (and again at Whole Foods) one day while grocery shopping for some gluten-free goodies. And, yes…every one of the six selections are vegetarian and gluten-free. So…I snagged them all.

Tonight, for dinner, I decided to cook one up. My weapon of choice tonight – the Cauliflower Soufflé. It was going to make the perfect mini-meal. Extremely mini, though, as I read only the front of the box when I grabbed one of each. The wording said there was only 140 calories persoufflé, so I assumed there was at least two in the box. WRONG! There is only one, so my roommate and I split it for dinner and I baked up a side of Ore Ida Extra Crispy Tater Tots to go with it. Purchasers…take note. One box = one soufflé.

Garden Lites Cauliflower Soufflé (frozen)

Anyway…aside from my own error in not turning the box over and looking at the number of servings per package, I found this to be a rather surprising, tasty, and filling (even at half a soufflé) meal. It doesn’t get much easier. Heat up tray in microwave, in overwrap, for 4 minutes. Let sit for one minute. Then heat at half power for another minute. Serve. Simple, yes? Oh…yes.

My biggest concern with this was that it was going to be runny and watery and just…wrong. But it slid from its bowl easily after I nuked it according to package instructions. And, as my microwave is really, really old, I ran it longer than instructed. It was still a bit frozen in the middle after I sliced it in half, so back into the microwave for another 30 seconds and…voula…done! Pair it with the tots and there was dinner.

I was quite impressed with the light texture that accompanied the soufflé upon reheating in the microwave. The Cauliflower Soufflé, a mix of egg whites, spices, cauliflower, carrots, potato and onion tasted a lot like a pot pie, to be honest. Just a lighter, non-crusty pot-pie. It was, surprisingly, very delicious. I enjoyed every bite I took from it, tasting the various vegetables that were used in the creation of this soufflé. I mean, it doesn’t puff up like a real soufflé would, but it doesn’t need to. It’s good just the way it warms up.

Color me impressed.

I wasn’t expecting to like this as much as I did. But it heated up nice in the microwave, it was light, it was filling, and it was delicious. Score one for the soufflés. If you like cauliflower, I recommend trying this delicious treat by Garden Lites. It’s gluten-free, vegetarian yum!

January 21, 2012

Puccini’s Smiling Teeth serves up (gluten-free) slices of happiness

Restaurant: Puccini’s Smiling Teeth, Louisville, Kentucky

Puccini’s Smiling Teeth. Sounds like a dentist office, yes? Well, my dear friends…it’s anything but a dentist office. It’s better than a dentist office. In fact, this happens to be a local restaurant chain (based out of Indianapolis, Indiana, with a few restaurants scattered throughout Indiana in West Lafayette, Caramel, Fishers, and Bloomington, and locations in Kentucky in Louisville and Lexington). What does it serve? Happiness.

Why happiness? Because this is one of the few dining establishments in this area that have a dedicated gluten-free menu and a staff that is properly trained to make gluten-free meals and protect against cross-contamination. For someone like me…this is pure, foodie joy.

I’d heard about Puccini’s many times. Driven past it even more. But, today, my roommate and I finally made the call to try it out. After all…it’s not every day I can have gluten-free pizza that isn’t frozen or out of a mix.

Did I mention they serve happiness?

We arrived just as they opened. I’m not kidding. They were just unlocking the door as we walked up. How is that for timing? We were greeted pleasantly and shown to a table, where we placed our drink orders and perused the menu. I had a great view of the kitchen from where I was seated and was a bit distracted watching the prep of fresh ingredients. Gotta love that. Nothing bagged here. I saw them chopping fresh vegetables for their salads, pastas and pizzas. Yes…this was already boding well. And the delicious smell of Italian food was filling the restaurant already. My rumbling tummy was ready to place an order so we could eat.

We decided to split one of the vegetarian signature pizzas on the menu at Puccini’s Smiling Teeth. It was the Paparazzi Pizza ($11.55), which we (of course) ordered with the gluten-free rice flour pizza crust (a 10-1/2 inch pizza for the same price as a regular medium (12 inch) pizza…not bad!). So what all is on the Paparazzi Pizza? Cheese. Lots of cheese. It starts with Puccini’s very own regular cheese blend, and adds to the mix Gorgonzola and Ricotta. A pizza that not only satisfied the gluten-intolerant side of me, but the vegetarian side too. We placed our order and after a short wait, it arrived in all it’s heavenly, cheesy glory.

The crust was a perfect golden brown, baked to a crispy thin-crust perfection. The cheese was a melty mix of…well…happiness. I had to photograph it for the blog, and my roommate waited impatiently before dishing herself up a slice. I followed suit and soon we were noshing on our first, smooth, creamy, epically delicious bite of gluten-free, cheesy happiness!

Remember…they serve happiness.

I never would have thought to put ricotta cheese on a pizza. Not sure why…as it is the foundation of many an Italian dish. What I discovered was it adds a smooth, creamy, rich texture that blends well with the other cheeses and intensifies the (staff-selected gluten-free) sauce. Oh, yes…the cooks and staff have been trained to help prepare any meal with a proper and perfect gluten-free sauce. This was simple tomato and it was just a light blend, tomato chunks still evident…giving this thin-crust pizza a pleasant, rustic feel.

Happiness in pizza form. The star of the pizza was that Ricotta cheese. By far, one of my favorite toppings ever to be served on a pizza. The crust was delicious and light. I left, after consuming half of a 10-1/2 inch pizza without being stuffed to the max and feeling like I ate far too much for my own good. The glory of a light, thin-crust pizza is that it doesn’t fill you up with all the extra breading. The toppings are the star and that’s what should shine when pizza is involved anyway.

Pizza consumed…happiness achieved. I paid the bill and we set about for the rest of the day, happily contented with our meal and eager to go back and try it again…a different vegetarian topped pizza…or perhaps some gluten-free pasta next time (the gluten-free pastas are only $1.00 more than the regular!). I guess I’ll see what I’m in the mood for that day.

We left the restaurant happy…and it wasn’t just our teeth that were smiling.

If you happen to be in one of the areas that hosts one of these fantastic restaurants…go. Dine. If you have a gluten allergy…fear not, they are properly trained for that and can accommodate your dietary needs. Arrive hungry, leave happy.

January 19, 2012

Pamela’s Products Cornbread and Muffin Mix bakes up to sweet perfection

Pamela's Prodcuts Gluten-Free Cornbread and Muffin Mix

Product: Pamela’s Products Gluten-Free Cornbread and Muffin Mix – $4.67+

Ah…cornbread.

I’ve gone through the motions with gluten-free cornbread. Honestly. I’ve had it seem rubbery and dense. I’ve made my own with a gluten-free baking mix (ironically, Pamela’s) and cornmeal. So it went from…blech to ehhh…

Before heading to a race one night, however, I was browsing the aisles of a grocery store in that city and spotted a manager’s special on a package of Pamela’s Products Gluten-Free Cornbread and Muffin Mix. I figured, as so far every product I’ve tried by Pamela’s has impressed me, that I’d go ahead and pick this up and find a good occasion to bake it up.

Well, that occasion arrived this past week when my roommate had to have a wisdom tooth pulled. I had made up a gluten-free Pappa al Pomodoro soup for the occasion, and to accompany it, I thought cornbread might be awesome. So, I pulled this package out of my pantry, got all the ingredients together to mix it up (eggs, sugar, melted butter, water) and got to work in my little kitchen. It was so easy to make. I waffled a bit on putting the sugar into the cornbread. Being a girl from New York, the idea of sugar in cornbread turns it into cake. But as this was for my roommate’s sake, I asked what she wanted and she opted to keep the sugar in. So, in it went. Mixing it was easy and the consistency of the batter was awesome. I was pretty excited when I went to pour it into my baking pan and put it into the preheated oven to cook up.

It doesn’t take long. About 25 minutes and…done. What emerges from the oven is a fluffy, delicious looking pan of gluten-free cornbread. Naturally, my roommate and wanted to try a piece right away. So, we let it cool some before I sliced into it (16 pieces) and we each picked one to immediately nosh on.

My roommate immediately said the best thing I did was add the sugar to it. She was in cornbread heaven. To me, I still think the sugar is too much, but the instructions on the package do indicate that if you want less sweet, it is okay to eliminate the sugar. Which, I might do next time. But, that’s not saying this was no good. In fact, I had never been so happy with a gluten-free cornbread mix in my life. Honestly, the texture is amazing, the taste is superb, and it really made a delicious addition to the week of soup and soft breads while her mouth healed. I was beyond impressed.

When it comes to gluten-free products, you just learn to rely on some brands for quality. I have become quite fond of Pamela’s Products line of gluten-free goods. And every time I walk by the gluten-free section at the grocery store, I begin plotting the next mix or cookie or treat that I’ll purchase and then try. When a company gets it…they get it. Pamela’s Products continues to wow me with super-great products that are safe for me to eat…and delicious to boot.

I’m a fan for life.

Pamela's Products Gluten-Free Cornbread (baked to fluffy, sweet perfection!)

January 16, 2012

Recipe: Gluten-Free Pappa Al Pomodoro

For those of you familiar with pappa al pomodoro, you know that it is a Tuscan bread soup. And for those of you who are part of the gluten-free community, this would normally render this soup off-limits. But there is a wonderful glory in cooking for yourself. You can tweak the ingredients as necessary to fit into your diet.

This is a recipe that I got from the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten, and I tweaked to not only be gluten-free, but also vegetarian. Now, I’m sure it is a sin to prepare this recipe by using a gluten-free sandwich bread instead of a fine, rustic, Italian bread (such as ciabatta), but when you have food allergies, you learn to adapt. The best part is, it substituted brilliantly.

Recipes are meant to be changed, enhanced, and tweaked, which is why I love playing around with them so much. This is a hearty, filling, fantastic soup. Perfect for these winter months.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Pappa Al Pomodoro

Servings: 6-8
Time: Prep 30 minutes; Cook 60 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
1 cup medium-diced carrots, unpeeled (3 carrots)
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and medium-diced (1 1/2 cups)
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
3 cups (1-inch) diced Rudi’s Gluten-Free Multigrain Bread, crusts removed
2 (28-ounce) cans Italian plum tomatoes (I used Muir Glen)
4 cups vegetable stock or broth (I used Imagine Low Sodium Vegetable Broth)
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

For the topping:

Topping for Gluten-Free Pappa Al Pomodoro, featuring Rudi's Gluten-Free Multigrain Bread (cubed)

3 cups (1-inch) diced Rudi’s Gluten-Free Multigrain Bread
15 roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes
24 to 30 whole fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.

Add the onions, carrots, fennel, and garlic and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until tender.

Add the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Multigrain Bread cubes and cook for 5 more minutes.

Place the tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process just until coarsely chopped. Add the tomatoes to the pot along with the vegetable stock/broth, red wine, basil, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and allow to simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For the topping, place the cubes of Rudi’s Gluten-Free Mulitgrain Bread and basil on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and toss well.

Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until all the ingredients are crisp. (Note: The basil leaves will turn dark and crisp, which is perfectly fine.)

Reheat the soup, if necessary, beat with a wire whisk until the bread is broken up.

Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

Serve hot, sprinkled with the topping, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and drizzled with additional olive oil.

~*~*~

This was a very filling, but highly flavorful soup. The bread, along with the tomatoes and diced vegetables give it a hearty feel, along with a rustic look. Add additional seasoning if you feel it needs it, but I didn’t season the Rudi’s bread cubes when they went into the oven, and they were fantastic.

Originally, I roasted the sun-dried tomatoes with the basil and gluten-free bread cubes, but that didn’t work out. I roughly chopped fresh ones and sprinkled them on top with the oven-roasted topping and it was fantastic.

If you want a filling, delicious Italian soup…I highly recommend Pappa Al Pomodor0…gluten-free and vegetarian style.

It’s a delicious winter treat.

January 16, 2012

Trader Joe’s Palak Paneer fantastic for fast food Indian

Product: Trader Joe’s Palak Paneer – $2.99+

Indian food.

It’s something not everyone is familiar with. Thankfully, for me, I had the luck of growing up in a neighborhood with a family that hailed from India. Not only did I love being invited over for dinner, I still dream about the curry (a personal favorite) that was often prepared when I was over.

My love of Indian food was given to me properly. And since then, no ordinary Indian restaurant will do. I don’t want Indian food made to satisfy American people. I want the real deal.

So, when it comes to frozen Indian meals, sometimes I’m a bit leery about them. After all, how can something that has been frozen honestly bring the flavor and texture desired from Indian cuisine? I’ve tried various different frozen Indian entrees, and luckily, have not been let down.

The Trader Joe’s brand was a splurge purchase, I admit it. But the price was right and it’s always good to have a frozen meal or two in the freezer for those days or nights when cooking just doesn’t appeal and eating out is not in the budget. The Trader Joe’s in my area only has a couple of flavors when it comes to their frozen Indian entrees, but I chose the one that was, obviously, gluten-free and vegetarian.

The Palak Paneer looks a mess when it first comes out of the box. It’s a frozen tangle of spinach, with the paneer, a soft Indian cheese, was hidden beneath the web of green. When it comes to Palak Paneer, it’s best not to go on looks. After all, it’s spinach and cheese, and not the most appetizing-looking meal.

I heated the meal up as indicated on the box, stirring it after five minutes and popping it back in for another two. When it came out, it was a steaming tangle of green spinach and cubes of paneer. Like I said, don’t go off of looks. This meal is supposed to look like this. I scooped it out of the plastic tray and into a bowl, discovering that this is actually meant as two servings. Eh…whatever. I ate the entire thing. It was on it’s own…no rice. So it was perfect for a dinner.

The taste was actually better than I anticipated. It had that hint of curry flavor. The spinach wasn’t runny or soupy, and the cubes of paneer tasted amazing. They were a bit firmer than I am used to for paneer, enough that when my roommate sampled a bite, she thought it was tofu, but I set her right on that. What did surprise me was not how big the chunks of paneer were, but how many were in the meal itself. Normally, these frozen entrees skimp on the main part of the meal. I had been expecting more of a bowl of spinach than cheese. But Trader Joe’s was quite liberal in its application of paneer to this meal.

If you are looking for a quick meal for lunch or dinner, I highly recommend Trader Joe’s Palak Paneer meal. Especially if you love Indian food (which, I do!). It is really, really close to the real thing you would find in an Indian restaurant. Honestly, if the thought of cheese and spinach turns you off, trust me, when done right, and seasoned perfectly, this makes a fantastic Indian dish. And this frozen meal doesn’t become laden down with water either. It steamed up to perfection and didn’t run everywhere, as most frozen dinners tend to do. Color me impressed.

Kudos to Trader Joe’s for bringing fast food Indian food to the market…and doing it right.

Trader Joe's Palak Paneer (heated and in bowl...notice presence of lots of paneer!)

January 15, 2012January 15, 2012

Blue Diamond fails to deliver flavor with Nut Thins Pepper Jack Cheese crackers

Product: Blue Diamond Almond Nut Thins Pepper Jack Cheese Flavor – $3.79+

Blue Diamond is a brand I trust when it comes to my snacks. Their nuts are fantastic. Their almond milk is, by far, the best on the market. And the Nut Thins have been amazing for my gluten-free snack attacks. The flavors that I have tried so far (Hint of Sea Salt, Pecan, BBQ) have been loaded with flavor.

So, I was more than excited when one of my favorite cheese flavors – Pepper Jack Cheese – was introduced in a Nut Thin cracker. Worlds were colliding in a good way. Not only was a spicy cheese featured on one of my favorite gluten-free crackers, but it was by a brand I trust. This treat was totally coming home with me and I couldn’t wait to tear into them. I mean…how could they be bad?

Well…they aren’t…bad. They just weren’t all that good.

I hate to say that because all the other Nut Thins crackers I’ve had have been packed with flavor and amazing. And the one flavor that really got me jumping for joy when it was released…fell flat.

Don’t get me wrong…I don’t dislike them. I just find them…bland. Coming off of having the barbeque flavored, which were perfectly season and packed with flavor, I was expecting the Pepper Jack Cheese Nut Thins to have an amazing, spicy, cheesy kick to them. But, honestly, all I could taste was the rice cracker. Under-seasoned. Way under-flavored. And an honest disappointment.

I won’t count Blue Diamond out. I just think they need to take some time with Pepper Jack Cheese flavor…fine-tune it. Give it that spicy kick that you expect from something that is pepper jack flavored. This is what I expected from these crackers and, sadly, they didn’t deliver. I think Blue Diamond can bounce back though. And I certainly have a variety of flavors to still try. But I do hope they go back and change up the recipe for these because they could be an epic cracker if proper care and flavor is added to them. A little pepper jack TLC is all that is needed by Blue Diamond.

If in the market for a flavorful snack cracker, I totally promote Nut Thins. I just wouldn’t recommend the Pepper Jack Cheese flavor. Blue Diamond is down, but not out. And, while this flavor definitely disappointed, I know that this company can deliver a fantastic product. It is probably a good thing I had sampled other flavors before, because it is those that will have me coming back to try others. Pepper Jack Cheese, however, will not be in my pantry again unless a recipe overhaul happens.

January 12, 2012

Trader Joe’s brings delicious crispy crunch to gluten-free chocolate chip cookies

Product: Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Crispy Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies – $3.99+

The Cookie Monster in me has struck again.

I can’t help myself. See cookie. See that it is gluten-free. See me devour. Cookie…good.

But I’m so particular about my cookies. No, really, I am. You see…in most cases I want my cookies to have that first initial snap to it and then be soft and chewy in the middle. To me, that is the perfect cookie.

So what compelled me to purchase a bag of Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Crispy Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies while on a recent grocery shopping expedition is beyond me. Crunchy cookies…not my thing. The fact that even the bag declares that these are crispy and crunchy should have put me off immediately. But…they didn’t. Which can mean only one thing…I wanted gluten-free cookies, dammit!

Opening up the package, what I find inside is two small sleeves of seven cookies. The serving size is two cookies, so I went ahead and doled that out. These cookies are very thin, and you can definitely tell simply from handling them that they are going to be “crispy crunchy.” I was hoping they wouldn’t be like munching on miniature, wafer-thin hockey pucks. But there was only one way to find out.

What I discovered was Trader Joe’s managed to bake with rice flour and do it right! Yes, these cookies do come with a crunch to them. But, just as the package states, they have an amazing buttery flavor to them and they just sort of melt in your mouth. No bite lacked chocolate chips. In fact, these tasted…wait for it…homemade.

Ingredients couldn’t be simper: semi-sweet chocolate chips, rice flour, butter, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, baking soda, salt, xanthan gum, water. I have every single one of those ingredients in my own home. No joke. No weirdly named chemicals. No high fructose corn syrup. Nothing that I couldn’t just reach into my pantry and fridge, knock together, and bake up myself. How fantastic is that.

For being anti-crunchy cookie, these won over the cookie monster raging inside of me. Crispy…check. Crunchy…check. Chocolate-chippy (it’s an adjective, people!)…check. Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth flavor…check. Homemade…not this time. And I’m okay with that. Because when it comes to gluten-free cookies, Trader Joe’s did something so very right with these. I need to pick up another pack next time I’m in Louisville and visiting our local Trader Joe’s.

Even if crispy crunchy cookies aren’t your thing…give these a try. They will win you over as they did me.

January 12, 2012

Pizza night? No problem with fantastic gluten-free pizzas from Against The Grain Gourmet

Product: Against The Grain Gourmet Three Cheese Pizza – $10.49+

Pizza.

It’s the go-to dinner of most people everywhere. Need an easy dinner, just bosh one in the oven or, even better, stop by the local pizza place and bring one home, already ready to eat. Simple, right?

Well, yes…if you are most people. I used to be most people…and then gluten-intolerance hit. I thought, for awhile, my pizza days were over. Which, naturally, meant it was all I craved.

Thankfully, I have discovered fantastic gluten-free frozen pizza crusts as well as gluten-free pizza crust mixes in order to make up my own. That also gives me freedom to toss whatever sounds appetizing on the pizza shell, and to let my creative culinary juices flow. Yeah…we all love coming up with flavor combinations for the pizza right?

Sure.

But there are days where you come home from a long, stressful day at the office, and you want pizza, but you don’t want to put a lot of effort into it. Thanks to advances in gluten-free products, there are a myriad of different gluten-free frozen pizzas out there. These are your simple take out of package, put on baking sheet, and bake according to package. Remove before cheese browns. Enjoy. Yes…that kind.

And, I think I hit it out of the park with Against The Gain Gourmet’s Gluten-Free Three Cheese Pizza. This isn’t the first product by Against The Grain that I have consumed. I absolutely was knocked head-over-heels with their gluten-free baguettes. And, truthfully, they hit it out of the park with their pizzas too.

Against The Grain Gourmet Gluten-Free Three Cheese Pizza (baked)

Nothing could be simpler. An easy bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes and then viola…dinner is served. I don’t have the proper pan (or stone) to get a crispy crust, but I’m okay with that. The pizza cooked up amazing!! You wouldn’t even be able to tell it was frozen. Yes…it’s so good you could pass it off as your own creation, done from scratch. The crust has this amazing flavor to it…a little cheesy…with a bit of a crisp, and then soft. It was amazing. Top it off with three different cheeses, in this case, mozzarella, cheddar, and Parmesan. Those are deliciously spread out over a tasty layer of tomato sauce. What makes this even more fantastic is the blurb on Against The Grain Gourmet’s Web site, declaring that each of their products are prepared by hand using fresh, all natural ingredients, with no preservatives, artificial flavors, trans fats, or additives. As they say, “We crack each egg, shred our own cheese, and chop fresh spices.” What other company can guarantee that level of freshness to their products? Not many.

This pizza was phenomenal. Beyond any frozen pizza I’ve ever had. Beyond any fresh pizza I’ve ever had. The cheesy flavors melt together and create this powerhouse of pizza flavor. The flavors, the pizza…it speaks for itself. It was really, really hard not to eat the entire thing in one sitting. Yes…it’s that delicious!

I love something about a company that finds no need to fancy up their packaging with pictures of the food inside. Not Against The Grain. Instead, they simply leave a window in the box, so that you can see the food that awaits you. No smoke and mirrors. No image that looks absolutely nothing like what is actually inside the box. What you see is what you get. And what you get is one of the best gluten-free products out there from a company that prides itself on doing gluten-free right!

Whether you need to eat gluten-free or not, I urge you to find Against The Grain’s pizzas (probably at Whole Foods) and try them out. I promise you…you won’t be disappointed. And, now the gluten-free community has a pizza to brag about. Because this…is pizza voodoo, my friends. It’s a wonderful, amazing, orgasmic, gluten-free food that has set the bar high for all the other frozen, gluten-free pizzas out there.

Slice up a piece for yourself. Go ahead. Oh…and would you mind if I came over for a slice?

Two slices (serving size) of Against The Grain Gourmet Gluten-Free Three Cheese Pizza (with Against The Grain Gourmet baguette) — Two slices (serving size) of Against The Grain Gourmet Gluten-Free Three Cheese Pizza (with a toasted Against The Grain Gourmet Baguette)

January 11, 2012

Seasonal Mint Chocolate soy milk a delicious addition to the Silk lineup…but only for a limited time

Product: Silk Mint Chocolate Soy Milk – $2.99+

Do you know what’s worse than falling in love with a product?

Falling in love with a product that is only around once a year.

That’s what happens every holiday season when the various ‘seasonal’ beverages hit the grocery store. Yes…I’m looking at you mint chocolate milks, nogs, and pumpkin spice.

Of course, out of all the options out there, mint chocolate is the only one I ever indulge in. Why? Because it’s mint. It’s chocolate. It’s epic yum!

Last year was the first time I ever had Silk Mint Chocolate. I bought it to make some vegan mint chocolate truffles. And it was love at first taste. Not just used in the truffles, but all the leftover had to be consumed. Nothing goes to waste in this household. So, it was a nice treat for the couple of days it remained in my fridge. But it was gone too soon.

This delectable seasonal beverage is a fantastic blend of chocolate (right there…it wins) and peppermint. It’s the perfect balance too. Not too rich, and not to overpowering with the mint. It’s ideal to bake with as well as stir into coffee, or warm up and enjoy as a hot chocolate. Oh…it’s good cold too.

I really, really hate seeing the seasonal drinks go away once the holidays are over. Mint chocolate is good any time of year…not just between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Trust me. It’s one of the best combinations ever invented. I fell in love with this drink a year ago and gave the section a hug when it reappeared this year during the holidays. Yes…I was that excited about it. I guess part of the novelty is it is something you have to look forward to getting every year.

So, I encourage all of you mint chocolate lovers to give Silk Mint Chocolate Soy Milk a taste. You might have to wait until the holidays roll around again…but it is a wait worth enduring. Trust me.

And stock up. It’s good advice. Trust me. I have three more cartons in the fridge.

January 9, 2012

Glutino chocolate donuts a sticky sweet treat for the gluten-free crowd

Product: Glutino Glazed Chocolate Donuts – $6.99+

While I love making my own gluten-free donuts at home, it’s quite time consuming and often can be stressful and frustrating. Donuts that stick to the pan are a recipe for culinary disaster and much cussing and tears. Trust me. The last time I made my own donuts, this was the result…until they stopped sticking.

Knowing there are gluten-free donuts available on the market is a relief. Especially when craving something sweet. I had previously delved into the store-bought gluten-free donuts once before, when I picked up a box of Kinnikinnick’s Chocolate Dipped Donuts. I had been quite impressed with them, so I was more than eager to give Glutino’s take on the donut a try.

Depending on which store I am in, my gluten-free donut options are limited. This time…there was only the Glazed Chocolate variety by Glutino. I was okay with that, because I’m female, and chocolate is one of my favorite vices. Purchase made. Done deal.

Sunday always seems like the ideal warm donut day. And yesterday was no exception. I opened up the box and heated the donut up from frozen in the microwave as directed. I always forget that I’m working with ancient kitchen equipment, so my donut was still a little chilled in the center, but not frozen. Next time…a few seconds longer.

But that didn’t take away from the fact that I was holding onto a donut that looked like the kind of donut you can pick up at donut shops everywhere. It looked like a classic, chocolate cake donut. It felt like a classic, chocolate cake donut. So…it all came down to taste.

I eagerly dug in. While this donut, warmed in the microwave, resembles a hot, fresh, cake donut…it wasn’t quite what I was expecting. First of all, the glaze over the cake-like donut was just a sticky mess. I don’t know if it really added to the flavor of the donut, but it did get my fingers coated. The texture was good, though not as cakey as Kinnikinnick’s variety. And while this one was a chocolate base, unlike Kinnikinnick, which was a yellow cake base dipped in chocolate, I found that I actually preferred the softer, chocolate coated version over this one.

Not saying Glutino’s donuts aren’t good. The glazed chocolate donut does warm to a moist, cake-like perfection that I associate with the fresh donuts I used to be able to eat. It’s just that Kinnikinnick did theirs better. I wouldn’t turn up my nose at Glutino’s donuts should the craving hit and it be all that my local grocery store has. Not at all. I wasn’t disappointed with the product. I just happened to have something I liked better prior to noshing on this breakfast pastry.

Glutino does continue to turn out fantastic gluten-free products time and time again. While the donuts were good, they just didn’t wow me like other Glutino items in the past. Perhaps it is unfair to compare to a different brand that I had before, but that’s what this blog is all about, right? But, I will not say no to the opportunity to eat these donuts again. In fact, I can’t wait for Sunday to break out another one from my freezer to enjoy after I hit the gym.

Kudos to Glutino for marching into the donut-making process and offering the gluten-free community something sweet and sinful for breakfast. While I liked their Glazed Chocolate Donuts well enough, I didn’t love them. But, in the end, it was a chocolate donut and therefore, devoured and enjoyed down to the very last bite.