Gluten-Free – Page 70 – The Celiathlete

May 14, 2013

Love Grown Foods Blueberry Banana Walnut Hot Oats is a cuppa cuppa steaming love

Product: Love Grown Foods Blueberry Banana Walnut Hot Oats – $2.49+

We all know by now that every day during the workweek, my lunch consists of one thing and one thing only – gluten-free oatmeal.

I have tried a lot of gluten-free oatmeal out on the market. Some I have liked, a couple I have loved, some I tolerated, and some…I just couldn’t bring myself to finish.

When it came to gluten-free granola, I was no stranger to the awesome and amazing lure and taste of Love Grown Foods. They definitely had the best out on the market. That’s why I continue to buy it. And I probably always will. My pantry is never without one of their varieties, for sure. They are perfect with my fruit and Greek yogurt parfaits on non-gym mornings. My love affair with Love Grown Foods started early. And it has only grown ever since.

Rewind for a moment now to December 2012. I noticed an announcement from Love Grown Foods that was declaring the release of a brand new product. Much to my delight…it was their line of Hot Oats. You got it…gluten-free oatmeal. I was beside myself. I couldn’t wait to try it. I just…I just had to. If their granola was on the top of my list, surely their oatmeal had to be epic.

And between the launch and the beginning of May 2013…I could only sit and wonder. I was extremely jealous of every post I saw via Twitter of Facebook of people enjoying their Love Grown Foods Hot Oats. Why? Because I just could NOT find it in this area. No shocker there, right? It happens all the time. A gluten-free company I trust and love announces a new product. I get all excited and then spend up to as much as a year trying to find it in the Louisville, Kentucky area. It’s aggravating and frustrating and makes me one unhappy gluten-free camper.

However, one store in my area must have felt my pain. Because I was out at my local Fresh Market in Louisville, just scouting the aisles as I tend to do…and lo and behold…in the cereal aisle, the clouds parted and a ray of sunshine illuminated the shelf upon which the little cups of Love Grown Foods Hot Oats were sitting. Okay, not really…but it makes for a much better story. The fact of the matter is…I FINALLY found them! At long last! YAY!! That…was the good news. The bad news was, my already strict budget for gluten-free grocery shopping was reaching max capacity…so I could only purchase one of them. JUST ONE! After all this time.

So…that decision was to try the Love Grown Foods Blueberry Banana Walnut Hot Oats. Because all those ingredients were things I absolutely love in life. So…why not?

Today…at lunch…I got my first taste of hot loving!

Making this oatmeal is so easy. It makes the others that I eat feel so labor intensive. Pull back top halfway, pour water up to line inside container, microwave for about 60 seconds (adding 10 to 20 seconds depending on how thick you want your oats). Let sit for 2 minutes. Then…devour.

Told you it was easy.

I did all of this, putting my oats in for an additional 20 seconds because I dislike soupy oatmeal, and took it back to my desk at the office to sit for two minutes. I somehow managed to find some way to occupy myself so that I didn’t go nuts waiting for it to reach the point of doneness for consumption by…me. Two minutes…that seemed to take forever. Anticipation was killing me. And then…it was time.

I peeled off the top and gave the oats a good healthy stir. They had set up to perfection. Nice and thick without being chunky and overdone. YES! Getting the consistency of the oatmeal right is a challenge in and of itself…but this made it so easy to get just right. Creamy and thick and just how I liked them. Lunch perfection if you ask me. Throughout the oats, I could see the blueberries, the bits of walnut, and, yes, even some banana. My little spoon scooped up a heap of the hot oats and I indulged in my first taste.

OH. MY. HOT. OATY. GOODNESS.

Love…LOVE…LOVE this! Here’s the thing…not only was the consistency to my liking, it wasn’t overly sweet, it had the right amount of each of the components listed as the flavor on the front. And all of it worked together. Every last ingredient. It was a little savory, a little sweet, and wasn’t a little too much of any of it. Perfectly balanced. The dehydrated fruits rehydrated to perfection in the microwave as it warmed. The blueberries were soft and ripe. The walnuts added a nice hint of savory flavor. The banana…well…it’s banana and therefore always wins. And the oats…creamy and steamy to perfection. I can’t wait until I have enough room in my food budget to try another of the four flavors.

And for those of you who don’t know…the flavors that Love Grown Foods currently offers in their line of Hot Oats are: Strawberry Raspberry, Apple Cinnamon, Peach Vanilla Almond, and (of course) the Blueberry Banana Walnut.

So, now that we know these offer a spoonful of hot love in each bite…what about those pesky nutrition facts?

A serving is a single container of the hot oats. More than enough. It was really filling. In fact, these oats kept me feeling full longer than any of the others that have come before it. I approve. One serving of the Blueberry Banana Walnut Hot Oats serves you up 240 calories (which is a bit higher than other gluten-free oatmeal out there…but…yeah…don’t even count calories here…this is love…and you can’t put a calorie stamp on love!) and 4.5 grams of fat, of which a good percentage comes from the healthy fats contained in the walnuts. So fear not. The sugar content might seem a bit high at 12 grams, but brown sugar is one of the ingredients…and fruits naturally have sugar in them. I give this one a pass. As for fiber, you get served 5 filling grams of it and you also will be devouring a protein power-punch of 7 grams. This gluten-free athlete (who craves protein due to also being vegetarian) approves. Mightily approves.

And as I mentioned ingredients above…you’ve pretty much heard them all – certified gluten-free oats, brown sugar, banana, walnuts, blueberries, and cinnamon. That’s it. Nothing fake here. All real ingredients. All real good for you.

I encourage you, and even implore you to seek out Love Grown Foods Hot Oats at your local natural food stores or grocery stores. If they don’t have them, talk to customer service to see if they can order in the products. I hope my budget eases up a bit so I can afford to try another one. Because if the rest of the flavors that are out there come close to the amazing and awesomeness of the Blueberry Banana Walnut version, well…I might be in for a lot of budget juggling in my future.

Love Grown Foods continues to prove that putting a lot of love and care into the development, production, and taste of a product can pay off. I’m hooked. And now I just want more Hot Oats in my life. And stat.

Love Grown Foods Blueberry Banana Walnut Hot Oats (prepared)

May 13, 2013

A touch of sweet honey brings great flavor to Van’s Natural Foods Gluten-Free Honey Nut Crunch cereal

Product: Van’s Natural Foods Gluten-Free Honey Nut Crunch Cereal – $5.49+

There are just some brand names that you come back to in the gluten-free universe. Some are just leaps and bounds above the competition. Some have worked very hard to obtain that status, maintain their quality, and sustain their consumers with the finest products made from the finest ingredients.

I have numerous brands that, when in a pinch, I will search high and low for, if needed. Sometimes these brands are easier to come by than others. It just depends on the region of the country that you live in.

Thankfully, I never seem to have a problem when it comes to finding the gluten-free products that are part of the line-up from Van’s Natural Foods.

My love affair with Van’s Natural Foods began with their gluten-free French Toast Sticks and gluten-free Waffles. It hasn’t ended there…thanks to a plethora of new gluten-free items just released from this fantastic company.

One of these products…cereal.

Previously I had tried the Cinnamon Heaven gluten-free cereal and really voiced my love. That love still exists. I crave that cereal at really strange times. It was really that good. But…there was another one on the market that was begging for me to indulge a little. So…I had to pick it up…even if it was more expensive than my usual go-to gluten-free cereals.

This time, I picked up Van’s Natural Foods Gluten-Free Honey Nut Crunch Cereal. What I love at first glance is right on the box. You get 19 grams of nutrient-rich whole grains with each serving as well as 5 filling grans of fiber. Loving it! That simple 3/4 cup serving will also only set you back 120 calories for the day and only 1 gram of fat. Healthy, healthy, yes? The runner in me loves that the sugar is only at 7 grams, which is awesome for a cereal. Do keep in mind, that while you get a healthy dose of fiber in this cereal, the protein level is much lower, topping out only at 2 grams. But…hey…I’m a runner. I’ll eat some peanut butter later…on a spoon…from the jar. HA!

So, now that you’ve got the nitty-gritty not-so-bad nutritional aspect of the cereal, I bet you’re dying to know how they taste?

Truth…they are fantastic. Like…Honey Nut Cheerios…but not as overpoweringly sweet on the honey. That subtle honey flavor is what really makes this breakfast cereal shine. These little squares of whole grain goodness are infused with a sweet hint of honey, enough to wake up your tastebuds in the morning. Especially when you add a splash of almond milk to it. The sweet honey flavor doesn’t dissipate or deteriorate…it only gets better. I also love that these little squares of breakfast goodness aren’t overly crunchy. Don’t get me wrong, I love my cereal to have a crunch and to not get soggy when I add my almond milk. Soggy cereal sucks. Van’s Gluten-Free Honey Nut Crunch maintains it’s delicate crunch throughout the entire feasting period. And I tend to eat my cereal slow. Mind you, if you are trying to multitask and make coffee, flip pancakes, get snacks or lunches together and let the cereal sit…yeah…it will get soggy. But it stands up to the addition of milk for a good, long time in my opinion. And that sweet honey flavor doesn’t leave either. It stays in the squares. I love that I can still hear things over the gentle crunch and that my morning range of hearing isn’t handicapped by my teeth gnashing away at my bowl of cereal. These are phenomenal. Honestly. It was hard to keep myself from going back for another bowl.

One other point to make about Van’s Natural Foods is that on the ingredient panel, they list ingredients with the subscript (That We Are Proud Of!). And if you read them over, you’ll know why. The Gluten-Free Honey Nut Crunch cereal contains simply Van’s Gluten Free Whole Grain Blend (which is a blend of oat, brown rice, millet, quinoa and amaranth flours), Cane Sugar, Oat Fiber, Inulin, Invert Cane Sugar, Salt, Honey, Calcium Carbonate, Natural Flavors, Natural Mixed Tocopherols for Freshness. I can see why they are proud of those ingredients. And it makes me a happy consumer and customer in the end. Especially when I can identify every single thing on there.

Gluten-free cereals can be hit or miss and often are pumped full of extra fat or extra sugar. I love that Van’s Natural Foods Gluten-Free Honey Nut Crunch cereal is good without having to be a sugary, fattening treat in the morning. If I wanted that…I’d eat a gluten-free doughnut. Van’s does gluten-free right and I am loving both flavors of gluten-free cereal, fresh out on the market. I encourage you to buy them and try them yourself. I love them…you will too. Down to the very last square.

May 13, 2013

Allergen-free dinner rolls from Annie May’s Sweet Café a must at any dinner table

Product: Annie May’s Sweet Café Allergen-Free Dinner Rolls – $4.50

So, I got a little impulsive when I was at Annie May’s Sweet Café on Saturday morning. It happens. Especially after a good race. And even more so after having not been to the cafe for two weeks. Two long weeks. UGH! Way too long to be away from my favorite place to grab food that I know I can safely eat. But, I’m finally back in town for a little while and that means…I’m back to my routine.

After running a great 5K race in Louisville on Saturday, my roomie and I headed to Frankfort Avenue and pulled up (FINALLY!) into Annie May’s Sweet Café parking lot. It was breakfast sandwich time. And as we were sitting there noshing on our delicious breakfast (which also included an allergen-free doughnut…because…they are doughnuts and I love them!), Cathy spotted a bag of dinner rolls up on the top of the bakery case.

While we were polishing off breakfast, she asked if I wanted to get them to try. I gave her that, “Are you really asking me that?” look and nodded my head while happily stuffing my face with more of the allergen-free vegan breakfast sausage sandwich. With that decided and our breakfast consumed, we went to the bakery case (where I resisted ordering one of the amazing chocolate chip cookies…despite really, really wanting one) and just snagging up one of the two bags of the allergen-free dinner rolls. We went to the register, paid for them, and went on our way.

I had no idea what I was going to use them for at that point. But my roommate had suggested I make tzatziki with the cucumbers I got in my CSA bin. And I had these gluten-free and vegan pablano chickpea patties in my freezer so I thought…why not make sort of a mock falafel slider? These dinner rolls would definitely make the perfect slider buns. Saturday we indulged in both Annie May’s Sweet Café and then gluten-free crepes from Sweet ‘N Savory Food Truck at Louisville’s Buy Local Fair. So, we were pretty full upon returning home that day. But…that’s what Sunday’s are made for.

Sunday evening, I made up my homemade tzatziki and then got the poblano chickpea patties into the oven. While they were starting to cook, I got the bag of dinner rolls off the counter and undid the tie. I pulled out all six of the dinner rolls (carb happiness, yes?) and put them all on a baking sheet. When the chickpea patties were about halfway done, I slid the dinner rolls into the oven to toast for about 15 minutes at 350°F, just to get them golden crispy on the outside. I did make sure I watched them though, as I didn’t want them to burn. The chickpea patties and rolls finished at the same time. I let them both stand for a minute while I sliced up a leaf of romaine lettuce and pulled the tzatziki out of the fridge.

Annie May's Sweet Cafe Allergen-Free Dinner Rolls — Annie May’s Sweet Cafe Allergen-Free Dinner Rolls

Now…the fun part. I sliced each of the dinner rolls in half. They were so soft and steamy on the inside. They looked absolutely fantastic. It was definitely food porn of the drool=worthy type. I placed a dollop of tzatziki on each bottom half of the dinner roll, added some lettuce, put 1/3 of each patty over the lettuce, topped it off with a little more tzatziki, then put the top of the dinner roll over it. BAM…instant mock falafel sliders. All gluten-free. LOVING it.

But, the real test would come with the dinner rolls. How would they hold up? How would they taste?

I should have known, given that these came from Annie May’s…that they would be epically awesome. I never doubted it for a moment, to be honest. One bite…and I knew that these little dinner rolls had to come to Thanksgiving with me this year. They were soft to begin with, but I wanted to be sure they could hold up to the sliders I was making. So, just that short time in the oven and they got this golden crispness on the outside, but remained soft on the inside. It was dinner roll perfection. And, they didn’t hollow out. You actually got an entire dinner roll. They were light and fluffy on their own, without skimping on the bread part on the inside. They tasted awesome. Perfect. And completely allergen-free.

Annie May’s Sweet Café lists the ingredients for these allergen-free dinner rolls as millet flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, quinoa flour, water, olive oil, egg replacer, agave nectar, apple cider vinegar, and xanthan gum. I recognize all of those ingredients and think that they have really hit the nail on the head when it comes to their bread mix. The flours they use just bake up beautifully. Light. Not dense. Not heavy. And perfect. I was in love with every bite. And I meant it when I said I would buy a dozen or so of these for Thanksgiving, which I am hosting this year and keeping gluten-free…because that’s how my kitchen is.

A big shout-out to my local gluten-free bakery, Annie May’s Sweet Café for once again bringing me allergen-free perfection. This time…in the form of a simple dinner roll. Sometimes it’s these little things in life…these little kitchen miracles I bring home from your business…that make my gluten-free life so much more amazing. I love you…and can’t wait to try more of your goodies that I have yet to try. Until then…see you on Saturday for breakfast.

Mock Falafel Sliders made using Annie May's Sweet Cafe Allergen-Free Dinner Rolls and Moo Moo's Vegetarian Cuisine Vegan & Gluten-Free Poblano Chick(pea) Patties — Mock Falafel Sliders made using Annie May’s Sweet Cafe Allergen-Free Dinner Rolls and Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine Vegan & Gluten-Free Poblano Chick(pea) Patties

May 13, 2013May 13, 2013

Moo Moo’s Poblano Chick(pea) Patties a versatile vegan and gluten-free meal

Moo Moo's Vegetarian Cuisine Vegan & Gluten-Free Poblano Chick(pea) Patties — Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine Vegan & Gluten-Free Poblano Chick(pea) Patties

Product: Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine Poblano Chick(pea) Patties – $4.99+

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.

Moo Moo's Vegetarian Cuisine Vegan & Gluten-Free Poblano Chick(pea) Patties with Roasted Corn Salsa (cooked) — Moo Moo’s Vegetarian Cuisine Vegan & Gluten-Free Poblano Chick(pea) Patties with Roasted Corn Salsa (cooked)

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)

May 13, 2013

Light and lean gluten-free pancakes compliments of Cherrybrook Kitchen

Product: Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-Free Dreams Pancake and Waffle Mix – $5.99+

I should have known this pancake mix would be epic. Want to know why? Simple. I had previously enjoyed making waffles out of Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-Free Dreams Chocolate Chip Pancake and Waffle Mix. I actually picked up the Gluten-Free Dreams Original Pancake and Waffle Mix while it was on Closeout at my local grocery store. Yep…it was part of that “purge” the store did that totally threw me into a panic and had me scrambling to buy at least one of everything that was marked that I was interested in trying. Thankfully, it seemed they were just getting rid of some overstock. But that meant a good deal on gluten-free items for me. Love a good gluten-free deal…and I don’t come by them often.

I loved the chocolate chip pancake and waffle mix in Cherrybrook Kitchen’s Gluten-Free Dreams line…so I shouldn’t be at all surprised with the results of the Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-Free Dreams Original Pancake and Waffle Mix. I made waffles from that mix, so I figured I’d give a go at pancakes this time. But…not just any pancakes. Nope. I happened to have 6 ounces of delicious, ripe blueberries from my CSA bin. Blueberries are awesome. Especially for runners. Pancakes are awesome too. Especially after a long run. I happened to rock out a 10.9 mile run this morning, so blueberry pancakes seemed like the thing to make.

This mix is so easy to prepare. And, the best part is that it is naturally wheat-free, gluten-free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, and peanut free. COMPLETELY. Nothing to even worry about. All it requires, if you use the entire box (I did…I just kept rocking the pancakes until I was out of batter…a total of 21 all together, is add 2-1/4 cup rice milk (I used unsweetened almond milk in mine because that’s what I have), and 2 tablespoons of olive oil (I substituted unsweetened organic apple sauce instead). Easy as pie. Right? You simply mix everything together until it is just combined, then let it stand for five minutes. Since I was making blueberry pancakes, after the five minutes was up, I poured the freshly washed blueberries into the batter and gently folded them in.

With my skillet warmed and waiting, I started dropping 1/4 cupfuls of the batter onto the warm surface and let each pancake cook until the underside was golden brown. That took about 2-3 minutes. Then, once the pancakes became dry around the edges (this batter will not bubble to indicate doneness as regular pancake batter does), I flipped them over. Perfection. Another 2-3 minutes on that side and pancakes were ready for eating. Good thing too, because I was hungry.

I gave my pancakes a small drizzle of real (and local) maple syrup. I bought it yesterday at the Buy Local Fair that was held in Louisville yesterday. It was as if all the stars aligned perfectly. Gluten-free pancake mix…local maple syrup…yep. Breakfast was served.

Inquiring minds, I am certain, want to know how this pancake mix stacked up to the ones that came before. Well, much like every Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-Free Dreams product…I was immensely happy with these pancakes. Light. Fluffy. And super delicious. I couldn’t believe how these cooked up to be so airy and light. Even with the fresh blueberries baked inside, these were some of the most amazing pancakes yet. And they even got that perfect golden crust on the outside. So you get that initial crispiness followed by that soft inside. Pancake perfection. Gluten-free pancake perfection at that.

Nutritionally speaking, it doesn’t get much better than this. One 4-inch pancake made the way I prepared them clocked in at 92 calories, less than 1 gram of fat, only 1.5 grams of protein, and less than one gram of fiber. So…they won’t be very filling…but they will taste amazing. Trust me. I think they would have been divine even without the addition of the fresh blueberries. Those…were just a garnish baked inside. The pancakes, on their own, were fantastic. And I, for one, am very happy to have another four days worth for my roommate and I. It is definitely going to make breakfast simple this week.

Looking for lighter, fluffy, delicious gluten-free pancakes? Look no further than Cherrybrook Kitchen’s Gluten-Free Dreams Pancake and Waffle Mix. Heavenly.

Blueberry pancakes made from Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-Free Dreams Pancake and Waffle Mix

May 10, 2013

Subway and Quiznos could learn a thing or two about gluten-free options from Erbert & Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop

Restaurant: Erbert & Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop, Apple Valley, Minnesota

It has been ages since I have set foot into a sandwich shop. Ages. No Subway. No Quiznos. I used to frequent them all the time. ALL. THE. TIME. Then, the news came that I had to go gluten-free…and these favorite places to grab a quick sandwich fell to the wayside. No gluten-free options available. At least not here. I have heard the rumblings that Subway has tested a gluten-free market in some locations…but nothing further has come of that. Which is too bad. I really loved my lunches from Subway.

My sandwich shop hiatus, however, came to an end while I was visiting Minnesota this past week. I came to see my family, spend time with my grandpa, aunt, cousins…old friends…and run. Run a freakin’ half marathon while there. Because…that’s what I do. Every trip I take these days has to be centered around what I eat and where. It’s imperative, when you have food allergies and intolerance that you have an idea of where you can safely eat while on the go. I am on the go a lot on my trips, even ones to see my 91-year-old grandpa and company.

On my last day in Minneapolis, I was tooling about the Twin Cities, hitting up some bookstores, running stores, indulging in a massive banana split (which I split with my roomie) to celebrate a good race on Sunday…and as 3:00 p.m. neared, and the imminant time to head back to grandpa’s house to pack up and head to the airport for our 7:00 p.m. flight back to Louisville, Cathy and I knew we needed to get some actual food into our system. And it was best done outside of the rather exorbitant airport choices, not that there is ever much that I can eat at an airport.

Before leaving Louisville, we were scouting out some restaurant options and Cathy spotted this small, regional chain called Erbert & Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop. Why did it catch her eye? Gluten-free options…and not limited to a salad bar. In fact…salad isn’t even an option (like at other sandwich shops like Subway and Quiznos) on their menu. This place is all about the sandwiches, and they proudly serve up a gluten-free option on Udi’s bread. Not just any Udi’s bread though. Erbert & Gerbert’s serves up their gluten-free sandwiches on a specially designed 6-inch Udi’s sub rolls. So, you get to actually eat like everyone else in your party. How amazing is that?

Never heard of Erbert & Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop before? You are not alone. The small, very regional chain got it’s start more than 20 years ago in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and have since grown to include 50 sandwich shops within the United States. Their sandwiches are given fun names and prepared with flavor as the main focus. If flavor doesn’t shine in a sandwich, why bother eating it, right? So, at Erbert & Gerbert’s…it’s more about finding ingredients that work together, flavors that really inspire and astound the taste buds, and it’s not just an assembly line of various fillings and toppings. Sandwich making is an art. And it’s one that they do very well.

Cathy and I came into the Erbert & Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop in Apple Valley, Minnesota with an early dinner on the mind. I ordered first, as I was the problem child between the two of us. A gluten-free vegetarian, however, is no challenge here.

My choice of sandwich was a Gluten-Free Jacob Bluefinger ($6.44 – regular price is $4.49, but there is an additional charge of $1.99 for the gluten-free bread). No problem at all. They rang it up. Cathy chose the Giza ($5.49), which is, basically, Erbert & Gerbert’s BLT Sandwich. It has cherry wood smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato and Hellmann’s mayo. She got her sandwich on the honey wheat bread.

So…how does a sandwich shop handle gluten-free without the fear of cross contamination? For Erbert & Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop, it’s as simple as having a separate prep station for the gluten-free options. Psst…Subway…Quiznos…you might want to start taking notes! The chain actually certified three of their subs, the Boney Bill (classic turkey breast sandwich), the Comet Morehouse (ham & provolone), and the Jacob Bluefinger (vegetarian) as gluten-free as they are prepared separately from the rest. You can get any of the chain’s 21 sandwich’s done gluten-free for an additional charge…but those sandwiches will not be certified gluten-free as the ingredients will be taken from the other sandwich prep area. Erbert & Gerbert’s also reworked two existing soup recipes, the Cheddar Cheese & Broccoli as well as the Cheesy Asparagus soups to be gluten-free without changing the flavor of the soup. Gotta love that.

I took a seat at the table and watched as Cathy’s sandwich was prepared on one station by one of the workers behind the counter. Mine was prepared on a separate station by the one who took our order in the first place. Both sandwiches came up to the counter at the same time and she and I tucked back into our booth to enjoy.

Aside from being a certified gluten-free sandwich as well as a great vegetarian option, I bet you are wondering what the hell the Jacob Bluefinger sandwich might be. Let me enlighten you…

Jacob Bluefinger is one of Erbert & Gerbert’s Classic Flavors. For me, it’s a gutted gluten-free sub roll from Udi’s that is packed full of double provolone cheese, tomato, lettuce, Hellmann’s mayo and avocado. Sound delicious? Believe me…it is. In order to pack as much flavor into their sandwiches, Erbert & Gerbert’s removes the soft inner layer of bread and really layers in the toppings. When the sandwich is complete, they place the “guts” of the bread on top of the sandwich and serve it up.

I took one bite of my sandwich…and knew…right then…that I needed to make this at home. Because there are no Erbert & Gerbert’s locations anywhere near where I live. Nope. None. Zero. This sandwich was phenomenal. The provolone cheese really paired well with the sweetness of the avocado. The tomatoes added another nice taste, as they were ripe and just mingled well with the other ingredients. The lettuce was crisp and fresh, bringing some texture to the sandwich. Oh…this was heaven. Here I was…finally eating a sub sandwich. It had been over two years since I had been able to do that. And I did so without any worries or fears that I could get sick from cross contamination. And, the sandwich itself contained all of my favorite things…especially avocado, which I am obsessed with. This cold sandwich was amazing. Packed with creamy flavors that all worked together. I savored every bite I could. This might be the only time this year I got to actually enjoy a gluten-free sub sandwich. And yes…I really enjoyed it. Flavor definitely is key at Erbert & Gerbert’s…and this combination is a stellar winner in my book.

Here in the Louisville, Kentucky area, there are certainly a plethora of sandwich shops. However, these have no options for me nor any way of preparing something safely without fear of cross contamination. In my world, Subway and Quiznos are no-go’s. To have a place like Erbert & Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop would be amazing. For now, though, it looks like I must leave it as something to look forward to on my annual trek up to Minnesota. I was blown away by the standards and the food here. Now I know why this is my cousin Natalie’s favorite place to grab a sandwich. Delicious. And certified gluten-free! This…is my happy face.

Erbert & Gerbert's Gluten-Free Jacob Bluefinger Sub Sandwich — Erbert & Gerbert’s Gluten-Free Jacob Bluefinger Sub Sandwich

May 10, 2013

BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery gives Minneapolis a delicious taste of gluten-free living

Restaurant: BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery, Eagan, Minnesota

There are times where I regret waiting so long to get to one of the restaurants or places of interest on my list when I visit a city. That was certainly the case when it comes to BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery in Eagan, Minnesota.

Live and learn!

So, let me set the scene. On Find Me Gluten-Free, Cathy discovered that the Minneapolis area was home to this gluten-free bakery. And it got rave reviews. This meant…I had to check it out. So it was placed on the list with the address to get to while in town. And…life got busy. And before I knew it…it was Tuesday morning, the morning of the day I was leaving. I had gone on a 6.26 mile run that morning. Cathy had some shops she wanted to check out in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Oh, and I had a date with a celebratory banana split after my fantastic race on Sunday morning. I always celebrate races with banana splits. But it was still early and I wasn’t quite ready for ice cream.

As we were heading out toward some of the bookstores that Cathy wanted to hit up, we were driving by the Cliff Road exit. And she remembered…we had the gluten-free bakery to stop into. I’m glad she remembered. I would have cried had I not made it in there. We set the Garmin for the address she had written down and soon we were pulling into this little strip mall. The bakery was open, and it looked like the door was getting repaired as a large piece of wood covered it. No matter…they were open and that was what mattered.

We stepped inside and were greeted immediately. We were asked if they could help us and we mentioned that we were from out of town, that I was a Celiac, and that the very fact that this bakery existed was enough to make me happy. The man behind the counter said he would give us some time to look around and he’d be back in a moment.

The bake case was filled with amazing looking bread loaves, cookies, bars, and the like. The counter top had different gluten-free mixes and even some gluten-free hamburger buns (that I am now kicking myself for not purchasing!). We scoured the case and decided that we would buy one of the half loaves of the Gluten-Free Banana Walnut Bread, a Gluten-Free Lemon Bar (which we would split), and then we each decided we would try one of the various cookies that the bakery made. We were rejoined by the nice gentleman behind the counter where I placed a gorgeous half loaf of the Gluten-Free Banana Walnut Bread. I asked about getting one of the amazing looking lemon bars, and then I chose to have the Monster Cookie and Cathy chose the Lemon Zinger Cookie. He wrapped up the cookies, and placed the lemon bar and half loaf of bread into a bag. We talked about being from Louisville, Kentucky, and he mentioned having been at the 2011 gluten-free expo in Carmel, Indiana. He said so much has changed over the years…and that BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery had been open for nine years now and was still going strong. This spoke very highly to me of their quality and their products…but I had to judge that for myself.

BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery's Lemon Zinger Cookie and Monster Cookie — BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery’s Lemon Zinger Cookie and Monster Cookie

After climbing back into the car, Cathy and I decided we would make our cookies an amuse bouche. I mean, what better lead-in to a banana split than cookies, right? So, she grabbed her Gluten-Free Lemon Zinger Cookie ($1.48) and took a bite of it. Immediately she was elated, saying it reminded her of the Lemon Blossoms my friend Jenn and I make, but in cookie form. I snagged a piece and she couldn’t have been more spot on. The Lemon Zinger cookie was refreshing and zippy. Honestly. I love lemon flavored stuff anyway…and this was awesome. The Lemon Zinger is also a dairy free cookie at this bakery. The other ingredients include white rice flour, sugar, soy shortening, tapioca flour, lemon juice, lemon zest, eggs, aluminum free baking powder, sea salt and xanthan gum. The icing that was zigzagged over the top was a combination of powdered sugar and lemon juice. Just really amazing.

The Gluten-Free Monster Cookie ($1.20) intrigued me immediately. It looked like it had a little bit of everything…and all ingredients that I love. And I couldn’t have been happier when I took my first bite. It was sweet, savory, and just amazing and full of flavor. A party in this cookie monster’s mouth, for sure. This cookie really does have it all. It’s a perfect blend of peanut butter, gluten-free oats, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, raisins, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda. So, it was like getting a peanut butter-chocolate chip- oatmeal raisin- butterscotch cookie all in one. Amazing. Sweet…without being too sweet. I gave Cathy a piece of mine and she thought it was mighty tasty herself. LOVED this cookie. I sort of want to make some for myself. Just…yummy. And as a runner, my love of peanut butter and that salty-sweet combo really was matched with every bite of this cookie. YUM!

Bittersweet Gluten Free Bakery's Half Loaf of Banana Walnut Bread — Bittersweet Gluten Free Bakery’s Half Loaf of Banana Walnut Bread

The rest of the goods sat in the car all day and then made the long flight home from Minneapolis. That following morning, being that we had no groceries in the fridge, meant that I’d simply slice up some of the half loaf of Gluten-Free Banana Walnut Bread ($4.25). First of all…bananas…walnuts…bread. This was going to have to be good. When I opened up the bag that the loaf was in, I could smell the mouth-watering aroma of the banana bread…almost as if I had just pulled it out of my oven. I sliced off two 1/2 inch slices, one for me and one for my roommate. I threw each one into the microwave to warm it up slightly, then kept it simple with a light schmear of Smart Balance and a drizzle of honey.

A slice of BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery's Banana Walnut Bread — A slice of BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery’s Banana Walnut Bread

Bread…perfection. Honestly. This bread is super moist, despite being a couple of days old at this point. We had it this morning for breakfast as well. Still moist. And we’re polishing off the loaf tomorrow morning for breakfast. I just checked…it is still moist. Soft. Delicious. Filled with banana flavor that is only enhanced by the addition of the walnuts. This bread is awesome. I can’t emphasize this enough. Gluten-free bread, when done right, tastes just like any other bread. Regular bread. The kind anyone could eat. If you put this loaf down in front of someone who could eat any type of bread…and had them eat it…they wouldn’t know the difference. I promise you that. This is one of my favorite gluten-free breads I have ever eaten. Just…super yummy!! Super flavorful. Super moist. And super banana-y. This bread is love.

And, last night for dinner, while it was still fresh…Cathy and I decided that we would give that lemon bar a taste at dessert. So, after we ate our gluten-free grilled avocado and vegan cheese sandwiches, I got out the plastic container that held the lemon bar and pulled it open. And that…was where I realized that the flight and the car ride weren’t too kind to the lemon bar. The icing came off with the lid. Whoops. No matter…I could fix that.

BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery's Lemon Bar — BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery’s Lemon Bar

The Gluten-Free Lemon Bar ($3.05) is actually a light, airy lemon cake. I sliced it in half and placed one piece on a plate. I then scraped the icing off the lid and began to attempt to reapply it the best I could to the lemon bar itself. This was…a slight success. You work with what you have. I took the first slice out to Cathy and she immediately dove in. Before I even had icing on mine, she was raving about it. So, this was happy news to me. I put my slice on a plate, reapplied the icing to the top and went out to enjoy.

Cathy was so right. The light cakey base made this unlike the other gluten-free lemon bars that I have had in the past. I absolutely loved this take on this treat. The cake itself was very light, not heavy and dense. The icing…wow…that icing. Just like the icing on Cathy’s Lemon Zinger cookie, the frosting was simply a combination of powdered sugar and lemon juice. As for the light, delicious cake…that was simply eggs, sugar canola oil, white rice flour, potato starch flour, tapioca flour, lemon juice, lemon peel and xanthan gum. I loved how different this lemon bar was compared to the others I have tried from other gluten-free bakeries. The ingredients all worked well together well and baked up lemon perfection. Happiness in every tart lemon bite.

I was so happy with everything that I got from BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery that it has been decided that next time I’m in the Twin Cities…I immediately head to BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery and buy items to feast on the entire visit. This must happen. This WILL happen.

As for you, BitterSweet Bakery…you are amazing and completely delicious. Just the four items that my roommate and I purchased and enjoyed were enough to make me want to continue to go back for more…as often as possible…every time I’m in Minnesota. BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery…this out-of-towner can’t wait to get back into town to visit you again.

Your food is love. And I’m head-over-heels for you!

BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery's Lemon Bar (with reassembled icing of awesome!) — BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery’s Lemon Bar (with reassembled icing of awesome!)

May 10, 2013

French Meadow Bakery & Cafe a fantastic spot to grab a bite to eat in Minneapolis

Restaurant: French Meadow Bakery & Cafe, Minneapolis, Minnesota

You’ve probably seen some of their goods in your grocers freezer. I know I have. They have quite a great selection of gluten-free frozen goodies that I have yet to try yet…although I have actually had one of their products. Back in October 2011, just as I was starting to get the hang of this gluten-free stuff…I bought a box of 4 of their Gluten-Free Yellow Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting. I was lukewarm on the review…being that I dislike frosting and that it had been frozen prior to consumption.

Of course, I had forgotten all of that up until a moment ago when I began this blog.

Here’s how we wound up here. I was gearing up for a trip to Minnesota and Cathy, the infamous roomie, had said she really wanted to go back to The Bad Waitress to eat while we were there. However, as she was scouting through recent reviews, it turns out The Bad Waitress had been cited for health concerns…so we nixed that immediately. This meant searching a little bit for somewhere new to eat.

Enter the savior of the moment, my aunt Jan, who had been messaging me back and forth on Facebook leading up to my trip. She said some colleagues at the hospital (she’s a surgical nurse) she works in mentioned a great place called French Meadow Bakery & Cafe. She must have been talking about my impending visit and the fact that I am a gluten-free vegetarian, because they mentioned to her the plethora of gluten-free options available…not to mention the gobs of vegetarian offerings. She mentioned this in the message. I looked it up. I sent the link to Cathy. We approved. And Jan said we would definitely go there one day while I was in town.

That day just happened to be Monday. Jan had the day off from work. The cold weather had given way to a beautiful, sunny 78 degree day. And we were out and about in Minneapolis, doing a bit of shopping and whatever else we felt like. Our only plan…be outside and soak up the sun and gorgeous weather. With that agenda in mind, we did a lot of our indoor stuff (like hitting bookstores and the like) that morning. And when lunchtime rolled around, we headed into Minneapolis and down to Lyndale Avenue South, hoping to grab a bite to eat at the French Meadow Bakery & Cafe. We arrived, parking around the corner on the street to the brilliant yellow building. A short walk later and we were entering the premises…greeted by towering black boards that held the menu, written in chalk. It was fantastic and…overwhelming…but awesome.

We gawked for a long moment at the boards, figuring out what we wanted to eat for lunch. Although there are still breakfast items as well…including a gluten-free waffle which was…SO tempting. We got it sorted just in time, because we were up next to order. Jan went first, ordering the California Wrap with a side of the Mixed Greens ($9.50). Cathy went for the Incredible Grilled Cheese Sandwich with a side of the Chips and Salsa ($7.50). Actually, I was expecting her to be a bit more adventurous than that when we ate here. That’s so…typical. As for me, I opted for the Roasted Vegetable Sandwich on Gluten-Free Multigrain Bread with a side of the Mixed Greens ($9.00). I was given the option, I feel I should mention, of either gluten-free white, multigrain, or cinnamon raisin bread. I HAD A CHOICE!! That made me so stupidly happy.

We were given our table placard, a big card of Edith Piaf, and we went to seek out some dining outside on the side patio. We spotted a table in the sun, but this made Cathy frown. So while Cathy and I made a run to the bathroom, Jan shifted us to a table with an umbrella and put Cathy out of the sunlight. She and I were shaded but still able to soak in the vitamin D. A happy medium.

We were able to sit around and talk while waiting on food. While I had been inside, I snagged a little chipotle hot sauce to add to my sandwich. I mean…we all know I like thing spicy…and with my race run…I could now spice things up as much as I liked or dared. WOOT!

A few moments later and our plates were being delivered. Everything looked fantastic. All of our sandwiches were loaded with ingredients (all fresh and organic, mind you!) and busting at the crusts. I eagerly snapped a picture of my Roasted Vegetable Sandwich with my mixed greens, then sliced that sandwich in half, added some hot sauce and took a bite.

The Roasted Vegetable Sandwich is just what it sounds like. Roasted vegetables. But what all do you get? Let me fill you in. This sandwich is packed full of goodness. Starting with beautifully roasted portabella mushrooms, roasted garlic, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, organic spinach, and then topped off with some chevre goat cheese. Oh yeah…it smelled divine. But even better was the taste.

This has got to be one of the best sandwiches I have ever eaten. Honestly. The roasted vegetables only elevate the flavor, and the portabella mushrooms were done to perfection. They weren’t soggy and wet and making my bread to sponge up the fluid and fall apart. On the contrary, all of these vegetables meshed so well with the caramelized onion and the strong flavor of (my favorite) goat cheese. I was in sandwich heaven. And it took every bit of willpower in me not to just devour it on contact. I savored. I even ate the salad of mixed greens, which were lightly dressed in some sort of vinaigrette. Very tasty and the perfect accent to my sandwich, honestly.

This was certainly one of my favorite places in Minneapolis that I have eaten so far. The food was awesome. All of us were so happy with our orders and ate what we wanted. If we hadn’t been so stuffed, I probably would have opted for one of their gluten-free dessert options. Maybe next time. What am I saying? DEFINITELY next time.

With lunch polished off, the three of us continued our day out by taking the light rail down to Nicolette Mall and walking some of our food off. The flavor of that sandwich still resonates with me. I hope to get back to French Meadow Bakery & Cafe the next time I hit up the Twin Cities. It is certainly worth the visit and the trip. The food and service is out of this world. And you can tell they do take great pride in their variety and numerous options for different dietary needs. I know that I totally appreciate it.

Dear French Meadow Bakery…I LOVE YOU. I promise to come back soon. Promise!

French Meadow Bakery & Cafe's Gluten-Free Roasted Vegetable Sandwich with Mixed Greens — French Meadow Bakery & Cafe’s Gluten-Free Roasted Vegetable Sandwich with Mixed Greens

May 9, 2013

Gluten-free pizza a huge let down at Pizza Ranch

Restaurant: Pizza Ranch, Apple Valley, Minnesota

This will teach me to allow my roommate to make changes to the original plan. Because, judging by the reviews that I’ve read since just working on this blog, I never would have gone to Pizza Ranch for my night-before-a-big-race gluten-free pizza tradition when a place like Pizza Luce existed within a short drive from my grandpa’s home. Let me tell you…next time I pick the place and we stick to the plan…because when I eat gluten-free pizza…I expect a really amazing gluten-free pizza.

But Pizza Ranch, right off the bat, I could tell wasn’t going to be a place to get something amazing to eat. Too bad. The line was pretty long and we had 10 people in our party as my cousin Molly and her hubby and two kids joined us, as did my cousin Andy and his significant other as well. My friend Heather came over and joined us for dinner as well. Big group…and not everyone quite sure how this place worked.

But my aunt figured it out. We had to either get the buffet (not gluten-free) or go place an order at the front desk. Everything was paid for in advance, and you could have all the pizza you wanted, or a specialty pizza made and brought to your table in its own box. After a little discussion, Heather, Cathy and I decided that the perfect toppings for our pizza that night were best kept mild…so mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms and onions ($12.99). We all got fountain drinks, although I simply got water in mine.

Now, this was not how I wanted to start out Heather when it came to gluten-free foods. We had to wait awhile to actually get our food. Which…is fine. It’s okay when food takes some time to prepare. And yes, it was actually brought to the table in its own box. But by them, my family who had all opted for buffet and my grandpa, who had ordered some 2-piece chicken dinner ($5.49), all had pretty much finished off their meals. So, the pizza got there in time for us to make a show of eating it.

And a show it was. Opening the box it looks like the cracker-crust pizzas I get at every other small chain pizza place that is getting into gluten-free. And that’s fine. If it is done right. At first glance, this one seemed to be, even if a bit charred on the edges. When you’re working with such a thin crust…it happens. However…that being said, Cathy went to snag the first piece from the aluminum sheet it was cooked on, only to find it completely baked onto the disposable pan. I mean…crusted on there good. She managed to get her fork and knife in to hack away at the charred edge that held it in place and finally freed her piece. This made it easier for Heather and I to snag ours, but I was completely mortified. Remember…Heather hasn’t had gluten-free pizza before and this was already scaring me…a patron of the gluten-free pizza scene.

I scraped my piece out of the tray and onto my plate, gave it a little shake of crushed red pepper and sliced off the very tip with my fork. One bite. Instant disappointment. I mean…instant. It wasn’t that the pizza was bad. It wasn’t. It just…wasn’t all that good either. The crust, while crispy and maybe a little too done on the edges, was pale and soft on the inside. It was cooked through, but you couldn’t easily pick up this pizza to eat. It had to be eaten with a fork and knife because the crust was just…mush. Pale, ungolden, uncrispy…mush. And where it was crispy…it was a little too done.

Yeah…I think my disappointment showed. But at that point, you’ve paid for it, everyone else has eaten…so you sort of just eat what you have and be thankful that you’re at least getting your pre-race tradition done. We thought the toppings were fine. The vegetables were fresh. The onions were raw, not caramelized…but…we were at a place called Pizza Ranch. So…such luxuries are not exactly what you should expect. I’m okay with raw onions though. And they tasted fine. It was just too bad that crust ruined the entire pizza experience for me. I was so unimpressed and unhappy with every bite of that pizza. And the fact that the three of us had to literally fight to extract each piece from the tray was only making it worse. My heart was heavy. My pizza was…meh.

And my runner’s spirit was sort of crushed. As was my chance to really show Heather what the food I eat is all about. But…I have a feeling I can fix all of that when we hit up Chicago in October. She just needs to trust me.

Anyway…I had three pieces, Cathy and three, and Heather stuck with two (I don’t blame her). And we all left, discussing how the pizza wasn’t awful it just wasn’t…noteworthy or…good. It was underwhelming. And it honestly made me sad. When you are known for pizza…I don’t care if it is gluten-free…you make a damn good pizza. Even if you are a small, regional chain, only available in nine states…when you make a name off your pizza…make all of your pizza good. Not just the dough you make from scratch. The toppings were really good…the gluten-free crust, however, was not up to my standards. I eat a lot of gluten-free pizzas (because I run a lot)…and this was one of the worst yet.

Thank goodness it wasn’t an omen for race day. And thank goodness we all survived. I don’t think we’ll mosey over to Pizza Ranch again next time I visit Minnesota to run. I think I’ll go where everyone raves about the food and service. Pizza Luce…I’m looking at you. Pizza Ranch…I intend to let you fade from my memory. While I appreciate that you have gluten-free pizza available, we in the gluten-free community prefer to have as good a pizza as those who can dine normally. And, sadly, that wasn’t the case for me.

Pizza Ranch Gluten-Free Pizza with mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, onion, and mushrooms

May 9, 2013

A salad for me, but mostly pizza and pasta for gluten-free at Pinstripes

Restaurant: Pinstripes, Edina, Minnesota

So…if you’re anything like me…you’ve never heard of Pinstripes. That was certainly the case up until my first full day in Minneapolis. I was bustling around town with my roomie and my aunt, having hit up the race expo that morning for my half marathon the next day. So, with that one detail (and the major thing we needed to accomplish) taken care of…we were just hitting up interesting places along the way until we needed to head home for a bit and figure out where to grab gluten-free pizza for race night tradition.

While we were trying to decide on where to grab a quick, and semi-light bite for lunch, my aunt, Jan, mentioned a really cool place she and her friend stopped into for drinks one time. Pinstripes. And we weren’t far from it at all.

I was totally game for that…and…they were listed on Find Me Gluten Free with one positive 5-star review. Granted, it’s only one review, but at least it had one on there, yes? So…we decided that after we stopped by the Apple Store to get some of Jan’s stuff sorted, we would grab something to eat at Pinstripes.

Now…I had no idea what Pinstripes was until I stepped inside. It looks like a great Italian/American bistro, with wine bottles and decor to match. However, throughout this amazing set-up, you see a variety of hand painted bowling balls. Bowling balls? You betcha. And here’s why…this bistro not only houses a 40,000 square foot dining and entertainment area, but also features bowling alleys in the back, a year-round outdoor patio and fire pit, as well as party rooms that can accommodate 20-600 people. A little bit of everything and it still looks and feels upscale and classy. They term this “sophisticated fun” and let me tell you…they have the setting all right. It felt welcoming, engaging, fun, and still upscale all at once. Amazing.

As our menus were being grabbed by our hostess, I asked for a gluten-free one and she was happy to accommodate. We were shown to a booth where we all settled in, opting to stick with water at lunch as we’d already treated ourselves to coffee that morning. I eagerly picked up my little slip of a menu and started to gaze down the items listed.

And found myself…sort of underwhelmed.

Pizzas…pastas…and meat-based large plates are what were listed. I didn’t want pasta when I was going to be having pizza that night, and that fact also negated me getting pizza as well. As tempting as it was to get dessert for lunch (the gluten-free menu does offer gelato, sorbet, a Frangelico chocolate cake or a limoncello creme brulee, I needed some actual sustenance as it was the day before a half marathon. The better I ate, the better my body would be the following morning.

When our waitress arrived with our drink orders, Cathy and Jan knew what they wanted and I knew that the regular menu had salads listed. So, I inquired over the Caprese Salad, which by all intents and purposes should have been gluten-free…and…it was. Salads just didn’t make it over to the gluten-free menu, I suppose. With that information, which, the waitress did go back and double check that everything was safe for me to eat before we ordered, we all placed our orders.

Jan and Cathy both decided to order off the small plates menu. Jan decided on the Italian Meatballs ($11.00), which came wrapped up in a sandwich roll with a side salad as well. Cathy, having a craving, went with the Fried Calamari, which came with a marinara for dipping ($12.00). As for me, with pasta and pizza out of the question, I opted for the Caprese Salad ($13.00). Orders were in and we were left to converse, which we did. After all, it had been close to a year since the last time I had visited.

After a little while, our food arrived at the table. Jan’s small plate definitely looked like a full meal, and after a little bit, she opted to forgo the bread the Italian Meatballs were tucked into and eat the protein alone. She raved about them. Loved them. Cathy was really happy with her calamari, loving that they included tentacles and everything. Creepy…I know. But she loves it and doesn’t get it very often.

My Caprese Salad was a work of art, I think. It was a gorgeous presentation that included slices of red and yellow heirloom tomatoes, capped with thick slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, adorned with three fresh leave of basil and all lightly drizzled with a balsamic reduction. It not only looked light and refreshing…it was light and refreshing. Just the type of lunch I needed to have. I sliced through the layers of tomato and cheese and took up a bite…and it all just worked. The cheese was creamy and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The tomato was ripe, juicy and sweet, the perfect counterpart to the mozzarella cheese. And that balsamic reduction really tied everything together. And it was a light drizzle so that the salad wasn’t swimming in it. It was like an accessory to the main dish. Even better were the bites that included the leaves of basil, which I would pick and choose sparingly. Amazing. A salad is a simple thing, but when done right, it can blow any entree out of the water. This…was salad greatness.

Pinstripes was a fun, upscale, yet family-friendly restaurant that I’d love to try again. Maybe I’d even do my night-before-the-race gluten-free pizza there. Because…honestly…all three of us really enjoyed our food. It was fresh, perfectly seasoned, and and made up to perfection. The little plates were definitely for big appetites regardless, but we had burned off breakfast by then and still had plenty of time before we hit up the pizza location of choice, which we hadn’t decided on quite yet. After we ate, we went to peek in at the people bowling in the lanes in the back. And then went to see the patio and check out the lakefront as well. It was the perfect afternoon…with a perfect meal to tie us over.

If you happen to be near a Pinstripes, I encourage you to check it out sometime for a lunch or dinner. They are a little pricey, but the quality of the food reflects the service, the preparation, and the care they put into each plate. I loved this place. Locations are sort of regional, though, with one location in Minnesota and three in Illinois.

Totally worth the stop though. I’d go back again in a heartbeat.

Pinstripes' Caprese Salad — Pinstripes’ Caprese Salad