Gluten-Free – Page 81 – The Celiathlete

January 9, 2013

Eco-Planet dishes up a mighty fine Gluten-Free Apples and Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal

Product: Eco-Planet Gluten-Free Apples and Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal – $5.19+

Oatmeal.

It has been my go-to, inexpensive, gluten-free lunch of choice since I was told by my doctor to go gluten-free. Sure, not all brands are inexpensive, but when compared to the price of gluten-free bread…gluten-free condiments…oh…and those pesky rising costs of fresh fruits and vegetables…oatmeal is the way to go.

Besides…it’s hearty. And, more often than not, delicious.

Well, awhile back a local grocery store I frequent suddenly had a massive closeout on items in their gluten-free section. Fearing that I was about to lose my gluten-free shelves of goodness, I stocked up on items that I loved and a couple items I had been meaning to try, and just hadn’t talked myself into it.

One of the items in the latter category was the Gluten-Free Apples & Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal from Eco-Planet.

Today was the day that I busted this out of the pantry to take to work and enjoy at lunch. At least…I hoped I was going to enjoy it. I had high hopes because Eco-Planet is the very same company that is putting out Gluten-Free Toaster Pastries (yes…gluten-free Pop Tarts!). I wanted it to be good. I hoped it would be good.

Individual packet of Eco-Planet Gluten-Free Apples and Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal

Before we get to that, however, how about a little information on the product itself? The gluten-free instant oatmeal from Eco-Planet is definitely one of the more nutritious finds out there. It is composed of seven whole grains, including whole oats, buckwheat, sorghum, brown rice, puffed amaranth, quinoa and millet. Each packet of oatmeal contains 500 mg of Omega 3.

Not only that, one serving (which is one pouch) is only 150 calories! That’s awesome. Each serving contains only 3 grams of fat and 10 grams of sugar. Not bad for a hot cereal, yes? And for me, as a gluten-free, vegetarian…who is also an athlete…the 4 grams of protein is a sweet addition to every spoonful.

So…now to the nitty-gritty of this review…the actual review.

Making the cereal up at work is super easy. Empty the pouch into a bowl and add 1/2 cup of water (or milk…but I use water). Stir and then microwave for 1-1/2 minutes to 2 minutes. Remove from microwave…and enjoy!

I tend to forget that the microwave at the office is much stronger than the one I have at home…so when I put this in for 2 minutes, it turned out a bit thicker than I normally enjoy my hot cereal…but it wasn’t bad. The taste…well…surprisingly good. I mean, like most oatmeal, it isn’t much to look at…but one bite…and I knew that this was a good thing. I didn’t need to break out the back-up lunch plan today. Nope. The oatmeal was thick, hearty, and seasoned well with dried apples and that spicy hint of cinnamon. Yummy!

I was pleasantly surprised with the texture, flavor, and quality of Eco-Planet’s Gluten-Free Apples and Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal. I would love to try the Maple and Brown Sugar one next if I can find it somewhere. I am very impressed with the way the company chooses ingredients, makes sure they maintain the integrity of the gluten-free product, and in the end, put out a product that is amazing and delicious.

I’m hooked and ready for more!

Eco-Planet Gluten-Free Apples and Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal (prepared)

January 5, 2013

Schär’s Chocolate Hazelnut Bars a grown-up, gluten-free KitKat of awesome!

Product: Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bars – $4.99+

The first time I ever had one of Schär’s amazing products, I was in Los Angeles, California. One of my besties, Tawn, came down from Fresno and when I walked in the house, we hugged, we hugged more…and she looked at me and said, “I have gifts for you!” What she brought out of her luggage was a thinkThin bar and one of Schär’s Chocolate Hazelnut Bars.

I, naturally, ate them when I needed a snack or was at a restaurant where there were no real options for me. That being said…I didn’t blog about the gift snacks…because I devoured them before I took pictures of them.

Well, I remedied that already with the thinkThin bar…but the Schär wafer treat had yet to see it’s day in the blog spotlight.

Tonight…that changes.

During a major gluten-free closeout at my local grocery store, the entire section it seemed was on sale. So, while out grocery shopping that night, we piled our cart full of everything that was marked down and on closeout, fearing that the gluten-free section was being taken away from us…or shrinking. That wasn’t the case. I think they were moving out old stock to make room for a lot of new stock and new items. We didn’t know that at the time though.

One of the items that were tossed into the cart of gluten-free madness was a package of the Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bars.

Memories of my time in Los Angeles crept back to me immediately. Happy, happy memories. But, other products had to be used up before I got to these…and so…they sat…and waited.

But today was the big unveiling of the Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bars. I couldn’t really recall what they tasted like anymore. That trip to California happened over two years ago. I remembered finding them delicious though, so I wasn’t too concerned about taking this item to work for my afternoon snack without a backup plan.

Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bar (individual)

I had been anticipating my 3 p.m. snack most of the day. Every time I opened my desk drawer, the Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bar was sitting there…tempting me. But…I behaved and waited until the appropriate time. But once the clock struck 3 p.m., all bets were off!

First of all, I love how this is the actual size of a candy bar. The picture on the cover shows a treat that resembles those little wafer cookies (the ones that come in chocolate, vanilla and strawberry that you devour as a child). So, already this bar is like that…but on steroids. After splitting it in half, and taking the required picture for the blog, I took my first bite.

Oh. My. Gluten. Free. God.

Rich. Decadent. Light. Fantastic. Heaven in chocolate-covered wafer form. One bite and I knew this was a treat to be savored.

It tasted like the awesomeness that would emerge should a KitKat Bar mate with a Ferrero Rocher. Honestly. It was more of a dessert than a snack when it came down to it. That’s not knocking the bar in the slightest. It was melt-in-your-mouth awesome from the first bite to the last. I let my teammate, Andrea, try some and she also loved it. She’s very picky…especially with gluten-free foods…but this one only garnered compliments. My roomie also tried a little portion of it…and she too enjoyed it.

Really…it’s a decadent mid-day pick-me-up…or a sweet treat when you are craving something rich, smooth, and chocolatey. The wafer crackers are thin and lend a slight crunch. The hazelnut cream is the perfect amount to lend its flavor without overpowering the rest of the bar. And the milk chocolate that surrounds this treat…exceptional. Schär managed to find the perfect balance between snack and dessert. This was definitely a decadent mid-afternoon snack.

It’s also not the healthiest option I’ve ever brought with me for that 3:00 p.m. munchie attack. One Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bar packs 200 calories and 12 grams of fat. Like I said…It’s much more like a dessert than a snack. And perhaps that’s how these should be treated. But, at least these are made with recognizable ingredients, have no preservatives, no gluten, no wheat, and no eggs.

Super smooth. Super rich. Super delicious!

Super Schär does it again…wrapping up hazelnut goodness in a simple chocolate coating. The results…sweet chocolate-coated wafer nirvana.

Mmmmm…it tastes as good as it sounds!

Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bar (unwrapped and split open)

January 3, 2013

Cooking up and toasting up tasty Gluten-Free Cheese Ravioli from Conte’s Pasta

Conte's Pasta Gluten-Free and Wheat Free Cheese Ravioli — Conte’s Pasta Gluten-Free and Wheat Free Cheese Ravioli

Product: Conte’s Pasta Gluten-Free Cheese Ravioli – $5.99+

I have been leery of the frozen gluten-free pastas that I can find in the freezer section at the grocery store ever since the epic fail of Caesar’s Gluten-Free Gnocchi. Yeah…it was enough to really just turn me off from the whole frozen gluten-free pasta thing.

But…with New Year’s Eve on the horizon and a trip to visit one of my best friends, Jenn, for the occasion, she and I started getting on Pinterest and plotting a menu. And the entree that caught our attention was a Oven Toasted Ravioli dish. It looked absolutely fantastic. Jenn said she had some of Conte’s Gluten-Free and Wheat Free Cheese Ravioli in her freezer (the sign of a good friend is one who stocks up on gluten-free foods even when you aren’t in town…just for those occasions that you are!). She suffered through the Caesar’s Gluten-Free Gnocchi fiasco…so I was willing to go along with her on this one. My job…providing the gluten-free breadcrumbs to be dusted over the ravioli before they were toasted.

New Year’s Eve arrived with a vengeance. After a busy day of seeing The Hobbit, she and I settled in later than expected (it snowed while we were in the movie and the roads were bad) to start up our gluten-free bread for the evening and then make up the gluten-free ravioli dish while it cooled. With the bread out of the oven, we set some water on the stove to boil and pulled the Conte’s Gluten-Free and Wheat Free Cheese Ravioli out of the freezer. Opening the bags…we weren’t impressed immediately.

They looked like pale discs of pasta with a bulging center that would contain the cheese filling. We said our prayers to the gluten-free pasta gods and poured them into the boiling water. Unlike Caesar’s frozen pasta, these actually did sink to the bottom of the pan, making it much easier for us to tell when these were truly done cooking. Once they started floating, Jenn would scoop out a bunch of them into the strainer, shake them carefully over the pan, and bring them to me to put in the egg wash and then coat with the gluten-free bread crumbs.

Looks can be deceiving. These raviolis really held up to the boiling process. They didn’t split or fall apart. Even when I would drop them into the egg on accident, they maintained their form and didn’t ooze filling out. They survived a dunking in breadcrumbs and everything. I was already much more impressed with these than the last gluten-free frozen pasta experience. Conte’s Pasta did a great job making gluten-free ravoili that didn’t fall apart in the pot…or through the breading stages I put the pasta through.

So, with the breadcrumbs on and sticking quite well to the pasta, we gave the ravioli a spray of cooking spray and put them into the oven to toast up. It took 12 – 15 minutes according to the recipe…and when they emerged, they were golden, and still holding their shape. We carefully scooped them off the pans and into a serving bowl so we could all help ourselves to as many as we would want. They held up. And when we settled in to eat…the three of us (my roomie Cathy was there too!) dug in.

The biggest thing about these ravioli is that they do need a sauce. Jenn had originally set out to eat the meal without the sauce, but ended up with some on her plate in the end. That being said, the texture was great. They held up fantastically to boiling and toasting in the oven. And the taste of the filling was super good. I wasn’t disappointed at all with these ravioli. Conte’s Pasta has definitely restored my faith in the gluten-free frozen pasta. In fact, when it comes to choosing a brand now, I think I’ll stick with Conte’s. They definitely won me back over to the frozen side when something like a gluten-free ravioli is needed.

Use a proper sauce when you eat these. Whether you bread them or eat them straight from the pan…you’ll love the texture and taste. And the cheese is ooey, gooey, and good as well. They have quite a few variations of gluten-free pastas to choose from. But these ravioli’s did the trick for me.

Find them in your grocery store freezer section and give them a try. And if you are looking for an easy and tasty recipe, check out my blog on the Gluten-Free Oven Toasted Ravioli that Jenn and I prepared on New Year’s Eve. It’s a fun, different, and delicious way to enjoy gluten-free pasta.

Conte's Pasta Gluten-Free and Wheat Free Cheese Ravioli (cooked and coated with Katz Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs and toasted in the oven) — Conte’s Pasta Gluten-Free and Wheat Free Cheese Ravioli (cooked and coated with Katz Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs and toasted in the oven)

January 2, 2013

Katz Gluten Free gives gluten-free community bread crumbs that taste and look like bread crumbs

Product: Katz Gluten Free Bread Crumbs – $4.09

Gluten-free bread crumbs suck.

Seriously.

Have you ever purchased a bag of them? They’ll do in a pinch, but normally they don’t even resemble actual bread crumbs. No joke. The first time I ever purchased gluten-free bread crumbs, my heart sank when I opened the pouch. Normally, gluten-free bread crumbs are these little yellow pellets of milled corn. They work on certain dishes, but as a vegetarian…most of the time they just don’t work right on what I need them for. They are usually thick and gritty and don’t stick very well to the food.

So, one day while surfing around one of my favorite gluten-free company Web sites, I discovered Katz Gluten Free Bread Crumbs. I was skeptical at first…but from the picture on the site, it looked like these were actually super-fine breadcrumbs. Like the kind people who aren’t gluten-free get. I figured I could take a chance and put them on my next order.

I couldn’t have been happier when they arrived. You know that Italian blend of bread crumbs you see at the grocery store…that is exactly what these looked like. I was thrilled. I couldn’t wait to try them out!

But, wait I did. I think I might have been anticipating the perfect dish in which to use them on…but I stuck them in my pantry and they sat there for awhile.

And then the holidays rolled around. My friend, Jenn, was hosting my roomie and I for New Years once more. We have such a blast together on New Years and part of the fun is that Jenn and I create a menu and cook it up for a wonderful evening feast to welcome the new year. This year…we decided on oven toasted gluten-free ravioli (Jenn is awesome in that she does gluten-free for me when I come into town). They looked fantastic on Pinterest…so we pinned it to her New Year’s Menu board and got to planning. I told her I actually had some gluten-free bread crumbs we could use for the recipe and that I would bring them with me for the occasion.

Finally…the moment I had been waiting for. To see how Katz Gluten Free Bread Crumbs would fair against the gluten-free bread crumbs that had come before it.

New Year’s Eve arrived and, hungry after an afternoon at the movies (we saw The Hobbit), Jenn and I returned home and settled into baking mode (while Cathy sat at the table, read, and commented on how good it all smelled). We got our gluten-free bread cooking first. And while it was cooling, we settled into working on the Oven Toasted Ravioli.

She got out the gluten-free ravioli and I set into mixing up the breadcrumbs with a bit of cheese, per the recipe. What I loved at first site with these bread crumbs was how superfine they were. They were the proper texture and looked like REAL bread crumbs. I was already feeling good about this recipe. I even tasted a pinch of them from the bag…and that won me over there. This had to work…because these were the best gluten free bread crumbs out there. I got them prepped. Then…the rest was simple. Cook ravioli, dip into egg/milk mixture. Then…into the bread crumbs they went.

Miracle upon miracles…the breadcrumbs stuck to the ravioli. They stuck SO sell. I was so incredibly pleased with it. I was seriously looking forward to this meal…and a lot of it was thanks to these gluten-free bread crumbs. We gave each ravioli a spritz of cooking spray and into the oven they went to bake for about 12-15 minutes.

They came out of the oven looking just as good as they did when they went into it. Seriously. I was so highly impressed. And ready to eat. Jenn and I removed them from the pan and placed them in a bowl. The bread crumbs remained in place and didn’t fall off the food as gluten-free bread crumbs from my past had been known to do. Inset a happy squee and a little dance of joy here. I placed the bowl of toasted gluten-free ravioli on the table…and soon we were sitting down to our New Year’s feast.

So…did they live up to the standard I built up in my head?

OH…YES!

The bread crumbs toasted up to a beautiful golden color when in the oven. They didn’t fall off the ravioli as they baked or when we lifted them from the pan. Nor did they fall off when we all began digging into the bowl for some of the ravioli to dine on. They remained where they should be…stuck to the gluten-free ravioli.

One bite…and I knew no other bread crumb will ever come close to this when it comes to the gluten-free varieties out there. These were amazing. Honestly. If you put these down in front of someone who didn’t know they were gluten-free…they wouldn’t be able to tell. I guarantee that much. The superfine quality really makes all the difference.

Katz Gluten Free Bread Crumbs are made from a gluten-free flour that contains corn and potato. From there, the ingredients include eggs, water, canola oil, sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum, yeast, and salt. These are probably all remnants of the amazing gluten-free breads that Katz Gluten Free offers. I’m okay with that…because if that means we get bread crumbs like this…I’m forever sold.

A serving of Katz Gluten Free Bread Crumbs is 2 ounces, which sets you back 140 calories and 6 grams of fat. Each serving is low in sodium as well, which is important as my roomie’s family tends to have high blood pressure so we focus a lot on low sodium foods.

So…this gluten-free foodie gives Katz Gluten Free Bread Crumbs a stamp of approval. They are the most amazing gluten free bread crumbs that have hit the gluten-free market. I can promise you that. I am so highly impressed with these. I am already anticipating my next Katz Gluten Free order because these are definitely going on it. I have a bunch of other recipes to try now that I found gluten-free bread crumbs that work, taste, and feel like real bread crumbs.

I once again sing only high praises for Katz Gluten Free. They deserve it though…for putting out quality products that live up to the high standards that they set.

If you have been leaving bread crumbs out of your recipes (this was what I did prior to finding these after having no luck with the other gluten-free bread crumbs on the market), you no longer have to. All thanks to Katz Gluten Free.

Katz Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs on Conte's Gluten-Free Cheese Ravioli (toasted in the oven) — Katz Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs on Conte’s Gluten-Free Cheese Ravioli (toasted in the oven)

January 2, 2013

Recipe: Gluten-Free Oven Toasted Ravioli

New Year’s Eve was all planned out between my friend Jenn and I. We were ready to whip up a feast that night…complete with an entree that she spotted on Pinterest. And between the two of us and our love of trying Pinterest recipes…we set out to make these. I just happened to have some Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs from Katz Gluten Free at my apartment and they would be perfect for this recipe. So…I saved them for this exact reason and they didn’t let us down.

The best part about this recipe is how simple it was to make. Totally going to do this again. Nothing fancy…it just looks like it.

The best part…once again we simply modified the ingredients to fit my dietary needs…so while this recipe is gluten-free…it doesn’t have to be made that way. I am just thankful to have friends who eat foods that I can eat when I’m around. Some people aren’t willing to give gluten-free a chance…but my friends Cathy and Jenn have always given it a fair shake. And for that…I am thankful.

Oh…and this recipe was AWESOME!

Recipe: Gluten-Free Oven Toasted Ravioli

Servings: 3-4
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Cook 15 minutes

Ingredients:

12 round frozen ravioli, thawed (I used Conte’s Gluten-Free Cheese Ravioli)
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
6 tablespoons Italian bread crumbs (I used Katz Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk together egg and milk in shallow bowl. In another bowl or pie plate, combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Dip ravioli in egg and then in bread crumbs. Place on baking sheet. Repeat until all ravioli are coated. Spray ravioli with cooking spray.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with warm marinara or pesto.

~*~*~

See…it’s one of the simplest recipes out there…but the end results are a delicious ravioli with a crisp outer layer and soft, warm, gooey inner layer. Use whatever ravoili you like. This was the first time I used Conte’s Gluten-Free Cheese Ravioli…and they were awesome. They held up to cooking and baking and…damn…were they ever delicious.

Impressed!! Very impressed.

So…if you want a simple meal that is easy to make and big of flavor…give this one a go! You’ll love it. I guarantee.

January 2, 2013

Recipe: Gluten-Free Pull-Apart Cheesy Onion Bread

Oh…Pinterest!

What did I do without you in my life? Ever since I started getting the hang of searching and pinning and all that goodness…I can’t tear myself away from you. And, my dearest Pinterest, it is because of you that my dearest friend, Jenn, and I were able to whip up some fantastic food this New Year’s Eve.

Even better? All of it was gluten-free…because Jenn rocks and working with my food allergies. She honestly does.

So, when New Year’s Eve hit…we had just come from seeing The Hobbit and we were HUNGRY! The thing was…we had some cooking to do before the sitting down and eating was possible. Good thing we did a wee bit of prep work ahead of leaving for the day.

And so…the first thing we cooked up to enjoy with our New Year’s Eve feast was this fantastic Cheesy Onion Pull-Apart Bread. We had our doubts as to how it would turn out (if it even did) and questions on how exactly to make it…but we managed. The original recipe was one I found from Food & Wine Magazine and we modified it by changing the cheese used, the amount of onion, and making it gluten-free. We’re chefs…we tinker.

And yeah…it really is as good as it sounds.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Pull-Apart Cheesy Onion Bread

Servings: 10
Time: Prep 25 minutes; Bake 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1-1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, 1 stick cubed
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup coarsely shredded Dill Havarti cheese (3 ounces)
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425° F.

Butter a 9-by-4-1/2-inch metal loaf pan.

In a large skillet, melt the 1/2 stick of uncubed butter; pour 2 tablespoons of the melted butter into a small bowl and reserve.

Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until it is softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the poppy seeds and season with salt and pepper. Scrape the onion mixture onto a plate and refrigerate for 5 minutes, until cooled slightly. Stir in the Dill Havarti cheese.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the cubed butter and pulse until it is the size of small peas. Add the buttermilk and pulse 5 or 6 times, just until a soft dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface and knead 2 or 3 times. Pat or roll the dough into a 2-by-24-inch rectangle. Spread the onion mixture on top. Cut the dough crosswise into 10 pieces. Stack 9 pieces onion side up, then top with the final piece, onion-side down. Carefully lay the stack in the prepared loaf pan and brush with the reserved butter.

Bake the loaf in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes, until it is golden and risen. Let the bread cool for at least 15 minutes before unmolding and serving.

The unmolded loaf can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. Rewarm before serving.

~*~*~

This was probably the most nerve-wracking item we made on New Year’s Eve. The directions were a little confusing upon reading and we weren’t exactly sure how well the gluten-free flour would do with the recipe. The result though…was epic. This bread was SO amazing and delicious. The modifications we made (the original called for Gruyère cheese and an entire onion) really worked in our favor. The loaf was packed with flavor, delicious cheese, and lots of yum factor!

The only thing we noted was that it really wasn’t pull-apart. But, slicing it with the knife worked just as well and definitely didn’t take away from the recipe in the slightest.

Making this again…for sure!

January 1, 2013

Nothing sinful about Sinfully Gluten Free’s light and fluffy table rolls

Product: Sinfully Gluten Free Table Rolls – $3.25

I attempted to make dinner rolls back when I first went gluten-free. The problem? They just came out way too dense. Super, duper heavy. I wasn’t a fan…but my roommate and I ate them with our breakfast (usually making egg sandwiches out of them) or with our dinner…doing what we could to make them lighter. Or at least…not feel so dense.

And I attempted cheddar biscuits using Gluten-Free Bisquick once with a non-gluten-free friend of mine…and they were dense. My mom attempted to do it for Christmas Eve so I could enjoy bread with everyone. My dad was the guinea pig…and he said they were too chewy. They were definitely dense and heavy…and not up to par. My mom ended up making a regular batch for everyone else and I consumed two of the ones that she attempted gluten-free.

Dinner rolls were turning out to be an epic gluten-free fail.

But…over the New Year, I was heading to Ohio to hang with my friend Jenn. And one of the trips we planned was to head to Dayton, Ohio…for the sole purpose of hitting up Sinfully Gluten Free. You see…I love their Cinnamon Rolls (which they only have on Saturdays) and Jenn is a huge fan of their Lemon Bars (yes…and Jenn doesn’t even have to eat gluten-free!)…so I called ahead to make sure they had 4 trays of them on hand for me. I didn’t want to make the trip and be disappointed by ending up walking away without any cinnamon rolls. Well, the snow started the night before and continued through much of the next morning…delaying the journey to Dayton. But…we eventually dug out the car and made our way onto the slick roads for our road trip to Dayton.

By the time we got there…it was lunch time. Lunch was now going to be part of the fun at Sinfully Gluten Free. I had mentioned that I put in an order for Cinnamon Rolls, but that I would get it after I ate lunch. So, we all ordered lunch, settled in to eat, then made our purchases afterwards.

However…it just so happened that there were these table rolls in the pastry case. And now I was intrigued. The original plan for that evening was gluten-free stuffed shells…and I thought some dinner rolls might go well with it. So, I also picked up a bag of those along with the 4 trays of cinnamon rolls I had ordered the night before. Jenn…well…she bought them out of every lemon bar they had in the place. We are gluten-free rockstars, friends!

With the later lunch, however, we weren’t hungry enough for the gluten-free stuffed shells. I didn’t want to freeze the table rolls, because when I pulled them out of the bag at home, I realized how soft and light they were. I hadn’t held a gluten-free dinner roll that was light yet. I wanted to definitely eat these before they had to see a refrigerator or freezer. So, after a little thinking of something light to do for dinner…we settled on table rolls with scrambled eggs.

Once the eggs were in the pan, I gave the table rolls a little warm-up in the microwave. This took their soft and light texture to a warm version of it. With a schmear of butter…it would be the perfect compliment to…any meal, really…but that night…it was scrambled eggs.

I wanted to eat part of the roll without the butter to start with. Just to see what it tasted like. First of all, these heated up so well. I think they would have also done well with a slight toasting in the oven…but the microwave warmed them through and gave them that fresh out of the oven feel. I loved that. They were still very light and steam rolled back as I tore into mine and took a bite.

Light. Fluffy. Soft. Chewy. They were dinner roll perfection. Put one of these down in front of someone who wasn’t aware that they were gluten-free and I guarantee that you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Honestly. These were not dense at all. I wish I knew the secret to making gluten-free dinner rolls that didn’t feel and taste so heavy. These were light as a feather and delicious. And they complimented the eggs perfectly. I gave part of mine a small pad of butter and topped it with a bit of the scrambled egg…and it was a match made in heaven.

These rolls would compliment any dinner to be sure. They are the perfect bite of gluten-free bread. No feeling like you’re eating an entire loaf. These were light to the touch and just plain light in texture. And the taste…phenomenal.

Sinfully Gluten Free is sinful in the respect that everything they put out is a delicious bite…and just sheer gluten-free magic. I hope to purchase more dinner rolls from them next time I’m in town because I was highly impressed.

How do they make them so light and fluffy? I may never find out…but thankfully Sinfully Gluten Free bakes them up that way…so that even the gluten-free community can enjoy a good dinner roll every now and again!

YUM!

Sinfully Gluten Free Table Rolls with Scrambled Eggs

January 1, 2013

Caramel oozes from tasty Katz Gluten-Free donuts

Product: Katz Gluten Free Caramel Donuts – $5.99

Giant donut balls of caramel goodness. There is no other way to describe the new donuts from Katz Gluten Free. Honestly.

Now…I was a little weary about purchasing one of the filled donuts from Katz Gluten Free. I have yet to try the custard donuts or the jelly donuts. While they both look fantastic…I’ve heard that the filling is actually a bit skimpy in them. It is probably the biggest complaint I have heard regarding the filled donuts.

But…when I saw the announcement for the new Caramel Donuts from Katz Gluten Free come over my e-mail, I didn’t even hesitate to order them. I love caramel…so this just sounded fantastic from the instant I read about it. Drool-worthy even. My spontaneous purchase, I hoped, would pay off.

The donuts arrived two days later and into the freezer they went. Until this weekend. Because my friend Jenn is just as much of a caramel connoisseur as I am. So, when I was heading to her place for the New Year, I promised donuts. And so…the other morning, Jenn, Cathy and I each had one full donut and 1/3 of a donut to ourselves.

I let the donuts thaw overnight on the counter in the container. Then, when we were ready for breakfast…into the microwave they went. A 15 second warmup. It was enough to just give them that fresh-from-the-oven effect. Honestly. The caramel oozed from each donut. No skimping on the filling here.

But the best part…the powdered donut that surrounded the donut. I mean, the caramel was good and all, but the cakey donut that surrounded the filling was the true star. I love the powdered donut from Katz Gluten Free anyway…so it was no surprise that this was my favorite part of this breakfast treat.

Would I purchase these again…probably. But I much prefer the gluten-free powdered donuts and the cinnamon donuts over the filled. But the oozy caramel was definitely not skimped on in these. So, for those of you who are gluten-free (or even if you aren’t…both Jenn & Cathy are not gluten-free…but love these donuts as much as me!)…these donuts are amazing and tasty…and are definitely not lacking in the filling.

Oh…and they are tasty too.

Mmmm…gluten-free donuts that are amazing. Thank you…again…Katz Gluten Free!!

December 31, 2012

Recipe: Gluten-Free Zucchini Fettuccine in a Vegan Cream Sauce

It was the night before Christmas and my mom and I were settling in to plan a vegetarian and gluten-free entreé option for me (the only vegetarian in the family) and a possible side for everyone else at Christmas dinner. We had meant to do planning long before then…but we both lead very busy lives and we had a lot of other stuff to do when I flew into town for the holidays.

So, the night before the big day, we found ourselves at Earth Fare in Birmingham, Alabama…picking up the necessities for the recipe we finally decided on. The original recipe was from Manifest Vegan, and it involved the use of maitake mushrooms. But…only my mom and I like mushrooms in the family, so we put our heads together to come up with a replacement. Our solution: zucchini.

That settled, we hit up the grocery store and purchased all the necessary items, including RP’s Fresh Gluten-Free Fettuccine noodles. I fell in love with RP’s fresh gluten-free pasta very recently and no other pasta would do for Christmas. With the ingredients purchased…we were ready to start cooking up a variation of this vegan pasta dish for Christmas. And we did just that on Christmas morning…and finished up in enough time to pack up everything and head to my sister’s house.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Zucchini Fettuccine in a Vegan Cream Sauce

Servings: 8
Time: Prep 20 minutes; Cook 30 minutes

Ingredients:

16 ounces, brown rice fettuccine style pasta (I used RP’s Gluten Free Fettuccine)
3-1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 leeks, cleaned and sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 stick cinnamon or 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
10 ounces zucchini, chopped
3 finely diced carrots
3/4 cup white wine
1-1/2 cups full fat coconut milk
1 cup (salted) vegetable broth
2 tablespoons superfine brown rice flour
Chopped chives for garnish
Salt to taste

Directions:

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Douse pasta with 3 tablespoons olive oil and then add sea salt.

In large pan, combine leeks, thyme, garlic, cinnamon, zucchini, and carrots with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and sauté until golden on edges. Add the white wine and cook over medium low heat until much of the liquid has dissolved. Stir in coconut milk and vegetable broth and let cook over medium heat until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Stir often to prevent scorching.

Whisk in 2 tablespoons superfine brown rice flour and let cook until thickened, stirring often with a spoon, about 7 minutes. Combine with pasta and salt to taste, if needed. Top with fresh chives before serving.

~*~*~

The pasta was quite a popular dish at Christmas dinner. No one even knew it was vegan and gluten-free…except for the fact that I could eat it. LOVE that. And everyone tried it…and loved it. Let me tell you…the item that really makes this dish pop is that addition of cinnamon. It was amazing. I can’t wait to make this again.

Go ahead and try it. And if you love mushrooms like me…go ahead and keep the maitake mushrooms. When I make this at home for myself and my roommate…I’ll do it with the mushrooms. Mmmm…I kind of want this for dinner this week now…

December 31, 2012

Another healthier chip option from Boulder Canyon with Rice and Adzuki Bean Chipotle Cheese chips

Product: Boulder Canyon Rice and Adzuki Bean Chipotle Cheese Snack Chips – $2.99+

I started off with the original. Just a touch of sea salt and I had in my possession a snack chip made from rice flour and adzuki beans. Yes…you read that right…adzuki beans. And what did I make of these? That they were phenomenal. Like…better tasting Doritos. And much healthier option at that than what preservatives and unnatural ingredients go into Doritos.

So, this time I was quite excited to dive into the bag of Boulder Canyon’s Rice and Adzuki Bean Chipotle Cheese flavored chips. I mean…a little extra spice is always. Combine it with the addition of cheese…and yeah…it’s winning.

That being said, after I scooped up a serving of these chips to haul to the office with me, I couldn’t wait to dive into them and really test them out. I mean, the original flavor had been mind-blowing delicious…so these had to be yummy-amazing right?

ABSOLUTELY!

That afternoon, when my 3:00 snack time rolled around, I pulled out my container which had a 1 ounce serving (or around 20 chips), and took up my first chip. One bite…and I was even happier with these than I was the original. Oddly enough, the fact that these tasted more like Cool Ranch Doritos (despite having cheese in them) was amazing. Cool Ranch was always my favorite. I was hooked. Love at first bite.

The texture and flavor with each of these was fantastic. And one serving only set me back 140 calories and 7 grams of fat. Not too shabby for a snack trip. In addition, with the inclusion of adzuki beans in the ingredients, these chips give 2 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber. I loved these and was quite sad when I got down to the bottom of my serving and had no more to nosh on.

Would I buy these again? In a heartbeat. Without a moment of hesitation. YUM YUM YUMMY!

Looking for a healthier option for a snack chip, I would definitely direct you to find Boulder Canyon’s Rice and Adzuki Bean Chipotle Cheese snack chips. I promise…these are not just a healthier snack chip option…but delicious too.