I admit it. The only reason I had a soup that had acorn squash and mango in it was that it was on sale. Super-duper sale. At Big Lots, I believe. I mean, I love Imagine Soups. And I love soups that use squash as a base. I was okay with that part. It was the mango part of this soup that was throwing me. However, the expiration date was nigh and I never let anything go to waste in my pantry. It’s a rule that I swear by. So…therefore, I knew that dinner this week was going to be Imagine Organic Acorn Squash & Mango Soup with vegan, gluten-free grilled cheese sammies. Yep. Soup and sandwiches. Just before Thanksgiving…it seemed logical to me.
This soup doesn’t look like much on its own. It’s a deep yellow color. That’s about all I can tell you about it. It’s got this richness in texture though due to how smooth and creamy it is after you shake it up and pour it into a pan to warm.
Imagine Organic Creamy Acorn Squash and Mango Soup is a simple soup by standards. Its ingredients include filtered water, organic acorn squash, organic mango puree, organic onions, organic butternut squash, organic potatoes, organic carrots, organic celery, organic oils, organic evaporated cane juice, organic ginger, organic spices, organic orange zest…and seasonings like sea salt. Organic tapioca starch is also included, probably to give it that creamy base in the end. What’s not to love about that ingredients list, right? It’s all organic. It is all items that I recognize and could pull out of a vegetable line-up. No hidden chemicals or indecipherable ingredients. That’s one thing I love about Imagine’s organic soup line.
But what it comes down to when it comes to soup is taste. Well, this soup doesn’t lack for flavor. It’s smooth and has a perfect balance of sweetness and savory. That’s where the mango really came in. It added just the right amount of sweetness to the squash flavoring. The other vegetables help add a depth of flavor that just makes each spoonful a delight. I loved it. I’d spoon it up on its own, and I’d dip my sandwich into it at times. It was good either way. And I loved that a serving size (1 cup) only set me back 70 calories. Show me other creamy soups that can offer that kind of nutritional value. You’d be hard-pressed to find one.
This soup is also low in sodium (430 mg) as well, which is always important when it comes to packaged soups. More often than not they are loaded with more sodium than anyone would even need in a day. I love that about Imagine’s soup line as well. They tend to offer more nutritional value, but still keep it flavorful and delicious. I am totally looking forward to polishing this off tonight.
Once again, Imagine puts out a product worthy of high praise. I don’t know why the combination worried me. In the end, it was delicious and that, my friends, is the important thing. The fact that it is one of Imagine’s gluten-free soups is also a plus. Check them out if you haven’t yet. They have an endless line of amazing gluten-free soups. I can’t wait to try out even more of them.
Imagine Natural Creations Organic Creamy Acorn Squash and Mango Soup
I still remember the day the announcement from Katz Gluten-Free came through my e-mail. It was this little bright spot in a busy, hectic day. After having introduced gluten-free donuts (which are the best out there…hands down!), Katz Gluten-Free was now offering…donut holes! YES…donut holes!
And why not? No bit of delicious gluten-free donuts should be wasted. Not even the little center part that gets cut out.
I knew…that moment…I had to have some. So, I placed an order.
And when they arrived I did a little dance of joy. Happiness. Donut holes. Just like what I used to eat as a kid from Dunkin’ Donuts. Just…smaller. And healthier for me too, when it comes to donuts. I have always been a sucker for donut holes. They are easy to just bite into and nibble on. Little bite-size wonders of donutty goodness. Few things make me as happy as donut holes…except gluten-free donut holes…because I can actually eat those.
Well, after the immediate elation of having Katz Gluten-Free Cinnamon Donut Holes…they ended up just being packed away in the freezer. Life was busy…and I was working my way through other delicious gluten-free treats. But with this being a short week thanks to Thanksgiving…I needed something to eat after hitting up the gym yesterday. My answer was found in my freezer. And Katz Gluten-Free once again saved the day. These little donut holes were there and I now had something to fill my belly after hitting up the cardio and weights at the gym before heading into work. Perfect.
I was a bit confused on the serving size. I think the nutrition information that is on the carton actually pertains to the Katz Gluten-Free Cinnamon Donuts. The box says that it serves 6, which would mean each package contains enough for each serving to be 3 donut holes with two left over. This seems like a very small serving for 160 calories. But…that’s what the package said, so I ran with it. As I was hitting the gym, I decided that I’d eat one of the extra ones in the serving size. Why not? I let them thaw overnight in a plastic bag and when I got into the office the next day, I put them on a plate and gave them a quick 10 second heat in the microwave.
Yeah…these just cemented the reason that Katz Gluten-Free have my favorite donuts. Even the donut holes are awesome. What I love about the Cinnamon Donut Holes is that they are little bites of sweetness, without being too much. I love donut holes for that reason. They are the perfect size to just…pop!! Let me tell you…I’d be hard pressed to not sit down with the entire package and devour them all in one sitting. It won’t happen. But…it would be oh…so tempting. These little donut morsels are soft, and have a great cake donut texture. They aren’t heavy in the slightest.
My only complaint would be that I would definitely feel more satisfied for the 16o calories if I were actually eating the donut. Then again…like I said…the nutrition information is definitely incorrect on the donut holes, so who is to say what the serving size is or how many calories I was consuming. Maybe an entire box is only one donut. I don’t know. I just will portion these out so as not to go through them too quickly and enjoy every little donut hole bite.
Truly delicious.
Katz Gluten-Free…you keep winning me over. And if you keep making donut varieties such as this…well…my paychecks will continue to head your way. Thank you for setting such a high standard for gluten-free foods and treats. I have yet to meet a product I didn’t like.
Actually, until this journey to Columbus, Ohio, I had never even had a macaron. I have heard of them, looked at them online, even thought about making them myself. What is a macaron? Is it really a macaroon? Nope. There actually is a difference.
A macaroon is an American version for a flourless egg-white based cookie. Most often it is made with coconut.
A macaron, however, is a French cookie made with almond and egg whites that are sandwiched around a cream-based filling. They are often found in a rainbow of colors and a variety of flavors.
I don’t know how Jenn and I stumbled across the Web site for Pistacia Vera on Saturday morning…but we did. And we noticed they had a gluten-free menu. On it were a plethora of baked items…including every macaron that they made. Yes…macarons are gluten-free because they are made with almond flour. Gotta love that. So, after stopping by the race expo for the Hot Chocolate 15K, we hit up a market, and on our way to get ice cream, we swung by Pistacia Vera to get some macarons to take with us.
Pistacia Vera is a sleek looking dessert boutique located on South Third Street in German Village in Columbus, Ohio. They are a from-scratch pastisserie which boasts a menu of over 60 seasonal pastries and confection. All made by-hand and with great care. They specialize in classic European technique, making it a truly special stop while in Columbus. Their Web site boast that their coffee and espresso are considered to be the best in town. If it’s made like it is in Europe…or even France for that matter…I bet they’re right.
I didn’t get coffee when I was in there that morning, however. I was there on a mission. A mission…for macarons.
Jenn picked four she wanted to choose and Cathy and I decided to split the difference and each choose two to sample. We were actually quite interested in the same flavors, but I let her take them and went for a couple of other delicious sounding ones.
Pistacia Vera’s Buckeye Macaron, Maple Walnut Macaron, Peppermint Chocolate Macaron, and Mocha Hazelnut Macaron
In the end, Cathy got the Peppermint Chocolate Macaron ($1.25) and the Buckeye Macaron ($1.25). Since those two were taken by my roomie, I opted to give the Maple Walnut Macaron ($1.25) a try and the Mocha Hazelnut Macaron ($1.25) a try. They both definitely sounded delicious. Actually, the entire display case of macarons sounded awesome, but I figured as I had never had a macaron before, I would start small and I could always come back for more. As we were checking out, I spotted the gluten-free caramels near the register. Specifically the Cashew Caramel with Fleur de Sel ($1.50). We got one single piece of that and were on our way. With much to do that day, like going out of town, the cookies and caramel got left behind at Jenn’s house.
But Sunday after my 15K race…we all split the Cashew Caramel with Fleur de Sel (I forgot to take a picture of it!). It was delicious. Very light. Not too chewy, but just enough. It wasn’t going to get lodged in your teeth. This was caramel done right and done well. It had a delicious flavor to it. I love cashew, so it was the ideal one and probably why it caught my eye. Even though she groused about having to eat a caramel, my roommate seemed to like it well enough. It just took her forever to eat it because she was just in a grumpy mood and thought it would get stuck in her teeth. She has a thing or two to learn about good caramel. Hopefully this helped.
The macarons, however, made the journey back to Louisville with us. And last night, I decided that they would be perfect to have for dessert. After polishing off dinner and doing up the dishes, I pulled out the macarons and dished out each of our chosen ones. Cathy got the green minty one and the deep brown chocolate/peanut butter one. And I got the two lighter colored ones. I was looking forward to trying these out for the first time.
Cathy had already taken a bite of each of hers by the time I made it back out to the living room. She declared that they were both really good, but that she really liked the Buckeye one. Being that it was chocolate and peanut butter, I now kicked myself for not getting it. But, alas…there will be other options.
I settled in and decided to give the Maple Walnut Macaron a try first. It was the lighter one of mine. One bite and I was hooked. The light, chewy outer layer was fantastic and very delicious. I loved how these treats weren’t heavy at all, despite being sandwiched around a layer of cream filling, usually a buttercream or a ganache. It was love at first bite. So, I moved onto the Mocha Hazelnut one…and yeah…that was like taking a bite out of a fresh coffee. Honestly. The flavors are amazing and just simple. I loved the softness of the cookie and the richness of the cream inside. I could have probably eaten more of these and not felt full at all. They are that light and airy. And yeah…I’m now a fan of macarons. Go figure.
Maybe I will give making them a try sometime.
Until then, I am thankful for places like Pistacia Vera in Columbus, Ohio…for having a gluten-free selection that is awesome and extensive…and so very good. Yeah…I’ll definitely be visiting this place again. They have way more flavors of macarons for me to try. And maybe I will get some coffee next time…just to see if it really is the best in town.
Pistacia Vera’s Maple Walnut Macaron and Mocha Hazelnut Macaron
Restaurant: Deagan’s Kitchen & Bar, Lakewood, Ohio
Sometime the best laid plans fall through and you have to find a plan B.
Welcome to my world on the night of The Monkees concert up in Lakewood, Ohio. Now, I have a friend who lives in Lakewood and we had made plans to all meet up prior to the show for dinner. Our original spot of choice was somewhere I found on Find Me Gluten Free. A little joint called Tommy’s Pizza and Chicken. Sounds like a dive, yes? But sometimes dives have the best food.
Unfortunately…we never found out. Upon arriving at Tommy’s, we could see that it was more of a carry-out sort of place than an eat-in. That wasn’t going to work…at all. It definitely was a dive. And after a couple of texts with my friend in the area, Cathy (yeah…2 Cathy’s…try to keep them straight), we laid out a couple of alternatives. Get gluten-free pizza to go and bring it to her place. Check out Aladdin’s (they serve up Lebanese/American food). But, with a little magic from my Yelp app on my phone under the gluten-free friendly tag…I discovered Deagan’s Kitchen & Bar, a gastropub that wasn’t too far away. It had good ratings. I suggested it. We all agreed to meet there.
Deagan’s was a happening place that night. Very busy. Very lively. We stepped inside and were greeted by the hostess. I said that there would be five of us so they went to prepare a table. We ended up being positioned near one of the windows in the front…but in a quieter side room. That was definitely a good thing. We were given menus to look at and brought some water to start with. Although tempted with the drink menu, we forwent that. Cathy (the roomie) got a Diet Coke for caffeine purposes, but Jenn and I stuck with water. I explained to our waitress, Anisa (she’s awesome, BTW!), that I was a gluten-free vegetarian. She said they had a special menu for me and would swap mine out with it. She returned a moment later with a menu with certain items highlighted and little notes written on it for how to make something gluten-free (like no pita bread). She said there were some vegetarian options on there as well. It was nice to have that kind of peace of mind.
Cathy (the other one) and her sister arrived soon after and got settled in with drinks and menus. We talked and talked and talked and finally decided that we should probably order since we did have a concert to make. Anisa returned ready to take our orders.
Cathy (the roomie) ordered her standard, must-have, when it is on the menu. Fish and chips ($18.00). Jenn decided to try one of their small plates and ordered the Polenta Croutons ($8.00). The polenta croutons are cubes of fried polenta served with sauteed mushrooms, Parmesan and parsley. It was different and it looked really good. And Jenn even tried to eat the mushrooms…but in the end, they were left behind. The rest, however…she devoured. Cathy (the local) ordered the small plate of Mac and Cheese ($11.00), which was a rather big bowl of noodles, Gruyere cheese and chives. She got it with a side of the Brussels sprouts ($ Cathy’s sister, Sarah, ordered the small plate of Seared Scallops ($12.00), which consisted of two large scallops and was served with shaved Brussels sprouts with grapefruit and pomegranate. She got a side of the House Fries with it. As for me…I decided to go with a salad in the end. I chose to go with their Arugula Salad ($8.00) and, since it was marked gluten-free, give their House Fries ($7.00) a try.
Anisa went to put our orders in and for the rest of the time before food arrived, all of us were chatting up a storm. We talked movies, books, music, concerts, work…you name it. And conversation continued even when food arrived to the table. It took some time. I was okay with that. Again, I don’t mind having to wait on my food. It means that it is prepared fresh and to order. Not sitting under some heat lamp somewhere or getting to know a microwave.
Deagan’s House Fries
My Arugula Salad was stunning, by the way. Simple. Very pleasing to the eye. Not a lot of color, but what was there popped. Deagan’s Arugula Salad consists of arugula, shaved fennel, Parmesan and pine nuts. It is lightly dressed in a lemon oil. Now, normally I find arugula to be too peppery on its own…but with the saltiness of the Parmesan and the pine nuts, it all balanced out. The lemon oil, however, is what really tied it all together. While the salad looked simple, the layers of flavor in there seemed complex. It all worked. It was fantastic and delicious. And I enjoyed it more than I normally enjoy a salad at restaurants. Honestly. This one was really good.
There were a lot of House Fries in my side order, so I shared with Jenn and Cathy (the roomie). They were fantastic cuts of potato that were topped with shaved Romano cheese and truffle oil. It was served with a spicy mayo. Oh. My. Potato. Gods. These fries were really good and really addictive. No joke. The simple addition of shaved Romano cheese and a hit of truffle oil just took them from standard fries to something that was out-of-this-world good. And different. The spicy mayo that it was served with was delicious and I took great pleasure in dipping my fries into them. Yeah…for a different twist on fries…I highly recommend these.
In the end, we all agreed that Deagan’s was the perfect place to end up when all was said and done. Our waitress took fantastic care of our table. We all enjoyed and devoured our food. Cathy (the local) had left over mac & cheese…which she took home in a box. There was a lot in that bowl they brought her. She and Sarah ended up splitting the special dessert of the night, a bread pudding with caramel and pear. It sounded divine…and looked it too.
Afterwards, we paid our checks and headed out. Cathy and her sister were heading back to her place. We had The Monkees to go and see. In the end, I am happy we ended up at Deagan’s. Sure…this meant I didn’t get my traditional gluten-free pizza the night before a big race (yeah…I was running a 15K the very next morning back down in Columbus, Ohio)…but I did get some carbs (thank you gluten-free House Fries) and had great company and amazing food. I’d go back to Deagan’s Kitchen & Bar in a heartbeat next time I’m in the area. Sometimes the best laid plans have to change to lead you to somewhere even better.
Sometimes being gluten-free can be difficult. I don’t say that to garner sympathy or anything. The fact is…sometimes I just want a bagel. Or a doughnut. Or even cinnamon rolls.
YES!! Cinnamon rolls.
In fact, this past couple of weeks I had been out-and-out craving gluten-free cinnamon rolls. While I could easily go to the grocery store and pick up some from Udi’s…let me tell you…that is not what I wanted. In fact, Udi’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls are the one item by Udi’s that I have not liked or praised up and down. I am just not a fan of the texture and taste of them. I wanted something with a crust on the outside and that was still gooey on the inside. You know…just like mom used to make…back when I was little and could still eat cinnamon rolls whenever I wanted.
Yeah…the gluten-free gig is a bit of a challenge at times, but I have no choice. Thankfully, however, I have a local bakery in Louisville, Kentucky that caters to those with food allergies. Everything they make is free of gluten, nuts, tree nuts, and soy. Upon request, they can make most of their goodies vegan as well (minus dairy/eggs). You gotta love that.
Well, I absolutely LOVE Annie May’s Sweet Café. I try to get over there for something whenever I am in town. This past Friday was the exception. I was actually heading out of town, but saw on their Facebook page earlier that week that they had Take And Bake Cinnamon Rolls. Oh…that hit the craving switch again so I inquired if they might have them in on Friday. They said they would, so I asked if they could hold one package of them for me. They said they could…and all I had to do was get to Friday and go pick them up.
After leaving work at noon, I headed into Louisville, Kentucky and swung by Annie May’s Sweet Café to pick up my order. As promised, they had a package there for me, along with the delicious icing to go with it. I was thrilledto say the least. And they looked awesome too. Nothing tiny about these cinnamon rolls. Each one weighed around 6 ounces and they just looked fantastic…even without being baked yet. The package of 4 cinnamon rolls ran me $12.00, but it was totally worth the cost. I was already wishing it was Saturday morning in Ohio so I could bake them up and devour them with my roomie and my friend Jenn.
Into the cooler in the car they went…and they made the long journey to Columbus, Ohio. Upon arriving at my friend’s house, I put them in the refrigerator until the morning.
When morning came, I sent my roomie out for coffee while Jenn and I prepared the rest of breakfast. I got out the cinnamon rolls and preheated the oven, according to the directions on the package. The oven was at 325 degrees and in went the pan. The package said to cook for around 7-9 minutes. I went with 7 to start with. And at the end of it, they weren’t yet golden, so I let it run a little longer. After 9 minutes passed…still not golden. The scrambled eggs we were having with them were done, so we dug in and I got a bit daring and set the timer for 2 more minutes. Still not golden. And still doughy in the middle. Not good doughy…but raw doughy. So…back into the oven they went. This time…for 5 more minutes. I was aiming for that golden brown that I associate with cinnamon rolls. When the timer went off this time, they were starting to turn a light shade of brown. So, I decided five more minutes, and after that I would call it done regardless.
We finished up our eggs and I impatiently waited for the timer to sound. When it did, I removed them from the oven and prodded them momentarily with a knife. Still not a rich golden color. Still a little soft in the middle…but it was good enough for me.
Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Take & Bake Cinnamon Rolls (baked and iced)
I set them down on a hot pad holder and pulled out a knife to apply the icing to the tops. Do it while it’s hot and it sort of just melts over the tops. Yummy. There were three of us and four cinnamon rolls, so I split one of them into thirds and began to serve them up.
For the amount of time it took to bake them, I can say this much…it was worth it. Not only did these cinnamon rolls leave me stuffed (perhaps we really didn’t need the eggs like we thought), but they did have a bit of a golden crust on the outside and that delicious soft middle going on. I was in cinnamon roll heaven. I love having a place nearby that can satisfy that craving for me whenever I need it. Really good gluten-free cinnamon rolls are difficult to come by…but Annie May’s Sweet Café really, really does it right. And I love that these are big. Like…Pillsbury Grand big. Size of a fist big. Just…big and packed with flavor. The icing, the soft middle…it was cinnamon roll nirvana for me.
I don’t know what I would do without Annie May’s Sweet Café in my life. Honestly. How I had never heard of them before this past year is beyond me. Now that I know about them…I can’t help but go back weekend after weekend. They are often my source of a breakfast if I am running in Louisville that Saturday morning. They have so much to offer, not just baked goods, but also soups, sandwiches, and pizza. Oh…I have got to go in sometimes for their pizza.
As it stands…cinnamon rolls were a huge hit with me. I am addicted. My mouth is watering even as I type this up. Another craving is hitting. But it’s Thanksgiving week…and their orders are at capacity. So my craving might have to wait a week or so before I can satisfy it again. Whether it was a temperature flaw or something with the oven…I don’t care. What emerged….in the end…was just like the cinnamon rolls my mom used to make.
In fact…they were better.
Annie May’s Sweet Café…thank you for setting up shop in Louisville, Kentucky and giving people with food allergies amazing, delicious food. My roommate and my friend don’t have to eat gluten-free…but when I am there…they do. And they agree…the cinnamon rolls were nothing short of awesome. I might have been full sitting at that kitchen table on Saturday morning…but I was full from your really good product. You haven’t let me down yet.
Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Take & Bake Cinnamon Rolls
Restaurant: The Claddagh Irish Pub, Columbus, Ohio
I love pubs.
I love pubs a lot. But as a vegetarian, I was already limited on what I could eat there. When I had to go gluten-free…my options got even smaller. In most cases, I hope for an amazing salad. It has happened before. The right flavor combinations, the right ingredients, and yes…even a salad can be magic.
It was Friday night…the beginning of an exciting and busy weekend…and I was in Columbus, Ohio visiting my friend Jenn. I had actually purchased a Living Social deal for The Claddagh Irish Pub in Columbus knowing that there would be a cause to use it at some point. And that night was Friday night after a long trip up in the car.
We arrived and found parking and made our way toward the front of the pub. We entered and were immediately greeted and asked if we had a reservation. Uh oh. Did that mean that there was something going on that evening? I replied that we did not have a reservation and the hostess didn’t even flinch before picking up three menus and guiding us toward the back room. We were seated at a low-lit table in the corner and given our menus to look over.
Although…when it comes to pubs, Jenn, my roomie and I pretty much already know what we want. Our waitress came over and introduced herself and asked if we knew what we wanted to drink. Cathy grabbed for the folder of booze and looked for the one word that makes her happiest at pubs. Yep. They had it. Magners. She and Jenn both ordered a pint of that. I stuck to water as…well…I was running later that weekend and I wanted to hydrate properly.
After our drink orders were taken and water was brought out to all three of us, we placed our orders. Both Jenn and Cathy went with their most favorite pub offering on any menu. Fish and chips ($13.99). As for me…I was down to two salads that interested me. I was having a hard time choosing and Cathy wasn’t helping me make the call. So after a little debate…I made up my mind.
My order…the Galway Salad ($7.99). I stuck with the Balsamic Vinaigrette for my dressing.
With orders in, we sat and talked. Magners were delivered. We discussed upcoming plans we all had, the concert we were seeing the next night, and just whatever we felt like talking about. Why? Because we are good friends and conversation is never an issue with us. Love that. And soon, we found our orders being delivered safely to our table. Jenn and Cathy had big planks of fish (they use cod in an ale batter) over a bed of pub chips (fries). They came with a side of slaw and tartar sauce as well. Cathy, who has taken to at least trying the tartar sauce, was quite impressed with it and alternated dipping her fish in the pool of ketchup on her plate and the tartar sauce. Needless to say…they enjoyed their fish and chips.
The Galway Salad looks like…a basic salad. It basically consisted of a bed of mixed greens that was topped off with a boat-load (seriously…it was crazy and a bit overwhelming to the palate) of sun-dried tomatoes, a pile of goat cheese, and a scattering of candied walnuts. They thankfully kept the balsamic vinaigrette to the side so I could add however much I wanted.
The salad was good…but there were just way too many sun-dried tomatoes. They were clumped together at times and would definitely overpower a bite if too many were on the fork. I had to scatter them out and really make sure that they were balanced out by the other components of the salad itself. And, let me tell you, when you are working with four ingredients, that can be a challenge. Thankfully the balsamic vinaigrette helped offset some of that as well.
Was it amazing? Not really. It was okay. Not bad. Just a bit unbalanced when it came to how it was topped. I mean…it was a very simple, basic salad. It was good. It was delicious. But it was a bit much at times when it came to the heavy-handed sun-dried tomatoes that topped it off. But, I got through it and polished off my plate, leaving the pub with a happy (and full) tummy.
The Claddagh served me a delicious salad. I will give them that. I left there full. But I think the chef needs to learn take a lighter hand with the sun-dried tomatoes as it was way overpowering at times. Thank goodness for the goat cheese and walnuts to help tamper that flavor down some.
The Claddagh’s Galway Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Product: Go Picnic Black Bean Dip and Crispy Plantain Chips – $5.99+
Fast food, shmast food.
Being a gluten-free vegetarian means a stop-off at any regional fast food joint is just not an option. I mean, I got sick for 5 days after eating Chik-Fil-A’s supposedly gluten-free waffle fries this past summer. Let me tell you, I have yet to go back.
So, when someone like me – someone who is constantly on the go and on the road – needs something to eat…what then? Well…thanks to Go Picnic my options just got a little more exciting and much healthier than any fast food stop would have been.
Now, I’ve blogged about Go Picnic before. I am a HUGE fan of the gluten-free Hummus + Crackers meal, which is usually my on-the-road poison. However, when I attended the Gluten-Free Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana a month or so back, I dropped by the Go Picnic booth and raved to them about how much I appreciated their gluten-free boxes (especially the ones that are also vegetarian/vegan). It just so happened that they had some of their brand new on-the-go meals at the expo…and if I bought them that day, I’d be saving some money, for sure.
So, my roomie and I made a decision to purchase six meals. She got two of the Sunbutter + Crackers plus the Turkey Pepperoni + Cheese boxes. As for me, I went with two of my favorite…the Hummus + Crackers and one of the brand new offerings…the Black Bean Dip & Plantain Chips box. I was pretty stoked about that one as it was new, vegan, and gluten-free. And it just sounded…different and interesting.
Well, the perfect opportunity to break out the Go Picnic meals came this past weekend as my roomie and I were venturing out to Ohio to visit our friend Jenn. Our plan…to see The Monkees on Saturday night and then on Sunday morning…I was off to the races. Literally. I was running in the Hot Chocolate 15K in Columbus. So, we left work at noon on Friday and went to run a few local errands before settling in for the 4 hour car trip up to Columbus, Ohio. With the errands out of the way…it was lunch time. And for me, lunch was the Go Picnic Black Bean Dip & Plantain Chips on-the-go meal.
After opening the box, I settled on starting with the star of the actual box…the Go Picnic Garden Black Bean Dip with the Sweet Perry Orchards Crispy Roasted Plantain Chips. I thought, at first, that this was an interesting combination and wasn’t quite sure how it would work in the end. However, the combination was actually quite delicious. What I loved was how the sweetness of the dried and roasted plantains made into chips complimented the rich, sweetness of the black bean dip. The Go Picnic Garden Black Bean Dip is amazing. A creamy, somewhat sweet and spicy blend of black beans, green chilies, jalapeno peppers, spices, garlic, and onion made for a fantastic base to dip the chips in. And Sweet Perry Orchards Crispy Roasted Plantain Chips made a fantastic alternative to crackers or corn chips. Honestly. They provided a hint of sweetness as well. They were crispy, crunchy, and just the perfect compliment to the rich dip. I was so happy with this flavor combination. The Go Picnic Garden Black Bean Dip is only 40 calories of this box’s total 360 calories and provides 2 grams of protein. Let’s hear it for the protein magic of beans! And the Sweet Perry Orchards Crispy Roasted Plantain Chips also only contain 70 calories in the provided 0.5 ounce bag. It also only sets you back 3 grams in fat. They are also very low in sodium (50 mg).
My next taste from the box that I chose to devour was the Sweet Perry Orchards Ginger Zip Fruit and Nut Mix. This was a surprisingly delicious mix of peanuts coated in ginger, dried cranberries, and banana chips. The ginger was the part that concerned me, as often it can be a little too strong and too much. Thankfully, pairing it with lightly salted peanut, banana chips, and the tart sweetness of the dried cranberries, the blend worked. It worked fantastically, actually. I was digging down into the little 0.75 ounce bag that came in the Go Picnic box in hopes of finding more of the mix in there. But, alas, when I said devour…that’s what I did. This one surprised me and it was a nice surprise. The ginger was just enough to add a bit of heat to a few of the bites, but it didn’t overwhelm the mix. It was nicely balanced. And the little snack bag you receive in the box is only 90 calories of the entire 360 in the box itself. And the rest of the nutrition information is nice as well. The little pack provides 5 grams of fat and 2 grams of protein. Not bad for a fruit and nut mix. Not bad at all. Oh, and the sugar content on this one isn’t bad either. Most “trail mixes” are laden with sugar. Thanks to the ginger, this one only has 10 grams of sugar. Other trail mixes would be at least twice that per serving.
My next choice to eat from the box was the Sweet Perry Orchards Power Play Tasty Seed Blend. Now, one of my favorite parts of the Go Picnic Hummus + Crackers box is the packet of dry-roasted edamame. Well, this is a different twist on that pack. Sweet Perry Orchards Power Play Tasty Seed Blend is a mix of dry roasted edamame, pumpkin seeds, and watermelon kernels. Sound weird? It’s not. In fact, what this little 0.75 ounce pack provides is a heap of protein and healthy fats. Yep. While salt is added, it’s not overdone either. The seeds really stand up for themselves and pack a bunch of flavor in each bite. The blend is interesting and different. I mean, who can say they’ve really enjoyed a watermelon kernel before? Well…truth is…I did. And the pumpkin seeds and edamame were also fantastic. Sweet Perry Orchards Power Play Tasty Seed Blend provides 110 calories of the entire 360 calories in the box and 5 grams of fat. This blend also provides 8 grams of protein. That’s awesome. As for the sodium…which can be a real sticking point, this bag only has 70 mg of sodium in it. Yep. It really is a healthy choice.
And finally…dessert. Because that’s what we look forward to at the end of a meal. Even lunch on-the-go. The Go Picnic Black Bean Dip & Plantain Chips box comes with dessert of dark chocolate. Oh yes…almost like it was made for me. Dark, delicious chocolate. The little piece is Professor Zim Zams Extraordinary Sweets Dark Chocolate with Orange. It’s a little circle of orange-flavored dark chocolate goodness. Now, sometimes the orange and chocolate combination works for me. Sometimes…it doesn’t. In this case, the bittersweet dark chocolate meshes so well with the tart orange. It’s a seamless marriage of flavor to be honest. And it was a decadent enough bite to satisfy that need for dessert or something sweet to cleanse the palate. Professor Zim Zams Extraordinary Sweets Dark Chocolate with Orange is only 0.35 ounces of rich chocolate flavor…but it’s just enough. This little disk of sweetness provides the Go Picnic box with the remaining 50 calories. It contributes 4 grams of fat into the serving and 2 grams of protein. And it is good to the last little bite. Because…I admit…I savored the chocolate. I love a good, sweet ending.
In the end, Go Picnic provided a hearty on-the-go meal in a little box that really satisfied every taste. Sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. It meant that I felt satisfied at the end of the box. And with only 360 calories, it’s a nutritious meal that you can take with you on the road, on a hike, on a picnic, or just for something easy on a busy day at the office. This little box also provided me with 13 complete grams of protein at the end of it, which is fantastic as I am a gluten-free, vegetarian athlete (distance runner!) so making sure I get enough protein in my diet can be a huge challenge. This satisfied.
I haven’t been able to find this actual box listed yet on Go Picnic’s Web site. But it is one of the new offerings from the company. I say…give it a bit of time and it will be there. As for me…I hope to find this one in the stores soon because I loved every bite of it. If you can find it…pick it up and try it. I promise…you’ll be as hooked as me. Go Picnic…you won me and my taste buds over again with simple flavors and nutritious snacks.
There comes a time during those weeks I’m preparing to go out of town for the weekend that I realize I still have a whole heap of fresh produce from my CSA bin that I need to use or lose. And I am not one that likes to see good food go to waste. Such is the reason for my brilliant creation that I totally made up on the fly yesterday.
Keep in mind…this would have been a lot easier had I planned it ahead of time…prepped some of the items beforehand. But…I never have these brilliant moments of brilliance until I am already away from my kitchen. Naturally.
So, what is an allergic chef to do when her crisper drawer is still heaped full with veggies? Make something up. And what emerged was a fantastic little casserole, packed with veggies, sprinkled with a little cheese, and ultimately…nutritiously delicious.
2/3 cup black beans (mine had actually gone bad…so I substituted with Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Vegan Chorizo)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter (I used Smart Balance)
2 tablespoons flour (I used Arrowhead Mills Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour)
1 cup milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cut the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. Place on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, or until tender enough to pierce with a fork. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. When squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out insides, separating the strands with a fork.
Meanwhile, in a pan, heat olive oil and add chopped shallots and white button mushrooms and saute until shallots are soft and mushrooms begin to brown. Add the broccoli florets. Season with salt and red pepper flakes. Saute until broccoli begins to soften. Add black beans (or vegan chorizo) and heat through. Remove veggies from heat.
While the vegetables are cooking, melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Stir in the milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for 1 minute.
Set the saucepan aside and gently scrape the tines of a kitchen fork around the edge of the spaghetti squash to shred the pulp into strands.
Place half of the strands of spaghetti squash into a 2 quart baking dish. Add half of the sauteed vegetables and half of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Repeat the layers. Pour the sauce over the top and mix well.
Place the baking dish in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and serve.
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I wasn’t exactly sure how this was going to turn out. Honestly. I was just in one of those modes where I’ll grab a bunch of ingredients, toss stuff together, somehow incorporate it into a dish, and just hope for the best when it’s done cooking. My roommate loved this…so this may be added to the list of things I can make with a spaghetti squash. I have a feeling I’ll be seeing quite a few this winter from my CSA.
Go ahead and give this recipe a try. See what you think. I know I’m excited to be dining on the leftovers tonight. Really, really good. Sometimes just making something up really works out.
Oh, Big Lots. What would I do without you and your crazy international section with odd-ball gluten-free snacks? I just don’t know these days. Back at the beginning of summer, I actually posted about the Parmesan Crackers from Cheese Smarts. So, going into it, I knew at least that these crackers were palatable. Knock-you-over-with-cheesiness? Not exactly. But still good.
I can’t tell you much about the company, Unismack SA, aside from the fact that it is based out of Greece. Yep. Greece. And as you know, Europe holds food standards to a much higher degree than the United States. For that, I am thankful. And I love that these crackers are labeled gluten-free right on the front of the box. It’s a comfort to not have to haul out the iPhone in an attempt to check ingredients or a product’s Web site in order to be certain of gluten freedom.
Here is what I can tell you about the crackers, in general. Cheese Smarts Cheddar Crackers are baked, not fried. So, the cheese flavor is locked in through baking, not leaving a greasy residue like a lot of fried snack crackers do. That’s a huge plus. These crackers are made with 24% real cheese. I know…100% would be far better, but this is declared on the very front of the box. Only 24%. Hmmm. They are gluten-free, free of trans fats, and made with ingredients that are recognizable. In other words, the actual ingredients don’t read like a science experiment. Thank goodness.
So…enough with that. The nitty-gritty of this blog is how they taste and stack up against the plethora of other gluten-free cheese crackers out on the market. Well, at first bite you definitely get a healthy crunch. That’s partially due to the baking, I’m certain. The cheese flavor is there, not overpowering, but a bit underwhelming. The little flecks of salt on top of the crackers don’t overpower or make it an overly salty snack. With cheese snacks it can be a fine line when it comes to added salt, as cheese can be rather salty on its own. They aren’t bad. They just aren’t a cracker that you’ll hurry out to the store to stock up on. In a pinch…they’ll do, however.
A serving size is 12 crackers (or 29 grams if you weigh your portions like I do). This will set you back only 90 calories, however this serving also dishes up 6 grams of fat. These snacks are very low in cholesterol (10 mg) and sodium (only 240 mg). So, as far as a snack goes, you get a good portion size for relatively few calories in the cracker world.
These crackers aren’t bad. Not at all. They just don’t rank very high against some of the other major brands that are out on the marketplace. Nutritionally, they are difficult to beat. However, that being said, if it were to come down to taste…these wouldn’t be my first pick.
But…if I needed an inexpensive gluten-free snack…I’d be okay with these.
So, this past weekend, my roomie purchased a new cookbook for me. I actually told her not to get it. As, at full price, it was rather expensive. But she insisted that it was necessary because the holidays happen every time you turn around. And not just the fall/winter holidays. All the little ones in between too. After a quick flip through of the book, I finally relented my stance and let her get it for me.
The book is Gluten-Free and Vegan Holidays: Celebrating the Year with Simple, Satisfying Recipes and Menus by Jennifer Katzinger, who also authored Flying Apron’s Gluten-Free & Vegan Baking Book. So, if there is any authority in this area…this would be the person to turn to. And the recipes really did sound amazing. Everything was something I was willing to try.
Now, the first recipe I chose to do out of this cookbook is considered a side dish. But I eat side dishes for meals all the time. The original recipe calls for new potatoes, but I had 24 ounces of fingerling potatoes in my fridge from my CSA bin, along with baby carrots. It would work. The only ingredient for this recipe that I didn’t have on hand was fresh rosemary, but my grocery store happens to have that. And so, last night, I set out to prepare this recipe for dinner. And yeah…I wasn’t disappointed at all.
Recipe: Rosemary Roasted Carrots and Fingerling Potatoes
1 pound new red potatoes (I used organic fingerling potatoes), halved
1/2 pound carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
4 cloves garlic, minced1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss well to coat the potatoes and carrots with the seasonings and oil.
Pour the contents of the bowl onto a large baking sheet and roast the vegetables for about 50 minutes, or until the exteriors are crisp and the interiors can be easily pierced with a fork. (Halfway through cooking, using tongs or a spatula, turn the potatoes and carrots so that they brown evenly). Transfer to a serving bowl and season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
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First of all…this smells amazing while it is baking up. Honestly. It really gave the apartment an amazing aroma. The vegetables really do crisp up nicely on the outside, leaving the inside nice and soft. Perfect. And wow…packed with flavor. This is a super simple, but super tasty dish. Honestly. I thought about bringing this to Thanksgiving, but mashed potatoes are always abundant there…so I don’t want to repeat the potato. Looking for a new way to enjoy potatoes and carrots…give this recipe a try.
The Celiathlete 