Category: Ice Cream

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Product Review: Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss Dark Chocolate Bars

Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss Dark Chocolate Bars
Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss Dark Chocolate Bars

Product Review: Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss Dark Chocolate Bars – $5.99+

Maybe it was my non-existent trip to the Comfy Cow today…because that happens every weekend.  But I’m broke.  And I’ve been craving chocolate.  Like…totally craving chocolate.  Ice cream always sounds amazing, but it sounds phenomenal on a hot, humid June day too.  The problem was…it was not even 2 p.m. when the chocolate craving hit.  I also knew…I crave chocolate a lot…so the craving would remain all day until I finally got dessert.

It’s WORLD CUP, baby!  And lately I’ve been having this thing with serving up “pub grub” type meals while we watch the matches.  Tonight…it was a gluten-free and vegetarian bar-b-que “chicken” pizza.  Because pizza is bar food…HA!  It’s also delicious.  I never turn down gluten-free pizza (especially when I get to piece it together at home…on top of an Annie May’s Sweet Café Vegan & Gluten-Free Crust)!

And for dessert…chocolate.  It has to be chocolate.  Because I have wanted chocolate all day.  Thankfully…I remembered that I had received a free box of Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss Dark Chocolate Bars from my local Earth Fare during one of their great deals that came over my app one day.  Spent $5 and get free frozen dessert box.  Heck yeah…I’ll take advantage of that deal.

I have heard about Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss frozen desserts for years.  They have won numerous awards for their ice cream treats.  All of which, mind you, are dairy-free, soy-free, and gluten-free.  Award winning ice cream in numerous magazines and food awards?  Yes…I needed these in my life.  And by getting a free box of them at Earth Fare…I totally could finally justify it.  Now…it was time to see what all the fuss was about…

OH. MY. FROZEN. GOD.

Seriously.  Let all others go.  (See what I did there?)  This was one of the most delicious, rich, decadent, non-dairy treats I have had the wonder of feasting on.  And feast, I did!  It’s a high-class fudgsicle.  The dark chocolate and coconut milk is the perfect blend.  No coconut aftertaste.  Just really fantastic frozen goodness.  This is a treat to be enjoyed.  I polished mine off and it took all of my will power not to go grab another one from the freezer.  Yes…these are seriously that amazing.  I was blown away.  Rich, chocolate flavor…just the right amount.  Sweet, but not too sweet.  And a major serious yum factor.

Ingredient-wise…the Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss Dark Chocolate Bars are made up from organic coconut milk, organic agave syrup, organic fair trade cocoa, and organic vanilla extract.  Clean eating dessert right there.  LOVE IT!!  And these frozen delights are free of dairy, soy, and gluten…three things that can and do mess with my system!  Could this BE any better?

Nutritionally speaking…a serving size is 1 bar.  This one little dark chocolate treat will serve up 170 calories and 11 grams of fat.  Don’t freak out…these are made from coconut milk.  It’s a healthy fat.  These bars also will dish out 10 mg sodium and 11 grams of sugar.  These are cholesterol free.  And, finally, these bars provide your body with 3 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein.  Mmmm…dark chocolate filling frozen dessert bars.  *licks lips*

After finishing the Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss Dark Chocolate Bar, I turned to my roomie, who was finishing hers off as well, and said, “Now we need a pint of their ice cream!”  She totally agreed.  So next time I have some room in the budget…a pint of the Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss ice cream is coming home with me.  It will happen because this was a taste of frozen heaven.  For real!  Coconut bliss for sure!

Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss Dark Chocolate Bar (unwrapped)
Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss Dark Chocolate Bar (unwrapped)
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Product Review: So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert

So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert
So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert

Product: So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert – $6.99+

Pause.

Observe.

Stare at the product listed above.

Did you figure out why I had to have this in my life?  Did you?

I’ll give you a hint.  Two words.

Not “dairy free” (although my stomach is thankful that it is)…not “gluten-free” (although…if I’m eating it, obviously it is).

Keep looking.  Ah…you saw it too?

COOKIE DOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you aware that, growing up, cookie dough ice cream was my absolute favorite thing in life.  I mean, it blended two of my all-time favorite things in life…ice cream and cookies.  Not just cookies…but that soft, rich cookie dough that everyone (save me) just ate out of the bowl.  I love the ice cream…we were just never a cookie dough out of the bowl kind of family.  But…COOKIE DOUGH ICE CREAM THAT IS VEGAN AND GLUTEN-FREE!!!

Yes…that is in my freezer.  In fact…two pints of it are in my freezer.  HA!

The ice cream itself is actually labeled to be a “frozen dessert,” as technically it doesn’t contain any cream…but…we all know it’s ice cream.  Made by the coconut milk people, So Delicious (a brand and name I trust!), makers of much epic goodness!  Seriously, I’ve yet to find a product of theirs that hasn’t just been amazing!  They are called So Delicious for a reason.  That’s quite the reputation to live up to…but they do it with style!

This product is just what it sounds like…a vanilla coconut milk based ice cream that is packed with gluten-free cookie dough chunks and crispy chocolate flakes.  Happy memories flooded my mind as i pulled this out of the freezer and let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes.  When you have dairy-free ice cream, you need to let the it sit out to thaw a little so it’s easy to scoop.  Just…trust me on this.  I am a pro.  I haven’t indulged in cookie dough ice cream in ages.  And I really haven’t since I had to go gluten-free three years ago.  SO…EXCITED!

As it is mega hot and stupid humid outside…ice cream just sounded amazing.  Ice cream always sounds amazing though.  I grew up in New York and ate ice cream year round…even when it was negative something degrees outside.  Ice cream is just one of my comfort foods.  And, trust me, not all dairy-free varieties are up to par.

But this one is.  I never doubted it since it was made by So Delicious.  In fact, I found it to be really good.  You can’t even taste the coconut in the base.  It just tastes like a light vanilla ice cream.  The gluten-free cookie dough balls give this great body and texture.  I loved getting to one of the hunks of cookie dough and letting it melt for a moment on my tongue.  Mmmm…

…must not raid freezer for other pint…

And the flakes of chocolate give it a great crunch as well.  That’s the key to cookie dough ice cream…creamy, gooey, crunchy, sweet, and a bit of salt (from the dough).  It’s the most magical ice cream, because it literally can trip every switch on your taste buds.  Mmmm…

…put the spoon down…

As you can guess…I LOVED IT!

Let’s take a look at what So Delicious pours into their So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert (which is a tasty mouthful…literally!), shall we?  The ingredients are listed as containing: organic coconut milk, organic dried cane syrup, cookie dough (made from rice flour), chicory root extract, chocolate flake, carob bean gum, guar gum, natural vanilla flavor.

How’s that for ingredients, eh?  And remember, this ice cream is vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, and kosher.

As for nutrition…well…it’s ice cream.  A fantastic dairy-free ice cream…but still ice cream.  A serving of the So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert is 1/2 cup.  This serving will dish up 170 calories and 9 grams of fat.  Do not freak out over the fat.  Yes…some of it is from the “dough” part of this ice cream…but some of it is the healthy kind that you find in the coconut milk.  This ice cream is cholesterol free, contains only 35 mg sodium and 16 grams of sugar.  Yeah…that is a lot of sugar.  But…it’s a treat.  A serving will also provide you with 7 grams of fiber and 1 gram of protein.

As I tuck the pint back into the freezer and lick my bowl clean…I just want to reiterate how happy this frozen dessert made me.  I can’t thank So Delicious enough for putting a dairy-free and gluten-free cookie dough ice cream out on the market.  I’ve been craving cookie dough ice cream for years now…and finally…I have the liberty to indulge.

As you can tell…that’s never a problem with me!  If you haven’t tried the So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert…then you’re missing out.  So get to your grocery store and snag yourself a pint.  It’s a taste of cookie heaven in a creamy, dreamy ice cream base.  It’s…all that is good in life!  It is, simply put, amazing.

And yes…so delicious!  (See what I did there? So clever!)

A serving of So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert
A serving of So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert
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Product Review: Halo Top Creamery Lemon Cake All Natural Light Ice Cream

Halo Top Creamery Lemon Cake All Natural Light Ice Cream
Halo Top Creamery Lemon Cake All Natural Light Ice Cream

Product: Halo Top Creamery Lemon Cake All Natural Light Ice Cream – $5.49+

So…a couple weeks ago I posted my first blog on my first flavor of Halo Top Creamery All Natural Ice Cream.  It was the vanilla flavor…and save for some not-so-creamy texture…it ranked high in my book!  What’s not to love about an ice cream that has fantastic flavor, dishes up like ice cream, and is low in calories and high in protein?  There is SO much to love about that…let me tell you!

So, I was sort of (okay…maybe a little more than sort of) excited about dishing up a bowl of the other flavor that my roomie and I decided to pick up that day there was a special on them at our natural food store.  I chose Vanilla Bean.  She chose Lemon Cake.  This shouldn’t surprise anyone…as she is a lemon freak!  Like…freaky freak over lemon.  Like Rick James Superfreak over lemon.  I mean…I love lemon too, but she takes her lemon love to a new and somewhat disturbing extreme.  HA!

Recall…the Halo Top Creamery Vanilla Bean All Natural Light Ice Cream had amazing flavor, but was less creamy than regular ice cream.  It wasn’t bad through and it didn’t fall apart and flake when dished.  It still rolled up perfectly in the ice cream scoop and made pretty little balls of ice cream in my bowl.

Well…tonight…it was the Lemon Cake flavor’s turn to shine.

We polished off dinner (Gluten-Free and Vegan BLATs [vegan bacon (made with black beans and buckwheat groats…yes…I make it myself!), lettuce, avocado, and tomato sandwiches) with grilled corn-on-the-cob.  I asked if she wanted ice cream of cookies for dessert.  She had no opinion…and I didn’t care.  Since we had the ice cream longer than the cookies…I opted for the ice cream.  Besides, she has a cold and up until this morning a sore throat…so ice cream is the best remedy for that, right?  Of course!

I pulled it from the freezer, got my 1/2 cup measuring cup out (yes…I portion-size everything!), ice cream scoop, and ice cream bowls.  I was ready to dish.  The ice cream scoop went into the pint…and it flaked.  It flaked!!  It didn’t roll up into the scoop.  It busted up into little ice cream like pieces…and crumbled.  The result was a bowl of ice cream that looked more like scrambled eggs than ice cream.

BUMMER!

So…the texture on this one was WAY off.  But…what about the flavor?

On the Web site, the Halo Top Creamery Lemon Cake All Natural Light Ice Cream is described as being not too sweet and not too sour.  It states that it has the perfect amount of zesty freshness and sweet richness.  And it’s called Lemon Cake because it has a “smooth cheesecake-y texture.”

*eyes scrambled egg-like ice cream in bowl*

REALLY??!!

Okay…the flavor was actually a very delicate and enticing blend of lemon flavor.  It wasn’t overwhelming…but Cathy didn’t even realize she was eating the Lemon Cake Halo Top Creamery Ice Cream.  I mentioned it after and she said, “That was the lemon cake?”  I don’t know what to say about that…because she also is fighting a cold.  To me…the lemon flavor was actually spot-on.  It wasn’t overpowering but it wasn’t too under-the-radar either.  It had great flavor.

But…my GOD…it was not at all ice cream-like.  More like…sorbet gone wrong.  And it’s too bad.  It really is too bad because I had such high hopes for the Halo Top Creamery Lemon Cake All Natural Light Ice Cream.  If you don’t mind flaky, crusty ice cream…then this is for you.  But, it is called ice cream for a reason.  And this…was not the texture I was hoping for when I bought it.

Disappointment.

The Halo Top Creamery Lemon Cake All Natural Light Ice Cream is made up of milk and cream, cultured non-fat milk, cage-free eggs, whey, erythritol, organic cane sugar, chicory root, casein protein, acacia gum, sea salt, organic lemon peel, organic lemon oil, organic sunflower oil, organic carob gum, organic guar gum, carrageenan, and organic stevia.

As for nutrition…a serving of Halo Top Creamery Lemon Cake All Natural Ice Cream is 1/2 cup.  This serving dishes up only 70 calories and 3 grams of fat.  A serving also gives you 43 mg cholesterol, 89 mg sodium, and 4 grams of sugar.  This 1/2 cup serving will also provide you with 4 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein.  Not bad.

Too bad the ice cream is not good…

This was a huge disappointment.  I wanted to try all the flavors, but this sort of made me not want to waste my money.

Sad.

A
A “scoop” of Halo Top Creamery Lemon Cake All Natural Light Ice Cream
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Product Review: Halo Top Creamery Vanilla Bean All Natural Light Ice Cream

Halo Top Creamery Vanilla Bean All Natural Light Ice Cream
Halo Top Creamery Vanilla Bean All Natural Light Ice Cream

Product: Halo Top Creamery Vanilla Bean All Natural Light Ice Cream – $5.49+

Cookies might be one of my favorite desserts in the world…but sometimes…you just can’t beat the sweet, savory, melty goodness of ice cream.  I love ice cream.  I love ice cream so much that I take a lactase supplement so I can eat it, as my lactose intolerance otherwise doesn’t handle the dairy well.  And, where I can, I keep it dairy-free…sometimes you just want to try something new in that freezer section at the grocery store.

For a while now, I had been eying the Halo Top Creamery All Natural Light Ice Cream at my local natural food store.  What really caught my attention, above everything else in that freezer, was that the pints declared that a serving contained 7 grams of protein and only 70 calories.  I’m sorry…70 calories!!!!!  Be still my ice cream loving heart!

Our local natural food store was having a great sale on this brand a couple weeks back, so Cathy and I gave a little bit of leeway to our budget and purchased two pints.  One flavor…the lemon cake.  The other…vanilla bean.

I’ve been wanting to dive into these since we bought them, but we had some cookies (ooooh…cookies!) to use up first.  And then I made a Vegan and Gluten-Free Grasshopper Pie.  But…to celebrate another marathon…we picked up a brownie from Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky, with the original thought to take it to our local ice cream shop (Comfy Cow) and have them use it in a brownie sundae.  But…with our budget tight due to some traveling for the marathon…I said we could make the sundaes at home.  She agreed that saving money was a good idea…but…the sundae had to wait until…tonight.  Three days after we purchased the brownie…we finally had a break in our dessert schedule to open up one of the ice cream pints.

The most logical choice, of course, was the Halo Top Creamy Vanilla Bean All Natural Light Ice Cream.

I love vanilla.  Vanilla is the ultimate test of how good any ice cream is.  Because if you can’t make a good vanilla…you can’t make good ice cream.  Whenever I try a new ice cream brand, I usually opt for vanilla first.  This is how I judge them.  Seriously.  I am an ice cream lover from my childhood.  I know good ice cream.  Halo Top Creamy spares no expense when it comes to making their Vanilla Bean flavor.  They use pure Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Vanilla, which is the top of the line vanilla that money can buy.  Honestly.

A 1/2 cup serving of Halo Top Creamery Vanilla Bean All Natural Light Ice Cream
A 1/2 cup serving of Halo Top Creamery Vanilla Bean All Natural Light Ice Cream

So…this is how I utilized the Vanilla Bean ice cream from Halo Top Creamery.  I started off by warming up the Gluten-Free Double Fudge Brownie from Annie May’s Sweet Café.  I sliced it in half and put one half in each ice cream bowl.  Then, I warmed up some hot fudge in the microwave.  While that was warming, I scooped up a 1/2 cup serving of the Halo Top Creamery Vanilla Bean All Natural Light Ice Cream and gently placed it on top of the brownie slice.  Once the hot fudge was ready, I drizzled it over the top, added some chopped pecans (or walnuts on Cathy’s sundae…as she prefers walnuts and I prefer pecans).  And…it was time to dig in.

I was actually surprised with how rich and smooth this flavor was.  The ice cream, much like the ice creams made from coconut milk or soy milk, definitely aren’t as soft and pliable when scooped, but the flavor was amazing.  It crumbles a little, but that’s the nature of ice cream with very little fat in it.  And very little sugar.  In fact, one of my favorite aspects of this ice cream is that it has almost twice the protein as sugar.  How’s that for epic?  The ice cream might be a bit crumbly, but the flavor is outstanding.  You want to get good vanilla ice cream, grab a spoon and dig into this guilt-free pleasure.  The vanilla is really the star and you can tell that they pulled out all the stops when it came to creating this flavor.  I was in love at first bite.  And each one that followed, weather it was on its own or covered in fudge and accompanied by some warm brownie.

Are you drooling yet?

So, let’s look at what the Halo Top Creamery Vanilla Bean All Natural Light Ice Cream is made from.  The ingredients are milk and cream, cultured nonfat milk, cage-free eggs, whey, erythritol, organic cane sugar, chicory root, casein protein, organic vanilla extract, organic vanilla beans, acacia gum, sea salt, organic carob gum, organic guar gum, carrageenan, and organic stevia.  So…it has that damn carrageenan in it…but it’s not so bad otherwise.  And the FAQ on the Web site does say that their ice cream is gluten-free and vegetarian!  Some ice creams use gelatine.  Not Halo Top Creamery!

As for the nutrition information…you’ll love this.  A serving size is 1/2 cup.  In this big scoop of ice cream, you will be provided with only 70 calories and 3 grams of fat.  You will be taking in 43 mg of cholesterol, 89 mg sodium, and only 4 grams of sugar.  In addition, you will be taking in 4 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein.  That’s incredible!

So, yeah…I was excited…and a bit nervous when it came to actually trying Halo Top Creamery’s All Natural Light Ice Cream.  I was afraid it would be like…the nastiness that is Arctic Zero.  GROSS!  But it turns out that, the Vanilla Bean flavor, at least, is fantastic.  It’s light and tasty and just…good.  While the texture isn’t as creamy as you’d expect, it still works and it still tastes good.  It’s one fine vanilla ice cream.  And you won’t feel guilty piling it on top of a brownie and coating it with some hot fudge.  Well, you shouldn’t at least.  Honestly…I was actually pleasantly surprised when it came to the taste, texture, and all around flavor of Halo Top Creamery Vanilla Bean All Natural Light Ice Cream.

Find it.  Try it.  Indulge.  Hitting the freezer has never been so guilt-free and simply delicious.

A Gluten-Free Brownie Sundae made with Halo Top Creamery Vanilla Bean All Natural Light Ice Cream (on a gluten-free double chocolate brownie, covered with hot fudge and chopped pecans)
A Gluten-Free Brownie Sundae made with Halo Top Creamery Vanilla Bean All Natural Light Ice Cream (on a gluten-free double chocolate brownie, covered with hot fudge and chopped pecans)
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Restaurant Review: Sweet ‘N’ Savory Food Truck, Louisville, Kentucky

Sweet 'N' Savory Food Truck, Louisville, Kentucky
Sweet ‘N’ Savory Food Truck, Louisville, Kentucky

Restaurant: Sweet ‘N’ Savory Food Truck, Louisville, Kentucky

They are BACK!

YES!!  Finally!!

After a long, harsh winter without much action of the food truck scene…especially for me…because of my food allergies and all…I was so happy when Sweet ‘N’ Savory Food Truck returned from their hiatus (the owners spend the winters in New Orleans, Louisiana).  Unfortunately, I didn’t get out to them for a few weeks.  I was either out of town or the weather was bad.

But that was not the case this past Sunday afternoon.  Louisville was having their Buy Local Fair and the food trucks were out and serving.  I went to this event last year and walked away with tons of local products from local businesses and farms.  So, I was excited that I would be in town for this year’s event as well.  It was a near thing though.  I was in Indianapolis the day before for a half marathon…so thank goodness this was a Sunday event.

After an easy time getting to the site of the Buy Local Fair and with no problems parking…I was more than primed to find the food trucks and get my crepe on.  Because that…my dear readers…is what Sweet ‘N’ Savory is all about.  They do amazing gluten-free crepes, gelato, smoothies, coffee, tea…ahhhh…life’s simple but best pleasures, if you ask me.  And you’re reading this…so technically…you are.

Sweet ‘N’ Savory was right on the end of the row of food trucks as we turned the corner.  I think I bounced up and down when I saw them…already with a line.  YAY!  I was so ready for this.   My crepe craving has been out of control lately.  And despite having a gluten-free crepe place in Columbus, Ohio…and now one in Denver, Colorado…nothing…NOTHING compares to those that are served up by my local food truck, owned by Richard and Ashley Giannini.  He mans the crepe stones and she takes the orders and dishes up everything else…including their rich, creamy gelato.  But I’ll get to that momentarily.

Richard and Ashley are the two who got me hooked on savory crepes.  I never cared for them much before…until they came along.  And…still…I hardly order them from anywhere else…because they don’t compare to the flavor combinations that I can get from Sweet ‘N’ Savory.  I looked over the menu…and contemplated going sweet.  But it was lunch…so…the savory sort of had my attention.  I was going back and forth between two of them…and finally settled on…

The Sweet Onion Crepe.

Sweet 'N' Savory's Sweet Onion Crepe
Sweet ‘N’ Savory’s Sweet Onion Crepe

This savory crepe contained caramelized onions, figs, honey, and goat cheese, folded up in the gluten-free crepe and served toasty and warm and…mouth watering.  Holy cow.  I put in my order and Cathy placed hers (opting for the one with ‘all the meats’ as she never gets to eat meat at home since I am the cook).  While we waited, we chatted with both Richard and Ashley about how we’ve been and what’s been keeping us busy.  They apologized for missing me the weekend before at The Flea Off Market (severe weather shut it down early and they packed up 10 minutes before I finally arrived…SO not their fault.  Just really bad timing!).  We laughed about the strange weather and soon…both Cathy and I were receiving our delicious gluten-free crepes.

The seating area was on the other end of the food truck area, so we took a small stroll over to a picnic table and settled in.  I quickly took the mandatory food shot for the blog and then picked up my plastic utensils and readied myself for my first bite of one of Sweet ‘N’ Savory’s crepes in a L-O-N-G time.

It was just as good as I always remembered.  The savory Sweet Onion Crepe was the perfect blend of everything.  You get sweetness from the caramelized onions…plus some great flavor and texture from the chopped up figs that are inside.  The honey binds everything together.  But the real magic in this crepe falls to the goat cheese.  You get this nice balance of saltiness and creamy texture to counter the onion and fig mixture.  Heaven.  I cut off a piece for Cathy to try and she agreed…it rocked!  And her crepe was apparently good too, because we polished them off in record time.  For real!  The crepe itself was toasted to a perfect golden brown and tucked neatly around the filling.  It was heaven on a paper plate.  And I was all smiles…in between chewing, of course.  I have yet to have something from Sweet ‘N’ Savory that I didn’t like.

As we had been waiting in line, Ashely had mentioned their gelato flavors.  She had done up a Brownie Batter Gelato that morning that she said was amazing.  Lick-the-bowl good, I believe.  She also said that it would pair perfectly with, my personal favorite, Salted Caramel.  And they did have the salted caramel flavor.  But she enticed me with something else…

A Dairy-Free Raspberry Gelato.  So, Cathy and I abandoned our plans to celebrate my fastest half marathon time with our traditional Sundae Sunday at The Comfy Cow…and instead…went for Sweet ‘N’ Savory’s gelato.  Cathy got the Brownie Batter.  I was enticed to the Raspberry.  Ashley served it up…and we happily paid and walked away with our refreshing sweet treat in hand.

Cathy fell in love with the rich, sweet, very-brownie flavor of the Brownie Batter Gelato.  I took a spoonful and…WOW!  Yeah…it was like eating rich, delicious, dark chocolate brownie batter.  REALLY good.  But, I was over-the-moon for my choice.  Light, airy, and tangy…the zippy flavor of Sweet ‘N’ Savory’s Dairy-Free Raspberry Gelato won me over at first bite.  Cathy, who doesn’t even like raspberry, took a taste and said, “WOW…that’s GOOD!”  So, we perused the Buy Local Fair, buying products from local farms and businesses, while eating our little bowls of homemade, rich, creamy, light…gelato.  I was in a good place.  A very, very happy place.

So, I want to take a moment to welcome back my favorite Louisville, Kentucky food truck, Sweet ‘N’ Savory.  I have missed you so much.  And you totally have brought the flavor-factor back once again this year.  I can’t wait to turn up at other events and try other crepes that you create and put together.  Honestly…you’ve been missed.  And next time…it might be a two-scoop gelato kind of day.  Your food is love…and I love your food!

Sweet 'N' Savory's Dairy-Free Raspberry Gelato
Sweet ‘N’ Savory’s Dairy-Free Raspberry Gelato
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Restaurant Review: Rockstone Wood Fired Pizza and Pub, Fishers, Indiana

Rockstone Wood Fired Pizza & Pub, Fishers, Indiana
Rockstone Wood Fired Pizza & Pub, Fishers, Indiana

Restaurant: Rockstone Wood Fired Pizza & Pub, Fishers, Indiana

Twas the night before a half marathon…

…so…in other words…gluten-free pizza night!

About a week before setting out to Fishers, Indiana, to run the Geist Half Marathon (for training), I started a full-on search for good gluten-free pizza in that area.  I’m spoiled rotten by my local allergen-free bakery, Annie May’s Sweet Café, because her pizza crust is actually a thick crust…not this thin cracker crust you get everywhere else.  I always crave her pizza and went on a search to, perhaps, find a place that was comparable to the one she makes.

No luck.

Cracker crust everywhere I turn.

UGH!

So…I tossed it out on my Facebook page for some suggestions.  I wanted to try somewhere new…somewhere I couldn’t easily go here in Louisville.  So no Puccini’s and no Mellow Mushroom (although…yum to Mellow Mushroom!).  I didn’t want to go somewhere I already had gone up there to try…so no Monical’s or Jockamo’s.  Some of my friends in my running group were, unknown to me at the time, also running Geist…and Laura said they were going to hit up Rockstone Wood Fired Pizza & Pub in Fishers on Friday night for their dinner.  And she saw they had a gluten-free menu as well.

I went to check it out, along with two other places that I researched via Find Me Gluten Free.

In the end, due to being conveniently close to the hotel…Rockstone Wood Fired Pizza & Pub was where Cathy and I decided the night-before-the-race pizza would happen.  And…as an added bonus, my good friend, Julia, was going to meet us there for dinner.  YAY!

I’ve had a lot of misses on the gluten-free pizza as of late while on the road.  So, I was desperately hoping that this pizza was good.  And…after getting caught in some storms on the drive up to Fishers, then getting stuck in traffic, hitting up the race expo for packet pickup, and then getting caught in more traffic, we finally made it to the restaurant, where Julia got us a table in the bar and was patiently waiting…and had been for about 30 minutes (damn traffic).  Lots of hugs and a quick browse of the menu…and we were set.

The inside of Rockstone Wood Fired Pizza & Pub is dark…but beautiful.  It’s very rustic chic.  And I thought the ambiance was perfect for a pizza/pub.  It just felt right and comfortable.  Our waitress came over…and I gave her fair warning of my food allergies.  She put any of my fears to rest and assured me that they would cook me up a good pizza.  So, with our minds made up…the order was placed.

Cathy and I were going to split the 10″ Gluten-Free Vava Veggie Pizza ($12.00 – which includes the $1.50 up-charge for gluten-free crust).  Julia was on the same wavelength and got the regular wood fired version of the Vava Veggie Pizza ($10.50).  With the orders in, we were able to sit and talk while we waited for out food.  A short time later, our pans of pizza were being settled in front of us.

The Rockstone Wood Fired Pizza & Pub’s Gluten-Free Vava Veggie Pizza is done on a custom gluten-free cracker crust.  Very thin crust…crunchy…you know the drill.  The pizza itself is topped off with roma tomatoes, fresh basil pesto, crimini mushrooms, red and green bell peppers, broccoli, house tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese.  It was very colorful and smelled absolutely delicious.

Our pizza, however, was a little lopsided.  One half was coated with veggies, the other half had a lot of plain cheese.  As I don’t handle dairy too well, I took a supplement and then took the slices with more veggies than cheese showing.  That was fine by Cathy.  I think sometimes she only tolerates the veggies that I get on my vegetarian pizzas.  But…she dug in first.

First of all…the crust was cooked all the way through.  That…was a huge plus.  YAY!  It had a nice crispness to the crust.  The vegetable were fresh and added both savory and sweet aspects to the slices itself.  I loved the mushrooms, finding them cooked perfectly through.  Cathy fell in love with the pesto that was on the pizza.  And each slice was packed with fresh veggie goodness, which I appreciated.  But…I did notice how wet the pizza got soon after we dove into our first slices.  I think it was the blend of tomatoes with the tomato sauce and basil…but it got a bit soggy after a short time.  Which…made me sad. I love that crispness to the crust that pizza should have.  Ah well…I polished off my half of the pizza regardless, giving each of my slices a liberal sprinkle with the crushed red pepper flakes.  Mmmm.

All-in-all, not bad.  Really.  Not bad.  In fact, I’d be more than happy to eat here again and try something else.  I hear the gluten-free bread they make their sandwiches on is fantastic (thanks for the insight, Tammy!).  If anything, I was most disappointed by the appearance (veggies were SO off-kilter!) and the way it just sort of got soggy after a moment of sitting while we ate.  But…it was cooked through.  The cheese was melted.  The veggies were cooked to perfection and tasted fresh.  I was content.  I felt good.

And…it must have worked because this gluten-free pizza fueled me all the way to a new half marathon personal record!

Julia seemed really happy with her wood-fired pizza…and the crust looked absolutely fantastic on her slices.  I admit…I had crust envy.

If you find yourself in the Fishers area, I highly recommend Rockstone Wood Fired Pizza & Pub for your lunch or dinner plans. They have everything from salads to pizzas to sandwiches…and even dessert.  I toyed with the idea of getting gelato…but I opted against it in the end.  But…trust me…this is a great place and they were very careful with the preparation of my food.  And for that, I am eternally grateful.

I will definitely be back.  Next time…I think I’ll try a sandwich!

Rockstone Wood Fired Pizza & Pub's Gluten-Free Vava Veggie Pizza
Rockstone Wood Fired Pizza & Pub’s Gluten-Free Vava Veggie Pizza
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Product Review: So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Toasted Almond Chip Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert

So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Toasted Almond Chip Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert
So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Toasted Almond Chip Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert

Product: So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Toasted Almond Chip Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert – $6.99+

Mmm…ice cream.

I love ice cream.  It’s the one treat I never like to say no to eating.  However, being lactose intolerant, ice cream doesn’t always love me back.  Even when I take a supplement to help with digestion…it doesn’t always work.  As you can imagine, for someone who grew up eating ice cream no matter what time of year it was…this can be quite challenging.

But…thanks to products from So Delicious Dairy Free…I can still have my ice cream and at it too.

Well, technically, being dairy free it can’t be called “ice cream”…but more of a frozen dessert.  And from So Delicious, the primary base of their products is…coconut milk.

YUMMY!

Back in April, I was running around my grocery store and my roommate said…”Did you see the no sugar added So Delicious ice cream over there?”  I was all, “Um…NO!”  And went tearing over to the freezer with the So Delicious and other dairy-free frozen desserts tucked inside.  Over near the organic and natural foods, of course.

And there it was…a beacon of grocery store light shining down upon it.  A little white container with a blue label wrapped around it declaring…”NO SUGAR ADDED!”  This is my kind of dessert.  Being the sweet tooth that I am, I’ve been desperately trying to cut back on sugar where I can.  It’s not easy…but this…this was made for me.  I didn’t even ask…I opened up that freezer door, pulled out a pint…and it came home with me that night.

And the other night…I was feeling ice cream.  So, this finally had it’s moment to prove itself.

The grocery store had a few varieties in flavor to choose from, but my eye was drawn to the So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Toasted Almond Chip Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert.

Whew…that’s a mouthful.

A delicious mouthful!

But…I’m getting ahead of myself.  After a light dinner, I went to the freezer and retrieved the little pint of dairy-free dessert goodness.  I dished up a serving for Cathy and one for me.  Since this is dairy-free with no sugar added, the ice cream was a bit…flaky.  It isn’t as creamy as regular ice cream, so scooping it out was sometimes a challenge…but I measured out the serving and dished the goodness out to each of us.

All it took was one bite for me to know that this was going to be a match made in heaven.  A delicious dairy-free, gluten-free, less-sugar-in-your-life kind of heaven.  So, it wasn’t creamy…but it wasn’t an unpleasant sort of flaky.  In fact, each spoonful would melt into creamy goodness in your mouth, and the bits of almond and flakes of chocolate would be the last things to dance across your tongue.  Magic.  Just pure spoonfuls of magic.  I was loving it.  And sad that I only had two more servings.  Gone to soon, for sure.  But…a delicious treat that I wasn’t expecting.  I am a huge fan of coconut milk and things made with coconut milk.  And the fact that this is lower in sugar makes me one happy girl.  You wouldn’t really even know that it was low-sugar if you weren’t told.  It really is that good!

I am out…and need more.

Soon.

Ingredient-wise…So Delicious Dairy Free uses organic coconut milk, gum arabic, chocolate flake, almonds, vegetable glycerin, chicory root extract, erythritol, natural flavors, sea salt, locust bean gum, guar gum, carrageenan (UGH!), and monk fruit extract in the No Sugar Added Toasted Almond Chip Frozen Dessert.  So…not completely a clean eat…but, not the worst (by far) on ingredients.  It is cholesterol-free soy-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free.  It is certified kosher, vegan, and organic!

Nutritionally speaking, a serving of the So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Toasted Almond Chip Frozen Dessert is 1/2 cup.  In this serving, you will be consuming 140 calories and 12 grams of fat (some of that is the healthy fats you get from coconut and almonds…so don’t panic!).  You will also be consuming 80 mg sodium and 1 gram of sugar.  Yes…you read that right…1 GRAM OF SUGAR!!  LOVE!!  In addition, you will be taking in 10 grams of filling fiber and 2 grams of protein.  So much love for these nutrition facts.  For real.

Love.  That’s what this dessert is all about.  Lots of dairy-free, tasty, ice-creamy love.  The No Sugar Added variety of the Toasted Almond Chip Frozen Dessert from So Delicious Dairy Free may not be the creamiest of ice cream treats…but it brings the flavor.  And the love.  Especially to those of us who have problems with dairy.  This is one of life’s greatest gifts to the ice cream lover in me.  I need more.

Stat.

A serving of So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Toasted Almond Chip Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert
A serving of So Delicious Dairy Free No Sugar Added Toasted Almond Chip Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert
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Product Review: So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars

So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars
So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars

Product: So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars – $4.99+

Coconut milk and I are seriously becoming best mates.

Really.

I am using it more and more…and not just to splash into my coffee or over my cereal.  I mean…I am now making ice cream with it, making soups with it, you name it…I’m probably doing it.  And my main source of coconut milk (my only source, actually!) is So Delicious.  Why?  Because they live up to their name. I have never had a product that I didn’t like from their line-up.  That’s saying something, for sure.

Happily, they make more than just half gallon cartons of coconut milk.  Yep.  They do yogurts and even…desserts.  YES!  Desserts.  Otherwise known as my favorite meal of the day.

I was recently provided with a box of the new So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars.  I just recently reviewed the Fudge Bars and Super Strawberry Bars.  This was the last in the line of products and the one I was anticipating the most.  I mean…java…hello!  I won’t lie…coffee and I are also best mates.  So, combine coconut milk with coffee and make it a dessert…you are totally speaking my language.

I wonder if So Delicious knew that?

Anyway…after a long day that started with spin class at the gym and ended at physical therapy for my ankle sprain, I was looking forward to treating myself to something sweet and refreshing after a quick dinner.  So, after I finished up my meal, I did up the dishes and reached into the freezer for the So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars.  I removed two…one for me and one for my roommate.

One taste and I have declared this one my favorite of the bunch.  It’s like…eating a delicious frappuccino.  Seriously.  The best part is, the coffee flavor doesn’t overwhelm this dessert.  Too often, coffee-flavored desserts or treats are overwhelmed by that java flavor.  But not these.  The balance is perfect.  And the coconut milk just makes it.  Honestly.  It just makes this dessert.  It’s so smooth and dreamy-creamy.  I was happy to savor it slowly, until it started to melt more.  Then I had to pick up the pace.  The fact of the matter is…SUPER DUPER JAVA-INDUCED YUMMINESS!

You can quote me on that one.  OMG…so delicious indeed.  These will forever have a spot in my freezer…because they aren’t just good…they are a treat you won’t feel guilty about eating either.

While on that topic…let’s go ahead and peek at the ingredients, yes?  The So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars are made from organic coconut milk, organic dried cane syrup, organic inulin, organic guar gum, organic fair trade coffee, natural flavor, organic locust bean gum, and sea salt.  Not too bad on the ingredients.  Nothing that I don’t recognize.  That’s always a good sign.

Nutritionally, these are awesome!  A serving is one of the dessert bars.  This mini treat will serve you up only 80 calories and 4 grams of fat.  One dessert bar also contains 25 mg sodium and 8 grams of sugar.  That’s really good for a dessert!  You will also be taking in 5 grams of fiber and only 1 gram of protein.

If you are a coffee-junkie like me…you will love this dessert bar.  It is truly amazing.  You won’t even guess that it’s made with coconut milk.  And, trust me, you won’t miss the dairy either.  These are beyond fantastic.  These…are what dreams are made of.  And I, for one, am a happy dairy-free ice cream loving girl.

Thank you so much, So Delicious!!  I love you for life.

So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars
So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars (unwrapped)
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Product Review: So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Super Strawberry Bars

So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Super Strawberry Bars
So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Super Strawberry Bars

Product: So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Super Strawberry Bars – $4.99+

I have one person to blame for my obsession with anything So Delicious!  Honestly.  Because I was turned onto these fantastic products simply by having some of the vanilla coconut milk at my friend Heather’s apartment one morning when I was visiting.  She asked if I had tried it and then went on and on about how wonderful it was.  I took a sample.

I was hooked.

So…I’m not pointing the finger at you, Heather…I am thanking you.  Because of you, I have this love affair with products from So Delicious Dairy Free.

Recently they launched a couple of new products…one of which is some mini coconut milk dessert bars.  Yes…coconut milk based dessert bars.  They do it brilliantly.  I reviewed the Minis Organic Fudge Bars the other night…but a new flavor steps into the spotlight tonight.  And right there with chocolate, this happens to be one of my favorite flavors in life.

Strawberry.

I love strawberries.  I love strawberry flavored things.  I apparently love strawberries and coconut milk in a frozen form.  Because from my first taste of this bar, I was hooked.  So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Super Strawberry Bars are…well…super.  I’m not kidding.  If you want to taste something that tastes like real strawberries…look no further than this dessert.  And it isn’t fake strawberry flavor either.  That amazing strawberry taste…that’s real strawberries.  Organic strawberries at that.  It’s amazing what real ingredients to do the flavor of food.  I was instantly a fan of this frozen treat.  Instantly.  It was all I could do to saver each taste until it was all gone.  I wanted it to last forever.  But these little bars are mini…and they melt.  So…it can’t go on forever.  But, there are four to a pack, so you can indulge three more times after that first initial one.

And you’ll want to.  Rich, smooth, creamy…it’s hard to believe that these don’t have any dairy in them.  Who says you can’t make a fantastic frozen dessert without real milk and cream.  These bars are proof.  Not only are they creamy and dreamy, but they taste amazing.  And I love that they are the perfect size too.  So often, desserts can outweigh the dinner entree.  Not here.  You get a great portion and great flavor.  This company is named So Delicious for a reason!

Let’s talk ingredients.  According to the package, the So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Super Strawberry Bars are made from organic coconut milk, organic dried cane syrup, organic strawberries, organic inulin, natural flavor, organic guar gum, ascorbicacid, organic locust bean gum, and organic beet juice concentrate.  Not bad.  I know what all the ingredients are.

Nutritionally speaking…you’ll love these!  One serving is one of the mini bars.  This will provide you with 80 calories and 3.5 grams of fat.  You will also be taking in 5 mg sodium (love that!) and 9 grams of sugar.  Considering much of that sugar is coming from real fruit…that’s not bad.  Not bad at all.  A serving will also give you 5 grams of fiber.  These bars, however, contain no protein.  These are cholesterol free, gluten-free, vegan, kosher, non-GMO and certified organic.  YAY!

If you love strawberries…you’ll dive right into these bars.  Taste-for-taste they just get better as you go along.  I absolutely loved everything about the SO Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Super Strawberry Bars.  Everything.  Down to the plant-based and compostable stick.  Saving the environment the So Delicious way.

So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Super Strawberry Bars (unwrapped)
So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Super Strawberry Bars (unwrapped)
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Product Review: So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Fudge Bars

So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Fudge Bars
So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Fudge Bars

Product: So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Fudge Bars – $4.99+

Many of you already know that I am a huge fan of So Delicious.  Their coconut milk and almond milk (as well as products made from said non-dairy milk) are amazing.  I have yet to try something that I don’t like.  That’s the thing about a company named So Delicious…it has to live up to it.

Recently, So Delicious Dairy Free released a couple of new coconut milk products.  And I was fortunate enough to receive some of these products in the mail.  I was out of town this past weekend, so I didn’t get to dive right in…but now that I’m back…I’m was beyond eager to give these products a try.

I started…with one of the most basic ones.

My choice: So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Fudge Bars.  These little fudgsicle like treats are a coconut milk dairy-free frozen dessert.  And they are chocolate.  And you know…one of the ways to my heart is through chocolate.  I’m a choc-o-holic.  I owe that to my grandma because she ate the heck out of chocolate.  It was her favorite thing in life.  And I can’t blame her.  So, not only are these frozen bars made with delicious chocolate, but also that sweet hit of coconut milk.  Sounds like the perfect snack, yes?

You better believe it.  The Mini Organic Fudge Bar was my dessert tonight.  I was so eager to rip into the wrapper and devour.  But…I paced myself.  Because dessert is meant to be savored.  And this frozen treat is worth every moment of savoring.  It won’t last too long though, because it does melt.  So…do keep that in mind, okay?

First of all, this is the perfect and ideal size treat.  Not too much and not too little.  As Goldilocks would say…it’s just right.  And it is.  Honestly.  The actual bar itself is around 3.5 inches in length, so in the grand scheme of things…not as mini as the product name might lead you to think.  That’s a nice bonus.  The consistency is so ice cream like you won’t believe that you’re not eating a full-blown-to-the-max-with-dairy ice cream bar.  No cows were used in the making of this chocolate treat.  Seriously.  Velvet smooth.  And the flavor is incredible.  I fell in love with the rich flavor of the chocolate combined with that smooth coconut milk flavor.  It is a winning combination in my book.  I think my roommate got tired of hearing me comment on how delicious dessert was.  Best of all, I didn’t have to bake it or make it.  It was in my freezer just waiting for me…begging me…to just try it.

There is no going back.  I want this in my freezer for life.  For afterlife too, if that’s possible.  This sweet tooth was beyond satisfied.

As far as ingredients go, the Mini Organic Fudge Bars contain coconut milk, organic agave syrup, organic inulin, organic cocoa, organic dried cane syrup, water, carob bean gum, guar gum, natural flavor, salt, and carrageenan.  These bars are vegan, cholesterol free, and gluten-free.  All ingredients are also non-GMO!  I totally approve.

As far as nutrition goes, you will absolute do a flip for these.  A serving is 1 bar.  The box comes with 4 inside.  One of the So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Fudge Bars will serve you up only 80 calories and 3.5 grams of fat.  You will be consuming 10mg sodium and 8 grams of sugar.  Not bad for a treat!  And you will be provided with 3 grams of fiber and 1 gram of protein.

Super yum!!  Thank you, So Delicious, for introducing me to this new product!

I’m doing my best right now not to go raid my freezer for another one.

Because…I want another one.

Do search out this new product from So Delicious Dairy Free.  Nothing is better after a long day than a sweet treat without the guilt.  Enjoy!

So Delicious Diary Free Minis Organic Fudge Bar (unwrapped)
So Delicious Diary Free Minis Organic Fudge Bar (unwrapped)