Italian – Page 3 – The Celiathlete

April 12, 2015May 11, 2015

Product Review: Le Veneziane Micrawable Gluten Free Penne Al Pomodoro E Basilico Pasta Express

Le Veneziane Microwaveable Penne Al Pomodor E Basilico Pasta Express — Le Veneziane Microwaveable Gluten Free Penne Al Pomodor E Basilico Pasta Express

Product: Le Veneziane Microwavable Gluten Free Penne Al Pomodoro E Basilico Pasta Express – $6.99+

Pasta. We all know that pasta is one of my favorite things in the world. I grew up begging for spaghetti each week. I wanted my mom’s spaghetti when my birthday rolled around each year. Forget dining out. I wanted my mom’s cooking. I didn’t care if it was store-bought boxed pasta noodles. Her sauce made it. And that’s what I wanted. Pasta (in all forms) has been one of my favorite dishes to just dive into. Ultimate comfort food. Ultimate meal.

Even after the Celiac diagnosis…one of the first things I sought out were pasta alternatives. There are so many out on the market. Some good…others not-so-good…and some that rise above and beyond the bar. Like…even better than true pasta level of amazing.

Back in my September 2014 Cuisine Cube, I was presented with a box of Le Veneziane Microwavable Gluten Free Penne Al Pomodoro E Basilico (Penne with Tomato and Basil) Pasta Express. And, yes, even the pasta freak in me didn’t immediately make this up. But…I’ll explain why in a moment.

For now, let me give you a quick run through of what Cuisine Cube is all about. Cuisine Cube is a monthly subscription service that delivers healthier, lesser-known, smaller artisan bakers/companies gluten free goodies to your door. Each box contains 5-6 items (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, dessert, and a bonus sometimes!) and subscriptions start as low as $29.99. Go to their site and check them out. I’ve really enjoyed my year of Cuisine Cube and intend to keep my subscription rolling. In fact, I might have to go in for the long-term subscription instead of the month-to-month. I’m that committed. LOVE.

So…yes…I realize that September is about 7 months ago and that I am just now reviewing a product from that Cube. BUT…it is the last item from the September 2014 Cuisine Cube. And that was one very delicious cube for sure! The Dinner portion of that box was dedicated to a 1-serving microwavable pasta meal made by Le Veneziane. Now, I have had Le Veneziane products before and have always been impressed, so I was quite happy to see this company included in the box. I had no idea they made microwavable pasta meals. The things you learn!

Le Veneziane corn pasta is actually a very great choice for people trying to stay healthy and for people who follow the Mediterranean Diet. Why? It has a very low fat content. How about that? Le Veneziane is now one of the most modern companies using high-quality corn and producing amazing gluten-free pasta, polenta, sauces, and cookies. They put out a high quality product because they believe in using the highest quality ingredients from flour and corn. It is milled properly and kept in the right conditions to make sure that nothing, including being 100% gluten free, is compromised. Love that integrity and devotion.

So, last night after a very busy day that included breakfast at my favorite gluten-free bakery and lunch of gluten-free crepes from my favorite food truck at a festival…I wanted something light for dinner. This was ideal because my roommate and I could split it and it would be the perfect amount. To accompany it, I made some homemade gluten-free dinner rolls (even though I was so tempted just to grab some out of the freezer section). So, while the rolls were cooling, I went ahead and opened up the Le Veneziane Microwavable Gluten Free Penne Al Pomodoro E Basilico Pasta Express. Inside was a microwaveable dish that I peeled the top off of and a measuring cone so that I could get exactly 300 ml of water as directed by the instructions. The corn pasta in the container was perfect. It had this deep red-brown powder inside too. And when I added the water and mixed it well, everything got this muddy brown color. I hoped for the best and popped it in the microwave for 10 minutes.

Le Veneziane Micrwavable Gluten Free Penne Al Pomodoro E Basilico Pasta Express (cooked)

When 10 minutes elapsed, I pulled the tray out of the microwave, a little put off by the brownish color of the sauce. But, I gave it a stir and then dished up half to my roommate and half for me, giving us each a dinner roll to have with it. When I handed her the bowl she said, “That’s an interesting color sauce.” HAHA!! Everyone was thinking it; she just said it aloud.

Well, despite the rich brown color of the sauce, the Le Veneziane Microwaveable Gluten Free Penne Al Pomodoro E Basilico Pasta Express was actually very delicious. I shouldn’t have doubted it. The sauce was thick and rich with a tomato flavor that was peppered with the right hit of basil. It was really quite delicious. The pasta, despite being nuked in a microwave, were cooked to that perfect al dente. The homemade rolls made the perfect side item for this meal. And even eating just half of the dish itself was more than enough. Very filling. But very, very good. I don’t know where to find more of the microwave meals from Le Veneziane, but I will keep my eyes open for them now. It’s nice to have a delicious and healthy meal in 10 minutes sometimes.

So, let’s talk about ingredients, shall we? The Le Veneziane Microwaveable Gluten Free Penne Al Pomodoro E Basilico Pasta Express pasta is made from corn flour, emulsifier, and the sauce is made from tomato, cream, salt, melted cheese powder, onion, garlic, basil, and sugar. This is 100% gluten-free.

As for the nutrition information, the Le Veneziane Microwaveable Gluten Free Penne Al Pomodoro E Basilico Pasta Express portion is 1 pack. In this serving, you will be taking in 350 calories and 7 grams of fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 820 mg sodium (um…yikes!), 64 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 3 grams sugar, and 8 grams of protein. See what I mean…it’s filling. And delicious.

I want to thank Cuisine Cube for letting me try a new product from Le Veneziane that I didn’t even know existed. I’ll be on the watch now for more microwavable pasta meals by this great Italian company.

Half of a serving of Le Veneziane Gluten Free Microwaveable Penne Al Pomodoro E Basilico Pasta Express with a homemade gluten-free dinner roll

April 12, 2015May 11, 2015

Product Review: Dolci di Marie Gluten Free Classic Biscotti

Dolci di Maria Gluten Free Classic Biscotti

Product: Dolci di Marie Gluten Free Classic Biscotti – $7.00

I love coffee. I really do. I wasn’t always that way, however. Coffee came to me later in life. I loved the smell and hated the taste…up until I became a barista. Then…life sort of changed. And not only, over time, did I develop a taste for coffee, but I now knew how to properly make it.

Sometimes, I like to spice up my mornings a little bit. No…not by adding cayenne pepper to my scrambled eggs (although I have been known to do that, HA!)…

…I mean having a treat with my morning cup of coffee. And one of my two favorite morning treats with coffee is a biscotti. The other is my homemade madeleines…but I digress.

Well, it just so happened that my March 2015 Cuisine Cube had a container packed with biscotti for the “Breakfast” portion of the box. YAY!

For those of you not familiar with Cuisine Cube…think about how awesome it would be to have lesser-known, smaller company, artisan gluten-free company products shipped straight to your door once a month. Think of the joy opening said box would bring you and how trying new things entices you. You get a product for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and dessert. And sometimes…you get a bonus. Who doesn’t love a bonus? If that got your heart pumping, that’s what Cuisine Cube is all about. And, this subscription service is available for as low as $29.99/month. Pretty awesome, yes? You betcha. So, if you’re curious and want to try something new and exciting and different…hop over to their site.

Because, sometimes, you get products in the box that are like Dolci di Maria Gluten Free Classic Biscotti. I mean, it’s a treat to have while you drink your wine, your coffee, your tea…whatever. Have it any time of the day, but I like to go the classic route and dip my biscotti into my morning coffee. It is love. And who doesn’t love starting off their morning with a cookie, right? Technically, I suppose a biscotti is consider a biscuit, twice baked so that it is extra dry and crunchy. And if you’ve never had one…you’re totally missing out.

Dolci di Maria was created by Mari Tantillo, who created gluten-free and dairy-free desserts for her two young children who had food allergies and sensitivities. She was urged by her friends to start selling her desserts because they were so delicious. Dolci di Maria strives to create fine gluten and dairy-free desserts that strike a perfect balance with texture and taste. Everything is baked fresh with natural and organic ingredients. Even better…many of the products offered by Dolci di Maria are vegan.

So, with all of that being said, this week I decided to stop looking at the container of biscotti that came in my Cuisine Cube, and finally open it up and have one with my morning coffee (a delicious local blend, for those wondering). Despite being a dry treat (they are meant to be dipped, after all), I always take my first taste without anything else. That way I can judge what something tastes like and if I like it. And…when it comes to the Dolci di Maria Gluten Free Classic Biscotti…I like it…but I don’t love it. It has nothing to do with the actual biscuit itself. It actually has a great texture to it…and it holds up to the coffee dunking, that I do religiously when I get gluten-free biscotti in my clutches. So that was the part that I was okay with. The part I wasn’t okay with, when it came to the Dolci di Maria Gluten Free Classic Biscotti…was the overwhelming licorice flavor. I hate licorice. And this biscotti definitely had a heavy taste of it. I inspected the ingredient list on the bottom of the package and discovered the use of anise. That will do it. It was just…too much for me. I think I was hoping for something with more vanilla flavor than the anise. It didn’t go well with my coffee…nor did my tastebuds really enjoy the licorice flavor. A little bit of anise goes a long way…and in this batch…it took it too far. The biscotti itself is great…the flavor just didn’t work for me, and that’s more of a personal preference than anything else.

So, let’s talk about the ingredients that are in the Dolci di Maria Gluten Free Classic Biscotti, shall we? These classic Italian treats are made from brown rice flour, pure cane sugar, cage-free eggs, potato starch, tapioca starch, Earth Balance™, baking powder, xanthan gum, anise and vanilla extract, and sea salt.

The nutrition information for the Dolci di Maria Gluten Free Classic Biscotti is very nice though. You don’t feel so bad treating yourself at breakfast to a crispy Italian biscuit when you look at these stats. A serving is 1 of the biscotti, which will give you 65 calories and 2 grams of fat. You will be consuming 73 mg cholesterol, 102 mg sodium, 2 grams of sugar, 2 grams of protein, and 8 grams of carbohydrates. These have no fiber.

If you don’t mind the flavor of anise (or that licorice-like flavor) than you will probably love everything about the Dolci di Maria Gluten Free Classic Biscotti. For me, the texture was great…it was perfect for dipping, but the anise flavor just overpowered the rest of the biscuit and, for someone like me who dislikes licorice, it was a bit too much. That being said, now that I know I can find Dolci di Maria products at my Lucky’s Market in Louisville, Kentucky (discovered that via the Web site), I am curious to try other products as she has brownies, pancakes and other flavors of biscotti to see if I like them better.

At least I got a morning treat in my Cuisine Cube this month. The Dolci di Maria may not have enticed my taste buds, but I now know to look for other products in my area that might play nicer with my palate.

April 7, 2015April 7, 2015

Product Review: Pastabilities Gluten Free Tagliolini + Recipe Bonus

Product: Pastabilities Gluten Free Tagliolini – $5.99

There are probably a few things that you know about me by now. These may include the fact that Cuisine Cube has revolutionized my life in introducing me to products I never would have known about or thought to seek out. Another fact may be that I am a pasta-holic. Yep. I love pasta. I know…that whole athlete who loves pasta thing is pretty cliche (hey…my pre-race night of carb loading doesn’t include pasta…always gluten-free pizza!). But, ever since I was a child and could eat my first plate of spaghetti…I was hooked. I love any and all pasta and sauces. And while my options for pasta and their sauces have narrowed after first becoming a vegetarian and then, a year later, being diagnosed with Celiac…well…I haven’t let it hinder me from devouring one of my favorite food groups in the world. Yes…pasta is a food group. It…it just is.

But, before I go into detail about this new-to-me brand of gluten-free pasta, let me share with you some information about the people who brought it into my life. Cuisine Cube is run by a small group of foodies who have put together a completely gluten-free box of goodies and then sends them to your doorstep each month. These boxes contain 5-6 full-size products from small, lesser-known artisan producers…mostly local…some not as local. Some you may even have heard of before, but most will be new to you. I signed up for Cuisine Cube back in May and have never looked back. Subscriptions start as low as $29.99…which is a great price and great incentive to sign up for this subscription box service and try out some gluten-free products you have been too nervous about purchasing yourself or, perhaps, didn’t even know existed.

Pastabilities Gluten Free Tagliolini (cooked)

So…Pastabilities. Yes…you had me at the name. I love the play on words. And I was beyond excited to pull a gluten-free pasta out of my March 2015 Cuisine Cube. Pasta + me = LOVE. Seriously, we are a match made in carb heaven. We are BFFs for life. And it will always be this way. One of the first things I staked out when I had to go gluten-free was good gluten-free pasta. While there are uncountable varieties out there on the market…the key word there was good and not all of them fall into that category. I want a gluten-free pasta to be like real pasta. I don’t want it to fall apart or turn to mush. I want it to cook through and have that perfect al dente bite to it. I want it to reheat well if I cook too much of it and need to eat some for lunch the next day. I want it to pair well with a variety of sauces and I want it to stand out.

Pastabilities Gluten Free Tagliolini does exactly that. Tagliolini is a long, flat ribbon-shaped pastsa that is similar to linguini or fettuccine, and is traditionally from the Northern regions of Italy. This brand is crafted from high quality ingredients. Even better, the actual pasta itself is manufactured in Italy using bronze dies that give the pasta a matte look and makes the surface rough…which is perfect for sauces. We all want sauces to stick to our noodles, not fall away like water. Pastabilities Gluten Free Tagliolini is also made in a dedicated gluten-free facility.

YAY!

Pastabilities Gluten Free Tagliolini is fantastic. Seriously. This pasta is made with a blend of 70% corn and 30% rice, which makes it cook up within 8-9 minutes to a perfect al dente texture. And the taste…amazing. It isn’t gummy and it isn’t mushy. It has that “real” pasta feel. Like it was just made fresh for you. Completely gluten free to boot. As a connoisseur of gluten-free pasta, this ranks right up there as one of the best. It is fantastic. These ribbons of pasta held their own with the arrabbiata sauce, which makes me one happy pasta lover. Nothing worse than going to take a bite of pasta and having it fall apart and needing to chase it around on your plate. Pastabilities is, honestly, gluten-free pasta done right. And it really is amazing.

Let’s talk about ingredients. Pastabilities Gluten Free Tagliolini is made from corn flour and rice flour. That’s it. Simple. Perfection.

As for nutrition, this is phenomenal for a gluten-free pasta. A serving of the Pastabilities Gluten Free Tagliolini is 2 ounces. In this serving, you will be consuming 200 calories and 1 gram of fat. You will also be taking in 1 gram of sugar. This pasta is cholesterol free and sugar free. And, trust me…it will fill you up just like “real” pasta as it packs 45 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of protein!

So, what do I do? I go for a traditional approach to pasta in an nontraditional way. I cooked up the pasta as I normally would…but served it in tacos instead of in a bowl. Yes…spaghetti tacos.

You see, my roommate has apparently led a very sheltered life and had never indulged indulged in the Italian/Mexican infusion that is…Spaghetti Tacos. It’s a traditional iCarly treat…one that my friends have raved about and that I have eaten myself. And no one should ever miss out on spaghetti tacos. So, below is the easy and delicious recipe for Spaghetti Tacos featuring…Pastabilities Gluten Free Tagliolini!

Recipe: Gluten Free Spaghetti Tacos

Spaghetti Tacos made with Pastabilities Gluten Free Tagliolini

Servings: 2
Time: Prep 5 minutes; Cook 10 minutes

Ingredients:

4 Gluten-Free Hard Taco Shells (I used Trader Joe’s)
4 ounces Gluten-Free Pasta (I used Pastabilities Gluten Free Tagliolini)
1 cup Gluten Free Pasta Sauce (I used BonGiovi Arrabbiata Sauce)

Directions:

Cook gluten-free pasta according to directions on the package. Don’t overcook it. Get it to the perfect al dente texture.

While the pasta is boiling, start warming up the sauce.

Preheat the oven to 425°F and toast your crunchy taco shells for 2-3 minutes. Remove from oven.

Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sauce. Allow the noodles and sauce to cook together (this is for flavor).

Spoon the pasta and sauce into the taco shells. Top with your favorite pasta toppings (cheese, red pepper flakes, etc).

Devour.

~*~*~

If you haven’t tried the wonder of Spaghetti Tacos…remedy that. It has revolutionized my roommate’s world. I mean, savory good pasta inside a crunch tortilla shell…yeah…that’s good eats right there. And thanks to Pastabilities Gluten Free Tagliolini…I had the perfect pasta to introduce this meal to my friend with. It doesn’t get any better or fun than this.

Don’t miss out on amazing products like this one. Hop on over to Cuisine Cube and sign up today for a subscription. You won’t regret it. Trust me.

March 30, 2015

Product Review: Glutenfreeda Gluten Free Roasted Garlic Artisan Flatbread and Pizza Crust

Product: Glutenfreeda Gluten Free Roasted Garlic Artisan Flatbread and Pizza Crust – $6.99+

If nothing else, this blog post is to remind you about how much I love pizza. Pizza is the ultimate food to me. Seriously. It satisfies every food craving I really have. Except maybe chocolate. But I’ve been cutting way back on that, except for an every-now-and-again 1 ounce dark chocolate treat.

But I digress.

Back to the pizza. Anyway, I have a myriad of gluten free pizza crust mixes that have worked and not worked in the past. I’ve tried just about every gluten-free pizza shell out there. If gluten free pizza is on the menu at a restaurant…you better believe that’s what I’m ordering. Pizza…is perfection to me. Food perfection.

It’s my go-to pre-race (half marathon or over) meal, which somehow equals out to the perfect amount of fats, carbs, and protein for me to perform at the top of my game. Trust me, I’ve tested this numerous, countless times.

So, imagine my glee when I was on a miniature shopping spree at The Raisin Rack in Columbus, Ohio, and came across the Glutenfreeda Gluten Free Artisan Flatbread and Pizza Crusts in their freezer section. I was beyond elated. Seriously. They come in four flavors, so I knew I was going to take one home with me, it was a matter of narrowing it down to which one. The Glutenfreeda Gluten Free Artisan Flatbread and Pizza Crusts come in Sun-Dried Tomato & Herbs, Roasted Garlic, Original, and Parmesan and Asiago.

I love garlic…so I went right for the Roasted Garlic flavor.

Now, I had no intention of letting these linger in my freezer for as long as they did. I swear to you. However, that being said, they did. I just had fresh produce and other, older products to work through first. That being said, yesterday was a good day. I guess the Gluten Free Pizza Bites I ate after the soccer match on Saturday got my tastebuds craving more, because both my roommate and I were really wanting pizza.

But I can’t just make any pizza, you know. I had some fresh produce that needed to be used, so I thought…Brussels sprouts on a pizza. That could rule. But what to pair it with? Vegan and gluten-free bacon. Perfect. What else? Bar-b-que sauce, of course! Add a bit of sauteed onion and it would definitely be a nice change of pace for a pizza. After all, who does Brussels sprouts on a pizza?

I DO!

And thanks to having the Glutenfreeda Gluten Free Roasted Garlic Artisan Flatbread and Pizza Crust in my freezer…I could indulge in my pizza craving without hassle or going to my grocer’s freezer section for a pre-made one. This one…this one would be all mine.

Super easy. I preheated the oven with the pizza stone and took the frozen flatbread out of the freezer, defrosting it a little in the microwave. Once the oven and stone were heated, I placed two flatbreads onto the stone and then topped it with some local barbeque sauce, some sauteed onions and Brussels sprouts, the vegan and gluten-free bacon, and then a bit of vegan cheese. Into the oven it went for about 10-12 minutes, to allow the cheese to melt and the flatbread/pizza crust to get that perfect crispness on it (I hoped).

Well…it worked. This was, perhaps, the most durable pizza crust that I can buy in a freezer section at the grocery store that I have ever had. Most gluten-free pizzas are thin and fall apart if loaded up with toppings. But because this is also a flatbread, Glutenfreeda has given it some more heft than most gluten-free crusts out on the market. And, even though it was flavored, it didn’t overpower any of the toppings that went on it. The crust toasted up beautifully and sliced into perfect triangles. If using it as a sandwich bread…I’ve heard it can be a little thick for that, but it was perfect for the pizza. And I’m totally looking forward to baking up another round of these tomorrow for dinner. I have more Brussels sprouts, after all. Glutenfreeda really impressed me with their Gluten Free Roasted Garlic Artisan Flatbread and Pizza Crust.

Let’s talk ingredients. The Glutenfreeda Gluten Free Roasted Garlic Artisan Flatbread and Pizza Crust is made from water, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, expeller pressed canola oil (non-GMO), psyllium powder, egg whites, evaporated cane sugar, yeast, teff flour, seasoning (natural roasted garlic flavor, dehydrated garlic, hydrolyzed soy protein, spices, and salt) flax seed, salt, cultured dextrose, xanthan gum, and citric acid. It is wheat-free, cholesterol free, non-GMO, dairy-free, gluten-free, and contains no trans fats.

As for nutrition…a serving size is 1/2 of the flat bread. I was using this as my meal, so I ate the entire flatbread. As did my roomie. However, if you stick to the serving size, you will be consuming 110 calories and 3 grams of fat. You will be taking in 380 mg sodium and 0 grams of sugar. Yes…no sugar. LOVE. In addition, you will be consuming 18 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of protein. This does make for a filling meal…but one that won’t break the calorie bank either as long as you are smart with your toppings.

I think, when I can’t pick up a pizza crust from my local gluten-free bakery, I need to find a local store that carries these. Because I was beyond impressed with how it cooked, held up, and tasted. Forget everything you think you know about frozen gluten-free pizza crusts. Pick up a package (there are 4 flatbreads per package) of Glutenfreeda Gluten Free Artisan Flatbread and Pizza Crust (in any flavor…but Roasted Garlic is YUMMY!) and see for yourself. It is amazing. You’ll see!

Gluten-Free Brussels Sprout and (Vegan) Bacon Pizza on Glutenfreeda Gluten Free Roasted Garlic Artisan Flatbread and Pizza Crust

March 29, 2015March 29, 2015

Product Review: Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Pizza Bites

Product: Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Pizza Bites – $6.99+

They had me with the product name – Pizza Bites. PIZZA. BITES. PIZZA-FREAKIN’-BITES! As in…pizza rolls? Maybe? Possibly? Could I be that fortunate to stumble across (finally) one of the products that I no longer ate, not because it was made of crap (and they are), but because they were my favorite go-to snack when I needed something to eat while very, very busy?

Well…kinda.

In fact, these were more like breaded cheese ravioli, rather than pizza bites, but we’ll go with it. Let’s just run with it. Pizza Bites! WOOO!

So, I found these at my local natural food store, Rainbow Blossom, and had a freakin’ dance of joy in the freezer section. Honestly. I mean, I’ve been to parties where pizza rolls are laid out and everyone is just enjoying a few here and there. I get to stare at them. Dammit.

No longer.

Thanks to Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet…Pizza Bites (rolls…ravioli?) are back on my every-now-and-again want list. And now…I know where to get them. After purchasing these, I had to go through more fresh produce before allowing myself an indulgence from the freezer or fridge…but after a full day of professional soccer and time with friends…I needed to have something quick for dinner. I was going to do up some green beans with almonds, but my roommate was craving pizza. So…these made their debut in our kitchen.

Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet came about from Neil Russo, a professional chef who was hard at work on gluten-free recipes, which he was striving to perfect after hearing about the many people connected to himself that were having a hard time finding food while on a gluten-free diet due to intolerance or Celiac disease. After experimenting on his Italian bread loaves and Tiramisu, Russo was ready to give his food to the world. He first introduced the gluten free food in his restaurant, where he got high praise. Soon, he opened up Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet. And from there…the frozen versions of some of the classic Italian foods he perfected in gluten-free form. So good, that people even would ask if he was certain it was gluten free. All of Russo’s products are prepared in a strictly gluten-free facility.

So, two hungry soccer fans (my roommate and I) were ready to give these a try. I was surprised, when I opened up the bag to find large ravioli like bites inside. I was definitely expecting more of the pizza roll just from the name. They were frozen, lightly breaded stuffed pasta. But…I was hungry. Cathy was hungry. Pizza. Bites. Rolls. Whatever. Give us something delicious in some sort of pizza form.

Cooking the Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Pizza Bites is super easy. Simply preheat the oven to 350°F and place the frozen bites on a cookie sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, then flip them and bake for another 5 minutes. Take out when or if the cheese starts to show. Mine cooked in 10 minutes without the cheese leaking out or anything. Bonus.

So, it was chow time. I dished up half the bag for my roommate and half for me. That was about 6 of the Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Pizza Bites each. We settled in with an episode of Star Trek: The Original Series and dug in. One bite…and I couldn’t argue…they were delicious. I was a bit thrown by the ratio of dough to filling…but that is a small, slight complaint. I thought there was too much dough encasing a cheese filling…that was a little scant. The pocket had more air than filling, but it was still crispy on the outside with a melty, molten center, regardless. And yes…they were really, really great. Delicious. Amazing.

Yeah…I’d buy these again.

Let’s talk about the ingredients that are in Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Pizza Bites. These pasta pockets of pizza goodness are made from gluten free flour (rice flour, corn starch, tapioca dextrin, xanthan gum, rice extract) tomatoes, part skim mozzarella, vegetable oil, soybean oil, soybean lecithin, water, whole eggs, yellow corn flour, ricotta, onions, sugar, salt, granulated garlic, onion powder, parsley, basil, and black pepper.

As for nutrition, this isn’t bad for pizza bites. There are three servings in a bag of the Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Pizza Bites. One serving is 4 pieces. These 4 pieces will provide you with 260 calories and 15 grams of fat. You will be taking in 40 mg cholesterol, 430 mg sodium, and 2 grams of sugar. In addition, a serving dishes up 27 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, and 6 grams of protein.

I was actually impressed by Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Pizza Bites. But, what’s not to love about a company that does 100% gluten free products right, that is family owned and operated, and has exceptional quality. And…they are doing products no one else has managed to put out there. And they are doing them well.

If you can find Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Pizza Bites in your grocery store or natural food store freezer…buy them and try them. You’ll love them. And…pizza rolls are, kinda, back in your life. And that…is amazing in and of itself. For real!

March 24, 2015

Product Review: Van’s Gluten Free Ultimate Cheddar Penne

Product: Van’s Gluten Free Ultimate Cheddar Penne – $3.99+

I am a do-it-yourself kind of girl these days when it comes to pastas. Not so much making my own gluten-free pasta noodles (I haven’t gotten to that level yet), but I prefer to make my own pasta meals instead of buying the boxed stuff…just because I get some say into what goes into my meal. That being said, sometimes…I make exceptions to this rule.

Such an exception came to pass awhile back, when on a rare trip to Walmart, I discovered that Van’s had come out with a small line of gluten free pasta sides (or meals in my case). Seriously! I think I knew that the gluten-free pastas were around, I had just never seen them in my area out in the wild. Apparently, braving Walmart does have it’s advantages. I won’t lie…my Walmart has a rather extensive and impressive gluten-free section. So it was really no wonder I found these there. I just never go to Walmart…so it was a nice coincidence in the end.

Prior to this one, I reviewed the Van’s Gluten Free Creamy Herb and Garlic Pasta, which I dished up to not just my roommate, but my good friend and roomie’s sister – Amanda. Now, Amanda doesn’t get exposed much to gluten-free foods…unless I subject her to them. And she loved the Creamy Herb & Garlic Pasta when we enjoyed it for dinner one night. That left two other gluten-free pasta dishes in my pantry from Van’s. And last night, after a long week, I just wanted a brainless meal to prepare and enjoy. Something warm and comforting, as it was a rainy night to boot. I went to the pantry and spotted the remaining two boxes of Van’s Gluten Free Pastas: Ultimate Cheddar Penne and Rotini and Red Sauce. I had my roommate make the final decision…and knew before I even asked that she would go cheese. When I ask her anything and one items involves cheese…that is the one that will be selected. No problem though. Totally game.

Van’s Gluten Free choices have never disappointed me. Never. Never ever. That’s a lot to live up to, mind you. But Van’s puts a lot of love and care into their packaged foods. And Van’s does believe that nutritious is delicious and that’s why they make their gluten-free pastas with whole grain brown rice, delivering more than a full serving of nutrient dense whole grains. The cheese sauce over a perfectly cooked pasta…that’s love to me. Seriously. And, you can always add in some vegetables or chicken (if you eat meat…which I don’t…) in order to bulk it up. But as my roommate and I take something that serves three and split it between the two of us…it’s the perfect amount in the end.

Van’s Gluten Free Ultimate Cheddar Penne is a breeze to prepare. Seriously. Simply boil 6 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Add the pasta and allow it to return to a medium boil for about 8-9 minutes, until it is al dente. Stir occasionally though, so that it doesn’t stick to the pan. Very important. Oh…and DO NOT overcook the pasta. Rice pasta can go from perfect to mush in a moment. So keep an eye on it. Drain the pasta and give it a rinse. In the pan you cooked the pasta in, add 3 tablespoons of fat free milk (I used unsweetened almond milk) and 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter (I used Earth Balance), and allow it to melt together over a low heat. Then whisk in the cheddar powder until it is smooth. Then, add the pasta back into the pan and stir them together. Serve.

Oh…this was good. Think Kraft Mac & Cheese…but better. WAY better. The pasta cooked up perfectly. It didn’t take too long, but it had that right bit of al dente-ness to it. I think I just made up a word there…but go with it. The sauce though…that’s where the magic happens. No…this sauce is not vegan. Yes…it has milk in it…but by using the dairy alternatives for the butter and milk, I cut back on the dairy I was consuming. It worked. The lactose intolerance was there, but it was mild because there isn’t a lot of dairy in this little box of cheesy pasta goodness. I know, my homemade gluten-free (and dairy free) mac and cheese rocks, but when I don’t have time to do all the prep work and baking that goes into it…this is a definite contender to have on hand in my kitchen for nights where I want a big bowl of comfort food in a snap. Deliciously creamy, cheesy noodle-y goodness.

One thing that Van’s proudly states is that they use only ingredients that they are proud of. And that is definitely evident when I read over the list of ingredients they use for the Gluten Free Ultimate Cheddar Penne. These ingredients are gluten-free penne pasta (brown rice flour, white rice flour), aged cheddar cheese seasoning (cheddar cheese nonfat milk, salt, shey, sugar, buttermilk, rice flour, natural flavors, annatto extract (for color). Nothing too spooky or weird there, right? That’s right. Van’s Gluten Free Ultimate Cheddar Penne is gluten-free, kosher, egg free, contains no trans fats, and has no artificial flavors.

So, how about the nutritional value of a big bowl of gluten-free cheesy pasta noodles? Actually…not too bad. Not at all. Before it’s prepared, the with butter and milk (of your choice), a serving (with 3 per box) contains 210 calories and 2.5 grams of fat. A serving also has 5 mg cholesterol, 520 mg sodium, and 3 grams of sugar. One serving will also give you 48 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of protein. It will be filling, even as a side.

Once again, Vans Gluten Free has lived up to its standards and name. These little boxes of pasta are not only convenient, but easy to make and delicious too. No one would guess they were gluten free if you didn’t tell them. Yep…when I am in a pinch, these might be my go-to meals. Super impressed once again!

February 28, 2015

Product Review: Mary Ann’s Beans Gluten Free White Chili Mix + Recipe Bonus

Product: Mary Ann’s Beans Gluten Free White Chili Mix – $8.00

It’s the New Year. Time to make resolutions and then, over the course of a month…break them. Right? Yes. Right. It’s the way it works every year. You vow to stop eating chocolate…to go to the gym…to eat more vegetables and less potato chips. You promise to get into a habit…make it a routine. But then…by MLK Day…you’re already off the wagon.

And you know what? That’s okay. We’re in the midst of winter here. Cold temperatures and lack of sunlight have a funny way of killing off any bit of motivation out there. We’re human. It happens. But, it’s also okay to enjoy the little things in life and to be less strict with yourself. Resolutions can be broken…but they can be picked right back up on where we left off. That’s the best part.

Being that it is January…and the New Year has come and gone…and the weather outside is frightful(ly cold)…I’m a lover of all things comforting when it comes to food. Tis the season for those hearty meals that make you just want to curl up with a good book in front of the fireplace and dig in while losing yourself. Ah…it’s a wonderful thing. And, when it comes to winter comfort foods…nothing is better than soups, stews, chili, and pasta, right? Of course!! Those are classic comfort foods if you ask me.

Well, in the January Happy New Year 2015 Cuisine Cube, we were served up a few products that were good for you…but also a guilty pleasure and comfort. That’s the wonderful thing about Cuisine Cube…you just never know what to expect from one box to the next. One cube guarantees a product that is good for a breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner and dessert. And sometimes, like in the case of January, you get a bonus item. In this case…another snack. YAY!

I know, if you’re reading this blog regularly, you are familiar with the service that Cuisine Cube offers…but just in case you are a newbie…first of all…welcome. Secondly…hop on over to Cuisine Cube’s Web site and take a look at this fantastic service. This small group of foodies put together a completely gluten-free box of goodness each month with 5-6 products from small, lesser-known artisan producers…some local…some not-quite-so-local. I’ve discovered so many amazing products after I signed up for this service back in May. And…you get a cube delivered right to your door each month…starting at $29.99. So, yeah…I encourage you to check them out. Have a little surprise each month and enjoy a few products you might never have tried or known about before. It doesn’t get much better than that.

With that said, the January Cube was packed with a lot of healthy foods. Seriously. The dessert was dark chocolate covered rice cakes. Yes, there will be blog on those soon…stay tuned. Even the most comforting of foods inside…is healthy-ish! And I’m okay with this. But…I’m also dealing with a bit of the winter blues…so when I saw the unassuming cloth pouch of Mary Ann’s Beans Gluten Free White Chili Mix…my brain immediately turned to comfort food. And with that, I set out to do more than just make the chili and eat it. You know, reinventing a product is something I love to do.

First, let me talk a little bit about Mary Ann’s Beans. Chili can be comfort food, but Mary Ann’s Beans is making it a part of a healthy lifestyle. All of the soup and dip mixes are nutritious and low in sodium. They have options for vegetarians, gluten-free, and offer all seasoning mixes that are made with no salt, no sugar, and no MSG. In other words…it’s good for you. And these soups tastes great too.

Mary Ann's Beans Gluten Free White Chili Mix (dried beans and seasoning packet) — Mary Ann’s Beans Gluten Free White Chili Mix (dried beans and seasoning packet)

Make Mary Ann’s Beans part of your heart healthy lifestyle with our delicious and nutritious low sodium soup mixes. With flavors to please every palate, and options including vegetarian and gluten-free, your whole family will love our soups. Our all natural soup, dip and seasonings mixes are hand made with no salt, no sugar, and NO MSG. Mary Ann’s Beans most famous mix is the Gluten Free White Chili Mix that was in the January Cuisine Cube. And, honestly, I can see why!! These mixes do take some time to make, but, trust me…it’s well worth it.

Mary's Ann's Beans Gluten Free White Chili Mix (beans soaked) — Mary’s Ann’s Beans Gluten Free White Chili Mix (beans soaked)

Last night, I soaked the packet of dried white beans in water. I drained them and rinsed them. And then…set out to cook them. The instructions included on this chili mix package give two ways to cook it…in a slow cooker for 6-8 hours or…on the stove top for 3-4 hours. I went with the stove top method. And making this chili is super easy. The actual instructions do call for chicken, as it is a white chili. But, as a vegetarian, I just left it out and kept it strictly the beans and the can of chopped green chilies. I used Vegetarian No-Chicken Broth as well, instead of chicken broth. Cooking it is time consuming, but it yields amazing results. With the stove top method, you simply combine the white chili beans, 6 cups of broth (vegetable, non-chicken, chicken…), a 4 ounce can of chopped green chilies, 1-1/2 – 2 cups of boneless cooked chicken (if you are using…if you are a vegetarian like me…it’s fine to leave it out!), and the contents of the spice packet that is included, into a large pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and allow it to simmer for 3-4 hours, or until tender. I let mine go for about 3-1/2 hours and it was perfect. Add a bit of salt at the end voila…your chili is ready to eat.

What emerges is this hearty and thick chili that has this light, and slightly spicy taste to it. White chili is amazing, even without the chicken, and it makes for a beautiful and eye-catching addition to any potluck or chili cook-off. But I was not just going to cook up this fantastic product and just eat it straight. You know better than that. I did, however, take a few spoonfuls to see how it was. And, let me tell you, Mary Ann’s Beans is doing comforting winter food right. The flavor is familiar…the texture is hearty and rich…and the spice is a mild heat. If you like hotter (I do), you can put in jalapenos instead of chilies, but my roommate isn’t a lover of spice, so I kept it mild. At the end of cooking, I added some salt and a hit of berbere seasoning…and it made pure chili perfection. If you love chili…you will love this.

Mary Ann's Beans White Chili Mix (prepared) — Mary Ann’s Beans Gluten Free White Chili Mix (prepared)

Let’s talk ingredients, shall we? Mary Ann’s Beans White Chili Mix is made from great northern beans, navy and yellow eyed beans, dried onions, garlic and spices. As stated before, these are gluten-free, contain no salt, no sugar, and no MSG. This mix is also cholesterol free.

One pouch of Mary Ann’s Beans Gluten Free White Chili Mix contains about 6 servings. One serving will give you 190 calories and 1 gram of fat. A full serving will also dish up only 10 mg sodium and 1 gram of sugar. As for being filling…it’s chili…it will be filling. You get 13 grams of fiber and 12 grams of protein in each serving. I do love hearty, nutritious, comfort food. And this is all of that rolled into one.

But wait…there’s more!! I created an amazing (vegan and gluten-free) ultimate comfort food dish using the prepared Mary Ann’s Gluten Free White Chili Mix. Trust me, your winter blues will disappear while you dive into this dish.

Recipe: Gluten Free and Vegan Cheddar Chili Cornbread Pasta Bake

Servings: 6
Time: Prep 4 hours; Cook 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups uncooked gluten-free elbow noodles (I used Meijer Gluten Free Corn Pasta Elbow Noodles)
3/4 cup Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds (if you do dairy…freshly shredded cheddar works!)
2 1/2 – 3 cups of leftover chili (I used Mary Ann’s Beans Gluten Free White Chili)
1 batch of your favorite cornbread (I used gfJules Cornbread Mix)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Bring the water to a boil and prepare the pasta according to the directions on the package, taking about 1-2 minutes off of the cooking time, as the noodles are going into the oven.

While the noodles are cooking, mix up a batch of your favorite cornbread (just the batter…do not cook it!) and get the cheese prepared.

Drain the pasta when it’s ready.

In an 8 x 8 inch baking dish, spray non-stick cooking spray. Add the pasta to the bottom of the dish. Then top it with a layer of cheese. Then add the chili. Top with the cornbread batter, spreading it evenly over the top with a spoon. It’s okay if it doesn’t reach the edges.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden on top and cooked all the way through. You can use a spoon to lift up the cornbread layer to make sure that it is completely cooked. Cooking times may vary with the cornbread mixture you use, but keep an eye on it and check it. The cooking time might increase due to the “wet” layers that are underneath the layer.

Serve immediately.

~*~*~

Oh. My. Gluten. Free. Comfort. Food. Gods. No…really. If you love a hearty winter meal, this is the way to go. I loved the rich flavors that the Mary Ann’s Beans White Chili brought to the dish. It was the centerpiece…the middle layer…the glue. And it was an absolutely amazing addition to this entire dish. When winter has you hiding under the blankets longing for something warm and wonderful to eat…this will definitely fulfill that desire. Either that…or a big, steaming bowl of just the chili on its own. However you serve it up…flavorful, creamy, and just…so good!

It was thanks to the amazing products that Mary Ann’s Beans put out and Cuisine Cube sent me that I was able to piece together this hearty, and amazing dinner. For the record, the gfJules Cornbread Mix (review to follow) is also a product I received from Cuisine Cube in November. So, as you can see…it is definitely a service worth trying out. Seriously, your inner foodie will thank you for it.

February 17, 2015

Product Review: BiAglut Pasta Mia Tagliatelle

Product: BiAglut Pasta Mia Tagliatelle – $8.50+

When it comes to gluten-free pastas…I’ve pretty much tried them all. Made with beans, made with rice, made with corn, made with lentils, made with potato…yeah…there is very little about gluten-free pasta that I haven’t tried. Sure, there are some brands that I still need to explore…but my budget says “NO” for the moment, as they are quite pricey.

However, some pricier gluten-free pastas are worth it. I discovered BiAglut while at a Gluten Free Expo in Carmel, Indiana about three years ago. I was a newbie to the gluten-free world and this nice couple had a booth and totally won me over on this pasta. Seriously…they sold me from first bite. I was in love.

Problem…BiAglut is not available in any stores around my area. BOOOOO!!

I have since found it twice…once at foodie heaven (aka: Jungle Jim’s) up in Cincinnati and also at The Raisin Rack in Columbus, Ohio. None of which are technically near me, but they are places I visit…and therefore, if the budget has some wiggle room, I can splurge a little on pasta.

Because…I have always been and will always be a lover of pasta. Even if it is gluten-free pasta.

That being said…no one would ever guess the Tagliatelle (or any other gluten-free pasta made by BiAglut) is gluten-free if you didn’t tell them. It is some of the most fantastic gluten-free pasta on the market. Why? Because it is 100% Italian. Produced in Italy and made by Italians. The company began in 1964, wanting to fulfill the needs of main customers and individuals with Celiac disease and gluten intolerance, who needed to follow a gluten-free diet. The brand offers a unique and full line of gluten-free products ranging from pasta to breads and bread substitutes, flours, cookies, crackers, snacks and desserts. Fifty years later…still going strong and still producing high quality products for the gluten-free communities.

So…back to me being a lover of pasta. I hate pasta that turns to mush after it is cooked. I hate pasta that doesn’t taste like pasta. And when you do gluten-free…it is hard to find one that really satisfies everything you used to love about regular pasta (if you were ever lucky enough to have that…and I was).

Enter BiAglut. Seriously…there is no comparison out there on the market. I have yet to have a gluten-free pasta best this one. And while I have had a few different varieties of BiAglut pasta…last night, I cooked up the Tagliatelle in a low fat and low calorie cauliflower alfredo sauce. And it was amazing.

BiAglut Pasta Mia Tagliatelle pasta nests

This pasta is not only hearty and delicious, it is also easy to prepare. The BiAglut Pasta Mia Tagliatelle comes in nests. There are 7 nests to a package. A serving is 2 nests. I find that to be a lot of pasta so, my roommate and I split three nets between the two of us. It was perfect. And prep is simple. Boil water with salt and drop in the nests of pasta for about 6-8 minutes. Then…BAM…done. Noodles are cooked to a perfect al dente. Then I just warmed up the alfredo I made from fresh cauliflower…stirred in the noodles and dinner is served.

LOVE. So much love!! The noodles hold up, even to a “creamy” sauce. They don’t turn to mush and they stay in the long, thick ribbons that they are supposed to be. In other words…pasta perfection. These noodles were the perfect compliment to the creamy and healthy alfredo that I made. And it made for a balanced and delicious and filling dinner in the end. So much love for these noodles. Easy to prepare. Perfect in the dish. I can’t say enough good things. Every time I revisit BiAglut for a pasta noodle, I continue to remember why I am willing to overspend my budget for their noodles. Amazing…every time.

Let’s talk ingredients! The BiAglut Pasta Mia Tagliatelle is made from cornstarch, tapioca starch, eggs, milk proteins, carrot pulp, carob seed flour, and salt. That’s it. Love it. It is gluten-free and wheat free.

As for nutrition, this pasta is amazing. A serving size is 2 nests of noodles. This serving gives you 250 calories and 2 grams of fat. This serving will also provide you with 100 mg cholesterol, 160 mg sodium, and 1 gram of sugar. One serving will also dish up 2 grams of fiber and 8 amazing grams of protein. I told you…it doesn’t look like a lot…but it will fill you up.

Whenever it comes to making room in the pantry for a gluten-free pasta, it will always be BiAglut Pasta Mia for me. A new favorite…the Tagliatelle. I’m hooked. And I am loving it.

BiAglut Pasta Mia Tagliatelle in a Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

February 2, 2015

Product Review: Zemas Madhouse Foods Gluten-Free Rosemary-Millet Focaccia & Pizza Crust Mix

Product: Zemas Madhouse Foods Gluten-Free Rosemary-Millet Focaccia & Pizza Crust Mix – $7.95+

It’s time for another rewind as I work my way through my pantry these days. Hard to believe that I’m just now polishing off the very last of the first Cuisine Cube I ever received. But…it’s true. I am. I tend to overlook mixes when I get them because…well…I get distracted by using up the fresh produce that I receive in my CSA bin. And, sometimes…mixes and my pantry become BFFs for awhile. Until, one day, I’m looking for something and see a mix and go…”Oh…I forgot I had that.”

For the past couple of weeks, I have had every intention of using up the last product from the May 2014 (the Cuisine Cube that started it all!) cube. Really. I even took it to a weekend getaway with me, having every intention of baking it up with my friend. But, we had other menu plans and this returned home with me. I kept telling my roomie…”I need to use this mix…this weekend…” And it never happened. I had originally thought to turn it into a pizza crust, but that was going to involve yeast and time that I didn’t have…so I decided to just bake up the recipe on the back of the bag…for the Zema’s Gluten Free Tomato Herb Focaccia.

So…first let me give you a recap of Cuisine Cube and the services that they offer. Cuisine Cube is this great subscription service that will deliver, right to your door, a cube of happiness and goodness, each month. Subscriptions are affordable and definitely worth it. In fact, depending on the service you choose, a subscription to Cuisine Cube can run you as little as $29.99 a month. What a deal, eh? And, for this low rate, you will receive 5-6 products from small and lesser-known artisan companies that offer gluten-free products. It is a great way to cut out the highly processed gluten-free stuff you can find in nearly every grocery store this time. You receive a product that will cover breakfast, lunch, dinner, a snack, dessert…and sometimes…a bonus! Seriously…it is fantastic. And I love trying out brands and products I never would have known about before…or even thought about taking a chance and trying, should it be available in my area. And most of these items…are not.

So…yesterday…it was the magic day. I was already cooking up a vegan (yes…you read that right!) shrimp and grits for dinner and as I was about to get started on that, I remembered…”OH…I still have that focaccia bread mix!” To which my roommate said, “Well, make it up and we’ll have some with dinner.” Smart lady, my roommate. So…as I knew that a pizza version and some other recipes (which they have online) involved yeast and rise time…I opted to do the package recipe. And this product was none other than Zemas Gluten-Free Rosemary-Millet Focaccia & Pizza Crust Mix.

Zemas Madhouse Foods is committed to manufacturing gluten-free, ancient grain baking mixes that help support a clean eating lifestyle through the use of minimally processed ingredients that can be safely incorporated into diets that are limited, allergy-free and diabetic. They are committed to keeping their products free of dairy, soy, rice, yeast, tree nuts, peanuts, sulfites, additives, trans fats, preservatives, and refined sugar. I loved what I was reading already. So, the challenge was going to come with the baking and the tasting. Would it live up to the hype?

Zemas Madhouse Foods Gluten-Free Rosemary-Millet Focaccia & Pizza Crust Mix (prepared)

The recipe was easy and I had all the ingredients necessary to prepare it. Save for a rimmed cookie sheet. So, instead I baked mine into a pie pan. I figured, if anything, it might just require a bit more cooking time. So, I first combined the wet ingredients: egg whites, water, agave nectar, and apple cider vinegar. After that was all mixed together, I poured in the mix and whisked it together some more. Then, it all went into my round cake pan, which I lined with parchment paper. I topped it off with slices of grape tomatoes and then some dried basil, oregano, and garlic powder. Then, just a hit of Himalayan salt. Drizzled it with olive oil and…into my oven it went for about 45 minutes. And…the entire time it was baking it smelled AMAZING! When baking time was up, I tested it to make sure it baked through (I was using a smaller baking vessel, so it would be thicker than if I had baked it on a cookie sheet (Note to self: Purchase rimmed cookie sheet!)…and it was. So, it sat to cool slightly while I made the rest of dinner. Once dinner was prepared, I sliced a wedge of the Zemas Gluten-Free Tomato Herb Focaccia…and sat down to a hearty dinner.

As I mentioned above…making focaccia bread with Zema’s Gluten-Free Rosemary-Millet Focaccia & Pizza Crust Mix really made my apartment smell fantastic. My roommate even said, “If that tastes half as good as it smells…” So, I dished up her vegan shrimp and grits first and gave her a side of the Tomato Herb Focaccia and as I went to prepare my plate, I heard her say, “The bread is good…but a little dry.” Focaccia isn’t supposed to be dry…rather have a great outer crust and a chewy inside. So, as I settled down to eat my own dinner, I went for the bread first.

Zemas Gluten Free Tomato Herb Focaccia Bread (baked)

Zemas Madhouse Foods baked up a really great looking loaf of focaccia bread. No kidding. It had that golden outer layer, and when I sliced into it…it was a bit softer. However, unlike most focaccia’s that get it’s chewy inside from little pockets of air that get there from kneading and/or beating, this definitely had a more cake-like texture to it. Much denser. No air pockets. I took a bite…and my roomie was right, the Zemas Gluten Free Tomato Herb Focaccia, baked form the Zemas Madhouse Foods Gluten-Free Rosemary-Millet Focaccia & Pizza Crust Mix definitely did taste a little dry. Maybe not dry…but heavy and dense. Which was a bit of a letdown. That being said, the flavor…OH MY GOD…the flavor was amazing. When I eat a slice tonight with dinner, I’m going to serve it with some olive oil and herbs de Provence. I think having something like that or a marinara to accompany the bread will only enhance the flavor and maybe take away from the dense nature of the inside breading. I loved the mix, however, especially with the herbs baked right on top. Just fantastic eating. I just wish it had baked up differently. And, perhaps, it was baking it in a cake pan that messed with the end product…but it wasn’t enough for me to ditch the entire loaf and cut my losses. Not at all. Amazing flavor can make up for a multitude of sins, for sure.

So, let’s talk about what ingredients go into the Zemas Madhouse Foods Gluten-Free Rosemary-Millet Focaccia & Pizza Mix. This mix is composed of sorghum flour, millet flour, organic flax seed meal, potato starch, tapioca starch, hemp seeds, and contains less than 2% of the following: aluminum free baking powder, organic quinoa, chia seeds, organic rosemary, xanthan gum, and sea salt. This mix is free of trans fats, cholesterol, sugar, and saturated fat.

As for the nutritional information, for the mix itself (not made up into a focaccia bread of pizza dough), the facts are that a serving is about 1-2/3 tablespoon of the dry mix (or about 13 grams). This serving will give you 45 calories and only 1 gram of fat. From this serving, you will be taking in 55 mg sodium and 0 sugars. You will also be consuming only 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein. If you were to make the Gluten-Free Tomato Herb Focaccia as I did, with the ingredients I listed above, your nutritional information alters slightly. I made it so that the bread would make 16 servings (16 small wedges), which would provide 78 calories per serving and only 3 grams of fat. A wedge would also give you 134 mg sodium and only 1 gram of sugar (from the tomatoes!). And, finally, one serving provides 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein, meaning it’s not a very filling serving, but you won’t be starving either. Definitely pair this with a meal.

I love the idea and mission that Zemas Madhouse Foods has set into place for their business and their foods. And while I was underwhelmed by the texture of the focaccia I baked up from the Zemas Gluten-Free Rosemary-Millet Focaccia & Pizza Crust Mix…it really hit a high note when it came to flavor. I loved the different spices and seasonings and how I could taste all of them. I think I even have another product (that I found when I was out of town) that is part of Zemas product lineup, so I am eager to try it and see how it comes out.

If you’re looking for a healthier way to eat, despite your dietary restrictions, I definitely recommend not only Cuisine Cube, but also products from Zemas Madhouse Foods. I think the texture was more in part of how I baked it and now want to try to do it the way it was intended. That being said, I can’t wait to see how more of Zemas products fair in my kitchen. Thank you Cuisine Cube…for introducing me to this amazing, and forward-thinking gluten-free company that is trying to help us live a healthier and more nutritious life.

A slice of Zemas Gluten Free Tomato Herb Focaccia

January 30, 2015January 30, 2015

Product Review: Alce Nero Gallette di Riso Integrale

Product: Alce Nero Gallete di Riso Integrale – $3.60+

Ah…the dog days of summer. August. Welcome to the time of year where cookouts are happening, the last hikes through parks and mountains are going down, get-togethers before school kicks in again are taking place…summer is winding down and life is about to get back into that grind for many people.

I was so excited with the eclectic mix of goodies that I received in my August Cuisine Cube. And, honestly, with the exception of the turkey jerky (no offense to the company Field Trip…but I am a vegetarian. HOWEVER…the people at my office LOVED it and ate it up!), I am rounding out the August cube by using up the very last item that remained from that delivery. Hey…don’t judge…I’m a very busy girl! But…I always get around to everything eventually.

Cuisine Cube, for those of you who are just tuning in…is a fantastic delivery service that brings gluten-free products from small and artisan companies to your door. It’s an amazing service and one that I am proud to be a subscriber to. I started back in May and have loved receiving my cubes of delicious treats each month since. Each month you receive 5-6 products (always something for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack and dessert…with an occasional bonus product!)…and subscriptions start as low as $29.99. So, if you’re as curious as I was…go to their site…sign up…and get hooked.

The final product that was featured in my August Cuisine Cube was their “LUNCH” option…Alce Nero Rice Cakes (aka: Alce Nero Gallete di Riso Integrale). It just so happened that I ran out of gluten-free oatmeal this week and needed a lunch option. Sure, I could have hit up my grocery store…but I had things in my pantry that were just begging to be eaten. And the very first thing I reached for, ironically, for lunch today was…the Alce Nero Rice Cakes.

Now, I think I’m an anomaly in life because I actually LOVE rice cakes. I do. I grew up eating these for snacks. Not this particular brand, but my mom had rice cakes in our pantry all the time…and the three of us kids would devour them. Sure, some of them might have tasted a little like packing peanuts…but there was something about that rice flavor and the light hit of salt that just made it…delicious. And my opinion of rice cakes hasn’t changed. It’s one of my favorite snacks to eat…even today. So, I wasn’t at all disappointed to be packing up rice cakes for my lunch. I was actually very excited. I paired it with a product from the September Cuisine Cube (Superbutter Nut Free Seed Butter…in case you were wondering) to make it a little more filling and a bit more of a meal.

At lunch today…I was definitely in for a treat. If you, like me, love rice cakes…then these are definitely for you. These rice cakes were imported from the birth of the rice cake – Italy. They are a good size and thickness. And while they don’t have a lot of flavor, they don’t really need it either. Even when I ate it without dipping it into the spread on top, I thought these were light had the perfect amount of crunch without being annoying. I don’t often buy rice cakes from the store because of the additives that are put into popular brands. The Alce Nero Rice Cakes are made exclusively from organic, whole grain rice. Nothing more. And, yes…they are yummy! And yes…yummy is a technical term.

So, let’s talk ingredients. This is easy…the Alce Nero Rice Cakes are made from…organic whole rice. These are cholesterol free, sugar free, sodium free, fat free, and gluten-free.

As far as nutrition goes…you will love this. A serving of the Alce Nero Rice Cakes is 3 pieces. This serving will deliver 70 calories, 1 gram of fiber, and 2 grams of protein. Not very filling, but good enough to serve as a lunch, for sure. That’s it. Healthy and delicious!

I love shaking things up and doing different things. It was fun to step away from my daily oatmeal at lunch habit to give the Alce Nero Rice Cakes a try. Low in calories…these are fantastic on their own, but taken up a notch with some nut or seed butter, some jam, or however you want to top it.

To me…rice cakes are nutritious and delicious…and these are some of the best I have ever had. And getting the opportunity to try these was thanks to Cuisine Cube!!