Italian – Page 6 – The Celiathlete

July 7, 2014

Product Review: Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Lasagna

Product: Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Lasagna – $3.29

Yep…it’s that time again. Time for another blog about the affordable, and mostly delicious findings from Aldi’s liveGfree gluten-free line. Let me first reemphasize how happy it made me when I was told that for the month of May (also Celiac Awareness Month) Aldi was going to be introducing a test run of their gluten-free products…in a brand known as liveGfree.

I, naturally, hightailed it over to Aldi on Mother’s Day and stocked up on one of everything (save a few items…as they were mixes that I have plenty of already), spending under $30 in the process. For someone who spends over a hundred dollars each week on food for two people…this was a blessing. My only concern was…would it taste good.

And as of right now, only one item (the Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Southwestern Stuffed Sandwich), has not really lived up to my expectations (for processed and frozen food). So, that’s a good thing, yes? I think so.

After being away all weekend, I had to cancel my bin for the 4th of July as well as for the following weekend (I’m heading out to see Queen!)…so this means no fresh fruits and veggies delivered to me, from which I could concoct a myriad of new dishes. Nope. The next two weeks will be spent living out of the freezer and pantry. Which is okay…because my budget is shot. And I have some travel things I need to really get taken care of in the next couple of weeks. Basically…I have no money…so I make due with what I do have.

And what I do have is a bunch of Aldi liveGfree gluten-free items.

And tonight…really not wanting to spend a lot of time in the kitchen…I decided I would cook up the Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Lasagna in the microwave and serve it with the remaining Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls. That’s what I did. All it required was about 10 minutes in the kitchen. That’s it. And most of that was getting the rolls going in the oven. HA!

Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Lasgana (frozen)

As for the Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Lasagna…preparation was simple. Remove the tray from the box and cut a slit in the top. Stick tray in the microwave for 5 minutes. Cook. Let stand for 1 minute before removing, serving, and eating. Simple! Love simple. So, as the gluten-free ciabatta was baking in the oven, I got to work on the Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Lasagna. Prep was as easy as I stated above and soon the microwave was rocking and rolling, cooking the meal, melting the cheese on top, and just getting it ready for a nosh-fest. The rolls finished up just as the microwave beeped. I let the tray sit for one minute before removing it and carefully peeling away the plastic wrap.

At first glance…not too impressive. Like most frozen meals, the Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Lasagna looked like…lasagna. The problem was, the marinara was more than a little watery. *SIGH!* Aside from that, however, it looked like any other frozen lasagna meal. I carefully sliced the lasagna in half, as my roommate and I were splitting it, and then served it up.

The lasagna itself held together well, I must say, not slopping off or falling apart as I sliced it in half and then used a spatula to transfer the half to a plate. It held together. I was impressed. I poured the marinara that was left in the tray over the two slices and then served it up.

It was…what it was. A frozen lasagna. Nothing too exciting to rave about. The best part was the ricotta/romano cheese filling. Honestly. It had great texture and great flavor. It was seasoned perfectly. If the marinara had been less watery, this might have been the perfect frozen meal. For real. The cheese on top wasn’t much, but as I can’t tolerate a lot of cheese…that was ideal for me. It was easy to slice into with a fork and it held together as I brought each bite up to my mouth. Warmed all the way through and to perfection. The soft cheese with the brown rice noodles and the seasonings all came together for one stand-up frozen meal.

Not as good as the Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Ravioli…but good enough.

And fast and easy. Convenient food. I’ll take it.

And, for being a frozen meal, the ingredients that go into Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Lasagna are fantastic. Seriously. The tomato sauce is made from chopped tomatoes, onions, garlic, canola oil, butter, parsley, basil, sugar, and black pepper. The dough from which the noodles are made are made from rice flour, corn starch, tapioca dextrin, water, whole eggs, canola oil, xanthan gum, salt, guar gum, and sodium alginate. The filling is simply whole milk ricotta cheese, romano cheese, eggs, salt, and parsley. And finally, the mozzarella cheese on top is simply made from pasteurized whole milk, cheese culture, salt and enzymes. While not exactly clean eating, I’d be hard-pressed to find another frozen meal with an ingredient list like that. Real, recognizable, and quality. The Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Lasagna is gluten free and wheat free.

As for nutrition…well…for a frozen meal, it’s not bad. My roommate and I split it, but if you were to eat a serving size, it would be the entire slice of lasagna. This serving would provide you with 410 calories and 17 grams of fat. You would be taking in 105 mg cholesterol, 520 mg sodium, and 6 grams of sugar. Finally, you’d be consuming 4 grams of fiber and 17 grams of protein. It is filling. Even half of it is filling…trust me.

With the exception of watery marinara, I absolutely found this to be an enjoyable frozen meal from Aldi. If I were eating it on my own, it wouldn’t have needed the roll to accompany it. Trust me…I’m full on just half of the lasagna. That’s saying something. My hat is off to Aldi and the quality of their liveGfree line. It’s quite evident in each product that I have tried so far how they strove for quality, using real ingredients and just trying to get that flavor right. I’m beyond impressed!

I sincerely hope that they continue to keep the line in the stores…because this is gluten-free food I can totally afford. And enjoy!

Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Lasagna (cooked)

June 28, 2014

Product Review: Beyond Meat Grilled Chicken-Free Strips

Product Review: Beyond Meat Grilled Chicken-Free Strips – $4.99+

As a gluten-free vegetarian…sometimes it is difficult to find those meat replacements that offer a good bit of nutrition as well. Mainly…don’t feed me chemicals…feed me something that is real and made from real things. The problem being, most of the vegan “meats” on the market contain vital wheat gluten…meaning…it’s off limits for this Celiac.

So, when I spotted this product in Whole Foods, I couldn’t wait to give it a try. Seriously. I bought two different kinds, sticking the Grilled in the freezer and the Southwest Style came out and was featured in a vegetarian version of a family favorite…”Mexican ‘Chicken’ Casserole.” The original recipe featured real meat (because…I used to eat meat!). I had to change it up when I became a vegetarian…and then change it up even more when I had to go gluten-free.

Good thing I’m resourceful, yes?

Well…in some weird stroke of roommate brain…both my roomie and I had this mad idea that a BBQ “Chicken” Pizza needed to happen at some point…this weekend. And with the World Cup in full kick (HA!)…I figured it might be a delicious food to enjoy the Columbia v. Uruguay match with. Dinner during matches has been my gluten-free and vegetarian (and sometimes vegan) take on pub grub and bar food. Because…WORLD CUP, BABY! I found it weird that I had been planning this pizza all week (seriously, because I had an Annie May’s Sweet Café Pizza Crust of Allergen-Free Awesomesauce in the freezer) and then she all-out says that we needed to have that kind of pizza while we were out on a stroll on Friday morning. NO JOKE! Brainwaves…woohoo…freaky!

Tonight…it happened. And the “chicken” aspect of this dish was provided by…Beyond Meat Grilled Chicken-Free Strips. I had her pull the package from the freezer to allow it to sit in the fridge while we were out for the first half of the day. Give it a bit of natural thaw time. When I got back from an early morning run and then a couple of errands…and some sifting through piles of…stuff…it was GAME ON for World Cup. We watched the Brazil v. Chile match and watched it go down to penalty kicks in a nail-biting ending that put Brazil as the winner! As the post-game show went on, and the pre-game for the Uruguay match came on…I headed to the kitchen to shred some cheese (my roommate picked up a local one that had some kick to it!), chop some onion, and get the oven preheated to 450°F in order to get the pizza crust to perfection. I got all the items together, pulled the Beyond Meat Grilled Chicken-Free Strips out of the fridge, chopped them into bite-size pieces, and started to lay out the pizza toppings. It started with Stubbs Original BBQ Sauce. Then…the onion. Then the “chicken” strips. The cheese. And then I drizzled some BBQ sauce on top. Into the oven…and I let it go for about 15 minutes…so as not to get the crust too done.

Trust me…as it was baking in the oven…it smelled AMAZING! So when my timer went off and the match was just starting, I scurried to get the pizza out of the oven and slice it up for consumption. My roomie and I were splitting the 9 inch crust. I cut it into six slices and plated everything up. I took hers out to her and she immediately dove in. We hadn’t eaten since breakfast at 9 a.m. So, the 4 p.m. dinner just seemed natural. She took a bite and said, “That is restaurant quality flavor!” Made me feel good. I sliced mine, came out to the couch and settled in for the match.

Oh yes…this was good pizza.

But how did I find the Beyond Meat Grilled Chicken-Free Strips? Well…as someone who hasn’t done the faux meat thing in a long while…it’s not bad. It doesn’t taste anything like chicken. In fact, I’d go as far to say that it has the great texture of the Quorn chicken strips, and the flavor of the Morningstar versions. Both of which are off limits to me now…but both of which I used to consume when I could. You won’t confuse these for the “real” thing, but the texture is perfect. The flavor…is decent. It’s okay. I loved the smokiness from the grill marks on this version. It was the perfect one to have on top of the pizza, for sure. That might be from the fact that these strips are grilled over a mesquite fire with molasses. So, they have that great sweet and smokey flavor that marinated and grilled chicken would have. It was good for what it is.

So…what exactly is Beyond Meat made from? Well, the ingredients for the Beyond Meat Grilled Chicken-Free Strips include: water, non-GMO soy protein isolate, pea protein isolate, amaranth, vegan chicken flavor (maltodextrin, yeast extract, salt, natural flavoring, sunflower oil), non-GMO expeller-pressed canola oil, non-GMO soy fiber, carrot fiber, white vinegar, spices, salt, molasses powder, garlic extract, hickory smoke powder, onion extract, lemon juice concentrate, evaporated cane juice, dipotassium phosphate, titanium dioxide (for color), potassium chloride, paprika extract. It isn’t exactly clean eats…but when you’re a gluten-free vegetarian trying to make a “chicken” dish…you work with what you have, yes? Yes! This product is vegan, gluten-free and cholesterol free.

Nutrition-wise…a serving of this product is 1/4 of the package or about 6 strips. This serving provides 120 calories and 3 grams of fat. This serving will also provide you with 360 mg sodium. However…this product contains no sugar. None. And finally, you will be benefiting from 2 grams of fiber and 20 grams of protein!! That’s fantastic. It has as much protein as regular chicken. Be still my vegetarian heart!

Another solid “chicken” product from Beyond Meat. Honestly…it worked so well on this pizza crust. I almost wish we had money this week to get another crust because I would have reprised the dish tomorrow night too. I enjoyed it that much. Really good. And thanks to Beyond Meat…I was able to have some semblance of a faux-meat pizza again. Is it the best I’ve ever had? No. But it will do. Because, honestly, it’s one of the only options out there. That being said…it is definitely worth purchasing again. So glad I have 4 more in my freezer!

Gluten-Free BBQ “Chicken” Pizza made with Beyond Meat Grilled Chicken-Free Strips

June 27, 2014

Product Review: Trader Joe’s Polenta Provencale with Spianch & Peas in a Spicy Cream Sauce

Product: Trader Joe’s Polenta Provencale with Spinach & Peas in a Spicy Cream Sauce – $3.49+

It’s Friday.

It’s Friday, and despite getting paid today, I have no money. Which totally thwarted my plan to have gluten-free pizza away from home today. Seriously. The last thing I wanted to do after the day I had today was cook. I was having those, “I don’t want to be in that damn tiny kitchen any longer than I have to!” But, that’s not happening today. That’s not happening for a long time at this point.

*SIGH*

But I burden you with things that have nothing to do with this blog or product. Sorry. Just a little anecdote to explain why I ended up with my head and arms in the freezer, trying to find something that was not labor intensive or requiring much else in the means of cooking. I had a few options…though not too many…but decided that since it had been in the freezer the longest, the Polenta Provencale I picked up at Trader Joe’s a long while back was going to have its moment to shine.

This is generally used as a side dish…but it was going to be a meal for my roomie and I. So, I cooked up the entire package instead of just two portions of it. Those would have been really small portions…but for a side, I suppose that’s what you need. HA!

Anyway…I put my pan on the stove and turned on the burner to a medium-high heat, as instructed on the bag of frozen product suggested. I cut open the packaging and peeked inside to see little orange balls of corn goodness with some greens. All clotted together by ice. Beautiful. I sighed…and poured it into the awaiting hot pan.

It took about a minute or so for the ice to melt in order for me to break up the clumps of polenta and vegetables, but once that happened…so did the magic of this dish. I went to get cups down for a drink to have with dinner…and when I came back to stir, while the polenta was still frozen, the spinach and the peas were now turning a gorgeous green and a sauce was beginning to show up in the pan. This gorgeous…orange sauce. It also was starting to smell really, really good. Okay…maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. I left it to cook some more and poured drinks, walking them out to the living room and setting them on the table. I returned and gave the dish another stir. The polenta was starting to soften, meaning it wasn’t all the way frozen now. Thank goodness. I could see tomato now in the sauce. And the sauce was getting thicker. It all finished up just as the roommate emerged from her bathroom from her shower. Perfect timing. I got down two bowls and split the contents of the pan evenly.

I delivered the dishes to the table and settled in to enjoy my little bowl of Trader Joe’s straight-from-the-freezer-to-your-stove meal…and hoped it was good. I had no Plan B today. But…I’d think of something if I had to. I’m good at that in a pinch…especially when I’m hungry and food is involved.

So…it wasn’t the pizza I was craving.

However…it was good. I think it’s a bit misleading to call the sauce “spicy.” Personally, if I wasn’t so comfortable in my seat, I would have added a touch of hot sauce or some red pepper flakes to kick up the heat a little. My roomie, who is a spice wimp…well…she didn’t say one word about any heat or spice…nor did she suck down most of her drink upon the first few bites. This, my dear foodies, means…it’s not spicy. The polenta gets soft, without getting mushy. And the vegetables are the perfect accompaniment to the dish. The spinach absorbs that sauce and the peas add to the texture. But it’s that sauce that ties everything together. That sauce…although not spicy…was fantastic. I devoured this…chewing and swallowing of course…but devoured. I savored it as long as I could, but it was, for a meal from a freezer, really good!

I want to try to make it on my own…like…from fresh ingredients. Not frozen. Hmmm…

Speaking of ingredients…this package of Trader Joe’s Polenta Provencale with Spinach & Peas in a Spicy Cream Sauce contains relatively few ingredients in the grand scheme of things. The ingredients in this dish include polenta (made from water, corn flour, salt, and dried skim milk), crushed peeled tomatoes, creme fraiche, spinach, peas, tomato, cow’s milk cheese, olive oil, salt, garlic, strong chili pepper, basil, modified rice starch, parsley, thyme, and modified corn starch. I, however, am not a fan of the two modified starch ingredients. GAH! That’s a bummer. This product is gluten-free and vegetarian, however.

As for nutrition, however, this isn’t so bad. A serving of the Trader Joe’s P0lenta Provencale with Spinach & Peas in a Spicy Cream Sauce is 1/3 cup, cooked. There are about 4 servings per package. But, since this was dinner, this became 2 servings…so these stats just double. If you eat a regular serving (1/4 of the package), you will be consuming 130 calories and 7 grams of fat. In addition, you will be taking in 20 mg cholesterol, 280 mg sodium, and 2 grams of sugar. In the grand scheme of things, for a frozen, packaged product…that is awesome. You will also be taking in 3 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. Not lying…this dish is filling!

If you really like things spicy, I recommend adding a bit of kick to the Trader Joe’s Polenta Provencale with Spinach & Peas in a Spicy Cream Sauce. But…it’s not bad the way it is. I loved the rich, creaminess of each bite…from the sauce to the polenta to the vegetables…it was a trio of deliciousness. One that I will definitely consider trying again when I need to have one of those “prepare it quickly” meals.

Nicely done, Trader Joe’s. If anything…try to get those modified starches out of your product. Then…this will get my full approval. Until then, just know that I found this one tasty little meal tonight. And I’m glad I had it in my freezer for the day I was having. The fact that it tasted good as well was the added bonus!

And this is why I love Trader Joe’s.

June 22, 2014

Recipe: Zucchini Noodle Pasta with Portobello Mushrooms, Garlic Marinara, and a Homemade Basil Pesto

Sometimes, I get more produce in my CSA bin than I can logically begin to work through in a week. Sometimes I think I should go to every-other-week….but then the thought of not getting my fresh fruits and veggies makes me sad. So, I try to come up with clever ways to use some of it up. Last week’s bin had a yellow summer squash and a zucchini inside…and this week’s bin…two zucchinis. I needed to use some zucchini up stat.

Also…I hate some large portobello mushroom caps, two of which were a little busted up…so making my portobello mushroom cap pizzas were not going to be an option. So I thought…what can I do with this? And then I thought…pasta.

But pasta made from zucchini…giving a bit of a low carb option (not that I worry about carbs!). I was going to coat everything in a pesto, but my homegrown basil was…not enough to do that. So I only had a small amount. So, I could garnish the pasta with it. And thankfully I had a jar of RAO’s Homemade Roasted Garlic Sauce in the pantry. Yes! Rescued by a manager’s special! HA!

This recipe was super-easy to make and put together. Even better…super good for you. And, even if you don’t want to mess with making a pesto, the dish won’t lack anything if you leave it out. Or, you can do what I originally had planned and skip the marinara and go with just the pesto! It’s up to you. I’ll put up the recipe for the full pesto recipe just in case. I had to cut mine down to 1/4 the original recipe as I only had 1/2 cup of fresh basil.

That being said…

Recipe: Zucchini Noodle Pasta with Portobello Mushrooms, Garlic Marinara, and a Homemade Basil Pesto

Servings: 2
Time: Prep 15 minutes; Cook 15 minutes

Ingredients for Pesto:

2 cups tightly packed fresh basil
1/2 cup walnuts
1 to 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped (to taste)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Ingredients for Pasta:

Olive oil
Chopped/minced garlic
Seasoning of choice (I used herbs de provence)
Sea salt to taste
2 zucchini
3 large portobello mushroom caps, sliced
6 oz of marinara (or 4 ounces of pesto)
Dab of homemade pesto (if not using as the sauce)

Directions:

Make the pesto.

Place the basil, walnuts, and garlic in a food processor fitted with the S blade. Pulse to combine, until the mixture is coarsely ground.

Turn the motor on and drizzle the olive oil in a thin stream. Add the sea salt, pepper, lemon, and nutritional yeast, and pulse a few more times to combine.
Make the pasta:

Use your julienne peeler, spiral slicer or mandolin to create noodles out of the zucchini. I used a mandolin and made long, thin strips of zucchini for noodles. It’s really up to you! Zucchini is usually full of water, so take a paper towel and squeeze them to get out some of the water. Place them in a bowl and set aside.

Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and heat for a minute at medium heat. Add 1 clove of minced garlic and sauté for one minute. Add your mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms begin to release their juices and have browned up beautifully. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Rinse out your skillet (or wipe it down to get out any mushroom residue) and place another tablespoon of olive oil in the pan, allowing it to heat for one minute over medium heat. Add your zucchini noodles to the pan and begin to heat them up. In order to not turn them to mush, do not stir them. Just move them gently around the pan.

Once the zucchini noodles are heated, add the musrhooms back into the pan and season with your seasonings of choice. Definitely add a bit of salt though.

Toss together and then add the sauce (be it marinara or pest0). Continue to toss in the skillet until it is heated through. Transfer to bowls and top off with pesto, if you didn’t use it for your sauce of choice. Or don’t…if you didn’t want to fuss with it.

Serve!

~*~*~

This was so packed with flavor and so delicious. Honestly, it was super delicious. I’d love to make this again and serve it up in the way I intended…with the pesto sauce, but the marinara added great flavor and worked so well with the zucchini and mushrooms. A delicious, low calorie, low carb meal that doesn’t take too long to prep or cook. Dinner…couldn’t be easier.

Give it a shot. I hope you like it!

June 22, 2014

Product Review: Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Ravioli

Aldi's liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Ravioli — Aldi’s liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Ravioli

Product: Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Ravioli – $3.29

I am still praising Aldi for their special gift to those of us who have to follow a gluten-free diet as May (also known as Celiac Awareness Month) kicked off. I had heard from numerous people that Aldi was going to test their gluten-free product line, called liveGfree, in their stores to see how it did. Two coworkers of mine snatched up a few products and told me I had to get over there. And then my mom called and said she had gone to Aldi and stocked up on quite a few things as well and that I really, really needed to check out my Aldi.

So, on that very same day…Mother’s Day…my roomie and I did just that. And we pretty much bought one of everything. We didn’t get the flour and dessert mixes because I am overloaded with those…but one of practically everything else. We even found the frozen items in the freezer near the back. Sometimes walking the aisles does pay off. Hey…we were in no hurry and I hadn’t been to Aldi in at least a year…if not longer. Lucky us…we spotted the frozen meals from the liveGfree line…and picked up the vegetarian ones. One of everything. Including the frozen pancakes. Because…pancakes…HELLO!

Well, World Cup is currently going on…a month later. And with busy days and wanting to catch matches…even on a Sunday like today…we had a full morning and it was leading into an afternoon of World Cup watching and chores around the house. Much of my day was spent in the kitchen, prepping meals for this coming week. Just makes life a lot easier. Trust me.

So, for lunch…Cathy and I decided that we’d keep it light (because with the USA World Cup match against Portugal tonight…we’re doing vegan fish and chips)…and thought we’d each of one of the (previous reviewed) Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls and split one of the frozen meals in the freezer. I asked if she was feeling ravioli or lasagna…

Well…as you can tell…she went for the ravioli.

Aldi's liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Ravioli (frozen) — Aldi’s liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Ravioli (frozen)

Here’s the best thing about these meals…they are so convenient. Sure, frozen food is never as good as fresh, but I don’t have the time nor the skills to make my own gluten-free ravioli. I’d love to…but…seriously…no. Not right now. Life is far too busy. With the rolls toasting in the oven, I plucked the box of Aldi’s liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Ravioli from the freezer and opened it up.

Like most microwave meals, this comes in a microwave-safe tray. I could see the large (loved the size) ravioli and the red sauce and big flecks of cheese all over the dish. I cut a slit through the plastic as directed and popped it into the microwave for 5 minutes. Yep…five minutes. Then let it sit for one minute and…just like that…lunch is served! I cut the plastic away and dished up the ravioli between Cathy and I. Again, I was more than impressed with the size of these. They were at least two inches around. I topped our servings off with the extra sauce and cheese that lingered in the tray and popped a roll on each plate. Time to take a bite.

Aldi's liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Ravioli (cooked) — Aldi’s liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Ravioli (cooked)

First of all, I’ve had quite a few gluten-free ravioli’s since having to go gluten-free. Only one…Conte’s…has truly impressed me. Well, color me impressed. Seriously. While this isn’t as good as the Conte’s brand…it is close. The ravioli actually cooks to a nice al dente texture, so it still has a bit of that bite that pasta should have. And, wow…the filling was so delicious. And these were packed with filling. They didn’t skimp on that at all. And for that, I praise them to the sky. So often the fillings in these microwave meals are non-existent…but these oozed cheese. Yummy. And the sauce had a lot of flavor as well. Fresh tasting, even. Maybe slightly oily, but nothing that couldn’t be skimmed off. You can tell it is made from real ingredients, which is actually quite surprising for a microwave meal…from Aldi of all places. Saucy…cheesy…delish!

I might have hoovered my portion…

So, as I mentioned it above, let’s take a look at the ingredients. Amazingly and surprising (to me)…is the fact that these are real ingredients. I recognize them all. Seriously. The tomato sauce part is made from chopped tomatoes, onions, garlic, canola oil, butter, parsley, basil, sugar, and black pepper. The dough is a blend of rice flour, corn starch, tapioca dextrin, water, whole eggs, canola oil, xanthan gum, salt, guar gum, and sodium alginate. The filling is a combination of whole milk ricotta cheese, romano cheese, eggs, salt, and parsley. And then…it’s all topped off with mozzarella cheese!

Seriously??! Yep. Seriously.

Almost makes me feel less guilty about eating a processed microwaveable meal. HA!

As far as nutrition goes, a serving size is 1 package. The entire thing is all yours to eat and enjoy and savor. This meal will serve you up 360 calories and 15 grams of fat. Yep…it is a lot…but it’s a lot of cheese! You will also be taking in 85 mg sodium, 560 mg sodium, and 7 grams of sugar. The sodium is a little higher than I like, but still under 600 mg…so it’s okay. Also you will be taking in 4 grams of fiber and 15 grams of protein! Yes!! That’s awesome. And it is a rather filling little meal. Seriously. And…yeah…it’s good too!

I would definitely restock this product in my freezer. And as long as Aldi keeps this line in their stores, I will continue to purchase these items. Because when I can walk out of a store spending under $30 for the huge amount of products I purchased…well…it makes my budget a whole lot better. Honestly.

Thank you, Aldi…for making gluten-free convenience food savory and palatable. Being able to eat something tasty from the freezer that also won’t bust the budget is a fine treat indeed.

I love you for it.

Aldi's liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Ravioli (cooked and plated) — Aldi’s liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Ravioli (cooked and plated)

June 17, 2014

Product Review: Annie May’s Sweet Café Vegan Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

Product: Annie May’s Sweet Café Vegan Gluten-Free Pizza Crust – $7.50

Forget hitting up the grocery stores on Saturday. I think all I need to do now is hit up that new freezer at Annie May’s Sweet Café on Frankfort Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky. Honestly. Because, for me, it’s a one-stop shopping extravaganza of everything I have ever loved to eat at her bakery…or taken home with me.

And that was the entire point of the newest feature in Annie May’s Sweet Café. Simple, safe, gluten-free take-n-bake items that are prepared and frozen…and all you have to do is follow the simple instructions on the label to cook up all the deliciousness in the comfort of your own home. Let me tell you, I was thrilled to hear that this was being added to the bakery…and now that I have bought a few items from the freezer…let me tell you…I hope this catches on and they have to expand. Because…with the garlic bread, the mac and cheese, and the pizza crust…I was set for three meals this week. Simplicity…yet with the high quality and amazing flavor you get in all of Annie May’s products.

Annie May's Sweet Café Vegan Gluten-Free Pizza Crust — Annie May’s Sweet Café Vegan Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

Having already feasted on the Vegan Garlic Bread and the Macaroni and Cheese earlier this week…that left one of the take-n-bake purchases in my freezer. And tonight…it was dinner. I’m talking about the best pizza crust in the world. No exaggeration there either. And not just a gluten-free pizza crust…but THE BEST in the world. Seriously. I’ve eaten a lot of regular…and now a ton of gluten-free crusts and nothing has topped this one. Nothing. Nowhere. No way! I don’t think it will ever happen.

Want to know why? Because…it is not a cracker crust or some thin little sheet of dough that ends up soggy. This is a substantial, it can hold any and all toppings, sort of crust. It is the crust to end all crusts. It is the Godzilla of gluten-free pizza crusts. It is…REALLY amazing. And I don’t know how she does it, but I’m glad she does. Because whenever I eat a pizza at Annie May’s…my day just gets better. My life just gets better. This crust is legendary. Honestly. You’d never even know it was gluten-free. And now…now…I can make it in the comfort of my own home!

And that’s what I did tonight!

Annie May's Sweet Café Vegan Gluten-Free Pizza Crust (frozen) — Annie May’s Sweet Café Vegan Gluten-Free Pizza Crust (frozen)

I had a request from Cathy…for a pizza I haven’t made in forever. She wanted…the Meditenuttian Pizza. I know what you’re thinking…”What the what is a Meditenuttian Pizza?” Well, let me explain. It’s a pizza crust, that is given a brushing of olive oil, then a sprinkling of black pepper, then a drizzle of honey. Then, I top mine with vegan mozzarella shreds, caramelized onions, walnuts, and then…I wilt something green over the top in the last minute or so of cooking. Tonight…it was kale. If you can handle dairy…feta or goat cheese is good crumbled over the top as well.

So…here it is. I preheated the oven to 450°F and prepped the pizza crust per instructions, placing it and the parchment paper that is included on a baking sheet. I topped it off with everything (except the kale) and popped it in the oven for about 15 minutes. I pulled it out to put the kale on top and popped it back in the oven for about another minute. Then…just like that…dinner was served.

My Meditenuttian Pizza baked on Annie May's Sweet Café Vegan Gluten-Free Pizza Crust — My Meditenuttian Pizza baked on Annie May’s Sweet Café Vegan Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

And, let me tell you…the frozen crust you take home to bake is just as delicious as the pizza crust served when I order in the café on either Friday or Saturday. It has this doughy, thick texture to it, much like the “real” crusts everyone else can get in restaurants. I’ve never had gluten-free crust like this. When it is so reminiscent of the pizza I used to be able to eat…that is saying something. No cracker crust. Nothing that crumbles. This is honest-to-goodness damn good pizza crust. Not only can you buy a plain crust, but you can also purchase frozen already done up vegan and gluten-free pizzas that you can pop into your oven. No need to add your own toppings…she has done it for you. I might try that next time. But…for me…it’s all about that crust. That amazing Annie May’s pizza crust.

For the record, Annie May’s pizza crust is completely allergen free. According to the label, it contains millet flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, quinoa flour, water, egg replacer, agave nectar, xanthan gum, salt, and cream of tartar.

This is a 9 ounce pizza crust. My roomie and I split the pizza (as we do at the bakery whenever we order a pizza) and it is filling. Filling…but heavenly. A slice of gluten-free pizza heaven. I guarantee you won’t find a better crust out there. And I’m glad I can now take it home with me! And I just might…weekly!

Half of my Meditenuttian Pizza baked on Annie May's Sweet Café Vegan Gluten-Free Pizza Crust — Half of my Meditenuttian Pizza baked on Annie May’s Sweet Café Vegan Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

June 15, 2014

Product Review: Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten Free Vegan Garlic Bread

Product: Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten Free Vegan Garlic Bread – $4.25

I love that my local gluten-free bakery is growing. I love that they are getting enough business to even offer more of their business aside from their daily lunch specials and daily specials in the case. This makes me insanely happy.

On Saturday, on the third anniversary of the opening of Annie May’s Sweet Café on Frankfort Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky, I finally got to partake in the newest feature of the bakery…

Take-n-Bake goodies from their freezer. I am talking their (FAMOUS AND DELICIOUS) pizza crusts, garlic bread, vegan garlic bread, cinnamon rolls, and even some of their pastas…(like the best mac & cheese ever). All items are gluten-free and most are allergen-free. They make a point when doing gluten-free to also try to do allergen-free. But some items (like the regular garlic bread and the mac and cheese) contain dairy.

I had stuck my head in the deep freeze earlier in the week when I was in for Soft Pretzel Wednesday (because pretzels on a Wednesday make the best lunch ever!). The key words that made me happy was…Vegan. Garlic. Bread. Short on money in the middle of the week, and knowing I was stopping in for the celebration of three years at that location on Saturday, I vowed to make a purchase then. Little did I know I’d walk out of there with not just the Vegan Garlic Bread, but also the Mac & Cheese, and the Pizza Crust (seriously…best gluten-free pizza crust on this planet…hands down!). I might have also walked out with an Allergen-Free Banana Spice Muffin (of heaven!).

But, I digress with the muffin.

Let me focus on the entire reason I pulled open that freezer in the first place…

Gluten-Free and Vegan Garlic Bread.

Annie May's Sweet Café Vegan Garlic Bread (frozen) — Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten Free Vegan Garlic Bread (frozen)

What you get is a half of a half loaf of bread that has been slathered down with a vegan butter and garlic topping. Then…wrapped and frozen with baking instructions on the label. Talk about easy. Just preheat the oven and place the garlic bread on a pan and into the oven and allow to cook for allotted time. Once done…enjoy.

That’s what I did tonight (and served it up with the Mac & Cheese which I baked at the same time!)

I cried when I took my first bite. Tears of happiness. Tear of joy. Because I haven’t had garlic bread in a very long time. I tried to order some gluten-free garlic bread from a pizza place in Denver, but they wouldn’t deliver to the hotel (which was only 4 miles away). So…unless I make it out of gluten-free sandwich bread, it hasn’t happened. And trust me…that’s not the same. Annie May’s Vegan Garlic Bread was amazing. Delicious. The crust got all golden and crunchy and the middle…soft…chewy…garlic and vegan buttery goodness. Honestly. Seasoned perfectly. Tears. When a food makes me cry…then it’s damn good. We only ate half the loaf tonight with dinner…I almost cooked up the second half. I think this will become another staple that I always purchase from Annie May’s when she has it in stock…much like her cinnamon rolls and her macaroni and cheese! This…is one of my favorite things I have ever eaten since going gluten-free. Real food. Really good. Make you cry good! Even my roomie was blown away. She had taken a bite before I had and she gave me the saddest eyes. When I took my bite…I understood why. She liked it better than the garlic bread she has been able to eat. I liked it better than any I had prior to having to go gluten-free. Honest…good…food! That’s what Annie May’s bakes up every single time!

Annie May’s Sweet Café has literally changed my life. With all the restaurants in Louisville’s blossoming foodie areas, all I want is Annie May’s! Why? Because not only can I get safe treats and meals there, but now…I can take a whole lot of their good stuff home to bake up myself when it is convenient. I hope that the take-n-bake freezer takes off for them and expands, because I would be totally willing to purchase these convenient meals and items every week…just to make one day of my life (if not more) a lot easier.

Happy Third Birthday, Annie May’s…and here’s to many, many more delicious, allergen-free years!!

Annie May's Sweet Café Gluten Free Vegan Garlic Bread (baked) — Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten Free Vegan Garlic Bread (baked)

June 13, 2014

Product Review: Schär Gluten Free Bontà d’Italia Frozen Veggie Pizza

Product: Schär Gluten Free Bontà d’Italia Frozen Veggie Pizza – $8.99+

Way back when my gluten-free journey began, I was trying out a variety of pizza shells. You know…either shelf-stable or frozen gluten-free pizza crusts that I could build my own pizza on and cook up however I wanted. That was all fine and good…as I love building new flavors and making a delicious and actually healthy pizza. But sometimes…you just don’t want to do all that chopping and saucing and cheesing…right?

Hey…we all lead busy lives and cooking takes time.

Well, my entire point to that opening anecdote was that one of my favorite crusts I used was made by Schär. If you’ve delved into the gluten-free world for awhile, you’ve probably become familiar with Schär’s products. You can find many of their shelf-stable and parbaked breads on grocery store shelves. You can also find many of their delectable cookies and crackers as well. The company’s vision statement says that they aim to become the leading specialist for particular dietary and nutritional needs in Europe and North America. Schär specializes in the development and production of foods for people with special dietary needs. They focus on producing delicious products with quality ingredients, wanting to assure that consumers receive balanced nutrition and quality of life through their diet.

And tonight, I was trying one of their new products out in the market. They recently introduced gluten-free bagels and gluten-free pizzas to their line of frozen products. So, while you can get their gluten-free pizza shell (shelf-stable)…you also now have the option of just going to your grocer’s freezer and retrieving a ready-to-bake frozen pizza as well.

YAY!

Schär Gluten Free Bontà d'Italia Frozen Veggie Pizza (frozen) — Schär Gluten Free Bontà d’Italia Frozen Veggie Pizza (frozen)

Schär currently offers two varieties of their gluten-free frozen pizza: Veggie and Cheese.

You know I went for the veggie pizza! HAHA!

There it was, in my freezer now…the Schär Gluten Free Bontà d’Italia Frozen Veggie Pizza. Tonight…it was dinner.

So…after a long day from work, I came home and got the oven preheating at 425°F, getting out my pizza stone to get it warming. The actual pizza itself had to be unwrapped and left to thaw for about 10 minutes, which is about how long it takes for my dinosaur of an oven to reach the correct baking temperature. So, that was perfect. I removed the pizza from the box, then it’s little plastic wrapper, and let it sit on a pizza pan. I already loved the look of it. It had a very thin crust, but it was loaded with amazing and fresh looking vegetables. For real!! I could clearly see a thin layer of red sauce, a light sprinkling of cheese, but the biggest stand-outs were the amazing looking vegetables scattered on top. Red peppers, yellow peppers, mushrooms, onion, and spinach. They looked completely fresh and super bright. I was already impressed. I’d never had a frozen pizza look like that before.

Once the oven was heated, I pulled out the pizza stone and transferred the pizza to it. Back into the oven it went for about 8 minutes, until the cheese was bubbly and the crust got that nice color to it. It really is that simple. Get together dishes and drinks for dinner time and before you know it…it will be time to pull the pizza out of the oven.

Let me tell you…while this is cooking up it smells fantastic! Honestly!! I was in pizza heaven. It actually smelled like a pizzeria in my apartment. That made me so happy. I commented that it smelled so good, but my roommate is fighting off a cold, so she had to just take my word for it. In no time, I was pulling the Schär Gluten Free Bontà d’Italia Frozen Veggie Pizza from the oven and letting it sit for a moment before slicing into it.

The back of the box for the Schär Gluten Free Bontà d’Italia Frozen Veggie Pizza states that “the goodness of Italy is just minutes away from your table” with the creation of Schär’s new line of frozen entrees that are “rich in natural flavors and nutrients.” The thing that I think really sets this pizza apart from all that have come before it is that thin crust is actually brick oven baked. Yes. So, you get this richness to the crust that usually you don’t find in gluten-free crusts. Add to it the blend of sauce, cheese, and toppings and you have one authentic sounding pizza.

So…did it live up to the box hype?

Schär Gluten Free Bontà d'Italia Frozen Veggie Pizza (baked) — Schär Gluten Free Bontà d’Italia Frozen Veggie Pizza (baked)

MORE THAN! Seriously. When I took my first bite, I was so impressed. For a frozen pizza, this was full of flavor. The pizza crust, being stone baked before hand, has this nice charred taste that makes it feel like it came out of one of those pizza ovens. The crust may be thin, but it is sturdy. None of the toppings were too much for this crust. And the crispiness that the edges got was perfection. I felt like I was eating a real pizza at a real pizzeria. That’s not a feeling I get often, especially while dining on my couch in my apartment. In fact…it never happens that way. The cheese wasn’t overwhelming. In fact, the vegetables were the most predominant topping and the stars of this pizza. And when you eat a veggie pizza…that’s how it should be. The peppers, onion, and mushrooms all cooked perfectly and tasted like they were fresh off the farm. Seriously. And the spinach didn’t get mushy. It was the perfect dusting of green over the top. My taste buds were blown away. And while I really had wanted to skip this easy-to-prepare meal and go out somewhere, I’m glad, in the end, my empty wallet won because nothing could have compared to this!

Let’s talk ingredients! Schär is dedicated to using only the highest quality ingredients, and that is beyond evident…even when the pizza was still frozen. The Schär Gluten Free Bontà d’Italia Frozen Veggie Pizza contains: water, vegetable mix (red peppers, yellow peppers, mushrooms, onion, spinach) tomato puree, rice flour, potato starch, mozzarella cheese, potato flakes psyllium seed husks, sunflower oil, sugar, soy protein, modified cellulose, carob-see flour, salt, mono- and diglicerides, oregano, and apple fiber. This product contains no gluten or wheat and is a good source of fiber.

As far as the nutrition information…this isn’t too bad either!

A serving size is 1 slice (my roommate and I had 2), and the entire pizza serves 4. If you follow the serving size recommendation, you will be consuming 170 calories and 6 grams of fat. You will also be taking in 10 mg of cholesterol, 370 mg sodium, and less than 1 gram of sugar. One slice will provide you with 4 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. So, don’t let that thin crust fool you. You will definitely feel full!

More importantly, however, you will feel satisfied…because this pizza is beyond fantastic. It takes gluten-free frozen pizzas and turns it into something that actually tastes like it came from a wood-fired pizza place. It was amazing. And I was one happy girl. Sometimes a frozen product has the potential to surprise you. Well played, Schär! Color me surprised…and full.

Now I need to stock another one in my freezer…

Two slices of Schär Gluten Free Bontà d'Italia Frozen Veggie Pizza — Two slices of Schär Gluten Free Bontà d’Italia Frozen Veggie Pizza

June 6, 2014

Product Review: Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Pizza

Product: Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Pizza – $4.99

The other night, I blogged about the liveGfree gluten-free product line, which was introduced to the market at the beginning of May (also Celiac Awareness Month…so I see what they did there!). They have an entire line of mixes, snacks, pastas, and even some frozen items. I was blown away the day I stopped in at Aldi…and pretty much walked out of there with one of everything (save for the mixes, because I have so many at the moment I need to work through first!).

I walked out of my local Aldi with a lot of food…and all of it rang up under $30.00. This is huge for me because my budget on groceries is ridiculous. Seriously. I am always over budget…but I have to eat and I have to buy specialty foods in order to do so. So, I make cuts other places in order to be able to properly feed myself.

Now, recently, I had been moving away from having a lot of processed foods in my apartment. And that meant I had a rather empty freezer. But that changed. Oh…boy…did that change.

One of the products that I returned home with that afternoon was the liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Pizza.

I am actually very, very picky about my gluten-free pizzas. You might have noticed. HA! And it is very rare that a gluten-free frozen pizza really intrigues me. There are some that do, and, there have been some that have been really good. Heck, some have been better than some gluten-free pizzas I have had at restaurants. I was actually a little reluctant about cooking this up for dinner…because I didn’t want it to suck. This was dinner, after all. That might have been the reason I baked up some kale chips to have with the pizza. Subconsciously, of course.

Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Pizza (frozen)

That being said…I got home from work tonight and pulled out my pizza stone. I arranged the racks in the oven and got my stone in there to warm as the oven preheated. I pulled the box out of the freezer and flipped it open, checking to see how much pizza I would be eating that night. After checking and double checking the serving size (it’s a small-ish box), I realized that my roommate and I were to feast off the pizza over the course of two nights. Two nights! Four servings…two slices each.

I opened up the box and removed the pizza. It was smaller than a standard dinner plate. In fact…it was just small. The pizza itself was on a pale crust. I removed my now warm stone from the oven and took the plastic wrap off the pizza. Barely any crust or sauce was evident under the layer of frozen cheese that was on top. I placed the pizza on the stone and tossed it into the oven to bake. It takes about 10 minutes at 450°F.

Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Pizza (baked)

Ten minutes later, I pulled the pizza out of my oven…and was amazed. The frozen cheese had gotten that nice bit of golden color to it, and it had turned all gooey and rich and melty. The sauce was now visible through the cheese. And the crust…had plumped up. WHAT?! No cracker crust??!! A little bit of joy spread through my heart when I noticed that.

I got out my pizza cutter and sliced the pizza into fourths, then cut those into two slices each. I actually was glad I made the kale chips because these slices of pizza were so small! Little-bitty-baby pizza slices. Ah well. I put them on the plate with a healthy helping of kale chips and dinner was served.

Point of interest. The pizza didn’t suck. In fact, it was decent. Cathy compared it to Totino’s Pizza. You know…those crappy, but you love them, frozen pizzas you used to eat?! I haven’t had one in years…so I don’t even remember what they taste like!! But, that’s what Cathy said it reminder her of eating. And she loved how much cheese was on there. I concur. Usually frozen pizzas skimp of the toppings, but the cheese was the star of this Cheeze Pizza. The crust had a bit of thickness to it, and turned a nice golden color. It was soft, not really crunchy…but still good. I appreciated having an actual crust more than anything. The toppings were basic and simple, but they melted and warmed up beautifully in the oven. When it involves gluten-free pizza…it’s all about that crust. And I think the liveGfree crust on the Gluten-Free Cheese Pizza definitely shines.

Ingredients in the crust of this pizza are basic…rice flour, corn starch, whole eggs, water, canola oil, baking powder, sugar, salt, tapioca dextrin, yeast, guar gum, xanthan gum, and sodium alginate. The toppings on the pizza include tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, romano cheese, roasted garlic, and olive oil. Not the best of ingredients, but not a laundry list and not too horrible in the grand scheme of things. And definitely not bad for budget gluten-free frozen food!

Nutritionally speaking, this cheese pizza serves 4 people (small people with small appetites, I guess), with a serving being 2 slices. This serving will provide you with 170 calories and 7 grams of fat. These two slices of pizza also provide 40 mg of cholesterol, 210 mg sodium, and 2 grams of sugar. This serving will also give you 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. Trust me…you will not feel full after eating just 1/4 of this pizza.

But…at least it tastes good.

I know…it’s frozen…it’s processed…but it fits my budget…it’s quick…and it actually surprised me…it tasted good! I really hope Aldi keeps the liveGfree line in their stores. They will definitely see me there more often if they do! I can’t wait to see what the other products I purchased taste like!

Two small slices of the Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Pizza (served with homemade kale chips and a vegan lemon mayonnaise dipping sauce)

May 26, 2014

Restaurant Review: Merge, Buffalo, New York

Restaurant: Merge, Buffalo, New York

It had been a long day. By the time I rolled into Buffalo, I had already gotten up early to do a shakeout run while still in Ohio, stretched, did my ab routine, pack, get the car loaded up, and make the seemingly endless drive from Columbus, Ohio all the way up to Buffalo, New York…with one stop in Erie, Pennsylvania for lunch. Getting into Buffalo, I got checked into my hotel, hit up the race expo (I was there for a race, naturally), went back to my room, did more stretching, did some foam rolling, got things ready ahead of time so the evening wouldn’t be as hectic, and watched Food Network.

Because…that’s what I do.

HA!

But, before I knew it…it was time to head out to dinner. I was meeting up with my good friend, Kat, and her boyfriend, Adam, for dinner that night. It was the night before a race, so we wanted to have plenty of options for everyone. Kat requires brown rice pasta…so we narrowed it down to three places, but in the end…chose a place called…

Merge.

Kat was very high on this place when we were trying to make the decision. She said not only can they do a lot of their foods vegan/vegetarian, but a lot can be done gluten-free as well. AWESOME! Sounded perfect. And…the menu was a little different from anything I have down this way, so that was a bonus too. We were to meet for dinner at 5:00 p.m. So, at around 4:15, we set out to walk from our hotel up to Merge. It didn’t take us as long as we expected…so…we stood outside in the slightly chilly air. Right around 5, Kat and Adam showed up…and we stepped inside.

I already liked the place. Dimly lit…with a stage off to the right as you walk in. We were greeted and Kat gave the reservation. We were shown to our table and seated. As it was pre-race, I stuck with just water to drink. I hadn’t been too good about hydrating that day while on the road, so I wanted to make up for that a bit now. The waiter went to retrieve drinks and we sat and perused the menu.

Now, I had looked at the menu numerous times, trying to figure out what I wanted for dinner. Normally, pre-race means a gluten-free pizza. And that was completely available. HOWEVER…there were so many other delicious sounding items on the menu, that I thought, perhaps, to screw with tradition again…and do something completely different, but enough that would fuel up my muscles and top off those glycogen stores for the next morning. I was flip-flopping. On one hand, the gluten-free and dairy-free pizza was one with Daiya cheese, red onion, asparagus…it sounded awesome. But…again…I can get good gluten-free pizza in Louisville. So, it was down to trying the Gluten-Free and Vegan Mac & Cheese that Kat had told me so much about…or the special of the night…the Gluten-Free Eggplant Caponata…or the Gluten-Free Arugula Pesto Pasta.

So…while I was trying to decide, the rest of the table ordered. Kat went with the an appetizer of the Dairy-Free Stuffed Potato Skins ($10.00) which comes with a fresh corn salad with turkey bacon, Daiya Cheese, and a Chipotle Cream and then for an entree went with the Gluten-Free Eggplant Caponata ($18.00). Adam went with the Daily Pizza ($10.00). Jenn chose the Sweet Basil Gnocchi (which included roasted red peppers, red onion, spinach, roasted garlic and a white wine sauce) for her meal ($15.00). Cathy went with the Coconut Lemongrass Stir-fry ($15.00), which is a mix of organic tofu, snap peas, red onion, carrot, and rice vermicelli, served with toasted cashews, bean sprouts, and fresh lime.

And I was still stumped!

I went over my choices with the waiter to get his opinion and to maybe help me make a decision, because I was seriously waffling. Pizza…or something different…pizza…or something different…tradition…or not….AH! The waiter said he highly recommended the Arugula Pesto Pasta. Kat made sure that the pesto didn’t have Parmesan in it (as someone with a dairy allergy…she knows all about the importance of asking about things like that because so many pesto recipes include Parmesan…and being lactose intolerant…I avoid all things dairy before a race). He said that it was vegan…and so…I went with it. Why not?!

There it was…tradition once again bucked…

I went with the Gluten-Free Arugula Pesto Pasta ($15.00), which was brown rice pasta with local tomato, red onion, spinach, and tossed with toasted walnuts. Oooh…I’d get some nice vitamins from that spinach and some Omega from those walnuts. Nice choice. Glad I had some help in making it!

So, we all sat around and talked about various topics, not just running. In fact, running didn’t really come up all that much that night. We were just having a good time and relaxing. Because that is important before a race. Trust me. The atmosphere of Merge is very conducive to that too. It was really, really nice. The appetizer was brought to the table and Kat let me try one of the potato skins. I didn’t put the corn and bacon topping on it since it was real meat, but the Daiya cheese and the chipotle cream were put on the potato skin…and it was phenomenal. Quite tasty. I want to recreate this at home…and just might this week! It was a great way to start off the dining experience.

But, before long our meals were being served up and we were all happily about to feast on our food of choice.

Merge's Gluten-Free Arugula Pesto Pasta — Merge’s Gluten-Free Arugula Pesto Pasta

I actually was quite happy when I took my first bite of the Arugula Pesto Pasta. It was smooth and delicious. I love pesto as it is…but this was really seasoned well. It paired well with the brown rice pasta. And the fresh vegetables that were sauteed and added to the mix just made for a nice break in the texture and a lot of added flavor as well. LOVE. The toasted walnuts were the perfect way to add a bit of crunch to something that would otherwise be very soft. I told Cathy to give it a try and she loved it as well. It’s not every day I get a plate of green pasta (ah, pesto…you’re so much fun on food!) that had so much going on and so much nutritionally sound ingredients added to it. It was just what I think I needed that evening. You could tell everything was fresh. Because this pasta was perfection. So, I broke tradition again…it was worth it for this meal. Trust me.

Everyone else seemed to like their meals as well. Kat’s only complaint was there was too little pasta (she’s carbing up!) in her dish…and Jenn ate around all the vegetables in hers. The rest of us devoured everything in front of us.

The big question of dessert came up. And…we felt it was necessary. They had so many gluten-free and vegan options on their dessert menu…how could I pass up the opportunity?

In the end, Kat went with the Apple Cranberry Cobbler with Salty Caramel Sauce and Homemade Vanilla Soy Ice Cream ($7.00) for her dessert. Jenn and Adam both got the Vegan Carrot Cake with Walnuts and Cream Cheese Frosting ($6.00). And Cathy and I decided to split the Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Spiced Berry Compote ($6.00). I kind of wanted to split the Vegan and Gluten-Free Brownie Sundae…but Cathy is apparently anti-brownie these days. So…that was a no-go.

With our orders in, we eagerly anticipated our sweet reward and end of the night treat. After a short wait, the desserts were brought to the table. They all looked fantastic. Especially the carrot cake. If only that had been gluten-free. Then again, Cathy is anti-carrot cake as well…so it wouldn’t have done any good. GRRRR! Anyway…it all looked delicious and we spared no time digging in.

The Vegan Chocolate Mousse with the Spiced Berry Compote was…different. This wasn’t your usual mousse. It was probably made with cashew cream…which would be the reason for the grittiness to it. In fact, it also wasn’t very fluffy or light. More like a heavy pudding than a mousse to be sure. That being said…the spiced berry compote was beyond delicious. Ultimately, it was my favorite part of the dessert. Cathy agreed. When I think of mousse, I expect something whipped and airy and light…and this just wasn’t a mousse.

Jenn absolutely loved the carrot cake (damn it for not being gluten-free!). Cat and Adam split each of their desserts and both seemed quite happy with their choices. So, that was good.

We finished up dessert and wound up getting caught up in conversations again. And soon, because they are a hot-spot in town, we were asked to leave so other people could have the table. I needed to get back to the hotel anyway and get ready for sleep to be rested up for the morning ahead of me.

All-in-all…a great restaurant in Buffalo, New York. I would happily eat here again without any qualms. Everything I had was good, and sometimes even great. My pasta was the star, for sure. And even if the dessert didn’t wow me…it was still fantastic. Cathy stole a bite of Jenn’s carrot cake and raved about it. The atmosphere was amazing. The food was delicious. And the staff was quite accommodating. I couldn’t have asked for a better pre-race meal.

Merge, when I come back to Buffalo, New York sometime…I hope to come back.

Merge's Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Spiced Berry Compote — Merge’s Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Spiced Berry Compote