Italian – Page 7 – The Celiathlete

May 20, 2014

Restaurant Review: Rockstone Wood Fired Pizza and Pub, Fishers, Indiana

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

Twas the night before a half marathon…

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

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

No luck.

Cracker crust everywhere I turn.

UGH!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rockstone Wood Fired Pizza & Pub's Gluten-Free Vava Veggie Pizza — Rockstone Wood Fired Pizza & Pub’s Gluten-Free Vava Veggie Pizza

May 19, 2014

Restaurant Review: zpizza, Denver, Colorado

zpizza, Denver, Colorado

Restaurant: zpizza, Denver, Colorado

I want to tell you a story about two different pizza places.

While at the convention in Denver, Colorado, I wanted to order a pizza for dinner one night. While I did have a rental car, parking was a bitch on Saturday night and if my roomie or I left the hotel, we’d have to pay for parking elsewhere (as our spot would be gone!) and as guests of the hotel, that just didn’t seem right. So, I pulled out my iPhone and pulled up my Find Me Gluten Free app to search for nearby places that would deliver pizza. The first place that caught my attention was the place recommended to us by the guy at The Gluten Escape Bakery on Friday. NICE! The place…Pizza Doodle. Not only did they offer gluten-free pizza…but gluten-free garlic bread too. I was one happy girl. I never get to have garlic bread while eating pizza. I mean…I was on top of the world. My app said they were about 7 miles away…so, I called in an order for the Gluten-Free Garlic Bread and a 9-inch Gluten-Free Tree Hugger Pizza (that would be pesto sauce, onion, garlic, artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers on what their menu advertised as THE BEST GF CRUST!). I made sure to order this with vegan cheese. The lady took the order and my phone number and said it would be forty-five minutes. Cathy and I decided to go wait outside for the pizza, and ended up waiting for well over an hour. I finally called back and was told that they don’t deliver to the DTC.

IT. IS. SEVEN. FREAKIN’. MILES. AWAY!

I was starving and angry. And really pissed off that they didn’t call (even though they claimed they did…I was holding my phone the entire time and it never rang once and I had no missed calls or messages). All day I had been looking forward to gluten-free garlic bread…and now I wasn’t going to get it. Cathy took my phone to find somewhere else to have pizza and I stormed off in tears (hunger + emotional wreck because I never get gluten-free garlic bread).

Cathy apparently found a place that could accomodate my diet…though without the garlic bread. The place…zpizza!

Actually, she told the guy on the other end of the line the storry about what Pizza Doodle pulled and inquired as to if they did gluten-free garlic bread. He said they did not, but he upgraded our pizza to a large for no extra cost. They did the vegan cheese, so that was sufficient. Although…it wasn’t what I wanted.

About thirty minutes later, my phone rang as I was in my friend, Marc Gunn’s, concert. Cathy and I hurried out to meet the pizza delivery guy from zpizza, give him a nice tip, and thank him for the food. We dashed up to the hotel room to finally eat. I was so ready to dive in…but I remembered to get a picture for the blog.

Cathy ordered the Gluten-Free Napoli Pizza ($15.40 – with the cheese substitution and gluten-free crust) from zpizza. This pizza is their gluten-free crust topped with tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella cheese (we got vegan though), basil, and a roasted garlic sauce.

She did good.

I was really disappointed to flip open the box and see the thin-crust that I always get with a gluten-free pizza (my local gluten-free bakery, Annie May’s Sweet Café, has spoiled me with their thick pizza crust!). I might have pitched an unhappy fit over that, but I was still in garlic bread mode…and nothing was making me happy at that point. With the photo for the blog out of the way…we dug in.

While the Gluten-Free Napoli Pizza from zpizza was not what I wanted…it was really, really good. Okay, the crust was a bit of a disappointment, but I’m used to that cracker crust by now. And, honestly, it wasn’t bad. The tomatoes were fresh. The basil was a nice seasoning touch. And the vegan cheese was melted to perfection! That’s not always easy to do…trust me. The best part, however, was definitely the roasted garlic sauce. That sauce made this pizza. It was delicious. I love a white pizza, and anything with garlic involved is going to immediately be my friend. When Cathy said they upgraded us to a large, I told her the two of us wouldn’t be able to eat a large pizza. But the two of us devoured that pizza. Really…really quickly. We were extremely hungry and I was an emotional mess and was now stuffing my face with each gluten-free slice I could get my hands on. Epic pizza toppings for sure. I’d be more than happy to order from zpizza again. And, despite not being a gluten-free environment, they, like most pizza places that offer gluten-free crust, did a fine job of not cross-contaminating anything. I didn’t get sick. And the pizza was a dream come true. I wanted to hate it since there was no gluten-free garlic bread…but there was nothing to dislike about this pizza. Fantastic!

Where Pizza Doodle, although highly recommended, failed…zpizza triumphed. I thank them from the bottom of my gluten-free heart for the delivery to the hotel. I was beyond upset with Pizza Doodle and it was nice to have a place step in and make things awesome again. The pizza was stellar. The toppings were fresh. And I was pleasantly full as I polished off the last slice of my half of the pizza. Although they didn’t have to, they felt bad for what happened to us with the other pizza place and gave us an upgrade free of charge. That’s great business right there.

I’ll order from them again in a heartbeat!

zpizza's Gluten-Free Napoli Pizza with Vegan Cheese — zpizza’s Gluten-Free Napoli Pizza with Vegan Cheese

May 6, 2014

Product Review: Lundberg Family Farms Organic Roasted Red Pepper Brown Rice Pasta and Sauce Mix

Product: Lundberg Family Farms Organic Roasted Red Pepper Brown Rice Pasta and Sauce Mix – $5.99+

Lundberg Family Farms…is, quite honestly, one of my most trusted brands for gluten-free goodness. I love the brown rice cakes. I love the gluten-free risottos, the gluten-free rice blends…even their brown rice pasta. So, a little while ago, I heard about their latest addition to their gluten-free food line-up. Brown rice pasta and sauce mixes.

I saw an ad in one of the gluten-free magazines I subscribe to and immediately went on the hunt. Sadly, at the time (and maybe still), nowhere in my area carried these delightful little boxes of pasta and sauce goodness. I was beyond disappointed.

Leave it to Columbus, Ohio. My friend Jenn took me to a natural food store there, called The Raisin Rack. It was there that I found, on one of the numerous shelves of gluten-free products, these boxes of brown rice with their own cooking sauce from Lundberg Farms. See this happy face? Yeah, I made sure I grabbed one of them. Not to get ahead of myself, but I should have grabbed one of each flavor.

As it was, I selected the Lundberg Family Farms Organic Roasted Red Pepper Brown Rice Pasta and Sauce Mix. Why? Because roasted red pepper is awesome! I’m on a roasted red pepper kick as it is…so…yeah…it was the winner. I took this home and waited for the right opportunity to cook it up. It came the night before a big trip to Colorado. With all the produce used up, I needed something fast and efficient for dinner. I went to the pantry and perused for a moment before snatching this box from the shelf and giving it a chance to wow me with an easy meal.

Lundberg Family Farms made this meal from organic rotini pasta and a flavorful sauce that is cooked up with water and the mix included in the box. When it cooks up, the spiralized brown rice pasta cooks in the water and as it sits, each noodle is blanketed in a rich and creamy sauce, all blended with amazing herbs, spices and vegetables. And yes…it actually does work out like that.

Settling in for dinner was as easy as making it. I handed a bowl of the pasta to my roomie and then settled in with mine. She dug in and actually seemed quite happy with it. I wasn’t sure how she’d like it. The sauce wasn’t a thick sauce, but it wasn’t watered down either. I just know that she likes…sauce. And she actually did like this sauce, because it does coat every noodle quite beautifully.

And the flavor is really good. I was concerned that the noodles might be bland, but they weren’t. They cooked up to a perfect al dente and then soaked in that sauce as it sat off the heat for a few minutes. All of that brought this fantastic flavor…of roasted red pepper and garlic and onion…with the right amount of seasoning from herbs and spices. It was creamy without the unhealthy cream. It was full of flavor with simple, basic ingredients. In other words…it was amazing and fantastic and delicious.

Lundberg Family Farms Organic Roasted Red Pepper Pasta and Sauce Mix is made up from organic brown rice pasta, organic dried garlic, organic dried red bell peppers, organic corn starch, organic dried onion, sea salt, organic dried cane syrup, organic brown rice flour, organic mushroom extract, organic spices (parsley and pepper), organic rice concentrate, organic olive oil, and organic sesame oil. It is gluten-free and cholesterol-free. It is also kosher and vegan. Love that.

Nutritionally speaking, the Lundberg Family Farms Organic Roasted Red Pepper Pasta and Sauce Mix serves up 2 servings per box. One serving of this pasta will dish up 220 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. You will also be consuming 440 mg sodium and 3 grams of sugar. Not too bad for something in a box, right? In addition, you’ll be taking in 4 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. So, this will definitely make you feel full.

If you need a quick meal that can be made in one pot, making clean-up a synch, and also providing big flavor and great taste…I highly recommend Lundberg Family Farms Organic Roasted Red Pepper Pasta and Sauce Mix. It is so easy to make, cooks to perfection, and tastes great. If you can find these boxes of pasta goodness…do give them a try.

Enjoy!!

Lundberg Family Farms Organic Roasted Red Pepper Brown Rice Pasta and Sauce Mix (cooked)

March 26, 2014

Restaurant Review: Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria, Atlanta, Georgia

Restaurant: Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria, Atlanta, Georgia

Twas the night before the Publix Georgia Marathon
And all through the town
Runners were carb loading
Wherever pizza or pasta could be found…

I wish it were that simple for me when it came to where and what I can eat before a big race (half marathon or more). Honestly, it would make travel a little less stressful if I didn’t have to totally research every convenient (and sometimes not-so-convenient) restaurant in or around a city I was visiting. But those are not the cards I was dealt in life.

So, as stated above, it was the night before a marathon in Atlanta, Georgia. There were a slew of runners swarming through the city. And we were all hungry. And needing to fuel up for the race the following morning. I had dome some research for some places to grab some gluten-free pizza in Atlanta that wouldn’t require hopping in the car and driving somewhere. I narrowed it down to two places: Mellow Mushroom and a local place known as Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria.

Since I can get Mellow Mushroom here…Cathy and I chose to try out Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria.

Around 5 p.m. that evening, we stepped into the dimly lit, but rustic little pizzeria. I loved the ambiance. And we were greeted immediately and seated at a table. There was a bar on the wall to the left, the kitchen against the back wall, with…yes…a coal oven that would toast up the pizzas. Tables filled the floor and there were a few runners taking up some of the seats and booths. It smelled fantastic inside so I was feeling good about this decision.

Our waiter came over and asked if we wanted something to drink. As I was prepping for a race…water…and lots of it. While he went to retrieve our water, Cathy and I tried to figure out which pizza we wanted to try. I told her to go ahead and pick…so she made her choice and when our waiter returned…we were ready to order.

So, we ordered the Gluten-Free Fontina & Funghi Pizza ($17.00), which was a white pizza that was topped off with Fontina cheese, wild mushrooms, caramelized onions, and fresh oregano. Sounded amazing, yes? I thought so and was already hungry just thinking about getting a slice of this coal oven pizza.

So…you can imagine my great disappointment when the pizza arrived at the table.

Traditional. Gluten-Free. Cracker. Crust.

UGH! Okay…okay…it doesn’t mean it’s bad. I mean, Mellow Mushroom does cracker crust…but they manage to do it well…so maybe…

We dug in, each taking a slice. As I am lactose intolerant, I took a lactace pill to help with the digestion of the cheese and Cathy took the slices that had more cheese on them. I took one bite…and thought about how fantastic the toppings were. The cheese, the mushrooms, the sweetness of the onions…it all worked. It worked well. The lack of sauce meant that none of those earthy flavors were missed. Yes…the toppings were fantastic.

But the crust…the crust…*WHIMPER*.

I don’t know what I was thinking. I have said it once…and I’ll say it again…I have been spoiled by my local gluten-free bakery because their pizza crust is NOT a cracker crust. It’s chewy and delicious and crusty and amazing. And this…this pizza crust at Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria…was NOT any of that. This crust was…bland. It was cooked all the way through, unlike my previous gluten-free pizza outing (in Birmingham, Alabama). But it had no real flavor. No buttery flavor. Nothing that really elevated the pizza. And then…the more I ate…the less ecstatic I was even about the toppings. Because…I can get those toppings anywhere. The base really needs to help elevate the dish. And this crust didn’t achieve that. AT ALL!

So, another gluten-free pizza fails to impress.

We polished off the pizza though…even though neither of us were thrilled with it. And we payed the bill and left. I was feeling so disappointed. You know, the meal before a marathon should be filling and hearty and just really satisfying…and this was none of those things. We walked back to the hotel and I lamented another gluten-free pizza that could have been great…but wasn’t.

So, next time…we’ll just go to Mellow Mushroom.

Live and learn.

As for Max’s Coal Oven Pizza…perhaps their regular pizzas are amazing…but the gluten-free versions fall short of anything worth raving about.

Too bad. I was hopeful about this one. So hopeful that Cathy and I had every intention of returning the following night. But we quickly made other plans after we both didn’t enjoy our food that night.

Max's Coal Oven Pizzeria's Gluten-Free Fontina & Funghi Pizza — Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria’s Gluten-Free Fontina & Funghi Pizza

March 14, 2014

Recipe: Gluten-Free Pasta with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes

I have a bin problem. I’m going out of town (yes…again!)…and I have fresh CSA bin ingredients to use. I wanted something amazing. Something flavorful. Something that would use more than one item. Because…I don’t want to waste any of my fresh veggies and fruit that I get each week when I’m home.

So…the other night, I modified one of Giada De Laurentiis’ recipes. Her recipe was originally a penne recipe that incorporated asparagus and cherry tomatoes and other vegetables. I had the tomatoes and the asparagus…and I played with the vegetables I had instead of what she recommended…but no gluten-free penne on hand. But…I did have gluten-free pasta on hand, which I picked up on the eve of the Chicago Marathon from Da Luciano Pasta, Pizza & Catering.

This recipe is full of spring flavors, which is just what this winter-hating girl needed. And, yeah…FULL of amazing flavor. Light. Fresh. Delicious. The recipe is below!

Gluten-Free Pasta with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes

Servings: 4-6
Time: Prep 5 minutes; Cook 10 minutes

Ingredients:

8 ounces gluten-free pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 pounds thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (about 9 ounces) cherry tomatoes
3 cups fresh spinach
1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 6 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the asparagus, season with the salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes until slightly soft.

Add the cherry tomatoes and spinach.

Cook for 2 minutes. Pour the vegetable stock into the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook until the tomatoes start to burst and the stock is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the asparagus mixture to a large serving bowl. Add the cooked pasta and 1/2 of the Parmesan. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Garnish with the remaining Parmesan and chopped basil.

~*~*~This pasta dish is awesome. You won’t feel filled to the brim and about to burst. In fact, the light flavors and delicious vegetables are a nice way to dress up the pasta noodles. And my gluten-free pasta noodles were amazing. My roomie and I loved this dish so much, we made it again the following night.Great way to use some spring vegetables and get in the mood for that warmer weather. Thanks for the inspiration, Giada!

March 7, 2014

Product Review: Gillian’s Foods Gluten-Free Garlic Croutons

Product Review: Gillian’s Gluten-Free Garlic Croutons – $4.49+

Three years.

Three very long years since I last had croutons on my salad. Have I missed them? Eh…sometimes? I mean, there comes a moment when you just want to have that little extra crunch to your salad…not from the lettuce or the carrots or the other fresh veggies that are making up said bowl of raw veggie goodness. Sometimes…that little extra seasoning and crispiness is what you desire. And…when you are a Celiac…well…that doesn’t get to happen.

Sure, I could dry out some gluten-free bread and bake up my own in the oven. Of course. But, do you know how expensive gluten-free bread is??! I’ll use that for my sandwiches and French toast, thank you very much!

Lo and behold, on a recent outing to my mom’s favorite store in the Birmingham, Alabama area – Organic Harvest – I spotted a pouch of gluten-free croutons on the shelf of the very first aisle. Hence a stocking up of various items that I can’t get around here.

That being said…the croutons were from Gillian’s Gluten-Free.

Now, I’ve had one other product from Gillian’s Gluten-Free product line. It was their French Rolls, a gift from my friend Kathy, in Hershey, Pennsylvania. And I loved them. I truly did. I used them numerous ways…even as hamburger buns. So, I figured picking up something else of the Gillian’s line-up would be a great way to see what else they can do.

So, into my arms went the pouch of Gillian’s Gluten-Free Garlic Croutons.

Mmmm…garlic.

Ahem.

Anyway…with my CSA bin deliveries back on since I’ve been in town the past couple of weekends, I have a freakin’ heap of lettuce just begging to be used. So, I took the lettuce, grape tomatoes, onion, avocado and cucumber from the bin the other night and made a huge, but epically delicious salad for dinner. And…to add to it…I figured why not give the Gillian’s Foods Gluten-Free Garlic Croutons a go. I got them down from the shelf in the pantry, measured out a serving and…dinner was served.

On their own, the Gillian’s Gluten-Free Garlic Croutons don’t offer much flavor. In fact, they are a little bland. But, no one really eats croutons plain, right? The point is that they compliment the salad and vice-versa. That was totally the case. Once blended on the salad and eaten with the variety of vegetables, these cubes of crunchy garlic-y goodness totally transformed. In fact, I was wishing a serving was bigger than it was, because these were absolutely great mixed in with other ingredients and topped off with a light drizzle of a balsamic dressing.

Both myself and Cathy (the infamous roomie) were impressed. And Cathy loves croutons…so I knew it would be a miracle to impress her. Especially since we were both ‘meh’ on the croutons alone. These little nuggets of goodness add the right amount of crunch and flavor without being too much for the vegetables in the salad. Loving them!

Gillian’s Gluten-Free Garlic Croutons are made from white rice flour, tapioca flour, water, soy flour, guar gum, egg whites, soy oil, yeast, salt, sugar, granulated garlic, oregano and basil. They are shelf-stable and are completely gluten-free, wheat-free and dairy-free.

As far as their nutritional value goes, a serving size of Gillian’s Gluten-Free Garlic Croutons is 7 ounces, or about 4-6 croutons, depending on size. I weighed my serving out. This serving will provide you with only 15 calories and 0.5 grams of fat. Nice!! Not heavy on calories or fat? I love that. You will also be consuming 45 mg sodium. These are sugar-free, trans-fat free, and cholesterol free. Also, you will be provided with 1 gram of fiber, but no additional protein. But if you choose the right veggies for your salad…that’s a non-issue anyway.

Yes…it has been a long, long time since I last enjoyed the crispy, crunchy goodness of croutons on my salad. My hope is that I can find these somewhere around here…or else I’m stocking up when I head to Birmingham next time. Definitely more impressed than I expected. And that…is only a good thing!

Gillian's Gluten-Free Garlic Croutons atop a delicious salad — Gillian’s Gluten-Free Garlic Croutons atop a delicious salad

January 16, 2014

Product Review: Canyon Bakehouse Gluten-Free Rosemary & Thyme Focaccia

Product: Canyon Bakehouse Gluten-Free Rosemary & Thyme Focaccia – $4.99+

It is by sheer happenstance that I have had, since going gluten-free, a slice of gluten-free focaccia bread. And that happy moment occurred at a local, and now relocated (they moved out of Indiana and into Louisville) café here in the area. The restaurant was Earth Friends Café…and their gluten-free sandwiches were made on gluten-free focaccia bread, provided to them by one of my favorite local businesses, Annie May’s Sweet Café.

That feels like forever ago. It was…probably just over a year or so.

While I can still go to Earth Friends Café, it has been awhile. That is something I definitely need to change. Aside from that, however, that was the only time I had something different when I ordered a gluten-free sandwich. No Udi’s. No Schär. No prepackaged, store brand. Nope. It was real and amazing focaccia bread.

And that one time…an eternity ago…set the standard.

I attempted, once, to make a focaccia bread from a mix by Chēbē…which didn’t work out for me…at all. And that was that. Nothing more ever came of focaccia in my gluten-free life.

Until…one day…I was at my local natural food store and I spotted something I had never seen before. While I had heard of the Canyon Bakehouse brand via the various gluten-free magazines I subscribe to, and my annual trip out to Colorado (the Canyon Bakehouse dedicated gluten-free bakery is located in Loveland, Colorado), I had yet to actually taste any of their products. I had wanted to carry some home with me on my last trip to Colorado, but that final trip to the grocery store never actually happened. So…YAY…happy dance in the aisle when I spotted the brand in my area. FINALLY!

The freezer section actually had a few Canyon Bakehouse options inside now, but I zeroed in on the Gluten-Free Rosemary & Thyme Focaccia. I have an abundance of gluten-free pasta in my pantry at the moment, so I figured…get some focaccia and get motivated to start cooking some of that up for dinner. With some pleading eyes and maybe a pout, I convinced my roommate to allow one extra splurge this week to our grocery budget. It worked…and the Canyon Bakehouse Gluten-Free Rosemary & Thyme Focaccia made the journey home to my own freezer.

I just returned from vacation, which means my cabinets, pantry, and fridge are pretty much bare, save for a couple of items. Pasta. Naturally. And lo and behold…my freezer had the focaccia bread inside. I knew what dinner was going to be the next three nights. Who doesn’t love a gluten-free rotini with a marinara sauce and a slice of gluten-free focaccia? I didn’t think I’d hear any complaints!

So, after coming home from the airport and letting the focaccia bread thaw for a couple of hours, I preheated the oven to 400 degrees and began to slice the bread into serving sizes. The packages says it will serve 8, so I sliced it in half, then cut those halves in half and then halved those again. Total…8 slices of focaccia. It worked well. I put the slices on a pan and then put them in the oven to toast while I worked on the pasta and marinara. About 10 minutes later, the pasta was ready and I pulled the bread out of the oven. Plating was easy. Bowl for the pasta…focaccia over the bowl. Perfect for mopping up that marinara, yes? Yes!

Settling in to eat, I couldn’t wait to taste the bread. So, I took one bite. And WOW! Canyon Bakehouse has a great reputation for a reason. The Gluten-Free Rosemary & Thyme Focaccia caught me off guard. I was prepared to have a taste of something heavy and dense…but the opposite was true. This focaccia bread, while not light, was flaky. The crust was golden from the oven, the inside, soft, flaky, warm, and perfect. It tasted like real bread. TOTALLY!!

Canyon Bakehouse states on their Web site that their mission is to create delicious and nutritious gluten-free breads that the entire family will enjoy. If the Gluten-Free Rosemary & Thyme Focaccia is any indication of their standards, then watch out gluten-free world…because this product is stellar. You’d be hard-pressed to tell it was gluten-free. No crazy aftertaste, no too dense. Just really good flavors, really great texture, and just amazing bread all around.

Let’s get down to the chemistry of the Canyon Bakehouse Gluten-Free Rosemary & Thyme Focaccia, shall we? The ingredients are simple and recognizable: water, brown rice flour, tapioca flour, extra virgin olive oil, cultured brown rice flour, xanthan gum, eggs, sea salt, yeast, thyme, rosemary, organic agave syrup, black pepper, and natural enzymes. Nothing fake. Nothing chemical. No words I can’t pronounce. No question marks as to what I’m consuming. Real ingredients that make really delicious bread.

As for the nutritional aspect of this bread…it’s actually not bad…especially since it is gluten-free bread. A serving is 1/8 of the loaf of focaccia. This serving will provide you with 140 calories and 4 grams of fat. Much of that fat percentage is derived from the olive oil that is used in the dough. Healthy fat. A proper slice will also provide you with 15 mg cholesterol, 250 mg sodium, and 2 grams of sugar. That’s not too bad. And, finally, you will be biting into 3 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein, so you won’t be left feeling empty after eating a slice. I find, so often, that gluten-free bread doesn’t fill me up like regular bread does. That’s not the case with this one. One slice is plenty.

I love how Canyon Bakehouse is thinking outside the box when it comes to products. With the variety of breads they offer (all of which I hope to try very soon), as well as hamburger buns, hotdog buns, and even muffins, the bakery does focus a lot on not just taste, but nutrition as well. I was beyond happy each night I had my gluten-free pasta to have a slice of the Canyon Bakehouse Gluten-Free Rosemary & Thyme Focaccia. It was the perfect compliment, seasoned to perfection, toasted up, with great, flaky texture and amazing flavor.

Yeah…you’re now on my radar, Canyon Bakehouse. And I hope to find more of your products soon!

A slice of Canyon Bakehouse Gluten-Free Rosemary & Thyme Focaccia

January 16, 2014

Product Review: Ronzoni Gluten-Free Rotini

Product: Ronzoni Gluten-Free Rotini – $2.39+

I know what you’re thinking…pasta is pasta…it’s all about what you add to it. Right? Well…perhaps…unless you’re gluten-free.

Because then…pasta becomes an adventure in tastes and textures. For example…quinoa pasta is my new favorite thing in life. It cooks to perfect texture, phenomenal flavor, and doesn’t get mushy if you have to refrigerate it and have leftovers. Rice pasta can get gummy…it can get mushy…it is fantastic if you eat it all the day you cook it…but even then, it sometimes just falls apart. Corn pasta…well…I love the texture and the fact that it reheats beautifully, but I don’t put too much corn in my diet due to Monsanto…

Be that as it may, sometimes my roommate has surprises up her sleeve. She was out on one of my last-minute errands one evening to the grocery store (for something I’m sure I thought I had in the pantry, but really didn’t), and upon her return she came back with a box of Ronzoni Gluten-Free Rotini. Hmmm…a new gluten-free pasta I hadn’t heard of before. This wasn’t common. There are many I haven’t tried yet…but this brand I hadn’t even heard about yet. Interesting.

Ronzoni Gluten-Free Rotini is pasta made from a multigrain blend, which includes white rice, brown rice, corn and quinoa. So, it’s like everyone into the pool…let’s see what happens. The box advertises that it tastes just as delicious as white pasta. It has been forever since I have actually had white pasta…not just because of Celiac. Years before even being diagnoses with an issues, I switched to whole wheat (or the irony!) pasta. So…I address my roomie on this one…

…and her palate is messed up at times (she just had white pasta while in Disney World!) because she just said…”It tastes like pasta.” Thanks…for not being helpful to this blog at all…

To her defense, she did follow that up with, “I would not be able to tell that was gluten-free…”

So…um…WIN?!

Okay…inconclusive on the taste-test portion of this with someone who doesn’t have to eat gluten-free pasta.

The fact of the matter is…Ronzoni does put out a fantastic product. I love the way the noodles cook. It takes about 9 minutes to reach that perfect al dente. No fooling around. My roommate complimented me on both nights we’ve eaten this with how I cooked the pasta perfectly. YAY! The noodles hold up to the boiling process as well as the draining. They don’t shred or fall apart when they are dumped into the marinara sauce. Nor do they fall off the fork when pierced just before taking a dainty bite…or a mouthful…depending on hunger level.

What does all this say?

1.) The roomie isn’t always the best source for comparison reasons…as her palate is sometimes flighty…

2.) This is the gluten-free pasta of champions.

3.) Multigrain = gluten-free perfection for taste, texture, and flavor.

Ronzoni really turned up the competition when they got into the gluten-free market. I like how they take a nice mix of all the gluten-free grains and incorporate them into a sturdy, satisfying noodle. They currently offer Spaghetti, Penne Rigate, and Rotini in this line. Oh, and the gluten-free pasta is produced in a dedicated gluten-free facility…and each ingredient is verified to be gluten-free. Cross-contamination is not a problem because the pasta making process is strongly controlled to maintain the gluten-free status of the produt. I love that Ronzoni took this extra step to guarantee safety for it’s gluten-free consumers.

I prepared the Ronzoni Gluten-Free Rotini for dinner the night I returned from Disney World. I have pasta and marinara in my pantry. It was a given. I thought the noodles cooked to perfection in the boiling water. I loved that when I drained them, I didn’t have bits of noodles…just full, and fully-cooked, pasta. I love that the sauce didn’t distract from the flavor of the noodles. I thought the starchiness was spot-on for a pasta. And that everything held together with each and every bite.

Nutritionally speaking, Ronzoni Gluten-Free Rotini gives you the standard 2 ounce serving size (which is about 3/4 cup). This serving gives you ample pasta which will leave you satisfied without feeling bloaty and overstuffed as so many pastas can do. This serving will provide you with 200 calories and 2 grams of fat. Not bad for a boxed pasta, I must say. In addition, this pasta is cholesterol-free, sodium-free, and sugar-free. You also get 2 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein, which leaves you just on the right level of full.

I really am enjoying my Ronzoni Gluten-Free Rotini. So, despite not being able to compare this pasta with ‘regular’ pasta when asked, the roomie rocked and choosing a new gluten-free pasta to try out. I think this will be added to the quinoa pasta that I keep in the pantry as well. So good. Loved it all the way to that last forkful.

Spaghetti and pasta were my favorite thing growing up…and even going gluten-free…that hasn’t changed. The gluten-free market has been expanding and thankfully, getting better and better with each version out there. Forget mushy brown rice pasta…turn up the flavor and the texture. Give Ronzoni Gluten-Free Rotini a try.

I’m so glad I did.

Ronzoni Gluten-Free Rotini (with Organicville Marinara Pasta Sauce)

December 28, 2013

Product Review: Udi’s Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza

Product: Udi’s Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza – $7.99+

Love is pizza.

For real, yo!

No…honestly…one of my favorite things in life is a delicious slice of pizza. You get the right crust, the right sauce, and the right toppings…and you create a meal of perfection.

I was elated when I heard that Udi’s Gluten-Free was introducing gluten-free frozen pizzas to their already epic and delicious line-up of products. I already am a huge fan of their readily available gluten-free pizza crusts…so…take that and top it, box it up, and it’s one more way to make life a little easier on you. Udi’s has four different flavors of gluten-free pizzas: Three Cheese, Margherita, Spinach & Feta, and Uncured Pepperoni. I can eat three of the four, as I am a vegetarian. Although I may pick up the pepperoni version for my roommate to give a taste sometime.

Since this was my first foray with the Udi’s Gluten-Free frozen pizzas, I opted for one that wasn’t just cheese…and chose the Margherita Pizza. I mean…you can’t go wrong with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil. Anyone who has eaten a caprese salad can tell you that! I felt good about my decision, and gifted my freezer with one box for starters. It took a couple of weeks to find the perfect evening for a pizza, but as the holidays were approaching and the CSA bins were cancelled due to neither my roommate or I being around…we had to make use of whatever is in our freezer, fridge and pantry. So, after going to the gym one evening (yes…instead of first thing in the morning…blame the Trans-Siberian Orchestra), it was necessary to do something simple for dinner. What better than a frozen pizza, right?

Udi's Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza (frozen) — Udi’s Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza (frozen)

RIGHT!

I was quite excited as I pulled this box out of my freezer and began to preheat my oven to 400°F. I opened up the pizza and peeled away the plastic. Once the oven was heated, I popped the pizza in and let it cook for about 15 minutes.When I removed it from the oven, the crust was crisp and golden, the cheese melted, and it smelled beyond fantastic.

Now, I’ve been underwhelmed by previous frozen (and restaurant) gluten-free pizzas. But I trust Udi’s Gluten-Free…because their gluten-free pizza crust is THE BOMB!! Honestly. If you don’t want to make your own gluten-free crust…reach for one of these. It’s the only one I can find in this area in every grocery store.

So, how did this pizza stack up? I have no words beyond OMG…MMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!

And if that doesn’t sum it up, let me say this…this is one stellar pizza. The crust crisped up beautifully…not one part of it was soggy or limp in the middle. It was perfect. The cheese melted and spread out across the tomato sauce. The Italian spices gave it really good flavor. The dollops of mozzarella cheese really helped make this pizza. So packed with flavor. And, honestly, better than most restaurant pizzas (my local gluten-free bakery, Annie May’s Sweet Café still makes my absolute favorite pizza crust). Flaky, golden, crunchy, and a perfect mix with the toppings. It was perfection!

This frozen pizza is made from an Udi’s Gluten-Free Pizza Crust (water, brown rice flour, rice starch, potato starch, olive oil, dried cane syrup, tapioca starch, yeast, salt, xanthan gum, calcium sulfate (for freshness)), a tomato sauce (made simply from tomato paste, water, sugar, salt, olive oil, canola oil, granulated garlic, spices, citric acid), low moisture mozzarella cheese, mozzarella cheese, tomato, parmesan cheese, basil and spices. For the most part…all ingredients that are natural and recognizable.

Nutritionally speaking, a serving of Udi’s Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza is 1/2 of the pizza. This half will provide you with 300 calories and 11 grams of fat. Most of that fat is from the cheese that comes on the pizza. This pizza only has 320 mg of sodium and 3 grams of sugar. It has 25 grams of cholesterol. It also has 2 grams of fiber and 9 grams of protein. So, yes…it is filling. Even with the thin crust. Trust me.

I love, love, LOVE, Udi’s Gluten-Free. The products the company puts out is amazing and always delicious. The taste, texture, and flavors all matter and they really focus on that when they introduce an item to the market. The frozen pizzas are a very welcome addition. And I highly recommend this vegetarian option…because I was beyond impressed with Udi’s Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza.

Pick one up from your grocer’s freezer section and see for yourself.

Udi's Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza (baked) — Udi’s Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza (baked)

December 11, 2013

Product Review: Katz Gluten Free All Purpose Dough

Product: Katz Gluten Free All Purpose Dough – $4.99

Dear Katz Gluten Free:

I love you. I love you more and more with each product that I try. From your breads to your pies to your amazing donuts, you continue to keep me coming back, order after order, no matter the cost. You are that good. And I love you that much.

But…you really outdid yourself with the ready-to-use Gluten-Free All Purpose Dough.

Because of you…I could have a calzone for dinner again.

Because of you…I can make my own delicious pies…without the hassle of making my own crust.

Because of you…the gluten-free community continues to get quality food products. Ones that I will continue to purchase…not just for myself but others.

Add the All Purpose Dough to my list.

Yes…I love you.

All my gluten-free love,
Me

Ease! That’s the best part of this product. It not only is peace of mind, but it’s so simple. Thaw out dough. Use. No hassles. No wondering if your own gluten-free concoction will cook up right. This worked. And it worked beautifully.

I’ve been wanting calzones for a long while now. For real. And with a plethora of vegetables that needed to be used up before the next CSA bin arrived, well, I figured I’d see how the dough would hold up to a little of my craving and baking magic. I had this thought in my head that involved this dough, some squash, some crimini mushrooms, and some shallots. I sauteed them up in a pan and added some marinara sauce as well. All I needed now was the casing for the calzone.

Enter Katz Gluten Free All Purpose Dough. I removed it from my freezer two days before. The evening I was making the calzones, I cut out two very small pieces of dough, as it says it serves 8 and a serving size is only 2 ounces. So…this was going to be a challenge. But, I was up for it. Using a rolling pin, I attempted to shape the dough into a large circle that wouldn’t break open when I added the filling and moved it to the baking sheet. The first couple times, the dough was rolled too thin, so I knew these would be relatively small calzones. I didn’t care. I rolled out two very asymmetrical circles and piled in the filling on one half. I carefully folded over the other half and did my best to crimp the small serving shut. Sure, I could have used more dough, but I am so careful about serving sizes. I stick to them. I think next time I’ll throw caution in the wind and just add a little more. But…I wanted to do it my way this time. Into the oven the dough went…and when about 20 minutes passed, I opened up the oven and it was this gorgeous golden brown and the filling was sizzling (and peaking out of some holes in my dough). Everything was ready. Dinner was served. And gluten-free calzones were on the menu.

Oh. Hell. Yes.

One bite…and I was hooked. At first, it sort of reminded me of the crust of a potpie. Golden and flaky and it sort of had that same texture and flavor. But when you got a piece with the filling in it…magic. Simple food magic. The crust didn’t get soggy and held up to the marinara/vegetable mixture that I stuffed (and I mean literally stuffed) inside. It was gluten-free and vegetarian food magic. And it was made possible and easy because I took a chance with a new Katz product. So easy. So delicious. I can’t wait to use it in other ways.

Katz Gluten Free Web site says the crust is perfect for pies, turnovers, knishes, or any other pasty imaginable. It’s the go-to solution. It’s what I (and other gluten-free foodies) need in their lives! FOR REAL!

Katz Gluten Free All Purpose Dough is made from their own blend of gluten-free flour (which includes tapioca flour, white rice flour, sorghum flour, and corn flour), palm oil, water, eggs, sugar, salt, and xanthan gum. Not a bad list of ingredients at all. And that flour blend is pure magic. Pure gluten-free food magic.

As for nutrition…there is a reason I stuck to the serving size. A serving size is 2 ounces. This serving (which is a small rectangle of the dough), will provide you with 260 calories and 18 grams of fat. See why I wanted to stick to the serving size? This serving also will give you 55 mg sodium and 2 grams of sugar. Sadly, this dough does serve up about 9 grams of saturated fat and 35 mg cholesterol in each serving. Another good reason to stick to the meager 2 ounce recommendation. This dough also will give you 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein. So do not expect this dough to fill you up and leave you feeling full. It won’t work that way. But…that being said…it toasted up beautifully in calzone form on my pizza stone and made one delicious meal for me and my roommate. We have 3 more servings each of this dough to use and I intend to see how many various ways I can use it. I might attempt perogies next.

Yes, my dearest Katz Gluten Free…I do love you and your products. You just make my life happy, full, and delicious again. This All Purpose Dough will be something I’ll definitely consider using more of in the future. Simple. And delicious.

Who could ask for anything more?

A gluten-free and vegetarian calzone made with Katz Gluten Free All Purpose Dough