Category: Italian

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What I Ate in Colorado

With our California girls needing to return to work…and since we were sort of already out that way…and sort of missed out on our usual journey to Denver, Colorado in April due to my roomie’s teammate…Cathy and I decided that we would take that journey to Colorado.  I admit, for much of the planning stages, tacking on the Denver portion was a nightmare…but we got it all worked out.  And with that, we got to spend Wednesday through Sunday in beautiful Colorado.

There is so much to do and see in Colorado…and we’ve been here enough times that we have our favorites that we wouldn’t miss out on…ever.  But, we also had our sights on some new adventures, both with friends and with food.

So…here’s how a gluten-free vegetarian eats while in Colorado!

Zamparelli’s Italian Bistro – Lafayette, Colorado

Zamparelli's Italian Bistro, Lafayette, Colorado
Zamparelli’s Italian Bistro, Lafayette, Colorado

It was our first day in Colorado.  After landing at the Denver airport and getting our rental car (free upgrade to the Toyota Prius), we hit the road for our drive up to the Boulder, Colorado area.  We were staying at the Boulder Twin Lake Inn, where many a famous runner has spent the night.  I was thrilled.  I was hoping maybe I was in the room Shalane Flanagan stayed in so that I could channel some of her speed.  The inn is actually owned by runners, which is why it is popular with runners.  Well, after getting checked in, we were starving…so Cathy and I made a short little drive to Lafayette, Colorado.  Our Find Me Gluten-Free app had directed us toward a place called Zaparelli’s Italian Bistro…and it had many gluten-free options.  Including…gluten-free pizza.  Which, mind you, I was thrilled about, as I was doing my long run the following morning around the area the inn was located in…a full 12.5 mile run.  Pizza was just the thing I needed.

Wanting to try something we couldn’t get anywhere else, we decided to get a Gluten-Free Johnny V’s Vegan Pie ($15.00).  It just sounded intriguing…and, as I said, the toppings were different from anything we’d been able to get out anywhere else.  Order in.  At Zamparelli’s…the gluten-free crust is a $2.00 upcharge, but when you have to eat gluten-free, what are you going to do?  The gluten-free pizza is a 12-inch pizza crust…and in this case…it is topped off with a garlicky white bean spread, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, sauteed spinach, roasted mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and a spicy salsa rosa.  Is your mouth watering yet?  Mine was just reading the description.  I liked that it was vegan…no cheese to upset my delicate stomach as it sometimes does.  Also important with that long run looming.

The pizza was delivered and boy…did it look and smell amazing.  It tasted just as good as it looked too.  The white bean spread acted as the base, instead of a tomato sauce.  The roasted red peppers elevated a lot of the flavor, especially when paired with the caramelized onion.  Sweet and savory.  Very delicious.  But the star, believe it or not, were the artichoke hearts.  That just brought all the other toppings together.  Fantastic.  The crust was really good.  Not undercooked, but done to perfection.  It was a thin crust without being a cracker crust, which I appreciated.  I was quite happy with this meal and my roommate and I walked out of there satisfied, full, and quite happy.

The Buff Restaurant – Boulder, Colorado

The Buff Restaurant, Boulder, Colorado
The Buff Restaurant, Boulder, Colorado

I first heard about The Buff Restaurant on Man vs. Food.  They are best known for their “Saddlebags” which are pancakes that are stuffed with either bacon, sausage or ham, and then topped off with two eggs.  They are massive, mind you.  Like…steering wheel size.  So much more of the menu now has a gluten-free option available (including the Saddlebags…except being vegetarian…not for me)…but I had just done a 12.5 mile run and I was wanting some protein.

I ended up getting one of the omelettes.  In fact, I went with the Veggie Omelette ($9.50).  This thing is, honestly, the size of my head.  But…full of delicious veggie goodness.  This particular omelette comes packed with broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and onions, with a touch of blended cheddar.  Along with this massive egg-splosion of goodness (see what I did there?), you get a side of their potatoes…or you can upgrade to the fruit for just $1.00 more.  I wanted my carbs…so I stuck with the potatoes.  And, with it came a slice of gluten-free toast.  YUM!  As I was in need of some caffeine, I ordered a Café Au Lait with almond milk ($3.50).  It was just the hit I needed, especially since the cup it came out in was, again, the size of my head.  I think I was wired for much the rest of the day.  But it was good.

So was the food for that matter, but I already knew that.  I’ve been eating at The Buff for three years now.  I make a trip to Boulder specifically to eat there and go to the Celestial Seasonings factory.  Honestly.  I do.  It’s the truth.  The eggs are always done to perfection.  The toast is crispy and never burned.  I love it with their homemade jam.  SO delicious.  And the potatoes…they are my favorite way to consume carbs.  Seasoned to perfection.  Done with that bit of crisp on the outside and that soft center.  I ate mine with hot sauce.  The omelette too.  HEAVEN…on a plate.  Which I demolished, mind you.  I ate every last piece.  I was full for the rest of the day.

St. Bon’s Café – Highlands Ranch, Colorado

St. Bon's Café, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
St. Bon’s Café, Highlands Ranch, Colorado

Around 5 p.m. after my massive breakfast, however, the tummy was starting to get a case of the rumblies.  And my roommate had researched the perfect solution for said problem.  We were now down in Denver for the remainder of our stay and it just so happened that Denver is the home of a 100% gluten-free deli and bakery.  Seriously.

St. Bon’s Café was an absolute nightmare to get to.  And we were getting hungry and cranky as we made our way through rush hour traffic on a Thursday night.  Our GPS got us down to the right area, but had so much trouble actually getting us to the store.  I finally looked it up on my iPhone and managed to get us there.  But it was about 30 minutes before they were going to close.  It was a good thing we already had an idea of what we wanted to eat…because we were cutting it close.

That being said, the owner, Kurt Fulwider, was behind the counter and ready to take our orders.  He told us not to worry about it.  He had a meeting he needed to get to across town and already called to say it wasn’t happening and that he would be late.  So…we ordered…not just dinner…but a dessert to split.  More on that after I tell you about our sandwiches.

For me…I wanted The 3 Wisemen Panini on the house made Rosemary Thyme Focaccia ($7.99).  The 3 Wisemen is a basic caprese sandwich.  It’s freshly sliced tomatoes, basil leaves and mozzarella.  Cathy went with her favorite…something cheesy…opting for The Trinity Panini on the house made Basil Garlic Focaccia ($7.99).  This sandwich is stuffed full of three different cheeses…creamy havarti, sharp white cheddar, and smooth meunster.  We decided we could split a dessert and I had my heart already set on the Blasphemous Bread Pudding ($3.99), which was a gluten-free bread putting with a delicious custard and dark chocolate.  With our orders now paid for, we settled at a table until they were ready.

Let me tell you…the wait wasn’t bad…and the food was fantastic.  Absolutely FANTASTIC!  I fell in love with the rosemary thyme focaccia.  The flavors meshed so well with the fixings in my sandwich.  The basil was so fresh and so fragrant.  The mozarella was melt-in-your sammie good.  And the tomatoes were ripe, and didn’t bleed juice all over my bread.  The focaccia was toasted in the panini press to perfection, giving that nice golden crispiness to each bite.  I was in love with this sandwich.  Cathy tried a piece and said while she loved hers…she really loved the bread on mine.

As for that sinful dessert…oh…yeah.  It was rich…creamy…and beyond blasphemous.  This was a sin to eat.  The custard was rich and creamy, but not overly heavy.  The dark chocolate…melt my heart to pieces…so good.  It paired so well with the custard.  I was so happy when eating this.  So very happy.  I sort of want to recreate it for myself.  If possible.  It’s worth a try.  Yep…that good.  Mouth watering…sinfully…satisfyingly…perfect for when you are PMS-ing or any other time because you just need some chocolate dammit…good!!  I hope I can get back here when I’m in Denver in May.  It must happen.

Coquette’s Bistro and Bakery – Colorado Springs, Colorado

Coquette's Bistro & Bakery, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Coquette’s Bistro & Bakery, Colorado Springs, Colorado

I love crepes.  LOVE them.  With the exception of my local food truck, I normally can’t have them.  I don’t have a good crepe pan to do them myself…nor would they come close to what Sweet ‘N’ Savory can cook up for me in their food truck.  Normally when I am in Colorado, I would go to La Creperie Cafe in Denver.  But…they closed.  THEY CLOSED!!  I was saddened by this, but started doing some research.  What I did run across though was a little cafe that does only 100% gluten-free food.  The catch was…it was in Colorado Springs.  The best thing is…that doesn’t phase Cathy.  We hopped in the car on Friday morning and took a little drive down to Colorado Springs.

Nestled at the foot of Pike’s Peak, Coquette’s Bistro and Bakery has the perfect location to entertain visitors and locals alike.  The place and the food has won numerous awards over the four years it has been open.  And it claims that the food is so amazing, you’d never guess it was gluten-free.  This little restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, espresso, and cocktails.  There is a little bit for everyone.

But Cathy and I made the journey for…yep…crepes.  None of their savory crepes are vegetarian.  That was fine for Cathy, and she ended up ordering the Rise and Dine ($11.00), which is a crepe that is stuffed full (and I mean full) with two scrambled eggs, ham, red onions, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese. The crepe is then topped off with hollandaise.  It came with a side of fruit or their truffled potatoes.  She went potatoes.  I swiped one.  OMG.  Amazing.  I swiped more than one after that.  I think she welcomed the help as her crepe was HUGE.  I would have gone savory had there been a vegetarian option…but I was okay going sweet.  Most of the offerings were what I could get from my local gluten-free crepe food truck…so I went with the one that I hadn’t been served by my local go-to gluten-free crepe place.  And that was the Bananas Fosters Crepe ($8.50).  This dessert crepe (hey…dessert for breakfast is allowed on vacation!) is a delicious crepe that is topped off with banana and a rum brown sugar flambé.  The crepe is served with some house made whipped cream on the side.  My crepe was definitely the size of my plate, but being a dessert crepe, it is usually dusted with cinnamon and sugar on the inside and then topped off with the goodness on the outside.  Much less to navigate through.  But…let me tell you…this was one fantastic crepe.  I loved the rum brown sugar sauce.  The whipped cream was a nice touch.  And the banana, being one of my favorite fruits in this world, made it all taste a little like heaven.  I devoured it.  Like…completely.  Cathy had a good portion of her crepe remaining.  Not me.  I went all vegetarian piggy on that plate.  Worth it.  YUM!  I am making this a required stop from now on.  It must happen.  It is that good.  And I feel safe eating there.

Baker Street Pub & Grill – Denver, Colorado

Baker Street Pub & Grill, Denver, Colorado
Baker Street Pub & Grill, Denver, Colorado

It’s no secret…my roommate and I are completely obsessed with Sherlock Holmes.  For real.  No…seriously.  And when we discovered that just a short walk from our hotel room at the Denver DTC was one of Colorado’s four Baker Street Pub & Grill locations, well, you better believe we knew what we were doing for dinner after hiking around Colorado Springs and the Garden of the Gods.  Hey…you work up an appetite doing that.

We walked over to Baker Street Pub & Grill from the hotel on Friday evening.  I loved how you got to seat yourself.  Our server, a bubbly and enthusiastic woman came over to see about drinks.  I was sticking with water.  But Cathy decided to take in Happy Hour and went with a Baker Street Brown Ale ($4.25).  And with that…her usual pub fare…a half portion of the Fish & Chips ($7.99).  As for me…I went with the Baby Spinach and Feta Cheese Salad ($9.99), which I added avocado slices to ($1.49) with a side of the Serrano Coleslaw ($1.99).  Our waitress put in our order and we sort of geeked out over Sherlock Holmes until it arrived.

My salad was MASSIVE!!  And it looked absolutely amazing to top it off.  This salad was a blend of baby spinach, feta cheese, gala apples, red onions, candied pecans (they didn’t candy mine), and red grapes.  All of this was tossed in a fantastic raspberry vinaigrette dressing.  And let’s not forget my deep love of avocado…which topped off my salad nicely and gave it this rich creaminess that I truly love in a salad.  The flavors really, really worked together.  I loved the way the fruit played well with the vegetables and how the sweet, yet savory vinaigrette just brought it all together.  The avocado…if you order a salad…always top it with avocado…trust me!!  As for the coleslaw…eh…it was coleslaw.  With the wording of Serrano Coleslaw, I expected something with some heat behind it…but it just tasted like your run-of-the-mill coleslaw.  Probably my only disappointment.  The rest…so good!

Cathy was very impressed with her fish.  In fact, we both enjoyed our food so much we came back on Saturday night, our last night in town.  The manager on duty rustled up some can coozies for us and let us get in the big phone booth outside and took a picture.  It was epic.  We ordered the same thing…minus the coleslaw and rounded out the perfect stay in Colorado at one of our new favorite places in Denver…just a short walk from our hotel.  Perfection.

Udi’s Café and Bar – Denver Airport – Denver, Colorado

Udi's Café & Bar, Denver Airport, Denver, Colorado
Udi’s Café & Bar, Denver Airport, Denver, Colorado

I had every intention of making it out of Denver without eating at the airport.  I figured Cathy and I would grab something in Atlanta.  It’s a good thing she talked me out of that because we had no time for food in Atlanta as it turned out.  So, her plan to eat something in Denver before heading to our gate for the first leg of our journey back to Louisville was a stroke of sheer genius.

And to our delight, Terminal B at the Denver Airport has an Udi’s Café and Bar.  Udi’s is one of the major names in gluten-free breads and other products on the market.  And…they are based in Denver.  So the fact that the airport has one of these cafés shouldn’t be a surprise.  I was so happy they did.

We settled in at a table and a waitress came over to give us menus and let us look them over.  We had a vague idea of what we wanted to eat…sandwiches…with fries.  Filling.  Which is exactly what we needed, honestly.

Cathy went with the BLTA ($9.35), which is a bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado sandwich with chipotle aioli and served on ciabatta bread.  She got hers with the standard fries that come with the sandwich.  As for me…I went with the Gluten-Free Caprese Sandwich ($9.95) and substituted the regular fries for Sweet Potato Fries ($2.00).  Gluten-free sweet potato fries.  Pardon my dance of joy and glee.  This was the second time this trip I was getting sweet potato fries.  This is me…being happy.

It was a little bit of a wait, but Cathy and I soon received our plates full of food.  The sandwiches were huge. The fries…a big portion.  But this was our meal for the day…so while we weren’t starving…we dove in.

My fries were FANTASTIC!  Better than the ones I waited forever for at Disneyland.  They were crispy, fried to perfection.  I was in love with them.  In fact, I saved them for the last bite because I wanted to remember those fries.  As for the sandwich…epic win.  Served on Udi’s bread (of course), this sandwich was stuffed with mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, and a pesto aioli.  And the flavors just popped.  I have been eating a lot of caprese things since going gluten-free and this was one of the best sandwiches put together.  Simple flavors…executed perfectly.  And served with SWEET POTATO FRIES!!  I was thrilled to actually be able to eat something other than a fruit cup, a salad, or some unhealthy snack at the airport.  Seriously.  This was my happy that day.

~*~*~

So…there you have it.  I find eating gluten-free in Colorado to be so easy.  Both Rudi’s Gluten-Free and Udi’s Gluten-Free are based out of Colorado (one in Boulder…the other in Denver).  Granted, on Saturday when we went up into the mountains to Rocky Mountain State Park…my lunch was a banana, some yogurt, and some Boulder chips…but…I’m in the mountains.  I will cut them some slack.

This was one of my best foodie trips to date.  Both California and Colorado offered me so many options and such delicious food.  I wasn’t really disappointed with any of the restaurants that we chose to dine in.  And that…is amazing!!

Colorado…see you in May.  I hope my favorite places to eat will be ready for me again!

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What I Ate in California – Part 1

Between Disneyland and the little out-of-the-way places that we ducked into for food and anything else…I was well-fed and felt very safe in my food choices while visiting friends in California.  In fact, Indy and her hubby, Evan, even went out to Whole Foods and picked up gluten-free cookies and some gluten-free crackers for me to have while staying with them.  They are, honestly, the best.  Nice to have people take my food allergies and everything else in stride and not totally panic.  Best hosts…EVER!

So, I spent a total of three days at Disneyland and then one full day seeing bits and pieces of California.  All the while…taking in food and enjoying every single bite.  I’m breaking this posting down into two separate posts because…well…the dinner I had at Napa Rose needs its own little post.  Honestly.  Because it was the best meal I have ever had.  (Sorry, Mom…but it’s true!).

So…I guess we’ll start at the very beginning…

Flo’s V8 Cafe – Cars Land – Disney California Adventure Park

Flo's V8 Café, Cars Land, Disney's California Adventure Park
Flo’s V8 Café, Cars Land, Disney’s California Adventure Park


You know…I give Disney props.  Both theme parks on each coast do their best to work with people with specific diets and specific food allergies.  And this was incredibly clear when I sat down to eat a “light” lunch (I was getting pizza later that evening) while out and about in California Adventure on Saturday.  I hadn’t yet made it to the race expo, but I knew I needed a small bite to get through until it was time to eat my required pre-race gluten-free pizza.  We were in Cars Land at the moment, so we stepped into Flo’s V8 Café and took a look at the menu board.  When we got up to the register, my traveling party (Cathy, Indy & Tawn) all decided they were going to eat elsewhere…which made me not want to eat here…but…I wasn’t sure what there would be outside that would be nutritious and still filling.  At the register, I mentioned that I was a gluten-free vegetarian so the cashier went to go and retrieve the chef.  The chef came out a couple of moments later and I reiterated that I was a gluten-free vegetarian.  She said it wasn’t a problem and mentioned the items I could get, including the Citrus Turkey Salad, sans turkey.  Actually, none of it sounded like anything I wanted…the side dishes were just…eh…meh.  And the salad was…well…a salad.  But, I needed something…so I said I would give the Citrus Turkey Salad ($11.49), no turkey, a go!

I paid the cashier and took the receipt up to the counter.  And my salad came up…gluten-free roll…but…UGH…the turkey had been placed on the salad.  I mentioned that my salad wasn’t supposed to have turkey on it, so the worker at the counter sent it back to the kitchen and spoke with the chef.  It took a few minutes, but my new salad came up, gluten-free roll, little dish of dressing, GODZILLA-sized salad, which was a basic mix of mixed greens, carrots, cucumbers, and yellow peppers.  It came with a citrus-tarragon dressing.  And trust me…this salad was HUGE.  I knew I wouldn’t be able to finish it.  But, if anything was certain, I was going to devour that roll.  The roll, by the way, looks like the Udi’s gluten-free rolls I can buy at specialty stores around here.  I think they were Udi’s.  I loved the roll.  I loved it to pieces…and pieces…and pieces until it was all gone.

The salad itself was fresh and crisp.  And the dressing made a nice flavor addition to the raw vegetables.  It was…a general salad, just taken to extreme proportion.  I ate about 3/4 of it before I called it quits.  It was just a lot of food.  The vegetables were fresh and crisp, the dressing was served on the side instead of just being poured over the salad, and perhaps drowning the vegetables.  It was good.  But…let’s face it…it’s a salad I could have made at home for a lot cheaper.

Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port – Tomorrowland – Disneyland Park

Redd Rocket's Pizza Port, Tomorrowland, Disneyland Park
Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port, Tomorrowland, Disneyland Park

 

It was the evening before the Disneyland Half Marathon, and Indy and I were in desperate need of some carbs.  And it is a requirement…I mean one of those dead-set superstitious athlete requirements for me to eat gluten-free pizza the night before a big race.  It has to happen.  If it doesn’t happen…I make it happen.  Somehow.

Indy knew that this was a must coming into the trip, so she asked around at Disneyland about good places to get a gluten-free pizza.  She was directed to Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port, which is a cafeteria-style, quick service joint in Tomorrowland.  We got there just before a flood of people and we spoke to one of the people manning the counters about gluten-free and vegetarian options.  She said she would go and fetch the chef.  I ended up standing there for around 10-15 minutes waiting on the chef, long enough for a couple of employees to ask if I needed help.  Indy and Tawn had already gotten their pastas and were now waiting with me.  Cathy was waiting because we weren’t sure if this was going to be a personal pizza or one we’d need to split.  You just never know.

After the wait continued, I told Indy and Tawn to go and pay and eat while their food was still hot.  I didn’t want them to settle in with cold pasta.  Gross!  So, they finally agreed, and just after they walked away…the chef finally emerged to talk to me.  I told him that I was a gluten-free vegetarian, and he said I had two options…a gluten-free personal cheese pizza…or gluten-free rice noodles with a tomato marinara.  Night before the race…it has to be pizza.  So, I put in my order for gluten-free cheese pizza ($8.99).  I was told it would take 10 minutes so to go ahead and pay and then come back to the counter in about 10 minutes.  I did just that, grabbed some plastic dinnerware, napkins, and some crushed red pepper packets and went to join my friends.  Cathy had gotten one of the pizza slices and some breadsticks and joined them in eating.  And I watched them eat for about 5 minutes as it took me awhile to pay.  When 10 minutes was up, I got up from my table and made my way back to the counter to, hopefully, get my food.  But my pizza wasn’t up yet.  There was a group of four ahead of me.  And that took about 5 minutes for them to get their gluten-free pizzas served to them.  Then…it took another 3-5 minutes waiting on mine.  By now Indy and Cathy were done eating.  When my pizza was sliced and finally put on a plate…I went to rejoin my friends and only Tawn was still nomming on her pasta.

The pizza was nothing to write home about.  It was the same gluten-free cheese pizza I ended up getting while at Disney World in February.  Just a small, personal-size pizza on a gluten-free crust (at least the crust was fluffy), with tomato sauce and cheese.  It was…okay.  I mean, I have definitely had worse…but I have most definitely had better.  I seasoned it with some red pepper flakes and just wolfed it down.  At that point I was starving and we had World of Color Fast Passes and the clock was ticking.  Nothing to write home about.  Just…pizza.  Eh.  Not impressed.

Hungry Bear Restaurant – Critter Country – Disneyland Park

Hungry Bear Restaurant, Critter Country, Disneyland Park
Hungry Bear Restaurant, Critter Country, Disneyland Park

 

It was the afternoon after I ran 13.1 miles through Disneyland and Anaheim, California.  It was just three of us.  Indy, who also ran, said she needed to rest and recover.  Poor thing.  So this meant our new guide for the day was the great, the epic, TAWN!!  And she knew all the places to hit.  We had a busy and very stressful morning…between race logistics, running, cheering, and finishing…then heading out to the park…

We rode rides and soon we knew we needed to eat something small before we hit the hotel early to rotate through showers and start getting ready for the most epic meal of our lives…courtesy of Indy.  But…that gets it’s own post.  For now…we focus on what I ate for “lunch” the day of the Disneyland Half Marathon.

I had heard tales and rumors that Hungry Bear Restaurant did gluten-free sweet potato fries.  Sweet potato fries are one of my most favorite things in the world.  Honestly.  Sure, fries probably aren’t the best recovery meal…but they were what I wanted.  That was it.  It was all I needed.  Tawn walked me over to Hungry Bear and I headed up to go place my order.  I reached the cashier and told her I heard they could do gluten-free sweet potato fries.  She confirmed this and said she’d go and get the chef.

The chef emerged a few minutes later and said that fries could certainly be done gluten-free.  I said that was all I wanted and went ahead and put in the order – gluten-free sweet potato fries ($3.99).  I was sent up to the counter and I passed off the receipt and was told it would be a few minutes.  I politely stepped aside, knowing this would be the case.  But a few minutes turned into 5.  Then 10.  Soon the staff was shouting back to the kitchen about the gluten-free sweet potato fries because it had been on order for 15 minutes.  The manager came out to apologize to me, saying that there had been a mix-up in the kitchen and it would be a few more minutes.  He offered me a free dessert, but none of their desserts were gluten-free so I passed.  After just over 20 minutes, my one little serving of sweet potato fries came up and I snagged them, went to grab some ketchup and finally went back down to meet Tawn.  She had been waiting a long time.  We had left Cathy at a table with her lunch, and it was long gone by the time we returned.  Tawn went off to find herself something to eat and I finally dug in.

To their credit…the sweet potato fries were perfect.  Crispy on the outside, soft in the center.  Warm.  Hot.  Seasoned well.  And just what I wanted.  They were phenomenal.  Definitely better than the oven baked ones that I make at home.  I mean, I love making my own, but there is something so fantastic about sweet potato strips that are literally fried to perfection, seasoned well, and served up piping hot and fresh.  So, while I think I aged a little standing in line waiting on an order the kitchen at Hungry Bear Restaurant forgot about…it was well worth the wait.

Tiki Juice Bar – Adventureland – Disneyland Park

The Tiki Hut, Adventureland, Disneyland Park
Tiki Juice Bar, Adventureland, Disneyland Park

 

DOLE. WHIP.  Need I say more?  Let me say it one more time.  DOLE WHIP!  I love Dole Whip and ended up coming to the Tiki Juice Bar twice during my 3-day stay in Disneyland.

The second time I contemplated getting a Dole Whip Float…but wasn’t sure I had enough money for one.  So, both times I ended up getting the standard Soft Serve Dole Whip ($3.69).  LOVE.

It’s pineapple goodness in a cup.  One that I will always take time to indulge in whenever I roam at Disney.  Yeah…Dole Whip is an experience.  One that shouldn’t be missed.  EVER!

Carnation Café – Main Street, U.S.A. – Disneyland Park

Carnation Café, Main Street, U.S.A., Disneyland Park
Carnation Café, Main Street, U.S.A., Disneyland Park

 

The only other request that I made for while the four of us were all at Disneyland was simple.  I needed gluten-free Mickey waffles in my life.  So, Indy, as always being the rockstar, sought out a place that served them.  She’s awesome like that.  So, after a late night and an early morning (for me…as I went running for 7 miles for my marathon training), we headed into Disneyland for our last meal together as a group of four.  Tawn was leaving that afternoon to head back to Fresno.

We arrived at Carnation Café just ahead of our reservation time.  We were asked if we wanted to sit outside or inside.  It was such a gorgeous morning that day that we chose to sit outside, as long as we were somewhere shady.  The hostess found us the perfect spot and we all settled in and started to look at the menu.

When our waitress came over to the table, she explained that we actually had a different server, but he was on his break so she’d be taking care of us until he returned.  We went ahead and told her that I couldn’t have gluten, something they were already aware of because Indy mentioned this when she made the reservation.  Of course none of this was an issue.  She said she’d go to get the chef and he would go over some options with me.  He did emerge a few minutes later and asked what I was interested in having for breakfast.  I gave him the hopeful eyes…Mickey waffles?  He said he wasn’t sure they could make gluten-free Mickey waffles due to the surface they were cooked on…but he might be able to do regular pancakes (not Mickey shaped).  But he said he’d go double check.  He returned after everyone else placed their orders and said that he could make me gluten-free mini Mickey waffles safely.  I was a happy girl, because I really, really wanted Mickey waffles while at Disneyland.  Dreams really do come true.

I went ahead and ordered gluten-free Mickey waffles ($10.49) with fresh fruit instead of the sausage or bacon side…since I am vegetarian.  They were happy to make that substitution for me.  I also had this with fresh brewed Joffrey’s Coffee ($2.99).

The coffee was really good.  Not too bitter.  I sweetened it with real sugar…as my coconut sugar was left back in Indiana.  After a short wait…out came our food.  Only Tawn and I kept with the plan to get waffles.  Indy ended up getting the Huevos Rancheros and Cathy got the All-American Breakfast.

My mini waffles were…delicious.  Definitely not the golden crispy goodness that Tawn got out of her Mickey head waffle.  But…the miniature Mickey waffles tasted amazing.  I poured a little pure maple syrup over them and dug right in.  I was given four Mickey waffle heads and ate all four of them without any shame or guilt.  The fruit was gone in a flash.  I am a fruit monster.  They were able to accommodate me and get me the item on the menu that I truly wanted.  Carnation Café was made of win.

So were the waffles…for the record.  Epic…gluten-free…WIN!

Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar – Disneyland Resort Area – Disneyland Hotel

Trader Sam's Enchanted Bar, Disneyland Resort Area, Disneyland Hotel
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar, Disneyland Resort Area, Disneyland Hotel

 

Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar is like no other bar you have ever experienced.  The food they serve is unique bar food.  The drinks they serve are fun.  The manner in which some drinks are served are SUPER fun and invoke chanting and lights flashing, ships going down, all of that.  It’s a place you have to go to grab a drink.  And, as this was our final day in Disneyland…we chose to do just that.

Food choices, for me, were rather limited.  But, Indy was telling me about this amazing Green Papaya Salad ($?.??) that they served.  We inquired with the bar tender about the ingredients and he went to check with the chef to see whether it was gluten-free and vegetarian.  Turns out…it was.  So, while Cathy and Indy split the Panko-Crusted Chinese Long Beans, I was served up a refreshing and quite delicious Green Papaya Salad.

No trip to Trader Sam’s is complete without having one of their famous drinks.  As I’m always iffy and careful with alcohol…I decided to go with one of the non-alcoholic beverage specials served at the bar.  My choice of Sam’s No Booze Brews was the Jungle River Sunset ($4.49) which is a mix of orange juice, falernum, and hibiscus grenadine, all topped off with soda water.  And, yes…I ate my garnish.

Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta – Paradise Pier – Disney California Adventure Park

Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, Paradise Pier, Disney's California Adventure Park
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, Paradise Pier, Disney California Adventure Park

 

It was getting late and our plan to see Fantasmic that night was about to be put into action.  That being said, our appetizers from Trader Sam’s were long gone and we were definitely ready to eat some food.  We ended up coming to Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta…because we were just really wanting Italian or something.  Because originally I was going to get something else, but when they kept mentioning the pizza and pasta place…it just sounded better.

So, we entered Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta and it was another counter service sort of thing.  I went up and mentioned that I was a gluten-free vegetarian and they sent for the chef.  He was out in no time.  Honestly.  And when I told him I was a gluten-free vegetarian, he immediately mentioned the two standbys that the Italian restaurants have on hand at Disneyland…a personal-size gluten-free cheese pizza or rice noodles with a tomato marinara sauce.  I’ve done the pizza.  It’s the same as always…and not really worth the repeat.  So, I went with the Gluten-Free Rice Pasta with the Tomato Marinara ($9.49).  He said it would take about 10 minutes.  And when he went back behind the counter, he immediately changed his gloves to start preparing my food.  I breathed a sigh of relief.  Cathy ordered a regular Spaghetti With Meatballs and Indy went with the Five Cheese Ravioli.  They were both made to order, but Cathy’s came up way ahead of ours.  We sent her outside to get us a seat.  About 5 minutes later, my spaghetti arrived.  And this serving was HUGE.  We’re talking the King Kong of spaghetti dishes.  Holy crap!!  I figured I’d get maybe halfway through it and be done.  Indy’s was the last to come up…so she was the last to join us at the table.  Cathy had already started eating…I was just starting…so we had timing.  At least none of us were left without food when all was said and done.

The rice pasta was really al dente.  Not bad…but not as soft as normally rice pasta would be.  The tomato sauce was rich and delicious and really made the dish, in my opinion.  The spaghetti really would have been lackluster and disappointing without it.  I sprinkled a bit of crushed red pepper onto the pasta to give it that slight kick that I like.  Me and spicy food make for a loving relationship.  Honestly.  I like it hot.  So, the spaghetti, like the quick service pizza, was…just okay.  Nothing to really write home about…or go on any longer in this blog.

Indy’s Egg Scramble of Awesome

Indy's Egg Scramble of Awesome
Indy’s Egg Scramble of Awesome

 

When you have fresh ingredients in your garden…what happens?  You make your husband and your friends one of the most epic egg scrambles ever.  Honestly…this was amazing.  So delicious.  So yummy.  I still think about it.  That’s why a homemade dish is being put into my blog.  None of you, unless you also know Indy, will be able to taste this dish.  None of you will get to enjoy it for the low cost of FREE…at her kitchen table…while drinking fresh and really delicious coffee.  It’s just not going to happen.

She cooked and diced and sauteed potatoes in coconut oil, added fresh vegetables from her garden, and then scrambled up some eggs.  Simple…but highly, highly delicious.  One of my favorite breakfasts I’ve ever consumed.  And it was filling.  Perfect way to start off a day that took us to many glorious sandy locations!

The Local Peasant – Sherman Oaks, California

The Local Peasant, Sherman Oaks, California
The Local Peasant, Sherman Oaks, California

 

This gastropub has no sign hanging up outside.  There is no neon flashing the name of the pub.  This is one of those places that if you didn’t know it was there, you would walk right on past it.  Thankfully, it turned up on Find Me Gluten Free…and it just happens to be one of Indy and Evan’s favorite dining spots in their area.  And I picked it.  All by myself!

It was our last night in Los Angeles, and it was also Indy’s birthday.  So, we went out to eat…although she told me to find somewhere.  I was mainly focused on finding Cathy a place to have some fish and chips, so I focused on that first.  The menu for The Local Peasant had not only vegan options marked, but also gluten-free options marked.  And my requirement to eat something with avocado while in California would definitely be fulfilled.

It was a special night, so I went against my usual abstaining from alcohol for training purposes…mostly because it was Indy’s birthday and we were celebrating.  But, they also had Green’s Quest Gluten-Free Triple Ale ($15.00).  I’m not a beer drinker…at all…but it was a celebration.  And, besides, Micky Dolenz of The Monkees was at the table next to ours.  I needed something to take the fangirl edge off.

Where there is beer…there is also food.  Our waitress just happened to also be gluten-free (in fact, her entire family is)…so she was a huge help.  But…as I said…I had my heart set on something with avocado in it.  I had to eat avocado while in California.  It had to happen.  So, when it came to dinner, my choice was obvious…the Edamame Vegetable Salad ($11.00).  Why was that obvious?  Because this salad was composed of edamame, corn, jicama, green beans, roasted peppers, avocado, toasted pepitas, and cashews with a rosemary and ginger vinaigrette.

It sounded like no salad I have had anywhere else.  It had avocado on it, and really…it just sounded awesome.  When it arrived, it was in a huge bowl…and I happily dug in.  The vegetables were so fresh and awesome.  I loved the texture the cashews and pepitas gave the entire dish.  The green beans still had that nice, fresh crispness to them.  The edamame is always one of my favorite things…and it was super good.  Loved the depth the roasted peppers gave.  The avocado, however, gave it this amazing creaminess.  It was topped off with that really flavorful vinaigrette that really just brought everything together.  It was the meal I needed to have.  It was the last thing I would eat in California.  It was…fantastic.

I’d go back to this gastropub in a heartbeat.  And I hope to…the next time I find myself in California!

~*~*~

So…there it is.  What I ate in California.  I didn’t blog about the fries from In-N-Out Burger…because I did that back in 2011.  But I did go there…and their frier is dedicated to just potatoes and makes their fries completely safe for me to eat.  Part 2 will be all about the fantastic dinner that Indy treated our party to at Napa Rose.  Trust me…that was a dining experience I wish I could relive over and over again.  But you’ll read about that in the next blog…

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Product Review: Garden Lites Pizza Souffle

Garden Lites Pizza Souffle
Garden Lites Pizza Souffle

Product: Garden Lites Pizza Souffle – $3.49+

Can pizza be a vegetable?  I mean…it’s normally made with tomato sauce…but tomato is a fruit.  You can put vegetables on pizza (and I often do)…but it’s still…pizza right?  Probably.  In most cases.  But thanks to Garden Lites…pizza is now a vegetable.  For real.

Last year, I discovered and worked my way through the flavors of Garden Lites Souffles that were currently out on the market.  Since then, more have been added and a few of those new flavors have actually been sitting in my freezer since I finally spotted them at the grocery store…MONTHS ago.  Why hadn’t I pulled them out sooner?  No clue.  But that changed tonight.  And, given the expiration dates, the first souffle to get sampled by my roomie and I was…Pizza.

Yes.  Pizza Souffle.  Hey, there have been stranger things in life.  The “crust” isn’t a heavy dough like you would get in a normal pizza.  Remember…this is a souffle.  Therefore, cauliflower and brown rice make up the base, lending that crust-like flavor to the souffle itself.  So…that cauliflower crust pizza that keeps turning up on Pinterest isn’t so new after all, eh?  HA!  Anyway, bound together with egg whites and topped off with tomato sauce and melty, gooey Mozzarella cheese and you have quite an interesting take on a souffle.  And pizza for that matter.

Cooking this up is simple.  Three minutes with the plastic wrap still on.  Let it sit for a minute.  Then remove the plastic and heat on 50% power for another minute.  Enjoy.  My roommate and I actually had ice cream for lunch (HAHA!), so we split this for dinner.  But we both found that the smell and flavor was reminiscent of cafeteria pizza or pasta.  You know…it has that lingering sweetness in the sauce that you just breathe in and it takes you back to grade school or…in the case of my roommate…some mess hall with some army thing-a-ma-jig.  (Technical term!)

Garden Lites Pizza Souffle (cooked)
Garden Lites Pizza Souffle (cooked)

You know what?  The flavor and taste sort of reminded me of cafeteria spaghetti too.  Not saying that is a bad thing.  I mean, whenever spaghetti day at school (from 1st grade through 12th grade) rolled around, you better believe that was the tray I grabbed from the lunch lady.  Spaghetti was always my favorite thing to eat growing up (and still is now, although rice and corn noodles are now my noodle of choice due to the whole Celiac thing).  Cafeteria food isn’t always the best tasting…but it is decent.  It’s good.  And that’s how I felt about this.  It was like…eating a mix of my high school’s spaghetti and pizza.  The sauce was very sweet, seasoned well, but sweet.  More sweet than I usually like a tomato sauce.  The cheese was a gooey mass on top, which I’m okay with.  At least it was melty and gooey.  Most packaged items don’t get to that point.  Especially when nuked in the microwave.  I don’t mind the cauliflower and rice base at all.  It was actually a nice, crumbly texture that worked.  The sauce was just…okay though.  Thankfully the sauce and cheese weren’t heavy on the dish at all. In fact, there wasn’t too much of either of them.  A nice balance that worked.

Let’s talk ingredients and nutrition now…

The Garden Lites Pizza Souffle is made from cauliflower, pasteruized egg whites, onion, low-fat milk, brown rice, crushed tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, red pepper, green pepper, corn starch, tomato paste, a natural spice mix (dehydrated onion, spices, corn starch, natural flavors, tomato powder, potassium chloride, autolyzed yeast extract), evaporated cane juice, canola oil, sea salt, lemon juice, garlic, basil, oregano, pepper, and a blend of locust bean gum, gaur gum, and xanthan gum.  This souffle is gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free.

As for the nutritional aspect of the Pizza Souffle…one serving, which is the entire bowl, will provide you with 200 calories and 4 grams of fat.  That is AWESOME for a meal.  That is awesome for pizza!  That’s just awesome!  It does contain 650 mg of sodium and 6 sugars.  But you also do get 3 grams of fiber and a whopping 12 grams of protein.  So, you won’t feel like you need to eat more on top of this little souffle dish.  I mean, I filled up on ice cream and was only mildly hungry when I heated this up for my roomie and I…and I still felt full after eating just half of the dish.

It isn’t one of my favorites, but I would eat it again.  Honestly.  It wasn’t bad…but it wasn’t knock me off my seat delicious either.  I love the healthy take on the traditional pizza and the use of cauliflower and brown rice as the base.  It’s ingenious. And it works well.  If anything, I only wish the sauce tasted more fresh and less fake-sweet.  Aside from that…totally devourable in every way.

Half of the Garden Lites Pizza Souffle
Half of the Garden Lites Pizza Souffle
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Product Review: Glutino Spinach & Feta Gluten-Free Pizza

Glutino Spinach & Feta Gluten-Free Pizza
Glutino Spinach & Feta Gluten-Free Pizza

Product Review: Glutino Spinach & Feta Gluten-Free Pizza – $5.99+

I love pizza.  I really do.  Give me a good gluten-free pizza and I just might become your best friend ever.  Not only has gluten-free pizza become my food of choice before a long run or a race (it unleashes my endurance, I guess!), but I have always, always loved pizza.  Nutrition be damned…nothing is better than a flaky crust with gooey cheese and some great vegetable toppings.  Right?  RIGHT!

So, a couple of weeks ago before I headed out on vacation, my local grocery store was having a closeout on Glutino’s Gluten-Free Spinach & Feta Pizza.  Now, my roomie and I had been dying to try these for awhile, but just couldn’t justify the price.  But, with the closeout going on, the pizzas were only $1.99 each.  So, yeah…we grabbed two.  We would have grabbed more…except we didn’t know if we would like them or not…and we were getting ready to head out of town and we didn’t want to stuff our freezer, which we have been working hard on whittling down the products inside, full once again.

But we should have known better.  After all…this is a Glutino product and they have never done us wrong.  We haven’t met a Glutino product that we haven’t liked or loved.  Stuffing our freezer full of these pizzas would have been the best thing to ever happen to our kitchen.  For real!

Let me tell you why…

Glutino Spinach & Feta Gluten-Free Pizza (frozen)
Glutino Spinach & Feta Gluten-Free Pizza (frozen)

The spinach to cheese ratio is amazing.  More spinach…less cheese!  I love that.  As much as my roomie loves cheese, even she was thrilled by the amount of spinach on this pizza.  Honestly…healthy greens that provide key nutrients.  Yes.  All about that.  The crust.  OH. MY. GOD.  Yes…this is one of those thin crust gluten-free pizzas that turn up everywhere.  Yes…sometimes I do miss having that amazing chewy crust.  But…the crust on this Glutino pizza was flaky and crisp and still soft so it was everything I wanted in a pizza crust.  The flavor was so delicious.  Nothing that tasted off or gritty or anything.  It really was a wonderfully golden flaky crust that crumbled against my tongue when I bit into it.  Savory goodness right there.  It’s rich and buttery and…I’m suddenly craving it again.  GAH!  The cheese doesn’t just stop with crumbles of feta.  Nope.  Add to it shredded mozzarella and ricotta cheese and you end up with a blend of amazing flavors that don’t overtake the crust or the spinach that is also part of the mix.  It was SO good.  My roommate usually takes forever to eat her food and she was done eating this pizza before I was.  And she’s not even a Celiac.  All she could do was rave about it.  And for the same reasons I am.  It is, honest to goodness, a whole lot of…well…goodness!!  And it only took a short 15 minutes in the oven to bake before it was ready for prime time…or at least our bellies.

Let’s talk ingredients and nutrition…because it needs to be done!  Starting with what makes up this pizza.  The box lists off all the ingredients, which include: pizza crust (composed of water, brown rice flour, rice starch, potato starch, olive oil, sugar, tapioca starch, potato flour, yeast, cellulose, salt, spices, and garlic powder), spinach and cheese sauce (composed of water, spinach, milk, cream, feta cheese, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Monterrey jack cheese).  It’s very straight forward and very, very delicious when all put together and baked up.  Trust me…when I pulled it from the box and removed the paper, I wasn’t too sure it was going to be any good…but it’s amazing what a warm oven does to a product.

Nutritionally speaking, as far as personal pizzas go…this is a good one.  The entire pizza only costs you 370 calories and 17 grams of fat.  That isn’t bad for a frozen pizza…or a gluten-free pizza for that matter…frozen or not.  You will also be consuming 530 mg sodium and less than 1 gram of sugar.  Nice.  Not bad for something packaged and frozen, for real.  This pizza does have 30 mg of cholesterol, but it has no trans fat in it at all.  You also get served 2 grams of fiber and 9 grams of protein.  Awesome!

I am so in love with this pizza.  I normally am not a huge fan of frozen pizzas…but this one hits flavor, taste, texture, and everything right on the money.  The regular price seems pretty steep, but buying it on sale and enjoying it this much makes me want to purchase it again, price tag be damned.  In fact, I’m trying to talk myself out of rushing to the grocery store to pick up another one for dinner tonight.  Must…behave…even if I don’t want to!

Must…resist…grabbing car keys…

Trust me…this pizza really is that fantastic.  I was grocery shopping earlier and really, really had to resist buying a cart full of these.  It wasn’t easy.  I walked away without any more but the temptation still lingers.  Which means…this is one hell of a frozen pizza.  Try it out.  Even those of you who don’t need to eat gluten-free…you might find you love this even more than those who do have to eat this way.  It is frickin’ amazing!

Glutino Spinach & Feta Gluten-Free Pizza (baked)
Glutino Spinach & Feta Gluten-Free Pizza (baked)
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Product Review: Lexington Pasta Gluten-Free Fusilli

Lexington Pasta Gluten-Free Fusilli
Lexington Pasta Gluten-Free Fusilli

Product: Lexington Pasta Gluten-Free Fusilli – $3.00 for 6 ounces

There are moments of absolute amazement when I look at some of the things my roommate has done for me since my diagnosis two years ago.  Seriously.  She basically eats gluten-free and vegetarian at home, all the time,  Not only that, she is always on the lookout for new gluten-free items for us, not just me, to try.  She is honest to a fault when I cook or bake something new, changing up a recipe to now be gluten-free.  Some are definitely more successful than others.

But my entire point here is…she’s full of surprises.

This past Saturday…she totally surprised me.

You see, every Saturday I meet up with a group of runners to do our long run.  This past Saturday, I was heading out with a small group aiming to hit that magic 16 mile mark.  This meant Cathy was going to be left to her own devices for 2 hours or more.  But this never slows her down.  She always finds something to occupy her time.  And on this particularly raining Saturday morning, with a fresh local coffee in hand, she stopped by the local farmers market.  You see, I was in need of a giant watermelon for a recipe I was going to make that night.  She was going to get one from a local vendor instead of hitting up the grocery store.  But, while she was there…she spotted something else.

The words GLUTEN-FREE on a sign for Lexington Pasta.  She swung by the booth and inquired.  And when I finally made it back to the meeting point, a local coffeehouse, after a very long run, we returned to the car and she told me to go look in the trunk.  Aside from a 10 pound watermelon waiting for me, she also had picked up fresh basil.  And buried in the ice of the cooler…she had picked up two small bags of Lexington Pasta’s Gluten-Free Fusilli.

While it’s true, this handmade pasta does look more like macaroni than fusilli, I could see the small twists in the fresh and handmade pasta…giving it that corkscrew affect that you would normally associate with fusilli pasta.

That being said…I was holding a bag of gluten-free handmade fusilli!!!  This was huge!  This was awesome.  This was so awesome I deemed Sunday night to be pasta night.  I’d cook up some of my gluten-free rosemary cheddar biscuits to accompany the pasta and it would be one epic Sunday meal.  Because while some products can wait…fresh, handmade gluten-free pasta is not one of those things.  I had to have it as soon as humanly possible.

We got home from our day of running errands and grocery shopping and I put one of the bags of pasta into the freezer.  The other went into the fridge for use on Sunday night.

Lexington Pasta Gluten-Free Fusilli (cooked & drained)
Lexington Pasta Gluten-Free Fusilli (cooked & drained)

What I love about handmade, fresh pasta is how easy it is to prepare.  No boiling your pasta for 12-20 minutes to get it to that perfect al dente.  Nope.  I went ahead and got a pot of water on the stove to boil while I prepared a small salad with some heirloom tomatoes that Cathy also picked up from the farmers market.  When the water began to boil, I simply emptied the little baggie of gluten-free fusilli pasta into the water and let it go for 2-3 minutes.  The pasta does come with an instruction guide on how to cook it and does warn against overcooking.  I then got the sauce heated while the noodles quickly finished up.  After three minutes I drained the pasta and then put it back into the pan with the marinara I had warmed up.  Giving it all a toss, I was ready to plate it up.  Into the bowls it went.  And dinner was served. Yes…that quickly.

First of all, handmade and fresh pasta will always win.  Always.  Pasta that is done locally will win even more.  And what really caught my attention about the gluten-free fusilli from Lexington Pasta was that it didn’t stick together or dry up immediately.  It cooked to the perfect al dente in the water.  Quick.  It was one of the quickest pasta meals I ever prepared.  I almost didn’t have time to warm the marinara.  I forgot what it was like to cook with fresh pasta.

Taste…taste was spot-on.  I believe Cathy mentioned that it was a rice flour noodle.  It didn’t get mushy.  It didn’t stick.  It didn’t fall apart.  In fact, each noodle held the twisty shape through the entire cooking process, the draining, and the addition of the sauce.  The serving size was just right.  And the noodles…light.  Delicious.  They have spoiled me on gluten-free pasta, honestly.  Not only is this local, but it tastes fantastic.  There was no weird aftertaste.  No chewiness.  Nothing that would be off putting.  In fact, if I were to serve this to people, they would never…EVER…guess that it was gluten-free.

I sort of want to go and get more.  Like…now.

I was really that impressed.

Lexington Pasta is based out of Lexington, Kentucky…which is a short car drive for me.  So, when the farmers market closes for the season, I can still go and purchase this gluten-free pasta of awesomesauce from their retail location.  Because I was beyond impressed with this product and find it comforting to see a local business taking strides to work with those with special dietary needs…who love pasta.  You know…people like me.

Lexington Pasta…you made this Celiac one very, very happy pasta-loving girl!  Thank you!

Lexington Pasta Gluten-Free Fusilli (in marinara) with Gluten-Free Rosemary Cheddar Biscuits
Lexington Pasta Gluten-Free Fusilli (in marinara) with Gluten-Free Rosemary Cheddar Biscuits
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Product Review: BOLD Organics Gluten-Free and Vegan Veggie Lovers Pizza

BOLD Organics Gluten-Free and Vegan Veggie Lovers Pizza
BOLD Organics Gluten-Free and Vegan Veggie Lovers Pizza

Product: BOLD Organics Gluten-Free and Vegan Veggie Lovers Pizza – $9.49+

Sometimes…if you look hard enough…you manage to find something amazing…despite it being a processed food in the freezer department.  At least it was at a natural food store…so that’s saying something, right?  Right!

That’s what I’ll keep telling myself.

Anyway…what I speak of is a brand of gluten-free and vegan pizza (this version anyway) made by BOLD Organics.  In fact, BOLD Organics pizzas (the vegan and the meaty ones) are all gluten-free, milk-free, lactose-free, casein-free, whey-free, egg-free, peanut-free, and treenut-free.  EPIC!! I mean…EPIC, right?!  Right!

BOLD Organics was founded with a simple principle to strive for – creating the most delicious and healthy frozen pizza on the market.  And that vision was reached and realized with the line of gluten-free and dairy-free pizzas that, as the Web site puts it, “are redefining just how good eating healthy can taste.”

It’s not too bold (see what I did there?) a statement either.  Because what BOLD Organics did…was take their goal and do everything in their power to make it a reality.  Seriously.  Founder, Aaron Greenwald, often found that traditional gluten-free products on the market were bland and lacked taste.  That was when Aaron embarked on his mission to not just help people eat better…but also feel better.  And he sourced the best chefs he could find who not only understood gluten-free food, but could also provide bold (I did it again) flavors to the products his company would produce.  And so…BOLD Organics was born.

BOLD Organics began producing high quality, allergen-free foods…so people could have a choice when it came to gluten-free pizzas.  He strove to provide restaurant quality food with premium taste…without paying a premium price.

Well, when I spotted this in my natural food store’s freezer…I decided that having a frozen pizza on hand wasn’t a bad idea.  I mean…when you need something easy one night, just pop it out of the freezer, onto a pizza stone…and viola…dinner!  So, I had one stashed in my freezer.  And, as I am trying very hard to work my way through the plethora of gluten-free goodness I have stocked up in my freezer and pantry, on Friday, as I had a 16 mile run on Saturday, I figured gluten-free pizza would be the way to go.

BOLD Organics Gluten-Free and Vegan Veggie Lovers Pizza (cooked)
BOLD Organics Gluten-Free and Vegan Veggie Lovers Pizza (cooked)

Out of the two vegan options offered by BOLD Organics, I went with the Veggie Lovers version.  Why?  Because any pizza that is topped with seasonal vegetables (organic roasted red peppers, organic roasted yellow onions, and shiitake mushrooms) is okay in my book.  The cheese they use is completely vegan.  So, I pulled this out of the freezer directly after work and preheated the oven to 450° F, per the instructions on the box.  I stuck my pizza stone in to warm while the oven preheated and set about opening up the box.

The box does make me think that the pizza would be a little bigger than it really is…but what it lacks for in size (it’s an 8-inch pizza), it makes up for in the fact that it is not a cracker-crust, very thin-crust pizza.  Nope.  Not at all.  This pizza has depth to it.  It has the most amazing crust…and I could tell that before it was even baked.  With the oven heated and pizza stone warm, I tossed the pizza in to cook for 20-22 minutes.  If the vegan cheese has not melted, it says to broil it for 1-2 more minutes.  The cheese on my pizza melted beautifully and the crust became fluffy and golden and just…perfect looking.

I removed the pizza from the oven and sliced it in half.  The box I have says the serving size was half the pizza.  That seems to have changed now…but…I’ll go off what I had in my freezer.  One half went to my roommate, the other half was mine…all mine.  I can say this…it looked and smelled amazing.  But, as always, the true test lies in the taste.  That is the absolute heart of the matter.

I settled in for dinner, fork in hand, and sliced through the crispy, yet soft crust.  Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside.  That is pizza crust perfection, my friends.  PERFECTION!  And, furthermore…this pizza was frozen pizza perfection.  It looked like all the non-gluten-free counterparts you see on the market.  It wasn’t this sad-looking thin crust slab of cheese and veggies. No.  This was a bold looking, veggie laden (save for the mushrooms…I got a bit gypped on those), vegan cheese coated amazing thing.  The flavors were melt-together perfect.  It was sweet from the peppers and savory with the cheese.  It had that perfect crust.  I was in pizza heaven.  I was.  Because, with the exception of my local allergen-free bakery, I can’t find anything but cracker-crust when it comes to gluten-free pizza.  That just changed.  My whole frozen pizza world just expanded.  I was…SO impressed.  The cheese, even being a vegan mozzarella, was stretchy and melty and gooey.  Pizza perfection.  BOLD pizza perfection.  I’m sold.  For life.

Let’s talk ingredients and nutrition, shall we?

This pizza is made up of filtered water, vegan gourmet mozzarella cheese alternative, inulin, soy protein, agar agar, sea salt, plant-based natural flavor, carrageenan (BOO!), vegetable source of lactic acid, organic crushed tomatoes, organic potato starch, organic rice flour, organic corn meal, organic roasted red bell peppers, shiitake mushrooms, organic roasted yellow onions, fresh yeast, organic tomato paste, organic extra virgin olive oil, xanthan gum, organic evaporated cane juice, organic oregano, organic apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and organic spices (rosemary, black pepper, granulated garlic, red chili).

As far as nutritional value goes…for half of a pizza…this isn’t too bad.  One serving (1/2 of the pizza) served up 340 calories and 13 grams of fat.  That’s actually not bad!  I was impressed.  It has 670 mg sodium, which is a little high…but…not bad in the grand scheme of things.  The serving has 6 grams of sugar as well, which is super good.  And, 1/2 of the pizza dishes up 6 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein.

It’s awesome.  BOLD Organics produced a product they can totally be proud of and stand behind.  I loved every bite I took of this one.  And I will definitely try the Vegan Cheese version in the future too.  With a fluffy and flaky crust like that…it’s hard to stop me from stuffing another one in my freezer.

This pizza BOLD-ly went where no gluten-free pizza went before…and they did it perfectly!

A serving of BOLD Organics Gluten-Free and Vegan Veggie Lovers Pizza
A serving of BOLD Organics Gluten-Free and Vegan Veggie Lovers Pizza
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Recipe: Gluten-Free Rainbow Chard Lemon Pasta

Tonight felt like a pasta night.  Why?  Because…I love pasta.  Gluten-free pasta, that is.  And it had honestly been ages since I had made pasta for my roomie and I.  With Friday fast approaching, I have bin ingredients that are screaming to be used.  So…I went on the hunt for some ideas.

Friends, I say this to you honestly…DO NOT FEAR PASTA!  It can be made healthy as long as you don’t drown it in creamy sauces, oils, or have portion distortion.  It’s all about moderation and preparation.  And, thanks to a recipe from one of my favorite Clean Eating sites, I had just the recipe to modify tonight.  The original recipe was already gluten-free…but I changed out ingredients for what I had in my crisper drawer from my CSA bin.  It worked out beautifully.

The original recipe was taken from The Healthy Apple, who put up a great sounding dish called Swiss Chard Lemon Pasta.  Well, I had rainbow chard.  I hate olives, but I had grape tomatoes.  I always have lemon and lemon zest on hand…it seemed ideal.  And tonight…this healthy pasta dish was dinner.  And, wow…did the flavors ever sing.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Rainbow Chard Lemon Pasta

Gluten-Free Rainbow Chard Lemon Pasta
Gluten-Free Rainbow Chard Lemon Pasta

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

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Gluten-Free Penne Pasta (I used La Veneziane Gluten-Free Corn Meal Farfalle)
  • 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 head Swiss chard, cut into ½ inch pieces
  • ½ cup kalamata olives (I hate olives, so I substituted grape tomatoes in their place)
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro (I omitted this)
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. fresh lemon zest
  • ¼ tsp. smoked paprika
  • ¼ tsp. sea salt
  • ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Cook the gluten-free pasta according to package directions.  Remove from heat; drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook rainbow chard in olive oil over medium heat until wilted, approximately 4 minutes.

Remove from heat and transfer to a large serving bowl.

Add cooked pasta, tomatoes (or olives), cilantro (if using), scallions, vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, smoked paprika, sea salt and pepper; gently toss to combine.

Serve warm.

~*~*~

Don’t be fooled into thinking that this pasta will be lacking without a sauce.  With the lemon and the apple cider vinegar, it’s flavortown!  Honestly.  Just lots of flavor, and it all plays well with the pasta and the vegetables.  I was delightfully happy when I sat down with my bowl of veggies with a little pasta.  I love it when a dish is more vegetables than anything else.

Not only was this dish delicious…it was easy to prepare and simple to make.  Just a little chopping, some action on the stove…and then…viola!  Dinner is served.  A healthy pasta dish…you better believe it’s possible.

Don’t just take my word for it, though.  Try it for yourself.  You know you’re dying to.  Pasta night…starts…now!

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Charlie’s Pizza rolls out a fantastic gluten-free crust for this Boilermaker runner

Charlie's Pizza, Utica, New York
Charlie’s Pizza, Utica, New York

Restaurant: Charlie’s Pizza, Utica, New York

It’s the second weekend in July…and that means one thing when you live in Utica, New York.

Yep…

The Boilermaker!

Confused?  Don’t be.  The Boilermaker 15K Road Race was established in 1976 and has grown to become the largest 15K road race in the United States.  Not only that, the Boilermaker is ranked as the most competitive 15K in the world, drawing people from all across the United States as well as from other countries.  It’s a big freakin’ deal.  And that was why I found myself in Utica, New York this past weekend.  I was running in The Boilermaker 15K.

And…as we have established from blogs past…before any major road race, my fuel of choice is a gluten-free pizza.

Lucky for me, a lot of the guesswork on this trip when it came to food was taken out of the equation.  My high school friend, Jean, lives in Utica and she was the one who really directed me toward this race.  I was going to run it the year before, but…I had a conflict in the schedule.  Not this year.  So, when I told her that I would require a gluten-free pizza the night before, she was sending me two different local Italian places that both offered gluten-free pizza.  They both sounded good, so my roommate and I flipped a coin.

And the winner…Charlie’s Pizza.

Jean said it was her favorite place to grab food, so this was already sounding promising.

After a long day on the road, getting reacquainted with old friends I hadn’t seen in 15 years, hitting up the race expo, and taking my friend Jenn to Florentine’s to place an order for delicious baked goods she used to get when she lived in Utica…we all were rather hungry.  So, our next stop was dinner.  And that meant we all piled back into Jean’s car and headed toward Charlie’s Pizza.

Looks can be deceiving, and when you first catch a glimpse of Charlie’s Pizza in Utica…well…you might be tempted to go elsewhere.  Located next to the Big Lots, it’s a little strip mall sort of joint.  It looks like a dive at first glance, but I’ve learned, sometimes these “dives” are the gems of the area when it comes to food.  I wasn’t casting judgment.  I was going to get my pizza!  We walked in to Charlie’s Pizza and it reminded me a lot of those establishments that are run down but for all the right reasons.  They’ve got longevity.  They’ve been there awhile.  One of the ladies behind the counter asked if we were dining in.  We said we were so she told us to take a seat anywhere.  As we were a party of five, we took the big table at the back, underneath the television.  Soon, menus were passed our way and we began to peruse the selections while our drink orders were taken.  This allowed the rest of us to decide what we were going to order.  Cathy and I were definitely splitting a gluten-free pizza.  Jen W. and Jean were going to split a large pepperoni pizza ($14.99).  And Jenn went for an order of their Stuffed Shells ($9.99).

All Cathy and I needed to do now was choose our toppings.  In the end, we went for what is becoming one of our favorite pizzas to order when all ingredients are available.  We settled on a Gluten-Free Pizza with Onion, Mushroom, and Pineapple ($15.50 – small cheese pizza: $9.00, made gluten-free: add $3.00, with two extra toppings: add $2.00; with one premium topping: add $1.50).

With orders in, we settled back into talking.  Jean and Jenn W. were high school friends of mine, and when I moved away in 1998, I hadn’t been back to see them.  We had lots to talk about and to catch up on, so you can imagine the conversations we had while waiting on food.  With their pizza and pasta, there were side salads and soup for “The 3 J’s” at the table.  Both Jen and Jean got the tossed salad (minus the olives) and Jenn went with the Italian Wedding Soup.  It was a nice way for them to calm their rumbling stomachs.  And not too long after they polished those off…food began to arrive.

Everyone’s food looked great.  Jenn had expected more than just three stuffed shells with her order, but she said it turned out to be just enough.  Jean and Jen’s pizza looked amazing.

But this gluten-free vegetarian was ready to dive into her own pizza creation.

Charlie’s Pizza offers up the usual gluten-free crust…cracker crust.  I am not a huge fan of cracker crust when it comes to pizza as it can go wrong so easily.  However…Charlie’s Pizza got it totally right.  For one thing, the waitress informed us that they pre-bake the crust before they top it and put it in the oven again.  This helps get the right amount of crispness to the dough so that it doesn’t remain soggy toward the  middle.  There is nothing worse than a soggy gluten-free pizza crust.  And trust me…I have had my share of those!  The cheese was melt-in-your-mouth good.  And it really paired well with the fresh vegetables and the pineapple that topped the pizza.  The onions and mushrooms were baked in to perfection, so that the flavors melted into the cheese and crust instead of being too bold and standing out.  And the sweet pineapple was ripe and added the right hit of sweetness.  The sauce was fantastic.  And I loved that, while it took a bit of time to eat, the crust never once grew soggy as it sat on the tray.  Not once.  It remained crisp and a beautiful golden color.  No burned edges.  No struggling to get the pizza out of the pan.  This was easy…simple…and totally delicious.  I was impressed.

Highly impressed!!

Much thanks to Charlie’s Pizza for the amazing gluten-free eats the night before what turned out to be a fun, but grueling 15K the following morning.  I felt well fueled for the run and have them to thank for not making me break my pre-race-night food tradition.  I felt completely safe eating there as it came highly recommended by Jean.  The pizza wasn’t greasy…which means everything sat well in my stomach.  And it was honestly just really good food made by a great family-run business.

Thanks for the suggestion, Jean.  Outstanding pizza to compliment an outstanding trip!

Charlie's Pizza's Gluten-Free Mushroom, Onion and Pineapple Pizza
Charlie’s Pizza’s Gluten-Free Mushroom, Onion and Pineapple Pizza
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Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza comes to my gluten-free pizza rescue while out of town

Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza, Indianapolis, Indiana
Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza, Indianapolis, Indiana

Restaurant: Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza, Indianapolis, Indiana

So, I’m in Indianapolis.  That morning, I ran 10 miles for training.  My lunch was a gluten-free cookie and an orange.  It was after 6 p.m. and I was starving.  I had just finished up a string of back-to-back panels at a local sci-fi convention in Indianapolis, the entire reason I was in Indianapolis in the first place.  My initial thought was a gluten-free sandwich from Jason’s Deli, but that would require leaving the convention hotel, driving out to the restaurant, which wasn’t nearby, and sitting and eating.  And I honestly just didn’t have the energy.

So, my roommate and I hijacked the computer in the business center and started surfing Find Me Gluten Free.

And pizza…that’s not only convention food…it just sounded really, really, really good.

The most highly recommended place on the search was a local place called Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza.  We pulled up the Web site, and…there it was…a 10 inch gluten-free crust.  Awesome.  We wrote down the number and checked the delivery area.  And we were just a block or two outside of the delivery region.  Cathy decided it was worth a try to ask if they would deliver to us, as they weren’t that far away.  So, she called.  And they were more than happy to accommodate.  That was awesome.

We placed our order…one gluten-free pizza with mushrooms, red onion, and pineapple ($14.00).  It just sounded…really good.  With the order in, we were told it would be about 35 minutes, as it was a Saturday.  So, we decided to keep ourselves occupied until we got the call that they were nearby.  We’d meet the delivery guy in the lobby.  We walked around and talked with some people while we waited and when they asked where we ordered pizza from, and we said Jockamo…they all melted and practically salivated on the spot.  If that is any indication of what we were in for…I was beyond excited.  And really, really hungry to boot.

It felt like no time had passed at all when Cathy’s cell phone rang.  We skittered to the front lobby and had only a few minutes to wait before the delivery guy walked through the door and tracked us down.  The pizza was handed over and we paid him, extra tip for coming outside of the delivery area.  And then…no waiting, we hurried back to the hotel room to dive in and get some food in our stomachs.

I flipped open the pizza box and found the typical pizzeria gluten-free pizza.  A cracker crust topped with red sauce, our toppings of choice, and cheese.  I snapped a picture and then it was game on.  We were starving and the pizza smelled fantastic.

So…we dove in.  And devoured the pizza in less than 10 minutes, if that is any testimony as to how good it tasted.  And this wasn’t just the “OH MY GOD I AM SO HUNGRY I WILL EAT WHATEVER IS IN FRONT OF ME REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT TASTES GOOD OR NOT” sort of hungry.  It honestly tasted really, really good.

Let’s start with the crust.  The thin crust was cooked almost to perfection.  Almost.  It had a really good flavor, but it just didn’t have that golden crustiness that I prefer with my pizza crusts, which meant, it came across as being a little soggy.  Of course, some of that could be a reflection of the fact that it was cooked, packed in a box, put in a car and delivered to us.  So, I’m not saying the crust was bad at all.  It just didn’t have that crunch to it when I bit into it.  The red sauce was fantastic.  I’m not just saying that.  The tomato flavors were rich and bold and seasoned to perfection.  The toppings we selected were fantastic.  The mushrooms, onions and pineapple were all cooked to perfection, the pineapple’s sweetness being a nice contrast to the umami flavor of the mushrooms and the bite of the onions.  And then…the cheese.  A nice hit of saltiness that the pizza needed…creamy and gooey and just…the entire package was phenomenal.  Yep.  I was impressed.

Like I said…we devoured that pizza in less than 10 minutes, each of us getting three slices each.  No holds barred. It was gone as quickly as it had arrived and we were left licking marinara off our fingers and happily discussing how every bite of that pizza was beyond delicious.  We were now fortified for the long evening ahead of us.

Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza really surprised me.  I didn’t know what to expect, just that all the locals were salivating whenever we mentioned where we ordered pizza for our dinner.  And that was enough testimony to put my mind to ease.  If we had scrolled a bit further through the menu, we also would have discovered that they also offer gluten-free cookies, made by Deihdre Alltop.  I didn’t know about these…but now that I do…next time I’m in Indianapolis and order from Jockamo (there will be a next time…YUM!), I think dessert will have to happen as well.  Because with a choice of three different gluten-free cookies…you just can’t go wrong.

Needless to say, the service at Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza, their willingness to come just outside of the delivery area and deliver to us at the convention hotel, spoke volumes of their service.  Their food…especially that house made marinara…did the rest of the talking.  Honestly, one of the best sauces I have ever encountered on a pizza.  It was cooked up really well…the toppings were fresh and complimented the sauce, the crust, everything.  I was beyond impressed.

If you are in the Indianapolis or Greenwood area, go by Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza and get a pizza.  Dine in, take out, have it delivered.  Just trust me…you really want to try it.  I was one happy gluten-free pizza loving girl, let me tell you.  And I’ve had a lot of gluten-free pizza in my life.  This one…is definitely near the top of the list.

Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza's Gluten-Free Pizza with Mushrooms, Red Onion and Pineapple
Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza’s Gluten-Free Pizza with Mushrooms, Red Onion and Pineapple
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The best gluten-free food truck, Sweet ‘N’ Savory, gets Cluster Trucked and changes it up…one night only…

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

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

I might have mentioned previously how lucky I am to be in an area that actually has a food truck that is dedicated gluten-free and serving the gluten-free (and non-gluten-free) community amazing food.  Sweet ‘N’ Savory is the food truck I speak of, based out of Louisville, Kentucky and run by the most amazing people, Richard and Ashley Giannini, who chose to open a food truck specializing first and foremost in gluten-free crepes, with the additional inclusion of smoothies, gelato, and coffee.  They are the first and only place to offer gluten-free crepes to the Louisville area.  And, let me tell you, this truck is worth hunting down for those crepes.  Both sweet and savory versions are to die for and made to perfection.  I was hooked on one bite the first time I was ever able to check them out.

You see, Louisville is growing in the foodie world and food trucks are starting to emerge in this city.  Nothing could make me happier!  Honestly.  Especially since I can actually eat at one!  Food trucks are amazing things, and thankfully Louisville has places and events where these food trucks gather and people come and choose between the offered menus…making an easy and fun way to dine out every now and again.  This past weekend, Apocalypse Brew Works hosted yet another food truck gathering…this time called Cluster Trucked.

What is Cluster Trucked?  Well, for one night only, the usual menus offered by Louisville’s finest food trucks got turned upside down.  What these trucks would normally offered weren’t anywhere on the menu.  In fact, they were serving up something unique and different…and it just made for a fun and interesting event.

The usual suspects…the usual menus…then…the Cluster Trucked effect…

  • Holy Mole – Usually serves gourmet tacos – went to serving chicken wings (Pok Pok – Vietnamese fish sauce wings w/ fried garlic; Korean Fried Chicken (Yangnyeom tongdak) – Korean BBQ fried chicken w/ sesame; Salsa Verde – green jalapeno/cilantro w/ queso fresco-green onion sauce; Spicy BBQ – spicy sweet tangy BBQ sauce wings; Traditional Buffalo w/ blue cheese and celery)
  • French Indo Canada – Usually serves a banh mi sandwich from Vietnam and the decadent poutine from Canada – went to serving Indian cuisine (Saag Paneer – curried spinach & mustard greens with fresh cheese; Aloo Gobi – curried potatoes and cauliflower; Tikka Masala – grilled chicken served in a spiced tomato cream sauce; Vegetable Pakoras – onion and cauliflower fritters…all gluten-free, mostly vegetarian and half vegan)
  • Lil Cheezers – Usually serves gourmet grilled cheese – went to serving  hot noodle bowls (choice of Hoisin Beef, Teriyaki Chicken or Sweet Chili Pork, or no protein for vegetarian option, served with Udon noodles with bean sprouts, carrots, pickled cabbage and cilantro, or in a traditional Miso Soup broth….with a gluten-free/vegan option of Banh Pho (rice noodles))
  • Johnny’s Diner Car – Usually serves steak sandwiches and fries – went to serving loaded baked potatoes (“Comfort Food 101” – one pound Idaho Russet Potato with clarified butter, covered in pot roast slow cooked in reduction of Old 502 Winery Bourbon Barrel Red with special seasonings, portabella mushrooms, onions, carrots, garnished with house-made roasted garlic sour cream; “The Elegant” – one pound Idaho Russet Potato with clarified butter, goat cheese crumbles, truffle oil, fresh chives, served with side of house-made roasted garlic sour cream; “The Old Fashion” – one pound Idaho Russet Potato with house-made rosemary/garlic infused butter, fresh grated aged Parmigiano Reggiano, whipped sour cream, fresh chives, and hardwood smoked bacon; “Sweet Potato Sundae” – one pound North Carolina Sweet Potato, clarified butter, special blend of brown sugar, korintje cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ground orange peel, cloves, & ginger, toasted pecans, whipped cream and a cherry)
  • Grind – Usually serves gourmet burgers – went to serving low country food (shrimp & grits, crab cakes, etc) (fresh, never frozen sustainably caught Atlantic shrimp served with cheese grits and a spicy tomato gravy; custom-made Stone Cross Farms andouille sausage with cheese grits and spicy tomato gravy; jumbo lump crab cake served with cheese grits and a spicy tomato gravy with a tangy remoulade)
  • Sweet ‘N’ Savory – usually serves gluten-free crepes, gelato, smoothies, coffee – went to serving gluten-free ravioli and gluten-free cannoli (Shrimp & Crab Ravioli with a Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce; Chicken, Pacetta & Goat Cheese Ravioli with a Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce; Three Cheese Ravioli with Homemade Marinara)

As stated before…my focus was on Sweet ‘N’ Savory…although I could have easily eaten at French Indo Canada as well.  Nice to have the option…but I am loyal to my favorite food truck and it had been forever since I was able to actually eat a hand-made ravioli.  Yes…the prepared all their ravioli options from scratch.  Impressive, yes?  When I placed my order, I got the Three Cheese Ravioli with the Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce (it was the vegetarian option) instead of the Homemade Marinara ($10.00).  I spoke with Richard and Ashley for awhile…anticipating my first real (as in not bought out of the freezer section) ravioli since…I had to go gluten-free, honestly.  I was practically salivating.

The line was getting longer, so I let them get back to work.  I loved seeing their truck flooded with orders.  And everything was made to order, which means nothing was done ahead of time, save the actual making of the ravioli.  These raviolis were dropped into boiling water to cook until they were soft and ready.   They were then finished off in a pan with the sauce.  It took a little while, but I was happy to wait.  Quality food is always worth the wait.  I was watching other orders come up ahead of mine and getting really giddy about the moment they would call my name.

Sweet 'N' Savory's Gluten-Free Three Cheese Ravioli with a Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce
Sweet ‘N’ Savory’s Gluten-Free Three Cheese Ravioli with a Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

It happened and I hurried over to claim my gluten-free ravioli and duck out of the warm sun into a shady spot to enjoy.  My roomie was already devouring her meal.  She opted to go with the chicken wings that Holy Mole offered…and went Korean as an added twist…and was already devouring them.  She had sauce all over herself.  Which meant she was eating them right.  So, with my tummy rumbling and this amazing looking pasta feast in front of me, I was ready to dive in to the eight…yes EIGHT gluten-free ravioli that Sweet ‘N’ Savory prepared.

One bite…and I was almost in tears.  The ravioli was, perhaps, one of the most perfect foods I have ever had the option of eating since going gluten-free.  The pasta was cooked to perfection.  So light, soft, and that perfect al dente that you want.  The cheesy filling was melt-in-your-mouth savory goodness.  Literally, the ravioli just melted against my tongue.  It was the most perfect thing I have eaten in a long time.  And holy ravioli, that red pepper cream sauce…I want that recipe because it was the perfect topping for this ravioli.  Honest to goodness great food.  I gave a ravioli to my roommate to try and she said, “I like your food better!”  HAHA!!  Victory.  We both finished off our meals of choice, me taking my time to just let the various flavors sing across my tongue and taste buds.  It was still gone way too fast.

But…there was also mention of gluten-free cannoli ($4.00).  Now, I like cannoli and haven’t been able to have it in years.  My roommate, however, calls cannoli one of her most favorite desserts to eat…ever.  In fact, if we go to an Italian restaurant or any place that offers cannoli…you better believe she’s getting it for dessert.  We skittered back over to Sweet ‘N’ Savory and placed an order for two of the cannoli.  Ashley got to work on that one as Richard continued to push our the growing number of ravioli orders.  Like I said…I love seeing my favorite food truck so busy.  This is only a good thing.  A short wait later and Ashley was handing over a plate of two fried rolls filled with cream and pistachio, dusted with powdered sugar.  They looked…awesome!!

We got out of the way and each took our dessert in hand.  This was no ordinary cannoli.  The cream on the inside had a fruity flavor…I think it was strawberry.  And they had chocolate bits scattered within it as well.  Nice touch.  It was definitely unexpected.  The pistachios on the outside gave a bit more texture and flavor.  And then…that sweet confectioners sugar…it was the icing on the cake, as it were.  Every bite was just…fantastic.  Crunchy, sweet, and bursting with fresh flavors.  It was my ideal dessert that night.  Nothing could have been better.  Not even ice cream.

I loved that this event happened.   It was so much fun to come out to a Louisville Street Food Alliance event and see the regular food trucks serving up something out of their comfort zone and norm.  It was an absolute blast.  And I loved going around and seeing what each truck did to their menu.  It was definitely a great time.

Thank you, Sweet ‘N’ Savory…for once again providing this vegetarian and gluten-free foodie a food truck option of amazing, homemade, hand-prepared goodness.  Nothing compares to the care, dedication, and love that you put into your business.  Your products reflect it.  I can’t wait to see you next time!

Sweet 'N' Savory's Gluten-Free Cannoli
Sweet ‘N’ Savory’s Gluten-Free Cannoli