Pasta – Page 4 – The Celiathlete

October 12, 2014

Restaurant Review: Pizza Lucé, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Restaurant: Pizza Lucé, Minneapolis, Minnesota

This past week I was in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I was there for a few reasons. To visit with family. To see some friends. And to run/walk the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon. Yes. Run/Walk. Am I ashamed of this? Not at all. This race was a warm-up. A warm up to the race I am running in 3 weeks exactly.

New York City Marathon.

And, as my training schedule was completely killed with my foot injury and then…orthodic problems…I went to Minneapolis not quite certain I’d be able to even run/walk the course. I figured, I could at least spend time with family. On Saturday morning, I was pretty certain the race was off. I went to the expo and hobbled through, getting my race number, buying new shoes, shopping, checking out the vendors and other races that were there…and the more time I was there, the more I wanted to do it. It also helped that my friend Heather was telling me I could do it. Walk the hills. Just walk the hills. And to help, she took me on the tour of the entire race course…and…yeah…I figured I could at least give it a go.

While touring the course, my aunt, Jan, and my cousin, Molly, texted me to find out dinner plans. They know that the night before the race is gluten-free pizza night. And to avoid that horrible mistake that was Pizza Ranch last time I raced in Minneapolis, Cathy did some research before we left. I heard only good things about Pizza Lucé, both on Find Me Gluten Free and in regular reviews. In fact, they are touted as “The Best Pizza In Minneapolis.” So…that had to be good right. We hadn’t thought of reservations, but as there was going to be at least 11 of us there…Molly went ahead and got that arranged.

That evening, at 5 p.m., we showed up at Pizza Lucé on West 66th Street in Richfield, Minnesota. My cousins, their significant others, and the children were all there. My aunt was the last to arrive. But there we were…me, my roomie, my bestie, my family…ready to give this place a try. I don’t think the Pizza Ranch experience will ever be forgotten. We joke about it even now. All of us who endured it.

But, as this place had not only gluten-free, but also vegan options…I was already feeling good about it. We were seated and our drink orders were taken while we looked over the menu. Heather was onboard with splittling with Cathy and I up until I said I needed the vegan cheese. Then, Cathy left it to me to choose what pizza to do (or build our own, which is an option). I was actually torn between a seasonal special or one of the signature pizzas on the menu. I was going back and forth and when I mentioned the Curried Coconut Butternut Squash Pizza (roasted butternut squash whipped with curry and coconut milk and finished with fresh red bell pepper, feta cheese, red onion, pineapple and fresh cilantro) to Cathy, she seemed very unenthusiastic about it. So, I decided to go with my other choice…the Wild Mushroom and Arugula Pizza ($18.89).

While the various orders for each of us (some of us got pizzas, some got pastas)…we all sat around and talked about tons of things. My cousin Molly had a new baby girl that I hadn’t met yet…her two boys were entertaining on the other end of the table. My cousin, Andy, just got married and he and his wife were there…so we talked wedding. We talked running. We talked family. We talked about everything. Literally.

And then…tasty food began arriving.

The Gluten Free Wild Mushroom and Arugula Pizza was set down next to me – a fantastic 10 inch gluten-free crust that was topped off with olive oil, fresh basil, arugula, caramelized onion, garlic, a wild mushroom blend (cirimini, oyster, portabella, and shiitake) and Daiya cheese (vegan!). It looked AMAZING! I mean, my mouth immediately began to water. And it was then that we realized that Heather, Cathy and I totally forgot to grab lunch today. So, yeah…we were ready to dig in.

I served 3 slices, half of the pizza, to Cathy and saved the other half for me.

OH. MY. PIZZA. GOODNESS. This was creamy, crunchy and good! Beyond good. This pizza was so delicious. I love a good white pizza and this went above and beyond what I am used to. It was so creamy because they actually got the Daiya cheese to melt down to a perfect gooey texture. The blend of flavors was classic, with the arugula adding a hit of peppery flavor to the sweetness of the caramelized onion and the earthiness of the mushrooms. I might have devoured every single bit of it. Seriously. Like hoovered it all down. I was so happy with the food here I really considered going back. They, after all, also have a gluten-free stuffed shells on the menu. Pardon me while I drool!

In a heartbeat…I would definitely return to Pizza Lucé in the future. This place beyond impressed me. And I think all of us who survived the disgusting nastiness of Pizza Ranch the year before were grateful to have delicious food and the variety of options that Pizza Lucé offered. If I had been there longer, I would have returned during the rest of my stay in Minneapolis. Seriously…so happy and can’t wait to go back next time I make it to Minneapolis!

Pizza Lucé's Gluten-Free and Vegan Wild Mushroom and Arugula Pizza — Pizza Lucé’s Gluten-Free and Vegan Wild Mushroom and Arugula Pizza

August 26, 2014

Gluten-Free Food Allergy Fest – Indianapolis, Indiana – August 23, 2014

GF Jules and me at the Gluten-Free Food Allergy Fest in Indianapolis, Indiana!

This past Saturday, I had the honor of being able to attend the Gluten Free Food Allergy Fest up in Indianapolis, Indiana. I love going to gluten-free expos and events and Indianapolis seems to always have one at some point during any calendar year. This year was no exception, and I was thrilled to read about the new location for this year’s event – the Indian State Fairgrounds. With all the vendors and exhibitors I saw listed, I knew this year’s event was going to be HUGE! I was not let down at all.One of the magazines I currently subscribe to, Gluten Free & More (formerly Living Without), was putting on the Living Without Gluten-Free Food Allergy Fest in various cities this year as a way to show those with food allergies and/or sensitivities that we can live life without deprivation and missing out on delicious food. It was a coming together of the magazine, as well as over a hundred of their favorite exhibitors to celebrate living well. And it was open to anyone who wanted to stop in.

Tickets went on sale and, as a subscriber, I received a free entry, and then received a discount code for another ticket…so I had Cathy taken care of as well. So, on Saturday morning, we ate a light breakfast before climbing into the car and hauling up to Indianapolis. We timed it perfectly because we burned through our breakfast just as we got up there, about 30 minutes after it officially opened.

And…there was already a line waiting to get in.

Oh…that made me happy, indeed.

It was a hot summer day already and standing outside in the blazing sun didn’t sound like too much fun…but it wasn’t going to be a long wait. Just about 5 minutes, at the most. And while standing in line, I got to listen to people who have done expos like this before (like me) describe the events and how things work to the first timers. I even got to geek out over favorite products and the like for a few moments. I love making gluten-free friends!

Before we knew it, we were inside the doors, in the air conditioning, and getting the tickets scanned. We were given blue wristbands to wear (for re-entry purposes and to show we paid!). Cathy and I put them on and headed into the expo proper. We were greeted at the door by people passing out reusable shopping bags from Glutino (a personal favorite!). Perfect for all the samples and products you are bound to pick up and buy.

Trust me, you don’t walk out of these events empty-handed.

Cathy and I decided that we were going to be systematic about our approach to each table/vendor/aisle. We’d start on one side and then work our way up, then come back down the other side. This was a good plan in theory, and we decided to start in the middle aisle to avoid the congestion of the end aisles. We soon found out…no matter what…it was just hopping and congested. People were surrounding tables, getting free samples, trying products, trying local baked goods, and the like. So, we ditched our original systematic plan for the…let’s just see what there is and wriggle into open areas when we can.

We’re pros. HA!

That being said, we began our Gluten-Free Food Allergy Fest at the Glutino/Udi’s/Earth Balance booth, which was giving out samples of Udi’s Gluten-Free Salted Caramel Cashew Cookies as well as Glutino’s Gluten-Free Multigrain English Muffins, schmeared with Earth Balance Creamy Coconut and Peanut Spread. It was all crazy, crazy delicious. I actually have the Glutino English Muffins in my freezer, I just haven’t tried them yet. Now…I know buying them wasn’t a mistake at all. They were delicious. And that Earth Balance Creamy Coconut and Peanut Spread…out-of-this-world good!

And from there…it only got better. We made a point to stop by each vendor’s table and talk to them about their products, if we had tried them. If we hadn’t…we would ask all about them. I made a point of raving to the Pamela’s Product people about the Figgies & Jammies. Because they are awesome and worthy of praise. I talked to the Hodgson Mills representative and when I mentioned being a food blogger he said to reach out to the Hodgson Mills team anytime. I was told the same thing by various other vendors as well. And one local vendor who was selling the most amazing bar-b-que sauce and seasoning (which we purchased) said to tag her on Facebook when I use their products so they can read my blog. I was having a great time.

I think, though, the best moment had to come at the Freedom Foods table. Because, as many of you are aware, Freedom Foods only makes my favorite gluten-free cereal, Tropic-O’s. NOM NOM! I can’t find this cereal here anymore, since my Whole Foods stopped carrying it, so my parents ship it to me from Birmingham, Alabama. We have a system down. But, recently, they put out a gluten-free, dairy-free, and not-free version of Nutella…which I fell in love with. My local Kroger is the only place that had it…and I bought the last jar of it a few weeks ago. It has never been restocked. So…I stocked up on some Quinoa Pancake Mix, lots of “Smudge” (that’s the Nutella stuff!), and a few other products to try, all the time raving about how much I love their products and how they honestly care about what ingredients go into all of their stuff. It didn’t hurt that the guy at the table had a New Zealand/Australian accent. HELLO! I actually ended up going back to the table before leaving that day and buying 4 more jars of Smudge. I hadn’t opened the one I had at home for fear I would never find it again. Now…it’s on!

I was able to sample some of the best gluten-free Snickerdoodles I have ever eaten. And this pasta that was made from lentils that tasted exactly like regular pasta…but I couldn’t afford the hefty price tag on it. Unfortunately. It was nice to sample it, however. At the very back of the building, for those over 21, was the gluten-free cider/beer tasting area. There was so much food and samples…so I was glad we ate light. And Cathy and I have a system down…where we split a sample so we aren’t filling up on our own. It always works at these events.

However, I have to say the greatest moment ever was when I finally got to meet GF Jules in person. GF Jules (formerly Jules Gluten Free) was one of the first Celiac/Gluten-Free bloggers/recipe makers/amazing people I started to follow on social media after my diagnosis. While I have been to events where she has been present, I have never been able to actually meet her. That changed. We discovered that we were food allergy soul sisters, both of us being vegetarian Celiacs who also can’t handle dairy. Go figure. She was so nice and just so easy to talk with. I picked up one of her cookbooks, which she signed, and she was kind enough to take a picture with me. I might have geeked out a little bit. Or a lot. You know how it goes…

And soon, after a couple hours of tasting, testing, buying, talking, and exploring, our time at the expo drew to a close. We were going to meet our friend, Greg, for lunch that day, so we bid adieu to the fantastic event and made our way out to the car.

This event was probably the best one I have attended so far. Great people, great vendors, great information all around. And I came home with samples and products to try in the very near future. Can’t argue with that, right? Right!

I hope they return next year. I’m already making plans to attend. If one of these events happens near you…I definitely encourage you to go!

July 28, 2014

Product Review: Domata Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix

Gluten Free Foccacia Bread made with Domata Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix

Product: Domata Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix – $7.99+

It’s no secret…I love pizza. Pizza, to me, is the perfect food. Honestly. Some people would probably disagree…but, I ignore them. Because every thing that is right and good in this world…can happen on a pizza. Pizza is a basic staple in my diet, especially the night before a big race. I just have found that if I eat pizza before a half marathon or marathon (or, hell, even the shorter distances), I seem to run better. I don’t know if it’s all just in my head, or if I have found that magic food that offers that perfect balance of protein, carbs, and fats that fuel my body on the long run.

Regardless…I love my pizza. I love to make pizza and order pizza. Around here, there are quite a few places in Louisville, Kentucky that offer gluten-free pizza. And I love them for that. On this side of the river, options are definitely more limited. Therefore, I usually end up making my own (on the best gluten-free pizza crust ever…from Annie May’s Sweet Cafe – here in Louisville, Kentucky) or purchasing a frozen one (usually Udi’s, Ian’s, Glutino, or even Daiya). That’s if I’m not planning on pizza that day. Otherwise, I normally will head to Annie May’s Sweet Café on Friday or Saturday (pizza day’s) or hit up one of the restaurants around the area that offer gluten-free pizza…but I have to feel safe eating there, and that narrows down the possibilities.

That being said, on a recent trip to Columbus, Ohio, I made a stop by the infamous natural food store I have come to love…Raisin Rack. In the aisle with various baking flours, I spotted this red and white box with bold black lettering. It really stuck out and, therefore, it drew my attention. It turned out to be the Pizza Crust Mix from Domata, a company owned by David and Julie Madison, who understand how difficult a gluten-free diet can be, and also believe in the importance of affordable gluten-free foods. They kept this in mind when they created their gluten-free flour mixes: Recipe Ready Flour, Pizza Crust Mix, and their Seasoned Flour. These flours are easy to work with too. The recipe ready is a cup-for-cup exchange on all recipes and the pizza crust mix…well…I’ll get into that. These products are made in a dedicated gluten-free and nut-free manufacturing facility, so there is no worries about cross contamination. And Domata does pride itself on using all natural ingredients with nothing artificial. I appreciate that too.

Ironically, I didn’t use this mix to make pizza crust. Not this time, anyway. This time, I used it to make the recipe for Gluten Free Foccacia Bread that is listed on the box. Because, I was in Columbus, Ohio, visiting my friend Jenn…and we were making pasta for dinner. Foccacia bread is a great side to have with gluten-free pasta…so that evening, after a busy day of shopping around town (and hitting up Raisin Rack for more goodies), she and I got busy in her kitchen, prepping this super-easy recipe for gluten-free foccacia.

The great thing about the Domata Gluten Free Pizza Drust Mix is that all you need to do is add water. It’s that simple. Put it in a mixer and blend the dough. It will be sticky. That’s why you turn it out onto a floured surface. Jenn and I skipped this step because…eh…we didn’t want to mess with it. So, using our oiled fingers, we spread the dough out in the baking pan and gave it a little brush of olive oil and seasoned it with the garlic powder and dried oregano that the recipe on the box suggests. Super simple. Into the oven it went to bake for 20 minutes. We started to prep the water to cook the gluten-free noodles in and got out the marinara sauce for the noodles and, of course, to mop up with the bread. When the noodles were in, the bread came out to get a dusting of Parmesan cheese…then it was back in the oven for another 5 minutes. The noodles finished up. They were drained and properly sauced (the Italian way), and dished up. The bread was set on the table to rip into (instead of slicing it into strips) as we wanted to get as much as we wanted. Dinner was served.

I have to say…I was very impressed with the quality and flavor of the Foccacia bread that we baked with the Domata Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix. It wasn’t too heavy or dense and it browned up beautifully. The herbs that we scattered throughout the dough and on top brought a nice pop of flavor. And the bread itself was airy and light, rather than the kind that feels heavy and sits like a lump in your stomach. The crispy outside gave way to a soft middle, which was bread perfection, if you ask me. I have enough of the mix left to do a pizza crust with and I think I might do that sometime this week or next…just to see how well it works in pizza crust form. But as a flour to make Gluten Free Foccacia bread…Domata totally wins. It was delicious!

When Domata exclaims that “life is hard enough, baking gluten free shouldn’t be”…they hit the nail on the head. This flour requires no time to rise. It’s straight from the mixer to the pan to the oven to the table to the plate to the stomach. It is fantastic and so easy!! We all (me…the Celiac, and my two non-gluten-free compatriots, Cathy (the roomie) and Jenn (the hostess with the mostest!)) agreed that it made a very tasty and highly acceptable loaf of gluten-free foccacia bread. Definitely impressed with the flavor, the lightness, and the texture. I’d purchase this again in a heartbeat. I mean, come on…you just add water!!!! It doesn’t get easier than that!

So, let’s talk ingredients for a moment. The Domata Gluten Free Pizza Dough Mix is a blend of rice flour, corn starch, tapioca dextrim, nonfat dry milk, whole egg, sugar, salt, xanthan gum, baking powder, soybean oil, and rice extract. It is gluten-free, nut-free, and kosher.

Nutritionally speaking, a serving of Domata Gluten Free Pizza Dough Mix is 1/4 cup. In this serving you will be taking in 150 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. This serving will also be giving you 30 mg cholesterol, 460 mg sodium, and 2 grams of sugar. In addition, you will be taking in 1 gram of fiber and 3 grams of protein. Not bad for a pizza crust or pan of foccacia bread, right? Especially when it’s gluten-free. Because so often the calories and fat go way, way, way up in gluten-free items such as this.

Impressive!

I am definitely more than willing to try the other two flours and purchase the Domata Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix again. Honestly. I was impressed with how easy it was to make the bread with and how delicious each bite turned out to be. If this holds true for their Seasoned Flour and their Recipe Ready Flour…you might just have me sold on it for life…simply for simplicity. HA!! But let’s not forget, it also bakes up into something amazing and totally delicious. I want to make more foccacia bread. I want to make pizza crust. I just want to bake it all and see how this flour fares against others I have used…including my current favorite.

Only time will tell…but this was a winning flour mix in my book!

July 20, 2014

Product Review: Biaglut Pasta Senza Glutine Bucatini

Product: Biaglut Pasta Senza Glutine Bucatini – $5.50+

That’s a mouthful, isn’t it? Wow. But…it is one that is worth attempting to say (preferably with an Italian accent). Because what we honestly and truly have here is the finest, best, and closest-you’ll-ever-get-to-the-real-thing gluten-free pasta. I raved about Biaglut a long while back…a couple years ago, when I reviewed the Biaglut Maccheroncini (Elbows). I even had another one of their pasta offerings, but didn’t blog on it. I think I was overwhelmed with blogging and thought, “gluten-free pasta is pasta…what more can I say about it?”

I’m actually really sad that my thought process went that way. And here’s why…

Biaglut honestly is the best gluten-free pasta out on the market. It’s not easy to find. But if you do find it…or if you can order it online, I honestly encourage you do to so. It is amazing. It has the texture and taste of “real” pasta. Nobody would even suspect that it was gluten-free. That goes for all three varieties that I have now tried.

This latest round of gluten-free pasta a lá Biaglut was brought to me by the amazing Cuisine Cube. My June box contained this sack of amazing pasta. And since I’ve been out of town, I haven’t gotten to play around with my bin ingredients lately. But that changed. That changed last night when I decided to do up some pasta…but in a different way. I still have a pantry of various pastas to use…but the Biaglut was right there and I really wanted to attempt this one with a “spaghetti” type noodle. And since Cuisine Cube sent me some Bucatini in my box…I was ready to rock and roll!

My recipe involved very little. A Gluten-Free and Vegan Caprese Spaghetti, as it were. So, what I did was slice up two tomatoes and lay them on a baking sheet. I covered each slice with a slice of Teese vegan mozzarella cheese. Then, I put it in the oven for about 20 minutes, allowing the cheese to get melty and good. While that was baking…I got some water into a big pot and set it on the stove to bring to a boil. Once it was there, I put 4 ounces of the Biaglut Pasta Senza Glutine Bucatini into the water (a serving for both my roomie and myself) and let it begin to cook. The bag said it would take around 7-8 minutes to get to that perfect al dente. I gave it a stir every now and again, but just let the boiling water work it’s magic. And, wouldn’t you know it? Seven minutes later…the Bucatini was cooked perfectly. I drained it and began to assemble my pasta…

A serving of Biaglut Pasta Senza Glutine Bucatini (cooked)

Bucatini…a drizzle of olive oil, topped off with the slices of tomato with the melted vegan mozzarella, a sprinkle of fresh basil, and then a drizzle of a red wine reduction. Dinner was served.

So, bucatini gets their name from the Italian word, “buco,” or “hole.” It is similar in shape to spaghetti, but the hole allows water to enter as it boils, speeding up the cooking time and also making it ideal for slurping up your favorite sauce. Naturally, then, I make a pasta dish without a sauce. HA!

Let me tell you though, Biaglut knows what it’s doing. Honestly. This pasta had a great texture and amazing flavor. It worked so well with the slices of tomato, the vegan cheese, the fresh basil, and the red wine reduction. It just…came together in perfect harmony. The pasta was actually ideal, despite there not being a true sauce on this dish. It actually made me realize how much I missed eating spaghetti. Especially one that actually felt like I was eating spaghetti and not bits of spaghetti brown rice noodles that turned to mush despite not being overcooked. It was a very nice change and made for one of my favorite meals. Sometimes getting creative in the kitchen and having it come out perfectly means…having the right base for said dish. Biaglut was just that. And I am, once again, forever going to sing high praises for this product.

Biaglut products are made from the finest gluten-free ingredients with authentic Italian recipes. This company isn’t playing around. The Biaglut team has worked for years to perfect the recipes for their gluten-free products to have them taste like, if not better than, that of the comparable gluten containing products. They believe that gluten-free products shouldn’t mean sacrificing taste and flavor.

So, while on this subject…let’s take a look at what goes into the Giaglut Pasta Senza Glutine Bucatini, shall we? The ingredients include: cornstarch, potato flour, lupin flour, lupin proteins, and mono and diglycerides (emulsifier). Very few ingredients. And all of them, when put together, create the ideal gluten-free pasta. Just take my word on this one.

As for nutrition, a serving of Biaglut Pasta Senza Glutine Bucatini is 2 ounces. This serving provides 190 calories and 1 gram of fat. In addition, this serving gives you 15 mg sodium and less than 1 gram of sugar. This pasta is cholesterol free. You also get 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein.

Biaglut, honestly, is top of the line when it comes to gluten-free pastas. If you can find these and/or order this brand, I highly encourage it. You’ll never find this pasta to turn to mush or fall apart. Biaglut’s quality is worth the price it takes to have this pasta in your pantry. You’ll never go back to other brands. I promise you that much.

Gluten-Free Caprese Spaghetti made with Biaglut Pasta Senza Glutine Bucatini

July 17, 2014

Product Review: Mrs. Leeper’s Gluten Free Cheeseburger Mac

Product: Mrs. Leeper’s Gluten Free Cheeseburger Mac – $5.29+

Okay…I know what you are thinking. How can a vegetarian possibly consume a product that is called “Cheeseburger Mac?” Well…there are a couple of different ways to go about it. Gluten-Free Soy Crumbles. Gluten-Free TVP. Or…the way I handled it…adding Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Soy Chorizo.

Because when you have to make a vegetarian version of a Cheeseburger Mac…you might as well do it up with something spicy and different. Right? RIGHT!

So…here’s the story. Recently, a bunch of items went on closeout at a local grocery store. I’d been meaning to try some of the Mrs. Leeper’s products, but just never found a reason to pay for them. While not overly priced as far as gluten-free products go…all need to have some sort of meat added to them. Originally, I imagined I could just cook up some tofu and substitute it for the lean beef in this recipe.

But…being that I’m on a tight and strict food budget these days…I had to go with something in house. Something I already had. And in my refrigerator, calling to me from my shelf…was Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Soy Chorizo (IT’S BACK!). BINGO! Not that I needed to use this product up just yet…but two weeks in a row without my CSA bin has left me sifting and sorting through things in my pantry and freezer. And I figured there was no time like the present to make this one up. Especially since I had a substitute for the meat already in my apartment.

After another long, stressful, and busy day at the office, I was quite happy with coming home to cook this up. Why? Because it literally takes 15 minutes to make. That’s it. Super easy…and not finicky. You don’t need to stand over it the entire time it’s cooking. So, I was able to get a few other things accomplished while it worked away on the stove. Brilliant.

Making Mrs. Leeper’s Gluten Free Cheeseburger (or Soy Chorizo, in my case) Mac is super easy. First…add your protein. Whether it’s a lean meat, tofu, tvp, soy crumbles, or soy chorizo (if you like a little spice!)…get that working in a pan. I got out a skillet and heated up the soy chorizo for a couple of minutes, then poured in 1-1/2 cups of hot water and 1-3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk. The sauce packet was then poured in and all I had to do was stir it all together and let it come back up to a boil. Once that happened, I poured in the pasta and gave it another stir. I reduced the heat, covered it and let it simmer for 13 minutes, stirring occasionally. The pasta actually did tenderize really quickly, so I was actually very impressed. Once the pasta reached that perfect al dente…I removed the skillet from the heat, uncovered it, and let it sit for around 2 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.

Dinner was ready.

I dished this meal up into 4 portions, two for tonight for my roomie and myself and two for tomorrow (hey…dinner’s already prepared…just needs to be reheated!). And we settled in for our meal while watching Chopped. Because…that’s how we roll.

One bite…and I was blown away. What great flavors. It’s like the best, warming, delicious comfort food. The rice pasta cooked up beautifully, not getting mushy and falling apart, but standing up to, not only the chorizo, but also the sauce. I loved the heat that the soy chorizo brought to the dish. The textures were perfect. And the flavors just all worked together. I loved that I was able to lighten it up using unsweetened almond milk. This does have some dairy in it…but I cut it where I could. I found this dish to be a throwback to a German dish a babysitter made for me when I was younger. It was fantastic. And I found myself savoring each forkful. I’m excited I get to eat it again tomorrow.

Let’s talk ingredients, shall we? Mrs. Leeper’s Gluten Free Cheeseburger Mac is made from brown rice pasta. The sauce is made with whey, modified corn starch, tomato powder, nonfat dry milk, onion powder, sugar, salt, rice flour, autolyzed yeast, natural butter flavor, natural flavor, garlic powder, citric acid, extractives of turmeric and annatto, paprika, caramel color, and not more than 2% silicon dioxide added to prevent caking. So…not great…but not bad either.

Let’s talk nutrition. A serving of Mrs. Leeper’s Gluten Free Cheeseburger Mac is 1 cup prepared. As packaged, without adding your protein, and your milk of choice, this serving provides you with 170 calories and 0.5 grams of fat. A serving will also give you 480 mg sodium and 7 grams of sugar. It is cholesterol free. And, in addition, you will be getting 2 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. It’s filling without being overly filling. And once you add in all your milk and proteins of choice…that all changes.

Oh…I was really surprised and quite impressed with Mrs. Leeper’s Gluten Free Cheeseburger Mac. I modified it as much as I could to fit my diet and really loved how it turned out in the end. Really delicious…a hint of spice…great texture. And a happy belly when all was said and done. Now, I can’t wait to try more of the Mrs. Leeper’s boxed meals for something quick and easy to prepare. And it’s so adaptable. This would be good even without the protein. And I may have to try one of them like that. Or return to this one and see how it compares. As it is…the Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Soy Chorizo was a great fit for the protein. The zesty cheese sauce played beautifully with it. I was so happy with my dinner tonight, which, after my rough day at the office…was just what I needed. Beyond impressed.

July 8, 2014

Product Review: Miracle Noodle Garlic and Herb Fettucine

Product: Miracle Noodle Garlic and Herb Fettuccine – $3.49+

Ah…my dear Cuisine Cube. You’ve brought so much understanding and…great products into my life. And I’ve only been subscribing to you for three months now (my July cube should arrive tomorrow or Thursday, I believe!). While sometimes I receive products I have heard of or tried, there are other times I get products that I’ve looked at…wondered if it was worth trying…and put back on the shelf at the grocery store, either out of fear that I’ll waste my money…or out of not being able to expand the budget.

That was the case with Miracle Noodle. We have these in our local stores. I’ve spotted them at Meijer and at Whole Foods. I’ve probably spotted them a few other places as well. But…I never bought them. Why not? They were really no different than the Shirataki Noodles I used to buy and prepare. And, it took a couple of tries for me to get used to the texture…but they weren’t…awful. They weren’t bad. And once I got the hang of how to cook them…they weren’t a bad substitute.

Not one bit.

But I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t make myself purchase the little water and noodle-filled bags on the shelf at my grocery stores. I just…couldn’t.

But Cuisine Cube changed all of that.

I initially had other plans for dinner tonight, but then I found a recipe for corn tacos…which I need some ingredients for in order to fix…so it was time for another plan. I recalled my May Cuisine Cube had the Miracle Noodle Garlic and Herb Fettuccine noodles in it, and they were currently taking up residence in my pantry. This would be a great time to break them out…especially since I had some marinara sauce in the fridge and some vegan and gluten-free garlic bread (from my local bakery, Annie May’s Sweet Café) in the freezer. Dinner was saved.

Shiratake Pasta (Miracle Noodle) is made from the root of a plant called the konnyaku imo and is known for its health benefits for 2000 years in China and Japan. Shirataki is made from the soluble fiber of the plant and is remarkably low in calories. Like…for real! And, these noodles will absorb the flavor of any sauce or dish that you add them to. They are little noodle-y ninjas.

Miracle Noodle Garlic & Herb Fettuccine (drained and rinsed)

So, I immediately got the bread in the oven and while it was baking for 20 minutes, I got to work on the noodles. The Miracle Noodles are encased in a plastic sack that is filled with water. I cut it open and poured the noodles into a strainer. They smelled horrible. Fish-like. I remembered that from the Shirataki Noodles…but I had forgotten how pungent that scent initially was. But, it goes away. The noodles were given a 15-20 second bath under cold water and then placed into a pot of boiling water, simply to blanch them…only for a minute. Then, drain them again and place on paper towels, removing as much water as humanly possible. From here…you place them in a pan, heat them until they are dry, and then add them to your dish. In this case…the marinara sauce I had working on the stove top. Heat through…and serve.

Easy.

And…much to my genuine surprise…these were really good. One of my biggest obstacles with the Shiratake Noodles was the texture. Just rubbery and gummy and just…not pasta-like. I didn’t get that texture with Miracle Noodle. Not at all. I loved the texture of these noodles. They almost had that fresh pasta bite to them. Almost. And the flavor was amazing. This was the Garlic and Herb variety and it brought great flavor to the dish itself. No need to add any spices to the dish…these noodles did it for you. They tasted really good. To the point where I said I wanted to purchase them again…because I wanted to! Go figure! Never saw that one coming. I love pleasant surprises like that.

So, let’s first talk ingredients. The Miracle Noodle Garlic and Herb Fettuccine are made from purified water, konnyaku, garlic and herb mix, and calcium hydroxide. So…not completely free of “chemical” sounding things, but not bad either. Miracle Noodle Garlic and Herb Fettuccine is soy free, gluten free and cholesterol free.

Impressed? Wait until you read these nutrition facts! The Miracle Noodle Garlic and Herb Fettuccine contains two servings in each pouch. Each serving contains 15 calories and are fat-free. They have no cholesterol, as mentioned above, contain 5 mg sodium, and contain no sugar. These noodles have only 3 grams of carbs per serving. And they have 2 grams of fiber and no protein. So, they won’t fill you up, but they are a great low-calorie substitute for pasta. Guilt-free pasta!! That’s what I’m talking about. I’m a carb fiend…so sometimes a low-carb options is good to institute into my food regimen.

I was really set to dislike Miracle Noodle…but these were really amazing. The Garlic and Herb flavor of the noodles was a nice match to the plain marinara. The texture was perfect. And dinner was a low-carb, low calorie, delicious meal in the end. Beyond impressed and ready to add Miracle Noodle to more dishes in the future.

Thank you, again, Cuisine Cube.

Oh…and if you haven’t checked out Cuisine Cube yet…click here. You might want to subscribe yourself!

Miracle Noodle Garlic and Herb Fettuccine (with marinara)

July 7, 2014

Product Review: Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Lasagna

Product: Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Lasagna – $3.29

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Lasgana (frozen)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Lasagna (cooked)

June 22, 2014

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

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

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

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

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

That being said…

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

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

Ingredients for Pesto:

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

Ingredients for Pasta:

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

Directions:

Make the pesto.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Serve!

~*~*~

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

Give it a shot. I hope you like it!

June 22, 2014

Product Review: Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Ravioli

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

Product: Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Ravioli – $3.29

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I might have hoovered my portion…

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

Seriously??! Yep. Seriously.

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

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

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

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

I love you for it.

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

June 21, 2014

Product Review: Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls

Product: Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls – $7.49+

Thank you, dearest Raisin Rack, in Columbus, Ohio. Because ever since I heard of the debut of the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Ciabatta Rolls…I’d been wanting to try them out. I used to get samples of their products all the time…but that has sort of stopped in the past year. Too bad, I loved being able to try out products that take forever to make it to my area. While Louisville, Kentucky is quite the foodie mecca, it still lags behind at times when it comes to gluten-free foods in the grocery stores. Even the most dedicated of natural food stores around here (and we have plenty) don’t get in these products for what seems like a year from their debut.

BUT…

Apparently, Raisin Rack, up where my friend Jenn lives near Columbus, Ohio…is quite the opposite.

On a visit there awhile back…I was given the task of filling up a nice basket of products that I haven’t seen before…or have wanted to try…but are not always readily available in our area. I took to this task with a gleam in my eye and products on the mind. And just as my basket was full…I wandered past a freezer at the end of an aisle and glanced down to the bottom…only to see…Rudi’s Gluten-Free Ciabatta Rolls…both types: Original and Rosemary and Olive Oil.

I gave my roomie the gluten-free doe eyes of puppy dog pleading…and she relented and let me add one to the already full basket I was hauling around the store. I opted for the Rosemary and Olive Oil variety because…um…yum! Jenn was helping me Tetris the products so more could get in there. HA! Brilliant.

However, with a fantastic, local, allergen-free bakery in my city…I sometimes don’t get to bread-y things in my freezer for some time. And can you blame me? Well…despite a stop at the bakery this morning…tonight when I was cooking up some zucchini noodle pasta with portobello mushrooms and a garlic marinara sauce with homemade basil pesto…I figured…with the low carbness (is that a word? It is now…) of the meal itself, I would go ahead and give the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls a try. Seemed like a good time to do so!

So…while Germany and Ghana draw in their World Cup match…I began making ribbons of zucchini with my mandolin slicer…chopping up huge portobello mushroom caps…and making my own vegan basil pesto with the pesto Cathy and I are growing on our balcony. As I got the portobello mushrooms into a sauté pan to begin cooking and sweating out…I got out the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls and plucked two from the package. They were actually light and airy…not what I was expecting at all. But…hell…the only other gluten-free ciabatta rolls I’ve had are Schar’s…and they are really good.

Rudi's Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls (frozen) — Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls (frozen)

I preheated the oven to 400°F and placed the rolls on a baking sheet. Once the oven was properly warmed…into the oven the rolls went for 10 minutes. That gave me ample time to not only watch the end of the World Cup match, but also get the zucchini noodles in the pan with some olive oil…add the mushrooms back in…season…add the sauce…and get it all together. They rolls finished up just as I was finishing up placing the zucchini pasta into bowls and polishing it all up with my homemade pesto.

I pulled the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls from the oven. They didn’t look much different from when I put them in the oven…maybe a little more golden…hard to say. But…they smelled fantastic. I’m a huge fan of rosemary…and so is Cathy. We each got one roll and a bowl of my made-only-with-veggies “pasta” dish and dinner was served.

While we watched “The Supersizers Go…Seventies” we indulged in our own meal…thankful we weren’t eating the tinned and powdered rubbish the people in England ate in the Seventies. Real food here. With a side of one simple gluten-free roll.

The Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil are really…really good. Honestly. They may not look like much, but one bite…and you’ll be sold too. The outside of the roll gets that nice crusty, crunchy crust on it. But the inside…still soft and doughy and just…mmmm. I think Cathy would normally melt some butter inside and dig in. But we had pasta…and this sort of bread is great for sucking up the last bit of sauce. And when your noodles are made from zucchini…you tend to have some sauce…or at least some veggies to pile on top. The bread was amazing. I was actually very impressed because, while rosemary is one of my favorite spices…it can overwhelm and overpower quite easily. Not here. They use just the right amount so that you get the flavor without it taking over your palate. Oh, I hope we get these soon in our stores around here. Otherwise…next time I visit Jenn in Columbus, I am taking a cooler…ice packs…and stocking up!

Ciabatta with herbs and olive oil…awesome. And without all the hassle of making up a flour blend that works with this sort of bread and doing it myself. LOVE IT!!

So, let’s talk ingredients. One thing I love about Rudi’s Gluten-Free products is that they use real ingredients…no junk…no chemicals. It holds true with their Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls too. The ingredients are: water, potato extract, tapioca starch, rice flour, rice starch, evaporated cane juice (cane sugar), egg white, yeast, sea salt, xanthan gum, olive oil, rosemary, sodium bicarbonate, garlic powder, natural enzymes.

As for nutrition…I love these stats. A serving of the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls is one roll. With this one roll, you will be consuming 70 calories and 0 grams of fat. YES…FAT FREE!! While on the subject of fat, you won’t find saturated or trans-fats in these rolls either. LOVE. One roll provides 170 mg sodium and 1 gram of sugar. LOVE THIS! Oh…and they are cholesterol free too! Non-GMO. And you will be taking in 1 gram of protein…but these rolls have no fiber. So don’t make a meal out of these…they won’t leave you feeling full.

I’ve always been a huge fan of the products that Rudi’s Gluten-Free has out on the market. It’s the sandwich bread that I purchase each week. It’s the wraps I purchase to make tacos or the like. And now…it’s the rolls I serve at dinner. Because when a company cares that much about the quality of their food…it shows. Gluten-free foods are a science, but when done correctly…they can knock your foodie socks off.

My feet are bare.

HA!

Rudi’s Gluten-Free…another stellar product!! Thank you for making dinner rolls so delicious!

Rudi's Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls (baked) — Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls (baked)