Pasta – Page 5 – The Celiathlete

June 15, 2014

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

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

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

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

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

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

But, I digress with the muffin.

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

Gluten-Free and Vegan Garlic Bread.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

May 8, 2014

Product Review: Maplegrove Gluten Free Foods Pastato Mac & Cheeze

Product: Maplegrove Gluten Free Foods Pastato Mac & Cheeze – $3.49+

So, I went on an excursion to Jungle Jim’s in Cincinnati, Ohio, while my friend Indy was in town. Why? Because when you are a foodie, you have to go to Jungle Jim’s. And…Indy is honestly a foodie! I mean…if I was asked which of my friends is the most epicurean…Indy would be my answer. She and her husband, Evan, both love food and trying different things.

One other thing that I love about my visits to Jungle Jim’s…is that they have one of the most extensive gluten-free sections. Seriously. I am in heaven. And while I always do get to treat myself to items at Jungle Jim’s…the problem is keeping it within a budget. So, I normally look for items that I can’t find anywhere else. So, as I was perusing the gluten-free aisles, trying to make good decisions when these colorful boxes with animals on them caught my attention.

Hmmm…never saw those before.

At closer glance, I realized it was a line of macaroni and cheese boxed meals by a company called Maplegrove Gluten Free Foods, Inc. Never heard of them before. Even more intriguing…some of the pasta was made from brown rice flour, some from white rice flour…but the ones that really got my attention…potato.

Yes. Potato pasta! After trying to decide if I wanted yellow or white cheese (I consulted the roomie and she voted for the Kraft yellow cheese), a box of the potato pasta mac and cheese found its way into the cart…and the shopping continued in the mecca that is Jungle Jim’s.

As I was without this week to give me fresh produce to play around with, I’ve been making items out of my pantry and fridge and freezer. Well…after making spaghetti last night, I needed to figure out something for dinner tonight. I started naming off some items that we had and immediately Cathy wanted mac and cheese. So, I pulled down the Maplegrove Gluten Free Foods Pastato Mac & Cheeze box and had it ready for when we got home from work.

After a long day, I’m kind of glad she was so set on a boxed meal. As much as I hate cooking from boxes these days, sometimes it is a necessary evil. And the best part is…these noodles cook up fast. No 15 minute boiling periods. Just fill up a pan with about 3 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Pour in the pasta and let it cook for, wait for it, 3.5 minutes. Yep…that’s all. Three and a half minutes (and it won’t feel like a lifetime…Better Than Ezra fans…do you hear me? HA!). Seriously, it was done cooking before I even had the almond milk and vegan butter out. HA! Love it. I drained it (no rinsing!) then put it back into the warm pan, added the butter and milk and then the packet of cheese powder. I stirred it all together until it was combined and…BAM! Dinner was ready. I split it between the two of us and we settled in to eat, while watching Food Network. It’s what we do!

I’m going to be honest…it was actually really good. The potato pasta cooked up quickly and to perfection. It wasn’t gummy and it didn’t fall apart either. In fact, it held together perfectly and got to the right tenderness to satisfy any pasta lover. So easy. Each noodle was coated with the cheese “sauce” that is made up in the pan and incorporated with the drained noodles. I think my only complaint here is that it wasn’t cheesy enough for me. I mean…it had flavor…but I am so used to making homemade gluten-free mac and cheese with a sharp cheddar flavor or something with bite…that this…just didn’t hit the wow on the cheese flavor. It was there, just not as much as I usually like. Other than that, what a great and fast meal. It had great texture and good flavor (just not enough of it!) and it was quite filling too. I’d buy this again and have it on hand for a quick meal in a heartbeat!

So, let’s discuss the ingredients in Maplegrove Gluten Free Foods Pastato Mac & Cheeze. Incorporated in this box of processed easy goodness you will find…potato flour, rice flour, quinoa flour, ground flax, psyllium husks, organic whey, organic cheddar cheese powder, organic corn starch, and salt. There are some other vitamins and minerals too…but they are too tedious to list out. HA! This pasta is processed in a dedicated gluten-free facility and the company does not use any ingredients that contain gluten, so cross contamination is not an issue. My only complaint was that with the misspelling of the word “cheese” I thought this was dairy-free. But…it wasn’t. And with me being lactose intolerant…this isn’t necessary a good thing. Minor detail.

Nutritionally speaking, the Gluten Free Pastato Mac & Cheeze isn’t too bad. A serving size is 2 ounces…and it is a 5 ounce box. Split between Cathy and I, we each had 1.25 servings. But, if sticking to the serving size…you will be consuming 169 calories and 1 gram of fat. This serving will provide you with 3 mg cholesterol, 152 mg sodium, and only 2 grams of sugar. That’s fantastic for a boxed pasta. You will also have 6 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein. Yes…you will feel full! Trust me.

If you need a quick meal that is easy to prepare, good to eat, and actually very nutritionally sound…I encourage you to seek out and consume Maplegrove Gluten Free Foods Pastato Mac & Cheeze. Potato pasta forever, my friends!! Seriously…you will love it. And if it isn’t cheesy enough for you…toss in some nutritional yeast or (if you aren’t lactose intolerant…some stronger cheese) until it suits you.

Thank you, Maplegrove Gluten Free Foods…for this fantastic little gift from the potato pasta gods! My life has been changed!

Maplegrove Gluten Free Foods Pastato Mac & Cheeze (prepared)

May 6, 2014

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Enjoy!!

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

March 14, 2014

Recipe: Gluten-Free Pasta with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes

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

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

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

Gluten-Free Pasta with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes

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

Ingredients:

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

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

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

Add the cherry tomatoes and spinach.

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

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

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

March 4, 2014

Product Review: Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Prawns

Product Review: Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Prawns – $5.99+

Vegan seafood.

Sounds impossible, right? I would have doubted its existence myself, until a trip to Jungle Jim’s in Cincinnati, Ohio last year. My eyes were opened to so much potential and awesomeness. It’s…seafood…made from plant-based ingredients.

Seriously!

And while my journey into the vegan seafood began with Sophie’s Kitchen Breaded Vegan Fish Filets…which were…eh…okay…I have found other products by this company to be amazing. Like…you wouldn’t even know it wasn’t seafood. I’m not kidding. Taste is sometimes even better. Texture is spot on. Yep…I’m in love with this company. So much, in fact, that the Breaded Vegan Shrimp are always in my freezer.

Between the numerous natural food stores that I shop at each weekend, there is a variety of Sophie’s Kitchen options available. My most trusted spot, however, is Whole Foods, as they seem to have more of the products than anywhere else. And on a recent journey, these amazing products were…ON SALE! So, my roommate and I grabbed one of each.

And…with Fat Tuesday’s arrival…I was in the mood for some Cajun food. This meant I took the Vegan Prawns and rubbed them with a Cajun seasoning (a la Emeril Lagasse) and cooked them in the oven at 375°F for 6 minutes. This really is that simple, I swear.

Why Cajun shrimp? Well, when I was at Disney World this past January and was meeting Tiana (from The Princess and the Frog), I asked how her restaurant was going and explained that it was a dream of mine to open my own. She said to make my signature dish an amazing Cajun Shrimp Alfredo. So…here I took her advice…except I kept mine vegan and gluten-free. Because…I want to be able to eat it, yes? Yes!

Sophie's Kitchen Vegan Prawns (frozen) — Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Prawns (frozen)

Well, being that this was the first time I was eating the Vegan Prawns from Sophie’s Kitchen, I didn’t stir them into the pasta, but rather laid them on tip. And it worked. The dish looked beautiful and the pasta came out perfect. I made up a sauce using So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk, almond milk, nutritional yeast, vegan butter, garlic, fire roasted tomatoes, and a bit more Cajun seasoning.

And I’ll get to the taste in a moment…

Because Fat Tuesday is tonight and I had another idea going in my head.

This time…a Cajun Shrimp Po’boy. With my vegan slaw on a gluten-free sandwich roll. This HAD to happen. I mean…for real. I once again rubbed the Vegan Prawns down with my Cajun seasoning, but this time I decided to cook them up in a pan. I toasted the rolls in the oven, added some local lettuce, slathered them with some slaw and topped them off with the Vegan prawns. My own, personal twist on a Po’boy. Getting in the Mardi Gras spirit here! I cooked the prawns in coconut oil and…OH MY GOODNESS…that was magic. The Cajun seasoning blackened up perfectly. And these were…winning!

So, now I can talk about what I thought about the Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Prawns…

Oven baked or cooked in the skillet, I was beyond impressed with the flavor, texture, and overall taste of the Vegan Prawns. They were fantastic cooked in the coconut oil in the pan though. Reminded me of when I used to help my mom make her garlic lover’s shrimp (with real shrimp, mind you!). And, I think next time I purchase these (and, yes, there will be a next time), that’s what I’m going to do with them. YUMMY!! I thought these meshed well with the other flavors I paired with it, in both dishes. And while baking them in the oven was good…the pan cooking was beyond amazing. I think I found my new favorite way to prepare them. In fact, next time I get the Vegan Scallops…that’s how I’m cooking those as well. Honestly, these are fantastic.

As far as ingredients go, the Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Prawns are made from water, konjac powder, beta glucan, potato starch, paprika, organic agave nectar, sea salt, carageenan (seaweed based gelatin), alginate (from seaweed), and calcium hydroxide. The Vegan Prawns are soy-free, gluten-free, 100% vegan and plant-based, non-GMO, contain no artificial colors, preservatives or MSG. These have no added sugars or artificial…anything. Honestly!

Nutritionally speaking, each box contains 3.1 servings…or 10 of the Vegan Prawns. A serving is 3 prawns, but being as I’m splitting this with two people over two days, we each had 2.5 Vegan Prawns. That being said, a normal serving of the 3 prawns would give you 50 calories. This product is fat free and cholesterol free. A serving will also provide you with only 150 mg sodium and 1 gram of sugar. Loving that. And finally, three of the Vegan Prawns provide you with 3 grams of fiber and less than 1 gram of protein.

Discovering Sophie’s Kitchen products has been amazing for me. I often keep one product stocked in my freezer at all times. You never know when you might need it. If you haven’t tried these yet…go to your local natural foods store and check their freezer section. Serious yummy vegan seafood eats here!

Sophie's Kitchen Vegan Prawns (cooked 2 ways) - Left: Vegan Cajun Shrimp Alfredo (baked); Right: Vegan Shrimp Po'Boys (pan fried) — Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Prawns (cooked 2 ways) – Left: Vegan Cajun Shrimp Alfredo (baked); Right: Vegan Shrimp Po’Boys (pan fried)

February 21, 2014

Product Review: Simply Shari’s Gluten Free and Fabulous Quinoa Mac & Cheese

Product: Simply Shari’s Gluten Free and Fabulous Quinoa Mac and Cheese – $3.49+

I haven’t had too much experience with products from Simply Shari’s Gluten Free and Fabulous. However, I have tried one frozen pizza…and loved it…and a couple of cookies…and enjoyed those. So, that’s a good track record, yes?

I think so.

Which is why when I was shopping at TJ Maxx of all places…when I spotted this macaroni and cheese I figured…why not try it? I mean…it’s a brand I am familiar with and have liked in the past. It’s made from quinoa. HELLO! And..it’s mac and cheese. One of my favorite comfort foods of all time.

With this being a no produce bin week, meals have been cobbled together from things in the pantry, fridge and freezer. While it’s not getting bare…sometimes choices are slim. With that being said, I’m hitting the pantry the hardest this week and digging out some items I purchased and just haven’t cooked up yet. Simply Shari’s Gluten Free and Fabulous Quinoa Mac and Cheese…it’s now your turn to shine.

Now, as I have stated before, I prefer to make my gluten-free mac and cheese from scratch. But it’s a crazy-busy week. I just got back into town on Monday night and I’m heading back out of town tomorrow after work for a weekend with my friend Jenn (who is always willing to try new gluten-free things because she rocks like that). No CSA bin…not a lot of grocery shopping went on. Just the bare necessities. So, very little time to linger in the kitchen, for sure. And for that reason, this little meal was popped out of the pantry. So, if I can’t go homemade, I’ll settle on a box or bag variety. I just prefer real ingredients as often as possible.

Cooking this was a snap. I brought a pot of water to a boil and added a bit of salt and oil, per the directions on the package. Then, in went the gluten-free noodles, which are quinoa, not brown rice. YAY! They cooked up in the boiling water for about 10-12 minutes. It didn’t take long. After that, you drain them, put them back in the pan on low heat, add a teaspoon of butter, 3/4 cup of milk (I used unsweetened almond milk) and then add the package of cheese powder. Stir it…let it thicken on the heat, and then…serve.

Simple.

Now, remember those days of long ago when you’d have that orange powder you’d pour into the Kraft Cheese and Macaroni? (Not macaroni and cheese, always reversed…I remember!). Anyway…this powder had those clumps, so I broke them up as best I could, and continued to stir until it was blended as best as I could manage. Into the bowls they went and dinner…was served.

One bite…that’s all it took. So creamy and tangy and delicious. The cheese actually gets to this rich velvety texture that coats each noodle. The noodles cook up perfectly. And, because they aren’t made completely of brown rice, they aren’t mushy and falling apart either. They held that elbow macaroni shape, even with all the intense stirring that occurred. The small clumpy bits of cheese powder reminded me of my childhood days with the Kraft stuff. I broke up most of them, but a couple lingered. Nothing that took away from the awesomeness of this dish. For real. The cheese was quite tasty. And the meal itself…quite filling.

I was beyond impressed.

Simply Shari’s Gluten Free and Fabulous Quinoa Mac and Cheese is made up of quinoa pasta (made from quinoa, rice and water), powdered cheese (which contains milk, salt, enzymes, whey, beta carotene for color, corn starch and salt). That’s it. Simple…easy ingredients. All of which I recognize. Let’s hear it for simple and basic ingredients! This product is also GMO free as well as gluten-free.

Nutritionally speaking, Simply Shari’s Gluten Free and Fabulous Quinoa Mac and Cheese is on the light side for mac and cheese. A serving is 4 ounces and the package holds 1.5 servings. For two people, it’s more than enough, trust me. This serving will give you 280 calories and 6 grams of fat. You will also be receiving 15 mg cholesterol, 330 mg sodium, and 1 gram of sugar. Not bad. And since I used unsweetened almond milk…no sugar there either. A serving gives you 2 grams of fiber and (the best part!) 18 grams of protein. That is NOT a typo! 18 grams of protein. Thank you quinoa.

So, healthy, creamy, cheesy and wonderful. Simply Shari’s Gluten Free and Fabulous Quinoa Mac and Cheese lives up to its name. Yes. It is…simply awesome!

Simply Shari's Gluten Free and Fabulous Quinoa Mac and Cheese (cooked) — Simply Shari’s Gluten Free and Fabulous Quinoa Mac and Cheese (cooked)

January 16, 2014

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

January 16, 2014

Product Review: Ronzoni Gluten-Free Rotini

Product: Ronzoni Gluten-Free Rotini – $2.39+

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

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

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

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

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

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

So…um…WIN?!

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

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

What does all this say?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I’m so glad I did.

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

January 5, 2014

Product Review: Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese

Product: Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese – $8.00

The weather is getting colder. In fact, tomorrow, here, it isn’t even supposed to crack 0°F. No joke. That’s not common around here, not as of late anyway…but that is so freakin’ cold. And that makes me an unhappy girl. Trust me. I. HATE. COLD. WEATHER.

But with the cold weather comes those warm, hearty meals that fill you up and leave you feeling nice and cozy from the inside out. This includes a vast array of foods, but for me…it’s soups and casseroles…

…and macaroni and cheese.

Yes. Simple. Straightforward. Macaroni and Cheese.

But no ordinary macaroni and cheese will do. I do eat the kinds out of the box…but they are just for those quick meals I need to eat before rushing off somewhere in my hectic and busy schedule I keep. But on these days where I’m hibernating…or simply have some time on my hands…I will always choose a good old-fashioned homemade macaroni and cheese.

Here’s the thing though…I make a damn, damn, damn good gluten-free macaroni and cheese. My roommate will ask for it every now and again and beg and plead for me to make it. And, naturally, I will. It’s my mom’s recipe, which I have tweaked only slightly to fit into my dietary restrictions and to spice it up some. I love my homemade mac and cheese and I do love making it. But shredding the cheese and making the white sauce…it all takes a lot of time. Even if I have it…I sometimes can think of 100 other things I need to be doing.

Lucky me! Yes…once again…lucky me. Lucky me for having Annie May’s Sweet Café practically in my own backyard. Sure, this little bakery offers cupcakes and brownies and cookies and cakes and…all those other delictible naughty treats. But…sometimes…you get take-n-bake specials. I have previously blogged on Annie May’s Take-N-Bake Cinnamon Rolls and have tried (but obviously forgot to blog about…and will remedy that immediately) the Take-N-Bake Crescent Rolls. The take-n-bake options at Annie May’s Sweet Café make all those foods you crave that much easier to make yourself.

And she recently added Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese to that list.

Pardon me while I do the happiest little dance of joy.

Of course…I had to try it. I absolutely had to. I mean…I was heading home soon after dining there on Saturday morning for breakfast so…it only seemed logical, despite not really being in the budget, to give it a go. I was getting breakfast treats to go for Sunday…why not add dinner to the mix too. Just make Sunday (a busy day with everything needing to be done before Monday strikes) that much easier to slog through.

I was beyond excited the day I pulled this out of my refrigerator, preheating my oven to 375°F, per the instructions on the container. It looked so amazing and that was before I even popped it in the oven to bake. Go figure. Once the oven heated, I removed the plastic wrap and set the tray inside for about 20 minutes…the gluten-free breadcrumbs on top were golden and the cheese around the edge was bubbling. Oh yeah…done. And it looked and smelled so good.

Once again, Annie May’s Sweet Café really delivers. One bite and I looked over at my roommate, who was also enjoying half of this tray, and I said, “I think this is better than mine! And I make really good mac and cheese!” What makes it so amazing? Hell if I know. I don’t know what magic Annie May’s puts into their products, but this macaroni and cheese baked up creamy and cheesy, with that nice toasted crunch from the breadcrumbs. It was fantastic. So comforting to the soul, spirit, and body. I had wished I had bought them out of the trays they had. And I intended to do that this past weekend…but they only had one tray left by the time I got there so…I luckily snagged it before anyone else could. I think it might have been a near thing. Anyway…creamy, dreamy goodness in one simple dish.

I mean, right on the label, Annie May’s lays it all out as far as the ingredients: Brown rice flour, water, whole milk, cheddar cheese, and butter.

This is, in no way, a light meal. It’s hearty, it’s warm, it’s filling…but it makes you feel good as you eat it. And in the end, the food you eat should make you feel good.

I can’t say enough good things about Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky. They keep expanding their menu…which is soon to include bagels (and I can’t WAIT for that to happen)…and I have enjoyed being able to try these new additions as they are placed in the case. Yes…we, the food-allergic and even the non-food-allergic of Louisville, Kentucky have one really sweet place on Frankfort Avenue…which I make a point to visit often. It’s that good. The people are amazing. The food continues to get better and better.

No one would even guess it was gluten-free.

Comfort yourself on these cold winter nights with a little bit of gluten-free comfort food. Go to Annie May’s…and get the macaroni and cheese. You can thank me later.

And trust me…you will.

Annie May's Sweet Café Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese (baked) — Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese (baked)

December 30, 2013

Product Review: Road’s End Organics Gluten-Free and Dairy Free Penne & Chreese

Road's End Organics Gluten-Free and Dairy Free Penne & Chreeze — Road’s End Organics Gluten-Free and Dairy Free Penne & Chreese

Product: Road’s End Organics Gluten-Free and Dairy Free Penne & Chreese – $3.49+

For the past two weeks…I have been without my CSA bin. It has been…tough. I have been trying to make a point, however, to attempt to use up products/items from my fridge, freezer, and pantry.

Fast forward to Friday night. It was the first full day back in town for me after having flown in the day before after visiting my family for Christmas. Without fresh produce readily available, and a tight, tight budget due to the holidays…it was time to make due with what was in the apartment. No big deal…there is plenty to choose from.

And it just so happened I remembered picking up a box of Road’s End Organics Gluten-Free and Diary Free Penne & Chreese (yes…chreese!) when I spotted it on a super closeout at my local grocery store. For fear that I might never try it otherwise or never have the opportunity due to possibly not being able to find it anywhere else…I panicked and purchase one box. Just one. Just to have on hand.

I am so glad I did that, because after a stressful day of travel, a long night, an early morning, a full day at the office, and a lot on my mind…an easy dinner was just what I needed. And this…just sounded good.

If it wasn’t…I had a backup plan. Don’t laugh. I often do this when I try new products.

Anyway…nothing could be more stress-free than this! I came home from work and got a pot of water boiling on the stove. As soon as it had come to a boil, I poured in the noodles and allowed them to cook for about 10-12 minutes. I didn’t want to overcook them, because, let’s face it…pasta, especially brown rice pasta…gets really gummy when it’s overcooked. I wanted that perfect al dente. I managed it too. I drained the noodles just as they reached that perfect state, then…in the same sauce pan…poured in 1/2 cup of almond milk and the powdered chreese packet which came in the box. I stirred them together until they combined and had no clumps. Then, back onto medium heat, and the pasta was added back in. I gave it a stir, and let it cook for another couple of minutes, to thicken the chreeze mixture as it blended with the noodles. Done.

I poured half into a bowl for my roomie and saved the other half for me. Time to dig in.

I was actually a little worried about not liking this one. But…this is definitely one of my favorite boxed gluten-free mac and cheese. Don’t laugh. It’s true. What did I love about it? Aside from noodles that were normal size, and not teensy-tiny, it cooked up perfectly. The dairy-free cheese (chreeze) mixture thickened up beautifully after the noodles were put back in. And the flavor was remarkable. I loved how the cheese sauce clung to the noodles. I love how my noodles weren’t left swimming in sauce, as most gluten-free boxed mac and cheeses do. I loved the thick, rich flavor of the chreese. It had a great balance of flavor…the creamy richness of an Alfredo with the flavor of cheddar. So good. It was major mac and chreeze love.

I love saying chreese!

Anyway…the nitty-gritty basics.

Road’s End Organics Gluten-Free and Dairy Free Penne & Chreese contains a gluten-free rice penne. As for the gluten-free Chreese (vegan cheese), that is a blend of organic brown rice flour, organic tapioca starch, enriched nutritional yeast, organic green lentil flour, salt, organic garlic powder, organic yellow mustard seed, organic onion powder, and annatto powder. The ingredient list is all recognizable…no chemicals, no weird preservatives. Just awesome gluten-free goodness.

Nutritionally speaking, Road’s End Organics Gluten-Free and Dairy Free Penne & Chreese contains 2 servings per box. A serving contains 320 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. That’s not bad for a mac and cheese. And you get a lot. This pasta is cholesterol free, contains only 350 mg sodium, and has less than 1 gram of sugar. Awesome! In addition, a serving provides 6 grams of fiber and 9 grams of protein. See what I mean? You will feel full…and you’re only eating a cup. That’s the serving size! Awesome!

I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed chowing down on this fantastic boxed macaroni and “cheese.” They vegan cheese that is used in place of real cheese doesn’t taste fake at all. I loved the flavor. And it is easy on my tummy…as I am lactose intolerant and cheese can really be an issue at times. So…YAY!! I would definitely recommend this to everyone. Even cheese lovers, like my roommate, will eat it. She loved the richness and the texture. And, yeah…it doesn’t lack in flavor. SO damn good!

Find it. Try it. Love it.

Road's End Organics Gluten-Free and Dairy Free Penne & Chreese — Road’s End Organics Gluten-Free and Dairy Free Penne & Chreese