My friend Julie Sullivan is a saint. A saint, I tell you.
The other day, she posted this picture of her dinner…this amazing pasta-ish casserole, with the caption “Mac & Cheese Broccoli Bake.” Well, I was intrigued. I was drooling. Why? Because it looked absolutely fantastic, that’s why.
And…I did what any good hungry girl would do. I asked for the recipe.
She was kind enough to pass it on…as I wasn’t the only one begging for it. And she even mentioned how I could make it gluten-free. And, amazingly enough, I had everything I needed in my pantry and fridge. Gotta love that. So…after polishing off my Vegan Gumbo last night, I was set to cook up another fantastic meal to get me and my roommate through another couple of days.
12oz uncooked twisted pasta (I used Bi-Aglut Fusilli)
2 1/2 c. uncooked broccoli
1 tsp salted butter (I used Smart Balance)
1/3 c. fresh bread crumbs (I used Katz Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs…because they ROCK!)
3 Tbsp. plus 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 1/2 c. skim milk (I substituted unsweetened almond milk)
1/3 c. all purpose flour (I used Hodgson Mills Gluten-Free Multi Purpose Flour)
1/2 c. onion, diced
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a shallow 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray (I used butter to grease it).
Cook pasta, adding broccoli to water for the last 3 minutes of cooking time. Drain and return to pot.
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, add bread crumbs and cook until light golden brown. Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl, stir in 3 Tbsp of Parmesan cheese and set aside.
In same saucepan (can wipe clean easily) whisk together milk and flour, add onion. Bring to a boil over med-high heat, whisking often. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in cheese, mustard, salt and pepper.
Pour pasta and broccoli into baking dish, cover with cheese mixture, stirring to coat evenly. Top with breadcrumbs.
Bake until edges are bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.
~*~*~
Yes…it really is that easy. And even more…it really is that tasty. I was in love with the flavor and taste of this. Those breadcrumbs add an amazing texture and flavor to the entire dish. And while I didn’t get to use the cheese I had wanted and intended to use on this, the back-up plan worked out better than imagined (I like bold flavors and I had no extra sharp cheese to supplement when I found my original cheese plan had…gone bad). This was easy to throw together and allow to bake. The apartment smelled awesome.
And when my roomie and I sat down to taste…we devoured it. Honestly. It’s a good thing I pre-portion these meals out because I think we could have eaten the entire pan on our own…in one sitting. That is how much we raved about it.
So…again…thank you, Julie!
And now…to the rest of you…I encourage you to get cooking. This one is totally worth it.
Pastariso Gluten-Free Instant Brown Rice Mac & Cheese Meal
Product: Pastariso Gluten-Free Instant Brown Rice Mac & Cheese Meal – $2.99+
Before I had to go gluten-free, I admit it…I would indulge in an Easy Mac every now and again. I mean…mac and cheese is awesome, right? And Easy Mac meant that it was ready in seconds…straight from the microwave. Mmmm…just like the boxed stuff with the crazy neon cheese powder that somehow creams up and makes a decent enough mac and cheese.
Oh…there are days I would long for that simplicity, and other days I would mock it.
But then…while at the Gluten-Free Trading Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin…I came across something I hadn’t seen before. Anywhere.
A form of gluten-free Easy Mac. These little microwavable pasta bowls were made with white rice pasta and brown rice pasta. I chose brown rice pasta; my roomie went for the white rice pasta.
Pastariso is making the dine and dash meal easy for the gluten-free community. There are times, like on Mondays when I have to get home from work, eat something, and head out to Louisville for my fun run with my running store group, that I don’t have time to prepare something. Not even a gluten-free grilled cheese sandwich. No problem if you happen to be able to find the Pastariso Mac & Cheese Instant Meal Cups somewhere nearby.
Now, no store in my area carries these, which is one reason why I had to pick them up. And tonight…I sat down to enjoy mine.
Preparation is simple…just like Easy Mac. Pull off the paper lid and fill the cup with water to the line. Stir well. Pop into the microwave for 3 1/2 minutes. Well, most microwaves would have it ready in 3 1/2 minutes. Mine is from the 80s…so it usually takes longer. That was the case here. 6 minutes later and I was ready to sit down with a piping hot bowl of instant mac and cheese.
A little bit about these little treats…
The company that makes the instant mac and cheese meal cups is Maplegrove Gluten-Free Foods. They are a family owned business that specializes in gluten-free products. Even more interesting, Maplegrove is North America’s largest manufacturer of gluten-free pasta products. Their products are manufactured in a completely gluten-free environment and they personally guarantee high quality foods. That’s a lot for a small company. But they understand the importance of keeping gluten-free foods safe and delicious. Many of their employees are gluten-intolerant or have Celiac. This is not just a choice…it’s a mission…it’s dedication.
So…how was it? Once I got it heated enough so that the water absorbed into the noodles and the cheese became thicker and not just cheesy soup water…I settled in to actually try it. Well, needless to say…it was pretty good. It tasted sweet…and not as cheesy as I would have liked. But…it was decent enough for an instant meal. The powdered cheese in the water was really hard to stir, but it incorporated itself as it warmed in the microwave. Overall…I’d rather make mac and cheese from scratch…for for something quick…I’d eat this again.
That is if I could find it somewhere…around here…
The nutrition information isn’t too bad as far as pre-packaged, processed gluten-free pastas go. The entire cup is only 212 calories with 4 grams of fat. The sodium level is a little on the high side at 670 mg. And as for protein, this does deliver 6 grams in the serving. So…all-in-all…it’s not too bad on the nutrition front.
So, it’s nothing fantastic, but it’s a quick bite for those very busy days that all of us tend to have at some point or another. It’s like Easy Mac…you hate yourself for eating it…but sometimes it’s the only option you have.
That’s what Pastariso Instant Brown Rice Gluten-Free Mac & Cheese Cup is…a quick option that delivers on speed, but not so much on flavor. But gluten-free beggars can’t be choosers.
Pastariso Gluten-Free Instant Brown Rice Mac & Cheese Meal (cooked)
I absolutely LOVE Asian food. LOVE it. I can’t emphasize enough how much I love it. But…I think you get the picture.
The problem with Asian food is…it is one of those that is usually laden in sauce…and whether you’re at a restaurant or at a buffet or what have you…when you are gluten-free…there is basically nothing you can safely eat. I wish it weren’t true. Because that craving for good Asian food hits me all the time.
But…all is not lost. I don’t have to prepare any Asian-style meal from scratch. Not anymore. Not since I discovered Snapdragon Pan-Asian Cuisine.
My local World Market has a great selection of food products in their little food market area. Much of these are ethnic from various countries. While just browsing the aisles, I ran across a few Snapdragon Pan Asian Cuisine Stir-Fry Rice Pasta meals. Not having this on my grocery list or worked into the budget…I resisted the urge to purchase every single thing labeled gluten-free…and kept it to one box.
My choice: Snapdragon Hunan Sweet and Sour Rice Pasta Stir-Fry.
I was rather excited about this purchase. And yet…I had so much other stuff in my pantry that this sat for the longest time. LONG…EST time. Until last night…when I needed something light for dinner that wouldn’t take up too much time…as I was also in the midst of making gluten-free bread and gluten-free lemon “brownies” at the same time.
So…I dug this out of the pantry. I am a vegetarian…so for the protein, I took some tofu out of my fridge to toss into the wok once I got cooking. First thing was first though…I boiled some water and got the rice noodles soaking. Once I drained them (it took 5 minutes), I set them aside and got my wok heated up and tossed in my snow peas and tofu to cook up. Once I got them seared off and cooked, in went the noodles, some water, and the sauce. I just tossed them all together in the wok, heated it through…and it was ready to serve.
It doesn’t get much easier than that!
The noodles cooked up beautifully. And when the sauce is incorporated, this easy boxed meal really sings. The sauce is sweet with a little hint of spice to it. And the tofu and added snow peas made a fantastic addition to the dish. I loved diving into this classic Asian meal…made in about 15 minutes. Simple and delicious. I devoured mine with the aid of chopsticks. The noodles didn’t clump together and the sauce didn’t take away from the rest of the ingredients in the actual dish. It was perfectly balanced.
And yeah…it was amazing. It totally helped curb my cravings for Asian food. And I knew that this one was safe for me to eat thanks to the label on the box listing it as gluten-free.
Beyond impressed and totally wowed. I can’t wait to try another one.
Conte’s Pasta Gluten-Free and Wheat Free Cheese Ravioli
Product: Conte’s Pasta Gluten-Free Cheese Ravioli – $5.99+
I have been leery of the frozen gluten-free pastas that I can find in the freezer section at the grocery store ever since the epic fail of Caesar’s Gluten-Free Gnocchi. Yeah…it was enough to really just turn me off from the whole frozen gluten-free pasta thing.
But…with New Year’s Eve on the horizon and a trip to visit one of my best friends, Jenn, for the occasion, she and I started getting on Pinterest and plotting a menu. And the entree that caught our attention was a Oven Toasted Ravioli dish. It looked absolutely fantastic. Jenn said she had some of Conte’s Gluten-Free and Wheat Free Cheese Ravioli in her freezer (the sign of a good friend is one who stocks up on gluten-free foods even when you aren’t in town…just for those occasions that you are!). She suffered through the Caesar’s Gluten-Free Gnocchi fiasco…so I was willing to go along with her on this one. My job…providing the gluten-free breadcrumbs to be dusted over the ravioli before they were toasted.
New Year’s Eve arrived with a vengeance. After a busy day of seeing The Hobbit, she and I settled in later than expected (it snowed while we were in the movie and the roads were bad) to start up our gluten-free bread for the evening and then make up the gluten-free ravioli dish while it cooled. With the bread out of the oven, we set some water on the stove to boil and pulled the Conte’s Gluten-Free and Wheat Free Cheese Ravioli out of the freezer. Opening the bags…we weren’t impressed immediately.
They looked like pale discs of pasta with a bulging center that would contain the cheese filling. We said our prayers to the gluten-free pasta gods and poured them into the boiling water. Unlike Caesar’s frozen pasta, these actually did sink to the bottom of the pan, making it much easier for us to tell when these were truly done cooking. Once they started floating, Jenn would scoop out a bunch of them into the strainer, shake them carefully over the pan, and bring them to me to put in the egg wash and then coat with the gluten-free bread crumbs.
Looks can be deceiving. These raviolis really held up to the boiling process. They didn’t split or fall apart. Even when I would drop them into the egg on accident, they maintained their form and didn’t ooze filling out. They survived a dunking in breadcrumbs and everything. I was already much more impressed with these than the last gluten-free frozen pasta experience. Conte’s Pasta did a great job making gluten-free ravoili that didn’t fall apart in the pot…or through the breading stages I put the pasta through.
So, with the breadcrumbs on and sticking quite well to the pasta, we gave the ravioli a spray of cooking spray and put them into the oven to toast up. It took 12 – 15 minutes according to the recipe…and when they emerged, they were golden, and still holding their shape. We carefully scooped them off the pans and into a serving bowl so we could all help ourselves to as many as we would want. They held up. And when we settled in to eat…the three of us (my roomie Cathy was there too!) dug in.
The biggest thing about these ravioli is that they do need a sauce. Jenn had originally set out to eat the meal without the sauce, but ended up with some on her plate in the end. That being said, the texture was great. They held up fantastically to boiling and toasting in the oven. And the taste of the filling was super good. I wasn’t disappointed at all with these ravioli. Conte’s Pasta has definitely restored my faith in the gluten-free frozen pasta. In fact, when it comes to choosing a brand now, I think I’ll stick with Conte’s. They definitely won me back over to the frozen side when something like a gluten-free ravioli is needed.
Use a proper sauce when you eat these. Whether you bread them or eat them straight from the pan…you’ll love the texture and taste. And the cheese is ooey, gooey, and good as well. They have quite a few variations of gluten-free pastas to choose from. But these ravioli’s did the trick for me.
Find them in your grocery store freezer section and give them a try. And if you are looking for an easy and tasty recipe, check out my blog on the Gluten-Free Oven Toasted Ravioli that Jenn and I prepared on New Year’s Eve. It’s a fun, different, and delicious way to enjoy gluten-free pasta.
Conte’s Pasta Gluten-Free and Wheat Free Cheese Ravioli (cooked and coated with Katz Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs and toasted in the oven)
Have you ever purchased a bag of them? They’ll do in a pinch, but normally they don’t even resemble actual bread crumbs. No joke. The first time I ever purchased gluten-free bread crumbs, my heart sank when I opened the pouch. Normally, gluten-free bread crumbs are these little yellow pellets of milled corn. They work on certain dishes, but as a vegetarian…most of the time they just don’t work right on what I need them for. They are usually thick and gritty and don’t stick very well to the food.
So, one day while surfing around one of my favorite gluten-free company Web sites, I discovered Katz Gluten Free Bread Crumbs. I was skeptical at first…but from the picture on the site, it looked like these were actually super-fine breadcrumbs. Like the kind people who aren’t gluten-free get. I figured I could take a chance and put them on my next order.
I couldn’t have been happier when they arrived. You know that Italian blend of bread crumbs you see at the grocery store…that is exactly what these looked like. I was thrilled. I couldn’t wait to try them out!
But, wait I did. I think I might have been anticipating the perfect dish in which to use them on…but I stuck them in my pantry and they sat there for awhile.
And then the holidays rolled around. My friend, Jenn, was hosting my roomie and I for New Years once more. We have such a blast together on New Years and part of the fun is that Jenn and I create a menu and cook it up for a wonderful evening feast to welcome the new year. This year…we decided on oven toasted gluten-free ravioli (Jenn is awesome in that she does gluten-free for me when I come into town). They looked fantastic on Pinterest…so we pinned it to her New Year’s Menu board and got to planning. I told her I actually had some gluten-free bread crumbs we could use for the recipe and that I would bring them with me for the occasion.
Finally…the moment I had been waiting for. To see how Katz Gluten Free Bread Crumbs would fair against the gluten-free bread crumbs that had come before it.
New Year’s Eve arrived and, hungry after an afternoon at the movies (we saw The Hobbit), Jenn and I returned home and settled into baking mode (while Cathy sat at the table, read, and commented on how good it all smelled). We got our gluten-free bread cooking first. And while it was cooling, we settled into working on the Oven Toasted Ravioli.
She got out the gluten-free ravioli and I set into mixing up the breadcrumbs with a bit of cheese, per the recipe. What I loved at first site with these bread crumbs was how superfine they were. They were the proper texture and looked like REAL bread crumbs. I was already feeling good about this recipe. I even tasted a pinch of them from the bag…and that won me over there. This had to work…because these were the best gluten free bread crumbs out there. I got them prepped. Then…the rest was simple. Cook ravioli, dip into egg/milk mixture. Then…into the bread crumbs they went.
Miracle upon miracles…the breadcrumbs stuck to the ravioli. They stuck SO sell. I was so incredibly pleased with it. I was seriously looking forward to this meal…and a lot of it was thanks to these gluten-free bread crumbs. We gave each ravioli a spritz of cooking spray and into the oven they went to bake for about 12-15 minutes.
They came out of the oven looking just as good as they did when they went into it. Seriously. I was so highly impressed. And ready to eat. Jenn and I removed them from the pan and placed them in a bowl. The bread crumbs remained in place and didn’t fall off the food as gluten-free bread crumbs from my past had been known to do. Inset a happy squee and a little dance of joy here. I placed the bowl of toasted gluten-free ravioli on the table…and soon we were sitting down to our New Year’s feast.
So…did they live up to the standard I built up in my head?
OH…YES!
The bread crumbs toasted up to a beautiful golden color when in the oven. They didn’t fall off the ravioli as they baked or when we lifted them from the pan. Nor did they fall off when we all began digging into the bowl for some of the ravioli to dine on. They remained where they should be…stuck to the gluten-free ravioli.
One bite…and I knew no other bread crumb will ever come close to this when it comes to the gluten-free varieties out there. These were amazing. Honestly. If you put these down in front of someone who didn’t know they were gluten-free…they wouldn’t be able to tell. I guarantee that much. The superfine quality really makes all the difference.
Katz Gluten Free Bread Crumbs are made from a gluten-free flour that contains corn and potato. From there, the ingredients include eggs, water, canola oil, sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum, yeast, and salt. These are probably all remnants of the amazing gluten-free breads that Katz Gluten Free offers. I’m okay with that…because if that means we get bread crumbs like this…I’m forever sold.
A serving of Katz Gluten Free Bread Crumbs is 2 ounces, which sets you back 140 calories and 6 grams of fat. Each serving is low in sodium as well, which is important as my roomie’s family tends to have high blood pressure so we focus a lot on low sodium foods.
So…this gluten-free foodie gives Katz Gluten Free Bread Crumbs a stamp of approval. They are the most amazing gluten free bread crumbs that have hit the gluten-free market. I can promise you that. I am so highly impressed with these. I am already anticipating my next Katz Gluten Free order because these are definitely going on it. I have a bunch of other recipes to try now that I found gluten-free bread crumbs that work, taste, and feel like real bread crumbs.
I once again sing only high praises for Katz Gluten Free. They deserve it though…for putting out quality products that live up to the high standards that they set.
If you have been leaving bread crumbs out of your recipes (this was what I did prior to finding these after having no luck with the other gluten-free bread crumbs on the market), you no longer have to. All thanks to Katz Gluten Free.
Katz Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs on Conte’s Gluten-Free Cheese Ravioli (toasted in the oven)
New Year’s Eve was all planned out between my friend Jenn and I. We were ready to whip up a feast that night…complete with an entree that she spotted on Pinterest. And between the two of us and our love of trying Pinterest recipes…we set out to make these. I just happened to have some Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs from Katz Gluten Free at my apartment and they would be perfect for this recipe. So…I saved them for this exact reason and they didn’t let us down.
The best part about this recipe is how simple it was to make. Totally going to do this again. Nothing fancy…it just looks like it.
The best part…once again we simply modified the ingredients to fit my dietary needs…so while this recipe is gluten-free…it doesn’t have to be made that way. I am just thankful to have friends who eat foods that I can eat when I’m around. Some people aren’t willing to give gluten-free a chance…but my friends Cathy and Jenn have always given it a fair shake. And for that…I am thankful.
12 round frozen ravioli, thawed (I used Conte’s Gluten-Free Cheese Ravioli)
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
6 tablespoons Italian bread crumbs (I used Katz Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
cooking spray
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Whisk together egg and milk in shallow bowl. In another bowl or pie plate, combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Dip ravioli in egg and then in bread crumbs. Place on baking sheet. Repeat until all ravioli are coated. Spray ravioli with cooking spray.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with warm marinara or pesto.
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See…it’s one of the simplest recipes out there…but the end results are a delicious ravioli with a crisp outer layer and soft, warm, gooey inner layer. Use whatever ravoili you like. This was the first time I used Conte’s Gluten-Free Cheese Ravioli…and they were awesome. They held up to cooking and baking and…damn…were they ever delicious.
Impressed!! Very impressed.
So…if you want a simple meal that is easy to make and big of flavor…give this one a go! You’ll love it. I guarantee.
It was the night before Christmas and my mom and I were settling in to plan a vegetarian and gluten-free entreé option for me (the only vegetarian in the family) and a possible side for everyone else at Christmas dinner. We had meant to do planning long before then…but we both lead very busy lives and we had a lot of other stuff to do when I flew into town for the holidays.
So, the night before the big day, we found ourselves at Earth Fare in Birmingham, Alabama…picking up the necessities for the recipe we finally decided on. The original recipe was from Manifest Vegan, and it involved the use of maitake mushrooms. But…only my mom and I like mushrooms in the family, so we put our heads together to come up with a replacement. Our solution: zucchini.
That settled, we hit up the grocery store and purchased all the necessary items, including RP’s Fresh Gluten-Free Fettuccine noodles. I fell in love with RP’s fresh gluten-free pasta very recently and no other pasta would do for Christmas. With the ingredients purchased…we were ready to start cooking up a variation of this vegan pasta dish for Christmas. And we did just that on Christmas morning…and finished up in enough time to pack up everything and head to my sister’s house.
Recipe: Gluten-Free Zucchini Fettuccine in a Vegan Cream Sauce
Gluten-Free Zucchini Fettuccine in a Vegan Cream Sauce
16 ounces, brown rice fettuccine style pasta (I used RP’s Gluten Free Fettuccine)
3-1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 leeks, cleaned and sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 stick cinnamon or 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
10 ounces zucchini, chopped
3 finely diced carrots
3/4 cup white wine
1-1/2 cups full fat coconut milk
1 cup (salted) vegetable broth
2 tablespoons superfine brown rice flour
Chopped chives for garnish
Salt to taste
Directions:
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Douse pasta with 3 tablespoons olive oil and then add sea salt.
In large pan, combine leeks, thyme, garlic, cinnamon, zucchini, and carrots with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and sauté until golden on edges. Add the white wine and cook over medium low heat until much of the liquid has dissolved. Stir in coconut milk and vegetable broth and let cook over medium heat until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Stir often to prevent scorching.
Whisk in 2 tablespoons superfine brown rice flour and let cook until thickened, stirring often with a spoon, about 7 minutes. Combine with pasta and salt to taste, if needed. Top with fresh chives before serving.
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The pasta was quite a popular dish at Christmas dinner. No one even knew it was vegan and gluten-free…except for the fact that I could eat it. LOVE that. And everyone tried it…and loved it. Let me tell you…the item that really makes this dish pop is that addition of cinnamon. It was amazing. I can’t wait to make this again.
Go ahead and try it. And if you love mushrooms like me…go ahead and keep the maitake mushrooms. When I make this at home for myself and my roommate…I’ll do it with the mushrooms. Mmmm…I kind of want this for dinner this week now…
Sam Mills Pasta D’oro Gluten-Free Tubetti Rigati Corn Pasta
Product: Sam Mills Pasta D’oro Gluten-Free Tubetti Rigati Corn Pasta – $2.99
I was having a minor crisis last night.
For real.
You see, it’s the holidays and every year my adoptive family (aka: my roomie’s family) comes over to the apartment where I prepare a gluten-free meal of some sort and we sit, talk, eat, and eventually I open Christmas gifts from them before I head home to see my family for the holidays. It’s a nice little tradition. Last year, I cooked up a Gluten-Free Tagliatelle with Truffle Butter Sauce. It was a hit. So, I decided to keep with the gluten-free pasta, as most people can’t tell it’s gluten-free…and go from there.
The only difference was that this year this was all happening on a Monday night. This meant that I didn’t have the kind of time to do something fancy and different. So…spaghetti it was. Kind of.
Remember that crisis I spoke about at the top there. Well…this is what it came down to. I thought I had some Gluten-Free Corn Fusilli from Trader Joe’s in my pantry. After all, it was on my pantry list. But…apparently I had used it and didn’t mark it off. Which is not good. I started hunting through the other pastas in my pantry, but none of them would feed around 6 people. I was in full-blown panic mode because I had homemade gluten-free garlic (and cheesy) toasts to cook up in the oven, sauce to do, and I didn’t have a main course.
Sam Mills Pasta D’oro Gluten-Free Tubetti Rigati Corn Pasta (cooked)
So…my roommate put on her super-roomie cape and went out to the grocery store to see what she could get for me. She returned a phone call and a few minutes later with the answer to my prayers – Sam Mills Pasta D’oro Gluten-Free Corn Pasta Tubetti Rigati.
That’s a mouthful, yes?
Well, it wasn’t my first choice, but I threw it in the pot of boiling water as soon as she walked it into the kitchen and let it cook up, hoping that it would at least be appetizing.
Wasn’t I truly surprised when it finished cooking (it did take longer than the 8-10 minutes advertised on the package, but…this is what we do to hit that perfect al dente, yes?) and I turned it out into the strainer. None of the noodles were flaking or turning to mush. They were a vibrant yellow color (due to being made of corn) and seemed so sturdy, yet soft. I drained the noodles and poured them back into the pot, added the sauce I was warming on the stove to it and gave it a good mix. Once again, the noodles held together without falling into pieces. I was impressed.
I dished up servings for everyone and placed the homemade gluten-free garlic and cheesy toasts on a plate for all to help themselves to. The bowls of pasta were passed out, I joined everyone in the living room, and dinner was officially served.
Tubetti Rigati pasta is small tubular pasta, sort of like macaroni noodles, but without being curved into elbow shapes. Most often it is used in soups, but I wanted to do something other than elbow noodles with pasta sauce on it. That just seemed…wrong…for some reason! What I loved about the Sam Mills Tubetti Rigati was that the sauce would fill the little tubes of pasta and it would be this flavorful bite each time. I actually quite enjoyed the flavor and texture of this corn pasta.
What is even better is the price. Sam Mills pasta is one of the least expensive gluten-free pastas on the market. But don’t be fooled into thinking that the quality suffers because of it. This pasta ranks right up there with my go-to of Trader Joe’s gluten-free corn pastas. It was just really good. No one could tell it was gluten-free…or corn-based for that matter. LOVE that.
Sam Mills Pasta D’oro Gluten-Free Tubetti Rigati Corn Pasta is a budget-friendly, high quality choice when it comes to gluten-free pasta. Honestly, I was quite impressed with it. And I would definitely buy it again in a heartbeat.
A serving of Sam Mills Pasta D’oro Gluten-Free Tubetti Rigati Corn Pasta (cooked and sauced)
The Silver Palate San Marzano Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce
Product: The Silver Palate San Marzano Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce – $5.99+
I blame the Manager’s Specials at the grocery store for impulse purchases of pasta sauce. For one thing, it was $3.00 off the regular price, with the expiration date still a ways off. Secondly, it was clearly marked gluten-free. Key word. And…I have plenty of pasta in my pantry at the moment just begging…begging for me to cook it up.
So, it was with all this in mind that I purchased The Silver Palate’s San Marzano Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce a couple of weeks ago. It looked fantastic, and the nutrition information was right in line with other pasta sauces that I enjoy…if not better. I figured, why not try something new?
Despite the plethora of pastas in my pantry, I didn’t have a single one that would feet up to 6 people. So, when I was hosting my roommate’s family the other night for Christmas dinner, I was at a loss on what pasta to try out this new sauce on. I finally sent my roommate to the grocery store to find something acceptable, and she returned soon after with some corn pasta. It would do. It served 8.
While the pasta was boiling away on the stove, trying to hit that perfect al dente, I prepped some gluten-free homemade bread. Once it was in the oven, into a saucepan went the San Marzano Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce. It smelled absolutely fantastic from the moment I opened up the jar.
The Silver Palate San Marzano Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce (heating on stove top)
Made from tomatoes that are grown in the rich, volcanic soil of the San Marzano region of Italy and the Central Valley of California, this blend of pasta sauce brought about a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. The olive oil helped smooth it out. You could taste the ripeness of the tomatoes. It was bursting with flavor. And the basil was a nice accent. Not little flecks of it here or there, but julianned pieces were throughout the entire sauce. You couldn’t miss the vibrant green, chopped, fresh basil leaves. It was a tasty addition and it really livened up the sauce presentation-wise as well.
Once it was heated, I drained the pasta, put it back in the pan, and then poured the sauce over it. Giving it a good mix, I dished it up for the dinner guests and myself and tucked in for conversation and food.
The verdict on the sauce: YUMMY!!
Considering the last impulse buy pasta sauce was a disappointment, I loved the consistency of this one. It was packed with tomato flavor, but not watery at all. So many marinara sauces get watery, but not this one. It was refreshing and light and just meshed well with the corn pasta. A gluten-free pasta lover’s dream come true. I was highly impressed with this sauce.
Even more impressive is the nutritional value. A serving size of 1/2 cup serves up 70 calories and 4 grams of fat. For a jarred sauce, it is relatively low in sodium, tapping out at 420 mg. I love that the sugar content is quite low and that it provides 3 grams of protein as well. It’s a simple sauce with a fantastic flavor. I really enjoyed it. And, compared to the usual pasta sauce I purchase, this one is a deal as far as price. Even when it’s not marked down or on sale.
Highly impressed with The Silver Palate’s San Marzano Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce. It definitely has me interested in trying their other varieties and even some other products. Well done!
A serving of gluten-free pasta with The Silver Palate San Marzano Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce
I’m declaring it now. Right there in my subject line for this post. After all years of searching for the best pre-packaged gluten-free pasta, I think I may have finally found the crème de la crème. I didn’t think many things can live up to the standard that RP’s fresh gluten-free pasta set…and then I find it…just waiting to be discovered in my pantry.
Fresh pasta is always best, but it’s not always the most practical.
When it isn’t practical, BiAglut should be. Trust me, I have tried mostly every gluten-free pasta out there. Rice noodles, corn noodles, tofu noodles, quinoa noodles…I’ve had them all. Some do better than others. Some brands I prefer over others. Some are just easier and more cost efficient in the end. That being said, I think I would pay a pretty penny to have more noodles from BiAglut.
BiAglut is an Italian brand of gluten-free products that have been produced in Italy for more than 45 years by the Italian affiliate of H. J. Heinz Company. The company’s main focus is on individuals with Celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or those who follow a gluten-free diet. By keeping to this focus group, the brand offers a variety of gluten-free products to the market, including pasta, breads, bread substitutes, flours, cookies, crackers, snacks, and desserts.
But the main item that BiAglut is known for is…their pasta.
I was at a gluten-free expo awhile back and BiAglut was one of the companies there. It was a very small expo with very few vendors. But the people who were at the BiAglut table had me try some of their pasta and I loved it. Great texture. Great flavor. It was cold…but…well…you can’t have everything. After a little discussion, my roommate and I decided to go ahead and buy a bag of their noodles. They had very few options left (yes…it was going fast), so I snagged the very last bag of BiAglut Maccheroncini (elbows).
And then…it joined the plethora of other noodles in my pantry. And it sat…as I worked my way through the rest of them.
But, then we had another dreaded office potluck. I say that because, with the exception of one or two other people in the office, nothing brought in is something I can eat. Granted, being a gluten-free vegetarian does limit my diet, but it is nice when someone puts for the effort to make something that I can also eat so I’m not stuck with just two things on my plate (the two items I bring, mind you).
With that in mind, I signed up to bring two dishes…some crock pot caramelized apples and a vegan pumpkin macaroni and cheese.
I checked my pantry list and the next pasta noodle to have it’s day in the spotlight was the BiAglut Maccheroncini. I was kind of sad to be using this pasta on my office because I knew full well that since I was the person bringing it in…hardly anyone would touch it. It’s…weird. It’s…*GASP*…GLUTEN-FREE! I swear to God, no one in that office quite understands what that means and just won’t even try the food I bring in…which is why I hate to bring things in. I can cook for myself at home and it will save me money, time, and food that won’t go to waste because only 2-5 people are eating it.
BiAglut Maccheroncini (cooked and drained)
That being said, I sucked it up and went ahead and made the items I signed up for. Early that morning, I stood in the kitchen boiling a pot of water to pour the BiAglut Maccheroncini in and allow it to cook most of the way. It only took about 6 minutes to get to where I needed them to be. I mean…it was fast. Most gluten-free pasta noodles have to be boiled for around 12-16 minutes, if not longer, to get that perfect consistency. Not these. They were done so fast I had time to spare.
After I drained the noodles, I put them back into the big pot and poured my vegan pumpkin cheese sauce over the top of it. With a spatula, I stirred it all together, delighted in the fact that the noodles were holding together. They weren’t turning to mush. They weren’t falling apart in the sauce or with the movement of the spatula. I was already impressed. Then, the mixture was poured into the baking pan and into the oven it went for about 45 minutes.
When it emerged…the noodles were still perfect. They already survived boiling and baking. I was very surprised. I’m just not used to my gluten-free pastas being so sturdy. Well, before I could serve this to myself and the brave few who just might have a little taste at the office, I had to make sure it was good. I plucked a noodle from the casserole dish and…oh yeah…it was good. The noodle was a perfect al dente. Perfect. It cooked up beautifully in the sauce and didn’t fall apart in the baking process.
The true test was going to be lunch. So, about 10 minutes before lunch was to be served, I got to the kitchen and pulled my mac and cheese out of the fridge. I brought a splash of almond milk to add to the pasta for when I reheated it, and poured it over the top. Then, into the microwave it went. As I reheated it a few minutes at a time, I would stir it around to make sure it heated evenly. And the noodles held together. They didn’t crumble as I stirred them. They didn’t shred. They held. And I was so elated.
The moment of truth came – the office luncheon began. My roommate, myself, and the office vegan I knew would be eating the macaroni and cheese. Others seemed a bit hesitant. Some took just a smidge. Most didn’t even give it another look because…I made it…therefore it’s gluten-free and must be disgusting. Ignorant fools!
As I sat down to dig in…I was hoping I’d be as impressed with the BiAglut Maccheroncini as I had been this entire time leading up to the first actual bite. One bite and it was all the confirmation I needed. Through boiling, baking, and nuking, the BiAglut Maccheroncini not only held its shape, but it still tasted great. It didn’t mush up or disintegrate under pressure. It is pure, honest, gluten-free pasta perfection.
BiAglut Maccheroncini is made from cornstarch, potato flour, lupin flour and lupin proteins. No eggs. No dairy. And what comes of this is the best packaged pasta I have had to date. Gluten-free pasta is so tricky, but BiAglut held up to everything I could put it through and still tasted great in the end. And, on a personal note, it worked very well in my vegan and gluten-free pumpkin mac and cheese. Tasted great.
Best texture. Best quality. Best all-around when it comes to dry pasta. BiAglut is amazing. Now I wish I had purchased more of their products at the time. Guess I’m going to have to get online and place an order.
If you can find BiAglut…I encourage you to try it. It is heads and tails above the competition. It’s happiness in pasta form.
Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Mac & Cheese made with BiAglut Maccheroncini
The Celiathlete 