Awhile back, Prevention magazine did a profile on Kris Carr. If you’ve never heard that name before, you’d be inspired by this woman. She is a best-selling author, a wellness activist, and a cancer thriver. Yes…thriver. You see, on Valentine’s Day in 2003, Carr was diagnosed with a rare and incurable stage 4 cancer. This diagnosis made her want to feel better, love harder, and enjoy life more fully. She wanted to live life to the fullest…and live it like she meant it.
Part of that journey was changing the way she ate. She went to a complete lifestyle makeover. She switched to a nutrient dense, plant-based diet, began exercising, and found joy and fun in everything.
Really…this woman is amazing and her story was one I remembered from the plethora of magazines I receive each month. I appreciate Prevention for profiling her…because it led me to her book: Crazy Sexy Kitchen.
This book just happened to be on the shelf of my local library. And after flipping through it briefly…I went ahead and borrowed it. Immediately I had recipes I wanted to try…but the one that interested me most is the one I made for dinner tonight…and, believe me when I say, it’s worth the effort to make. I had to make modifications with the ingredients at times, but in the end…it turned into a beautiful dish.
The recipe is below.
Recipe: Gluten-Free and Vegan “Clam” Chowder
Gluten-Free and Vegan “Clam” Chowder
Serves: 12
Time: Prep 60 minutes; Cook 15 minutes
Ingredients for Cashew Cream:
4 cups whole raw cashews, rinsed under cold water
Ingredients for Kombu Broth:
4 pieces kombu seaweed (I didn’t pick this up, so I used sheets of nori)
2 quarts water
Ingredients for Smoked Mushrooms*:
1 tablespoon small hickory chips
1 heaping cup diced king trumpet mushrooms
*(NOTE: I had 10 ounces of crimini mushrooms on hand and no stovetop smoker, so I improvised…)
Ingredients for Chowder Assembly:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup diced white onion
1/2 cup diced celery (I used diced carrot because I didn’t have celery, but I did have plenty of carrots)
1 cup peeled and diced baking potato
2-1/2 to 3 cups water
1 teaspoon lemon juice, more to taste
1/2 teaspoon Tobasco or other hot sauce, more to taste (I used Sriracha)
2 teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper, more to taste
Directions:
Prepare Cashew Cream: Put the cashews in a bowl and cover with water. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate to soak overnight.
Drain the cashews and rinse under cold water. Place the cashews in a high-speed blender (this will need to be done in a couple of batches) and add enough water to cover by an inch.
Purée until completely smooth. If needed, pass the cashew purée through a fine strainer to remove any course bits; the final “cream” should have a smooth, thick consistency of heavy dairy cream. This will make about 3 cups cream (consistency will depend on the amount of water added while blending, and can vary from just over 2 cups to about 3-1/2 cups; thin as desired)
Prepare Kombu Broth*: Combine the combu and water in a medium pot and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook 40 minutes, then strain. This makes about 5 cups kombu broth, more than is needed for the remainder of the recipe. The broth will keep, covered and refrigerated, up to 10 days.
*(Note: I didn’t have kombu on hand, so I used nori sheets, and followed the instructions as if they were kombu. The flavor was probably milder than it would have been…but this worked. I did, however, have to press on the nori to wring out the rest of the broth)
Prepare Smoked Mushrooms*: Prepare a stovetop smoker: Spread the chips in the base of the smoker, directly over the burner. Place the drip pan (if using) over the chips and a rack on top of the drip pan. Place the diced mushrooms on the rack (be sure to use a rack fine enough so the mushrooms don’t fall through) indirectly over the chips (do not place the mushrooms directly over the chips, as this can cause them to oversmoke and turn bitter). Partially cover the smoker with a lid, leaving it open a cuple of inches. (If you do not have a commercial stovetop smoker, you can substitute by using a heavy roasting pan, a cake rack, and heavy duty foil to cover the pan as a lid.)
Heat the smoker over medium heat just until you see smoke escaping through the opening. Close the smoker entirely and gently smoke just to infuse the mushrooms with smoke flavor, not to cook, 3 to 5 minutes. Be careful not to oversmoke, or the mushrooms will become bitter.
*(Note: I don’t have a stovetop smoker or anything I could have used to do the makeshift one…so instead I went about this a little differently. After rinsing my mushrooms and cutting the stems even to the caps, I put them in a bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons of Liquid Smoke (make sure it is a gluten-free brand), a touch of salt, and some kelp granules. I mixed this until everything was coated then placed them on a baking pan and roasted in a 350°F oven for 45 minutes. I then diced them as the recipe called for. It yielded perfect results.)
Assemble Chowder: Heat the oil in a medium-size soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery (in my case, carrots), and potato. Sweat the ingredients, stirring frequently, until softened, 8-10 minutes.
Add 1-1/2 cups each of the Kombu Broth, Cashew Cream, and all the smoked mushrooms. Reduce the heat, and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 10 to 15 minutes to develop and marry the flavors. The Cashew Cream will thicken as it cooks, and you will need to add water from time to time to thin and adjust the consistency. We added about 3 cups of water as the soup cooked.
Season with lemon juice, Tobasco (or hot sauce of choice), salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. This makes a generous 2 quarts of soup.
~*~*~
This recipe looks labor intensive at first glance, but I soaked the cashews overnight and making the cashew cream was a synch. As for the broth, I made that ahead as well and let it chill in the fridge. Then, when I needed it, I poured out the amount for this recipe and it was all set to go. All I really needed to do was chop the vegetables and get everything cooking.
And what emerged was a flavorful, creamy, delicious vegan clam chowder. The flavors were awesome. And the texture of the mushrooms after roasting in the oven for that long was just like a clam tasted (back before my vegetarian days and when chowder was safe to eat). I wasn’t sure what to think about this as I started to cook everything together in my big pot on the stove, but the end result was awesome.
I can’t wait to heat up more and enjoy it all over again.
As a side note, this soup is freezer-friendly. So go ahead and freeze the extra if needed and allow it to thaw when you’re ready to have more. Otherwise, the soup does keep for about 1 week in the fridge.
This is TOTALLY going to be made over and over again. Shockingly delicious. But, then again, Kris Carr enlisted the help of Chef Tal Ronnen for this one…so it’s no surprise this soup is packed with awesomeness.
Restaurant: The Pfunky Griddle, Nashville, Tennessee
As a gluten-free vegetarian, sometimes eating while on the road can be a challenge. Fast food joints don’t work for me. And I’ve never been big on fast food regardless. This often means, especially when I travel to visit my family, that finding a restaurant to stop and eat is a priority. Thankfully…in this brave new world of smart phone apps, there is an app for that.
Find Me Gluten Free.
If you have not put this app on your phone…do so now and then continue reading this blog. I’ll wait.
…
Okay…congratulations! Your dining life just got a lot easier. Trust me.
The midway point between my home and my parents home is…Nashville, Tennessee. There is no shortage of places to eat in Nashville. There are also plenty of places that have gluten-free options. Normally, we’d probably make it easy and stop off at Taco Mamacita or even go to McCreary’s Pub in Franklin, Tennessee. But…while I know there are things I could eat at either one of those places (McCreary’s does not have a gluten-free menu, FYI, but Taco Mamacita does), I just wasn’t feeling the usual haunts. So this necessitated a search.
And naturally…I find a place that specializes is…breakfast and brunch.
When breakfast is your favorite meal of the day…this is one hell of a find. It had brilliant ratings on Find Me Gluten Free, so my roommate and I decided we would stop there on the way home and dine on some pancakes for lunch. Breakfast for lunch. Yep…my favorite way to eat.
The Pfunky Griddle is located on Bransford Avenue in Nashville, Tennessee. This is a quaint neighborhood with houses done up into businesses and offices. My kind of area. Parking, however, was a nightmare. We arrived sometime just after noon and there were already parties of people standing around outside. No parking was available in the lot, so Cathy dropped me off to go check on the wait time and she went to circle around and see if she could find somewhere to park. I ducked into the building and stood in a short line at the front where the coffee drinks were being made. I asked about wait time for a party of 2 and was told it would be about 25 to 30 minutes. That wasn’t unreasonable, so I put my name in and went to go see if I could find Cathy and tell her. She had just managed to find a parking spot, so we stood around outside for a moment before I asked if she’d like some coffee while we waited.
The Pfunky Griddle’s Honey Child Latte with Almond Milk
Caffeine while on the road is never a bad thing. And…The Pfunky Griddle has almond milk. Could I love this place any more already? Is it possible? After giving it a little bit of thought, Cathy agreed that caffeine might be a good idea (DUH!) so I told her I would treat us to our café order. She went with a Peppermint Mocha with skim milk ($3.75). As for me…I went with something that I couldn’t get anywhere else. Not that I’m aware of, anyway. Stepping away from my order of a Cafe Au Lait for a moment, I opted for what they call a Honey Child Latte with almond milk ($3.75). The Honey Child Latte is a double shot of espresso, combined with honey, cinnamon, vanilla and your steamed milk of choice. Never heard of anything like it…but it sounded epically delicious. So, I had to have one. Besides, I can get cafe au laits anywhere. This was something I had only seen here. Why not go for it?
The coffee orders were backed up, so it took around five minutes to get our actual drinks. No worries though, Cathy and I weren’t in any hurry. And it gave both of us time to stand in line to use the bathroom before getting seated. Her peppermint mocha was up first, and she commented on how awesome it smelled when I passed it off to her. My Honey Child Latte was up next and when I received it…I couldn’t wait to try it. Photos first…then the taste test.
One sip and I was in love. The combination of the rich espresso worked so well with the spice from the cinnamon, the sweetness of the honey, and the smooth vanilla after tones. It all just meshed so well. Love at first sip. I even made Cathy try it and even she commented on how delicious it was. Smooth, dreamy, and sweet. Just how I like it!
Dedicated gluten-free griddle (placed over the one built into the table) at The Pfunky Griddle
I was about halfway through my latte when my name was called. We eagerly followed the hostess to our table in the back room near the window. The table was outfitted with a griddle in the middle because at the Pfunky Griddle…you flip your own pancakes, bitches! Sorry…but it’s a really, really awesome concept. As we were handed menus, I looked at Cathy and said, “I don’t know what they are going to do, but I need this hot griddle completely cleaned…or I can’t eat on it. Cross contamination.” She nodded and went back to the menu…and lo and behold…there at the bottom was a note that said if you were a Celiac, a special griddle would be provided for you.
I admit…I smiled. I smiled a lot. I was already feeling better about the situation. Our waitress came over to take out drink orders. As we both still were downing or pre-game coffee drinks, we opted for water. Cathy went ahead and told her that I was a Celiac…so the waitress said she would send someone out with a new griddle for us. A few moments later, one of the other employees was flipping off the griddle in the center of the table and putting a new griddle across our table. He had it wiped down and left it there. I felt a whole lot better.
And, when eating at The Pfunky Griddle…you get something you put on that griddle. Cathy and I already had our mind made up. They have an all-you-can-eat pancake deal going. So, we opted for that. We got the gluten-free pancakes ($6.99 per adult per person, including 1 topping each). Cathy chose chocolate chips for her included topping and added walnuts for another option ($0.75). For my included topping, I went with blueberries, then added bananas for an additional choice ($0.75). As we were really hungry, we each got a side with our pancake order. Cathy opted for the 2 biscuits ($1.00), which came with butter and jam. As for me, as it was labeled gluten-free, I stuck with the potatoes ($3.00). Order in.
I noted that our griddle wasn’t turned on, so I went ahead and turned it on, giving it some juice. I wasn’t sure how high to set it to cook, so I opted for around 300 degrees, because I didn’t want to burn anything, so I figured a little extra time on the griddle wouldn’t hurt anyone. Not one bit. Our waitress came out with a a bowl that had packets of ketchup and hot sauce in it. And soon…or food followed.
We received a pitcher of gluten-free pancake batter and little plastic containers that contained our toppings of choice. The waitress set this heaping bowl of potatoes down in front of me and told me to cook them for three minutes on each side. I could handle that. With that…we were left to our own devices to cook up our meal at our table. FUN!
Cathy poured her first pancake and went to sprinkle just her chocolate chips over the top. I would have thrown the nuts in too, but she kept them to just sprinkle over the top after her pancake was plated. I got a couple of spoonfuls of potato working on the griddle then poured my own pancake. I poured way more than I expected and had this monster to start off with. I went ahead and tossed some blueberries and banana slices onto it and let it sit to brown on the one side. The heat was definitely too low as both the pancakes and my potatoes were taking awhile to cook. Cathy went ahead and dived into eating her biscuits, really enjoying the flaky, lightness of them. I turned the heat up slightly, which helped. Soon I found myself flipping her pancake and my own because her first attempt was pretty much a fail. But, I cook pancakes on a griddle at home…so I’m sort of a master.
Gluten-Free pancakes and potatoes on the dedicated gluten-free griddle at The Pfunky Griddle
With the other side working, I went ahead and tried the potatoes.
Oh. My. GOD! No, these were honestly some of the most amazing breakfast potatoes ever. Laced with a delicious garlic flavor, these mashed up spuds were crispy from the griddle on the outside, soft on the inside…and really freakin’ fantastic. The flavor was awesome. I told Cathy she had to try some, and she said she intended to. She went ahead and scooped some up for herself to get it working on the griddle while I plated our first pancakes and poured more batter for our next round. We threw on toppings and then settled in for our first taste.
The batter cooks up beautifully. We each achieved this gorgeous golden color on our pancakes. My bananas even caramelized after I flipped my pancake over and the toppings began to work into the pancake itself. I love a light pancake. Nothing is worse than eating one pancake and feeling stuffed. And here, you can make them as big or as small as you want. You can add one topping, both, or more. Whatever your whim…it’s yours to create. And these pancakes really hit the spot. They were sweet, without being overly sweet. And thin. And light. And just plain delicious. The batter wasn’t heavy at all, making the pancakes almost as light as air when I removed them from the griddle and onto our respective plates. And those potatoes. Oh…hell yes!! Those potatoes were one of my favorite thing. Cathy and I both enjoyed them, getting them golden on each side then moving them to the plate. I added hot sauce to mine, just a dab, which only enhanced the amazing flavor. All together…a carby, delicous, amazing, happy dining experience. One of the best gluten-free pancakes I have ever tasted…and I eat a lot of gluten-free pancakes.
This may be a new go-to place in the near future when passing through Nashville. Very happy. I never felt like I needed to worry about my food. The spatulas were rubber, not the metal ones other tables got, so I am certain they were for gluten-free foods only. I felt completely safe, and completely satisfied with my experience there. I’d go back and stuff myself silly with more of their gluten-free pancakes and potatoes.
For the record, they also have gluten-free bread, so you could have one of their sandwiches, or even French toast if your little heart desired it. The point is…this is a business doing gluten-free right. And I am forever thankful for them. And I’m also glad we stopped in and ate here. On the way out, I even purchased a bag of their gluten-free pancake mix for $5.50. So now I can make some at home too.
My gluten-free joy knows no bounds. Doing flips over everything at The Pfunky Griddle.
Love in brunch form!
My Gluten-Free Blueberry and Banana Pancake with Gluten-Free Potatoes that I safely prepared at The Pfunky Griddle
Sweet potato chips have always been my absolute favorite thing. Why? Well, I absolutely love sweet potatoes. Sweet potato fries. Baked sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes have been my favorite type of potato for a long, long, long time. So, when I spotted a bag of Popchips in a sweet potato flavor…I lunged for the shelf to snatch them off and drop them into my shopping basket. After all…a nice, crunchy afternoon snack never goes amiss, right? Right.
Well, today was the day I carried a serving to the office with me for my usual 3 p.m. snack. All day I was anticipating that sweet potato flavor…sort of like what I’d get in Food Should Taste Good’s Sweet Potato chips, I assumed. Because those chips are amazing.
And…these were Popchips. And I love Popchips. I have since they were first introduced to the market and I found them in the store. I tried them, loving their non-greasy nature, their crunchy texture, and how light and guiltless they are. I mean, they are never fried and never baked. They are…popped. Seriously. Popped. Popchips use the finest ingredients, add some heat and pressure, and make it go POP!…creating a light chip that doesn’t get soaked in oil or have the flavor baked out of it. The first time I tried them, I was impressed. They have a different texture from regular chips, but as a popcorn fan…that was fine with me.
Nutritionally speaking, Popchips are a great choice. As stated before, they aren’t fried or baked. They are light and airy. This means you get more chips per serving than you would regular chips. The serving size is still 28 grams, but that gets you around 23 chips. Nice. There are only 4 grams of fat per serving in the sweet potato chips. They are free from trans-fat and saturated fat. They are cholesterol free. They are gluten-free. They are low in sodium (115 mg). And one serving is only 120 calories. So…they do have their good side.
HOWEVER..for the first time since falling in love with Popchips, I fell out of love with one of the flavors. And, oddly enough, it was the flavor that I thought I would rave about the most. Yep. Sweet Potato.
The Sweet Potato Popchips are rather…vile…to be honest. I popped one of the chips into my mouth and immediately didn’t get that sweet/smokey/salty flavor I associate with sweet potato. In fact, nothing about this chip reminded me of sweet potatoes. What I did get was…marshmallow flavor. I don’t want my chips to taste like marshmallow. If I wanted to eat something that tasted like marshmallow, I’d get out the jar of Fluff in my pantry. My chips should not taste like a Rice Krispie Treat gone wrong. EVER! And that’s all I got here. Nothing sweet potato even reminiscent in here. Unless they were going for sweet potato casserole flavor…but that’s one sweet potato dish I have never liked. I don’t like or care for marshmallows on my starch and I certainly don’t want my chips to taste like marshmallow. If I wanted salted Rice Krispie treats, I’d make them. I don’t want that. I want a healthy chip that gives me amazing sweet potato flavor. Not sweet potato casserole. Not Rice Krispies. SWEET POTATO!
Nothing was right with these chips at all. And, I am breaking a cardinal rule when it comes to food items that are purchased for the sake of trying them out. I found these so unappetizing that I am tossing the rest of the bag away and moving onto whatever snack might be next in my gluten-free pantry. I never trash food because of my tight budget, but the very thought of eating any more of these (I choked down today’s serving so I wouldn’t starve between now and dinner time) makes my stomach churn. There is nothing redeeming about these chips.
At all.
So, take my advice, fellow Popchip and snack lovers…avoid these at all costs. Your wallet, your stomach, and your taste buds will thank you. These definitely have to rank as some of the worst chips I have ever eaten.
Oh, my dear time-suck that is Pinterest. Sometimes…just sometimes…I stumble across some of the best recipes that have ever happened to me. Sometimes…they are elaborate and something I could never, reasonably, undertake. Especially in my kitchen…with my limited space and limited cooking appliances. However, there are times that I find something so incredible…that I know I have to make it that very week. Even better when I just happen to have all the ingredients on hand.
That is what happened when I stumbled across a very broad recipe pin for 23 Amazing Ways to Eat a Baked Potato for Dinner. I scoured the list. And this one…this very recipe was the one that stood out to me the most. It sounded…awesome. Mouthwatering. Amazing. So, yesterday…after a a 10K race, some grocery shopping, and an ongoing battle with bronchitis…I decided this was going to be dinner.
It was super easy to make…and super delicious. I am going to make this again and again and again. Because I’m always looking for new ways to enjoy a baked potato.
The original recipe comes from Katie Goodman on Makezine. I changed out her choice of Gorgonzola cheese for Daiya vegan mozzarella shreds. But, I bow down to her palate…because this was fantastic.
Recipe: Baked Potatoes with Balsamic Caramelized Onion and Mushrooms
Baked Potato with Balsamic Caramelized Onion and Mushrooms
Servings: 4
Time: Prep 20 minutes; Cook 1 hour
Ingredients:
4 large baking potatoes, baked according to your preference (I coated with olive oil and sea salt and baked for an hour)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, yellow or red
1 clove garlic
16 oz crimini mushrooms
8 oz red wine
3 oz balsamic vinegar
1/8 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp fresh parsley, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Daiya mozzarella shreds
Chives, sliced for garnish
Directions:
Wash and pat dry the baked potatoes. Lightly coat with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Place in an oven at 425°F for about an hour.
While the potatoes are baking, clean the mushrooms and remove the stems. Slice the mushrooms thinly, about 1/4 of an inch thick.
Cut the onion in half from end to end. Remove the skin and discard. Cut the onion into slices.
Combine the red wine, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch. Whisk to mix well and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the onion slices to the pan, tossing to coat with oil on all sides.
Evenly spread the onions out in the pan and continue to cook, stirring just occasionally for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Grate one clove of garlic over a microplane grater and add to the pan. Stir in the mushrooms and sauté until tender and golden.
Add the red wine and vinegar mixture to the pan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and cook until thick and syrupy. Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Remove potatoes from the oven. Turn on the broiler.
Slice each potato open and fill with the mushroom mixture. Top with sliced chives and mozzarella cheese crumbles.
Place potatoes under the broiler for about a minute, just enough to let the cheese melt.
Serve and enjoy!
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I loved how full of flavor these were. The potatoes were a nice starchy base for this sweet and savory mushrooms and onions, and the syrup that they cooked in. The cheese gives it a nice additional flavor which all rounds out to form the most epic baked potato ever.
Seriously. If you love caramelized onions, mushrooms, and potatoes…then this recipe is definitely for you.
Sophie’s Kitchen Breaded Vegan Fish Filets (Gluten-Free)
Product: Sophie’s Kitchen Breaded Vegan Fish Filets – $5.99+
Wait.
Hold the phone.
Vegan.
Gluten-Free.
FISH FILETS??!!
That, my dearest friends, is not a typo. Not at all. And to blame for this discovery is none other than grocery store heaven, Jungle Jim’s in Cincinnati, Ohio. Because it was as I was perusing the freezer section that this box jumped up and flagged me down.
But…but…vegan seafood?
Oh…it has been done before. Yves put out a Shrimp Scampi that I tried years ago…and couldn’t eat. It was disgusting. But this…this looked absolutely mouthwatering on the box. Which, I know is the entire point of marketing said items…but…really…
And since going vegetarian and then gluten-free…breaded fish filets with…I don’t know…maybe some hand cut fries…they were just a dream. A memory. A figment of my past.
NOT ANYMORE! You better believe upon spotting this box it made it’s way into my shopping basket, to the register, and then to my freezer. And for quite a few incidents, I had plans to cook them up for dinner for my roommate and I. But then…found something else to do. Something that wouldn’t require writing up a review. So, instead, I choose one of my busiest weeks to give these a try. But why not? I busted these precious little filets out in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. It was time for some oven-baked fish and chips. Good ol’ Irish fare if I do say so myself.
And I do.
So…after slicing up (by hand…no mandolin slicer here) some fingerling potatoes into shoestring fries, I got those working in the oven and pulled out this box from the freezer.
Sophie’s Kitchen Breaded Vegan Fish Filets (frozen)
Sophie’s Kitchen. Apparently, Sophie’s Kitchen has a wide variety of vegan seafood options out there, most of which are also gluten-free. So, if this was actually edible…maybe even delicious…then perhaps I could indulge a little more. I’ve found two stores in the area that carry Sophie’s Kitchen products…and of which at least half in the freezer are gluten-free and vegan. YAY!!
These were actually really simple to prepare. Place filets on baking sheet. Put in oven set for 375°F. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the filets are a golden brown on top. Nothing could be easier. And I couldn’t believe when I took two of the four patties in the package out…how much they truly resembled fish filets. Very reminiscent of my seafood days.
I can tell you this as well…they smelled amazing as they baked up in the oven too. It was amazing. I was actually anticipating eating these. It was the first time since the Yves incident that something vegan seafood-ish actually appealed to me.
After 15 minutes, the filets were a beautiful golden color, so I removed them from the oven, along with my shoestring fries. I plated each item on two plates, one for myself, and one for my roomie, and dinner was served. She took the first bite…and I couldn’t tell what she made of the actual filet itself. So, I took my own bite.
It’s…different. Stringy at times. The taste is really good, but the texture is…well…it reminded both my roommate and I of those cheap fish sticks you eat growing up as a kid, not really noticing the odd texture because, they’re fish sticks…they’re fun…and you can drown them in ketchup. That’s what these reminded us of. And yes…we ate them with ketchup.
Needless to say, I wasn’t exactly jumping up and down with delight over these…but they weren’t bad either. If you can get past the texture of it, then you’re golden. Flavor-wise…these are awesome. No strange fishy flavor. The breading is light, and the “fish” is basically TVP (textured vegetable protein)…which is something I’ve wanted to try now for awhile. These filets are also composed of canola oil, potato starch, organic agave nectar, sea salt, rice flakes, turmeric, white pepper, ginger, powdered cellulose and konjac powder. It actually is more appetizing than it sounds.
Nutritionally speaking, one filet will only set you back 180 calories and 8 grams of fat. Each filet packs an 8 gram protein punch and serves up 3 grams of fiber. These are also very low in sodium and totally cholesterol free. You can’t argue with those numbers.
Sophie’s Kitchen totally is ruling the vegan seafood market. Trust me. While these did have an odd texture, it was actually very nice to sit down for a meal of “fish” and chips for St. Patrick’s Day. I even made it again for dinner tonight. So, as you can see, it wasn’t overly offensive. The seasoning helps and the texture isn’t bad…it’s just…different. Stringy rather than flaky like seafood.
But…I could totally look past that.
I give major props to Sophie’s Kitchen for stepping into a niche that definitely needed some help. I can promise you this…they were successful in filling it. I hope to seek out more of their gluten-free and vegan products very soon.
Sophie’s Kitchen Breaded Vegan Fish Filets (oven baked and served with hand cut shoestring fries and organic ketchup)
Ah, winter. The only thing about winter that I absolutely love…is that it is the heart of soup season. Nothing beats a warm bowl of soup on an icy cold evening. Nothing. Just…trust me on this one.
Now, I do love to make my own soups and often do. However…sometimes there just isn’t enough time in the day to get all the prep work and the whole cooking part of the meal done. It can be a bit daunting…especially in my closet-sized kitchen. I love to cook, but not in there. Not for long periods of time. There just isn’t room.
Well, upon returning from vacation in Disney World, my roomie and I were looking to use up some of the items that are lingering in the pantry, fridge, and/or freezer. Being that we had come from warm, beautiful Florida…back to a wintery mix falling from the Louisville skies…soup sounded pretty awesome. We had two more days until the weekend and we were trying to make it through without hitting up the grocery store for anything besides necessary items (her skim milk, my Greek yogurt, etc.).
That being said, I had a couple of Amy’s Soups in my pantry…both gluten-free of course. It was just a matter of which one we should devour that chilly evening.
I let Cathy choose…and her decision was to have Amy’s Thai Coconut (Tom Kha Phak) soup that night with a gluten-free grilled cheese and avocado sandwich. Sounded good to me…and it was as easy as making a sandwich and heating up the contents of the soup can, which made my travel weary body very happy.
Tom Kha Phak is a popular soup in Thai restaurants that combines sweet coconut milk with warm Thai spices, organic tofu, lemongrass, shiitake mushrooms, sweet potatoes, and other various vegetables. So many times, this type of soup is a go-to for someone who is unfamiliar with Thai food and not sure what to get or what they might like. As Tom Kha Phak has a delicate, mild flavor…it is often a good place to start.
But…I adore Thai food. I love Thai food. I often crave Thai food. That being said, I have never had Tom Kha Phak at any Thai restaurant. I normally go for a Pad Thai or something along that line. So, I didn’t know what this soup was going to taste like or if I would like it. Really the most daunting part of it was the fact that it was a coconut milk based soup. Which, shouldn’t make a difference as I drink and use coconut milk in many things. Why this threw me off and made me a bit apprehensive about this soup is beyond me. Guess it was just one of those mental roadblocks.
But, I set aside any judgement and poured the soup out of the can into a pot and began to warm it on the stove. While that was warming, I went to work on the gluten-free grilled (vegan) cheese and avocado sandwiches. They finished up at the same time, so I couldn’t have been happier. I sliced the sandwiches into fourths (because you gotta have those little triangles!) and then dished up little bowls of the soup. Dinner was served.
I’ll say this…the soup absolutely smelled fantastic, so if that was any indication as to what it might taste like…I was ready to be wowed. One little slurp of just the broth and I was hooked. Once I began ladling up spoonfuls of the broth with the vegetables and tofu…it was soup magic. This instantly became one of my most favorite pre-packaged, buy-it-off-the-shelf soups on the market. I loved the warm spices that were throughout the coconut milk broth. The vegetables were soft, yet packed with flavor. The tofu was rich, but didn’t overpower anything else in the soup. I wanted more…but all I had was what was in my bowl. So I savored it…down to the last slurp.
Amy’s Thai Coconut Soup (Tom Kha Phak) has no trans fat, no added MSG, and no preservatives. It is certified vegan and gluten-free. The ingredients that go into this soup are all items I recognize. Every single one of them. Filtered water, organic coconut milk, organic sweet potatoes, organic carrots, organic tofu, organic green beans, organic onions, organic shiitake mushrooms, spices, sea salt, organic evaporated cane juice, organic cornstarch, organic tamari, kaffir lime leaf (remove this before serving, BTW), organic garlic, shallots, organic orange peel, and organic oil. I bet you recognize every single item I listed off. It’s all natural and organic…and what that sort of quality brings to the product is astounding.
As for nutritional information, the serving size is half the can, which means you get two servings out of the container. Each serving contains 140 calories and 10 grams of fat. Don’t panic over those fat calories…much of that is healthy fat that comes form your coconut milk. A serving packs a 4 grams of protein punch. And, for being a canned soup, the 580 mg of sodium isn’t too bad comparatively speaking.
Oh…and this soup is delicious. If I didn’t get my point across earlier.
Amy’s Kitchen provides so many gluten-free and vegan options that I don’t know why I doubted the quality and taste of this soup. I have yet to meet an Amy’s product that I can eat that I don’t like. Honestly…when a company puts that much effort into providing the best quality and tasting product they can produce…it shows.
And this soup…now ranks as one of my favorites. Never tried it? Go out to your grocery store…right now…and buy a can. Give it a quick warm and enjoy. I promise…you’ll fall in love with it as quickly as I did.
For the first time in my life…I was excited to be heading to Disney. Yes…I’m in my thirties. No…I’ve never been to a Disney park. No Disneyland. No Disney World. My family could never afford to go when I was growing up…so that was one thing many of my friends had done that I hadn’t yet achieved. It was certainly on my bucket list, and from what I had been told…I’d enjoy it more now that I was older anyway.
That being the case…the perfect opportunity to go there arose with the Disney Princess Half Marathon. Originally, I was going to run this one in 2012, but I didn’t have the money for it. So, the moment registration opened for the 2013 Disney Princess Half Marathon, you better believe I was registered and ready to run. The way I figured it…if I went ahead and registered, I couldn’t talk myself out of it due to financial reasons. No looking back. I signed up the minute registration was opened…and I was locked in.
Disney World.
Trust me…I do not travel without doing some research as to what I might be able to eat. Thankfully, Disney World is pretty much the #1 go-to vacation spot if you have food allergies…especially Celiac or gluten intolerance. Trust me. I was expecting to have to eat many a Go Picnic meal while on vacation, but I only had to break into one of the little packs I brought…and that was at the Atlanta airport on the way home. That definitely speaks very highly of the park and of Disney.
So…here I go with yet another combination blog about my amazing dining experiences while at Disney World. I wanted to be particularly safe in my food choices being that I was there to run a half marathon and being glutenized while on vacation sucks enough…but being glutenized before running 13.1 miles sucks even more.
Safety was key…and I never felt as if I were in any danger of becoming sick at any dining establishment where my roommate and I chose to dine.
I suppose the best place to start…is at the beginning of the trip…
Sanaa – Animal Kingdom Lodge
Restaurant: Sanaa – The Animal Kingdom Lodge
What better way to experience Animal Kingdom, our first park of choice, than by eating at the Animal Kingdom Lodge that night for dinner. What really added to the ambiance of this particular dining attraction was that you could literally gaze out of the window and see exotic animals roaming around the Sunset Savanna as you eat. The cuisine is African-inspired with Indian flavored. Mmmm…I totally dig Indian food.
My roommate and I arrived about 15 minutes ahead of our reservation. As we checked in, the hostess said that she saw that there was one person in the party with a gluten allergy. I nodded and said that it was me. She handed us our little pager thingy and we took a seat to wait for our table. Despite arriving early, we were taken back as soon as something opened up…which was just before our reservation time anyway.
I loved the dimly lit quarters in which diners were seated. All around were decorations from Africa, really adding to the
Hazelnut Rooibos Tea
amazing feel of the restaurant itself. And, once seated, our waiter came over to the table to get our drink order and talk about some specials. I went ahead and ordered a hot tea to go with my dinner, settling on the Hazelnut Rooibos tea ($6.29) with some water.
As he was going over some of the favorites on the menu, he noted that I had the gluten-free menu in front of me and said that a chef would be out to talk to me specifically about the menu, but that if anything on the regular menu looked like it had gluten in it…it was not on mine. Just as he was starting to go over the gluten-free bread option should I want to do the Indian-style bread service, which means I get poppadoms instead of the traditional bread, the chef, Jake, came out to speak to me about the menu.
Chef Jake really did a lot to put my mind to ease. Not only did he promise to watch my ticket carefully as it was prepared, he also went over the poppadoms that I could use for the Indian-style bread service, should I choose to do that. He went over which sauces/chutneys would be okay with that (they were listed on the menu) and said that I could put my mind to ease…as they would take good care of me. I thanked him for his time and he returned to the kitchen, leaving us once again in the capable hands of our server, Chris.
With a little bit of time to decide on what we wanted, my roommate and I placed our orders. Cathy decided on the Chicken Tandoori Pilaf ($17.99). As for me…the Sanaa Vegetarian Sampler ($14.99) sounded awesome. I was able to choose two of the five vegetarian dishes and have them served with basmati rice. I was able to choose between Paneer Tikka; Stewed Lentils; Spicy Peas, Chickpeas, and Potatoes; Mixed Seasonal Greens and Tomatoes; Vindaloo-style Vegetables. I knew for certain I wanted the Vindaloo-style Vegetables, so the difficult part was deciding what the other choice would be. After a little back and forth, I chose the Stewed Lentils as my second option.
Chris went to put in the order and I left my fate in the hands of Chef Jake and his knowledgeable kitchen staff.
Food arrived at our table and I couldn’t wait to try it out. It looked fantastic. Three bowls were placed before me. The middle one held the basmati rice, the one on the left had my tewed lentils, and the one on the right had the vindaloo-style vegetables. It smelled fantastic and I couldn’t wait to dig in.
The basmati rice was perfect with each of these dishes…for one thing. And the rice was cooked to perfection and lightly flavored, so as not to take away from the dishes that accompanied it. I started with the Vindaloo-style Vegetables. This dish included a blend of okra, tomatoes, green beans, cauliflower and onion. It wasn’t packed with flavor…as I was expecting a bit of a spice to accompany it. But, that being said, it wasn’t lacking either. I thought this was going to be the highlight of my sampler…but it was slightly too mild for me and definitely not as full of flavor as I anticipated. That being said, it did taste good. I just was familiar with my last vegetarian vindaloo experience where I had a lot of heat in each bite. This wasn’t at all bad…it just wasn’t as fantastic as I had built it up in my mind.
The stewed lentils, however, are another story. These golden lentils were not only packed with protein (me and my protein!), but also seasoned to perfection. They were creamy and had a hint of spice to them that I enjoyed. I dished some rice into them and it was a perfect combination when mixed together. I loved the texture and taste of these lentils. Nothing grainy…nothing too bland. Perfection. These thrilled me.
Despite being full, Chris talked my roommate and I into dessert. As we were both rather full, we decided to split something. And the dessert menu at Sanaa was not lacking as far as gluten-free options went. As we were splitting, Cathy and I chose to try our waiter’s suggestion, the Banana Kulfi Sundae ($5.49), which he described as a banana split without the banana. Well, I was totally sold!
Sanaa’s Banana Kulfi Sundae
The dessert was brilliant. A cube of banana flavored kulfi (which is sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk that is flavored) is served with a wedge of dried pineapple, warm chocolate sauce, strawberries, a dollop of whipped cream, and spiced cashews. Kulfi is a bit denser than ice cream and actually takes longer to melt. Pretty awesome. And the dessert…was fantastic. Amazingly tasty. I especially loved the strawberries that came on the side. I tried to mix as many of the components together for a bite and it was magical. I suggest to anyone dining at Sanaa they save room for dessert and give the Banana Kulfi Sundae a try. Trust me…it was worth the extra money and indulgence.
Sanaa was certainly a good way to kick off my week at Disney World. I was put to total ease from the moment I checked in and never felt like I needed to second guess any of the food placed in front of me. Total win.
Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant – Downtown Disney
Restaurant: Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant – Downtown Disney
Well, by now, you know how it is when a pub is in the vicinity with my roommate and I. We definitely love our pub grub. She definitely always has more of a selection because being gluten-free at a pub is definitely not easy and being a vegetarian on top of it…even more difficult. But, I still love the atmosphere of Irish pubs and we chose this one specifically because of how it was rated with gluten-free fare. Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant is located in the bustling, busy, crowded Downtown Disney.
Let me preface this by saying that of all the places I ate at Disney World…this one was my least favorite. There were options on the menu for me…many dishes being labeled as having a gluten-free version of it (and yes…this included the fish and chips). So, that was very calming for me as far as menu choices went. The thing was…beyond a salad, there wasn’t too much for a vegetarian to have…aside from the Raglan Risotto…which I almost settled on. The server said I could also enjoy the Portobello Beauty Sandwich without the bread. But…with all that being said…I decided to stick with something I could pretty much guarantee wouldn’t make me sick.
Let it be known, Cathy cannot enter a pub without getting the Fish and Chips ($19.00) which she always gets with a drink, and since they had Magners ($7.00 – and it’s gluten-free) on tap…she was definitely one happy girl.
I decided to stick with water for my beverage and finally settled on one of the salads on the menu that was vegetarian and gluten-free. My choice…the Vroom Salad ($12.00) with a helping of some gluten-free carbs…a side of their fries (or chips as they say in Ireland) ($5.00), which would be prepared gluten-free for me.
Dinner arrived at our table. My roommate loved how her fish and chips were served traditionally…wrapped in paper and poured out onto her plate. She loved the tartar sauce that came with it. She did enjoy the fish, but the chips lacked.
As for me…the Vroom Salad intrigued me right away. The Vroom Salad is made up of gluten-free quinoa grains with cider vinegar marinated
Raglan Road’s Vroom Salad with a side of Chips
beans, sweet and sour carrots, watercress, and served with a honey mustard dressing. It was presented in the center of a plate in a pile, which I totally destroyed with my fork to scatter things about the plate and mix with the dressing.
As far as a salad goes…this one was actually one of the better offerings I have had at a pub. The addition of the quinoa was a fantastic protein-packed addition to the usual greens and vegetables that I get stuck with at such establishments. The flavors from the beans and carrots only heightened the flavor of the salad. I felt they were a little heavy-handed with the watercress, but it added a nice green throughout the salad, once I mixed it up. The watercress was the most unwieldy part of this salad. It was the best part of this meal.
That being said…my roommate and I were more than disappointed with the chips. These fries were mostly soggy and lacking that firm crunch I love on the outside of fries. I don’t get to eat fries out much, so I was looking forward to these. And they were a huge disappointment in the end. I ate more of them than I intended, but as I was paying for them…it seemed like I had to put some effort into it.
Would I go back to Raglan Road on a follow-up visit? Not likely. Which is too bad…because I do love pubs.
No dessert…instead my roommate and I hit up Downtown Disney Babycakes NYC bakery for a gluten-free cookie sandwich. My favorite thing I ate all night. But I’ll get to Downtown Disney’s brach of Babcakes NYC soon enough…
Sunshine Seasons – Epcot
Restaurant: Sunset Seasons – Epcot
With all the food options available at Epcot…there was very little around the park that I could actually eat. Today was the day before the race and I needed to be very sure about the food I consumed. One bit of cross contamination could be disastrous for me and my race that I paid so much to run and trained hard for in the cold weather of Indiana.
My roommate already knew what she was going to consume at the park – Lamb Schwarma Platter ($12.99) from Tangierine Cafe in Morocco. That plate of food came complete with her protein of choice (lamb) as well as a side of hummus, tabouleh and a Tangierine couscous salad with fresh Moroccan bread. We had met up with our friend Indy, who was also running in the race, and she ventured over to Japan for some sushi. This only left me to find food. And while I hoped for some gluten-free vegetarian sushi, I was informed that only the Tariyaki Salmon was gluten-free in Japan. No good. I left feeling down. Looked like it was back to the original plan for me that day…grabbing something at Sunshine Seasons in the food court at Epcot.
I was told they were famous for their soups…but it was hot outside and I wasn’t feeling soup. I checked out some of the grab-and-go options…including the sushi…but not gluten-free. Of course. *sigh* With no other options, it looked like I was having yet another salad. We spoke to the person at the salad bar to find out if the Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese Salad ($7.89) was gluten-free. She wasn’t certain, so she went to check with the chef. He said that as long as there was no cracker served with it…it would be okay for me.
I wasn’t feeling it…but I was hungry. So…that’s what I ordered.
Sunshine Season’s Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese Salad
The salad was rather small, comparatively speaking. It was basically roasted red and yellow beets, served over lightly dressed spring greens. Generous heaps of goat cheese were served with it. And, on top, cinnamon-roasted pecans to add a bit of texture and flavor. The entire salad was dressed with a mild honey-sherry dressing.
It was…okay. I liked the nuts and goat cheese the best. The beets were, actually, a good choice for the day before the race. But there was nothing really great about this meal. Grab-and-go is not my favorite thing as it is…and food courts are…not always the best option as a go-to for me. But…I had to eat. While all the flavors worked together…this just wasn’t what I really wanted that day, so it paled in comparison to anything else I could have sought out. The problem was…this was all there was. So, while the salad was good…it wasn’t amazing. And I probably wouldn’t order it again even if it were the only option once again.
Meh.
Damn you Epcot and your lack of gluten-free, vegetarian ethnic food throughout your showcases.
Riverside Mill Food Court
Restaurant: Riverside Mill Food Court – Port Orleans Riverside
This…was not a planned food stop on this trip. Not at all. But…here’s the thing. I am an athlete through and through and I have my traditions and my superstitious. And here is the thing…before every big or long race I run…I love to have gluten-free pizza. And if pizza is not available, gluten-free pasta will do in a pinch. But it’s that gluten-free pizza that seems to power me through the following morning. And after spending the day at Epcot and only consuming a small salad…I needed something that would give me some energy for the early morning race (the race kicks off at 5:30 a.m.).
Panic mode. None of the restaurants that have gluten-free pizza were in range of the resort. My roomie and I were staying at Port Orleans Riverside. And we had made it back over that way when I said I needed to have my gluten-free pizza/pasta tradition. Honestly…this isn’t something I take lightly. But with nothing close…I wasn’t sure how to accomplish this.
My roommate went to speak to the concierge on duty. His name was Will and he was fantastic. He said he knew how difficult it was to be a Celiac and said he would see what he could do to help. He picked up the phone and called down to the food court in the resort to see if there was something they could help me with. He was told to send us down and have us ask to see as chef. We thanked him for his help and meandered that way.
Chef Will (from Columbus, Ohio) came out to see us and we explained that I was running in the half marathon the next morning and have a tradition of either gluten-free pizza or pasta prior to the race. He said he could prepare either one of them for me. So, my roommate and I each decided to get one of the gluten-free pizzas. She could have actually gotten anything from the food court, but I think she was just trying to keep it simple. Chef Will went to go prepare two gluten-free cheese pizzas for us (individual size) and I was forever grateful and already feeling better about the run in the morning. He went over to the kitchen at Boatwright’s Dining Hall to actually cook the pizzas. Then, after they were ready, he walked them out himself.
Pre-race, individual size, gluten-free cheese pizza ($8.99) made specifically because I had a dietary need…from the Riverside Mill Food Court. I was impressed.
The pizza was…not one of the better ones I’ve had. The usual rice cracker crust with pasta sauce and some cheese…warmed through and put onto plates. Nothing special. Nothing fantastic. Nothing that made it stand out from some of the other places I have dined on gluten-free pizza. But at the moment…nothing could have tasted better. I appreciate the effort that Port Orleans Riverside put forth for me, specifically the help that both Will and Chef Wes gave to me to help me get the food I needed the night before my reason for being in town.
Huge sigh of relief. Mediocre pizza…but man…that night…it tasted oh, so good!
Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano – Hollywood Studios
Restaurant: Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano – Hollywood Studios
Of all the places I ate at Disney World…this one, ironically, was my favorite. Really. I say ironically because it is, after all, an Italian restaurant and for the most part…Italian food is a no-go for the gluten-free diet.
Unless places can accommodate patrons.
And this place was rated high on how they can deal with food allergies…specifically gluten-free dining.
We arrived a little early for our reservation, but they didn’t mind. A short wait and we were still seated ahead of our reservation time. Loved that. Our server, Elizabeth S., came to the table and noted the tag marked “ALLERGY.” She inquired as to what the allergy was and I told her gluten. She said the chef would be out to speak to me about my options.
A few moments later, Chef Michael was coming to the table to talk about the menu. He said that the pastas could be made gluten-free…and he
Mama Melrose’s Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls
also had gluten-free flatbreads and dinner rolls. And, should there be room for dessert…a gluten-free flourless cake. He asked if I knew what I wanted and I explained that since I was a vegetarian as well, I was really looking at the Spaghetti Marinara ($14.99). He said that he could even throw in some vegetables for me if I would like. I’ve never met a vegetable I didn’t like…so I told him I was totally game for that and he could have some fun with it. He asked if I was interested in the gluten-free dinner rolls, and I had run 13.1 miles that day…so of course I was.
That being decided he returned to the kitchen and Elizabeth returned to the table. Cathy opted for the Spaghetti with Meatballs and a Four Cheese Sauce ($18.99), which came with complimentary bread.
This would also be a great time to mention that my gluten-free dinner rolls…were also complimentary. No charge. Not at all. And I was given 3 in my basket when they came out to the table…warm and ready to eat. I broke one open and took a bite. Delicious. It tasted like what I remember a honey wheat bread to taste like. But…it was completely gluten-free…warm…amazing…soft…and just plain YUMMY!
Mama Melrose’s Gluten-Free Spaghetti Marinara with Chef Michael’s Vegetable Selection
Entrees arrived at the table and I was taken aback by just how much food was in that bowl. Lots of pasta. Lots and lots of pasta. And my favorite part was the plethora of vegetables that Chef Michael added to my dish. I found carrots, broccoli, peppers, spinach, and mushrooms. It was so much fun seeking out those little morsels and mixing them with the rice noodles and the delicious marinara. I fell in love with this meal. So much. And, sadly, there was a lot of it. I couldn’t finish it. But I at least did the chef justice by eating every last vegetable I could find in that bowl. It was a treasure hunt and I enjoyed every single bite of it.
As I had two dinner rolls remaining, I chose to take those with me to have as lunch while out and about in the parks the following day. We were heading back to Epcot and I knew there was little for me to eat there…so now I had something that could quell any hunger pains before dinner that night.
Now…if you will recall…I mentioned that this was my favorite place I dined while in Disney World. And, for me, that meant…I wanted more. I was so intrigued by this gluten-free flatbread that I asked if, perhaps, on our last day there…if we could go back for dinner. We had a big breakfast planned that morning but nothing else, and I figured we’d want something to eat before heading back to the resort to finish packing and turn in for the night.
The problem was…there was no reservations available for us. We checked with the concierge at Port Orleans Riverside the night before…but nothing. We checked again the following morning…still nothing. So, it seemed we were out of luck. On a whim, however, we decided to at least hop down to Hollywood Studios that evening to see if they might be taking walk ins. That…was a negative. However, the hostess did tell us to check back around 6:30 p.m. if we wanted to wait that long (it was just over an hour wait), because some people never turn up for their reservation, opting to go to the Fantasmic! show instead.
I was starving by this point, mind you, and the thought of waiting that long was daunting. However, hopping the bus back to Port Orleans Riverside to dine on Go Picnic meals on our last night in Disney World was less than exciting. Our other option was Sanaa, but online reservations would have us at 6:50. Might as well wait until 6:30 here at Mama Melrose’s and see if something opened up. If not…we’d figure something out…
Luck was with us that night. We turned back up at 6:30 p.m. as instructed. The hostess radioed back to see if they could take a party of two…and they could. It meant a 20 minute wait, but I had already come this far to eat here again, I wasn’t going to stop now. I think our wait was actually less than 20 minutes…but well worth it. We were seated, and the allergy tag was stuck on the table once again. Our waitress tonight was Rose. She said that we might have to wait a little on the chef tonight, as a party of 14 was seated near us and they had kids with multiple food allergies.
The wait was well worth it. Chef Michael came to our table and welcomed us back, already setting a basket of gluten-free dinner rolls down. He remembered us!! Two nights ago he made me a fantastic Spaghetti Marinara. And we told him that we had returned tonight, since he intrigued us by gluten-free flatbread and flourless chocolate cake.
Cathy and I chose to split the Wild Mushroom Flatbread ($12.99). He said he would get right to work on that and would keep in mind the
Mama Melrose’s Gluten-Free Wild Mushroom Flatbread
flourless chocolate cake. YAY! Rose came over to record the order to put it into the system and let us sit and enjoy our hot dinner rolls. Chef Michael returned with some olive oil and spices to dip our rolls in, as well as some fresh butter to spread over it should we choose. We did both. And both were delicious choices. We actually devoured all of the rolls before the flatbread came to the table.
The Wild Mushroom Flatbread is sort of like a pizza. This one is a gluten-free flatbread crust that is topped with roasted cremini and button mushrooms, a garlic-shallot spread, and then finished off with the most amazing balsamic reduction. This was complete love at first bite. The balsamic reduction was the best touch for this, but all of the components worked together. And the gluten-free flatbread was beyond fantastic. Finally…a “pizza” I could really enjoy on this trip. Amazing. We had no trouble splitting this and polishing it off.
Mama Melrose’s Gluten-Free Brownie à la Mode
As for that flourless chocolate cake though…the chef searched high and low…and couldn’t find one. But here is where the magic of Disney happens. Because he had promised it…he instead sent out a gluten-free brownie topped with ice cream and chocolate sauce…free of charge. The brownie was crisp on the outside, soft and warm on the inside. And the cold ice cream sitting on top of it only enhanced the already amazing chocolate flavor of the brownie. Right here is proof enough that gluten-free doesn’t mean tasteless or hard or dense. This brownie was hot, rich, and packed with fudgy chocolate flavor. It was a truly decadent and sinful treat. But it was our last night there…and I was ready to indulge.
A very nice tip was left for our waitress and lots of praise and thanks were shared with the hostess to pass on to Chef Michael.
And I would dine here over and over again…and next time I’m at Disney…I will do just that.
La Hacienda de San Angel – Epcot
Restaurant: La Hacienda de San Angel – Epcot
Epcot…oh, Epcot. Returning to the land of very little food for me. But this was different. This was dinner. And the one place that my roomie researched when it came to gluten-free options was this beautiful Mexican restaurant in the World Showcase of Epcot. The restaurant – La Hacienda de San Angel.
Now…I love authentic Mexican food. I don’t eat much of it anymore because there are just too many factors that go into the food that could lead to cross contamination. But the reviews about this place were a huge help and brought a sense of comfort with the service and the food that would be served.
In fact, it was stated online that La Hacienda de San Angel makes their own gluten-free corn tortillas in house! This was exciting news. My roommate took the time to print off the vegetarian menu from the Internet prior to leaving, so I had an idea of what I was going to get from that. The Enchaladas de Vegetales actually sounded very appetizing to me as that day I was suffering a little from the banana split I had for dessert the night before (too much dairy!). So, with an off stomach…Mexican food was sounding very daunting…but I wanted to give this a go.
We showed up early to the restaurant. Actually, we thought we were right on time, given that there was a huge line that we went to stand in just to reach the hostess outside of the restaurant. But, after a few minutes of standing there, the entire line cleared up. So we were now a good 40 minutes early for our reservation. The hostess looked up our reservation and sent us through the doors to the restaurant to have a seat and wait. I actually anticipated waiting the entire time, but we were actually shown to our seats soon after that.
Our waiter let us slide into our booth and then he settled a napkin on each of our laps. Ooooh….fancy. I suddenly felt under-dressed now. This happens every time I get a napkin placed on my lap. But, you know…they didn’t seem to care about my jeans and t-shirt at all. So, that fleeting moment of fashionista critic passed in a blink. We were handed menus and asked what we would like to drink. I once again stuck to water.
And here…was where a wave of panic settled in. I started to peruse the menu…and save for the Ensalada de la Hacienda…there wasn’t much for me to eat. Upon the return of our server, we were asked if we knew what we wanted to eat. I explained that I was a gluten-free vegetarian and he said that they could easily whip up their Tacos de Vegetales (Vegetable Tacos) for me on corn tortillas. I decided that would be much preferable to yet another salad and gave a nod of approval and said that sounded fantastic.
While we waited on our food, our server brought out the house made (and gluten-free) corn tortilla chips with two different types of salsa. One red. One green. The red one was robust in tomato flavor and had a nice kick to it. But, surprisingly, it was the salsa verde that I fell in love with. I normally go for that heat kick, but the sweet salsa verde blended so well with the corn tortilla chips. I couldn’t stop dipping into it. But I knew I had tacos on the way, so I kept my pre-meal chip snack to a bare minimum.
Cathy ordered the Tacos de Camarones ($23.95). These were basically flour tortilla tacos that were filled with fried shrimp, cabbage, lime, salsa verde, and a chipotle-lime aioli. It was the chipotle-lime aioli that caught her eye. In fact…she said that the description reminded her a lot of the shrimp tempura tacos that she gets at our local eatery, Dragon King’s Daughter (locations in New Albany, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky). And when they arrived, they actually sort of resembled that too, save for the addition of the cabbage.
My Tacos de Vegetales ($19.95) were a similar story. I was so impressed with these…and that was at first glance when they set them down in
La Hacienda de San Angel’s Tacos de Vegetales on corn tortillas (gluten-free)
front of me. These corn tortillas were stuffed full of grilled vegetables, cabbage, roasted corn, black beans, and topped with a little queso fresco. My tacos were also topped off with a bit of the chipotle-lime aioli as well and…yeah…it was magic. A Mexican fiesta in my mouth for sure. The depth of flavor in these simple tacos was astounding. The black beans were awesome and added a nice protein aspect as well as a richness that the tacos really needed. The cabbage gave it some crunch. And the roasted corn and grilled veggies were delicious. The corn was the star of the tacos though. Roasted to perfection and full of flavor. I devoured all three of the tacos on my plate.
La Hacienda de San Angel’s sides of Mexican Rice and Refried Black Beans
Our meals were served with sides of refried black beans and Mexican rice. The rice was fantastically seasoned and spiced. It had a bit of a kick to it, which I enjoyed and appreciated. But the star of the sides that came with our food was definitely the refried black beans. They were rich and full of this depth of flavor that was astounding. I wanted to eat the entire bowl, but the tacos were very filling, so I had a couple of spoonfuls of both the rice and beans and left it at that.
Dessert was offered, but we chose not to indulge tonight as our meal was quite filling on its own. We left completely full and quite happy with the value of the meal and the quality of the food we experienced. I loved how the staff didn’t even bat an eyelash when I said I was a gluten-free vegetarian, immediately having a dish that they could offer me. I enjoyed how they assured me everything was gluten-free and safe for me to eat. And I enjoyed every…filling…bite.
I would have gone back to this restaurant in a heartbeat as well…but they were booked solid the night we were there and not accepting walk-ins at all…so I bid it adios and was thankful for the dining experience.
1900 Park Fare – Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Restaurant: 1900 Park Fare – Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Let it be said that you should never travel to Disney World and not attend one of the character breakfasts. For real. My roommate did all the planning on this one, deciding on a breakfast at 1900 Park Fare, located inside the Grand Floridian Resort. Now, this resort is rather grand on its own…outside and inside.
But the Supercalifragilistic Breakfast was our character breakfast of choice. This is basically a festive, all-you-care-to-eat breakfast buffet, with Disney character guests that make appearances while you eat. We actually arrived earlier than anticipated because our Disney bus driver dropped us off at the resort instead of having us get off at one of the parks to catch a bus to the resort. Awesome. We appreciated that, but it left us with a bunch of extra time.
So, after wandering around the lobby we noticed a line forming at 1900 Park Fare and decided that we could at least check in with the hostess and maybe get seated earlier instead of with the 8:30 a.m. wave. They were happy to accommodate and noticed that there was a food allergy listed on the reservation. They handed me two tickets for the breakfast, both marked “ALLERGY.” When they opened the doors to seat us, we handed over these tickets and were shown to our table. I was informed by the woman who seated us that a chef would come over to talk to me. While Cathy could have gone and loaded up her plate with breakfast goodies, she opted to wait for me to see the chef.
The chef did arrive a little bit later and asked me to walk with him. What he did was take me through the buffet line, pointing out what foods I could safely eat. They were good about keeping things were there would be no cross-contamination. The fruit was okay, the scrambled eggs were safe, the potatoes were safe…etc. And then he said the words that made me the happiest gluten-free girl in Disney that morning. That he could make me gluten-free waffles. Gluten-free Mickey Mouse waffles. Just. For. Me.
THRILLED! I said that waffles sounded amazing and he said he would get to work on them and bring them to my table…but to go ahead and get anything else from the buffet that he pointed out to me. So, with that said, I joined Cathy at the table and said he was making me some waffles, but we could hit up the buffet now.
From 1900 Park Fare’s Supercalifragilistic Character Breakfast Buffet (Fresh fruit, hash browns, eggs, and strawberry soup)
In the line of the buffet, I went ahead and got a bunch of different fruits…honeydew melon, cantaloupe, watermelon, strawberries, grapes…yummy. In addition, I ladled a little of the strawberry soup into a bowl to try. I decided to give the hash brown potatoes and some of the scrambled eggs a try as they were deemed safe for my consumption. And I was hungry.
As I settled back into my seat and started eating some of the sweet fruit, the chef appeared at my side with a plate of four gluten-free Mickey Mouse waffles. I thanked him and couldn’t wipe the smile off my face as I moved one over to my plate, sliced off an ear, and gave it a dip in the real maple syrup he brought out with it.
1900 Park Fare’s Gluten-Free Mickey Mouse Waffles
Waffles never tasted so good. They were sweet and light and fluffy and SHAPED LIKE MICKEY MOUSE! I mean…come on!! It doesn’t get much better than that. And honestly, I’ve eaten quite a few gluten-free waffles at places, as well as made my own, and had the frozen kinds…and none come close to equaling these. Perfection. The fact that they weren’t heavy made it a synch to eat all four of them. And I still went back for more fruit, more eggs, and a few more hash browns. WORTH IT.
And, to top it off…our Disney character guests arrived and made their way around the dining room to greet the guests. At the Supercalifragilistic Breakfast, we had the honor of meeting Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, and The Mad Hatter. And all of them were so much fun to talk to, get pictures with, and interact with. I don’t care if I’m in my thirties…I loved every moment of this breakfast and meeting the characters. You’re never too old for Disney characters. Mary Poppins sure was charming and I had been wanting to meet her all weekend. So this was AWESOME!
The Supercalifragilistic Breakfast is $21.95 per person and includes the buffet and a non-alcoholic beverage. The food was really delicious. The company was awesome. And the care was above and beyond expectations. I am already wanting to go back and do another character breakfast!
Babycakes NYC – Downtown Disney
Restaurant: Babycakes NYC – Downtown Disney
The one place that I was anticipating indulging in as often as possible was Babycakes NYC in Downtown Disney. The most difficult part, at least the first night we were there seeking it out…was locating the place. For the record, it is located in the same building as Pollo Campero and Bodie’s…right next to LEGO Land. So…now you won’t have to log onto the Web site and look it up. You’re welcome.
Cathy and I were seeking this out at night to have breakfast ready in the room, that way we could get an early start and not have to wait for 9 a.m. to roll around to get breakfast…and then eat…and then head out for the day. This way…we were set and could head out after a quick bite in our room. This was a fantastic arrangement, by the way. And the baked goods were just as good the following morning.
I own a Babycakes NYC cookbook and the vegan & gluten-free foods sounded fantastic. I haven’t made it up to New York City yet…but the fact that they have a branch at Disney World was enough for me to tell Cathy that we were eating there every single morning that it was feasible. And, with the exception of two days…we did exactly that.
Being that we were seeking out breakfast…we stuck to the case with the doughnuts and loaves. We each would pick a doughnut and a loaf to enjoy the following morning. And there was quite a selection to choose from too. All of these were both vegan and gluten-free…meaning I had nothing to worry about when it came to my breakfasts. The most difficult part was choosing what I wanted to eat.
So…it went like this:
Babycakes NYC Gluten-Free Doughnuts and Loaves (Top Right: Day 1; Top Left: Day 2; Bottom Right: Day 3; Bottom Left: Day 4)
Trip #1: Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut ($3.49) and a Blueberry Toastie (Loaf) ($3.49)
Trip #2: Vanilla Glazed Doughnut ($3.49) and a Pumpkin Chip Loaf ($3.49)
Trip #3: Chocolate Dipped Doughnut ($3.49) and a Pumpkin Loaf ($3.49)
Trip #4: Jam Twist Doughnut ($3.49) and Banana Loaf ($3.49)
And that was just breakfast. In addition…Cathy had a few other options as well that I didn’t get for me, but we sampled each other’s choices. Cathy fell in love with the Lemon Poppyseed Loaf ($3.49), the Chocolate Cookie Crunch Doughnut ($3.49), and her favorite…the Cornbread Loaf ($3.49).
Okay…my most favorite of the doughnuts was the Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut…but cinnamon sugar has always been one of my favorite doughnuts to eat (blueberry being my favorite!). But here was the thing…they were so moist, so light and so very delicious. No one would be able to tell that these were vegan and gluten-free just by eating them. I was in sugar-rush heaven. I’m not big on glazed or dipped doughnuts, but these weren’t too bad. I find glazes and dips to be heavy…and these were…but the doughnuts were light and fluffy and flavorful…and when all is said and done…they worked well together. Everything just worked.
And the loafs…OH. MY. GOD. My favorite had to be the Pumpkin Chip Loaf…but they were all very good. They were sweet enough to satisfy that food craving and filling without being too much…even with the doughnuts. I found each one full of flavor. And my roommate will forever rave about that corn bread loaf. It was her favorite thing…and she only was able to get it one night…so thankfully she took a chance on that when she did. I also really liked the Blueberry Toastie…which had tons of fruity flavor and sweetness with the glaze and all. And of course, pumpkin and banana bread…you can’t go wrong with either of them. So moist. Bite-for-bite…even after sitting overnight in a box on the table in the hotel room…these were still moist and tasted like they were fresh from the bakery. Yeah…beyond impressed.
But we also sampled some other choices from Babycakes NYC as well. For dessert one night, we split one of their Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwiches ($3.49), which was fantastic. The chocolate chip cookies are thin, and crunchy, and sweet. Honestly…gluten-free cookie perfection. Normally I’m a chewy cookie kind of girl…but these were wafer-thin and had that perfect crumbly, sweet texture that works with chocolate chip cookies. And the frosting was vegan and made with cane sugar. It was moist and very sweet…so I was glad Cathy and I were splitting the cookie sandwich. I actually forgot to take a picture of that…but it was delicious.
Babycakes NYC Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie
So, on our last night there…we picked up our breakfast doughnuts and loaves…and they had a special on their gluten-free chocolate chip cookies ($1.00). So, we got two of them…one for each of us…because they were each discounted by $0.50…and when you’re on vacation and stocking up on sweets…that’s a good deal. We saved these for our last walk around our resort, and happily chewed away at the crunchy, buttery-flavored, amazing cookies. Yeah…heaven in cookie form. It was the right amount of sweetness and really hit the spot. It was the best way to wrap up our stay at Disney World…enjoying a vegan and gluten-free treat from the place we visited the most – Babycakes NYC.
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And there it is…my dining experiences at Disney World. Nothing catastrophic happened. I had my favorite food moments and my favorite food places…and I had meals that amazed me…meals that made me want to go back…meals that made me happy…and only a couple of disappointments. Not bad for this gluten-free vegetarian traveler. I am so thankful that Disney World is trained, prepared, and helpful to people with dietary restrictions. It took a load off my mind…and helped me focus on enjoying myself…and of course…preparing for the half marathon I was there to run.
Which…went so well, despite being high humidity (yes…at 5:30 a.m.)…leading to me shaving 2 minutes off my personal record and setting a new record for myself. I enjoyed the race…I enjoyed Disney World…and I enjoyed eating there and feeling confident in the fact that they truly were looking out for me in those kitchens.
I know it’s early in the week, but I am already trying to work through my CSA bin produce to make room for the following week. I was pretty darn successful when I stumbled across this recipe on Pinterest yesterday. Yes…yesterday…which I then proceeded to make for dinner. Why? Because I had all the necessary ingredients.
Except celery. But instead of rushing out to buy that…I substituted sliced carrots. You know what? That worked. It worked amazingly well.
This recipe is actually based off of one by the amazing and inspiring Kris Carr from her CrazySexyWellness page. Love this lady and find her battle to be one amazing journey of courage, strength, and determination. If you don’t know about her…look up her page and read a bit about her life with cancer. She’s super-inspiring.
As for the recipe…super delicious and filling. It was love at first soupy slurp.
2 pounds potatoes of choice, cubed (I used French fingerling)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 medium carrots, chopped (the original recipe just asks for 2 stalks of celery, chopped, FYI)
32 ounces gluten-free vegetable broth/stock (I used Imagine)
3 tablespoons tapioca flour/starch
1/2 fresh lime, squeezed
1 teaspoon red chili paste
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1/2 cup light coconut milk
sea salt and pepper, as desired
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425° F.
Chop all potatoes and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast for 30 minutes.
In a medium pot, heat remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil, then add onions, garlic and celery, sautéing for about 5 minutes. Slowly add broth. Add tapioca starch and lime juice, stirring thoroughly. Add chili paste and red curry paste, stirring until combined. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer (with lid on pot) for 5-6 minutes.
While soup is simmering, combine coconut milk and 1 cup roasted potatoes in a high speed blender or food processor. Puree and then add mixture to pot. Add remaining roasted potatoes and simmer for additional 10 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste.
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It’s simple. It’s amazing. It’s chunky. It’s a little sweet and a little spicy. It’s soup perfection. Completely vegan. Completely packed with flavor. I was so happy with how this turned out. The most time consuming part is all the prep of chopping the vegetables, but in the end, the soup is nicely balanced and full of flavor.
As I mentioned, my CSA bin was exploding this past week with treats to help make any Thanksgiving feast complete. Honestly…everything in there would go in a Thanksgiving meal. And if I was making a Thanksgiving meal…that would be ideal. As it was, being the token vegetarian among my roommate’s family, I am always asked to supply a vegetable dish. And as I had green beans in my bin…I went with that. Although, I honestly could have provided a healthy and fresh side item (forget canned yams and cranberry sauce…I could have made it from scratch with fresh and local ingredients), I stuck with what I was told to bring and let them open up canned yams and cranberry sauce. That’s their tradition.
But I’m a firm believer in fresh is best and therefore now had a plethora of Thanksgiving fruits and vegetables to play around with. As a result…I found a recipe that utilized Yukon Gold potatoes and sweet potatoes, and decided that I could alter it to accommodate my ready supply of fresh Russet potatoes and fresh yams that came in my bin. It even used some of the fresh, local herbs that I received as well.
WINNING!
So, last night…I cooked up this amazing gratin…and it emerged smelling fantastic and bubbling with goodness. At first bite…I knew I made a good choice. The original recipe was printed in a 2008 edition of Bon Appétit magazine. I adapted it to fit my ingredients. All of which…I had on hand and begging to be used.
Break out that mandolin slicer and bake up potatoes in a fresh, tasty new way.
Recipe: Scalloped Russet Potato and Yam Gratin with Fresh Herbs
Scalloped Russet Potato and Yam Gratin with Fresh Herbs
1-1/2 pounds medium red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams)
2 cups heavy whipping cream (I used 1 cup heavy whipping cream and 1 cup unsweetened almond milk)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter (I used Smart Balance)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1-1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (I used 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper)
1-1/4 cups (packed) coarsely grated Gruyére cheese (about 5 ounces) (I used Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese)
Directions:
Fill large bowl with cold water.
Working with one Russet potato at a time, peel, then cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds and place in bowl with water. Repeat with sweet potatoes.
Combine cream, butter, and garlic in medium saucepan; bring to simmer. Remove from heat.
Mix all herbs in small bowl.
Mix sea salt and black pepper in another small bowl.
Butter a 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish.
Drain potatoes, then pat dry with kitchen towels. Transfer half of potatoes to prepared baking dish. Use hands to distribute and spread evenly.
Sprinkle with half of salt-pepper mixture, then half of herb mixture. Sprinkle with half of cheese.
Repeat with remaining potatoes, salt-pepper mixture, herb mixture, and cheese.
Pour cream mixture over gratin, pressing lightly to submerge potato mixture as much as possible.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cover gratin tightly with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until top of gratin is golden and most of liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes.
Serve.
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Cheesy, potato goodness…that’s what this was. I mean…full of amazing flavor. The yams were the actual star, though. The flavor they brought to this gratin was out-of-this-world delicious. I loved the use of the fresh herbs as they complimented every ingredient that went into this dish. This would make a fantastic entree or even a delicious side dish at Thanksgiving (or just for a get-together of family dinner). The hardest part was getting that potato sliced on the mandolin. But, once that part was done, the rest was super-simple and easy.
Love potatoes and cheese? Trust me…you’ll love this!
Product: Terra Chips Original Vegetable Chips – $3.49+
Everyone does potato chips. And if it’s not potato chips…it’s corn chips. But, really…when something has been done, just with different seasonings, it’s hard to really tell one chip apart from the next. Then it’s just down to name brands or generic brands. And, really, there isn’t that much of a difference. More often than not that name brand company is making that generic brand. That’s how it works!
But then…there are some companies that think outside the box…or in this case…the potato chip bag. I’m talking about Terra. Terra Chips created a mission statement to the customers that are seeking out a different sort of snack. Their mission is to provide wholes gourmet snack food that is not only chef-inspired, but always made with 100% natural ingredients. Talk about a solid commitment to quality.
But how does one dress up a simple potato chip?
In the case of Terra, chefs put their own spin on the most popular snack food in America. And for the Terra Original Vegetable Chips…there is even a unique spin on something original. Instead of just potatoes, Terra introduces a plethora of different root vegetables to the mix. The Terra Original Vegetable Chips includes a variety of light, naturally colorful vegetables that add a little crunch, a little savoriness, and a little sweetness to each bite. This particular variety of Terra Chips is a fantastic mix of sweet potato, parsnip, batata, taro and yuca. All of them are fried in canola oil with beet juice concentrate for color, and salt for seasoning.
The result is an amazing bag of chips that has this amazing balance of flavors from rich, delicate, and nutty. I love the way each vegetable tastes different and has a different texture. Some are not as heavy as others, some have a bigger crunch. It keeps the snack interesting and definitely entices the palate with each bite.
I have had great luck with Terra Chips. Most of their chips are gluten-free and they are very good about labeling. If you are interested in stepping outside the chip bag…I highly recommend giving the exotic line of vegetable chips from Terra a try. Trust me…you will welcome the change and the variety of flavor you get with each bite.
The Celiathlete 