Products – Page 40 – The Celiathlete

November 7, 2013

Product Review: Andean Dream Quinoa Spaghetti

Product: Andea Dream Quinoa Spaghetti – $4.99+

Twas the night of my Monday fun run…and instead of doing my usual go-to meals…a Tasty Bite Indian meal or a grilled cheese sandwich…I went off the beaten path. I decided…pasta would be good. Mmmm…pasta.

I love pasta, and being gluten-free sometimes means I don’t get as good pasta as I used to be able to eat. Rice pasta gets mushy and gummy. Corn pasta is fine…but doesn’t always go with what I’m making.

And then…Andean Dream created the solution to my problem. Quinoa pasta. Yes…pasta made from quinoa. I figured…why not give it a try? So, I purchased a box of the spaghetti and took it home with me. I have an overabundance of gluten-free pasta…because I love pasta…like…love, love, love…devour…mmmmm…good…carbs…pasta…kind of love…so this one sat in my pantry until it was it’s turn.

Well, on Monday…for some reason…I decided it would be pasta night. Even though it was a hectic, busy, rushed night. Traffic going to Louisville is bad. I mean…BAD…every Monday and it’s only gotten worse with some of the construction going on…lane closures on the bridge…etc. Why I thought pasta might be a good idea, who knows? Things work out better in my head. Timing works out better in my head. But…that’s how life goes.

Live. Learn. Eat pasta anyway.

I made it home from work and immediately turned on the pot of water I left on the stove all day. It was covered, so I hoped that would bring the water up to a boil faster. I opened up the Andean Dream Quinoa Spaghetti and pulled out 4 ounces…or two servings. The box says that it serves 4, so this was half of the box. But you know me…I weighed it out.

The color and texture of the dried noodles remind me a lot of when I ate spelt pasta. That was a good sign. I loved my spelt pasta…until I could no longer eat it. While waiting on the water to boil, I did busy work…like get changed, put together lunch and snack for the following day, and chop up some grape tomatoes and get them sauteing in a pan with some olive oil. The water did boil and in went the Quinoa Spaghetti. The box said it would take about 13-15 minutes to cook, so I let it go…stirring occasionally…and hoped that it wasn’t one of those pastas that really took about 20-25 to reach that perfect al dente. It wasn’t. It took all but 13 minutes. I swear to the quinoa gods (which must exist for this to be a reality!).

Time to plate up. I had my tomatoes in a pan, so I drained the pasta, threw it in the pan with the tomatoes, added my chopped fresh basil, and just gave it a toss, warming it all up all the way through, coating everything in the remnants of the olive oil and red wine vinegar. Viola. Dinner was served. And…appropriately devoured…with a little slice of the gluten-free pull-apart bread I made and baked up over the weekend when my sister was in town.

So…how did the pasta stack up in flavor?

I only want to buy quinoa pasta from now on. It is fantastic. It didn’t get gummy or mushy. It held up through the additional cooking with the tomatoes and basil…in the sauce. It didn’t crumble or fall apart. It was so good. The texture reminded me not just of spelt pasta, but when I could eat whole wheat pasta. It just…was wow. Wonderful. Not chewy, not mushy, not disappointing at all. I was thrilled to cook it up again and have it perform equally as well on the second go-round.

Yes…Andean Dream has converted me. Quinoa pasta…FOREVER!

A serving size of Andean Dream Quinoa Spaghetti is 2 ounces, which dishes up a delightfully tasty 207 calories. Which is about right for a pasta. Just slightly under most other pastas out there. The Quinoa spaghetti has only 1 gram of fat. In addition to all that, not only is this pasta wheat-free and corn-free, but it is also sodium-free. That’s right!! A serving also provides you with a meager 3 grams of sugar and fiber. But, due to this pasta being made from quinoa and rice flour…a serving contains 6 grams of protein. Love that quinoa!!

Looking for a change or just want to step away from the strictly rice and corn based gluten-free pasta out on the market? I highly recommend Andean Dream pasta noodles. The spaghetti worked perfectly with my dinner and I can’t wait to try the other pastas that Andean Dream makes. So happy with this…and wish I had dug it out sooner!!

Gluten-Free Caprese Pasta made with Andean Dream Quinoa Spaghetti

October 27, 2013

Product Review: KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters

Product: KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters – $4.99+

Granola.

I have it in my pantry every week. The thing is…the brand and the flavors change. A lot. Why? Because I love a good gluten-free granola. And while I have found some rather amazing ones…I love to change things up…try new things…sample new flavors.

Now, I am a huge fan of KIND. The KIND bars are amazing, nutritious, all-natural snacks of deliciousness. For real. I have enjoyed every flavor I have ever sampled…and there are still more that I have yet to try. Imagine that!! But KIND doesn’t just do bars. They also do this fantastic granola line as well. Before I picked up the Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters, I tried Vanilla Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds…and it was love at first bite.

So, after returning from being out of town, and no CSA bin to work with…I had the opportunity to pair the apples I had in my fruit basket at home with whatever I wanted to in the morning parfaits I make with breakfast. Trying not to stop at too many grocery stores as we were now grocery shopping on a weekday…I asked my roommate to just pick one of the gluten-free options available at that store. She immediately locked onto the KIND varieties and snagged the Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters from the shelf.

Peanut butter…KIND product…this was going to be a match made in heaven…for sure. Peanut butter…as you may well be aware…is one of my most favorite things in life. In the world. I could eat it for live and never get bored with it. So…anything peanut butter flavored makes me one happy little vegetarian and gluten-free foodie.

As I said…apples were what I had at home. So, one morning, I set out to caramelize them to put in the Greek yogurt chilling in the fridge. But, to make this a true breakfast parfait…it needed a bit of crunch. It needed that granola topping. And peanut butter and apples go together so amazingly well. I mean…HELLO! They were meant for each other. In fact, one of my favorite snacks is slicing apples, coating them with peanut butter and raisins, and making them into sandwiches. YUMMY.

So, this parfait was definitely on the verge of epicness…before I even tasted it.

KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters…are beyond delicious. I mean…holy gluten-free granola goodness. Holy KIND awesomesauce. OM NOM NOM NOM. I would eat this stuff by the handful. I mean, it’s great on a caramelized apple and Greek yogurt…but it’s SO fantastic on its own. So, you can enjoy this any way you want and truly enjoy it. Each bite has that nice peanut flavor. In fact, little bits of peanuts are throughout these clusters. And that adds a nice bit of texture and salty-sweetness…that peanut butter is all about.

KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Clusters are a blend of gluten-free oats, brown rice, millet, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa. In addition to the whole grains, these whole grain clusters include evaporated cane juice, peanut butter, soy crisp, peanuts, whey protein, canola oil, sea salt, and natural vitamin E. Do note…these are not vegan due to the whey protein. Sort of sad about that. But, let’s face it…these are super delicious.

Nutritionally speaking, a serving of the KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters is 1/3 cup. This serving provides 130 calories and 3.5 grams of fat…which isn’t bad for granola. And since some of that fat comes from the nuts…it’s at least a healthy fat. These clusters are low in sodium and sugar, containing 80 mg sodium and 5 grams of sugar. I love a granola that isn’t loaded with sugar. LOVE it. These also contain 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. Filling, and delicious!

Not only are these clusters gluten-free, but they are all natural, contain no refined sugars, are non-GMO, contain no trans-fats, are cholesterol free, and as mentioned above…low in sodium. Every ingredient is obvious in the mix…and the ingredients are all real and prodnouncable. No hidden chemicals or preservatives. All natural goodness.

So…do try these out. Especially if you are a peanut butter freak like I am. Do something KIND for yourself, your body, and your diet. Find KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters and devour them. Devour them for the awesomeness that they are adding to your diet. Eat them on their own, over yogurt, or like cereal with milk. Whatever you want. Just go and get them…eat them…and love them as much as I do.

Yeah…these will be on the definite “purchase again” list! Whole grains…good for you…peanut buttery crunchy goodness. It’s all of life’s treats in one simple bag.

Kind Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters over caramelized apples and vanilla Greek yogurt

October 27, 2013

Product Review: O’Doughs Gluten-Free Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins

Product: O’Doughs Gluten-Free Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins – $3.99+

A couple weeks ago…I tried O’Doughs Gluten-Free Original Flavor Bagel Thins and was just…wowed by them. Sure, this bagel-lover enjoys that soft, chewy inside of a bagel as much as the next one…but sometimes, even with gluten-free bagels, it can be a bit much. So, the fact that gluten-free bagel thins existed made me very, very happy.

And my local grocery store just started to carry these little gluten-free gems in their freezer section. You do not know happy until you’ve seen me settle in at breakfast with a fantastic bagel with a schmear of some variety of cream cheese (often vegan). I was raised in New York…the bagel capital of the universe. No exaggeration. New Yorkers love a good bagel.

And when I had to go gluten-free…I feared that the bagel would be out of my life forever. I tried a few varieties out on the market and hated them. I fell in love with Udi’s…but they can be really filling at times. Sometimes…you just want something light…but bagel-y. Yes…that’s a word…now. And thanks to O’Doughs…this has become a reality.

O’Doughs Gluten-Free Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins are these thin little slabs of bagel, which I actually had to slice in half this time. The original were pre-sliced. I don’t know if this was a fluke or what…but…I managed. Without destroying them in the process too, I might add. God love a good serrated knife. WOOHOO! Anyway, these bagel thins are made up of filtered water, potato starch, tapioca starch, chickpea flour, sprouted flax flour, soya flour, rice flour, evaporated cane juice, cellulose gum, glycerine, sunflower oil, yeast, salt, xanthan gum, cinnamon, algal oil, baking powder, baking soda, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds.

I am wagering a guess that this is really their attempt at an Anything Bagel…which is a definite New York staple.

So…after giving them a toast…and a schmear of a pumpkin spice cream cheese…how did they work out?

Deliciously wonderful. This variety of O’Doughs Gluten-Free Bagel Thins actually have this fantastic rustic and nutty flavor to them. The top of the bagels themselves have this amazing sprinkling of seeds (sesame and poppy). I loved that, as they toasted up with the bagels themselves and really penetrated the dough of the bagel thins…giving them amazing flavor and texture. And…you won’t overfill your stomach with these thin little bagels of awesomeness. Not only does O’Doughs provide these amazing Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins free of trans-fat and eggs, they are also non-GMO, kosher, and a healthy and delicious source of fiber.

Now comes the point in the blog where I talk about the nutritional value of the product I ate. Well, the O’Doughs Gluten-Free Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins are made with all-natural ingredients and no preservatives. A serving is 1 bagel thin, which gives you 100 calories and 1.5 grams of at. One of these tasty gluten-free bagel thins provide 300 mg of sodium and 2 grams of sugar. Not too bad at all. And you will also be consuming 2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein.

As I stated in the blog about the Original Flavor Bagel Thins by O’Doughs…if you spot these…snatch up a bag of them and give them a try. They are some of the best bagels I have ever tasted. All that bagel flavor…not too filling…not too fattening. Just right. And with so many varieties of toppings to choose from with bagels…get creative and put your own spin on them. The Gluten-Free Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins are delicious, fantastic, and healthy. Not to mention…just plain awesome.

So…go and buy some and toast up some gluten-free bagel-y goodness today. Or tomorrow morning. But do it!

O'Doughs Gluten-Free Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins with Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese — O’Doughs Gluten-Free Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins with Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese

October 27, 2013

Product Review: Peas of Mind Baked Apple Fries

Product: Peas of Mind Baked Apple Fries – $5.99+

Sometimes…it happens.

Okay…with me it happens all the time…but let’s ignore that fact for a moment here.

Picture walking through the frozen food section of your local natural foods store (this was Whole Foods, in case you were wondering) and catching just a quick glimpse of an interesting sounding product. That’s what happened here. I normally never would have thought twice about this little green bag of sliced apples…but…the fact that they were frozen apple fries…that got my attention. Baking apple strips and making them into a healthy alternative to potato fries. BRILLIANT!

So…I bought them. I had to. I needed to give these a try.

The brand is Peas of Mind, and they tout all-natural eats for growing children.

Kid food. Kids sometimes get the best food. And the fact that these were all-natural, non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, fat-free, egg-free, soy-free and vegan…well…they were definitely safe for me to eat. I didn’t care that these were intended for children. This kind of food was good for all ages. That’s how I figured it.

Peas of Mind makes a variety of healthy eats for kids. And their veggie fries come in a few different flavors, including carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and apple. YUM! But the apple ones were the ones that caught my eye…so those were the ones making the trip to my freezer.

And, as with most things…I bought these and then kept forgetting to cook them up. Until the last time I prepared my gluten-free veggie burgers. I figured a side of fries would go nicely. But instead of slicing up a sweet potato or potato and baking them up in the oven…I pulled these out of the freezer and prepared a baking sheet to get them cooking. I have to say…they were a lot thicker than I anticipated…not the gorgeous fry-shape that is shown on the packaging. But…my food doesn’t have to look like the package. It just has to taste good.

Before we get to that, however, let’s hit up the ingredients and nutritional information. The Peas of Mind Baked Apple Fries are made up of apple, dehydrated potato, water, canola oil, cinnamon, sea salt, and baking powder. One serving is 57 grams (or about 14 fries). In this serving, you will be consuming 70 calories and 0 grams of fat. Remember…fat free! You also get served 50 mg sodium and 2 grams of sugar. These will not be very filling as that serving has only 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein. Each bag provides 6 servings of fruit. Definitely healthy. Definitely different.

So…how were they?

Different. They were…different. In fact, I’d venture to say they were slightly on the bland side. I felt that they needed a dip of some sort. Peas of Mind recommends (on the packaging) ketchup or honey. I’m not a fan of honey on its own nor am I fan of apples in ketchup. So…I ate them without. Although now I”m tempted to do up a whipped agave dip for the next time I make these. Hmmm.

Anyway…the apple flavor is barely there…and they seem to need more cinnamon, quite honestly. The dehydrated potato sort of gave them this odd…blandness. If it were just apple strips, these would have been amazing. But the added flakes of potato just subtract from that sweet apple flavor. So, they were definitely a disappointment. I think next time I bake up a round from my bag in the freezer, I might sprinkle with a bit more cinnamon and try to draw out more flavor.

So, they weren’t bad…but they didn’t wow me either. Next time…I might just slice an apple into slices and give them a good bake in the oven and see how that goes. I wasn’t blown away, but I am definitely curious enough to try the other veggie varieties to see if they work out better than this fruity version.

Peas of Mind has definitely drawn me in…even though this first product I sampled from them didn’t really thrill me, I am eager to see what else they have to offer. I love healthy alternatives to foods. And this was definitely a healthy choice…just not one that was as delicious as it was healthy. I hope that changes as I give the other versions of the veggie fries a chance in the future.

Peas of Mind Baked Apple Fries (prepared)

October 27, 2013

Product Review: Nuovo Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Product: Nuovo Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi – $5.99+

This was it. The last of the gluten-free gnocchi that I randomly spotted and purchased from my local Earth Fare store. I was so happy to find three varieties…all three had to come home with me that day. I knew I wasn’t going to get to them that quickly…so I froze them until I was ready to try them out. Smart move on my part…because it took a bit longer than originally anticipated.

I was thrilled…just thrilled with the Classic Potato and the Basil and Potato varieties that I devoured before. I saved the Gluten-Free Sweet Potato version for last because…I love, love, love sweet potatoes. Like…more than most foods in this world. Sweet potatoes make me super happy. And I will eat them in different ways too. So…why not in a gnocchi?

Thanks to Nuovo, this was simple to do which made my evening a lot more enjoyable. I didn’t have to spend most of the evening prepping my own dough for this gnocchi. All I did was take it out of the freezer and place it in the fridge prior to going to work…when when I got home…put them in some salted boiling water and allowed them to cook just as the package stated.

Easy. SO easy. And I was already anticipating digging into a helping of this as it was cooking in the water…and I was warming a sauce (a marinara…because that was all I had on hand). I drained them, tossed them with the sauce…and dinner was served.

So…with all the anticipation…was it worth it? Was it just as I imagined it would be.

Nuovo Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi (boiled and drained)

Well…not really. In fact…I was more than underwhelmed by this particular variety. Where I raved and applauded the gluten-free Classic Potato and gluten-free Basil and Potato varieties…I was…just disappointed with the one I was anticipating the most. The Sweet Potato gnocchi definitely had a hint of that sweet potato flavor…however, it wasn’t the first thing to hit the palate. It was okay…it was still good…but it just didn’t knock my culinary socks off. The majority of the flavor came from the marinara sauce I tossed these potato pasta goodies in. I just felt like these were missing something…not texture-wise, but definitely in flavor. If you are going to be sweet potato…something…you need to have that sweet potato flavor there. I wanted to taste the sweet potato, not feel that it was masked. And that’s what I felt happened with these.

Nuovo is so very kind to offer a gluten-free version of their famous fresh pastas. I totally enjoyed the other two versions of gnocchi that I had from Nuovo…but this one just didn’t kick it up like the other two did. I think of them all, the Basil and Potato was my absolute favorite of the bunch.

Nutritionally speaking, the Nuovo Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi serves up 2 servings…so my roommate and I split the pack. This serving dished up 270 calories and 1 gram of fat. A serving will also provide you with 350 mg of sodium and 11 grams of sugar (which I think is high…but it is a sweet potato…). And finally, you will get 5 filling grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein.

Not bad for a potato-pasta! Not at all. I just wish they had a better all-over flavor to them. But…you can’t win them all, right? If you are looking for a great sweet potato flavor…spend the time to make your own. Otherwise…Nuovo offers two other flavors in their gluten-free varieties that really rocked my gluten-free gnocchi loving socks!

Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi in Mezzetta Napa Valley Bistro Homemade Style Marinara

October 27, 2013

Product Review: Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix

Product: Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix – $5.99+

It isn’t often that Cathy comes right out with a breakfast request. Normally, I ask the question the night before…”What do you want for brekkies?” Her response usually comes with a shrug, a garbled “Idunno…” And then leaves it to me to figure something out. Which…fine…I’ve grown used to that. But sometimes I don’t want to make the breakfast decision. Sometimes I actually do want to make something that she definitely wants to have in the morning.

But…last week…the unthinkable happened. Without a prompt from me…I got, “Can we have pancakes for breakfast?”

Can we ever!! Finally…some input. Finally…a request. FINALLY…a reason to bust out a new brand of gluten-free pancake mix. HA!

It was time to pull the Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix out of my pantry and welcome it to the wonderful world of my teeny-tiny kitchen. Mixing bowl time…at last.

I found the Authentic Foods brand of pancake mix while browsing the small food section at our local Home Goods store. I can’t believe how many different gluten-free foods they have in there by brands that I am unfamiliar with. And, to top it off, this was being sold at an unbeatable price. When the normal price is $3.00 more than what Home Goods is selling it for…well…you better believe my pantry is going to have a bag of it inside. Purchase made…and the wait time as I work through the products that came before it happened.

Until Cathy’s request. PANCAKES!

Now…simple pancakes would have been just fine. But I felt like making one of my favorite things from childhood. In fact, so many of my friends associate my sleepovers with the chocolate chip pancakes my mom would cook up for all of us the next morning. We all looked forward to it…putting on a nice slab of butter, then dowsing it with maple syrup. Oh yeah…my mom always treated us to chocolate chip pancakes…and my friends knew it.

So…I thought I’d bring it back. So, I mixed up the batter as instructed on the packet…1/2 a cup of the mix added to 1 beaten egg, 1/2 cup almond milk (milk or milk substitute), 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. I then folded in some of Enjoy Life’s mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. Voila…these were ready for my skillet.

The most amazing thing happened. No joke. These pancakes, after they began to cook on the skillet…puffed up and got fluffy…like real pancakes do. Like the pancakes my mom used to make me when I was growing up. I was thrilled to see the edges bubble up and the batter just sort of…expand with the heat. I was already anticipating flipping these over and seeing if the trend continued. And when the bottom side was an amazing golden color, these were flipped…and yes…they remained fluffy. You cannot even imagine the happy dance I was doing in front of my skillet. So many times gluten-free pancakes don’t rise…they just are flat…but these…fluffy and beautiful. Perfection!

Authentic Foods Pancake & Baking Mix is composed of a blend of stone-milled Garfava (a blend of flour made from garbanzo, fava beans, and Romano beans) and superfine brown rice flour. It was like biting into a traditional all-American pancake. Honestly. And with my addition of the mini chocolate chips…you better believe this breakfast took me back to those mornings my mom would treat us to this very same breakfast.

I served the pancakes with a drizzle of pure maple syrup…and settled in. These pancakes got that amazing golden crust on the outside. Inside…so fluffy and light. Not heavy and dense. Just the most perfect pancake I have made so far from these gluten-free mixes. I want to go see if Home Goods has more of this mix…because it made me so happy with each and every bite. For real. When pancakes make your day…there is something special going on.

Supposedly this mix is perfect for making waffles, muffins, cookies, donuts, crepes, and so much more. I just bought a donut cutter. Game on!

Nutritionally speaking, this pancake mix isn’t too bad for you either. I mean…these are carby…amazing…fluffy…REAL tasting gluten-free pancakes. Just take them for what they are and enjoy!! But…as I always cover this…a serving size of this pancake mix is 1/4 cup…which gives you light and fluffy…130 calories per serving and 1.5 grams of fat. So…really not so bad, right? Right! You will be getting 170 mg of sodium and 1 gram of sugar. Also these serve up a filling 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. So…woohoo!

If you have been longing for the light and fluffy pancakes you used to know…I highly recommend giving Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix a try. So far…it’s the one that has impressed me the most. I hope to find other products by Authentic Foods and see how they compare. Until then…I’m thinking pancakes for breakfast tomorrow.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pancakes from Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix

October 27, 2013

Product Review: Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani

Product Review: Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani – $3.29+

Quick Indian meals are usually my Monday thing. I mean…I have to get home from work, scarf something down, and get changed and out the door to head to my running group’s Monday meet-up at 6 p.m. Not easy when construction is going on and often traffic is at a stand-still going across the river. It can be frustrating. And when trying to take a little bit of stress out of the day…the best thing to do is have a simple meal prepared.

But this time…this was a Wednesday thing. I had eaten a big lunch on the way back from Chicago the Monday before I had this…so no food was necessary that evening. Not a bite. But…Wednesday marked a big heaping deal of a run. My good friend, Natalie, was completing her pledged 180th straight day of running to raise money for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. And she invited the group at the store to run those last miles with her. She chose 4.15 miles, in honor of the date of the bombings, April 15.

So, that evening sort of ran (heh…no pun intended. See what I did there?) like a Monday night. That morning, I cooked up two servings of jasmine rice, let it cool, and tucked it away in the fridge for later. Upon returning home from work…I heated up the rice, pulled out my next packet of Tasty Bite goodness…and got ready to dive in.

This week…Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani. Paneer, for those of you not familiar with Indian cuisine, is a soft, vegetarian-friendly cheese. It can be firm or soft…depending on how it is made. But it is…delicious. Makhani is a Hindustani word meaning “with butter.” So…this is basically Butter Paneer. Don’t freak out…really it’s these cubes of paneer that are cooked in this fantastic, creamy tomato sauce…spiced just right to give it that Indian flavor. I love the taste of Indian food. So yummy.

So…what happens when said entree comes in a microwavable pouch? What happens when it only takes 90 seconds to heat and eat? Magic. Because Tasty Bite knows what it is doing when it comes to these fun little meals. Honestly. I wasn’t too sold on the thought of a buttery cheese dish…but…they proved me wrong.

The Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani is just what I described above…home-style paneer cheese in a creamy, spiced sauce. This pouch is a delicate balance of natural ingredients that are non-GMO, vegetarian, and gluten-free. Happy dance. In fact, the ingredients in this particular Indian meal include tomatoes, paneer cheese, water, onion, cream, cashew nuts, sunflower oil, ginger, garlic, salt, coriander, chiles, and spices. Sounds delicious, yes? Of course it does. So, after giving my jasmine rice a quick steaming in the microwave to reheat it…this little pouch of goodness was put in and given it’s 90 seconds to warm through.

I poured the contents over two bowls of rice…and dinner was done in 5 minutes total.

So, we all know that this Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani was easy to prepare…but how did it stack up in flavor and taste?

It was good. It was really good. I loved the bit of mild heat from the variety of spices in the sauce itself. The sauce was the perfect thickness…not too runny, but not too thick either. Perfect consistency. I wished I had more of the sauce, honestly. The cheese was…pretty good. I love paneer cheese, but this just seemed a bit rubbery. Probably because it is, after all, in a microwavable pouch. It wasn’t bad…it was still soft…but it wasn’t the star of this dish like it should have been. Major props to the sauce. It saved this one. I’d probably invest in this variety again…but only if nothing else caught my eye. The Paneer Makhani wasn’t about the paneer at all. It was all about that Makhani sauce.

So, let’s talk nutrition. A serving of the Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani is 1/2 of the pouch. This serving dishes up 220 calories and 17 grams of fat. YIKES!! Some of that, however, does come from the cashews…but most of it comes from the paneer. That’s…a hefty dosage of fat, I think. I mean, 150 of those 220 calories come from fat. That’s…not that great. A serving of the Paneer Makhani also will provide you with 440 mg of sodium and 3 grams of sugar. Not bad for a shelf-stable, processed meal, right? Also, you will be getting 1 gram of fiber and a whopping 10 grams of protein. Low fiber, high protein…good for running.

So, while the flavor was there in the Paneer Makhani, the paneer cheese definitely fell flat, but the sauce saved it. I would recommend trying this one, if you are a fan of Indian flavors. And if you love paneer cheese. Just know…fresh cheese that isn’t sealed in a pack and kept on the shelf definitely stands up better when used in Indian cuisine. But when you are an on-the-go kind of person…this definitely works in a pinch. So…not one of my favorites, but not bad either. Tasty Bite hasn’t put out a bad product…this one just didn’t wow me like the others have so far.

Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani over jasmine rice

October 22, 2013

Product Review: Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon French Toast Sticks

Ian's All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon Friend Toast Sticks — Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon Friend Toast Sticks

Product: Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon French Toast Sticks – $4.99+

It was the morning before the biggest race of my life. My first marathon. THE CHICAGO MARATHON.

I had just run an easy 3 miles before showering, getting dressed, and trying to find something a little substantial for breakfast for me, Cathy, and our friend Jenn before the three of us hit the road to Chicago. Lunch was not going to happen…so our food was going to be the snacks I made/packed and then a nice dinner at a restaurant that does gluten-free options out the wazoo for dinner. So, along with a bowl of Chocolate Chex…I reached into the freezer and pulled out the box I had of Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon French Toast Sticks.

I love French toast, and being gluten-free…I don’t get it unless I make it. BUT…that normally means that it’s French toast made with sandwich bread. Not delicious brioche or some other fancy-schmancy bread like all the “regular” people get to eat. Prior to these…I had been spoiled by the gluten-free delicious awesomesauce that is Van’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon French Toast Sticks. I mean…those blew me away. So, when I spotted Ian’s own version at my local natural foods, I picked them up for the occasion where I couldn’t cook an elaborate breakfast (which I am known to do…even on weekdays). The morning before a long-ish road trip seemed like the perfect time to break these out and give them a try. I was excited…because the pizza I had from Ian’s was SO amazing and good. I only expect good things now from them.

I noticed that the box indicated these were best cooked in the oven…which is what I intended to do regardless. So, I preheated the oven as directed by the box and then opened up the package to get a look at the contents.

Here is where my first issues with this product fall. Obviously, this product is geared more toward kids, however, I still think that the French toast sticks could be normal bread size. Van’s French Toast Sticks are the size of regular bread. The version by Ian’s…about the length of my thumb…maybe a little longer, but not by much. Strike One. The box also says that there are 5 servings inside. A serving is 4 sticks. I had enough for my friends and I to have 1 serving each and then split one lone stick into thirds to make it even-Stevens. Five servings my marathon-running behind!! So aggravating. So…Strike Two.

What did intrigue me about these miniature French toast sticks is that they had this white crust of sugar on them. Okay…this was new. I figured that would cook up and melt down in the oven and be a delicious part of this, so far disappointing, product. My faith went all to Ian’s here…I trusted them. So…into the oven they went…cooked as directed, and removed when done.

I dished up a serving and 1/3 for each of us, warmed up some maple syrup, and breakfast was served.

I really, really, really wanted these to be good. Two strikes so far…they needed to taste epic. But…they didn’t. That white sugar-like coating did nothing to enhance the flavor of this bland product. In fact, when it cooked, it didn’t melt and give that warm cinnamon-sugar feel I was hoping for. Instead it created this hard crust around each little piece of French toast. Not impressed. The maple syrup, I hoped, would soften it up. I always warm my maple syrup…but that didn’t even help. And the flavor, overall, very, very bland. I hated the fake sugary flavor that these had. I hated the texture…so tough on the outside thanks to that coating of sugar. Yep…Strike Three.

You better believe these will never find their way into my freezer again. So disappointing coming from Ian’s.

Regardless…I still feel I need to discuss the ingredients and the nutritional worth of this product. Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon French Toast Sticks are made from cinnamon brown rice bread, tapioca starch, cinnamon, yeast, cane sugar, and a batter consisting of water, white rice flour, cane sugar, tapioca flour, potato starch, cinnamon, sea salt, and xantham gum, While I admire and approve of the fact that I recognize every single ingredient on that list (no preservatives, no chemicals, nothing fake), I just wish this product tasted good. Because…it was a rather epic fail on the food scale. This product also contains no wheat or gluten, no milk or casein, no eggs, no nuts, and no soy. It is vegan safe…but not vegan tasty.

As for the nutrition information…as I mentioned earlier, a serving of Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Allergy Friendly Cinnamon French Toast Sticks is 4 of the little mini pieces. These four bites (seriously…bites) will serve you up 170 calories (NOT WORTH IT!) and 6 grams of fat (NOT WORTH IT!). You will also be supplied with 95 mg sodium and 2 grams of sugar. You only receive 2 grams of protein and absolutely no fiber from these. So, these will not leave you feeling full or satisfied for hours. Nope. In fact, we were all reaching for the homemade gluten-free madeleine cookies I baked up about halfway to Chicago. So annoying.

There is absolutely nothing redeeming about this product. It was a total and complete disappointment from the moment I opened the box. I was hoping it would only get better from there…but it was a false hope. And the three of us who ended up eating them despite not really caring for them…were not impressed nor happy with our breakfast that morning. It was a good thing dinner was fantastic. And it’s a good thing I bake a mean gluten-free madeleine!!

Never…ever…again. Sticking with Van’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon French Toast Sticks forever and always!

Sorry, Ian’s…but you lost me on these. At least your pizza is still good…

October 9, 2013

Product Review: Love Grown Foods Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters

Product: Love Grown Foods Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters – $4.99+

Granola is something that I buy…every week…when I’m at the grocery store. I have to be selective. I have to. The requirement is it must be gluten-free and have a low amount of sugar. I don’t want my granola to be packet with sugar. I already take in way more sugar every day than I should. So…two requirements. You’d be surprised how many granola brands on the market do not fit that bill.

A lot.

That being said, there are a few select brands that do…and they are brands that I am quite familiar with and return to in my constant rotation of granola through my pantry.

This week…I let my roommate choose. She and I both adore, love, and cherish the granola we get from Love Grown Foods. So, she opted with that brand. YAY! Her flavor choice, however, was a new one for us to try. It is their Apple Walnut Delight. Since I am putting this granola over Greek yogurt and caramelized apple…I figured this was actually a very good choice. Therefore…it was the granola gamble of the week.

I have fallen in love with every flavor of the Love Grown Foods Oat Clusters that I have brought home. They strike that perfect balance, whether eaten on their own, with milk, or in one of my infamous breakfast parfaits. The seasoning is spot on, the sweetness is at the right level. The flavors are subtle…yet…just there, so your taste buds catch every part of the cluster…the granola mix…but it doesn’t overwhelm the palate. Love Grown Foods distributes love with each sack of granola. For real.

The Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters are truly…delightful. The granola is a blend of gluten-free oats, honey, walnuts, coconut, agave syrup, expeller pressed canola oil, dried apples, sunflower seeds, pure vanilla, milled flaxseed, cinnamon, and sea salt. There is truly a touch of sweet and savory in this one…but it means you keep on going back for a little more…then…a little more. It’s a fantastic balance.

The dried apples are really good, and the walnuts add a bit of rustic flavor to the mix. But the star is the sweetened gluten-free oats. The way the agave and cinnamon play against each oat flake is amazing. The touch of vanilla livens everything up. And each bite will leave you quickly spooning your bowl for another one. Or, at least that’s what happened in my case. I was loving the clusters in this one…the pockets of cinnamon and vanilla, mingling with the nuts and the fruit. It’s one flavor party in a bag…in my breakfast…and in my belly.

Let’s talk nutrition for a moment. A serving of Love Grown Oats Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters is 1/4 cup. This serving provides you with 130 calories and 6 grams of fat. A serving is low in sodium (only 35 mg) and only contains 7 grams of sugar. That is fantastic for a granola. Trust me. Each serving provides 3 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein as well. This granola is cholesterol free, gluten-free, and non-GMO!

Loving it.

And loving Love Grown Foods once again. If you love the taste of apples and cinnamon…with a hint of nuttiness with the addition of the walnuts…then you should definitely try this granola. These oat clusters are fantastic. Love Grown Foods really does put a lot of love into their products. That is beyond evident. Every time I try a new product from their lineup.

Still impressed. Still loving it!

Caramelized Apple and Greek Yogurt Breakfast Parfait with Love Grown Oats Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters

October 8, 2013October 8, 2013

Product Review: Tasty Bite Spinach Dal

Product: Tasty Bite Spinach Dal – $3.29+

It’s Monday again. And you know what that means, right?

It means I use the rice I cooked up last week for Monday…until the world got loopy…and enjoy another quick Indian meal from Tasty Bite. That’s what it means. Why? Because it’s the night I come straight home from work, feed myself quickly, change into my running clothes and then head out to get at least 3 miles in with my friends at my local running store.

I’m currently tapering…3 miles would have been ideal. Except we did something different tonight, and Patrick (he’s tricksy), somehow got me to climb Dog Hill in Cherokee Park twice. TWICE! I hate dog hill…but he said, as we entered Cherokee Park…let’s make this the start of one loop, so we’ll go all the way around and then when we come back around we’ll head back to the store. Um…okay? I guess. Regardless…I was one of three people who did it.

During taper.

Bad. Bad me.

But…one thing that wasn’t bad was my dinner. In fact, I was once again blown away by the authentic flavor and taste that Tasty Bite puts into each of their entrees. Since I love Indian food with a passion, then I want my Indian food to be good. I want it to taste like Indian food. And Tasty Bite accomplishes just that. It’s incredible how good these little microwavable pouches actually are. I continue to be impressed, surprised, and happy with my meal.

Today was a new flavor for me. Today’s pouch introduced me to Spinach Dal. Dal is lentils. So, if you like lentils and spinach…well…this is a great opportunity for you to combine the two into one. The Tasty Bite Spinach Dal entree is spinach that has been cooked down and combined with yellow lentils. This forms an amazing sauce that is packed with nutrients and protein. These two components are accented with a variety of spices (including ginger, garlic, sugar, chilies, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, and pepper) as well as water, tomatoes and onions. What emerges is this great green spinach-y sauce with tons of flavor, seasoned to perfection, with yellow lentils swimming throughout. The texture is great. The taste is superb. You’ll be blown away by it. I hoovered mine down, which isn’t always a good thing to do before going for a run, but I was hungry…and loving every bite.

Nutritionally speaking, the Tasty Bite Spinach Dal is a powerhouse of nutrients. One serving is half of the pouch, which dishes up only 100 calories and 5 grams of fat. One serving also provides 480 mg sodium and 2 grams of sugar. Not too shabby for a shelf-stable item, right? And one serving will give you 3 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein as well.

Once again, Tasty Bite exceeds all expectations and wows me once again with their bold flavors, their ability to replicate Indian food to perfection, and just how easy they are to prepare. Just a 90 second zap in the microwave and serve. Add it over rice, eat it on its own or add it to a meal to change it up or turn it up a notch. I saw a recipe on their Web site where someone placed Spinach Dal on a pizza crust. Sounds delicious, yes?

The possibilities are endless…and taste oh, so good!

Tasty Bite Spinach Dal over jasmine rice