That is a love letter of goodness if you ask me. Because this only proves that you don’t need to dress up something to make it taste good. You can let the pure, simple, clean ingredients speak for themselves. And that is exactly what Purely Elizabeth brand Original Ancient Grains Granola Cereal does. Let me tell you, I could eat this stuff by the handful, without anything to top it off or add flavor. Honestly…it’s amazing on its own.
But I tend to use granola in my infamous breakfast parfaits, teaming it with Greek yogurt and fresh fruit of some variety (whatever may have been in the CSA bin that week). So, if it works well on its own, chances are it will be brilliant when paired with something else of equal deliciousness. And Greek yogurt and fresh fruit…is definitely winning!
So…let’s start with the basics of this very basic (but highly impressive) granola. The Original Ancient Grains Granola Cereal is a blend of organic certified gluten-free oats, organic coconut palm sugar (for sweetness), organic raw virgin coconut oil, organic puffed amaranth, organic quinoa flakes, organic sunflower seeds, organic chia sees, organic cinnamon, and sea salt. I think I spy some organic, all-natural ingredients. Not one chemical or preservative is listed. This is the real deal and it’s packaged to be as clean and as healthy as possible. This granola is non-GMO project certified, free of refined sugar, soy-free, loaded with good-for-you fats, sweetened with organic coconut sugar. It is certified vegan, contains no artificial colors or flavors. All of it is hand baked and obviously made with love.
A serving of Purely Elizabeth Original Ancient Grains Granola Cereal
Don’t let the fact that it isn’t paired with dried fruits or something to bring it extra flavor deter you from this variety. This version doesn’t need it. Honestly, it is full of amazing flavor all on its own. The oats, puffed amaranth, quinoa flakes, sunflower seeds, and chia seeds are perfectly coated with the right amount of sweetness, pulled from the organic palm sugar. The hint of cinnamon adds a little bit more flavor. And all of it, the taste, the texture, the fantastic flavor…it is just rockstar. I can’t even imagine going back to other granola after continuing to be impressed by each variety of Purely Elizabeth granola cereals that I have tried.
So…nutritionally speaking, a serving of Purely Elizabeth Original Ancient Grains Granola Cereal is 1/3 cup. This serving will provide you with 140 calories and 6 grams of fat. There are 2 grams of fiber in each serving and 4 grams of protein. In addition, this granola is cholesterol free and low in sodium (110 mg). So…delicious and oh, so good for you. Loving it.
If I were to purchase only one brand of granola from here on out…Purely Elizabeth would be the brand I would choose. It’s addictively good…and good for you. Give it a try…you won’t be disappointed. And don’t think Original means plain. There is nothing plain about this version of the granola. Simply put…it’s purely delicious.
Fresh Strawberry and Greek Yogurt Breakfast Parfait with Purely Elizabeth Original Ancient Grain Granola Cereal
Let’s face it, my gluten-free friends. When it comes to pizza crust, we usually have two options – make it ourselves…or use the frozen pre-packaged cracker crust pizza shells made by numerous gluten-free companies. While these aren’t all bad…I have been fortunate enough to go to a few restaurants that actually make gluten-free pizza crust that isn’t crunchy thin and tastes like…real…awesome…pizza…crust.
But, tradition for me is a gluten-free pizza before the night of a big race. For 5Ks…I’m apathetic on the tradition, but on a 10K or higher…you better believe I want my gluten-free pizza the night before. I’m a superstitious athlete…and this has just been my magic night-before-the-race fuel. It just works for me. But…recently I’m on a tighter-than-usual budget (I blame race fees!), so instead of dropping money at a restaurant, I decided to pull out this kit I purchased at my local Earth Fare awhile back and give it a shot. It would be…the best of both worlds. A crust made from a mix that I got to roll out like a real pizza…without it feeling or, hopefully tasting, like those gluten-free cracker crusts of gluten-free pizza monotony.
I should trademark that…
Anyway…
It had been a long day at work and I was rather hungry when I walked inside from a long day at the office. Immediately I settled into the kitchen to get this pizza working. I opened up the kit, pulled out the vacuum-sealed pizza crust mix, the sauce packet, and the baking paper that they provided. I preheated the oven to 450 degrees and put my pizza stone in there to warm up. So far…so good. Now came the fun part.
I call this the fun part because this is where I felt like I was really, truly, making a real…yes a REALpizza. The crust was vegan, which means it had no eggs added to it and no dairy was involved in making it. In fact…it took 1/2 cup of water, warmed in the microwave for about 30 seconds, then the pizza crust mix that was provided. This was a simple blend of organic brown rice flour, organic buckwheat flour, teff flour, sweet rice flour, yeast, organic raw sugar, sea salt and vitamin C. Seems legit, yes? Well, I did as instructed and poured the mix into the warmed water, stirring it until it was all incorporated and then making a dough ball, as instructed, in the bowl, covering it with the provided baking paper, and letting it sit for 10 minutes to rise.
While that was happening, I prepared the rest of the toppings…which is whatever you want. For me…vegan Daiya cheese, avocado, pinapple, tomato, onion, green pepper, and broccolette. Mmmm…veggie pizza with a hit of sweet pineapple. It would be epic. I just knew it.
With my veggies chopped and ready for the pizza, I removed the baking paper…and noticed my dough ball hadn’t even altered in size. It looked just like it did when I rolled it into a ball and left it there. Hmmm…
Well, I ran with it. The baking paper was placed on the counter and I put two teaspoons of olive oil on it. The dough ball was plopped onto the paper and rolled around into the olive oil, then I grabbed my rolling pin and rolled it out into a 12-inch circle as best I could, doing a horrible job at crimping the edges. No surprise. This isn’t my forte. Anyway, I slid the baking paper with my crust base over to the warm pizza stone and set it on the low rack to begin cooking for about 10 minutes.
GalloLea Gluten-Free Pizza Kit includes a gluten-free pizza crust mix, a sauce pack, and baking paper
When that 10 minutes was up, I pulled it out and did as I was instructed by the kit…I poured the sauce packet on top and spread it out to coat the crust. The sauce, by the way is a simple blend of organic whole peeled tomatoes, organic tomato paste, organic extra virgin olive oil, organic garlic, organic raw sugar, organic basil, organic oregano and more organic spices. It sounded organically awesome, honestly. Pure, natural ingredients. I like it. Then, over the sauce I added all the toppings and a scattering of my Daiya mozzarella shreds. Vegan pizza…is awesome. Trust me. And back into the oven it went for another 10 minute baking session, allowing the crust to cook more, the toppings to warm, the cheese to melt, and that pineapple to caramelize.
When 10 minutes was up…the pizza stone came out and my pizza was done and ready to eat. All of this is around 30 minutes time. Not too bad for a dough you prep by hand. That was, actually, my favorite part of this process. I felt like I was eating something real. Not just a frozen mass of dough already pre-made for my convenience. I like getting my hands into things and making and rolling the dough was a nice step in that direction.
So…here it is…the truth, the whole truth…and nothing but the truth.
GalloLea Gluten-Free Pizza Kit let me down. It just…let me down hard.
I went to slice through the crust and found that it was…very difficult to slice into. My hopes of having this beautifully crisp yet soft pizza crust flew immediately out the window. I was already frustrated with the crust and I hadn’t even tasted it. Once I managed to slice it into fourths and then into smaller pieces for consumption purposes, I took a serving (1/4 of the pizza) to my roommate and served up another serving for myself. I settled in, hoping the taste would make up for the tough to slice through crust.
Nope. This crust turned out to be completely tasteless. It was crunchy and bland…reminding me more of the cardboard flavored gluten-free products of yesterday rather than the amazing flavor, texture, and taste that can come with gluten-free products that are done right. SO frustrating and aggravating. I was let down. The underside of the pizza crust got this amazing crunch to it, but the top, the part that was sauced, turned into a soggy mess. I’m sorry…pizza crust should not be soggy. Ever. It was lackluster, uninspired, bland, and just plain…disgusting. I almost didn’t want to save the other half of the pizza for the following evening. But I did…because I didn’t want to waste money. Ugh. I reheated it the following night in a skillet, hoping it might improve the crust some. Nope. Still a bland, soggy mess of a pizza.
GalloLea…you did everything wrong with this mix. I mean, who says that pizza crust has to be bland and just…not worth the effort to make it. I was so disappointed with the time I spent rolling out this dough and preparing it. The sauce was bitter and didn’t taste good at all. I’d recommend using your own sauce if you happen to have one of these in your pantry. I’m just saying.
As for the nutritional worth of this bland pizza crust…with the sauce included…the serving of 1/4 of a pizza will set you back 170 calories, and that’s without counting the toppings you add to it. There is only 1 gram of fat in the mix and sauce, however, and it does provide 3 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. This mix is also low on sodium (220 mg) and contains only 3 grams of sugar. It is cholesterol free as well.
Unfortunately…it is also disgusting. And I was so disappointed that once again I was stuck with a less-than-satisfying pre-race pizza. I want a good pizza before a race, dammit. Is that too much to ask?
My recommendation…make your own gluten-free crust. Don’t rely on mixes. And if you are pressed for time, there are plenty of tasty, frozen, pre-made gluten-free pizza crusts out there to throw into the oven with your own sauce and toppings. Don’t waste your time and money on the GalloLea Gluten-Free Pizza Kit. You will regret it. I sure did.
GalloLea Pizza Crust stopped with my amazing toppings. The toppings were the best part. The crust was horrible!
Product: The Good Bean Sea Salt Roasted Chickpea Snacks – $2.99+
I’m on a mission. A mission that was set forth by my sports nutritionist.
Yes…I have a sports nutritionist.
Why? Because I’m preparing to run my first marathon and I want to make sure I am doing everything right. From following a good training plan to making sure I am fueling my body to the best of my abilities. This is important to me. So, as I work through some of the stuff that is in my pantry…as I am cheap and won’t throw it away…I am already looking for new things to replace some of these snack items with.
I found a winner at World Market a couple weeks ago. I broke them out on Friday as my snack at work and I fell in love at the first bite.
The product: The Good Bean Sea Salt Roasted Chickpea Snacks.
Yes…roasted chickpeas.
And yes…I am quite aware that I could easily make these myself, but my life is pretty busy and hectic as it is. Maybe when things settle down in a couple months I’ll work more toward making a lot of my own food items. But…this is pretty much as healthy as it gets when it comes to a snack. Let’s start with the nitty-gritty and work into my opinion on these.
These are…what the bag says they are…roasted chickpeas. I love chickpeas and I have my mom to thank for that (Thanks, Mom!). However, I had never tried them roasted (but have pinned many recipes for this very snack on Pinterest to try…one day). I chose to start with a trial on the original. The very first snack by The Good Bean – roasted chickpeas flavored simply with…sea salt. This concept was inspired by street vendors in Indian cities, who roast chickpeas in salt, resulting in hard little beans that give off this nutty, crispy, buttery texture of awesomesauce. Yes…that is an accurate description. Building off this concept, the people at The Good Bean roast their chickpeas in salt, bringing out the natural deliciousness of the chickpea itself. Let’s face it…chickpeas are awesome. They are a powerhouse of nutrition and just taste really good. They taste even more badass when they are roasted. Trust me.
So, let’s talk numbers. No one likes numbers…but these…these are impressive. The Good Bean Sea Salt Roasted Chickpea Snacks will only set you back 140 calories for a serving of 1/4 cup (which is the serving size). This will also serve you up only 2 grams of fat (the healthy kind you get from beans!), 6 grams of fiber, 7 grams of protein, and only 260 mg of sodium. Nice. These chickpeas are low fat, nut-free, gluten-free, cholesterol-free, contain nothing over-engineered, nothing artificial, and are just SO good for your body, your heart, your waistline, and for giving you energy. Nutritional powerhouses…that’s what these are.
But what about taste, right? You gotta go off of taste!
Mark my words…these are totally AWESOME!! Crunchy, tasty, with just the right about of salt to excite the taste buds. Oh yeah…these are full of yumminess. I loved the buttery texture and how, instead of having a mushy bean, you get this crunchy snack. It’s like eating potato chips that are good for you. Honestly. I was so impressed by these. In fact, I bought two of the other flavors today while grocery shopping. That’s how yum-tastic these are. As I move towards cleaner eating, these are more of the snacks I’ll be turning to. Thankfully…these are delicious!!
So, if you’re looking to break your potato chip habit, I totally recommend The Good Bean’s roasted chickpea snacks. Start with the basics…Sea Salt was the ideal place to start with me. But if you want to be bold…try one of the other three flavors available. I promise…you’ll love every crunchy bite of them.
Product: Udi’s Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Brownie Bites – $5.99+
Nothing is quite as indulgent, quite as sinful, quite as delicious as dark chocolate. It is, by far, my favorite type of chocolate. And a little can go a long way. Maybe that’s what I love about dark chocolate. It’s rich and decadent and bittersweet…so overindulging doesn’t really come into the equation.
A long time ago…no joke…I spotted Udi’s Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Brownie Bites in my grocer’s gluten-free freezer section. Being the chocoholic that I am…I had to have them. And, my roommate was feeling generous that day and offered to purchase them for me as a treat. I had just baked something for dessert that would last a week or so, so these went back into the freezer upon our return home that day. And there they sat. When I bought them, they were relatively new to the market and one of Udi’s new products. These…these are probably old news to much of the gluten-free world these days. But, seeing as I finally dug them out of the freezer yesterday…well…it’s my turn to taste and tell.
Udi’s Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Brownie Bites are beyond amazing. Each brownie is baked inside a mini cupcake wrapper and is about 2-bites per brownie. And these are rich and totally satisfying. I want to take smaller bites just to make them last longer, honestly. The dark chocolate brownie base is like a moist, soft cake. I loved it. And each brownie is infused with fudgy bits of dark chocolate, perfect to melt on your tongue as you savor each sweet bite. Do you realize how difficult it was for me to resist going back for more? If it weren’t for the fact that I know how many servings are in that plastic container, I’d probably be swiping some…constantly…because I love that delicious chocolate flavor. It’s just enough, in each bite, to wake up the palate and keep things interesting. Those dark chocolate chips that are baked into each one…are heaven when you find them. I was in brownie heaven last night. It’s not often I say nice things about pre-packaged brownies…but these were so incredibly moist, soft, decadent, and delicious. They needed to be raved about.
Honestly, I’ve come up with dessert ideas that revolve around these little bite-size brownies of awesomesauce!
We are talking a snack and sweet treat here, so nutritionally speaking…keep that in mind. A serving size is two of these little two-bite brownies. That will set you back 180 calories and 8 grams of fat. A serving also provides you with 100 mg sodium, 16 grams of sugar (it’s dessert…it’s dessert…it’s dessert), 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein.
Treat these brownie bites as they are intended…as a bite-size treat. The entire container doesn’t need to be consumed all in one or two sittings. It’s best to savor…or…expand on it with little touches of your own. A mini scoop of ice cream, some nuts, whatever your heart desires. Just know that when that chocolate craving hits…whether you are gluten-free or not…these are the little treats you should be consuming…because they are just that awesome. I wouldn’t lie. In fact, I can’t wait to get to dessert tonight. Four bites of heaven. I can’t wait.
Let me reiterate this once more – NOTHING ARTIFICIAL!
So what exactly is this Froot Loops-like cereal made from…and why am I blogging about them?
Well, I’m blogging about this cereal because it was a new gluten-free item that I spotted at Whole Foods. And it was inexpensive for a gluten-free cereal. And I hadn’t had Froot Loops since I was really, really little. And sometimes, even as an adult…you just want something to remind you of your childhood. The only thing I looked at on the box was the sugar, and it was low for a cereal, so I put it in my shopping basket as I was going to need gluten-free cereal anyway…and away I went.
I wasn’t sure what to expect. Normally I equate inexpensive gluten-free foods with disgusting gluten-free cardboard flavor. So, when my current cereal was gone and I popped this box open yesterday…I was almost hesitant to settle in for breakfast. I can be quite adventurous, but I also was on a tight schedule yesterday and not liking my cereal would have put a big crimp in the morning activities and energy level, for sure. But, after my first spoonful…I worried no more.
Not only do these taste better than Froot Loops, but you can tell they aren’t laden down with unnecessary sugar either. The flavors are all natural, because, as I said, Freedom Foods believes very strongly in their products having nothing artificial in them. That means the colors are all natural and the flavors are all natural. So…what does this mean? It means this fantastic fruit flavor is coming from…yep…natural fruit flavor. Imagine that. Getting a fruit flavor from…fruit. And the proof is on the taste buds. While these are definitely not as sweet as Froot Loops, these are definitely packed with great flavor and offer a gluten-free version of that childhood classic. As for the color…that is also all-natural, being drawn from turmeric, fermented rice powder, gardenia flower extract, and sweet potato extract. For real! Sure, the colors aren’t as bold or bright or unnatural as the original Kellogg’s brand cereal…but I don’t need my colors to pop. I need cereals that don’t use artificial dyes and sweeteners. And Freedom Foods is offering that. And these aren’t just for kids…obviously. The fruity flavor is really amazing and I dug in, spoonful after spoonful until it was, sadly, gone.
Freedom Foods is free from gluten, wheat, nuts, dairy, sesame, soy, and eggs. As I mentioned before, the colors and flavors are all natural. This cereal is low in salt, a great source of fiber, and completely preservative free. No BHT here. You’ll find it in Froot Loops though. You’ll find soy, wheat, and hydrogenated oils in Froot Loops too. Oh…and artificial colors. Why eat something artificial when you can eat something that comes from natural ingredients. That’s how food should be made. It’s even better when the food is as delicious as this turned out to be.
Nutritionally speaking, a serving is 1 cup of Tropico’s cereal, which will set you back 130 calories and only less than 1 gram of fat. This serving will also provide you with a scant 40 mg of sodium, 8 grams of sugar, 2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein. While Kellogg’s Froot Loops variety has fewer calories, it has a little more fat, definitely more sodium, and 12 grams of sugar. I think I’ll take the 20 extra calories for something that is all natural and has less sugar in it. Thank you very much.
Freedom Foods Tropico’s is just one cereal that I found. There are quite a few others lining the shelves. And, according to the Web site, some other options as well that Whole Foods might not have yet. That being said, I am looking forward to trying another type of their cereal because they have completely wowed me with this one. Maybe I’m still a kid at heart, but this is a cereal parents can feel confident giving to their children and adults can enjoy as well. It’s all natural…and all good.
The Pure Pantry Organic Gluten-Free Old Fashioned Pancake and Baking Mix
Product: The Pure Pantry Organic Gluten-Free Old Fashioned Pancake and Baking Mix – $6.79+
What does a runner love to eat…probably as much as bananas, pasta, and pizza. If you said pancakes…you’d win the jackpot. And, even before I became a runner, pancakes were one of my most favorite breakfast foods to have. And my mom was a pro at making them. In fact, her very own recipe in the cookbook she put together for all of the kids in the family actually has them titled “The Best Ever Pancakes.” I think we called them that once or twice…or always.
But…going gluten-free sort of took the fun out of pancakes. So often, the batter would be runny, or the pancakes would have no lift to them. They were dense, not light and fluffy. Or the flavor was all wrong. There are so many factors that go into creating the perfect pancake. And none of them ever achieved “Best Ever” status like my mom’s.
And while none of the mixes have duplicated that perfection…a few have come close. And, while this remains on the lower end of my favorite pancakes, The Pure Pantry Organic Old Fashioned Pancake and Baking Mix has achieved something that no other gluten-free pancake and baking mix has managed. It managed to get that perfect golden crust on the outside of the pancake, so that you get that initial crispy texture, followed by the soft, hot center.
Yes…it might just be gluten-free pancake nirvana.
And it all came to light on Monday morning. I had just come in from my first official marathon training run. Five easy miles…while hydrating and fueling. All on the orders of my sports nutritionist. But now it was time to recover and get some carbs and protein working in my diet. So…at the request of my roomie the previous night, and to celebrate my first run toward my ultimate goal of 26.2 miles…pancakes just seemed right. But not just any pancakes will do when you are marathon training. Nope. They have to be special. Fit with the theme.
So…I took this mix and doctored it up with some PB2, a tablespoon of melted Peanut Butter & Co Smooth Operator Peanut Butter, and a chopped banana. Does that not sound like the ultimate recovery breakfast? It’s a runner’s dream come true. Protein, potassium, and carbohydrates. I served mine up with a homemade raspberry syrup (the “jelly” component)…which gave me some antioxidants from the fruit. Oh yeah…I was feeling good. The only thing I worried about was how the mix would do when I altered the ingredients that went into it.
I should have known better than to worry. This is actually an easy mix to blend together. To the 1-1/3 cup of pancake mix, you simply add one lightly beaten egg, 1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1-1/3 cup almond milk (or non-dairy milk of choice) and blend. But I didn’t stop there. Nope. I had to go further with the peanut butter and banana. Because that’s a winning combination. You gotta admit. I wasn’t sure how it would turn out in the end…but my fears were put to rest after I scooped the first 1/4 cup serving of batter onto the hot skillet and started the first batch cooking.
Within moments, the edges of the pancakes were getting bubbly, just like real pancakes do…but gluten-free pancakes don’t often achieve. I was feeling good about this already. I flipped the first round, almost squealing with happiness when I saw the perfect golden hue on the cooked side. Nothing done halfway. No light areas. Perfectly golden and…even fluffy. They were FLUFFY!
With the first batch done, I went to prep those for breakfast consumption that morning, warming up my homemade raspberry syrup, and making a Brown Sugar Agave Butter to schmear over each pancake. With the next batch cooking on the griddle and one set ready to eat, I served them up to my roommate and ended up standing up over the skillet while eating mine and cooking up the rest of them.
I was so happy with these.
The Pure Pantry’s Organic Old Fashioned Pancake and Baking Mix is perfect for anyone following a gluten-free/casein-free diet. These pancakes can also be made with dairy-free rice, almond or soy milk. I love a mix that can work with dietary needs. Regardless of the milk you add, the pancakes don’t just fill the kitchen with that homey, Sunday morning brunch aroma, but the product that emerges off that skillet is a testament to the quality and standards of The Pure Pantry.
With the unique and versatile blend of organic, gluten-free flours, this mix is meant for more than just pancakes. In fact, it can be used to replace flour in any regular baking recipe. Gotta love that. This mix contains a blend of organic brown rice flour, organic white rice flour, organic potato starch flour, organic corn flour, organic tapioca flour, baking soda, aluminum free baking powder, xanthan gum, and organic sea salt. I will once again point out that this is another fine example of using ingredients that aren’t chemicals or unpronouncable. These are real ingredients which helps produce the very delicious product as a result.
Nutritionally speaking, these pancakes will set you back 150 calories and only 1 gram of fat. Yep…you read that right! These have no cholesterol and are low in sodium (280 mg). However, it would be best to add something like peanut butter and some fruit to these as the fiber level sits at 1 gram and the protein is a scant 2 grams before any sort of doctoring happens to the mix. So…if you make them as-is…you will probably feel hungry shortly after.
However, what you do get is a perfect specimen of gluten-free pancakes the way they should come out when cooked. I hadn’t yet achieved this level of pancake perfection until now. And I have The Pure Pantry and their amazing Organic Old Fashioned Pancake and Baking Mix to thank for it. I…am sold.
Gluten-Free Peanut Butter and Banana Pancakes made from The Pure Pantry Organic Gluten-Free Old Fashioned Pancake and Baking Mix
I don’t eat a lot of chips. Honestly…I don’t. I much prefer gluten-free pretzels or chocolate covered gluten-free pretzels at that. Chips…they kind of fell off my radar awhile back. A lot of that has to do with so many chips aren’t labeled gluten-free. And even if they are…well…I much prefer sweeter treats like Greek yogurt or fruit if given the option.
But, every now and again, I do have chips. Mostly because I have them in my extensive gluten-free pantry. And while I didn’t have any chips in my pantry, that all changed a couple of weeks back when I was in my local natural food store and Glutino products were on sale.
Glutino. Was. On. Sale.
Do you get what I’m saying here? I mean…something actually was fitting into my budget. So, I splurged a little and picked up three items.
One of these items…was Glutino’s BBQ Potato Crisps.
Not chips. Crisps.
What’s the difference? Well, upon first glimpse, they remind me a lot of Baked Lays. The shape, the thin texture, the lightness to them. They aren’t greasy, which I love. Nothing worse than chips that leave behind a film of grease on your fingers while you’re eating them. Not these. They are very clean. And very, very delicious. Each chip has a great, soft crunch to them. They are seasoned to perfection. The BBQ Potato Crisps have this fantastic smokey flavor to them. In fact, they are the best BBQ flavored chips I have ever eaten. And growing up, BBQ chips were some of my favorites. I even let my co-worker at work with the picky palate try one and she had to write down the brand name and where to find them because she said they were the best flavored chips she had ever had. And she is very particular…especially if I tell her it’s gluten-free. So, this was a huge victory and speaks volumes about how good these BBQ Potato Crisps from Glutino really are.
Let me repeat this.
BEST. BBQ. CHIPS. EVER.
ANYWHERE.
FOR REAL!
Okay…so now that I have established that, let me give you the rundown on the nutritional value of these…chips. I know…they’re chips. Nutrition isn’t going to be on the high side. But honestly…these aren’t bad.
These potato crisps are made from dehydrated potatoes, corn starch, seasoned with a wide variety of flavors and natural spices and flavors, as well as salt…these crisps are cooked up in corn oil. One serving, 28 grams (or about 12 chips), will set you back 110 calories and 3 grams of fat. That’s surprisingly not bad for a chips. These contain no trans-fat, no cholesterol, and only 220 mg of sodium (in CHIPS!). You will also be provided with 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein.
It’s pretty impressive for a snack chip, to be honest. Just remember to stick to the serving size. I’m so impressed with these chips. I might have to indulge every now and again…a little more often.
Another impressive and delicious product from Glutino. They keep on hitting it out of the ballpark. And I continue to turn to them because I trust them to put forth a quality product. Much love, Glutino. Much love.
Product: Pearson’s Original Nut Goodies Bar – $0.99+
I blame nostalgia.
No…really. Because if it hadn’t been for my aunt pulling down boxes of old pictures from when my family would come to Minnesota from New York each summer to spend two weeks with my grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins…I wouldn’t have even remembered what a Nut Goodies bar was. Honestly. It had been blocked from my memory until we unearthed an old photo of my mom, dad, brother, sister and myself sitting on the back porch of my grandparent’s lake cabin…all eating Nut Goodies bars.
The family that eats candy together…is awesome!
Well, it was a day or two later that my roommate and I ventured out to the Mall of America on our last day in Minneapolis. And while in one of the stores that specializes in things from Minnesota…I spotted the Nut Goodies bars. As in…they had a Sea Salt Caramel one too. Well, I had to have that because Salty Caramel things are one of my great loves in life. But…I couldn’t not get the original bar. And, as the label clearly read that there were gluten-free…I allowed the splurge and went ahead and picked up one of each flavor, so that my roomie and I could split them and savor.
These made the journey back to the Louisville area with me…in my often crowded and heavy carry-on bag. But…they survived and were in tact. Yesterday…I broke out the Sea Salt Caramel one for dessert…per the request of my roomie. She started with the new flavor…not the original. Interesting. So tonight…that meant we were having the treat of my childhood. The Original Nut Goodies bar.
After we ate dinner…it was time for our tasty dessert treat. I went to the kitchen and snagged the Original Nut Goodies bar from the pantry and tore into the wrapper. I easily sliced the bar in half, giving her one half and keeping the other half for me. I almost didn’t want to eat it. Well, I did…but there was so much nostalgia going on in that moment…
My roomie wasted no time. She bit into it and said…”It’s like a Snickers on crack!” Which, I took as a good thing. So, I took a deep breath, closed my eyes…and took my first bite in ages.
And I immediately remembered that flavor. It was sweet. Crunchy. Smooth. Creamy. Dreamy. DELICIOUS! I mean, it doesn’t get much better than a creamy maple center that is coated with real milk chocolate and unsalted Virginia peanuts. Nope. It really doesn’t. Forget Snickers…this candy bar is much, much, much better. I fell in love with it all over again. It took me back to those childhood days. One bite. I was there. And then, before I knew it…my half of the candy was gone. I licked my fingers clean. No crumb was wasted. Now…I want more.
Pearson’s Nut Goodies candy bar hit the scene in Minneapolis, Minnesota back in 1912. Over 100 years later and the candy is still being made. Minnesota is famous for them. And I guess that’s why my family would devour these whenever we headed that way to visit. It wasn’t like we could find them in New York. Trust me…we couldn’t.
Now…given that this is, in fact, a candy bar…don’t expect great nutritional information. This is…a treat. My roommate and I split our bar in half…but an entire bar would serve you up 240 calories and 12 grams of fat. Thanks to the nuts being unsalted, one bar only has 85 mg of sodium. Not too bad. The nuts also help to provide the 4 grams of protein in each bar. That being said, you will be feasting on 28 grams of sugar. But…like I said…it’s a treat.
Pearson’s created a divine, premium candy bar back in 1912. The fact that they maintain their high standards and still produce an amazing, delicious product is even more impressive. I think Nut Goodies bars will forever be on the ‘bring home with you’ list when I visit Minnesota. And if you happen to spot one out in the wild…trust me…you want one. You want one BAD. So go ahead…treat yourself to one. Or you’ll be missing out on a Minnesota classic.
Pearson’s Sea Salt Caramel Nut Goodies Bar – $0.99+
It’s a Minnesota classic. Something I ate when I was a kid…whenever I visited Minnesota, my parents would treat us to one. There are pictures of my family sitting on the back porch of the lake cabin in Minnesota, chowing down on the infamous Nut Goodies Bar.
Ever have one?
If not…you need to change that.
So…as it goes, I was in Minnesota last month to run a half marathon. On my final day in Minneapolis, my roomie and I hit up the Mall of America, where I made a few random purchases. One of which were two varieties of Nut Goodies Bars. What are Nut Goodies Bars? They are AWESOME, that’s what they are. But seriously, Pearson’s Nut Goodies Bars are a Minnesota classic. The company started in 1909, and the Nut Goodies Bar released to the market in 1912 as a premium 5¢ candy bar. These candy bars contain a creamy maple center that is covered with real milk chocolate (and still is today…unlike many of today’s candy bars) and fresh unsalted Virginia peanuts. What you end up with is this nice blend of sweet and salty…which is only one of my favorite combinations…EVER!
But…in honor of their 100 year anniversary, Pearson’s went a bit off the beaten path and released it’s first ever permanent line extension by introducing the Sea Salt Caramel Nut Goodies.
Salted Caramel. Please excuse me while I drool for a moment. Because I. LOVE. SALTED. CARAMEL.
I spotted it while at a store full of Minnesota goodness at the Mall of America. I went ahead and grabbed one of the Sea Salt Caramel and one of the Original Nut Goodies Bars. For old time sake. After all, the labels clearly stated that they were…wait for it…GLUTEN FREE! Happiness and joy!
So, they traveled back to Louisville with me in my carry-on luggage. And survived without getting too crushed under everything else I had jammed in there. And since the cookies are winding down in my pantry of gluten-free gorging…I decided tonight my roomie and I would split one of the Nut Goodies Bars that came from the land of 10,000 Lakes and Awesome Chocolate Candy. I told her to choose between the Original and Sea Salt Caramel. I expected her to start with the basic…the bar that started it all…but she chose Sea Salt Caramel. So tonight, we split the Sea Salt Caramel Nut Goodies Bar.
This candy bar is basically a new take on the Original. Instead of the maple center, however, there is a center that is made up of delicious sea salt and caramel…then coated with the infamous real milk chocolate and Virginia peanuts.
These are your basic Turtle candies taken up to the ultimate level. I absolutely loved having my half of this candy bar for dessert. I mean…it doesn’t get much better than something sweet with a hint of something salty. The caramel portion is soft and chewy. Which I love. No one likes hard caramel in their candy bar. The nuts are fresh and crunchy…and being unsalted, you get that nice earthy taste with them. The chocolate is sweet and rich. I love that. And the addition of the sea salt brought the right hint of salty to this otherwise sweet treat.
Now…being that this is a candy bar…let’s remember that this won’t be nutritious…but I don’t like to keep the facts out of my blogs. My roommate and I split this to cut down on the hit the entire bar would give us. And, really, you just need a taste. But Pearson’s Sea Salt Caramel Nut Goodies Bar will set you back 250 calories and 12 grams of fat (some of that is the good fats from the nuts). Given that this is a sea salt variety, the sodium is a little higher, set at 220 mg per bar. And each bar has 3 grams of protein (thank you peanuts!). As for sugar level…yeah…sugar rush on the way with this topping out at 26 grams. So, remember, this is a treat…but you can also split it with friends and family.
I also love that Pearson’s clearly labeled this Gluten-Free. No questions. No guessing. It’s right there.
And I am clearly falling back in love with a treat from my childhood. Memory lane…taking down a new flavor path. YUM!
Pearson’s Sea Salt Caramel Nut Goodies Bar (unwrapped)
Seriously. That’s all it takes to make me happy. Hand me a big bowl of organic strawberries and I will EAT. THEM. ALL. For real. I have no self-control (and really, who needs it) when it comes to those delicious red berries. I’ve always loved fruit and growing up I sampled whatever my mom brought home. And, let me tell you, she brought home some crazy things to enjoy at dinner as our fruit portion (she always made us a balanced meal from every food group!). And, for the most part, I loved everything she gave to us. There were some I preferred over others. I think mango was the only one I really didn’t care for. I’d eat it though. I just wasn’t happy about eating it.
Where was I? Oh yes…strawberries.
Strawberries…and gluten-free toaster pastries.
Yep. GLUTEN. FREE. TOASTER. PASTRIES.
I know I mentioned in an earlier blog my complete elation at spotting boxes of Glutino’s new gluten-free toaster pastries (in two flavors: apple cinnamon and strawberry) while out at Whole Foods one afternoon. I literally ran up and down the aisle dancing a jig of joy. The stock boy just sort of stared at me. I’m fairly certain that I’ll make the annual Christmas party security video reel of laughter. But I don’t care. Because one of my gluten-free prayers had finally been answered. Only a couple months after the release into the wild…I found Glutino’s new product. And I was overjoyed (obviously).
It took me a couple of weeks to use other items in my pantry up first, but on gym days this week…these made their debut. And after the awesomeness of the Glutino Apple Cinnamon Toaster Pastries I enjoyed on Monday, I was really, really, really looking forward to the Glutino Strawberry Toaster Pastries. My wait…was over.
Much like how it ran on Monday, I got to the office and turned on the toaster oven. To keep any sort of cross-contamination at bay, I toasted these up on my own plate, setting them under the broiler setting for about 5 minutes. This got them toasty hot and nice and golden in color. I dropped one off with my roommate and I settled in at my desk with my own.
An individual packet containing a Glutino Gluten-Free Strawberry Toaster Pastry
And from her cubical, I hear: “It’s TASTY!”
That was a good sign. Upon my own investigation, I couldn’t agree more. The Glutino Gluten-Free Strawberry Toaster Pastries are a little sweeter than the Apple Cinnamon variety. That’s okay. Strawberries are usually sweeter than apples anyway. I loved the unique flavor, which I believe comes from the filling being a blend of apple powder, strawberries, white grape juice, and black carrot juice (for color). It is pretty sweet and the pastry that enfolds it crisped up perfectly and was still flaky and amazing when I took a bite. I loved the flavor and the texture of these. Beyond delicious. These were phenomenal. These weren’t just reminiscent of Pop Tarts…these were better than Pop Tarts. And…a whole lot healthier too.
In fact, I decided to do a side-by-side comparison between Glutino Strawberry Toaster Pastries with Unfrosted Strawberry Pop Tarts and the Strawberry Toaster Strudels from Pillsbury.
Glutino, by far, offers the best options when you look at it from a nutritional standpoint. A serving is one Gluten-Free Strawberry Toaster Pastry which clocks in at 160 calories and 5 grams of fat (the Pop Tarts…which are wrapped up with 2 per packet, though the serving size is only 1 has 210 calories per pastry with 6 grams of fat and the Pillsbury variety has 170 calories and 7 grams of fat). Glutino’s strawberry variety offers 4 grams of fiber (Pop Tarts have less than 1, as do the Toaster Strudels). Now, Glutino does have more sodium than the other two versions…I won’t lie. But…this is a prepackaged food…so sodium content does tend to be a bit higher. A huge, huge kicker for me though is that Glutino does not have high fructose corn syrup anywhere in it’s ingredients. None. The other two versions totally do. And…Glutino is gluten-free. These do have eggs, so if you are a vegan or sensitive to eggs, just be aware that they are in the ingredients.
What I love about Glutino’s Gluten-Free Toaster Pastries is that you can eat them right out of the box. Just unwrap each individual pastry and nosh. Or, you can microwave them for a few seconds to warm them. Or toast them. However you want, however you like. That’s what makes toaster pastries so amazing. And now…the gluten-free community not only benefits from Glutino’s latest product…but we can boast that ares are even better than those fancy, name-brand varieties out in the market.
I have only been able to find the Glutino Toaster Pastries at Whole Foods…so head out to your local Whole Foods and find them. Buy them. Enjoy them. They are totally worth any means you need to take to get them. Even if you have to order them online. Do it. Do it now.
Because they are, simply put, simply amazing…simply better for you…and simple to eat. I’m loving it.
A toasted Glutino Gluten-Free Strawberry Toaster Pastry
The Celiathlete 