Review – Page 44 – The Celiathlete

December 7, 2013December 9, 2013

Product Review: Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Crab Cakes

Product: Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Crab Cakes – $5.99+

I’m probably not the best judge when it comes to comparing sea food products with vegan interpretations of them. Honestly. Now, growing up and before I became a vegetarian, I ate seafood. Mostly shrimp. Mostly fried, popcorn, scampi or creole. I was not a huge fan of other fish…but I would eat them. And, to say the least, I made a delicious lemon-crusted oven baked tilapia back in the day.

For real.

But…never, ever did I eat a crab cake before I became a vegetarian and then had to go gluten-free. So, judging these by comparison isn’t going to happen.

Here’s what I can do though. I can go off of flavor, texture, and overall taste. And that was how I approached this product.

The product of which I speak is the Gluten-Free and Vegan Crab Cakes from Sophie’s Kitchen. Now, I’m no stranger to Sophie’s Kitchen, having already tried the Gluten-Free and Vegan Fish Filets, Gluten-Free and Vegan Scallops, and the Gluten-Free and Vegan Breaded Shrimp. While I was blown away by the shrimp, I felt the scallops were good, and the fish filets were…eh…okay.

So…crab cakes. A new challenge for the allergic/intolerant foodie in me.

Sophie's Kitchen Vegan Crab Cakes (frozen) — Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Crab Cakes (frozen)

What I love about Sophie’s Kitchen products is how easy they are to make. The crab cakes could either be baked in the oven, or fried in a skillet on the stove. I’m a health-nut, so I try not to fry things often. I chose to bake them in the oven, which takes about 15 minutes to do. Not too bad at all. They don’t get golden cooking this way, the way the image looks on the box, but I didn’t mind the pale look to them. Remember…never had a crab cake back when I even could. I kept it simple when serving these. I had thought about doing a crab cake sandwich, but didn’t thaw out my gluten-free buns from my local allergen-free bakery. So, instead, I made some homemade kale chips and served the crab cakes over fresh bibb lettuce from my CSA bin. I served a side of Veganaise Tartar Sauce with each cake and…dinner was served in less than 20 minutes. Love that.

But how did it taste?

This is one of my favorite products from Sophie’s Kitchen that I have had the opportunity to try. OH. MY. GLUTEN. FREE. VEGAN. GOD. Seriously…packed with awesome flavor. The texture was great…like lump crab…so that was kinda cool And the blend of ingredients that Sophie’s Kitchen uses to give their faux seafood that fishy flavor worked SO well with these. They are a close second in my favorite gluten-free and vegan things. The first is the breaded shrimp from Sophie’s Kitchen. These are fantastic. They don’t taste fake of bad at all. I loved every bite. Thankfully, my roommate and I made a big dinner out of these…each of us having 2 of the crab cakes instead of the serving size of just one.

Speaking of which…it’s that time in the blog where I bring up the ingredients and nutrition for the products I try. Let’s start with the ingredients. Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan (and Gluten-Free) Crab Cakes are made up of water, pea protein, potato starch, canola oil, seaweed powder, rice flakes (from brown rice), konjac powder, rice vinegar (from brown rice), organic agave nectar, sea salt, celery powder, black pepper, bay leaf, nutmeg, ginger, paprika, dry mustard, cloves, calcium hydroxide. So close to being clean eating…but that calcium hydroxide there at the end sort of killed that.

That being said…it is still a rather healthy choice and one I’d love to buy and indulge in again. In fact, Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Crab Cakes are soy-free, gluten-free, 100% vegan and plant based, contain no preservatives, colors or MSG, and have no artificial anything!! Nice.

Speaking of indulging…a serving size of Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Crab Cakes is 1 cake. This serving will provide you with 120 calories and 6 grams of fat. That’s not bad for a crab cake!! The Vegan Crab Cakes contain only 170 mg sodium and less than 1 gram of sugar. Gotta love that! And, one crab cake also provides you with 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. Not too shabby.

I am falling more and more in love with the products that Sophie’s Kitchen is bringing to the gluten-free and vegan world. And I love that someone, like me, with food allergies, can safely indulge in a product that is vegan as well. So often this is not the case, so it’s so nice when a company goes the extra mile. And that’s why I continue to purchase and eat products by Sophie’s Kitchen.

And now…I must hit up my Whole Foods for more of these amazing crab cakes. It’s happening!

Sophie's Kitchen Vegan Crab Cakes (baked), served over local bibb lettuce with homemade kale chips — Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Crab Cakes (baked), served over local bibb lettuce with homemade kale chips

November 19, 2013

Product Review: Mom’s Best Safari Cocoa Crunch

Product: Mom’s Best Gluten-Free Safari Cocoa Crunch – $2.49+

Remember those adds with Sonny the Cuckoo Bird declaring, “I’m cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!”

I ate it up as a child. As did I devour said chocolatey puffy cereal. Actually, I think my dad enjoyed them way more than we kids did, because he’d eat the entire box if we weren’t watching him. Says something about that chocolate, sugary rush in the morning, yes?

Well, aside from a couple varieties of chocolate rice puffs…anything remotely close to Cocoa Puffs was nonexistent in the gluten-free cereal world.

Or…so I thought.

Enter…The Roomie.

You see, every now and again, I get into my kitchen to start on a meal…and discover that I am missing an ingredient. So, the roomie is normally kind enough to allow me to do more prep work while she runs down to the grocery store to get what I need. And every now and again, she returns with a wonderful new gluten-free product for me to try. This was the scenario the day she came home from the grocery store with…basically gluten-free Cocoa Puffs.

The brand is Mom’s Best…and I’ve had their Crispy Cocoa Rice cereal (basically…chocolate Rice Krispies) before…and loved then. Loved everything about them but the sugar content. But…let’s face it. I’m having chocolate for breakfast.

That’s basically how it works with the Mom’s Best Gluten-Free Safari Cocoa Crunch as well. At first…the amount of sugar was a concern…but I let it go. I tend to obsess over some things…and while watching my sugar intake is important, it isn’t life-threatening if I go over a certain amount. I just try to keep it in check…and I never seem to be able to. But…setting all that aside, this morning I opened up the box of the Safari Cocoa Crunch, and poured myself a serving. These little chocolate puffy balls of cereal looked so much like Cocoa Puffs, I might have squeed a little in delight. Maybe.

Okay…I did.

But even more so after tasting them. I popped a couple pieces of them dry…to get just the flavor on their own. Oh…my chocolate gods of cereal bliss…they were fantastic. Light…crispy…chocolatey…everything this chocoholic could have asked for and more. Chocolate in the morning…yes please! Sign me up. I then ate the rest of the bowl with a small pool of unsweetened almond milk. Fantastic. I might…might…have slurped up the extra milk, now rich with chocolate, at the bottom of the bowl. There is a good possibility it happened.

These were better than I even remember Cocoa Puffs tasting. However…it’s been a very long time since I’ve had cocoa puffs…so…keep that in mind.

But…OMG…YUMMY!!!

So, let’s get down to the ingredients and nutrition portion of this blog, shall we?

Ingredient wise…Mom’s Best Gluten-Free Safari Cocoa Crunch is made up from sugar (ugh…yes…that is the first ingredient!), corn meal, corn flour, corn syrup, coconut oil, corn bran, cocoa, caramel color, salt, calcium carbonate, canola oil, natural flavor and trisodium phosphate. So…not really the best option…and there are a few chemical sounding ingredients, despite the fact that the box declares that there are no flavors or preservatives that you can’t pronounce. Okay…I can pronounce them…doesn’t mean I know what they are. This cereal, however, does not contain high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils. It is gluten-free as well.

A serving of Mom’s Best Gluten-Free Safari Cocoa Crunch is 3/4 cup. In this serving, you will be consuming 120 calories and 2 grams of fat. That really isn’t too bad for a chocolate cereal. You will be provided with 110 mg sodium and a whopping 14 grams of sugar. Again…it’s a chocolate cereal. I’m going to try not to obsess over that. Unfortunately, this cereal will not leave you feeling full, as I found out this morning. It has only 2 grams of fiber and 1 gram of protein. I ate my bowl before heading to the gym and I was already starving 30 minutes into my workout. So, it won’t stick with you. Then again, it’s mostly sugar…so there is a reason.

Overall though…really, really tasty. I love chocolate and it’s nice to treat myself every now and again to a sinfully sugary cereal. I don’t make a habit of it…but this one was totally worth it. Really good. Mom’s Best has once again bested the sugar-addict in me…and made me fall in love with yet another chocolate breakfast treat.

Well played!

November 14, 2013

Product Review: EatPastry Gluten-Free Sugar Momma Cookie Dough

Product: EatPastry Gluten-Free Sugar Momma Cookie Dough – $6.49+

COOKIE!

We all know…I am one big cookie monster. I mean…give me a chance to try a gluten-free cookie and I’m on it like Cookie Monster. OM NOM NOM!! Seriously…cookies are one of my biggest weaknesses when it comes to treats. I love them. I always have. I grew up with my mom constantly baking cookies, from scratch, on snow days, for special occasions, and especially during the holidays.

While my favorite will always be her Snickerdoodles (which I intend to attempt to make gluten-free this year…so wish me luck), I also love it when she would make sugar cookies. Not only did we get to help cut them into the fun shapes, but we got to help decorate them too. Sugar cookies are so simple…yet have always been one of my favorite cookies to reach for and devour…er…I mean eat.

Why?

Simple flavors. Simple ingredients. Pure awesomeness.

They are basically sugar, butter, and flour, but damn…they are awesome. I’d be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t enjoy a sugar cookie. And if they said anything of the sort, I’d deem them a liar…just like everyone I know who says they hate chocolate.

LIES! ALL LIES!!

*cough*

Anyway…here I was…before the release of Pillsbury Gluten-Free Cookie Dough (which is refrigerated)…walking around my local natural foods store during one of their fun gluten-free events…when…the roommate says I can pick out some new products to try. WOOHOO! I love it when she expands my grocery budget as a treat…sometimes for no good reason. She says she benefits from it too…so it’s win/win! I never go overboard…and generally pick a few items that I’ve not seen anywhere else. And one of those items this last time was a gluten-free sugar cookie dough in the refrigerator section. It’s EatPastry Gluten-Free Sugar Momma Cookie Dough.

EatPastry is a line of vegan and some vegan and gluten-free cookie doughs. The company was founded, according to the website, by confusion, curiosity, and dedication. The company experimented until they came up with what they thought to be the best tasting, best “feeling” cookie dough. They use only high quality, all natural ingredients. And it has been a priority from the inception of EatPastry to maintain 100% vegan ingredients, meaning none have come into contact with any animal ingredients. Their cookie dough also uses only organic and fair trade sugar (evaporated cane juice) and select organic ingredients. They even make their own peanut butter for their (not gluten-free) vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. EatPastry’s doughs contain no eggs, no dairy, no preservatives, no processing, no fillers, no GMOs and no funny business. None. Good cookie dough is serious business, folks! They even state that all flavors were created with various moods in mind.

Mood food. Love it.

Well…I am just now getting around to using this dough because…well…I ran out of desserts in my freezer and pantry. HA! I wanted to try this before but I was working against a deadline on expiration dates. So…this little container was just hanging out in my fridge…waiting patiently.

It’s time to shine came yesterday! I just polished off a delicious, fresh dinner and knew I needed something sweet. I always have dessert. Always. So…I pulled this out of the fridge, preheated my oven to 350 degrees and laid out a strip of parchment paper across a baking sheet. I scooped up two tablespoons of dough, flattened each spoonful out, and then threw the pan in the oven.

How easy is that? About 12 minutes later…out they came. Delicious, individual cookies that were fresh from the oven. That is a total dessert win.

And…oh…my goodness. The EatPastry Gluten-Free Sugar Momma Cookie Dough is sassy, sweet and seductive. No…really…that’s what the Web site says. But I couldn’t agree more. First of all, with the scoopable refrigerator dough, you can make one cookie at a time if that’s what you wanted. You don’t have to make an entire batch right away…which you may or may not polish off before they start to get hard. This is easy and convenient. Seriously. They have this great texture to them. They are soft on the middle, but golden on the edges. And fresh from the oven…that is unbeatable. The flavors are subtle…but fantastic. There is that rich, delicate undertone of vanilla in each bite. And these cookies aren’t gritty with sugar. Not one bit. They are so amazing that it’s probably a good thing I can cook them up personally. Or I might eat the entire container.

Let’s talk ingredients and nutrition now…because I like to know what I’m getting myself into.

The EatPastry Gluten-Free Sugar Momma Cookie Dough is made of from a gluten-free flour blend (garbanzo, brown rice), Earth Balance, filtered water, pure salt, natural flavor (derived from corn with no MSG, no alcohol, no gluten) sunflower lecithin, lactic acid (derived from sugar beets), organic evaporated cane juice, pure apple sauce, pure vanilla extract, nutmeg, baking soda, and sea salt. Not too bad for a cookie right?

You’ll fee the same way about the nutrition. One serving is 1 tablespoon, which spoons you up only 60 calories and 2.5 grams of fat. This serving also has only 25 mg sodium and 5 grams of sugar. Yes…5 grams of sugar in a SUGAR COOKIE!!! You don’t get any fiber of protein from these cookies, but they are free of trans fats as well as cholesterol.

And they are fantastic. Really sexy, smooth, sinful gluten-free cookies of awesomeness. Without the guilt. Because, let’s face it…you don’t find 60 calorie cookies just anywhere, right?

I hope to try the other two vegan and gluten-free varieties offered by EatPastry…the Chocolate Chip and the Snickerdoodle (SQUEE!).

If you can find EatPastry refrigerated vegan and gluten-free cookie dough in your grocery store or natural food store…get it…and try it. You can scoop what you like and keep the rest for later. I’m loving it.

Cookie made from EatPastry's Gluten-Free Sugar Momma Cookie Dough — Cookie made from EatPastry’s Gluten-Free Sugar Momma Cookie Dough

November 14, 2013

Product Review: Udi’s Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bagels

Products: Udi’s Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bagels – $6.49+

To this day…thanks to the good gluten-free bagels out on the market…bagels continue to be one of my favorite, easy, breakfast foods (or snack…or even lunch or dinner) to eat.

That’s right. Just as any proper New Yorker will attest…the bagel is the best invention out there. I love them. I loved them back when I could eat “regular” bagels. And I love them now because I have found two brands that do bagels right. One handles bagel thins…but when it comes to all-out bagels…the crispy on the outside, soft on the inside bready treat…I turn to none other than Udi’s.

Udi’s knows how important taste and texture are to the gluten-free community. They strive to provide the best quality, best tasting gluten-free products out there. The first time I ever had one of their bagels…I might have cried.

Okay…I admit it…there were tears of joy. And I think the roomie had to hug me.

Yes…they really are that good.

And, get this…the roomie was never big on bagels…until she had one of the Udi’s Gluten-Free variety. Now…she loves them as much as I do, and is always interested to see what kind of topping I schmear over one in the morning.

Bagels are back with a gluten-free vengeance.

Okay…there is nothing new about Udi’s Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bagels. They’ve been out on the market for as long (if not a wee bit longer) as I’ve been gluten-free. It’s just taken me this long to purchase them and try them. Why? I don’t know. I’m a grocery shopping dork, apparently. But…the other day they were on Manager’s Special at my local grocery store…and I couldn’t pass up a pack of these for $2.49. HELLO! They found their way into my shopping basket faster than you can say gluten-free!

Udi's Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bagels (untoasted) — Udi’s Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bagels (untoasted)

Here it was, the Monday after a trip to Huntington, West Virginia, where I ran a full marathon. I was a little sore, very tired, and not wanting to put on my creative thinking cap to actually come up with something to eat for breakfast that day. Thank goodness for splurge purchases on sale items. I reached into my freezer and pulled out two (one for me, one for the roomie) of the Udi’s Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bagels, placed them in a ziplock bag to thaw and became a slug for a good chunk of the morning. Around 20 minutes before the roomie was to get up for work, I turned on my oven to 350 degrees removed the bagels from the ziplock. They were completely thawed and soft (but not mushy…at all!!). I split them in half and set them on a baking sheet. Into the oven they went for about 10 minutes until they were just golden on the top. By then, the roomie was up and ready for some food…same as me.

Why the oven? Because I got rid of my toasted when I was diagnosed with Celiac. The toaster had been used with regular bread and therefore…I couldn’t use it anymore. Toasting bread in the oven is just as easy…it just takes a moment longer to allow it to preheat. I can deal with that. Sure, I miss the ease of a toaster…and yes, I could buy a new one, but my kitchen is the size of a walk-in closet…and I honestly have no room for one.

Anyway…I digress…

Udi’s Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bagels are AMAZING! So tasty. I topped off one half with pumpkin spice cream cheese. The other half got a schmear of PB & Jellies Pumpkin Pie Jam (which I bought in Colorado Springs, CO). Why the different options? Well, I was down to just one serving of the cream cheese, so I split it with the roomie!

So…the verdict from both of us is…SUPER YUM! Like YUMTASTIC kind of YUM! Mmmm…mmmm…fantastic kind of YUM! SO YUM! I loved the texture of these bagels and the fact that they are the size of a real bagel, if not slightly bigger. The crust gets this nice crust on it, but the inside remains soft, but toasted all the way through. Perfect bagel texture…and probably better than any regular bagel I had ever eaten. I am beyond impressed! No surprise there!

So, let’s talk ingredients and nutrition, shall we? I know…I know…but it needs to be done. Udi’s Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bagels are made from water, tapioca starch, brown rice flour, non-GMO canola oil, egg whites, dried cane syrup, teff flour, tapi0ca maltodextrin, tapioca syrup, flax seed, xanthan gum, yeast, salt, cultured corn syrup solids and citric acid, dry molasses, and enzymes. So…it’s not completely clean eating…but it’s not as bad as some things on the market.

Nutrition-wise, one serving is one a bagel. This really large bagel will serve you 320 calories and 11 grams of fat. One bagel also has 570 mg of sodium and 5 grams of sugar. In addition to that, this one bagel will also provide you with 3 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein. Trust me…you’ll be more than full after eating one of these…and you won’t be hungry for awhile. LOVE THAT!

I also love how delicious these bagels are…for real. Udi’s really does have it figured out and does a brilliant job of maintaining high standards when it comes to their products. This leaves only one type of bagel left for me to try…the Cinnamon Raisin. And I haven’t found that anywhere around here as of yet.

If you love bagels…you’ll totally love these! Trust me.

Toast one up for yourself and see if you agree!

Udi's Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bagel (toasted and topped with a schmear of pumpkin spice cream cheese and a schmear of PB & Jellies Pumpkin Pie Jam) — Udi’s Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bagel (toasted and topped with a schmear of pumpkin spice cream cheese and a schmear of PB & Jellies Pumpkin Pie Jam)

November 13, 2013

Restaurant Review: Husson’s Pizza, Huntington, West Virginia

Restaurant: Husson’s Pizza, Huntington, West Virginia

It was the night before a marathon and I was in Huntington, West Virginia. Trust me…when it comes to dining gluten-free, Huntington, West Virginia is not where you’d want to find yourself. Why? There just aren’t a lot of options out there.

But…it’s tradition.

Race = fuel = gluten-free pizza.

Thankfully, before he left the running group and the state to move to Dayton, Ohio, my good friend Keith mentioned this place called Husson’s…not far from Marshall University. As this was the Marshall University Marathon…I was going to be in that area anyway. So Husson’s Pizza was kept in the back of my mind. And I recalled it as the date of the race grew closer and I traveled from Louisville to Huntington.

After a very busy day of traveling and race related stuff…I was ready to tuck into my gluten-free pizza around 5 p.m. My roomie and I had planned on splitting one of the 10 inch gluten-free pizzas. So when we drove down to Husson’s Pizza on Hal Greer Boulevard, we parked the car, and headed toward the establishment. Huntington, West Virginia is a mix of really beautiful buildings and some that are run down. Husson’s was definitely one of the ones that looked down. And if I had been traveling through, without the recommendation from my friend Keith, I probably never would have stopped there to eat. At all.

But, looks can be deceiving.

We stepped inside, and while the place definitely looks dated, you can’t argue with the affordability of their food. We already had an idea of what we wanted to eat…so we stepped up to the counter. We were greeted by a very friendly guy working the register who was ready to take our order. Cathy inquired about the gluten-free crust and they confirmed they did have it. So, as it was the day before a marathon…we kept the flavors simple.

A gluten-free pizza with tomatoes and pineapple ($10.99). YUM! It’s great because you can actually choose up to 5 toppings for the pizza without being charged extra for it. And a $10.99 gluten-free pizza is awesome. What a great price. With our order in, Cathy and I settled in at one of the tables and awaited our food.

A short while later, our pizza arrived.

It smelled absolutely fantastic. It looked a mess…but…if it was as good as it smelled we were certainly in for a treat. I snapped a picture for the blog…and we each took our first slices.

So, the pizza is really nothing to right home about. Which was more than disappointing. The gluten-free crust was a simple cracker crust. Not much flavor. And it crumbled. It crumbled under the sauce, cheese, and our two toppings. I had no silverware to eat my pizza with (and I normally eat pizza with a fork and knife), so as the pizza would fall apart, I would have to scoop it up with my fingers. The sauce, however, was awesome. It was definitely the star of the entire pizza. I loved the smokey, rich flavor that came with this simple red sauce. It was fantastic. I could have eaten an entire jar of the sauce. I loved how the pineapple and tomatoes were chopped up small…but they were just casually thrown onto the top…so it was a bit…uneven with the toppings on the 8 slices. Like I said…decent enough pizza…but nothing that really made me want to go back for more.

While I appreciate a decent, affordable, gluten-free meal as much as the next person, I was truly hoping for an epic pizza experience. As it was, with the exception of the sauce, this was a complete let down. Not bad. And if I were back in town, I would probably head here for food again…because I know they have gluten-free food I can eat. I just…wish it had been more spectacular than it was.

When you eat a lot of gluten-free pizza…and I do…you just need a bit more than a cracker crust and a splash of sauce and a dusting of toppings. I want my taste buds to be wowed and my stomach to be full. This pizza didn’t accomplish that at all. Again, it wasn’t horrible or bad…it just wasn’t what I had anticipated. I’ve been spoiled by too many really damn good gluten-free pizzas that when I get something like this…it’s a complete let-down.

At least tradition remained thanks to Husson’s Pizza.

Husson's Pizza's Gluten-Free Pizza with Tomatoes and Pineapple — Husson’s Pizza’s Gluten-Free Pizza with Tomatoes and Pineapple

November 7, 2013

Product Review: Star Anise Foods Happy Pho – Garlic Goodness Vietnamese Brown Rice Pho Noodle Soup

Star Anise Foods Happy Pho Garlic Goodness Vietnamese Brown Rice Noodle Soup — Star Anise Foods Happy Pho Garlic Goodness – Vietnamese Brown Rice Noodle Soup

Product: Star Anise Foods Happy Pho – Garlic Goodness Vietnamese Brown Rice Pho Noodle Soup – $3.49+

Splurges happen.

For real.

And for me…splurges tend to happen when food is involved. Mainly…grocery shopping. Something catches my eye, peeks my interest, and before you know it, the plan to stick to the already tight budget is out the window and I’m scraping by the rest of the week. But it’s okay…because I have food. Right?

Sure.

Well, a splurge happened this past weekend. I was wandering the aisles of Whole Foods, which already is a dangerous thing, when my roomie spotted these little brown boxes. The words “PHO” caught her attention first. Followed by “GLUTEN-FREE.” Now we’re talking. She’s been wanting to have pho for a long, long while…but…I just don’t know of where to go in Louisville to make that happen for her. Instead…we figured this might be a good way to use up some of the produce and make our own version of a pho. And why not? If you can’t get creative in the kitchen…there’s no point to having one.

The product we spotted was by Star Anise Foods. It’s called Happy Pho, and it comes in three different flavors. We chose the Garlic Goodness Vietnamese Brown Rice Pho Noodle Soup. We figured we’d eventually try them all…if the one we tried was any good. Cathy loves garlic…so I had a feeling that would be the one to start us off.

Instead…with a little refrigerator magic…and a Organic Vegetarian Pho Base by Pacific Natural Foods (which was in my pantry, swear to the culinary gods!), this splurge of a purchase became tonight’s dinner. And tomorrows lunch for that matter.

Let’s talk a little bit about this product though. First of all, Star Anise Foods Happy Pho – Garlic Goodness Vietnamese Brown Rice Pho Noodle Soup is not only gluten-free, but also non-GMO, low in sodium, contains no MSG, made from 100% brown rice with organic green tea, vegan, all natural, made with organic ingredients, fat-free, wheat-free, egg-free, dairy-free, free from artificial colors and preservatives. It’s ALL NATURAL, my little pho babies!!

One serving is 1/2 the packet, which my roommate and I stretched out into 4 meals, so we’re only eating 1/4 of the packet each. Regardless, a regular serving will provide you with 222 calories. A serving only has 190 mg of sodium, which is amazing for a shelf-stable, packaged product. The Garlic Goodness variety of Happy Pho also will has 1 gram sugar, 3 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of protein. That’s really good!!

To make my pho…I pan fried up some thinly sliced tofu. While the pho starter came to a boil, I added the packet of seasoning that comes with the noodles and allowed it to blend with the pho starter. I then sliced up some bok choy (compliments of my CSA bin) and put it into the broth. Once the tofu was nearing completion, in went the brown rice noodles to soften up in the hot soup base. As the noodles finished up, I poured the tofu in to warm and…dinner was easily served.

And…OMG…was it ever good!! I mean super good. As in I make a mean vegetarian pho thanks to Star Anise Foods and their Happy Pho starter kits. Honestly. I was so happy with the flavor of this noodle soup. The brown rice noodles were a bit gummy, but that tends to be the trend with brown rice noodles. Sadly enough. But…the flavor was there, and the noodles, broth, tofu, and bok choy all married together to make this incredible, flavor-filled meal. The seasoning packet combined with the pho soup base made a perfect base for the vegetables, tofu, and…the noodles. My roommate and I devoured this with chopsticks. Happy girls, we were! Food Yoda, I speak like.

Go to your local Whole Foods…check out their aisle with the Asian foods. If you spot Star Anise Foods Happy Pho kits…buy one. Buy them all. Trust me, they are totally amazing and I intend to pick up more of them, other flavors, and give them a taste as well. This made for a quick, easy, and very delicious (and nutritious) dinner tonight. I was beyond impressed.

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

November 3, 2013November 5, 2013

Restaurant Review: Shalimar Indian Restaurant, Louisville, Kentucky

Restaurant: Shalimar Indian Restaurant, Louisville, Kentucky

I need to send out a big, huge, whopping THANK YOU to my darling little sister. Because if it weren’t for her…it probably would have taken me forever…and ever…and even then I possibly would have put it off…to haul myself out to the Indian restaurant that is consistently voted THE BEST in Louisville, Kentucky. Normally, I would rave and go on and sing praises for the Indian restaurant I have been going to since co-workers suggested it. That being Dakshin, also in Louisville.

Oh. My. God.

I love Dakshin…but after the experience I had at Shalimar…it is out and Shalimar rightfully is where I want to go for my Indian food cravings. Forever. And ever.

Goodbye, Dakshin.

It was fun while it lasted.

Welcome to my Indian cuisine loving world, Shalimar.

I have mentioned quite a few times how my family grew up eating Indian food. Authentic Indian food. Our neighbors, who had children the same age as my little sister and my older brother, often invited us over to dinner when they were having curry. And I loved it. All the different spices and flavors…it was exciting and exotic. It was…beyond delicious. I was hooked at a young age.

So, as my sister’s husband isn’t as outgoing with food choices, when she told me she wanted to come visit me this past weekend, I wanted to get her to an Indian restaurant. Normally, I’d haul out to the far end of Louisville to Dakshin…but not this time. No way. I wanted to take her to the place that Louisville always seems to deem the best. This was a gamble…since I had never eaten there before. But…with those kinds of reviews and awards…how could it be a bad choice? I sent her the menu, although I knew that she’d be ordering the Chicken Curry…and comparing it to the stuff we grew up eating.

The big day, Saturday, came. And after a fun day of walking around sight-seeing, shopping, and just having a good time, we decided we were starting to get a little hungry. So…we headed over to Hurstbourne Lane to the strip mall where Shalimar is located. Two snags. First…traffic was ridiculous…so we ended up turning around and coming at the restaurant from another angle. By the time we got there and parked, we realized that the hours posted said dinner on the weekend was 5:30 p.m. We had about 40 minutes to kill. We hopped across the way to Half Price Books and just kept making circuits and looking at different books until we couldn’t take it anymore. Five minutes left…so we slowly meandered out of the store, got in the car, and headed back to the restaurant.

They were now open and people were being seated. We were given a nice booth at the side of the dimly lit restaurant and allowed to peruse the menu. I had looked over the menu before, but was going go give it a little more of a look while we had the time. Our water glasses were filled and we were asked if we’d like anything else to drink. We all decided to stick with water. I had spotted something that sounded AMAZING on the menu…so I was now set. Cathy was still deciding…but finally settled. When our server returned…we placed our orders.

Cathy went with the Lamb Biryani ($11.95), which is a classic Muglai dish of curried meats cooked with basmati rice. She made sure to specify that she wanted the spice on it as low as it could go. The less spice the better. Wimp. She also ordered a side of the Naan Bread ($1.95) to go with her meal. As predicted, my sister did order the Chicken Curry ($10.95), which is chicken that is cooked in a thick curry sauce. She opted for medium heat. She hoped it was as good as the Duggal’s. As for me…I went with the Broccoli Masala ($9.95), which might just be my new favorite thing in life. For real. This is simply broccoli cooked in spices. Except I ordered mine spicy! I always love some heat with my food…especially when it’s ethnic. And they promised they would do it up good for me.

Orders in, we talked a lot about growing up with Indian food in our lives…and just having some fun. We took some selfies in the restaurant. And…soon…our food arrived.

It all looked and smelled fantastic. I mean…really, really, really fantastic. I hated that I had pause to take pictures of my food for the blog because I was ready to dive in. My broccoli masala came with basmati rice, so after the photos were taken, I scooped up some rice onto my plate, then put some of the broccoli over it. Time to dig in.

FLAVOR EXPLOSION OF AWESOME-SPICY-SAUCE!!

No joke. If I were to pick something to eat as my last meal…this is definitely one of the front runners. Honestly, there seem to be no words to properly describe how amazing this dish was. I know…some of you are thinking that it’s just broccoli and spices…but it was more than that. It was the perfect blend of spices…with the perfect heat level. In fact…I probably could have taken it a little spicier. The broccoli was tender and cooked to perfection. The sauce…the sauce made it. The rice gave me some oomph to the meal. And I was even happier when I added a tomato chutney to it. It was the perfect meal with the perfect people.

For the record, the Chicken Curry brought back happy memories for my sister. Honestly. She was thrilled and said it totally reminded her of the stuff we grew up eating. And Cathy…loved her Lamb dish. She’s big on rice…and this was a big heaping pile of rice. For real.

We were so happy with the food and service that we got at Shalimar. I don’t think I can bring myself to stray from this restaurant. This is where you go to get authentic, delicious Indian food. This is where you go to get the flavors, the tastes, and the experience of Indian cuisine. This…is why Louisville consistently names this restaurant THE BEST Indian cuisine in the city.

In fact…I’m going back on Friday. Seriously.

And I can’t wait.

Shalimar's Broccoli Masala with Basmati Rice — Shalimar’s Broccoli Masala with Basmati Rice

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