Product: Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Super Cookie – $3.99
I’ve stated it in the past two posts I have done on cookies from Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky. Nothing will ever, ever top their allergen-free chocolate chip cookies. For real. They are, by far, the best and most amazing gluten-free cookies that I have ever had the pleasure of sinking my teeth into. For real. They don’t get much better than this. Buttery, smooth, soft, chewy, sweet…perfection.
Could it get any better?
Oh…believe it or not…it can.
How, you might ask?
By making a chocolate dipped cookie sandwich out of them, of course. I mean, when something is already as amazing as a single allergen-free chocolate chip cookie…take two of them, place some amazing icing between them and dip half of the cookie in dark chocolate. What emerges is what Annie May’s likes to call their Super Cookies.
Super sinfully satisfying, that’s for damn sure. Be prepared to share, because these cookies are epic big and epic filling. But worth every calorie-filled sweet, indulgent bite.
For real.
I have been eying the Super Cookies for a long while now. Especially after the amazing yumminess of the chocolate chip cookies on their own. How could two with filling and chocolate be bad? It can’t. It can only elevate the already amazing flavor of the cookies. I can guarantee that.
After a long run this morning, my roomie and I decided to head to Annie May’s for our usual Saturday breakfast. But, as an added bonus, we picked up one of the Super Cookies after I stared longingly at it the entire time we were there. Hey…my sweet tooth was acting up. I can’t help it. We agreed that we would get one cookie to split between us as dessert tonight, so we got it wrapped up to go and headed out for a day full of grocery shopping and hitting up a few stores in search of some items we have been searching for.
Then, after dinner tonight, I excitedly pulled out the Gluten-Free Super Cookie (this is not vegan) from Annie May’s Sweet Café and carved it in half. One half went to Cathy…the other half was mine.
One bite. One sinful bite and I was transported back to the days my sister and I would fill up on The Great American Cookie Company’s Double Doozy cookies. Except…these were far tastier…far more delicious…far more indulgent…far more…EVERYTHING. Take what you know about chocolate chip cookie sandwiches and multiply it to the nth degree. Because that is how amazing the Super Cookies are from Annie May’s Sweet Café. I wanted to savor each bite. I tried. But the sweetness kept luring me in for another bite. Then another. And before I knew it…I was left only with crumbs and the lingering taste on my palate.
Yeah…my favorite gluten-free chocolate chip cookie elevated to the next level. Not a thing wrong in the world with that. Not one thing.
Just bliss. Sweet, satisfying, sinful bliss. Creamy, chocolatey, cookie goodness…bite-for-bite. Entice your inner cookie monster today. Head to Annie May’s Sweet Café and get one for yourself. Super delicious Super Cookies from the super bakery…Annie May’s!
Something this sinfully sweet never tasted so good.
Restaurant: Sweet ‘N Savory Food Truck, Louisville, Kentucky
Food trucks are amazing things. They are just so…cool! Let’s face it…street food is huge right now, and thankfully, Louisville, Kentucky is quite the foodie town these days. One of the best things to come of this…have been the growth of the food truck presence in this city.
A year ago, I attended the Food Truckus Ruckus…and sadly couldn’t eat anything offered because there was nothing for a gluten-free vegetarian. I was bummed out and ended up with grocery store sushi. Not what I wanted…but it worked for the time. I was hungry and needed some form of sustenance. And since the food trucks couldn’t help me out, I had to turn to the next best thing…on the go…
And so…to be fair…my roommate never mentioned food trucks again.
The next peep about food trucks came…from me!
Because, thanks to a post from the local allergen-free bakery, Annie May’s Sweet Café, on their Facebook, I discovered that there was a new food truck in town. And this time…it was geared toward people like me!
Enter to the Louisville street food scene…Sweet ‘N Savory.
Sweet ‘N Savory is a local food truck that offers gluten-free crepes (pardon me while I shad a few tears of absolute JOY!), Carpe Diem Smoothies, gelato, coffee, hot chocolate, and tea! All of their crepes are gluten-free and dairy-free, made with local, free-range eggs. Their ingredients also incorporate as much local meats, cheese, fruits, and vegetables as possible. You gotta love a local business that tries to keep it all local as well. I appreciate that sort of care with ingredients and pride in the products that come out of this area.
Friday evening, after getting off work, my roommate and I had plans. And they involved food trucks. From Sweet ‘N Savory’s Facebook page, I learned of an event that that they were attending, along with other food trucks. It was the Louisville Street Food Alliance and they were putting on the LSFA Rocks Your Friday Night! event at Apocalypse Brew Works in Louisville, featuring seven of Louisville’s best food trucks: Lil Cheezers, Holy Mole, Grind, French Indo Canada, Bluegrass Brick Oven Pizza, Johnny’s Diner Car, and, of course, Sweet ‘N Savory. These food trucks all have their specialty types of food and it sounded like a great event. So, following a day at the office…my roomie and I set out across the river to hit up Louisville for dinner that night. She had her eye on a grilled cheese from Lil Cheezers, the Legalize Marinara (Pepperoni, Mozzarella, Sliced Tomatoes with a touch of Garlic), FYI, with a side of sweet potato fries and curried ketchup ($8.00) with a soda for a drink ($1.00).
However, I finally got to enjoy the Louisville street food scene now too. I immediately bounded over to Sweet ‘N Savory, inquiring if they were serving yet. We had no traffic on the bridge and got their quicker than anticipated. They were, so after eyeing the menu for a little bit…I decided to have dessert for dinner…opting for a sweet crepe. My choice? The Nutty Banana Crepe ($5.00), which is sliced bananas smothered in Nutella, wrapped up beautifully in a delicate crepe. To accompany that on a very chilly and windy April evening, I got a small cup of hot tea ($1.25). The best part was…I got to stand right there and watch it all get made.
First of all, my tea order sort of blew a fuse in the truck. Whoops. So, while they attempted to figure that out, truck owners Ricky Giannini and Ashley Giannini got my crepe working. Ricky was on crepe duty. I watched him pour the batter and spread it around to cook. Then, with great precision, he folded it over, added the banana, then poured over delicious Nutella. As he was letting it finish, he joked with me about the sweet crepe spoiling my dinner. I told him it was my dinner. The dinner of champions! I mean…banana and sinful Nutella…oh yes. That can be dinner any night for me.
He laughed. And I watched as he folded the crepe the rest of the way, dusted it with powdered sugar, and then plated it for me. They said they would bring me the tea as soon as they could figure out their generator. That was fine. I was holding a very warm and fresh Nutty Banana Crepe at the moment…and I was ready to dig into it and devour.
The last time I had a gluten-free crepe, I was in Denver, Colorado. It was the only other place I have ever found them…and it means I often crave but can do nothing about it, until my annual pilgrimage to Denver. Not so anymore. And let me tell you…I am in love with this food truck. Absolute love.
The crepe was light and delicious…a thin pancake surrounding an amazing filling. I mean, I am not only a Nutella fan, but huge on banana as well. And Sweet ‘N Savory doesn’t skimp on either. This crepe was busting with it. I loved the play of the banana with the sweetness of the Nutella and the crepe itself. Add to it the dusting of powdered sugar…and dinner was epic and sweet!! I was in love with every bite. I did share one bit with my roommate, because she had to try it herself…and she agreed…AWESOME!
My tea arrived just as I polished off the crepe…perfect timing.
Thanks to food trucks making a surge here in Louisville, I have become quite proud of the foodie status this city had received. But, now, thanks to Sweet ‘N Savory…I can indulge in the street food scene as well. And for that…I am forever grateful.
I’m already looking forward to the next time I get to eat from their truck. I think I might give a savory crepe a try. I’m already eying their Caprese Crepe.
Next time can’t get here soon enough.
Sweet ‘N Savory…you are a welcome addition to my gluten-free world.
Sweet ‘N Savory’s Gluten-Free Nutty Banana (Banana & Nutella) Crepe
I have quite a few food memories that go all the way back to when I was a child. It’s helped shape me into the fearless vegetarian and gluten-free foodie that I am today. Honestly. I was raised with the mantra that you have to at least try something before you can say whether you like it or not. Forget that your best friend totally despises asparagus. I had to try it and make my own judgment call on it. I liked it. I was never afraid to try something…regardless of how it looked or smelled. That was the rule…and I obeyed it.
With that lead-in, I bring you to one of my guiltiest pleasures I indulged in as a child. Wafer cookies. Perhaps you remember them…those chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavored wafer cookies that came in a pack. The strawberry were always my favorite…followed by the chocolate. But my most favorite thing to do would be to separate the different layers of the cookies and then reconstruct them, so that each cookie had a bit of each flavor in it. My very own Neapolitan wafer cookie, if you will.
I mean, these weren’t gourmet cookies by any means…but as a child…they were fun. They might have tasted like artificially flavored cardboard…but you ate them…and your parents continued to by them. And you just never got tired of them. Yep…I remember those days…
Then a couple of years ago…the gluten-free diagnosis came. My eating habits changed, but I still like to indulge every now and again. And that’s okay. I love to treat myself to different products that sound intriguing.
Well, with my love of lemon, the day I spotted Glutino’s Gluten-Free Lemon Wafers on the shelf was the day I thought I died and went to heaven. Would they be like those wafer cookies of my childhood…just in my favorite flavor? Or would they surprise me and be better? There was only one way to find out, but unfortunately, it took me months to convince myself to actually purchase them. I live on a very strict budget, but I decided to treat myself one day. So, they finally left the shelf and made the journey to my pantry.
Lemon just seems to brighten up everything, which is why my palate loves it so much. I could add lemon to just about anything and be a happy girl. It’s refreshing.
But, that’s not to say I didn’t worry that these cookies would taste like liquid dish soap cardboard. It was a very real concern yesterday when I cracked open this box for my dessert.
They looked like and felt like those wafer cookies from my childhood…that’s for sure. Just minus the fake food dyes. These cookies are white with a light yellow filling…which would be that lemon I could go on and on about…
But I’ll spare you that. First…the nutritional value of these wafer cookies…
A serving size is three wafer cookies, which will set you back 160 calories and 7 grams of fat. I know…seems a bit high for little wafer cookies…I agree. These also supply 12 grams of sugar to your daily allowance. Keep in mind, however, that these are…cookies. So, they aren’t supposed to be naturally good for you.
These cookies are made from simple ingredients which include cane sugar, potato starch, palm oil, soy lecithin, citric acid, salt and lemon flavor.
So, how do they taste?
Like…wafer cookies, to be honest. But wafer cookies taken up a notch. I didn’t find these to taste like cardboard, for one thing. The lemon flavoring is awesome and very refreshing. I loved the creaminess of the filling between the layers of wafer. They have the right amount of tang, without being too much. They are light, being made up of wafer layers and a thin layer of cream. And…honestly…I prefer them over the ones from my childhood (which I can no longer eat anyway!). I love that no artificial colors are used and that the flavor comes from lemon. Awesome.
Glutino has always wowed me with their products and it’s good to know that something as risky as a wafer cookie still keeps them in my favor. No product that I have tried has had me turn up my nose. This is a great company that puts a lot of pride into their products, and you can tell. The Glutino Gluten-Free Lemon Wafers made me feel like a kid again. And I loved pulling them apart even now…and eating the creamy bit last.
Oh, the things you find at Big Lots when you walk the aisles. It never ceases to amaze me what kind of gluten-free goodness lurks in their food aisles. Especially when you hit up some of the specialty aisles…where things comes from across the ocean.
That was what happened when I happened across Cofresh Tandoori Marinade. It was any other browsing session through Big Lots to kill off some time. And naturally, I find something that catches my eye.
Being that I love, love, love, love Indian food…I figured this gluten-free marinade (it’s even labeled!) would come in handy…at some point. You know. Like when I feel the need to make something and give it some Indian twist. So, I purchased this imported sauce and took it home with me. And then, as is normally the case, it sat in my pantry for a good long while.
Until today.
Because today I decided to flex my CSA Bin muscle. I have lots of produce left from last week and a new bin on its way tomorrow…so I wanted to use whatever I could this evening with dinner. Over the weekend, I also picked up some Twin Oaks Original Tofu at Whole Foods, so I figured…at least I could do some Tandoori Tofu. But how to step it up? And how to use some of that produce in my crisper drawer? Hmmm…
And then…it came to me. It’s what my roommate now calls Triple T!
What is Triple T, you might ask? Well, it’s Tandoori Tofu Tortilla Wrap. And I added some of the Bibb lettuce and baby spinach in my crisper drawer, as well as chopped up some shallots to add a bit of texture. All I needed to do was get that tandoori tofu working. And that was easy!!
This morning, I cut exactly 6 ounces of tofu (2 servings) from the block and then sliced it up into bite-sized cubes. I tossed them into a plastic baggy with about 4 tablespoons of Cofresh Tandoori Marinade. I gave the bag a shake, and then let it rest in the fridge all day while I was at work. When I returned home tonight, I simply heated up a nonstick pan on the stove, dumped my marinaded tofu into it, and cooked it through.
Then…I warmed one of Rudi’s Gluten-Free Spinach Tortillas up in the microwave, added a touch more of the marinade to it, then layered on the fresh Bibb lettuce and baby spinach. On top of that when my warmed tandoori tofu, then a sprinkling of raw shallot, for texture. And when it was done…the Triple T was what we were having for dinner. I took my roomie her plate then went to get mine.
First of all…this was one healthy and amazingly flavorful dinner. The Cofresh Tandoori Marinade is labeled as being at a medium heat, but it does have some kick to it. And, you all know I am a spice girl, so I was loving that gentle burn. It worked so well on the tofu as the tofu really absorbed that rich flavor of the marinade. So delicious. And with the added crunch of the shallot and the fresh greens underneath, this was a hearty, satisfying, and spicy meal that sort of fused Mexican with Indian. And it was a match made in heaven.
Cofresh Tandoori Marinade also wins as far as nutrition as well. A serving size is 2 tablespoons, of which only sets you back 20 calories. That’s amazing for a sauce. This sauce is also fat free, gluten-free, vegetarian, and also vegan. The sodium is a bit higher than I like, topping off at 520 mg, but it just means there is no need to season further. And, honestly, you don’t need to.
I absolutely loved this marinade. The tandoori flavor had the right amount of heat, kick, and spice to keep each bite interesting to my palate. And I loved how it worked with my fresh, local produce. Looking for a new way to spice up your meal, I highly recommend Cofresh Tandoori Marinade.
Tandoori Tofu Tortilla Wrap (made with Cofresh Tandoori Marinade)
I was in Minnesota when I stumbled upon a few Cracklebred boxes at Cub Foods. You see, I had traveled up to Minneapolis to visit my grandpa and also run in the Minneapolis Half Marathon. Well, I did really well in that race, and as a reward, my roommate told me to pick out some of the gluten-free foods that we had noticed while shopping for foods I could eat while staying with my grandpa and my aunt.
So, I went a little crazy, selecting a few items that had caught my eye and interested me.
One such product was Natural Nectar’s Gluten-Free Sun-Dried Tomato and Oregano Cracklebred. It just looked…interesting, if nothing else.
Well, I get a little overzealous at times with my gluten-free snacks and definitely overstocked my pantry. So this box has been sitting there since the race. The expiration date is in the next couple of months, so it was time to bust it out and give it its time to shine. And hopefully…it would shine.
Everything about this Cracklebred made me want to try it. For one thing, it’s nutritious. No…it really is.
One serving is 3 crackers, which, as you can tell, are a really decent size. Larger than a deck of playing cards. These three crackers will serve you up only 52 calories total. Each cracker is only 17 calories. No joke. These are fat free, cholesterol free, gluten-free, low in sodium (only 115 mg per serving), and low in sugar (only 1 gram per serving). Loving those nutritional facts? Yeah…I did too.
The Sun-Dried Tomato and Oregano Cracklebred is composed of seven ingredients: rice, corn, tomato puree, evaporated cane juice, sea salt, oregano, and soy lecithin. Recognize those? Yep…me too. Every. Single. One. Of. Them. Love that too.
But how do they taste? Well, that is the interesting part, my dear readers. I wasn’t sure what to make of these. They looked like little rectangles of fibery board when I pulled them out of the plastic they were wrapped in. But, the fact of the matter is, they have about the same texture as a rice cake. And, as I stated before, I grew up eating rice cakes and actually find them to be quite tasty. And this…is definitely tasty. These light crackers are flaky and smooth and just packed with flavor. On the first bite, you get that rice and corn combination, but then the tomato flavor sinks in…and your cracker just got savory. Oh, so delicious. And, of course, these are great on their own, but feel free to top them off however you like with your favorite spreads, cheeses or dips.
I’m hooked. And I am so happy to have found these in a few of my local natural food stores lately. So, now whenever I crave…I don’t have to place an order with my family in Minnesota. I just have to head to the store and pick up a box for myself.
Natural Nectar makes three varieties of their Gluten-Free Cracklebred…the aforementioned flavor of my choice, Sun-Dried Tomato and Oregano, but also original and multigrain. I definitely want to try them all.
For a nutritious cracker that has a light, crispy texture and a delicious flavor, definitely give the Cracklbred from Natural Nectar a try. I’m hooked. Even without a spread to top it off with.
Sweet potato chips have always been my absolute favorite thing. Why? Well, I absolutely love sweet potatoes. Sweet potato fries. Baked sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes have been my favorite type of potato for a long, long, long time. So, when I spotted a bag of Popchips in a sweet potato flavor…I lunged for the shelf to snatch them off and drop them into my shopping basket. After all…a nice, crunchy afternoon snack never goes amiss, right? Right.
Well, today was the day I carried a serving to the office with me for my usual 3 p.m. snack. All day I was anticipating that sweet potato flavor…sort of like what I’d get in Food Should Taste Good’s Sweet Potato chips, I assumed. Because those chips are amazing.
And…these were Popchips. And I love Popchips. I have since they were first introduced to the market and I found them in the store. I tried them, loving their non-greasy nature, their crunchy texture, and how light and guiltless they are. I mean, they are never fried and never baked. They are…popped. Seriously. Popped. Popchips use the finest ingredients, add some heat and pressure, and make it go POP!…creating a light chip that doesn’t get soaked in oil or have the flavor baked out of it. The first time I tried them, I was impressed. They have a different texture from regular chips, but as a popcorn fan…that was fine with me.
Nutritionally speaking, Popchips are a great choice. As stated before, they aren’t fried or baked. They are light and airy. This means you get more chips per serving than you would regular chips. The serving size is still 28 grams, but that gets you around 23 chips. Nice. There are only 4 grams of fat per serving in the sweet potato chips. They are free from trans-fat and saturated fat. They are cholesterol free. They are gluten-free. They are low in sodium (115 mg). And one serving is only 120 calories. So…they do have their good side.
HOWEVER..for the first time since falling in love with Popchips, I fell out of love with one of the flavors. And, oddly enough, it was the flavor that I thought I would rave about the most. Yep. Sweet Potato.
The Sweet Potato Popchips are rather…vile…to be honest. I popped one of the chips into my mouth and immediately didn’t get that sweet/smokey/salty flavor I associate with sweet potato. In fact, nothing about this chip reminded me of sweet potatoes. What I did get was…marshmallow flavor. I don’t want my chips to taste like marshmallow. If I wanted to eat something that tasted like marshmallow, I’d get out the jar of Fluff in my pantry. My chips should not taste like a Rice Krispie Treat gone wrong. EVER! And that’s all I got here. Nothing sweet potato even reminiscent in here. Unless they were going for sweet potato casserole flavor…but that’s one sweet potato dish I have never liked. I don’t like or care for marshmallows on my starch and I certainly don’t want my chips to taste like marshmallow. If I wanted salted Rice Krispie treats, I’d make them. I don’t want that. I want a healthy chip that gives me amazing sweet potato flavor. Not sweet potato casserole. Not Rice Krispies. SWEET POTATO!
Nothing was right with these chips at all. And, I am breaking a cardinal rule when it comes to food items that are purchased for the sake of trying them out. I found these so unappetizing that I am tossing the rest of the bag away and moving onto whatever snack might be next in my gluten-free pantry. I never trash food because of my tight budget, but the very thought of eating any more of these (I choked down today’s serving so I wouldn’t starve between now and dinner time) makes my stomach churn. There is nothing redeeming about these chips.
At all.
So, take my advice, fellow Popchip and snack lovers…avoid these at all costs. Your wallet, your stomach, and your taste buds will thank you. These definitely have to rank as some of the worst chips I have ever eaten.
It doesn’t get much better than that. Just ask my mom, who would always share one of her favorite cookies with us when we were growing up – Pecan Sandies. She loved those cookies. And they traveled well in the summer, so those car trips we took to Minnesota in the hot summer meant no gooey chocolate chip mess. We’d have Pecan Sandies on hand. I grew up with that rich, buttery, yet salty flavor and grew to love it as much as my mom did.
And then the whole gluten-free thing happened…
For awhile, I went without any cookies, treats, snacks aside from vegetables and fruits. And I truly felt like I was missing out. So, when I started to purchase some here or there…I had to budget it. These aren’t inexpensive little treats. Gluten-free often means bigger grocery bill. But at least I know the food won’t cause me any sort of problems. Peace of mind.
Well, as stated over numerous entries…cookies are sort of my thing. I love to bake them as much as I love to eat them. But when my life gets a bit hectic and that urge to have a cookie strikes…sometimes you just have to find one at the store. Thankfully, most stores around here carry Pamela’s Products. And one such journey brought me to one that happened to have Pamela’s Products Pecan Shortbread Cookies.
I had to have them.
And then…over the course of me putting them in the pantry, they got lost in the gluten-free goodies shuffle. Up until last night. Because I needed dessert and the last cookies I had didn’t do it for me. I climbed up to the goodie shelf and there, happily anticipating their time to shine, was the box of Pecan Shortbread from Pamela’s Products.
Starting with the basics here…a serving size is 1 cookie. And these cookies are really decent sized. None of this bite-size, gone in two nibbles stuff. Each cookie delivers 130 calories and 8 grams of fat. Keep in mind that these cookies do have nuts in them, so that at least means some of that fat is the healthy kind…and not just from the butter. These cookies only have 5 grams of sugar, which is awesome, and are low in sodium and cholesterol. It just makes dessert a little less guilty when you look at those facts, yes? And these cookies have six ingredients: the cookie flour base, butter, evaporated cane sugar, pecans, xanthan gum, and vanilla flavor. I recognize everything listed there. WIN!
But…how do they taste?
Remember that lead-in I gave about the Pecan Sandies? I think these are better than those cookies. I haven’t been able to eat Pecan Sandies in years, but these crumbly, buttery, nutty cookies really took me back to the way those cookies tasted. The texture is awesome…just like shortbread…crumbly, buttery, and soft on the inside. The walnuts add just the right amount of saltiness to go with the sweetness of the vanilla.
In a side-by-side nutrition comparison, Pamela’s Products Gluten-Free Pecan Shortbread has fewer calories, less fat, less sodium, and less sugar than Pecan Sandies. These are, definitely, a healthier option if you love that type of cookie. And, as I stated, I think they taste better. They definitely avoid any sort of preservative or chemical, unlike Keebler. And Keebler has a slue of ingredients as opposed to the six in Pamela’s Products cookies. I’ll take less ingredients, better taste any day of the week.
These cookies are rich, tasty, and amazing. And I’m hooked on them. I need to add more to my pantry next time that cookie craving hits. Because these definitely hit the spot. Delish!
Product: Sunstart Chocolate Wrapped Golden Crunch Cookies – $6.50+
There are very few cookies in this life that I have met that I haven’t wanted to just shove into my mouth and devour. Honestly. There are flavors I prefer to others and certain brands I would buy ahead of others. There are ones I would make before I made others. But there aren’t a lot that I would take one bite and just…feel so unimpressed.
But that was how I felt when I cracked open my box of Sunstart Chocolate Wrapped Golden Crunch Cookies.
I had never seen this brand before in my life. However, the Gluten-Free Trading Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin had them on their shelves. And as I was making a conscious effort to purchase products from that store that I had never found anywhere else, these cookies made the cut. And I was pretty excited about them. I mean…chocolate makes everything worth biting into, yes?
Eh…not really in this case. Which I am truly sad to report because I was pretty excited about these cookies. For one thing, they are imported from Northern Ireland. One of the draws of this particular brand is that it is gluten-free, wheat-free, egg-free, cholesterol- free, and yeast-free. Hence part of the “Freefrom” branding that this company does. One reason I was stoked about trying these was how allergen-friendly it was. According to the box, these cookies are reminiscent of British digestive biscuit, coated on one side with chocolate.
Like I said…chocolate = delicious. Sadly, the chocolate was my favorite part of these cookies. One bite and I was less than impressed. Not to say that they were horrible. They weren’t. But I have so many gluten-free cookies in my pantry, I’ve decided not to waste my time on ones that don’t wow me. And these didn’t. At all. The actual biscuit part has a slight coconut flavor and texture…which didn’t work for me, oddly enough. Also, while the photo on the box shows a cookie liberally coated in chocolate, the reality is…quite different. In fact, you can see the golden biscuit through the light chocolate coating on the actual cookie from the box. So disappointed. I was expecting this thick layer of chocolatey goodness…and was left with just enough to put some sweetness into each bite.
Granted, these cookies are actually a decent size (about 2.5 inches across) and clock in at only 85 calories per serving with 5 grams of fat. That’s not bad for a cookie, especially a gluten-free cookie. But the flavor was just…not there for me. The texture was rather dry and crumbly, more like shortbread without that buttery flavor. In fact, this cookie was more like a Girl Scout Samoa…just lacking that caramel flavor. But…overall…just such a disappointment. I had high hopes for these, especially with those nutrition facts…but…they were just…eh.
And this cookie monster doesn’t want to waste time on cookies that fail to impress.
While Sunstart makes other gluten-free cookie options, I think I’m done with them on just this cookie itself. Not impressed to pour any more money into their products. I wanted to like these…I really did. And I liked them…I just didn’t love them. Nor did I feel the urge to go back for more or hide them so I didn’t eat the entire box in one setting. That, in and of itself, speaks volumes.
Okay…two posts in a row dedicated to Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky? Overkill? Never. Why? Because I go here often. And there is a reason I continue to return weekend after weekend after weekend. The food they bake up and cook up is worth the trip over the river. It’s one sweet or savory indulgence…and even if it means I only get it on Saturday morning’s due to living on the Indiana side of the Ohio River…than so be it. One day of treating myself is worth every moment in that cozy little bakery on Frankfort Avenue.
Normally on Saturday mornings, I get my long run or my race in and then my roommate and I hurry over for some amazing breakfast food at Annie May’s Sweet Café. I am truly addicted to their allergen-free donuts and their allergen-free and vegan breakfast sandwich. Seriously. It might be borderline unhealthy obsession…but I constantly am talking about breakfast at Annie May’s before the weekend even hits. I guess that speaks highly of their breakfast service…so if you haven’t been in there for breakfast…get over there this Saturday. I mean it.
But…this past Saturday we opted to do something…different. And it completely threw off Annie May and Kenna at the shop. But, they were more than happy to accommodate the change, of course. We actually arrive shortly after 11 a.m., instead of our usual 9:30 a.m. time. Why? Well, I ran in the Papa John’s 10 Miler that morning and clocked a fantastic time. Afterwards, instead of heading right to Annie May’s for breakfast, we did a little browsing at Half Price Books to kill off some time. The reason? Gluten-free pizza.
Yes, for their lunch portion of the fare offered on Saturday’s at Annie May’s…they cook up individual gluten-free and vegan pizzas. With a variety of offered toppings. As we had grown so accustomed to their baked goods and their breakfasts…Cathy and I chose to hit up the lunch service and see what the pizza was like. Now, I had my usual pre-race fuel of a gluten-free pizza at The Mellow Mushroom the night before…but we were totally getting different toppings and I was quite curious to see what the pizza crust was like here. They actually sell frozen pizza crusts at the shop, by the way.
So, we placed our order for one of the 9-inch gluten-free pizzas with vegan cheese ($9.99), and added tomato and onion for our toppings ($0.50 each). Kenna went ahead to get working on it and Cathy and I took a seat and anticipated our lunch. We were both rather hungry at that point, having eaten breakfast long before my race, and splitting a banana afterwards to just get us through to when we could get to the café and order lunch. For the pizza at Annie May’s…you can get a half (3 slices) or a full 9-inch pizza (6 slices). As we were splitting the pizza, we got the full one as we knew it would be just enough. We were right.
The pizza arrived after a short wait and I set to taking pictures for the blog while Cathy anticipated that first slice. With the photos taken, I dished us each up a slice and we dug in.
First of all…I love that for the onion they used red onion. It is my favorite onion, by far, and it works so well on pizza. The tomatoes were nicely diced and scattered over the top. The tomato sauce was light and flavorful, seasoned very well. And they use Daiya cheese, which I am a huge fan of, when it comes to vegan cheese. It melts to perfection and it totally complimented the rest of the toppings on this pizza. But the true star of any gluten-free pizza is the crust. So often gluten-free pizzas get relegated to that thin, cracker crust. The type that is immediately crunchy coming out of the oven. There is little to it. And it often can’t stand the weight of the toppings. I’ve eaten my fair share of cracker crust gluten-free pizzas. And that crust is okay…but it’s not…the pizza crust I remember.
At Annie May’s Sweet Café, you get an actual pizza crust. I mean, it’s no deep dish…but that’s good. I don’t like deep dish. But you get an actual crust. A fluffy, actual pizza crust that you can slice of bite into and actually feel like you’re eating a real pizza. It was such a nice change of pace from the norm of eating gluten-free pizza out. I was so thrilled. And everything about it just made my lunch that much more satisfying. It was golden brown, baked to perfection. The toppings were warm and the vegan cheese was melty, gooey, good. Cathy and I made very short work out of our 3 slices each.
And we loved, and yes, savored, every bite!
And we split one of their chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Because I love those cookies. So. Much.
This is how gluten-free pizza is done properly. Totally impressed. Maybe when the summer hours kick back in at Annie May’s my pre-race Friday pizza will be enjoyed there more often. So glad we decided to give the pizza a try because I was beyond impressed.
Whether it’s for baked goods, specialty cakes, breakfast, lunch (served throughout the week), or pizza on Saturday…stop in to Annie May’s Sweet Café and treat yourself to some gluten-free and even some allergen-free treats and meals that will blow you away. Anyone who says gluten-free is tasteless obviously has been dining and eating at the wrong place. Annie May’s Sweet Café hits all the right flavor notes and makes everything to perfection. Delicious perfection.
Annie May’s Vegan and Gluten-Free Pizza with Daiya Cheese, Tomato, and Red Onion
I know. I know. I’m an adult. A responsible, reliable adult.
But when I saw Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky, announce their Easter boxes of goodies ($25.00)…I had to have one. I’m like a kid in a candy store whenever I go in there for breakfast or to purchase an allergen-free/gluten-free treat. I can’t help myself. Everything I have had there has been a delightful party in my mouth. Honestly. I enjoy taking my non-gluten-free friends there because…you can’t tell that these products are allergen-free. You just can’t. Annie May and Kenna do amazing work. And their box of Easter goodies is no exception.
I picked up my Easter box when I stopped in for breakfast on the Saturday morning before Easter. Along with the Easter box, I went ahead and purchased two other items that I would enjoy on Easter. Take-and-Bake Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls (with a vegan icing) ($12.00) and Take-and-Bake Allergen-Free Biscuits ($12.00). Happiness is carby goodness in a delicious form that I can actually savor, enjoy, and devour.
Annie May’s Sweet Café Easter Box of Awesome™ (plus 4-pack Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls and 4-pack Allergen-Free Biscuits)
So…what all was included in this Easter box that made me feel like a kid again? Well, you basically got to assemble it yourself…as in, pick 5 items from a list that they provided. So, after a little deliberation with my roomie, we made our final choices and I called in the order. I chose to make my Easter box up with a 2-pack of allergen-free Chocolate Cupcakes, a 2-pack of allergen-free Chocolate Chip Cookies, 1 gluten-free Peter Rabbit Sugar Cookie, 1 allergen-free Sunbutter Candy Bunny, and a 4-pack of allergen-free Chocolate Boulders. Also offered for these Easter boxes were an extra-large allergen-free sugar cookie on a stick (if you can’t have eggs…as the Peter Rabbit Sugar Cookie had egg in it) and an egg-shaped Whoopie Pie of your flavor of choice.
All week I was anticipating picking up my box of Easter goodies as well as my Easter day additions. I went in for breakfast that morning (again, if you haven’t tried their breakfast sandwiches, you are missing out!) and then picked up my goodies. I think I skipped happily out of the bakery that morning, carrying this box of wonderful goodness to my car. Easter came early for me. And I couldn’t wait to dive in.
The first item from the basket that my roomie and I decided to try was the cupcakes. Why not? They looked absolutely sinful and decadent. And…it had been awhile since I had a cupcake. My attempts to make allergen-free cupcakes at home usually result in…my cupcakes getting soggy. I haven’t figured out why yet. So…cupcakes…it had to be cupcakes.
Annie May’s Sweet Café Allergen-Free Chocolate Cupcakes are a rich and moist treat. I was so happy when I first bit into this item. They often have cupcakes in their case, but I’m normally in there for breakfast and have yet to really just go in there and pick up a bunch of sweets to try. It will happen. So, this was my first ever taste of one of their cupcakes. Let me tell you…I am hooked. The cake was moist and soft and packed with rich chocolate flavor. It was heaven. I’m not much of an icing person, but the chocolate ganache icing was amazing. It really elevated the richness and the sweetness of the cupcake to that perfect dessert level. It wasn’t too much. It was just enough to make you feel like you were truly indulging after dinner. I savored every bite of it. And even saved a chunk of the cupcake with the icing on it for last. Which is very weird for me…but it happened. Cupcakes were an epic and total chocolate win! I must sample more cupcakes in the very near future. YUM!
So, Easter morning rolled around…
I went for my morning run and returned home very excited and eager to get started on breakfast. Why? Because it was Easter Sunday, which meant the first treat I got would be popped into the oven and warmed to a golden, ooey-gooey goodness. Ah…it would be the perfect start to the holiday.
Annie May’s Sweet Café’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls with Vegan Icing
This treat, of course, is the Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls with the Vegan Icing that I purchased separate from the basket. Now, I’ve indulged in Annie May’s Sweet Café’s Take-And-Bake Cinnamon Rolls before…but I was at a friend’s house and for some reason, her oven was on crack. And despite baking these rolls longer than advised, they were still doughy in the middle. Disappointment. But…not in my house and definitely not in my oven. Annie May stuck the sticker with the directions right on my cinnamon roll packaging. I was to bake them in the oven at 325°F for 20 minutes. Annie May did tell me that sometimes it does take longer to get them golden…it all depends on the oven. Well, I stuck them into my oven for about 25 minutes total, and when they emerged…they were beautifully toasted to a golden perfection. They smelled amazing. And I gave each roll a healthy schmear of the vegan icing provided with them. As I settled in, my roommate was already about halfway through one of her rolls, munching diligently and happily. I took this as a good sign. I sliced into one of the cinnamon rolls with my fork and took a bite of the hot roll. Oh my goodness, oh my goodness. Heaven in cinnamon roll form. These were light, and had the right amount of cinnamon tucked inside each roll. The pastry outside was crisp and golden, but that inside was soft and chewy and perfect. I had to remind myself to chew slowly and enjoy or I might have devoured both of my rolls in seconds. That is no exaggeration. These were so delicious and very, very filling. Which was good…because Easter lunch was going to be running about an hour and a half behind schedule…
After doing a bit of cleaning around the apartment and slicing up some fresh pineapple to take to Easter lunch, it was time to get to work on my other Easter treat for myself. Those amazing sounding Take-And-Bake Allergen-Free Biscuits. Annie May’s Sweet Café had been talking about these on their Twitter and Facebook feeds for awhile…and I just never had a reason to pick them up…despite wanting to…desperately. But, I figured these would be the perfect starch for me to bring to Easter lunch with me…as the bread that everyone else could eat would be off limits to me. And much of the food being cooked up wouldn’t work with my food allergies or my vegetarian diet. So, some hearty allergen-free biscuits sounded like just what I needed. I decided to cook these up ahead of time at my apartment to not interfere with what my roommate’s sister was doing at her father-in-law’s house for Easter lunch. Best to streamline and make things easier. That kitchen can be hectic on the holidays as it is. Why add to the insanity? Besides, this ensured no cross-contamination. Which is always a good thing.
Annie May’s Sweet Café’s Allergen-Free Biscuits
So, into an oven at 325°F these little biscuits of dough went for about 40 minutes. The instructions said 3o minutes, but Annie May told me that there was a chance they would have to bake a little longer. Simply slice into one of them with a knife and check to make sure the center wasn’t still doughy. I did that, and they needed only a bit more time. Ten minutes, and they were perfection. I covered the tray with aluminum foil and wrapped it in a towel. Then, I drove to Corydon for Easter lunch. And the plan to eat at noon turned into eating at 1:30…but my biscuits were still warm the way I packaged them up. So that meant no reheating in the microwave. WOOHOO! I took two and Cathy took two and I immediately broke off a piece and popped it into my mouth. I had been anticipating eating these all morning; I was wasting no time now.
These allergen-free biscuits are phenomenal. Absolutely what I thought they should be. I wish I had been able to slice into them and enjoy fresh out of the oven. Next time. Because I can only imagine how epic they are having not sat around for 2 hours. BUT…given the circumstances of the holiday…what can you do? Honestly, these are really delicious. The inside bakes to this fluffy and soft consistency. And the outside gets golden. These have the best bread-flavor ever and would be awesome to build a sandwich with or…even use as a burger bun. Seriously delicious. And two of them filled me up. I didn’t need the pineapple, green beans or boiled potatoes. I would have been fine making a meal out of two of these biscuits. Trust me…these will be purchased again…and eaten straight from the oven. I can’t complain…even after 2 hours of sitting after baking…these were made of total win.
As full as I was on Easter, I didn’t get to eat any of the desserts I provided for the get-together. One of them had dairy in it…so that wasn’t happening anyway (hello peanut butter cheesecake bars!). The other was lemon bars, which I intended to eat a small square of…but I was just so full from dinner, dessert didn’t sound good at all. So, I skipped it and when I returned home, went to work on cleaning the rest of the apartment. Before I knew it, it was past 7 p.m. And I was now ready for my dessert. As I had this great Easter box of goodness…I went to decide what to have from it this time.
Annie May’s Sweet Café’s Allergen-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
For Easter…it was the allergen-free Chocolate Chip Cookies. Now, I’ve had these chocolate chip cookies before. There was a morning when the waffle maker at Annie May’s was giving their dough hell, so for our wait, we were given free chocolate chip cookies. And, in my post about it…I said that they were, perhaps, the best I had ever tasted. We all know how much of a cookie monster I am. Well, after having the chocolate chip cookies…again…I can honestly declare them my favorite gluten-free chocolate chip cookie I have ever eaten from anywhere. Love is finding that right consistency for a cookie…and people can be so subjective when it comes to what the perfect cookie is. Annie May’s chocolate chip cookies are sheer perfection. They have this beautiful golden crust on the outside…but they are so soft and chewy. The mini chocolate chips give the perfect amount of sweetness in each bite. And they don’t crumble or crack when you bite into them. I savored mine. As much as I could. Each bite was slow and I made sure I enjoyed every bit of that cookie until it was gone. Oh, these cookies are going to be coming home with me more often. That’s what happens when you fall in love.
Annie May’s Sweet Café’s Gluten-Free Peter Rabbit Sugar Cookie
Skip ahead two days. Monday meant no treats from my Easter box because it was my group run with my running store. That meant I get home at a non-dessert time, so these sweet treats had to wait an extra day. No worries though. Because I already knew the next item that was going to be up for noshing. The extremely adorable gluten-free Peter Rabbit Sugar Cookie. This cookie comes attached to a stick, which definitely makes me feel like a kid. Which, I love. It’s those little touches that bring out that giddy, kid-side, and I do enjoy showing that side of me. I feel like I have to be so serious at the office most of the time, it’s nice to have something as simple as a cookie on a stick and feel like a kid in a candy store. And these cookies are extra special…and here’s why. That adorable image of Peter Rabbit in the icing…that’s hand painted. Yes…hand painted. Almost too cute to eat. Almost.
Sugar cookies aren’t usually my thing. I’ve always been a huge fan of chocolate chip cookies. Or snickerdoodles. I love snickerdoodles. But, these sugar cookies were really, really delicious. The icing itself is more like a candy coating. It’s sweet, but doesn’t take away from the sugar cookie itself. And as for the cookie…perfect. Not too sweet. Not gritty. Cookie perfection. Honestly. My roommate and I split this cookie in half (because there was only one in the basket) and we both agreed that, while we both loved the chocolate chip cookies more, this was really good. It was just such a shame to eat all that beautiful handiwork that went into decorating it. Well…not really. It was delicious and perfectly balanced. Who knew Peter Rabbit could taste so sweet?
So, naturally, the next goody that came out of the basket was the other item which we only had one serving. The Sunbutter Candy Bunny. Completely allergen free. And super, mega, delicious. Think of a Reeses Cup on crack. Because that’s what this is. The chocolate was a rich, dark coating. Inside this cute bunny shape was a delicious helping of sunbutter. Sunbutter, for those of you who may not know, is a peanut butter alternative made from roasted sunflower seeds. And it’s really, really good. Completely allergen free as well. I have always loved the combination of chocolate and peanut butter (or a peanut butter substitute) because you get that sort of salty-sweet aspect working. This was no exception. This was to die for. I sort of wish I didn’t have to split it in half and share it, because it was really that amazing and delicious. I need to find out if Annie May’s creates other chocolate and sunbutter delights because I was blown away by this candy. Melt-in-your-mouth good. Oh…so good!
Which, naturally brings us to the final chapter of the Annie May’s Sweet Café Easter Box of Awesome™…the allergen-free Chocolate Boulders. What are Chocolate Boulders, you ask? At first glance, they look like dark chocolate covered cake balls. I was…almost right on that assessment. These rich, chocolatey balls of goodness are fudgey, on the inside and covered in a dark chocolate coating on the outside. The result…a smooth, creamy, amazing bite. My roomie and I had intended to eat one tonight and save the other one…but then…we each ended up eating two tonight for dinner. We couldn’t help ourselves. These were so delicious. But, they are rich…in the best of ways. If you’re going to do chocolate boulders of extreme yumminess…you go big or go home. And Annie May’s really delivers with these. If you have a major chocaholic in your family…this would be the treat to gift them. I was in a state of chocolate nirvana with each tasty bite.
As I have now and forever dubbed the box of Easter treats from Annie May’s Sweet Café the Easter Box of Awesome™…it is safe to say that everything inside of it lives up to that title. In one word: AWESOME!
If you live in or around Louisville, Kentucky…or if you find yourself just passing through…do yourself a favor and stop into Annie May’s Sweet Café for a treat or for lunch. They have special Tuesday through Saturday. And on Saturday, you can even grab some breakfast…and treat yourself to one of their amazing allergen-free donuts. Trust me…the calories are totally worth the splurge.
Like I said…their products are AWESOME! So are the two ladies in charge – Annie May and Kenna. Drop in and pay them a visit…purchase some of their amazing products…and enjoy. You’ll be so glad you did.
They’ve certainly made my life a little more indulgent and delicious…and awesome!
The Celiathlete 