Review – Page 63 – The Celiathlete

February 19, 2013

Greens Plus Vegan Dark Chocolate, Almond & Blueberry Crisp bar a huge disappointment

Product: Greens Plus Vegan Dark Chocolate, Almond & Blueberry Crisp Bar – $2.29+

You know that fake, almost medicinal taste you get when you bite into a protein/snack bar…and that fruity part tastes…just off or wrong? That’s about how I felt when I took a bite into my latest snack at the office.

It was all my grocery store’s fault, you see. This bar was on sale and it was one of two flavors that caught my attention. I ate the other one last week…and it wasn’t very tasty either. I was hoping that the addition of fruit with the dark chocolate might tip the scale in the other direction. After all, dark chocolate and fruit just kicks booty.

Part of me was hisitant, just because the Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Crisp bar was seriously lacking in flavor…and quite reminiscent of a Quaker Granola Bar or a Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Bar. It was…okay…but it lacked that “WOW” factor that I seek when I actively seek out new protein/snack bars for either my running days…or snacks at the office in the afternoon. Normally, they are run fuel…but if I don’t get to them before the expiration date comes close…I take them for snack.

So…with the memory of last week’s bar in my mind, I took a tentative bite. I didn’t get the lack of flavor that the peanut butter one had. This one definitely had a taste…and at first…it was good…tolerable. And then…it tasted fake. That weird medicinal flavor that fruit bars sometimes have. It was definitely the blueberry portion of the bar…but the dark chocolate helped to smooth out that taste. Thank goodness the dark chocolate was present in the taste of this bar. It needed that hit of dark, bitter chocolate. The almonds also helped to smooth everything out. But that blueberry flavor tasted so fake…so wrong…that it was sort of an issue for me with each bite.

My roommate agreed. I sneaked a small piece over to her at the office and she agreed with the bizarre taste that came with the blueberries. So, it was nice to hear that it wasn’t just me.

This bar is rather basic…being composed of organic dark chocolate, organic tapioca syrup, organic whole grain brown rice crisps, chia seeds, almond butter, pea protein crisps, organic dried blackberries, almonds, brown rice syrup solids, organic arabic gum, organic agave syrup, vegetable glycerine, safflower oil, vanilla extract, sea salt, natural flavors. So, a few odds and ends in there…not completely all-natural.

One bar will set you back only 16o calories and 8 grams of fat. Only 7 grams of sugar (awesome!) and 5 grams of protein are packed into this bar. I love that it is so low in the sugars as most snack/protein bars bulk up on the sugar. This bar is also cholesterol free and is very low in sodium (only 70 mgs). Love that.

So, while this bar is awesome as far as the nutrition aspect goes…the flavor is just all wrong for me. I won’t be buying this one again. It was good to try something new…but sadly…this new product didn’t win me over with either flavor of bar I tried. The texture is awesome…but the flavor just was all wrong.

I think, in fact, despite there being a couple more flavors out there, I’m done with the Greens Plus brand all together. They have failed to win me over twice now.

Greens Plus Vegan Dark Chocolate, Almond & Blueberry Crisp Bar (unwrapped)

February 19, 2013

Not enough peanut-y flavor in San-J Thai Peanut Sauce to suit my taste

Product: San-J Gluten-Free Thai Peanut Sauce – $3.49+

So…as some of you are quite aware…I’m heading out of town in a couple of days. Yep. Got a half marathon that is waiting for me to run it. And, this week is quite a short one…meaning I am doing everything within my power to use up the fresh, local produce I get from my local CSA. Some of it will be fine while I’m gone for a week, but other stuff…such as my veggies…not likely.

This means…it’s time to break out the wok?

I rock the wok. For real! I mean…I haven’t met a veggie yet that I couldn’t throw into a delicious stir-fry and add either rice or rice noodles and some sort of sauce for seasoning and make a fantastic, filling meal out of it. That’s the name of the game this week as I prep to head out of town.

Veggies…meet wok. Wok…meet veggies. Let’s get some dinner made. This is normally what I refer to as “Make-It-Up-As-I-Go-And-Use-Whatever-You-Can” Pad Thai Stir-Fry.” Catchy, yes?

The great thing about a good old-fashioned stir-fry is that my roomie and I can feast off it it for at least three days. Especially with the volume of veggies I was throwing into this wok. Fresh snow peas (every bit of the 10 ounces from my bin), yellow onion, baby carrots (chopped into matchsticks), baby bok choy…oh yes…all of it went in. And then…rice noodles. Delicious rice noodles were added.

But something was missing in my Pad Thai. Oh…yes…SAUCE!

It just so happened that I had purchased a bottle of San-J’s Gluten-Free Thai Peanut Sauce while out at my grocery store one day. I get grand ideas about making things with sauces…and then it never comes to fruition. This one…a pad thai. What was I currently doing with my wok? Making a pad thai. Hmmm…perfect.

So, I gave the bottle a good shake, cracked the seal and poured a liberal amount into the wok to season the veggies and the noodles as they finished up. It smelled absolutely crazy-fantastic. Which is a good thing. Now, I had said aloud to the roomie while we were out grocery shopping that we needed some peanuts for the pad thai, but I didn’t add it to the list and it totally slipped my mind while we hit up all 5 of our usual grocery store haunts (Hey…when you have food allergies…you make an entire day out of it…and for us, it’s either Saturday or Sunday). So, no crunch factor for the dish…but plenty of wholesome veggie goodness with light, thin rice noodles to give it some body.

With the contents of the wok ready to be consumed, I dished us each up a bowl, leaving the rest to sit until I was done eating. Then, I would concern myself with dishing it out into servings for the next two days. Food always comes first. We settled in for dinner with a bowl of my vegetable pad thai and some chopsticks.

I couldn’t wait to take my first bite. It smelled amazing. And…in the end…it disappointed me a little as far as the taste went. It was good. Oh yes…it was good. But I found that the Thai Peanut Sauce was lacking…a lot of peanut flavor. Maybe, if I had been thinking, throwing some peanut butter into the mix might have helped enhance it…but on its own, it was more…steak sauce than peanut sauce. It didn’t take away from the fact that when put into a wok with fresh veggies and rice noodles…it does kick up the flavor more than a notch. It wasn’t bad. I just expected more of a nutty flavor to it…and was a bit surprised by the sweetness factor in this one.

It isn’t spicy…which is good for some, but I like a little heat to my ethnic dishes. But, that isn’t a huge issue for me. I know how to add spice if necessary. For this dish…not really necessary. But I do wish the sauce itself brought a little more heat and nuttiness to the dish. In the end…not blown away, but not completely disappointed either. I definitely intend to play around with the remnants of the bottle in my fridge to see what I can draw out of it…perhaps discover a secret gem to getting that Thai peanut flavor I seek.

I love a lot of things about San-J. Their sauces are gluten-free and amazing. And they always label their bottles so that the words GLUTEN-FREE scream at you. I love that. And I love that they bring so many options to the ethnic sauce selection at grocery stores…because when you are gluten-free…those sauces can be so tricky. It’s good to have a brand name you can trust. For me…that’s San-J. Even if this one lacked a wow factor, you’ll see San-J constantly in my pantry and fridge. It’s a matter of taste…but more importantly…a matter of trust.

Vegetable Pad Thai made with San-J Gluten-Free Thai Peanut Sauce

February 16, 2013

1-2-3 Gluten Free bakes up not-so-light-and-fluffy, but quite delicious Southern Glory Biscuits

Product: 1-2-3 Gluten Free Southern Glory Biscuit Mix – $7.99+

Do you know what has been seriously lacking in my life since I had to go gluten-free? Light, fluffy biscuits. Yes. Light AND fluffy biscuits. They just…don’t seem to be possible either from a mix or from scratch. The closest I have ever come to what i seek was a light and fluffy dinner roll from Sinfully Gluten-Free in Dayton, Ohio. Those were awesome. But I don’t live in Dayton…and, technically, those aren’t really biscuits.

*sigh*

However…the great purge of the gluten-free selection at my local grocery store was going on and one of the items that was on closeout just happened to be 1-2-3 Gluten Free Southern Glory Biscuits. The box lays it all out: Light & Fluffy. Completely gluten-free, wheat-free, dairy-free, casein-free, peanut-free, tree nut free, egg-free, and soy-free. Whew. On the Web site for the company, it might, just might even hint that these biscuits taste better than biscuits that contain gluten.

So…I figured…why not? Since my roomie was craving biscuits and gravy and I had just whipped up a vegetarian mushroom gravy for the occasion…the biscuits were next. Now, the instructions on the back of the box are rather daunting. I will warn you about that. The easiest way to make these would be in a food processor…but mine is so tiny it wasn’t an option. So, for the first part of the process, I used my blender…then did the rest by hand.

But…first things first. I am lactose intolerant…so the rest of the ingredients weren’t going to work for me. Sure, I could use heavy whipping cream and half and half…but my stomach may not like it after I eat a couple of these. However, 1-2-3 Gluten Free has a suggestion on the bottom on how to make non-dairy buttermilk biscuits. So, I poured 1-1/3 cup of warm unsweetened almond milk and added 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to it. I let it sit for about 25 minutes allowing it to thicken. Once it got there…the biscuits were on track to be made.

Into my blender went the package of Southern Glory Biscuit Mix along with the butter, cut up into pieces. I pulsed it until it resembled a coarse meal, then added the ‘buttermilk’ to the mix. This is where my blender stopped being of use, so everything got poured into a bowl and I ended up kneading the dough until it came together into a ball.

The next step was to roll out the dough to about a 1-1/2 inch thickness and cut the biscuits with a biscuit cutter or a glass. I used a biscuit cutter and ended up getting 18 biscuits from the dough. Then, into the refrigerator these went to cool. The box says that the colder the dough, the higher the biscuits would rise. Well, I wanted some really tall biscuits, so I left them to chill for about an hour (the box says to go for at least a half hour). Then, I preheated the oven to 375°F. Each biscuit got a light wash of almond milk and a sprinkling of salt before the pan went into the oven to bake for about 20 minutes. Mine actually took about 30 minutes because my heating element is STILL off.

And when they came out of the oven…they really hadn’t risen all that much. Which…made me sad. My roommate and I decided to go ahead and split one to see how they tasted. They were still a little doughy in the middle, so I put the pan back in the oven for a little longer. But from the half we each were eating…we seemed to like it. It tasted like a real buttermilk biscuit. They weren’t exactly light…or fluffy…but they tasted good. So, that was at least half the battle.

This morning, after a 10 mile run, I came home to assemble breakfast. These biscuits, topped with a homemade vegetarian mushroom gravy and one poached egg. My roommate requested biscuits and gravy…as she has been craving. And in this house, she eats what I cook and I cook what I can eat. So, sometimes allowing the gluten-free vegetarian to be the cook doesn’t always work out to her advantage. Lucky for her…I had a biscuit mix that needed to be used and some gravy that I could make thanks to some fresh produce from my CSA bin.

So, I reheated the gravy, then popped the biscuits into the microwave to warm them back up. With breakfast assembled, I went to settle in to enjoy. And, sadly, the biscuit, while it tasted awesome, was still just heavy and dense. Not light and fluffy. It made me weep a little on the inside because all I really want is to be able to cook up an amazing biscuit to have every once in awhile. While the taste is spot-on with this mix from 1-2-3 Gluten Free…sadly the texture is still not right for me. Still too heavy. Still too dense.

The promise of a light and fluffy biscuit might have fallen…flat…but the flavor…the taste…that is on point. It reminded me of the buttermilk biscuits from restaurants that I used to go to for breakfast. So…at least the taste hit a high-note for this gluten-free girl.

Would I buy these again? Perhaps if they were on sale. My search for the perfect gluten-free biscuit continues. While these delivered on flavor, they completely fell short on texture. Light and fluffy…not so much. I’ll keep on searching…

“Buttermilk” Biscuits from 1-2-3 Gluten Free Southern Glory Biscuit Mix

February 15, 2013

Protein packed Greens Plus Vegan Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Crisp falters with taste

Product: Greens Plus Vegan Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Crisp Protein Bar – $2.29+

Normally, when a gluten-free product makes it into my shopping basket, it’s because there is some sort of sale going on. Such was the case, then, when my roommate discovered protein bars that are soy-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free at our local Earth Fare store. As I often use these to fuel my runs or refuel after my runs, protein bars are never in short supply in my kitchen ‘run’ drawer. Trust me. There is such a variety in there, I sometimes have a hard time deciding which to go with next.

While most are tried and true favorites, sometimes it’s fun to try a new product.

And that’s what happened when these bars were on sale at Earth Fare a couple months ago. I selected two, because I didn’t want to stock up on something and then hate it with an intensity that I just ended up trashing them all and calling myself a bargain buying fool. Hey…it has happened before! I’m a bit more mindful of the situation now.

As I am also aware, this bar was approaching it’s sell by date, so I figured it was time to devour it and see if it was worth the investment. So, knowing that after running this morning and then doing some speed work/intervals on lunch, a protein bar would be a good pick-me-up snack for the afternoon, I packed this one for the office…with some not as healthy items to use as back-up if needed. Trust me…I’ve been burned enough by nasty tasting snacks that I come prepared…just in case.

When my 3 p.m. snack time did roll around, I pulled the Greens Plus Vegan Proten Bar from my snack drawer and peeled the wrapper open. It reminded me a lot of what Quaker Granola Bars look like…but on a bit of a larger scale…and minus the wheat, milk, soy and high fructose corn syrup that comes with each bite of a Quaker Granola Bar.

Instead, this vegan protein bar from Greens Plus combines organic peanut butter, brown rice, pea protein, and chia seeds with organic dark chocolate. And…for the first time, I didn’t cringe at the calorie count of a protein bar. So often, these top off near the 200 or more calorie margin. Not this one. Despite including peanut butter and dark chocolate, one bar delivers 170 calories toward your daily intake and 8 grams of fat. One bar also delivers 5 grams of protein. Sugar is not off the charts either. This particular bar, despite having dark chocolate in it, only contains 7 grams of sugar. Thanks to the addition of chia seeds, it also provides a huge Omega 3 punch. All of this makes it the perfect bar for athletes, travelers, students, or whoever might need a meal supplement or snack to get them through the day.

So, drawing in a huge breath and repeating…”Please be good, please be good, please be good…” I broke off a small piece and took my first taste.

I was immediately underwhelmed.

It’s not bad. I didn’t spit it out or wrinkle up my face in disgust when it crossed my taste buds. On the contrary, I ended up taking another bite, figuring that it really did remind me of something I have tasted before. I broke off a piece and walked it to the other side of the office for my roommate to try. She agreed that they did taste like something…but couldn’t pinpoint it at first. Then said it reminded her of a Luna Bar. She might be right. Before I had to go gluten-free, Luna Bar’s were my go-to snack for on-the-go snacking. And this might be reminiscent of one of them. It also kind of does remind me of those Sweet and Salty granola bars from Nature Valley, now that I think of it.

But…even my roomie said it. When she took her taste, she didn’t immediately think dark chocolate and peanut butter. What you really get first are the rice crisps. Then maybe a hint of peanut butter. Then…that bittersweet taste of chocolate. But…not strong. And definitely not where you’d immediately recognize it upon first bite. This wasn’t horrible by any means. In fact, the bar is one of the better ones I have tried on a whim…which is definitely saying something.

But would I actively seek this one out again in the grocery store? No. Would I purchase it again if it were on sale…maybe…but probably not. It wasn’t bad…it just wasn’t amazing either. And when you are a lactose intolerant, gluten-free, vegetarian athlete…you really want something that you like to eat when you need the protein fix.

I appreciate the effort Greens Plus puts into these bars, ensuring they are vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free…I just wish they flavor had been as amazing as all of that sounds.

Green's Plus Vegan Peanut Butter And Dark Chocolate Crisp Protein Bar (unwrapped) — Greens Plus Vegan Peanut Butter And Dark Chocolate Crisp Protein Bar (unwrapped)

February 14, 2013

Heartland Gourmet bakes up perfectly light and lemony from Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcake Mix

Product: Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcake Mix – $5.99+

I have a weakness for new companies and new products that I haven’t seen before. Yes…I admit this freely. Completely. I have a gluten-free product problem. I just can’t resist the urge to buy a product when I see it on a shelf at a store…that I have never, ever seen before.

Such was the case when I went into World Market a couple months back. I was just there to look around. Yep. Just browse. Which, as we have discovered, is dangerous ground for me. Because I normally find something and…yes…purchase it.

And that’s what happened.

There was a beautiful endcap at my local World Market store that contained quite a few gluten-free products. Most of which I had tried. But one simple white box with a tartan border did catch my eye. I had never seen it before. And the company, Heartland Gourmet, was one I never heard of before. But…even better…this particular box was for a Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcake Mix. Mmmm…lemon cake. One of life’s best pleasures is that sweet/tart flavor of lemon baked goods. Hence my obsession with lemon bars, lemon icing, lemonade (LOL!). If it’s lemony…I’m going to try it.

Needless to say…I go a little overboard with baking mixes at times…so this, like a lot of things, sat untouched in my pantry. Until I noted on my ever-helpful pantry list that the expiration date was fast approaching. As I had just polished off my gluten-free brownies last night, I took the opportunity to grab this mix and bake up another sweet treat for this coming week and weekend. And with something lemon…how could it go wrong?

One of the most appealing parts of this mix is how little you truly have to do to it. All I had to do was mix the cupcake mix together with 1/2 cup of oil and 1/3 cup of water. Then, after that is blended on low, in goes three eggs. Mix again until all is well blended, this time on medium, and then put into cupcake pan. Now, the box says this makes 12 cupcakes, but I could have easily gotten 15-18 out of this. Instead, my cupcakes were going to be huge. but…you know…you only live once. I filled my wrappers as full as I dared, then ended up pulling out another pan and putting the rest into one more cupcake wrapper and baking the ‘test cupcake’ that the roomie and I would share.

Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes fresh from the oven

Into the oven they went for 15 minutes at 350°F. Or…that was the plan. Lo and behold, upon purchasing a thermometer for my oven, I discovered that it won’t stay at a constant temperature. In fact…it can be off by as much as 15-20 degrees at times. And that explains why so many of my baked goods have had to cook for so much longer than the boxes have indicated. Good to know. I actually called my landlord this morning to see about having this fixed. Here’s hoping it happens. So, after a total time of 25 minutes (not the mix’s fault…totally my oven’s fault), I pulled out the cupcakes to give them a little time to cool.

The box actually does come with a recipe for a cream cheese icing…but I’m not big on icing or frosting, so I made a citrus glaze, utilizing powdered sugar, orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, a little oil, and some water. Then, before my cupcakes could completely cool, I drizzled each cupcake with the glaze and allowed it to sit. Well…except for the test cupcake. That was unwrapped and drizzled with glaze almost immediately. Then, sliced in half and my roommate and I decided to see if this mix was worth it in the end.

Read my words, fellow blog followers…THIS. IS. DELICIOUS.

The lemon in the cupcakes is there…but it doesn’t overwhelm the flavor of the cake. It doesn’t take a backseat either. What Heartland Gourmet managed to do was create the ideal balance between the cake-ness and the lemony aspect of this mix…so when it bakes up…it has the perfect level of each. Nothing overwhelms the other.

And here’s another amazing thing…this cupcake isn’t heavy or dense or any of that gluten-free nonsense. Not only was this one of the lightest cakes I have ever had emerge from my oven, it had those little air pockets that regular cupcakes have when they are cooked to an airy, light perfection. I loved that about these cupcakes because after eating a meal, I want a light dessert, not something that I feel I am gorging on. And this definitely takes…the cake. (Forgive me!)

Nutritionally speaking, this mix has it going on. For one thing, the mix itself, when done into 12 large cupcakes, is only 170 calories. That’s awesome for a treat. I also love that this product is fat free and packs a 2 gram protein kick. And this mix also is low on sodium. Remember…this is a cupcake, so while sugars seem high…it’s a treat and should be recognized as one.

As for the company itself, Heartland Gourmet is actually a family operated business is dedicated to putting healthy, wholesome, delicious gluten-free, gourmet and organic baking mixes and kits into the market so that they are simple to put together and easy to bake, giving you more time with your family. You gotta love that sort of commitment and dedication. And I always enjoy helping out a family owned business. They just seem to put more attention and better things into their ingredients and products.

So, a kick of lemon, glazed with a sweet and tart glaze on a light and fluffy cupcake…yeah…this is heaven. Heaven in lemon cupcake form. And I have Heartland Gourmet to thank for it.

Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcake with an Orange Citrus Glaze (made from Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcake Mix)

February 14, 2013

Lots of love for Love Grown Foods Simply Oats oat clusters

Product: Love Grown Foods Simply Oats Oat Clusters – $4.99+

Love Grown Foods…you are truly amazing. Your foods are obviously baked and created with love because it shines through in even the most simplest of products that you offer. I don’t know what else to say except…BRAVO.

And…

I LOVE YOU.

And it doesn’t get much more tasty or a simple as your Simply Oats oat clusters. Honestly…this is simple, easy, very pure without any additions. No nuts, no fruit…but all the flavor. I don’t even miss them. Not one bit. And another huge deal is that you use honey and agave to sweeten this product, not the refined sugars or artificial sweeteners that most other brands offer. Not. A. Fan.

One thing I vowed to do as my dietary needs have changed (having to go dairy-free and gluten-free as of 2 years ago) was to pay closer attention to the foods that I buy and the actual ingredients that go into them. I started this before I had to change my diet, doing my best to cut out anything that included high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils. BLECH! It was a small goal, but it did get me into the habit of really looking at the information that companies put on the packaging and exactly what it is that I am putting into my body.

Now, with the dietary restrictions…reading labels is a must.

So, imagine how much less stressful and how much easier it is to know of a company and brand that I can simply pluck from the shelf at the grocery store and know…for absolutely certain…that what I am getting is made with natural ingredients and will definitely fit into my needs.

That’s Love Grown Foods. And I have to say, I didn’t have high hopes for the Simply Oats variety of their granola…but it wowed me. At first bite…I was wowed. This doesn’t happen normally. I normally need some nuttiness or fruitiness to accompany my granola…despite adding it to yogurt and berries. This one, I would eat on its own…in a flippin’ heartbeat. Honestly. I don’t need the yogurt. I don’t need the fruit. I just love the savory, sweet flavor these oat clusters have. On their own. Without added sugars or preservatives.

Love goes into these products. True love.

The granola is gluten-free and produced in a dedicated gluten-free facility. Love that. That takes a lot of guesswork out as well. And it means I can trust the gluten-free label that comes with these. As for ingredients…simple, but delicious: Certified gluten-free oats, honey, organic agave syrup, canola oil, sunflower seeds, pure vanilla, milled flaxseed, cinnamon, and sea salt. That’s it. Nine simple ingredients. Nothing chemical about it. Just simple goodness in a simple, unassuming package. And that’s the magic of these products.

Even better is how good they are for you. Nutritionally speaking, a serving is 1/4 cup (or 30 grams). In this simple serving, you get served up only 130 calories and 4.5 grams of fat. Sodium content is crazy low, a serving of Simply Oats granola only having only 35 mgs. This also provides 3 grams of protein and cuts back on sugars that most granola are loaded with. This 1/4 cup serving…only 7 grams of sugar. How amazing is that?! And you don’t even miss it. These stand alone and provide such a great burst of flavor you don’t needed added sugars and artificial sweeteners. They are amazing on their own.

Unprocessed, organic goodness in a simple breakfast or snack…you better believe I’m all over that. Don’t let the name lead you to believe that these are not anything but simple. The complex flavors and amazing taste proves that even if these are Simply Oats…they are still simply delicious. And what more could you ask?

Breakfast Blueberry Parfait with Chobani Fat Free Vanilla Greek Yogurt and Love Grown Foods Simply Oats Oat Clusters

February 12, 2013

KIND-a underwhelmed by KIND Cranberry Almond + Antioxidants Bar

Product: KIND Plus Cranberry Almond + Antioxidants Snack Bar – $1.99+

When you think cranberries…you think big, bold, tart flavor, yes? I know I do. Trust me…I’ve eaten my fair share of things with cranberry in them. Even got some fresh cranberries in my CSA bin around Thanksgiving this year and turned them into a fantastic dessert. So…cranberries don’t scare me off. I know they can bring a lot to a dish if utilized properly.

But, that is where I feel something went wrong in this variety of the KIND Plus Snack Bar.

I already had my doubts. Because, while I eat cranberries…they aren’t my most favorite thing in the world. In small doses, yes…that’s fine. But, here…they were sharing the show with almonds…but when you gaze at the bar, you see lots of the sticky redness that would be the cranberries that make up this snack.

I figured, however, I would put my preconceptions of the bar on hold and allow it to speak for itself.

And it had its chance on Sunday…when I tore into it prior to a 9 mile long run for training. I split this in half with my roommate, because I always value her opinion and we were going for brekkies after I ran…so it would be a light breakfast for both of us, but still give me enough energy to at least get through 9 miles of indoor running hell (it was raining…so it was dreadmill (treadmill) and track time for me!). BAH!

So, before my first bite, this bar did have some things going for it. For one thing…the addition of antioxidants, brought about by the inclusion of numerous vitamins (A, C, & E…of which I think would come from the cranberries. In fact, KIND’s Web site claims that this bar contains 50% of the recommended daily intake of these three vitamins, which help fight free radicals and help maintain the immune system and healthy skin. Well…that is, indeed, a plus.

Aside from that, this KIND Plus bar is a blend of almonds, dried cranberries, macadamias, honey, non-GMO glucose, crisp rice, chicory root fiber, and sunflower oil. I mean…that doesn’t sound offensive at all. And, in fact, my co-worker ate this one the other day. She said it was pretty good, and she doesn’t like cranberries…but also said…it wasn’t that great and that she wouldn’t get it again if given the option.

So, Sunday morning, I had my own taste.

And I agree with my co-worker.

I really, really wanted to like this one. I mean, my co-worker and I spent good money on this box…I want to like every bar inside of it. But the fact of the matter was…this one was just…bland. Yes! BLAND! A bar with cranberries in it…was bland. The flavor was totally lacking, which was a huge disappointment for me. If I am eating something, I want to taste every component of it. But I didn’t get much of anything with this one.

And, unlike the previous one I had the day before, this one was very sticky and chewy, which is okay…but I prefer to be able to hold it without needing a napkin or a good wash of my fingers afterwards. Just sayin’.

With all of this in mind, let’s give a little nutritional walk through of this bar. An entire bar only serves up 190 calories, so it’s great for a snack of quick on-the-go breakfast. The bar contains 13 grams of fat, which most of which would come from the nuts…so at least it is the healthy kind. With the inclusion of the nuts, you also get a fair amount of fiber (3 grams) and protein (4 grams), which helps your body feel full. And, for being a snack bar, the sodium level is low, sitting pretty at 25 mgs. With only 11 grams of sugar, this really is a healthier choice than many of the snack bars out there.

It’s just…lacking in the flavor aspect. And if something doesn’t wow me at first taste…I’m not going to bother with it again.

So, from the KIND box…I’ve had one bar that I’ve really enjoyed and one that I’ve not enjoyed. So…we’re half and half so far.

If you like cranberries…this bar might be for you. I’m not a huge fan of cranberries, but I do eat them…and surprisingly, it was the lack of cranberry flavor that I disliked most. Where I expected tart…I got sweet…and not even enough of that to really satisfy. I know there are always bound to be flavor duds in a combo pack. Sadly, for me, it was the KIND Plus Cranberry Almond + Antioxidants Snack Bar. Disappointed? Totally. And definitely not going to seek this one out to buy on its own.

KIND Plus Cranberry Almond + Antioxidants Snack Bar (unwrapped)

February 10, 2013

Ian’s bakes up a crispy piece of Allergen-Friendly Cheesy Vegan French Bread Pizza

Product: Ian’s Gluten-Free/Dairy Free Cheesy Vegan French Bread Pizza – $6.99+

So…it’s National Pizza Pie Day.

Yep. I don’t mess around when it comes to holidays…and after a busy day on the go (with an amazing brunch, coffee, shopping, and a stop off for some crazy-good ice cream)…I came home for a bit to relax. And I knew…that despite the brunch and ice cream treat, my roommate and I were going to need something else for dinner.

And with it being National Pizza Pie Day…I had just the thing in mind.

Please note…I realize this is not actually a pizza “pie” per se…but it is…technically…a form of pizza.

Even better…it’s a form of pizza I can eat.

Now, I’ve done my share of sampling of gluten-free frozen pizzas since going gluten-free. Kind of. Normally, despite craving some gluten-free pizza at times, I don’t like paying an arm and a leg for a frozen gluten-free pizza. I’d rather go spend that money and get one done up right at a restaurant (like Mellow Mushroom or Uncle Madio’s where they take extra precautions with gluten-free pizza preparations). It would end up being about the same amount for the same amount of pizza actually. And if not, the quality is far better.

But, last weekend, my roommate told me she would buy me a gluten-free treat of my choice while we were roaming around Earth Fare, my favorite grocery store…ever. It took me a moment to ponder out what exactly I wanted to get with such a tempting offer. And after struggling with choosing between a sweet treat, gluten-free onion rings, gluten-free vegetable pot stickers…I finally decided to go with Ian’s Allergen-Friendly (no wheat, no gluten, no dairy, no casein, no soy, no eggs, no peanuts, no tree nuts) French Bread Pizza.

This is not a new product. Not at all. In fact, I’ve seen this product in the freezer section of my local grocery store since I had to go gluten-free…and always said I was going to try it. Unfortunately…the price just never was right and I couldn’t justify it in the end with my tight food budget. But…as a treat…it might be worth it. Especially if I needed a quick hit of pizza sometime.

Well, what better day to eat it than National Pizza Pie Day?

The box comes complete with two slices of gluten-free French bread that is topped off with a tomato sauce and Galaxy’s vegan mozzarella rice cheese. I wasn’t sure what to make of the product upon opening it. The frozen bread looked like any normal frozen pizza would have done. I wasn’t sure how well the “cheese” would do in the oven, but I preheated it to the 400°F the box suggested and placed each slice of bread onto a baking sheet. Into the oven it went for 23 minutes…but since my oven is a bit off…I let it go for 25 minutes before removing it.

Much to my surprise, the “cheese” melted beautifully over the slices of French bread. The tomato sauce was bubbly and the cheese was piping hot and gooey. In fact, some of it had even stuck to the pan. So, that was a nice surprise. Vegan cheese never melts this well lately (and trust me…I eat it all the time). The French bread crisped up to a beautiful golden color. That was a nice surprise!

So, I plated each slice, handed my roommate hers and went to retrieve mine. She was already digging in when I returned so I inquired as to what she thought. I mean, after all, she can eat any pizza whenever she wants. It’s me with the dietary restrictions.

“It’s yummy!” she said. So…I went ahead and took my first bite.

Despite the fact that I burned the roof of my mouth on the molten vegan cheese…I had to agree with her. This was a delicious bite of pizza. And so easy. I mean…for something frozen and out of a package…the flavor was amazing. I loved the crispy crunch the crust of the French bread gave each bite. And the the inner parts were soft and chewy, like a good pizza crust would be…without being doughy or overly chewy. The sauce was a non-entity and the “cheese” just gave it that pizza topping that was necessary for it to be a pizza. But…it was good. It was really good.

Each slice of bread contains 250 calories and 10 grams of fat. The sodium content is quite low, at only 220 mg per serving. And each slice offers up no cholesterol, no trans fat, and 3 grams of protein. Nice!

And despite being rather small in size, these slices of French bread pizza are definitely filling. I didn’t even need a salad or anything to eat with it. Perfect as a meal on its own and rather safe for basically any food allergy. It was only recently that Ian’s moved away from soy cheese, which was a fantastic choice in the end, opening this one up for people who have soy allergies. All the products Ian’s puts out contain no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives…ever!

I would definitely buy these again in a heartbeat. The crust was awesome…loving the crispy outside and soft inside. It wasn’t overwhelming with the amount of bread. The sauce and cheese were a great topping. And these were so easy to prepare and so delicious to devour.

Which is exactly what happened…while watching Moonraker on Blu-Ray.

Don’t judge.

There is no better way to spend Naitonal Pizza Pie Day than enjoying a gluten-free and vegan French Bread Pizza…from Ian’s.

Find it in your grocer’s freezer section…and give it a try yourself.

Ian's Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free Cheesy Vegan French Bread Pizza (baked) — Ian’s Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free Cheesy Vegan French Bread Pizza (baked)

February 10, 2013

Low sugar, a hint of spice, and everything nice in KIND Bar’s Madagascar Vanilla Almond bar

Product: KIND Madagascar Vanilla Almond Nuts & Spices Bar – $1.99+

You know what’s awesome about KIND Bars? How filling they are. And a lot of that stems back to the ingredients that go into each bar. Now, I’ve sampled a few of these, but a Groupon came over not too long ago and my coworker and I decided to split the difference and get it. So, we ended up purchasing the KIND Cube, which included 16 bars…2 of a variety of flavors.

When it arrived, we each took our share and she began to sample a different one each day. As I go to work with my snacks already planned, I decided to hang onto mine for important mornings…such as race mornings.

Today…was a race morning.

The Snowman Shuffle 4 Miler was running in Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday morning, and after downing some cereal and a cup of coffee at home (along with some water for hydration), my roommate and I set out to hit Cherokee Park in time to find parking, get my packet, get stretched out, and get running. But, with most race mornings, I normally find myself starving at the start or during it if I don’t eat something at least an hour beforehand.

As we arrived at the park, I was already tearing into the KIND Bar she chose to split that morning. It was the Madagascar Vanilla Almond bar. Very intriguing. I wasn’t sure what to make of it…but none of the ingredients sounded offensive to my senses…so…I tore off the wrapper and had her take a picture of it (she needs to work on how close she puts the camera, LOL!). And then, I broke it in half, gave her a share of it…and we headed toward packet pickup, happily noshing on the bar.

And we both agreed…YUMMMMMMMMY!

The Madagascar Vanilla Almond bar is actually more than just almonds…so if you are allergic to other nuts, but not almonds, be aware…this one actually has more than the name lets on. In fact, the bar is composed of a blend of almonds, peanuts, cashews, and walnuts, mixed with honey, non-GMO glucose, chicory root fiber, crisp rice, Madagascar vanilla, and soy lecithin. Okay, so some of the ingredients don’t sound as appealing when listed out like that…but trust me…when they are all put together, KIND Bar magic happens.

The Madagascar Vanilla Almond Bar is part of KIND’s Nuts and Spices collection. And here is the best part…it is a perfect balance of sweet and salty. My biggest concern leading up to my first bite was that it was going to be way too sweet. And something sweet is good…but doesn’t always sit right just before a race. Thankfully, the vanilla didn’t overpower the bar itself. It complimented the mix of nuts and crisp rice. The honey helped bind it all together. This bar wasn’t terribly sticky so nothing felt like it was catching in my teeth or getting my fingers too sticky to put my gloves back on. It was really balanced and really, really delicious.

Nutritionally speaking, KIND Bar’s are a perfect way to go…especially for protein and the like. In the Madagascar Vanilla Almond variety, the entire bar contains 210 calories and 16 grams of fat. If that seems high, keep in mind that this fat is brought about by the nuts, so it is actually the healthy sort. The sugar content in this bar is very low, sitting nicely at 4 grams. And the protein is awesome, with this bar offering 7 grams of it. Awesome. With 15 mg of sodium, this makes for a healthy choice for breakfast or a snack. And with 5 grams of fiber, it will keep you feeling full.

And…just eating half this bar about an hour before a very chilly run…I can attest that this is true. I wasn’t hungry before or during the run at all. My appetite only began to kick in after I ran, waited in the cold for awards, and finally hopped in the car to get brunch at my favorite allergen-free bakery.

KIND Nuts & Spices bars are part of a line of bars that are crafted from the highest quality of whole nuts and some of the best spices found in nature. These bars are an indulgent treat, providing natural protein, fiber, and only 5 grams of sugar (or less) in each bar. There is nothing artificial in any of these bars. Even better, all of KIND’s products are gluten-free and produced in a certified, dedicated gluten-free facility. Love that!

So…next time you are in need of a delicious, nutritious, filling snack that is portable and just as yummy as ever…reach for a KIND bar. I highly recommend the salty-sweet taste of the Madagascar Vanilla Almond bar. I would purchase this one again in a heartbeat.

KIND Madagascar Vanilla Almond Nuts & Spices Bar (unwrapped)

February 8, 2013

Glutino Multigrain Crackers a gluten-free bite worth taking

Product: Glutino Gluten-Free Multigrain Crackers – $4.99+

Snack crackers are so versatile. But most of the ones on the market are off limits to the gluten-free. But thanks to the abundance of gluten-free products hitting the shelves these days, it seems every gluten-free company out there has at least one variety of snack cracker. Some…have more.

I’ve enjoyed the likes of Crunchmaster, Mary’s Gone Crackers, Blue Diamond, Schär, etc. But most recently, I have been exploring the different flavors of crackers that Glutino has to offer.

Now, Glutino and I have a rather good relationship as far as the taste of their food. So far, I have had nothing to complain about. Texture, taste, density, and flavor have all been right on par. I appreciate that. Given the fact that I haven’t been gluten-free my entire life, I know what the ‘real’ thing tastes like and sometimes have a hard time separating that from what I now have to eat. In other words…I find common gluten-free foods not up to the standard I once knew.

And then…sometimes I find something better.

Glutino has been good to me and for me.

And that trend continues with my tasting of Glutino Multigrain Crackers. These gluten-free crackers actually surprised me with their flavor. I have since looked up a few reviews, most of which bitched about the overpowering fennel flavor (fennel tastes like licorice). I don’t like licorice…but I don’t even get a taste of it in these crackers. In fact, I currently no longer even see fennel listed on the ingredients list. The poppyseeds are still part of it…and you can certainly see them in the surface of the cracker. But fennel…not anymore, I don’t think. Rosemary extract though…that’s there!

The bizarre thing about these crackers is…they taste like Triscuits…just without the graininess and shredded bits. It’s like…if a Ritz and a Triscuit were to get married…this would be the offspring. Honestly. It’s the perfect blend of that butter Ritz texture with the flavor of a Triscuit. It’s…fantastic, honestly. And this would be amazing with a schmear of cream cheese, cheese, salsa, hummus…whatever…on top. But on their own, they too are astounding in their flavor. I loved this cracker…bite-for-bite.

So…how did I end up with these in the first place? Long story short…one of my local grocery stores was running a mega closeout on the gluten-free section. Fearing that it was going to be gone for good, I stockpiled items I wanted to try, but could never quite justify to work into the budget. That’s how these ended up in my pantry…and it just so happened it was their turn to shine during my afternoon snack time this week. And shine they did.

I highly recommend these as a cracker for any get-together where gluten-free options are needed. Or…just in general. My roommate, who tries everything I eat, also enjoyed these. She was the one who made the Triscuit connection (she would know!)…and I couldn’t agree more. Fantastic seasoning, not laden with salt, great flavor, and just amazing from one bite to the next.

Nutritionally speaking, because I do always go there, these aren’t bad for a snack cracker. A serving size is 30 grams (and you know I weigh out my servings!), or about 8 crackers. This serving would set you back only 14o calories and 4.5 grams of fat. That’s not bad at all. These crackers only have 260 mg of sodium in the serving. While fiber and protein are both low, it’s a snack cracker…so use it with something like hummus that has some protein power to it.

Nutritionally sound, and amazing in taste and texture. Glutino…you keep winning me over, heart, body, and gluten-free soul!