Review – Page 64 – The Celiathlete

February 6, 2013

Gluten-Free brownies that are fudgy and cake-like perfection by Better Better Fudge Brownie Mix

Product: Better Batter Gluten-Free Fudge Brownie Mix – $7.99+

Better Batter.

Why? Why did it take me so long to actually try you out?

You blew me away…like…totally blew me away the first time I used your Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour. I never stopped raving about you. I never bought you…because you are expensive. But, now I understand that you are completely worth the cost. Every. Single. Dollar.

Because not only did you manage to wow me with your Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour (which I received as a complimentary box at a gluten-free expo I attended in Birmingham, Alabama), but you have blown me away with the taste, texture, and all around chocolatey goodness of your both fudgy AND cake-like brownies. And there is something so magical and fantastic about finding that perfect level of balance when it comes to brownie perfection. Even more…the difficulty that comes with having to be gluten-free.

But somehow, my dearest, beloved Better Batter…you did it.

After having amazing results making cookies using your Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, the other box that my roommate and I got for free at the expo was…the Gluten-Free Fudge Brownie Mix.

Now, I love brownies. I am not big on cake…but offer me brownies and I am your friend for life. Thus…brownies were the obvious choice for me.

However, I had a lot of gluten-free brownie mixes to go through. And while some have been…good…others…great…yours, Better Batter…yours were AMAZING!! Yours are the ones that I will rave about until the day I go to my gluten-free grave.

And here’s why…

Better Batter Gluten-Free Fudge Brownies (baked)

While I am not a fan of cake, I prefer the cake-like brownies over the heavier fudge versions. So, I did the version with three eggs, not two. I mixed together the water, oil, eggs, and the mix as directed by the box, then poured them into my pan and baked…all the while, that rich chocolate scent was filling my apartment. I couldn’t wait to pull these out of the oven and let them cool. And when they were cooked through, I let them sit while I ran a few errands and returned home…ready to treat myself to them for dessert.

These brownies are packed with chocolate flavor. I mean, packed. So if you are a chocoholic like me…you will love this. Every bite is rich, decadent, moist and…just awesome. Yep…awesome. There is no strange aftertaste from the gluten-free mix. It’s all about flavor. Good, amazing flavor. My roommate doesn’t even have to eat gluten-free…but she devoured these as fast as me. Seriously…these are the top-of-the-line when it comes to brownies. I know I raved about my Bob’s Red Mill…and they are my second place…but these…these are reigning supreme!

If heaven were encapsulated in brownie form…it would look and taste like these. Despite being cake-like brownies, these have that rich fudgy flavor of the fudge brownies…without the heaviness. That’s the best part. They are so light…so it’s always tempting to go back for more. And being a chocoholic…this is not easy to stop myself from doing. So far, however, I have managed.

So far.

Nutrition-wise, these are…brownies. So moderation is key. You get 20 servings out of one box…so make sure you cut it up in the proper portions. The mix itself has 110 calories in it…then add the oil and eggs to it and it bumps it up a little more…but still in the 160 calorie range. Remember…this is a treat and you should always treat it as one. Even if you do want to go and eat the entire pan…as I often do. Restraint and moderation.

Better Batter…I love you. I can’t even put into words how much I love you. You entranced me with your basic All-Purpose Flour…and you won me over with the fantastic taste and texture and flavor of your Gluten-Free Fudge Brownies. I am one happy gluten-free girl.

And now…yes…I will shell out the money for your mixes. I can’t wait to try what other products I can create from your plethora of mixes and tasty treats.

Back to the grocery store I go for more of your gluten-free goodness in a box.

Can’t wait!

A serving of Better Batter Gluten-Free Cake-Like Fudge Brownies (I was out of plates...dont judge!) — A serving of Better Batter Gluten-Free Cake-Like Fudge Brownies (I was out of plates…dont judge!)

February 5, 2013

XO Baking Co mixes up perfect Gluten-Free Banana Bread

XO Baking Co. Gluten-Free Banana Bread Mix

XO Baking Company Gluten-Free Banana Bread Mix – $7.99+

It happened once upon a time…back a couple years ago when I was instructed by my doctor to adopt a gluten-free diet. I attempted, from scratch, to make banana bread. And…it failed. Miserably. It was dense, heavy, and…WET! And I disliked it enough to throw it away. And from that moment on…I never attempted it again. Never. I designated any over-ripe bananas to another cause.

And then, while out shopping one afternoon and randomly stopping into a Home Goods store, I stumbled across their gourmet food section. Danger, Gluten-Free Will Robinson, Danger!! They actually had quite a good selection of gluten-free foods and products. And I…just had to try them. The one that seriously caught my eye, however, was the XO Baking Co’s Banana Bread Mix.

I mean…it had been forever since I had had good banana bread. I was craving. For real!

So, it and a few other items made their way into a basket I ran back to the door to get and soon I was checking out with a plethora of new gluten-free goodness. Or…at least I hoped.

And then, because my pantry is overflowing with gluten-free goodies…this had to sit and wait…and wait…and wait…and wait…

…and then I realized that the expiration date was approaching…so I dug it out and intended to make it over the weekend. Without reading the back for ingredients, I went grocery shopping for my regular items…and then came home to get to work on my bread (which would serve as breakfast for the entire week!)

It was only then that I realized that I required three large overly-ripe bananas for the bread mix. DUH! I don’t know why I assumed this would magically taste like banana on its own. So, my roomie and I dashed back out to the grocery store. And NONE of the stores had any overly ripe bananas. In fact…they were all very green. I mean…GREEN!

What to do? We finally discovered a couple at Target…but needed one more. So, we grabbed on that wasn’t quite as green as the rest and decided to just run with it. When you are handed under-ripe bananas…you attempt to do your best to make banana bread.

Back at home, mixing this together was easy. I mashed the bananas then put them into my Kitchenaid mixer. To that, I added eggs, oil, and almond milk. That got beat together until just combined. Then, in went the bread mix straight from the package. A little more mixing and it was done. As I’m working on shrinking the amount of items in my pantry, I added the rest of the chopped pecans (about 1/2 cup) and then put in 1/4 cup of Reeses peanut butter chips and 1/4 cup chocolate chips. I folded these into the batter, poured them into the pan and baked for about an hour.

The entire time it baked, I couldn’t help but return to the kitchen to steal another whiff of the bread. It smelled fantastic as it cooked up. And when it emerged, it was a beautiful golden color on the outside. I allowed it to cool in the pan before turning it out and setting it to cool the rest of the way.

The big test came the following morning when I sliced it up to make some French toast with it. O.M.G. No…for real.

I didn’t do anything fancy to the French toast batter. Just egg, a little light coconut milk, vanilla and cinnamon…dunked the bread and put it on my skillet. Flipped it once it got golden, then served it with a bit of hot maple syrup (homemade and delicious from my friend Erica).

This bread is packed with flavor. Even done up as though it were French toast (which definitely was preferred to the usual gluten-free sandwich bread I use). The nuts, the peanut butter chips, and the chocolate chips really compliment that banana flavor. The texture isn’t too dense or heavy. In fact, it seemed perfect for this kind of loaf of bread. I was enamored with the variety of flavor that hit my palate. BUT…to be fair, I needed to taste it without dressing it up too much. So, the following morning, I just gave the bread a light toasting in the oven to warm it. Then a small schmear of vegan butter and a drizzle of honey…and BAM. Banana bread perfection. The sweet honey worked well with the nuts and different flavor chips that were baked in.

Oh…this is a definite must have for your gluten-free pantry. If you can’t make a good banana bread from scratch, then you should totally give this mix a try. The guess work when it comes to what flour to use and how long to bake is taken out of the equation.

This mix is created using a gluten-free flour blend (which includes cassava flour, unmodified potato starch, organic coconut flour, and xanthan gum). Brown sugar adds a nice hint of sweetness to it. Baking powder gives it that necessary lightness to rise, baking soda, sea salt, and organic vanilla flavor. That’s it.

As for the nutrition standing…the mix contains 110 calories for 1/12 of the loaf. I went ahead and sliced mine into 12 slices so that I was certain of the servings when I began carving into it. That’s not bad. Not bad at all. This mix is also completely all natural, rice-free, trans fat free, gluten-free, wheat-free, and soy-free.

And in the end, you are left with a delicious, moist, banana-flavored bread that you can dress up however you like or just leave with simply bananas. Any way you slice it…it is AMAZING! XO Baking Co. is off to a good start and winning me over already.

February 5, 2013

Not completely sold on Sol Cuisine’s Organic BBQ Tofu Ribs

Product: Sol Cuisine Organic BBQ Tofu Ribs – $5.49+

Being a gluten-free vegetarian isn’t always easy. When I had to go gluten-free…it meant that many of the faux-meat products out there, via Boca, Morningstar, Quorn, and Gardein were off limits to me. So, finding a replacement has been more than a challenge. Sure…there are some that exist…but they are few and far between…and mostly limited to veggie burgers.

Which is fine. Except when you’re tired of veggie burgers.

Imagine my excitement to walk into my favorite grocery store, Earth Fare, and find a product line called Sol Cuisine, which features gluten-free and vegan products. The one that immediately caught my eye, however, was the Organic BBQ Tofu Ribs.

Yes…BBQ Ribs. For gluten-free vegans.

*the gluten-free gods smile upon me*

I did what any clear-thinking gluten-free consumer would do. I grabbed one from the freezer section and tossed it into my cart. I mean…why not? If nothing else…it would be interesting.

Welcome, then, to the weekend…where my usually scheduled meal and snack times goes completely awry. Seriously. It’s not always a good thing…but that’s what happens when you’re constantly on-the-go on the weekend. It happens. After a long day out on Saturday, my roommate and I returned home, hungry and ready for dinner. I had plenty from my CSA bin to work with, but she was in the mood for fries. And I decided that the perfect compliment to homemade, baked “fries” would be…these Organic BBQ Tofu Ribs that were sitting in my freezer.

Why not? What did we have to lose?

The box actually indicates that these should be thawed in the fridge (whoops) or in the microwave…although no actual instructions for that are given. So I threw the package of ribs onto a microwave safe plate, and began to hit the defrost button until I felt I had reached a good level to continue with the cooking process.

Nothing could be simpler. Then…you get your choice of cooking method: Microwave, Stove top, or Oven. Since I had the oven going, I went ahead and opted for that method. So, into a casserole dish they went…and then into a 350° oven to cook for 20 minutes. About halfway through, I was to give them a good stir…so I did that and then let them finish cooking as directed by the box.

Once time was up…I happily pulled the casserole dish from the oven and began to serve up the ribs with the baked fries as well. Now, the box indicates that there are 3.5 servings inside…so my roommate and I decided we would split the difference and just make it into 2 servings. That meant we each got 4 of the tofu ribs. I set them alongside my homemade fries and dinner was served.

So…I dug in…very eager to taste.

And very confused.

Okay..not confused…but let down. Before I had to go gluten-free, I loved eating Morningstar Farms BBQ Ribs. They were amazing. These…these were…not as amazing. In fact, the texture was a bit spongy…but, let’s keep in mind, this is tofu. So…I can deal with that. Sadly, however, the sauce was rather bland. Bland enough that I went and grabbed my bottle of Stubbs Original BBQ Sauce and added to my plate. I think next time I get these, I will try to cook them in a pan, and maybe get a different and better texture on them.

For being made of tofu…these weren’t bad. They just weren’t the epic feast that I was hoping for. So…worth trying again, yes. Scream about them from the rooftop awesome? Not really.

Now…for the nutrition part…

Sol Cuisine Organic BBQ Tofu Ribs pack a caloric punch of only 130 calories per serving and 7 grams of fat. These have a very low sodium count, holding at 160 mg. And, even better, they pack a whopping 9 grams of protein per serving. Awesome! So, quite nutritionally sound…I will definitely give them that.

Despite the texture and lack of flavor, I’d be willing to try other products by Sol Cuisine…and I would happily eat these again…but probably seared off in a pan instead of cooked in the oven. Maybe work some of that spongy texture out.

Overall…not great…but definitely not bad.

Sol Cuisine Organic BBQ Tofu Ribs (cooked in the oven and served w/ a side of homemade oven-baked fries)

February 1, 2013

Glutino Cheddar Crackers are putting on the Ritz

Product: Glutino Cheddar Crackers – $5.49+

There was a time, a couple years ago, when I could still eat just about anything I wanted. One of my favorite crackers for years (up until I started cutting out food with High Fructose Corn Syrup in it) was Ritz Crackers. And, yes, my dear snacking friends…Ritz do, in fact, contain HFCS. BOOO!

But, then the whole needing to go gluten-free thing happened and Ritz Crackers became a distant memory anyway. Oh, sure, I missed that buttery, rich flavor of each bite of those soft crackers…but with gluten ingredients and HFCS…that was a recipe for disaster for me. Completely.

And so, my life continued on…without a snack cracker for a long time.

But then, the market on them sort of exploded. From Mary’s Gone Crackers to Crunchmaster to Schär to Blue Diamond…gluten-free snack crackers have made the ultimate comeback…in a variety of flavors, textures, and tastes. I’m rather particular when it comes to taste and, especially, texture. I like to have light crackers…nothing heavy or dense. I want the first bite to have a soft crunch, not something loud. In other words…I was searching for a gluten-free Ritz cracker.

Well…Glutino nailed it.

Honestly, they did. A while back, they released their line of various snack crackers (which they are currently adding to with two new flavors). Originally, these came in Original, Multigrain, Vegetable, and Cheese. When my local grocery store had their mega closeout on their gluten-free selection, I grabbed what they had. A box of Glutino Cheese Crackers and one box of Glutino Multigrain Crackers.

You guessed it…these found their way into the black hole of my pantry…up until I ran out of my current snack and consulted my pantry list to see what was up next. These crackers were. And I was pretty stoked about trying them.

A serving of Glutino Cheddar Crackers is 30 grams (I weigh mine out), or about 8 crackers. Nutritionally speaking, this sets you back 140 calories and 5 grams of fat. Sodium levels are very low, totally 180 mg per serving. And each serving has 2 grams of protein. Not too shabby for a snack cracker. This is comparable to Ritz…but less fat and more protein. Awesome.

But…the big test is on taste. This can make or break a product.

When it comes to Glutino Cheddar Crackers…I don’t so much as get bombarded by cheese flavor. It’s there…but it’s very light, almost like an accent to the cracker itself. These are not salted, which I prefer, so the taste has to stand up for itself. And yeah…these do make the cut. One bite and it was like I was back in my Ritz Cracker face-stuffing days. Honestly. These crackers are very light with a gentle crunch and buttery texture. And the flavor is so reminiscent of Ritz. I love how the cheddar flavor doesn’t overwhelm the cracker itself. But I also think that these are probably better enjoyed topped off with some sort of spread (be it cream cheese, cheese slices, cheese spread, salsa, etc.) They are good. Oh, yes…they are good.

Glutino has definitely been hitting the mark with their products and I only hope that this trend continues. If you happen to be hosting a party and need a gluten-free snack cracker for any hors d’oeuvres, these are a great choice. If you are looking for a healthier snack option than chips…these are a great choice. And if you just miss having those Ritz crackers…these are a great choice.

Well played, Glutino. Well played!

January 31, 2013

Glutino’s gluten-free table crackers a necessary addition to any table

Product: Glutino Gluten-Free Table Crackers – $3.99+

You know how much I love my products by Schär…so way back when this gluten-free thing was brand new to me, I busted out a box of their gluten-free table crackers. And I declared my love of their gluten-free cracker.

But then…last year…Glutino introduced their own variety of table crackers. And, yes, I bought a box. And like most things in my pantry…it took me forever to actually bust into them. But that changed last night. Because I made a homemade soup. And it was a chunky soup…so I didn’t want a gluten-free/vegan grilled “cheese.” Nope…crackers. That’s what this soup needed.

Into the pantry I went and out came the box of Glutino Gluten-Free Table Crackers. I had been quite curious about these ever since purchasing them last year while in Denver, Colorado. So, keep in mind…these have made a plane trip from Colorado to Indiana and they still weren’t massively busted up! That’s a sign of a good packaging job.

There really is nothing special to the appearance of Glutino’s Table Crackers. They look like oversized saltines. Honestly. Saltines on steroids. But, I was definitely intrigued. So, after snapping my mandatory blog photo, I dished up my Gluten-Free Roasted Potato and Curry Soup and dug out a serving of Glutino Table Crackers. For the record…that’s three of these long sheet crackers. Awesome.

Settling in to an episode of She-Ra: Princess of Power (I’m a child of the 80s and I’m reliving my favorite parts currently!) while I ate, I broke off a bit of the cracker and took a taste. I needed to taste it on its own before I could get to the dipping and crumbling into the soup part.

OH. MY. GLUTEN. FREE. CRACKER. BATMAN.

I had ever right to rave about the crackers that came before…but these…these were SO amazing. A gentle crunch. A light, airy taste. No unnecessary salt. Crisp. Rich. AMAZING! These table crackers were better than the ones I had from Schär…and I’m a Schär pimp. For real!

On their own…fantastic. Dipped in my chunky soup…supurb. These crackers can definitely be eaten on their own…but mixing them with soup, or topping them off with cream cheese, or hummus, or butter, or peanut butter, or jam…that works too. Me…I love soup and crackers and this definitely worked. The sweet/spicy flavor of my homemade soup wasn’t hindered by added salt from the crackers. These crackers are not laden with salt. And they are still mighty good.

In fact, one serving (as I said before…three crackers) is only 160 calories and 7 grams of fat. That’s not too bad for table crackers. The sodium is very low…coming in at 270 mg. As for fiber and protein…well, you’re not finding those here. But…I used these in conjunction with a plant-based, vegan soup that made up for the difference.

Unlike Schär, who uses buckwheat, the main ingredient that serves as a base for these crackers is corn starch and soy flour. So, there is definitely a difference in the taste. I just preferred this one…just slightly over the other. Slightly.

Going crackers? You bet I am!!

I now know that should I ever be in need of any sort of cracker…Glutino is my go-to, with Schär a close second. Glutino has truly been wowing me with their products…and they continue to come out with more gluten-free goodness for me to try. And I am a willing guinea pig, that’s for sure!

So if you’re gluten-free and desperately wanting to go crackers…go Glutino!

January 30, 2013

Pastariso is making gluten-free mac & cheese easy with instant meals

Pastariso Gluten-Free Instant Brown Rice Mac & Cheese Cup — Pastariso Gluten-Free Instant Brown Rice Mac & Cheese Meal

Product: Pastariso Gluten-Free Instant Brown Rice Mac & Cheese Meal – $2.99+

Before I had to go gluten-free, I admit it…I would indulge in an Easy Mac every now and again. I mean…mac and cheese is awesome, right? And Easy Mac meant that it was ready in seconds…straight from the microwave. Mmmm…just like the boxed stuff with the crazy neon cheese powder that somehow creams up and makes a decent enough mac and cheese.

Oh…there are days I would long for that simplicity, and other days I would mock it.

But then…while at the Gluten-Free Trading Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin…I came across something I hadn’t seen before. Anywhere.

A form of gluten-free Easy Mac. These little microwavable pasta bowls were made with white rice pasta and brown rice pasta. I chose brown rice pasta; my roomie went for the white rice pasta.

Pastariso is making the dine and dash meal easy for the gluten-free community. There are times, like on Mondays when I have to get home from work, eat something, and head out to Louisville for my fun run with my running store group, that I don’t have time to prepare something. Not even a gluten-free grilled cheese sandwich. No problem if you happen to be able to find the Pastariso Mac & Cheese Instant Meal Cups somewhere nearby.

Now, no store in my area carries these, which is one reason why I had to pick them up. And tonight…I sat down to enjoy mine.

Preparation is simple…just like Easy Mac. Pull off the paper lid and fill the cup with water to the line. Stir well. Pop into the microwave for 3 1/2 minutes. Well, most microwaves would have it ready in 3 1/2 minutes. Mine is from the 80s…so it usually takes longer. That was the case here. 6 minutes later and I was ready to sit down with a piping hot bowl of instant mac and cheese.

A little bit about these little treats…

The company that makes the instant mac and cheese meal cups is Maplegrove Gluten-Free Foods. They are a family owned business that specializes in gluten-free products. Even more interesting, Maplegrove is North America’s largest manufacturer of gluten-free pasta products. Their products are manufactured in a completely gluten-free environment and they personally guarantee high quality foods. That’s a lot for a small company. But they understand the importance of keeping gluten-free foods safe and delicious. Many of their employees are gluten-intolerant or have Celiac. This is not just a choice…it’s a mission…it’s dedication.

So…how was it? Once I got it heated enough so that the water absorbed into the noodles and the cheese became thicker and not just cheesy soup water…I settled in to actually try it. Well, needless to say…it was pretty good. It tasted sweet…and not as cheesy as I would have liked. But…it was decent enough for an instant meal. The powdered cheese in the water was really hard to stir, but it incorporated itself as it warmed in the microwave. Overall…I’d rather make mac and cheese from scratch…for for something quick…I’d eat this again.

That is if I could find it somewhere…around here…

The nutrition information isn’t too bad as far as pre-packaged, processed gluten-free pastas go. The entire cup is only 212 calories with 4 grams of fat. The sodium level is a little on the high side at 670 mg. And as for protein, this does deliver 6 grams in the serving. So…all-in-all…it’s not too bad on the nutrition front.

So, it’s nothing fantastic, but it’s a quick bite for those very busy days that all of us tend to have at some point or another. It’s like Easy Mac…you hate yourself for eating it…but sometimes it’s the only option you have.

That’s what Pastariso Instant Brown Rice Gluten-Free Mac & Cheese Cup is…a quick option that delivers on speed, but not so much on flavor. But gluten-free beggars can’t be choosers.

Pastariso Gluten-Free Instant Brown Rice Mac & Cheese Meal (cooked)

January 30, 2013

Annie May’s Sweet Café serves up Saturday breakfast with a gluten-free vegan breakfast sandwich to die for

Restaurant: Annie May’s Sweet Café, Louisville, Kentucky

One bite.

That was all it took to fall in love with Annie May’s Sweet Café.

And that was just based off a birthday cake my roommate got for me back in September. Since then…this little bakery/café has become one of my favorite places to stop in for something to eat. Especially on Saturday’s…because breakfast is being served! And yes…we all know how much of a breakfast fiend I am.

For a few blogs now, I have mentioned my breakfast adventures there. From the gluten-free waffles (now discontinued) to the gluten-free French toast to the delicious gluten-free donuts…cookies…cupcakes…you name it…it’s allergen-free/gluten-free…heaven. Especially for someone like me who developed food allergies as an adult and has to sometimes make do with things that are just not as good as the ‘real’ thing. Add to that the extra challenge of being a vegetarian first…and it makes up a recipe for culinary problems everywhere.

Not at Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky.

Very recently, Annie May’s added a new item to their breakfast menu. Breakfast sandwiches. Yep. You read that right. These breakfast sandwiches are composed of your choice of a protein on their own vegan/allergen-free bun and served with that day’s fresh fruit.

When I went in today, after a long 8 mile run, I was hungry. So, along with my usual gluten-free donut ($2.49), I ordered up one of the breakfast sandwiches. My choice: the Allergen-Free/Vegan “Sausage” and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich ($6.99). This sandwich is composed of a vegan sausage patty that is also gluten-free, created by a local gourmet burger truck called Grind. These vegan sausage patties are a housemade blend of spaghetti squash, chickpeas, lentils, onions, sage, and a red pepper spice blend. It’s perfect for these breakfast sandwiches. And they are GOOD!

My roommate decided to give the Bacon, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich ($7.99) a go this morning. So, we placed our orders, settled in at one of the tables and devoured our donuts while we anticipated the breakfast sandwiches.

Let me preface this by saying that this vegetarian hasn’t had a vegan/veggie sausage in a LONG time. Not since having to go gluten-free. Every single one in the freezer section of the grocery store has gluten ingredients in them. So, the fact that I was just about to enjoy my first vegan sausage patty in a long, long time made me stupidly excited. The “cheese” portion of this breakfast sandwich was Daiya Vegan cheese…one of my favorite brands. And the bun…is Annie May’s creation…delicious, golden, and soft on the inside with that crisp golden crust on the outside.

Breakfast heaven.

When this sandwich arrived at the table, I had to restrain myself from diving right in and devouring it. The donut had helped with the hunger…it just looked so amazing. I wanted to try it immediately. But, photos had to be taken first…so I did that as quickly as I could. Then, after eating the grapes that came with the breakfast sandwich, I reached the point of breakfast I had been looking forward to the most…

Allergen-Free/Vegan Breakfast “Sausage” and Cheese Sandwich time.

I lifted the sandwich up to my mouth and took my first bite. The vegan sausage is fantastic. All of those ingredients blend really well and you totally get a sausage-like flavor from it. I loved it. Honestly. The spaghetti squash does sometimes get stringy, but that happens sometimes with real sausage too. It was the perfect blend of vegetables, spices, and proteins. I loved it. The Daiya cheese was melted on top…a simple amount, nothing too overwhelming. It didn’t take away from the vegan sausage at all.

And that vegan/allergen-free bun…was the icing on the cake. Metaphorically speaking, of course. It was a gorgeous golden color, soft on the inside, a little flaky, and crusty on the outside. It was my favorite part of the breakfast sandwich to be honest. And coming from the girl who missed vegan sausage patties so much…that’s saying something. Think of the most perfect biscuit you have ever eaten. THAT…is what THIS tasted like. Kudos to you, Annie May’s Sweet Café, for this delicious bread for your Saturday morning breakfast menu. Let me tell you…I’m totally addicted to those rolls. I’d eat them with a schmear of Earth Balance, all hot and toasted and…mouth-watering good.

I’m so lucky to have Annie May’s Sweet Café in my backyard. Louisville, Kentucky is lucky to have them. As Kentucky’s only allergen-free bakery…they offer a lot of allergen-free/vegan treats for everyone. And you don’t have to be a vegan or gluten-free to enjoy these products. My roommate is neither and she loves coming here for breakfast and the occasional treat as much as I do.

I hope Annie May’s remains in business for a very long time. This place is a real gem and a much needed place for me, the allergic girl, here in Louisville, Kentucky.

Thanks for your delicious Saturday breakfasts, Annie May’s. Maybe one of these days…I’ll skip breakfast and come in for your Saturday pizza. Yeah…that’s next on the list.

Annie May's Sweet Café Allergen-Free/Vegan — Annie May’s Sweet Café Allergen-Free/Vegan “Sausage” and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich

January 30, 2013

Pan-Asian cuisine made easy and delicious with Snapdragon Hunan Sweet & Sour Rice Pasta Stir-Fry

Product: Snapdragon Pan-Asian Cuisine Hunan Sweet & Sour Rice Pasta Stir-Fry – $3.49+

I absolutely LOVE Asian food. LOVE it. I can’t emphasize enough how much I love it. But…I think you get the picture.

The problem with Asian food is…it is one of those that is usually laden in sauce…and whether you’re at a restaurant or at a buffet or what have you…when you are gluten-free…there is basically nothing you can safely eat. I wish it weren’t true. Because that craving for good Asian food hits me all the time.

But…all is not lost. I don’t have to prepare any Asian-style meal from scratch. Not anymore. Not since I discovered Snapdragon Pan-Asian Cuisine.

My local World Market has a great selection of food products in their little food market area. Much of these are ethnic from various countries. While just browsing the aisles, I ran across a few Snapdragon Pan Asian Cuisine Stir-Fry Rice Pasta meals. Not having this on my grocery list or worked into the budget…I resisted the urge to purchase every single thing labeled gluten-free…and kept it to one box.

My choice: Snapdragon Hunan Sweet and Sour Rice Pasta Stir-Fry.

I was rather excited about this purchase. And yet…I had so much other stuff in my pantry that this sat for the longest time. LONG…EST time. Until last night…when I needed something light for dinner that wouldn’t take up too much time…as I was also in the midst of making gluten-free bread and gluten-free lemon “brownies” at the same time.

So…I dug this out of the pantry. I am a vegetarian…so for the protein, I took some tofu out of my fridge to toss into the wok once I got cooking. First thing was first though…I boiled some water and got the rice noodles soaking. Once I drained them (it took 5 minutes), I set them aside and got my wok heated up and tossed in my snow peas and tofu to cook up. Once I got them seared off and cooked, in went the noodles, some water, and the sauce. I just tossed them all together in the wok, heated it through…and it was ready to serve.

It doesn’t get much easier than that!

The noodles cooked up beautifully. And when the sauce is incorporated, this easy boxed meal really sings. The sauce is sweet with a little hint of spice to it. And the tofu and added snow peas made a fantastic addition to the dish. I loved diving into this classic Asian meal…made in about 15 minutes. Simple and delicious. I devoured mine with the aid of chopsticks. The noodles didn’t clump together and the sauce didn’t take away from the rest of the ingredients in the actual dish. It was perfectly balanced.

And yeah…it was amazing. It totally helped curb my cravings for Asian food. And I knew that this one was safe for me to eat thanks to the label on the box listing it as gluten-free.

Beyond impressed and totally wowed. I can’t wait to try another one.

Snapdragon Pan-Asian Cuisine Hunan Sweet & Sour Rice Noodle Stir-Fry

January 28, 2013

Chebe Gluten-Free All Purpose Bread Mix slides in just short of really good gluten-free bread

Product: Chebe Gluten-Free All Purpose Bread Mix – $3.29+

You know…I raved once, almost two years ago, I believe, about Chebe Cheese Bread Mix. I had made up the little breaded balls of goodness to accompany a pasta dinner I was preparing for a friend who was coming for the weekend. Much to my delight…Greg (the guest), my roommate, and I all loved the taste, texture, and fluffiness these had.

So, Chebe rose to the top of my gluten-free go-to’s. Even though I didn’t really purchase anything further of the brand until my local grocery store put their entire gluten-free section on closeout. Picture me in panic mode as I grabbed a huge shopping cart and began tossing items I had wanted to try, but never got the chance to, into my cart for the reduced price.

One such product was Chebe Gluten-Free All Purpose Bread Mix.

The great thing about Chebe Gluten-Free All Purpose Bread Mix is how allergen friendly it is. Not only is it gluten-free, but it is also soy free, corn free, rice free, potato free, yeast free, peanut free, tree nut free, egg free (unless you use it in the mix instead of egg substitute), lactose/casein free, iodine free, and sugar free. This mix is also non-GMO and certified kosher!

Well, my pantry is quite full of numerous mixes and delicious things to try. So, this just sort of sat. But with the expiration date fast approaching…it was time to give them a shot. And, I was thinking something light and savory for dinner. So, I hit up Pinterest and found a recipe for BBQ Portobello Sliders. Now, I didn’t have portobello mushrooms, but had rather large crimini ones in my fridge from my CSA bin. I had the rest of the ingredients too. What I lacked was the most obvious part of the slider…the slider buns.

Then…it dawned on me that I had this mix in my pantry…and it was getting close to the time it needed to be used up. So, out it came and I got to work on making up my own little gluten-free slider buns.

Slider buns made from Chebe Gluten-Free All Purpose Bread Mix

This was a simple process. Following the instructions on the box, I simply poured the bread mix into a bowl, added two eggs and 2 tablespoons of olive oil…mixed that together…then slowly added exactly 1/4 cup of water. Once that was all incorporated and blended, I kneaded the dough with my hands until it was smooth and all one large lump of bread dough.

And here is where I went off script. The rest of the recipe created 4 sandwich buns…but I wanted slider buns. So I made 10 little rolls out of the lump of bread, flattened them down into little round disks like the recipe said, and brushed each one with olive oil. I then put it in my oven at 375° F for about 25 minutes and allowed them to bake.

When time was up, I removed them from the oven and allowed them to cool on the baking sheet while I prepared the mushrooms, caramelized the onions, and sliced an avocado.

First of all, I was hoping these would crisp into a beautiful golden-brown…but they never quite did. They looked anemically pale. It was a bit off-putting, but…that was the last of my problems. The mix, prior to putting everything together was a very white, very thin powder. That being said, this Chebe mix is made up simply of tapioca powder, modified tapioca starch, cream of tartar, sea salt, and sodium bicarbonate. You can add cheese to the mix, but I didn’t…as the sliders were going to have cheese on them. Still, with the brushing of olive oil…one would think there would still be some golden crust forming.

That was the first disappointment. The second disappointment was that they really didn’t puff up much. The flat little disks of dough rose only slightly in the heat of the oven. So…these made for very flat slider buns.

Finally…the third disappointment was…the taste. Not that these tasted bad…they just weren’t light and soft like the Cheese Bread that I made from Chebe. This dough wasn’t too dense, but it was definitely not soft and squishy like a slider bun should be. It just felt…wrong. The flavor was fine…but it was the texture that was just all wrong for me this time. It just didn’t work.

But…I went ahead and sliced the flat rolls in half (as best I could) and filled them up with my mushroom caps, vegan cheese slices, caramelized onions, avocados and a drizzle of barbeque sauce and used them for the purpose I baked them up for. It wasn’t bad. I just wish they had been softer and a bit fluffier.

That being said, I have six more rolls in my fridge that I’ll use up tomorrow by making breakfast slider sandwiches. I am kind of sad about the way this mix turned out, because I have raved about Chebe in the past and was really hoping for that trend to continue. Sadly…this one failed to win me over.

Maybe, with some convincing, I’ll give another mix a try. But this one…won’t find it’s way into my pantry again any time soon.

BBQ Mushroom Sliders sandwiched between buns made from Chebe Gluten-Free All Purpose Bread Mix

January 24, 2013

Überly Nuts over Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Bar

Product: Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Roll – $1.99+

You know…I’m a nutty person. No…for real.

So, it should come as no surprise whatsoever that I fell completely head over feet in love with the Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Roll fruit and nut bar. I mean…honestly…what’s not to love?

Confession time – today was not the first time I ever ate one of these. Honestly, I was in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania at a convenience store/gas station…and in desperate need of a snack. Aside from a fruit cup, I was finding very little that this gluten-free girl could eat. And then…I spotted a stash of the Roasted Nut Roll Lärabar Über’s…and I grabbed it.

Like I said…I was a hungry girl in the middle of nowhere, so no pictures were taken. But…this bar ROCKS!! I loved it then…and I loved it even more today as I settled in for my 3 p.m. snack time.

It’s sort of nice to come into snack time on a new snack and know, for sure, that it will be delicious. I have been burned a few times by sub-par gluten-free products. But Lärabar is a name I trust. Every flavor I have ever had has been good…some great…quite a few more delicious…but this one…this one is pure awesomeness.

What I think makes this bar so amazing is that perfect balance of sweet and salty.

Even more…I think it’s the fantastic inclusion of so many varieties of nuts that gives it that super nutty flavor. The Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Roll contains a fantastic mix of roasted almonds, cashews, roasted peanuts, pecans and macadamia nuts. YUM!! It’s like a Planters Mixed Nut blend…but healthier…and sweeter. Why sweeter? Because in addition to the nuts, the bars also contain brown rice syrup, dates and honey. Add a dash of sea salt…and what you get is über perfection. The perfect blend of sweet and salty. Honestly…it was hard not to just shove the entire bar in my mouth and chew it until it was gone.

I think you can pretty much guess how I feel about these. And as far as nutrition facts go…these bars contain 220 calories per bar and 16 grams of fat. So…definitely not the healthiest of options…but still amazing and good. They have 5 grams of sugar and only 7 grams of sugar, which is awesome. At least the fat in this bar comes from the nuts…which means it is at least they are healthy fats.

Oh yeah…these are just yumminess personified. Trust me…buy these. Buy these now.

Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Roll (unwrapped)