Review – Page 72 – The Celiathlete

October 18, 2012

Tasty Bite Chunky Chickpeas look a mess, but taste amazing

Product: Tasty Bite Chunky Chickpeas – $3.29+

This is definitely one of those cases where looks can be deceiving. For real.

It was the evening of my Fun Run over in Louisville, which meant that I had to book it home from work, eat something, change, and get over to the running store that hosts the run before everyone took off without me. The run usually begins around 6:10 p.m. And that day at work, a meeting I was in ran over and it was closer to 5 p.m. when I walked in the door of my apartment.

That’s when Tasty Bite meals come in handy. I was already planning on eating one, as they are super fast, super simple, and super yummy. The previous evening, I steamed up some jasmine rice to act as a base. All I had to do was reheat that, then heat up the Tasty Bite entree of my choice. The one that was in the pantry was the Chunky Chickpeas.

The packaging of this particular entree shows golden chickpeas that have been bathed in aromatic spices. They looked super delicious. So, after giving the rice a quick warm and dividing it into two bowls (one for me; one for my roommate), I followed package instructions and tore about a 2 inch slit into the little envelope, stood it up in my microwave, and ran it for 90 seconds.

Yes…these meals only take 90 seconds to heat and then enjoy! Gotta love that.

When the pouch was done warming, I pulled it out of the microwave, opened it further and began to pour the contents over the first bed of rice. What came out was a grey, chunky mess. Seriously. It didn’t look appetizing at all. What happened to my golden chickpeas? These looked like chickpeas that had a round of mud wrestling and lost…badly. I emptied the other half into the other bowl and almost turned up my nose.

Granted, the aroma that wafted from the meal itself was fantastic. But the grey color was a little off-putting. I checked the packaging again…yep…golden. So what was this? Ah well. I didn’t have time to come up with reasons in my head. I had a run to get to, and before that…a meal to consume.

“This doesn’t look very appetizing,” I said to my roommate as I carried out her bowl and handed it to her. “But maybe it tastes better than it looks.”

She gazed down into the bowl. “Ewww.”

I went to retrieve the other bowl, gave it a big stir to mix the rice in more, and found that it made the entree look better. As I was walking back out to the couch, my roommate was in the process of devouring the entree. This…was a good sign.

And as I dug in, I knew for certain that the reason for her hasty bites wasn’t because we were running late to my run. Nope. It was because this entree tasted absolutely amazing. The chickpeas warmed and softened to perfection. And the spices. Oh. My. God. The spices were pure Indian through and through. The Chunky Chickpeas entree is actually chickpeas that are added to water, onions, sunflower oil, garlic, ginger, coriander, salt, cumin and other spices that really turn up the notch of flavor. These don’t have a lot of extra sauce or juice on them, so they do make a good topping for a salad, or in a tortilla or something. But, I enjoyed them over my rice…despite kind of resembling wet dog food.

Honestly…looks are deceiving. What every bite of the Tasty Bite Chunky Chickpeas did was deliver a spoonful of layered flavors. This meal isn’t spicy at all, but it doesn’t have to be. The spices that the chickpeas are marinaded in are the stand-out of this meal. Honestly, look past the appearance and put your faith in your taste buds. What you’ll discover is one tasty bite (see what I did there?) after another.

And the nutrition on these is fantastic. A serving is half of the pouch (4 ounces), which only sets you back 210 calories and 7 grams of fat. The sodium content on these is fantastically low. And this particular entree packs a 9 gram protein punch with each serving. Gotta love that. And I did…and still do. The Chunky Chickpeas entree is also vegetarian, vegan, kosher, and gluten-free.

Indian food that is easy to prepare, easy on the stomach, and easily delicious is available…and it’s available at local grocery stores. Just look for Tasty Bite. And yes…even despite the appearance, I totally recommend the Tasty Bite Chunky Chickpeas entree. Because underneath all that grey is one flavor-packed entree that is worth raving about and getting others to try.

Tasty Bite Chunky Chickpeas with jasmine rice

October 18, 2012

Crunchmaster Toasted Onion Multi-Seed Crackers the true master of the gluten-free domain

Product: Crunchmaster Gluten-Free Toasted Onion Multi-Seed Crackers – $3.79+

I admit it. I was a huge skeptic of this flavor of Crunchmaster Multi-Seed Crackers. I mean, let’s face it…when it comes to choosing between the Original, Rosemary & Olive Oil, Roasted Garlic, and Toasted Onion…the last one I would reach for would be Toasted Onion. Honestly.

That being said, I love the original, didn’t care for the Rosemary & Olive Oil, and I have yet to find the Roasted Garlic in a local store so I can try it. That left the Toasted Onion.

And, as these things go…I was watching the expiration dates on my pantry goodies and eating them as they came up. And it was time for the Toasted Onion Multi-Seed Crackers from Crunchmaster to come to work with me as my afternoon snack. I was skeptical.

So, when my 3:00 p.m. munchies struck, I hesitantly opened up my little container with a serving of the crackers inside popped one into my mouth.

HELLO FLAVOR!

It took me a moment to put my finger on it, but the taste reminded me of something I used to eat as a kid. And then it hit me…Funyuns. Seriously. Aside from the awesome flavor, and the reminiscent childhood snack memories, these were outstanding. No need for cheese, dip, salsa, or anything to dress it up. Nope. These pack enough flavor, enough crunch, enough of everything to dominate snack time on their own. No condiment or topping needed.

Crunchmaster Toasted Onion Multi-Seed Crackers are dusted with a Hawaiian style onion seasoning, giving this variety of cracker a hint of sweetness to it. Ingredients are simple: Rice Flour, Sesame Seeds, Potato Starch, Quinoa Seeds, Safflower Oil, Toasted Onion Seasoning, Flax Seeds, Amaranth Seeds, and Tamari Soy Sauce Powder. Recognize those ingredients? I sure do. And that is so comforting when it comes to purchasing something that is processed. Knowing what is in your food is half the battle, for sure!

In addition to the all natural ingredients, Crunchmaster Toasted Onion Multi-Seed Crackers are 100% whole grain, low in saturated fat, certified gluten-free, cholesterol free, and contain no trans fat. A serving (30 grams) will set you back a scant 140 calories and 5 grams of fat. You will benefit from the 3 grams of protein and the low sodium in these crackers as well. They are…fantastic.

If you are looking for a delicious cracker for an event, a snack, or to be included with part of a meal, Crunchmaster is the way to go. Tired of plain crackers, then you have to try the Toasted Onion variety. Honestly, these are my favorite of the Multi-Seed varieties on the market. It doesn’t get much better than these in flavor, crunch, texture, and all-around awesomeness!

Congratulations, Crunchmaster!! You’ve done it again!

October 18, 2012

Nothing processed and nothing artificial in Love Grown Foods Raisin Almond Crunch granola

Product: Love Grown Foods Raisin Almond Crunch – $3.49+

You know what granola goes great with? Yogurt and fruit. Seriously, it’s one of my favorite things to make in the morning. My yogurt parfaits are legendary. But in order to build a beautiful and tasty parfait, you need a solid, delicious base with the granola you choose.

While out grocery shopping the other day, the manager’s special table included a bag of Love Grown Foods Raisin Almond Crunch granola. I had previously enjoyed a bag of their Sweet Cranberry Pecan granola and was pretty excited about this one because of that. Besides, I love raisins and I love almonds…so this had to be good.

On Monday morning, I got to find out. It was a frantic morning already as I took to attempting to caramelize apples for the parfait, get my morning coffee going, and get the gluten-free muffins warmed up and iced for breakfast. Needless to say…I had too much going on at once. However, the bright spot of the morning was I got to try the Love Grown Foods Raisin Almond Crunch.

I tore into the bag and happily reached inside to snag a few of the clusters to eat on their own. This would give me a sense of the flavor associated with it. Let me tell you…this variety of Love Grown Foods granola is fantastic.

The granola mixture itself is a combination of whole almonds, plump raisins, certified gluten-free oats, honey, organic agave syrup, coconut, sunflower seeds, canola oil, flaxseed, pure vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt. What emerges is one of my favorite granola to date. The whole almonds give this granola a nice crunch to the mix. The raisins are sweet. The coconut is the perfect addition to help tame the sweetness from the hone, agave, and raisins. What emerges is a healthy blend that is filling and just simply…delicious.

Love Grown Foods was created by a couple while attending the University of Denver. Each of the young entrepreneurs brought a knowledge of healthy living, healthy eating and love of an active lifestyle to the kitchen. And why not? What emerged was a perfected recipe for granola that started off with simple sample packs and grew from that into a business. And who can argue with a company that delivers amazing flavor in each handful that isn’t tainted at all by artificial sweeteners or sugar. Their granola is sweetened by either honey or agave.

Their food is produced with love…and that is something that is evident in the flavors and care that goes into their products. The granola is out-of-this-world good. And without all the additional sugars that normally go into granola, this is one of the best ones out on the market. In fact, a serving of 1/4 cup will only set you back 130 calories and 6 grams of fat. There are only 7 grams of sugar in a serving, which is fantastic for granola, which is usually heavy on the sugars. Thanks to the almonds, a serving also provides a hit of 3 grams of protein. Gotta love that.

And I do. For real.

Love Grown Foods is my go-to granola these days. They taste great and are good for you. Baked and created with love…and it shows.

October 17, 2012

AllerEnergy Gluten-Free Soft Pretzel Nuggets win with this pretzel lover

Product: AllerEnergy Gluten-Free Soft Pretzel Nuggets – $5.00

So…I was raised in New York. And if there is one thing New Yorkers love (aside from bagels) it’s soft pretzels. I indulged in them all the time growing up. And then this wonderful nirvana called Auntie Anne’s Pretzels began turning up at every mall on the planet…and my life was complete. I remember making an Auntie Anne’s Pretzel my dinner every night I worked at the CD store at the mall. True story.

And then…the gluten-free thing hit. And suddenly, pretzels, the snack variety and the soft variety fell off my radar. And yes…I was sad. One of my most favorite treats to eat and there was nothing for me.

Okay…so I found an overpriced box of gluten-free soft pretzels in the freezer section of my local natural food store. But, there were only 4 pretzels in it and the price really was outrageous. So, as tempted as I was to cave in and purchase that, the insane price tag kept me from actually doing it. But the crave was there.

Then, last year, I attended the Celiac Awareness Tour when it rolled into Indianapolis. One of the vendors there was AllerEnergy. I had never heard of AllerEngery before, but I was lured to their booth by the smell and sight of gluten-free soft pretzels.

A little bit about AllerEnergy first. This company provides a variety of products that contain carbs and protein for an energy boost that lasts, as well as providing minerals and vitamins that promote good health and well-being. I was told that AllerEnergy is perfect for athletes with food allergies (hey…it’s like they knew all about me!). Their products are constructed of the right balance of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals to provide food allergic people with high-impact nourishment. The company worked with an industry leading food science organization and began to produce products that were composed of food allergy safe ingredients that would help sustain energy. They provide a full supply of carbohydrates without using any wheat, oats, or other grain specific allergens. These carbs basically are the result of a combination of rice, millet, quinoa, and flax seed.

All that being said…here I was standing in front of the table at the expo and wondering if I was really being handed a warm, gluten-free piece of a soft pretzel. I wasn’t dreaming. It happened. One bite…and I was sold. The texture was perfect. Very soft and chewy. Not dense at all. I needed these in my life. The booth was selling the full pretzels or the pretzel nuggets. I opted for the bite-size pretzel nuggets and that’s what I left the expo with.

AllerEnergy Gluten-Free Soft Pretzel Nuggets (sprayed with water and dusted with the salt that was included)

Upon arriving home, I stuck them in the freezer as indicated…and then never got around to actually making them. So sad. Maybe I just wanted to savor them. But, I got over that this weekend. I needed something easy for lunch for my roommate and I, so upon inspection of the pantry and the fridge and freezer, I finally pulled these out. I was almost sad to actually be cooking them up…but excited too. I was already anticipating the taste of them again once I scattered them on a cookie sheet, gave them a spray of water and dusted them with some salt.

Into the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. And what emerged was my heaven. Seriously. I had never been so eager to sit down to my lunch. I divvied the pretzel nuggets out between my roommate and I and settled in on the couch. I lifted one nugget and took a bite. I instantly flashed back to why I loved soft pretzels so much…and why I went home with these. They are that perfect density for a soft pretzel. Browned on the outside, and soft on the inside. The salt gave it the extra kick to keep it from being bland. I was just so excited to be eating these, but also wanting to savor each bite. It was not an easy culinary line to tread.

If you are at an expo or know of a place that carries products by AllerEnergy…get the pretzels. Trust me. The full-size or the nuggets. Either one. Why? Because they are so amazing. If you didn’t tell someone they were gluten-free…they wouldn’t know. Honestly.

As for the nutritional value of these…they are actually rather healthy. The entire bag of pretzel nuggets would set you back 495 calories and 5 grams of fat, while providing you with 5 grams of protein. Trust me…these were fantastic. My roommate and I just couldn’t get enough of them. And then, sadly…they were gone.

Now…I need to find them again and buy more. You can purchase AllerEnergy products on their Web site, but I don’t see the Soft Pretzel Nuggets as one of the options…yet.

If you have food allergies and have been craving a soft pretzel…devour one from AllerEnergy. You won’t even know it’s gluten-free…and good for you.

AllerEnergy Gluten-Free Soft Pretzel Nuggets (baked and ready to devour...er...I mean eat) — AllerEnergy Gluten-Free Soft Pretzel Nuggets (baked and ready to devour…er…I mean eat)

October 16, 2012October 16, 2012

A banana split of Titanic proportions at Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt in Fishers, Indiana

Restaurant: Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt, Fishers, Indiana

It was at long last that I finally made it to Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt. After hearing all about it from my friend Andy, who loves their banana split, and attempting to have it over Labor Day weekend, only to find the shop closed for the holiday…I was elated to find them open for business (which they are…year round) on Saturday while I was in the Indianapolis area for a Gluten-Free Expo.

I had just shared a gluten-free pizza with my roommate so I wasn’t exactly sure of what we might be getting when we pulled up to the little corner shop in Fishers. You don’t eat inside, mind you. There is no dining room and no tables scattered about the place. The people that were there were taking their treats to their car to enjoy.

But, we had decided to try this banana split that Andy raved about. I mean, it was coming with such high regard and a full endorsement from an Ironman athlete himself. Why not? We’d find that hatch in our stomachs, open it, and make some room. We stepped up to the window and the young man behind the sliding glass awaited our order. We were easy…banana split. Traditional. That meant we took off the dowsing of crushed red maraschino cherries that usually is slathered over the chocolate ice cream and replaced it with hot fudge. That’s how I like it. Traditional.

With the order in…my roommate and I stepped aside and began to watch the construction of our banana split through the window. In a clear plastic tub (no kidding!), we watched as mounds…huge heaping mounds of strawberry ice cream, chocolate ice cream, and vanilla ice cream were piled high in the container. We both looked at each other. HOLY CRAP! That was going to be a lot of ice cream and this banana split was going to be…huge. No dinner for us tonight. Whew. Once the ice cream was scooped out in three massive piles, the next step was the toppings. There was a brief food porn intermission though while our server took a moment to rip into a banana and slice it up into rounds. Then…they brought on the toppings. Pineapple was poured over the mountain of vanilla ice cream. Strawberries went over the strawberry ice cream. And, per our request, hot fudge drenched our chocolate ice cream. Atop of that went a mixture of chopped nuts. The the bananas were scattered throughout the sundae…everywhere they would fit. Finally, an avalanche of whipped cream was squirted on top. No cherry for us as we requested they be left off the chocolate ice cream. And so…it was handed over to us.

The Handel’s Banana Split ($5.75) is truly a work of art…of Titanic proportions. I don’t even know how we managed to find room for all of this…but we found a bench nearby in front of a shop at the strip where Handel’s is located (NO ice cream in my car…ever!) and dug in.

O.M.G. So good. I started with the strawberry, as strawberry ice cream is one of my favorite things in the world. It was really good, but I found the strawberry topping to almost overwhelm the ice cream itself. It was so sugary-sweet and a bit too much. My roommate agreed and we both pretty much scraped off the topping to enjoy the strawberry ice cream below it. The vanilla was a simple vanilla. Nothing outstanding or to make it really stand out from other vanilla ice cream that I have enjoyed. Again, the pineapple topping was far too sweet and we sort of worked it off and enjoyed the ice cream beneath it. The chocolate ice cream was decadent, delicious, and coated in amazing hot fudge. I’m so glad we went with hot fudge because I am afraid if we left the cherries on…we’d be scraping those off too. But the hot fudge was out-of-this-world good and it made a perfect banana split topping for the chocolate ice cream. I’m not a whipped cream girl, so my roommate ate much of that. While the ice cream was good…the real stand out in the banana split was…the mixed nuts. No kidding. They were crunchy, not salty, and just amazing. We raved about them and would seek out bites with the nuts included. So delicious. And the other thing about Handel’s Banana Split is that I love it when places chop up the banana. It’s unconventional, I know, but it makes eating the sundae that much easier. So…that was awesome too.

Now that I look at the Handel’s Web site, I realize that this is actually a small chain, with stores scattered throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Virginia, California and Florida. The Handel’s dynasty has actually been around since 1945, where they make their ice creams and yogurts fresh on the premises every day. The products, equipment, methods, and recipes are exclusively Handel’s…so you won’t have anything like it anywhere else. They operate on the philosophy of using the best ingredients available…and always in abundance. If you saw the size of the banana split…you would see that they aren’t kidding. They don’t skimp on portions, toppings, or flavor. You definitely get what you pay for!

I admire a company that has been around and scooping since 1945. I was kind of sad to see it was a bit of a chain, despite being relatively local and small. I have this love of independently owned ice cream shops…where you only get that kind of ice cream there. Now I know that if I really want Handel’s Ice Cream while in Columbus, Ohio…I can get it. Of course, in Columbus I stick to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream.

So, while Handel’s did deliver a colossal banana split to my roommate and I…which we powered through and then promptly declared ourselves at max capacity for the day, it wasn’t the best one I have ever eaten. It definitely had it’s moments. The rich chocolate ice cream, the hot fudge, and the nuts being the stars of this banana boat show. But next time I’m in the area, I might seek out one of the locally owned, independent ice cream shops and give that a try. Handel’s was a solid, delicious stop. The toppings were really sweet and too much, but the flavors were awesome. And we definitely devoured the banana split down to the very last bite…which was the strawberry ice cream for me and the chocolate for my roommate. It was good…but I have definitely had better.

If you are craving ice cream that is made fresh every day, packed with flavor, and comes in epic proportion sizes…check out Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt. They are definitely worth a stop, a look, and a taste. Spoonful-for-spoonful…the ice cream was really good…and very filling. So bring a friend to help you get through it all.

Handel's Banana Split — Handel’s Banana Split

October 16, 2012

Monical’s gluten-free pizza a solid, but unimpressive slice of gluten-freedom

Restaurant: Monical’s Pizza, Fishers, Indiana

Okay…granted, Monical’s Pizza is actually a chain. A very small chain consisting of over 60 restaurants that are mainly in the Wisconsin/Illinois/Indiana region. But…I had never heard of them and they aren’t in my area. Thus…this chain will be getting a blog.

This past weekend, I was up in Indianapolis to attend the Gluten-Free Living Now Expo. It was a great event with lots of vendors, samples, information, and way too much gluten-free goodness for my wallet to handle. I showed up hungry and took bits and bites here and there. But when all was said and done, and I had covered much every inch of the expo space…I was now ready for lunch.

The original plan had been to go to Uno’s and try their gluten-free pizza. However, aside from already being in Carmel, Indiana, and the other place we wanted to go was where we were, driving South for pizza just seemed…ridiculous. Only because we’d have to drive North again to hit up our ice cream place (aka: the other place). So, after some searching on Find Me Gluten-Free, my roommate found a place called Monical’s Pizza. And…the gluten-free option on their menu is a simple 10″ pizza.

We drove from the expo to the Monical’s Pizza in Fishers, Indiana and were promptly seated with fun activity place mats and the menu. Obviously as I am completely gluten-free…pizza was on our mind. My roommate and I had gone back and forth on what we wanted on the pizza. Originally we thought onions and mushrooms. But upon sitting down, she said the Margherita Pizza sounded good. I told her just to pick one, as I just wanted gluten-free pizza. So, when our waitress returned with the water we ordered as our drink, Cathy took the initiative and ordered Monical’s Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza.

With our order in, we sat around and talked. I actually did some of the activities on the menu. And a little bit later…our pizza was arriving. I did love that it actually took some time to arrive. When I order, I don’t want my food to immediately show up on my table. I don’t want to even think about my food being prepared ahead of time. I want my food made when I order it and fresh when it hits my table.

The thin-crust gluten-free pizza arrived and it looked really amazing. The Margerhita Pizza was a nice version of a white pizza here. The crust was brushed with olive oil and then topped with mozzarella cheese, tomato slices, minced garlic, and Parmesan. It is actually one of my favorite pizzas out there. While this one looked really good, and for the most part tasted very good…I found the gluten-free crust to be a huge disappointment.

Call my a cynic if you will, but since the inception of this blog as a gluten-free blog…pizza has been one of my passions. And while at first the simple, pre-packaged, not made at the pizzeria crusts wowed me, they don’t anymore. I have had one too many amazing gluten-free pizza crusts. Some, like those at the Mellow Mushroom, exceed every pizza crust I have ever had while eating out. Why? Because it feels, tastes, and looks like a real pizza. None of this cracker-thin-crust stuff.

But, at Monical’s Pizza, the thin crust is the standard. It wasn’t bad. The crust didn’t lose its crispness. Nor was it tasteless or grow soggy with the toppings. In fact…the crust wasn’t bad. Not at all. It just wasn’t something that blew me away. And trust me…when it comes to gluten-free pizza, the crust needs to shine. It is what sets it apart. It is the very foundation of the gluten-free pizza. A meh crust will yield a meh pizza which in turn yields a meh response from the gluten-free customer.

Monical’s delivers a solid, good gluten-free crust. It reminded me a lot of Puccini’s Smiling Teeth. Which is…good. Just not great. I love that the option is there…and I am very glad I can go into someplace like this and have the staff take proper care with my food preparation so as I won’t become ill from eating there…but…I love being able to rave about my food.

The toppings on this pizza were executed perfectly. Honestly. The cheese, tomato, garlic, olive oil combination is one of my all-time favorites and I found their toppings to be really good. But the gluten-free crust needs some work. Again, it wasn’t that it was bad, it’s just that I have had better. Much better.

Would I go back to Monical’s for pizza? Sure. I mean, the gluten-free option is there and the pizza was good. Honestly. I just have grown to expect more from gluten-free pizza. This is what happens when you start to get spoiled by restaurants who really know how to safely prepare a gluten-free crust in-house. I’ve had many slices of gluten-free pizza and this one…was rather forgettable when all was said and done, and the pizza completely consumed.

All-in-all…a very good pizza…a lack-luster crust. But…let’s not bite the hand that feeds us, right? I appreciate the gluten-free option and wish more places would take the care and time to offer such things on their menus.

Monical's Pizza Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza — Monical’s Pizza Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza

October 16, 2012

thinkThin Chocolate Fudge a protein-packed rich chocolate treat

Product: thinkThin Chocolate Fudge Protein Bar – $1.99+

I’m a vegetarian and gluten-free athlete. This means I run. I run often. I run hard. I run far. And this means that despite my diet, sometimes meeting specific diet requirements, like the right amount of protein, can be a challenge.

Well, be that as it may, thankfully there are options out there. One such option are the protein bars offered by thinkThin.

This past weekend, I went on my final training run before the Hershey Half Marathon, which I am running on Sunday. That means I needed to clock 10 miles. And I did it…in record time. However, running long often depletes the body of important nutrients. For me, replenishing my protein stores is of highest importance. Chocolate milk is ideal, but I’m also lactose intolerant, and the chocolate soy/almond/rice/coconut milk options don’t have enough protein per serving to help with muscle repair.

So, after my run, I drank down one of my vegan chocolate protein shakes and then tore into one of the thinkThin bars I had in my drawer of fuel for before/after my runs. On that particular Saturday…it was the thinkThin Chocolate Fudge Protein Bar.

thinkThin describes this particular protein bar as a smooth, rich, classic fudge flavor. Well, after tearing into the bar and taking a bite, it definitely is rich and smooth. The classic fudge flavor, however, might be a little bit of an exaggeration. Let’s face it…protein shakes and protein bars have that strange protein-ish flavor to them. And even this bar, as decadent as it is, tastes like protein.

But…this is a protein bar…so of course it’s going to have that bit of an aftertaste. With all that being said, what the bar is is a creamy, chocolatey, rich middle coated in (my personal favorite part) chocolate. Mmmm…chocolate. I am a chocoholic and this…this bar was truly satisfying in that aspect. Overlook the aftertaste and what you have is a chocolate bar with nutritional value. It’s like candy…but good for your body (and soul, let’s face it!).

The thinkThin Chocolate Fudge Protein Bar is packed with 20 grams of protein and 0 grams of sugar. You know what? That’s my favorite part of the thinkThin bars. Lots of protein…no sugar. I love it. I am a sugar addict and as an athlete, I try to cut out as much of it as possible…but I love ice cream and chocolate too much sometimes. So this is a nice change of pace when it comes to a protein bar. This particular bar will set you back 240 calories and 8 grams of fat. These bars are naturally gluten-free and with it’s lack of sugar…pretty much guilt-free too.

The important thing to remember here is that this is a meal replacement bar. I ate mine for breakfast post-run. And it did the job just fine. I was satisfied and full until my lunch that afternoon. So, the flavor is a bit…off. You know what? I can deal with the strange aftertaste. The creamy, rich texture was reminiscent of fudge and the chocolate coating helped provide that illusion. Would I buy this one again? Sure. But only after I exhaust the peanut butter varieties.

If you are an athlete, a diabetic, gluten-free, or just looking for a meal supplement bar, thinkThin is one of my favorite varieties to go with. They are packed with flavor, good with texture, and don’t bulk up their products with added sugar. Gotta love that. Go ahead…indulge. It’s not every day chocolate fudge comes with such benefits to the body!

thinkThin Chocolate Fudge Protein Bar (unwrapped)

October 9, 2012

Wildly enthusiastic over Wild Garden Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus

Product: Wild Garden Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus – $3.49+

Mmmmm…one of life’s greatest treats is the healthy, delicious, creamy treat of really good hummus. Honestly. What’s better to top off a cracker or dip fresh vegetables in? It’s a far healthier choice than fat-laden creamy dips. And what’s even better is when you find one that really has a great flavor to it and a creamy texture to match.

That’s what Wild Garden does best when it comes to their hummus. While I’ve often had the Traditional variety (in those handy Go Picnic meals), this was the first time I’ve ever had the Sun-Dried Tomato variety of hummus. Needless to say…I wasn’t disappointed at all.

The Wild Garden Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus has an orange-red hue to it…not the standard tan that you normally associate with hummus. Its ingredients are all-natural with no preservatives and no trans-fats. The varieties (they have six of them) are all vegan and gluten-free. This particular variety is made simply with a blend of chickpeas, sesame paste, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, sea salt, natural spices, and citric acid. Anything on there you don’t recognize? I know what each and every one of those ingredients are. Love that.

The Sun-Dried Tomato hummus has a nice, rich tomato flavor to it. It doesn’t take away from the fact that it is a hummus, but the change in the flavor is a welcome one.

A tetra deli pack of Wild Garden Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus

I actually used a pack of the Wild Garden Sun-Dried Tomato as a base for my gluten-free pizza tonight. With the other flavors I was adding, I felt it would work better than a tomato sauce. While I could have done a white pizza, I totally thought hummus would provide not only a good base for the ingredients, but also a nice protein hit.

I absolutely love how it worked with my caramelized onion, roasted red peppers, slices of tomato, and goat cheese. The flavors just blended perfectly together. That was another great thing about Wild Garden Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus – it didn’t detract from the other parts of the pizza. It complimented without overpowering. And that…is a great thing.

This dip is crazy-good. Very creamy and rich. And Wild Garden makes this specific flavor in little on-the-go pouches that means you can take them with you anywhere. I happened to pick up a box of these while out at my natural food store awhile back and I’m finally finding some ways to use them. Of course…my gluten-free crackers and veggies are always available as well.

I’m quite happy with Wild Garden and the products that it puts out. Their hummus is killer. Seriously. I could eat it all and not feel bad about it. The little on-the-go pouches have only 63 calories and 3 grams of fat. The best part…the whopping 6 grams of protein that each pouch provides. As an athlete who is a vegetarian…protein is very, very important to my diet and I seek out ways to get the amount I need. This is a fantastic, not to mention, tasty option!

If you love hummus, I encourage you to try the varieties offered by Wild Garden. Check your local grocery store or natural foods store. Even my non-hummus-loving roommate can’t get enough. I’d definitely call that a win!

My take on a Mediterranean Pizza (using Wild Garden Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus as a base)

October 9, 2012

Schär doesn’t come up short with Shortbread Cookies

Product: Schär Shortbread Cookies – $4.99+

Yes. The Cookie Monster is back and in full swing. This shouldn’t come as a surprise at all. After all…we all know that I love my cookies.

And it just so happens that one of my go-to gluten-free companies makes some killer gluten-free cookies. But I didn’t know this until yesterday.

The cookies were actually a giveaway at the Gluten-Free Expo I attended back in Birmingham, Alabama. They have been in my pantry just anticipating the day I would get to them. Finally, after much pantry sifting and working through products that expired first…the evening arrived last night. And Schär Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies were my dessert.

These cookies are little golden biscuits of shortbread. But these aren’t typical shortbread. Schär makes gluten-free products, so these shortbread cookies contain no ingredients that have wheat, lactose, or gluten in them. These are made with corn flour, giving them a sweeter taste to them. But it doesn’t stop there, these are also sweetened more with a kiss of honey and sugar.

The result? A delicious golden biscuit that has a slight crunch when you bite into it, but keeps that buttery-rich texture as you chew. They aren’t your typical shortbread cookies, but…trust me…these are amazing and delicious. I could see how they would be fantastic crushed up to use as a crust or as a topping for an apple crisp or the like. They are that smooth, buttery, golden flavor that you remember shortbread as tasting, but these cookies aren’t rock hard and they are just as good on their own…or dipped in melted chocolate. And my favorite part is the lingering taste of vanilla after each bite.

Of note here…while these do have that buttery texture to them, these cookies contain no butter at all. Now that’s a true test for a shortbread cookie, yes? I love the crispiness and richness in each bite. And one serving is 4 cookies. FOUR COOKIES!! YES! And that will only set you back 130 calories. A serving of these cookies has only 5 grams of fat and, get this, only 5 grams of sugar. That’s amazing for a cookie. But with shortbread, you want the sweetness to come from the honey and vanilla…and that’s what you get here.

If you are gluten-free and looking for a different sort of cookie than the run-of-the-mill sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, and such that are offered in the grocery stores…seek out Schär Shortbread Cookies. Take a bite out of golden sunshine.

Schär…once again you have impressed me. You definitely live up to your golden reputation for delicious gluten-free foods.