I’ve been wanting to poach pears for a long time. I see those celebrity and television chefs do it all the time. Then they serve it up all pretty with ice cream or this rich sauce.
I did neither of those last things.
But, thanks to having a bunch of pears, compliments of my CSA bin, and no more cookies left in my apartment…I figured…why not give poached pears a shot. Usually done in a dessert wine…I opted for something I had in my fridge…apple cider.
It was fantastic! My roomie is still raving. And that means a lot since she’s not a big fan of pears. But this was a simple, light, and quite nutritious dessert tonight. Easy to make as well. Here’s what I did…
2 cups apple cider (NOT apple juice)
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 pears, pealed, halved, cored
1 tsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch
Directions:
In a small saucepan, add the 2 cups of apple cider, vanilla, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a simmer.
Add the pears, flat side down, in the saucepan.
Simmer for about 10 minutes, until they are fork tender. Do not leave them in too long or they will get mushy.
Remove the pears from the saucepan. Using the cider in the pan, add the arrowroot or cornstarch and bring to a boil to thicken.
Place pears in a bowl with a scoop of vanilla Greek yogurt (or ice cream), then top with the apple cider sauce. Sprinkle with granola or nuts for a little texture and serve.
It seems to be a seasonal favorite of my CSA bin as of late. For two weeks in a row, it has been one of the components of my bin. Now, normally I would simply make a stir-fry out of it…but I’ve been attempting to expand on my culinary skills a little. Step a little outside the comfort zone. Do something…different.
I think I accomplished that last night when I cooked up a meal inspired by the blog Big Girls Small Kitchen. I had all the components on hand in my pantry and fridge…including the bok choy and tofu.
What emerged was a fantastic meal that really worked together. I served mine over basmati rice…which I cooked up while I was working on the rest of the dish as well. It was a fantastic meal and not too difficult to create either.
Recipe: Gluten-Free Sweet-and-Sour Tofu with Bok Choy
2 tablespoons flour (I used Better Batter Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour)
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons safflower, grapeseed, or other neutral oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated ginger (I used 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
1 tablespoon grated garlic (3 cloves)
Sriracha
2 bunches baby bok choy, rinsed, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
3 scallions, white and green parts chopped and separated (I substituted 1/2 a white onion)
Directions:
Cut the tofu into slices about 1 inch thick. Press the water out of the slices, then cut them into 1-inch square cubes. In a baggie or on a wide plate, toss the tofu with the flour and salt until all the pieces have a thin coating.
Mix the lemon juice, honey, soy sauce, sriracha, garlic and ginger in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon water.
In a frying pan, warm the oil. In one layer, brown the tofu (in two batches if your pan is small), about 4 minutes per side.
Return all the tofu to the pan if you browned it in two batches.
Put in the onions and the crunchy part of the bok choy and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the green leaves and cook 1 more minute.
Add the sauce.
Bring the tofu to a boil, then lower the heat and let is simmer until the sauce has reduced and coats the tofu thickly, about 10 minutes.
~*~*~
I was so happy with the way this meal turned out. The tofu was perfectly cooked, the flour giving it this slight texture to it, even after cooking in the sauce. The bok choy and onion, along with the sauce brought this amazing flavor to every component. I loved this sauce. It smelled amazing and it had the perfect balance of sweet and sour…nothing overpowering the other.
This meal is a great source of protein. As I said, I served mine over a serving of basmati rice…and it was delicious. This meal was so easy to put together and cook…perfect for those nights where you don’t want to spend all night in the kitchen cooking up dinner.
Restaurant: Husson’s Pizza, Huntington, West Virginia
It was the night before a marathon and I was in Huntington, West Virginia. Trust me…when it comes to dining gluten-free, Huntington, West Virginia is not where you’d want to find yourself. Why? There just aren’t a lot of options out there.
But…it’s tradition.
Race = fuel = gluten-free pizza.
Thankfully, before he left the running group and the state to move to Dayton, Ohio, my good friend Keith mentioned this place called Husson’s…not far from Marshall University. As this was the Marshall University Marathon…I was going to be in that area anyway. So Husson’s Pizza was kept in the back of my mind. And I recalled it as the date of the race grew closer and I traveled from Louisville to Huntington.
After a very busy day of traveling and race related stuff…I was ready to tuck into my gluten-free pizza around 5 p.m. My roomie and I had planned on splitting one of the 10 inch gluten-free pizzas. So when we drove down to Husson’s Pizza on Hal Greer Boulevard, we parked the car, and headed toward the establishment. Huntington, West Virginia is a mix of really beautiful buildings and some that are run down. Husson’s was definitely one of the ones that looked down. And if I had been traveling through, without the recommendation from my friend Keith, I probably never would have stopped there to eat. At all.
But, looks can be deceiving.
We stepped inside, and while the place definitely looks dated, you can’t argue with the affordability of their food. We already had an idea of what we wanted to eat…so we stepped up to the counter. We were greeted by a very friendly guy working the register who was ready to take our order. Cathy inquired about the gluten-free crust and they confirmed they did have it. So, as it was the day before a marathon…we kept the flavors simple.
A gluten-free pizza with tomatoes and pineapple ($10.99). YUM! It’s great because you can actually choose up to 5 toppings for the pizza without being charged extra for it. And a $10.99 gluten-free pizza is awesome. What a great price. With our order in, Cathy and I settled in at one of the tables and awaited our food.
A short while later, our pizza arrived.
It smelled absolutely fantastic. It looked a mess…but…if it was as good as it smelled we were certainly in for a treat. I snapped a picture for the blog…and we each took our first slices.
So, the pizza is really nothing to right home about. Which was more than disappointing. The gluten-free crust was a simple cracker crust. Not much flavor. And it crumbled. It crumbled under the sauce, cheese, and our two toppings. I had no silverware to eat my pizza with (and I normally eat pizza with a fork and knife), so as the pizza would fall apart, I would have to scoop it up with my fingers. The sauce, however, was awesome. It was definitely the star of the entire pizza. I loved the smokey, rich flavor that came with this simple red sauce. It was fantastic. I could have eaten an entire jar of the sauce. I loved how the pineapple and tomatoes were chopped up small…but they were just casually thrown onto the top…so it was a bit…uneven with the toppings on the 8 slices. Like I said…decent enough pizza…but nothing that really made me want to go back for more.
While I appreciate a decent, affordable, gluten-free meal as much as the next person, I was truly hoping for an epic pizza experience. As it was, with the exception of the sauce, this was a complete let down. Not bad. And if I were back in town, I would probably head here for food again…because I know they have gluten-free food I can eat. I just…wish it had been more spectacular than it was.
When you eat a lot of gluten-free pizza…and I do…you just need a bit more than a cracker crust and a splash of sauce and a dusting of toppings. I want my taste buds to be wowed and my stomach to be full. This pizza didn’t accomplish that at all. Again, it wasn’t horrible or bad…it just wasn’t what I had anticipated. I’ve been spoiled by too many really damn good gluten-free pizzas that when I get something like this…it’s a complete let-down.
At least tradition remained thanks to Husson’s Pizza.
Husson’s Pizza’s Gluten-Free Pizza with Tomatoes and Pineapple
Twas the night of my Monday fun run…and instead of doing my usual go-to meals…a Tasty Bite Indian meal or a grilled cheese sandwich…I went off the beaten path. I decided…pasta would be good. Mmmm…pasta.
I love pasta, and being gluten-free sometimes means I don’t get as good pasta as I used to be able to eat. Rice pasta gets mushy and gummy. Corn pasta is fine…but doesn’t always go with what I’m making.
And then…Andean Dream created the solution to my problem. Quinoa pasta. Yes…pasta made from quinoa. I figured…why not give it a try? So, I purchased a box of the spaghetti and took it home with me. I have an overabundance of gluten-free pasta…because I love pasta…like…love, love, love…devour…mmmmm…good…carbs…pasta…kind of love…so this one sat in my pantry until it was it’s turn.
Well, on Monday…for some reason…I decided it would be pasta night. Even though it was a hectic, busy, rushed night. Traffic going to Louisville is bad. I mean…BAD…every Monday and it’s only gotten worse with some of the construction going on…lane closures on the bridge…etc. Why I thought pasta might be a good idea, who knows? Things work out better in my head. Timing works out better in my head. But…that’s how life goes.
Live. Learn. Eat pasta anyway.
I made it home from work and immediately turned on the pot of water I left on the stove all day. It was covered, so I hoped that would bring the water up to a boil faster. I opened up the Andean Dream Quinoa Spaghetti and pulled out 4 ounces…or two servings. The box says that it serves 4, so this was half of the box. But you know me…I weighed it out.
The color and texture of the dried noodles remind me a lot of when I ate spelt pasta. That was a good sign. I loved my spelt pasta…until I could no longer eat it. While waiting on the water to boil, I did busy work…like get changed, put together lunch and snack for the following day, and chop up some grape tomatoes and get them sauteing in a pan with some olive oil. The water did boil and in went the Quinoa Spaghetti. The box said it would take about 13-15 minutes to cook, so I let it go…stirring occasionally…and hoped that it wasn’t one of those pastas that really took about 20-25 to reach that perfect al dente. It wasn’t. It took all but 13 minutes. I swear to the quinoa gods (which must exist for this to be a reality!).
Time to plate up. I had my tomatoes in a pan, so I drained the pasta, threw it in the pan with the tomatoes, added my chopped fresh basil, and just gave it a toss, warming it all up all the way through, coating everything in the remnants of the olive oil and red wine vinegar. Viola. Dinner was served. And…appropriately devoured…with a little slice of the gluten-free pull-apart bread I made and baked up over the weekend when my sister was in town.
So…how did the pasta stack up in flavor?
I only want to buy quinoa pasta from now on. It is fantastic. It didn’t get gummy or mushy. It held up through the additional cooking with the tomatoes and basil…in the sauce. It didn’t crumble or fall apart. It was so good. The texture reminded me not just of spelt pasta, but when I could eat whole wheat pasta. It just…was wow. Wonderful. Not chewy, not mushy, not disappointing at all. I was thrilled to cook it up again and have it perform equally as well on the second go-round.
Yes…Andean Dream has converted me. Quinoa pasta…FOREVER!
A serving size of Andean Dream Quinoa Spaghetti is 2 ounces, which dishes up a delightfully tasty 207 calories. Which is about right for a pasta. Just slightly under most other pastas out there. The Quinoa spaghetti has only 1 gram of fat. In addition to all that, not only is this pasta wheat-free and corn-free, but it is also sodium-free. That’s right!! A serving also provides you with a meager 3 grams of sugar and fiber. But, due to this pasta being made from quinoa and rice flour…a serving contains 6 grams of protein. Love that quinoa!!
Looking for a change or just want to step away from the strictly rice and corn based gluten-free pasta out on the market? I highly recommend Andean Dream pasta noodles. The spaghetti worked perfectly with my dinner and I can’t wait to try the other pastas that Andean Dream makes. So happy with this…and wish I had dug it out sooner!!
Gluten-Free Caprese Pasta made with Andean Dream Quinoa Spaghetti
Restaurant: Shalimar Indian Restaurant, Louisville, Kentucky
I need to send out a big, huge, whopping THANK YOU to my darling little sister. Because if it weren’t for her…it probably would have taken me forever…and ever…and even then I possibly would have put it off…to haul myself out to the Indian restaurant that is consistently voted THE BEST in Louisville, Kentucky. Normally, I would rave and go on and sing praises for the Indian restaurant I have been going to since co-workers suggested it. That being Dakshin, also in Louisville.
Oh. My. God.
I love Dakshin…but after the experience I had at Shalimar…it is out and Shalimar rightfully is where I want to go for my Indian food cravings. Forever. And ever.
Goodbye, Dakshin.
It was fun while it lasted.
Welcome to my Indian cuisine loving world, Shalimar.
I have mentioned quite a few times how my family grew up eating Indian food. Authentic Indian food. Our neighbors, who had children the same age as my little sister and my older brother, often invited us over to dinner when they were having curry. And I loved it. All the different spices and flavors…it was exciting and exotic. It was…beyond delicious. I was hooked at a young age.
So, as my sister’s husband isn’t as outgoing with food choices, when she told me she wanted to come visit me this past weekend, I wanted to get her to an Indian restaurant. Normally, I’d haul out to the far end of Louisville to Dakshin…but not this time. No way. I wanted to take her to the place that Louisville always seems to deem the best. This was a gamble…since I had never eaten there before. But…with those kinds of reviews and awards…how could it be a bad choice? I sent her the menu, although I knew that she’d be ordering the Chicken Curry…and comparing it to the stuff we grew up eating.
The big day, Saturday, came. And after a fun day of walking around sight-seeing, shopping, and just having a good time, we decided we were starting to get a little hungry. So…we headed over to Hurstbourne Lane to the strip mall where Shalimar is located. Two snags. First…traffic was ridiculous…so we ended up turning around and coming at the restaurant from another angle. By the time we got there and parked, we realized that the hours posted said dinner on the weekend was 5:30 p.m. We had about 40 minutes to kill. We hopped across the way to Half Price Books and just kept making circuits and looking at different books until we couldn’t take it anymore. Five minutes left…so we slowly meandered out of the store, got in the car, and headed back to the restaurant.
They were now open and people were being seated. We were given a nice booth at the side of the dimly lit restaurant and allowed to peruse the menu. I had looked over the menu before, but was going go give it a little more of a look while we had the time. Our water glasses were filled and we were asked if we’d like anything else to drink. We all decided to stick with water. I had spotted something that sounded AMAZING on the menu…so I was now set. Cathy was still deciding…but finally settled. When our server returned…we placed our orders.
Cathy went with the Lamb Biryani ($11.95), which is a classic Muglai dish of curried meats cooked with basmati rice. She made sure to specify that she wanted the spice on it as low as it could go. The less spice the better. Wimp. She also ordered a side of the Naan Bread ($1.95) to go with her meal. As predicted, my sister did order the Chicken Curry ($10.95), which is chicken that is cooked in a thick curry sauce. She opted for medium heat. She hoped it was as good as the Duggal’s. As for me…I went with the Broccoli Masala ($9.95), which might just be my new favorite thing in life. For real. This is simply broccoli cooked in spices. Except I ordered mine spicy! I always love some heat with my food…especially when it’s ethnic. And they promised they would do it up good for me.
Orders in, we talked a lot about growing up with Indian food in our lives…and just having some fun. We took some selfies in the restaurant. And…soon…our food arrived.
It all looked and smelled fantastic. I mean…really, really, really fantastic. I hated that I had pause to take pictures of my food for the blog because I was ready to dive in. My broccoli masala came with basmati rice, so after the photos were taken, I scooped up some rice onto my plate, then put some of the broccoli over it. Time to dig in.
FLAVOR EXPLOSION OF AWESOME-SPICY-SAUCE!!
No joke. If I were to pick something to eat as my last meal…this is definitely one of the front runners. Honestly, there seem to be no words to properly describe how amazing this dish was. I know…some of you are thinking that it’s just broccoli and spices…but it was more than that. It was the perfect blend of spices…with the perfect heat level. In fact…I probably could have taken it a little spicier. The broccoli was tender and cooked to perfection. The sauce…the sauce made it. The rice gave me some oomph to the meal. And I was even happier when I added a tomato chutney to it. It was the perfect meal with the perfect people.
For the record, the Chicken Curry brought back happy memories for my sister. Honestly. She was thrilled and said it totally reminded her of the stuff we grew up eating. And Cathy…loved her Lamb dish. She’s big on rice…and this was a big heaping pile of rice. For real.
We were so happy with the food and service that we got at Shalimar. I don’t think I can bring myself to stray from this restaurant. This is where you go to get authentic, delicious Indian food. This is where you go to get the flavors, the tastes, and the experience of Indian cuisine. This…is why Louisville consistently names this restaurant THE BEST Indian cuisine in the city.
Product: Nuovo Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi – $5.99+
This was it. The last of the gluten-free gnocchi that I randomly spotted and purchased from my local Earth Fare store. I was so happy to find three varieties…all three had to come home with me that day. I knew I wasn’t going to get to them that quickly…so I froze them until I was ready to try them out. Smart move on my part…because it took a bit longer than originally anticipated.
I was thrilled…just thrilled with the Classic Potato and the Basil and Potato varieties that I devoured before. I saved the Gluten-Free Sweet Potato version for last because…I love, love, love sweet potatoes. Like…more than most foods in this world. Sweet potatoes make me super happy. And I will eat them in different ways too. So…why not in a gnocchi?
Thanks to Nuovo, this was simple to do which made my evening a lot more enjoyable. I didn’t have to spend most of the evening prepping my own dough for this gnocchi. All I did was take it out of the freezer and place it in the fridge prior to going to work…when when I got home…put them in some salted boiling water and allowed them to cook just as the package stated.
Easy. SO easy. And I was already anticipating digging into a helping of this as it was cooking in the water…and I was warming a sauce (a marinara…because that was all I had on hand). I drained them, tossed them with the sauce…and dinner was served.
So…with all the anticipation…was it worth it? Was it just as I imagined it would be.
Nuovo Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi (boiled and drained)
Well…not really. In fact…I was more than underwhelmed by this particular variety. Where I raved and applauded the gluten-free Classic Potato and gluten-free Basil and Potato varieties…I was…just disappointed with the one I was anticipating the most. The Sweet Potato gnocchi definitely had a hint of that sweet potato flavor…however, it wasn’t the first thing to hit the palate. It was okay…it was still good…but it just didn’t knock my culinary socks off. The majority of the flavor came from the marinara sauce I tossed these potato pasta goodies in. I just felt like these were missing something…not texture-wise, but definitely in flavor. If you are going to be sweet potato…something…you need to have that sweet potato flavor there. I wanted to taste the sweet potato, not feel that it was masked. And that’s what I felt happened with these.
Nuovo is so very kind to offer a gluten-free version of their famous fresh pastas. I totally enjoyed the other two versions of gnocchi that I had from Nuovo…but this one just didn’t kick it up like the other two did. I think of them all, the Basil and Potato was my absolute favorite of the bunch.
Nutritionally speaking, the Nuovo Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi serves up 2 servings…so my roommate and I split the pack. This serving dished up 270 calories and 1 gram of fat. A serving will also provide you with 350 mg of sodium and 11 grams of sugar (which I think is high…but it is a sweet potato…). And finally, you will get 5 filling grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein.
Not bad for a potato-pasta! Not at all. I just wish they had a better all-over flavor to them. But…you can’t win them all, right? If you are looking for a great sweet potato flavor…spend the time to make your own. Otherwise…Nuovo offers two other flavors in their gluten-free varieties that really rocked my gluten-free gnocchi loving socks!
Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi in Mezzetta Napa Valley Bistro Homemade Style Marinara
Quick Indian meals are usually my Monday thing. I mean…I have to get home from work, scarf something down, and get changed and out the door to head to my running group’s Monday meet-up at 6 p.m. Not easy when construction is going on and often traffic is at a stand-still going across the river. It can be frustrating. And when trying to take a little bit of stress out of the day…the best thing to do is have a simple meal prepared.
But this time…this was a Wednesday thing. I had eaten a big lunch on the way back from Chicago the Monday before I had this…so no food was necessary that evening. Not a bite. But…Wednesday marked a big heaping deal of a run. My good friend, Natalie, was completing her pledged 180th straight day of running to raise money for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. And she invited the group at the store to run those last miles with her. She chose 4.15 miles, in honor of the date of the bombings, April 15.
So, that evening sort of ran (heh…no pun intended. See what I did there?) like a Monday night. That morning, I cooked up two servings of jasmine rice, let it cool, and tucked it away in the fridge for later. Upon returning home from work…I heated up the rice, pulled out my next packet of Tasty Bite goodness…and got ready to dive in.
This week…Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani. Paneer, for those of you not familiar with Indian cuisine, is a soft, vegetarian-friendly cheese. It can be firm or soft…depending on how it is made. But it is…delicious. Makhani is a Hindustani word meaning “with butter.” So…this is basically Butter Paneer. Don’t freak out…really it’s these cubes of paneer that are cooked in this fantastic, creamy tomato sauce…spiced just right to give it that Indian flavor. I love the taste of Indian food. So yummy.
So…what happens when said entree comes in a microwavable pouch? What happens when it only takes 90 seconds to heat and eat? Magic. Because Tasty Bite knows what it is doing when it comes to these fun little meals. Honestly. I wasn’t too sold on the thought of a buttery cheese dish…but…they proved me wrong.
The Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani is just what I described above…home-style paneer cheese in a creamy, spiced sauce. This pouch is a delicate balance of natural ingredients that are non-GMO, vegetarian, and gluten-free. Happy dance. In fact, the ingredients in this particular Indian meal include tomatoes, paneer cheese, water, onion, cream, cashew nuts, sunflower oil, ginger, garlic, salt, coriander, chiles, and spices. Sounds delicious, yes? Of course it does. So, after giving my jasmine rice a quick steaming in the microwave to reheat it…this little pouch of goodness was put in and given it’s 90 seconds to warm through.
I poured the contents over two bowls of rice…and dinner was done in 5 minutes total.
So, we all know that this Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani was easy to prepare…but how did it stack up in flavor and taste?
It was good. It was really good. I loved the bit of mild heat from the variety of spices in the sauce itself. The sauce was the perfect thickness…not too runny, but not too thick either. Perfect consistency. I wished I had more of the sauce, honestly. The cheese was…pretty good. I love paneer cheese, but this just seemed a bit rubbery. Probably because it is, after all, in a microwavable pouch. It wasn’t bad…it was still soft…but it wasn’t the star of this dish like it should have been. Major props to the sauce. It saved this one. I’d probably invest in this variety again…but only if nothing else caught my eye. The Paneer Makhani wasn’t about the paneer at all. It was all about that Makhani sauce.
So, let’s talk nutrition. A serving of the Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani is 1/2 of the pouch. This serving dishes up 220 calories and 17 grams of fat. YIKES!! Some of that, however, does come from the cashews…but most of it comes from the paneer. That’s…a hefty dosage of fat, I think. I mean, 150 of those 220 calories come from fat. That’s…not that great. A serving of the Paneer Makhani also will provide you with 440 mg of sodium and 3 grams of sugar. Not bad for a shelf-stable, processed meal, right? Also, you will be getting 1 gram of fiber and a whopping 10 grams of protein. Low fiber, high protein…good for running.
So, while the flavor was there in the Paneer Makhani, the paneer cheese definitely fell flat, but the sauce saved it. I would recommend trying this one, if you are a fan of Indian flavors. And if you love paneer cheese. Just know…fresh cheese that isn’t sealed in a pack and kept on the shelf definitely stands up better when used in Indian cuisine. But when you are an on-the-go kind of person…this definitely works in a pinch. So…not one of my favorites, but not bad either. Tasty Bite hasn’t put out a bad product…this one just didn’t wow me like the others have so far.
Da Luciano – Pizza, Pasta & Catering, River Grove, Illinois
Restaurant: Da Luciano – Pasta, Pizza& Catering, River Grove, Illinois
This…was an important dining choice to make when I was coming to Chicago, Illinois. I mean…for real. This was a big…heap…deal.
Why?
Because I was in town for the Chicago Marathon. I needed a safe meal…one that would guarantee that I would have no stomach issues…and…being that I was running on Sunday morning…this needed to include gluten-free pizza. It HADto be gluten-free pizza. That is my stipulation when it comes to the night before a big run. If it’s a half marathon or marathon…it has to be gluten-free, vegetarian pizza. It just works for me. Some down pasta…not this girl. This girl indulges in a few epic slices of (hopefully) amazing pizza. Gluten-free pizza isn’t tasteless cardboard, you know. When done right…it is a culinary work of art.
And I’ve eaten good and bad gluten-free pizzas…as they are well documented in this blog.
But there was something special about Da Luciano, which is one of the reasons, despite meaning a car ride outside of downtown Chicago, that I felt I needed to eat there the night before the Chicago Marathon.
What was so special about this place?
They understand Celiac Disease. They totally get me. They totally know how to handle and prepare my food so that I won’t get sick from eating there. And how do I know this? Well, as stated on their Web site, the owners, Luciano and Rosalia, were first introduced to the gluten-free world when four of of their seven children were diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Being an Italian family, bread and pasta were daily staples in their diets. Rosalia set out on a mission to find quality gluten-free bread and pasta for her children, but found that her options were limited. So, she began to experiment with her own recipes, succeeding in making gluten-free bread, pasta, pizza, and desserts that satisfied all of her children. When Da Luciano Pizza, Pasta & Catering opened the following year, they decided to offer their customers a gluten-free menu featuring Rosalia’s amazing recipes. The response from the gluten-free community was huge.
So…as you can see…this place won me over right from the start. And, upon arriving at the restaurant, we were immediately asked if anyone needed a gluten-free menu. I didn’t have to request one. I didn’t have to ask if one even existed. The hostess just flat-out asked. And so, when we were seated, I was given their rather extensive (no one sheet of paper here…but a true menu, my friends!) gluten-free menu to peruse.
So many of the dishes sounded awesome. And part of me wanted to do the gluten-free bruschetta for an appetizer…but we had all decided that dessert was happening…so the appetizer went to the wayside…this time. The gluten-free menu at Da Luciano is about as big as the regular menu. So many of the dishes are offered as a gluten-free option. From the dishes with meat (as I’m a vegetarian, I didn’t look at the extensive seafood, chicken, and veal offerings), but there were many amazing sounding pasta dishes. BUT…I never change up the night before a race…and it was one of their individual gluten-free pizzas for me.
When our waitress returned to the table to take our orders…we were all settled on what we wanted. Heather is not big on carbs, so she went with one of the chicken entrees. Her choice – Chicken Scaloppine ($14.95), which was thinly sliced chicken served in what looked like a tomato and mushroom sauce. Cathy opted for the Rigatoni Porcini ($11.95), which was rigatoni pasta cooked with porcini mushrooms in a light cream sauce. Jenn went with the Gnocchi al Pesto ($11.95), which was delicious looking gnocchi served in a creamy (probably) basil pesto sauce. It looked fantastic.
Da Luciano’s Gluten-Free Pizza with Mushrooms, Onions, and Roasted Red Peppers
But for me…I went with the Gluten-Free Pizza ($8.50) topped off with mushrooms, onion, and roasted red pepper ($0.75 each). I couldn’t wait to get a taste of this pizza. And…I wanted to make sure that Heather got a bite as well, because she suffered through the disaster of Pizza Ranch in Minnesota with me…and I wanted her to know good gluten-free pizza was out there. If we had been in Louisville…I’d take her to Annie May’s Sweet Café and split one of those amazing pizzas with her…but when in Chicago…you find a place that works.
We had a little wait, but soon our food was arriving at the table. And it all looked and smelled amazing! I photographed every dish…especially my pizza. And it was time to dig in.
So…
WINNING!! Granted, I still like my local bakery’s crust better…but this definitely is one of the best crusts I’ve had on a gluten-free pizza. Cooked to golden perfection, so it was crispy, without being burnt or overdone. And it still had that nice doughy texture with it as well. The sauce was amazing. The cheese…was more than I would have liked…but…it starts off as a cheese pizza. The other toppings get added. The star of the toppings, however, were the roasted red peppers. OMG…YES! Packed with flavor. Mild…but with that right amount of kick to keep the palate interested. The onions didn’t overpower anything. And the mushrooms were done to perfection. Nothing watery. Nothing disappointing. And, as I cut off pieces for my friends to try, the rest of it was mine. All mine. And yes…I devoured it all. Every slice. I might have licked the plate clean. It was delicious…and I needed to top off the tanks for the marathon the next morning. This was the key.
And, as I mentioned earlier…dessert was going to happen. I had 6 options to choose from on the gluten-free dessert menu. And while they all sounded fantastic, I was down to three choices…the cream puffs, the tiramisu, and the cannoli. It took a lot of pondering, internal debate, and deliberation with myself to pick between them. I rarely have so many options for a dessert…so choosing one was not easy. The cream puffs almost won, but I wasn’t sure how big they were and it came with two on the plate. The tiramisu was SO tempting. I haven’t had tiramisu in a long, long time. I wanted it. But…ultimately…I settled on the Gluten-Free Cannoli ($4.95). Both Jenn and Cathy opted for the regular Cannoli ($3.95) and Heather went with the regular Tiramisu ($3.95).
I was so excited when our desserts emerged from the kitchen and at our table. My cannoli definitely looked different from Cathy & Jenn’s…but it was the color and thickness of the shell. That was the only difference. Heather’s tiramisu looked absolutely amazing. Next time…(and there will be a next time!)…I’ll get the gluten-free tiramisu. It looked fluffy and amazing.
So…how was the gluten-free cannoli? SO SO SO good. SO GOOD!! MMMMMMMM….GOOD! OMG…GOOOOOOOOOD! The cannoli cream was amazing. Sweet, but not overly sweet. Creamy. Amazing. Delicious. It had bits of chocolate chips and fruit. There was a candied orange peel on each end. And the shell…sugary-sweet goodness. The crunch that it had with each bite was satisfying. And it all just blended together. It worked. And I devoured my dessert happily.
With that…I went and purchased a few bags of their gluten-free pasta, available at the register, and we paid our bill. As we were leaving, I overheard the restaurant manager explaining to a customer that the way the manage no cross-contamination is that all the gluten-free dishes are prepared in the kitchen upstairs at the restaurant…and the regular menu items are all done in the kitchen downstairs. Brilliant. And so safe for Celiacs. I loved learning that about Da Luciano’s. It’s nice to know I had nothing to worry about when eating there…which is good because the last thing you want before running 26.2 miles is tummy troubles.
We had to head back downtown…after dropping Heather off at a train station to head back to her hotel. We had plans for when she would arrive at The Hilton Chicago to meet up with us before the the marathon the following morning. We were all satisfied and happy with the meal we ate at Da Luciano. I will be back the next time I find myself in Chicago…which I hope is soon.
Speaking of which…the gluten-free pizza worked its magic as always…I had a fantastic marathon. Thank you, Da Luciano…for giving me my pre-race carbs in my favorite form. I can’t wait to come back and try more of your amazing menu.
So, if you find yourself in the Chicago area, make a point to head to River Grove and eat at the fantastic Da Luciano – Pasta, Pizza & Catering. It’s worth the short drive because the food is simply that amazing.
It’s Monday again. And you know what that means, right?
It means I use the rice I cooked up last week for Monday…until the world got loopy…and enjoy another quick Indian meal from Tasty Bite. That’s what it means. Why? Because it’s the night I come straight home from work, feed myself quickly, change into my running clothes and then head out to get at least 3 miles in with my friends at my local running store.
I’m currently tapering…3 miles would have been ideal. Except we did something different tonight, and Patrick (he’s tricksy), somehow got me to climb Dog Hill in Cherokee Park twice. TWICE! I hate dog hill…but he said, as we entered Cherokee Park…let’s make this the start of one loop, so we’ll go all the way around and then when we come back around we’ll head back to the store. Um…okay? I guess. Regardless…I was one of three people who did it.
During taper.
Bad. Bad me.
But…one thing that wasn’t bad was my dinner. In fact, I was once again blown away by the authentic flavor and taste that Tasty Bite puts into each of their entrees. Since I love Indian food with a passion, then I want my Indian food to be good. I want it to taste like Indian food. And Tasty Bite accomplishes just that. It’s incredible how good these little microwavable pouches actually are. I continue to be impressed, surprised, and happy with my meal.
Today was a new flavor for me. Today’s pouch introduced me to Spinach Dal. Dal is lentils. So, if you like lentils and spinach…well…this is a great opportunity for you to combine the two into one. The Tasty Bite Spinach Dal entree is spinach that has been cooked down and combined with yellow lentils. This forms an amazing sauce that is packed with nutrients and protein. These two components are accented with a variety of spices (including ginger, garlic, sugar, chilies, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, and pepper) as well as water, tomatoes and onions. What emerges is this great green spinach-y sauce with tons of flavor, seasoned to perfection, with yellow lentils swimming throughout. The texture is great. The taste is superb. You’ll be blown away by it. I hoovered mine down, which isn’t always a good thing to do before going for a run, but I was hungry…and loving every bite.
Nutritionally speaking, the Tasty Bite Spinach Dal is a powerhouse of nutrients. One serving is half of the pouch, which dishes up only 100 calories and 5 grams of fat. One serving also provides 480 mg sodium and 2 grams of sugar. Not too shabby for a shelf-stable item, right? And one serving will give you 3 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein as well.
Once again, Tasty Bite exceeds all expectations and wows me once again with their bold flavors, their ability to replicate Indian food to perfection, and just how easy they are to prepare. Just a 90 second zap in the microwave and serve. Add it over rice, eat it on its own or add it to a meal to change it up or turn it up a notch. I saw a recipe on their Web site where someone placed Spinach Dal on a pizza crust. Sounds delicious, yes?
The possibilities are endless…and taste oh, so good!
A couple of years ago, you never would have caught me buying a spaghetti squash or even cooking with squash. For as much as I could remember, growing up, I disliked squash. Wouldn’t touch it. Hated the taste. Hated the texture. Hated everything about it. Did. Not. Want.
But when I signed up for my CSA bin, before I knew I could swap out items…squash season came around and my bin was being inundated with different varieties of the vegetable. And there I was…not wanting to let anything go to waste.
Now…whenever I get a squash I do a happy dance of joy. I have learned that tastes can change over time and now squash is one of my favorite things to prepare. There are so many different varieties of squash and so much that can be done with them because of that. This is one rockstar of a vegetable, that’s for sure.
One of my favorite varieties of squash is the spaghetti squash. I love it. I have made so many different meals with the inner strands of the spaghetti squash, even substituting it for pasta noodles. But when my CSA bin recently delivered a small spaghetti squash to my door…I wanted to do something outside of the box. With a little Google-foo and a recipe from a blog called Chocolate & Carrots…I was able to do just that. I baked my spaghetti squash…shredded it with a fork…then topped it off with a lightened up, gluten-free alfredo sauce.
Recipe: Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
Gluten-Free Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
Servings: 2
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Cook 1 hour
Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons flour (I used Better Batter Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour)
1 cup of milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
1 tablespoon reduced fat cream cheese (I used Daiya Deliciously Dairy Free Cream Cheese Style Spread)
1 cup grated melty cheese like Parmesan (I used Dill Havarti Cheese…because that’s what I had)
1/4 cup grated mozzarella or Parmesan, for topping
Directions:
Bake your spaghetti squash as usual. There are so many ways to bake a spaghetti squash…in the oven or the microwave. But I cooked mine by slicing the squash in half and removing the seeds and pulp. On a baking sheet, I placed the squash rind-side up and slid it into a 375°F oven for about 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, I removed the squash from the oven and used a fork to break up the spaghetti squash strands inside of the spaghetti squash casing.
While the squash is baking…make the sauce.
In a small sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter.
Whisk in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Whisk in the flour until combined.
Slowly whisk in the milk until it is combined and there are no lumps.
Keeping the pan on the heat, whisk in the cream cheese.
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cheese until it has melted.
Evenly distribute the sauce to both halves of the spaghetti squash and stir.
Top with the remaining cheese and place the halves under a broiler for a minute or two, until the top becomes a light brown.
Serve immediately with pepper, red pepper flakes, or hot sauce.
~*~*~
I discovered that the next time I choose to make this dish, I definitely want to use a stronger cheese. While I love Dill Havarti for a cheese, it really wasn’t made for an alfredo sauce. It melted just fine, but the flavor profile needed a bit more of a boost. I recommend a Gouda cheese or an extra sharp cheddar. Something with a little bite behind it.
All that being said, regardless of the use of mild cheese, I found that I absolutely LOVED this dish. It was nutritious and filling all at the same time. The spaghetti squash paired well with the lightened up alfredo sauce. And I found topping it with a little heat from red pepper flakes and a dash of my favorite hot sauce just gave it that little extra kick. It’s optional…but amazing. My roommate preferred hers with just some grated Parmesan cheese on top.
If you are looking for a new way to enjoy a spaghetti squash…or are just now being introduced to the vegetable…give this recipe a try. It takes a little time to prep the squash…but the end result is always worth it.
The Celiathlete 