Side Dish – Page 5 – The Celiathlete

July 17, 2014

Product Review: Mrs. Leeper’s Gluten Free Cheeseburger Mac

Product: Mrs. Leeper’s Gluten Free Cheeseburger Mac – $5.29+

Okay…I know what you are thinking. How can a vegetarian possibly consume a product that is called “Cheeseburger Mac?” Well…there are a couple of different ways to go about it. Gluten-Free Soy Crumbles. Gluten-Free TVP. Or…the way I handled it…adding Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Soy Chorizo.

Because when you have to make a vegetarian version of a Cheeseburger Mac…you might as well do it up with something spicy and different. Right? RIGHT!

So…here’s the story. Recently, a bunch of items went on closeout at a local grocery store. I’d been meaning to try some of the Mrs. Leeper’s products, but just never found a reason to pay for them. While not overly priced as far as gluten-free products go…all need to have some sort of meat added to them. Originally, I imagined I could just cook up some tofu and substitute it for the lean beef in this recipe.

But…being that I’m on a tight and strict food budget these days…I had to go with something in house. Something I already had. And in my refrigerator, calling to me from my shelf…was Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Soy Chorizo (IT’S BACK!). BINGO! Not that I needed to use this product up just yet…but two weeks in a row without my CSA bin has left me sifting and sorting through things in my pantry and freezer. And I figured there was no time like the present to make this one up. Especially since I had a substitute for the meat already in my apartment.

After another long, stressful, and busy day at the office, I was quite happy with coming home to cook this up. Why? Because it literally takes 15 minutes to make. That’s it. Super easy…and not finicky. You don’t need to stand over it the entire time it’s cooking. So, I was able to get a few other things accomplished while it worked away on the stove. Brilliant.

Making Mrs. Leeper’s Gluten Free Cheeseburger (or Soy Chorizo, in my case) Mac is super easy. First…add your protein. Whether it’s a lean meat, tofu, tvp, soy crumbles, or soy chorizo (if you like a little spice!)…get that working in a pan. I got out a skillet and heated up the soy chorizo for a couple of minutes, then poured in 1-1/2 cups of hot water and 1-3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk. The sauce packet was then poured in and all I had to do was stir it all together and let it come back up to a boil. Once that happened, I poured in the pasta and gave it another stir. I reduced the heat, covered it and let it simmer for 13 minutes, stirring occasionally. The pasta actually did tenderize really quickly, so I was actually very impressed. Once the pasta reached that perfect al dente…I removed the skillet from the heat, uncovered it, and let it sit for around 2 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.

Dinner was ready.

I dished this meal up into 4 portions, two for tonight for my roomie and myself and two for tomorrow (hey…dinner’s already prepared…just needs to be reheated!). And we settled in for our meal while watching Chopped. Because…that’s how we roll.

One bite…and I was blown away. What great flavors. It’s like the best, warming, delicious comfort food. The rice pasta cooked up beautifully, not getting mushy and falling apart, but standing up to, not only the chorizo, but also the sauce. I loved the heat that the soy chorizo brought to the dish. The textures were perfect. And the flavors just all worked together. I loved that I was able to lighten it up using unsweetened almond milk. This does have some dairy in it…but I cut it where I could. I found this dish to be a throwback to a German dish a babysitter made for me when I was younger. It was fantastic. And I found myself savoring each forkful. I’m excited I get to eat it again tomorrow.

Let’s talk ingredients, shall we? Mrs. Leeper’s Gluten Free Cheeseburger Mac is made from brown rice pasta. The sauce is made with whey, modified corn starch, tomato powder, nonfat dry milk, onion powder, sugar, salt, rice flour, autolyzed yeast, natural butter flavor, natural flavor, garlic powder, citric acid, extractives of turmeric and annatto, paprika, caramel color, and not more than 2% silicon dioxide added to prevent caking. So…not great…but not bad either.

Let’s talk nutrition. A serving of Mrs. Leeper’s Gluten Free Cheeseburger Mac is 1 cup prepared. As packaged, without adding your protein, and your milk of choice, this serving provides you with 170 calories and 0.5 grams of fat. A serving will also give you 480 mg sodium and 7 grams of sugar. It is cholesterol free. And, in addition, you will be getting 2 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. It’s filling without being overly filling. And once you add in all your milk and proteins of choice…that all changes.

Oh…I was really surprised and quite impressed with Mrs. Leeper’s Gluten Free Cheeseburger Mac. I modified it as much as I could to fit my diet and really loved how it turned out in the end. Really delicious…a hint of spice…great texture. And a happy belly when all was said and done. Now, I can’t wait to try more of the Mrs. Leeper’s boxed meals for something quick and easy to prepare. And it’s so adaptable. This would be good even without the protein. And I may have to try one of them like that. Or return to this one and see how it compares. As it is…the Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Soy Chorizo was a great fit for the protein. The zesty cheese sauce played beautifully with it. I was so happy with my dinner tonight, which, after my rough day at the office…was just what I needed. Beyond impressed.

June 27, 2014

Product Review: Trader Joe’s Polenta Provencale with Spianch & Peas in a Spicy Cream Sauce

Product: Trader Joe’s Polenta Provencale with Spinach & Peas in a Spicy Cream Sauce – $3.49+

It’s Friday.

It’s Friday, and despite getting paid today, I have no money. Which totally thwarted my plan to have gluten-free pizza away from home today. Seriously. The last thing I wanted to do after the day I had today was cook. I was having those, “I don’t want to be in that damn tiny kitchen any longer than I have to!” But, that’s not happening today. That’s not happening for a long time at this point.

*SIGH*

But I burden you with things that have nothing to do with this blog or product. Sorry. Just a little anecdote to explain why I ended up with my head and arms in the freezer, trying to find something that was not labor intensive or requiring much else in the means of cooking. I had a few options…though not too many…but decided that since it had been in the freezer the longest, the Polenta Provencale I picked up at Trader Joe’s a long while back was going to have its moment to shine.

This is generally used as a side dish…but it was going to be a meal for my roomie and I. So, I cooked up the entire package instead of just two portions of it. Those would have been really small portions…but for a side, I suppose that’s what you need. HA!

Anyway…I put my pan on the stove and turned on the burner to a medium-high heat, as instructed on the bag of frozen product suggested. I cut open the packaging and peeked inside to see little orange balls of corn goodness with some greens. All clotted together by ice. Beautiful. I sighed…and poured it into the awaiting hot pan.

It took about a minute or so for the ice to melt in order for me to break up the clumps of polenta and vegetables, but once that happened…so did the magic of this dish. I went to get cups down for a drink to have with dinner…and when I came back to stir, while the polenta was still frozen, the spinach and the peas were now turning a gorgeous green and a sauce was beginning to show up in the pan. This gorgeous…orange sauce. It also was starting to smell really, really good. Okay…maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. I left it to cook some more and poured drinks, walking them out to the living room and setting them on the table. I returned and gave the dish another stir. The polenta was starting to soften, meaning it wasn’t all the way frozen now. Thank goodness. I could see tomato now in the sauce. And the sauce was getting thicker. It all finished up just as the roommate emerged from her bathroom from her shower. Perfect timing. I got down two bowls and split the contents of the pan evenly.

I delivered the dishes to the table and settled in to enjoy my little bowl of Trader Joe’s straight-from-the-freezer-to-your-stove meal…and hoped it was good. I had no Plan B today. But…I’d think of something if I had to. I’m good at that in a pinch…especially when I’m hungry and food is involved.

So…it wasn’t the pizza I was craving.

However…it was good. I think it’s a bit misleading to call the sauce “spicy.” Personally, if I wasn’t so comfortable in my seat, I would have added a touch of hot sauce or some red pepper flakes to kick up the heat a little. My roomie, who is a spice wimp…well…she didn’t say one word about any heat or spice…nor did she suck down most of her drink upon the first few bites. This, my dear foodies, means…it’s not spicy. The polenta gets soft, without getting mushy. And the vegetables are the perfect accompaniment to the dish. The spinach absorbs that sauce and the peas add to the texture. But it’s that sauce that ties everything together. That sauce…although not spicy…was fantastic. I devoured this…chewing and swallowing of course…but devoured. I savored it as long as I could, but it was, for a meal from a freezer, really good!

I want to try to make it on my own…like…from fresh ingredients. Not frozen. Hmmm…

Speaking of ingredients…this package of Trader Joe’s Polenta Provencale with Spinach & Peas in a Spicy Cream Sauce contains relatively few ingredients in the grand scheme of things. The ingredients in this dish include polenta (made from water, corn flour, salt, and dried skim milk), crushed peeled tomatoes, creme fraiche, spinach, peas, tomato, cow’s milk cheese, olive oil, salt, garlic, strong chili pepper, basil, modified rice starch, parsley, thyme, and modified corn starch. I, however, am not a fan of the two modified starch ingredients. GAH! That’s a bummer. This product is gluten-free and vegetarian, however.

As for nutrition, however, this isn’t so bad. A serving of the Trader Joe’s P0lenta Provencale with Spinach & Peas in a Spicy Cream Sauce is 1/3 cup, cooked. There are about 4 servings per package. But, since this was dinner, this became 2 servings…so these stats just double. If you eat a regular serving (1/4 of the package), you will be consuming 130 calories and 7 grams of fat. In addition, you will be taking in 20 mg cholesterol, 280 mg sodium, and 2 grams of sugar. In the grand scheme of things, for a frozen, packaged product…that is awesome. You will also be taking in 3 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. Not lying…this dish is filling!

If you really like things spicy, I recommend adding a bit of kick to the Trader Joe’s Polenta Provencale with Spinach & Peas in a Spicy Cream Sauce. But…it’s not bad the way it is. I loved the rich, creaminess of each bite…from the sauce to the polenta to the vegetables…it was a trio of deliciousness. One that I will definitely consider trying again when I need to have one of those “prepare it quickly” meals.

Nicely done, Trader Joe’s. If anything…try to get those modified starches out of your product. Then…this will get my full approval. Until then, just know that I found this one tasty little meal tonight. And I’m glad I had it in my freezer for the day I was having. The fact that it tasted good as well was the added bonus!

And this is why I love Trader Joe’s.

June 26, 2014

Product Review: Pacific Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Product: Pacific Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper Hummus – $3.99+

It took awhile for her to come around…

Actually it took a lot of me just forcing her to eat it…but now my roomie, formerly someone who loathed hummus and everything about it…someone who when I would make her eat it insisted it had to be warm first (EWW!!)…has since seen the error in her ways. It happened a little while ago actually. She’s been a hummus fiend ever since. Without it needing to be heated.

So…hummus has become one of those things we tend to have on hand in the kitchen these days. It’s a great, healthy spread…good on just about any vegetable…or a gluten-free cracker…or in a gluten-free wrap or sandwich. Hummus is not only delicious…it’s also so versatile.

I admit…this is the first time I’ve ever purchased hummus in a box. Usually it’s in those lidded plastic containers in the refrigerated area of the grocery store. But Pacific Foods has created a, ready for this?, shelf stable hummus. Yes…shelf stable. Which is good, because I forgot I had this in pantry. I actually got this box of hummus for free with a deal going on at my local Earth Fare awhile back. It was spend $10 or something and get free hummus. Free and hummus. Two of my favorite words!

Well…it’s late in the week. Tomorrow another CSA bin of fruits and veggies will be delivered to my door, and I’m still trying to use up some of the veggies from this past week. I decided to make it easy. Knowing that one of the veggies still in my bin was my carrots, I went to the pantry and put the box of Pacific Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper Hummus into the fridge before heading to the gym this morning. I knew tonight, I could polish off the remaining two ears of corn by grilling them up and serving them with some carrot sticks and a serving of the hummus.

Work was hectic today…so I was glad to have an easier dinner planned. Upon returning home, I peeled the corn and got it in the grill pan with some roasted garlic and her vegan buttery spread. As that was grilling and, as usual, smoking up the apartment, I started to peel and slice the carrots. When they were ready, I plated them, seasoned the corn, and then grabbed the Pacific Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper Hummus from the fridge. I opened up the box and noticed that it really needed to be stirred. This…is no easy task. When you try to stir something in a bowl, it’s easy. When you try to stir something in a box…a mess is bound to happen. I kept it pretty well contained to the box itself though. Once it was blended, I scooped out some healthy tablespoons and dinner…was served.

Mmmm…veggies for dinner.

That’s pretty usual for me actually…being a gluten-free vegetarian.

So…how was it?

It was delicious. Definitely not as creamy as the refrigerated varieties, but not bad. It was packed with really good flavor. I could taste the roasted red peppers…which just elevated the spread. I loved how easy it was to scoop up with the carrot sticks. And it was so refreshing. Honestly. In fact, I ate my grilled corn up first so I could end my meal with the hummus. That’s how much I liked it. It reminded me a lot of the hummus I make. That’s what the texture reminded me of, and perhaps that is why I enjoyed it so much.

Interesting to note…the Pacific Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper Hummus is one of few shelf-stable hummus’ on the market. It is actually packaged in BPA-free cartons. The hummus contains 1/3 fewer calories and 40% less fat than the leading refrigerated brand. And, Pacific Foods, as always, places their reputation on their high-quality ingredients.

Speaking of ingredients, the Pacific Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper Hummus is made from water, organic chickpeas, organic roasted red bell peppers, organic red bell peppers, organic canola oil, organic tahini, organic garlic, organic lemon juice concentrate, sea salt, organic sesame oil, organic spices. It is vegetarian, vegan, cholesterol free, dairy-free, corn-free, soy-free, wheat-free, and yeast-free.

So let’s talk nutrition, shall we? Hummus is such a healthy spread. Honestly. It’s amazing. A serving of the Pacific Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper Hummus is 2 tablespoons. This will provide you with 45 calories and 3 grams of fat. A serving will also give you 130 mg sodium and 1 gram of sugar. LOVE IT. It will also give you 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein.

Hummus is one of the best condiments and spreads to ever come into the world. It’s rich, creamy, and delicious. It’s good on sandwiches, or on salads, or on pizzas, or on crackers, or on vegetables…etc. You see what I’m getting at here? Hummus makes the world a richer and happier place. Well…maybe not alone…but it is one healthy way to enjoy some of your favorite foods in a new way. Or…just dip some tortilla chips or fresh veggies in it…and you’ll be just as happy. Pacific Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper Hummus is amazing and I will totally be trying out the other two flavors in the future.

In case you were wondering…Pacific Foods also has an Organic Classic Hummus and an Organic Roasted Garlic Hummus.

Try all three versions. But, if nothing else, trust me on the amazing tastiness that the Roasted Red Pepper variety provides. Oh…so good!

June 23, 2014May 11, 2015

Product Review: Glutino Gluten Free Vegetable Crackers

Product: Glutino Gluten Free Vegetable Crackers – $4.99+

One of my go-to brands here! Everything…and I literally mean…EVERYTHING that I have tried from Glutino has been amazing. From my first ever product…their pretzels to their pizza to their breads to their breakfast bars…to everything else I can lay my hands on (especially the chocolate covered pretzels…which are my favorite thing in life…in general!)…I have found Glutino to be one of the gluten-free brands that I can trust to put forth a quality product that also has perfect flavor and texture.

Not too long ago, for no reason I can discern whatsoever, I picked up a box of their Gluten Free Vegetable Crackers. Normally I don’t keep random crackers in my pantry. God only knows why I had a box of these in my pantry…unless they were on sale or I just, at the time, had a craving. Or maybe I thought I’d need them. Regardless, they’ve been in my pantry for a little while. In the back. Where I kept forgetting they were there.

UGH! This is why I clean up my pantry every month. To remind me of what I have and what I need to use.

Well, yesterday I went ahead with some much-needed meal preparation. I was in the kitchen for much of the afternoon, not only working on things I would need for Sunday’s dinner…but things for Monday and beyond. The week. Or beyond that…because one thing I was making was a fantastic Vegetarian West African Peanut Soup, which I can freeze some portions.

Anyway…it’s Monday. It’s crazy. And I really just wanted to be able to come home, eat something, and then settle in to watch some World Cup with dinner. This meant I prepped the soup on Sunday, let it cool down, froze four portions of it and put the other two into the fridge for easy reheating on Monday evening. That’s exactly what I did. I also baked Vegan Blueberry and Dark Chocolate Scones too…but I digress…

I was thinking, while at work, that we might want something with the soup tonight…and was trying to figure out if I wanted to bake up gluten-free corn bread…or grill up some corn…or just have crackers (I have another brand awaiting its turn for tasting and blogging rights). I asked my roommate around lunch time and she was apathetic toward any suggestion. I hate when she doesn’t care…because…honestly…I’m good with anything. I just want some input. But…on the way home, it seemed she had it all worked out…requesting crackers with the soup.

Sweet. Decision made.

The next question was which kind to have with dinner. Since the Glutino Gluten Free Vegetable Crackers had graced my pantry shelf longer than the other one…they won the non-existent coin toss. In other words…default!

As I heated up bowls of soup, I plucked the box from the pantry and opened up the top. Two silver bags of freshness were waiting for me. I checked the nutrition information and found that the box held four servings, so each silver bag held two servings of crackers. Perfection! I got out some paper towels, cut open one of the freshness sealed bags and poured out the contents, splitting the crackers evenly between Cathy and I.

These crackers are larger than a standard Ritz cracker. They have this subtle pale color, but inside each cracker you can see little flecks of flavor. I loved vegetable crackers growing up, so I was hoping that these would live up to my high expectations. I finished up the soup, and served it with a serving of crackers each. I wasn’t exactly sure how vegetable flavored crackers would go with peanut soup…but I was willing to at least give it a shot.

Believe it or not…it worked. Seriously.

I think the texture and overall flavor of Glutino’s crackers (regardless of flavor) reminds me a lot of oyster crackers (Dear Glutino…please make oyster crackers for my soup!). And I used to eat the hell out of oyster crackers. But here is where the magic comes in with this particular cracker. You see, it’s flavored…with vegetable flavors. Seriously. You get this little taste of herbs, garlic, and even tomato in each bite. It would be great with cheese or even some hummus and vegetables on top. The vegetable flavor definitely gives this cracker a more savory feel and taste. And I loved it. While I dipped most of my crackers in the soup, I kept some out to eat on their own. That’s how good these are! They can be eaten plain and their subtle flavors bring a lot to the cracker itself. Delicious, any way you choose to eat them. Trust me.

Ingredients in the Glutino Gluten Free Vegetable Crackers include corn starch, white rice flour, organic palm sugar, modified corn starch, dextrose, eggs, sunflower lecithin, tomato powder, salt, dehydrated oregano, dehydrated garlic, guar gum, sodium bicarbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, and rosemary extract. Not a big fan of that word “modified” in there…but…I just now noticed it!

As far as nutrition information goes…the Glutino Gluten Free Vegetable Crackers contain 14o calories per serving (about 8 crackers) and 5 grams of fat. These crackers also serve up 5 mg cholesterol, 270 mg sodium, and only 1 gram of sugar. That’s not bad at all. In addition, one serving will also provide you with only 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein. Not too filling…so don’t expect the crackers to hold you all day. Not happening.

Seriously…if you’re looking for a snack cracker or something to serve up at a party, I highly recommend the Glutino Gluten Free Vegetable Crackers. They are perfectly seasoned bites of cracker goodness. Great for soups, snacks, and savory hors d’oevres. Really just great. Eat them on their own, or dip or top them however you like. You won’t be disappointed. On the contrary, you might find yourself stocking your pantry with these on a regular basis.

June 21, 2014

Product Review: Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls

Product: Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls – $7.49+

Thank you, dearest Raisin Rack, in Columbus, Ohio. Because ever since I heard of the debut of the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Ciabatta Rolls…I’d been wanting to try them out. I used to get samples of their products all the time…but that has sort of stopped in the past year. Too bad, I loved being able to try out products that take forever to make it to my area. While Louisville, Kentucky is quite the foodie mecca, it still lags behind at times when it comes to gluten-free foods in the grocery stores. Even the most dedicated of natural food stores around here (and we have plenty) don’t get in these products for what seems like a year from their debut.

BUT…

Apparently, Raisin Rack, up where my friend Jenn lives near Columbus, Ohio…is quite the opposite.

On a visit there awhile back…I was given the task of filling up a nice basket of products that I haven’t seen before…or have wanted to try…but are not always readily available in our area. I took to this task with a gleam in my eye and products on the mind. And just as my basket was full…I wandered past a freezer at the end of an aisle and glanced down to the bottom…only to see…Rudi’s Gluten-Free Ciabatta Rolls…both types: Original and Rosemary and Olive Oil.

I gave my roomie the gluten-free doe eyes of puppy dog pleading…and she relented and let me add one to the already full basket I was hauling around the store. I opted for the Rosemary and Olive Oil variety because…um…yum! Jenn was helping me Tetris the products so more could get in there. HA! Brilliant.

However, with a fantastic, local, allergen-free bakery in my city…I sometimes don’t get to bread-y things in my freezer for some time. And can you blame me? Well…despite a stop at the bakery this morning…tonight when I was cooking up some zucchini noodle pasta with portobello mushrooms and a garlic marinara sauce with homemade basil pesto…I figured…with the low carbness (is that a word? It is now…) of the meal itself, I would go ahead and give the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls a try. Seemed like a good time to do so!

So…while Germany and Ghana draw in their World Cup match…I began making ribbons of zucchini with my mandolin slicer…chopping up huge portobello mushroom caps…and making my own vegan basil pesto with the pesto Cathy and I are growing on our balcony. As I got the portobello mushrooms into a sauté pan to begin cooking and sweating out…I got out the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls and plucked two from the package. They were actually light and airy…not what I was expecting at all. But…hell…the only other gluten-free ciabatta rolls I’ve had are Schar’s…and they are really good.

Rudi's Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls (frozen) — Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls (frozen)

I preheated the oven to 400°F and placed the rolls on a baking sheet. Once the oven was properly warmed…into the oven the rolls went for 10 minutes. That gave me ample time to not only watch the end of the World Cup match, but also get the zucchini noodles in the pan with some olive oil…add the mushrooms back in…season…add the sauce…and get it all together. They rolls finished up just as I was finishing up placing the zucchini pasta into bowls and polishing it all up with my homemade pesto.

I pulled the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls from the oven. They didn’t look much different from when I put them in the oven…maybe a little more golden…hard to say. But…they smelled fantastic. I’m a huge fan of rosemary…and so is Cathy. We each got one roll and a bowl of my made-only-with-veggies “pasta” dish and dinner was served.

While we watched “The Supersizers Go…Seventies” we indulged in our own meal…thankful we weren’t eating the tinned and powdered rubbish the people in England ate in the Seventies. Real food here. With a side of one simple gluten-free roll.

The Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil are really…really good. Honestly. They may not look like much, but one bite…and you’ll be sold too. The outside of the roll gets that nice crusty, crunchy crust on it. But the inside…still soft and doughy and just…mmmm. I think Cathy would normally melt some butter inside and dig in. But we had pasta…and this sort of bread is great for sucking up the last bit of sauce. And when your noodles are made from zucchini…you tend to have some sauce…or at least some veggies to pile on top. The bread was amazing. I was actually very impressed because, while rosemary is one of my favorite spices…it can overwhelm and overpower quite easily. Not here. They use just the right amount so that you get the flavor without it taking over your palate. Oh, I hope we get these soon in our stores around here. Otherwise…next time I visit Jenn in Columbus, I am taking a cooler…ice packs…and stocking up!

Ciabatta with herbs and olive oil…awesome. And without all the hassle of making up a flour blend that works with this sort of bread and doing it myself. LOVE IT!!

So, let’s talk ingredients. One thing I love about Rudi’s Gluten-Free products is that they use real ingredients…no junk…no chemicals. It holds true with their Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls too. The ingredients are: water, potato extract, tapioca starch, rice flour, rice starch, evaporated cane juice (cane sugar), egg white, yeast, sea salt, xanthan gum, olive oil, rosemary, sodium bicarbonate, garlic powder, natural enzymes.

As for nutrition…I love these stats. A serving of the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls is one roll. With this one roll, you will be consuming 70 calories and 0 grams of fat. YES…FAT FREE!! While on the subject of fat, you won’t find saturated or trans-fats in these rolls either. LOVE. One roll provides 170 mg sodium and 1 gram of sugar. LOVE THIS! Oh…and they are cholesterol free too! Non-GMO. And you will be taking in 1 gram of protein…but these rolls have no fiber. So don’t make a meal out of these…they won’t leave you feeling full.

I’ve always been a huge fan of the products that Rudi’s Gluten-Free has out on the market. It’s the sandwich bread that I purchase each week. It’s the wraps I purchase to make tacos or the like. And now…it’s the rolls I serve at dinner. Because when a company cares that much about the quality of their food…it shows. Gluten-free foods are a science, but when done correctly…they can knock your foodie socks off.

My feet are bare.

HA!

Rudi’s Gluten-Free…another stellar product!! Thank you for making dinner rolls so delicious!

Rudi's Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls (baked) — Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls (baked)

June 17, 2014

Product Review: Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins

Product: Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins – $3.99+

I am not going to lie…I’ve been eying the Garden Lites Veggie Muffins since the day I first spotted them in my local natural food and grocery stores. Why did it take me so long to get a box? Well…it probably would have taken me longer, but my roomie surprised me with a box one day after I sent her out on a grocery expedition. I obviously forgot some sacred ingredient to something I was cooking right then…or I would have gone. But the roomie often picks up little surprises when she’s sent on these emergency runs. Maybe it’s to tame me, since I’m usually wound up about missing something I need. Whatever the reason…she brought me a box of Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins. And I was all too excited to try them.

I just…never did. They just remained in my freezer.

I think I got all caught up in making my Breakfast Banana Splits and other such “real” food items, that opening the freezer for breakfast hadn’t happened in a long time. I knew they were in there…

Lo and behold…after a week of Cathy being down with a cold and sitting out of gym workouts (meaning I’d go really early and get mine in, then come home and make breakfast instead of hauling it to work post-gym), I had no idea what to have after our time at the gym. I began to search the pantry and fridge. I found grapes…but those only get you so far. I’d include some…but what to eat to refuel and recover?

And then…I remembered the box of Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins. Problem…SOLVED!

I know what you’re thinking…zucchini with banana with chocolate chips…how could that possibly be good? Well…zucchini bread is good. Banana bread is good. Both types of bread with chocolate chips are damn good. So…why not combine them? It should work, right?

Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffin (individually wrapped)

I won’t lie…even I questioned it this morning as I packed the box of muffins in the cooler. After the workout, we walked to our office and I got to work on breakfast. These little muffins couldn’t be easier to prepare. They come individually wrapped. And all you have to do is pop the wrapped muffin into the microwave for 35 seconds. Carefully remove the muffin from the microwave and then the plastic wrapper…and viola…your muffin is ready.

I think my biggest fear was that these were going to be soggy. Or mushy. Or just…gross. But, I cooked up all four of them, two for me and two for Cathy, and our breakfast was ready. In less than three minutes. That has to be a new record!

I settled in at my desk with my first batch of work and my breakfast. And after one bite, I knew the stack of paperwork was going to have to wait while I gave my full attention to the Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins. Oh. My. God! No…really…who knew that a muffin made primarily from vegetables and fruit could taste this fantastic. Or this moist. It was like biting into a luscious piece of banana bread. But with zucchini in it. You can’t even taste the zucchini, you just sometimes get those green flecks in the muffin. And the chocolate chips…just enough to sweeten the deal without consuming the flavor of the muffin itself. This was truly one amazing product and the love I have for it surprises even me. I never would have thought about pairing zucchini with banana…but…damn…it works. It works in delicious ways!

I don’t think my morning could have started any better…

So, let’s take a look at the ingredient list for the Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins, shall we? These muffins are made from zucchini, pasteurized egg whites, sugar, pasteurized whole eggs, certified gluten-free oats, soluble corn fiber, semi-sweet chocolate chips, banana, sorghum flour, brown rice flour, corn starch, baking powder, canola oil, natural banana flavor, salt, and vanilla extract.

Recognize all those items? I sure do. And when mixed together and baked…epic things happen, both flavor, texture, and food-wise.

Now, how about the nutritional aspect of these muffins? A serving is only 1 of the Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins. As all we had before working out was a breakfast fruit, yogurt and granola parfait, Cathy and I each had two. But…if you stick to the serving size, you will be consuming 120 calories and 3 grams of fat. In addition, you will be taking in 20 mg cholesterol, 170 mg sodium, and 11 grams of sugar. I know the sugar seems high, and while some of that comes from the chocolate chip, some of it comes from the real banana that is included in the ingredients of the muffins. One serving will also give you 5 grams of filling fiber and 3 grams of protein! These muffins are gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free!

Nutritional and yummy too! Gotta love it. And I sure did. I want to try the other varieties of muffins. Yes…they have other flavors. In fact, in addition to the Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins, Garden Lites has Veggie Muffins in the following flavors: Carrot Berry, Golden Corn, Veggie Blueberry Oat, and Zucchini Chocolate! So…I must try all the Veggie Muffins. Because these honestly did impress me. And I lasted all the way through my snack time. And that doesn’t always happen. Good quality food…great product…

I’m hooked. On muffins made with veggies and fruit.

Oh yeah…loving it!

Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins (cooked)

June 15, 2014

Product Review: Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten Free Vegan Garlic Bread

Product: Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten Free Vegan Garlic Bread – $4.25

I love that my local gluten-free bakery is growing. I love that they are getting enough business to even offer more of their business aside from their daily lunch specials and daily specials in the case. This makes me insanely happy.

On Saturday, on the third anniversary of the opening of Annie May’s Sweet Café on Frankfort Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky, I finally got to partake in the newest feature of the bakery…

Take-n-Bake goodies from their freezer. I am talking their (FAMOUS AND DELICIOUS) pizza crusts, garlic bread, vegan garlic bread, cinnamon rolls, and even some of their pastas…(like the best mac & cheese ever). All items are gluten-free and most are allergen-free. They make a point when doing gluten-free to also try to do allergen-free. But some items (like the regular garlic bread and the mac and cheese) contain dairy.

I had stuck my head in the deep freeze earlier in the week when I was in for Soft Pretzel Wednesday (because pretzels on a Wednesday make the best lunch ever!). The key words that made me happy was…Vegan. Garlic. Bread. Short on money in the middle of the week, and knowing I was stopping in for the celebration of three years at that location on Saturday, I vowed to make a purchase then. Little did I know I’d walk out of there with not just the Vegan Garlic Bread, but also the Mac & Cheese, and the Pizza Crust (seriously…best gluten-free pizza crust on this planet…hands down!). I might have also walked out with an Allergen-Free Banana Spice Muffin (of heaven!).

But, I digress with the muffin.

Let me focus on the entire reason I pulled open that freezer in the first place…

Gluten-Free and Vegan Garlic Bread.

Annie May's Sweet Café Vegan Garlic Bread (frozen) — Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten Free Vegan Garlic Bread (frozen)

What you get is a half of a half loaf of bread that has been slathered down with a vegan butter and garlic topping. Then…wrapped and frozen with baking instructions on the label. Talk about easy. Just preheat the oven and place the garlic bread on a pan and into the oven and allow to cook for allotted time. Once done…enjoy.

That’s what I did tonight (and served it up with the Mac & Cheese which I baked at the same time!)

I cried when I took my first bite. Tears of happiness. Tear of joy. Because I haven’t had garlic bread in a very long time. I tried to order some gluten-free garlic bread from a pizza place in Denver, but they wouldn’t deliver to the hotel (which was only 4 miles away). So…unless I make it out of gluten-free sandwich bread, it hasn’t happened. And trust me…that’s not the same. Annie May’s Vegan Garlic Bread was amazing. Delicious. The crust got all golden and crunchy and the middle…soft…chewy…garlic and vegan buttery goodness. Honestly. Seasoned perfectly. Tears. When a food makes me cry…then it’s damn good. We only ate half the loaf tonight with dinner…I almost cooked up the second half. I think this will become another staple that I always purchase from Annie May’s when she has it in stock…much like her cinnamon rolls and her macaroni and cheese! This…is one of my favorite things I have ever eaten since going gluten-free. Real food. Really good. Make you cry good! Even my roomie was blown away. She had taken a bite before I had and she gave me the saddest eyes. When I took my bite…I understood why. She liked it better than the garlic bread she has been able to eat. I liked it better than any I had prior to having to go gluten-free. Honest…good…food! That’s what Annie May’s bakes up every single time!

Annie May’s Sweet Café has literally changed my life. With all the restaurants in Louisville’s blossoming foodie areas, all I want is Annie May’s! Why? Because not only can I get safe treats and meals there, but now…I can take a whole lot of their good stuff home to bake up myself when it is convenient. I hope that the take-n-bake freezer takes off for them and expands, because I would be totally willing to purchase these convenient meals and items every week…just to make one day of my life (if not more) a lot easier.

Happy Third Birthday, Annie May’s…and here’s to many, many more delicious, allergen-free years!!

Annie May's Sweet Café Gluten Free Vegan Garlic Bread (baked) — Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten Free Vegan Garlic Bread (baked)

June 15, 2014

Product Review: Billy Goat Chip Company Original Potato Chips

Product: Billy Goat Chip Company Original Potato Chips – $2.99

I was so happy to see a 3 ounce bag of Billy Goat Chip Company’s Original Potato Chips in my June Cuisine Cube because I was already familiar with this product…by only a couple of days. I kid you not! On Monday morning of the week I received my cube, my boss came into work and handed me two of the snack size bags of Billy Goat Chip Company’s Original Potato Chips. She said she had noted that they said “gluten free” on them and knew I could have them. She got one bag for me and one for Cathy.

So…at dinner that night…we feasted on them with a Vegan Gluten-Free “Bacon” (I make this with beans and buckwheat groats), Lettuce, Avocado, and Tomato Sammies. And we were hooked. So…I had already had an inkling of what we were in for when I served these up with a gluten-free veggie burger during the Uruguay v. Costa Rica match of the World Cup last night.

Billy Goat Chip Company is apparently a St. Louis, Missouri, restaurant that became famous for their hand-made chips. These chips are made fresh every day and by the order. Nothing sits around. One batch of these locally renowned chips takes approximately seven minutes to cook. Each batch then gets a special dusting of secret seasoning, called “Billy Goat Kicker Dust.” This seasoning is apparently the magic of the chips…because it is the one difference everyone can taste between these chips and those you buy in the store. The chips are all-natural and made fresh to order. This means the potatoes and selected, sliced, seasons and packaged by hand when they are ordered and then shipped out to customers. The owners of the restaurant make these chips with heart healthy canola oil, no MSG, no preservatives…and maintain that they are gluten-free. The dedication these two restaurant entrepreneurs put into their chips is so that they can guarantee that customers get the most fresh and flavorful chips possible.

The Billy Goat Restaurant & Bar opened in St Louis back in 2002, becoming the city’s first gastropub. It produced hand-crafted, house-made food, using locally sourced products whenever possible. The potato chips quickly became the restaurant’s signature item. With their growing popularity and demand for these treats, the Billy Goat Chip Company was born in 2009, where the company has started to work with vendors and customers to distribute this popular restaurant item.

When they set a goal to create the best potato chips in the Midwest…they succeeded. I might even venture to say they created the best potato chips in the United States.

Let’s discuss.

Since I had previously had them prior to their arrival in my Cuisine Cube…I can honestly say, seeing the large 3 ounce bag made me beyond stupidly happy. Honestly. I was…thrilled. The thing is…the Billy Goat Chip Company honestly does produce a high quality product. They take time and put a lot of effort and care into their food…and it shows. Each chip is done to that gorgeous golden brown, making it crispy and crunchy, not burnt and brittle, and definitely not soft. But, it really is the seasoning that takes these chips up to the next level of awesomesauce. Honestly. I don’t know what it is about the “Billy Goat Kicker Dust” but…it does provide the right amount of everything to these chips. It’s salty…it has a touch of garlic…a little bit of spice to take it up a notch. Nothing is over seasoned. Nothing is overdone. Each bite is pure chip perfection. Crunchy, salty, good perfection!

I might be jealous of St. Louis, Missouri…

Ingredients are honest and simple…russet potatoes, canola oil, salt, onion, garlic, spices and sugar. That’s it. That’s all. It’s that cut and dry. You can clearly taste the quality and the high standards in each chip. No big name can compete with these. Mass produced chips just don’t have level of flavor and quality that Billy Goat Chip Company pours into their products.

Nutritionally speaking, one serving of these chips is 1 ounce. A serving will provide you with 150 calories and 10 grams of fat. You will also be taking in 160 mg sodium and 1 gram of sugar. These chips are cholesterol-free, trans-fat free, and gluten-free. One serving of the Billy Goat Chip Company’s Original Potato Chips also will provide you with 2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein. Not filling. But chips are a side…not a meal. So they shouldn’t fill you up.

But they should be tasty, and there is no doubt that these chips are delicious! I sort of wish I had more. Good thing my boss promised that she would bring more back for me the next time she goes to St. Louis. YAY! Since her daughter lives there, that happens more often than not. I want to give a shout-out to June’s Cuisine Cube for providing my new favorite chip to me…so I didn’t have to wait as long to indulge in them again.

Thankfully, they can be ordered online. So, if you’re curious about how amazing these chips are…go ahead and order them. I promise…you will NOT be disappointed.

May 26, 2014

Restaurant Review: Merge, Buffalo, New York

Restaurant: Merge, Buffalo, New York

It had been a long day. By the time I rolled into Buffalo, I had already gotten up early to do a shakeout run while still in Ohio, stretched, did my ab routine, pack, get the car loaded up, and make the seemingly endless drive from Columbus, Ohio all the way up to Buffalo, New York…with one stop in Erie, Pennsylvania for lunch. Getting into Buffalo, I got checked into my hotel, hit up the race expo (I was there for a race, naturally), went back to my room, did more stretching, did some foam rolling, got things ready ahead of time so the evening wouldn’t be as hectic, and watched Food Network.

Because…that’s what I do.

HA!

But, before I knew it…it was time to head out to dinner. I was meeting up with my good friend, Kat, and her boyfriend, Adam, for dinner that night. It was the night before a race, so we wanted to have plenty of options for everyone. Kat requires brown rice pasta…so we narrowed it down to three places, but in the end…chose a place called…

Merge.

Kat was very high on this place when we were trying to make the decision. She said not only can they do a lot of their foods vegan/vegetarian, but a lot can be done gluten-free as well. AWESOME! Sounded perfect. And…the menu was a little different from anything I have down this way, so that was a bonus too. We were to meet for dinner at 5:00 p.m. So, at around 4:15, we set out to walk from our hotel up to Merge. It didn’t take us as long as we expected…so…we stood outside in the slightly chilly air. Right around 5, Kat and Adam showed up…and we stepped inside.

I already liked the place. Dimly lit…with a stage off to the right as you walk in. We were greeted and Kat gave the reservation. We were shown to our table and seated. As it was pre-race, I stuck with just water to drink. I hadn’t been too good about hydrating that day while on the road, so I wanted to make up for that a bit now. The waiter went to retrieve drinks and we sat and perused the menu.

Now, I had looked at the menu numerous times, trying to figure out what I wanted for dinner. Normally, pre-race means a gluten-free pizza. And that was completely available. HOWEVER…there were so many other delicious sounding items on the menu, that I thought, perhaps, to screw with tradition again…and do something completely different, but enough that would fuel up my muscles and top off those glycogen stores for the next morning. I was flip-flopping. On one hand, the gluten-free and dairy-free pizza was one with Daiya cheese, red onion, asparagus…it sounded awesome. But…again…I can get good gluten-free pizza in Louisville. So, it was down to trying the Gluten-Free and Vegan Mac & Cheese that Kat had told me so much about…or the special of the night…the Gluten-Free Eggplant Caponata…or the Gluten-Free Arugula Pesto Pasta.

So…while I was trying to decide, the rest of the table ordered. Kat went with the an appetizer of the Dairy-Free Stuffed Potato Skins ($10.00) which comes with a fresh corn salad with turkey bacon, Daiya Cheese, and a Chipotle Cream and then for an entree went with the Gluten-Free Eggplant Caponata ($18.00). Adam went with the Daily Pizza ($10.00). Jenn chose the Sweet Basil Gnocchi (which included roasted red peppers, red onion, spinach, roasted garlic and a white wine sauce) for her meal ($15.00). Cathy went with the Coconut Lemongrass Stir-fry ($15.00), which is a mix of organic tofu, snap peas, red onion, carrot, and rice vermicelli, served with toasted cashews, bean sprouts, and fresh lime.

And I was still stumped!

I went over my choices with the waiter to get his opinion and to maybe help me make a decision, because I was seriously waffling. Pizza…or something different…pizza…or something different…tradition…or not….AH! The waiter said he highly recommended the Arugula Pesto Pasta. Kat made sure that the pesto didn’t have Parmesan in it (as someone with a dairy allergy…she knows all about the importance of asking about things like that because so many pesto recipes include Parmesan…and being lactose intolerant…I avoid all things dairy before a race). He said that it was vegan…and so…I went with it. Why not?!

There it was…tradition once again bucked…

I went with the Gluten-Free Arugula Pesto Pasta ($15.00), which was brown rice pasta with local tomato, red onion, spinach, and tossed with toasted walnuts. Oooh…I’d get some nice vitamins from that spinach and some Omega from those walnuts. Nice choice. Glad I had some help in making it!

So, we all sat around and talked about various topics, not just running. In fact, running didn’t really come up all that much that night. We were just having a good time and relaxing. Because that is important before a race. Trust me. The atmosphere of Merge is very conducive to that too. It was really, really nice. The appetizer was brought to the table and Kat let me try one of the potato skins. I didn’t put the corn and bacon topping on it since it was real meat, but the Daiya cheese and the chipotle cream were put on the potato skin…and it was phenomenal. Quite tasty. I want to recreate this at home…and just might this week! It was a great way to start off the dining experience.

But, before long our meals were being served up and we were all happily about to feast on our food of choice.

Merge's Gluten-Free Arugula Pesto Pasta — Merge’s Gluten-Free Arugula Pesto Pasta

I actually was quite happy when I took my first bite of the Arugula Pesto Pasta. It was smooth and delicious. I love pesto as it is…but this was really seasoned well. It paired well with the brown rice pasta. And the fresh vegetables that were sauteed and added to the mix just made for a nice break in the texture and a lot of added flavor as well. LOVE. The toasted walnuts were the perfect way to add a bit of crunch to something that would otherwise be very soft. I told Cathy to give it a try and she loved it as well. It’s not every day I get a plate of green pasta (ah, pesto…you’re so much fun on food!) that had so much going on and so much nutritionally sound ingredients added to it. It was just what I think I needed that evening. You could tell everything was fresh. Because this pasta was perfection. So, I broke tradition again…it was worth it for this meal. Trust me.

Everyone else seemed to like their meals as well. Kat’s only complaint was there was too little pasta (she’s carbing up!) in her dish…and Jenn ate around all the vegetables in hers. The rest of us devoured everything in front of us.

The big question of dessert came up. And…we felt it was necessary. They had so many gluten-free and vegan options on their dessert menu…how could I pass up the opportunity?

In the end, Kat went with the Apple Cranberry Cobbler with Salty Caramel Sauce and Homemade Vanilla Soy Ice Cream ($7.00) for her dessert. Jenn and Adam both got the Vegan Carrot Cake with Walnuts and Cream Cheese Frosting ($6.00). And Cathy and I decided to split the Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Spiced Berry Compote ($6.00). I kind of wanted to split the Vegan and Gluten-Free Brownie Sundae…but Cathy is apparently anti-brownie these days. So…that was a no-go.

With our orders in, we eagerly anticipated our sweet reward and end of the night treat. After a short wait, the desserts were brought to the table. They all looked fantastic. Especially the carrot cake. If only that had been gluten-free. Then again, Cathy is anti-carrot cake as well…so it wouldn’t have done any good. GRRRR! Anyway…it all looked delicious and we spared no time digging in.

The Vegan Chocolate Mousse with the Spiced Berry Compote was…different. This wasn’t your usual mousse. It was probably made with cashew cream…which would be the reason for the grittiness to it. In fact, it also wasn’t very fluffy or light. More like a heavy pudding than a mousse to be sure. That being said…the spiced berry compote was beyond delicious. Ultimately, it was my favorite part of the dessert. Cathy agreed. When I think of mousse, I expect something whipped and airy and light…and this just wasn’t a mousse.

Jenn absolutely loved the carrot cake (damn it for not being gluten-free!). Cat and Adam split each of their desserts and both seemed quite happy with their choices. So, that was good.

We finished up dessert and wound up getting caught up in conversations again. And soon, because they are a hot-spot in town, we were asked to leave so other people could have the table. I needed to get back to the hotel anyway and get ready for sleep to be rested up for the morning ahead of me.

All-in-all…a great restaurant in Buffalo, New York. I would happily eat here again without any qualms. Everything I had was good, and sometimes even great. My pasta was the star, for sure. And even if the dessert didn’t wow me…it was still fantastic. Cathy stole a bite of Jenn’s carrot cake and raved about it. The atmosphere was amazing. The food was delicious. And the staff was quite accommodating. I couldn’t have asked for a better pre-race meal.

Merge, when I come back to Buffalo, New York sometime…I hope to come back.

Merge's Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Spiced Berry Compote — Merge’s Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Spiced Berry Compote

May 16, 2014

Product Review: Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter

Product: Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter – $1.99+

As many of you, my dear readers, know by now…one of my most favorite things in life…and truly my drug of choice…is peanut butter.

Yes.

Peanut butter.

I can’t get enough of the stuff. I eat it by the jarful. When I’m stressed out…it’s what I turn to for comfort. After I workout, it’s what I grab to get some protein. I eat it on sandwiches, in cookies, and…best of all…right off a spoon straight from the jar. Yes…if we all have that one food that is our kryptonite…for me…it’s peanut butter.

I do try to keep it as natural as possible. I don’t mind having to stir my peanut butter or store it upside down. Nope. It doesn’t matter to me at all. Because peanut butter is one of those perfect foods that balances my love of sweet and salty…all at once.

Well, while in Birmingham, Alabama, I discovered little sample packets (and the jars) of nut butters from Wild Friends Foods. The cute, winking squirrel on the label was what caught my eye first. Then…the unique and different flavors. I originally snagged my (still) favorite so far…the Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter. But the next chance I had at Organic Harvest in Birmingham, I snatched up a few more…and one of them was the Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter. Let me say that again…

Chocolate. Coconut. Peanut Butter.

Is that not heaven in nut butter form? Of course it is. These packets only sat in my pantry for a very short time. Very short. Because I was without vegan cream cheese the other day and wanted to finish off the gluten-free bagels that were sitting in my freezer. So, I chose both of the chocolate varieties I had in the pantry (the previous reviewed Chocolate Sesame Seed Almond Butter was the other) and kneaded the packets so that when the bagels were done toasting in the oven, I could split each flavor between the four halves for my roommate and I to try.

Out of the oven came the bagels and two halves got the Chocolate Sesame Seed Almond Butter schmeared on them. The other two halves…got the Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter treatment. I served up one half of each for each of us and settled in for breakfast. I tried the Chocolate Sesame Seed Almond Butter first…and loved it. But when I took a bite of the Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter…I knew which one I preferred. Seriously. I had recently fallen in love with a brand of almond butter that mixed in coconut pulp. I mean…it’s crack. But this…this went beyond crack. This was amazing. The sweetness of the chocolate blended well with the texture of peanut butter…but that little tang of coconut is what made this. Amazing. I said it before…I’ll say it again…who needs Nutella when this exists? I’d eat an entire jar of this without stopping if I could. Probably best I had this in the sample packet only!! It’s really good. In fact, I was waiting on my roommate to comment that she didn’t like it as much as the Sesame Seed version…but she surprised me, saying she preferred the Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter variety. WOW! That’s definitely saying something as she adamantly declares her dislike of coconut often. WINNING!

Ingredients in the Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter are simple and clean. This particular nut butter of chocolate and coconut goodness contains peanuts, coconut, organic agave, chocolate liquor, and sea salt. Yes. That’s it. No unnecessary oils or preservatives. No strange additives or white sugar. Simple ingredients that offer big flavor. Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter is all-natural, non-GMO, non-dairy, kosher, and this particular flavor contains no gluten ingredients. It is also cholesterol free!

Nutritionally speaking, a serving of Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter is 2 tablespoons. In this serving, you will be consuming 190 calories and 15 grams of fat. Don’t panic over the fat content. That comes from the nuts and the coconut. A serving also has 35 mg sodium and 5 grams of sugar. Only 5 grams of sugar in something that is chocolate. Yes. You read that right. This serving will also dish you up 2 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. You will feel full…and that is only a good thing. You don’t want to overindulge…which I tend to do when it comes to nut butters.

Three distinctly different flavors of Wild Friends Foods nut butters have been sampled. All of them have been enjoyed for various reasons. It is so nice to have a brand that puts so much pride in the flavors they create and the product itself. You can tell from the first bite how much love goes into the production of these nut butters. And…if you like something a little sweet and nutty…the Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter is a fantastic choice. Keep this in your pantry for always!

Wild Friends Foods Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter (on a gluten-free bagel)