Category: Snacks

Posted on

Product Review: Crunchmaster Grammy Crisps Cinnamon & Sugar

Crunchmaster Grammy Crisps Cinnamon & Sugar
Crunchmaster Grammy Crisps Cinnamon & Sugar

Product: Crunchmaster Grammy Crisps Cinnamon & Sugar – $2.95+

One of my favorite things in life is that sweet/spicy blend of cinnamon and sugar.  Honestly.  I love a light coating on my gluten-free French toast…or over my air-popped popcorn.  I love it just dusted over a schmear of vegan butter spread on a gluten-free slice of bread, tasted in the oven…to make the perfect cinnamon toast.  Yes…cinnamon and sugar is my thing.  It might explain why Snickerdoodles continue to be my favorite cookie…ever!

And while this product is no longer really all that “new”…I had really never been able to find it in the stores around here.  Until a local grocery store started to carry them in their gluten-free section.  I am, of course, speaking of Crunchmaster Grammy Crisps Cinnamon & Sugar.  I fell in love with Crunchmaster crackers a long time ago.  And about a year ago, I believe, they introduced a few new products.  One of which was the Grammy Crisps.  When I spotted these on the shelf…I had to take them home.  I had to.  There was no arguing with me about budget this time.  This was a necessity.

Now…growing up I loved graham crackers.  I still do, but my gluten-free options are pretty limited to two brands.  So, when I heard about the Grammy Crisps from Crunchmaster, I immediately envisioned that flavor of those cinnamon sugar graham crackers from my youth.  You know, the ones where one side is coated in crystals of sugar and cinnamon…the other side plain.  And what you get is the most amazing graham cracker flavor…ever?

That’s what I envisioned with these.

And I was…kind of right.

Today was the day I broke out the box of Crunchmaster Grammy Crisps Cinnamon & Sugar and dished up a serving (30 grams) to take to work with me for my afternoon snack.  I think I sat in anticipation all day, wondering what these would taste like.  I almost started to berate myself for not having a backup in case these were just…nasty.  But I don’t think I’ve ever had a product from Crunchmaster that wasn’t at least consumable.

When 3 p.m. rolled around, my snack drawer was opened and I was pulling out my little container that held these squares of graham-cracker like cinnamon sugar flavor.  Without any show of self control (because sometimes I have none!)…I popped one of these crackers into my mouth and crunched away.  My first initial thought was that it actually lacked in flavor.  It just tasted…bland.  And I was sad.  But then, the dusting of cinnamon and sugar on these rice crackers finally kicked in.  So…they weren’t overly sweet…or very sweet at all…but then you get this nice hit of semi-sweet warmth from the cinnamon and sugar.  It takes a moment…but it gets there.

The texture of these crisps reminds me a lot of what regular Crunchmaster crackers are like.  Very substantial, crunchy, but light.  They really do give you a nice crunch with each bite.  I just wish the seasoning was, perhaps, cooked into the crisps rather than dusted on the outside.  It is just this close to perfect.  But it misses the margin ever so slightly.

Let’s talk ingredients.  I would say, with the exception of the sugar, that this snack would almost be considered clean.  It has very few ingredients, being made from brown rice flour, whole grain sorghum flour, sugar, cinnamon sugar seasoning, potato starch, safflower oil, and salt.  I recognize every single one of those ingredients.  Which is always reassuring when it comes to buying something processed in the store.  At least I don’t have to look up some crazy preservative or chemical additive to find out what it is.  The Crunchmaster Grammy Crisps Cinnamon & Sugar are certified gluten-free, free of peanuts, cholesterol free, contain no saturated fat, and are made from 100% whole grain.

Now, let’s talk the nutrition aspect.  These are little brown rice crackers that are dusted with a cinnamon sugar blend.  One serving is 30 grams, or about 25 crisps.  This serving will dish you up 130 calories and 2 grams of fat.  That isn’t bad for a snack.  The sugar level sits only at 5 grams, which is actually amazing considering that these are cinnamon and sugar flavored snack crackers.  These have only 150 mg of sodium as well.  And, this serving will also give you 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein.

My love for Crunchmaster products continues…even though I wasn’t blown away by these crisps.  They are good.  They are.  They remind me of Cinnamon Toast Crunch…actually…just without all the sweet sugary flavor that encapsulated every little square of that cereal.  That was my sister’s favorite cereal growing up, so we ate that a lot.  The flavor of these is a bit reminiscent of that.  I liked these though, enough to polish off the box in the next couple of days (I’m a serving-size stickler).  If you love the flavor of graham crackers…with a touch of sweet and spice…then the Crunchmaster Grammy Crisps Cinnamon & Sugar might just be for you.

If you find them…they are at least worth a taste.  If you like the taste of cinnamon and sugar…these have it.  It just isn’t the initial WOW-factor on flavor I expected.  But, they are definitely worth a try.  Trust me.

Posted on

Recipe: Paleo Cinnamon Glazed Pumpkin Donuts

Baking makes me as happy as cooking does.  Especially when I am doing it for other people.  And it has become a bit of a habit for me to spend my Friday nights in my little closet of a kitchen, baking up something for all the runners who come out and do their long distance run on Saturday morning.  I am a part of this group.  And, I think we all need something to run for, when it comes down to it.  Why not a little treat…a reward for pushing through all those miles and ending up back at the coffee house where those who didn’t go as far, or perhaps ran a little faster, congregate and catch-up for a bit.

There is one member of this group of amazing people who has been having so many issues with the foods she eats.  She is currently trying the Paleo diet, but working in some of those “forbidden” foods…because she is an athlete and she needs certain things to power her through.  It’s just been a matter of seeing how her body reacts to certain things.  Have I ever been there, done that.  While most of my goodies are gluten-free (the Paleo diet is gluten-free), they haven’t always had items that she could eat.  I was determined to change that this week.

As I have donut pans that are always begging for use…I went out, purchased a small bag of coconut flour (for an ungodly amount of money) and spent the later hours of the evening making donuts for my group the following morning, using a recipe from FastPaleo.  Paleo donuts.  Donuts she could, in fact, eat.  Who would have thought?  And I made them with two of my favorite things…pumpkin and cinnamon.  Yummy!

Recipe: Paleo Cinnamon Glazed Pumpkin Donuts

Paleo Cinnamon Glazed Pumpkin Donuts
Paleo Cinnamon Glazed Pumpkin Donuts

Servings: 10
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Bake 25 minutes

Ingredients for Donuts:

  • 1 cup pumpkin
  • 2 eggs (room temperature)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice

Ingredients for Glaze:

  • 2 tablespoons coconut crystals
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions:

The Donuts:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease doughnut pan with coconut oil.

Combine all ingredients in a mixer, food processor or blender (anything works) except for the glaze.

*Note that coconut oil and maple syrup is needed for the doughnut and the glaze.  Optional ingredient if it appears too dry: 1 cup room temperature applesauce (the kind with cinnamon would rock).

Evenly distribute onto the baking pan and bake for 20 minutes.

Cool on a cooling rack.

When cool, flip over to allow them to fall off pan.
The Glaze:

Combine the coconut oil and maple syrup in a dish.

Combine the coconut crystals and the cinnamon in a bowl.

Use a pastry brush to brush the top (or all sides) of the donut and then dip it onto the dry mix.

~*~*~

It’s really that easy.  I didn’t need to add applesauce to my mixture of ingredients.  And these donuts were soft, moist, and really, really packed with flavor.  I was beyond impressed.  So was my group, apparently.  Because I ended up baking 20 of these and only 3 of them were left on Saturday morning after we all finished our runs.  And the leftover three were devoured by my roommate and I this morning for breakfast.  Even gave them a little warm-up in the microwave, as if they were fresh out of the oven.  Honestly…SUPER delicious.

One of the group was raving to me afterwards about the donuts.  It makes me happy to share something I love to make with those I enjoy being around.  And with those I know appreciate the time and effort I put into these.

My Paleo runner was not there this past week…but after this three week hiatus where I am out of town…I’ll resume my baking trend and see what I can create that will be safe for her as well.

Until then…I intend to make many many more of these donuts.  And at 104 calories and 6 grams of fat per donut…it’s a treat that is definitely worth indulging in.  Epic yum!  Try them.  You don’t have to be gluten-free or Paleo to enjoy them.  Obviously.  My running buddies proved that.  High marks and high praise all around.

Posted on

Product Review: Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans

Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans
Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans

Product: Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans – $2.99+

I love chocolate covered espresso beans.  They are little “pellets of power” as my roommate calls them.  And she couldn’t be more right.  But they have to be dark chocolate coated.  Why?  Because dark chocolate…as I stated before…is my favorite chocolate and the only one I prefer to consume.  Milk chocolate is not for me.  And white chocolate…it’s never really impressed me.  Dark chocolate, with all it’s healthy antioxidants and heart-healthy qualities is the way to go.

I still remember reading one of Dean Karnazes’ books (he is the Ultramarathon Man for those of you who are unfamiliar with the name) about running in his first ultra marathon.  He was at one of the checkpoints and he was given a slice of brownie.  What made this brownie the most amazing thing he had ever tasted…was the espresso beans that were baked inside the chocolate fudgey treat.  Runners love that extra kick that caffeine can give to their runs…and having it with a hit of chocolate is my favorite way to eat espresso beans.

Imagine my joy when I was at my local Earth Fare store and spotted the Endangered Species line of chocolate bars.  They had so many varieties on their shelves and my roommate told me to pick one.  ONE!!!!!  How was I supposed to choose?  But…I did.  And while the Dark Chocolate Bar with Blueberries was very tempting (blueberries…another super food for runners!)…I ended up selecting the Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans.

And I couldn’t be happier with my choice.  This chocolate bar ended up getting tucked away in my drawer of run goodies in my kitchen.  And, like the chocolate bars that came before it…I totally forgot that they were in there.  With sell by dates coming up…I figured now was as good a time as any to work my way through them.  A nice little sweet treat for the office day.  Perfection.  Just what I needed for that mid-afternoon pick-me-up.  With the espresso beans, that shouldn’t be a problem.

So, this past week, I opened up the bar and broke it up into 1/5 portions.  The serving size on the back indicates that the actual serving is 1/2 of the entire bar.  But I just needed a taste…not half a bar at 2 p.m.  Just saying.

Let me say this…this bar won me over at first taste.  The dark chocolate is some of the best I have ever had the chance to taste.  Rich.  Smooth.  It wasn’t too bitter at all.  Just the perfect hit of dark chocolate goodness.  And it’s the perfect percentage for dark chocolate so that it isn’t too bitter and you still know you are eating dark chocolate.  This particular bar sits pretty at 72% cocoa.  The espresso beans…oh…yeah.  Just like eating a few dark chocolate espresso beans.  That’s what this tastes like.  Caffeinated love with a hit of coffee flavor.  Color me a happy chocolate-eating girl.

This chocolate bar is certified gluten-free, vegan, uses Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa, it’s kosher, and it’s non-GMO certified.  The cacao is sourced from ethically traded  cacao farms that ensure fair trade, responsible labor practices and sustainable farming.  Are you sold on this yet?  What is even better, 10% of the net proceeds of each bar purchased are donated to help support species, habitat and humanity.  That means…indulging in a cause.  A very good and important cause.

So…this clean eating chocolate loving lady gives this bar a huge, huge thumbs up.  Honestly.  I’m totally addicted.  Maybe it’s the espresso beans.  Maybe it’s the delicious bittersweet dark chocolate.  But I’d wager it’s the combination of the two.  As far as ingredients go, this chocolate bar is made up of bittersweet chocolate, and roasted coffee.  No…really.  How’s that?  It’s sweetened from vanilla and beet sugar.  Clean eating chocolate for sure.

Nutritionally speaking, by breaking it up into 5 portions of 3 squares, I only consume 84 calories and 7 grams of fat.  But, if you were to consume the 1/2 bar (or 43 grams) listed as the actual serving size, you’d be taking in 210 calories and 17 grams of fat.  It is cholesterol-free and sodium-free.  Seriously.  And, for a chocolate bar, the 12 grams of sugar isn’t enough to make my eyes bug out of my sockets.  There is also 5 grams of filling fiber and 3 grams of protein as well.  Love it.

If you want a sweet treat without breaking up with your diet…if you just require a hit of chocolate every now and again, I highly recommend the Endangered Species brand.  Even better…if you love coffee…indulge a little in the Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans.  You won’t be sorry.  And it does give the right hit of bittersweet goodness and a little pick-me-up when you need it most.

Indulge in a cause.  Indulge in Endangered Species Chocolate.  Enjoy!

Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans (unwrapped)
Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans (unwrapped)
Posted on

Product Review: Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar

Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar
Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar

Product: Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar – $3.59+

If there is one treat (aside from peanut butter) that I allow myself on a daily basis…it’s dark chocolate.  Why?  Because I love, love, love dark chocolate.  I have never been a big fan of the mild milk chocolate…and white chocolate…that’s not even chocolate.  Dark chocolate has and will always be my one true chocolate love.  I blame my mom for this…as she was a dark chocolate fiend when we were growing up.  I guess I do get some of my best traits from mom!

Anyway…I had a stash of these Dark Chocolate Dream dark chocolate bars in my drawer at home.  I got them when a local store put them on closeout…as if they were going away forever.  At the discounted price…I couldn’t let them get away without me trying them.  Right?  Right!

Well…I forgot I had them.  *hangs head in shame*

No…really…I forgot.  I FORGOT I HAD DARK CHOCOLATE IN MY HOME!!  What in the world is wrong with me??!  Anyway, I uncovered them not too long ago, as I was digging for a protein bar to take with me in case a restaurant didn’t have food for me.  It was like uncovering treasure.  A stash of like…six dark chocolate bars.  All different.  All just waiting to be devoured…savored…or whatever.

Working my way through them…the other day, without a dessert plan in mind after dinner (dessert is important…it must happen and it always does in my home!), I remembered that I had a Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar in that drawer…and in my pantry…Marshmallow Fluff and some gluten-free graham crackers.  Do you see where I am going with this?

S’MORES!

I mean…gluten-free s’mores for dessert?!  Brilliant, yes?  Absolutely!

So, I went to the drawer and dug out the Pure Dark bar.  Prior to this, I had a couple other Dark Chocolate Dream Dark Chocolate Bars…the Raspberry and the Rice Crunch.  I broke off two of the squares for the s’more, retrieved the gluten-free graham crackers from the pantry and the fluff.  One graham cracker got the bit of chocolate placed onto it…the other one…layered with Marshmallow Fluff.  I took my kitchen torch (yes…I have my own kitchen torch) and toasted up the fluff before sandwiching them together for the perfect gluten-free (and vegetarian) S’more.

One bite…and I knew I was in Pure Dark heaven.  Because the star of the s’mores was not the toasted fluff (although that is delicious) or the gluten-free graham crackers.  No…the star is that hit of bittersweetness that can only come from amazing dark chocolate.  This chocolate is rich…which meant it was the perfect thing to pair with the sweet fluff and the salty-sweet graham crackers.  It just brought balance to everything.  And…the Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar is simply that…dark chocolate.  Nothing else.  Just solid dark chocolate.  And…yes…it is amazing.  Let’s not forget, dark chocolate is actually considered healthy and good for you.  It is loaded with antioxidants and heart healthy stuff.

So…what is this amazing Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar made from?  According to the wrapper, the Pure Dark bar from Dark Chocolate Dreams contains evaporated cane juice, unsweetened chocolate, roasted soy flour, soy lecithin, cocoa powder, pure vanilla extract.

As for the nutritional value.  Well…it’s chocolate.  Need I say more?

But for those genuinely interested…one serving of the Dark Chocolate Dreams Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar is 1/2 of the bar.  That would be four squares.  This serving would provide you with 240 calories and 14 grams of fat.  This is why I only do one square at a time…which works out to 60 calories and 6 grams of fat.  Regardless…let’s say you really needed chocolate that day…so you went with half the bar.  This would also provide you with 15 mg sodium, 23 grams of sugar, 1 gram of fiber, and 3 grams of protein.  So…all-in-all…not too bad.  Not great.  But, this is to be a treat.  I recommend 1 square a day…not half the entire bar.  Much more manageable.  Oh, and you get to enjoy it longer too.

Dark Chocolate Dreams has really impressed me.  Honestly.  I have enjoyed all three of the dark chocolate bars that I had in my drawer.  Each one had something different about it that sort of set it apart from the others.  But for the simple love of something dark chocolate and sweet…I highly recommend the Pure Dark bar.  It doesn’t get much better than the original.

Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar (unwrapped)
Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar (unwrapped)
Posted on

Product Review: Vanilla Chex Gluten-Free Cereal

General Mills' Vanilla Chex Gluten-Free Cereal
General Mills’ Vanilla Chex Gluten-Free Cereal

Product: General Mills’ Vanilla Chex Gluten-Free Cereal – $3.29+

It’s been awhile since Chex cereal came into my pantry.  Honestly.  While I have previously touted it as one of the more affordable gluten-free cereals, the fact of the matter is that some of the ingredients just don’t fit into my lifestyle anymore.  While I’m not doing Clean Eating 100%…where I can cut out the processed food and the additives and such that I don’t need to be consuming…well, I cut them out.  There are better, healthier cereals out there.  Yes…I might have to pay a little more for them, but I feel better about the ingredients.  Peace of mind.

That being said, I also know that since I heard about the newest and latest Chex cereal flavor…and that it was one of their gluten-free options…I did want to try it.  I didn’t really go searching for it, but one day while in a local grocery store, I spotted a couple boxes on sale…mostly because the boxes were dented.  Hell, I don’t care what the box looks like.  As long as the inner packaging is still sealed…

So, into my arms came General Mills’ Vanilla Chex Gluten-Free Cereal.  And home it went in a grocery bag.  I put it into the pantry, as I was polishing off an all natural chocolate cereal at the time (which was SUPER yum!).  But yesterday was the big day for the Vanilla Chex.  I had used up the last of my previous cereal and this one was about to have its moment to shine.  It had a few spoonfuls to win me over.  So, I wished it luck and poured out a serving of the cereal, snatching a few pieces to try dry before adding my unsweetened almond milk to the mix.

First of all, this cereal, as with the other flavored varieties of Chex cereals, is a blend of regular Rice Chex, and then the flavor-dusted cubes.  The vanilla variety has this dusting of a sugary-sweet vanilla powder on them.  My first taste, without the almond milk, was not one to win me over.  While the flavor is awesome…think…Rice Krispies meet Nilla Wafers…it was really, really, really sweet.  I mean…SWEET!  And I love sweets.  This was almost a little too sweet though.  And it’s not often you’ll hear me say that.  Trust me.

I was about to head to the gym for an hour of cardio and strength training, so I hoped that the almond milk tamped down the sugary-sweet flavor and also prayed that it wouldn’t revisit me after the workout.  I poured in a splash of almond milk and settled in for breakfast.

Adding the milk helped.  Probably because some of that vanilla sugar on the squares washed off and into the milk.  That was fine.  It definitely made the cereal easier to eat.  And it really, for the life of me, tasted like I was eating a bowl full of Rice Krispie treats.  Now, I love Rice Krispie treats (thank you gluten-free Rice Krispies) as much as the next person…but I like them in moderation.  And this serving feels almost too big (though it is a standard serving) given the sweetness factor of this particular variety of the Chex cereal.

So…for me…this one is okay…but I’d rather snatch up the Honey Nut or Cinnamon or Chocolate varieties first.  This one…while good…just was…too much for one sitting.

But, as always, I have to break this down for you.  Why doesn’t Chex Cereal come into my house much anymore?  Well, it’s this little additive called BHT.  This version also has a lot of sugary ingredients, including sugar, fructose, and molasses.  No wonder it tastes like a never-ending dose of Rice Krispie Treats.

As for the nutritional information, a serving of Vanilla Chex is 3/4 cup, which will provide you with 120 calories and 2 grams of fat.  In addition, this cereal is cholesterol-free and only contains 190 mg of sodium.  For being so sweet, the fact that it contains only 8 grams of sugar is shocking…but that’s what the nutrition panel tells me.  Finally, you will be consuming a scant amount of fiber and very only 1 gram of protein, so expect to feel hungry soon after you eat it.

For a sugar rush or an occasional treat, I think Vanilla Chex would be a good stand-in for something.  I also think it would rock some gluten-free Muddy Buddies and the like.  But as a cereal I found it way too sweet for my liking.  So, now that I’ve tried it…I’ll polish off the box and move on to the next gluten-free cereal to come my way.

It’s good.  It’s just too sweet for me.  That’s all.

Posted on

Product Review: Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

Product: Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix – $5.99+

Cookies.

We all know by now that I am obsessed with cookies.  I love them.  I’m a human cookie monster.  Or…at least I was…back when eating cookies was easier for me.  After the Celiac diagnosis, that had to change.  Sort of.

There is absolutely no small amount of gluten-free cookies out on the market.  Not just the pre-made and pre-packaged stuff…but mixes are out there…and even refrigerated tubs of gluten-free dough.  Nope…gluten-free cookies are abundant throughout the marketplace.  And I have probably consumed a majority of the ones that are offered.

Somewhere along the way, I acquired a box of Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix.  I mean…if you’re going to prove that a cookie has potential, then you have to go with the classic chocolate chip variety.  I haven’t met someone who doesn’t enjoy a chocolate chip cookie.  So, when choosing a cookie (gluten-free or otherwise), always go chocolate chip.  ALWAYS!

I don’t remember where I got this mix…but I had it in the pantry for a long while.  I know…shocker.  But…I was in the mood to bake the other night.  And, you see, I belong to this fantastic group of runners who meet up every Monday and run together.  A couple weeks back, I made a gluten-free Minion (from Despicable Me) cake.  So, I figured…why not treat them to something nice after a good run?  Normally I would make these from scratch, using my mom’s famous recipe from when I was a kid.  But…I was short on time that evening.  So, I dug out this mix and simply got to making it.

First of all…super simple to make.  I mean…easy-peasy!!  I love making cookies (even gluten-free ones) from scratch…but since I had this and it was so convenient…I figured…just do it.  The mix went into my KitchenAid mixer along with 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter (room temperature) and 3 tablespoons of vegetable shortening.  It got mixed up until it was crumbly and incorporated.  One egg gets added and it mixes on low until the dough starts to come together.  I ended up adding 1 tablespoon of water to mine before it really started to come together.  I kneaded the dough with my hands for a moment more until it was stiff and slightly crumbly.  Perfect.

One tablespoon for each cookie…that was the plan.  I managed to rock out 24 cookies…and still had dough leftover.  But my roomie is a dough fiend and asked if after I filled up the second baking sheet if she could have what was left…if there was any.  I agreed.  And she enthusiastically devoured the raw dough…saying it tasted really amazing.

Into the oven the cookies went for about 12 minutes.  I watched them carefully, waiting for them to start to get that golden brown color to them.  I removed them just as they were beginning to get golden so I would have a chewier cookie.  I prefer a little crust on the outside with a chewy cookie.  It’s my favorite way to enjoy a cookie.  So that’s what I was going for.

And I succeeded.  The cookies were a huge hit.  And I loved the size of them.  They were two to three-bite cookies, perfect for a simple snack after a run.  In fact, the cookies are what got some of the runners up the hill at the very end of the run.  “If I run this entire hill…I can have a cookie.”  Hey…anything to get through, right?  RIGHT!!  Everyone gave me their opinions and all of it was positive.  Quite a few people in the group are gluten-free…but there are others who are not.  And they said you couldn’t even tell they were gluten-free.  They had that savory hit of saltiness to them…the sweetness from the chocolate…and this chewy, but slightly-dense texture to them.  They were almost the perfect chocolate chip cookie.  But they baked up beautifully and they were really, really enjoyed by all who ran.  Some even took 2…or even 3.  WIN!

Heartland Gourmet is a family operated business that understands that time together with family is important.  This is why they offer healthy, wholesome, and delicious gluten-free, gourmet, and organic baking mixes and kits.  Why?  Because it gets your treats cooking without taking away time from your family.  Even better…get your loved ones to help you make something special.

Now…the science of it all.  The Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix is made up of a gluten-free flour mix (rice flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, xanthan gum), granulated sugar, medium brown sugar, chocolate chips, vanilla, non-fat dry milk, salt, baking soda and butter.

A serving is 1/4 cup of the dry mix, which is about 130 calories.  Each serving contains 1 gram of fat, 65 mg sodium, 22 grams of sugar, 1 gram of fiber, and 1 gram of protein.  So…treat it like a treat.  No need to over-indulge.  The entire point of making bite-size cookies was to satisfy the sweet tooth without sabotaging the hard work that goes into keeping the body fit and healthy.

Heartland Gourmet really bakes up traditional, yet very delicious gluten-free goodies.  Their gluten-free chocolate chip cookies are amazing and definitely need to be shared.  No one would be able to tell they were gluten-free.  Honestly.  They are really that good.  Chewy, delicious…and somewhat healthy.  Heartland Gourmet is, as their box says…naturally good.

Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Posted on

Recipe: Gluten-Free Peach Almond Muffins

Every Saturday ushers in my long run.  Some weeks I go longer than others.  It all depends on my training plan.  Usually, whenever possible, I like to treat the runners from my Saturday morning clan, to something rewarding at the end of their efforts.  We all, as small groups, run different mileage, or different paces, so I usually have my roommate over at the coffee shop we meet at afterwards with their treats.

As I had four beautiful, amazing peaches from my CSA bin this past week, I really wanted to make something with them.  And it just so happened, that the week prior, I stumbled across an amazing looking recipe from one of my favorite blogs – Two Peas & Their Pod.

All I had to do was modify it to make it gluten-free.  Not so hard when you have a fantastic gluten-free all-purpose flour.  So, later than planned, on Friday night, I turned on my oven, got out the KitchenAid mixer…and got to baking.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Peach Almond Muffins

Servings: 18
Time: Prep 15 minutes; Bake 20 minutes

Gluten-Free Peach Almond Muffins
Gluten-Free Peach Almond Muffins


Ingredients:

For the Muffins:

  • 2-1/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (I used Better Batter)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground all spice
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1-1/4 cups diced peeled peaches

For the Almond Streusel Topping:

  • 1/4 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (I used Better Batter)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup sliced almonds
Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.Line 14 muffin cups with paper liners or grease the cups.  Set pan aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.  Set aside.In a small bowl, whisk together egg, canola oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and almond extract.Pour liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix gently with a spatula.  Mix until just combined.

Gently stir in the peaches.

To make the almond streusel topping, in a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter.  Mix with your hands until you have a crumbly mixture.  It is ok to have pea size chunks of butter.  Mix in the sliced almonds.

Pour muffin batter evenly into prepared muffin cups.

Sprinkle the almond streusel topping on top of the muffins.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.  Let muffins cool to room temperature and serve.

~*~*~

These little muffins did surprise me.  Because when I snagged one fresh from the oven…split it in half…and taste tested it…I couldn’t really tell that it had much flavor.  So, I wasn’t exactly sure that they won me over.  My roommate said she really thought it tasted good and encouraged me to go ahead with the plan to package them up and share with my running group.

I am so glad I did, because everyone had high comments on them.  I was part of the last group getting back (I ran 16 miles, but the heat and humidity were killer…so it took a little longer), and everyone was finishing up their coffee and post-run refueling.  And I saw quite a few muffin wrappers on the plates.  Everyone thanked me for them and said they were delicious!  Hmm…

Fact is, I do think these muffins are even better on the following day.  Give all the flavors a chance to sit and soak into the muffin itself.  Because when I had mine…it was fantastic.  A little denser than I usually like my muffins, but the streusel topping was awesome and the peaches were really complimented by the different spices that were mixed throughout.

I’d make this again in a heartbeat.

So, if you love peaches and you love muffins…I encourage you to give this recipe a try.  Super delicious.  Runner approved.

Posted on

Product Review: Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream

Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream
Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream

Product: Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream – $5.99+

I have to give some major props to my favorite local grocery store in my area – Earth Fare.  What I love about Earth Fare is the deals that they have every now and again…especially over the weekends.  Because if it wasn’t for some of those deals, I wouldn’t have even thought about getting some products that are offered.

This past weekend, the special deal going on was for a brand of ice cream that I never even noticed before.  It’s a brand from New York (the Brooklyn area) known as Phin & Phebes.  And in my area, only Earth Fare carries it.  The deal was…for a if you spent $5 at Earth Fare, you could get a pint of Phin & Phebes ice cream (any flavor) for $1.  With one thing in my cart I had already spent that much…so…I went to the freezer and eyed a few options.  I already had banana ice cream from my local ice cream shoppe (YAY COMFY COW!) in my freezer, so I didn’t want to get the pint of Banana Whama Ice Cream.  It turned out I couldn’t anyway…because it had vanilla wafers in it.  So…good call.

Other flavors that I could find included Coconut Key Lime…which would have been like a key lime pie.  I couldn’t have that one either…due to the graham cracker chunks throughout that.  There was Ginger Cookie Snap…which is ginger flavored ice cream with ginger cookies and lemon icing filling.  Again…one I couldn’t have.  I was starting to think my roommate was going to be the one benefiting from this deal…not me.  I kept looking…finding Vietnamese Iced Coffee flavor, which was one I could have…as it was simply coffee flavored ice cream with a hint of chicory and cardamom.  But…I knew Cathy disliked coffee ice cream.  This left…as far as I could tell…Vanilla Cinnamon…which is what I ended up grabbing.  It was simply vanilla ice cream blended with Vietnamese cinnamon.  I could tell Cathy was less than thrilled, so I almost said I’d get the banana one and she could have that while I ate the one from The Comfy Cow that was in our freezer…but didn’t bother.  We put it in the cart and moved along.

Then…as we were perusing the freezer section just before heading to the checkout counter…I spotted it.  I spotted ONE LAST PINT of what had to be the best flavor EVER of Phin & Phebes Ice Cream.  It was all they had left so I grabbed the Vanilla Cinnamon from the cart, threw it into the freezer and snatched the last pint of…DARK CHOCOLATE SALTY CARAMEL.  It was like it was meant to be.  I love dark chocolate.  And salty caramel anything grabs my attention.  We called it a day and checked out.

Later that week…for two days…we each got to enjoy the awesome, awesome, awesome flavor of this ice cream.

Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream ice cream is just what it sounds like.  Dark chocolate ice cream that has been sprinkled with salty caramel to create this uber rich, satisfying, and super-delicious treat.  After dinner, I went to retrieve the pint from the freezer and dished up a serving (the standard 1/2 cup) for my roommate.  I handed the bowl off to her and she dug in.  I heard her say, “OMG!  OMG!”  I was like…”What?”  And she said…”BEST ICE CREAM EVER!”  Or something to that affect.  She told me she wanted to see me take a first taste because she was having a hard time not hoovering hers.  The reluctance to have a brain freeze was what kept her in check, I think.

So, my bowl now held a perfect 1/2 cup serving.  The pint was returned to the freezer and I settled in to have my first taste.  One bite…and it was a done deal.  Whenever this flavor was in stock…it had to be in my shopping cart and then in my freezer.  Holy cow!!  This flavor is kept in balance by the perfect blend of rich, smooth dark chocolate ice cream with the salty, slightly sweet caramel.  I mean…perfect balance.  It was everything an ice cream should be.  It was…it was a blend of my two favorite flavors from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream in Columbus, Ohio.  Right there.  In one pint.  It was heaven.  It was delicious.  It was worth savoring…but not too much because ice cream soup is not as much fun as ice cream.  I immediately tweeted to my friend Jenn and told her she needed to venture to the other side of town to their Earth Fare and just snag a pint of it.  She wouldn’t be sorry.  It had to happen.  That’s how much I loved it.

This treat…is certainly a treat.  A dessert among desserts.  And sometimes…the taste and flavor is enough to negate any thought of how non-nutritional it really is.  I mean…it’s ice cream!!!  Live a little.  But…as always, I like to share the nutritional information with my readers.  A serving of Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream, which as mentioned is 1/2 cup, dishes up 230 calories and 14 grams of fat.  So as tempting as it is to make it an every night sort of thing…DON’T DO IT!  It’s fine every now and again.  And worth it too.  Also, you will be scooping up 500 mg sodium and 20 grams of sugar.  In addition, you’ll get 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein.

So…for a treat on a week when dark chocolate and salty caramel goodness is the only thing that is going to make life better…I highly, highly recommend Phin & Phebes brand.  The Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream is a total WIN in my book.  It does everything right.  It tastes amazing.  And…oh…it’s simply…the best.

You’ll want to lick the bottom of the bowl.  Trust me.

NOTE: On the Web site, there is one further flavor listed that I didn’t see at all.  Again, this wouldn’t be one I could indulge in, but it is Peanutty Pretzel, which is peanut butter ice cream with chocolate covered pretzels.

A serving of Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream
A serving of Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream
Posted on

Product Review: Glutino Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks

Glutino Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks
Glutino Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks

Product: Glutino Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks – $5.59+

Glutino, Glutino, Glutino.

How I love you.  How I love you and your clever name.  How I love you and your delicious products.  I don’t think I’ve met a product of yours that I haven’t liked as of yet, and that’s in the 2 year span that I’ve had to go gluten-free.

Back when this whole journey began, one of the first products that really stood out to me was the Glutino Gluten-Free Pretzel Twists.  I remember having picked them up at the grocery store to take to work with me for an afternoon snack.  One bite, and I knew that I’d be okay being gluten-free.  The pretzel twists were even better than regular pretzels.  And I was forever hooked on the Glutino brand.

Somehow, however, through all of this, I never got back to purchasing other Glutino pretzels.  Because at the time…they also had pretzel sticks out on the market.  Why I never bothered to get them, despite being totally over-the-moon for the pretzel twists…I will never know.  But thanks to a Manager’s Special at my local grocery store…two years later…that changed.

And yesterday…yesterday was my first taste of Glutino Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks.

Glutino spells L-O-V-E when it comes to their products.  Because these products definitely love me and I totally love these products back.  Case in point are these pretzel sticks.

So, I’m sitting at my desk…and the 3 p.m. munchies are striking.  With a stomach rumbling, I reach into my drawer and pull out my portioned serving of Glutino Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks.  I remove one, and take one crunchy bite.  SMOOTH.  It has this great buttery taste to it.  It’s salty, but not overdone.  And they are so light.  Sometimes regular pretzels could feel a bit heavy, and the consistency of them more doughy (as in crunchy doughy not soft pretzel doughy…just thought I’d clear that up!) than anything else.  Not these.  Nope…Glutino definitely hit the nail on the head when it came to designing and making their amazing Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks.  I couldn’t stop myself.  I wanted to savor my snack, but my fingers kept reaching for another one and another one.  I shared one with not only my roommate, but also my co-worker (who loves to hate on gluten-free products).  Cathy loved the flavor and said we’d have to make sure we kept Glutino pretzels in the pantry.  My co-worker…who I know wanted to hate it…she did…couldn’t.  She looked at me, nodding her head, and said, “I like these better than regular pretzels.”  YES!!  When I can win over this person with gluten-free stuff, I always feel like the company was successful with the product.  I’d call this a major WIN for Glutino.

And yes…the Pretzel Sticks really are that delicious.

Let’s talk ingredients and nutrition, shall we?  Pretzels are definitely a snack, but one of the healthier choices, I believe, when it comes to products on the market.  As far as what goes into these sticks of delicious salty wonder…corn starch, potato starch, palm oil, sugar, sea salt, cellulose gum, soy lecithin, baking soda, yeast extract, sodium acid pyrophosphate, citric acid, and sodium hydroxide.  So…some normal sounding ingredients and some that make you go…”What am I eating?”  Clean eating this isn’t…but it’s one of the treats I allowed myself this week.

As for nutrition facts, a serving is around 33 sticks or about 30 grams (because we all know I weigh my food to be more accurate).  This serving will provide you with 140 calories and 6 grams of fat.  I hate that the fat count is so high, but again, this is a treat and a snack I don’t have all the time.  And, a lot of gluten-free products tend to be higher in fat than regular.  Most regular pretzels are…fat free.  I feel a little gypped here on the nutrition scale.  UGH!  Anyway…pushing beyond that, these have 420 mg sodium per serving and less than 1 gram of sugar.  That’s standard when compared to brands of regular pretzels.  You get no fiber or protein from these pretzels either…so while they are delicious, do not expect them to quell your hunger for long.

Bummer.

So…Glutino wins for sure on taste, texture, flavor…and overall awesomeness of their Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks.  However, as far as the nutrition value goes…they feel like a bit of a letdown.  But…when it comes to gluten-free snacks, this is definitely one of the better choices.  Not only are they packed with amazing flavor, but they are light, they are delicious…and as long as you don’t sit down with the entire bag and devour them all in one sitting…not horrible on the nutrition aspect.  I will give them that.

Glutino…keep on giving me and others in the gluten-free community so many amazing products and I can guarantee we will continue to come back to you.  I’m a repeat offender when it comes to buying products with the Glutino brand name on it.  And I’m not ashamed to admit it.

I can’t wait to dive into another serving of the Glutino Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks this afternoon.  Maybe I’ll take time to savor them this afternoon.  Or maybe I won’t be able to contain myself again.

Either way…I’ll definitely enjoy!

Posted on

Rice Crunch puts a new bite into my Dark Chocolate Dream chocolate bar

Dark Chocolate Dream Rice Crunch Chocolate Bar
Dark Chocolate Dream Rice Crunch Chocolate Bar

Product: Dark Chocolate Dream Rice Crunch Chocolate Bar – $3.59+

Chocolate is my favorite sweet indulgence.  Really.

And not just chocolate.  Dark chocolate.  I dislike milk chocolate.  And white chocolate is…not really chocolate.  Dark chocolate.  That’s where it is for me.  I love that bittersweet, rich, deep flavor that dark chocolate offers up.  I love how it literally will coat my taste buds and I will just let anything dark chocolate melt slowly.  It makes the indulgence last even longer.

A while back, my roommate picked up a few Dark Chocolate Dream chocolate bars from the local grocery store.  They were on closeout, so in a panic we bought pretty much one of everything.  I tucked these away in a drawer and forgot all about them…until recently.  So, now I’ve been working my way through these chocolate treats…before they expire and all that good stuff.

I’ve been given a plan by sports nutritionist to move toward a clean eating diet.  And while most would not consider chocolate to fit into that…I like to point out the health benefits of dark chocolate.  It’s good for your heart because it has been shown it can help lower blood pressure.  It helps improve cognitive function in your brain by increasing blood flow to your brain.  In fact…it’s been shown to help reduce the risk of stroke.  It’s a mood booster.  It is full of antioxidants.  Oh, and dark chocolate has high concentrations of potassium, copper, magnesium, and iron.  NICE!

So this week, the drawer held a couple of choices, but I opted for the Dark Chocolate Dream Rice Crunch Chocolate Bar.  Why?  Well…while I did enjoy the Enjoy Life’s Boom CHOCO Boom Ricemilk Crunch was good and filled with the crunchy rice bits for that added oomph…it sort of had this chalkiness to it.

Dark Chocolate Dreams Rice Crunch Chocolate Bar does offer up a better alternative.  Honestly.  While the puffed rice isn’t as prevalent as it was in the Enjoy Life version, the crispiness is definitely throughout the entire bar.  In other words, you take a bite…and it’s like biting into a Nestles Crunch bar all over again.  But safe.  And made with dark chocolate.  Oh…and I should mention that this dark chocolate bar is vegan as well.

The Dark Chocolate Dream Rice Crunch chocolate bars are made with simple ingredients which include all of the following: evaporated cane juice, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, roasted soy flour, puffed wild rice, soy lecithin, pure vanilla extract.  No fake chemicals, no preservatives, nothing that you need to look up in order to figure out what it is you are eating exactly.  Nothing like that.  Everything is pure and real.  Real food…real chocolate.  I love it already.

As for nutrition…well…I remind you that this is a chocolate bar.  So, do mind your servings.  For me, I take one square with me to work, which equals out to 60 calories and 4 grams of fat.  That’s not bad for one square of chocolate.  But, the serving size for this treat is usually half of the chocolate bar.  This serving will provide you with 240 calories and 14 grams of fat.  The serving only kicks in 15 mg of sodium, which isn’t bad.  However, remember…this is a treat and this is a sweet…and chocolate is still high in sugars.  1/2 of the bar will give you a huge dose of 23 grams of sugar.  Aside from that, you will be provided with 1 gram of fiber and 3 grams of protein.

But…the flavor.  The flavor is what does it.  I love to savor my chocolate.  A nibble here…another there.  And that’s the way I eat this one.  The dark chocolate has that bittersweet flavor to it…which is amazing and delicious.  I love how it melts against my tongue, and that hit of dark chocolate just lingers…and then, as I bite into it…the crunch from the puffed rice.  It’s one of the best things in the world, which is why I think Nestles Crunch bars sell so well.  Crunchy, smooth, rich, dark…it’s the best of everything.  And I for one love every tasty bite.

Not all chocolate bars are created equal.  And not all chocolate bars are gluten-free.  Thanks to Dark Chocolate Dream…I can still eat a Rice Crunch bar and savor it with the even more flavorful taste of dark chocolate.  Well done!!

Dark Chocolate Dream Rice Crunch Chocolate Bar (unwrapped)
Dark Chocolate Dream Rice Crunch Chocolate Bar (unwrapped)