Snacks – Page 37 – The Celiathlete

December 14, 2012December 14, 2012

Enjoy Life’s Very Berry Chewy On-The-Go Bar a tasteless, cardboard-like disappointment

Enjoy Life Very Berry Chewy On-The-Go Bars

Product: Enjoy Life Very Berry Chewy On-The-Go Bar – $4.29+

Oh…Enjoy Life. What went wrong here? All other products I have tried, you’ve hit out of the ballpark…and then…with this one…you completely strike out. I love you as a company, and I have always loved and spoken highly of your products, but this…this was just bad.

No. It was disgusting. It was horrendous. It was a complete misstep in the way gluten-free products should be represented on the market. The Very Berry Chewy On-The-Go Bar should have been good. But it reminded me of the cardboard-like taste and texture of gluten-free products years ago…before gluten-free became more prevalent in society and the quality of such items improved tremendously.

Now, I love snack bars as much as the next person…so when Big Lots had these on sale, I snatched up a box. I mean…I love Enjoy Life’s granola, cookies, seed & fruit mixes, Plentils, and chocolate bars. For real. LOVE. In addition, I was quite happy with the Cocoa Loco and Sunbutter Crunch Chewy Bars that I had prior to this one. So, I was quite excited about picking up the Very Berry and the Caramel Apple variety. Although, now that I think back, my mom might have tried the Caramel Apple snack bar and told me to steer clear of it because it was “no good at all.” Hmmm.

Anyway, with these in my pantry, I decided today would be a good day to open them up and take one to work for my afternoon snack. I was on a bit of a roll with the snack bars, having just devoured (and thoroughly enjoyed) Lärabar Über Apple Turnover bars. Something berry flavored would be quite welcome and refreshing. So, into my lunchbox it went. And when my 3 pm snack time rolled around, I removed this from my desk drawer and prepared to enjoy it.

Enjoy Life Very Berry Chewy On-The-Go Bar

I was rather anticipating greatness with this. When I tore into the wrapper the entire office flooded with the scent of fresh berries. Honestly. Even my teammate who I share an office with asked what I just opened up because it smelled good. I told her…and then went ahead and took a bite.

My teammate glanced over and said, “I have never seen you make that face before.”

Yeah, there have been products that I have tried that I haven’t been thrilled with…but this was just awful. Tasteless. Texture was horrible. And the flavor just was…gross. The entire thing was an abomination of gluten-free snacks. It reminds me of the first time I ate a gluten-free product, years and years and years ago…just to see what it meant…and was totally unhappy with the flavor and texture. And that…that is exactly what this reminded me of. There aren’t a lot of things that I will throw away after I purchase it…but these are hitting the garbage the instant I get home. I don’t even know if I want to risk the Caramel Apple variety.

So, Enjoy Life…I don’t know what to do with you. Love you for some things…cringe with other things. But these Very Berry Chewy On-The-Go Bars were one of my least favorite things I have ever eaten since I had to go gluten-free. That’s no exaggeration. There are so many other companies out there that are doing gluten-free snack bars justice. You…my dear Enjoy Life…company that keeps the top 8 food allergens out of their products…you should be able to step up to those standards and provide the gluten-free community with something tasty and berry delicious.

I’m really let down by this product…and in turn…let down by you. I know you are capable of so much better. Come on, Enjoy Life…time to revamp the product…start fresh…and this time…make it taste good!

Enjoy Life Very Berry On-The-Go Chewy Bar (unwrapped)

December 11, 2012

Julie’s Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich a gluten-free frozen treat…with a cherry on top

Julie's Organic Gluten-Free Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies — Julie’s Organic Gluten-Free Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies

Julie’s Organic Gluten-Free Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwich Cookie – $5.99+

I didn’t know they existed until I was wandering down the frozen food aisle of my local Earth Fare grocery store. I was just glancing in and out of the freezers, looking for something…anything…that might catch my eye. Something that might be gluten-free. Maybe. If I prayed really hard and closed my eyes…maybe it would be so.

Or something to that affect…just less dramatic.

The fact of the matter was, I was at the grocery store and as I was searching the aisles, I stumbled across two new flavors of gluten-free ice cream sandwiches from Julie’s. Thrilled? Yes. Ecstatic? Very much. Did I buy them? OF COURSE!

And then…the reality of my overflowing gluten-free pantry hit…and I didn’t get to eat them. Not right away. Not until two nights ago, in fact. Thank goodness there was no freezer burn on them. I would have cried had it been so.

The Cherry Cheesecake Sandwich Cookies are amazing. No…they really are. Picture with me, if you will…two chocolate sandwich cookies (manufactured by Glutenfreeda…so they are gluten-free) that are packed…literally packed full of cherry cheesecake ice cream. If that sounds amazing to you, then let me tell you…this is not a figment of my overactive foodie imagination. No, my friends. This reality was brought to life by Julie’s Organic Ice Cream.

Cherry and chocolate is a fantastic combination as it is, but this ice cream sandwich brings out the best of everything sweet that I love. Cherries…check. Cheesecake…check. Chocolate…check. Ice cream…check. Totally gluten-free too. Which means…I get ice cream sandwiches!!

I had been previously blown away by the taste, texture, and awesomeness of the original (chocolate gluten-free cookies with vanilla ice cream) ice cream sandwiches and the Lemon Yogurt Ice Cream Sandwiches (lemon yogurt between vanilla gluten-free cookies). So, I figured this one had a lot to live up to. But…I have a lot of faith in these products as they have not only impressed me, but impressed my friends who can eat regular ice cream sandwiches. So much that they prefer these instead!

The Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwich Cookie is a mouthful to say…but it’s a delight to eat. Honestly. I love the way the soft chocolate cookie melts away with the delicious and smooth cherry cheesecake ice cream. Totally wowed by this flavor. The lemon is still my favorite thus far…but this one is a very close second. It was like biting into a cheesecake with a chocolate crust. It brought back so many delicious and amazing memories. I can’t wait to devour the other one waiting for me in the freezer.

As far as sweet, ice-creamy snacks go, the nutrition information on this one isn’t too bad. One ice cream sandwich will set you back 200 calories and 9 grams of fat. That’s not bad for an ice cream sandwich. And, let me tell you, it is worth every creamy, dreamy calorie. For real.

Search high and low for these at your local grocery store…and if you don’t see them, see if the store can order them in. Trust me…you’ll want to take a bite out of these…and then polish it off. It’s hard to eat just one.

Julie's Organic Gluten-Free Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwich Cookie (unwrapped) — Julie’s Organic Gluten-Free Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwich Cookie (unwrapped)

December 11, 2012

No pastry shell needed for Lärabar Über Apple Turnover bar

Product: Lärabar Über Apple Turnover – $1.99

All the taste of an apple turnover without the guilt-laden pastry shell. I kid you not.

Welcome to the wonderful new line from Lärabar. In early 2012, Lärabar launched their new line of protein bars – the Über. In four flavors, this product combined sweet and salty flavors of classic desserts and brought them into bar form. No joke.

And after a 10 mile run the other day, I was hungry and needing something to satisfy my stomach while I went to an eye appointment before getting a late lunch. I happened to pick up one of each flavor of the Lärabar Über bars on Manager’s Special at my local grocery store. Super sale on a product that is gluten-free…yeah, I’ll buy that. And since they had an abundance of each flavor on the market, I grabbed one of each. The Über bars are available in Apple Turnover, Bananas Foster, Cherry Cobbler, and Fruit and Nut Roll.

First up, by the scientific method of grabbing the box in front…was the Lärabar Über Apple Turnover Bar.

Lärabar is known for making their products strictly from fruit, nuts, and spices/seasoning. That holds true with the Über bars. In fact, the Apple Turnover variety has 9 ingredients in them. That’s it. And they are all things you could find in your pantry. It’s true. They are composed of walnuts, dried apples, brown rice syrup, raisins, dates, pecans, honey, sea salt, and cinnamon. That’s it. Nothing unrecognizable. Defintiely not made up of chemicals that you’d have to Google to figure out what they were (if you dared!) or something completely unpronounceable and unknown to anyone but a chemist. I love that about Lärabar. What you see is what you get.

The Lärabar Über Apple Turnover bar contains only 190 calories for the entire bar. It contains 11 grams of fat, but is very low in sodium (125 mg) and serves up 3 grams of protein. Not too bad, overall.

The best part…the Apple Turnover bar tastes just like an apple turnover would. Seriously! It’s fantastic. The combination of dried fruits, nuts, and seasonings really lend that illusion that you are eating a sinful pastry. But you’re doing it at a fraction of the calories and fat. Honestly, you won’t even miss the flaky, fattening pastry crust. I fell in love with it at first bite. And so did my roommate. We both agreed that the apple flavor is there, without dominating. All of the ingredients get their time to shine, and when they are together…you really feel like you’re sitting down to a fantastic pastry. Just…without the guilt. Love that.

These bars are soft, chewy, and provide a hint of sweet/salty flavor to each bite. Not to mention, the Apple Turnover Über bar is gluten-free, dairy free, soy free, made from all-natural ingredients, vegan, kosher, non-GMO, has no added sulfites and no preservatives, fillers or colorings. It’s wholesome and all natural and for that, I feel confident continuing to purchase products from Lärabar. Not only do they fit my dietary needs, but they are delicious as well.

If you love to indulge in a dessert but want to do so without the guilt, I recommend the Lärabar Über Apple Turnover bar. And if you are gluten-free…I also recommend this variety. Honestly, you won’t even miss the pastry crust. Just indulge in the moment and savor every bite.

Lärabar…the Apple Turnover bar is Über delicious!

December 10, 2012

Another Lärabar treat with Apple Pie flavored bar

Product: Lärabar Apple Pie – $1.99+

It seems apple pie is everywhere these days. I guess it just comes with the time of year. Apples are always in season, but so many people associate them with the fall/winter. It is, after all, the height of apple cider time. And I do love apple cider. Heck, I just love apples. One of my favorite desserts is apple crisp, after all.

That being said, yesterday was another race morning. Nothing big. No reason to cream an entire protein bar down my throat before the run. Thankfully, I have a bunch of Lärabar mini bars still in my run-snack drawer. And the next one up just happened to be…Apple Pie.

I packed this away in my bag to take with me to eat an hour before the short 4K run. After all, the race wasn’t long…but I knew the cereal I ate when I woke up wouldn’t last through to the 9:00 a.m. start time. I always come prepared with a bar on race days now. There is nothing worse than standing at that starting line and hearing your stomach rumble. Or worse…being halfway through and realizing your cereal has burned off and now…you’re running on fumes. Best to just properly fuel.

So, the Lärabar Apple Pie Mini Bar accompanied on my drive over the river to Louisville, Kentucky and the park that was hosting the run. I actually pulled into the park exactly an hour before the race started. So it was perfect timing. Out came the Lärabar. I unwrapped it and took a small bite.

Okay…it actually does taste like apple pie. I can safely say that because my dessert last week was gluten-free apple pie. Honestly…this was just like having a slice. Really good. Although, even though it tastes like apple pie…it isn’t one of my favorite ones. Maybe it is the underlying hint of cinnamon that just kept creeping into my palate. But, while it was good, some of the others have been far better. But, it can be hit or miss with protein bars. That’s not to say this one wasn’t good. I would eat it again if it were offered to me. I wouldn’t turn my nose up at it. It’s just really not up to par with the other ones that have come before it. (Cashew Cookie is still my absolute favorite!)

So, a little information about this little protein bar. The Lärabar Apple Pie Mini Bar is comprised of of six ingredients. That’s it. These are dates, almonds, unsweetened apples, walnuts, raisins, and cinnamon. I knew there was cinnamon in there. All together, you sort of get this illusion that you are biting into a slice of apple pie…crust and all. The apples really shine. And the cinnamon gives it that warm flavor to it, though I found it a bit overpowering at times. As for the nuts and the raisins and dates…it just lends to that illusion of crust and filling. The texture was soft and yes…this one was delicious, despite not being one of my favorites.

The mini bar offers you 90 calories and 5 grams of fat. It only has 2 grams of protein to it. Not much on that protein, now that I look at it. The full-size bar, however is a bit more. It would set you back 190 calories and 10 grams of fat. With it, you would get 4 grams of protein. But…it is definitely filling and the fiber count (3 grams in the mini; 5 grams in the full-size) is the reason for that.

Again, this was a really good bar, it just wasn’t as amazing as some of the other ones I have eaten. That being said, if you love apple pie…then you will truly love taking a bite into this bar.

December 9, 2012December 20, 2012

Recipe: Gluten-Free Triple White Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms

It’s holiday time.

You know what that means? For me, it means I get to do all my holiday baking. And I absolutely love to bake goodies for the holidays. Even better, I love to surprise people with homemade goodies for the holidays.

You see, the other day while my roomie and I were in the gas station getting our daily dose of caffeine, the cashier behind the counter (who literally sees us every work day) said that she was leaving. On Monday she was starting a new job…in an office. So she would definitely miss us.

And we all know that I love any occasion to bake. I happened to be in the gas station one morning when she was talking to a co-worker about chocolate. She hates chocolate…except for white chocolate. So…I knew her going away gift needed to be something white chocolate. And keeping with the spirit of the holidays…I was guided by the wonder of Pinterest to this recipe, featured on the Crazy For Crust blog. I took it, and gave it a gluten-free spin.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Triple White Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms

Servings: 48
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Bake 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened (I used I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter All-Purpose Sticks)
3/4 cup sugar
3 ounces white chocolate, melted and cooled slightly (I used Ghirardelli White Chocolate)
1 box white chocolate instant pudding (3.5 ounces)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups flour (I used 2 cups Arrowhead Mills Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour and ran out, so the last 1/2 cup was Hodgson Mill Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour)
1 package Candy Cane Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped
Additional sugar for rolling, if desired

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Add pudding mix and blend until combined.

Add white chocolate and mix until mixture is smooth.

Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.

Mix in baking soda and flour.

Chill dough for at least 30 minutes.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place about 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl for rolling, if desired. (Cookies will be a little crunchy on the outside with the sugar, if you use it.)

Scoop one tablespoon balls of dough and roll in sugar, or just place on cookie sheet. Bake 7-9 minutes until bottoms just begin to get golden. Remove from oven and immediately press an unwrapped Peppermint Hershey’s Kiss on top. Do not move pan until Kiss is cooled, or it will collapse.

Cookies can be frozen for later consumption, if desired. Place in a Ziploc bag between layers of paper towel for best results when freezing.

~*~*~

Here’s the best part…they truly are amazing. Honestly. I had my doubts. Me and sugar cookie bases don’t get a long…at all. Seriously…I’ve tried for about 5 years now to make sugar cookies at Christmas time and it just never works. This time…it did. And to think…it was with a blend of flours too.

Of course my roommate and I each had to sample one. I even took one in for my teammate to try. She loves to bake and I love to have her sample things, especially since I’ve had to go gluten-free. She doesn’t hold back. We all loved how the cookies were soft in texture and that after you swallow, the white chocolate really hits. But the magic happens when you take a bite with that Peppermint Hershey’s Kiss in it. Oh…yeah.

I am going to do a few different variations on these cookies now and I’m really looking forward to the end results.

Anyway, I gave the cashier at the gas station her gift and told her that I overheard that she loved white chocolate so I made these for her. She looked so happy and said that she wasn’t going to share. She thanked me and we left. I hope she enjoyed them as much as three three of us who also got to eat one did.

And now…all I want to do is BAKE!

December 2, 2012

Chocolate for breakfast? With Enjoy Life’s Double Chocolate Crunch Granola…you betcha!

Product: Enjoy Life Double Chocolate Crunch Granola – $5.99+

Say it with me…

Chocolate. For. Breakfast.

Sounds sweet, yes? Sounds, perhaps, a little decadent? Perhaps more than a little sinful?

In most cases, you would be right to think so. But there is nothing sinful about Enjoy Life’s Double Chocolate Crunch Granola. It’s sweet. It’s chocolate. And yes…it can be even made into something decadent. But you will be amazed at how good this actually is as far as, not just gluten-free granola (and granola in general) goes, but chocolate granola at that.

My problem with most granola is that it is laden with sugar. I try to eat healthy…and at times I am as guilty about splurging on some sweet treat than every other human being out there. We like to treat ourselves to something at times. This chocolate granola from Enjoy Life foods is all treat without the guilt. I promise…even I was shocked by the nutritional information on this.

But I’ll get to that momentarily.

I actually picked up a bag of Enjoy Life Double Chocolate Crunch granola at Big Lots one afternoon while out shopping. It was a random stop, but I couldn’t turn down the price. Most of the time it is far more expensive than what I found it for at Big Lots. Score. I’d been wanting to try chocolate granola for ages and had seen this at other stores, but had been more than a little reluctant to pay the price for it. Now…I had reason to welcome it into my pantry.

This morning, I had some Chobani vanilla chocolate chunk Greek yogurt to finish off, some pomegranate seeds to use, and a pantry that held the key crunch component of my infamous breakfast parfaits. I reached into my pantry and eagerly pulled out the bag of Enjoy Life Double Chocolate Crunch and eagerly began assembling my gluten-free and mighty tasty breakfast parfaits.

A serving of Enjoy Life Double Chocolate Crunch Granola

In the bowl, a small layer of granola. Over that, some Greek yogurt. Then the pomegranate seeds. Then more granola, more yogurt, more pomegranate seeds, then one last dusting of granola. It’s super simple and super delicious. And it makes for a delicious breakfast treat to start off the morning with. I just knew that the chocolate and pomegranate would be a match made in heaven. In fact, I couldn’t wait to try it so I dug right in.

Super chocolate YUM! No joke. I loved how crisp this granola is. And scattered throughout it are chunks of allergen-free chocolate. Love that. In fact, this granola is free of the top eight food allergens (wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, soy, fish and shellfish). I love that. It is composed of brown rice flakes, evaporated cane juice, chocolate chips, brown rice syrup, rice crisps, cocoa powder, ground flaxseed, vegetable oil, vanilla, salt, and rosemary extract. When combined, what develops is this amazing chocolate granola that is a delight to nibble on, plain, with a splash of milk (I use unsweetened almond milk), or in some sort of a breakfast parfait, dessert topping, etc.

Nutritionally speaking, for a chocolate granola (or just as granola) this is one of the better options. A serving size is 1/2 cup and that will only set you back 180 calories and 4 grams of fat. That’s not bad at all comparatively speaking. But what surprised me and pleased me even more was that the sugar content in a serving was only…only…11 grams. A lot of regular granola pack twice that. Color me impressed.

What also impressed me was the taste and texture of this granola. It was sweet without being overly sweet. The chocolate was a delicious sweet touch and it really popped when I mixed it into my breakfast parfait. On its own, however, it was just as tasty. I love the chocolate chips that are scattered throughout, making a nice pop of chocolate with every bite. I was in love with this granola upon first bite. And I’m already coming up with other ideas of how to use it and use it well.

If you are in the market for a granola and are craving a hit of chocolate…you can’t go wrong with Enjoy Life’s Double Chocolate Crunch Granola. I’m so happy I finally got to try this. And now…I don’t think I can survive without it.

Enjoy Life Double Chocolate Crunch Granola layered with Chobani Vanilla Chocolate Greek Yogurt and Pomegranate Seeds

November 28, 2012

Terra Original Vegetable Chips get to the root of enticing, exotic snack chips

Product: Terra Chips Original Vegetable Chips – $3.49+

Everyone does potato chips. And if it’s not potato chips…it’s corn chips. But, really…when something has been done, just with different seasonings, it’s hard to really tell one chip apart from the next. Then it’s just down to name brands or generic brands. And, really, there isn’t that much of a difference. More often than not that name brand company is making that generic brand. That’s how it works!

But then…there are some companies that think outside the box…or in this case…the potato chip bag. I’m talking about Terra. Terra Chips created a mission statement to the customers that are seeking out a different sort of snack. Their mission is to provide wholes gourmet snack food that is not only chef-inspired, but always made with 100% natural ingredients. Talk about a solid commitment to quality.

But how does one dress up a simple potato chip?

In the case of Terra, chefs put their own spin on the most popular snack food in America. And for the Terra Original Vegetable Chips…there is even a unique spin on something original. Instead of just potatoes, Terra introduces a plethora of different root vegetables to the mix. The Terra Original Vegetable Chips includes a variety of light, naturally colorful vegetables that add a little crunch, a little savoriness, and a little sweetness to each bite. This particular variety of Terra Chips is a fantastic mix of sweet potato, parsnip, batata, taro and yuca. All of them are fried in canola oil with beet juice concentrate for color, and salt for seasoning.

The result is an amazing bag of chips that has this amazing balance of flavors from rich, delicate, and nutty. I love the way each vegetable tastes different and has a different texture. Some are not as heavy as others, some have a bigger crunch. It keeps the snack interesting and definitely entices the palate with each bite.

I have had great luck with Terra Chips. Most of their chips are gluten-free and they are very good about labeling. If you are interested in stepping outside the chip bag…I highly recommend giving the exotic line of vegetable chips from Terra a try. Trust me…you will welcome the change and the variety of flavor you get with each bite.

November 25, 2012

Annie May’s Sweet Café bakes up love in each allergen-free chocolate chip cookie

Annie May's Sweet Café Allergen Free Chocolate Chip Cookie — Annie May’s Sweet Café Allergen Free Chocolate Chip Cookie

Product: Annie May’s Sweet Café Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie – $2.50

It was Small Business Saturday and I made it known…I wanted to go to one of my favorite small businesses in the area. Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky. And I wanted to have breakfast there. A gluten-free waffle. Perhaps with a gluten-free donut. Maybe I’d get the gluten-free apple cider donut with the glaze this time. I just wanted to support a business that has literally changed my life in this area for the better.

My love affair with Annie May’s began with a simple birthday cake. Because of Annie May’s, I didn’t have to bake my own cake or birthday confection this year. It was done for me. And the result was nothing short of spectacular. I was enamored with them…and so…the love affair continued.

I have returned to Annie May’s as often as possible when I am in the area. I have gone there for breakfast, for sweet snacks and treats, for take and bake cinnamon rolls. If I am in town, I want to stop by for something. And given that this past Saturday was Small Business Saturday, I made a point to go to as many small businesses as possible…and my first stop was Annie May’s for my usual waffle breakfast.

Annie May’s Sweet Café has the best gluten-free waffles. Seriously. I always get the regular ones, served with maple syrup and Earth Balance. I did decide on the Maple Glazed Apple Cider Donut as well…and devoured that as soon as I hit the table. I had not eaten anything since I had woken up bright and early that morning…so, needless to say…I was ready to eat.

And then…sad news was given. They were having some trouble with their waffle batter. It wasn’t working out. So…they were going to make a fresh batch. It would take a little while…and did we mind the wait. I never mind waiting for food. But, soon after we were asked if we would mind having pancakes instead of waffles. No skin off my nose. I keep thinking of trying the pancakes and always returning to the waffles. I’m a waffle addict apparently. They apologized numerous times and said that for our wait and our patience we could get a free cookie before leaving. I don’t mind the wait. I had an amuse bouche of donut, after all…

In the end, however, the waffles were able to be made and were delivered to our table looking all golden and delicious and ready to be consumed. And they died a very messy death right there in the café. Cathy went to clear the table and I was putting on my jacket when the nice woman behind the counter called me over to get my cookie. I was going to leave without it…because I wasn’t upset with them, nor did I mind the wait. But, she insisted. So, she asked me to come over and choose between the cookies or the cupcakes or the brownies on the counter. I had their brownie before (to DIE FOR!) and I wasn’t feeling cupcakes…so I stuck with the allergen-free (yes…it’s even vegan!) Chocolate Chip Cookie. After all…I do love my cookies!

She packed up two of them for me and asked what Cathy was interested in. I waved her off and said the cookies she gave me in the bag were plenty for us and thanked her.

After a busy day of small business shopping, Cathy and I returned home and I went for my 10K run for training. Soon after, I was preparing dinner (leftovers!), which we settled in to eat. And then…dessert. With a bag on the counter with two of Annie May’s Sweet Café Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies…I knew exactly what dessert was going to be.

I carefully opened the small white paper bag and pulled out the paper-wrapped cookies. They smelled amazing. I handed one to Cathy and I took the other one. As I settled in for my sweet treat to cleanse my palate, I took my first bite.

Homemade cookies are the best around. And these, completely vegan and allergen-free, have to be some of the best I have ever tasted. Most of the time, unless I make them myself, my gluten-free cookies are store-bought packaged brands. Not these. These are fresh from the oven at Annie May’s and the time and dedication to their products really shows. The cookie was light and buttery. The flavor was fantastic. They were soft, chewy, yet with that golden crust that gave it a bit of texture. And the mini chocolate chips were awesome. Just the right hit of sweetness in each bite. Not one bit of the cookie lacked in chocolate chips. They were like my mom used to make. And I do love a chewy chocolate chip cookie. These delivered everything I love in a cookie and that…made me one happy girl.

While my visit to Annie May’s Sweet Café on Saturday didn’t initially involve trying their Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies…now that I have, I think I’ll be purchasing more in my future. Honestly…the best gluten-free chocolate chip cookie I have had…to date…anywhere! And we all know how much of a cookie monster I am. So, that is truly saying something.

I really am fortunate to have a small business that caters to people with food allergies in my area. The day I discovered Annie May’s Sweet Café my life changed…and it was all for the better. My life is whole lot more delicious these days too.

Small Business Saturday…I hope you were kind to this fantastic little café on Frankfort Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky…because this café is always good to me.

November 25, 2012

The Gluten-Free Oven bakes up best treat ever with Vanilla Creme Filled Fingers (Twinkies)

Product: The Gluten-Free Oven Vanilla Creme Filled Fingers – $2.50

It was love at first sight when I spotted these little delicious creme-filled cake treats at the Gluten-Free Living Now Expo in Carmel, Indiana. This is no joke. And, with the recent news of the Hostess shut-down…these little treats that have been sitting in my freezer meant the world to me. Just as much as they did back on the day I bought them at the expo.

The Gluten-Free Oven was one of the vendors that were attending the Gluten-Free Living Now Expo in Indiana. I had never heard of them, but one product on their table caught my eye. One product that I had not seen anywhere before and I had been…wanting, desiring, needing (to make Minion (from Despicable Me) cupcakes, of course). Twinkies. Okay…not real Twinkies…but a version of them. A fabulous gluten-free version of them. While I was never big on Twinkies when I was growing up and could eat these things…for some reason (must be those cupcakes)…I just had to have these. I needed them. I wasn’t leaving the expo without them.

So…I purchased one little package of the Vanilla Creme Filled Fingers from the vendor and went on my merry way. Upon arriving home after the expo that day, they went into my freezer (along with a bunch of other goodies I purchased) for safe keeping.

Then…Hostess went belly-up. And the real Twinkie was now going away. There were mad-dashes to the stores to buy up favorite Hostess products. My roomie (who can have gluten in her diet) got caught up in the madness and ended up purchasing one little packet of Twinkies for herself. She was going to indulge that day…but decided that she’d save them for Thanksgiving evening…and we’d celebrate getting through the festivities, putting up and decorating the tree, and planning Black Friday Shopping Insanity by breaking out our Twinkies and Gluten-Free Vanilla Creme Fingers and having a sweet treat.

That was the plan. And although we were ready for the treat upon arriving home from the meal (where I had the green beans I brought, some spiced fruit I brought, and a little potato that my friend Amanda pulled aside before she added butter and whole milk to them for mashing), we decided to wait. We had to. I forgot to pull my Vanilla Creme Filled Fingers out of the freezer before leaving. I was a bit hurried as normal, having run a 5 mile race, showered, and prepared my dishes I was supplying for the meal…and getting to the location in enough time to help out if needed…or at least just socialize before food comas set in. So…the treat had to wait. No matter…my roommate and I had a Christmas tree to put up and decorate. I placed the Gluten-Free Oven Vanilla Creme Filled Fingers on the counter top to thaw, then went to help deck the halls to the sound of Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

The tree was up in record time this year and the lights and garland didn’t give us as much as a fight. We grabbed our ornaments and just starting hanging the bits and bobs from the branches. Soon…it was up. I checked on my Gluten-Free Vanilla Creme Filled Fingers…and they were at room temperature now and ready to eat. YAY!

The Gluten-Free Oven Vanilla Creme Filled Finger

So…time to indulge. Cathy grabbed her packet of Hostess Twinkies and I eased into my Gluten-Free Oven packet. We both snatched out one cake-y treat to begin with…figuring we’d save the other one for later in the weekend. I had to take pictures of mine…and sliced mine in half to get a look at the creme (which matched the cake middle so it is hard to see). After the photos for the blog were taken, I snatched up one of the halves and took a long, lingering bite, savoring the taste, texture and moment.

The Gluten-Free Oven hit these out of the park. I can say that for certain because I gave a little piece to my roommate to do a side-by-side comparison and she said she couldn’t even tell the difference. The Gluten-Free Oven Vanilla Creme Filled Fingers were a little heavier, she said, but aside from that, they tasted exactly the same.

I count that as a win.

Here’s what else I can say. The Gluten-Free Oven Vanilla Creme Filled Fingers are just like the Twinkies I sort of remember back when I could eat such things. The cake on the outside was moist and spongy. The creme in the middle was soft and creamy and just…sweet. It was the perfect compliment when put together. Hostess knew what they were doing when they invented the Twinkie. Well…The Gluten-Free Oven just brought them to the gluten-free community. And, with any luck, The Gluten-Free Oven won’t go the way of Hostess and will continue to provide these to the gluten-free community for a long time.

I fell in love with these. And…for the record…the other Vanilla Creme Filled Finger (and the other Twinkie for my roommate) got eaten immediately afterwards. No saving them for another day. They were G-O-N-E. Yep. They really are that amazing. I wish I had bought more than the one pack of them. Honestly. I’m considering ordering them online. Yes…they DO ship.

The Gluten-Free Oven is based out of Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania…so it would be a bit of a haul to go and actually pick something up. The best I can hope for, currently, is that I see them at another gluten-free expo soon, or just suck it up and order their products online. Honestly, I would order a case of those Gluten-Free Vanilla Creme Filled Fingers. It’s best if I don’t…but I would. And should I ever decide to give those Minion cupcakes a gluten-free whirl…I just might be contacting them to send me a case.

If you don’t remember Twinkies…never had a Twinkie…or miss Twinkies due to your gluten intolerance or Celiac disease…then I encourage you to look up The Gluten-Free Oven because they can make your dreams come true…with a little pack of two of the best packaged treats I have eaten in a long time.

Happiness really can be baked…in a Gluten-Free Oven.

The Gluten-Free Oven Vanilla Creme Filled Finger (halved)

November 21, 2012November 21, 2012

Columbus Ohio’s Pistacia Vera bakes up light, sweet, gluten-free macarons and more

Restaurant: Pistacia Vera, Columbus, Oh

Mmmmm…macarons!

Actually, until this journey to Columbus, Ohio, I had never even had a macaron. I have heard of them, looked at them online, even thought about making them myself. What is a macaron? Is it really a macaroon? Nope. There actually is a difference.

A macaroon is an American version for a flourless egg-white based cookie. Most often it is made with coconut.

A macaron, however, is a French cookie made with almond and egg whites that are sandwiched around a cream-based filling. They are often found in a rainbow of colors and a variety of flavors.

I don’t know how Jenn and I stumbled across the Web site for Pistacia Vera on Saturday morning…but we did. And we noticed they had a gluten-free menu. On it were a plethora of baked items…including every macaron that they made. Yes…macarons are gluten-free because they are made with almond flour. Gotta love that. So, after stopping by the race expo for the Hot Chocolate 15K, we hit up a market, and on our way to get ice cream, we swung by Pistacia Vera to get some macarons to take with us.

Pistacia Vera is a sleek looking dessert boutique located on South Third Street in German Village in Columbus, Ohio. They are a from-scratch pastisserie which boasts a menu of over 60 seasonal pastries and confection. All made by-hand and with great care. They specialize in classic European technique, making it a truly special stop while in Columbus. Their Web site boast that their coffee and espresso are considered to be the best in town. If it’s made like it is in Europe…or even France for that matter…I bet they’re right.

I didn’t get coffee when I was in there that morning, however. I was there on a mission. A mission…for macarons.

Jenn picked four she wanted to choose and Cathy and I decided to split the difference and each choose two to sample. We were actually quite interested in the same flavors, but I let her take them and went for a couple of other delicious sounding ones.

Pistacia Vera's Buckeye Macaron, Maple Walnut Macaron, Peppermint Chocolate Macaron, and Mocha Hazelnut Macaron — Pistacia Vera’s Buckeye Macaron, Maple Walnut Macaron, Peppermint Chocolate Macaron, and Mocha Hazelnut Macaron

In the end, Cathy got the Peppermint Chocolate Macaron ($1.25) and the Buckeye Macaron ($1.25). Since those two were taken by my roomie, I opted to give the Maple Walnut Macaron ($1.25) a try and the Mocha Hazelnut Macaron ($1.25) a try. They both definitely sounded delicious. Actually, the entire display case of macarons sounded awesome, but I figured as I had never had a macaron before, I would start small and I could always come back for more. As we were checking out, I spotted the gluten-free caramels near the register. Specifically the Cashew Caramel with Fleur de Sel ($1.50). We got one single piece of that and were on our way. With much to do that day, like going out of town, the cookies and caramel got left behind at Jenn’s house.

But Sunday after my 15K race…we all split the Cashew Caramel with Fleur de Sel (I forgot to take a picture of it!). It was delicious. Very light. Not too chewy, but just enough. It wasn’t going to get lodged in your teeth. This was caramel done right and done well. It had a delicious flavor to it. I love cashew, so it was the ideal one and probably why it caught my eye. Even though she groused about having to eat a caramel, my roommate seemed to like it well enough. It just took her forever to eat it because she was just in a grumpy mood and thought it would get stuck in her teeth. She has a thing or two to learn about good caramel. Hopefully this helped.

The macarons, however, made the journey back to Louisville with us. And last night, I decided that they would be perfect to have for dessert. After polishing off dinner and doing up the dishes, I pulled out the macarons and dished out each of our chosen ones. Cathy got the green minty one and the deep brown chocolate/peanut butter one. And I got the two lighter colored ones. I was looking forward to trying these out for the first time.

Cathy had already taken a bite of each of hers by the time I made it back out to the living room. She declared that they were both really good, but that she really liked the Buckeye one. Being that it was chocolate and peanut butter, I now kicked myself for not getting it. But, alas…there will be other options.

I settled in and decided to give the Maple Walnut Macaron a try first. It was the lighter one of mine. One bite and I was hooked. The light, chewy outer layer was fantastic and very delicious. I loved how these treats weren’t heavy at all, despite being sandwiched around a layer of cream filling, usually a buttercream or a ganache. It was love at first bite. So, I moved onto the Mocha Hazelnut one…and yeah…that was like taking a bite out of a fresh coffee. Honestly. The flavors are amazing and just simple. I loved the softness of the cookie and the richness of the cream inside. I could have probably eaten more of these and not felt full at all. They are that light and airy. And yeah…I’m now a fan of macarons. Go figure.

Maybe I will give making them a try sometime.

Until then, I am thankful for places like Pistacia Vera in Columbus, Ohio…for having a gluten-free selection that is awesome and extensive…and so very good. Yeah…I’ll definitely be visiting this place again. They have way more flavors of macarons for me to try. And maybe I will get some coffee next time…just to see if it really is the best in town.

Pistacia Vera's Maple Walnut Macaron and Mocha Hazelnut Macaron — Pistacia Vera’s Maple Walnut Macaron and Mocha Hazelnut Macaron