Ah, Martha Stewart. I have to hand it to you! You always come through for me in a pinch. Always.
You see, I’m running short on time and have quite a few things left from my CSA bin delivery. Yes. I know. I don’t even eat out that often anymore. Once a week…generally on the weekend…and it’s usually always at Annie May’s Sweet Café on Saturday morning.
But…with my bin ingredients needing some attention, I noted this morning that my avocado was now ripe. Not just ripe…but at that perfect creamy ripeness. So…I scrapped my original plan to make Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts and instead thought about what I could do with the ingredients I have in my fridge and pantry…that I could use avocado with.
I puzzled it out for much of the day…until I found this recipe. It’s one of Martha Stewart’s. And yes…it is sheer perfection. The only thing I did differently was I used kale in my sauce instead of parsley…because I have plenty of kale to use! HA! Oh, and I used slices of gluten-free sandwich bread instead of the crispy French bread that you would normally use to make bruschetta.
Trust me…you’ll eat this up as fast as Cathy and I did tonight!
Recipe: Gluten Free Avocado Bruschetta with Green Sauce
5 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
Place the garlic in a food processor, and pulse.
Add the kale, basil, 5 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste; puree.
Set the sauce aside.
Cut the avocados into 1/2-inch chunks. Toss with the lemon juice and remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil.
Spread a scant tablespoon of the green sauce on each slice of bread.
Arrange the avocado chunks on the bread, sprinkle with a pinch of ground pepper.
Serve immediately.
~*~*~
This dinner was so simple and yet…so fantastic all at once. It really wasn’t hard to make at all. When toasting the bread is what takes up most of your time, you’re doing it right. Seriously…this was a flavor haven of sheer recipe awesomeness. The avocado was smooth, creamy, and soft. The sauce had this great flavor to it…without being overly oily. Think of it as a sort of kale and basil pesto. What that ended up doing was really bringing this amazing earthy and light flavor to the dish itself.
One bite…and you’ll be hooked. I added a sprinkle of red chili flakes to mine…because a little hit of heat is an amazing thing. I sort of want to make it all over again. YUM!
GF Jules and me at the Gluten-Free Food Allergy Fest in Indianapolis, Indiana!
This past Saturday, I had the honor of being able to attend the Gluten Free Food Allergy Fest up in Indianapolis, Indiana. I love going to gluten-free expos and events and Indianapolis seems to always have one at some point during any calendar year. This year was no exception, and I was thrilled to read about the new location for this year’s event – the Indian State Fairgrounds. With all the vendors and exhibitors I saw listed, I knew this year’s event was going to be HUGE! I was not let down at all.One of the magazines I currently subscribe to, Gluten Free & More (formerly Living Without), was putting on the Living Without Gluten-Free Food Allergy Fest in various cities this year as a way to show those with food allergies and/or sensitivities that we can live life without deprivation and missing out on delicious food. It was a coming together of the magazine, as well as over a hundred of their favorite exhibitors to celebrate living well. And it was open to anyone who wanted to stop in.
Tickets went on sale and, as a subscriber, I received a free entry, and then received a discount code for another ticket…so I had Cathy taken care of as well. So, on Saturday morning, we ate a light breakfast before climbing into the car and hauling up to Indianapolis. We timed it perfectly because we burned through our breakfast just as we got up there, about 30 minutes after it officially opened.
And…there was already a line waiting to get in.
Oh…that made me happy, indeed.
It was a hot summer day already and standing outside in the blazing sun didn’t sound like too much fun…but it wasn’t going to be a long wait. Just about 5 minutes, at the most. And while standing in line, I got to listen to people who have done expos like this before (like me) describe the events and how things work to the first timers. I even got to geek out over favorite products and the like for a few moments. I love making gluten-free friends!
Before we knew it, we were inside the doors, in the air conditioning, and getting the tickets scanned. We were given blue wristbands to wear (for re-entry purposes and to show we paid!). Cathy and I put them on and headed into the expo proper. We were greeted at the door by people passing out reusable shopping bags from Glutino (a personal favorite!). Perfect for all the samples and products you are bound to pick up and buy.
Trust me, you don’t walk out of these events empty-handed.
Cathy and I decided that we were going to be systematic about our approach to each table/vendor/aisle. We’d start on one side and then work our way up, then come back down the other side. This was a good plan in theory, and we decided to start in the middle aisle to avoid the congestion of the end aisles. We soon found out…no matter what…it was just hopping and congested. People were surrounding tables, getting free samples, trying products, trying local baked goods, and the like. So, we ditched our original systematic plan for the…let’s just see what there is and wriggle into open areas when we can.
We’re pros. HA!
That being said, we began our Gluten-Free Food Allergy Fest at the Glutino/Udi’s/Earth Balance booth, which was giving out samples of Udi’s Gluten-Free Salted Caramel Cashew Cookies as well as Glutino’s Gluten-Free Multigrain English Muffins, schmeared with Earth Balance Creamy Coconut and Peanut Spread. It was all crazy, crazy delicious. I actually have the Glutino English Muffins in my freezer, I just haven’t tried them yet. Now…I know buying them wasn’t a mistake at all. They were delicious. And that Earth Balance Creamy Coconut and Peanut Spread…out-of-this-world good!
And from there…it only got better. We made a point to stop by each vendor’s table and talk to them about their products, if we had tried them. If we hadn’t…we would ask all about them. I made a point of raving to the Pamela’s Product people about the Figgies & Jammies. Because they are awesome and worthy of praise. I talked to the Hodgson Mills representative and when I mentioned being a food blogger he said to reach out to the Hodgson Mills team anytime. I was told the same thing by various other vendors as well. And one local vendor who was selling the most amazing bar-b-que sauce and seasoning (which we purchased) said to tag her on Facebook when I use their products so they can read my blog. I was having a great time.
I think, though, the best moment had to come at the Freedom Foods table. Because, as many of you are aware, Freedom Foods only makes my favorite gluten-free cereal, Tropic-O’s. NOM NOM! I can’t find this cereal here anymore, since my Whole Foods stopped carrying it, so my parents ship it to me from Birmingham, Alabama. We have a system down. But, recently, they put out a gluten-free, dairy-free, and not-free version of Nutella…which I fell in love with. My local Kroger is the only place that had it…and I bought the last jar of it a few weeks ago. It has never been restocked. So…I stocked up on some Quinoa Pancake Mix, lots of “Smudge” (that’s the Nutella stuff!), and a few other products to try, all the time raving about how much I love their products and how they honestly care about what ingredients go into all of their stuff. It didn’t hurt that the guy at the table had a New Zealand/Australian accent. HELLO! I actually ended up going back to the table before leaving that day and buying 4 more jars of Smudge. I hadn’t opened the one I had at home for fear I would never find it again. Now…it’s on!
I was able to sample some of the best gluten-free Snickerdoodles I have ever eaten. And this pasta that was made from lentils that tasted exactly like regular pasta…but I couldn’t afford the hefty price tag on it. Unfortunately. It was nice to sample it, however. At the very back of the building, for those over 21, was the gluten-free cider/beer tasting area. There was so much food and samples…so I was glad we ate light. And Cathy and I have a system down…where we split a sample so we aren’t filling up on our own. It always works at these events.
However, I have to say the greatest moment ever was when I finally got to meet GF Jules in person. GF Jules (formerly Jules Gluten Free) was one of the first Celiac/Gluten-Free bloggers/recipe makers/amazing people I started to follow on social media after my diagnosis. While I have been to events where she has been present, I have never been able to actually meet her. That changed. We discovered that we were food allergy soul sisters, both of us being vegetarian Celiacs who also can’t handle dairy. Go figure. She was so nice and just so easy to talk with. I picked up one of her cookbooks, which she signed, and she was kind enough to take a picture with me. I might have geeked out a little bit. Or a lot. You know how it goes…
And soon, after a couple hours of tasting, testing, buying, talking, and exploring, our time at the expo drew to a close. We were going to meet our friend, Greg, for lunch that day, so we bid adieu to the fantastic event and made our way out to the car.
This event was probably the best one I have attended so far. Great people, great vendors, great information all around. And I came home with samples and products to try in the very near future. Can’t argue with that, right? Right!
I hope they return next year. I’m already making plans to attend. If one of these events happens near you…I definitely encourage you to go!
Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Sea Salt Multiseed Snack Crackers
Product: Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Sea Salt Multiseed Snack Crackers – $1.49
So, I haven’t been into Aldi since I went there on Mother’s Day and stocked up on ALL THE GLUTEN FREE ITEMS that I could get my hands on and that I truly needed. I had so many mixes that I really didn’t need to add to the growing collection in my pantry. But, man…it sure was nice for Celiac Awareness Month (May, in case you didn’t know) for Aldi to bring out a gluten-free line of products to test on the market. From the way it sounded, people were gobbling these products up. My store had run out of the gluten-free wraps (dang it!) by the time I had gotten there.
Now, with only a couple products remaining from my original haul…I have since heard that the gluten-free products are nigh on impossible to find now. I truly hope that Aldi didn’t do away with this line permanently. I was really looking forward to a restock…since less than $30 got me a whole lot of food. And rather good food too.
Which leads me to this installment of the next Aldi liveGfree product that came into the rotation. Snack time at work is a very important time and I take my snacks very seriously. On weeks where I am without the fresh fruit and veggies from my bin, I turn to my pantry. Such is the case this week and the next product that happened to be up were the Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Sea Salt Multiseed Snack Crackers. From the packaging, they closely resemble Crunchmaster crackers in both size and appearance.
So, I tore into the bag last night and loaded up a little container with a serving of the crackers. And as snack time rolled around today, I was all set to revel in my Crunchmaster-wannabe crackers. I expected them to taste every bit like a Crunchmaster cracker.
Boy…were my taste buds surprised.
For one thing…the Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Sea Salt Multiseed Snack Crackers are less about the salt…and lean more on the sweet. Yes…these crackers are sweet. More of the sesame seed shines through over any seasoning or any other seed incorporated. So, while I was anticipating a salty, savory bite, what I ended up getting was something that tasted of sweetened sesame seeds. And that’s okay…just not what I expected. I do appreciate that, while these are a Sea Salt flavor, they aren’t overly salty. I’m not sure I’m 100% sold on eating them on their own. With the abundant sweetness, I sort of feel like it needs a creamy, spicy kick of hummus to tame it. I definitely prefer Crunchmaster over these, but at more than half the price, these are a great deal.
Sort of on the fence, as it were. I did find the more I ate them…the more they grew on me…
So…since I can’t figure out how I feel about the taste, let’s talk about ingredients and delve into those nutritionals, shall we?
The Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Sea Salt Multiseed Snack Crackers are made from brown rice flour, long grain white rice flour, brown sugar, sesame seeds, long grain brown rice flour, corn starch, vegetable oil (corn and/or canola and/or sunflower), flax seed, quinoa seeds, millet, sea salt, oat fiber, and natural flavor. They are certified gluten-free and are cholesterol free.
As for the nutrition information, a serving of the Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Sea Salt Mulitseed Snack Crackers is 1 ounce, or about 13 crackers. This serving will provide you with 130 calories and 5 grams of fat. A serving also dishes up 120 mg sodium and 3 grams of sugar. In addition, you will be taking in 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein. These crackers are definitely not made to make you feel full. So, remember to stick to that serving size and know that you will feel hungry soon after your snack.
While I honestly believe these crackers would be better served with some sort of fantastic dip, like a hummus, they aren’t bad on their own. They just seem to need something that would help balance out the sweetness and that sesame seed flavor that just permeates each bite. They aren’t bad…but I would buy Crunchmaster first before coming back to these. I applaud the effort for a snack cracker by Aldi and would definitely encourage them to keep this line around.
I absolutely LOVE Nutella. I love it. There is something so amazing about that flavor combination of chocolate and hazelnut. And while sometimes Nutella and I get along like old friends…there are other times I have a reaction to the dairy that is in it…and then…we don’t get on so great.
So…I stopped with the Nutella. As much as I could. Every now and again…I would risk that small bit of dairy. I don’t get it with me and dairy. Sometimes…a little bit doesn’t affect me. Other times, even the slightest bit of it does. Ah, food intolerance. So much fun! *dripping with sarcasm*
As it was…I would gaze longingly at the Nutella at the grocery store…thinking…maybe…just maybe it would be okay this one time. But, then I would recall how I would feel afterwards and…well…it wasn’t worth it. While naturally gluten-free Nutella does contain skim milk, whey, and soy. I don’t always get along with those ingredients. So, bummer.
Until…until that blessed day I was grocery shopping at my local Kroger and came to the gluten-free end cap that usually holds the same products it has held since…they first put it up. But there was something different. Something…exciting. Foods from my beloved Freedom Foods. I am hooked on their Tropico’s cereal, which my parents have to mail to me. We have a few of their products here now. And, while I didn’t spot it, my roommate did. And she picked it up off the shelf and went…”NUTELLA!”
Sure enough! This little jar of cocoa goodness goes by the name Smudge. Smudge. I love it. It’s so…cute!
And since everything I have tried from Freedom Foods has been delicious, this was a splurge I was willing to pay for. Splurging on Smudge. That’s my life. That had to be done!
So, for an entire week it sat on my pantry shelf with nothing to be spread on. That is until my roomie went grocery shopping and found Udi’s Gluten-Free Bagels on a “huge stupid sale” at one of our various grocery stores we frequent every week. So…bagels!! And I know that Nutella and Nutella-ish spreads are amazing on bagels. Like…dessert for breakfast. So, this morning after my spin class…I came home and put the bagels in the oven to toast while I took a shower and got changed for work. By the time I was out, the bagels were ready. It was time to schmear the Smudge!
This spread was a rich, dark chocolate color and very smooth. It smelled like bittersweet chocolate and happiness. Because if happiness was a smell, it would smell like chocolate. Trust me. It was so easy to spread over the toasted bagel, a tablespoon to each half. I did a test for my roomie, putting the Freedom Foods Nut & Dairy Free Smudge Cocoa Spread on one of her halves and Nutella on the other half. Just for comparison reasons. She liked both, but I noticed she saved Smudge for her last bite. So when I asked, she said it was good…less sweet than hers. Nice.
As for my thoughts…Holy Chocolate Goodness, Batman!! Freedom Foods just won my heart, my stomach, and the rest of me. If there is a pleasure switch when it comes to taste, this one flipped it. It was just as smooth as it spread on the bagel. It was chocolatey, without being too much. It wasn’t hot fudge chocolate, but perhaps chocolate syrup chocolate. And now I can imagine drizzling this over a scoop of dairy-free ice cream. Oh, Freedom Foods Smudge is one happy spread, bite-for-bite-for bite. You’ll want to lick your fingers clean. I did. And maybe my plate too. This is Nutella without the nuts and the dairy and the soy. This is Nutella on happy steroids for people like me…suffering from food allergies and only being able to pass by the product in the store and think about what could have been.
Smudge…makes it all better. Smudge…makes life better.
I seriously could eat the entire jar with a spoon. I am going to attempt to not do that. No promises though…
Freedom Foods is an Australian company that takes great pride in their products they put out on the market. Since they say something is “free from” something…they mean it. And, they adhere to the Food Standards Code of Australia and New Zealand, keeping their products free of anything genetically modified. In addition. All of their products are free from nuts and gluten. And, in addition, they use no artificial colors or flavors. All natural. All good!
So, what makes up Freedom Foods Nut & Dairy Free Smudge Cocoa Spread? Simple. This chocolatey spread is made from vegetable oils, maltodextrin (maize), raw sugar, cocoa (10%), tapioca starch, inulin, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin), vegetable gums (locust bean, xanthan), flavors, sweetener (steviol glycosides), sea salt. Not 100% clean…but still…YUMMY!! This product is gluten-free, nut-free, wheat-free, dairy-free and lactose-free.
As for nutrition, a serving of the Freedom Foods Nut & Dairy Free Smudge Cocoa Spread is 2 tablespoons. This serving delivers 210 calories and 12 grans if fat. So…yes, eating the entire 9.2 ounce jar with a spoon is probably not recommended. A serving also serves up 35 mg sodium and 12 sugars. This product is cholesterol free. Two tablespoons will also provide you with 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein. In the long run – not filling. That’s why you put it on a carby, fiber-filled bagel. Mmmm…
Trust me on this one…it is amazing. So…it’s not Nutella. For someone like me…it’s so much more than Nutella. And, honestly…I like it better. Thank you, once again, Freedom Foods…because of you Smudge is my new go-to spread. I am in chocoholic heaven!
Also…it’s fun to say schmear of Smudge. HA!
Freedom Foods Nut & Dairy Free Smudge Cocoa Spread (on a gluten-free bagel)
What are our products free from, and just how ‘free from’ are they?
For us, what we leave out of our products is just as important as what we put in. When we say a product is ‘free from’ something, we make sure it really is.
Nuts
• All Freedom Foods cereals and bars are made in our Stanbridge factory, which does not use, and tests rigorously for, the presence of peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts.
• We also work with our raw material suppliers to ensure anything we bring into our factory hasn’t been exposed to nuts.
• If our box states the product is nut free, that means no peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts can be detected. (While we’d love to test for every single type of tree nut, there’s just not an approved test available just yet. We’ll get there.)
• Please note: A few of our products are made in other factories that may have nuts, so always check the packaging before you buy or give us a call.
Gluten
• Our Stanbridge factory is completely free from wheat, rye, barley and triticale and we also make sure the oats we bring on site are not contaminated with wheat.
• As for testing, every batch of our finished product is tested ensure no gluten is detected.
Artificial Colours & Flavours
• While other leading snack brands sneak artificial colours and flavours into their foods, we don’t. You won’t find a single artificial colour or flavour in any of our products. And trust us, you won’t miss them.
Genetically Modified Ingredients
• We’re proud to say that all Freedom Foods products are free of genetically modified ingredients. We adhere to the Food Standards Code of Australia and New Zealand, if you’d like to learn more about our standards.
How can we guarantee our foods are free from all of the above? Check out How We Do It.
For us, what we leave out of our products is just as important as what we put in. When we say a product is ‘free from’ something, we make sure it really is.
Nuts
• All Freedom Foods cereals and bars are made in our Stanbridge factory, which does not use, and tests rigorously for, the presence of peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts.
• We also work with our raw material suppliers to ensure anything we bring into our factory hasn’t been exposed to nuts.
• If our box states the product is nut free, that means no peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts can be detected. (While we’d love to test for every single type of tree nut, there’s just not an approved test available just yet. We’ll get there.)
• Please note: A few of our products are made in other factories that may have nuts, so always check the packaging before you buy or give us a call.
Gluten
• Our Stanbridge factory is completely free from wheat, rye, barley and triticale and we also make sure the oats we bring on site are not contaminated with wheat.
• As for testing, every batch of our finished product is tested ensure no gluten is detected.
Artificial Colours & Flavours
• While other leading snack brands sneak artificial colours and flavours into their foods, we don’t. You won’t find a single artificial colour or flavour in any of our products. And trust us, you won’t miss them.
Genetically Modified Ingredients
• We’re proud to say that all Freedom Foods products are free of genetically modified ingredients. We adhere to the Food Standards Code of Australia and New Zealand, if you’d like to learn more about our standards.
How can we guarantee our foods are free from all of the above? Check out How We Do It.
For us, what we leave out of our products is just as important as what we put in. When we say a product is ‘free from’ something, we make sure it really is.
Nuts
• All Freedom Foods cereals and bars are made in our Stanbridge factory, which does not use, and tests rigorously for, the presence of peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts.
• We also work with our raw material suppliers to ensure anything we bring into our factory hasn’t been exposed to nuts.
• If our box states the product is nut free, that means no peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts can be detected. (While we’d love to test for every single type of tree nut, there’s just not an approved test available just yet. We’ll get there.)
• Please note: A few of our products are made in other factories that may have nuts, so always check the packaging before you buy or give us a call.
Gluten
• Our Stanbridge factory is completely free from wheat, rye, barley and triticale and we also make sure the oats we bring on site are not contaminated with wheat.
• As for testing, every batch of our finished product is tested ensure no gluten is detected.
Artificial Colours & Flavours
• While other leading snack brands sneak artificial colours and flavours into their foods, we don’t. You won’t find a single artificial colour or flavour in any of our products. And trust us, you won’t miss them.
Genetically Modified Ingredients
• We’re proud to say that all Freedom Foods products are free of genetically modified ingredients. We adhere to the Food Standards Code of Australia and New Zealand, if you’d like to learn more about our standards.
How can we guarantee our foods are free from all of the above? Check out How We Do It.
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!
Product: Sir Kensington’s Classic Ketchup – $4.99+
Thank you Jungle Jim’s and your amazing prices! Seriously. For years now I have been wanting to try Sir Kensington’s Classic Ketchup. Because I’m the type of person who puts ketchup on my ketchup. This is the condiment of my life. Ketchup is life changing. It’s good for most things. And I never have enough of it. If I were told I could only have one condiment to use for the rest of my life…it would have to be ketchup.
So, when I was paging through the myriad of magazines I get each month…I kept seeing the award winning Sir Kensington’s Classic Ketchup. Gourmet ketchup. GOURMET KETCHUP!! There was such a thing and I hadn’t tried it yet? Unfortunately, the few stores I spotted this in had it at a price I seriously couldn’t justify. So…it never happened.
Why gourmet? Why this ketchup?
First of all, as I mentioned before, this is award-winning ketchup. I didn’t know ketchup could win awards. But this one had and still continues to do so. And…it is made with only all-natural ingredients. And you know how much of a stickler I have become about what is in the food I am eating. This made me happy.
And then Jungle Jim’s up in Cincinnati, Ohio, made me even happier by having this ketchup at a decent price. You better believe that made it into my grocery basket and then…into my pantry. And what better time to bust out gourmet ketchup than when you are cooking up veggie burgers and sitting down to the Uruguay v. Costa Rica match of the World Cup.
So, with the burgers constructed, each gluten-free hamburger bun got a liberal serving of the Sir Kensington’s Classic Ketchup. Had I baked some fries, this would have been served on the side as well for dipping purposes, but I chose to use a product from my June Cuisine Cube (stay tuned for that review!) to serve with the burgers. So the ketchup was it for the condiment factor and it was teaming up against an amazing veggie burger and the toppings (vegan cheese, lettuce, tomato, caramelized onion, and sliced avocado). It was really going to have to shine.
Well, it did. Wow…it did. What I found I loved best about the taste of Sir Kensington’s Classic Ketchup was that it wasn’t overly sweet. It wasn’t heavy. And it wasn’t too strong. If you think all ketchup is created equal…think again. Not only does this one have a very short list of ingredients, but it tastes fresh and clean. It doesn’t feel bogged down with unnecessary sweeteners and chemicals. It has a lively, mild flavor. This is the Captain America of condiments. This will make you rethink ketchup forever.
The ingredients in Sir Kensington’s Classic Ketchup are basic, simple, and fresh. They include: tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, raw sugar, onion, honey, olive oil, lime juice concentrate, green bell pepper, salt, agave nectar, and spices. Simple. Clean. And, when combined, a brilliant use of ingredients for ultimate flavor and perfect gourmet ketchup. The tomatoes they use are never from concentrate. This brand boasts 50% less sugar (because it’s a condiment, not a confection) and 45% less sodium (because…why pickle yourself) compared with the leading national brand (and I think we all know what brand that might be…). Don’t you just love it?
As far as nutrition goes, a serving size is 1 tablespoon. Which is perfect for a condiment (even when I multiply it by 10 sometimes!). This serving will provide you with 15 calories. This ketchup is a fat free food! This ketchup is also cholesterol free. It contains only 105 mg sodium and 2 grams of sugar. Ketchup contains no fiber or protein. But veggie burgers do! HA!
Oh…this will forever be the ketchup that finds it way into my fridge. I mean…wow. Gourmet ketchup. Yeah…I’m feeling posh as I sit down to watch the World Cup. My burger has Sir Kensignton’s Classic Ketchup on it. What about yours? Hmmm? You might want to rethink your red sauce. Give your burgers and fries a gourmet sauce. You and your food deserve it!
Product: Hilary’s Eat Well Adzuki Bean Burger – $3.99+
It’s World Cup time!! YAY!! I had the honor of attending a World Cup match back in 1994, when the USA was hosting the matches. It was so much fun. And while I’ve never played soccer…I love the sport. I could go to a match and have the best time of my life.
And with the World Cup kicking off a couple of days ago…and with my favorite player (Diego Forlan on the Uruguay National Team) playing a match late this afternoon, I figured we needed some sort of game-day grub for the occasion! Back in 2010, you couldn’t pull Cathy or I away from the matches on television or online. We watched the hell out of them.
Those days are back with a vengeance. And…although Uruguay lost today to Costa Rica (BOOOO!), at least I made a fun “pub grub” like meal. The main focus of said World Cup meal was…veggie burgers. And…more to the point…one of my favorite brands so far…Hilary’s Eat Well. This time, instead of her original veggie burger…I was told to choose one of the options at our new local grocery store (Lucky’s). They had three other ones I had yet to try…and in the end, I went for the Adzuki Bean Burger. Why? The words green chili and cumin caught my attention! And we had purchased an avocado…so that would pair well, I figured. Green chilies and avocado are best mates! I think.
With kickoff happening, I got up to make the veggie burgers and prepare the toppings. I had thawed out some of the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Hamburger Buns that were in my freezer and put them in the oven to toast. I caramelized some onion…sliced tomatoes…tore up some lettuce…and sliced up the avocado. As I finished that up, the Hilary’s Eat Well Adzuki Bean Burgers came out of the freezer and hit my skillet with just a touch of oil.
These don’t take long to cook at all. About three to five minutes on each side. And then, because I melt a slice of vegan cheese on mine, a moment longer with some water thrown in and the lid topping it to allow it to steam and the cheese to melt (as well as vegan cheese can melt). The buns were toasted, so I pulled them from the oven. I topped them off with gourmet ketchup (because every burger needs gourmet ketchup), the lettuce, the patty itself (which was crusted on the outside…and soft on the inside), and capped with the tomato, caramelized onion, and sliced avocado. I served this up with some gluten-free potato chips. Dinner was easy, early, and served with a side of World Cup!!
Hilary’s Eat Well Adzuki Bean Burgers (frozen)
I went for the burger first, of course. The Hilary’s Eat Well Adzuki Bean Burger is the perfect size for a veggie burger patty. Sometimes they can skimp on size, but not on fat and calories and that’s a problem. But this was a really great sized patty. It was a perfect circle of bean and grain goodness. And yes…you can visibly see the ingredients. Nothing hidden. Love it. One bite…and it was love. Again. I raved about the Hilary’s Eat Well World’s Best Veggie Burger…but this…this one might even top that one. As I mentioned, when I cooked it up in my skillet, it got this perfect crispness to the outside and remained soft (not mushy…just soft) on the inside. A perfect burger bite. It browned up beautifully and maintained amazing flavor throughout. Even better…the taste. Oh…my…god! Seriously…this burger isn’t trying to replicate a beef burger. It’s trying to let the grains and beans be the stars of the patty. And I applaud Hilary’s Eat Well for that. Fantastic flavor. There is a slight hint of spice from the green chilies as well as the chipotle and chili powders, but it doesn’t overpower and it’s not hot. Trust me…my roommate never said a word about the “heat” level or it being “spicy.” You can just taste it. The millet and quinoa add a bit of a nutty flavor to each bite. And the beans…that creates that amazing texture!
So…let’s look at nutrition. And far as ingredients go, this is a fantastically constructed veggie burger. For real. Hilary’s Eat Well prides itself on using real-food ingredients that nourish the body and support a healthy ecosystem. So…the Hilary’s Eat Well Adzuki Bean Burgers are made from a combination of water, millet, adzuki beans, quiona, expeller-pressed coconut oil, sweet potato, onion, mild green chilies, psyllium husk powder, arrowroot, real salt, apple cider vinegar, garlic, cumin, chili and chipotle powder, and lime juice.
I recognize everything listed above. I love it when food is made from real food. These burgers are also non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, corn-free, egg-free, yeast-free, and nut free!
As for the nutritional information, a serving size is 1 veggie burger patty. One of the Hilary’s Eat Well Adzuki Bean Burgers will serve you up 190 calories and 7 grams of fat. This burger will also be giving you 290 mg sodium. These burgers are cholesterol and sugar free. LOVE! Finally, you will be taking in 5 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. I consider this to be a very healthy burger with trusted ingredients.
So, even though Uruguay lost to Costa Rica, my taste buds were engaged and happily savoring every bite of the Hilary’s Eat Well Adzuki Bean Burger. Delicious! I can’t wait to try the other burgers that the few stores that carry these have in stock. Super delicious!!
It’s no secret around here…my go-to food for…whatever emotion I’m feeling…is peanut butter.
PEANUT-FREAKIN’-BUTTER! When I’m stressed, sad, lonely, hungry, angry, confused, and yes…even happy or content…I have a jar…and a spoon…and I eat all the peanut butter.
Well, that’s not what I set out to do…but that’s normally what happens because when it comes to the creamy, rich, sweet and salty flavor of peanut butter…I sometimes can’t stop myself. Honestly, it would be best for me if I had Cathy hide the peanut butter. This may have to happen.
That being said, this morning I opened up a new dreamy jar of a new kind of peanut butter. My friend Jenn found a jar of PB Crave (my local World Market seems to be the one place locally I can get this!) and was kind enough to pick one up for me. The flavor – Cookie Nookie. As in…cookie flavored peanut butter. And, before you fret, it is gluten-free! It’s been sitting, standing on it’s lid (it’s all natural, so the ingredients separate), in my pantry, since I brought it home from Columbus, Ohio. But the time had come. I didn’t want to wait any longer. That and Cathy really seemed to want the gluten-free bagel thins instead of eggs this morning…and I needed something to schmear on them. Congratulations PB Crave…your time to shine.
I uncapped the jar this morning and got out a butter knife to begin the task of stirring the ingredients together. Hey…I don’t mind working for my peanut butter. Honestly. It smelled amazing…like peanut butter cookie dough, so I couldn’t wait to get it on that bagel. I worked for about 5 minutes, making sure the oil was mixed in well and that there were no clumpy bits. I hate clumpy bits in my peanut butter. Then, I recapped it and got the bagels out to toast in the oven. They were lightly toasted and I was ready to top them off.
PB Crave is the brainchild of Curt Riess, who was raised on traditional peanut butter and (gasp) hated it! But that all changed one day when he tried a combination of peanut butter, raspberries, and chocolate. The new twist on an old classic was what sparked the idea to begin his own peanut butter company. Curt’s Peanut Butter Company was born and soon developed four very unique flavors for their line PB Crave. The company is based out of Cannon Falls, Minnesota, and they believe in quality, citizenship, and innovation. They are not only re-inventing peanut butter (and doing a fine job of it too!), and focusing on quality products, they are setting out to change the world. No joke. Their Web site has a link to Project Peanut Butter, where the company donates a minimum of 2% of the profits from every jar of PB Crave to Project Peanut Butter, a non-profit organization that focuses on treating malnourished children. So, PB Crave is actually setting out to make a difference. You gotta love that!
But, I digress…
Kinda.
So, the gluten-free bagel thins were now dressed up in PB Crave Cookie Nookie Peanut Butter and ready for their first taste test. I handed Cathy her plate and went to clean up a little and pour myself some coffee. As she is fighting off a cold, I didn’t bother to ask her what she thought of it. I always get the same response anyway these days and I grow weary of hearing it every time. So, I settled in with my own plate and took a bite.
Rich. Creamy. And it tastes like peanut butter cookie dough with chcolate chips in it. It’s like…eating dessert on my bagel. Man…it was amazing. And really fantastic with the texture. It stirred together well and just became this smooth spread with chocolate chips throughout. And…that’s exactly what it should taste like. The PB Crave Cookie Nookie Peanut Butter is a delicious combination of chocolate chips, cookie dough flavor, wild honey, and premium peanut butter. So…cookies…peanut butter…chocolate chips…honey…did I die and go to peanut butter heaven? This was one rich, sweet treat to have on my bagel this morning. I fell in love with first bite…and then wanted to lick the plate.
I actually did lick the plate.
PB Crave is crafted using high-quality ingredients and proven practices. These jars of twisted peanut butter gives you the flavor combinations you crave without the stuff you don’t…and that your body doesn’t need. In other words, PB Crave has no hydrogenated oils, no artificial flavors, no syrups, no high-fructose corn syrup, and…yes…it is gluten-free and cholesterol free. PB Crave Cookie Nookie Peanut Butter is an artisan-crafted blend of peanuts, sugar, palm oil, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, whole milk, natural flavor, salt, maltodextrin, soy lecithin, honey, and vanilla.
Nutritionally speaking, a serving of PB Crave Cookie Nookie Peanut Butter is 2 tablespoons. This serving gives you 180 calories and 15 grams of fat. A serving of PB Crave Cookie Nookie also dishes up 130 mg sodium and 5 grams of sugar. You also will be taking in 2 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. Honestly, not bad for a peanut butter.
The problem is keeping yourself limited to that serving size. Because now it’s peanut butter and dessert rolled into one. I’ve eaten peanut butter for dessert…but this is like a whole new level of spoon-licking awesomeness. Spread it on anything. Apple slices…toast…celery…and kick it up a notch. Substitute it in your recipe for peanut butter cookies. When peanut butter is elevated to a new level…it becomes PB Crave Cookie Nookie.
It just becomes PB Crave. And now I want to try all four flavors. PB Crave also is offered in Choco Choco (double dose of dark chocolate with peanut butter and honey), Coco Bananas (tropical blend of bananas, cocoa, honey and peanut butter), and Razzle Dazzle (twisted blend of red raspberry, honey, white chocolate, dark chocolate, and peanut butter).
Sound epic?
You bet your peanut butter craving panties it does!
Time to go on the hunt…or at least place an order online. This is a necessity for the pantry. For always.
Now, pardon me while I go raid the rest of the jar…
You know…I didn’t think it was going to be possible.
A little while back, I blogged about an almond butter from Wild Friends Foods, known for their different flavors in nut butters (peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower butter), that I thought was the best thing I ever tasted…nut butter-wise and so forth. Little did I know…that the Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter I had raved and raved about was about to get unseated as the best nut butter in my nut butter addicted world.
No…honestly…I have this crazy addition to nut butters. I eat the hell out of them. There is no stopping me. Even when I try to leave notes to NOT snack on the nut butter…I ignore them…and…another jar gone.
Love, for me, is a jar of peanut butter (or almond butter, or cashew butter, or…you get the picture) and a spoon.
For real.
So…the other day I went to the office after my cardio session at the gym and brought breakfast with me. I had some gluten-free bagels calling for me and my roomie to devour them. So, I thawed them out the night before and packed the sample packet of Wild Friends Foods Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter to top them with. I also brought a serving for each of us from the jar of the Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter I splurged on (a jar runs $11.99…YIKES!) to top the other half of each bagel with. So…I was pretty much giving some protein back after a good workout.
Anyway…I toasted up the bagels in the toaster oven (on a dedicated plate). While they toasted, I gave the packet of Wild Friends Food Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter a good kneading, so that it would be good to squeeze and spread when the bagels were adequately toasted. That was about five minutes later. I removed the bagels and tore the corner of the sample packet of the Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter and began to squeeze it out over two halves of the bagels. I gave it a quick spread with the knife, noting the full raisins that were actually incorporated into the peanut butter itself. Awesome. I used my mana from heaven (the Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter) on the other halves and served them up.
As I settled in at my desk, I lifted the bagel half with the Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter on it and took a bite. I figured it was going to taste good. I mean…I love peanut butter. I love cinnamon. I love raisins. So…this seemed like a given. What I wasn’t expecting was just how much I was going to like this peanut butter. In fact, after taking a bite, I set that half down, took in some water, then picked up the Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter half and took a bite.
It was a given…the Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter just moved ahead in rank to the top of my favorite nut butter in my life. Seriously! That being said, I turned my attention to the half with the almond butter on it to eat first. When I returned to the half with Wild Friends Foods Cinnamon Raisin Almond Butter…I savored each bite. The peanut butter is naturally sweet, but the raisins add a bit of texture and sweetness as well. In addition, I live the hint of heat you get from the cinnamon that is incorporated. Whole raisins are actually in this spread…that’s amazing! Yes…even in the little sample pack. You will love, love, love this flavor combination. Next time I splurge on nut butter…it’s going to be for the less expensive (only $6.99 for a 16 ounce jar) Cinnamon Raisin Almond Butter.
DELISH!
Ingredients couldn’t be simpler. Honestly. The Wild Friends Foods Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter is made from peanuts, raisins, cinnamon, roasted peanut oil, organic agave, and sea salt. That’s it. It is made with all-natural ingredients. This peanut butter is non-GMO, non-dairy, cholesterol-free, and kosher. It contains no gluten ingredients either. YES!
Nutritionally speaking, it is comparable to all the other peanut butters out there. A serving is 2 tablespoons. This serving will provide you with 180 calories and 14 grams of fat. Much of that fat comes from the peanuts as there are no hydrogenated oils is this peanut butter at all. Color me happy. The 2 tablespoon serving will also provide you with 45 mg sodium and 4 grams of sugar. That’s really good. While agave is added to sweeten this, I always find peanut butter naturally sweet anyway. And, a serving will give you 2 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein. Awesome!
Yep…just when I thought the nothing could top Wild Friends Foods Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter…they do it themselves. If you are a cinnamon raisin lover like me, you will fall head-over-heels in love with Wild Friends Foods Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter. I’m ready to go to the natural foods store and buy a jar right now, honestly. Then…all I’d need is a spoon…
Best. Peanut. Butter. EVER!
Wild Friends Foods Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter (on a gluten-free bagel)
I have my friend, Pecos, to thank for turning me on to the newest gluten-free bakery near the Denver Tech Center in Denver, Colorado. I make a yearly sojourn out to Denver for Starfest, an annual sci-fi/fantasy convention, and am always looking for places that can safely feed me. A couple of months before I headed that way, Pecos mentioned this place on Facebook. Sure enough, it wasn’t far from my hotel at the convention at all. Insert a happy traveler right here!
As it turned out, we’d be hitting Denver at the right time to stop into said bakery for lunch. And I couldn’t be happier. Cathy and I budgeted some money (and then she added on after we settled in to eat and after purchasing a few things for later…but I’m getting ahead of myself) for this stop to be our official lunch and snack stop on Friday afternoon. It was perfect. And…after getting a little lost trying to find the place, we finally located it (under a storage awning, of all things).
The Gluten Escape. Their slogan…”Where gluten is a 4-letter word…gone!”
Love it.
The bakery itself is quite small and cozy. You see the counter with all the baked goods in the case and on top of the case the moment you walk in. To the left is a fridge, a toaster, a microwave, and coffee/tea stuff. To the right, a small dining area for those who are dining in. The back and far walls had little shelves with some of the items they had for sale…as well as cakes. Cathy scoped those out while I was preparing lunch…but I’m getting ahead of myself again.
We were greeted by a very nice gentleman behind the counter when we entered the bakery. We told him that we were from the Louisville, Kentucky area and had been told about this bakery by a good friend of ours in the area…and we were starving travelers. I was eying the brownies and bars in the case at the front when Cathy tapped me on the shoulder and said…”Bagels!”
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Onion Bagel and Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll
SOLD!! They were out of the Everything Bagel, which would have been my first choice. The other two options were Onion and Cinnamon Raisin. I jumped at Cinnamon Raisin, but Cathy said…”Really? You want that one?” Which means…she didn’t. So, I gave in for the Gluten-Free Onion Bagel ($3.00). And let me tell you…this bagel looked AWESOME!! Even better than Udi’s Gluten-Free Bagels. All of them. So, we got the Gluten-Free Onion Bagel with the Daiya Cream Cheese (yay for vegan cream cheese!) to split as we also purchased one of the Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls ($2.25) to split as well.
We also picked up other goodies…but I’ll get into that in a moment.
Let’s focus on lunch. We were handed the bagel, which he sliced for us and told that the toaster was right behind us. Awesome. I got to work toasting it while he grabbed the dairy-free cream cheese and then the cinnamon roll. He handed that to Cathy and told her she might want to give it a 20 second warm-up in the microwave. Which…she did. The toasting on the bagel was taking a bit of time and I was hoping I wasn’t going to burn it. Because…FRESH MADE GLUTEN-FREE BAGEL!! HELLO!! Do you realize how uncommon that is to find??!! Trust me…you don’t see it very often. I don’t see it at all, honestly. The bagel popped and I plated it and carried it to the table. Photos happened and then I spread the bagel with the cream cheese and we each took a bite.
Holy gluten-free bagel, Batman. This was fantastic. It was light, not heavy. The flavor was amazing. You really got the onion flavor without it being overpowering. It had that nice crust on the outside, but was still chewy and bread-y in the middle. It was heaven. I cried. Seriously. Tears of joy. Because, save for the Udi’s processed gluten-free bagels…I hadn’t had an actual bagel since I had to go gluten-free. This…was life changing for me. Life affirming even. I might survive after all. I set the bagel down so I could try the cinnamon roll.
This was not what I was expecting when I cut the cinnamon roll in half. Honestly. It looked more like a muffin than the traditional cinnamon roll. It was way different from the gluten-free cinnamon rolls that I purchase from Sinfully Gluten Free in Dayton, Ohio and Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky. Like I said…it looked more like a muffin. But…we all know that cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite indulgences…and I was looking forward to splitting this with Cathy. I sliced it in half…a pocket of cinnamon flavoring nestled right in the center. I lifted it and took a bite. It reminded me of…apple pie, oddly enough. I think it was the spices that went into the dough and the cinnamon center. I loved that it wasn’t coated in icing, but lightly drizzled. I am not a fan of icing or frosting…so the less the better in my book. And this definitely gave it a nice level of sweetness. It wasn’t my favorite gluten-free cinnamon roll, but it was delicious. And we ended up buying another one!
This brings me to our side purchases…
For breakfast the following morning, Cathy and I picked up two of the Mini Chocolate Donuts ($1.59), the Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar, and the Lemon Raspberry Bar as well. I would have bought one of everything if I could have afforded it. So, after I went for a run that morning, I returned to the hotel room and got our breakfast prepped. I sliced the bars in half and delivered those to Cathy, along with her donut. As I was getting the rest of my breakfast ready for me to settle in and enjoy…I hear the happiest noise in the world.
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Bar, Gluten-Free Chocolate Donut, and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar
“You HAVE TO try the donut RIGHT NOW!” I was told.
So, I took a bite.
OMG…best gluten-free donut I have had yet. From anywhere. And, trust me, I’ve eaten a lot of gluten-free donuts…in gluten-free bakeries and the store-bought kind. Seriously…reminded me of a Dunkin Doughnuts Chocolate Munchkin. I was once again in tears. It was a cake doughnut, but without the denseness and heaviness that I often find with gluten-free donuts. These were light and airy, and amazing. The chocolate chips inside were a very nice treat as well. I was starting off breakfast with a bang. YUMMY!!
The next thing I sampled was the Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Bar ($3.75). This had this delicious crust and was topped with a sweet and tart lemon filling and then capped with something akin to raspberry jam or compote. Whatever it was…the flavor combination was awesome. The crust gave it a little bit of texture as well as dulled the sweetness of the berries and the tartness of the lemon. I liked this bar a lot, but found myself wishing that it was just the lemon on there. I love raspberries and all…but LEMON…is the ultimate bar. Forever.
The Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar ($3.75) snagged my attention away from the brownies that were in the case. Those were tempting too. But…pretzel! HELLO! This was a lot like a blondie…but with gluten-free pretzels baked into it and scattered across the top. I’m thinking…sweet with salty. I was right. This bar was fantastic. The pretzels were slightly on the stale side, but that’s because I had bought them the day before and they were sitting on top of one of the tables in the hotel room all night. It didn’t take away from the deliciousness though. I loved the play and sweet and salty, which is my favorite flavor combination These were amazing. For real.
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookie
Later on that day, Cathy and I decided to have a snack. We indulged in some fruit we had picked up at the grocery store. And with it, we split the Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookie ($2.50) that we also purchased while there. This was my first time ever encountering a crispy snickerdoodle cookie. But…the flavors were spot on. The sweetness from the sugar, the heat from the cinnamon. Snickerdoodles, as we all know, are my absolute favorite cookie and these were different from what I’m used to, but I loved it all the same. So, it wasn’t the chewy cookie I associate snickerdoodles with. Didn’t matter. It tasted like a snickerdoodle. That’s what counts, yes? RIGHT!
I won’t lie…the buying didn’t stop there. Nope. Not at all. Before we left the bakery on Friday afternoon, Cathy pointed out the Gluten-Free Biscotti and the Gluten-Free Puppy Chow on one of the shelves. I also found a Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar that was definitely intriguing, since pumpkin flavored everything rules! I ended up buying the Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar ($2.25), the Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti ($1.95), the Grain Free Mocha Almond Biscotti ($3.25), and a container of the Gluten-Free Puppy Chow ($3.99-ish?).
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Puppy Chow
I tried the Puppy Chow on Monday morning on my way to the airport. Cathy and I needed to swing by Voodoo Donut to pick up some dounuts for a co-worker of ours. So, while there, Cathy ordered a donut for herself. As for me…it was Puppy Chow time. The Gluten Escape’s Puppy Chow is a mix of Chex cereal, puffed rice, pretzels, and corn flakes. They are dusted in powdered sugar. And it was really, really good. I loved the different textures and flavors with each bite. You got the salty from the pretzels, the sweet from the cereal, and each cereal was different, making it crunchy or softer or just snack-able by the handful. I loved it. I ate half of it before hitting the airport and brought the other half to the office with me the following day.
The Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar was…lacking sweetness, in my opinion. It was good. And they definitely had the right pumpkin spice flavor down. It wasn’t overpowering. But…the bar just seemed flat. It was very crunchy, which is fine…granola bars can go either way. But I kept waiting on something that would sweeten the deal. Like chocolate chips or something. I just think it needed a touch of sugar (not too much…just something to elevate it). Regardless, it was good and I downed that entire thing at the office.
As for the two biscotti that I chose…WOW!! Just…WOW!! They complimented my morning coffee beautifully for one thing. The first one that Cathy and I tried (we split them) was the Grain Free Mocha Almond Biscotti. OH MY GOD!! So delicious. I enjoyed dunking it in my coffee and just having that flavor mingle and mix. Oh…it was divine. And totally made my morning, if you couldn’t tell. The Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti was the same way. I loved the crispness that would soften when dunked in the coffee and the chocolate chips were a nice lingering sweet touch. I was in total coffee heaven those mornings. Seriously. I will probably buy whatever biscotti they have next time I am in town. For real. That…was love at first bite for sure!
I know that Colorado is a hotbed for gluten-free companies and businesses…and I love visiting there for that reason. But, if you happen to be near the Denver Tech Center (DTC)…I strongly encourage you to take the trip up the road to The Gluten Escape and indulge in some of their daily specials and their baked goods. Everything looked fantastic. I really would have purchased one of everything had the budget and my belly allowed. But, that’s why there is always a next time. And there will be a next time.
Beyond impressed!
The Gluten-Escape’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar, Grain-Free Mocha Almond Biscotti, and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti
The Celiathlete 