Sweet Stuff – Page 20 – The Celiathlete

July 29, 2014

Product Review: 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 hope they are listening!

July 28, 2014

Product Review: CLIF Mojo Wild Blueberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar

Product: CLIF Mojo Wild Blueberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar – $1.49+

As an active and extremely busy on-the-go girl, I often find myself in places where I need something to eat, and given my dietary restrictions…that’s not always a simple thing. I always…always…have some form of a snack bar or protein bar on hand. And while my usual go-to’s include KIND, Lärabar, and Luna Protein…I have since been expanding on my protein bar options.

Leave it to my roommate then, to head out to the grocery store on an errand and return with some gluten-free bars that were on Manager’s Special. This is always a nice treat to find gluten-free anything market down at the grocery store…usually by half price. The bars were the CLIF Mojo Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bars…of which she grabbed one of each variety that were on the markdown.

I went out of town this past weekend, and while I knew I’d have plenty of options in the Columbus area (and my friend Jenn is awesome at keeping gluten-free stuff around for me!), I wasn’t so sure if I’d need something to eat on the journey home. So, as usual, I threw a couple of bars into the food bag we haul with us everywhere…and I was so so glad we did. About the time we hit Columbus, my delicious breakfast had been burned through and my stomach was starting to grumble that it was hungry. We were trying to race bad weather (that never hit!) home, so stopping somewhere wasn’t an option. Besides, there are only a couple of places I have been to and would trust in Cincinnati…and we weren’t anywhere near them at that point. As we didn’t go to Dayton to hit up Sinfully Gluten Free, nor did we go to Cherbourg Bakery while in Columbus, there were no gluten-free baked treats begging for devouring.

But…we each had our bars. So, at the first chance I had, I dug through the bag and found Cathy a bar and then dug around more, pulling out the first CLIF Mojo Fruit and Nut Trail Mix Bar I could find.

It just so happened to be the Wild Blueberry Almond Bar.

Sounded yummy as I am a huge fan of both blueberries and almonds. It was like it was made to make me one happy girl at that point.

I unwrapped it, making immediate note as to how the CLIF Mojo Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bars looked a lot like the KIND bars that I love. That was definitely a good sign, for sure. I snapped pictures for the blog, then broke off my first piece to taste. I was hoping it was as good as the KIND bars I rave about constantly.

Guess what? It was amazing. Huge flavor, partially because the fruit part of this bar is from real, organic, wild blueberries. Seriously…you can see the berries when you bite into or break off pieces of the bar. They are one of the most prominant ingredients too. With almonds being the second. And since the bar is the CLIF Mojo Wild Blueberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar…I suppose it better be full of blueberries and almonds. You won’t be disappointed. The blueberries bring this amazing sweetness to each bite, and the almonds counter it with that little crunch and that saltiness. It finds perfect balance between both tastes and makes for one fantastic bar to eat on the go. I was won over by the first bite. And I’m super excited that I have three other flavors left at home in my running snack drawer to try. But the CLIF Mojo Wild Blueberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar is one fantastic bar. Serious flavor without a serious amount of calories.

So, let’s talk ingredients, shall we? The CLIF Mojo Wild Blueberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar is made from: almonds, organic currant raisins, organic tapioca syrup, organic wild blueberries, organic cashews, organic rice crisps, organic roasted soybeans, organic inulin, organic sunflower oil, sea salt, citric acid, natural flavor, and natural vitamin E. This bar is gluten-free, cholesterol free, low in sodium, and is low glycemic.

A serving of the CLIF Mojo Wild Blueberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar is one bar. In this one bar, you will be provided with 160 calories and 8 grams of fat. Do not panic over that fat count through, most of that comes naturally from the nuts, and is a healthy fat. You will also be taking in 110 mg sodium and 12 grams of sugar. Yes…the sugar does seem high…but I’m hoping a lot of that is naturally occurring in the fruit. In addition, you get 210 mg potassium, 4 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of protein. Yes…you will feel full after consuming this bar. And that’s the whole point of a bar like this. You don’t want to eat it and feel hungry an hour later. You want something that will stick with you for awhile. And the CLIF Mojo Wild Blueberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar does just that.

Super delicious!! If you haven’t tried the gluten-free CLIF Mojo Wild Blueberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bars, I highly encourage you to head to the grocery store and pick some up. I can definitely recommend this flavor. Just a burst of sweet and salty in each bite, making this one epic bar…any time you like. Trust me…you won’t be disappointed.

CLIF Mojo Wild Blueberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar (unwrapped)

July 28, 2014

Recipe: Gluten Free Lemon Bread Pudding

It’s become a sort of tradition whenever Weekend at Jenn’s happens…Sunday morning means creating one of our, now legendary, breakfast treats to feast on. No more eating out…no more eating day old goodies from the local gluten-free bakery (although, I’m okay with that…just sayin’.) We usually plan it out the week of the visit…and I sprung this one on her sort of as an afterthought a day or two before my drive up that way. She, thankfully, had everything but the bread…which I had in my freezer, leftover from our last bread pudding adventure. Seriously, if you ever want a sturdy bread…order the Katz Gluten Free Braided Challah loaf…the big one…and you will have at least 6 uses out of it. I know I got my money’s worth, that’s for sure.

Anyway…I don’t know why…but I was feeling lemon this week. And it just so happens that my two partners in crime, Jenn and Cathy, are both lovers of lemon and lemon flavored things as well. This recipe was going to be a match made in heaven. Jenn and I took a recipe, originally posted by Bijouxs, and put our own little touches on it to make it easier as well as change it to gluten free. We also made ours dairy free…because I’m sort of lactose intolerant and every little bit helps!

This bread pudding smelled SO amazing as it was baking up on Saturday morning. It does take an hour to do. And Jenn and I prepped the dish the night before and let everything soak up and sit in the fridge until we were getting ready for breakfast. I recommend doing this. The original recipe called for homemade lemon curd. We weren’t feeling that. Jenn had a 12 ounce jar…so we just used every bit of that jar in our version of this dish. Just make sure that the lemon curd is gluten-free (not all of them are!).

And now…you can make it yourself and see what I mean!

Recipe: Lemon Bread Pudding

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

1 French bread baguette, cut into 1 inch slices (I used Katz Gluten Free Braided Challah (of [delicious] DOOM!))
1 12 ounce jar of lemon curd
2 cups cold whole milk (I used coconut milk)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs, cold
3-4 lemons, juiced (around 1/3 cup juice)
zest of 2 lemons (about 2 tablespoons)
pinch of kosher salt

Directions:

Place the bread slices cut sides down in a lightly buttered 10 x 8 inch oval ovenproof baking dish. Fit the bread slices together in a single layer to completely cover the bottom of the pan.

Spread the top of the bread slices with all of the lemon curd.

Whisk together the milk, sugar, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest and pinch of salt, mixing well and pour over the bread.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or overnight like we did!), to allow the bread to absorb the milk mixture. Remove from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes prior to baking.

Preheat the over to 325° F.

Cover the bread pudding with foil and bake on top of a sheet pan for 30 minutes.

Remove cover and bake for an additional 30 minutes until puffy and golden brown.

Dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired.

~*~*~

OMG…amazing. Bright, zesty, tangy…it was a citrus flavored treat all rolled into one amazing little bread pudding. This makes a day brightening breakfast or a light, palate cleansing dessert. No matter how you slice it, all of us were digging into this delicious treat. I brought some home and reheated it for breakfast this morning. This reheats beautifully. Seriously. Nothing got soggy or gross in the fridge and it didn’t get destroyed when nuked in the microwave for about 2 and a half minutes. Still amazing. Still tangy. Still…OH so good!

July 28, 2014

Product Review: Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Tiramisu

Product Review: Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Tiramisu – $5.99+

Oh, great and wonderful and powerful (because you keep drawing me in) Raisin Rack natural food store in Columbus, Ohio. I love you. I love you in so many ways I can’t even begin to count them. And one of the many reasons I love you is that your extensive gluten-free section offers me A LOT of options I can’t get here in Louisville, Kentucky…or anywhere else for that matter. Seriously…there are some items I have never even heard of…and then I head up to Columbus to visit my friend Jenn…and BAM…I am educated on products that are out on the market that I didn’t even know existed.

After making about 10 laps of the gluten-free aisles and filling up my basket (actually, I behaved and didn’t fill it up…no need to Tetris anything this time)…I made one final decision before checking out. And that was for dessert. After all, Cathy, Jenn and I were cooking Italian that night (gluten-free pasta with gluten-free foccacia), so I figured…despite having made a delicious homemade buttermint ice cream…we might as well keep with the Italian theme. So…I went back to the freezer section and pulled the Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Tiramisu from the shelf. Into the basket. Up to the register. Into a bag. Back to Jenn’s. I put it in the fridge to let it thaw…and dinner time came and went and I was so ready to dive into dessert. I mean…I don’t get to have tiramisu that often. In fact…I never get to. So this was indeed a nice treat and one I was looking forward to.

I had pulled the box out of the refrigerator to let it thaw the rest of the way while we ate dinner. And when dinner was appropriately devoured…it was time to work on dessert. And I was super excited about the Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Tiramisu, which was suddenly on the menu. And I was not alone. Jenn is Italian…and she knows good tiramisu. And I couldn’t wait to get her thoughts on this. Cathy doesn’t do tiramisu too often, so she’s sort of a non-entity in this review…because Jenn is an expert and I’m a fan. So…after clearing the table…I opened up the box, removed the container with the tiramisu…and eagerly and carefully popped the lid.

And…the entire top layer stayed on the lid. Well…crap.

Oh well…I went to Jenn’s silverware drawer and pulled out a knife to see if I could salvage that layer of dusted cocoa. I gave it my best shot, so, the top of the tiramisu isn’t as pretty as it should be…however…as Jenn always says…it still tastes the same. So…I just sort of incorporated the cocoa dusted layer over the fluffy mascarpone cheese layer as best I could…then split the delicate dessert into thirds. This dessert is actually meant for two people, but there were three of us…so we had ice cream with it. HA!

Anyway…the layers were soft and light as my butter knife sliced through it. The dessert itself was easy to lift out of the little plastic container it had been frozen in. A little messy…but workable. Desserts are good to be messy. It’s just means more opportunities to lick the plate clean. We all settled in with our forks and plates with the layered dessert of ladyfingers dipped in coffee, mascarpone cheese and cocoa…and took our first bites.

Cathy, as I said, is excluded from this review of the Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Tiramisu as she isn’t a tiramisu person. That being said, she loved the fluffy layer of mascarpone cheese. She said she could take or leave the ladyfingers. EH. Whatever. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. Jenn, however, is a tiramisu expert. And both she and I hoovered this slice of gluten-free Italian dessert heaven without so much as a breath, I think. We both agreed that the ladyfingers were moist and soft and good. The mascarpone layer was so light and fluffy, whipped up to perfection. The espresso flavor was sort of lost…we both said that we were sort of looking for that coffee flavor, but overall, Jenn said she never would have guessed it was gluten-free if she hadn’t found it for me in the freezer. HA!

There you go. I’m a huge fan. And now I want to try more and more from Russo’s Gluten-Free Gourmet. And it seems like they have quite a few items I might consider next time I’m at Raisin Rack.

Let’s talk about what goes into Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Tiramisu, shall we? The ingredients are gluten-free lady fingers (made from rice flour, corn starch, rice extracts, tapioca dextrin, and xanthan gum) mascarpone cheese, whole eggs, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso, and cognac. Simple ingredients for sure. And I recognize each and every one of them. That’s a plus. Interestingly enough, this is a family owned and operated company that dedicates itself to gluten-free products with exceptional quality. They are certainly doing their job right. This was fantastic.

A serving size of the Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet Tiramisu is 1/2 of the container (or 4 ounces). A proper serving will provide you with 160 calories and 11 grams of fat. Yeah…it’s worth every gram. You will also be taking in 85 mg cholesterol, 30 mg sodium, and 9 grams of sugar. I’m impressed by the sugar count, as I thought it would be higher for such a decadent dessert. But…it’s actually in a decent range. Finally, you will be consuming 1 gram of fiber and 4 grams of protein.

Honestly, this was one very rich, moist, light, amazing dessert. I am beyond impressed with my introduction into the lineup of products from Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet. This more than solidifies the fact that I will pick up other items by their company and try them out next time. I’m already thinking dinner will be gluten-free mozzerella sticks. And pizza bites. Yep. Both. Because…why the hell not? Beyond enthusiastic. Beyond surprised. Just…totally blown away by this dessert. Add a bit more of that coffee flavor and it would be absolute tiramisu perfection.

Well done, Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet. Well done!

July 28, 2014

Product Review: Van’s PB & J Strawberry and Peanut Butter Gluten Free Snack Bars

Product: Van’s PB & J Strawberry and Peanut Butter Gluten Free Snack Bars -$4.99+

While I have only spoken ill of a couple of the snack bars/breakfast bars that I have tried going gluten-free…I believe my quality standards have been raised. I love Glutino to death, I do…but, while I don’t dislike their snack/breakfast bars, they are a little bit…tasteless when compared to the amazing bars I have had the chance to devour this past week.

And I owe this all to Van’s. Yes…Van’s. Van’s who makes the best gluten-free waffles. Amazing gluten-free cereal. And have since branched out into other products, such as gluten-free crackers, chips, granola, pasta, and yes…snack bars and granola bars. And some of my local stores have started to carry some of these other products from Van’s…and I couldn’t be happier about it.

Usually during the day, I have two snacks because I eat a good breakfast, a light lunch, and a sensible dinner. I snack in between breakfast and lunch and lunch and dinner. Yes…even when I’m not running. But I am generally very specific about what I choose to snack on. Currently, however, I am attempting to whittle down some of the products I have accumulated in my freezer and pantry. So, by checking out expiration dates, I began to go in order. And this week I finally cracked open my box of snack bars from Van’s Gluten Free.

While the store I purchased these snack bars at had many to choose from, I selected Van’s PB & J Strawberry and Peanut Butter Gluten Free Snack Bars because…I’m addicted to peanut butter for one thing…and I love a good peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Seriously…it’s one of the simplest pleasures in life. And not one that I indulge in too often as gluten-free bread is stupid expensive. But…I figured this might be a good way to enjoy one of my favorite things to eat.

This past week…I got to see for myself.

Wednesday morning…around 10:30 am, I tore into my little wrapped snack bar. It looked like a slap of peanut butter with a jelly middle…sort of like a sandwich minus the bread. I was intrigued. I could see the oats rolled into that peanut butter layer and really couldn’t wait to take a bite. A picture for the blog had to come first though…despite wanting to rip into it. It smelled amazing…like peanut butter and jelly…so it was already living up to its name. I snapped a quick picture and then tore off a corner to take a bite.

WOW! This bar is truly like eating a delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The strawberry filling is sweet without being too tart or too strong. It just is this layer of sweetness that totally works with the savory peanut butter that encompasses it. The rolled oats give a great texture, making it seem like a real sandwich. Each layer of texture and flavor brings a whole new level of deliciousness to this bar. They are soft and chewy, just like a sandwich should be. And none of that “like cardboard” outer crust that a lot of snack/breakfast bars have. Every bite brings 10 grams of nutrient-rich whole grain oats and real peanut butter…which definitely makes each bar a nice and filling snack. Honestly, I’m rarely ever starving when lunch time rolls around, and I find myself delaying it slightly because this little mighty bar of peanut butter and jelly goodness has done it’s job as a snack. Beyond impressed.

Let’s take a look at the ingredients and nutrition information when it comes to Van’s PB & J Strawberry and Peanut Butter Gluten Free Snack Bars.

As far as ingredients go, the Van’s PB & J Strawberry and Peanut Butter Gluten Free Snack Bars are made from gluten free oats, invert cane sugar, peanut butter, non-GMO expeller pressed canola oil, sweet rice flour, strawberries, apple powder, fruit juice concentrate (pineapple, pear, apple and peach) tapioca starch, rice bran, peanut flour, peanut extract, glycerin, natural flavor, citric acid, pectin, locust bean gum, sea salt, red cabbage extract and annatto (for coloring), and baking soda. These bars are gluten-free and dairy-free. In addition, Van’s, as always, states that these are ingredients that they are proud of. I can totally see why!

As for nutritional information, a serving size of the Van’s PB & J Strawberry Peanut Butter Gluten Free Snack Bars is 1 snack bar. One bar has 160 calories and 6 grams of fat. Don’t worry, much of that comes from the peanut butter…and that is a healthy fat. These bars are cholesterol free, contain 115 mg sodium, and a (rather high) 14 grams of sugar. I guess that has a lot to do with the fruit and fruit juices that are inside each bar. A little high in sugars, but the 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein help make up for it, making it more than a sweet treat, but a filling snack. Honestly…your appetite will be satiated.

Big kudos, once more, to Van’s for another amazing gluten-free treat. It just goes to prove that when you use quality ingredients (that you are proud of) you always put out a quality product. And that…that is what it is all about. The PB & J Gluten Free Snack Bars come in two flavors, currently: strawberry and blueberry. I’m a huge fan of the strawberry…so I can’t wait to get my hands on the blueberries. And the other snack bars and snacks that Van’s has to offer. It is definitely a name I can trust.

If you love peanut butter and jelly…then you’ll definitely LOVE these.

Van's PB & J Strawberry and Peanut Butter Gluten Free Snack Bar (unwrapped) — Van’s PB & J Strawberry and Peanut Butter Gluten Free Snack Bar (unwrapped)

July 27, 2014

Product Review: My Dad’s Cookies Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Product: My Dad’s Cookies Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies – $7.99+

Did someone say cookies?

Yes…cookie monster is back with a vengeance. A vengeance, I tell you!

After a couple weeks of feasting off of brownies and ice cream, I needed some cookies in my life. And it just so happened that my roomie and I decided to splurge at Lucky’s again last week and picked up another type of cookie from My Dad’s Cookies. It was actually a tough decision. I had promised her the Lemon Drop cookies…but they didn’t have those in stock this time around. So after a lot of thought and a lot of circling the table…I finally chose…

Chocolate Chip.

Iconic. And a personal favorite of mine. I mean, who doesn’t love a chocolate chip cookie, right?

Well, with the brownies and the ice cream polished off…cookies were dessert this week. After dinner, as always, after cleaning up the dishes and the kitchen, I got ready to serve dessert. This time…it was easy. The cookies were on my counter and I just simply popped open the plastic container and fished out a serving for each of us. These cookies are little bite-size morsels that I hoped would be as good as they looked. I walked Cathy’s serving out to her, then returned to the kitchen for mine.

Settling in…it was the moment of absolute truth…

One bite of the My Dad’s Cookies Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies…and I was more than happy with this classic choice. No one would even fathom that these little cookies were gluten-free unless you told them. They had just the slightest bit of crunch on the edges and this soft, chewy center. Each cookie was about two to three bites, and each bite guaranteed a hit of chocolate chips and sweet vanilla flavor. There was the right amount of flavor throughout these cookies. The vanilla essence and the chocolate chips gave it that classic, homemade, chocolate chip cookie feel. I meant to warm the next night’s up in the microwave to give them that “fresh out of the oven” appeal, but didn’t. Nevertheless, I was beyond amazed by the quality and taste of these. They weren’t super moist, but they weren’t dry either. They hit that perfect midpoint that gave you both the crunch and the soft center. And…come on…CHOCOLATE CHIPS!

Classic cookies with not-so-classic ingredients. Gluten-free, after all, takes some special flour blends and some TLC. But that’s what makes these cookies even more extraordinary! Let’s take a look at the science and nutrition behind My Dad’s Cookies Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies.

The My Dad’s Cookies Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies are made from a gluten-free flour blend (brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, xanthan gum), palm oil, chocolate chips, sugar, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, baking soda, agave syrup, cream of tartar, baking powder, and salt. These cookies are gluten-free, dairy free, nut free, and kosher.

A serving of the My Dad’s Cookies Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies is three of the bite-size cookies. There are six servings per container. These three cookies will provide you with 150 calories and 7 grams of fat. In addition, you will be taking in 15 mg cholesterol, 60 mg sodium, and 13 grams of sugar. Cookies have sugar…so, while that seems high…it’s a dessert…a treat…COOKIES! Also, these three cookies will give you less than 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein. This is not a filling dessert, but it is…oh, so sweet!

Once again, My Dad’s Cookies proves that it is definitely a brand to be reckoned with on the gluten free dessert market. While I have just discovered these amazing little treats at the newest grocery store in the area, I am glad to have been brave enough to shell out the $7.99 price for each container so far. None have really let me down, and all have been great to eat after a long day and a light meal.

My Dad’s Cookies took on the classic chocolate chip cookie and made it into one delicious, bite-size, gluten-free treat. I will definitely buy these again.

July 21, 2014

Product Review: Freedom Foods Cocoa Crunch Cereal

Product: Freedom Foods Cocoa Crunch Cereal – $5.99+

Many of you know, because I make it no secret, that there are certain things in life that I love. Certain foods that I fall in love with and make a staple in my pantry, refrigerator, or even my freezer. Well, that holds true for products made by the Australian company, Freedom Foods. Freedom Foods makes a variety of products, although only a few items are available in the United States at the moment…and most of these include cereals, which, for the record, are made in a dedicated and specially built allergen-free facility in the Riverina region of New South Wales, in Australia. As Freedom Foods was specifically developed to make allergen-free foods, they test every batch made in their facilities, to the most stringent levels possible, leaving no doubt that the Freedom Foods products you pick up will be free of the allergens that are necessary to avoid.

LOVE THAT!

Because we live in a world where it’s not enough to just be health conscious. Now we have to be allergen conscious too. With the growing number of food allergies and intolerances, it is nice to find a company that really proves that it is dedicated to creating products that are safe to consume. Freedom Foods has been around for over 20 years, making great-tasting and nutritious allergen-free food. I can attest to this, as I am a huge fan of the products I have had from them thus far. All of their products adhere to the strict guidelines laid out by Australia’s food industry, meaning all their products are non-GMO. They even test for GMOs just to make sure.

One of my favorite products, mind you, is the Tropico’s cereal, which is a gluten-free version of Froot Loops, but made without artificial colors, ingredients, partially hydrogenated crap…you know…all that bad stuff that Kellogg’s puts into their cereals and people consume freely. I am a cereal girl. I start most of my mornings with a small bowl. A serving. And yes…I do measure. You knew that already though, right?

Well, in my July Cuisine Cube, I had a special surprise waiting for me inside. Because when I opened up the box, I saw that bright red top of a cereal box that meant…it had to be Freedom Foods. I thought for a moment that they just restocked me on my Tropico’s (which my parents mail to me every few weeks so I never run out – as it is impossible to find them around here anymore!). But I was wrong. The box of cereal that awaited me when I pulled it out of the Cuisine Cube was…one I had never seen in the wild before. Not when stores around here carried it…and not at the store that carries the brand in Birmingham, Alabama…where I think my parents buy them out of Tropico’s.

The cereal was Freedom Foods Cocoa Crunch Cereal…and it’s basically a chocolate version of Rice Krispies. Chocolate puffed rice cereal? I’m down with that. We all know I’m a chocolate fiend as it is. Give it to me for breakfast and you just won my morning. As I just ran out of Tropico’s…it looked like Monday was going to start with a bit of chocolate. So, I poured myself a serving of the Cocoa Crunch, topped it with a splash of unsweetened almond milk, and settled in to get something more in my stomach (I had a small bite of something before I went for my run, but I still had spin class to contend with…so…fuel, baby, fuel!).

I have had my fair share of puffed rice cereals in the chocolate form before. Envirokidz (Koala Crisp) and Mom’s Best (Crispy Cocoa Rice) both do gluten-free puffed rice cereal. And both are really delicious. So…when I took a bite of this cereal, I was hoping it would live up to those two at least.

It came as no surprise that…it did.

Freedom Foods Cocoa Crunch is a chocolaty bowl of goodness and rightness in the morning. Chocolate can make anything better. Even a good morning can be improved on with a hint of chocolate. What makes this cereal really unique, though, is that these chocolate puffs of rice are flavored and colored with natural ingredients and are lower in sodium and sugar than comparable kids cereals. And…the flavor really is great. I don’t want a cereal to be too sweet, because it feels like it’s just a bunch of sugar. And this one strikes a nice balance of rich chocolate without that overkill on sweetness. It was crunchy, and stayed crunchy, as I ate it. And analyzed each bite…which I tend to do each time I try a new cereal. It was decadent without being too much. And, the best part is…the chocolate milk left in the bowl at the end of it. Recovery fuel at its finest! This cereal is total chocolate love without the excess sugar and sodium that other kids cereals have inside.

So…let’s get down to the comparisons and the nitty-gritty of the ingredients and nutritional information, yes?

Freedom Foods Cocoa Crunch Cereal contains the following ingredients: gluten-free flour mix (rice, non-GMO corn, wholegrain sorghum flour), cane sugar, chocolate syrup, psyllium, cocoa powder, salt, palm oil, natural chocolate flavor, and…wait for it…vitamins (niacin, thiamine, folic acid). This cereal is free from gluten, wheat, nuts, soy, eggs, and GMO ingredients.

As for the nutritional information, this isn’t too bad for a gluten-free chocolate-based cereal. Honestly. A serving of Freedom Foods Cocoa Crunch Cereal is 1 cup (Envirokidz Koala Crunch is 3/4 cup and Mom’s Best is 3/4 cup). This serving will give you 130 calories and .5 grams of fat (Envirokidz – 110 calories; 1 gram fat; Mom’s – 120 calories; 1 gram fat). This serving will also dish you up 85 mg sodium and only 7.5 grams of sugar (Envirokidz – 100 mg sodium; 11 grams sugar; Mom’s – 150 mg sodium and 13 grams sugar). And finally, you will be taking in 3.5 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein (Envirokidz – 2 grams fiber; 2 grams protein; Mom’s – 0 grams of fiber; 1 gram protein). So, Freedom Foods might have a few more calories than the other gluten-free puffed rice cereals out there, but it definitely has them beat on everything else. And you know what? That makes me really happy. The small amount of sugar that is inside a chocolate cereal from Freedom Foods just wow’s me. Honestly. I am beyond impressed.

Between Tropico’s and Smudge…Freedom Foods is really making a name for itself in my pantry. And now…it’s striking a high note with the chocolate lover in me with this Cocoa Crunch Cereal. I can’t thank Cuisine Cube enough for introducing me to this product that I didn’t even know existed. Another great item in my latest box…another fantastic product from Freedom Foods. I am one happy food-loving girl!

A bowl of Freedom Foods Cocoa Crunch Cereal

July 20, 2014

Product Review: Grab the Gold Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Snack Bar

Product: Grab the Gold Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Snack Bar – $2.49

As you know, I am always on the lookout for more and different protein bars, as I am an athlete on the go! I usually consume a protein bar on weekends away, or perhaps before a race (with time to digest, of course), and sometimes after I hit up the gym for my weights sessions.

I have my go-to brands…Lärabar, thinkThin, and KIND to name a few. All of them are certified gluten-free and carry a good portion of protein to help rejuvenate me after or before a hard workout. When I’m traveling, they also make fantastic snacks and/or food options when nothing else is available.

So, imagine my surprise and my joy when my June Cuisine Cube showed up in the mail and it included an energy bar as a mid-day pick-me-up snack option. Not just any energy bar…one that was two of my favorite things…Chocolate Peanut Butter flavored! The Cuisine Cube, as I explained before, tends to include products for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and a snack. And every now and again…a bonus. In June, the bonus was the energy bar. And it sounded amazing.

I had never heard of Grab the Gold before, and was quite curious as to what their version of an energy bar would be like. I’ve had some good ones in my time and some really, really bad ones. But, I have come to trust my Cuisine Cube and the choices of products that go inside. I had a run and some weights to do this morning, and my breakfast beforehand was simply cereal. Delicious cereal, but by the time I finished up at the gym, I was ready for something to eat.

I packed my roommate and I each a protein bar. She had her favorite Lärabar (ALT Lemon Pound Cake…in case you were wondering!). I decided to give the one I received in my Cuisine Cube a try. So, that was what emerged from my bag in the car to eat on the way to her family’s house to sort out some (who am I kidding…TONS) of items in the garage. I was going to need reinforcements. So, I unwrapped the gorgeous golden foil wrapper and unveiled an unassuming round bar. Little flecks of oats and chocolate chips were visible. I broke off a piece for my roomie to try and then I took a bite.

You know those amazing no-bake cookies? Yeah…that’s what this bar tasted like. A fantastic no-bake cookie. Talk about a treat! Great texture and taste too. It was chocolatey without being too candy-like. It had that nice hit of peanut butter. The oats gave it that cookie-like texture. The chocolate chips were that little burst of flavor in each bite. And the round shape made for a nice change of pace from other bars on the market.

A little bit of history…the Grab the Gold Protein Snack Bars were created by 16 year old Danielle Ontiveros, who didn’t like typical breakfast food growing up and preferred something lighter in the mornings, since she was never hungry. This was the end of the 80s and there weren’t a lot of choices for protein bars. Most were expensive and didn’t taste good, so Ontiveros told her mother she wanted to make her own bars. She pulled out items from the cupboards and began measuring, mixing, and recording what she was doing. She began to market the bars to friends, family and neighbors and soon her business was born. The reason these bars are round is that Ontiveros was concerned with fairness and equality and wanted to be sure everyone got the same size bars. Cutting them into squares never yielded uniform bars in size and thickness. Then she got the idea to weight the batter into equal parts and put them into a muffin tin. The perfect, uniform, and round bar was born.

So, now that we know how these were made and why they are so good…let’s look at the nitty-gritty stuff. Yep…nutrition and ingredients.

The Grab the Gold Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Snack Bar is made from organic oats, peanut butter, soy nuggets (soy flour), glucose syrup, cane sugar, semisweet chocolate chips, fruit juice, brown rice dextrins, canola oil, soy lecithin, natural cocoa powder, and vanilla. This bar is gluten-free, cholesterol free, dairy free, vegan, contains no high fructose corn syrup, contains no preservatives, contains no trans fats, and is a sort of high fiber.

As fur nutrition, the Grab the Gold Chocolate Peanut Butter Snack Bar is right on par, if not better, than other bars on the market. One serving is one bar. This bar contains 193 calories and 5 grams of fat. One bar also provides73 mg sodium 345 mg potassium, and 12 grams of sugar. I admit, it is high in sugar…higher than I normally like. Might be why it tastes like a cookie. But DAMN…it’s worth it. Yum! One bar also gives you 7 grams of filling fiber and 11 grams of protein. You actually will feel full after eating this bar. Trust me!

So, Cuisine Cube sent me another winner! I hope to order some of the Grab the Gold Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Snack Bars in the near future, if I can’t find any in local stores. As I have never seen or heard of these before now, it’s more likely I’ll be ordering online or from Cuisine Cube’s store. But…I am now completely and forever hooked on these. Like having dessert for breakfast…but one that will last you for a couple of hours.

Well done!

Grab the Gold Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Snack Bar (unwrapped)

July 17, 2014

Product Review: So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookies ‘N Cream Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert

Product: So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookies ‘N Cream Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert – $6.99+

I have a lot to give thanks for when it comes to delicious things in my life. When most people hear that I’m a lactose intolerant and gluten-free vegetarian, I often wonder if they think I eat grass. I don’t…for the record. Although I do eat a lot of veggies that are green…but not grass. Never grass.

That being said, sometimes I also get the chance to try out some products that fit into my diet. And recently, my friends over at So Delicious Dairy-Free gave me the chance to try out some of their latest products to hit the market. One of these included the previous blogged about So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert…and now…another bit of excitement…

DAIRY-FREE AND GLUTEN-FREE COOKIES ‘N CREAM COCONUT MILK FROZEN DESSERT.

*FLAIL*

Pardon the unnecessary, but highly needed caps lock abuse.

First of all, as a Celiac do you realize that I never…NEVER…get to eat anything that in any way, shape, or form resembles ice cream that has the words “cookie,” or “dough” in it? It’s true. Those have become relics of my past. Ice cream that I used to know. Favorites of mine, left to melt away in my memory…of their flavors and their deliciousness.

Or…so I thought.

Thanks to the good people at So Delicious Dairy Free…that is no longer the case.

*DOUBLE FLAIL*

Ahem.

Oh, you better believe the first pint I dove into was the Gluten-Free Cookie Dough. Growing up, whenever we got ice cream from the store or went to our local ice cream parlor (The Dairy Barn!), I was a cookie dough ice cream girl. That was what I wanted. Oddly enough, I never ate raw cookie dough…but put it in ice cream and…oh…yeah. Magic. We all know I about died when I got to eat the So Delicious variety, having gone YEARS now since having a taste of one of my favorite flavors. And if you are just tuning in, click on the link above and read all about that moment!

But…we come back to the present now…and tonight…tonight it was time to give the other childhood favorite a shot. Another flavor of ice cream I always have to just stare at and dream about eating. But not now…not again. Not when So Delicious comes through and delivers their So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookies ‘N Cream Coconut Milk Ice Cream.

*KERMIT FLAIL*

So, while my roomie and I were feasting on dinner, I set the pint out to thaw a little. I find that non-dairy frozen desserts often need about 5-10 minutes of sitting on the counter to make scooping easier. Trust me. Do it. It means you won’t have to go to battle with your pint of delicious goodness. The last thing you want to do is go to battle with dessert. That’s just not…human.

After we finished dinner and doing the dishes, I went to get out the ice cream scooper and serve up the latest flavor of non-dairy frozen goodness from a company that prides itself on their products that they call themselves So Delicious! That’s bold. And I love them for that!

I scooped us each up a serving and settled in to finish watching a Food Network show of our choosing tonight. I was practically on the edge of my seat…anticipating that first taste. I dipped my spoon into my bowl, scooped up a bit of the ice cream…and BAM…everything I missed about Cookies ‘N Cream ice cream came flooding back to me. I might have teared up a little. Amazing.

First of all, So Delicious does not skimp on the fillings. You are getting chunks of gluten-free sandwich cookies in this ice cream. You are getting this rich and luxurious base made form coconut milk that doesn’t overpower. The vanilla is a nice compliment to all the flavors. And those cookies…OH MY GOD…those cookies…they are the things that dreams are made of. Especially for someone like me…who has had to ignore anything with the word “cookie” in it for so long. Dreams do come true and So Delicious truly makes it…delicious. Each bite had that rich sweetness to it…plus the chunkiness of the cookies. You get that crunch with the creamy texture of the dessert itself. Oh…yes. If heaven were a pint of ice cream…I was devouring it at that very moment. A new favorite.

It’s also really good over a warm gluten-free brownie with hot fudge drizzled over it. I’m just throwing that out there. I might have done that too.

So, what exactly goes into a pint of the So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookies ‘N Cream Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert? I’m about to tell you! This ice cream is made from organic coconut milk, organic dried cane syrup, gluten-free creme cookies, chicory root extract, natural flavor, carob bean gum, and guar gum. Not only is this free of dairy and gluten, but it is also cholesterol free, vegan, non-GMO, and kosher.

And…I know it’s a treat…it’s dessert…but I always hit up those nutrition facts. A serving of the So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookies ‘N Cream Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert is 1/2 cup. In this serving, you will be consuming 160 calories and 7 grams of fat. Keep in mind, some of that fat count comes from that nutritious coconut milk! You will also be taking in 50 mg sodium and 16 grams of sugar. Yep…it’s high in sugar…but it’s an ice cream treat. You sort of expect that. And, finally, you will be provided with 7 grams of filling fiber and 1 gram of protein.

Not too shabby for a frozen dessert, right? RIGHT!

Yeah…my love for So Delicious continues to grow every time I get to try one of their products. Stay tuned…because there are more frozen treats from So Delicious in my freezer just waiting for me to pick them next to try. It’s a good thing that ice cream is one of my most favorite things in life. And, now, here’s one I can safely consume!

Oh, So Delicious…how I love you and your magical pints of frozen goodness.

A serving of So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookies 'N Cream Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert — A serving of So Delicious Dairy Free Gluten-Free Cookies ‘N Cream Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert

July 17, 2014

Product Review: Katz Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Loaf

Product: Katz Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Loaf – $5.79

I have to hand it to Katz Gluten Free…because they are upholding an amazing record as far as their products go. Honestly. Every time I have ordered and consumed one of their products, they have not only wowed me, but completely set the bar for other similar products that I try. And whenever they introduce something new to their lineup…I tend to order it to try it. I only do that with brands I trust. And Katz Gluten Free has more than proved itself worthy of my trust and my money.

How’s that for an endorsement?

But trust me, said endorsements aren’t just given. They must be earned.

And one thing that Katz Gluten Free does…is earn my endorsement. Whenever I am asked about gluten-free foods, I always direct the person to the Katz Gluten Free Web site…because they can get a sampler for free (just the cost of shipping) and try out some of the great items that Katz has to offer. But Katz Gluten Free is smart…and they don’t give their best away. The donuts, the bagels, the English muffins…those aren’t included in the sampler…but are definitely some of my favorite things I’ve ordered.

And now…you can add their new Lemon Poppy Loaf to that list.

Welcome to the gym morning crush and rush. This means…early morning to get up and head over to the gym…get in some cardio and weights and then get to the office. Every gym morning requires me to bring something to feast on for breakfast at the office while I begin working. This normally is something easy…something I can slap into the microwave and have it done. Always served with fruit, of course…because I like to balance things out. With the Cinnamon and Chocolate Buns now gone (oh, Katz Gluten Free…I will be ordering those again!) I looked peered into my pantry and freezer for something I could easily serve up to my roomie and I at the office.

I could have made scones…but really thought about it too late. So, baking was not happening. Not this week.

But then…there in my freezer, under some frozen fruits…I spotted the Katz Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Loaf that I ordered when I put in the order for the Cinnamon and Chocolate Buns. I mean…come on…it’s lemon. And lemon things are delicious. I removed the loaf from the freezer and set it out on the counter to thaw overnight. I got up early that following morning to do my training run, then came home and unwrapped the loaf, opened it up, and sliced it up…two slices for each of us…because it is breakfast after all. I placed these slices into a container, placed it in a cooler with our recovery drinks (chocolate milk for the roomie, and chocolate coconut water for me!) and anything else I was bringing for snacks and lunch. And my tea. Because that is important!

First of all, upon slicing the loaf I was very happy to see just how light and moist and fluffy it was. The knife slid right through it, cutting it perfectly without me hacking it to death and giving it this odd slanting slices. These were uniform and perfect. Second of all, because of the nature of the loaf being so moist, nothing like butter was needed to add to it. Could it be done, sure. But why butter up something so lemony fresh?

So, after hitting the gym and heading to the office, I set to work in the kitchen and placed two slices on each of our plates, giving them a little warming in the microwave. About 20 seconds. I served these with clementines, because citrus and citrus is always a safe bet, yes? YES! It was quick, easy, and really could have been served minus the nuking in the microwave…but I love a hot slice of bread. It’s almost like it’s fresh from the oven that way.

Brekkies…served.

I had no sooner settled into my desk after delivering Cathy her plate when my messenger blinked up with her exclamation of love and affection for the Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Loaf. I had to find out for myself. So, I picked up my fork, sliced off the corner, and took a bite.

OH…HELL YES! While Katz Gltuen Free does advertise this more as a cake…it is most certainly a sweet bread. And I couldn’t have been happier with it. The moist and fluffy lightness I described while cutting it was not an illusion. The Katz Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Loaf was not dense, heavy, or hard. It had this great brown and moist crust where it baked and inside…this gorgeous speckled loaf that just begged to be devoured. The lemon flavor was there…but it wasn’t overpowering. It was not an afterthought either. Rather, it was that perfect balance…no tartness…but definitely sweet and delicious. Happiness in breakfast form.

So, what does Katz bake into their Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Loaf? According to the package, this bread of lemon-poppy-awesomesaucy is a blend of a gluten-free flour mix (which includes brown rice flour, tapioca flour, and millet flour), eggs, sugar, brown sugar, canola oil, water, poppy seeds, baking powder, lemon extract, vanilla extract, xanthan gum, and salt. This bread is gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and soy-free, corn-free and cholesterol free.

As far as nutrition goes…a serving of the Katz Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Loaf is one slice. There are 10 servings per loaf. One slice of the loaf will give you 140 calories and 5 grams of fat. You will be taking in 130 mg sodium and 10 grams of sugar. And you will be consuming 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein. Another good reason to serve it up with something…you won’t be left feeling full after eating this. But…it’s so good you probably won’t care either.

Oh…yeah. If you like lemon things…lemon flavors…and just gluten-free food that tastes better than the “real” thing…you need to treat yourself to this delicious indulgence. Katz Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Loaf is a delicious slice of gluten-free heaven…and you’ll want to go back for more.

A slice of Katz Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Loaf