Sweet Stuff – Page 26 – The Celiathlete

April 3, 2014

Product Review: KIND Healthy Grains Dark Chocolate Chunk Bars

Product: KIND Healthy Grains Dark Chocolate Chunk Bars – $3.99+

Granola bars.

While there are gluten-free options out there for granola bars, it is something that I gave up when I had to go gluten-free. Why? I just didn’t find any that tasted…right…or good for that matter. Sure, there are plenty of fruit and nut bars out there, but when you think granola bar, you think of oats and that chewy-sticky goodness that you get with each bite. That was what I wanted. And that was not what I was finding.

Until…

KIND once again rose to the occasion.

I keep becoming so indebted to KIND because their products are superb. Honestly. I wouldn’t keep going back to KIND bars and KIND Healthy Grain Clusters time after time after time. Lord knows, these days there are plenty of delicious and gluten-free options when it comes to protein bars and granola. But there is something so spectacular about the products that KIND puts out. I trust them with my food budget. I really do.

So, imagine my glee the day I stepped into my local grocery store and went to scope out the Manager’s Special shelves and found the KIND Healthy Grains Bars on the shelf. They had the discounted price ticket on there. The only flavor being offered at the discounted price was the KIND Healthy Grains Dark Chocolate Chunk Bars…so that’s what came home with me. Two boxes of them. That meant, without any idea of how they tasted…I invested in 10 bars (they come 5 to a box). But I didn’t even flinch…because it was KIND.

Sadly, these just sort of sat in my drawer of protein bars and race day snackies up until the other day. I was working my way through the pantry that I totally forgot about those in that drawer. And, with my sprained ankle, I hadn’t been racing or running so there was no reason for me to open that drawer. It slipped my mind. Until…I started running again. I noticed the boxes in the drawer and knew it was time to bust them out for one of my work snacks. It would be just like the old days. A morning snack of a “granola” bar. But this…this is even better than a granola bar. It tastes better…has actual real ingredients…and it has more (and better) nutritional value. Trust me.

I couldn’t wait for snack time to roll around the other day. Honestly. I had the bar out on my desk…anticipating it. Wanting to see if it was any good. Needing to know if it lived up to the high standards that KIND set for its products with me in the past. And when it was time, I tore into that wrapper and broke off a corner of the Healthy Grains Bar. The first thing I noticed was this didn’t snap away. The bar itself is very light and soft. You definitely get that hint of sticky-soft goodness from the honey, which helps to also sweeten the oats and other grains that are used in the making of these bars. The dark chocolate chunks provide this amazing sweetness that doesn’t detract from the rest of the bar, but works with it…bringing out all the other flavors. And I love that hint of coconut flavor you get right at the end. Honestly…one of the best bars I have ever consumed. EVER! Even better…I don’t feel guilty about this little indulgence, because it’s not really an indulgence. The name of this product says it all – HEALTHY Grains Bars. Add in that sweet hint of heart-healthy dark chocolate and you have my new favorite snack in life.

So, what all goes into the KIND Healthy Grains Dark Chocolate Chunk Bars? Well, KIND never hides anything when it comes to their products. That’s why their packaging and wrappers have large open windows. They honestly have nothing to hide. At all. The KIND Healthy Grains Dark Chocolate Chunk Bars are a blend of whole grains (which include gluten-free oats, brown rice, millet, gluten-free oat flour, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa), tapioca syrup, evaporated cane juice, honey, non-GMO canola oil, coconut, chocolate liquor, sugar, brown rice syrup, molasses, gum acacia, sea salt, vanilla extract, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, and natural vitamin E.

How does it stack up nutritionally? Not too bad at all. A serving of the KIND Healthy Grains Dark Chocolate Chunk Bars is one bar. This bar will provide 150 calories and 4.5 grams of fat. One bar will also provide you with only 65 mg sodium and 9 grams of sugar. You will also be getting 3 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein…so you actually do feel full after eating one. These are gluten-free and cholesterol-free.

If you’re looking for a healthy snack that you can easily pack and take with you…anywhere…I highly recommend KIND Healthy Grains Dark Chocolate Chunk Bars. They remind me, a lot, of the homemade granola bars I used to make. Flavor is SUPER fantastic. Texture and feel is spot on. And that chocolate…tames even the biggest sweet tooth. My snack time just got a lot sweeter….without the extra sugar and…additives. Thank you, KIND, for products that I’m proud to have right out on my desk.

March 31, 2014

Product Review: Wild Friends Foods Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter

Product: Wild Friends Foods Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter – $1.99+

I am not very good about blogging about various spreads and nut butters that I try. I don’t know why…but mostly because it’s hard to wax rhapsodic about different varieties of nut butters…because…while they don’t all taste the same…it’s the same thing. Besides, I’m a Trader Joe’s Creamy Peanut Butter girl. That doesn’t change.

Except…when something leaps out at me and catches my eye.

That was the case this past visit to Birmingham, Alabama. I went to my mom’s favorite natural food store, Organic Harvest, and was shopping around for some products to try that I had never seen in my area. I was walking the aisles, doing my initial scouting when I spotted little sample packs of almond butters at the bottom of one of the shelves.

The brand: Wild Friends Foods.

The flavor: Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter.

HELLO!! How could I not buy this?! I had to. So, it was one of the items that I chose to bring home with me to try. And…that’s what happened. All I needed was the perfect opportunity to use it and to allow it to shine. I mean…vanilla…espresso…almond butter. That’s three of my favorite things all rolled into one product. I was elated. I was in heaven. I…needed to find something to use it with.

And so…it all came together one morning when I was toasting up some gluten-free cinnamon raising English muffins. I had pulled out some butter and honey to top the English muffins with, but then I recalled this spread. So I decided to do half of the English muffins with the butter and honey, and the other half with this amazing sounding almond butter.

I made a fantastic choice.

The Wild Friends Foods Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter is just as amazing as it sounds. It has all the texture and flavor of almond butter, but elevated with the bits of ground up espresso beans and the amazing aroma and flavor of vanilla. It’s almond butter taken to the nth degree. And there is nothing wrong with that at all. This packet, once kneaded as instructed, provided a creamy, flavorful topper for the cinnamon raising English muffin. The espresso bits don’t get in the way or overpower the natural flavor of the almond butter. In fact, they serve as a bit of a flavor enhancer. And it was AWESOME!! Trust me, even my roommate was raving about it. Seriously…I wish I could find this stuff here.

So, let’s talk about the ingredients. One very important thing about Wild Friends Foods is that the creators wanted to make fun flavors of nut butters without the white sugars, preservatives, additives, or oil. So, instead of using slick oils and processed sweeteners, they use natural ingredients that are awesome…and…yes…healthy! The Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter contains almonds, organic agave, natural vanilla flavor, espresso, and sea salt. That’s it. It is non-GMO, dairy-free, gluten-free, and kosher.

Nutritionally speaking, you can’t beat these statistics when it comes to almond butter. The Wild Friends Foods Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter has a serving size of 2 tablespoons. This serving will provide you with 190 calories and 17 grams of fat (but it’s the healthy fat you get from nuts…so don’t freak out, okay?). You will also be getting 95 mg sodium and 2 grams of sugar. And finally, you will be taking in 3 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein.

And it really does taste amazing. Possibly my favorite almond butter I have had to date. I wish I had more than just the sample pack. From a quick check on the Wild Friends Foods Web site, it looks like a regular jar of this flavor is a whopping $11.99. One jar. But…I would say it was worth it. For now, I guess I’ll just supplement with the amazing little sample packs whenever I go to Birmingham.

If you can order it online to try it…or if you can find it locally…don’t hesitate…just do it!

Wild Friends Foods Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter (on a gluten-free cinnamon raisin English muffin)

March 29, 2014

Product Review: Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins

Product: Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins – $4.99

When it comes to gluten-free goodies…it doesn’t get much better than Katz Gluten Free. Honestly. I have never, ever, ever, ever, ever…etc. been disappointed by anything that I have ordered from Katz Gluten Free on their Web site. In fact, I strongly encourage others to take the plunge and try some of Katz Gluten Free products. If you are lucky, you won’t have to always order online. Perhaps one of your local natural food stores carries some of their products. Which is great…if that is the case.

For me…I can find the pies and the breads…but for the most part…my luck stops there. So when something else catches my eye…that’s when I hit the Web site to place an order.

Trust me…you won’t ever regret hitting that check out button.

This time, after ordering the Gluten-Free Large Braided Challah Loaf, I figured I’d order a few extra items in order to round out the amount I was spending to get free shipping. I was over halfway there with just the challah…so I felt it was worth it. After perusing the items available, I made a decision to try the Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins.

Now, I’ve tried their Gluten Free Original English Muffins before and absolutely loved them. They taste like real English muffins. Perhaps even better. So, since I love cinnamon raisin things, I figured this would be right up my alley to try. Since I was out of town and don’t have a CSA bin to prepare meals from this week, my gym mornings were spent noshing down on things in my freezer. One such item…the Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins.

I pulled two of the English muffins (one for me and one for my roomie) out the night before to thaw in a plastic bag. I sliced them in half before packing them up while I went to the gym. I got into office after my sweat session and put these on a dedicated plate, put them in the toaster oven, and let them get all toasty and golden and warm. It took about 8 minutes from the time I put them in the toaster oven.

When they came out, they were golden and gorgeous…and smelling like cinnamon rolls. No…seriously. And we all know I love my cinnamon rolls. I put a little butter and honey on one half…and on the other half I tried out a new kind of almond butter (Wild Friends Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter). I served up a plate to my roommate and went to tuck into my hard-earned brekkies.

First bite and I was hooked. I started with the side with the butter and honey, knowing the flavor would shine through more. I was totally right about that. I loved the hint of spice from the cinnamon and the sweetness from the raisins. The texture was light…airy…perfect. These are in no way dense at all. They have the right amount of heft to them. And…that cinnamon raisin flavor is outstanding. When I tried it with the super-special almond butter, I might have fallen deeper in love. These English muffins are fantastic. Katz did amazing things with the original flavor. They are doing even better things with the Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins. I am hooked. And now I wish I had ordered more. Dang it.

Let’s talk ingredients. Katz Gluten Free puts the following into their Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins: gluten free flour (mix of potato flour and rice flour), water, potato starch, quinoa, tapioca starch, canola oil, sugar, dry yeast, baking powder, guar gum, salt, corn flour, cinnamon, and raisins. They are completely cholesterol free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, dairy-free, and egg-free.

Nutrition-wise, these are actually really good on the dietary scale. For English muffins that is. One serving of Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins is one English muffin. This will provide you with 170 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. You will also be taking in 260 mg sodium and 7 grams of sugar. Not bad for a gluten-free baked item. Honestly. In addition, you will be consuming 2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein.

Seriously…if you love English muffins…you will definitely fall in love with these. Katz Gluten Free really knows how to put a quality item out on the market. And if you can’t find these in your local natural foods store…go to their Web site and place an order. I promise, you won’t ever regret doing that! I never do. And all I get out of it is tasty gluten-free goodies.

Nothing wrong with that.

March 28, 2014

Product Review: Tastefully Simple Gluten-Free Vanilla Bean Pound Cake Mix

Product: Tastefully Simple Gluten-Free Vanilla Bean Pound Cake Mix – $10.99

It’s no secret by now…I have a sweet tooth. I also, fortunately, love to bake! But sometimes, the art of gluten-free baking is more trouble than it’s worth. Like…a simple pound cake can mean, in order to get the right texture and density…a whole lot of different flours being mixed together with the hope that it just…tastes…good.

Well, thanks to Tastefully Simple…a pound cake no longer has to be a daunting task. In fact…it isn’t daunting at all. The mixing part is done for you. All you need to do is add one stick of melted butter and 2/3 cup water. Mix it together until it is smooth…put it in a loaf pan and put it in an oven at 350°F for around 50 minutes.

Word to the wise…pay attention to your oven heat and the time it’s in there. I’m just sayin’…

Recipe: Gluten-Free Morning Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel

There is one thing that I love to do over at my friend Jenn’s house…and that’s cook. Especially a breakfast on Sunday. Saturday we sometimes cook in…sometimes we out. But Sunday…we normally always make something. And that was the case this past weekend after we discovered a drool-worthy recipe on Pinterest…hosted on Smitten Kitchen’s blog. What drew my attention to it was the salted caramel portion of the bread pudding recipe. It sounded divine.

So…I planned it out with Jenn. I’d order the gluten-free challah bread if she could get the rest of the necessary ingredients.

The plan to bake this on Sunday morning was totally on. And that morning, with my ginormous gluten-free braided challah loaf from Katz Gluten-Free ready to slice…we set to work. While this recipe does take some time to prep…it’s worth it. I’d make this again in a heartbeat. And I will. I have plenty of extra bread to use up. So…go ahead…try it. Don’t be intimidated. My modifications were made to make it gluten-free. It didn’t take away from any part of this dish. The texture and flavors were to DIE for.

One word of warning…that caramel can get pretty hard…so make sure you don’t do what we did and throw it in the freezer. LOL!! Lesson learned.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Morning Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel

Servings: 8
Time: Prep 30 minutes; Bake 45 minutes

Ingredients:

3/4 cup plus (optional) 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt or just 2 or 3 pinches of a coarse one
10 to 12-ounce loaf brioche or challah bread (cut into slices about 1/2-inch thick and about 3 inches square or round, which sounds really persnickety, but they really do fit better in the pan this way) (I used Katz Gluten Free Large Braided Challah Loaf)
6 large eggs
1 cup mascarpone cheese, divided (1/4 cup for custard; 3/4 cup for serving)
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

First, choose your baking dish. We opted to use a 9-inch round cake pan, which was a squeeze, but we made it work. Other options would be 2-quart oval gratin/roasting dish, a 9- to 10-inch cast iron skillet, a 2-quart casserole dish or 1 deep-dish pie pan.

If your dish is safe for the stove top, use this to make the caramel. If not, use a small, heavy saucepan and place 3/4 cup sugar, butter and sea salt and heat over medium heat. The butter will melt and, after 7 to 10 minutes, the sugar will dissolve and begin to brown. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir with a spoon or spatula so that it browns evenly. The butter does separate from the sugar, but that’s okay. Just continue to stir them together. It will all work out in the end even if it splits. I know…because ours did!

If you’re using a saucepan, your caramel is done when it reaches a copper color. Pour it over the base of your baking dish.

If you’re making the caramel in your dish (like a cast iron skillet), your caramel should be taken off the stove a step sooner, a shade more pale than copper, something of a medium brown; this is because it will continue cooking and darkening for a minute off the stove.

Regardless of what you choose to bake it in, place the dish in refrigerator and chill until caramel is cold and solid, about 30 minutes. Once chilled, arrange the bread slices. Place the heel of the bread in the center and do what you can to fan the slices around it, overlapping each slightly and knowing with complete confidence that even if your dish doesn’t resemble a blooming rose, nobody will care at all. Mine looked nothing like a blooming rose…and, honestly, no one cared.

In a large bowl whisk together eggs, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar (if using; I skipped this) and 1/4 mascarpone cheese (save rest for serving), until very smooth. Add milk and almond extract. Pour this over the bread, making sure to saturate all of it. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill for about 30 minutes to an hour. You can let it soak overnight if you have that sort of time or plan that far in advance. If you bread seems too high in the vessel to get a good soak, you can weight it with a plate in the fridge.

After the allotted time (or in the morning), take your dish from the fridge. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove plastic from dish and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until moist but not wet in center. Remove from oven and run a knife around edge of dish, loosening bread from sides. Place a serving plate over top of dish (bottom side up), and, using potholders, hold pudding over sink and flip pudding onto the plate. Lift baking dish off plate; scrape any extra caramel from pie dish over pudding.

Serve, cutting it into wedges at the table and spooning a healthy dollop of mascarpone onto each plate.

A slice of Gluten-Free Morning Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel

~*~*~

While the original recipe called for this to soak overnight, we were busy watching Thor 2…so that didn’t happen. The fact that we only let it soak for about 30 minutes in the fridge did not, at all, make the dish any less of a delicious treat. It worked perfectly. So, don’t feel like you have to make it the night before…unless you have that sort of time. Do plan ahead though, because this does take some time. Jenn and I took out 2 of the eggs from the original recipe as we thought 8 eggs was a bit much. I think we made a good call. This cooked up to a beautiful perfect meal. And we all sat and enjoyed it…and kept the leftovers for the next couple of mornings. SO amazing and delicious!!

Yeah…totally making this one again!

March 18, 2014

Product Review: Katz Gluten Free Large Braided Challah Loaf

Product: Katz Gluten Free Large Braided Challah Loaf – $35.00

Let me tell you…I adore products from Katz Gluten Free. I have been pimping the quality, taste, and everything about their variety of products since I have tried so many of them. However…in order to make a gluten-free breakfast bread pudding with a friend of mine…I needed some gluten-free challah. And I knew the only place to get it was from Katz Gluten Free.

I debated for a long moment over whether to go ahead and order the very, very, very pricey Large Braided Challah Loaf…or just skimp on that line of thinking and get either the sliced challah loaf or the rice challah. I debated. Price had a lot to do with it. I mean…holy gluten-free gods…$35 was a lot to spend on a loaf of bread. But…I figured I wanted to go for quality of what we were making and opted to go ahead and place an order for Katz Gluten Free Large Braided Challah Loaf. I just hoped it was worth the $35 I was spending on it. Oy!

A few days later, the loaf arrived via UPS…and I was really excited to take a look at what a $35 loaf of bread looked like.

Little did I know that when the loaf is called a large braided loaf…it really is LARGE!! Seriously…the size of two of my heads put together. That is not an exaggeration!

I only hoped the Large Braided Challah Loaf was worth the investment in the end. I’d find out on Sunday morning…after a short run…when my friend, Jenn, and I raided her kitchen and began working on a recipe for Gluten Free Morning Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel. We had the recipe picked out prior to the get-together weekend…and I told her if she got the rest of the ingredients, I would get the bread. And with both of us following through on the deal…it was time to open up this monster loaf and see if I made a wise investment.

The bread smelled fantastic the moment I got that plastic wrap off of it. I mean…almost like it was fresh out of the bakery. So amazing. I sniffed the air quite a few times, ignoring the slight hunger rumbles in my belly. There was a lot of time between this moment and breakfast time…so I had to focus on getting it made if I wanted to get myself fed. I sliced off the end piece and, instead of using it as the center of the bread pattern as suggested by the recipe…we cut it up to sample.

Gluten-Free Morning Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel made with Katz Gluten Free Large Braided Challah Loaf

OMG…it was good. It was really, really good. I loved the taste of the crust and the actual challah bread itself. The sesame seeds that are scattered on the top of the loaf are a brilliant touch and a very tasty addition. I wouldn’t have though that those little seeds could be so important, but the taste and texture was only elevated with their presence. I was impressed. And, let me tell you…this is one very soft and fluffy loaf of bread. You’d never guess it because it feels so heavy…but you slice into it and it is just super airy and light. It’s so weird, I know…but that’s the truth. It didn’t crumble or fall apart as I sliced into it, as so many loaves of gluten-free bread can do. And the taste was out-of-this-world delicious. It tasted like it had just been made and pulled out of the oven. It didn’t even need a reheat to make it taste edible. It can go straight from the freezer to the counter top with only a quick defrost. Amazing. Totally worth all $35 I paid for it.

I don’t know how this ranks nutrition-wise as no nutrition information is available on the site. Just know this bread loaf is HUGE!! HUGE!! The recipe we were making called for about 12 ounces and I used less than 1/3 of the loaf. Honestly. The rest is sitting in my freezer until my next culinary adventure arises.

I can, however, list off the ingredients that Katz Gluten Free uses to make its legendary Large Braided Challah Loaf. This gigantic loaf is made from a mix of gluten-free flour (white rice, tapioca, arrowroot, corn, soy, and potato), fresh eggs, palm oil, brown sugar, honey, xanthan gum, yeast, salt, flaxseed, and apple cider vinegar. Mine came topped with sesame seeds, however you can choose to purchase the loaf without the seeds on top. However, if you don’t have an allergy…I highly recommend keeping them on there.

This bread was amazing in the bread pudding that we baked up for breakfast. It’s amazing on its own. It’s amazing with a little butter schmeared on it. It’s amazing with pizza toppings cooked on it. It’s awesome as a grilled cheese sandwich. It holds up to anything and everything. It won’t fall apart on you. The flavor is amazing. The texture is more than superb. And the versatility this loaf offers is unmatched. And you’ll want to use it in a variety of ways…since there is so damn much of it. Not a complaint anymore. One of my favorite gluten free breads I have ever eaten. I will definitely spend another $35 in the future without a second thought.

Thanks Katz Gluten Free…for this amazing addition to my gluten-free menu!!

A slice of Gluten-Free Morning Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel made with Katz Gluten Free Large Braided Challah Loaf

March 14, 2014

Product Review: Boundless Nutrition Perfect Fit Peanut Butter Protein Cookie

Product: Boundless Nutrition Perfect Fit Peanut Butter Protein Cookie – $1.49+

Yep.

The cookie monster is back with a vengeance. Where there is a new gluten-free cookie…it will find a way into my life. And eventually into my stomach. For real!

As I was walking through Whole Foods last week, my roommate called me over to an endcap she was passing. On the end was a display of cookies. Delicious sounding…healthy sounding cookies. I know…cookies aren’t healthy, but these at least provided protein and stuff. Stuff like…green tea in the cookie. Yes…green tea.

Sounds healthier than the butter-laden versions, right? Right.

But…was it any good?

We were going to find out. Because we did end up buying one. Yes. One. To split. Just in case it was…nasty. You never know with these things. You just have to throw caution to the wind. But my roommate and I do that by halves. We had three varieties to choose from: Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip, and White Chocolate Macadamia. I, naturally, chose Peanut Butter.

And so, the other night after a delicious dinner, I pulled this out of my drawer of gluten-free treats and cut it down the center to split with my roommate for dessert. I handed her the half that was hers and she immediately took a bite. I told her that if it was nasty…I’d dig up something else. She didn’t seem disgusted. Just disappointed. “It’s okeydokey…kind of bland.”

UGH! I hate bland peanut butter things. But she deemed it edible, so I took my half and settled in to taste for myself. I agree with her…the Boundless Nutrition Perfect Fit Peanut Butter Protein Cookie is…bland. In fact, the peanut butter flavor is very underwhelming. I felt it even might have needed a bit of salt to help it out. That being said, the texture was awesome. If you love a soft, chewy cookie…this is for you. It is both. The peanuts that are scattered throughout are a nice touch. They were definitely edible enough…but I have definitely had far better peanut butter cookies in my life. You can, however, get the flavor of the green tea, which is actually a nice touch. Believe it or not.

So…Boundless Nutrition Perfect Fit Peanut Butter Protein Cookie is made up of hormone-free whey and milk protein concentrates (rBST/rBGH-free), organic brown rice syrup, peanut butter, 0rganic inulin (blue agave), vegetable glycerin, brown sugar, peanut flour, organic coconut oil, sunflower oil, filtered water, natural flavors, non-GMO sunflower lecithin, baking soda, sea salt, antioxidant blend (decaffeinated green tea extract, vitamin C), stevia leaf extract (natural sweetener), and xanthan gum. All ingredients are non-GMO and all natural. These cookies are low in sodium, gluten-free, egg-free, soy-free and wheat-free.

Nutritionally speaking, a serving of the Boundless Nutrition Perfect Fit Peanut Butter Protein Cookie is one cookie. One soft cookie. This cookie will give you 150 calories and 7 grams of fat. You will be provided with 15 mg cholesterol, 120 mg sodium, and 7 grams of sugar. Not bad for a cookie, right?! The sodium count is really impressive. And only 7 grams of sugar??! In a cookie??!! That’s awesome. Finally, you will be provided with 4 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein. So, it’s not just sugar…you will be filled up with this dessert and you won’t feel hungry an hour later. Love that.

So, while these are definitely not my favorite cookie out there…these weren’t bad. They weren’t great…but I’m intrigued enough to try out the other two varieties in the near future. Not great…but not disgusting and worth throwing away. I happily ate my cookie for dessert…just wishing I could have had more of that peanut butter flavor. Because I totally love peanut butter. Give me my peanut butter!!

I’ll see what I think of the other varieties…

March 1, 2014

Product Review: So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars

Product: So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars – $4.99+

Coconut milk and I are seriously becoming best mates.

Really.

I am using it more and more…and not just to splash into my coffee or over my cereal. I mean…I am now making ice cream with it, making soups with it, you name it…I’m probably doing it. And my main source of coconut milk (my only source, actually!) is So Delicious. Why? Because they live up to their name. I have never had a product that I didn’t like from their line-up. That’s saying something, for sure.

Happily, they make more than just half gallon cartons of coconut milk. Yep. They do yogurts and even…desserts. YES! Desserts. Otherwise known as my favorite meal of the day.

I was recently provided with a box of the new So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars. I just recently reviewed the Fudge Bars and Super Strawberry Bars. This was the last in the line of products and the one I was anticipating the most. I mean…java…hello! I won’t lie…coffee and I are also best mates. So, combine coconut milk with coffee and make it a dessert…you are totally speaking my language.

I wonder if So Delicious knew that?

Anyway…after a long day that started with spin class at the gym and ended at physical therapy for my ankle sprain, I was looking forward to treating myself to something sweet and refreshing after a quick dinner. So, after I finished up my meal, I did up the dishes and reached into the freezer for the So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars. I removed two…one for me and one for my roommate.

One taste and I have declared this one my favorite of the bunch. It’s like…eating a delicious frappuccino. Seriously. The best part is, the coffee flavor doesn’t overwhelm this dessert. Too often, coffee-flavored desserts or treats are overwhelmed by that java flavor. But not these. The balance is perfect. And the coconut milk just makes it. Honestly. It just makes this dessert. It’s so smooth and dreamy-creamy. I was happy to savor it slowly, until it started to melt more. Then I had to pick up the pace. The fact of the matter is…SUPER DUPER JAVA-INDUCED YUMMINESS!

You can quote me on that one. OMG…so delicious indeed. These will forever have a spot in my freezer…because they aren’t just good…they are a treat you won’t feel guilty about eating either.

While on that topic…let’s go ahead and peek at the ingredients, yes? The So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars are made from organic coconut milk, organic dried cane syrup, organic inulin, organic guar gum, organic fair trade coffee, natural flavor, organic locust bean gum, and sea salt. Not too bad on the ingredients. Nothing that I don’t recognize. That’s always a good sign.

Nutritionally, these are awesome! A serving is one of the dessert bars. This mini treat will serve you up only 80 calories and 4 grams of fat. One dessert bar also contains 25 mg sodium and 8 grams of sugar. That’s really good for a dessert! You will also be taking in 5 grams of fiber and only 1 gram of protein.

If you are a coffee-junkie like me…you will love this dessert bar. It is truly amazing. You won’t even guess that it’s made with coconut milk. And, trust me, you won’t miss the dairy either. These are beyond fantastic. These…are what dreams are made of. And I, for one, am a happy dairy-free ice cream loving girl.

Thank you so much, So Delicious!! I love you for life.

February 28, 2014February 28, 2014

Recipe: Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Yogurt Quick Bread

My refrigerator has something incredible in it. Really.

I have these cartons of So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk.

Let me tell you…these were the most fantastic yogurts to ever enter into my life. And I was feeling the need to bake last night. Using a guide recipe from Gluten-Free on a Shoestring, I baked up what is turning out to be one of my favorite breads I have ever made. Made with Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Morsels, Better Batter Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, and So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk, this is a recipe that will wow your friends and family. You might even surprise yourself with how moist and delicious this bread is when it is baked and cooled and finally…sliced. All of this was from scratch and, as luck would have it, I had everything necessary already in my apartment. Check out the recipe below.

Recipe: Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Yogurt Quick Bread

Servings: 12-16
Time: Prep 20 minutes; Bake 50 minutes

Ingredients:

1-3/4 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour (I used Better Batter)
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (I used Earth Balance)
1 cup plain yogurt, at room temperature (I used So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk)
2 eggs, at room temperature, beaten
3 ounces miniature chocolate chips, tossed with 1 teaspoon cornstarch (I used Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease well a standard 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan and set it aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), place the flour blend, cornstarch, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar, and whisk to combine well with a separate, handheld whisk. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the butter, yogurt and eggs. Mix on medium speed to combine with the paddle attachment (or your handheld mixer) after each addition. The batter will be thick. Add the chocolate chips tossed with cornstarch, and mix with a spatula or spoon until the chips are evenly distributed throughout the batter. Scrape into the prepared baking pan and, with wet hands, smooth the top. To create a dome shape, run a wet spatula along the edges of the pan and pull the batter toward the center. For a uniform split down the center as the bread rises in the oven (instead of a more haphazard split), slash down the center of the loaf with a sharp knife, about 1/4-inch deep.

Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F, and continue to bake for another 20 minutes, or until the top of the loaf springs back when pressed lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with, at most, a few moist crumbs attached. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the loaf pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice once cool and serve.

~*~*~

You will love this bread. Light, moist, and packed with flavor. And using the Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk meant adding flavor without the added sugar. It was fantastic. And the bread…definitely one of my new favorites. This is amazing. I can’t wait to make more breads using the Cultured Coconut Milk. Fantastic.

Chocolate chip bread-y love!

February 28, 2014

Product Review: So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk

Product: So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk – $5.99+

Love is finding a product that you can literally do just about anything with…and getting creative with it. I love to come up with new ways to make things when I’m in my kitchen. I love to see just what I can accomplish with what I have on hand.

Currently, in my refrigerator, I have two 16 ounce cartons of So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk.

What is cultured coconut milk? Glad you asked.

It’s the dairy-free, coconut milk based version of a creamy, dreamy yogurt. Yes…all you dairy-free people who have lamented the loss of yogurt in your diet…welcome to the world of So Delicious and their fantastic coconut milk based yogurts. Also known as…cultured coconut milk.

I love that So Delicious has released two new varieties of their cultured coconut milk products. I already reviewed the Unsweetened Vanilla Cultured Coconut Milk…but now it is simply the Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk. First of all, as someone trying to keep their sugar intake in check, the unsweetened offering makes me so happy. Even better…it has great texture and good flavor. It actually has a bit of a tang to it, reminding me of a sour cream. And, certainly, this could easily be used in place of sour cream. But…not in my case.

I got into my kitchen last night and decided to use some of the So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk…to make bread. Yep. Bread. Delicious…dairy free and gluten-free Chocolate Chip Yogurt Bread.

Here’s what I found out…my bread cooked up amazing. The Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk made this a very light, very moist bread when all was said and done. The best part was how it tasted. Because this also adds flavor without adding more sugar. And that…that is an amazing thing. I love how versatile this product is. It can be used in dressings, breakfast parfaits, smoothies, as a garnish for meals…you name it. And it does it all with style and without upping the sugars you’re consuming. LOVE!

A serving of the So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk is 1/2 cup or 4 ounces. This serving will provide you with 50 calories and 4 grams of fat. You will be provided with 95 mg sodium and 1 gram of sugar. The Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk doesn’t provide any protein, but you do get 4 grams of fiber. This product is cholesterol free, gluten-free, vegan, kosher, non-GMO, and made with organic ingredients.

I have truly fallen in love with this product. I am so glad I have two containers of it chilling in my fridge. There are tons of other things I want to try this with. But…below, take a look at how amazing my bread baked up using the So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk. I am beyond impressed. You will be too!

Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Yogurt Quick Bread made with So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk