Sweet Stuff – Page 29 – The Celiathlete

November 14, 2013

Product Review: EatPastry Gluten-Free Sugar Momma Cookie Dough

Product: EatPastry Gluten-Free Sugar Momma Cookie Dough – $6.49+

COOKIE!

We all know…I am one big cookie monster. I mean…give me a chance to try a gluten-free cookie and I’m on it like Cookie Monster. OM NOM NOM!! Seriously…cookies are one of my biggest weaknesses when it comes to treats. I love them. I always have. I grew up with my mom constantly baking cookies, from scratch, on snow days, for special occasions, and especially during the holidays.

While my favorite will always be her Snickerdoodles (which I intend to attempt to make gluten-free this year…so wish me luck), I also love it when she would make sugar cookies. Not only did we get to help cut them into the fun shapes, but we got to help decorate them too. Sugar cookies are so simple…yet have always been one of my favorite cookies to reach for and devour…er…I mean eat.

Why?

Simple flavors. Simple ingredients. Pure awesomeness.

They are basically sugar, butter, and flour, but damn…they are awesome. I’d be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t enjoy a sugar cookie. And if they said anything of the sort, I’d deem them a liar…just like everyone I know who says they hate chocolate.

LIES! ALL LIES!!

*cough*

Anyway…here I was…before the release of Pillsbury Gluten-Free Cookie Dough (which is refrigerated)…walking around my local natural foods store during one of their fun gluten-free events…when…the roommate says I can pick out some new products to try. WOOHOO! I love it when she expands my grocery budget as a treat…sometimes for no good reason. She says she benefits from it too…so it’s win/win! I never go overboard…and generally pick a few items that I’ve not seen anywhere else. And one of those items this last time was a gluten-free sugar cookie dough in the refrigerator section. It’s EatPastry Gluten-Free Sugar Momma Cookie Dough.

EatPastry is a line of vegan and some vegan and gluten-free cookie doughs. The company was founded, according to the website, by confusion, curiosity, and dedication. The company experimented until they came up with what they thought to be the best tasting, best “feeling” cookie dough. They use only high quality, all natural ingredients. And it has been a priority from the inception of EatPastry to maintain 100% vegan ingredients, meaning none have come into contact with any animal ingredients. Their cookie dough also uses only organic and fair trade sugar (evaporated cane juice) and select organic ingredients. They even make their own peanut butter for their (not gluten-free) vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. EatPastry’s doughs contain no eggs, no dairy, no preservatives, no processing, no fillers, no GMOs and no funny business. None. Good cookie dough is serious business, folks! They even state that all flavors were created with various moods in mind.

Mood food. Love it.

Well…I am just now getting around to using this dough because…well…I ran out of desserts in my freezer and pantry. HA! I wanted to try this before but I was working against a deadline on expiration dates. So…this little container was just hanging out in my fridge…waiting patiently.

It’s time to shine came yesterday! I just polished off a delicious, fresh dinner and knew I needed something sweet. I always have dessert. Always. So…I pulled this out of the fridge, preheated my oven to 350 degrees and laid out a strip of parchment paper across a baking sheet. I scooped up two tablespoons of dough, flattened each spoonful out, and then threw the pan in the oven.

How easy is that? About 12 minutes later…out they came. Delicious, individual cookies that were fresh from the oven. That is a total dessert win.

And…oh…my goodness. The EatPastry Gluten-Free Sugar Momma Cookie Dough is sassy, sweet and seductive. No…really…that’s what the Web site says. But I couldn’t agree more. First of all, with the scoopable refrigerator dough, you can make one cookie at a time if that’s what you wanted. You don’t have to make an entire batch right away…which you may or may not polish off before they start to get hard. This is easy and convenient. Seriously. They have this great texture to them. They are soft on the middle, but golden on the edges. And fresh from the oven…that is unbeatable. The flavors are subtle…but fantastic. There is that rich, delicate undertone of vanilla in each bite. And these cookies aren’t gritty with sugar. Not one bit. They are so amazing that it’s probably a good thing I can cook them up personally. Or I might eat the entire container.

Let’s talk ingredients and nutrition now…because I like to know what I’m getting myself into.

The EatPastry Gluten-Free Sugar Momma Cookie Dough is made of from a gluten-free flour blend (garbanzo, brown rice), Earth Balance, filtered water, pure salt, natural flavor (derived from corn with no MSG, no alcohol, no gluten) sunflower lecithin, lactic acid (derived from sugar beets), organic evaporated cane juice, pure apple sauce, pure vanilla extract, nutmeg, baking soda, and sea salt. Not too bad for a cookie right?

You’ll fee the same way about the nutrition. One serving is 1 tablespoon, which spoons you up only 60 calories and 2.5 grams of fat. This serving also has only 25 mg sodium and 5 grams of sugar. Yes…5 grams of sugar in a SUGAR COOKIE!!! You don’t get any fiber of protein from these cookies, but they are free of trans fats as well as cholesterol.

And they are fantastic. Really sexy, smooth, sinful gluten-free cookies of awesomeness. Without the guilt. Because, let’s face it…you don’t find 60 calorie cookies just anywhere, right?

I hope to try the other two vegan and gluten-free varieties offered by EatPastry…the Chocolate Chip and the Snickerdoodle (SQUEE!).

If you can find EatPastry refrigerated vegan and gluten-free cookie dough in your grocery store or natural food store…get it…and try it. You can scoop what you like and keep the rest for later. I’m loving it.

Cookie made from EatPastry's Gluten-Free Sugar Momma Cookie Dough — Cookie made from EatPastry’s Gluten-Free Sugar Momma Cookie Dough

October 27, 2013

Product Review: KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters

Product: KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters – $4.99+

Granola.

I have it in my pantry every week. The thing is…the brand and the flavors change. A lot. Why? Because I love a good gluten-free granola. And while I have found some rather amazing ones…I love to change things up…try new things…sample new flavors.

Now, I am a huge fan of KIND. The KIND bars are amazing, nutritious, all-natural snacks of deliciousness. For real. I have enjoyed every flavor I have ever sampled…and there are still more that I have yet to try. Imagine that!! But KIND doesn’t just do bars. They also do this fantastic granola line as well. Before I picked up the Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters, I tried Vanilla Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds…and it was love at first bite.

So, after returning from being out of town, and no CSA bin to work with…I had the opportunity to pair the apples I had in my fruit basket at home with whatever I wanted to in the morning parfaits I make with breakfast. Trying not to stop at too many grocery stores as we were now grocery shopping on a weekday…I asked my roommate to just pick one of the gluten-free options available at that store. She immediately locked onto the KIND varieties and snagged the Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters from the shelf.

Peanut butter…KIND product…this was going to be a match made in heaven…for sure. Peanut butter…as you may well be aware…is one of my most favorite things in life. In the world. I could eat it for live and never get bored with it. So…anything peanut butter flavored makes me one happy little vegetarian and gluten-free foodie.

As I said…apples were what I had at home. So, one morning, I set out to caramelize them to put in the Greek yogurt chilling in the fridge. But, to make this a true breakfast parfait…it needed a bit of crunch. It needed that granola topping. And peanut butter and apples go together so amazingly well. I mean…HELLO! They were meant for each other. In fact, one of my favorite snacks is slicing apples, coating them with peanut butter and raisins, and making them into sandwiches. YUMMY.

So, this parfait was definitely on the verge of epicness…before I even tasted it.

KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters…are beyond delicious. I mean…holy gluten-free granola goodness. Holy KIND awesomesauce. OM NOM NOM NOM. I would eat this stuff by the handful. I mean, it’s great on a caramelized apple and Greek yogurt…but it’s SO fantastic on its own. So, you can enjoy this any way you want and truly enjoy it. Each bite has that nice peanut flavor. In fact, little bits of peanuts are throughout these clusters. And that adds a nice bit of texture and salty-sweetness…that peanut butter is all about.

KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Clusters are a blend of gluten-free oats, brown rice, millet, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa. In addition to the whole grains, these whole grain clusters include evaporated cane juice, peanut butter, soy crisp, peanuts, whey protein, canola oil, sea salt, and natural vitamin E. Do note…these are not vegan due to the whey protein. Sort of sad about that. But, let’s face it…these are super delicious.

Nutritionally speaking, a serving of the KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters is 1/3 cup. This serving provides 130 calories and 3.5 grams of fat…which isn’t bad for granola. And since some of that fat comes from the nuts…it’s at least a healthy fat. These clusters are low in sodium and sugar, containing 80 mg sodium and 5 grams of sugar. I love a granola that isn’t loaded with sugar. LOVE it. These also contain 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. Filling, and delicious!

Not only are these clusters gluten-free, but they are all natural, contain no refined sugars, are non-GMO, contain no trans-fats, are cholesterol free, and as mentioned above…low in sodium. Every ingredient is obvious in the mix…and the ingredients are all real and prodnouncable. No hidden chemicals or preservatives. All natural goodness.

So…do try these out. Especially if you are a peanut butter freak like I am. Do something KIND for yourself, your body, and your diet. Find KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters and devour them. Devour them for the awesomeness that they are adding to your diet. Eat them on their own, over yogurt, or like cereal with milk. Whatever you want. Just go and get them…eat them…and love them as much as I do.

Yeah…these will be on the definite “purchase again” list! Whole grains…good for you…peanut buttery crunchy goodness. It’s all of life’s treats in one simple bag.

Kind Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters over caramelized apples and vanilla Greek yogurt

October 27, 2013

Product Review: Peas of Mind Baked Apple Fries

Product: Peas of Mind Baked Apple Fries – $5.99+

Sometimes…it happens.

Okay…with me it happens all the time…but let’s ignore that fact for a moment here.

Picture walking through the frozen food section of your local natural foods store (this was Whole Foods, in case you were wondering) and catching just a quick glimpse of an interesting sounding product. That’s what happened here. I normally never would have thought twice about this little green bag of sliced apples…but…the fact that they were frozen apple fries…that got my attention. Baking apple strips and making them into a healthy alternative to potato fries. BRILLIANT!

So…I bought them. I had to. I needed to give these a try.

The brand is Peas of Mind, and they tout all-natural eats for growing children.

Kid food. Kids sometimes get the best food. And the fact that these were all-natural, non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, fat-free, egg-free, soy-free and vegan…well…they were definitely safe for me to eat. I didn’t care that these were intended for children. This kind of food was good for all ages. That’s how I figured it.

Peas of Mind makes a variety of healthy eats for kids. And their veggie fries come in a few different flavors, including carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and apple. YUM! But the apple ones were the ones that caught my eye…so those were the ones making the trip to my freezer.

And, as with most things…I bought these and then kept forgetting to cook them up. Until the last time I prepared my gluten-free veggie burgers. I figured a side of fries would go nicely. But instead of slicing up a sweet potato or potato and baking them up in the oven…I pulled these out of the freezer and prepared a baking sheet to get them cooking. I have to say…they were a lot thicker than I anticipated…not the gorgeous fry-shape that is shown on the packaging. But…my food doesn’t have to look like the package. It just has to taste good.

Before we get to that, however, let’s hit up the ingredients and nutritional information. The Peas of Mind Baked Apple Fries are made up of apple, dehydrated potato, water, canola oil, cinnamon, sea salt, and baking powder. One serving is 57 grams (or about 14 fries). In this serving, you will be consuming 70 calories and 0 grams of fat. Remember…fat free! You also get served 50 mg sodium and 2 grams of sugar. These will not be very filling as that serving has only 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein. Each bag provides 6 servings of fruit. Definitely healthy. Definitely different.

So…how were they?

Different. They were…different. In fact, I’d venture to say they were slightly on the bland side. I felt that they needed a dip of some sort. Peas of Mind recommends (on the packaging) ketchup or honey. I’m not a fan of honey on its own nor am I fan of apples in ketchup. So…I ate them without. Although now I”m tempted to do up a whipped agave dip for the next time I make these. Hmmm.

Anyway…the apple flavor is barely there…and they seem to need more cinnamon, quite honestly. The dehydrated potato sort of gave them this odd…blandness. If it were just apple strips, these would have been amazing. But the added flakes of potato just subtract from that sweet apple flavor. So, they were definitely a disappointment. I think next time I bake up a round from my bag in the freezer, I might sprinkle with a bit more cinnamon and try to draw out more flavor.

So, they weren’t bad…but they didn’t wow me either. Next time…I might just slice an apple into slices and give them a good bake in the oven and see how that goes. I wasn’t blown away, but I am definitely curious enough to try the other veggie varieties to see if they work out better than this fruity version.

Peas of Mind has definitely drawn me in…even though this first product I sampled from them didn’t really thrill me, I am eager to see what else they have to offer. I love healthy alternatives to foods. And this was definitely a healthy choice…just not one that was as delicious as it was healthy. I hope that changes as I give the other versions of the veggie fries a chance in the future.

Peas of Mind Baked Apple Fries (prepared)

October 27, 2013

Product Review: Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix

Product: Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix – $5.99+

It isn’t often that Cathy comes right out with a breakfast request. Normally, I ask the question the night before…”What do you want for brekkies?” Her response usually comes with a shrug, a garbled “Idunno…” And then leaves it to me to figure something out. Which…fine…I’ve grown used to that. But sometimes I don’t want to make the breakfast decision. Sometimes I actually do want to make something that she definitely wants to have in the morning.

But…last week…the unthinkable happened. Without a prompt from me…I got, “Can we have pancakes for breakfast?”

Can we ever!! Finally…some input. Finally…a request. FINALLY…a reason to bust out a new brand of gluten-free pancake mix. HA!

It was time to pull the Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix out of my pantry and welcome it to the wonderful world of my teeny-tiny kitchen. Mixing bowl time…at last.

I found the Authentic Foods brand of pancake mix while browsing the small food section at our local Home Goods store. I can’t believe how many different gluten-free foods they have in there by brands that I am unfamiliar with. And, to top it off, this was being sold at an unbeatable price. When the normal price is $3.00 more than what Home Goods is selling it for…well…you better believe my pantry is going to have a bag of it inside. Purchase made…and the wait time as I work through the products that came before it happened.

Until Cathy’s request. PANCAKES!

Now…simple pancakes would have been just fine. But I felt like making one of my favorite things from childhood. In fact, so many of my friends associate my sleepovers with the chocolate chip pancakes my mom would cook up for all of us the next morning. We all looked forward to it…putting on a nice slab of butter, then dowsing it with maple syrup. Oh yeah…my mom always treated us to chocolate chip pancakes…and my friends knew it.

So…I thought I’d bring it back. So, I mixed up the batter as instructed on the packet…1/2 a cup of the mix added to 1 beaten egg, 1/2 cup almond milk (milk or milk substitute), 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. I then folded in some of Enjoy Life’s mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. Voila…these were ready for my skillet.

The most amazing thing happened. No joke. These pancakes, after they began to cook on the skillet…puffed up and got fluffy…like real pancakes do. Like the pancakes my mom used to make me when I was growing up. I was thrilled to see the edges bubble up and the batter just sort of…expand with the heat. I was already anticipating flipping these over and seeing if the trend continued. And when the bottom side was an amazing golden color, these were flipped…and yes…they remained fluffy. You cannot even imagine the happy dance I was doing in front of my skillet. So many times gluten-free pancakes don’t rise…they just are flat…but these…fluffy and beautiful. Perfection!

Authentic Foods Pancake & Baking Mix is composed of a blend of stone-milled Garfava (a blend of flour made from garbanzo, fava beans, and Romano beans) and superfine brown rice flour. It was like biting into a traditional all-American pancake. Honestly. And with my addition of the mini chocolate chips…you better believe this breakfast took me back to those mornings my mom would treat us to this very same breakfast.

I served the pancakes with a drizzle of pure maple syrup…and settled in. These pancakes got that amazing golden crust on the outside. Inside…so fluffy and light. Not heavy and dense. Just the most perfect pancake I have made so far from these gluten-free mixes. I want to go see if Home Goods has more of this mix…because it made me so happy with each and every bite. For real. When pancakes make your day…there is something special going on.

Supposedly this mix is perfect for making waffles, muffins, cookies, donuts, crepes, and so much more. I just bought a donut cutter. Game on!

Nutritionally speaking, this pancake mix isn’t too bad for you either. I mean…these are carby…amazing…fluffy…REAL tasting gluten-free pancakes. Just take them for what they are and enjoy!! But…as I always cover this…a serving size of this pancake mix is 1/4 cup…which gives you light and fluffy…130 calories per serving and 1.5 grams of fat. So…really not so bad, right? Right! You will be getting 170 mg of sodium and 1 gram of sugar. Also these serve up a filling 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. So…woohoo!

If you have been longing for the light and fluffy pancakes you used to know…I highly recommend giving Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix a try. So far…it’s the one that has impressed me the most. I hope to find other products by Authentic Foods and see how they compare. Until then…I’m thinking pancakes for breakfast tomorrow.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pancakes from Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix

October 24, 2013

Restaurant Review: Da Luciano – Pasta, Pizza & Catering, River Grove, Illinois

Da Luciano - Pizza, Pasta & Catering, River Grove, Illinois — Da Luciano – Pizza, Pasta & Catering, River Grove, Illinois

Restaurant: Da Luciano – Pasta, Pizza& Catering, River Grove, Illinois

This…was an important dining choice to make when I was coming to Chicago, Illinois. I mean…for real. This was a big…heap…deal.

Why?

Because I was in town for the Chicago Marathon. I needed a safe meal…one that would guarantee that I would have no stomach issues…and…being that I was running on Sunday morning…this needed to include gluten-free pizza. It HAD to be gluten-free pizza. That is my stipulation when it comes to the night before a big run. If it’s a half marathon or marathon…it has to be gluten-free, vegetarian pizza. It just works for me. Some down pasta…not this girl. This girl indulges in a few epic slices of (hopefully) amazing pizza. Gluten-free pizza isn’t tasteless cardboard, you know. When done right…it is a culinary work of art.

And I’ve eaten good and bad gluten-free pizzas…as they are well documented in this blog.

But there was something special about Da Luciano, which is one of the reasons, despite meaning a car ride outside of downtown Chicago, that I felt I needed to eat there the night before the Chicago Marathon.

What was so special about this place?

They understand Celiac Disease. They totally get me. They totally know how to handle and prepare my food so that I won’t get sick from eating there. And how do I know this? Well, as stated on their Web site, the owners, Luciano and Rosalia, were first introduced to the gluten-free world when four of of their seven children were diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Being an Italian family, bread and pasta were daily staples in their diets. Rosalia set out on a mission to find quality gluten-free bread and pasta for her children, but found that her options were limited. So, she began to experiment with her own recipes, succeeding in making gluten-free bread, pasta, pizza, and desserts that satisfied all of her children. When Da Luciano Pizza, Pasta & Catering opened the following year, they decided to offer their customers a gluten-free menu featuring Rosalia’s amazing recipes. The response from the gluten-free community was huge.

So…as you can see…this place won me over right from the start. And, upon arriving at the restaurant, we were immediately asked if anyone needed a gluten-free menu. I didn’t have to request one. I didn’t have to ask if one even existed. The hostess just flat-out asked. And so, when we were seated, I was given their rather extensive (no one sheet of paper here…but a true menu, my friends!) gluten-free menu to peruse.

So many of the dishes sounded awesome. And part of me wanted to do the gluten-free bruschetta for an appetizer…but we had all decided that dessert was happening…so the appetizer went to the wayside…this time. The gluten-free menu at Da Luciano is about as big as the regular menu. So many of the dishes are offered as a gluten-free option. From the dishes with meat (as I’m a vegetarian, I didn’t look at the extensive seafood, chicken, and veal offerings), but there were many amazing sounding pasta dishes. BUT…I never change up the night before a race…and it was one of their individual gluten-free pizzas for me.

When our waitress returned to the table to take our orders…we were all settled on what we wanted. Heather is not big on carbs, so she went with one of the chicken entrees. Her choice – Chicken Scaloppine ($14.95), which was thinly sliced chicken served in what looked like a tomato and mushroom sauce. Cathy opted for the Rigatoni Porcini ($11.95), which was rigatoni pasta cooked with porcini mushrooms in a light cream sauce. Jenn went with the Gnocchi al Pesto ($11.95), which was delicious looking gnocchi served in a creamy (probably) basil pesto sauce. It looked fantastic.

Da Luciano's Gluten-Free Pizza with Mushrooms, Onions, and Roasted Red Peppers — Da Luciano’s Gluten-Free Pizza with Mushrooms, Onions, and Roasted Red Peppers

But for me…I went with the Gluten-Free Pizza ($8.50) topped off with mushrooms, onion, and roasted red pepper ($0.75 each). I couldn’t wait to get a taste of this pizza. And…I wanted to make sure that Heather got a bite as well, because she suffered through the disaster of Pizza Ranch in Minnesota with me…and I wanted her to know good gluten-free pizza was out there. If we had been in Louisville…I’d take her to Annie May’s Sweet Café and split one of those amazing pizzas with her…but when in Chicago…you find a place that works.

We had a little wait, but soon our food was arriving at the table. And it all looked and smelled amazing! I photographed every dish…especially my pizza. And it was time to dig in.

So…

WINNING!! Granted, I still like my local bakery’s crust better…but this definitely is one of the best crusts I’ve had on a gluten-free pizza. Cooked to golden perfection, so it was crispy, without being burnt or overdone. And it still had that nice doughy texture with it as well. The sauce was amazing. The cheese…was more than I would have liked…but…it starts off as a cheese pizza. The other toppings get added. The star of the toppings, however, were the roasted red peppers. OMG…YES! Packed with flavor. Mild…but with that right amount of kick to keep the palate interested. The onions didn’t overpower anything. And the mushrooms were done to perfection. Nothing watery. Nothing disappointing. And, as I cut off pieces for my friends to try, the rest of it was mine. All mine. And yes…I devoured it all. Every slice. I might have licked the plate clean. It was delicious…and I needed to top off the tanks for the marathon the next morning. This was the key.

And, as I mentioned earlier…dessert was going to happen. I had 6 options to choose from on the gluten-free dessert menu. And while they all sounded fantastic, I was down to three choices…the cream puffs, the tiramisu, and the cannoli. It took a lot of pondering, internal debate, and deliberation with myself to pick between them. I rarely have so many options for a dessert…so choosing one was not easy. The cream puffs almost won, but I wasn’t sure how big they were and it came with two on the plate. The tiramisu was SO tempting. I haven’t had tiramisu in a long, long time. I wanted it. But…ultimately…I settled on the Gluten-Free Cannoli ($4.95). Both Jenn and Cathy opted for the regular Cannoli ($3.95) and Heather went with the regular Tiramisu ($3.95).

I was so excited when our desserts emerged from the kitchen and at our table. My cannoli definitely looked different from Cathy & Jenn’s…but it was the color and thickness of the shell. That was the only difference. Heather’s tiramisu looked absolutely amazing. Next time…(and there will be a next time!)…I’ll get the gluten-free tiramisu. It looked fluffy and amazing.

So…how was the gluten-free cannoli? SO SO SO good. SO GOOD!! MMMMMMMM….GOOD! OMG…GOOOOOOOOOD! The cannoli cream was amazing. Sweet, but not overly sweet. Creamy. Amazing. Delicious. It had bits of chocolate chips and fruit. There was a candied orange peel on each end. And the shell…sugary-sweet goodness. The crunch that it had with each bite was satisfying. And it all just blended together. It worked. And I devoured my dessert happily.

With that…I went and purchased a few bags of their gluten-free pasta, available at the register, and we paid our bill. As we were leaving, I overheard the restaurant manager explaining to a customer that the way the manage no cross-contamination is that all the gluten-free dishes are prepared in the kitchen upstairs at the restaurant…and the regular menu items are all done in the kitchen downstairs. Brilliant. And so safe for Celiacs. I loved learning that about Da Luciano’s. It’s nice to know I had nothing to worry about when eating there…which is good because the last thing you want before running 26.2 miles is tummy troubles.

We had to head back downtown…after dropping Heather off at a train station to head back to her hotel. We had plans for when she would arrive at The Hilton Chicago to meet up with us before the the marathon the following morning. We were all satisfied and happy with the meal we ate at Da Luciano. I will be back the next time I find myself in Chicago…which I hope is soon.

Speaking of which…the gluten-free pizza worked its magic as always…I had a fantastic marathon. Thank you, Da Luciano…for giving me my pre-race carbs in my favorite form. I can’t wait to come back and try more of your amazing menu.

So, if you find yourself in the Chicago area, make a point to head to River Grove and eat at the fantastic Da Luciano – Pasta, Pizza & Catering. It’s worth the short drive because the food is simply that amazing.

Da Luciano's Gluten-Free Cannoli — Da Luciano’s Gluten-Free Cannoli

October 22, 2013

Product Review: Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon French Toast Sticks

Ian's All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon Friend Toast Sticks — Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon Friend Toast Sticks

Product: Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon French Toast Sticks – $4.99+

It was the morning before the biggest race of my life. My first marathon. THE CHICAGO MARATHON.

I had just run an easy 3 miles before showering, getting dressed, and trying to find something a little substantial for breakfast for me, Cathy, and our friend Jenn before the three of us hit the road to Chicago. Lunch was not going to happen…so our food was going to be the snacks I made/packed and then a nice dinner at a restaurant that does gluten-free options out the wazoo for dinner. So, along with a bowl of Chocolate Chex…I reached into the freezer and pulled out the box I had of Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon French Toast Sticks.

I love French toast, and being gluten-free…I don’t get it unless I make it. BUT…that normally means that it’s French toast made with sandwich bread. Not delicious brioche or some other fancy-schmancy bread like all the “regular” people get to eat. Prior to these…I had been spoiled by the gluten-free delicious awesomesauce that is Van’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon French Toast Sticks. I mean…those blew me away. So, when I spotted Ian’s own version at my local natural foods, I picked them up for the occasion where I couldn’t cook an elaborate breakfast (which I am known to do…even on weekdays). The morning before a long-ish road trip seemed like the perfect time to break these out and give them a try. I was excited…because the pizza I had from Ian’s was SO amazing and good. I only expect good things now from them.

I noticed that the box indicated these were best cooked in the oven…which is what I intended to do regardless. So, I preheated the oven as directed by the box and then opened up the package to get a look at the contents.

Here is where my first issues with this product fall. Obviously, this product is geared more toward kids, however, I still think that the French toast sticks could be normal bread size. Van’s French Toast Sticks are the size of regular bread. The version by Ian’s…about the length of my thumb…maybe a little longer, but not by much. Strike One. The box also says that there are 5 servings inside. A serving is 4 sticks. I had enough for my friends and I to have 1 serving each and then split one lone stick into thirds to make it even-Stevens. Five servings my marathon-running behind!! So aggravating. So…Strike Two.

What did intrigue me about these miniature French toast sticks is that they had this white crust of sugar on them. Okay…this was new. I figured that would cook up and melt down in the oven and be a delicious part of this, so far disappointing, product. My faith went all to Ian’s here…I trusted them. So…into the oven they went…cooked as directed, and removed when done.

I dished up a serving and 1/3 for each of us, warmed up some maple syrup, and breakfast was served.

I really, really, really wanted these to be good. Two strikes so far…they needed to taste epic. But…they didn’t. That white sugar-like coating did nothing to enhance the flavor of this bland product. In fact, when it cooked, it didn’t melt and give that warm cinnamon-sugar feel I was hoping for. Instead it created this hard crust around each little piece of French toast. Not impressed. The maple syrup, I hoped, would soften it up. I always warm my maple syrup…but that didn’t even help. And the flavor, overall, very, very bland. I hated the fake sugary flavor that these had. I hated the texture…so tough on the outside thanks to that coating of sugar. Yep…Strike Three.

You better believe these will never find their way into my freezer again. So disappointing coming from Ian’s.

Regardless…I still feel I need to discuss the ingredients and the nutritional worth of this product. Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Cinnamon French Toast Sticks are made from cinnamon brown rice bread, tapioca starch, cinnamon, yeast, cane sugar, and a batter consisting of water, white rice flour, cane sugar, tapioca flour, potato starch, cinnamon, sea salt, and xantham gum, While I admire and approve of the fact that I recognize every single ingredient on that list (no preservatives, no chemicals, nothing fake), I just wish this product tasted good. Because…it was a rather epic fail on the food scale. This product also contains no wheat or gluten, no milk or casein, no eggs, no nuts, and no soy. It is vegan safe…but not vegan tasty.

As for the nutrition information…as I mentioned earlier, a serving of Ian’s All Natural Allergy Friendly Allergy Friendly Cinnamon French Toast Sticks is 4 of the little mini pieces. These four bites (seriously…bites) will serve you up 170 calories (NOT WORTH IT!) and 6 grams of fat (NOT WORTH IT!). You will also be supplied with 95 mg sodium and 2 grams of sugar. You only receive 2 grams of protein and absolutely no fiber from these. So, these will not leave you feeling full or satisfied for hours. Nope. In fact, we were all reaching for the homemade gluten-free madeleine cookies I baked up about halfway to Chicago. So annoying.

There is absolutely nothing redeeming about this product. It was a total and complete disappointment from the moment I opened the box. I was hoping it would only get better from there…but it was a false hope. And the three of us who ended up eating them despite not really caring for them…were not impressed nor happy with our breakfast that morning. It was a good thing dinner was fantastic. And it’s a good thing I bake a mean gluten-free madeleine!!

Never…ever…again. Sticking with Van’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon French Toast Sticks forever and always!

Sorry, Ian’s…but you lost me on these. At least your pizza is still good…

October 9, 2013

Product Review: Love Grown Foods Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters

Product: Love Grown Foods Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters – $4.99+

Granola is something that I buy…every week…when I’m at the grocery store. I have to be selective. I have to. The requirement is it must be gluten-free and have a low amount of sugar. I don’t want my granola to be packet with sugar. I already take in way more sugar every day than I should. So…two requirements. You’d be surprised how many granola brands on the market do not fit that bill.

A lot.

That being said, there are a few select brands that do…and they are brands that I am quite familiar with and return to in my constant rotation of granola through my pantry.

This week…I let my roommate choose. She and I both adore, love, and cherish the granola we get from Love Grown Foods. So, she opted with that brand. YAY! Her flavor choice, however, was a new one for us to try. It is their Apple Walnut Delight. Since I am putting this granola over Greek yogurt and caramelized apple…I figured this was actually a very good choice. Therefore…it was the granola gamble of the week.

I have fallen in love with every flavor of the Love Grown Foods Oat Clusters that I have brought home. They strike that perfect balance, whether eaten on their own, with milk, or in one of my infamous breakfast parfaits. The seasoning is spot on, the sweetness is at the right level. The flavors are subtle…yet…just there, so your taste buds catch every part of the cluster…the granola mix…but it doesn’t overwhelm the palate. Love Grown Foods distributes love with each sack of granola. For real.

The Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters are truly…delightful. The granola is a blend of gluten-free oats, honey, walnuts, coconut, agave syrup, expeller pressed canola oil, dried apples, sunflower seeds, pure vanilla, milled flaxseed, cinnamon, and sea salt. There is truly a touch of sweet and savory in this one…but it means you keep on going back for a little more…then…a little more. It’s a fantastic balance.

The dried apples are really good, and the walnuts add a bit of rustic flavor to the mix. But the star is the sweetened gluten-free oats. The way the agave and cinnamon play against each oat flake is amazing. The touch of vanilla livens everything up. And each bite will leave you quickly spooning your bowl for another one. Or, at least that’s what happened in my case. I was loving the clusters in this one…the pockets of cinnamon and vanilla, mingling with the nuts and the fruit. It’s one flavor party in a bag…in my breakfast…and in my belly.

Let’s talk nutrition for a moment. A serving of Love Grown Oats Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters is 1/4 cup. This serving provides you with 130 calories and 6 grams of fat. A serving is low in sodium (only 35 mg) and only contains 7 grams of sugar. That is fantastic for a granola. Trust me. Each serving provides 3 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein as well. This granola is cholesterol free, gluten-free, and non-GMO!

Loving it.

And loving Love Grown Foods once again. If you love the taste of apples and cinnamon…with a hint of nuttiness with the addition of the walnuts…then you should definitely try this granola. These oat clusters are fantastic. Love Grown Foods really does put a lot of love into their products. That is beyond evident. Every time I try a new product from their lineup.

Still impressed. Still loving it!

Caramelized Apple and Greek Yogurt Breakfast Parfait with Love Grown Oats Apple Walnut Delight Oat Clusters

October 8, 2013

Recipe: Gluten-Free and Vegan Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream

I love pumpkin.

I’ve said it countless times before…because, after all, this is pumpkin season. So…I’ll say it again.

I. LOVE. PUMPKIN.

Get it? Got it? Good!

Well, this past weekend I met up with some great friends at the local ice cream shop. There, I indulged in a great ice cream called “Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice.” Why? Because it’s pumpkin time and it’s one of the seasonal rotating flavors. It only comes around in the fall, my friends…so I take advantage…believe me! Of course, as I am sitting there eating it, I’m wondering if I could make something like this…but using the coconut milk and the cans of pumpkin I had in my pantry.

After a little researching, it turned out I could. And with a little guidance from PBS and Kitchen Explorers, I was able to make my own pumpkin spice ice cream…completely vegan…gluten-free…packed with flavor. I was one happy girl when I took this out of the ice cream maker.

Recipe: Gluten-Free and Vegan Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream

Servings: 8
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Freeze 30 minutes

Ingredients:

One 13.5 ounces can coconut milk (do not use skim or low-fat) (I used the 11 ounce carton of So Delicious Culinary Coconut Milk)
1-1/2 cups unsweetened canned pumpkin puree (I used Libby’s)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Whisk all the ingredients in a large bowl until well mixed and smooth.

Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container, cover the ice cream with plastic wrap, cover with the lid, then freeze until firm.

~*~*~

Yes…it truly is that easy. And the flavor. OMG…the flavor. This is now going to be incorporated into my Thanksgiving Day menu. I’m hosting this year…and I got inspired with this ice cream to do a dessert for the occasion. No pumpkin pie at my house. I hate pumpkin pie with a passion. But this…this will blow away the pie competition anyway. The flavor of this ice cream is like eating a chilled pumpkin pie…except that it tastes good. It’s hard to stick to just the one serving, but if you do…you’ll have 8 delicious 1/2 cup servings of this amazing ice cream.

It’s my favorite one I have made so far. And now I just want to keep making it to keep it stocked in my freezer. You will too. Trust me.

October 7, 2013

Product Review: Katz Gluten Free Vanilla Rugelech

Product: Katz Gluten Free Vanilla Rugelech – $5.49

It is because of Katz Gluten Free that I have been introduced to the awesomeness of rugelech. I had never heard of rugelech before, let alone ever tried it…until I was received some from Katz Gluten Free. My life…my foodie world…changed.

For those of you who may be like me and have been in the dark as to what rugelech is…well…read on.

Rugelech is a traditional Jewish pastry that is eaten year-round, but particularly on holidays. It is made of rolled up dough and a sweet, fruity filling.

These little rolled cookies are life changing. Honestly. I had the chocolate ones first as part of the sample pack I ordered from Katz when I first went gluten-free. The cinnamon flavor I ordered on my own…and they were like eating miniature cinnamon rolls. My personal favorite. During a special, I ordered enough product to get a free pack of rugelech from Katz Gluten Free. I requested the vanilla because it was the only one I had yet to try.

Wise choice.

Katz Gluten Free has yet to really let me down on a product. I trust them and their food. And the Gluten-Free Vanilla Rugelech is just as amazing as I thought it would be. These moutwatering treats are perfect as a palate cleanser after dinner. But…they are really good anytime. In fact, I like to give mine a little 15 second warm in the microwave so they taste like they are fresh out of the oven. The Vanilla Rugelech taste like a cinnamon roll…if it were made with vanilla instead. Amazing flavor. The sweetness tingles across the tongue with each bite. It’s just…so delicious. I savor mine, nu-spiriling them in little pieces and nipping them so that the time I am enjoying them lasts a little longer. You can’t blame me. Once you try them, you’ll want the moment to last as well. These are fantastic. And I am going to be sure to stock up on more of them…very soon!

When it comes to ingredients, I know what everything is that Katz Gluten Free uses in their products. For the Vanilla Rugelech…it’s a mix of their gluten-free flour (potato, tapioca, white rice, brown rice, sorghum, corn), sugar, canola oil, eggs, orange juice, water, dry yeast, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, and pure vanilla.

Looking at it nutritionally speaking…these are cookies…little pastries of delicious gluten-free joy. Treat them as a treat. But do enjoy them. Do try them. A serving of the Gluten Free Vanilla Rugelech is 1 cookie. This one cookie provides you with 90 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. One cookie also serves up 30 mg sodium and 6 grams of sugar. The Vanilla Rugelech also will provide you with 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein. It’s not awful…not at all. I usually eat two of them though…so whoops!

Ah well…the goodness and the great flavor makes the splurge worth it. These are delicious and amazing and I would buy them again in a heartbeat. Any of the three flavors that Katz offers, actually. I’m a huge fan. now, of rugelech. And you will understand why when you give these a try to. You can order them from Katz off their Web site, or check with your local natural foods stores. Many carry a few of Katz products, and I most often see their rugelech.

Enjoy!!

October 7, 2013

Product Review: Udi’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins

Product: Udi’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins – $6.99+

I feel as though I may have stumbled into an anomaly…or perhaps some alternate universe. Why?

Because I managed to find a new product before many other places had it. And in this area, that is a rare and unnatural thing.

You see, I was in my Whole Foods just browsing. I had to just browse because the food budget purse strings had been tightened. There were so many things I wanted to try, but the roomie said, “Not this week…next week.” Which is code for…NEVER. Or so it seems. Because whenever I am told that…it seems like forever until I actually get to have said product that caught my attention. But…the budget was tight coming back from my epic vacation…so I guess never it will be.

That was…until I spotted something I had never seen before on the top shelf of the gluten-free bread area in my store. I pointed to them…”What is that?” I asked. My roommate looked up…looked at me and sighed. “Want them?” As if she had to ask. The product I am speaking about is the Udi’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins. And you better believe those were put in the cart and immediately shuttled to the register for ringing up before she changed her mind.

Then the week from hell happened and these delicious muffins remained untouched in my fridge for the whole of the week. Until Friday morning.

Friday morning I was going to be working from home. So, I allowed myself to get up later, go for a 5 mile walk, go into work to drop off a few items and pick a few more up, then head home. The roommate was up after a rough week of being in the hospital…and she was ready for breakfast. She didn’t even bother to pour herself any cereal…so that’s what she got started off with. Next time, she can manage that on her own. But I needed a main course for our brekkies that morning and these muffins were quick and easy and would allow me to get myself logged into work and getting my job done a lot sooner. So…out came the muffins. I warmed one up for her and one up for me…and breakfast was done.

These scream fall flavor. Pumpkin flavored everything is everywhere and I eat it up. I love pumpkin. I love the taste and flavor of pumpkin. The only time I do not like pumpkin is pumpkin pie. I’ve never liked pumpkin pie. Pumpkin anything else and…DING DING DING…we have a winner. I’m weird…I know.

So, how were the Udi’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins?

Let me put it this way…the first day of fall is coming…and this was like the flavor of fall in one amazing and delicious bite. Honestly. The Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins actually do taste like pumpkin. It’s not just a name for the product. It doesn’t overpower, but strikes that right balance. The muffin itself is light and fluffy. I always heat mine up in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds and it’s like taking them fresh from the oven. Soft, springy, and warm all the way through. I loved the addition of pumpkin seeds throughout the muffins themselves. It really added to the pumpkin experience. The hints of cinnamon and nutmeg were so warming…just what you want in anything that includes pumpkin. After all, the weather is getting cooler…the food should definitely make you feel warm and cozy. These muffins are, probably, my second favorite thing in the Udi’s line-up. My favorite being the Harvest Crunch Muffins…these probably are tied with Blueberry Muffins for second. Yeah…they’re that good.

I think my only comlaint would be how uneven the muffins were. My batch looked like they were set on their side when they baked. But, you know…at least they tasted amazing.

So, let’s take a look at what Udi’s puts into these muffins, shall we? Ingredients include dried cane syrup, eggs, pumpkin, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, water, palm oil, canola oil, dry molasses, pumpkin seeds, salt, cinnamon, orange zest, caramel color, xanthan gum, ground ginger, nutmeg, and baking soda. So…yes…the first ingredient is basically sugar…but…it is a muffin. And, let’s face it, muffins are sweet.

Nutritionally speaking, these aren’t a complete waistline buster. One muffin is the serving size. And with that one muffin, you will be consuming 260 calories (which isn’t the best for a muffin, but not bad either!) and 10 grams of fat. While there are 200 mg of sodium in these muffins, the high 19 grams of sugar is a bit of a shock. Yikes. That’s over half the sugar I am actually allotted each day. Well, as long as it’s not an every day thing…right? In addition, one muffin also provides 1 gram of fiber and 3 grams of protein. So with that sugar level and the lower levels of fiber and protein, don’t expect this muffin to keep you full through lunch. It’s not happening.

Be that as it may…they are super-duper delicious. If you love the flavor of fall…the flavor of pumpkin…you’ll definitely want to pick up these if you can find them in your area. I haven’t seen these since, so I’m glad I splurged that week and picked them up. And now, naturally, I just want more of them.

Guess that’s how it works.

Keep an eye out this holiday season for Udi’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins. You’ll fall in love at first bite.