When I heard the brand name, Van’s Natural Foods, or just Van’s…I’ve always thought of one thing. Breakfast. Van’s actually delivered the first stunning gluten-free waffle to my breakfast plate back when I just went gluten-free. I had tried another brand prior…and it was mushy and just…not what I was looking for in a waffle. The moment I had one of Van’s gluten-free waffles…I was hooked.
Even my friend, Jenn, who doesn’t have to eat gluten-free, prefers Van’s gluten-free waffles to other brands such as Eggo. That speaks very highly of quality, don’t you think?
Recently, however, it seems Van’s is delving into a little more of the breakfast food market. While at my favorite grocery store, searching for a gluten-free cereal to have for breakfast, the top shelf boasted boxes of Van’s gluten-free cereals.
HELLO! What is this?
There were two different varieties: Cinnamon Heaven and Honey Nut Crunch.
I currently was working on a cereal that had a strong honey flavor in it, so I opted for the Cinnamon Heaven cereal.
I think secretly I was longing for it to be reminiscent of the Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal my sister claimed as one of her favorite cereals growing up. We had it often. And yeah…nothing quite beats a dose of cinnamon and sugar over little cereal puffs in the morning. It’s true. My sister was really onto something there.
Well, this morning marked the big occasion. I had just used up my last gluten-free cereal (which was…just meh…so, it won’t make it into my pantry again), so the Van’s Natural Foods Gluten-Free Cinnamon Heaven was up. Spotlight on. Moment of truth.
I dished up a serving (yes…I actually do measure out serving sizes!) and grabbed a couple extra…just to taste on their own…before I poured any of my unsweetened almond milk over it. Oh. My. Cinnagoodness.
So, the fact is…they taste nothing like Cinnamon Toast Crunch. So those childhood fantasies were immediately quashed. HOWEVER…let me finish…this is not to say that I was in the least disappointed by the cereal I had just eaten. The opposite is actually true. I was impressed.
First of all, this cereal is very light. It’s not heavy like I remember the little toasties in Cinnamon Toast Crunch being. These are little puffs of whole grain cereal. In fact, this cereal boasts five whole grains. Each one is lightly, very lighty, dusted and sweetened with real cinnamon. Did you see that key word there? REAL cinnamon. And what results is a light, sweet, fantastic tasting cereal that makes you feel like a kid again, but has you eating like a responsible adult. But this isn’t to say your little kiddliewinks wouldn’t love it as well. The hint of cinnamon is what makes it. You aren’t overwhelmed by it. So, you still get to taste the cereal, without it being masked behind a lot of sugar or additives.
With that mention, let me also say this about Van’s Cinnamon Heaven cereal. Not only is this product gluten-free, but it is certfied kosher, completely dairy-free, corn-free, all natural, low in sodium, high in fiber, contains no artificial colors of flavors, contains NO high fructose corn syrup, and contains a full serving of whole grains. So, you’re eating well without pumping a lot of unknowns or chemicals into your body.
One of my favorite little things on this box was right on the ingredient panel. Right after the bold word, INGREDIENTS, there is this addendum typed in parentheses that mad me smile and believe more in this company. It simply reads: (That We Are Proud Of!). Only ingredients that this company is proud of and backs goes into this cereal. That being said, you will recognize everything on that panel. And the list is short. It includes Van’s gluten-free whole grain blend (which is oats, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and amaranth flours), cane sugar, oat fiber, inulin, invert cane sugar, non-GMO canola oil, cinnamon, and salt. Simple. Recognizable. Trustworthy.
The fact of the matter is, this cereal is delicious. It was love at first bite for me. Light, yet filling. And with 17 grams of whole grains and 5 grams of protein, it’s no wonder you’ll feel full after eating this cereal. A serving size of 3/4 cup will only feed you 120 calories of your daily intake and 1 gram of fat. How about that for starting your morning right? With only 8 grams of sugar, you won’t feel bad about eating this cereal either. It is more like breakfast than dessert. I like that. A serving will also dish up 2 grams of protein as well. You can’t argue with this being a nutritious way to start your day. But keep in mind, cereals like this are so versatile. Throw it into your morning parfait, take it as a snack on-the-go, or eat it at midnight after a concert (cereal always tastes better at midnight!).
I really want to congratulate Van’s Natural Foods for this important, delicious, and healthy breakfast cereal. I’m hooked. I was hoping that I’d love it…but I ended up falling in love with it…at first taste. And that, my dear friends, is how you can not only see and taste the quality of the product, but appreciate the quality of the company too. I trust Van’s. They brought me amazing gluten-free waffles. Now, they not only fill my freezer, but my pantry too.
When it comes to sauces that I can trust, I often turn to San-J. San-J has an entire line of gluten-free sauces with an Asian flair. And, since it is nearly impossible for me to eat any sort of Asian food outside of the stuff I prepare…it’s nice to know there is a variety of sauces and marinades out there than can help enhance my own homemade dishes.
Well, awhile back I picked up the San-J Gluten-Free Sweet & Tangy Sauce at the grocery store. I think I had some gluten-free and vegan nuggets in my freezer that I had hoped to use it with. And then…as it sat in my pantry, I ate the nuggets with bar-b-que sauce instead. D’oh! And then…as the expiration date grew closer and closer, my gluten-free and vegan chickenless nuggets were no longer being carried by my grocery store. So, I was out of luck. And now…I needed a new plan. I needed to come up with something to use this sauce with.
And I was drawing a blank.
Until…it occurred to me.
TOFU.
HA HA! Yes. I’ve become well versed in the various ways of properly making tofu. Whether it’s marinading it to grill it, stir-fry it, or just playing around with it…I have been quite successful in incorporating tofu into various dishes. So…tonight…I was determined to use this sauce. I don’t like things to expire without at least having been tried.
That being said, this past weekend I made sure we stopped in at Whole Foods for some Twin Oaks Tofu…because it’s the best…so that I could make something with this sauce. I decided that it would be best to go ahead and do it up tonight. It’s a Sunday night, which means I had time to mess around with dinner and not feel so rushed, as I often do on weeknights. So…I decided to make Crispy Tofu Nuggets and serve it with the San-J Sweet & Tangy Sauce as a dipping sauce.
Perfect.
San-J’s Gluten-Free Sweet & Tangy Sauce is a throwback to a Polynesian sauce. It is a blend of honey, fruit juice, gluten-free Tamari, and some spices, which give it that sweet yet spicy flavor that is just awesome. It looks like a thin bar-b-que sauce. And…back when I used to eat meat, the Polynesian sauce was my sauce of choice at Chick-Fil-A when it came to a dipping sauce. So, it only makes sense that this would be a good pairing for crispy tofu nuggets. It even tastes like a sweeter bar-b-que sauce. It was really tasty. Now I’m trying to come up with other dishes to use it on. Perhaps I will have some ideas come to me this week as I play around with some homemade veggie burger varieties.
What I loved about this sauce was that it wasn’t too much spice or too much sweet. It’s the right level of both. So that it doesn’t detract from whatever you use to dip into it. San-J is so good about this when it comes to their sauces. They make the sauce work for the ingredient. The ingredient still gets to shine and is not outdone by the sauce. It’s a nice quality of their sauces. This one, in particular, really stands out.
San-J’s Gluten-Free Sweet & Tangy Sauce serves up 50 calories per 2 tablespoon serving. This sauce is fat free! In addition, the Sweet & Tangy Sauce has only 320 mg sodium and 11 grams of sugar. Given that much of this comes from the ingredients itself…and is not added in…I’m impressed. Not a bad showing for a sauce. Especially a sauce of this nature.
So, if regular bar-b-que sauce has you longing for something more, or perhaps you have a dish that needs a great marinade or dipping sauce…I highly recommend the San-J Gluten-Free Sweet & Tangy Sauce. It is full of flavor and really tastes amazing. I can’t wait to pair it with something else and use it all over again. Perhaps some spring rolls should be next on the menu…
Crisp Tofu Nuggets with San-J Gluten-Free Sweet & Tangy Sauce
Liz Lovely’s Gluten-Free and Vegan Peanut Butter with Dark Chocolate Cookies
Product: Liz Lovely Gluten-Free and Vegan Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Cookies – $3.99+
Just when I thought I had tried every gluten-free, vegan Liz Lovely cookie out there, I find one that I missed. Or that is new. But whichever is the case, this cookie monster somehow needed to have this new variety in my life…and my belly.
I was out at our local natural food store. It’s the only place in the area where I have found Liz Lovely cookies. Which, is too bad, really, because these cookies are beyond awesome. I’ve tried every variety that I could find…and according to the Web site…I had tried them all.
That is up until a couple weeks ago, when I stopped in to see if they had an item I’ve been searching for…and lo and behold…this little cookie was staring up at me from its little basket. I wanted to buy it then and there, but I was on a budget. I had a Groupon for this food store and vowed to return the following week to shop there. And, naturally, that flavor cookie was gone.
But on Saturday afternoon, when my roommate and I stopped in for some gluten-free dinner rolls…it was back. And I grabbed it and made sure this time I didn’t leave without it.
What made this cookie so…intriguing to me? Well, it was the simple combination of two of my favorite things in life: peanut butter and dark chocolate.
Oh yeah…you read that right.
Liz Lovely’s Gluten-Free and Vegan Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Cookies turned out to be dessert that very night. I mean…come on…you know that wasn’t just going to sit around the apartment. Heck no. Peanut butter and chocolate never lasts long in this place anyway…put them together…and…yeah…gone in a blink of an eye.
First…the basics of these cookies. A serving size is…half of a cookie. Yes…you only get half. This works out great for my roommate and I because we just split one cookie in half and then eat the other one for dessert the following day. That half of a cookie will set you back 170 calories and 8 grams of fat. Yes…for a half of a cookie that seems a bit steep, but these cookies are rather large anyway in the grand scheme of things. So…just remember that this is a treat. And, like most desserts, you only need a taste. You might be tempted to eat the entire cookie…and I wouldn’t blame you or judge you. They are awesome.
Here’s why…
Liz Lovely cookies are soft, chewy, and taste like they are fresh from the oven. No joke. I mean, minus the whole piping hot part. But…they still have that doughy taste and feel to them, which I absolutely LOVE in a cookie. The base of this cookie is a soft, gooey peanut butter cookie. The bottom of the cookie is coated in a nice layer of dark chocolate. And then the top of the cookie is drizzled with more dark chocolate. It’s captivating to the eye. It makes your mouth water. You eagerly take that first bite…and chewy heaven. The chocolate on the bottom of the cookie is adding not just sweetness…but texture. And the salty-sweet combination of the dark chocolate and the peanut butter is God’s gift to gluten-free cookies. For real. This cookie is, by far, one of the best gluten-free and vegan cookies I have ever eaten in my life. Perfectly balanced, perfectly made, and perfectly delicious.
According to the Web site, the peanut butter cookies were discontinued prior to the release of this cookie because the peanut butter and the gluten-free ingredients were not playing nicely together. With some recipe tweaking, and a little luck…this cookie is what emerged. And the gluten-free cookie world celebrates this creation. I know I’m not the only cookie monster out there applauding this. Or devouring it.
I’m kind of sad that they’re gone.
Making a note to add them to the grocery list again…soon!
Liz Lovely’s Gluten-Free and Vegan Peanut Butter with Dark Chocolate Cookie
It doesn’t get much better than that salty-sweet richness of caramel speckled with flakes of salt. There is just something so tantalizing, mouthwatering, and sinfully delicious about anything that remotely involves something salty and caramely…especially when mixed together. That is heaven. Heaven in whatever salted caramel form said delicacy takes. Pure and simple.
Over the holidays, my friend Shana, directed me to Target in search of this amazing sounding (and it was super yum, btw) holiday popcorn – Holidrizzle Dark Chocolatier Sea Salt Popcorn by Angie’s. I searched, I hunted, I discovered, I took home and devoured. Seriously epic. My coworker bought the other Holidrizzle flavor – White Chocolatier Peppermint and it was super delish as well. It made for good eats while at the office. Trust me.
Upon discovering this epic popcorn, however, I needed more of it. I got online and looked up Angie’s Web site. And there I found a plethora of flavors just awaiting my discovery. The only problem was…finding the regular flavors. I couldn’t. Not anywhere.
Until the New Year rolled around and I was in Columbus, Ohio visiting my friend Jenn. We all piled into the car one snowy morning and took a road trip down to Cincinnati to visit Jungle Jim’s…the most epic grocery store in the world. Seriously…foodie heaven. No joke. And the gluten-free section. HA. The gluten-free section was HUGE!! No joke. And waiting for me on a few shelves…were a variety of flavors of Angie’s Popcorn.
OH. MY. POPCORN. GODDESS!
I knew my pantry was already stocked, so I settled on one flavor…and only one flavor…this time. And the winner of said luck-of-the-popcorn-draw: Angie’s Uncommonly Salted Caramel Popcorn.
I had a few (okay…a lot) of products to work through before I could get to this popcorn. And it sat in my pantry up until yesterday…mocking me. Begging me to open it up…take a taste…fall in love. I behaved. I resisted. But I polished off the protein bars that were nearing their sell by date and this was the next item up on my pantry list. I couldn’t have been more excited. I might have squeed in anticipation.
I dished up a serving of the popcorn, which is 1-3/4 cup (or if you weigh your servings like I do…28 grams). I packed it up to haul to work with me and then had to eagerly wait for my 3 p.m. snack time to roll around. I was ready for it when it did, and out of my drawer this popcorn came. I opened it up, grabbed a light, fluffy kernel, and popped it in my mouth.
Amazing. It is sweet, without being too sweet. The saltiness isn’t overwhelming at all. In fact, it’s more sweet than salty. The darker bits of popcorn is where the flavor magic happens. Those are the popped kernels that are harboring the golden caramel flavor with that burst of saltiness. It is fantastic. It’s much lighter than you would expect caramel corn to be. And I found that the sweet and salty flavors were rather balanced…more sweet than anything. The interesting part of this popcorn is that you will feel satisfied after eating a serving, but you won’t feel like you gorged on something bad. No kidding when I say how light this popcorn is…even when coated with that golden caramel.
A serving of this popcorn will set you back 140 calories and 8 grams of fat. The fat content seems a little high…but this is caramel corn, right? Let’s not dwell on that. A serving of Angie’s Uncommonly Salted Caramel Popcorn has only 70 mgs of sodium, 2 grams of fiber, and 1 gram of protein. As for the sugar content – only 8 grams. Not too bad for a sweet treat, yes?
And the ingredient list is so recognizable it’s craziness. Popcorn, sunflower oil, evaporated cane crystals, invert cane syrup, natural flavor, sea salt, caramel, and annatto (a seed used in South America for cooking and body paint), which is added for colors. LOVE that. This popcorn is also made from whole grains. It is all-natural, non-GMO, vegan, kosher, gluten-free, cholesterol free, contains no trans-fat, and no high fructose corn syrup. AWESOME!
What you get from Angie’s popcorn is a natural goodness. Bite-for-bite you will fall in love with the amazing flavor, the lightness of the popcorn, and just how delicious it is. I recommend you portion it out into serving sizes, less you risk eating the entire bag in one sitting. It really is that good. There is nothing uncommon about Angie’s Uncommonly Salted Caramel Popcorn. The only anomaly here is that you have yet to try it. Go. Find it. Eat it. Enjoy it. Devour. Start again.
Oh yeah…I’ve fallen hard for popcorn. And Angie’s fits my taste profile perfectly.
The GFB (Gluten Free Bar) Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bar
Product: The GFB (Gluten Free Bar) Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bar – $1.99+
My friend Jenn loves me. No…really she does. Every now and again when I go to visit her, she drops a product that she found while out and about on the table for me. This protein bar is one of those little Jenn surprises.
I had never actually heard of The GFB (Gluten Free Bar) before she handed me one. She had spotted them at her local Meijer and thought of me (Awwww!) and decided to pick one up for me to try. After all, I often down protein bars prior to runs and I often visit her and drag her to my early morning races…so she is very well aware of this fact. But, while I had never heard of this brand before, The GFB came into existence back in 2010. The creaters were on a mission to create the world’s best gluten-free protein bar, focusing on ingredients and taste.
Jenn picked up The GFB (Gluten Free Bar) Peanut Butter Chocolate Bar for me. And why not? I love peanut butter and chocolate! And she is very, very, very aware of this fact. So, this has been in my snack drawer for a little while…but after working through the bars that came before it, this one got it’s chance to shine this past Sunday evening.
I was at a race in Frankfort, Kentucky. There aren’t a lot of places I can safely eat in Frankfort…so my roommate and I each packed protein bars to enjoy prior to the race. I grabbed The GFB (Gluten Free Bar) Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bar from my drawer and tossed it into my race day bag and headed out…in the cold, rainy weather.
We arrived in Frankfort, Kentucky and after killing some time with race packet pick-up, we ducked into the local coffee shop and took a seat in the corner. It was about 30 minutes before the race and we figured that it was time to eat something. We each pulled out our respective bars (she had a Luna Bar as she is not gluten-free) and I prepared to take my first taste of this latest protein bar in my collection.
The GFB (Gluten Free Bar) Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bar looks like a flattened Lärabar, honestly. Upon unwrapping it, I could easily make out the peanuts, brown rice, chocolate chips and flaxseed, all stuffed into the binding, which looks to be made up of dates, and sweetened with agave nectar. So, in a lot of respects, it is exactly like a Lärabar…but with a few more ingredients.
And…that’s what these tasted like too. If you like Lärabar’s, you’ll probably enjoy The GFB (Gluten Free Bar) as well. The Peanut Butter Chocolate one doesn’t exactly taste like peanut butter and chocolate…so if you are expecting something as amazing as a Reese’s…think again. My roommate tried a piece of it and said it reminded her of the treats she fed her horse when she used to ride.
I don’t know what that means…or what that says about her eating horse treats…but to me, these had a good texture. They were sturdy, but not solid. They were chewy without being too soft. And the flavors were like a mild Lärabar…perhaps with a little less date flavor. I liked being able to see some of the ingredients in the bar itself. And I love looking at ingredients on the bar and recognizing all of them.
But that was the point. The creators of The GFB (Gluten Free Bar) wanted to create a great-tasting product that people would look forward to eating and that didn’t pump you full of chemicals. You have to appreciate that sort of dedication. So, using simple ingredients, they provide a simple protein bar that you can feel good about eating and provides you with energy.
The GFB (Gluten Free Bar) Peanut Butter Chocolate Bar is 2.05 ounces of protein packed goodness. It is gluten-free, wheat-free, casein-free, dairy-free, all natural, vegan, low-sodium, and cholesterol free. These bars have no additives and no preservatives. There are no trans fats. They are a fantastic source of protein and Omega-3. The entire bar is 240 calories and has 10 grams of fat, mostly from nuts, so at least it is the healthy kind of fat. Unfortunately, this bar, probably due to the inclusion of chocolate, packs 14.5 grams of sugar. I try to keep my sugar consumption lower…so, this seems high for such a small bar. However, on the flip side, you are provided with 2.5 grams of fiber and 12 grams of protein. So, that will help you feel fuller longer.
And it did do it’s job. After eating the bar, I wasn’t hungry…even after the race. So, it succeeded in doing its job. Perfect fuel for the haul, that’s for sure. The flavor…isn’t the best I have ever tried, but it isn’t at the bottom of the list either. Would I purchase this again…yeah…I probably would at some point. But, while they set out to create the best tasting protein bar…it falls short when compared to other gluten-free options out there.
A decent protein bar though, when all is said and done. Not bad. Not bad at all. I would definitely be interested in trying the other flavors from The GFB (Gluten Free Bar).
The GFB (Gluten Free Bar) Peanut Butter Chocolate Bar (unwrapped)
Ah, St. Patrick’s Day. It brings out a little Irish in all of us. And, for some reason…it makes me want to make green food. And not just green food…minty green food. I can’t explain it. It just happens. It’s one of those things.
Well, originally, my plan for St. Patrick’s Day breakfast was going to be some elaborate Irish breakfast of sorts…done vegetarian and gluten-free, of course. But, then my roommate woke up much earlier than expected so I executed Plan B.
Which was…pancakes.
But…how to do Irish pancakes? I mean, aside from potato pancakes (or boxty…which I could have made…but didn’t…), how can you get your Irish flap-jack on?
Minty-green pancakes, of course.
Below is my recipe for these exciting, duel colored pancakes. This is a super-easy recipe to make. And you can use any baking and pancake mix for the batter. As I am gluten-free…I do that.
1 c baking and pancake mix (I used Pamela’s Products Gluten-Free)
1 tablespoon sugar (I used Truvia)
1.5 tablespoons baking powder (this is NOT a typo…not teaspoons…tablespoons!)
Pinch of salt
1 cup milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
2 tablespoons organic pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon Mexican vanilla (or any vanilla extract)
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
green food coloring (optional…but fun!)
1/3 cup Nestle’s dark chocolate and mint morsels
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
Directions:
Turn griddle to medium heat.
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, excluding the cocoa powder and the dark chocolate and mint morsels.
In a separate bowl, combine the wet, excluding the peppermint extract, and then add them to the dry.
Stir until just combined and no large lumps remain.
Split the batter into two bowls.
Add another splash of milk and the cocoa powder to one.
And add several drops of green food coloring and the peppermint extract to the other.
Split the dark chocolate and mint morsels between the two bowls and gently fold them into the batter.
Spoon about 1/4 cup of each batter onto the greased griddle. Carefully flip when bubbles appear on top or the edges look dry, then cook for 1-2 minutes more.
Top with extra dark chocolate and mint morsels and maple syrup.
Serve and enjoy!
~*~*~
I loved the play of colors in these pancakes. The only difference in my recipe is that in the chocolate pancake batter I folded in Guittard’s green mint chips and in the minty green batter I folded in Hershey’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. Only because I had them in my pantry. Otherwise, they would have gotten the Nestle’s Dark Chocolate & Mint Morsels in each batter. I did, however, use the dark chocolate and mint morsels to top off each serving of pancakes that morning.
And these were a huge success. Minty, fresh, hot, and chocolatey all at once. It made for a great breakfast. And I was very happy with the way the pancakes fluffed up, even without eggs, and how light they were. The flavors were definitely spot-on for a fun St. Patrick’s Day breakfast. But, why just do this for St. Patrick’s Day? There is something so amazing and delicious about mint and chocolate…these are honestly good any time.
KIND Nuts & Spices Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt Snack Bar
Product: KIND Nuts & Spices Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt Snack Bar – $1.99+
You can’t even imagine how disappointed I was with this KIND Bar. It had all the making of being something epic. Something that I would rank among my favorites. It was dark chocolate. It was nuts. It was salty and sweet. Right there…epic.
Yet…it just came out wrong. Not to the point of being bad. Not at all. This bar was in no ways disgusting or offensive. It just…lacked something. Something vital. And only after munching through my half of the bar did I come up with what it was…
Something chewy to bind it all together.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of nuts and dark chocolate. HUGE. But…that’s all this bar was. There was no filler to help give it that chewy texture I prefer when it comes to snack bars. This one was just nuts drizzled in dark chocolate, making it very crunchy, very brittle…and somewhat of a disappointment. But only texturally speaking.
Flavor-wise, this bar was on point! I mean, who doesn’t love decadent dark chocolate and the combination of sea salt and a variety of nuts? It’s salty meets sweet…which is, by far, my favorite type of snack to eat. This bar is packed with a blend of almonds, peanuts and walnuts. They are drizzled in dark chocolate, as well as having the bottom layer of the bar completely dark chocolate. It is then touched off with a smattering of sea salt.
EPIC.
Epic in flavor…but I just like something to chew. I don’t want a brittle snack bar. I want something that I can sink my teeth into and put a little effort into eating. Nuts and chocolate…perfect combination. But give me something else with it. Give me a binder of some sort that makes this more of a snack bar instead of a chocolate drizzled clump of nuts.
It seems nit-picky, I know…but this is just how I felt about it. I could make this at home…and be just as satisfied. I was hoping for the world…and ended up with a continent. Or something like that.
Nuts and dark chocolate…killer combo. Add that sea salt (unless, like my roommate you get a large chunk of it in a bite)…and it’s magical. But put them together without some sort of soft binder…and it just doesn’t work for me. Flavor and taste are awesome. Texture is lacking. For me.
This bar, nutritionally speaking, offers 200 calories to your diet. It will set you back 13 grams of fat for the day, but that’s mostly the healthy fat from the nuts. So, don’t panic. You get 7 grams of filling fiber and 5 grams of protein in each bar. This bar is gluten-free and cholesterol free as well. Not bad for a snack/protein bar. Not bad at all. My roommate and I split this and each had a bowl of cereal. And we headed out to the park so I could run for about 45 minutes while she walked. We were still full even after that workout. So…it does its job, that’s for sure. Even if you split it with someone.
So, while I did not, in fact, dislike this bar…it just wasn’t one of my favorite ones like I assumed it would be. A bit of a let down…yes. But…loved the flavor of each bite. Just wish it had a little bit more to it. That’s all.
KIND Nuts & Spices Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt Snack Bar (unwrapped)
Habana Blues Tapas Restaurant – New Albany, Indiana
Restaurant: Habana Blues Tapas Restaurant – New Albany, Indiana
Habana Blues Tapas Restaurant is definitely one of the little gems tucked away here in New Albany, Indiana. I can say that for sure now that I have spent some time there and had one of the most amazing dining experiences to date. And this all happened…by dumb luck and pure chance.
Allow me to explain…
You see, March 13th is my roommate’s birthday. As part of her birthday gift, I told her to pick a restaurant she always wanted to try out…not to worry about if I could eat anything there or not…because I could bring a protein bar and then eat something at home. So many times we don’t get to restaurants where she wants to eat because of my dietary restrictions. I’m done with that. I will forever have a back-up plan. It’s not fair…but apparently, it doesn’t really bother her because even with those set rules laid out…she contacted a few places to find out if there were items on the menu that I could eat as well. Part of me thinks she doesn’t want to be seen with someone munching on a protein bar while she eats dinner. No need for embarrassment…that’s just how it works at times. If anything, I would be the one making the “scene” if you will, and I’m not ashamed. No one else should be either.
Her original choice was a gastropub here in New Albany called The New Albany Exchange. She had looked at the menu online and spotted a couple of salads that might work for me. She was eying their fish and chips, of course. I got on their Facebook page and sent a message to them about what a gluten-free vegetarian might eat. This was two days before I was actually set to dine there. And not a word was ever heard back. The day before we were to dine there, my roommate sent an e-mail inquiring about food options for me…and never heard back. Then, just before we left the office for the day on Friday, the dinner day, she called and no one answered. Needless to say…she was the one who nixed eating there. I told her we could still go…as part of the roommate birthday agreement she was to choose somewhere she wanted to eat. She simply shrugged and said she would look at other options.
Her next choice was the Bank Street Brewhouse. But upon browsing the menu, she said nothing really excited her.
And then, after a quick Trip Adviser search…she came across Habana Blues Tapas Restaurant. It was getting amazing ratings on trip adviser and after a glance at the menu, she figured there would be options for me. Plus, she took it as a good sign that the restaurant has a nicely laid out and beautiful Web site, as well as a menu that, upon first glance, had her mouth watering.
Decision made. Habana Blues Tapas Restaurant for dinner it was…
After I went for my training run that day, I changed back into proper dining attire, jeans and my concert t-shirt from the Bon Jovi show the night before (LOL!), and we took a short stroll from the gym to Habana Blues Tapas Restaurant, located on the corner of Market Street and Bank Street in New Albany. When I first moved here, this was Jimmy’s Music Store…which has moved to a different location up the way. A few restaurants have been in and out…but when Habana Blues opened in 2010…it had some staying power.
And yes…this restaurant has been here since 2010 and I didn’t visit there to eat until now. I am so ashamed.
Habana Blues Tapas Restaurant is a New Albany’s only restaurant to offer Cuban food. Yes…Cuban food. I love seeing something different on these streets in this area. This upscale Cuban cuisine is authentically prepared and presented in tapas style, that is small plates, or a variety of appetizer dishes. You can either get for yourself or share among the table. Tapas can be prepared warm or cold, and the menu at Habana Blues offers both types. The entire point of tapas is to encourage more talk and socializing at the table so that the diner isn’t as focused on the food…but more the company. What a great concept.
We entered the brightly colored restaurant and were seated immediately by the hostess. She placed menus and a drink menu down for each of us to peruse while we waited on our server. I was expecting a dark-haired, olive complexioned waitress…but we got the blond-haired, blue-eyed Wes…who was simply AMAZING! He had this cute little country twang in his voice and his eyes lit up when he spoke about the food and options. We went ahead and told him that I was a gluten-free vegetarian. He pointed out some vegetarian courses that are highly regarded there and said he would go ahead and check on the gluten-free part of each one.
He was gone for a good while, and I could hear him consulting with others over the entire menu. And when he returned, he had options for me written down and began to present them…along with any changes that could be made to the dish to make it safe for me to eat. Fantastic. He left for a few more minutes to give me some time to think about it…and after a little bit of discussion, my roommate and I came to a decision on the food we wanted to eat that night.
Habana Blues’ Guacamole con Chicharritas
First up…we had heard such fantastic things about their Guacamole con Chicharritas ($8.25), that we decided we would split that. Yes…it is exactly what it sounds like. Guacamole. But instead of the Mexican version where you eat the blend of avocados, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeños, lime juice and red onion with tortilla chips, Habana Blues serves their guacamole with house prepared plaintain chips. And yes…they are gluten-free.
There is just something so amazing about a fresh guacamole. When the avocado is ripe and sweet and blends so well with the mild tomatoes, the bite of onion, the spice of the peppers and cilantro…and the acidity from the lime juice…when executed just right…magic happens. This was a happy plate for me. The plantain chips were vibrant and crunchy and looked amazing standing out next to the bright, fresh, green color of the guacamole. It reminded me a lot of the guacamole that I make at home. In fact, all the ingredients are the same, save I use serrano peppers in mine, as a preference of my roommate. But this…this was lively and fresh and not too spicy. Perfect for a started. The plantain chips added a nice hint of sweetness to each bite. They were sliced thin and fried to perfection. I love a good crunch with my chip and this definitely provided it. Honestly…this selection didn’t last long at all.
Cathy had her two plates she wanted to try ready to order. Her final decision was that this time while we dined here, she would try the Chimichurri Steak ($8.50), which is a grilled skirt steak that is served with a chimichurri sauce (she has been intrigued by what chimichurri was since we started watching a lot of cooking shows and a lot of chefs make it) and a side of sweet potato fries, which come with a smoked honey butter to dip them into. She ordered her steak medium, and it came out perfectly cooked. She enjoyed every bite of it, raving about the spiciness of the chimichurri and the delicious flavor of the smoked honey butter for the sweet potato fries.
Her other plate choice was the Queso Fundido ($5.75), which is a bowl of melted Spanish Tetilla cheese, topped off with crispy chorizo and served with bread. She loves cheese. She loves bread. It was no surprise when she loved this. The nature of the cheese made it one that paired well with the bread. By the end of the meal, it was no longer stretchy and gooey, but she could cut it up and place it over the grilled slices of bread and still enjoy every bite. Which she did.
The birthday girl was pleased.
Habana Blues’ Champinoes al Ajillo (no bread)
But enough about the carnivore in the group…what about my options?
My first plate of choice was the highly recommended Champinoes al Ajillo ($6.50). Normally this dish would be served with bread, but they said they would just leave that off. No big deal. Awesome. The Championoes al Ajillo are cremini mushrooms that are sauteed in olive oil with garlic, red pepper flakes, and some lemon juice. This came out in a little bowl for me…and it looked awesome. I can see how this would be a great topper for bread…but in my mind I was already creating a pasta dish around it (using gluten-free pasta of course). The mushrooms were sauteed to perfection. The olive oil bath they were sitting in had just the right amount of heat from the red pepper. And the garlic…wow…the garlic was awesome. I gave a squirt of the provided lemon to the top of the dish and…bam. It was delicious. I didn’t even miss the bread. On its own, this dish was a definite stand out!
The other vegetarian and gluten-free dish that I opted for was the first one Wes recommended, the Pincho de Vegetales ($7.50), also known as vegetable skewers. No adjustments had to be made to this dish. I got what any other patron of the restaurant would have received had they ordered this. It’s a simple skewer that is packed full of grilled yellow squash, bell peppers, red onions, zucchini, and cremini mushrooms that have all been basted with mojo sauce. On the side, these are served with this super, fantastic chili mayonnaise. OH. MY. GOD. This was amazing. Each bite was a different burst of flavor. The vegetables were done to perfection. They were grilled just perfectly. And that chili mayonnaise was killer. I mean…it just livened up each bite of those vegetables. I told my roommate not to judge me as I scooped out the last of the mayo onto my fork and ate it without any vegetables, as I had clearly already devoured those.
Habana Blues’ Pincho de Vegetales
We were full. Oh…small plates for sure…but we were full. However, we both felt that as we were out for a special occasion, that being Cathy’s birthday, we should have dessert. We took a peek at the menu and her eyes immediately fixed on the Churros con Chocolate ($4.75), or Spanish donuts served with a chocolate ganache. Come on. It involved the words donuts and chocolate. Of course she was going to be there.
In most cases, the flan is a safe choice for me, but I inquired with Wes regarding the status of gluten-free options. He said he believed that the flan would be safe for me, however, he was going to double check with the chef. He came back a few moments later and said that the chef indeed indicated the flan was gluten-free. Had it not been, they offer some ice creams I would have been more than happy trying.
But with the chef’s assurance, I waffled between the two varieties of flan offered, vanilla and coconut, finally choosing to order the Flan de Vanilla ($4.99), which is a traditional Cuban vanilla custard. I had the flan at a Mexican restaurant in Indianapolis after I ran a half marathon…and it was okay. Not heavenly. But okay. So, I was a bit nervous about this one. And when it came out, sadly, it was adorned with a cookie, which should have been left out. I pointed that out to Wes, and he quickly removed the plate from in front of me, apologizing and saying he had told them to leave the cookie off…and took it away. After a small wait, a new plate arrived in front of me with a fresh flan, no whipped cream (thank goodness!), no cookie, only a tiny drizzle of strawberry syrup, and adorned with a blue (yes, a blue!) cherry. Soon after, Cathy’s churros arrived and we were diving into dessert deliciousness.
The first thing I did was eat that blue cherry. It intrigued me. And it…tasted blue. It didn’t taste like a normal cherry would. It just tasted…blue. There is no better description for it. Trust me. As for the flan itself…rich, creamy, and melt-in-your-mouth good. Oh. My. God. I should have taken a lactase before diving into a custard…something that I noted after I was well through most of it. But…this…was so amazing and good I didn’t even stop then to take one. I mean…it just slid down my throat. The vanilla flavor was amazing and perfect. Not overkill. It didn’t take away from the creamy texture or the richness of the dessert. I felt every spoonful was pure heaven. This…was the perfect way to wrap up the meal.
As for Cathy’s churros…she enjoyed them to the fullest. And, shocked me by having chocolate ganache left over. I would have devoured that in a heartbeat. Silly, roomie. Wasting chocolate.
We were both so impressed with not just the service and attention to my dietary restrictions that Habana Blues gave us…but the food was out-of-this-world. I can’t stop raving about it. I’m already making plans to go back and eat again. Maybe try a few other suggestions that were recommended for a gluten-free vegetarian. Maybe get the same meal again, sans the dessert. Or…keep the dessert. Or…try one of the ice creams. Order a take-out of their Paella de Vegetales to take home and split with the roommate on a busy night when cooking just doesn’t seem feasible. Oh…I have plans alright. I have plans to return. And it will be in the very near future. Maybe next week.
If you are in the New Albany, Indiana region…or even in Louisville, Kentucky, as they have a branch open on Hurstbourne Lane, give some Cuban tapas a try. Stop in at Habana Blues. Feel welcome. Talk. Enjoy. Dine. Feast. Make your palate happy. And…don’t spend a fortune doing it. At this restaurant, the food is spectacular and the prices are affordable. And that…is a winning combination!
Cereal. It’s the most basic breakfast item out there. It’s also an easy go-to lunch, dinner, or midnight snack. Trust me…I have eaten it for every meal occasion out there. But…mostly for breakfast. Especially on race mornings or gym mornings. Why? Because it’s simple, easy, and not something that requires a lot of preparation or clean up.
I love the simplicity of a bowl of cereal. But cereal can either be good…or not so good. And sometimes…it can just be bad.
A couple days ago, I opened up a box of cereal I had never tried before. But I found it at my grocery store and decided to give it a go. After all, sometimes you need a different flavor, texture, brand, or just…something different to brighten up your mornings. So, instead of getting one of my Envirokidz cereals, I opted for Nature’s Path Gluten-Free Sunrise Crunchy Vanilla Cereal.
I would put this one in the second category. The Not So Good.
It’s not that this cereal is at all bad. In fact, nutritionally speaking, this is one of the better ones out there. Especially for the gluten-free crowd. Let’s take a look, shall we?
A serving of Nature’s Path Sunrise Crunchy Vanilla cereal is 2/3 cup. This serving will only set you back 110 calories (without milk…I use a splash of unsweetened almond milk, so I probably total 120 calories with mine). Not bad for a breakfast cereal. A serving only has 1 gram of fat, 6 grams of sugar, 3 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of protein. The Sunrise Crunchy Vanilla cereal also contains 12 grams of whole grains.
This cereal is chock-full of a variety of crunchy textures from flakes to puffs to crispies. So, at least it keeps the palate interested. But…stop right there. For me…depsite being lower in sugars for a breakfast cereal…I found this one WAY too sweet. Oh…wow…is it ever sweet!
Thank goodness I use unsweetened almond milk to top off my cereal because without it…this might be an big fail. It’s tolerable, flavor-wise…save for that vanilla sweetness that stings your taste buds and keeps on going from there. It just tastes off to me. Perhaps I’m used to milder flavors in the morning. This one definitely sucker-punches your taste buds with an abundance of vanilla flavor. It’s way too much for my liking and tends to take away from the otherwise pleasing textures of the cereal itself.
Oh, I was so disappointed with this one. As it isn’t offensive, I’m still eating it. Going to use it up and move on…never to purchase this one again. I think, in my mind, I was hoping it would be a lot like the Kay’s Naturals Gluten-Free cereal I tried last year. But this one was nowhere near that caliber of deliciousness. Like…completely went in the opposite direction.
While we all crave something sweet some mornings, this is just too much all at once. Thank you, Nature’s Path, for changing up the offerings for the gluten-free crowd…but this one just doesn’t suit me at all. Maybe take that vanilla sweetness down a notch. Then we’ll talk. Until then…back to Envirokidz.
In addition to apples and oranges this week, my CSA bin decided to shake things up a little bit and offer some organic blueberries. I. LOVE. BLUEBERRIES. For real. Not only that, they are little antioxidant powerhouses on top of just being really, really delicious.
The thing is…the oranges are great for gym mornings…portable and easy to handle. The apples…perfect for home…where I can slice them, dice them, caramlized them, top them with nut butter…do whatever I want with them. So, I had everything covered. What to do with the blueberries?
Then I recalled a recipe that Runner’s World put up a long, long time ago. I had been meaning to make it…and I finally had a reason. The original recipe, from the Closet Cooking blog, uses red quinoa and pecans, but I had just regular quinoa in my pantry and walnuts. It’s quinoa. It’s nuts. It will work. And this is one easy breakfast to throw together. The original recipe says this serves one. But my roommate and I split it because it really, really makes a lot. So, I would say it makes 2 servings in all reality. Unless you are running a marathon. Then it may just serve one.
That being said…the normal human being would get two servings out of this.
Recipe: Quinoa Porridge with Blueberries and Walnuts
Quinoa Porridge with Blueberries and Walnuts
Servings: 2
Time: Prep 5 minutes; Cook 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1-1/2 cup milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 dash cinnamon
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/4 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
Directions:
Bring the quinoa, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and maple syrup to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered until tender, about 15 minutes.
Mix in the blueberries, add more milk to taste and top with the pecans.
~*~*~
Super easy! Now, my roommate and I both agreed that the quinoa was a wee bit bland, so I gave each of our bowls a small sprinkling of sugar and a dash more of cinnamon to mix in. It made a world of difference. This was really filling and so full of good for you protein, antioxidants, and other such nutrients. It is definitely a powerhouse breakfast. I loved how the texture of the quinoa mixed so well with the sweet blueberries and the crunchy nuts. And toasting the nuts really does bring out more flavor, so do not skip that step. It’s important.
If you need a healthy, nutritious, hearty, warm breakfast…give this one a try.
The Celiathlete 