Leave it to my CSA bin to throw me the Thanksgiving curve ball. Seriously. Everything in my bin this past week (which delivered the day before Thanksgiving) fit, somehow, into a Thanksgiving meal. I had carrots, potatoes, yams, celery, apples, onions, green beans, fresh herbs, local lettuce…you get the picture. The one item, however, that I was most unfamiliar with…was the fresh cranberries I received.
Cranberries?!
My initial thought was to go ahead and make my own cranberry sauce to take to Thanksgiving with my roommate’s family. I could do something with the potatoes and yams as well. However…potatoes had been planned a long time ago, yams are always canned (*gag*) and the cranberry sauce is always out of a can as well (YUCK!). Needless to say…I had a lot of Thanksgiving items and very little Thanksgiving to contribute. I was in charge of the vegetable, and made up a fantastic green bean recipe that I posted last week. So…lots to play around with at home.
Now…cranberries…cranberries…hmmm…
I called in the big guns…and did a Google search for some recipes that would involve cranberries…be vegetarian…and not be too complicated. I had it down to two options…but my roommate made the choice in the end.
The winning recipe comes from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa herself, and I only tweaked it slightly to make it gluten-free. Aside from that…the recipe stands.
12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over for stems
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (2 oranges)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1-1/8 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (I used Smart Balance)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream (I used Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream)
1 cup all-purpose flour (I used Arrowhead Mills Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine the cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the butter, vanilla, and sour cream and beat just until combined. On low speed, slowly add the flour and salt.
Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10-inch glass pie plate.
Pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely.
Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it over the batter.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and the fruit is bubbling around the edges.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
A slice of the Gluten-Free Cranberry and Apple Cake
~*~*~
So…how was the end result? I couldn’t be happier with it. Cranberries and apples are a perfect pairing, and when you hit it with the acidity of the orange, you really get a great balance of flavors. But the absolute star of this dessert is the crust…that cake-y bit on top. It’s sweet, soft in the middle, but golden and crusty on the outside. The cinnamon and sugar on top just makes it pop.
It’s really a combination of a pie, a cake, and a crumble…but, wow…is it ever good.
If I am ever handed cranberries in my CSA bin again, I now have a fantastic, delicious, and worthy recipe to turn to.
And my “I don’t really like cranberries” roommate fell in love with this at first bite. So…even if you are unsure about the cranberries, I encourage you to try it. Honestly…it all comes together brilliantly in the end.
Another recipe adaption gluten-free baking success!
It was Small Business Saturday and I made it known…I wanted to go to one of my favorite small businesses in the area. Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky. And I wanted to have breakfast there. A gluten-free waffle. Perhaps with a gluten-free donut. Maybe I’d get the gluten-free apple cider donut with the glaze this time. I just wanted to support a business that has literally changed my life in this area for the better.
My love affair with Annie May’s began with a simple birthday cake. Because of Annie May’s, I didn’t have to bake my own cake or birthday confection this year. It was done for me. And the result was nothing short of spectacular. I was enamored with them…and so…the love affair continued.
I have returned to Annie May’s as often as possible when I am in the area. I have gone there for breakfast, for sweet snacks and treats, for take and bake cinnamon rolls. If I am in town, I want to stop by for something. And given that this past Saturday was Small Business Saturday, I made a point to go to as many small businesses as possible…and my first stop was Annie May’s for my usual waffle breakfast.
Annie May’s Sweet Café has the best gluten-free waffles. Seriously. I always get the regular ones, served with maple syrup and Earth Balance. I did decide on the Maple Glazed Apple Cider Donut as well…and devoured that as soon as I hit the table. I had not eaten anything since I had woken up bright and early that morning…so, needless to say…I was ready to eat.
And then…sad news was given. They were having some trouble with their waffle batter. It wasn’t working out. So…they were going to make a fresh batch. It would take a little while…and did we mind the wait. I never mind waiting for food. But, soon after we were asked if we would mind having pancakes instead of waffles. No skin off my nose. I keep thinking of trying the pancakes and always returning to the waffles. I’m a waffle addict apparently. They apologized numerous times and said that for our wait and our patience we could get a free cookie before leaving. I don’t mind the wait. I had an amuse bouche of donut, after all…
In the end, however, the waffles were able to be made and were delivered to our table looking all golden and delicious and ready to be consumed. And they died a very messy death right there in the café. Cathy went to clear the table and I was putting on my jacket when the nice woman behind the counter called me over to get my cookie. I was going to leave without it…because I wasn’t upset with them, nor did I mind the wait. But, she insisted. So, she asked me to come over and choose between the cookies or the cupcakes or the brownies on the counter. I had their brownie before (to DIE FOR!) and I wasn’t feeling cupcakes…so I stuck with the allergen-free (yes…it’s even vegan!) Chocolate Chip Cookie. After all…I do love my cookies!
She packed up two of them for me and asked what Cathy was interested in. I waved her off and said the cookies she gave me in the bag were plenty for us and thanked her.
After a busy day of small business shopping, Cathy and I returned home and I went for my 10K run for training. Soon after, I was preparing dinner (leftovers!), which we settled in to eat. And then…dessert. With a bag on the counter with two of Annie May’s Sweet Café Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies…I knew exactly what dessert was going to be.
I carefully opened the small white paper bag and pulled out the paper-wrapped cookies. They smelled amazing. I handed one to Cathy and I took the other one. As I settled in for my sweet treat to cleanse my palate, I took my first bite.
Homemade cookies are the best around. And these, completely vegan and allergen-free, have to be some of the best I have ever tasted. Most of the time, unless I make them myself, my gluten-free cookies are store-bought packaged brands. Not these. These are fresh from the oven at Annie May’s and the time and dedication to their products really shows. The cookie was light and buttery. The flavor was fantastic. They were soft, chewy, yet with that golden crust that gave it a bit of texture. And the mini chocolate chips were awesome. Just the right hit of sweetness in each bite. Not one bit of the cookie lacked in chocolate chips. They were like my mom used to make. And I do love a chewy chocolate chip cookie. These delivered everything I love in a cookie and that…made me one happy girl.
While my visit to Annie May’s Sweet Café on Saturday didn’t initially involve trying their Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies…now that I have, I think I’ll be purchasing more in my future. Honestly…the best gluten-free chocolate chip cookie I have had…to date…anywhere! And we all know how much of a cookie monster I am. So, that is truly saying something.
I really am fortunate to have a small business that caters to people with food allergies in my area. The day I discovered Annie May’s Sweet Café my life changed…and it was all for the better. My life is whole lot more delicious these days too.
Small Business Saturday…I hope you were kind to this fantastic little café on Frankfort Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky…because this café is always good to me.
Product: The Gluten-Free Oven Vanilla Creme Filled Fingers – $2.50
It was love at first sight when I spotted these little delicious creme-filled cake treats at the Gluten-Free Living Now Expo in Carmel, Indiana. This is no joke. And, with the recent news of the Hostess shut-down…these little treats that have been sitting in my freezer meant the world to me. Just as much as they did back on the day I bought them at the expo.
The Gluten-Free Oven was one of the vendors that were attending the Gluten-Free Living Now Expo in Indiana. I had never heard of them, but one product on their table caught my eye. One product that I had not seen anywhere before and I had been…wanting, desiring, needing (to make Minion (from Despicable Me) cupcakes, of course). Twinkies. Okay…not real Twinkies…but a version of them. A fabulous gluten-free version of them. While I was never big on Twinkies when I was growing up and could eat these things…for some reason (must be those cupcakes)…I just had to have these. I needed them. I wasn’t leaving the expo without them.
So…I purchased one little package of the Vanilla Creme Filled Fingers from the vendor and went on my merry way. Upon arriving home after the expo that day, they went into my freezer (along with a bunch of other goodies I purchased) for safe keeping.
Then…Hostess went belly-up. And the real Twinkie was now going away. There were mad-dashes to the stores to buy up favorite Hostess products. My roomie (who can have gluten in her diet) got caught up in the madness and ended up purchasing one little packet of Twinkies for herself. She was going to indulge that day…but decided that she’d save them for Thanksgiving evening…and we’d celebrate getting through the festivities, putting up and decorating the tree, and planning Black Friday Shopping Insanity by breaking out our Twinkies and Gluten-Free Vanilla Creme Fingers and having a sweet treat.
That was the plan. And although we were ready for the treat upon arriving home from the meal (where I had the green beans I brought, some spiced fruit I brought, and a little potato that my friend Amanda pulled aside before she added butter and whole milk to them for mashing), we decided to wait. We had to. I forgot to pull my Vanilla Creme Filled Fingers out of the freezer before leaving. I was a bit hurried as normal, having run a 5 mile race, showered, and prepared my dishes I was supplying for the meal…and getting to the location in enough time to help out if needed…or at least just socialize before food comas set in. So…the treat had to wait. No matter…my roommate and I had a Christmas tree to put up and decorate. I placed the Gluten-Free Oven Vanilla Creme Filled Fingers on the counter top to thaw, then went to help deck the halls to the sound of Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
The tree was up in record time this year and the lights and garland didn’t give us as much as a fight. We grabbed our ornaments and just starting hanging the bits and bobs from the branches. Soon…it was up. I checked on my Gluten-Free Vanilla Creme Filled Fingers…and they were at room temperature now and ready to eat. YAY!
The Gluten-Free Oven Vanilla Creme Filled Finger
So…time to indulge. Cathy grabbed her packet of Hostess Twinkies and I eased into my Gluten-Free Oven packet. We both snatched out one cake-y treat to begin with…figuring we’d save the other one for later in the weekend. I had to take pictures of mine…and sliced mine in half to get a look at the creme (which matched the cake middle so it is hard to see). After the photos for the blog were taken, I snatched up one of the halves and took a long, lingering bite, savoring the taste, texture and moment.
The Gluten-Free Oven hit these out of the park. I can say that for certain because I gave a little piece to my roommate to do a side-by-side comparison and she said she couldn’t even tell the difference. The Gluten-Free Oven Vanilla Creme Filled Fingers were a little heavier, she said, but aside from that, they tasted exactly the same.
I count that as a win.
Here’s what else I can say. The Gluten-Free Oven Vanilla Creme Filled Fingers are just like the Twinkies I sort of remember back when I could eat such things. The cake on the outside was moist and spongy. The creme in the middle was soft and creamy and just…sweet. It was the perfect compliment when put together. Hostess knew what they were doing when they invented the Twinkie. Well…The Gluten-Free Oven just brought them to the gluten-free community. And, with any luck, The Gluten-Free Oven won’t go the way of Hostess and will continue to provide these to the gluten-free community for a long time.
I fell in love with these. And…for the record…the other Vanilla Creme Filled Finger (and the other Twinkie for my roommate) got eaten immediately afterwards. No saving them for another day. They were G-O-N-E. Yep. They really are that amazing. I wish I had bought more than the one pack of them. Honestly. I’m considering ordering them online. Yes…they DO ship.
The Gluten-Free Oven is based out of Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania…so it would be a bit of a haul to go and actually pick something up. The best I can hope for, currently, is that I see them at another gluten-free expo soon, or just suck it up and order their products online. Honestly, I would order a case of those Gluten-Free Vanilla Creme Filled Fingers. It’s best if I don’t…but I would. And should I ever decide to give those Minion cupcakes a gluten-free whirl…I just might be contacting them to send me a case.
If you don’t remember Twinkies…never had a Twinkie…or miss Twinkies due to your gluten intolerance or Celiac disease…then I encourage you to look up The Gluten-Free Oven because they can make your dreams come true…with a little pack of two of the best packaged treats I have eaten in a long time.
Happiness really can be baked…in a Gluten-Free Oven.
The Gluten-Free Oven Vanilla Creme Filled Finger (halved)
I still remember the day the announcement from Katz Gluten-Free came through my e-mail. It was this little bright spot in a busy, hectic day. After having introduced gluten-free donuts (which are the best out there…hands down!), Katz Gluten-Free was now offering…donut holes! YES…donut holes!
And why not? No bit of delicious gluten-free donuts should be wasted. Not even the little center part that gets cut out.
I knew…that moment…I had to have some. So, I placed an order.
And when they arrived I did a little dance of joy. Happiness. Donut holes. Just like what I used to eat as a kid from Dunkin’ Donuts. Just…smaller. And healthier for me too, when it comes to donuts. I have always been a sucker for donut holes. They are easy to just bite into and nibble on. Little bite-size wonders of donutty goodness. Few things make me as happy as donut holes…except gluten-free donut holes…because I can actually eat those.
Well, after the immediate elation of having Katz Gluten-Free Cinnamon Donut Holes…they ended up just being packed away in the freezer. Life was busy…and I was working my way through other delicious gluten-free treats. But with this being a short week thanks to Thanksgiving…I needed something to eat after hitting up the gym yesterday. My answer was found in my freezer. And Katz Gluten-Free once again saved the day. These little donut holes were there and I now had something to fill my belly after hitting up the cardio and weights at the gym before heading into work. Perfect.
I was a bit confused on the serving size. I think the nutrition information that is on the carton actually pertains to the Katz Gluten-Free Cinnamon Donuts. The box says that it serves 6, which would mean each package contains enough for each serving to be 3 donut holes with two left over. This seems like a very small serving for 160 calories. But…that’s what the package said, so I ran with it. As I was hitting the gym, I decided that I’d eat one of the extra ones in the serving size. Why not? I let them thaw overnight in a plastic bag and when I got into the office the next day, I put them on a plate and gave them a quick 10 second heat in the microwave.
Yeah…these just cemented the reason that Katz Gluten-Free have my favorite donuts. Even the donut holes are awesome. What I love about the Cinnamon Donut Holes is that they are little bites of sweetness, without being too much. I love donut holes for that reason. They are the perfect size to just…pop!! Let me tell you…I’d be hard pressed to not sit down with the entire package and devour them all in one sitting. It won’t happen. But…it would be oh…so tempting. These little donut morsels are soft, and have a great cake donut texture. They aren’t heavy in the slightest.
My only complaint would be that I would definitely feel more satisfied for the 16o calories if I were actually eating the donut. Then again…like I said…the nutrition information is definitely incorrect on the donut holes, so who is to say what the serving size is or how many calories I was consuming. Maybe an entire box is only one donut. I don’t know. I just will portion these out so as not to go through them too quickly and enjoy every little donut hole bite.
Truly delicious.
Katz Gluten-Free…you keep winning me over. And if you keep making donut varieties such as this…well…my paychecks will continue to head your way. Thank you for setting such a high standard for gluten-free foods and treats. I have yet to meet a product I didn’t like.
Actually, until this journey to Columbus, Ohio, I had never even had a macaron. I have heard of them, looked at them online, even thought about making them myself. What is a macaron? Is it really a macaroon? Nope. There actually is a difference.
A macaroon is an American version for a flourless egg-white based cookie. Most often it is made with coconut.
A macaron, however, is a French cookie made with almond and egg whites that are sandwiched around a cream-based filling. They are often found in a rainbow of colors and a variety of flavors.
I don’t know how Jenn and I stumbled across the Web site for Pistacia Vera on Saturday morning…but we did. And we noticed they had a gluten-free menu. On it were a plethora of baked items…including every macaron that they made. Yes…macarons are gluten-free because they are made with almond flour. Gotta love that. So, after stopping by the race expo for the Hot Chocolate 15K, we hit up a market, and on our way to get ice cream, we swung by Pistacia Vera to get some macarons to take with us.
Pistacia Vera is a sleek looking dessert boutique located on South Third Street in German Village in Columbus, Ohio. They are a from-scratch pastisserie which boasts a menu of over 60 seasonal pastries and confection. All made by-hand and with great care. They specialize in classic European technique, making it a truly special stop while in Columbus. Their Web site boast that their coffee and espresso are considered to be the best in town. If it’s made like it is in Europe…or even France for that matter…I bet they’re right.
I didn’t get coffee when I was in there that morning, however. I was there on a mission. A mission…for macarons.
Jenn picked four she wanted to choose and Cathy and I decided to split the difference and each choose two to sample. We were actually quite interested in the same flavors, but I let her take them and went for a couple of other delicious sounding ones.
Pistacia Vera’s Buckeye Macaron, Maple Walnut Macaron, Peppermint Chocolate Macaron, and Mocha Hazelnut Macaron
In the end, Cathy got the Peppermint Chocolate Macaron ($1.25) and the Buckeye Macaron ($1.25). Since those two were taken by my roomie, I opted to give the Maple Walnut Macaron ($1.25) a try and the Mocha Hazelnut Macaron ($1.25) a try. They both definitely sounded delicious. Actually, the entire display case of macarons sounded awesome, but I figured as I had never had a macaron before, I would start small and I could always come back for more. As we were checking out, I spotted the gluten-free caramels near the register. Specifically the Cashew Caramel with Fleur de Sel ($1.50). We got one single piece of that and were on our way. With much to do that day, like going out of town, the cookies and caramel got left behind at Jenn’s house.
But Sunday after my 15K race…we all split the Cashew Caramel with Fleur de Sel (I forgot to take a picture of it!). It was delicious. Very light. Not too chewy, but just enough. It wasn’t going to get lodged in your teeth. This was caramel done right and done well. It had a delicious flavor to it. I love cashew, so it was the ideal one and probably why it caught my eye. Even though she groused about having to eat a caramel, my roommate seemed to like it well enough. It just took her forever to eat it because she was just in a grumpy mood and thought it would get stuck in her teeth. She has a thing or two to learn about good caramel. Hopefully this helped.
The macarons, however, made the journey back to Louisville with us. And last night, I decided that they would be perfect to have for dessert. After polishing off dinner and doing up the dishes, I pulled out the macarons and dished out each of our chosen ones. Cathy got the green minty one and the deep brown chocolate/peanut butter one. And I got the two lighter colored ones. I was looking forward to trying these out for the first time.
Cathy had already taken a bite of each of hers by the time I made it back out to the living room. She declared that they were both really good, but that she really liked the Buckeye one. Being that it was chocolate and peanut butter, I now kicked myself for not getting it. But, alas…there will be other options.
I settled in and decided to give the Maple Walnut Macaron a try first. It was the lighter one of mine. One bite and I was hooked. The light, chewy outer layer was fantastic and very delicious. I loved how these treats weren’t heavy at all, despite being sandwiched around a layer of cream filling, usually a buttercream or a ganache. It was love at first bite. So, I moved onto the Mocha Hazelnut one…and yeah…that was like taking a bite out of a fresh coffee. Honestly. The flavors are amazing and just simple. I loved the softness of the cookie and the richness of the cream inside. I could have probably eaten more of these and not felt full at all. They are that light and airy. And yeah…I’m now a fan of macarons. Go figure.
Maybe I will give making them a try sometime.
Until then, I am thankful for places like Pistacia Vera in Columbus, Ohio…for having a gluten-free selection that is awesome and extensive…and so very good. Yeah…I’ll definitely be visiting this place again. They have way more flavors of macarons for me to try. And maybe I will get some coffee next time…just to see if it really is the best in town.
Pistacia Vera’s Maple Walnut Macaron and Mocha Hazelnut Macaron
Sometimes being gluten-free can be difficult. I don’t say that to garner sympathy or anything. The fact is…sometimes I just want a bagel. Or a doughnut. Or even cinnamon rolls.
YES!! Cinnamon rolls.
In fact, this past couple of weeks I had been out-and-out craving gluten-free cinnamon rolls. While I could easily go to the grocery store and pick up some from Udi’s…let me tell you…that is not what I wanted. In fact, Udi’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls are the one item by Udi’s that I have not liked or praised up and down. I am just not a fan of the texture and taste of them. I wanted something with a crust on the outside and that was still gooey on the inside. You know…just like mom used to make…back when I was little and could still eat cinnamon rolls whenever I wanted.
Yeah…the gluten-free gig is a bit of a challenge at times, but I have no choice. Thankfully, however, I have a local bakery in Louisville, Kentucky that caters to those with food allergies. Everything they make is free of gluten, nuts, tree nuts, and soy. Upon request, they can make most of their goodies vegan as well (minus dairy/eggs). You gotta love that.
Well, I absolutely LOVE Annie May’s Sweet Café. I try to get over there for something whenever I am in town. This past Friday was the exception. I was actually heading out of town, but saw on their Facebook page earlier that week that they had Take And Bake Cinnamon Rolls. Oh…that hit the craving switch again so I inquired if they might have them in on Friday. They said they would, so I asked if they could hold one package of them for me. They said they could…and all I had to do was get to Friday and go pick them up.
After leaving work at noon, I headed into Louisville, Kentucky and swung by Annie May’s Sweet Café to pick up my order. As promised, they had a package there for me, along with the delicious icing to go with it. I was thrilledto say the least. And they looked awesome too. Nothing tiny about these cinnamon rolls. Each one weighed around 6 ounces and they just looked fantastic…even without being baked yet. The package of 4 cinnamon rolls ran me $12.00, but it was totally worth the cost. I was already wishing it was Saturday morning in Ohio so I could bake them up and devour them with my roomie and my friend Jenn.
Into the cooler in the car they went…and they made the long journey to Columbus, Ohio. Upon arriving at my friend’s house, I put them in the refrigerator until the morning.
When morning came, I sent my roomie out for coffee while Jenn and I prepared the rest of breakfast. I got out the cinnamon rolls and preheated the oven, according to the directions on the package. The oven was at 325 degrees and in went the pan. The package said to cook for around 7-9 minutes. I went with 7 to start with. And at the end of it, they weren’t yet golden, so I let it run a little longer. After 9 minutes passed…still not golden. The scrambled eggs we were having with them were done, so we dug in and I got a bit daring and set the timer for 2 more minutes. Still not golden. And still doughy in the middle. Not good doughy…but raw doughy. So…back into the oven they went. This time…for 5 more minutes. I was aiming for that golden brown that I associate with cinnamon rolls. When the timer went off this time, they were starting to turn a light shade of brown. So, I decided five more minutes, and after that I would call it done regardless.
We finished up our eggs and I impatiently waited for the timer to sound. When it did, I removed them from the oven and prodded them momentarily with a knife. Still not a rich golden color. Still a little soft in the middle…but it was good enough for me.
Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Take & Bake Cinnamon Rolls (baked and iced)
I set them down on a hot pad holder and pulled out a knife to apply the icing to the tops. Do it while it’s hot and it sort of just melts over the tops. Yummy. There were three of us and four cinnamon rolls, so I split one of them into thirds and began to serve them up.
For the amount of time it took to bake them, I can say this much…it was worth it. Not only did these cinnamon rolls leave me stuffed (perhaps we really didn’t need the eggs like we thought), but they did have a bit of a golden crust on the outside and that delicious soft middle going on. I was in cinnamon roll heaven. I love having a place nearby that can satisfy that craving for me whenever I need it. Really good gluten-free cinnamon rolls are difficult to come by…but Annie May’s Sweet Café really, really does it right. And I love that these are big. Like…Pillsbury Grand big. Size of a fist big. Just…big and packed with flavor. The icing, the soft middle…it was cinnamon roll nirvana for me.
I don’t know what I would do without Annie May’s Sweet Café in my life. Honestly. How I had never heard of them before this past year is beyond me. Now that I know about them…I can’t help but go back weekend after weekend. They are often my source of a breakfast if I am running in Louisville that Saturday morning. They have so much to offer, not just baked goods, but also soups, sandwiches, and pizza. Oh…I have got to go in sometimes for their pizza.
As it stands…cinnamon rolls were a huge hit with me. I am addicted. My mouth is watering even as I type this up. Another craving is hitting. But it’s Thanksgiving week…and their orders are at capacity. So my craving might have to wait a week or so before I can satisfy it again. Whether it was a temperature flaw or something with the oven…I don’t care. What emerged….in the end…was just like the cinnamon rolls my mom used to make.
In fact…they were better.
Annie May’s Sweet Café…thank you for setting up shop in Louisville, Kentucky and giving people with food allergies amazing, delicious food. My roommate and my friend don’t have to eat gluten-free…but when I am there…they do. And they agree…the cinnamon rolls were nothing short of awesome. I might have been full sitting at that kitchen table on Saturday morning…but I was full from your really good product. You haven’t let me down yet.
Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Take & Bake Cinnamon Rolls
Product: Go Picnic Black Bean Dip and Crispy Plantain Chips – $5.99+
Fast food, shmast food.
Being a gluten-free vegetarian means a stop-off at any regional fast food joint is just not an option. I mean, I got sick for 5 days after eating Chik-Fil-A’s supposedly gluten-free waffle fries this past summer. Let me tell you, I have yet to go back.
So, when someone like me – someone who is constantly on the go and on the road – needs something to eat…what then? Well…thanks to Go Picnic my options just got a little more exciting and much healthier than any fast food stop would have been.
Now, I’ve blogged about Go Picnic before. I am a HUGE fan of the gluten-free Hummus + Crackers meal, which is usually my on-the-road poison. However, when I attended the Gluten-Free Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana a month or so back, I dropped by the Go Picnic booth and raved to them about how much I appreciated their gluten-free boxes (especially the ones that are also vegetarian/vegan). It just so happened that they had some of their brand new on-the-go meals at the expo…and if I bought them that day, I’d be saving some money, for sure.
So, my roomie and I made a decision to purchase six meals. She got two of the Sunbutter + Crackers plus the Turkey Pepperoni + Cheese boxes. As for me, I went with two of my favorite…the Hummus + Crackers and one of the brand new offerings…the Black Bean Dip & Plantain Chips box. I was pretty stoked about that one as it was new, vegan, and gluten-free. And it just sounded…different and interesting.
Well, the perfect opportunity to break out the Go Picnic meals came this past weekend as my roomie and I were venturing out to Ohio to visit our friend Jenn. Our plan…to see The Monkees on Saturday night and then on Sunday morning…I was off to the races. Literally. I was running in the Hot Chocolate 15K in Columbus. So, we left work at noon on Friday and went to run a few local errands before settling in for the 4 hour car trip up to Columbus, Ohio. With the errands out of the way…it was lunch time. And for me, lunch was the Go Picnic Black Bean Dip & Plantain Chips on-the-go meal.
After opening the box, I settled on starting with the star of the actual box…the Go Picnic Garden Black Bean Dip with the Sweet Perry Orchards Crispy Roasted Plantain Chips. I thought, at first, that this was an interesting combination and wasn’t quite sure how it would work in the end. However, the combination was actually quite delicious. What I loved was how the sweetness of the dried and roasted plantains made into chips complimented the rich, sweetness of the black bean dip. The Go Picnic Garden Black Bean Dip is amazing. A creamy, somewhat sweet and spicy blend of black beans, green chilies, jalapeno peppers, spices, garlic, and onion made for a fantastic base to dip the chips in. And Sweet Perry Orchards Crispy Roasted Plantain Chips made a fantastic alternative to crackers or corn chips. Honestly. They provided a hint of sweetness as well. They were crispy, crunchy, and just the perfect compliment to the rich dip. I was so happy with this flavor combination. The Go Picnic Garden Black Bean Dip is only 40 calories of this box’s total 360 calories and provides 2 grams of protein. Let’s hear it for the protein magic of beans! And the Sweet Perry Orchards Crispy Roasted Plantain Chips also only contain 70 calories in the provided 0.5 ounce bag. It also only sets you back 3 grams in fat. They are also very low in sodium (50 mg).
My next taste from the box that I chose to devour was the Sweet Perry Orchards Ginger Zip Fruit and Nut Mix. This was a surprisingly delicious mix of peanuts coated in ginger, dried cranberries, and banana chips. The ginger was the part that concerned me, as often it can be a little too strong and too much. Thankfully, pairing it with lightly salted peanut, banana chips, and the tart sweetness of the dried cranberries, the blend worked. It worked fantastically, actually. I was digging down into the little 0.75 ounce bag that came in the Go Picnic box in hopes of finding more of the mix in there. But, alas, when I said devour…that’s what I did. This one surprised me and it was a nice surprise. The ginger was just enough to add a bit of heat to a few of the bites, but it didn’t overwhelm the mix. It was nicely balanced. And the little snack bag you receive in the box is only 90 calories of the entire 360 in the box itself. And the rest of the nutrition information is nice as well. The little pack provides 5 grams of fat and 2 grams of protein. Not bad for a fruit and nut mix. Not bad at all. Oh, and the sugar content on this one isn’t bad either. Most “trail mixes” are laden with sugar. Thanks to the ginger, this one only has 10 grams of sugar. Other trail mixes would be at least twice that per serving.
My next choice to eat from the box was the Sweet Perry Orchards Power Play Tasty Seed Blend. Now, one of my favorite parts of the Go Picnic Hummus + Crackers box is the packet of dry-roasted edamame. Well, this is a different twist on that pack. Sweet Perry Orchards Power Play Tasty Seed Blend is a mix of dry roasted edamame, pumpkin seeds, and watermelon kernels. Sound weird? It’s not. In fact, what this little 0.75 ounce pack provides is a heap of protein and healthy fats. Yep. While salt is added, it’s not overdone either. The seeds really stand up for themselves and pack a bunch of flavor in each bite. The blend is interesting and different. I mean, who can say they’ve really enjoyed a watermelon kernel before? Well…truth is…I did. And the pumpkin seeds and edamame were also fantastic. Sweet Perry Orchards Power Play Tasty Seed Blend provides 110 calories of the entire 360 calories in the box and 5 grams of fat. This blend also provides 8 grams of protein. That’s awesome. As for the sodium…which can be a real sticking point, this bag only has 70 mg of sodium in it. Yep. It really is a healthy choice.
And finally…dessert. Because that’s what we look forward to at the end of a meal. Even lunch on-the-go. The Go Picnic Black Bean Dip & Plantain Chips box comes with dessert of dark chocolate. Oh yes…almost like it was made for me. Dark, delicious chocolate. The little piece is Professor Zim Zams Extraordinary Sweets Dark Chocolate with Orange. It’s a little circle of orange-flavored dark chocolate goodness. Now, sometimes the orange and chocolate combination works for me. Sometimes…it doesn’t. In this case, the bittersweet dark chocolate meshes so well with the tart orange. It’s a seamless marriage of flavor to be honest. And it was a decadent enough bite to satisfy that need for dessert or something sweet to cleanse the palate. Professor Zim Zams Extraordinary Sweets Dark Chocolate with Orange is only 0.35 ounces of rich chocolate flavor…but it’s just enough. This little disk of sweetness provides the Go Picnic box with the remaining 50 calories. It contributes 4 grams of fat into the serving and 2 grams of protein. And it is good to the last little bite. Because…I admit…I savored the chocolate. I love a good, sweet ending.
In the end, Go Picnic provided a hearty on-the-go meal in a little box that really satisfied every taste. Sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. It meant that I felt satisfied at the end of the box. And with only 360 calories, it’s a nutritious meal that you can take with you on the road, on a hike, on a picnic, or just for something easy on a busy day at the office. This little box also provided me with 13 complete grams of protein at the end of it, which is fantastic as I am a gluten-free, vegetarian athlete (distance runner!) so making sure I get enough protein in my diet can be a huge challenge. This satisfied.
I haven’t been able to find this actual box listed yet on Go Picnic’s Web site. But it is one of the new offerings from the company. I say…give it a bit of time and it will be there. As for me…I hope to find this one in the stores soon because I loved every bite of it. If you can find it…pick it up and try it. I promise…you’ll be as hooked as me. Go Picnic…you won me and my taste buds over again with simple flavors and nutritious snacks.
Thanks to a Manager’s Special at my local grocery store, I was able to pick up a couple of gluten-free cake/brownie/pancake mixes on super-duper sale (aka: a price I could afford!) from Cherrybrook Kitchen. I have used a few of their mixes before and have always enjoyed the results. So being able to give their Gluten-Free Dreams Yellow Cake Mix a try was a dream come true. I was already excited about the prospect of the type of cake this mix could yield.
Well, as it was a yellow cake mix…and I had every other necessary ingredient in the pantry and fridge…I gave an option to my roommate. I could bake it up as-is…and we could top it off with melted chocolate or something. OR I could possibly be persuaded to bake up her absolute favorite cake I have ever made for her…a gluten-free lemon chiffon cake, which, yes, uses a box of yellow cake mix.
Given the option, she chose to go with her favorite cake (I had pretty much expected that!), so this beautiful box of yellow cake mix was about to become a lemony work of food porn…er…art.
The only snag being that the recipe I have for this cake calls for 15 ounces of cake mix…and the Cherrybrook Kitchen boxes have 16.4 ounces. No big deal for me, however, as I have a fantastic kitchen scale and I simply got out a bowl, zeroed out the weight, and poured until I hit 15 ounces. I rolled up the remainder of the mix to make into a cake mug one day soon.
Following the instructions for my recipe, not on the box, to bake up this cake, I set to it, adding the necessary ingredients (orange juice, eggs, lemon zest, etc) to the batter and whipping it all up in my Kitchen-Aid mixer. I poured it into cake pans that had been dusted with gluten-free all-purpose flour, and then tucked the pans into a warm oven to bake.
Lemon chiffon cake layers made from Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-Free Dreams Yellow Cake Mix
The last time I baked this cake, I used the Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix…and it was fantastic. It cooked up to perfection the first time. With Cherrybrook Kitchen, I had to let the cake pans remain in the oven longer than the recipe called for in order to get them to that light golden brown on top and where the top would spring back when I pressed carefully on it. No problem with that though. As long as it cooked through. The pans were removed from the oven and left to cool. The recipe says for 5 minutes, but the last time I attempted to make a layer cake, I turned out the cake and it crumbled…so I let it go a little longer before telling myself that, eventually, the cakes had to come out of the pans. Mustering up whatever conviction I needed, I finally hauled myself into the kitchen, ran a knife around the edges, and turned the cake layers out of the pans.
SUCCESS!! No cake crumbling this time. Each layer popped out perfectly and beautifully. Nothing stuck to the pan. Nothing was left behind. Just two perfect cake layers which would now remain on wire racks to cool the rest of the way while I prepared the lemon curd (gluten-free variety) and the icing for the cake.
With that task done, I now set out to do the fun part…assemble the cake. One layer went down and then got coated with a warm layer of lemon curd. Then, the other layer was placed on top of it. I iced it with the prepared whipped lemon icing and called it done. It was late…too late for cake…so it would have to wait until after dinner the following night to be sampled.
Yesterday was the grand unveiling. I actually sliced into it that morning to take a slice to my teammate at the office. She loves to try the gluten-free foods that I make, because she’s a baker and interested in dealing with people with food allergies, and wants to see what can be done with gluten-free foods so that they don’t taste gluten-free. She loved this cake. Loved it. And that made me really happy and proud to have made it and shared it.
But after dinner that night…it was my turn. I sliced two more slices from the cake (which I am getting 12 slices out of)…one for myself and one for the roommate. As I mentioned before, this is the roomie’s favorite cake now…so…as I went back to plate my piece, I returned to find hers already half gone. She said she was trying really hard not to just devour it…and she was definitely succeeding.
So, how does the version of the cake made with Cherrybrook Kitchen’s Gluten Free Dreams Yellow Cake Mix compare to that of the one I had made previously with Betty Crocker’s Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix? It stands up quite well to its predecessor. Honestly. I asked my roomie her opinion, as this is her most favorite cake EVER and she said she felt the Cherrybrook Kitchen cake mix was a bit dryer than Betty Crocker’s…but it was still good. She might be right. While this cake wasn’t dry at all, I do believe that Betty Crocker had the edge on moistness when prepared in this manner. However, this is not a knock to Cherrybrook Kitchen. I can say this because the three of us who have eaten slices of this cake have all agreed that it is delicious. The cake wasn’t fall-apart dry. It was still moist and packed with amazing citrus flavor. It worked perfectly in this recipe…even with me having to measure out a certain weight of mix to make it in the first place.
Cherrybrook Kitchen makes fantastic gluten-free products. I have yet to find one that I don’t like. While this was prepared in a nontraditional manner, the Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix is a definite addition to the pantry in the future. I loved the taste and the texture. I found it to be a great mix to use for this recipe. Very impressed with the finished product and totally taking slices of it to Columbus with me on Friday to share with my friend Jenn!
Cherrybrook Kitchen is a great place to turn for gluten-free/wheat-free mixes in a pinch. They are a bit pricey, but most gluten-free mixes on the market are. If you find a good sale…stock up. That’s my best advice. The variety of mixes that I have been able to try have been awesome and I look forward to trying the rest of their products in their lineup very soon.
Yeah…color me impressed.
Lemon Lover’s Chiffon Cake made with Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-Free Dreams Yellow Cake Mix
You know…sometimes I get into a breakfast rut. I know…that might be hard to believe…but it happens. I’ll get on a pancake kick, or an egg kick (I get on the egg kick a lot because it is SO easy and versatile), and that’s what I do. For awhile. And then…eventually, I find something else to entertain me.
But…I had an ingenious stroke of breakfast inspiration the other night. And I warned my roommate that when she woke up, I would have an experiment ready for us to try at breakfast. She looked a little concerned. But agreed she would brave whatever it was that I created. And if it was crap, I told her that I’d be happy to whip something else up for us.
Thankfully, however, my little experiment turned into a delicious breakfast treat. One I would totally make again. Just not every day. Given that it is mostly chocolate…it’s good for a nice, sweet morning eat every now and again.
Recipe: Gluten-Free S’mores Hot Cereal
Gluten-Free S’mores Hot Cereal
Servings: 2
Time: Prep 5 minutes; Cook 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup hot cereal (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal)
1-1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (divided)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon zero calorie sweetener (I used Truvia)
2 dark chocolate mini candy bars, chopped (I used Nestle Special Dark)
1 tablespoon white chocolate morsels
2 gluten-free graham crackers, crumbled (I used Kinnikinnick S’moreables)
2 tablespoons Marshmallow Fluff
Directions:
Bring water and salt to a boil. Stir in 1/2 cup cereal and 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder. Immediately turn heat to very low, continuing to stir until cereal and water are blended. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and add the vanilla, 2 tablespoons cocoa, and and sweetener to taste.
Split between two bowls.
Over the top, sprinkle each with chopped dark chocolate, white chocolate morsels, and crumbled gluten-free graham crackers. Place a dollop of Marshmallow Fluff on each serving. Toast with kitchen torch or just serve.
Enjoy!
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The best part about this breakfast was just how much it really tasted like S’mores. If you aren’t a fan of dark chocolate, feel free to use milk chocolate. Or just use chocolate chips instead. The possibilities are endless…and yield a delicious treat for breakfast. The chocolate melts into the hot cereal and it’s just…yum! Really, really yum! Forget the campfire at night, now you can have S’mores for breakfast. Trust me…you’ll want to make this one again!
After checking Enjoy Life’s Web site, I’m not 100% certain this product is even available anymore. Which is definitely too bad. And here’s why…
It is fantastic!
Simple and to the point on this blog. I picked up this pouch of granola at Big Lots one day while I was out and about. They just happened to have it on sale…and I just happened to snatch it up with one of the Double Chocolate Crunch granola pouches as well. I figured I could use it on homemade, gluten-free apple crisp. And then I realized it was highly unlikely that I would get around to making apple crisp anytime soon, despite the overflow of apples in my CSA bin every week. So, this morning…I got a little creative with breakfast.
With it being fall/winter time, apples are in abundance when it comes to my produce. So, I see them every week and try to come up with easy, efficient ways to use them. Even if it means just slicing them and eating them straight. Well…that could have happened this morning. And then…I had a brilliant stroke of brilliance (as I like to say). And I dug the bag of Enjoy Life Cranapple Crunch Granola out of my pantry and got set to work some of my breakfast magic.
I ended up getting out my vanilla Greek yogurt, caramelizing up some apples, and then serving it in parfait form with the Enjoy Life Cranapple Crunch Granola serving as the crunchy bit to give it texture. Assembling it was easy. Caramelizing apples I can do in my sleep. And throwing Greek yogurt over everything is something I’m used to doing…often. So, as I am still quite sleep deprived thanks to noisy downstairs neighbors, this simple task was just what I needed this morning.
Upon opening the bag of granola, however, I knew I needed to sample it on its own. Quality control and so I could give a true statement about flavor and taste via this blog. I thought it looked a lot like Rice Krispies with craisins and dried apples thrown into the mix. Which, isn’t a bad thing. I reached in and pinched up a bit of the granola and some of the dried fruit to eat and tossed them back. The bits of brown rice flakes were crunchy and really packed with flavor. And the bits of dried cranberry and dried apple really brought a bunch of fruity flavor to the mix. Honestly. I was beyond impressed. I wasn’t expecting much, because at first glance…it looks like something I could have easily thrown together. But it just packs that apple flavor with the cranberry to add to the tartness. And I loved that it didn’t have huge chunks like most granola does. This was just flakes of brown rice bits and the dried fruit.
And how did it fair in my breakfast parfait? Awesome!! It complimented the vanilla Greek yogurt and the caramelized apples better than any granola that has come before it. My taste buds were extremely happy with each flavor that danced across my tongue. Really delicious. And it stayed crunchy even with the fruit and yogurt. It’s hearty and I like that…considering it looks like regular cereal.
Nutritionally speaking, this granola hits at a good level when it comes to sugars. While some I have tried have had ridiculous amounts of added sugar to them, this stands with only 10 grams in a serving. The calorie count will only set you back 160 calories and 3 grams of fat. And the serving size is 1/2 cup. Way more than most granola offers, which is normally about half that serving. Love it.
Enjoy Life makes really amazing gluten-free and allergen-free products. They are processed and made minus the top eight food allergens (meaning they are Wheat Free, Dairy Free, Peanut Free, Tree Nut Free, Egg Free, Soy Free, Fish Free, Shellfish Free). The Cranapple Crunch Granola is a great gluten-free granola that packs a wildly delicious flavor punch and is definitely more nutritious than others out there on the market. It’s peace of mind.
And, beyond that, it’s delicious.
IF this flavor, the Cranapple Crunch Granola, is still one of Enjoy Life’s products…or if you can seek it out and find it…definitely get it. Definitely try it. And definitely enjoy it. Now I feel like I need to savor every bite…because who knows if I can ever get it again!
The Celiathlete 