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.
KIND Healthy Grains Maple Walnut Clusters with Chia and Quinoa
Product: KIND Healthy Grains Maple Walnut Clusters with Chia and Quinoa – $4.99+
Here is a tale of my typical Saturday. After I run, either in a race or for training, my roommate and I usually get some food (breakfast/brunch) and then start our usual routine of grocery shopping. And, in case you were wondering, yes…this is pretty much an all-day adventure. With my dietary needs, there are certain stores in the area that carry certain staples or items that I need or use or just want. And I can’t get them at the usual suspects when it comes to grocery stores. So, it means a drive to Louisville to hit up the wide array of natural food stores and organic grocery stores that they have. Thank goodness for that.
Where am I going with this?
Well, I was lax this past week in my duties of creating a grocery list of items I needed as we ran low or out of them. I was just…busy…stressed…or whatever. That being the case, after I raced on Saturday morning and we grabbed brunch at a local restaurant, we headed out to accomplish our grocery shopping from the list I randomly threw together while we noshed…hoping that I didn’t leave anything out.
As we came back over to our side of the river, to finish up on products available everywhere but cheaper at certain grocery stores…there were still a number of things on the list. And as we stood in the refrigerated section with all the yogurt, and I piled our cart full of Chobani Greek Yogurt…it didn’t even dawn on me that…we used up the last of the granola last week. Well, that was until we ducked into the cereal aisle and that knowledge hit me like a ton of bricks. DUH!
Normally, I adorn the breakfast parfait I whip up (which consists of granola, vanilla Greek yogurt, and fresh fruit) with Love Grown Foods granola. But this particular grocery store didn’t have that brand and after being at a dozen other stores that day…I just wanted to finish up and go home. So, I scanned…just to see what they might have that is gluten-free. And what did I spy with my weary grocery shopping eyes?
KIND Healthy Grains.
GLUTEN-FREE! Yep. I am in love with most of the KIND bars I have been eating, so I figured…why not use this for my granola this time around. Branch out. Try something new. They had about five different flavors to choose from, so I called my roommate over to select one. I would have been happy with any of them. She, however, can be a bit pickier…so it’s best to let her choose at times. She scanned the flavor varieties for a moment and reached out to grab…the KIND Healthy Grains Maple Walnut Clusters with Chia and Quinoa.
Not the one I expected her to grab. So, that was a surprise.
KIND Healthy Grains Maple Walnut Clusters with Chia and Quinoa
Today was the big day. Instead of regular cereal, on non-gym days I have a bit more time in the kitchen, so I usually whip up a nice warm breakfast along with a breakfast fruit, yogurt and granola parfait. Today’s combination…caramelized apples with vanilla Greek yogurt and topped off with KIND Healthy Grains Maple Walnut Clusters. I’m a pro at the apples part, so I got those working in a pan on the stove. Then, I opened up the bag of Maple Walnut Clusters.
First appearances…awesome. Big clusters, little clusters, and individual oats are literally throughout this bag. It makes for great texture and great combination. With the variety of cluster sizes, it definitely makes scattering them throughout the parfait a little more exciting. I reached into the bag and snagged one of the bigger clusters…because if I was going to blog on these, I needed to taste them on their own. I popped it in my mouth and slowly began to chew.
Really, really good. I mean…wow. The maple flavor lends the right amount of sweetness an the walnuts gives it that balance that you look for in a granola. I thought the texture was awesome and it had a great crunch to it. And, this would definitely pair well with caramelized apples, for sure. So, I was pretty stoked about the new granola. I placed some in the bottom of the two bowls, topped it with some of the vanilla Greek yogurt, then hit it up with some apples…repeated the layers…then gave the top a light sprinkling of the Maple Walnut Clusters and called it a breakfast masterpiece.
And it was. I thought the texture and flavors meshed so well with the fruit and yogurt combination this morning. In fact, if anything, it added a hint of sweetness to the finished product. I kept going back for more. The clusters didn’t get soggy in the yogurt, even when I had to let mine sit for a moment while I finished preparing the quinoa breakfast porridge with blueberries and toasted walnuts. I had a lot working in the kitchen today…so my attention was divided between different dishes I was making…and making sure I was getting myself fed before heading out the door. So, KIND totally hit the nail on the head with its KIND Healthy Grains Maple Walnut Clusters with Chia and Quinoa. Seriously good eats.
As for any nutritional information, the KIND Healthy Grains Maple Walnut Clusters with Chia and Quinoa contains a heart-healthy blend of walnuts, chia, and whole grains amaranth, quinoa, oats, millet, and buckwheat. They are sweetened with a hint of maple syrup. And, as a bonus, these clusters contain 300 mg of Omega-3 fatty acids and provide 17 grams of whole grains per serving. And how much is a serving? 1/3 cup. Yep. That’s really good for a granola. Trust me!
This 1/3 cup of KIND Healthy Grains will also provide your body with 130 calories and 3.5 grams of fat . Not too shabby. Not at all. Even better, these clusters are not littered with excess sugars. In fact, the sugar content is quite low, standing at 6 grams per serving. LOVE that. A LOT! And, thanks to the addition of chia and quinoa, each serving provides 3 grams of protein. It’s nice to have a healthier granola option out on the market. Also, KIND Healthy Grains are all gluten-free, cholesterol free, low in sodium, and all natural.
What’s not to love about that?
I hope to try some more varieties of the KIND Healthy Grains line in the very near future. My breakfast parfaits depend on it!
Breakfast Parfait with caramelized apples, vanilla Greek yogurt, and KIND Healthy Grains Maple Walnut Clusters with Chia and Quinoa
While I have enjoyed all the previous three flavors in the Über line-up of sweet and salty fruit and nut bars, nothing has come close to matching the fantastic taste and flavor of your Bananas Foster version. I took one bite and died and went to heaven. This bar is so reminiscent of a delicious piece of banana bread that I hoovered the rest of it…savoring it as much as I could manage, but just wanting to eat more and more and more. It’s a good thing I left the box at home because I’d be tempted to eat all five bars. Calories be damned.
Seriously…where have you been all my life? And please…don’t ever leave me.
Love always,
Me
Lärabar Über Bananas Foster Snack Bar
OH. MY. GOD. IT. IS. SO. GOOD.
Okay…now that I have that out of my system, let me get down to the basics of this blog. A couple months ago, my local grocery store had every flavor of Lärabar Über on Manager’s Special. I could have grabbed so many more boxes than I did…and wish now that I had. But, being that, at the time, I was overladen with snacks and protein bars, I chose just to get one of each. After all, I had yet to try the Über line from Lärabar and wasn’t sure if I would like them or not. I actually had enjoyed, immensely, the previous three flavors: Cherry Cobbler, Apple Turnover, and the Roasted Nut Roll. The last in the line-up to near the expiration date was the box of Banana Foster bars.
Now…I love bananas because, well, I love them and I’m a runner…so therefore…I love them. Packing that flavor into an über delicious protein bar…SMART!! No…really. Because none of the other bars, for me, come close to rivaling this one in flavor. Immediately I know…banana. And, even better, the inclusion of the nuts and seasoning make it taste like an amazing slice of the best banana bread you have ever eaten. It was food porn in the best possible way. Snack time this coming week is going to be amazing.
So…here’s the basics…
The Lärabar Über Bananas Foster bar is completley gluten-free, non-GMO, and kosher. Awesome. But let’s not stop there. It is made up of a variety of fruit and nuts. So, if you have nut allergies, this bar may not be the best choice. If you, however, do not have an allergy to nuts…this bar is awesome. The Bananas Foster bar contains simple ingredients that you will immediatley recognize. These are walnuts, almonds, brown rice syrup, dates, dried bananas, pecans, honey sea salt, and cinnamon. That’s it. No funky chemicals and no added preservatives. Nothing that you have to google to know what it is…and no ingredients you can’t pronounce. 100% naturally good and good for you.
As for the nutrition facts, a serving size is 1 bar. This bar packs the most calories of all 4 varieties, clocking in at 230 calories per bar. Also, on a sad realization…this bar also packs 17 grams worth of fat. YIKES!! While I do love my desserts, I try to keep things lower on the fat scale when it comes to snacks. This bar is low in sodium (140 mg), lower(er) on the sugar scale (8 grams), and packs 4 grams of protein per bar, thanks to the inclusion of all those nut varieties.
So, while high in calories and high in fat (but, as most of this fat comes from nuts, it is at least the healthy fat), it actually is rather nutritious. And I can see this being something I could eat prior to a shorter race (I usually split them with my roommate anyway).
What I loved so much about this bar is that it actually tastes like a treat. It’s like eating a dessert. And, I do suppose some could argue that at that calorie count, it pretty much is a dessert. But imagine the amount of sugar you are taking out, as well as all the butter and cream. Like I said…healthy fats here. It’s decadent without being unhealthy or rich. It’s just one amazing bite after the next. It’s a struggle to NOT devour it without savoring the flavor. It really is that good. The Web site describes them as ‘bananamzaing.’ No kidding. This bar is bananas! And bananas…is good.
Product: Dr. Lucy’s Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies – $5.59+
So, if you recall, the other day I did a not-so-favorable review on Dr. Lucy’s Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies. I called them salty…and definitely found them to be more savory than sweet. I wasn’t impressed. In fact, my roommate and I figured that the only way we could get rid of that “beany, salty” flavor was to slap a piece of chocolate in between two cookies, add a little Marshmallow Fluff, toast it with the kitchen torch, and eat it like you would a S’more.
Don’t judge. You do what you can when you refuse to waste money and throw something away. The sugar cookies…were just not my thing.
As you can imagine, tonight when I was to bust open the remaining box of Dr. Lucy’s cookies that I got on sale at the store, I wasn’t feeling too good about it. At least I knew the texture to expect. Crunchy, crispy is how these cookies are described on the Web site and there is no better description for them. These cookies are about the size of a Chips Ahoy cookie. So, they are what I would consider a normal size cookie.
I’ll start with the background and work my way into what I made of this new flavor.
First of all, a serving of Dr. Lucy’s Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies is 3 cookies. Those three cookies will only set you back 130 calories and 5 grams of fat. A serving also contains 12 grams of sugar and 2 grams of protein. Not bad for three cookies, eh? Aside from that, the flour mix that is used is one that is composed of bean flours. I concluded that the addition of garbanzo and fava flours is what gave the sugar cookies that odd taste after taking a bite. I was nervous, then, that these would have the same problem.
Also of note, these cookies are vegan, gluten-free, and contain no peanuts, tree nuts, milk or eggs.
So, the moment of
truth arrived. Dessert time. And I popped these cookies out of the box and handed three to my roommate before heading off to retrieve my own. She took the first bite and I had to inquire if it was any good. She said that it tasted like the sugar cookies, but with chocolate. It was pretty good.
Oh, I dread those words coming from her. Sometimes ‘pretty good’ means it’s okay…sometimes it means ‘I don’t like it, but I’m not going to say that to you.’ And deciding what she means when she says something is ‘pretty good’ is nigh on impossible. I released a sigh and made a comment about how I was hoping it would taste better than the sugar cookies. I picked up my cookies and went to settle in and attempt to enjoy my dessert.
One bite…and I knew that by ‘pretty good’ she meant that these cookies were…okay. In fact…they were rather close to actually being just good. I mean, I’m not big on crunchy cookies, but this one is actually suited to it. I actually found that the vegan chocolate chips added a nice hint of sweetness to the cookie base, which is exactly what the sugar cookies were lacking, and why my roomie and I doctored ours up with things to make them sweeter and take away from that odd taste that the sugar cookies had. With the chocolate chip cookies…I don’t get that at all. Thank goodness for chocolate! It saved the day once more…and made me feel a lot better about my dessert.
Apparently, the Dr. Lucy Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies have taken top honors when compared to major gluten-free brands in an independent taste test. And a lot of that sweetness comes from their use of dark chocolate chips. I love, love, LOVE dark chocolate.
So, I guess I was going into this tasting with the wrong mindset, because after one bite, I was actually quite satisfied with these chocolate chip cookies. Dr. Lucy’s might have missed the mark with their sugar cookies, but the gluten-free chocolate chip ones are actually…pretty good. And that’s definitely a step in the right direction.
Product: Dr. Lucy’s Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies – $5.59+
For the two years I have been gluten-free, I have been hearing and reading about the cookies from Dr. Lucy’s. I see advertisements for them in certain magazines. I pass them on the shelves at the grocery market. In a word…I knew about them, I just hadn’t taken the time to try them. And why not?
Because I have so many cookies in my pantry (remember…living gluten-free cookie monster here) and these were a bit on the pricier side when it came to gluten-free cookies. And, until recently, no flavors really stood out. You had your basics and the ones that pretty much every gluten-free cookie company shells out to the marketplace. Sure, I had read amazing things about Dr. Lucy’s cookies…but I wasn’t ready to spend that kind of money on them. I do, after all, have to budget my grocery bill each week.
That being said, my local grocery store had a mega closeout on their gluten-free section. Enough to throw me into panic mode and grab at least one of everything I desperately wanted to try…just in case it was gone for good. In that mix was a box of Dr. Lucy’s Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies. And last night…these just happened to be up next for dessert. So, after eating dinner, I opened up the pantry and dug out the Sugar Cookies, which were the first of the two boxes to be used. I checked for the serving size…three cookies!!…and then pulled out a serving for both my roommate and myself.
At first glance, these cookies look like your every day, run-of-the-mill sugar cookies. They are crispy. I could tell that before even biting into one. If you, like me, prefer a soft cookie, this brand may not be for you. But if you don’t mind some crunch (and I don’t…I just prefer soft cookies in the long run)…then go ahead and try these out for size. They are a light golden color and the tops are dusted with sugar crystals. Yep…almost like homemade…just without the hassle.
My roommate was the first to bite into these treats last night, and when I asked how they were, she said…”Pretty good.” Which usually means…they are edible…but we’ve had better. So, after I took a picture for the blog, I settled in for my own taste.
And yeah…they are “pretty good.” After visiting Dr. Lucy’s Web site, I have discovered that the main flours that are used to make these cookies are bean flours. Yep…bean flours. And I think that’s why, to me, at least, these cookies tasted more salty than sweet. They were definitely more of a savory treat as opposed to what I think of as a dessert. And that really threw me off. For real. I mean, when you think SUGAR COOKIE…you think…sweetness, a bit of gritty texture, and sugar. And…while there was a hint of sweetness at first, it sort of changed the more you chewed and took on a more salty aspect. It sort of threw my taste buds for a loop and they weren’t quite sure what to do with that.
The Web site does describe the cookies as “crispy, crunchy” and that is completely on par with the cookies I was eating. These cookies are also all produced in a dedicated facility so that there is no risk of cross-contamination. While these cookies are definitely crispy and crunchy (seriously…nothing chewy or soft about these), they don’t crumble and fall apart when you take a bite out of them either. On the contrary, they hold together really well, so no need to throw them on that dessert plate. You can nip at these and hot have the crumbles land in your lap.
That being said, when it comes to flavor, you’ll probably either love these or loath these. I’m still on the fence. I wanted sweet…something to cleanse the palate after I ate…and I sort of get that…but not quite. I just don’t find this to be a successful execution of gluten-free cookies. They aren’t bad…but they are…weird. The flavor just was off for me…and I’m pretty certain it has to do with the bean flours that are used to produce the base of the cookie.
While not bad…I’d probably choose a different gluten-free sugar cookie on the market before buying a box of these again.
Product: Rao’s Homemade Tomato Marinara with Basil Sauce – $8.99+
Oh yeah…Rao’s pasta sauce is expensive. VERY expensive.
So, what am I doing buying it? Well…it was on sale for half off…meaning I only paid about $5.00 for a 24 ounce jar. That’s not too shabby, right? *looks around innocently*
The fact of the matter is, no matter what food magazine or awards you might be looking through, when it comes to jarred pasta sauces, Rao’s always comes out on top. And I have been dying to try some of their sauce for…ever. No…really. Forever.
When a sale hit a local natural food store I shop at, I couldn’t help but snatch up one of the more basic sauces. Start basic…and if they nail that…then go bigger. That’s how I like to look at it. So, it came down between the regular marinara sauce or the tomato basil sauce. And…being the flavor fiend that I am, I decided to throw the whole basil aspect into the pot and see how that works. So, at half the cost, I purchased my first jar of Rao’s pasta sauce – Rao’s Homemade Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce with Basil.
And, with the urge to make stuffed shells and the gluten-free pasta shells and filling to do it with…it was as though the fates aligned to make this a reality. This sauce didn’t sit in my pantry for long at all. I was definitely eager to give it a taste. Last night, after a long day at the office, I went ahead with plans to make my gluten-free and vegan stuffed shells. I cooked up the noodles, stuffed them with my own variety of a filling, and then laid them in a thin layer of sauce before topping them off with the remainder of the jar.
From the moment I popped the lid and took a small taste…I knew there was going to be something magic about this sauce. No doubt about it. From just one little swipe at the top of the lid, I could sense the flavor explosion this sauce was going to lend to my dish. And I couldn’t be happier about it. Fact of the matter was, however, I needed to get my stuffed shells in the oven to cook and then I would really see how the sauce was, on its own and with the pasta and stuffing. So, into the oven it went…and for 30 minutes…I sat in wild anticipation.
Okay…really I did yoga…but I thought a lot about the casserole cooking up in my oven. Thirty minutes later, I was rolling up my yoga mat and pulling my pasta out of the oven. It smelled divine. My roommate even said that if it tasted as good as it smelled…we were lucky girls tonight.
Luck had nothing to do with it. A really amazing pasta sauce did, however.
Let’s start with the nitty-gritty. Rao’s Homemade Tomato Marinara Sauce with Basil is definitely a low calorie option for topping off pasta. A serving is 1/2 cup, and a jar will serve 6 people. In this serving, you will only set yourself back 60 calories…so if you are a sauce fiend, you won’t feel too bad about indulging a little. A serving contains 5 grams of fat, mostly from the olive oil (a healthy fat) as well. In addition, it is low in sodium (only 340 mg) and contains no cholesterol.
Enough of that technical stuff though…
Rao’s Homemade Tomato Marinara with Basil Sauce tastes like I just cooked it up that same night and poured it over the pasta. It really does taste the fresh. The ingredients are cooked and quickly jarred by Rao’s…so they retain all their flavor and don’t sacrifice quality as well. I mean, this sauce is all natural, containing tomatoes, Italian olive oil, onion, garlic and basil. Simple, clean flavors..that just explode with each taste. Most jarred pasta sauces taste like jarred pasta sauce. Not this one. It honestly tasted like I just made it…except better than my homemade sauce. It was light, chunky, and just simply amazing. All those food awards and reader surveys can’t be wrong and they weren’t. Fresh tomatoes and fresh basil…it tastes like it’s fresh from farm to table. I was beyond impressed.
Yeah…I know…I balk at the price of this pasta sauce too, but after tasting it…I would be reluctant to go back to any other jarred sauce out there. This one was beyond impressive. And now I hope to try the other flavors in the massive Rao’s sauce lineup. If you can find a jar that you can work into your budget, I encourage you to do so…immediately. Trust me…the taste alone is worth every dollar.
Gluten-Free & Vegan Stuffed Shells topped with Rao’s Homemade Tomato Marinara with Basil Sauce
Product: Tinkyáda Brown Rice Grand Shells – $3.39+
You know…I do have to give major props to Tinkyáda as a whole when it comes to gluten-free pasta options that are out on the market today. They definitely have the best variety when it comes to options. Normally the grocery store will have your basic fusilli, penne, spaghetti…but Tinkyáda actually has a couple of different options out there. For that, I am beyond appreciative.
One such option that is difficult to find, but worth the search or possibly the Internet order…is Tinkyáda’s Brown Rice Grand Shells.
In other words…a gluten-free option for anyone who has been craving stuffed shells.
Like I had been.
For…like…ever!
And on a whim one day while out at the grocery store, I spotted some Tofutti Better Than Ricotta Cheese in the vegan/vegetarian refrigerated section and bought it. Why? I have no idea. I wanted to try it. Tofutti makes the best vegan sour cream and a really great vegan cream cheese…so why not give the vegan ricotta cheese a try, yes?
I’m a chef in my own mind…the answer to that is always…a resounding, “YES!”
So, I purchased it. And took it home. I popped it into my refrigerator.
And then…it just…sat.
But it donned on me this past weekend while out grocery shopping…that I had purchased a box of Tinkyáda Brown Rice Grand Shells this past summer while in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for a race. I stopped by the Gluten-Free Trading Company and made a point to purchase a box of those. Why? Because my friend Jenn and I ended up ordering some on the Internet awhile back and we still haven’t used them. So…I now got to be the guinea pig.
After a long, hectic day at the office, I got home and immediately put a pot of water on the stove to bring to a boil. I retrieved this pasta from the pantry and popped it open to take a look. If you, like me, were expecting “normal” sized jumbo shells…like the “real” stuff you can buy at the store if you can eat the regular stuff…you will be disappointed. I sort of was.
Tinkyáda Brown Rice Grand Shells (cooked)
These Grand Shells…are definitely much smaller than the average shell you would use to make stuffed shells. So, I did feel my heart drop a little upon opening up the box. I checked the serving size…and it said that the box held 4 servings. So I counted out the shells and found I had 28 of them. Awesome. I always allow for pasta rippage and general carnage when using larger noodles. You might recall my unfortunate incident with the Tinkyáda Lasagna Noodles…and how they stuck together and then promptly fell apart into pieces, making my lasagna…a little interesting to put together. So…I dumped the entire box into the boiling water and cooked it for about 18 minutes, just so that it was al dente.
While the noodles cooked, I said a prayer to the gluten-free pasta gods for a little luck when it came to the shells. Maybe, just maybe enough of them would be useable. If not…I’d have to get really creative with my stuffed shell meal. So, with the shells boiling away, I set to prepping my filling for the shells.
I totally made this up. All I knew was that I wanted to use the Tofutti Better Than Ricotta Cheese. So, I scooped out a cup of it and put it in a bowl. From there…it needed to be seasoned. So I grabbed some dried herbs from my spice rack and just started eyeballing things. In went the parsley, sage, thyme, basil, and oregano. Then, a little garlic salt, some crushed red pepper flakes, a touch of cayenne pepper, and a little garlic powder. I mixed it all together. Then, I grabbed the green onions I had from my CSA bin and chopped those up, both parts…the white and the green, and threw them into a pan to sautee in a little olive oil. Out of the fridge came the vegan and gluten-free chorizo that I got at Trader Joes. I added it to the pan after the onions had softened and just allowed it to heat through. Finally, I threw in some minced garlic, let that heat for about 30 seconds until it was fragrant…then took it off the heat. I let it sit for a few minutes, then emptied that into my ricotta cheese mixture and folded it all together.
At that point, my shells were just about ready. I set up the colander to drain them, and picked up the large pot of noodles. Holding my breath, I poured the contents into the colander, expecting torn bits of these grand shells to tumble out. But, for the most part, the shells were completely intact. Color me impressed! I gave the shells a rinse in cold water and then shook them carefully out to get most of the water out. I brought them over to my work station and prepped my casserole dish with some tomato sauce and a sprinkling of Daiya mozzarella shreds.
Tinkyáda Brown Rice Grand Shells (stuffed)
Then…the exciting part. Stuffing the shells.
I handled each shell carefully at first, afraid that one single wrong move would cause the shell to tear or fall apart. Let’s face it…rice noodles have this reputation of getting mushy. And they have that reputation because…it happens. One tablespoon of filling went into each of the “grand” shells, because that gave them the perfect stuffed appearance. As these shells don’t fold over like normal shells, I laid them in the pan face up, instead of down, because I didn’t want my stuffing to fall out into the pan. The entire point of having stuffed shells is that they are…stuffed. Only a few shells didn’t make the cut. And the rest I had leftover were tossed only because I ran out of stuffing. It happens. Next time…more stuffing.
So now, the shells had survived boiling, draining, rinsing, and stuffing. And they were still holding their form. Still impressed. So, I took the remainder of my tomato sauce and poured it over top the shells. A sprinkling of Daiya mozzarella shreds went over the top. Then, into the oven at 350°F for about 30 minutes it went.
And I managed to squeeze in some time with my yoga mat while it baked away. I uncovered the dish for the last 5 minutes of baking and hoped for the best.
Out of the oven they came and I took a moment to marvel at how amazing the pasta still looked. The big test now was how they would hold up as I transferred them from the casserole dish to the plate.
The Tinkyáda Brown Rice Grand Shells passed with flying colors. I scooped up each shell in the cradle of a spoon and carefully deposited a serving on a plate. They didn’t fall apart at all. I was SO impressed. Now it came down to taste.
My roommate and I settled in with our dinner and she took the first bite. She raved about the filling. And then said that the noodles were actually really good. She loved how they were like regular ones in that you slice into them, and they squish down and the filling fills up the fork. I couldn’t agree more. Some of the shells were still a little too al dente…but the sauce and filling helped with that. Of course, the true test will come tonight when I reheat the shells and see if they still hold up as well after spending the night in the fridge.
As far as brown rice pasta goes, Tinkyáda is one of my go-to brands. I haven’t met a noodle I didn’t like from them. Honestly. The box of Tinkyáda Brown Rice Grand Shells has 4 servings in it. That’s actually a lot of shells…so you can probably squeeze out more to be honest. Even if they are smaller than the average pasta shell. A serving as 210 calories, which is right there with regular shells, so that’s a plus. The serving has only 2 grams of fat and 43 grams of carbohydrates for all you gluten-free athletes out there. Oh…and 4 grams of protein as well. Loving that. What’s even better is that the ingredients couldn’t be more basic: stone-ground brown rice, rice bran and water. Yep…I love ingredients that I recognize and can tell you exactly what they are. Love that this has nothing questionable in it.
So, all-in-all…a great showing for Tinkyáda when it comes to these “jumbo” (I use the term loosely) shells. I won’t complain. They did the job. And, as far as I have seen, Tinkyáda is currently the only gluten-free pasta company that offers something remotely close to the jumbo pasta shells out on the market. So, there is definitely a niche there and one that I am happy they filled.
Much love, Tinkyáda…and appreciation. Because my stuffed shell craving has been satisfied. Now…if only my local stores would start carrying these in their inventory…
Gluten-Free and Vegan Stuffed Shells made with Tinkyáda Brown Rice Grand Shells
As you may very well know by now…I love soup. Absolutely LOVE soup. If I have the time and ingredients, I will make any soup from scratch, freeze it, and eat it whenever the urge to slurp something hot and filling on a cold (or sometimes warm) day strikes. This winter has been particularly good for soup. Except my time hasn’t been as free as I wish it were at times, so a from-scratch soup doesn’t happen as often as I would like. That being the case, I stocked up on a couple gluten-free and low-sodium cans of soup to grab if the need to warm up and have a quick meal should strike.
This was the case last night. Over a week ago, my office moved buildings. And, unfortunately, the temperature control is…not the best. The building is old…but I still like to be able to feel my toes when I’m at the office. Just sayin’.
Needless to say…I was freezing pretty much the entire day. Which made me really not want to go on my fun run. It was not bad outside last night, actually. Somewhere in the low 40s, which is great running weather. But, after being chilled to the bone all day, the last thing I really wanted to do was step outside, on purpose, and go for a 30 minute run in Louisville.
BUT…on the way home, my roommate talked me back into it. After all, I had already had it in my head to prepare an easy meal prior to going (soup with a gluten-free and vegan grilled cheese sammie), that wouldn’t be too heavy, but will still power me through my run. So, I agreed that I was being a wuss and said that when we got home, I’d warm up the soup and get the sandwiches cooking before changing and heading over the river to run with my running group.
Upon walking through the door to the apartment, I shed my jacket and immediately went to the kitchen to pull out a pot to warm the soup in. The only can of soup left in my pantry (mental note made: buy more soup!) was Amy’s Organic Low Fat Black Bean Vegetable Soup. My roommate retrieved the can for me while I turned on the stove and got out the vegan cheese and other such items for the sandwiches. I left the bread in plastic bags to thaw while we were at work.
I opened the can and poured it into the pan, setting it over a medium heat so that it gave me time to get the sandwiches assembled and into the skillet. At first…it looked…rather disgusting. This thin brown broth followed by chunks of vegetables and this thick black bean puree. Yeah…it smelled okay…but it didn’t look very good. I managed to give it a good stir and get all the ingredients incorporated together. This thickened up the broth and made it look much better overall. I mean, it’s black bean soup…of course it’s not going to be beautiful. But…it needs to at least look appetizing.
It heated while I got to making the gluten-free and vegan grilled cheese, and they did finish up at the same time. Miracle of miracles. So, I plated the sammies and then grabbed a couple of bowls from my cabinet to ladle the soup into. It wasn’t as thick as most black bean soups tend to be, but I loved being able to see the variety of vegetables that were included in this soup, so it wasn’t just beans and spices. That was a nice touch. And yes…it smelled amazing. I will definitely concede to that fact. I walked the bowl out to my roommate then went to put water in the pot to soak while I went to eat before getting ready to head out to my running group’s Monday run.
I asked her as I was getting my food together what she thought of the soup. She said that it reminded her a lot of chili, which she has been craving, so that was a good thing. And if the roommate likes it…that’s also a good thing. She can be quite picky about certain things. And, human nature deems that all of us prefer different flavors and textures. I love a lot of spice in my food, so I found this rather unimpressive in that category, while she thought there was some heat to it. I found it mild, she found it sort of spicy. See what I mean?
Overall, however, it did it’s job. It was a satisfying meal that provided plenty of nutrients, protein, and wasn’t overkill on the calories and sodium like a lot of soups can be. Especially when they involve heavier ingredients like beans.
In fact, a serving size of this soup is half the can. And that will only set you back 140 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. How awesome is that?! A serving does contain 620 mg of sodium, which is higher than I like…but lower than a lot of soups on the market. So, we went with it. And, thanks to the black beans, one serving packs 6 grams of protein to your diet. That’s amazing.
So, while I would have liked a little more spice, this soup is a safe, gluten-free and dairy free soup. No cholesterol. And, most importantly, filling and delicious. If you like a little more flavor…add some of your own spices or a dash of hot sauce. I might do that next time. This soup is rich and filling and was the perfect way to warm up before going for a chilly run.
Another delicious product from Amy’s Kitchen.
A bowl of Amy’s Organic Low Fat Black Bean Vegetable Soup
Ah, winter. The only thing about winter that I absolutely love…is that it is the heart of soup season. Nothing beats a warm bowl of soup on an icy cold evening. Nothing. Just…trust me on this one.
Now, I do love to make my own soups and often do. However…sometimes there just isn’t enough time in the day to get all the prep work and the whole cooking part of the meal done. It can be a bit daunting…especially in my closet-sized kitchen. I love to cook, but not in there. Not for long periods of time. There just isn’t room.
Well, upon returning from vacation in Disney World, my roomie and I were looking to use up some of the items that are lingering in the pantry, fridge, and/or freezer. Being that we had come from warm, beautiful Florida…back to a wintery mix falling from the Louisville skies…soup sounded pretty awesome. We had two more days until the weekend and we were trying to make it through without hitting up the grocery store for anything besides necessary items (her skim milk, my Greek yogurt, etc.).
That being said, I had a couple of Amy’s Soups in my pantry…both gluten-free of course. It was just a matter of which one we should devour that chilly evening.
I let Cathy choose…and her decision was to have Amy’s Thai Coconut (Tom Kha Phak) soup that night with a gluten-free grilled cheese and avocado sandwich. Sounded good to me…and it was as easy as making a sandwich and heating up the contents of the soup can, which made my travel weary body very happy.
Tom Kha Phak is a popular soup in Thai restaurants that combines sweet coconut milk with warm Thai spices, organic tofu, lemongrass, shiitake mushrooms, sweet potatoes, and other various vegetables. So many times, this type of soup is a go-to for someone who is unfamiliar with Thai food and not sure what to get or what they might like. As Tom Kha Phak has a delicate, mild flavor…it is often a good place to start.
But…I adore Thai food. I love Thai food. I often crave Thai food. That being said, I have never had Tom Kha Phak at any Thai restaurant. I normally go for a Pad Thai or something along that line. So, I didn’t know what this soup was going to taste like or if I would like it. Really the most daunting part of it was the fact that it was a coconut milk based soup. Which, shouldn’t make a difference as I drink and use coconut milk in many things. Why this threw me off and made me a bit apprehensive about this soup is beyond me. Guess it was just one of those mental roadblocks.
But, I set aside any judgement and poured the soup out of the can into a pot and began to warm it on the stove. While that was warming, I went to work on the gluten-free grilled (vegan) cheese and avocado sandwiches. They finished up at the same time, so I couldn’t have been happier. I sliced the sandwiches into fourths (because you gotta have those little triangles!) and then dished up little bowls of the soup. Dinner was served.
I’ll say this…the soup absolutely smelled fantastic, so if that was any indication as to what it might taste like…I was ready to be wowed. One little slurp of just the broth and I was hooked. Once I began ladling up spoonfuls of the broth with the vegetables and tofu…it was soup magic. This instantly became one of my most favorite pre-packaged, buy-it-off-the-shelf soups on the market. I loved the warm spices that were throughout the coconut milk broth. The vegetables were soft, yet packed with flavor. The tofu was rich, but didn’t overpower anything else in the soup. I wanted more…but all I had was what was in my bowl. So I savored it…down to the last slurp.
Amy’s Thai Coconut Soup (Tom Kha Phak) has no trans fat, no added MSG, and no preservatives. It is certified vegan and gluten-free. The ingredients that go into this soup are all items I recognize. Every single one of them. Filtered water, organic coconut milk, organic sweet potatoes, organic carrots, organic tofu, organic green beans, organic onions, organic shiitake mushrooms, spices, sea salt, organic evaporated cane juice, organic cornstarch, organic tamari, kaffir lime leaf (remove this before serving, BTW), organic garlic, shallots, organic orange peel, and organic oil. I bet you recognize every single item I listed off. It’s all natural and organic…and what that sort of quality brings to the product is astounding.
As for nutritional information, the serving size is half the can, which means you get two servings out of the container. Each serving contains 140 calories and 10 grams of fat. Don’t panic over those fat calories…much of that is healthy fat that comes form your coconut milk. A serving packs a 4 grams of protein punch. And, for being a canned soup, the 580 mg of sodium isn’t too bad comparatively speaking.
Oh…and this soup is delicious. If I didn’t get my point across earlier.
Amy’s Kitchen provides so many gluten-free and vegan options that I don’t know why I doubted the quality and taste of this soup. I have yet to meet an Amy’s product that I can eat that I don’t like. Honestly…when a company puts that much effort into providing the best quality and tasting product they can produce…it shows.
And this soup…now ranks as one of my favorites. Never tried it? Go out to your grocery store…right now…and buy a can. Give it a quick warm and enjoy. I promise…you’ll fall in love with it as quickly as I did.
For the first time in my life…I was excited to be heading to Disney. Yes…I’m in my thirties. No…I’ve never been to a Disney park. No Disneyland. No Disney World. My family could never afford to go when I was growing up…so that was one thing many of my friends had done that I hadn’t yet achieved. It was certainly on my bucket list, and from what I had been told…I’d enjoy it more now that I was older anyway.
That being the case…the perfect opportunity to go there arose with the Disney Princess Half Marathon. Originally, I was going to run this one in 2012, but I didn’t have the money for it. So, the moment registration opened for the 2013 Disney Princess Half Marathon, you better believe I was registered and ready to run. The way I figured it…if I went ahead and registered, I couldn’t talk myself out of it due to financial reasons. No looking back. I signed up the minute registration was opened…and I was locked in.
Disney World.
Trust me…I do not travel without doing some research as to what I might be able to eat. Thankfully, Disney World is pretty much the #1 go-to vacation spot if you have food allergies…especially Celiac or gluten intolerance. Trust me. I was expecting to have to eat many a Go Picnic meal while on vacation, but I only had to break into one of the little packs I brought…and that was at the Atlanta airport on the way home. That definitely speaks very highly of the park and of Disney.
So…here I go with yet another combination blog about my amazing dining experiences while at Disney World. I wanted to be particularly safe in my food choices being that I was there to run a half marathon and being glutenized while on vacation sucks enough…but being glutenized before running 13.1 miles sucks even more.
Safety was key…and I never felt as if I were in any danger of becoming sick at any dining establishment where my roommate and I chose to dine.
I suppose the best place to start…is at the beginning of the trip…
Sanaa – Animal Kingdom Lodge
Restaurant: Sanaa – The Animal Kingdom Lodge
What better way to experience Animal Kingdom, our first park of choice, than by eating at the Animal Kingdom Lodge that night for dinner. What really added to the ambiance of this particular dining attraction was that you could literally gaze out of the window and see exotic animals roaming around the Sunset Savanna as you eat. The cuisine is African-inspired with Indian flavored. Mmmm…I totally dig Indian food.
My roommate and I arrived about 15 minutes ahead of our reservation. As we checked in, the hostess said that she saw that there was one person in the party with a gluten allergy. I nodded and said that it was me. She handed us our little pager thingy and we took a seat to wait for our table. Despite arriving early, we were taken back as soon as something opened up…which was just before our reservation time anyway.
I loved the dimly lit quarters in which diners were seated. All around were decorations from Africa, really adding to the
Hazelnut Rooibos Tea
amazing feel of the restaurant itself. And, once seated, our waiter came over to the table to get our drink order and talk about some specials. I went ahead and ordered a hot tea to go with my dinner, settling on the Hazelnut Rooibos tea ($6.29) with some water.
As he was going over some of the favorites on the menu, he noted that I had the gluten-free menu in front of me and said that a chef would be out to talk to me specifically about the menu, but that if anything on the regular menu looked like it had gluten in it…it was not on mine. Just as he was starting to go over the gluten-free bread option should I want to do the Indian-style bread service, which means I get poppadoms instead of the traditional bread, the chef, Jake, came out to speak to me about the menu.
Chef Jake really did a lot to put my mind to ease. Not only did he promise to watch my ticket carefully as it was prepared, he also went over the poppadoms that I could use for the Indian-style bread service, should I choose to do that. He went over which sauces/chutneys would be okay with that (they were listed on the menu) and said that I could put my mind to ease…as they would take good care of me. I thanked him for his time and he returned to the kitchen, leaving us once again in the capable hands of our server, Chris.
With a little bit of time to decide on what we wanted, my roommate and I placed our orders. Cathy decided on the Chicken Tandoori Pilaf ($17.99). As for me…the Sanaa Vegetarian Sampler ($14.99) sounded awesome. I was able to choose two of the five vegetarian dishes and have them served with basmati rice. I was able to choose between Paneer Tikka; Stewed Lentils; Spicy Peas, Chickpeas, and Potatoes; Mixed Seasonal Greens and Tomatoes; Vindaloo-style Vegetables. I knew for certain I wanted the Vindaloo-style Vegetables, so the difficult part was deciding what the other choice would be. After a little back and forth, I chose the Stewed Lentils as my second option.
Chris went to put in the order and I left my fate in the hands of Chef Jake and his knowledgeable kitchen staff.
Food arrived at our table and I couldn’t wait to try it out. It looked fantastic. Three bowls were placed before me. The middle one held the basmati rice, the one on the left had my tewed lentils, and the one on the right had the vindaloo-style vegetables. It smelled fantastic and I couldn’t wait to dig in.
The basmati rice was perfect with each of these dishes…for one thing. And the rice was cooked to perfection and lightly flavored, so as not to take away from the dishes that accompanied it. I started with the Vindaloo-style Vegetables. This dish included a blend of okra, tomatoes, green beans, cauliflower and onion. It wasn’t packed with flavor…as I was expecting a bit of a spice to accompany it. But, that being said, it wasn’t lacking either. I thought this was going to be the highlight of my sampler…but it was slightly too mild for me and definitely not as full of flavor as I anticipated. That being said, it did taste good. I just was familiar with my last vegetarian vindaloo experience where I had a lot of heat in each bite. This wasn’t at all bad…it just wasn’t as fantastic as I had built it up in my mind.
The stewed lentils, however, are another story. These golden lentils were not only packed with protein (me and my protein!), but also seasoned to perfection. They were creamy and had a hint of spice to them that I enjoyed. I dished some rice into them and it was a perfect combination when mixed together. I loved the texture and taste of these lentils. Nothing grainy…nothing too bland. Perfection. These thrilled me.
Despite being full, Chris talked my roommate and I into dessert. As we were both rather full, we decided to split something. And the dessert menu at Sanaa was not lacking as far as gluten-free options went. As we were splitting, Cathy and I chose to try our waiter’s suggestion, the Banana Kulfi Sundae ($5.49), which he described as a banana split without the banana. Well, I was totally sold!
Sanaa’s Banana Kulfi Sundae
The dessert was brilliant. A cube of banana flavored kulfi (which is sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk that is flavored) is served with a wedge of dried pineapple, warm chocolate sauce, strawberries, a dollop of whipped cream, and spiced cashews. Kulfi is a bit denser than ice cream and actually takes longer to melt. Pretty awesome. And the dessert…was fantastic. Amazingly tasty. I especially loved the strawberries that came on the side. I tried to mix as many of the components together for a bite and it was magical. I suggest to anyone dining at Sanaa they save room for dessert and give the Banana Kulfi Sundae a try. Trust me…it was worth the extra money and indulgence.
Sanaa was certainly a good way to kick off my week at Disney World. I was put to total ease from the moment I checked in and never felt like I needed to second guess any of the food placed in front of me. Total win.
Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant – Downtown Disney
Restaurant: Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant – Downtown Disney
Well, by now, you know how it is when a pub is in the vicinity with my roommate and I. We definitely love our pub grub. She definitely always has more of a selection because being gluten-free at a pub is definitely not easy and being a vegetarian on top of it…even more difficult. But, I still love the atmosphere of Irish pubs and we chose this one specifically because of how it was rated with gluten-free fare. Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant is located in the bustling, busy, crowded Downtown Disney.
Let me preface this by saying that of all the places I ate at Disney World…this one was my least favorite. There were options on the menu for me…many dishes being labeled as having a gluten-free version of it (and yes…this included the fish and chips). So, that was very calming for me as far as menu choices went. The thing was…beyond a salad, there wasn’t too much for a vegetarian to have…aside from the Raglan Risotto…which I almost settled on. The server said I could also enjoy the Portobello Beauty Sandwich without the bread. But…with all that being said…I decided to stick with something I could pretty much guarantee wouldn’t make me sick.
Let it be known, Cathy cannot enter a pub without getting the Fish and Chips ($19.00) which she always gets with a drink, and since they had Magners ($7.00 – and it’s gluten-free) on tap…she was definitely one happy girl.
I decided to stick with water for my beverage and finally settled on one of the salads on the menu that was vegetarian and gluten-free. My choice…the Vroom Salad ($12.00) with a helping of some gluten-free carbs…a side of their fries (or chips as they say in Ireland) ($5.00), which would be prepared gluten-free for me.
Dinner arrived at our table. My roommate loved how her fish and chips were served traditionally…wrapped in paper and poured out onto her plate. She loved the tartar sauce that came with it. She did enjoy the fish, but the chips lacked.
As for me…the Vroom Salad intrigued me right away. The Vroom Salad is made up of gluten-free quinoa grains with cider vinegar marinated
Raglan Road’s Vroom Salad with a side of Chips
beans, sweet and sour carrots, watercress, and served with a honey mustard dressing. It was presented in the center of a plate in a pile, which I totally destroyed with my fork to scatter things about the plate and mix with the dressing.
As far as a salad goes…this one was actually one of the better offerings I have had at a pub. The addition of the quinoa was a fantastic protein-packed addition to the usual greens and vegetables that I get stuck with at such establishments. The flavors from the beans and carrots only heightened the flavor of the salad. I felt they were a little heavy-handed with the watercress, but it added a nice green throughout the salad, once I mixed it up. The watercress was the most unwieldy part of this salad. It was the best part of this meal.
That being said…my roommate and I were more than disappointed with the chips. These fries were mostly soggy and lacking that firm crunch I love on the outside of fries. I don’t get to eat fries out much, so I was looking forward to these. And they were a huge disappointment in the end. I ate more of them than I intended, but as I was paying for them…it seemed like I had to put some effort into it.
Would I go back to Raglan Road on a follow-up visit? Not likely. Which is too bad…because I do love pubs.
No dessert…instead my roommate and I hit up Downtown Disney Babycakes NYC bakery for a gluten-free cookie sandwich. My favorite thing I ate all night. But I’ll get to Downtown Disney’s brach of Babcakes NYC soon enough…
Sunshine Seasons – Epcot
Restaurant: Sunset Seasons – Epcot
With all the food options available at Epcot…there was very little around the park that I could actually eat. Today was the day before the race and I needed to be very sure about the food I consumed. One bit of cross contamination could be disastrous for me and my race that I paid so much to run and trained hard for in the cold weather of Indiana.
My roommate already knew what she was going to consume at the park – Lamb Schwarma Platter ($12.99) from Tangierine Cafe in Morocco. That plate of food came complete with her protein of choice (lamb) as well as a side of hummus, tabouleh and a Tangierine couscous salad with fresh Moroccan bread. We had met up with our friend Indy, who was also running in the race, and she ventured over to Japan for some sushi. This only left me to find food. And while I hoped for some gluten-free vegetarian sushi, I was informed that only the Tariyaki Salmon was gluten-free in Japan. No good. I left feeling down. Looked like it was back to the original plan for me that day…grabbing something at Sunshine Seasons in the food court at Epcot.
I was told they were famous for their soups…but it was hot outside and I wasn’t feeling soup. I checked out some of the grab-and-go options…including the sushi…but not gluten-free. Of course. *sigh* With no other options, it looked like I was having yet another salad. We spoke to the person at the salad bar to find out if the Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese Salad ($7.89) was gluten-free. She wasn’t certain, so she went to check with the chef. He said that as long as there was no cracker served with it…it would be okay for me.
I wasn’t feeling it…but I was hungry. So…that’s what I ordered.
Sunshine Season’s Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese Salad
The salad was rather small, comparatively speaking. It was basically roasted red and yellow beets, served over lightly dressed spring greens. Generous heaps of goat cheese were served with it. And, on top, cinnamon-roasted pecans to add a bit of texture and flavor. The entire salad was dressed with a mild honey-sherry dressing.
It was…okay. I liked the nuts and goat cheese the best. The beets were, actually, a good choice for the day before the race. But there was nothing really great about this meal. Grab-and-go is not my favorite thing as it is…and food courts are…not always the best option as a go-to for me. But…I had to eat. While all the flavors worked together…this just wasn’t what I really wanted that day, so it paled in comparison to anything else I could have sought out. The problem was…this was all there was. So, while the salad was good…it wasn’t amazing. And I probably wouldn’t order it again even if it were the only option once again.
Meh.
Damn you Epcot and your lack of gluten-free, vegetarian ethnic food throughout your showcases.
Riverside Mill Food Court
Restaurant: Riverside Mill Food Court – Port Orleans Riverside
This…was not a planned food stop on this trip. Not at all. But…here’s the thing. I am an athlete through and through and I have my traditions and my superstitious. And here is the thing…before every big or long race I run…I love to have gluten-free pizza. And if pizza is not available, gluten-free pasta will do in a pinch. But it’s that gluten-free pizza that seems to power me through the following morning. And after spending the day at Epcot and only consuming a small salad…I needed something that would give me some energy for the early morning race (the race kicks off at 5:30 a.m.).
Panic mode. None of the restaurants that have gluten-free pizza were in range of the resort. My roomie and I were staying at Port Orleans Riverside. And we had made it back over that way when I said I needed to have my gluten-free pizza/pasta tradition. Honestly…this isn’t something I take lightly. But with nothing close…I wasn’t sure how to accomplish this.
My roommate went to speak to the concierge on duty. His name was Will and he was fantastic. He said he knew how difficult it was to be a Celiac and said he would see what he could do to help. He picked up the phone and called down to the food court in the resort to see if there was something they could help me with. He was told to send us down and have us ask to see as chef. We thanked him for his help and meandered that way.
Chef Will (from Columbus, Ohio) came out to see us and we explained that I was running in the half marathon the next morning and have a tradition of either gluten-free pizza or pasta prior to the race. He said he could prepare either one of them for me. So, my roommate and I each decided to get one of the gluten-free pizzas. She could have actually gotten anything from the food court, but I think she was just trying to keep it simple. Chef Will went to go prepare two gluten-free cheese pizzas for us (individual size) and I was forever grateful and already feeling better about the run in the morning. He went over to the kitchen at Boatwright’s Dining Hall to actually cook the pizzas. Then, after they were ready, he walked them out himself.
Pre-race, individual size, gluten-free cheese pizza ($8.99) made specifically because I had a dietary need…from the Riverside Mill Food Court. I was impressed.
The pizza was…not one of the better ones I’ve had. The usual rice cracker crust with pasta sauce and some cheese…warmed through and put onto plates. Nothing special. Nothing fantastic. Nothing that made it stand out from some of the other places I have dined on gluten-free pizza. But at the moment…nothing could have tasted better. I appreciate the effort that Port Orleans Riverside put forth for me, specifically the help that both Will and Chef Wes gave to me to help me get the food I needed the night before my reason for being in town.
Huge sigh of relief. Mediocre pizza…but man…that night…it tasted oh, so good!
Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano – Hollywood Studios
Restaurant: Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano – Hollywood Studios
Of all the places I ate at Disney World…this one, ironically, was my favorite. Really. I say ironically because it is, after all, an Italian restaurant and for the most part…Italian food is a no-go for the gluten-free diet.
Unless places can accommodate patrons.
And this place was rated high on how they can deal with food allergies…specifically gluten-free dining.
We arrived a little early for our reservation, but they didn’t mind. A short wait and we were still seated ahead of our reservation time. Loved that. Our server, Elizabeth S., came to the table and noted the tag marked “ALLERGY.” She inquired as to what the allergy was and I told her gluten. She said the chef would be out to speak to me about my options.
A few moments later, Chef Michael was coming to the table to talk about the menu. He said that the pastas could be made gluten-free…and he
Mama Melrose’s Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls
also had gluten-free flatbreads and dinner rolls. And, should there be room for dessert…a gluten-free flourless cake. He asked if I knew what I wanted and I explained that since I was a vegetarian as well, I was really looking at the Spaghetti Marinara ($14.99). He said that he could even throw in some vegetables for me if I would like. I’ve never met a vegetable I didn’t like…so I told him I was totally game for that and he could have some fun with it. He asked if I was interested in the gluten-free dinner rolls, and I had run 13.1 miles that day…so of course I was.
That being decided he returned to the kitchen and Elizabeth returned to the table. Cathy opted for the Spaghetti with Meatballs and a Four Cheese Sauce ($18.99), which came with complimentary bread.
This would also be a great time to mention that my gluten-free dinner rolls…were also complimentary. No charge. Not at all. And I was given 3 in my basket when they came out to the table…warm and ready to eat. I broke one open and took a bite. Delicious. It tasted like what I remember a honey wheat bread to taste like. But…it was completely gluten-free…warm…amazing…soft…and just plain YUMMY!
Mama Melrose’s Gluten-Free Spaghetti Marinara with Chef Michael’s Vegetable Selection
Entrees arrived at the table and I was taken aback by just how much food was in that bowl. Lots of pasta. Lots and lots of pasta. And my favorite part was the plethora of vegetables that Chef Michael added to my dish. I found carrots, broccoli, peppers, spinach, and mushrooms. It was so much fun seeking out those little morsels and mixing them with the rice noodles and the delicious marinara. I fell in love with this meal. So much. And, sadly, there was a lot of it. I couldn’t finish it. But I at least did the chef justice by eating every last vegetable I could find in that bowl. It was a treasure hunt and I enjoyed every single bite of it.
As I had two dinner rolls remaining, I chose to take those with me to have as lunch while out and about in the parks the following day. We were heading back to Epcot and I knew there was little for me to eat there…so now I had something that could quell any hunger pains before dinner that night.
Now…if you will recall…I mentioned that this was my favorite place I dined while in Disney World. And, for me, that meant…I wanted more. I was so intrigued by this gluten-free flatbread that I asked if, perhaps, on our last day there…if we could go back for dinner. We had a big breakfast planned that morning but nothing else, and I figured we’d want something to eat before heading back to the resort to finish packing and turn in for the night.
The problem was…there was no reservations available for us. We checked with the concierge at Port Orleans Riverside the night before…but nothing. We checked again the following morning…still nothing. So, it seemed we were out of luck. On a whim, however, we decided to at least hop down to Hollywood Studios that evening to see if they might be taking walk ins. That…was a negative. However, the hostess did tell us to check back around 6:30 p.m. if we wanted to wait that long (it was just over an hour wait), because some people never turn up for their reservation, opting to go to the Fantasmic! show instead.
I was starving by this point, mind you, and the thought of waiting that long was daunting. However, hopping the bus back to Port Orleans Riverside to dine on Go Picnic meals on our last night in Disney World was less than exciting. Our other option was Sanaa, but online reservations would have us at 6:50. Might as well wait until 6:30 here at Mama Melrose’s and see if something opened up. If not…we’d figure something out…
Luck was with us that night. We turned back up at 6:30 p.m. as instructed. The hostess radioed back to see if they could take a party of two…and they could. It meant a 20 minute wait, but I had already come this far to eat here again, I wasn’t going to stop now. I think our wait was actually less than 20 minutes…but well worth it. We were seated, and the allergy tag was stuck on the table once again. Our waitress tonight was Rose. She said that we might have to wait a little on the chef tonight, as a party of 14 was seated near us and they had kids with multiple food allergies.
The wait was well worth it. Chef Michael came to our table and welcomed us back, already setting a basket of gluten-free dinner rolls down. He remembered us!! Two nights ago he made me a fantastic Spaghetti Marinara. And we told him that we had returned tonight, since he intrigued us by gluten-free flatbread and flourless chocolate cake.
Cathy and I chose to split the Wild Mushroom Flatbread ($12.99). He said he would get right to work on that and would keep in mind the
Mama Melrose’s Gluten-Free Wild Mushroom Flatbread
flourless chocolate cake. YAY! Rose came over to record the order to put it into the system and let us sit and enjoy our hot dinner rolls. Chef Michael returned with some olive oil and spices to dip our rolls in, as well as some fresh butter to spread over it should we choose. We did both. And both were delicious choices. We actually devoured all of the rolls before the flatbread came to the table.
The Wild Mushroom Flatbread is sort of like a pizza. This one is a gluten-free flatbread crust that is topped with roasted cremini and button mushrooms, a garlic-shallot spread, and then finished off with the most amazing balsamic reduction. This was complete love at first bite. The balsamic reduction was the best touch for this, but all of the components worked together. And the gluten-free flatbread was beyond fantastic. Finally…a “pizza” I could really enjoy on this trip. Amazing. We had no trouble splitting this and polishing it off.
Mama Melrose’s Gluten-Free Brownie à la Mode
As for that flourless chocolate cake though…the chef searched high and low…and couldn’t find one. But here is where the magic of Disney happens. Because he had promised it…he instead sent out a gluten-free brownie topped with ice cream and chocolate sauce…free of charge. The brownie was crisp on the outside, soft and warm on the inside. And the cold ice cream sitting on top of it only enhanced the already amazing chocolate flavor of the brownie. Right here is proof enough that gluten-free doesn’t mean tasteless or hard or dense. This brownie was hot, rich, and packed with fudgy chocolate flavor. It was a truly decadent and sinful treat. But it was our last night there…and I was ready to indulge.
A very nice tip was left for our waitress and lots of praise and thanks were shared with the hostess to pass on to Chef Michael.
And I would dine here over and over again…and next time I’m at Disney…I will do just that.
La Hacienda de San Angel – Epcot
Restaurant: La Hacienda de San Angel – Epcot
Epcot…oh, Epcot. Returning to the land of very little food for me. But this was different. This was dinner. And the one place that my roomie researched when it came to gluten-free options was this beautiful Mexican restaurant in the World Showcase of Epcot. The restaurant – La Hacienda de San Angel.
Now…I love authentic Mexican food. I don’t eat much of it anymore because there are just too many factors that go into the food that could lead to cross contamination. But the reviews about this place were a huge help and brought a sense of comfort with the service and the food that would be served.
In fact, it was stated online that La Hacienda de San Angel makes their own gluten-free corn tortillas in house! This was exciting news. My roommate took the time to print off the vegetarian menu from the Internet prior to leaving, so I had an idea of what I was going to get from that. The Enchaladas de Vegetales actually sounded very appetizing to me as that day I was suffering a little from the banana split I had for dessert the night before (too much dairy!). So, with an off stomach…Mexican food was sounding very daunting…but I wanted to give this a go.
We showed up early to the restaurant. Actually, we thought we were right on time, given that there was a huge line that we went to stand in just to reach the hostess outside of the restaurant. But, after a few minutes of standing there, the entire line cleared up. So we were now a good 40 minutes early for our reservation. The hostess looked up our reservation and sent us through the doors to the restaurant to have a seat and wait. I actually anticipated waiting the entire time, but we were actually shown to our seats soon after that.
Our waiter let us slide into our booth and then he settled a napkin on each of our laps. Ooooh….fancy. I suddenly felt under-dressed now. This happens every time I get a napkin placed on my lap. But, you know…they didn’t seem to care about my jeans and t-shirt at all. So, that fleeting moment of fashionista critic passed in a blink. We were handed menus and asked what we would like to drink. I once again stuck to water.
And here…was where a wave of panic settled in. I started to peruse the menu…and save for the Ensalada de la Hacienda…there wasn’t much for me to eat. Upon the return of our server, we were asked if we knew what we wanted to eat. I explained that I was a gluten-free vegetarian and he said that they could easily whip up their Tacos de Vegetales (Vegetable Tacos) for me on corn tortillas. I decided that would be much preferable to yet another salad and gave a nod of approval and said that sounded fantastic.
While we waited on our food, our server brought out the house made (and gluten-free) corn tortilla chips with two different types of salsa. One red. One green. The red one was robust in tomato flavor and had a nice kick to it. But, surprisingly, it was the salsa verde that I fell in love with. I normally go for that heat kick, but the sweet salsa verde blended so well with the corn tortilla chips. I couldn’t stop dipping into it. But I knew I had tacos on the way, so I kept my pre-meal chip snack to a bare minimum.
Cathy ordered the Tacos de Camarones ($23.95). These were basically flour tortilla tacos that were filled with fried shrimp, cabbage, lime, salsa verde, and a chipotle-lime aioli. It was the chipotle-lime aioli that caught her eye. In fact…she said that the description reminded her a lot of the shrimp tempura tacos that she gets at our local eatery, Dragon King’s Daughter (locations in New Albany, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky). And when they arrived, they actually sort of resembled that too, save for the addition of the cabbage.
My Tacos de Vegetales ($19.95) were a similar story. I was so impressed with these…and that was at first glance when they set them down in
La Hacienda de San Angel’s Tacos de Vegetales on corn tortillas (gluten-free)
front of me. These corn tortillas were stuffed full of grilled vegetables, cabbage, roasted corn, black beans, and topped with a little queso fresco. My tacos were also topped off with a bit of the chipotle-lime aioli as well and…yeah…it was magic. A Mexican fiesta in my mouth for sure. The depth of flavor in these simple tacos was astounding. The black beans were awesome and added a nice protein aspect as well as a richness that the tacos really needed. The cabbage gave it some crunch. And the roasted corn and grilled veggies were delicious. The corn was the star of the tacos though. Roasted to perfection and full of flavor. I devoured all three of the tacos on my plate.
La Hacienda de San Angel’s sides of Mexican Rice and Refried Black Beans
Our meals were served with sides of refried black beans and Mexican rice. The rice was fantastically seasoned and spiced. It had a bit of a kick to it, which I enjoyed and appreciated. But the star of the sides that came with our food was definitely the refried black beans. They were rich and full of this depth of flavor that was astounding. I wanted to eat the entire bowl, but the tacos were very filling, so I had a couple of spoonfuls of both the rice and beans and left it at that.
Dessert was offered, but we chose not to indulge tonight as our meal was quite filling on its own. We left completely full and quite happy with the value of the meal and the quality of the food we experienced. I loved how the staff didn’t even bat an eyelash when I said I was a gluten-free vegetarian, immediately having a dish that they could offer me. I enjoyed how they assured me everything was gluten-free and safe for me to eat. And I enjoyed every…filling…bite.
I would have gone back to this restaurant in a heartbeat as well…but they were booked solid the night we were there and not accepting walk-ins at all…so I bid it adios and was thankful for the dining experience.
1900 Park Fare – Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Restaurant: 1900 Park Fare – Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Let it be said that you should never travel to Disney World and not attend one of the character breakfasts. For real. My roommate did all the planning on this one, deciding on a breakfast at 1900 Park Fare, located inside the Grand Floridian Resort. Now, this resort is rather grand on its own…outside and inside.
But the Supercalifragilistic Breakfast was our character breakfast of choice. This is basically a festive, all-you-care-to-eat breakfast buffet, with Disney character guests that make appearances while you eat. We actually arrived earlier than anticipated because our Disney bus driver dropped us off at the resort instead of having us get off at one of the parks to catch a bus to the resort. Awesome. We appreciated that, but it left us with a bunch of extra time.
So, after wandering around the lobby we noticed a line forming at 1900 Park Fare and decided that we could at least check in with the hostess and maybe get seated earlier instead of with the 8:30 a.m. wave. They were happy to accommodate and noticed that there was a food allergy listed on the reservation. They handed me two tickets for the breakfast, both marked “ALLERGY.” When they opened the doors to seat us, we handed over these tickets and were shown to our table. I was informed by the woman who seated us that a chef would come over to talk to me. While Cathy could have gone and loaded up her plate with breakfast goodies, she opted to wait for me to see the chef.
The chef did arrive a little bit later and asked me to walk with him. What he did was take me through the buffet line, pointing out what foods I could safely eat. They were good about keeping things were there would be no cross-contamination. The fruit was okay, the scrambled eggs were safe, the potatoes were safe…etc. And then he said the words that made me the happiest gluten-free girl in Disney that morning. That he could make me gluten-free waffles. Gluten-free Mickey Mouse waffles. Just. For. Me.
THRILLED! I said that waffles sounded amazing and he said he would get to work on them and bring them to my table…but to go ahead and get anything else from the buffet that he pointed out to me. So, with that said, I joined Cathy at the table and said he was making me some waffles, but we could hit up the buffet now.
From 1900 Park Fare’s Supercalifragilistic Character Breakfast Buffet (Fresh fruit, hash browns, eggs, and strawberry soup)
In the line of the buffet, I went ahead and got a bunch of different fruits…honeydew melon, cantaloupe, watermelon, strawberries, grapes…yummy. In addition, I ladled a little of the strawberry soup into a bowl to try. I decided to give the hash brown potatoes and some of the scrambled eggs a try as they were deemed safe for my consumption. And I was hungry.
As I settled back into my seat and started eating some of the sweet fruit, the chef appeared at my side with a plate of four gluten-free Mickey Mouse waffles. I thanked him and couldn’t wipe the smile off my face as I moved one over to my plate, sliced off an ear, and gave it a dip in the real maple syrup he brought out with it.
1900 Park Fare’s Gluten-Free Mickey Mouse Waffles
Waffles never tasted so good. They were sweet and light and fluffy and SHAPED LIKE MICKEY MOUSE! I mean…come on!! It doesn’t get much better than that. And honestly, I’ve eaten quite a few gluten-free waffles at places, as well as made my own, and had the frozen kinds…and none come close to equaling these. Perfection. The fact that they weren’t heavy made it a synch to eat all four of them. And I still went back for more fruit, more eggs, and a few more hash browns. WORTH IT.
And, to top it off…our Disney character guests arrived and made their way around the dining room to greet the guests. At the Supercalifragilistic Breakfast, we had the honor of meeting Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, and The Mad Hatter. And all of them were so much fun to talk to, get pictures with, and interact with. I don’t care if I’m in my thirties…I loved every moment of this breakfast and meeting the characters. You’re never too old for Disney characters. Mary Poppins sure was charming and I had been wanting to meet her all weekend. So this was AWESOME!
The Supercalifragilistic Breakfast is $21.95 per person and includes the buffet and a non-alcoholic beverage. The food was really delicious. The company was awesome. And the care was above and beyond expectations. I am already wanting to go back and do another character breakfast!
Babycakes NYC – Downtown Disney
Restaurant: Babycakes NYC – Downtown Disney
The one place that I was anticipating indulging in as often as possible was Babycakes NYC in Downtown Disney. The most difficult part, at least the first night we were there seeking it out…was locating the place. For the record, it is located in the same building as Pollo Campero and Bodie’s…right next to LEGO Land. So…now you won’t have to log onto the Web site and look it up. You’re welcome.
Cathy and I were seeking this out at night to have breakfast ready in the room, that way we could get an early start and not have to wait for 9 a.m. to roll around to get breakfast…and then eat…and then head out for the day. This way…we were set and could head out after a quick bite in our room. This was a fantastic arrangement, by the way. And the baked goods were just as good the following morning.
I own a Babycakes NYC cookbook and the vegan & gluten-free foods sounded fantastic. I haven’t made it up to New York City yet…but the fact that they have a branch at Disney World was enough for me to tell Cathy that we were eating there every single morning that it was feasible. And, with the exception of two days…we did exactly that.
Being that we were seeking out breakfast…we stuck to the case with the doughnuts and loaves. We each would pick a doughnut and a loaf to enjoy the following morning. And there was quite a selection to choose from too. All of these were both vegan and gluten-free…meaning I had nothing to worry about when it came to my breakfasts. The most difficult part was choosing what I wanted to eat.
So…it went like this:
Babycakes NYC Gluten-Free Doughnuts and Loaves (Top Right: Day 1; Top Left: Day 2; Bottom Right: Day 3; Bottom Left: Day 4)
Trip #1: Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut ($3.49) and a Blueberry Toastie (Loaf) ($3.49)
Trip #2: Vanilla Glazed Doughnut ($3.49) and a Pumpkin Chip Loaf ($3.49)
Trip #3: Chocolate Dipped Doughnut ($3.49) and a Pumpkin Loaf ($3.49)
Trip #4: Jam Twist Doughnut ($3.49) and Banana Loaf ($3.49)
And that was just breakfast. In addition…Cathy had a few other options as well that I didn’t get for me, but we sampled each other’s choices. Cathy fell in love with the Lemon Poppyseed Loaf ($3.49), the Chocolate Cookie Crunch Doughnut ($3.49), and her favorite…the Cornbread Loaf ($3.49).
Okay…my most favorite of the doughnuts was the Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut…but cinnamon sugar has always been one of my favorite doughnuts to eat (blueberry being my favorite!). But here was the thing…they were so moist, so light and so very delicious. No one would be able to tell that these were vegan and gluten-free just by eating them. I was in sugar-rush heaven. I’m not big on glazed or dipped doughnuts, but these weren’t too bad. I find glazes and dips to be heavy…and these were…but the doughnuts were light and fluffy and flavorful…and when all is said and done…they worked well together. Everything just worked.
And the loafs…OH. MY. GOD. My favorite had to be the Pumpkin Chip Loaf…but they were all very good. They were sweet enough to satisfy that food craving and filling without being too much…even with the doughnuts. I found each one full of flavor. And my roommate will forever rave about that corn bread loaf. It was her favorite thing…and she only was able to get it one night…so thankfully she took a chance on that when she did. I also really liked the Blueberry Toastie…which had tons of fruity flavor and sweetness with the glaze and all. And of course, pumpkin and banana bread…you can’t go wrong with either of them. So moist. Bite-for-bite…even after sitting overnight in a box on the table in the hotel room…these were still moist and tasted like they were fresh from the bakery. Yeah…beyond impressed.
But we also sampled some other choices from Babycakes NYC as well. For dessert one night, we split one of their Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwiches ($3.49), which was fantastic. The chocolate chip cookies are thin, and crunchy, and sweet. Honestly…gluten-free cookie perfection. Normally I’m a chewy cookie kind of girl…but these were wafer-thin and had that perfect crumbly, sweet texture that works with chocolate chip cookies. And the frosting was vegan and made with cane sugar. It was moist and very sweet…so I was glad Cathy and I were splitting the cookie sandwich. I actually forgot to take a picture of that…but it was delicious.
Babycakes NYC Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie
So, on our last night there…we picked up our breakfast doughnuts and loaves…and they had a special on their gluten-free chocolate chip cookies ($1.00). So, we got two of them…one for each of us…because they were each discounted by $0.50…and when you’re on vacation and stocking up on sweets…that’s a good deal. We saved these for our last walk around our resort, and happily chewed away at the crunchy, buttery-flavored, amazing cookies. Yeah…heaven in cookie form. It was the right amount of sweetness and really hit the spot. It was the best way to wrap up our stay at Disney World…enjoying a vegan and gluten-free treat from the place we visited the most – Babycakes NYC.
~*~*~
And there it is…my dining experiences at Disney World. Nothing catastrophic happened. I had my favorite food moments and my favorite food places…and I had meals that amazed me…meals that made me want to go back…meals that made me happy…and only a couple of disappointments. Not bad for this gluten-free vegetarian traveler. I am so thankful that Disney World is trained, prepared, and helpful to people with dietary restrictions. It took a load off my mind…and helped me focus on enjoying myself…and of course…preparing for the half marathon I was there to run.
Which…went so well, despite being high humidity (yes…at 5:30 a.m.)…leading to me shaving 2 minutes off my personal record and setting a new record for myself. I enjoyed the race…I enjoyed Disney World…and I enjoyed eating there and feeling confident in the fact that they truly were looking out for me in those kitchens.
The Celiathlete 