Vegetables – Page 13 – The Celiathlete

July 13, 2014

Product Review: Sandwich Petals Gluten Free Spinach Garlic Flatbread

Product: Sandwich Petals Gluten Free Spinach Garlic Flatbread – $3.99+

It has been a sad, sad time for me. A long while back, my local Whole Foods stopped carrying the LivWell brand products. These products not only had amazing English Muffins…but also…the only gluten-free pita bread I have ever seen in my gluten-free life. So, with that gone, I literally had to make sandwiches. Like with gluten-free bread…or gluten-free hamburger buns…or well…that’s about all.

And…I learned to live with that. Sure, there were times I convinced myself that I was going to make some sort of flatbread on my own. But nothing ever came of that. Lately, my gluten-free bread baking has been more disastrous than successful, so I honestly think I’m just scared to screw something up again.

But then I took a trip out to Colorado. And on that journey, my roommate and I drove up to Boulder, Colorado for a day. It’s tradition. We always do it. And while in Boulder, we stopped into a natural food store and just planned on perusing the aisles to kill off some time. It was Sunday, so we were waiting on some stores to open. And, with no intention of purchasing anything…we of course spotted something that we had never seen in our area before.

Sandwich Petals.

Thank those Flat-Out Sandwich Wraps out on the market…and make them gluten-free. That’s basically what these are. And that was something I had never heard of or seen before. So…I grabbed one of each type that were on the shelf and purchased them…without hesitation. Because…it might be the only way I ever get to try these.

Well, after a long journey to Detroit and back, it was World Cup Finals time and I had a few options out for dinner. My roommate chose the previously blogged about gluten-free and vegan SoL Cuisine Organic Falafel. I asked her what she wanted those on…either Amy’s Organic Gluten-Free Sandwich Thins or the Sandwich Petals in the pantry.

She chose the Sandwich Petals. And I asked her which flavor…she went to the pantry and pulled out the Spinach Garlic Sandwich Petals…because they were on top. HA! Good way to make a decision, yes?

So…there it was. I cooked up the Organic Falafel on the stovetop, and as it was finishing up the falafel, I pulled out the Sandwich Petals and looked at how to prepare them. Easy enough…either stove top or microwave. I went microwave for ease and simplicity. My top few petals were a bit torn, but they rode back to Louisville, Kentucky, in my carry-on. So…the fact that they were still in tact for the most part was a miracle. I wrapped up one of the Sandwich Petals Gluten Free Spinach Garlic Flatbreads in damp paper towels and gave them a little warming in the microwave for 30 seconds. I unwrapped each one and topped with some Organic Tahini Sauce from SoL Cuisine and then some greens and finally…the SoL Cuisine Falafel. I then folded over the Sandwich Petal and dinner was served.

The Sandwich Petals Gluten Free Spinach Garlic Flatbread was the perfect way to serve these up…when gluten-free pita bread is no longer available. Seriously. While it did get a little messy because stuff would fall out of the edges…they were packed with flavor and really sturdy. Unfortunately, since my petals were slightly torn to begin with, the mess factor was a little elevated. But, it didn’t take away from the fact that these flatbreads are made to stand up to fillings of all sorts. The Spinach Garlic flavor was not overpowering, so it didn’t detract at all from the falafel…but it added a nice bit of flavor to the entirety of the dish. I hope I can find these around here because I will be sad when I use up all three varieties that are in my pantry.

For the record, the Sandwich Petals Gluten Free Flatbreads come in Spinach Garlic, Red Chili, and Original.

As far as ingredients go, the Sandwich Petals Gluten Free Spinach Garlic Flatbread is made from a gluten-free blend of whole and milled grains (corn, flax, sesame, buckwheat, brown rice, sorghum, millet, quinoa, teff, and amaranth), water, tapioca starch, a flavor base (consisting of spinach, garlic, basil, parsley purees and extracts, salt, canola oil, and spices), raisin juice, organic agave nectar, molasses, short chain frutooligosaccharides, xanthan gum, dicalcium phosphate, sodium bicarbonate, fumaric acid, sodium propionate, and sorbic acid. Sandwich Petals are gluten-free, carbohydrate nutritionally deliberate (with less than 24 grams per petal), virtually allergen free (contains no dairy, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, soy, or wheat), are low glycemic (diabetic and diet friendly), contain heart healthy omega 3s, are prebiotic (and helps aid in digestive system health), do not need to be refrigerated and…are really convenient.

As for the nutritional aspect of the Sandwich Petals Gluten Free Spinach Garlic Flatbread, a serving is one petal. This one petal will serve you up 100 calories and 1 gram of fat. One petal will also provide you with 120 mg sodium and only 3 grams of sugar. That is really fantastic. And finally, you will be taking in 3 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein, so it’s enough to fill you up without making you feel overstuffed. Love it.

I really hope that my local stores start carrying these Sandwich Petals. So far, I like what I have tried and I can’t wait to see how else I can use these in recipes and with other foods. For now, they were just the bread I needed to really enjoy a tasty Mediterranean sandwich without the use of pita bread. It was the perfect substitute, allowing the filling to shine, but still being quite tasty on its own. The Sandwich Petals Gluten Free Spinach Garlic Flatbread wins in my book.

Sandwich Petals Gluten Free Spinach Garlic Flatbread with SoL Cuisine Organic Falafel with Organic Tahini Sauce

July 13, 2014

Product Review: SoL Cuisine Organic Falafel with Organic Tahini Sauce

Product: SoL Cuisine Organic Falafel with Organic Tahini Sauce – $4.99+

SoL Cuisine has been a surprise to me as far as the products they put out onto the market. For one thing, they are the only brand that offers gluten-free and vegan/vegetarian items that I can’t get otherwise. For that, I am forever in my debt to this company. Because of SoL Cuisine, I can have vegetarian breakfast sausages again. Because of SoL Cuisine, I have another option for veggie burgers. Because of SoL Cuisine, I can have vegetarian BBQ Ribs again. Because of SoL Cuisine…I can indulge in Falafel!

YES!

Falafel. That little Mediterranean cake made from chickpeas that is so awesomely yummy? Ever tried it? If not…you should. I love falafel. Always have. Because I am a huge fan of Mediterranean food as well. So, when I was grocery shopping and spotted SoL Cuisine’s Organic Falafel with Organic Tahini Sauce on closeout at my local natural food store…it was time to finally give it a try. I couldn’t argue with the price.

Unfortunately, I never really had anything in the house to use the SoL Cuisine Organic Falafel with. Normally, it would be served on pita bread…but my local Whole Foods stopped carrying the LivWell brand that had the gluten-free pita bread. So, that was sad. But, thanks to my trip to Boulder, Colorado and a stop in at one of their local natural food stores, I picked up these gluten-free sandwich petals (think Flat-Out Wraps). I picked up one of each kind of petal and brought them home with me.

And after a weekend in Detroit…where I saw Queen in concert…which was awesome. And…coming home in time to watch the World Cup Final between Germany and Argentina…I needed dinner. My breakfast was small and my lunch consisted of applesauce and a protein bar. Yeah…it was only 3:45 but I was ready for dinner for sure. I had so many options for easy meals to choose from in my pantry and freezer…so I pulled out some options and called in Cathy to help make a decision. She settled on Falafel (because we had it the longest). So I asked if I should put it on Amy’s Gluten-Free Sandwich Thins or the Sandwich Petals…and she decided on the Spinach Garlic Pesto Sandwich Petals. Hey…it was the closest thing we had to a flatbread. No pita…no problem.

SoL Cuisine Organic Falafel (cooked stove top)

So, I got a pan out and placed a touch of coconut oil in it. Then, into the pan went six (3 for each of us) of the Sol Cuisine Organic Falafel. I let them work in the pan while I put the frozen tahini sauce package into hot water to (hopefully) let it thaw before the rest of the meal was ready. Note to those of you out there about to try this product or thinking about it…thaw the sauce! Aside from that everything went very well. I cooked the Organic Falafel in the pan for about 5 minutes on one side…then flipped them over and did the same for the other side. They turned a gorgeous golden brown on the one side, so it was starting to come together. I got out the Sandwich Petals and heated up (one at a time) each flatbread, put some of the (thankfully) thawed sauce on each one, topped it with greens, then moved the now golden brown falafel over to the waiting flatbread. I topped it off with a bit more sauce, folded it over…and dinner…was served.

So, I settled in to finally really start paying attention to the second half of the World Cup final match. I carefully lifted up my Mediterranean sandwich of sorts and took a bite. I think I expected a little more of a crunch to the falafel from the stove top cooking, but, it was still quite soft. In fact, two of them started to meld together when I took another bite. But, falafel is not crunchy, but a chickpea cake of soft goodness, so this was actually what it should be like. And, honestly, I liked it. I liked it a lot. And the Organic Tahini Sauce that is included in the box is quite tasty as well. I was impressed. I found these easy to eat, and really quite delicious. I never know what it means when my roommate describes a product as “quite tasty” because she never really says anything else, so I can’t really say what her thoughts are truly on it…but she ate her Falafel Flatbread Sammie and that was enough to say that it was at least palatable to her. As for me…I devoured mine. The sandwich was a bit awkward, not really having a pocket to tuck everything into, but I made it work and in the end…it was a delicious, and quite healthy dinner.

SoL Cuisine does it again!

Let’s talk ingredients, yes? The SoL Cuisine Organic Falafel is made from organic chickpeas, organic okra, organic onion powder, organic garlic powder, wheat free tamari sauce, organic tahini, organic expeller pressed sunflower oil, organic tapioca starch, organic sesame seeds, and xanthan gum. The Organic Tahini Sauce is made from organic tahini, filtered water, organic lemon juice concentrate, sea salt, and organic garlic. This product is gluten-free, wheat-free, vegan, vegetarian, kosher, and organic.

Nutrition-wise…these aren’t a bad option at all. The serving size of SoL Cuisine Organic Falafel is three of the patties. These three patties will serve you up 110 calories and 2.5 grams of fat. You will be taking in 210 mg sodium and 1 gram of sugar. These are cholesterol free. Finally, you will be taking in 7 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. Filling and delicious.

So far, I have yet to really not enjoy something from SoL Cuisine. The Organic Falafel with Organic Tahini Sauce is a great and easy meal to prepare. Serve it up on flatbread or crackers…drizzle with the sauce, and enjoy every bite. This was a fantastic and unique meal to have while watching the World Cup…but it was a delicious stunner of a meal regardless.

Love!

SoL Cuisine Organic Falafel with Organic Tahini Sauce on a Gluten-Free Spinach Garlic Pesto Sandwich Petal

Chickpeas*, Okara*, Onion* & Garlic* Powder, Spice*, Wheat Free Tamari Sauce*(Water, Soybeans*, Salt), Tahini*, Expeller Pressed Sunflower Oil*, Tapioca Starch*, Sesame Seeds*, Xanthan Gum. – See more at: http://solcuisine.com/american-retail/sol-cuisine-falafel-sauce#sthash.k8FUfHIs.dpuf

July 12, 2014

Restaurant Review: Renee’s Gourmet Pizzeria, Troy, Michigan

Restaurant: Renee’s Gourmet Pizzeria, Troy, Michigan

Welcome to Michigan. My roommate and I ventured up this way this after my long run this morning because Queen (yes…that Queen) is performing in Detroit this evening. And as her birthday present, Cathy had two tickets to the show. So…here we are. Ready to rock and roll.

But not before we got eats.

My friend, Kelsie, is from Detroit and sent me some options for food and places to check out while here in the area. I love her for this and all her help. And, for some reason, even though I had pizza on Thursday night…I felt pizza had to be done again. Why? I don’t know…I love pizza. I really, really do. BUT…neither Cathy nor I had eaten since we left Louisville (thank you Go Picnic), and we were hungry. And my Find Me Gluten Free app directed us to a dedicated pizzeria in Troy, Michigan…which happened to be on our way to Auburn Hills.

Renee’s Gourmet Pizzeria is located in a little strip mall area. They are a dedicated gluten-free and nut-free establishment. Their windows declare a simple sentiment, that is echoed on their menu as well: “I Can’t Believe It’s Gluten Free!”

Cathy and I stepped inside and we were greeted by Alexis, a 20-something waitress with amazing blue and purple hair. I complimented her on her hair…and mentioned how when I dyed my hair purple, it washed out in 2 days. She gave me tips for next time I go for a wild color…so, now I know…and knowing is half the battle. We chatted a bit, about our trip up here…about gluten-free places…about Kentucky…it was fun. She went to get our drink orders (I got an unsweetened iced tea and Cathy went with a Diet Coke…because caffeine is good before a show…especially when you’ve been up before the ass crack of dawn (because…that’s when all runners get up).

She let us browse the menu and when she returned with drinks, Cathy inquired about the size of the calzones. Because…honestly…who does gluten-free calzones? Alexis said the calzones were small, so not big enough to split. So, Cathy and I decided to each get one. And we each built our own. Cathy went with a calzone stuffed with mozzarella cheese, goat cheese, spinach, tomatoes, and portobello mushrooms ($8.99) inside hers.

As for me…my calzone was going to be stuffed with Teese (vegan cheese of AWESOME!), banana peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach ($11.99 [$8.99 + $3.00 for vegan cheese]). I was sort of back and forth on whether to do banana peppers or artichoke hearts…but I never get banana peppers on anything like pizza or something since Cathy is that picky. So…I went with that. She will do artichoke hearts. And that was the deciding factor.

Order in.

We were watching the World Cup pregame on ESPN for the Brazil v. Netherlands match when Alexis returned to the table and said the pizza chef was new and he…kinda made the calzones larger than usual. Like…by a lot. Not the small, individual size she described originally. Well…what do you do?

Well, she wasn’t kidding. Cathy caught sight of them as they were going in to cook and went, “Holy cow!” HAHA!! Well…we figured that we’d eat what we could and take the rest with us to the hotel and place it in the refrigerator. No biggie. We did get to hear the chefs discuss how they were going to tell the vegan calzone from the regular one with cheese, and finally they realized that Cathy’s would have the Parmesan cheese on top of hers. Brilliant.

And soon…the gluten-free calzones were making their way to the table.

Renee's Gourmet Pizzeria's Gluten-Free & Vegan Calzone (made with Teese, portobello mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, and banana peppers) — Renee’s Gourmet Pizzeria’s Gluten-Free & Vegan Calzone (made with Teese, portobello mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, and banana peppers)

Yeah…huge was right. But the crust was not thick. In fact, it was a nice, light, and thin crust. I love that because with calzones it should be all about the fillings, not the crust. I only require a nice, crisp crust. Don’t give me a soggy calzone. They didn’t. This crust was beautifully crisp and golden on the bottom. The top remained crispy and I, being quite hungry, took my pictures for the blog and then dove in.

First of all…I have missed being able to eat calzones. And part of the magic from this was it was my first taste of something that I hadn’t had in more than three years…nor can have…anywhere. That’s why I went calzone instead of pizza. I can get amazing gluten-free pizza in Louisville…and, if I’m lucky, elsewhere as well. This…I’d never seen gluten-free calzones before. And let me tell you…I fell in love with this calzone. As I said, the crust was nice and thin, so it wasn’t heavy or too filling too fast. I love that about gluten-free pizzas as well. And inside, the Teese vegan cheese melted gorgeously and didn’t taste like plastic (as Daiya sometimes can…). The vegetables were so amazing. Seriously amazing. The mushrooms were cooked to perfection, the spinach wilted beautifully, the tomatoes were ripe and sweet, and the banana peppers…adding that little bit of acidity that just punched up the flavor. It came with a bit of marinara for dipping. The marinara…nice touch. Packed with flavor and seasoned to perfection. I was beyond impressed. So impressed that both Cathy and I ended up eating our calzones in their entirety. I have a feeling we won’t need food again until tomorrow morning.

Another reason for that…we got dessert.

Yep. You gotta treat yourself every now and again and since the calzones were actually light…we had the room. And I, being the observant one I am, realized they had a few dessert options…like cookies and a cake roll…and the option we went with…cinnamon sticks.

Gluten. Free. Cinnamon. Sticks.

You know how much I love cinnamon, yes? Of course you do. So, when I saw they had gluten-free cinnamon sticks ($5.99), I knew I needed to consume them. I wanted to consume them. So…order in. And after a short weight while they made them up for us (loving that freshness with each order), they were brought out to the table. And I think I began drooling immediately. They looked fantastic. I picked one up and broke off the end, dipping it into the icing that came with it…and took a bite.

HELLO!! Cathy described it as “really tasty fair food that is actually good!” I describe it as…donuts taken to the nth degree. This was one party in my mouth. The sweet heat from the cinnamon and sugar with the light doughy sticks that were fried to perfection. Honestly. They had that nice crispy outside but were all soft and hot and steamy in the center. The icing was a nice, cooling, sweet addition. It was no joke how fast these disappeared. I fell in love. One bite…lead to me devouring 3 of the 6 sticks in the order.

Happy place! This is a happy place. The service was fantastic. The atmosphere is very much “strip mall establishment” but…when you serve up that kind of food…it doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter anyway. The chefs did a fantastic job getting our order done right and to perfection. The food was fantastic. The company of the staff, who were discussing Queen, World Cup, and the food with us…was like being among friends. And we left with happy, very full tummies.

I regret nothing!

If you find yourself driving through Troy, Michigan…make a point to stop in at Renee’s Gourmet Pizzeria. You, honestly, won’t believe that everything there is gluten-free. The food is, honestly, outstanding. I hope this little pizzeria is along for a very long time. Next time, should I ever be this way again…I’ll actually order a pizza. And those cinnamon sticks again!

Renee's Gourmet Pizzeria's Gluten-Free Cinnamon Sticks — Renee’s Gourmet Pizzeria’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon Sticks

June 28, 2014

Product Review: Beyond Meat Grilled Chicken-Free Strips

Product Review: Beyond Meat Grilled Chicken-Free Strips – $4.99+

As a gluten-free vegetarian…sometimes it is difficult to find those meat replacements that offer a good bit of nutrition as well. Mainly…don’t feed me chemicals…feed me something that is real and made from real things. The problem being, most of the vegan “meats” on the market contain vital wheat gluten…meaning…it’s off limits for this Celiac.

So, when I spotted this product in Whole Foods, I couldn’t wait to give it a try. Seriously. I bought two different kinds, sticking the Grilled in the freezer and the Southwest Style came out and was featured in a vegetarian version of a family favorite…”Mexican ‘Chicken’ Casserole.” The original recipe featured real meat (because…I used to eat meat!). I had to change it up when I became a vegetarian…and then change it up even more when I had to go gluten-free.

Good thing I’m resourceful, yes?

Well…in some weird stroke of roommate brain…both my roomie and I had this mad idea that a BBQ “Chicken” Pizza needed to happen at some point…this weekend. And with the World Cup in full kick (HA!)…I figured it might be a delicious food to enjoy the Columbia v. Uruguay match with. Dinner during matches has been my gluten-free and vegetarian (and sometimes vegan) take on pub grub and bar food. Because…WORLD CUP, BABY! I found it weird that I had been planning this pizza all week (seriously, because I had an Annie May’s Sweet Café Pizza Crust of Allergen-Free Awesomesauce in the freezer) and then she all-out says that we needed to have that kind of pizza while we were out on a stroll on Friday morning. NO JOKE! Brainwaves…woohoo…freaky!

Tonight…it happened. And the “chicken” aspect of this dish was provided by…Beyond Meat Grilled Chicken-Free Strips. I had her pull the package from the freezer to allow it to sit in the fridge while we were out for the first half of the day. Give it a bit of natural thaw time. When I got back from an early morning run and then a couple of errands…and some sifting through piles of…stuff…it was GAME ON for World Cup. We watched the Brazil v. Chile match and watched it go down to penalty kicks in a nail-biting ending that put Brazil as the winner! As the post-game show went on, and the pre-game for the Uruguay match came on…I headed to the kitchen to shred some cheese (my roommate picked up a local one that had some kick to it!), chop some onion, and get the oven preheated to 450°F in order to get the pizza crust to perfection. I got all the items together, pulled the Beyond Meat Grilled Chicken-Free Strips out of the fridge, chopped them into bite-size pieces, and started to lay out the pizza toppings. It started with Stubbs Original BBQ Sauce. Then…the onion. Then the “chicken” strips. The cheese. And then I drizzled some BBQ sauce on top. Into the oven…and I let it go for about 15 minutes…so as not to get the crust too done.

Trust me…as it was baking in the oven…it smelled AMAZING! So when my timer went off and the match was just starting, I scurried to get the pizza out of the oven and slice it up for consumption. My roomie and I were splitting the 9 inch crust. I cut it into six slices and plated everything up. I took hers out to her and she immediately dove in. We hadn’t eaten since breakfast at 9 a.m. So, the 4 p.m. dinner just seemed natural. She took a bite and said, “That is restaurant quality flavor!” Made me feel good. I sliced mine, came out to the couch and settled in for the match.

Oh yes…this was good pizza.

But how did I find the Beyond Meat Grilled Chicken-Free Strips? Well…as someone who hasn’t done the faux meat thing in a long while…it’s not bad. It doesn’t taste anything like chicken. In fact, I’d go as far to say that it has the great texture of the Quorn chicken strips, and the flavor of the Morningstar versions. Both of which are off limits to me now…but both of which I used to consume when I could. You won’t confuse these for the “real” thing, but the texture is perfect. The flavor…is decent. It’s okay. I loved the smokiness from the grill marks on this version. It was the perfect one to have on top of the pizza, for sure. That might be from the fact that these strips are grilled over a mesquite fire with molasses. So, they have that great sweet and smokey flavor that marinated and grilled chicken would have. It was good for what it is.

So…what exactly is Beyond Meat made from? Well, the ingredients for the Beyond Meat Grilled Chicken-Free Strips include: water, non-GMO soy protein isolate, pea protein isolate, amaranth, vegan chicken flavor (maltodextrin, yeast extract, salt, natural flavoring, sunflower oil), non-GMO expeller-pressed canola oil, non-GMO soy fiber, carrot fiber, white vinegar, spices, salt, molasses powder, garlic extract, hickory smoke powder, onion extract, lemon juice concentrate, evaporated cane juice, dipotassium phosphate, titanium dioxide (for color), potassium chloride, paprika extract. It isn’t exactly clean eats…but when you’re a gluten-free vegetarian trying to make a “chicken” dish…you work with what you have, yes? Yes! This product is vegan, gluten-free and cholesterol free.

Nutrition-wise…a serving of this product is 1/4 of the package or about 6 strips. This serving provides 120 calories and 3 grams of fat. This serving will also provide you with 360 mg sodium. However…this product contains no sugar. None. And finally, you will be benefiting from 2 grams of fiber and 20 grams of protein!! That’s fantastic. It has as much protein as regular chicken. Be still my vegetarian heart!

Another solid “chicken” product from Beyond Meat. Honestly…it worked so well on this pizza crust. I almost wish we had money this week to get another crust because I would have reprised the dish tomorrow night too. I enjoyed it that much. Really good. And thanks to Beyond Meat…I was able to have some semblance of a faux-meat pizza again. Is it the best I’ve ever had? No. But it will do. Because, honestly, it’s one of the only options out there. That being said…it is definitely worth purchasing again. So glad I have 4 more in my freezer!

Gluten-Free BBQ “Chicken” Pizza made with Beyond Meat Grilled Chicken-Free Strips

June 27, 2014

Product Review: Trader Joe’s Polenta Provencale with Spianch & Peas in a Spicy Cream Sauce

Product: Trader Joe’s Polenta Provencale with Spinach & Peas in a Spicy Cream Sauce – $3.49+

It’s Friday.

It’s Friday, and despite getting paid today, I have no money. Which totally thwarted my plan to have gluten-free pizza away from home today. Seriously. The last thing I wanted to do after the day I had today was cook. I was having those, “I don’t want to be in that damn tiny kitchen any longer than I have to!” But, that’s not happening today. That’s not happening for a long time at this point.

*SIGH*

But I burden you with things that have nothing to do with this blog or product. Sorry. Just a little anecdote to explain why I ended up with my head and arms in the freezer, trying to find something that was not labor intensive or requiring much else in the means of cooking. I had a few options…though not too many…but decided that since it had been in the freezer the longest, the Polenta Provencale I picked up at Trader Joe’s a long while back was going to have its moment to shine.

This is generally used as a side dish…but it was going to be a meal for my roomie and I. So, I cooked up the entire package instead of just two portions of it. Those would have been really small portions…but for a side, I suppose that’s what you need. HA!

Anyway…I put my pan on the stove and turned on the burner to a medium-high heat, as instructed on the bag of frozen product suggested. I cut open the packaging and peeked inside to see little orange balls of corn goodness with some greens. All clotted together by ice. Beautiful. I sighed…and poured it into the awaiting hot pan.

It took about a minute or so for the ice to melt in order for me to break up the clumps of polenta and vegetables, but once that happened…so did the magic of this dish. I went to get cups down for a drink to have with dinner…and when I came back to stir, while the polenta was still frozen, the spinach and the peas were now turning a gorgeous green and a sauce was beginning to show up in the pan. This gorgeous…orange sauce. It also was starting to smell really, really good. Okay…maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. I left it to cook some more and poured drinks, walking them out to the living room and setting them on the table. I returned and gave the dish another stir. The polenta was starting to soften, meaning it wasn’t all the way frozen now. Thank goodness. I could see tomato now in the sauce. And the sauce was getting thicker. It all finished up just as the roommate emerged from her bathroom from her shower. Perfect timing. I got down two bowls and split the contents of the pan evenly.

I delivered the dishes to the table and settled in to enjoy my little bowl of Trader Joe’s straight-from-the-freezer-to-your-stove meal…and hoped it was good. I had no Plan B today. But…I’d think of something if I had to. I’m good at that in a pinch…especially when I’m hungry and food is involved.

So…it wasn’t the pizza I was craving.

However…it was good. I think it’s a bit misleading to call the sauce “spicy.” Personally, if I wasn’t so comfortable in my seat, I would have added a touch of hot sauce or some red pepper flakes to kick up the heat a little. My roomie, who is a spice wimp…well…she didn’t say one word about any heat or spice…nor did she suck down most of her drink upon the first few bites. This, my dear foodies, means…it’s not spicy. The polenta gets soft, without getting mushy. And the vegetables are the perfect accompaniment to the dish. The spinach absorbs that sauce and the peas add to the texture. But it’s that sauce that ties everything together. That sauce…although not spicy…was fantastic. I devoured this…chewing and swallowing of course…but devoured. I savored it as long as I could, but it was, for a meal from a freezer, really good!

I want to try to make it on my own…like…from fresh ingredients. Not frozen. Hmmm…

Speaking of ingredients…this package of Trader Joe’s Polenta Provencale with Spinach & Peas in a Spicy Cream Sauce contains relatively few ingredients in the grand scheme of things. The ingredients in this dish include polenta (made from water, corn flour, salt, and dried skim milk), crushed peeled tomatoes, creme fraiche, spinach, peas, tomato, cow’s milk cheese, olive oil, salt, garlic, strong chili pepper, basil, modified rice starch, parsley, thyme, and modified corn starch. I, however, am not a fan of the two modified starch ingredients. GAH! That’s a bummer. This product is gluten-free and vegetarian, however.

As for nutrition, however, this isn’t so bad. A serving of the Trader Joe’s P0lenta Provencale with Spinach & Peas in a Spicy Cream Sauce is 1/3 cup, cooked. There are about 4 servings per package. But, since this was dinner, this became 2 servings…so these stats just double. If you eat a regular serving (1/4 of the package), you will be consuming 130 calories and 7 grams of fat. In addition, you will be taking in 20 mg cholesterol, 280 mg sodium, and 2 grams of sugar. In the grand scheme of things, for a frozen, packaged product…that is awesome. You will also be taking in 3 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. Not lying…this dish is filling!

If you really like things spicy, I recommend adding a bit of kick to the Trader Joe’s Polenta Provencale with Spinach & Peas in a Spicy Cream Sauce. But…it’s not bad the way it is. I loved the rich, creaminess of each bite…from the sauce to the polenta to the vegetables…it was a trio of deliciousness. One that I will definitely consider trying again when I need to have one of those “prepare it quickly” meals.

Nicely done, Trader Joe’s. If anything…try to get those modified starches out of your product. Then…this will get my full approval. Until then, just know that I found this one tasty little meal tonight. And I’m glad I had it in my freezer for the day I was having. The fact that it tasted good as well was the added bonus!

And this is why I love Trader Joe’s.

June 26, 2014

Product Review: Pacific Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Product: Pacific Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper Hummus – $3.99+

It took awhile for her to come around…

Actually it took a lot of me just forcing her to eat it…but now my roomie, formerly someone who loathed hummus and everything about it…someone who when I would make her eat it insisted it had to be warm first (EWW!!)…has since seen the error in her ways. It happened a little while ago actually. She’s been a hummus fiend ever since. Without it needing to be heated.

So…hummus has become one of those things we tend to have on hand in the kitchen these days. It’s a great, healthy spread…good on just about any vegetable…or a gluten-free cracker…or in a gluten-free wrap or sandwich. Hummus is not only delicious…it’s also so versatile.

I admit…this is the first time I’ve ever purchased hummus in a box. Usually it’s in those lidded plastic containers in the refrigerated area of the grocery store. But Pacific Foods has created a, ready for this?, shelf stable hummus. Yes…shelf stable. Which is good, because I forgot I had this in pantry. I actually got this box of hummus for free with a deal going on at my local Earth Fare awhile back. It was spend $10 or something and get free hummus. Free and hummus. Two of my favorite words!

Well…it’s late in the week. Tomorrow another CSA bin of fruits and veggies will be delivered to my door, and I’m still trying to use up some of the veggies from this past week. I decided to make it easy. Knowing that one of the veggies still in my bin was my carrots, I went to the pantry and put the box of Pacific Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper Hummus into the fridge before heading to the gym this morning. I knew tonight, I could polish off the remaining two ears of corn by grilling them up and serving them with some carrot sticks and a serving of the hummus.

Work was hectic today…so I was glad to have an easier dinner planned. Upon returning home, I peeled the corn and got it in the grill pan with some roasted garlic and her vegan buttery spread. As that was grilling and, as usual, smoking up the apartment, I started to peel and slice the carrots. When they were ready, I plated them, seasoned the corn, and then grabbed the Pacific Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper Hummus from the fridge. I opened up the box and noticed that it really needed to be stirred. This…is no easy task. When you try to stir something in a bowl, it’s easy. When you try to stir something in a box…a mess is bound to happen. I kept it pretty well contained to the box itself though. Once it was blended, I scooped out some healthy tablespoons and dinner…was served.

Mmmm…veggies for dinner.

That’s pretty usual for me actually…being a gluten-free vegetarian.

So…how was it?

It was delicious. Definitely not as creamy as the refrigerated varieties, but not bad. It was packed with really good flavor. I could taste the roasted red peppers…which just elevated the spread. I loved how easy it was to scoop up with the carrot sticks. And it was so refreshing. Honestly. In fact, I ate my grilled corn up first so I could end my meal with the hummus. That’s how much I liked it. It reminded me a lot of the hummus I make. That’s what the texture reminded me of, and perhaps that is why I enjoyed it so much.

Interesting to note…the Pacific Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper Hummus is one of few shelf-stable hummus’ on the market. It is actually packaged in BPA-free cartons. The hummus contains 1/3 fewer calories and 40% less fat than the leading refrigerated brand. And, Pacific Foods, as always, places their reputation on their high-quality ingredients.

Speaking of ingredients, the Pacific Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper Hummus is made from water, organic chickpeas, organic roasted red bell peppers, organic red bell peppers, organic canola oil, organic tahini, organic garlic, organic lemon juice concentrate, sea salt, organic sesame oil, organic spices. It is vegetarian, vegan, cholesterol free, dairy-free, corn-free, soy-free, wheat-free, and yeast-free.

So let’s talk nutrition, shall we? Hummus is such a healthy spread. Honestly. It’s amazing. A serving of the Pacific Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper Hummus is 2 tablespoons. This will provide you with 45 calories and 3 grams of fat. A serving will also give you 130 mg sodium and 1 gram of sugar. LOVE IT. It will also give you 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein.

Hummus is one of the best condiments and spreads to ever come into the world. It’s rich, creamy, and delicious. It’s good on sandwiches, or on salads, or on pizzas, or on crackers, or on vegetables…etc. You see what I’m getting at here? Hummus makes the world a richer and happier place. Well…maybe not alone…but it is one healthy way to enjoy some of your favorite foods in a new way. Or…just dip some tortilla chips or fresh veggies in it…and you’ll be just as happy. Pacific Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper Hummus is amazing and I will totally be trying out the other two flavors in the future.

In case you were wondering…Pacific Foods also has an Organic Classic Hummus and an Organic Roasted Garlic Hummus.

Try all three versions. But, if nothing else, trust me on the amazing tastiness that the Roasted Red Pepper variety provides. Oh…so good!

June 23, 2014

Recipe: Vegetarian West African Peanut Soup

I admit it. I’m a girl from the North, so when my CSA bin arrived with collard greens inside…I had NO clue what to do with them. None. And while I lived in Birmingham, Alabama for six years…I was never one for southern-style cooking. Just ask any of my friends and co-workers. I was not having any of it. So…collard greens had me stumped.

So, I did what any good Northern girl would do when staring at collard greens and trying to figure out a good way to use them before they went bad (because we waste NOTHING!). I hit up Pinterest. And…much to my delight, found a soup recipe (and I love soup!) that incorporated collard greens and pretty much (save for a red onion and an extra box of organic veggie broth) everything I already had in my pantry. Seriously! So…I figured I would give it a try.

Let me tell you…this soup is so easy to make. One pot. That’s all you need. I used my Dutch oven to cook everything up and it was just…easy. And smelled really good. I know…some of you might wonder how these ingredients all come together. Like…tomato paste and peanut butter…but it works. Just trust me. If you like Pad Thai…you’ll appreciate this soup. That’s what it smells and tastes like…minus the noodles and chicken and all that stuff. I got this recipe from Cookie + Kate…and it was a flavor sensation of pure perfection.

Recipe: Vegetarian West African Peanut Soup

Servings: 6-8
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Cook 35 minutes

Ingredients:

6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 bunch collard greens (or kale), ribs removed and leaves chopped into 1-inch strips
3/4 cup unsalted peanut butter (chunky or smooth…I used chunky so I wouldn’t have to buy peanuts to garnish)
1/2 cup tomato paste
Hot sauce, like Sriracha
1/4 cup roughly chopped peanuts, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

In a medium Dutch oven or stock pot, bring the broth to a boil.

Add the onion, ginger, garlic and salt. Cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.

In a medium-sized, heat-safe mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter and tomato paste, then transfer 1 to 2 cups of the hot stock to the bowl. Whisk the mixture together until smooth, then pour the peanut mixture back into the soup and mix well.

Stir in the collard greens and season the soup with hot sauce to taste.

Simmer for about 15 more minutes on medium-low heat, stirring often.

Serve over cooked brown rice if you’d like, and top with a sprinkle of chopped peanuts.

~*~*~

Like I said…it’s like liquid Pad Thai. And I love Pad Thai. It sounds odd…but trust me…the flavors are there. You can make it as mild or as spicy as you want. I kept mine near the middle, because while I love spicy foods, my roommate is a “heat wimp” (her words). So…I found the happy medium there. This soup is just delicious and honestly…couldn’t be easier to make. It didn’t take much time to get the ingredients ready and then you just let it cook, stirring every now and again. I do recommend using chunky peanut butter. It is just awesome.

So…if you are looking for a different soup to try…totally give this one a shot. I promise…you’ll like it. You might even love it…like me.

June 22, 2014

Recipe: Zucchini Noodle Pasta with Portobello Mushrooms, Garlic Marinara, and a Homemade Basil Pesto

Sometimes, I get more produce in my CSA bin than I can logically begin to work through in a week. Sometimes I think I should go to every-other-week….but then the thought of not getting my fresh fruits and veggies makes me sad. So, I try to come up with clever ways to use some of it up. Last week’s bin had a yellow summer squash and a zucchini inside…and this week’s bin…two zucchinis. I needed to use some zucchini up stat.

Also…I hate some large portobello mushroom caps, two of which were a little busted up…so making my portobello mushroom cap pizzas were not going to be an option. So I thought…what can I do with this? And then I thought…pasta.

But pasta made from zucchini…giving a bit of a low carb option (not that I worry about carbs!). I was going to coat everything in a pesto, but my homegrown basil was…not enough to do that. So I only had a small amount. So, I could garnish the pasta with it. And thankfully I had a jar of RAO’s Homemade Roasted Garlic Sauce in the pantry. Yes! Rescued by a manager’s special! HA!

This recipe was super-easy to make and put together. Even better…super good for you. And, even if you don’t want to mess with making a pesto, the dish won’t lack anything if you leave it out. Or, you can do what I originally had planned and skip the marinara and go with just the pesto! It’s up to you. I’ll put up the recipe for the full pesto recipe just in case. I had to cut mine down to 1/4 the original recipe as I only had 1/2 cup of fresh basil.

That being said…

Recipe: Zucchini Noodle Pasta with Portobello Mushrooms, Garlic Marinara, and a Homemade Basil Pesto

Servings: 2
Time: Prep 15 minutes; Cook 15 minutes

Ingredients for Pesto:

2 cups tightly packed fresh basil
1/2 cup walnuts
1 to 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped (to taste)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Ingredients for Pasta:

Olive oil
Chopped/minced garlic
Seasoning of choice (I used herbs de provence)
Sea salt to taste
2 zucchini
3 large portobello mushroom caps, sliced
6 oz of marinara (or 4 ounces of pesto)
Dab of homemade pesto (if not using as the sauce)

Directions:

Make the pesto.

Place the basil, walnuts, and garlic in a food processor fitted with the S blade. Pulse to combine, until the mixture is coarsely ground.

Turn the motor on and drizzle the olive oil in a thin stream. Add the sea salt, pepper, lemon, and nutritional yeast, and pulse a few more times to combine.
Make the pasta:

Use your julienne peeler, spiral slicer or mandolin to create noodles out of the zucchini. I used a mandolin and made long, thin strips of zucchini for noodles. It’s really up to you! Zucchini is usually full of water, so take a paper towel and squeeze them to get out some of the water. Place them in a bowl and set aside.

Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and heat for a minute at medium heat. Add 1 clove of minced garlic and sauté for one minute. Add your mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms begin to release their juices and have browned up beautifully. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Rinse out your skillet (or wipe it down to get out any mushroom residue) and place another tablespoon of olive oil in the pan, allowing it to heat for one minute over medium heat. Add your zucchini noodles to the pan and begin to heat them up. In order to not turn them to mush, do not stir them. Just move them gently around the pan.

Once the zucchini noodles are heated, add the musrhooms back into the pan and season with your seasonings of choice. Definitely add a bit of salt though.

Toss together and then add the sauce (be it marinara or pest0). Continue to toss in the skillet until it is heated through. Transfer to bowls and top off with pesto, if you didn’t use it for your sauce of choice. Or don’t…if you didn’t want to fuss with it.

Serve!

~*~*~

This was so packed with flavor and so delicious. Honestly, it was super delicious. I’d love to make this again and serve it up in the way I intended…with the pesto sauce, but the marinara added great flavor and worked so well with the zucchini and mushrooms. A delicious, low calorie, low carb meal that doesn’t take too long to prep or cook. Dinner…couldn’t be easier.

Give it a shot. I hope you like it!

June 21, 2014

Product Review: Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls

Product: Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls – $7.49+

Thank you, dearest Raisin Rack, in Columbus, Ohio. Because ever since I heard of the debut of the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Ciabatta Rolls…I’d been wanting to try them out. I used to get samples of their products all the time…but that has sort of stopped in the past year. Too bad, I loved being able to try out products that take forever to make it to my area. While Louisville, Kentucky is quite the foodie mecca, it still lags behind at times when it comes to gluten-free foods in the grocery stores. Even the most dedicated of natural food stores around here (and we have plenty) don’t get in these products for what seems like a year from their debut.

BUT…

Apparently, Raisin Rack, up where my friend Jenn lives near Columbus, Ohio…is quite the opposite.

On a visit there awhile back…I was given the task of filling up a nice basket of products that I haven’t seen before…or have wanted to try…but are not always readily available in our area. I took to this task with a gleam in my eye and products on the mind. And just as my basket was full…I wandered past a freezer at the end of an aisle and glanced down to the bottom…only to see…Rudi’s Gluten-Free Ciabatta Rolls…both types: Original and Rosemary and Olive Oil.

I gave my roomie the gluten-free doe eyes of puppy dog pleading…and she relented and let me add one to the already full basket I was hauling around the store. I opted for the Rosemary and Olive Oil variety because…um…yum! Jenn was helping me Tetris the products so more could get in there. HA! Brilliant.

However, with a fantastic, local, allergen-free bakery in my city…I sometimes don’t get to bread-y things in my freezer for some time. And can you blame me? Well…despite a stop at the bakery this morning…tonight when I was cooking up some zucchini noodle pasta with portobello mushrooms and a garlic marinara sauce with homemade basil pesto…I figured…with the low carbness (is that a word? It is now…) of the meal itself, I would go ahead and give the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls a try. Seemed like a good time to do so!

So…while Germany and Ghana draw in their World Cup match…I began making ribbons of zucchini with my mandolin slicer…chopping up huge portobello mushroom caps…and making my own vegan basil pesto with the pesto Cathy and I are growing on our balcony. As I got the portobello mushrooms into a sauté pan to begin cooking and sweating out…I got out the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls and plucked two from the package. They were actually light and airy…not what I was expecting at all. But…hell…the only other gluten-free ciabatta rolls I’ve had are Schar’s…and they are really good.

Rudi's Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls (frozen) — Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls (frozen)

I preheated the oven to 400°F and placed the rolls on a baking sheet. Once the oven was properly warmed…into the oven the rolls went for 10 minutes. That gave me ample time to not only watch the end of the World Cup match, but also get the zucchini noodles in the pan with some olive oil…add the mushrooms back in…season…add the sauce…and get it all together. They rolls finished up just as I was finishing up placing the zucchini pasta into bowls and polishing it all up with my homemade pesto.

I pulled the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls from the oven. They didn’t look much different from when I put them in the oven…maybe a little more golden…hard to say. But…they smelled fantastic. I’m a huge fan of rosemary…and so is Cathy. We each got one roll and a bowl of my made-only-with-veggies “pasta” dish and dinner was served.

While we watched “The Supersizers Go…Seventies” we indulged in our own meal…thankful we weren’t eating the tinned and powdered rubbish the people in England ate in the Seventies. Real food here. With a side of one simple gluten-free roll.

The Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil are really…really good. Honestly. They may not look like much, but one bite…and you’ll be sold too. The outside of the roll gets that nice crusty, crunchy crust on it. But the inside…still soft and doughy and just…mmmm. I think Cathy would normally melt some butter inside and dig in. But we had pasta…and this sort of bread is great for sucking up the last bit of sauce. And when your noodles are made from zucchini…you tend to have some sauce…or at least some veggies to pile on top. The bread was amazing. I was actually very impressed because, while rosemary is one of my favorite spices…it can overwhelm and overpower quite easily. Not here. They use just the right amount so that you get the flavor without it taking over your palate. Oh, I hope we get these soon in our stores around here. Otherwise…next time I visit Jenn in Columbus, I am taking a cooler…ice packs…and stocking up!

Ciabatta with herbs and olive oil…awesome. And without all the hassle of making up a flour blend that works with this sort of bread and doing it myself. LOVE IT!!

So, let’s talk ingredients. One thing I love about Rudi’s Gluten-Free products is that they use real ingredients…no junk…no chemicals. It holds true with their Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls too. The ingredients are: water, potato extract, tapioca starch, rice flour, rice starch, evaporated cane juice (cane sugar), egg white, yeast, sea salt, xanthan gum, olive oil, rosemary, sodium bicarbonate, garlic powder, natural enzymes.

As for nutrition…I love these stats. A serving of the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls is one roll. With this one roll, you will be consuming 70 calories and 0 grams of fat. YES…FAT FREE!! While on the subject of fat, you won’t find saturated or trans-fats in these rolls either. LOVE. One roll provides 170 mg sodium and 1 gram of sugar. LOVE THIS! Oh…and they are cholesterol free too! Non-GMO. And you will be taking in 1 gram of protein…but these rolls have no fiber. So don’t make a meal out of these…they won’t leave you feeling full.

I’ve always been a huge fan of the products that Rudi’s Gluten-Free has out on the market. It’s the sandwich bread that I purchase each week. It’s the wraps I purchase to make tacos or the like. And now…it’s the rolls I serve at dinner. Because when a company cares that much about the quality of their food…it shows. Gluten-free foods are a science, but when done correctly…they can knock your foodie socks off.

My feet are bare.

HA!

Rudi’s Gluten-Free…another stellar product!! Thank you for making dinner rolls so delicious!

Rudi's Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls (baked) — Rudi’s Gluten-Free Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta Rolls (baked)

June 17, 2014

Product Review: Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins

Product: Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins – $3.99+

I am not going to lie…I’ve been eying the Garden Lites Veggie Muffins since the day I first spotted them in my local natural food and grocery stores. Why did it take me so long to get a box? Well…it probably would have taken me longer, but my roomie surprised me with a box one day after I sent her out on a grocery expedition. I obviously forgot some sacred ingredient to something I was cooking right then…or I would have gone. But the roomie often picks up little surprises when she’s sent on these emergency runs. Maybe it’s to tame me, since I’m usually wound up about missing something I need. Whatever the reason…she brought me a box of Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins. And I was all too excited to try them.

I just…never did. They just remained in my freezer.

I think I got all caught up in making my Breakfast Banana Splits and other such “real” food items, that opening the freezer for breakfast hadn’t happened in a long time. I knew they were in there…

Lo and behold…after a week of Cathy being down with a cold and sitting out of gym workouts (meaning I’d go really early and get mine in, then come home and make breakfast instead of hauling it to work post-gym), I had no idea what to have after our time at the gym. I began to search the pantry and fridge. I found grapes…but those only get you so far. I’d include some…but what to eat to refuel and recover?

And then…I remembered the box of Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins. Problem…SOLVED!

I know what you’re thinking…zucchini with banana with chocolate chips…how could that possibly be good? Well…zucchini bread is good. Banana bread is good. Both types of bread with chocolate chips are damn good. So…why not combine them? It should work, right?

Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffin (individually wrapped)

I won’t lie…even I questioned it this morning as I packed the box of muffins in the cooler. After the workout, we walked to our office and I got to work on breakfast. These little muffins couldn’t be easier to prepare. They come individually wrapped. And all you have to do is pop the wrapped muffin into the microwave for 35 seconds. Carefully remove the muffin from the microwave and then the plastic wrapper…and viola…your muffin is ready.

I think my biggest fear was that these were going to be soggy. Or mushy. Or just…gross. But, I cooked up all four of them, two for me and two for Cathy, and our breakfast was ready. In less than three minutes. That has to be a new record!

I settled in at my desk with my first batch of work and my breakfast. And after one bite, I knew the stack of paperwork was going to have to wait while I gave my full attention to the Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins. Oh. My. God! No…really…who knew that a muffin made primarily from vegetables and fruit could taste this fantastic. Or this moist. It was like biting into a luscious piece of banana bread. But with zucchini in it. You can’t even taste the zucchini, you just sometimes get those green flecks in the muffin. And the chocolate chips…just enough to sweeten the deal without consuming the flavor of the muffin itself. This was truly one amazing product and the love I have for it surprises even me. I never would have thought about pairing zucchini with banana…but…damn…it works. It works in delicious ways!

I don’t think my morning could have started any better…

So, let’s take a look at the ingredient list for the Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins, shall we? These muffins are made from zucchini, pasteurized egg whites, sugar, pasteurized whole eggs, certified gluten-free oats, soluble corn fiber, semi-sweet chocolate chips, banana, sorghum flour, brown rice flour, corn starch, baking powder, canola oil, natural banana flavor, salt, and vanilla extract.

Recognize all those items? I sure do. And when mixed together and baked…epic things happen, both flavor, texture, and food-wise.

Now, how about the nutritional aspect of these muffins? A serving is only 1 of the Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins. As all we had before working out was a breakfast fruit, yogurt and granola parfait, Cathy and I each had two. But…if you stick to the serving size, you will be consuming 120 calories and 3 grams of fat. In addition, you will be taking in 20 mg cholesterol, 170 mg sodium, and 11 grams of sugar. I know the sugar seems high, and while some of that comes from the chocolate chip, some of it comes from the real banana that is included in the ingredients of the muffins. One serving will also give you 5 grams of filling fiber and 3 grams of protein! These muffins are gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free!

Nutritional and yummy too! Gotta love it. And I sure did. I want to try the other varieties of muffins. Yes…they have other flavors. In fact, in addition to the Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins, Garden Lites has Veggie Muffins in the following flavors: Carrot Berry, Golden Corn, Veggie Blueberry Oat, and Zucchini Chocolate! So…I must try all the Veggie Muffins. Because these honestly did impress me. And I lasted all the way through my snack time. And that doesn’t always happen. Good quality food…great product…

I’m hooked. On muffins made with veggies and fruit.

Oh yeah…loving it!

Garden Lites Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins (cooked)