Vegetables – Page 20 – The Celiathlete

September 22, 2013

What I Ate in California – Part 2

I dedicate this entry to, honestly, the best meal I have ever consumed in my life. No joke. Sorry mom…but it’s true. Never before have I been treated to such an exciting and taste-defying tasting menu, all of it done by the chef’s whim. And yes…all of it done to suit any food allergies at the table. For me…being a gluten-free vegetarian. For my friend Tawn…no shrimp.

What am I talking about?

Disneyland.

Napa Rose.

Chef’s Table.

OMGTHEFOODWASAWESOME!

Okay…now that I got that out of my system…kind of…let me explain…

You see, Disneyland has a lot of nice treasures inside its gates. And, after running the Disneyland Half Marathon, Indy wanted to treat all of us, plus her hubby and her dad, to a nice meal out…which would be our Christmas and Birthday gifts. She chose Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa as the scene of this adventure. After a long day, the four ladies got all dressed up and met up with Evan (Indy’s hubby) for a ride over to the restaurant. Her dad was staying there so he’d meet us there.

A few drinks in the lounge and two Joey Fatone (from *NSYNC) sightings later, we were making our way to the Dessert Counter and being seated, napkins placed on our laps, and about to be treated to one of the finest, most epic, amazing meals of our lives…complete with wine tasting. All of this…completely at the whim of the chef.

So…let’s get started:

Amuse-Bouche: Plum with Grape Relish and Gluten-Free Flatbread

Amuse-Bouche: Plum with Grape Relish and Vegan & Gluten-Free Flatbread

The rest of the counter was treated to a Panna Cotta with Great Relish…but not this girl. The chef kept is simple, elegant, and instead of the panna cotta, served me up an amazing warm Plum with Grape Relish on top. The plum was sweet, pairing beautifully with the slightly sour tones of the chopped grapes. It was the perfect way to wake up the palate and prepare it for the rest of what was to come that night.

In addition, while the rest of the counter got to share this large basket of various breads, a basket of vegan and gluten-free flatbread was delivered to me. This bread had a fresh herbiness to it. It was crispy, yet still soft. And when it was fresh and warm…there was nothing like it in the world. It was a nice change from the gluten-free rolls I am so used to getting. It’s not everyday this girl gets to indulge in flatbread. And indulge I did. Because I just couldn’t stop eating it!!

First Course: Cauliflower Tower

What…you may ask…is a Cauliflower Tower. Simply what it sounds like. Cauliflower…in a tower. But…it is really so much more than that. In fact, while the base of this dish was, in fact, a cauliflower mash, it was blended with couscous, raisins, pistachios, and was drizzled with a blood orange sauce. I love cauliflower, so using it as a base for this meal was sheer brilliance. The couscous gave it a bit more body. Toss in the sweet raisins with the salty nature and crunch of the pistachios and you have a meal made in heaven. Seriously. Angels eat this when they picnic on the clouds. I swear. The blood orange sauce just sealed the deal. It gave this savory dish a little zing. It was fantastic. Down to the very last bite. If this was any indication of what was left to come, I was all in. I didn’t record the type of wine any of my meals were paired with…but I loved them. All of them.

Second Course: Grilled Peach Salad with Green Beans and a Peach Yogurt Sauce

The usual version of this dish is served with roasted duck. But, being that I was the sole vegetarian at the table, the chef made one with duck, which Indy received, and made mine without it. But this made me want to grill peaches ALL the time. ALL the peaches. And then consume ALL the peaches with ALL the food that I could think would pair well with them. I will say this…I never would have paired peaches with green beans. But…this worked. This worked remarkably well. The peaches had this rich sweetness to them, the green beans were cooked perfectly, so they had that crispiness to them. And that yogurt sauce just tied everything together. This was fantastic. I could have eaten plate after plate of this and been one happy girl. But more goodness was still ahead.

Third Course: Heirloom Tomatoes with Golden Tomato Essence with Fava Beans and Parmesan

I do believe either Tawn or Cathy made the Silence of the Lambs reference when I was served this beautiful, rainbow dish. I mean, the colors on this dish just popped. The sweet tomato essence was what really made this dish so savory. The beautiful heirloom tomatoes were ripe, gorgeous, juicy and the flavors danced across my taste buds with the first bite. The fava beans added a little body…and some texture. And to top it all off…shaved Parmesan cheese, which gave the dish that big of salty seasoning that just brought it all together in the end. Rich, succulent…and fantastic. Each dish was topping the last…

Fourth Course: Chef’s Creation – Vegetarian Mushroom and Tomato Plate

Be jealous. Because the chef made this one specifically for me. His gluten-free, vegetarian diner. What exactly was it? Savory goodness, that’s what it was. Honestly…this was fantastic. From the first bite he reigned me in with perfectly cooked mushrooms, beautifully seasoned and topped with gorgeous heirloom tomatoes and greens. I wanted to hoover this dish so much, but I sat there like the lady I am and ate it like the sophisticated foodie I see on television and dream about becoming. No…really. I savored this dish. Every bite of it. And I never wanted it to end. But…my fork fell onto the last slice and soon it too was gone.

Dessert: Meyer Lemon Crème Brûlée with Blueberries and Mint

Without even knowing anything about me save for my food allergies and preferences, the chef sent out the most perfect dessert for me. It involved lemon and blueberries…and that pairing is, by far, one of my absolute favorites. So, without even knowing it…the chef capped off the perfect evening with the perfect dessert. His Meyer Lemon Crème Brûlée with Blueberries and Mint was a stunning plate to start with. The crust on the crème brûlée was brilliant. And that lemon flavor was just enough without overpowering the entire dessert. Toss in the blueberries (one of my favorite berries) and the hint of mint and I was in a delicious, tasty food coma. Seriously. I dug right into this dessert and savored it as long as I could. I even ate the drizzle of chocolate letters around the plate wishing me an early happy birthday. Yes…I enjoyed it…for real…down to the very last bit. But, I’m a dessert girl…and this was one hell of a dessert.

My hat is off to Indy, for this fantastic food experience. If I were to choose my last meal on Earth…it would be this. I would want to be at Napa Rose…at the Chef’s Counter…once again receiving the dishes of his choosing for me. I loved being surprised and not knowing what to expect when my plate was carried out and placed in front of me. The company was the best I could ever be with at this venue. The food was outstanding. I’ve been spoiled. No other meal has come close to equaling this one…and I am starting to wonder if one ever will.

My food hat is off to the chef of Napa Rose…the food that is served there…the wine it is paired with (SO GOOD!)…and the good friends I shared the experience with. If any of you find yourself at Disneyland…do try to experience this for yourself. It isn’t cheap…I can tell you that…but the food and the experience is worth every dollar you put towards this meal. I promise.

September 14, 2013

Product Review: Garden Lites Pizza Souffle

Product: Garden Lites Pizza Souffle – $3.49+

Can pizza be a vegetable? I mean…it’s normally made with tomato sauce…but tomato is a fruit. You can put vegetables on pizza (and I often do)…but it’s still…pizza right? Probably. In most cases. But thanks to Garden Lites…pizza is now a vegetable. For real.

Last year, I discovered and worked my way through the flavors of Garden Lites Souffles that were currently out on the market. Since then, more have been added and a few of those new flavors have actually been sitting in my freezer since I finally spotted them at the grocery store…MONTHS ago. Why hadn’t I pulled them out sooner? No clue. But that changed tonight. And, given the expiration dates, the first souffle to get sampled by my roomie and I was…Pizza.

Yes. Pizza Souffle. Hey, there have been stranger things in life. The “crust” isn’t a heavy dough like you would get in a normal pizza. Remember…this is a souffle. Therefore, cauliflower and brown rice make up the base, lending that crust-like flavor to the souffle itself. So…that cauliflower crust pizza that keeps turning up on Pinterest isn’t so new after all, eh? HA! Anyway, bound together with egg whites and topped off with tomato sauce and melty, gooey Mozzarella cheese and you have quite an interesting take on a souffle. And pizza for that matter.

Cooking this up is simple. Three minutes with the plastic wrap still on. Let it sit for a minute. Then remove the plastic and heat on 50% power for another minute. Enjoy. My roommate and I actually had ice cream for lunch (HAHA!), so we split this for dinner. But we both found that the smell and flavor was reminiscent of cafeteria pizza or pasta. You know…it has that lingering sweetness in the sauce that you just breathe in and it takes you back to grade school or…in the case of my roommate…some mess hall with some army thing-a-ma-jig. (Technical term!)

You know what? The flavor and taste sort of reminded me of cafeteria spaghetti too. Not saying that is a bad thing. I mean, whenever spaghetti day at school (from 1st grade through 12th grade) rolled around, you better believe that was the tray I grabbed from the lunch lady. Spaghetti was always my favorite thing to eat growing up (and still is now, although rice and corn noodles are now my noodle of choice due to the whole Celiac thing). Cafeteria food isn’t always the best tasting…but it is decent. It’s good. And that’s how I felt about this. It was like…eating a mix of my high school’s spaghetti and pizza. The sauce was very sweet, seasoned well, but sweet. More sweet than I usually like a tomato sauce. The cheese was a gooey mass on top, which I’m okay with. At least it was melty and gooey. Most packaged items don’t get to that point. Especially when nuked in the microwave. I don’t mind the cauliflower and rice base at all. It was actually a nice, crumbly texture that worked. The sauce was just…okay though. Thankfully the sauce and cheese weren’t heavy on the dish at all. In fact, there wasn’t too much of either of them. A nice balance that worked.

Let’s talk ingredients and nutrition now…

The Garden Lites Pizza Souffle is made from cauliflower, pasteruized egg whites, onion, low-fat milk, brown rice, crushed tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, red pepper, green pepper, corn starch, tomato paste, a natural spice mix (dehydrated onion, spices, corn starch, natural flavors, tomato powder, potassium chloride, autolyzed yeast extract), evaporated cane juice, canola oil, sea salt, lemon juice, garlic, basil, oregano, pepper, and a blend of locust bean gum, gaur gum, and xanthan gum. This souffle is gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free.

As for the nutritional aspect of the Pizza Souffle…one serving, which is the entire bowl, will provide you with 200 calories and 4 grams of fat. That is AWESOME for a meal. That is awesome for pizza! That’s just awesome! It does contain 650 mg of sodium and 6 sugars. But you also do get 3 grams of fiber and a whopping 12 grams of protein. So, you won’t feel like you need to eat more on top of this little souffle dish. I mean, I filled up on ice cream and was only mildly hungry when I heated this up for my roomie and I…and I still felt full after eating just half of the dish.

It isn’t one of my favorites, but I would eat it again. Honestly. It wasn’t bad…but it wasn’t knock me off my seat delicious either. I love the healthy take on the traditional pizza and the use of cauliflower and brown rice as the base. It’s ingenious. And it works well. If anything, I only wish the sauce tasted more fresh and less fake-sweet. Aside from that…totally devourable in every way.

September 14, 2013

Product Review: Glutino Spinach & Feta Gluten-Free Pizza

Product Review: Glutino Spinach & Feta Gluten-Free Pizza – $5.99+

I love pizza. I really do. Give me a good gluten-free pizza and I just might become your best friend ever. Not only has gluten-free pizza become my food of choice before a long run or a race (it unleashes my endurance, I guess!), but I have always, always loved pizza. Nutrition be damned…nothing is better than a flaky crust with gooey cheese and some great vegetable toppings. Right? RIGHT!

So, a couple of weeks ago before I headed out on vacation, my local grocery store was having a closeout on Glutino’s Gluten-Free Spinach & Feta Pizza. Now, my roomie and I had been dying to try these for awhile, but just couldn’t justify the price. But, with the closeout going on, the pizzas were only $1.99 each. So, yeah…we grabbed two. We would have grabbed more…except we didn’t know if we would like them or not…and we were getting ready to head out of town and we didn’t want to stuff our freezer, which we have been working hard on whittling down the products inside, full once again.

But we should have known better. After all…this is a Glutino product and they have never done us wrong. We haven’t met a Glutino product that we haven’t liked or loved. Stuffing our freezer full of these pizzas would have been the best thing to ever happen to our kitchen. For real!

Let me tell you why…

Glutino Spinach & Feta Gluten-Free Pizza (frozen)

The spinach to cheese ratio is amazing. More spinach…less cheese! I love that. As much as my roomie loves cheese, even she was thrilled by the amount of spinach on this pizza. Honestly…healthy greens that provide key nutrients. Yes. All about that. The crust. OH. MY. GOD. Yes…this is one of those thin crust gluten-free pizzas that turn up everywhere. Yes…sometimes I do miss having that amazing chewy crust. But…the crust on this Glutino pizza was flaky and crisp and still soft so it was everything I wanted in a pizza crust. The flavor was so delicious. Nothing that tasted off or gritty or anything. It really was a wonderfully golden flaky crust that crumbled against my tongue when I bit into it. Savory goodness right there. It’s rich and buttery and…I’m suddenly craving it again. GAH! The cheese doesn’t just stop with crumbles of feta. Nope. Add to it shredded mozzarella and ricotta cheese and you end up with a blend of amazing flavors that don’t overtake the crust or the spinach that is also part of the mix. It was SO good. My roommate usually takes forever to eat her food and she was done eating this pizza before I was. And she’s not even a Celiac. All she could do was rave about it. And for the same reasons I am. It is, honest to goodness, a whole lot of…well…goodness!! And it only took a short 15 minutes in the oven to bake before it was ready for prime time…or at least our bellies.

Let’s talk ingredients and nutrition…because it needs to be done! Starting with what makes up this pizza. The box lists off all the ingredients, which include: pizza crust (composed of water, brown rice flour, rice starch, potato starch, olive oil, sugar, tapioca starch, potato flour, yeast, cellulose, salt, spices, and garlic powder), spinach and cheese sauce (composed of water, spinach, milk, cream, feta cheese, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Monterrey jack cheese). It’s very straight forward and very, very delicious when all put together and baked up. Trust me…when I pulled it from the box and removed the paper, I wasn’t too sure it was going to be any good…but it’s amazing what a warm oven does to a product.

Nutritionally speaking, as far as personal pizzas go…this is a good one. The entire pizza only costs you 370 calories and 17 grams of fat. That isn’t bad for a frozen pizza…or a gluten-free pizza for that matter…frozen or not. You will also be consuming 530 mg sodium and less than 1 gram of sugar. Nice. Not bad for something packaged and frozen, for real. This pizza does have 30 mg of cholesterol, but it has no trans fat in it at all. You also get served 2 grams of fiber and 9 grams of protein. Awesome!

I am so in love with this pizza. I normally am not a huge fan of frozen pizzas…but this one hits flavor, taste, texture, and everything right on the money. The regular price seems pretty steep, but buying it on sale and enjoying it this much makes me want to purchase it again, price tag be damned. In fact, I’m trying to talk myself out of rushing to the grocery store to pick up another one for dinner tonight. Must…behave…even if I don’t want to!

Must…resist…grabbing car keys…

Trust me…this pizza really is that fantastic. I was grocery shopping earlier and really, really had to resist buying a cart full of these. It wasn’t easy. I walked away without any more but the temptation still lingers. Which means…this is one hell of a frozen pizza. Try it out. Even those of you who don’t need to eat gluten-free…you might find you love this even more than those who do have to eat this way. It is frickin’ amazing!

Glutino Spinach & Feta Gluten-Free Pizza (baked)

August 23, 2013August 23, 2013

Recipe: Vegan Yellow Squash Chile-Cheddar Mash

By the end of next week…I’m going to be out of town. This means I have a lot of fresh produce to work through before leaving. I never want anything to go to waste, so I make a point to use up everything before it goes bad and spoils.

It’s also Friday…and this morning my bin for my CSA was placed outside my front door. Soon after I got home tonight from work, my new one arrived with a whole new round of fresh produce. I still had quite a bit from the two previous bins before that…so I put myself on a mission tonight…to use up most of what I had from the old bin so this coming week I could focus on the new stuff.

Mission accomplished. I found an Eating Well recipe from 2011 that used 3 medium zucchini. I didn’t have zucchini but I had 3 medium yellow squashes in my crisper drawer just begging for some action. My usual go-to would be to sautee them in a pan and serve them up as a side. But I thought…why not try something new. And with the exception of an onion and some diced green chiles…I totally had everything else to make this super-simple and highly flavorful dish.

My entire meal was loaded with veggies tonight. And the star was definitely the mash that I made from the squash. I made it vegan…using Diaya cheddar shreds in place of reglar extra-sharp cheddar cheese. But if you aren’t affected by dairy…feel free to use regular cheddar cheese. My roommate and I both devoured this. So delicious.

Recipe: Vegan Yellow Squash Chile-Cheddar Mash

Servings: 2-4
Time: Prep 5 minutes; Cook 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/4 pounds yellow squash (2-3 medium), halved lengthwise and sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 4 oz can diced green chiles, drained
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (I used Daiya Vegan Cheddar Shreds)

Directions:

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Add zucchini and onion; stir to coat.

Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes.

Stir in chiles and salt; cook until heated through, 1 minute more.

Transfer to a medium bowl. Mash with a potato masher until chunky, not completely smooth.

Stir in cheese and serve immediately.

~*~*~

My onion and squash got this amazing caramelization on them from cooking. It really sweetened up the onions and the squash became super soft. After mashing it up…it really didn’t look like much. But once I mixed in the vegan cheese, everything started to come together. This is a rich tasting, sweet and savory sort of dish that would be delicious as a side as well. Forget mashed potatoes…serve up some squash mash. It’s packed with flavor and SUPER healthy too. My roommate and I split the entire pan as our entree, and that was only 238 calories for that huge serving on that plate. I served it up with oven roasted broccolini and some herbed corn off the cob to complete a veggie-packed, but quite filling dinner.

We’re already talking about making it again. Really delish!! Go ahead…try something different with your squash or zucchini. It’s worth it.

August 22, 2013

Recipe: Roasted Corn Risotto with Smoked Paprika

Rice is a staple in my kitchen. It can be used as a base for my quick Indian foods from Tasty Bite. It can be made into a filling for a taco or gluten-free quesadilla. It can be thrown into a stir-fry. Or…it can be used to make a risotto. The possibilities are endless. And I have every variety of rice hanging out in my pantry…trust me.

It just so happened that my CSA bin, last week, had four lovely ears of yellow corn inside. I didn’t have time to get to the corn last week, so I started trying to come up with some unique way to use it…rather than some deconstructed Mexican corn dish or something. The answer came to me via a recipe on the vegetarian food blog, Amuse Your Bouche. A risotto made with roasted corn and smoked paprika. It sounded fantastic. And between my bin and items already in my fridge and pantry…I just happened to have everything necessary to make it.

So…this morning after an 8 mile run, I came home, showered, then got to roasting up the corn for this particular risotto. The kitchen smelled fantastic as it was roasting away in the oven. Yes…the oven. The rest…that all was worked on after a quick circuit training session. And it all came together in a beautiful and highly tasty dish. In fact, Cathy, my roommate, declares it her favorite risotto I have ever made. And I’ve made a lot of risottos in my cooking days. So, that was a huge win.

Recipe: Roasted Corn Risotto with Smoked Paprika

Servings: 4
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Cook 30 minutes

Ingredients:

250 grams corn kernels (I used fresh, cut from the cob, and weighed it. It was just over a cup. You could also use sweet corn from a can, if fresh corn is not an option for you)
10 grams butter (just under 1 tablespoon)
100 grams cheddar cheese, grated (just under 1/2 cup)
Salt
Black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
200 grams arborio rice (I weighed it, and it’s just about 1 cup)
4 cups vegetable stock (or 1 stock cube plus ~4 cups hot water)
1 tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped (optional)

Directions:

Lay the corn kernels out on a baking tray in a single layer.

Add a few small pats of butter and sprinkle with just a little of the cheddar (around 2-3 tablespoons – save the rest for later).

Season with salt and pepper and place in an oven heated to 400°F for around 30-40 minutes, stirring well halfway.

Remove from the oven when it is golden brown and the pieces at the edge are beginning to turn crispy.

While the corn is roasting, prepare the risotto itself.

Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan, wok or risotto pan, and cook the onion and garlic, along with the paprika, over a medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.

Add the rice and cook for about 2 minutes more.

Then begin to add the stock, around 1/2 cup at a time, allowing it to be mostly absorbed by the rice before adding a little more. Be sure to stir regularly. It’s okay if the mixture bubbles very gently, but keep it on a low heat.

Continue adding more stock (and stirring well) until the rice is cooked and at your desired consistency – around 30 minutes. Add the remaining grated cheese, the chopped coriander (if using), and the roasted corn.

Serve warm.

~*~*~

The Amuse Your Bouche Web site does say that this risotto reheats really, really well. Which is good, because both Cathy and I have a serving of it for tomorrow’s dinner as well. Honestly, this risotto was packed…and I mean…packed with flavor. Cathy said it reminded her a lot of a gourmet macaroni and cheese…but with rice and corn.

I know…sometimes she states the obvious. But…the fact is…this risotto was just amazing. Super delicious. Creamy. Filling. And just made of epic YUM!! But…you should be the judge of that. So…don’t fear risotto. Embrace it. And make some tonight. I recommend this recipe. I highly recommend it.

August 15, 2013August 15, 2013

Product Review: Pillsbury Gluten-Free Pie & Pastry Dough

Product: Pillsbury Gluten-Free Pie & Pastry Dough – $4.49+

I had heard stories about these. Rumors. Whispers in the dark. Advertisements in my gluten-free magazines. I knew they were out there…the problem was I couldn’t find them. Anywhere.

What am I talking about?

Pillsbury’s new line of gluten-free refrigerated mixes.

For real!

Yes…Pillsbury. As in the Doughboy. Or…now…the Gluten-Free Doughboy.

I was strolling through my local grocery store over the weekend. I was on a mission. Bananas for Tuesday’s after-I-work-out breakfast banana split. Honestly. But first I had to check out the manager’s special area. Usually Sunday is the day to do that. But not this week. But as I was striding past the refrigerator section holding the yogurts, the cheeses and the butters and margarine…I spotted these beautiful little containers that had that light violet color I saw in the ads.

“OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!” And then I took off. Which left my roommate watching me scurry over to the refrigerated space. She followed and I started picking up the three different items that the store had in stock. You see Pillsbury introduced three gluten-free doughs, pre-mixed and ready…very convenient. Gluten-Free Cookie Dough, Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Dough, and Gluten-Free Pie & Pastry Dough.

I did this hillarious happy dance of joy, pumping my fists, doing a little jig and…turning to face my roomie and giving her the sad eyes that declare, “I really, really, really want these in my life!” We had plenty in our fridge, so she said maybe next week. I conceded, but my hand went back to the Pie & Pastry Dough.

“But…I can make the Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts…”

That was all I needed to say. The Pillsbury Gluten-Free Pie & Pastry Dough made its way into my hands to be taken to the register…along with the bananas, which was our original reason for shopping that afternoon. We paid, we went home, and this little tub of gluten-free joy went right into my refrigerator. And on Tuesday (Moday is fun run night…so that’s an easy food day), after a rough circuit training…it was time to see how this dough would do with the Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart that I used to make using puff pastry…you know…before I knew I had to go gluten-free.

Pillsbury Gluten-Free Pie & Pastry Dough (rolled out for the tarts and topped with grated Parmesan)

I knew that this dough wouldn’t puff up like a puff pastry, but I figured I could make it work. I basically followed the recipe for the tarts as I used to make them, substituting the puff pastry portion with a serving of this Pie & Pastry Dough. I scooped out a serving (56 grams) of dough and placed it on my lightly floured board. I floured my rolling pin and rolled the dough out to a six-inch circle (roughly). I repeated this with another serving, then plated them on the baking tray, gave a light sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, topped that with the onions I caramelized, a thick slice of tomato, a little salt, a little pepper, some goat cheese, fresh basil, and finally some shaved Parmesan.

While the container has this baking at at a much lower temperature, I went with what my recipe had for the original tart with puff pastry. Into the oven at 425° F, I baked this for the 20-25 minutes, checking on it every now and again to make sure that it wasn’t burning.

I was shocked that this actually worked. Honestly. But the tart came out beautifully. Sure, it didn’t puff up like it used to, but it didn’t need to. I served each of us one of the tarts and we settled in for dinner. My roommate dug right in, commenting on how she loved how the dough didn’t get soggy and how that it was still golden and flaky. I took that as a win as I took my fork and sliced into mine.

She was right. This was the ultimate dough for the crust of my Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart. The dough itself baked into a perfectly golden crust, not turning soggy in the middle where the toppings were all stacked onto it. In fact, I was so pleased with the way this turned out. It had this beautiful crisp outside and this flaky texture. It was one of the most amazing things I managed to make with a gluten-free dough. I was in love with every bite. Every. Single. Bite.

For real!

Needless to say…Pillsbury impressed me. Honestly. Pillsbury won me over with this dough. And I’ve only used it for one thing. I might have to try to make a calzone with it next. Hmmm…that might be an idea for Sunday…

So, let’s talk ingredients and nutritional information. The not-so-fun part of this blog. But…it is important, because I value everything I put into this body. So, while it’s not always pretty, I like to be aware of what I am consuming.

The Pillsbury Gluten-Free Pie & Pastry Dough is made from soybean oil, water, cornstarch, modified potato starch (BOO!), hydrogenated soybean oil (BOO!), rice flour, whole sorghum flour, fructose, sugar, salt, xanthan gum, guar gum, citric acid, and some preservatives. So…yeah…clean eating it is not. But I made a deal to do at least 70%/30%…so I was going to allow this to fall into my 30%.

Nutritionally speaking, a serving (56 grams) will bake you up a crispy golden serving of 250 calories and 17 grams of fat. So…yeah…it’s not a light dough by any means…but at least it tastes good. All things in moderation, my friends. That being said, the Pillsbury Gluten-Free Pie & Pastry Dough is cholesterol-free and has 340 mg sodium. This has 3 grams of sugar and less than 1 gram each of protein and fiber.

That being said…using it as the base for my Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart worked out wonderfully. I just want to make that again and again and again. And I can, because I still have over half the dough in the container in my refrigerator. Squeak of gluten-free doughy glee! Honestly…the dough was perfect. I was afraid that it would just be mushy and unimpressive, but this was one of the most beautifully baked crusts I witnessed. Especially in the gluten-free crust world. I am so happy with Pillsbury right now…I could…just hug that little Doughboy.

Gluten-free…anything…that might need a flaky, golden crust…just got a whole lot easier. And yes…it’s true…

Nothing says lovin’ like somethin’ gluten-free from the oven.

Pillsbury…I think I love you.

Gluten-Free Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart made with Pillsbury Gluten-Free Pie & Pastry Dough

August 12, 2013

Product Review: BOLD Organics Gluten-Free and Vegan Veggie Lovers Pizza

Product: BOLD Organics Gluten-Free and Vegan Veggie Lovers Pizza – $9.49+

Sometimes…if you look hard enough…you manage to find something amazing…despite it being a processed food in the freezer department. At least it was at a natural food store…so that’s saying something, right? Right!

That’s what I’ll keep telling myself.

Anyway…what I speak of is a brand of gluten-free and vegan pizza (this version anyway) made by BOLD Organics. In fact, BOLD Organics pizzas (the vegan and the meaty ones) are all gluten-free, milk-free, lactose-free, casein-free, whey-free, egg-free, peanut-free, and treenut-free. EPIC!! I mean…EPIC, right?! Right!

BOLD Organics was founded with a simple principle to strive for – creating the most delicious and healthy frozen pizza on the market. And that vision was reached and realized with the line of gluten-free and dairy-free pizzas that, as the Web site puts it, “are redefining just how good eating healthy can taste.”

It’s not too bold (see what I did there?) a statement either. Because what BOLD Organics did…was take their goal and do everything in their power to make it a reality. Seriously. Founder, Aaron Greenwald, often found that traditional gluten-free products on the market were bland and lacked taste. That was when Aaron embarked on his mission to not just help people eat better…but also feel better. And he sourced the best chefs he could find who not only understood gluten-free food, but could also provide bold (I did it again) flavors to the products his company would produce. And so…BOLD Organics was born.

BOLD Organics began producing high quality, allergen-free foods…so people could have a choice when it came to gluten-free pizzas. He strove to provide restaurant quality food with premium taste…without paying a premium price.

Well, when I spotted this in my natural food store’s freezer…I decided that having a frozen pizza on hand wasn’t a bad idea. I mean…when you need something easy one night, just pop it out of the freezer, onto a pizza stone…and viola…dinner! So, I had one stashed in my freezer. And, as I am trying very hard to work my way through the plethora of gluten-free goodness I have stocked up in my freezer and pantry, on Friday, as I had a 16 mile run on Saturday, I figured gluten-free pizza would be the way to go.

BOLD Organics Gluten-Free and Vegan Veggie Lovers Pizza (cooked)

Out of the two vegan options offered by BOLD Organics, I went with the Veggie Lovers version. Why? Because any pizza that is topped with seasonal vegetables (organic roasted red peppers, organic roasted yellow onions, and shiitake mushrooms) is okay in my book. The cheese they use is completely vegan. So, I pulled this out of the freezer directly after work and preheated the oven to 450° F, per the instructions on the box. I stuck my pizza stone in to warm while the oven preheated and set about opening up the box.

The box does make me think that the pizza would be a little bigger than it really is…but what it lacks for in size (it’s an 8-inch pizza), it makes up for in the fact that it is not a cracker-crust, very thin-crust pizza. Nope. Not at all. This pizza has depth to it. It has the most amazing crust…and I could tell that before it was even baked. With the oven heated and pizza stone warm, I tossed the pizza in to cook for 20-22 minutes. If the vegan cheese has not melted, it says to broil it for 1-2 more minutes. The cheese on my pizza melted beautifully and the crust became fluffy and golden and just…perfect looking.

I removed the pizza from the oven and sliced it in half. The box I have says the serving size was half the pizza. That seems to have changed now…but…I’ll go off what I had in my freezer. One half went to my roommate, the other half was mine…all mine. I can say this…it looked and smelled amazing. But, as always, the true test lies in the taste. That is the absolute heart of the matter.

I settled in for dinner, fork in hand, and sliced through the crispy, yet soft crust. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. That is pizza crust perfection, my friends. PERFECTION! And, furthermore…this pizza was frozen pizza perfection. It looked like all the non-gluten-free counterparts you see on the market. It wasn’t this sad-looking thin crust slab of cheese and veggies. No. This was a bold looking, veggie laden (save for the mushrooms…I got a bit gypped on those), vegan cheese coated amazing thing. The flavors were melt-together perfect. It was sweet from the peppers and savory with the cheese. It had that perfect crust. I was in pizza heaven. I was. Because, with the exception of my local allergen-free bakery, I can’t find anything but cracker-crust when it comes to gluten-free pizza. That just changed. My whole frozen pizza world just expanded. I was…SO impressed. The cheese, even being a vegan mozzarella, was stretchy and melty and gooey. Pizza perfection. BOLD pizza perfection. I’m sold. For life.

Let’s talk ingredients and nutrition, shall we?

This pizza is made up of filtered water, vegan gourmet mozzarella cheese alternative, inulin, soy protein, agar agar, sea salt, plant-based natural flavor, carrageenan (BOO!), vegetable source of lactic acid, organic crushed tomatoes, organic potato starch, organic rice flour, organic corn meal, organic roasted red bell peppers, shiitake mushrooms, organic roasted yellow onions, fresh yeast, organic tomato paste, organic extra virgin olive oil, xanthan gum, organic evaporated cane juice, organic oregano, organic apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and organic spices (rosemary, black pepper, granulated garlic, red chili).

As far as nutritional value goes…for half of a pizza…this isn’t too bad. One serving (1/2 of the pizza) served up 340 calories and 13 grams of fat. That’s actually not bad! I was impressed. It has 670 mg sodium, which is a little high…but…not bad in the grand scheme of things. The serving has 6 grams of sugar as well, which is super good. And, 1/2 of the pizza dishes up 6 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein.

It’s awesome. BOLD Organics produced a product they can totally be proud of and stand behind. I loved every bite I took of this one. And I will definitely try the Vegan Cheese version in the future too. With a fluffy and flaky crust like that…it’s hard to stop me from stuffing another one in my freezer.

This pizza BOLD-ly went where no gluten-free pizza went before…and they did it perfectly!

A serving of BOLD Organics Gluten-Free and Vegan Veggie Lovers Pizza

August 4, 2013

The jury is in…Louisville’s Sidebar pays special attention to dietary needs

Restaurant: Sidebar at Whiskey Row, Louisville, Kentucky

I love eating out with friends. I really, really do. Especially when it’s a fellow co-worker who is as much a foodie as my roommate and I. I mean, how can you say “NO” to trying out new spots right in your own backyard? I can’t. I love trying out new restaurants. But, with my food allergies, this sometimes means an extra level of difficulty, or sometimes…me bringing my own food to eat while they order and dine from the establishment itself. And…yes…I am okay with that. It has never bothered me at all. It bothers the people I dine with at times, but I’m perfectly fine eating one of my protein bars and then grabbing something that is safe for me to eat at home.

It’s my body…so it’s my choice, right? Right!

Anyway, one of our IT guys at work had gone to this local burger spot in Louisville, Kentucky that he was over the moon for their food. He’d gone there a couple of times and said that they never gave him something he didn’t like. Not only was their bourbon amazing, but their burgers were to die for.

It sounded like something Cathy needed to try out…because that girl loves her burgers. I did note that they made a vegetarian burger as well, so took it upon myself to post on their Facebook page as to what, if any, gluten-free options Sidebar at Whiskey Row had to offer. What happened next was one of the most amazing and wonderful things any restaurant establishment can do for someone who wishes to dine with them, but has certain dietary needs. I had a quick response from Jason Pierce, Sidebar’s Assistant General Manager and the Culinary Director providing his e-mail address so that I could contact him about my visit on Friday evening. I immediately sent him an e-mail to which he said that all salads are prepared in a manner that would be safe for me to eat, being that they are properly handled, washed, and plated so that there would be no cross-contamination. He also said that if I wanted to, I could bring in my own salad dressing that he could dress the salad with as well. I appreciated that suggestion immensely. And, finally, he said that they could prepare the Mushroom Edamame Burger (the vegetarian option) without the gluten ingredients. I told him I was fine with a salad, and that I really appreciated the burger option, but with it needing to be cooked on a separate, and clean, surface…the salad would probably be easiest.

A few back and forth messages via e-mail and Jason ensured me that he would make sure I had a fantastic dining experience on Friday.

Fast forward to Friday. The three of us left work and headed down to Sidebar at Whiskey Row immediately, not really knowing what the traffic situation in Louisville would be like. It wasn’t too bad and we were parked and heading into Sidebar by 5 p.m. We were greeted warmly and shown to a table in the corner. The three of us settled in and all ordered waters (I was sticking with water as I had a 12 mile run the next morning). Justin already knew he was getting an Old Fashioned ($10.00), which is sugar and bitters topped with whiskey and then touched off with a twist of citrus rind. He told Cathy that it was one of his favorite drinks there, especially since Sidebar is known for their barrel-aged cocktails. You see, Sidebar at Whiskey Row mixes all the shelf-stable components of a cocktail and ages the mixture in a charred barrel. How’s that for unique. And you won’t find these cocktails on any other menu in the area. Anyway…that was all Cathy had to hear, apparently…

Sidebar's Old Fashioned cocktail — Sidebar’s Old Fashioned cocktail

My two carnivorous friends put in their orders after our drinks arrived. Justin decided to go for the Ambulance Chaser ($12.00), which is a Certified Angus Beef burger topped with smoky BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, smoked bacon, tomato jam and tobacco onions. He opted for the Truffle-Parm fries ($2.00) with his burger. Cathy decided on the Court Reporter ($12.00), which is a Certified Angus Beef burger topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, honey-chipotle aioli, and roasted red pepper relish. She opted for the sweet potato fries with her burger($2.00). And…she went ahead and decided to try an Old Fashioned without sampling Justin’s…so that was put in as well.

I mentioned to our waitress before ordering that I had been talking to Jason Pierce about my meal. She said she would go to the kitchen and talk to him, so when she returned she said that Jason recommended the Kale Salad ($8.00), without the Parmesan cheese and without the toasted almonds. I said that sounded great. After all…I love, love, LOVE kale. I was super excited.

With the orders in, Cathy and Justin decided to enjoy their cocktails while we sat around, took in the ambiance of the restaurant itself, and had good conversation. First of all, you might notice a courtroom theme for Sidebar. You are very observant. That was entirely the point. Not to mention, the restaurant itself is located in a grand 19th-Century building next to the Second Street Bridge, and boasts lofty ceilings, towering windows, a beautiful bar, and comfortable seating. It’s simply a stunning place to dine. Another thing that Sidebar is quite proud of is that they created their own unique hamburger blend, which is a mix of certified Angus beef, chuck, brisket, and short rib, creating a burger that uses no trimmings, added fats, fillers, or binders. So, for you carnivores or people with friends who love a good burger…this might be a great place to take them.

It wasn’t too long before our food arrived at the table. Everything looked amazing. My salad was a work of art. Honestly. A bed of finely shredded kale, piled high with carrots, greens, carrots, and served with a citrus vinaigrette. Rimming the edge of it was gorgeous heirloom tomatoes and fresh cucumber. It was not the described kale salad from the menu, but something that Jason did up special for me. No sooner had the waitress left but Jason comes to the table to introduce himself and tell me a little bit about what he put together for me. I shook his hand and thanked him for his help and for everything. This salad was going to be epic…I could already tell. Jason returned to the kitchen and I dug in.

HOLY COW! This is definitely one of the best salads I have ever had the honor of eating. And I’m not just saying that. First of all, it’s not your typical green salad that most restaurants would give you. I loved the way the kale was shredded, making it the bed of the salad, and not difficult to eat, nor clunky. The green onion, carrots, and cucumber made fantastic green vegetables to serve with it. And those heirloom tomatoes…they were juicy, fresh, and just melted in my mouth. The citrus vinaigrette was out-of-this-world and made for the perfect pairing with every component of this salad. It was a nice hit of sweetness that matched the earthy flavors of the vegetables to perfection. I almost didn’t want to dive into it, because it just looked gorgeous, but I was hungry and I definitely wanted to see what Jason’s salad creation tasted like. If heaven was a salad bar, then this would be the salad it would serve every day. I would never get tired of eating this. It worked. It worked well. And I couldn’t stop eating it even if I tried.

Cathy and Justin devoured their burgers and fries and polished off their cocktails. Everyone was satisfied and happy with their meals. Cathy and I already decided this is definitely a place we need to take our friend Greg, who LOVES a good burger. I think he would love what this place served up.

I really wanted to once again express my appreciation to Sidebar and to Jason Pierce, specifically, for not only addressing my dietary needs, but for exceeding all expectations when it came to my dinner choice that evening. I was blown away and can’t wait to return again for another round of that amazing Kale Salad. I have been bragging to everyone, my running group included (because we ran by the restaurant on Saturday morning) about the food, the service, and the attention that is given to every aspect of customer service and customer satisfaction at Sidebar. I was beyond impressed.

Louisville is certainly lucky to have such a great gourmet burger establishment. Not just because of the value of the food produced, but also the attention to detail and the personal touches that are given…without even being asked. I will forever recommend Sidebar to people, simply because they took good care of me, someone with special dietary needs, and they did it very well. Going above and beyond…that’s what they do.

Congratulations, Sidebar…you definitely passed the bar!! In fact, you just set the bar higher for every other local restaurant!

Sidebar's Kale Salad (done gluten-free) — Sidebar’s Kale Salad (done gluten-free)

July 30, 2013July 30, 2013

Recipe: Gluten-Free Rainbow Chard Lemon Pasta

Tonight felt like a pasta night. Why? Because…I love pasta. Gluten-free pasta, that is. And it had honestly been ages since I had made pasta for my roomie and I. With Friday fast approaching, I have bin ingredients that are screaming to be used. So…I went on the hunt for some ideas.

Friends, I say this to you honestly…DO NOT FEAR PASTA! It can be made healthy as long as you don’t drown it in creamy sauces, oils, or have portion distortion. It’s all about moderation and preparation. And, thanks to a recipe from one of my favorite Clean Eating sites, I had just the recipe to modify tonight. The original recipe was already gluten-free…but I changed out ingredients for what I had in my crisper drawer from my CSA bin. It worked out beautifully.

The original recipe was taken from The Healthy Apple, who put up a great sounding dish called Swiss Chard Lemon Pasta. Well, I had rainbow chard. I hate olives, but I had grape tomatoes. I always have lemon and lemon zest on hand…it seemed ideal. And tonight…this healthy pasta dish was dinner. And, wow…did the flavors ever sing.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Rainbow Chard Lemon Pasta

Servings: 4
Time: Prep 5 minutes; Cook 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup Gluten-Free Penne Pasta (I used La Veneziane Gluten-Free Corn Meal Farfalle)
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 head Swiss chard, cut into ½ inch pieces
½ cup kalamata olives (I hate olives, so I substituted grape tomatoes in their place)
¼ cup fresh cilantro (I omitted this)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. fresh lemon zest
¼ tsp. smoked paprika
¼ tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Cook the gluten-free pasta according to package directions. Remove from heat; drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook rainbow chard in olive oil over medium heat until wilted, approximately 4 minutes.

Remove from heat and transfer to a large serving bowl.

Add cooked pasta, tomatoes (or olives), cilantro (if using), scallions, vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, smoked paprika, sea salt and pepper; gently toss to combine.

Serve warm.

~*~*~

Don’t be fooled into thinking that this pasta will be lacking without a sauce. With the lemon and the apple cider vinegar, it’s flavortown! Honestly. Just lots of flavor, and it all plays well with the pasta and the vegetables. I was delightfully happy when I sat down with my bowl of veggies with a little pasta. I love it when a dish is more vegetables than anything else.

Not only was this dish delicious…it was easy to prepare and simple to make. Just a little chopping, some action on the stove…and then…viola! Dinner is served. A healthy pasta dish…you better believe it’s possible.

Don’t just take my word for it, though. Try it for yourself. You know you’re dying to. Pasta night…starts…now!

July 30, 2013July 30, 2013

The Good Bean provides a naughty but nice crunchy chickpea snack with Smoky Chili and Lime

Product: The Good Bean Smoky Chili and Lime Chickpea Snack – $2.99+

Forget chips. Honestly. Forget the over processed, unhealthy, and sometimes laden with chemicals and ingredients that you don’t recognize and probably shouldn’t be consuming after all. There are other options out there that are not only healthier, but taste better?

Ever have kale chips? They are easy to make…or, for a price, you can buy them already made in a variety of flavors. But, healthier crunchy options don’t end there.

Ever have crunchy chickpeas? You know…chickpeas that have been roasted in the oven so now they are hard and have this amazing crunch to them? If not…you should. And if you don’t trust yourself to make them right…no worries. The Good Bean has taken the guess-work out of the preparation and is putting the amazing tastes of all-natural, roasted chickpeas on the shelves of grocery stores. I found mine at Whole Foods, but have spotted them at other natural food stores.

Prior to today, I had already tried the Sea Salt and the Sweet Cinnamon versions of this snack. This left two flavors still needing my attention. Black Pepper (which I can’t find anywhere!) and Smoky Chili and Lime. I love me some spice, so I saved the Smoky Chili and Lime version for the end of my roasted chickpea journey (or at least until I can find the Black Pepper variety around here). It would be my afternoon snack, the one that would see me through the tail-end of my day at work. And with the success of the previous two flavors…I was quite happy to try this particular one. I mean…come on…it’s spicy, right?

The Good Bean’s Smoky Chili and Lime flavor was apparently inspired by the fantastic flavors that are found in Spanish and Mexican snacks. They chose to use Spanish Paprika, which provides a great smokey flavor without a lot of heat, to pair with the smoky chili flavor in their spice mix. The Good Bean states that this specific chili…is the “naughtily assertive Mexican Chipotle.” But…don’t worry. To tame the chilies and keep the heat under control, The Good bean blended in lime…just to give an extra zing to the chickpeas and to take away just a smidge of the heat. After all…you want to be able to taste the snack…not your tastebuds burning.

Which now brings me to how they taste. I’m…on the fence. While I have raved about the other flavors I have tried…this one is just…different. And that’s saying something coming from me. Here’s why. I love spicy foods. I love the burn and the heat. And, yes, The Good Bean’s Smoky Chili and Lime Chickpea Snacks definitely has a generous spice coating on each roasted chickpea…but the lime…the lime seems to overpower everything. In fact, I commented that I felt like I was eating a fruity cereal more than a spicy snack. Considering this was the flavor I was looking forward to the most, it’s a huge let down. If I wanted to eat Fruity Pebbles, I would have bought them. The fact is…I bought a snack that promised heat with their usual rich chickpea flavor. And all I really get is a hint of the spice…and then a whole lot of lime. Talk about a let down!

So…with that in mind, let’s discuss ingredients and nutrition. One serving of The Good Bean Smoky Chili and Lime Chickpea Snacks is 1/4 cup (or 35 ounces). This serving provides you with 150 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. Like the other flavors, this one is also cholesterol free and has only 260 mg sodium. You also get 6 grams of filling fiber and a great 6 gram hit of protein with each serving. And with only 5 grams of sugar per serving, you can feel good about your choice. These snacks are all low in carbohydrates, contain nothing over-engineered, nothing artificial, are low in fat, gluten-free and also nut free. The Smoky Chili and Lime variety contains roasted chickpeas, brown rice syrup, spices, coarse salt, lime juice concentrate, gum arabic, non-GMO and expeller-pressed canola oil. These particular snacks are also considered clean eating. WIN for my new diet.

Don’t get me wrong…the Smoky Chili and Lime variety is good enough…it just wasn’t what I had expected it to taste like. Way too much lime for my tastes and not enough of that smokey chile flavor that is promised on the package. Still…a healthy and nutritious choice for a snack. Same satisfying crunch as a chip…but giving you so many more healthy benefits without the added fat, cholesterol, and unnecessary ingredients. The Good Bean puts out very good products that they should be proud of. I am happy to have this sort of snack in my life. And maybe…maybe they have inspired me to give roasting chickpeas at home on my own a try.

Just maybe…

A serving of The Good Bean Smoky Chili and Lime Chickpea Snacks — A serving of The Good Bean Smoky Chili and Lime Chickpea Snack