Category: Vegetarian

Product: Simply Shari’s Gluten-Free & Fabulous Cheese Pizza – $7.99+

Prior to this pizza, I had only had restaurant-prepared gluten-free pizza and those I created using gluten-free pizza crusts from Rudi’s and Udi’s.  This was my first foray into the world of gluten-free frozen pizzas.

And I have Frankfort, Kentucky to thank for it.  Seriously.  Because before I raced one night there, my roommate and I were killing some time in town at the grocery store.  As we were perusing their gluten-free section, she spotted a manager’s special on the Simply Shari’s Gluten-Free & Fabulous Cheese Pizza in the freezer section nearby.  We vowed that we would stop back into the grocery store after the race before the drive back home and pick one up to try.  Hopefully there would still be one for us.

The gluten-free gods shined upon us that night because we returned and were able to purchase one at the special rate.

So…one weekend when I was too busy to really prepare anything for dinner and I blinked at it was almost 8 p.m…this little treasure went into the oven.  While it cooked up, I was able to get some dishes done and a few other minor tasks until I removed this from the oven and set it down to slice.

First of all, I love a good thin-crust pizza.  Honestly.  This one browned up beautifully in the oven and crisped up on the edges really well.  When I sliced through it, however, I found the middle to be a lot softer, but it’s a frozen pizza.  We’re not talking on the verge of gourmet here.  The cheese melted fairly well, although the part in the center wasn’t as melted as it was at the edges.  But only tasting it would tell.

The crust was packed full of flavor.  It really complimented the oregano tomato sauce and the mild cheese that topped it off.  There were no frills or fancy additions to this pizza.  It was simply cheese, tomato sauce and a thin crust.  And you know what?  It worked.  The flavors melted together well.  And the texture was awesome…especially the crispy bits of crust on the edges.

Simply Shari’s was previously marketed as “Gluten-Free & Fabulous” so if you spot those in the grocery store, go ahead and give it a whirl.  Nothing will ever beat the real thing, but for a quick and easy meal, which still happens to be healthy (your portion is half the pizza and the calorie count is around 190 for the serving) comfort food, I highly recommend this brand.  Easy to prepare, delicious, gluten-free and fabulous.  When you can’t make it yourself…let someone else do the work for you.  Just make sure it’s worth it.  Simply Shari’s…is totally worth it.

Product: Alexia Foods Chipotle Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Vegetables – $3.29+

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite foods to eat.  I’ll eat them baked, served up as fries, made into (amazing) tater tots, and so on.  So, when I spotted another great potato and vegetable side from Alexia Foods, I couldn’t help put grab it from the freezer section at my grocery store so that I could give it a try.

Alexia Foods has a wide variety of these sides that include vegetables and potatoes that are easily sauteed up in some herb-infused olive oil.  The Chipotle Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Vegetables, however, is my new favorite!  I swear on every sweet potato on this Earth that this one takes the sweet potato cake!

First of all, it’s a synch to make.  Heat a pan.  Thaw the oil packet hot water.  Add oil to hot pan.  Then pour the contents of the bag into the pan and sauté for about 10-12 minutes.  Serve.  Enjoy.

The oil in this particular variety is chipotle-infused, adding a spicy kick to the meal.  The sweet potatoes are paired with sweet corn, black beans, red bell pepper, and onions, bringing layers of flavor to the dish.  You get the sweetness from the potatoes, corn, and peppers, and a bit of heat from the onions and black beans.  But it’s the magic of the chipotle-infused olive oil that everything is cooked in that really brings this dish to life.  Seriously.  It is the right level of heat, so that it’s not too much or lacking in any way.  Perfect seasoning throughout.  The variety of vegetables that are included in this pack provide different textures and flavors on their own, so when they are brought together, it’s magic.

Alexia Foods does potatoes right.  And this is a great gluten-free product that can either act as a meal or be served as a side.  It’s up to you as to how much you wish to enjoy and keep for yourself.  For me…it’s a meal.  But I wouldn’t bat an eyelash at preparing it as a side dish if I were to have company over.  It’s another product done to perfection by Alexia Foods.

Spice can be nice.  It can be sweet too.  And this gives you the best of both worlds.

Product: Imagine Light in Sodium Organic Creamy Harvest Corn Soup – $3.99+

I know what you’re thinking.  Corn soup?  Sure, there are plenty of recipes, cans, and mixes for corn chowder, but a creamy corn soup?  How is that going to taste?

Funny, my roommate and I wondered the same thing when we bought this.  But the local Big Lots carries this soup (and a couple other varieties in the low sodium options) at a much cheaper price that the local grocery markets.  So, how could we turn our noses up to a gluten-free soup?  Besides, we won’t know if we like it until we try it, right?

I had no doubts it would be good, but convincing my roommate to give it a try took some doing.  But as the month neared for the expiration, she finally agreed to it one evening for dinner.  And so…out came the box of Imagine Light in Sodium Organic Creamy Harvest Corn Soup.

Into the pan on the stove it went to heat.  I was trying to think of ways to dress it up for her…but I had no peppers or onions in the apartment.  So, she got the soup as it came…straight from the box.  No added seasoning, no added vegetables or cheese for flavor.  Simple soup.

So when she took her first sip of it, then immediately dipped her spoon back in for more…I knew there had be something good in this soup.  And upon my own tasting, it was just easy to see that Imagine once again created a fantastic product out of simple ingredients.  And nothing beats a simply delicious meal after a long day at work, right?  I know after spending all day at the office one of the last things I want to do is stand in the kitchen preparing a meal.

This soup is composed of very basic, simple ingredients: corn, celery, onions, and potatoes…all organic.  It is then seasoned and preserved in the box and ready for consumption.  Where I was worried this soup would fall flat on flavor, it instead was alive with it.  Each bite had a kick of corn-flavor, seasoned and flavored to perfection by the other ingredients.  And with this having 50% less sodium than the regular version, it didn’t lack any flavor at all.  Spoonful after spoonful it was consumed until bowls were empty and we were quite satisfied with the meal overall.  Nutritious, low in sodium, low in calories, yet quite filling.  It was the perfect storm as far as soups go.  Now we wish we had more boxes of this particular flavor.

Every soup definitely has its day.  Imagine’s Light in Sodium Organic Creamy Harvest Corn soup will now forever be a part of our pantry.  And it should find a place in yours.  Like…now.

Product: SnapDragon Pan-Asian Cuisine Whole-Grain Brown Rice Crisps – $3.99

I adore my friends who see gluten-free products and immediately think of me.  Since I had to go gluten-free, it seems the people who are around me notice items now that are labeled as gluten-free.

My friend, Amanda, knows someone who works in a natural food store.  She was given some products and spotted that they were vegan and gluten-free…which made her immediately think of me.  So, she came over one day with a special delivery of these products for my enjoyment.  Not only were their some gluten-free Asian sauces, but she had a couple varieties of vegan and gluten-free rice crisps as well.

These little snacks are a product from SnapDragon Pan-Asian Cuisine.  The first kind of the two she brought me were the Whole-Grain Brown Rice Crisps.  Upon first glance, they don’t seem like much.  Little crackers that you can pop while you mindless work away at the office, or if your tummy gets the snack rumblies around 3 p.m.  It happens.  Every day.  To me.  Don’t judge.

However, one bite of these crisps and you’ll be hooked.  I was.  And there really isn’t much to them!  I guess that’s the magic and wonder of these snacks.  Light and quite low in fat, these are a healthy alternative to chips or crackers.  What makes these so interesting (Yes, snacks can be interesting!  I’m a foodie…and food is fascinating!) is that they are so simplistic, yet so flavorful.  The Whole-Grain Rice Crisps have a very mild spice to them, which is part of the mysterious authentic Asian seasonings that are implied on the box.  But it pairs well with the airy and light texture of the brown rice crisps themselves.  They are baked, boosting the health factor greatly, and then very lightly seasoned with sea salt, giving them the whole snack appeal.  Healthy and delicious…that’s a winning combination in my book.

And, by the grace of the gluten-free food gods, I have discovered a local store that has a few varieties of these crisps on their shelves!  It’s a specialty store, but it means I won’t have to beg Amanda to get in touch with her friend in hopes of getting more.  Vegan.  Gluten-free.  Naturally delicious.

Give these little rice crisps a chance.  Especially if you are a sucker for Asian foods, because these bring a fusion of Asian flavor to each bite.

Product: Lundberg Family Farms Honey Dijon Rice Chips – $2.79+

We all love a little salty crunch in our lives, right?  Chips are usually the go-to snack food.  Many of the varieties out there, however, are not gluten-free.  And that makes finding a safe product a little more difficult than usual.

But thanks to great companies like Lundberg, who make a wide variety of various gluten-free products, that’s changing.  All that has to be done is the gluten-free community must be offered a delicious product that goes beyond our expectations.  I can safely say that Lundberg does that over and over again with the wide variety and flavor of their numerous gluten-free products.

But the one that really sets them apart is their Rice Chips.  More specifically, their Honey Dijon Rice Chips.

I was at a gluten-free tasting fair at a local natural food store.  These were set out on a table for samples, so both my roommate and I tried one of the two kinds that were offered.  The Honey Dijon, however, were the most flavorful chip we had in a long time.  They reminded me a lot of Doritos, back when I could eat the wide variety they offered.  They pack quite a crunch, and the flavor is a balance between the sweetness of the honey and the warmth of pepper and mustard.  The rice chips are a very healthy alternative, a serving only setting you back 140 calories.

But when compared to other chips of the same nature, this product by Lundberg is volumes above the competition as far as taste, texture, crunchiness, and overall flavor.  Not one chip in the bag was lacking in seasoning.  It was literally a masterpiece of snack time proportions bite after bite after bite.

Best to play it safe and dish out a serving rather than eat from the entire bag…because I promise, it wouldn’t take much to devour the entire package in just one sitting.

So if you are looking for the perfect compliment to a meal, a sandwich, a burger, or just something to crunch on in the afternoon, grab a bag of Lundberg Honey Dijon Rice Chips.  Your chip-eating mentality will change forever.  You’ll be hooked.  Nothing else will do.  It’s a vicious cycle…but one you’ll love to be a part of.  Get your snack on…the gluten-free, kosher, epically delicious way!  Tear into a bag of Lundberg Rice Chips and you’ll understand what I mean.

Really.  What are you waiting for?  They’re on the shelves at your grocery store.  Go.  Go now.

Product: Lightlife Original Tofu Pups – $3.99+

I’m a vegetarian with a gluten-intolerance.

That means pretty much ever vegetarian protein out there is not made for someone like me to consume it.  Most will say that the products they make contain need the wheat protein to give it a great texture.

My roommate (who is a carnivore and a lover of wheat products) had a coupon for free kosher hotdogs from our local grocery store, so I was attempting to find something comparable that I could eat for dinner as she worked her way through the hotdogs.  After a lot of hunting, I managed to find Lightlife’s Tofu Pups.

Yes…these are vegetarian and gluten-free.  And they even look like “real” hotdogs as well.  They are a bit smaller, but my gluten-free hotdog buns fit them perfectly, so no complaints on this end.

These are quite simple to prepare.  Boil water.  Remove from heat.  Drop in a Tofu Pup into the hot water and let it cook for about 2-3 minutes, unless you’re doing it from frozen…then it takes a bit longer.  I then removed it to a paper towel to sop up any excess water before placing it in a bun and dressing it up with some find condiments of my choice.  Paired with a serving of gluten-free rice chips and some gluten-free vegetarian baked beans (Busch’s Vegetarian Baked Beans!), it’s a fantastic throw-back to the summer picnic meal in the comfort of your own kitchen.

So…time to get real.  When the Tofu Pups cook up, they turn a sort of orange color.  It doesn’t look appetizing…but I pressed on.  As for the taste…they would be rather bland without being dressed up with a condiment.  The texture is a bit chewy, but I did boil them and not grill them, so I can’t expect that crisp “casing-like” snap to them with each bite.  But, these are a low-fat, healthy alternative for those vegans (yes…these are certified vegan) who enjoy a hotdog every now and again.  Tofu Pups didn’t blow me away…but they sufficed enough to make a meal for this gluten-intolerant vegetarian.

All of Lightlife’s other vegetarian hotdogs and sausages do contain wheat protein, but the Tofu Pups, thankfully, are an exception to the rule.  While they may taste bland, that’s nothing a little ketchup and mustard can’t fix.  And at only 60 calories per “pup”…well, it’s hard to say no to that, right?  Until I find another gluten-free, vegetarian hotdog…these are what I get.  And, while they didn’t blow me away…they’ll do.  Don’t expect to bite into these and get a burst of faux hotdog flavor.  You won’t get it here.  And the spongy texture might be a little offsetting if eaten on its own without a gluten-free hotdog bun or some sort of startch to bulk it up.  So, keep that in mind should you venture to give these a whirl.