Vegetarian – Page 52 – The Celiathlete

December 16, 2013December 23, 2013

Recipe: Oven Baked Broccoli Masala

This one time I went to an Indian restaurant…and got the Broccoli Masala. It was something that I hadn’t seen on any other Indian restaurant menu in the area. It intrigued me. I took one bite and declared it the best thing I have ever eaten…which may or may not be true. HA!

But, it was really, really damn good.

And during these cold winter months, I see a ton…and I mean a ton of broccoli. For real. Like…every week. Last year my freezer was filled with broccoli. But not this year. Not this time. I’ve gotten more than a little creative with the use of broccoli in the past few months. And I’m proud of that.

But, instead of turning to a pizza crust…or some other culinary magic skill…this time…I attempted to recreate that dish for that local Indian restaurant. Because, yes…I was craving and didn’t want to drive into Louisville.

With the guidance of the blog Spicy Treats, I did an oven-baked version of this meal, adding it to caramelized shallots (which caramelized down to this beautiful sweet jam) and some Indian-spiced basmati rice. The results…while not the same as the restaurant…were a very close alternative. And I was quite happy with it. I may or may not have hoovered this meal down in record time.

Recipe: Oven Baked Broccoli Masala

Servings: 2
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Cook 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 medium-sized crowns of broccoli
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
Pinch turmeric powder
Squeeze of lime juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley/cilantro (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Wash and cut broccoli in to small florets. Drain well and keep ready.

In a large bowl, add broccoli and salt and toss well. Then add the other spice powders and lime juice and toss everything well. Finally, add the olive oil and stir well, making sure everything is covered with the spices and oil.

Sprinkle cilantro over the top and mix everything well.

Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and grease it with a few drops of olive oil. Spread the prepared broccoli florets on the baking sheet and bake it for 15-20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.

ENJOY!!

~*~*~

As I said above, I served mine with caramelized thinly sliced shallots (almost made a shallot chutney) and some Indian-spiced basmati rice. The meal was amazing and the flavors were really good. Nothing overpowered. And it was still mild (because my roomie is a heat wimp), yet had just a little spice to keep each bite interesting. While it is nothing like the dish I have every time I go to my favorite Indian restaurant…it was close enough and simply delicious.

Taste for yourself!

December 11, 2013

Product Review: Katz Gluten Free All Purpose Dough

Product: Katz Gluten Free All Purpose Dough – $4.99

Dear Katz Gluten Free:

I love you. I love you more and more with each product that I try. From your breads to your pies to your amazing donuts, you continue to keep me coming back, order after order, no matter the cost. You are that good. And I love you that much.

But…you really outdid yourself with the ready-to-use Gluten-Free All Purpose Dough.

Because of you…I could have a calzone for dinner again.

Because of you…I can make my own delicious pies…without the hassle of making my own crust.

Because of you…the gluten-free community continues to get quality food products. Ones that I will continue to purchase…not just for myself but others.

Add the All Purpose Dough to my list.

Yes…I love you.

All my gluten-free love,
Me

Ease! That’s the best part of this product. It not only is peace of mind, but it’s so simple. Thaw out dough. Use. No hassles. No wondering if your own gluten-free concoction will cook up right. This worked. And it worked beautifully.

I’ve been wanting calzones for a long while now. For real. And with a plethora of vegetables that needed to be used up before the next CSA bin arrived, well, I figured I’d see how the dough would hold up to a little of my craving and baking magic. I had this thought in my head that involved this dough, some squash, some crimini mushrooms, and some shallots. I sauteed them up in a pan and added some marinara sauce as well. All I needed now was the casing for the calzone.

Enter Katz Gluten Free All Purpose Dough. I removed it from my freezer two days before. The evening I was making the calzones, I cut out two very small pieces of dough, as it says it serves 8 and a serving size is only 2 ounces. So…this was going to be a challenge. But, I was up for it. Using a rolling pin, I attempted to shape the dough into a large circle that wouldn’t break open when I added the filling and moved it to the baking sheet. The first couple times, the dough was rolled too thin, so I knew these would be relatively small calzones. I didn’t care. I rolled out two very asymmetrical circles and piled in the filling on one half. I carefully folded over the other half and did my best to crimp the small serving shut. Sure, I could have used more dough, but I am so careful about serving sizes. I stick to them. I think next time I’ll throw caution in the wind and just add a little more. But…I wanted to do it my way this time. Into the oven the dough went…and when about 20 minutes passed, I opened up the oven and it was this gorgeous golden brown and the filling was sizzling (and peaking out of some holes in my dough). Everything was ready. Dinner was served. And gluten-free calzones were on the menu.

Oh. Hell. Yes.

One bite…and I was hooked. At first, it sort of reminded me of the crust of a potpie. Golden and flaky and it sort of had that same texture and flavor. But when you got a piece with the filling in it…magic. Simple food magic. The crust didn’t get soggy and held up to the marinara/vegetable mixture that I stuffed (and I mean literally stuffed) inside. It was gluten-free and vegetarian food magic. And it was made possible and easy because I took a chance with a new Katz product. So easy. So delicious. I can’t wait to use it in other ways.

Katz Gluten Free Web site says the crust is perfect for pies, turnovers, knishes, or any other pasty imaginable. It’s the go-to solution. It’s what I (and other gluten-free foodies) need in their lives! FOR REAL!

Katz Gluten Free All Purpose Dough is made from their own blend of gluten-free flour (which includes tapioca flour, white rice flour, sorghum flour, and corn flour), palm oil, water, eggs, sugar, salt, and xanthan gum. Not a bad list of ingredients at all. And that flour blend is pure magic. Pure gluten-free food magic.

As for nutrition…there is a reason I stuck to the serving size. A serving size is 2 ounces. This serving (which is a small rectangle of the dough), will provide you with 260 calories and 18 grams of fat. See why I wanted to stick to the serving size? This serving also will give you 55 mg sodium and 2 grams of sugar. Sadly, this dough does serve up about 9 grams of saturated fat and 35 mg cholesterol in each serving. Another good reason to stick to the meager 2 ounce recommendation. This dough also will give you 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein. So do not expect this dough to fill you up and leave you feeling full. It won’t work that way. But…that being said…it toasted up beautifully in calzone form on my pizza stone and made one delicious meal for me and my roommate. We have 3 more servings each of this dough to use and I intend to see how many various ways I can use it. I might attempt perogies next.

Yes, my dearest Katz Gluten Free…I do love you and your products. You just make my life happy, full, and delicious again. This All Purpose Dough will be something I’ll definitely consider using more of in the future. Simple. And delicious.

Who could ask for anything more?

A gluten-free and vegetarian calzone made with Katz Gluten Free All Purpose Dough

December 9, 2013

Product Review: Vegenaise Tartar Sauce

Product: Vegenaise Tartar Sauce – $4.49+

Ah…tartar sauce.

I have a love-hate relationship with this condiment.

For one thing, when I used to eat fish, I normally would drown it in ketchup. Mmmm…ketchup.

But every now and again, I’d give the tartar sauce a try. And I never really liked it. Sometimes…I was pleasantly surprised and then lulled into this sense of false hope…and I would try it somewhere else and it would be gross and just…not to my taste.

Then, when I had to go dairy-free…I totally ditched this sauce all together.

But, when I was reviewing some items from Sophie’s Kitchen (vegan sea food, FTW!), my friend Kari mentioned the crab cakes with the tartar sauce from Vegenaise. Vegan. Tartar. Sauce.

Okay…I was intrigued. I knew two local grocery stores carried the vegan crab cakes from Sophie’s Kitchen…and I knew Whole Foods had the Tartar Sauce from Vegenaise. So…I set out a spot in the budget to purchase and then consume both.

My roomie was on board and so…we hit up Whole Foods and purchased both items. Dinner was going to be interesting. I just prayed it all was good.

So…a little while ago, I pulled the vegan crab cakes out of the freezer and said that dinner would be those…with a healthy helping of homemade kale chips. And I would serve the cakes over bibb lettuce from my bin. Originally I was going to place them between gluten-free buns…but I was out of those. So…this was my compromise. I heated the crab cakes as instructed on the box, and while that was working, I got the vegetables working and finally…the sauce.

My roommate has the same sort of love-hate relationship with tartar sauce as well. She is not gluten-free nor vegetarian, but since I am the cook in the apartment, that’s what she eats. She is a huge aficionado for fish and chips when we go out to eat, however…and she has made a habit to at least try the house tartar sauce. Sometimes she raves…sometimes she picks up the ketchup and goes to town. But we thought we would give Vegenaise a fair shake. So, into a little dish, I spooned out a serving of the Vegenaise Tartar Sauce. The crab cakes finished, I plated everything…and it was time to dig in.

I was a little worried about flavor, but I trusted my friend Kari. She raved. She and I like a lot of the same flavors and foods…so…I was worried, but I had high hopes. I know now to always trust Kari…because the Vegenaise Tartar Sauce was some of the best sauce I have tasted in my life. Not just tartar sauce either…spanning ALL THE SAUCES! Filled with a tangy, delicious flavor, it was the perfect compliment to the vegan crab cakes and the greens I served them on. OMG…so freakin’ good! It was love at first taste and I took the opportunity to pile it onto my vegan crab cakes until it was gone. Now I keep thinking of other vegan sea food dishes where I could utilize this sauce. It is SO good.

Veganaise Tartar Sauce is made from a base of Vegenaise (vegan mayonnaise), sweet relish, yellow onion puree, white wine vinegar, vegan Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and xanthan gum. Not bad when it comes to ingredients, right? My thoughts exactly. And nothing is weird…it’s all ingredients I have heard of and trust. Vegenaise is also vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, non-GMO, and soy-free. Loving it!

Nutritionally speaking, on serving is 2 tablespoons. This serving will serve you up a side of 120 calories and 13 grams of fat. It seems high, but it is a vegan mayonnaise-based sauce, right? And regular mayonnaise would be the same way. So, it’s really not too bad for what it is. This small serving also gives you 125 mg sodium and 2 grams of sugar. That’s awesome. This is also trans-fat free and cholesterol free. In addition, this sauce has no fiber in it, but you do get 2 grams of protein. So, yeah…it’s not totally healthy, but it isn’t bad for you either.

And did I mention how freakin’ good it is? Seriously. In love with a sauce. It’s my new favorite. YUMMY!!

December 7, 2013December 9, 2013

Product Review: Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Crab Cakes

Product: Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Crab Cakes – $5.99+

I’m probably not the best judge when it comes to comparing sea food products with vegan interpretations of them. Honestly. Now, growing up and before I became a vegetarian, I ate seafood. Mostly shrimp. Mostly fried, popcorn, scampi or creole. I was not a huge fan of other fish…but I would eat them. And, to say the least, I made a delicious lemon-crusted oven baked tilapia back in the day.

For real.

But…never, ever did I eat a crab cake before I became a vegetarian and then had to go gluten-free. So, judging these by comparison isn’t going to happen.

Here’s what I can do though. I can go off of flavor, texture, and overall taste. And that was how I approached this product.

The product of which I speak is the Gluten-Free and Vegan Crab Cakes from Sophie’s Kitchen. Now, I’m no stranger to Sophie’s Kitchen, having already tried the Gluten-Free and Vegan Fish Filets, Gluten-Free and Vegan Scallops, and the Gluten-Free and Vegan Breaded Shrimp. While I was blown away by the shrimp, I felt the scallops were good, and the fish filets were…eh…okay.

So…crab cakes. A new challenge for the allergic/intolerant foodie in me.

Sophie's Kitchen Vegan Crab Cakes (frozen) — Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Crab Cakes (frozen)

What I love about Sophie’s Kitchen products is how easy they are to make. The crab cakes could either be baked in the oven, or fried in a skillet on the stove. I’m a health-nut, so I try not to fry things often. I chose to bake them in the oven, which takes about 15 minutes to do. Not too bad at all. They don’t get golden cooking this way, the way the image looks on the box, but I didn’t mind the pale look to them. Remember…never had a crab cake back when I even could. I kept it simple when serving these. I had thought about doing a crab cake sandwich, but didn’t thaw out my gluten-free buns from my local allergen-free bakery. So, instead, I made some homemade kale chips and served the crab cakes over fresh bibb lettuce from my CSA bin. I served a side of Veganaise Tartar Sauce with each cake and…dinner was served in less than 20 minutes. Love that.

But how did it taste?

This is one of my favorite products from Sophie’s Kitchen that I have had the opportunity to try. OH. MY. GLUTEN. FREE. VEGAN. GOD. Seriously…packed with awesome flavor. The texture was great…like lump crab…so that was kinda cool And the blend of ingredients that Sophie’s Kitchen uses to give their faux seafood that fishy flavor worked SO well with these. They are a close second in my favorite gluten-free and vegan things. The first is the breaded shrimp from Sophie’s Kitchen. These are fantastic. They don’t taste fake of bad at all. I loved every bite. Thankfully, my roommate and I made a big dinner out of these…each of us having 2 of the crab cakes instead of the serving size of just one.

Speaking of which…it’s that time in the blog where I bring up the ingredients and nutrition for the products I try. Let’s start with the ingredients. Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan (and Gluten-Free) Crab Cakes are made up of water, pea protein, potato starch, canola oil, seaweed powder, rice flakes (from brown rice), konjac powder, rice vinegar (from brown rice), organic agave nectar, sea salt, celery powder, black pepper, bay leaf, nutmeg, ginger, paprika, dry mustard, cloves, calcium hydroxide. So close to being clean eating…but that calcium hydroxide there at the end sort of killed that.

That being said…it is still a rather healthy choice and one I’d love to buy and indulge in again. In fact, Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Crab Cakes are soy-free, gluten-free, 100% vegan and plant based, contain no preservatives, colors or MSG, and have no artificial anything!! Nice.

Speaking of indulging…a serving size of Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Crab Cakes is 1 cake. This serving will provide you with 120 calories and 6 grams of fat. That’s not bad for a crab cake!! The Vegan Crab Cakes contain only 170 mg sodium and less than 1 gram of sugar. Gotta love that! And, one crab cake also provides you with 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. Not too shabby.

I am falling more and more in love with the products that Sophie’s Kitchen is bringing to the gluten-free and vegan world. And I love that someone, like me, with food allergies, can safely indulge in a product that is vegan as well. So often this is not the case, so it’s so nice when a company goes the extra mile. And that’s why I continue to purchase and eat products by Sophie’s Kitchen.

And now…I must hit up my Whole Foods for more of these amazing crab cakes. It’s happening!

Sophie's Kitchen Vegan Crab Cakes (baked), served over local bibb lettuce with homemade kale chips — Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Crab Cakes (baked), served over local bibb lettuce with homemade kale chips

December 1, 2013

Recipe: Gluten-Free Thin Mint Cookies

The cookie monster strikes again!

But this time…for a good reason!

You see, one of the people I run with…a lot…had a birthday. And he also recently ran yet another marathon, making 11 for this year, I believe. Well, birthdays and marathons are things to be celebrated.

Originally, I was going to make a Boston Cream Pie to bring to the run group…but I just couldn’t figure out a way to make it dairy-free with the custard inside. Well, I could…but it wasn’t going to be easy and time was a little tight. So, I changed my mind at the very last minute, while standing in my kitchen, and instead threw together a version of the Girl Scout favorite (which I haven’t been able to indulge in since my diagnosis three years ago!). Guess what? They were a hit.

The recipe came together with a little help from Gluten-Free On A Shoestring. So, check out the recipe and give it a go. They brought back so many happy memories and made a lot of people happy that night.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Thin Mint Cookies

Servings: 30 larger cookies (I made 65 small cookies)
Time: Prep 15 minutes; Bake 7 minutes

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter (I used Earth Balance)
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (I used Enjoy Life morsels)
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure peppermint extract
¾ cup high-quality all-purpose gluten-free flour (I used Better Batter)
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
½ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt

GLAZE

½ pound dark chocolate, chopped
pure peppermint extract, to taste

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 300° F. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper, and set them aside.

In a medium-size microwave-safe bowl, place the butter and all of the semi-sweet chocolate except for 3 to 4 1-1/2-inch-size chunks.

Microwave at 70% power for 45 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Add the reserved chunks of chocolate, and stir until the chocolate has begun to thicken a bit and the chunks have melted.

Add the vanilla extract and peppermint extract, and stir to combine. Set the chocolate aside.

In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum (if using), cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the chocolate mixture, and mix until the dough comes together and is well-integrated. Press the cookie dough into a disk.

Place the dough between two sheets of unbleached parchment paper, and roll it out until it is about 1/4 inch thick (any thinner and the cookies are more likely to burn in the oven, and they will crack when you try to coat them in chocolate). Cut out rounds that are about 1-1/2 inches in diameter, and place them, 1 inch apart, on the prepared baking sheets.

Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake, rotating once, for 7 minutes.

Remove from the oven, and allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet.

Once the cookies are cool, make the glaze.

Place all of the dark chocolate except for 3 to 4 1-1/2 inch-size chunks in a medium-size, microwave-safe bowl.

Microwave at 70% power for 45 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Add the reserved chunks of chocolate and the peppermint extract, and stir until the chocolate has begun to thicken a bit and the chunks have melted.

Place the cookies, one at a time, in the glaze. Press down on the cookie with the tines of a fork, then flip it gently in the chocolate. Pull the cookie out of the chocolate by slipping the fork under it and bobbing the cookie on the surface of the chocolate a few times before pulling it along the edge of the bowl and carefully placing it on a clean sheet of parchment paper. Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature.

Serve and enjoy!

~*~*~

While it has been ages since I have last been able to eat a Thin Mint Cookie (or 12 in one sitting)…these reminded me SO much of the cookies I grew up devouring. I loved them enough to have as much trouble stopping myself from eating them as I did the real things. So, from this one-time Girl Scout to all of you Celiacs and gluten-intolerant people out there…don’t give up hope. You can now make your own Girl Scout favorite in the comfort of your own kitchen.

They’re probably less expensive too. *WINK*

November 23, 2013

Recipe: Jamie Oliver’s Vegetarian Chilli

Ah, Jamie Oliver…I adore you.

Obviously. Because when I went to Huntington, West Virginia, I made a point to go by Huntington’s Kitchen.

So, when I had some sweet potatoes that I needed to use up from my CSA bin this past week, my roomie suggested that I finally get around to making the vegetarian chilli recipe from your Web site.

We only needed a couple of items for the rest of the dish itself…so it was on!!

What I love about this recipe is how much depth of flavor the roasted sweet potatoes add to this dish. It’s indulgent, but guilt-free. So healthy. I think it might be my favorite chilli so far.

So…thank you, Jamie Oliver.

And for my followers and readers…here is the recipe:

Recipe: Jamie Oliver’s Vegetarian Chilli

Servings: 6-8
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Cook 50 minutes

Ingredients:

2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, approximately 500g
1 level teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus extra for sprinkling
1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin, plus extra for sprinkling
1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus extra for sprinkling
olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 onion
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 red chilli
1 green chilli
2 cloves garlic
2 cans beans (I used black beans and great northern beans)
2 cans chopped tomatoes (I used Muir Glen organic fire roasted tomatoes)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into bite-sized chunks. Sprinkle with a pinch each of cayenne, cumin and cinnamon, drizzle with olive oil and scatter with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to coat then put them on a baking tray.

Peel and roughly chop the onion.

Halve, de-seed and roughly chop the peppers.

Pick the cilantro leaves and put aside, finely chop the stalks.

De-seed and finely chop the chillies.

Peel and finely chop the garlic.

Put the tray of sweet potato in the hot oven to cook for 40 minutes until soft and golden.

Meanwhile, place a large pan on a medium-high heat and add a couple lugs of olive oil. Add the onion, peppers and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cilantro stalks, chilli and spices and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.

Drain the cans of beans, then tip them into the pan with the tinned tomatoes. Stir well and bring to the boil, then reduce to a medium-low heat and leave to tick away for 25 to 30 minutes. Keep an eye on it, and add a splash of water if it gets a bit thick.

Get the roasted sweet potato out of the oven and stir it through your chilli with most of the cilantro leaves.

Taste and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, if needed.

Scatter the remaining leaves over the top, and serve with some soured cream, guacamole and rice or tortillas.

~*~*~

Best vegetarian chilli I have ever made. Or eaten. I love the sweet potato. It’s a super nice addition to the ingredients and really sets this chilli apart from other vegetarian chillies. It has a mild heat…which is perfect for my roomie. I like mine a little spicier, so if you’re like me, feel free to turn up the heat as you desire.

This recipe freezes really well, which is great, because you’ll definitely want more!

November 23, 2013

Recipe: Paleo Snickerdoodle Cookies

I love Snickerdoodles. Seriously. I loved it in the winter time when my mom would bake all the holiday cookies, bars, fudge, etc…and we’d have a literal smorgasbord to choose from each night for dessert. One treat. So…make your decision wisely.

Never failed. I wanted the Snickerdoodles.

It has been years since I have had my mom’s homemade Snickerdoodles. And she will probably never make them again, sadly, since she has since had to go gluten-free as well and has switched over to eating paleo.

Lo and behold…I came up with a solution. You see, one of my running buddies is also on the paleo diet. And I love, love, love to bake goodies for my run group. I’ve been craving Snickerdoodles for awhile now, so today I decided that’s what I would make for my fellow runners. But, I wanted everyone to be able to enjoy them, so I did a little searching on the Internet.

And with a little guidance from various blogs, especially The Urban Poser, I was able to make Snickerdoodles tonight that are paleo, vegan, egg/grain/dairy-free. Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles.

They aren’t my mom’s specialty…but they are good. So, go ahead and give this recipe a spin.

Recipe: Paleo Snickerdoodle Cookies

Servings: 15-16
Time: Prep 10 minutes; bake 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups blanched, fine ground almond flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons coconut oil, softened or liquid (5 for a softer cookie)1/4 cup mild honey (like clover) or vegan alternative (such as agave)
1 tablespoon gluten-free vanilla extract

Cinnamon coating:

1 tablespoon raw coconut crystals (I used Coconut Secret)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat the over to 350 degrees F and line and grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.In a medium sized bowl, combine the dry ingredients; mix together well. (When measuring almond flour, use the dip & sweep method for best results. Dip the measuring cup into the loose almond flour and drag the flat edge of a knife over the top. Pouring the flour directly into the measuring cup can result in too much or even too little almond flour in the recipe).In a separate bowl, mix together the oil, honey and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the almond flour mixture and stir until combined.

In another small bowl, combine the coconut sugar crystals and the ground cinnamon in a small bowl.

Using a rounded tablespoon, scoop out the dough, then gently form into a ball. Roll the dough in the cinnamon mixture.

Place the balls of cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet, about 3 inches apart.

Using a mason jar or your hands, slightly flatten each cookie.

Bake the cookies for 8-9 minutes. Leave the cookies on the cookie sheet while cooling. They may seem under-baked at first, but they will firm up to just the right texture as they cool.

Dig in and enjoy!

~*~*~

So, they aren’t my mom’s Snickerdoodle cookies…but these do come out sweet, thin, crackled and chewy. Not cake-y, which so many Snickerdoodles tend to be when sold in stores. These remind me of how my mom’s used to cook up. They don’t taste the same…but they are totally Snickerdoodles in their own right.

And yeah…they are amazingly good!

November 22, 2013

Recipe: Apple Cider Poached Pears

I’ve been wanting to poach pears for a long time. I see those celebrity and television chefs do it all the time. Then they serve it up all pretty with ice cream or this rich sauce.

I did neither of those last things.

But, thanks to having a bunch of pears, compliments of my CSA bin, and no more cookies left in my apartment…I figured…why not give poached pears a shot. Usually done in a dessert wine…I opted for something I had in my fridge…apple cider.

It was fantastic! My roomie is still raving. And that means a lot since she’s not a big fan of pears. But this was a simple, light, and quite nutritious dessert tonight. Easy to make as well. Here’s what I did…

Recipe: Apple Cider Poached Pears

Servings: 2
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Cook 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups apple cider (NOT apple juice)
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 pears, pealed, halved, cored
1 tsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch

Directions:

In a small saucepan, add the 2 cups of apple cider, vanilla, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a simmer.

Add the pears, flat side down, in the saucepan.

Simmer for about 10 minutes, until they are fork tender. Do not leave them in too long or they will get mushy.

Remove the pears from the saucepan. Using the cider in the pan, add the arrowroot or cornstarch and bring to a boil to thicken.

Place pears in a bowl with a scoop of vanilla Greek yogurt (or ice cream), then top with the apple cider sauce. Sprinkle with granola or nuts for a little texture and serve.

November 22, 2013

Recipe: Almost the Best Ever Gluten-Free Potato Soup

Okay…claims are made all the time about something being “the best ever _____” and they hardly ever live up to the reputation they have just put out there in public. Trust me…I’ve been disappointed many times.

That’s life.

Life also is a smorgasbord of different tastes, textures, and ingredients. So, when I’m in the kitchen, sometimes I like to change things up…get a little creative. And that’s what happened. You see, I was sitting at work on Monday trying to figure out the best way to use up some bin ingredients that I have yet to touch. Sometimes my week gets too busy and cooking with the items from my CSA bin isn’t always possible. I tend to make it up the following week as another week of CSA bin goodies are cramming my fridge. I love it…but it can be overwhelming.

That being said, I messaged my roomie and told her I had red potatoes that needed to be used…and she sent me a recipe from Gluten Hates Me (.com) for what was being described as the BEST gluten-free potato soup…EVER! EVER! That’s a huge, huge claim to be making. But, there were only 5 ingredients, so…I figured why not? I had most of them on hand anyway.

The best part is…this soup cooks in the slow cooker. I started mine after dinner the night before and it was ready for me to tackle it with the immersion blender when I woke up. EASY!! This recipe is easy. Is it the best gluten-free potato soup ever? Probably not…but I will tell you this…it is rich, creamy, and packed with flavor. I even added a few touches of my own, which I’ll include in this recipe.

Recipe: Almost the Best Ever Gluten-Free Potato Soup

Servings: 8
Time: Prep 15 minutes; Cook 10 hours

Ingredients:

2.5 pounds Russet potatoes, washed but NOT peeled, and diced into 1/2 inch(ish) cubes (I used red potatoes)
1 small yellow onion, diced
5 cloves of garlic, peeled and left whole
4 cups gluten free vegetable broth (I used Pacific. Do make sure yours is gluten-free!)
Cinnamon
Salt
Cumin
8 ounces cream cheese (I used Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese)

Directions:

Put the diced potatoes, onion, garlic, and vegetable broth into the crock pot. Season with your chosen seasonings. I used cumin, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours.

Once it has cooked, cube your cream cheese into 2-inch cubes and stir it into the crock pot.

Then, using an immersion blender, carefully blend the soup in the crock pot. If you do not have an immersion blender, don’t add the cream cheese into the crockpot. Simply put it in the blender with 1/3 of your soup and blend. Then reincorporate it back into the crockpot. This will give you a chunkier soup…so I do recommend the immersion blender.

Top off however you like. I topped mine with green onion and vegan cheese.

~*~*~

Simple flavors, but what a combination they had. The soup is this rich, thick, creamy consistency, aided by the cream cheese. It is really fantastic and just wows the taste buds. It is definitely soup season and this was a hearty, delicious, and rather healthy soup to add to the winter lineup. I was very impressed with every bite. And I have more in my fridge and freezer…just waiting for another cool evening.

Enjoy!

November 19, 2013

Product Review: Mom’s Best Safari Cocoa Crunch

Product: Mom’s Best Gluten-Free Safari Cocoa Crunch – $2.49+

Remember those adds with Sonny the Cuckoo Bird declaring, “I’m cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!”

I ate it up as a child. As did I devour said chocolatey puffy cereal. Actually, I think my dad enjoyed them way more than we kids did, because he’d eat the entire box if we weren’t watching him. Says something about that chocolate, sugary rush in the morning, yes?

Well, aside from a couple varieties of chocolate rice puffs…anything remotely close to Cocoa Puffs was nonexistent in the gluten-free cereal world.

Or…so I thought.

Enter…The Roomie.

You see, every now and again, I get into my kitchen to start on a meal…and discover that I am missing an ingredient. So, the roomie is normally kind enough to allow me to do more prep work while she runs down to the grocery store to get what I need. And every now and again, she returns with a wonderful new gluten-free product for me to try. This was the scenario the day she came home from the grocery store with…basically gluten-free Cocoa Puffs.

The brand is Mom’s Best…and I’ve had their Crispy Cocoa Rice cereal (basically…chocolate Rice Krispies) before…and loved then. Loved everything about them but the sugar content. But…let’s face it. I’m having chocolate for breakfast.

That’s basically how it works with the Mom’s Best Gluten-Free Safari Cocoa Crunch as well. At first…the amount of sugar was a concern…but I let it go. I tend to obsess over some things…and while watching my sugar intake is important, it isn’t life-threatening if I go over a certain amount. I just try to keep it in check…and I never seem to be able to. But…setting all that aside, this morning I opened up the box of the Safari Cocoa Crunch, and poured myself a serving. These little chocolate puffy balls of cereal looked so much like Cocoa Puffs, I might have squeed a little in delight. Maybe.

Okay…I did.

But even more so after tasting them. I popped a couple pieces of them dry…to get just the flavor on their own. Oh…my chocolate gods of cereal bliss…they were fantastic. Light…crispy…chocolatey…everything this chocoholic could have asked for and more. Chocolate in the morning…yes please! Sign me up. I then ate the rest of the bowl with a small pool of unsweetened almond milk. Fantastic. I might…might…have slurped up the extra milk, now rich with chocolate, at the bottom of the bowl. There is a good possibility it happened.

These were better than I even remember Cocoa Puffs tasting. However…it’s been a very long time since I’ve had cocoa puffs…so…keep that in mind.

But…OMG…YUMMY!!!

So, let’s get down to the ingredients and nutrition portion of this blog, shall we?

Ingredient wise…Mom’s Best Gluten-Free Safari Cocoa Crunch is made up from sugar (ugh…yes…that is the first ingredient!), corn meal, corn flour, corn syrup, coconut oil, corn bran, cocoa, caramel color, salt, calcium carbonate, canola oil, natural flavor and trisodium phosphate. So…not really the best option…and there are a few chemical sounding ingredients, despite the fact that the box declares that there are no flavors or preservatives that you can’t pronounce. Okay…I can pronounce them…doesn’t mean I know what they are. This cereal, however, does not contain high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils. It is gluten-free as well.

A serving of Mom’s Best Gluten-Free Safari Cocoa Crunch is 3/4 cup. In this serving, you will be consuming 120 calories and 2 grams of fat. That really isn’t too bad for a chocolate cereal. You will be provided with 110 mg sodium and a whopping 14 grams of sugar. Again…it’s a chocolate cereal. I’m going to try not to obsess over that. Unfortunately, this cereal will not leave you feeling full, as I found out this morning. It has only 2 grams of fiber and 1 gram of protein. I ate my bowl before heading to the gym and I was already starving 30 minutes into my workout. So, it won’t stick with you. Then again, it’s mostly sugar…so there is a reason.

Overall though…really, really tasty. I love chocolate and it’s nice to treat myself every now and again to a sinfully sugary cereal. I don’t make a habit of it…but this one was totally worth it. Really good. Mom’s Best has once again bested the sugar-addict in me…and made me fall in love with yet another chocolate breakfast treat.

Well played!