Vegetarian – Page 54 – The Celiathlete

November 3, 2013November 5, 2013

Restaurant Review: Shalimar Indian Restaurant, Louisville, Kentucky

Restaurant: Shalimar Indian Restaurant, Louisville, Kentucky

I need to send out a big, huge, whopping THANK YOU to my darling little sister. Because if it weren’t for her…it probably would have taken me forever…and ever…and even then I possibly would have put it off…to haul myself out to the Indian restaurant that is consistently voted THE BEST in Louisville, Kentucky. Normally, I would rave and go on and sing praises for the Indian restaurant I have been going to since co-workers suggested it. That being Dakshin, also in Louisville.

Oh. My. God.

I love Dakshin…but after the experience I had at Shalimar…it is out and Shalimar rightfully is where I want to go for my Indian food cravings. Forever. And ever.

Goodbye, Dakshin.

It was fun while it lasted.

Welcome to my Indian cuisine loving world, Shalimar.

I have mentioned quite a few times how my family grew up eating Indian food. Authentic Indian food. Our neighbors, who had children the same age as my little sister and my older brother, often invited us over to dinner when they were having curry. And I loved it. All the different spices and flavors…it was exciting and exotic. It was…beyond delicious. I was hooked at a young age.

So, as my sister’s husband isn’t as outgoing with food choices, when she told me she wanted to come visit me this past weekend, I wanted to get her to an Indian restaurant. Normally, I’d haul out to the far end of Louisville to Dakshin…but not this time. No way. I wanted to take her to the place that Louisville always seems to deem the best. This was a gamble…since I had never eaten there before. But…with those kinds of reviews and awards…how could it be a bad choice? I sent her the menu, although I knew that she’d be ordering the Chicken Curry…and comparing it to the stuff we grew up eating.

The big day, Saturday, came. And after a fun day of walking around sight-seeing, shopping, and just having a good time, we decided we were starting to get a little hungry. So…we headed over to Hurstbourne Lane to the strip mall where Shalimar is located. Two snags. First…traffic was ridiculous…so we ended up turning around and coming at the restaurant from another angle. By the time we got there and parked, we realized that the hours posted said dinner on the weekend was 5:30 p.m. We had about 40 minutes to kill. We hopped across the way to Half Price Books and just kept making circuits and looking at different books until we couldn’t take it anymore. Five minutes left…so we slowly meandered out of the store, got in the car, and headed back to the restaurant.

They were now open and people were being seated. We were given a nice booth at the side of the dimly lit restaurant and allowed to peruse the menu. I had looked over the menu before, but was going go give it a little more of a look while we had the time. Our water glasses were filled and we were asked if we’d like anything else to drink. We all decided to stick with water. I had spotted something that sounded AMAZING on the menu…so I was now set. Cathy was still deciding…but finally settled. When our server returned…we placed our orders.

Cathy went with the Lamb Biryani ($11.95), which is a classic Muglai dish of curried meats cooked with basmati rice. She made sure to specify that she wanted the spice on it as low as it could go. The less spice the better. Wimp. She also ordered a side of the Naan Bread ($1.95) to go with her meal. As predicted, my sister did order the Chicken Curry ($10.95), which is chicken that is cooked in a thick curry sauce. She opted for medium heat. She hoped it was as good as the Duggal’s. As for me…I went with the Broccoli Masala ($9.95), which might just be my new favorite thing in life. For real. This is simply broccoli cooked in spices. Except I ordered mine spicy! I always love some heat with my food…especially when it’s ethnic. And they promised they would do it up good for me.

Orders in, we talked a lot about growing up with Indian food in our lives…and just having some fun. We took some selfies in the restaurant. And…soon…our food arrived.

It all looked and smelled fantastic. I mean…really, really, really fantastic. I hated that I had pause to take pictures of my food for the blog because I was ready to dive in. My broccoli masala came with basmati rice, so after the photos were taken, I scooped up some rice onto my plate, then put some of the broccoli over it. Time to dig in.

FLAVOR EXPLOSION OF AWESOME-SPICY-SAUCE!!

No joke. If I were to pick something to eat as my last meal…this is definitely one of the front runners. Honestly, there seem to be no words to properly describe how amazing this dish was. I know…some of you are thinking that it’s just broccoli and spices…but it was more than that. It was the perfect blend of spices…with the perfect heat level. In fact…I probably could have taken it a little spicier. The broccoli was tender and cooked to perfection. The sauce…the sauce made it. The rice gave me some oomph to the meal. And I was even happier when I added a tomato chutney to it. It was the perfect meal with the perfect people.

For the record, the Chicken Curry brought back happy memories for my sister. Honestly. She was thrilled and said it totally reminded her of the stuff we grew up eating. And Cathy…loved her Lamb dish. She’s big on rice…and this was a big heaping pile of rice. For real.

We were so happy with the food and service that we got at Shalimar. I don’t think I can bring myself to stray from this restaurant. This is where you go to get authentic, delicious Indian food. This is where you go to get the flavors, the tastes, and the experience of Indian cuisine. This…is why Louisville consistently names this restaurant THE BEST Indian cuisine in the city.

In fact…I’m going back on Friday. Seriously.

And I can’t wait.

Shalimar's Broccoli Masala with Basmati Rice — Shalimar’s Broccoli Masala with Basmati Rice

October 27, 2013October 27, 2013

Recipe: Roasted Curried Cauliflower

Cauliflower is so versatile. I have made “bread sticks” from a head of this vegetable. I have made buffalo cauliflower florets as well. Pizza crust. I’ve put it in stir-fries. I’ve made a tempura batter and fried them up. But…when my CSA bin delivered me another gorgeous head of cauliflower…well…I wanted to do something different. I have my go-to recipes…but I just wanted something different.

With the magic of Pinterest and a recipe that I built around from Nom Nom Paleo…I took this beautiful head of cauliflower, mixed it up with some healthy fats and a dose of curry, cumin, and seasoning. Roasted it up in the oven…then topped it off with some fresh herbs. And the result…pure magic. Enough that I want to make it again…soon. I need more cauliflower.

Recipe: Roasted Curried Cauliflower

Servings: 2-3
Time: Prep 5 minutes; Cook 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower, cut into uniform florets
A generous glug of melted coconut oil
2 tablespoons curry powder
Cumin
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Half a lemon
1/4 cup minced parsley leaves

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450°F and move the rack to the lower middle of the oven.

Place the florets in a large bowl and toss them with a generous amount of the oil of your choice (about 2 tablespoons).

Add the curry powder, cumin, salt and pepper and toss until the florets are coated.

Pour the seasoned florets on a foil-lined baking sheet and cover it tightly with another sheet of foil.

Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, then remove the top layer of foil and continue to roast the cauliflower for 20 more minutes, flipping the florets every 8 or so minutes, until they are softened and browned in parts.

Plate the cauliflower and give each serving a squirt of lemon juice and top off with the minced fresh parsley.

~*~*~

Serious flavor. Even Cathy was talking about the next time I made this dish. I was so happy with the way it turned out. It wasn’t too spicy, which worked in Cathy’s favor. Just the right hint of seasoning. Total perfection. Tender…delicious…and amazing.

Liven up your cauliflower…I dare you!

October 27, 2013

Recipe: Vegan Potato Leek Soup

Just a couple minor changes to a recipe can make or break it. Honestly. But…a couple years ago, Cathy bought me the cookbook for Bouchon, Thomas Keller’s restaurant in Las Vegas. In fact, we dined there when we were in Vegas and had one of the best food experiences of our life up to that point. It was, in a word, heavenly.

And then…I just sort of let this gem of a cookbook sit on my shelf…never really pulling it out to explore. But when my CSA bin gave me leeks, I remembered one of the dishes we had in Vegas was…Potato Leek Soup. So, I pulled out my cookbook and got settled in to see if it was something I could, indeed, set out to make…and make properly.

There were a couple of minor tweaks necessary, for my food allergies and the like…like making it vegan. It actually worked out perfectly. Honestly. I was so happy with the way this soup turned out that I am eager to make it again…and again…and again. The best part was…save for a few minor ingredients (chives)…this recipe was made from items that were already in my pantry.

I will make not of my changes in parentheses. But huge props to Thomas Keller for this amazing recipe. And if I hadn’t eaten at Bouchon…well…I might never have experienced this or been inspired to make it for myself.

Recipe: Vegan Potato Leek Soup (inspired by Thomas Keller’s Bouchon recipe)

Servings: 6
Time: Prep 15 minutes: Cook 60 minutes

Ingredients:

2 pounds (about 3 large) leeks
4 tablespoons (2 oz.) unsalted butter (I used Earth Balance)
Heaping 1/2 cup sliced (about 1/4 in. thick) shallots
1/3 cup sliced (1/4 inches thick) onions
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound (about 1 large) russet potato, peeled
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Bouquet garni or sachet of 8 thyme sprigs, 2 Italian parsley sprigs, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 tsp. black peppercorn, wrapped in cheesecloth
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock (I used a low-sodium organic vegetable broth)
3/4 cup heavy cream (I used So Delicious Culinary Coconut Milk)
1/2 cup minced chives
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cut away and discard dark green leaves and roots from leeks, leaving only white and palest green sections. Cut in half lengthwise, rinse in cold water to remove dirt between layers. Place leeks cut side down and cut in 1/4 inch thick slices (yields about 3 cups).

Melt butter in large saucepan over med-low heat. Add leeks, shallots, and onions. Season generously with salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium and sweat the veggies, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes – veggies should wilt but not brown.

Meanwhile, cut potato lengthwise into quarters, then cut crosswise into 1/4 in thick slices, yielding about 1-1/4 cups.

Add garlic to the sauteing veggies and cook for another minute, then add sachet and potatoes. Cook for 2 to 4 min longer.

Add 6 cups stock, adjust seasonings. Bring to simmer, then reduce and simmer for 30 min, or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and let soup cool for about 15 min. Remove the sachet. Transfer soup in batches to blender and puree, starting at low speed (to release heat remaining in soup), and then slowly increase speed until soup is smooth. Don’t overfill the blender, since hot liquid can spurt out. It is helpful to place your hand over the lid while holding a towel. Strain through a fine sieve or the like if you want the soup to be extra smooth. (That part is optional…I chose not to, and my soup was still smooth!)

To finish, return soup to a rinsed out pan and bring to simmer. Add cream and simmer on low for 5 min – stir frequently and careful not to burn! Remove from heat. Stir in chives if serving hot. If refrigerating, pour into container and place in ice bath to cool (it keeps about 2 days). Serve sprinkled with chives and olive oil and fresh ground black pepper.

~*~*~

You would be hard-pressed to tell that this soup was vegan. Honestly, the changes I made didn’t affect the creaminess or the taste of the soup. It was so good, and Cathy and I feasted on it for three delightful evenings. It was super packed with flavor and still super creamy. Substituting culinary coconut milk for the heavy cream didn’t change the texture at all. It worked brilliantly.

So…with soup season coming on strong…give this recipe a try. Thomas Keller is a brilliant chef and this recipe is one of the best soups I have made so far. Truly a delight.

October 27, 2013

Product Review: KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters

Product: KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters – $4.99+

Granola.

I have it in my pantry every week. The thing is…the brand and the flavors change. A lot. Why? Because I love a good gluten-free granola. And while I have found some rather amazing ones…I love to change things up…try new things…sample new flavors.

Now, I am a huge fan of KIND. The KIND bars are amazing, nutritious, all-natural snacks of deliciousness. For real. I have enjoyed every flavor I have ever sampled…and there are still more that I have yet to try. Imagine that!! But KIND doesn’t just do bars. They also do this fantastic granola line as well. Before I picked up the Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters, I tried Vanilla Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds…and it was love at first bite.

So, after returning from being out of town, and no CSA bin to work with…I had the opportunity to pair the apples I had in my fruit basket at home with whatever I wanted to in the morning parfaits I make with breakfast. Trying not to stop at too many grocery stores as we were now grocery shopping on a weekday…I asked my roommate to just pick one of the gluten-free options available at that store. She immediately locked onto the KIND varieties and snagged the Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters from the shelf.

Peanut butter…KIND product…this was going to be a match made in heaven…for sure. Peanut butter…as you may well be aware…is one of my most favorite things in life. In the world. I could eat it for live and never get bored with it. So…anything peanut butter flavored makes me one happy little vegetarian and gluten-free foodie.

As I said…apples were what I had at home. So, one morning, I set out to caramelize them to put in the Greek yogurt chilling in the fridge. But, to make this a true breakfast parfait…it needed a bit of crunch. It needed that granola topping. And peanut butter and apples go together so amazingly well. I mean…HELLO! They were meant for each other. In fact, one of my favorite snacks is slicing apples, coating them with peanut butter and raisins, and making them into sandwiches. YUMMY.

So, this parfait was definitely on the verge of epicness…before I even tasted it.

KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters…are beyond delicious. I mean…holy gluten-free granola goodness. Holy KIND awesomesauce. OM NOM NOM NOM. I would eat this stuff by the handful. I mean, it’s great on a caramelized apple and Greek yogurt…but it’s SO fantastic on its own. So, you can enjoy this any way you want and truly enjoy it. Each bite has that nice peanut flavor. In fact, little bits of peanuts are throughout these clusters. And that adds a nice bit of texture and salty-sweetness…that peanut butter is all about.

KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Clusters are a blend of gluten-free oats, brown rice, millet, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa. In addition to the whole grains, these whole grain clusters include evaporated cane juice, peanut butter, soy crisp, peanuts, whey protein, canola oil, sea salt, and natural vitamin E. Do note…these are not vegan due to the whey protein. Sort of sad about that. But, let’s face it…these are super delicious.

Nutritionally speaking, a serving of the KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters is 1/3 cup. This serving provides 130 calories and 3.5 grams of fat…which isn’t bad for granola. And since some of that fat comes from the nuts…it’s at least a healthy fat. These clusters are low in sodium and sugar, containing 80 mg sodium and 5 grams of sugar. I love a granola that isn’t loaded with sugar. LOVE it. These also contain 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. Filling, and delicious!

Not only are these clusters gluten-free, but they are all natural, contain no refined sugars, are non-GMO, contain no trans-fats, are cholesterol free, and as mentioned above…low in sodium. Every ingredient is obvious in the mix…and the ingredients are all real and prodnouncable. No hidden chemicals or preservatives. All natural goodness.

So…do try these out. Especially if you are a peanut butter freak like I am. Do something KIND for yourself, your body, and your diet. Find KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters and devour them. Devour them for the awesomeness that they are adding to your diet. Eat them on their own, over yogurt, or like cereal with milk. Whatever you want. Just go and get them…eat them…and love them as much as I do.

Yeah…these will be on the definite “purchase again” list! Whole grains…good for you…peanut buttery crunchy goodness. It’s all of life’s treats in one simple bag.

Kind Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters over caramelized apples and vanilla Greek yogurt

October 27, 2013

Product Review: O’Doughs Gluten-Free Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins

Product: O’Doughs Gluten-Free Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins – $3.99+

A couple weeks ago…I tried O’Doughs Gluten-Free Original Flavor Bagel Thins and was just…wowed by them. Sure, this bagel-lover enjoys that soft, chewy inside of a bagel as much as the next one…but sometimes, even with gluten-free bagels, it can be a bit much. So, the fact that gluten-free bagel thins existed made me very, very happy.

And my local grocery store just started to carry these little gluten-free gems in their freezer section. You do not know happy until you’ve seen me settle in at breakfast with a fantastic bagel with a schmear of some variety of cream cheese (often vegan). I was raised in New York…the bagel capital of the universe. No exaggeration. New Yorkers love a good bagel.

And when I had to go gluten-free…I feared that the bagel would be out of my life forever. I tried a few varieties out on the market and hated them. I fell in love with Udi’s…but they can be really filling at times. Sometimes…you just want something light…but bagel-y. Yes…that’s a word…now. And thanks to O’Doughs…this has become a reality.

O’Doughs Gluten-Free Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins are these thin little slabs of bagel, which I actually had to slice in half this time. The original were pre-sliced. I don’t know if this was a fluke or what…but…I managed. Without destroying them in the process too, I might add. God love a good serrated knife. WOOHOO! Anyway, these bagel thins are made up of filtered water, potato starch, tapioca starch, chickpea flour, sprouted flax flour, soya flour, rice flour, evaporated cane juice, cellulose gum, glycerine, sunflower oil, yeast, salt, xanthan gum, cinnamon, algal oil, baking powder, baking soda, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds.

I am wagering a guess that this is really their attempt at an Anything Bagel…which is a definite New York staple.

So…after giving them a toast…and a schmear of a pumpkin spice cream cheese…how did they work out?

Deliciously wonderful. This variety of O’Doughs Gluten-Free Bagel Thins actually have this fantastic rustic and nutty flavor to them. The top of the bagels themselves have this amazing sprinkling of seeds (sesame and poppy). I loved that, as they toasted up with the bagels themselves and really penetrated the dough of the bagel thins…giving them amazing flavor and texture. And…you won’t overfill your stomach with these thin little bagels of awesomeness. Not only does O’Doughs provide these amazing Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins free of trans-fat and eggs, they are also non-GMO, kosher, and a healthy and delicious source of fiber.

Now comes the point in the blog where I talk about the nutritional value of the product I ate. Well, the O’Doughs Gluten-Free Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins are made with all-natural ingredients and no preservatives. A serving is 1 bagel thin, which gives you 100 calories and 1.5 grams of at. One of these tasty gluten-free bagel thins provide 300 mg of sodium and 2 grams of sugar. Not too bad at all. And you will also be consuming 2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein.

As I stated in the blog about the Original Flavor Bagel Thins by O’Doughs…if you spot these…snatch up a bag of them and give them a try. They are some of the best bagels I have ever tasted. All that bagel flavor…not too filling…not too fattening. Just right. And with so many varieties of toppings to choose from with bagels…get creative and put your own spin on them. The Gluten-Free Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins are delicious, fantastic, and healthy. Not to mention…just plain awesome.

So…go and buy some and toast up some gluten-free bagel-y goodness today. Or tomorrow morning. But do it!

O'Doughs Gluten-Free Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins with Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese — O’Doughs Gluten-Free Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins with Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese

October 27, 2013

Product Review: Peas of Mind Baked Apple Fries

Product: Peas of Mind Baked Apple Fries – $5.99+

Sometimes…it happens.

Okay…with me it happens all the time…but let’s ignore that fact for a moment here.

Picture walking through the frozen food section of your local natural foods store (this was Whole Foods, in case you were wondering) and catching just a quick glimpse of an interesting sounding product. That’s what happened here. I normally never would have thought twice about this little green bag of sliced apples…but…the fact that they were frozen apple fries…that got my attention. Baking apple strips and making them into a healthy alternative to potato fries. BRILLIANT!

So…I bought them. I had to. I needed to give these a try.

The brand is Peas of Mind, and they tout all-natural eats for growing children.

Kid food. Kids sometimes get the best food. And the fact that these were all-natural, non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, fat-free, egg-free, soy-free and vegan…well…they were definitely safe for me to eat. I didn’t care that these were intended for children. This kind of food was good for all ages. That’s how I figured it.

Peas of Mind makes a variety of healthy eats for kids. And their veggie fries come in a few different flavors, including carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and apple. YUM! But the apple ones were the ones that caught my eye…so those were the ones making the trip to my freezer.

And, as with most things…I bought these and then kept forgetting to cook them up. Until the last time I prepared my gluten-free veggie burgers. I figured a side of fries would go nicely. But instead of slicing up a sweet potato or potato and baking them up in the oven…I pulled these out of the freezer and prepared a baking sheet to get them cooking. I have to say…they were a lot thicker than I anticipated…not the gorgeous fry-shape that is shown on the packaging. But…my food doesn’t have to look like the package. It just has to taste good.

Before we get to that, however, let’s hit up the ingredients and nutritional information. The Peas of Mind Baked Apple Fries are made up of apple, dehydrated potato, water, canola oil, cinnamon, sea salt, and baking powder. One serving is 57 grams (or about 14 fries). In this serving, you will be consuming 70 calories and 0 grams of fat. Remember…fat free! You also get served 50 mg sodium and 2 grams of sugar. These will not be very filling as that serving has only 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein. Each bag provides 6 servings of fruit. Definitely healthy. Definitely different.

So…how were they?

Different. They were…different. In fact, I’d venture to say they were slightly on the bland side. I felt that they needed a dip of some sort. Peas of Mind recommends (on the packaging) ketchup or honey. I’m not a fan of honey on its own nor am I fan of apples in ketchup. So…I ate them without. Although now I”m tempted to do up a whipped agave dip for the next time I make these. Hmmm.

Anyway…the apple flavor is barely there…and they seem to need more cinnamon, quite honestly. The dehydrated potato sort of gave them this odd…blandness. If it were just apple strips, these would have been amazing. But the added flakes of potato just subtract from that sweet apple flavor. So, they were definitely a disappointment. I think next time I bake up a round from my bag in the freezer, I might sprinkle with a bit more cinnamon and try to draw out more flavor.

So, they weren’t bad…but they didn’t wow me either. Next time…I might just slice an apple into slices and give them a good bake in the oven and see how that goes. I wasn’t blown away, but I am definitely curious enough to try the other veggie varieties to see if they work out better than this fruity version.

Peas of Mind has definitely drawn me in…even though this first product I sampled from them didn’t really thrill me, I am eager to see what else they have to offer. I love healthy alternatives to foods. And this was definitely a healthy choice…just not one that was as delicious as it was healthy. I hope that changes as I give the other versions of the veggie fries a chance in the future.

Peas of Mind Baked Apple Fries (prepared)

October 27, 2013

Product Review: Nuovo Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Product: Nuovo Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi – $5.99+

This was it. The last of the gluten-free gnocchi that I randomly spotted and purchased from my local Earth Fare store. I was so happy to find three varieties…all three had to come home with me that day. I knew I wasn’t going to get to them that quickly…so I froze them until I was ready to try them out. Smart move on my part…because it took a bit longer than originally anticipated.

I was thrilled…just thrilled with the Classic Potato and the Basil and Potato varieties that I devoured before. I saved the Gluten-Free Sweet Potato version for last because…I love, love, love sweet potatoes. Like…more than most foods in this world. Sweet potatoes make me super happy. And I will eat them in different ways too. So…why not in a gnocchi?

Thanks to Nuovo, this was simple to do which made my evening a lot more enjoyable. I didn’t have to spend most of the evening prepping my own dough for this gnocchi. All I did was take it out of the freezer and place it in the fridge prior to going to work…when when I got home…put them in some salted boiling water and allowed them to cook just as the package stated.

Easy. SO easy. And I was already anticipating digging into a helping of this as it was cooking in the water…and I was warming a sauce (a marinara…because that was all I had on hand). I drained them, tossed them with the sauce…and dinner was served.

So…with all the anticipation…was it worth it? Was it just as I imagined it would be.

Nuovo Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi (boiled and drained)

Well…not really. In fact…I was more than underwhelmed by this particular variety. Where I raved and applauded the gluten-free Classic Potato and gluten-free Basil and Potato varieties…I was…just disappointed with the one I was anticipating the most. The Sweet Potato gnocchi definitely had a hint of that sweet potato flavor…however, it wasn’t the first thing to hit the palate. It was okay…it was still good…but it just didn’t knock my culinary socks off. The majority of the flavor came from the marinara sauce I tossed these potato pasta goodies in. I just felt like these were missing something…not texture-wise, but definitely in flavor. If you are going to be sweet potato…something…you need to have that sweet potato flavor there. I wanted to taste the sweet potato, not feel that it was masked. And that’s what I felt happened with these.

Nuovo is so very kind to offer a gluten-free version of their famous fresh pastas. I totally enjoyed the other two versions of gnocchi that I had from Nuovo…but this one just didn’t kick it up like the other two did. I think of them all, the Basil and Potato was my absolute favorite of the bunch.

Nutritionally speaking, the Nuovo Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi serves up 2 servings…so my roommate and I split the pack. This serving dished up 270 calories and 1 gram of fat. A serving will also provide you with 350 mg of sodium and 11 grams of sugar (which I think is high…but it is a sweet potato…). And finally, you will get 5 filling grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein.

Not bad for a potato-pasta! Not at all. I just wish they had a better all-over flavor to them. But…you can’t win them all, right? If you are looking for a great sweet potato flavor…spend the time to make your own. Otherwise…Nuovo offers two other flavors in their gluten-free varieties that really rocked my gluten-free gnocchi loving socks!

Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi in Mezzetta Napa Valley Bistro Homemade Style Marinara

October 27, 2013

Product Review: Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix

Product: Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix – $5.99+

It isn’t often that Cathy comes right out with a breakfast request. Normally, I ask the question the night before…”What do you want for brekkies?” Her response usually comes with a shrug, a garbled “Idunno…” And then leaves it to me to figure something out. Which…fine…I’ve grown used to that. But sometimes I don’t want to make the breakfast decision. Sometimes I actually do want to make something that she definitely wants to have in the morning.

But…last week…the unthinkable happened. Without a prompt from me…I got, “Can we have pancakes for breakfast?”

Can we ever!! Finally…some input. Finally…a request. FINALLY…a reason to bust out a new brand of gluten-free pancake mix. HA!

It was time to pull the Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix out of my pantry and welcome it to the wonderful world of my teeny-tiny kitchen. Mixing bowl time…at last.

I found the Authentic Foods brand of pancake mix while browsing the small food section at our local Home Goods store. I can’t believe how many different gluten-free foods they have in there by brands that I am unfamiliar with. And, to top it off, this was being sold at an unbeatable price. When the normal price is $3.00 more than what Home Goods is selling it for…well…you better believe my pantry is going to have a bag of it inside. Purchase made…and the wait time as I work through the products that came before it happened.

Until Cathy’s request. PANCAKES!

Now…simple pancakes would have been just fine. But I felt like making one of my favorite things from childhood. In fact, so many of my friends associate my sleepovers with the chocolate chip pancakes my mom would cook up for all of us the next morning. We all looked forward to it…putting on a nice slab of butter, then dowsing it with maple syrup. Oh yeah…my mom always treated us to chocolate chip pancakes…and my friends knew it.

So…I thought I’d bring it back. So, I mixed up the batter as instructed on the packet…1/2 a cup of the mix added to 1 beaten egg, 1/2 cup almond milk (milk or milk substitute), 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. I then folded in some of Enjoy Life’s mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. Voila…these were ready for my skillet.

The most amazing thing happened. No joke. These pancakes, after they began to cook on the skillet…puffed up and got fluffy…like real pancakes do. Like the pancakes my mom used to make me when I was growing up. I was thrilled to see the edges bubble up and the batter just sort of…expand with the heat. I was already anticipating flipping these over and seeing if the trend continued. And when the bottom side was an amazing golden color, these were flipped…and yes…they remained fluffy. You cannot even imagine the happy dance I was doing in front of my skillet. So many times gluten-free pancakes don’t rise…they just are flat…but these…fluffy and beautiful. Perfection!

Authentic Foods Pancake & Baking Mix is composed of a blend of stone-milled Garfava (a blend of flour made from garbanzo, fava beans, and Romano beans) and superfine brown rice flour. It was like biting into a traditional all-American pancake. Honestly. And with my addition of the mini chocolate chips…you better believe this breakfast took me back to those mornings my mom would treat us to this very same breakfast.

I served the pancakes with a drizzle of pure maple syrup…and settled in. These pancakes got that amazing golden crust on the outside. Inside…so fluffy and light. Not heavy and dense. Just the most perfect pancake I have made so far from these gluten-free mixes. I want to go see if Home Goods has more of this mix…because it made me so happy with each and every bite. For real. When pancakes make your day…there is something special going on.

Supposedly this mix is perfect for making waffles, muffins, cookies, donuts, crepes, and so much more. I just bought a donut cutter. Game on!

Nutritionally speaking, this pancake mix isn’t too bad for you either. I mean…these are carby…amazing…fluffy…REAL tasting gluten-free pancakes. Just take them for what they are and enjoy!! But…as I always cover this…a serving size of this pancake mix is 1/4 cup…which gives you light and fluffy…130 calories per serving and 1.5 grams of fat. So…really not so bad, right? Right! You will be getting 170 mg of sodium and 1 gram of sugar. Also these serve up a filling 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. So…woohoo!

If you have been longing for the light and fluffy pancakes you used to know…I highly recommend giving Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix a try. So far…it’s the one that has impressed me the most. I hope to find other products by Authentic Foods and see how they compare. Until then…I’m thinking pancakes for breakfast tomorrow.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pancakes from Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix

October 27, 2013

Product Review: Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani

Product Review: Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani – $3.29+

Quick Indian meals are usually my Monday thing. I mean…I have to get home from work, scarf something down, and get changed and out the door to head to my running group’s Monday meet-up at 6 p.m. Not easy when construction is going on and often traffic is at a stand-still going across the river. It can be frustrating. And when trying to take a little bit of stress out of the day…the best thing to do is have a simple meal prepared.

But this time…this was a Wednesday thing. I had eaten a big lunch on the way back from Chicago the Monday before I had this…so no food was necessary that evening. Not a bite. But…Wednesday marked a big heaping deal of a run. My good friend, Natalie, was completing her pledged 180th straight day of running to raise money for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. And she invited the group at the store to run those last miles with her. She chose 4.15 miles, in honor of the date of the bombings, April 15.

So, that evening sort of ran (heh…no pun intended. See what I did there?) like a Monday night. That morning, I cooked up two servings of jasmine rice, let it cool, and tucked it away in the fridge for later. Upon returning home from work…I heated up the rice, pulled out my next packet of Tasty Bite goodness…and got ready to dive in.

This week…Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani. Paneer, for those of you not familiar with Indian cuisine, is a soft, vegetarian-friendly cheese. It can be firm or soft…depending on how it is made. But it is…delicious. Makhani is a Hindustani word meaning “with butter.” So…this is basically Butter Paneer. Don’t freak out…really it’s these cubes of paneer that are cooked in this fantastic, creamy tomato sauce…spiced just right to give it that Indian flavor. I love the taste of Indian food. So yummy.

So…what happens when said entree comes in a microwavable pouch? What happens when it only takes 90 seconds to heat and eat? Magic. Because Tasty Bite knows what it is doing when it comes to these fun little meals. Honestly. I wasn’t too sold on the thought of a buttery cheese dish…but…they proved me wrong.

The Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani is just what I described above…home-style paneer cheese in a creamy, spiced sauce. This pouch is a delicate balance of natural ingredients that are non-GMO, vegetarian, and gluten-free. Happy dance. In fact, the ingredients in this particular Indian meal include tomatoes, paneer cheese, water, onion, cream, cashew nuts, sunflower oil, ginger, garlic, salt, coriander, chiles, and spices. Sounds delicious, yes? Of course it does. So, after giving my jasmine rice a quick steaming in the microwave to reheat it…this little pouch of goodness was put in and given it’s 90 seconds to warm through.

I poured the contents over two bowls of rice…and dinner was done in 5 minutes total.

So, we all know that this Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani was easy to prepare…but how did it stack up in flavor and taste?

It was good. It was really good. I loved the bit of mild heat from the variety of spices in the sauce itself. The sauce was the perfect thickness…not too runny, but not too thick either. Perfect consistency. I wished I had more of the sauce, honestly. The cheese was…pretty good. I love paneer cheese, but this just seemed a bit rubbery. Probably because it is, after all, in a microwavable pouch. It wasn’t bad…it was still soft…but it wasn’t the star of this dish like it should have been. Major props to the sauce. It saved this one. I’d probably invest in this variety again…but only if nothing else caught my eye. The Paneer Makhani wasn’t about the paneer at all. It was all about that Makhani sauce.

So, let’s talk nutrition. A serving of the Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani is 1/2 of the pouch. This serving dishes up 220 calories and 17 grams of fat. YIKES!! Some of that, however, does come from the cashews…but most of it comes from the paneer. That’s…a hefty dosage of fat, I think. I mean, 150 of those 220 calories come from fat. That’s…not that great. A serving of the Paneer Makhani also will provide you with 440 mg of sodium and 3 grams of sugar. Not bad for a shelf-stable, processed meal, right? Also, you will be getting 1 gram of fiber and a whopping 10 grams of protein. Low fiber, high protein…good for running.

So, while the flavor was there in the Paneer Makhani, the paneer cheese definitely fell flat, but the sauce saved it. I would recommend trying this one, if you are a fan of Indian flavors. And if you love paneer cheese. Just know…fresh cheese that isn’t sealed in a pack and kept on the shelf definitely stands up better when used in Indian cuisine. But when you are an on-the-go kind of person…this definitely works in a pinch. So…not one of my favorites, but not bad either. Tasty Bite hasn’t put out a bad product…this one just didn’t wow me like the others have so far.

Tasty Bite Paneer Makhani over jasmine rice

October 24, 2013

Restaurant Review: Da Luciano – Pasta, Pizza & Catering, River Grove, Illinois

Da Luciano - Pizza, Pasta & Catering, River Grove, Illinois — Da Luciano – Pizza, Pasta & Catering, River Grove, Illinois

Restaurant: Da Luciano – Pasta, Pizza& Catering, River Grove, Illinois

This…was an important dining choice to make when I was coming to Chicago, Illinois. I mean…for real. This was a big…heap…deal.

Why?

Because I was in town for the Chicago Marathon. I needed a safe meal…one that would guarantee that I would have no stomach issues…and…being that I was running on Sunday morning…this needed to include gluten-free pizza. It HAD to be gluten-free pizza. That is my stipulation when it comes to the night before a big run. If it’s a half marathon or marathon…it has to be gluten-free, vegetarian pizza. It just works for me. Some down pasta…not this girl. This girl indulges in a few epic slices of (hopefully) amazing pizza. Gluten-free pizza isn’t tasteless cardboard, you know. When done right…it is a culinary work of art.

And I’ve eaten good and bad gluten-free pizzas…as they are well documented in this blog.

But there was something special about Da Luciano, which is one of the reasons, despite meaning a car ride outside of downtown Chicago, that I felt I needed to eat there the night before the Chicago Marathon.

What was so special about this place?

They understand Celiac Disease. They totally get me. They totally know how to handle and prepare my food so that I won’t get sick from eating there. And how do I know this? Well, as stated on their Web site, the owners, Luciano and Rosalia, were first introduced to the gluten-free world when four of of their seven children were diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Being an Italian family, bread and pasta were daily staples in their diets. Rosalia set out on a mission to find quality gluten-free bread and pasta for her children, but found that her options were limited. So, she began to experiment with her own recipes, succeeding in making gluten-free bread, pasta, pizza, and desserts that satisfied all of her children. When Da Luciano Pizza, Pasta & Catering opened the following year, they decided to offer their customers a gluten-free menu featuring Rosalia’s amazing recipes. The response from the gluten-free community was huge.

So…as you can see…this place won me over right from the start. And, upon arriving at the restaurant, we were immediately asked if anyone needed a gluten-free menu. I didn’t have to request one. I didn’t have to ask if one even existed. The hostess just flat-out asked. And so, when we were seated, I was given their rather extensive (no one sheet of paper here…but a true menu, my friends!) gluten-free menu to peruse.

So many of the dishes sounded awesome. And part of me wanted to do the gluten-free bruschetta for an appetizer…but we had all decided that dessert was happening…so the appetizer went to the wayside…this time. The gluten-free menu at Da Luciano is about as big as the regular menu. So many of the dishes are offered as a gluten-free option. From the dishes with meat (as I’m a vegetarian, I didn’t look at the extensive seafood, chicken, and veal offerings), but there were many amazing sounding pasta dishes. BUT…I never change up the night before a race…and it was one of their individual gluten-free pizzas for me.

When our waitress returned to the table to take our orders…we were all settled on what we wanted. Heather is not big on carbs, so she went with one of the chicken entrees. Her choice – Chicken Scaloppine ($14.95), which was thinly sliced chicken served in what looked like a tomato and mushroom sauce. Cathy opted for the Rigatoni Porcini ($11.95), which was rigatoni pasta cooked with porcini mushrooms in a light cream sauce. Jenn went with the Gnocchi al Pesto ($11.95), which was delicious looking gnocchi served in a creamy (probably) basil pesto sauce. It looked fantastic.

Da Luciano's Gluten-Free Pizza with Mushrooms, Onions, and Roasted Red Peppers — Da Luciano’s Gluten-Free Pizza with Mushrooms, Onions, and Roasted Red Peppers

But for me…I went with the Gluten-Free Pizza ($8.50) topped off with mushrooms, onion, and roasted red pepper ($0.75 each). I couldn’t wait to get a taste of this pizza. And…I wanted to make sure that Heather got a bite as well, because she suffered through the disaster of Pizza Ranch in Minnesota with me…and I wanted her to know good gluten-free pizza was out there. If we had been in Louisville…I’d take her to Annie May’s Sweet Café and split one of those amazing pizzas with her…but when in Chicago…you find a place that works.

We had a little wait, but soon our food was arriving at the table. And it all looked and smelled amazing! I photographed every dish…especially my pizza. And it was time to dig in.

So…

WINNING!! Granted, I still like my local bakery’s crust better…but this definitely is one of the best crusts I’ve had on a gluten-free pizza. Cooked to golden perfection, so it was crispy, without being burnt or overdone. And it still had that nice doughy texture with it as well. The sauce was amazing. The cheese…was more than I would have liked…but…it starts off as a cheese pizza. The other toppings get added. The star of the toppings, however, were the roasted red peppers. OMG…YES! Packed with flavor. Mild…but with that right amount of kick to keep the palate interested. The onions didn’t overpower anything. And the mushrooms were done to perfection. Nothing watery. Nothing disappointing. And, as I cut off pieces for my friends to try, the rest of it was mine. All mine. And yes…I devoured it all. Every slice. I might have licked the plate clean. It was delicious…and I needed to top off the tanks for the marathon the next morning. This was the key.

And, as I mentioned earlier…dessert was going to happen. I had 6 options to choose from on the gluten-free dessert menu. And while they all sounded fantastic, I was down to three choices…the cream puffs, the tiramisu, and the cannoli. It took a lot of pondering, internal debate, and deliberation with myself to pick between them. I rarely have so many options for a dessert…so choosing one was not easy. The cream puffs almost won, but I wasn’t sure how big they were and it came with two on the plate. The tiramisu was SO tempting. I haven’t had tiramisu in a long, long time. I wanted it. But…ultimately…I settled on the Gluten-Free Cannoli ($4.95). Both Jenn and Cathy opted for the regular Cannoli ($3.95) and Heather went with the regular Tiramisu ($3.95).

I was so excited when our desserts emerged from the kitchen and at our table. My cannoli definitely looked different from Cathy & Jenn’s…but it was the color and thickness of the shell. That was the only difference. Heather’s tiramisu looked absolutely amazing. Next time…(and there will be a next time!)…I’ll get the gluten-free tiramisu. It looked fluffy and amazing.

So…how was the gluten-free cannoli? SO SO SO good. SO GOOD!! MMMMMMMM….GOOD! OMG…GOOOOOOOOOD! The cannoli cream was amazing. Sweet, but not overly sweet. Creamy. Amazing. Delicious. It had bits of chocolate chips and fruit. There was a candied orange peel on each end. And the shell…sugary-sweet goodness. The crunch that it had with each bite was satisfying. And it all just blended together. It worked. And I devoured my dessert happily.

With that…I went and purchased a few bags of their gluten-free pasta, available at the register, and we paid our bill. As we were leaving, I overheard the restaurant manager explaining to a customer that the way the manage no cross-contamination is that all the gluten-free dishes are prepared in the kitchen upstairs at the restaurant…and the regular menu items are all done in the kitchen downstairs. Brilliant. And so safe for Celiacs. I loved learning that about Da Luciano’s. It’s nice to know I had nothing to worry about when eating there…which is good because the last thing you want before running 26.2 miles is tummy troubles.

We had to head back downtown…after dropping Heather off at a train station to head back to her hotel. We had plans for when she would arrive at The Hilton Chicago to meet up with us before the the marathon the following morning. We were all satisfied and happy with the meal we ate at Da Luciano. I will be back the next time I find myself in Chicago…which I hope is soon.

Speaking of which…the gluten-free pizza worked its magic as always…I had a fantastic marathon. Thank you, Da Luciano…for giving me my pre-race carbs in my favorite form. I can’t wait to come back and try more of your amazing menu.

So, if you find yourself in the Chicago area, make a point to head to River Grove and eat at the fantastic Da Luciano – Pasta, Pizza & Catering. It’s worth the short drive because the food is simply that amazing.

Da Luciano's Gluten-Free Cannoli — Da Luciano’s Gluten-Free Cannoli