Vegetarian – Page 72 – The Celiathlete

April 4, 2013

Sweetness abounds in Annie May’s Sweet Café’s Easter Box of Awesome™

Restaurant: Annie May’s Sweet Café, Louisville, Kentucky

I know. I know. I’m an adult. A responsible, reliable adult.

But when I saw Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky, announce their Easter boxes of goodies ($25.00)…I had to have one. I’m like a kid in a candy store whenever I go in there for breakfast or to purchase an allergen-free/gluten-free treat. I can’t help myself. Everything I have had there has been a delightful party in my mouth. Honestly. I enjoy taking my non-gluten-free friends there because…you can’t tell that these products are allergen-free. You just can’t. Annie May and Kenna do amazing work. And their box of Easter goodies is no exception.

I picked up my Easter box when I stopped in for breakfast on the Saturday morning before Easter. Along with the Easter box, I went ahead and purchased two other items that I would enjoy on Easter. Take-and-Bake Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls (with a vegan icing) ($12.00) and Take-and-Bake Allergen-Free Biscuits ($12.00). Happiness is carby goodness in a delicious form that I can actually savor, enjoy, and devour.

Annie May's Sweet Café Easter Box of Awesome™ (plus 4-pack Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls and 4-pack Allergen-Free Biscuits) — Annie May’s Sweet Café Easter Box of Awesome™ (plus 4-pack Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls and 4-pack Allergen-Free Biscuits)

So…what all was included in this Easter box that made me feel like a kid again? Well, you basically got to assemble it yourself…as in, pick 5 items from a list that they provided. So, after a little deliberation with my roomie, we made our final choices and I called in the order. I chose to make my Easter box up with a 2-pack of allergen-free Chocolate Cupcakes, a 2-pack of allergen-free Chocolate Chip Cookies, 1 gluten-free Peter Rabbit Sugar Cookie, 1 allergen-free Sunbutter Candy Bunny, and a 4-pack of allergen-free Chocolate Boulders. Also offered for these Easter boxes were an extra-large allergen-free sugar cookie on a stick (if you can’t have eggs…as the Peter Rabbit Sugar Cookie had egg in it) and an egg-shaped Whoopie Pie of your flavor of choice.

All week I was anticipating picking up my box of Easter goodies as well as my Easter day additions. I went in for breakfast that morning (again, if you haven’t tried their breakfast sandwiches, you are missing out!) and then picked up my goodies. I think I skipped happily out of the bakery that morning, carrying this box of wonderful goodness to my car. Easter came early for me. And I couldn’t wait to dive in.

So…where to start?

Annie May's Sweet Café's Allergen-Free Chocolate Cupcakes — Annie May’s Sweet Café’s Allergen-Free Chocolate Cupcakes

The first item from the basket that my roomie and I decided to try was the cupcakes. Why not? They looked absolutely sinful and decadent. And…it had been awhile since I had a cupcake. My attempts to make allergen-free cupcakes at home usually result in…my cupcakes getting soggy. I haven’t figured out why yet. So…cupcakes…it had to be cupcakes.

Annie May’s Sweet Café Allergen-Free Chocolate Cupcakes are a rich and moist treat. I was so happy when I first bit into this item. They often have cupcakes in their case, but I’m normally in there for breakfast and have yet to really just go in there and pick up a bunch of sweets to try. It will happen. So, this was my first ever taste of one of their cupcakes. Let me tell you…I am hooked. The cake was moist and soft and packed with rich chocolate flavor. It was heaven. I’m not much of an icing person, but the chocolate ganache icing was amazing. It really elevated the richness and the sweetness of the cupcake to that perfect dessert level. It wasn’t too much. It was just enough to make you feel like you were truly indulging after dinner. I savored every bite of it. And even saved a chunk of the cupcake with the icing on it for last. Which is very weird for me…but it happened. Cupcakes were an epic and total chocolate win! I must sample more cupcakes in the very near future. YUM!

So, Easter morning rolled around…

I went for my morning run and returned home very excited and eager to get started on breakfast. Why? Because it was Easter Sunday, which meant the first treat I got would be popped into the oven and warmed to a golden, ooey-gooey goodness. Ah…it would be the perfect start to the holiday.

Annie May's Sweet Café's Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls with Vegan Icing — Annie May’s Sweet Café’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls with Vegan Icing

This treat, of course, is the Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls with the Vegan Icing that I purchased separate from the basket. Now, I’ve indulged in Annie May’s Sweet Café’s Take-And-Bake Cinnamon Rolls before…but I was at a friend’s house and for some reason, her oven was on crack. And despite baking these rolls longer than advised, they were still doughy in the middle. Disappointment. But…not in my house and definitely not in my oven. Annie May stuck the sticker with the directions right on my cinnamon roll packaging. I was to bake them in the oven at 325°F for 20 minutes. Annie May did tell me that sometimes it does take longer to get them golden…it all depends on the oven. Well, I stuck them into my oven for about 25 minutes total, and when they emerged…they were beautifully toasted to a golden perfection. They smelled amazing. And I gave each roll a healthy schmear of the vegan icing provided with them. As I settled in, my roommate was already about halfway through one of her rolls, munching diligently and happily. I took this as a good sign. I sliced into one of the cinnamon rolls with my fork and took a bite of the hot roll. Oh my goodness, oh my goodness. Heaven in cinnamon roll form. These were light, and had the right amount of cinnamon tucked inside each roll. The pastry outside was crisp and golden, but that inside was soft and chewy and perfect. I had to remind myself to chew slowly and enjoy or I might have devoured both of my rolls in seconds. That is no exaggeration. These were so delicious and very, very filling. Which was good…because Easter lunch was going to be running about an hour and a half behind schedule…

After doing a bit of cleaning around the apartment and slicing up some fresh pineapple to take to Easter lunch, it was time to get to work on my other Easter treat for myself. Those amazing sounding Take-And-Bake Allergen-Free Biscuits. Annie May’s Sweet Café had been talking about these on their Twitter and Facebook feeds for awhile…and I just never had a reason to pick them up…despite wanting to…desperately. But, I figured these would be the perfect starch for me to bring to Easter lunch with me…as the bread that everyone else could eat would be off limits to me. And much of the food being cooked up wouldn’t work with my food allergies or my vegetarian diet. So, some hearty allergen-free biscuits sounded like just what I needed. I decided to cook these up ahead of time at my apartment to not interfere with what my roommate’s sister was doing at her father-in-law’s house for Easter lunch. Best to streamline and make things easier. That kitchen can be hectic on the holidays as it is. Why add to the insanity? Besides, this ensured no cross-contamination. Which is always a good thing.

Annie May's Sweet Café's Allergen-Free Biscuits — Annie May’s Sweet Café’s Allergen-Free Biscuits

So, into an oven at 325°F these little biscuits of dough went for about 40 minutes. The instructions said 3o minutes, but Annie May told me that there was a chance they would have to bake a little longer. Simply slice into one of them with a knife and check to make sure the center wasn’t still doughy. I did that, and they needed only a bit more time. Ten minutes, and they were perfection. I covered the tray with aluminum foil and wrapped it in a towel. Then, I drove to Corydon for Easter lunch. And the plan to eat at noon turned into eating at 1:30…but my biscuits were still warm the way I packaged them up. So that meant no reheating in the microwave. WOOHOO! I took two and Cathy took two and I immediately broke off a piece and popped it into my mouth. I had been anticipating eating these all morning; I was wasting no time now.

These allergen-free biscuits are phenomenal. Absolutely what I thought they should be. I wish I had been able to slice into them and enjoy fresh out of the oven. Next time. Because I can only imagine how epic they are having not sat around for 2 hours. BUT…given the circumstances of the holiday…what can you do? Honestly, these are really delicious. The inside bakes to this fluffy and soft consistency. And the outside gets golden. These have the best bread-flavor ever and would be awesome to build a sandwich with or…even use as a burger bun. Seriously delicious. And two of them filled me up. I didn’t need the pineapple, green beans or boiled potatoes. I would have been fine making a meal out of two of these biscuits. Trust me…these will be purchased again…and eaten straight from the oven. I can’t complain…even after 2 hours of sitting after baking…these were made of total win.

As full as I was on Easter, I didn’t get to eat any of the desserts I provided for the get-together. One of them had dairy in it…so that wasn’t happening anyway (hello peanut butter cheesecake bars!). The other was lemon bars, which I intended to eat a small square of…but I was just so full from dinner, dessert didn’t sound good at all. So, I skipped it and when I returned home, went to work on cleaning the rest of the apartment. Before I knew it, it was past 7 p.m. And I was now ready for my dessert. As I had this great Easter box of goodness…I went to decide what to have from it this time.

Annie May's Sweet Café's Allergen-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies — Annie May’s Sweet Café’s Allergen-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

For Easter…it was the allergen-free Chocolate Chip Cookies. Now, I’ve had these chocolate chip cookies before. There was a morning when the waffle maker at Annie May’s was giving their dough hell, so for our wait, we were given free chocolate chip cookies. And, in my post about it…I said that they were, perhaps, the best I had ever tasted. We all know how much of a cookie monster I am. Well, after having the chocolate chip cookies…again…I can honestly declare them my favorite gluten-free chocolate chip cookie I have ever eaten from anywhere. Love is finding that right consistency for a cookie…and people can be so subjective when it comes to what the perfect cookie is. Annie May’s chocolate chip cookies are sheer perfection. They have this beautiful golden crust on the outside…but they are so soft and chewy. The mini chocolate chips give the perfect amount of sweetness in each bite. And they don’t crumble or crack when you bite into them. I savored mine. As much as I could. Each bite was slow and I made sure I enjoyed every bit of that cookie until it was gone. Oh, these cookies are going to be coming home with me more often. That’s what happens when you fall in love.

Annie May's Sweet Café's Gluten-Free Peter Rabbit Sugar Cookie — Annie May’s Sweet Café’s Gluten-Free Peter Rabbit Sugar Cookie

Skip ahead two days. Monday meant no treats from my Easter box because it was my group run with my running store. That meant I get home at a non-dessert time, so these sweet treats had to wait an extra day. No worries though. Because I already knew the next item that was going to be up for noshing. The extremely adorable gluten-free Peter Rabbit Sugar Cookie. This cookie comes attached to a stick, which definitely makes me feel like a kid. Which, I love. It’s those little touches that bring out that giddy, kid-side, and I do enjoy showing that side of me. I feel like I have to be so serious at the office most of the time, it’s nice to have something as simple as a cookie on a stick and feel like a kid in a candy store. And these cookies are extra special…and here’s why. That adorable image of Peter Rabbit in the icing…that’s hand painted. Yes…hand painted. Almost too cute to eat. Almost.

Sugar cookies aren’t usually my thing. I’ve always been a huge fan of chocolate chip cookies. Or snickerdoodles. I love snickerdoodles. But, these sugar cookies were really, really delicious. The icing itself is more like a candy coating. It’s sweet, but doesn’t take away from the sugar cookie itself. And as for the cookie…perfect. Not too sweet. Not gritty. Cookie perfection. Honestly. My roommate and I split this cookie in half (because there was only one in the basket) and we both agreed that, while we both loved the chocolate chip cookies more, this was really good. It was just such a shame to eat all that beautiful handiwork that went into decorating it. Well…not really. It was delicious and perfectly balanced. Who knew Peter Rabbit could taste so sweet?

Annie May's Sweet Café's Allergen-Free Sunbutter Bunny — Annie May’s Sweet Café’s Allergen-Free Sunbutter Candy Bunny

So, naturally, the next goody that came out of the basket was the other item which we only had one serving. The Sunbutter Candy Bunny. Completely allergen free. And super, mega, delicious. Think of a Reeses Cup on crack. Because that’s what this is. The chocolate was a rich, dark coating. Inside this cute bunny shape was a delicious helping of sunbutter. Sunbutter, for those of you who may not know, is a peanut butter alternative made from roasted sunflower seeds. And it’s really, really good. Completely allergen free as well. I have always loved the combination of chocolate and peanut butter (or a peanut butter substitute) because you get that sort of salty-sweet aspect working. This was no exception. This was to die for. I sort of wish I didn’t have to split it in half and share it, because it was really that amazing and delicious. I need to find out if Annie May’s creates other chocolate and sunbutter delights because I was blown away by this candy. Melt-in-your-mouth good. Oh…so good!

Annie May's Sweet Café's Allergen-Free Chocolate Boulders — Annie May’s Sweet Café’s Allergen-Free Chocolate Boulders

Which, naturally brings us to the final chapter of the Annie May’s Sweet Café Easter Box of Awesome™…the allergen-free Chocolate Boulders. What are Chocolate Boulders, you ask? At first glance, they look like dark chocolate covered cake balls. I was…almost right on that assessment. These rich, chocolatey balls of goodness are fudgey, on the inside and covered in a dark chocolate coating on the outside. The result…a smooth, creamy, amazing bite. My roomie and I had intended to eat one tonight and save the other one…but then…we each ended up eating two tonight for dinner. We couldn’t help ourselves. These were so delicious. But, they are rich…in the best of ways. If you’re going to do chocolate boulders of extreme yumminess…you go big or go home. And Annie May’s really delivers with these. If you have a major chocaholic in your family…this would be the treat to gift them. I was in a state of chocolate nirvana with each tasty bite.

As I have now and forever dubbed the box of Easter treats from Annie May’s Sweet Café the Easter Box of Awesome™…it is safe to say that everything inside of it lives up to that title. In one word: AWESOME!

If you live in or around Louisville, Kentucky…or if you find yourself just passing through…do yourself a favor and stop into Annie May’s Sweet Café for a treat or for lunch. They have special Tuesday through Saturday. And on Saturday, you can even grab some breakfast…and treat yourself to one of their amazing allergen-free donuts. Trust me…the calories are totally worth the splurge.

Like I said…their products are AWESOME! So are the two ladies in charge – Annie May and Kenna. Drop in and pay them a visit…purchase some of their amazing products…and enjoy. You’ll be so glad you did.

They’ve certainly made my life a little more indulgent and delicious…and awesome!

April 4, 2013

Udi’s brings light as air gluten free Classic French Dinner Rolls

Product: Udi’s Gluten-Free Classic French Dinner Rolls – $8.99+

You read that right. But go ahead…read that blog title again. Befuddled, are you? Did I mistype? Am I playing some sort of cruel practical joke?

Not at all. What you read is the absolute truth.

Last year, Udi’s unveiled their new dinner rolls (two different kinds: Whole Grain and Classic French), and my area finally got them in. It only took a year. And trust me…I’ve been hunting high and low.

Why? Because every attempt I have ever made at making my own gluten-free dinner rolls have had less than satisfactory results. Too heavy. Too dense. Not the right taste. Wrong. Wrong. All wrong.

But that doesn’t have to be the case anymore. Because Udi’s made gluten-free dinner rolls a no-hassle event. Honestly. These rolls are kept in the freezer. And even though they come from a frozen state, they are so easy to prepare. Put them on a pan and cook from 10-15 minutes. What emerges are perfect dinner rolls, crusty on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. Light. And. Fluffy.

These rolls are so versatile. Sure, you can serve them up as a side at dinner, with a schmear of butter. Or…you can use them in other ways too. In fact, that’s exactly what I did tonight. After a 4.5 mile run after work, I wanted to come home to an easy-to-prepare dinner. My thought…sliders. While I didn’t have any gluten-free veggie burger patties prepped, I did have some of my gluten-free and vegan homemade bacon in the freezer. I also had some fresh veggies…tomato, avocado, onion, spinach…a deluxe BLT slider looked like it was shaping up.

Udi's Gluten-Free Classic French Dinner Rolls (toasted and fresh from the oven) — Udi’s Gluten-Free Classic French Dinner Rolls (toasted and fresh from the oven)

So, I preheated my oven to 400°F and put the rolls onto a pan. Into the oven they went…for about 5 minutes. Just enough to warm them through. After 5 minutes, I pulled them out and sliced each of them in half. I topped one half with a slice of vegan cheese. Then, I turned on the broiler. Back into the oven they went for a couple of minutes…just enough to melt the cheese. They emerged lightly toasted to perfection. I topped off each slice with the veggies and the vegan and gluten-free bacon, gave it a schmear of my own creation – a sriracha vegan mayonnaise. I pressed the halves together and…viola…Deluxe Gluten-Free and Vegan BLT Sliders. All compliments of Udi’s and their Classic French Dinner Rolls.

I am not going to gussy this up with flowery words. The Udi’s Gluten-Free Classic French Dinner Rolls are AMAZING! Honestly. If you had company over for dinner and placed these in a bread basket for dinner…no one would even guess that they were gluten-free. My roommate, as we know, does not have to eat gluten-free and she LOVED these rolls. Loved them. Especially how weightless they seem. They taste fantastic…on their own or dressed up however you like it.

If you haven’t tried these amazing dinner rolls from Udi’s Gluten-Free…you are missing out. Find them. And if you can’t…see if your grocery store or natural food store can order them in. Trust me. They are amazing and I intend to always keep them stocked in my freezer. I can build meals around these…or just let them shine as a side.

Thank you Udi’s…for filling the dinner roll gap I had in my life. Much love.

Gluten-Free and Vegan Deluxe BLT Sliders made with Udi's Gluten-Free Classic French Dinner Rolls — Gluten-Free and Vegan Deluxe BLT Sliders made with Udi’s Gluten-Free Classic French Dinner Rolls

April 4, 2013

A delicious change of pace with Le Veneziane Corn Meal Farfalle Pasta

Product: La Veneziane Gluten-Free Corn Meal Farfalle – $4.39+

Mmmm…pasta. I love, love, love, love, love pasta!! But, being gluten-free…you have to find the perfect pasta in order to truly enjoy any pasta dish you might have had prior to needing to go gluten-free. That’s how it was with me. And while I like brown rice pasta well enough, I find that on the reheat, it gets mushy and falls apart. And sometimes, on the initial cooking, it gets mushy and falls apart. This can be really, really aggravating.

But, pasta lovers…do not fear. There is a plethora of gluten-free pastas out on the market these days…and all of them are different, cook different, hold up differently, reheat differently…so you do have your options. And, being the pasta-fiend that I am…I am slowly making my way through the ever-growing varieties that are offered.

Normally, I probably never would have stumbled across Le Veneziane. But, I was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for a race and there is this amazing little store called The Gluten-Free Trading Company. Everything in there is…naturally…gluten-free. And I went there…twice…in the short time I was in town. It called to me. Imagine grocery shopping without having to read every label. The guesswork was done for you. It was all gluten-free. It was all safe. YAY!

La Veneziane Gluten-Free Corn Meal Farfalle noodles

I tried to be selective in the items I chose to purchase there, opting for brands and products I had never seen or heard of before. In the back, they had shelves of gluten-free pastas. And one of the ones that caught my eye was Le Veneziane. This pasta is made with Italian first choice cornmeal. So, it’s more of a corn-based pasta than a rice-based pasta. In the past, I have preferred corn pasta over rice for a gluten-free option, mainly because it holds together better, doesn’t get mushy, and the texture is just preferred.

I chose the La Veneziane Farfalle because it was ‘bow-tie’ pasta. And I hadn’t had a gluten-free farfalle yet. Not only that, these little “bow-ties” weren’t filled in…rather the shapes were more intricate and delicate. I had to try it.

Last night, I decided to modify my mom’s famous recipe for macaroni and cheese and make it with gluten-free pasta (as I normally do) and add some fresh veggies from my CSA bin. Why not? Of course, the most important part was choosing a good pasta. And, after digging through my pantry, I opted for the La Veneziane Corn Meal Gluten-Free Farfalle. I figured it would not only make an interesting mac and cheese, but hopefully a delicious one too. I wanted a corn pasta for this because with the added broccoli and, of course, the cheese, it could be quite heavy and I needed my pasta noodles to hold up.

Le Veneziane is produced by Molino di Ferro. It is their gluten-free pasta line and offers up light and easy-to-digest corn pasta options. These pastas have a very low fat content, making them ideal for those who are attempting to stay healthy, but still enjoy Mediterranean cuisine. Yes…a balance can be found.

La Veneziane Gluten-Free Farfalle does cook up very light. The noodles were amazingly light, yet sturdy. The survived the initial boiling, to just under al dente. Then, they were dumped into my casserole dish, mixed with fresh vegetables, spices, and my gluten-free white sauce. And then, on top of all of that…they were baked for 45 minutes. And they held their shape and were sheer perfection in the end. I am very picky about how my noodles hold up, especially in classic dishes, and La Venezian Gluten-Free Farfalle, despite looking delicate, held its shape.

A serving of homemade gluten-free macaroni and cheese (and veggies) made with La Veneziane Gluten-Free Corn Meal Farfalle

Texture-wise, this pasta is awesome. As I said, it cooked and baked to a perfect consistency. At al dente, it had the right amount of bite to it. And, despite being made from corn meal, this pasta doesn’t add any sort of corn flavor to your dish. You would assume regular noodles were being used. That’s another thing…no one would even guess that these noodles were gluten-free. They held up, didn’t become mushy, and just complimented the rest of the ingredients in the macaroni and cheese itself. For that, I am thankful. I grew up eating this dish quite often. Nothing beats my mom’s homemade macaroni and cheese. And I love being able to enjoy it with a pasta that is worthy of it.

La Veneziane Gluten-Free Farfalle Pasta will serve up 200 calories per serving, which is about 56 grams dried pasta. The container has 4.5 servings in it. There is only 0.5 grams of fat in a serving (LOVE THAT!). No sodium, no cholesterol. And a nice helping of 4 grams of protein in a serving. Love that. It’s a healthier choice for a pasta and one that I wish I could find easier.

The pasta cooks rather quickly, about 8 to 10 minutes in boiling water. And it really is sheer perfection. It’s a low-fat, high quality pasta that I would love to find around here and incorporate into more dishes. So impressed by it and how well it held up to everything I put it through in order to make this dish. Delicious and dependable. That’s what La Veneziane serves up with their corn meal pasta.

I hope to find this somewhere around here…or maybe head back to Milwaukee in the near future and pick up more of this brand. I was so impressed.

Homemade Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese (with veggies) made with La Veneziane Gluten-Free Corn Meal Farfalle

April 4, 2013

Easy Madras Lentils another Tasty Bite of simple Indian cuisine

Product: Tasty Bite Madras Lentils – $3.29+

It seems like it has been ages since I reached into my pantry for a Tasty Bite.

Does that sound weird to you?

It shouldn’t. You see, there is this amazing company called Tasty Bite, who specialize in these little pouches of deliciousness. I am not exaggerating. I have bought many a pouch of ethnic-style cuisine. Why? Because there are some days that I don’t have time to cook up lentils or beans for a homemade curry, Indian dish, or even something with a bit of Asian flair. I wish I did always have that time, but I work full-time and I run…a lot. And all of that does cut into the hours of my day. And when standing in front of a stove and cooking dinner means that it might be 7 p.m. before I sit down to eat…I’d rather reach for something I know will be good. And it’s simple and takes only about 90 seconds to prepare.

This past Monday was my traditional fun run night. This means I book it home from work, eat something, and then drive into Louisville to hit up my running store, and hopefully traffic doesn’t make me late. Because I run with a group of people there and I hate missing my run.

This means…easy dinner. Nothing that will upset my tummy. And it has to taste good.

As I’ve had amazing luck with the Tasty Bite meals…I just happened to have one in easy reach in my pantry. That morning, I cooked up some jasmine rice that I could easily reheat for a couple of minutes before warming up my Tasty Bite meal.

On today’s menu…Tasty Bite Madras Lentils.

Madras Lentils is a classic combination of lentils, red beans, and classic Indian spices, all in a creamy tomato sauce. The ingredients of this pouch are so simple and recognizable. Water, tomatoes, lentils, red beans, onions, cream, salt, butter, sunflower oil, chilies, and cumin. That’s all. Everything in this pouch is pronounceable and probably something you’d rind in your pantry, on your spice rack, and in your fridge. You have to love that. I know I do.

So, I gave my rice a quick nuke in the microwave, splitting it between a bowl for myself and my roommate. Then, I tore a small opening in the bag for Tasty Bite Madras Lentils, placed it in the microwave for 90 seconds, and let it heat all the way through. That’s all it took. In this pouch emerged a steaming bag of creamy lentil goodness. It smelled fantastic.

I split the bag (it serves 2) between my roommate and I and handed her a bowl. We settled in to eat…and were both blown away.

If you like spicy Indian food, the Madras Lentils are probably not going to be your first choice. However, for those days you want to give your palate a break from the heat and bring flavor to the forefront…I highly, highly recommend the simplicity, yet delicious flavors of Tasty Bite Madras Lentils.

I admit, sometimes Indian food isn’t the prettiest cuisine to look at. But use your other senses and you will be amazed. For a pouch of food with simple ingredients and flavors, this really does hit the mark on taste. The sauce is creamy, yet smooth. You can see the lentils and tomatoes, two main ingredients that should easily stand out. And yeah…while there is a small hint of spice, it’s not a hot spice. Rather, it warms you on the inside and leaves you just wanting to go and take another bite only to experience it again.

I am a huge fan of Tasty Bite. I have yet to have one of their little pouches of easy-to-make cuisine that I haven’t liked. The simplicity of the preparation, ingredients, and the flavor really make these meals worth every cent. If you can find them…buy them. Try them all. Just…make sure the ones you pick up are gluten-free.

The Madras Lentils is not only gluten-free, but also vegetarian and certified kosher. One serving (half of the pouch) is only 150 calories and will provide you with only 6 grams of fat. The sodium content is at 510 mg, which is a little high, but this is processed food, so I’ve come to expect that. It’s actually on the lower end when you compare it to other pre-packaged items along the same line. And, best yet, a serving packs a protein punch of 7 grams. NICE!

Delicious. Nutritious. And easy to make. In no time you’ll be sitting down to a classic Indian meal. And all it took was a little microwave time. You gotta love that.

And you gotta love Tasty Bite. I know I do.

Tasty Bite Madras Lentils over jasmine rice

April 4, 2013

Recipe: Gluten-Free Irish Soda Bread

There are a couple of things I really remember and cherish about the four times I have been to Ireland. One of them…is drinking hot tea and enjoying a piece of Irish Soda Bread. Most people don’t immediately relate Ireland with food…but this is me we’re talking about. And I live for my food.

Luckily…I also love to cook and bake. And while I have done gluten-free Irish Soda Bread before…it really hasn’t impressed me or anyone else.

Imagine my delight, then, to find an easy recipe for Irish Soda Bread on the back of a box of, believe it or not, Gluten Free Pantry (Glutino) Brown Rice Pancake & Waffle Mix. It looked so easy. Too easy, perhaps. I was leery…I didn’t know how bread would work coming from a mix meant for delicious, carby, breakfast goodness. But, isn’t that what bread is anyway? Why not. As I happened to have all of the ingredients in my pantry and fridge…I went for it. All I would be out was a box of pancake mix that was nearing expiration anyway, and a few pantry staples.

Lucky for me…what emerged was SO not what I expected and everything I hoped and prayed it would be. Easy. Delicious. Dense without being heavy (like real Irish Soda Bread). Buttery. And not dry and flaky. Perfection.

And here…is the recipe, straight off the back of the box of Glutino’s Gluten Free Pantry Brown Rice Pancake & Waffle Mix.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Irish Soda Bread

Servings: 12
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Bake 35 minutes

Ingredients:

One box of Gluten Free Pantry Brown Rice Pancake and Waffle Mix
2 organic eggs
¾ cup low-fat organic milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
2 tablespoons melted organic butter or vegetable oil (I used Earth Balance)
¾ cup organic raisins (I used golden raisins)
2 teaspoons caraway seed (optional)
2 teaspoons grated organic orange rind
1 tablespoon melted organic butter to brush top of bread

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Lightly oil an 8-inch cake pan. Set aside.

Empty contents of one box of mix into medium mixing bowl.

Blend in caraway seeds and orange rind, if using.

Combine eggs, milk and 2 tablespoons butter or oil and beat into mix.

Fold in raisins.

Spread into prepared cake pan.

Bake 35-40 minutes or until top is brown. Brush with 1 tablespoon melted butter.

Cool slightly. Cut into wedges and enjoy!

~*~*~

Oh. My. Goodness. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much from this recipe at all. I mean, come on, it’s being made from, not a flour blend or all-purpose flour. Nope. A pancake and waffle mix. I had my doubts. But this came out of the oven a rich golden color, all fluffy and amazing smelling. It looked awesome. I sliced it up into 12 wedges and served them up for breakfast.

SO delicious. Dense, like real soda bread, and packed with awesome flavor. The orange zest really does add a nice zing to the loaf, so I do recommend adding that. I skipped the caraway seeds in my recipe. I love this bread. I can’t wait to make it again in the very near future. If you love Irish Soda Bread…give this recipe a try. You’d never guess it was gluten-free. And, even better, you’d never know it came from a pancake and waffle mix.

This is for breakfast again today. YUM!

April 3, 2013

Glutino’s Gluten Free Pantry Brown Rice Pancake & Waffle Mix serves another delicious purpose

Product: Gluten Free Pantry (Glutino) Brown Rice Pancake & Waffle Mix – $4.49+

I love, love, love, love pancakes and waffles. No, for real. I make pancakes sometimes in the morning before work and waffles…well, those tend to be my weekend treat. So, finding a good mix in order to make these simple, but delicious breakfast treats is sometimes a challenge. Especially when you have food allergies.

Now, I’m not saying that all gluten-free pancake mixes will fall short of expectations. In fact, most of the ones I have tried have been decent enough to continue using…and…in some cases, purchase again.

Awhile back, I purchased a box of Gluten Free Pantry Brown Rice Pancake & Waffle Mix. And, true to form, I used everything else ahead of it while this sat in my pantry…waiting…waiting. I mean, the box is green and white…screaming at me to grab it and make some breakfast magic with it. And…still…it sat.

But, that is no longer the case. You guessed it…the expiration date was drawing close and I needed to use this mix…STAT! This is a habit that I am truly working myself out of. No more stocking up for the zombie apocalypse anymore (okay…not really why I have so much gluten-free goodness in my pantry…but it sounds good). This expiration date, however, was so close that I told my roomie that we’d be having pancakes every day this week for breakfast. Including gym mornings. Reheated pancakes are never as good as fresh of the griddle…but you have to make sacrifices.

And then…as luck would have it…I flipped the box over to look at their directions for making pancakes with this mix…and spotted another recipe. And this one utilized the entire box.

It was for Irish Soda Bread…and I just happened to have every single ingredient for it in my fridge and pantry. Lucky, lucky me. My mind was made up. Irish Soda Bread for breakfast this week. I’d make 12 slices out of it…and we would literally have one piece of it with some fruit for breakfast every day. It would mean only one morning of baking…and the rest, as long as the results were delicious, would be ready for a light reheat on regular mornings and those mornings we hit the gym.

Gluten-Free Irish Soda Bread made from a box of Glutino's Gluten Free Pantry Brown Rice Pancake & Waffle Mix — Gluten-Free Irish Soda Bread made from a box of Glutino’s Gluten Free Pantry Brown Rice Pancake & Waffle Mix

This recipe was super easy. I just used the entire Gluten Free Pantry Brown Rice Pancake & Waffle Mix and to it added eggs, melted butter, unsweetened almond milk, raisins, and orange zest. Caraway seeds were an optional ingredient and I chose not to add them. I mixed all the ingredients together and poured the batter into a 8 inch cake pan. Put it in an oven at 375°F for 35 minutes. And when I pulled it out of the oven, just as my roommate was getting up on Monday morning for breakfast, it was golden brown. I brushed the top with some more melted butter, let it cool for only a couple of minutes, and then sliced it up.

My roommate loves her bread with butter, so she gets a schmear of that. I eat my bread plain most of the time and this was no exception.

I was really, really leery about turning a pancake and waffle mix into a loaf of Irish Soda Bread, but this…WORKED! For real. The result was amazing. The wedges of bread were sturdy and dense, just like real Irish Soda Bread. The raisins remained plump and juicy. And the orange zest adds that needed zing to the actual bread itself. The mix baked up beautifully, not becoming dry or brittle in the slightest. This bread was so easy to slice through. And the taste…well, you would never in a million years guess that this bread was gluten-free. Nor would you know that it came from a pancake and waffle mix.

I am very happy with the way this mix created this delicious Irish Soda Bread. If you are having some difficulty locating Gluten Free Pantry items…there’s a reason. It’s Glutino, and they have changed their packaging. So look for Glutino’s Brown Rice Pancake & Waffle Mix and you’ll be finding the same exact product that I used here. Now you know how long I’ve had this mix.

It may have taken me awhile to actually use this mix…but I am so happy that I finally did. And, I am more than pleased to have utilized it in a manner that isn’t just pancakes and waffles. Have a hankering for Irish Soda Bread…or perhaps those pancakes and waffles sound like just what you need in your life. In either case, for an easy, handy mix, I encourage you to get Glutino’s Gluten Free Pantry Brown Rice Pancake & Waffle Mix.

Bake or flip your way to gluten-free breakfast goodness.

A wedge of Gluten-Free Irish Soda Bread baked from a box of Glutino's Gluten Free Pantry Brown Rice Pancake & Waffle Mix — A wedge of Gluten-Free Irish Soda Bread baked from a box of Glutino’s Gluten Free Pantry Brown Rice Pancake & Waffle Mix

March 31, 2013

KIND-ly enjoying a hit of dark chocolate and peanut butter in an amzing snack bar

Product: KIND Plus Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate + Protein Snack Bar – $1.99+

Well, yesterday rounded out the sample box of KIND bars that I purchased with the help of a Groupon that came through awhile back. And the final bar to get it’s chance to shine was none other than KIND Plus Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate + Protein Snack Bar.

Peanut butter and dark chocolate. This sounded like a match made in heaven to me. After all…that is exactly two of my most favorite ingredients in life. Anything with dark chocolate. Anything with peanut butter. But put the two of them together…and you have made me one very, very happy girl.

Needless to say, the very thought of sinking my teeth into this bar prior to running on Saturday morning at the park was…mouth watering. For real.

It was a chilly, foggy Saturday and my roommate and I were up quite early. The reason being I wanted to hit up Cherokee Park to run some hills before a 5K race was scheduled to kick off at 9 a.m. This meant we needed to be at the park about the time it was getting light outside. So, breakfast that morning at home was a serving of our cereals…but for in the car, to provide some fuel for her trail hiking and my running…I packed the final KIND bar in my run bag.

Being that it was a colder morning (come on, Spring…it’s freakin’ the end of March!), this bar was a bit chilled. So, the ooey-gooey texture I prefer over brittle and hard was not happening. But, a little warm up in my toasty fingers and everything would be okay. As we hit the highway, I busted out the KIND bar and split it in half, handing her one half while I kept the other.

Bite one…was, as I said, a bit hard. Damn cold weather. Messing with my snacks. But after that, things started to get interesting…and flavorful.

The KIND Plus Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate + Protein Snack Bar is…just what it sounds like. Dark chocolate and peanut butter crack. Every bite bursts with this sweet and salty flavor that I love. And the dark chocolate adds the right amount of sweetness to counter balance the peanut butter and nuts that are throughout the bar. I loved it. It, surprisingly, wasn’t my favorite bar. That still has to be the Fruit & Nut Bar…but this one…this one comes close.

The KIND Plus Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate + Protein Snack Bar is a healthy and satisfying mix of a variety of nuts. So, not just peanuts. Nope. They go all out and include peanuts, walnuts, almonds, cashews, macadamias, and Brazil nuts. All of those are blended with peanut butter, honey, and soy crisps. Then the bar is coated on the bottom with dark chocolate and a dark chocolate drizzle beautifully adorns the top. This means every bite is guaranteed that sweet/savory taste.

Nutrition-wise, this bar isn’t too far off the mark. Not for what it contains. The entire bar will set you back 200 calories and 13 grams of fat. Keep in mind, however, that the fat is derived from nuts, and therefore is at least the healthy kind of fat. This bar is very low in sodium, only 50 mg, and relatively low in sugars, topping out at 10 grams. And with all that peanut butter and nutty goodness, this bar offers up a dose of 7 grams of protein. NICE! These snack bars are also gluten-free

KIND offers up a variety of different flavors and nutritional benefits with their KIND Snack Bars. The KIND Plus Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate + Protein was a nice addition to their satisfying and delicious line up. I didn’t like every flavor in the box, but none of them were inedible. And that is a great thing. I intend to continue to sample flavors that were not offered in my cube of goodness and see what else KIND has to offer.

But so far…highly impressed.

KIND Plus Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate + Protein Snack Bar (unwrapped)

March 26, 2013

A healthy, light snack from Real Foods Tasty Cheese Flavored Corn Thins

Product: Real Foods Tasty Cheese Flavored Corn Thins – $3.29+

I admit it…I am an oddball. I actually like rice cakes. I always have. I grew up eating them. My mom kept them in the pantry, and I would eat them plain, or sometimes give the top a light schmear of peanut butter. Rice cakes were one of my favorite snacks. Still are. As long as they don’t taste like cardboard.

My roommate and I have this bad habit. It is a very, very bad habit. We see a product labeled gluten-free that we haven’t seen before at any of our stores and we immediately pile it into our shopping basket and take it home…just adding to the stash. That was what happened when we brought home Real Foods Tasty Cheese Flavored Corn Thins.

We weren’t actually seeking to buy more snack foods while out at Dorothy Lane Market in Dayton, Ohio. We just ducked inside to see what the grocery store had to offer, as there were a few of them scattered throughout Dayton and we were killing some time. Lo and behold, they have one of the most amazing gluten-free sections I have seen at a local grocery store. I was blown away. Local baked goods. Products of which I have never seen before. Awesome.

One of the products we grabbed, for reasons I still don’t know, were the Tasty Cheese Flavored Corn Thins from Real Foods. I actually forgot about them. Whoops. But I was checking the pantry list and noticed them under crackers…and that was why I overlooked them. Wrong category. Definitely not crackers. But since the expiration date was approaching, it was time to use them as my afternoon snack.

Corn Thins are amazingly good for you. Yes, even the Tasty Cheese Flavored ones. These little rice-cake like thins (they are about 1/3 the thickness of a rice cake), made from corn and rice that are popped under high pressure, are honestly a guilt-free snack. I was shocked that I liked these, despite being such a fan of rice cakes. I don’t know why I was so worried.

Anyway…these little cakes have a rice cake texture, but are sweeter thanks to the addition of the popped corn. The cheese flavored topping is lightly dusted on top, not overpowering the corn cake itself. I loved how thin these are cut, because it makes them easy to handle and very light. They have this gentle crunch when you break into them or bite into them. I was very impressed with these.

And yes…guilt-free my friends. Real Foods Tasty Cheese Flavored Corn Thins are 28 calories per cake. For my snack, I took 3 of them, racking up a total of 84 calories for my snack. Not bad. And only 1 gram of fat in that serving. NICE! These are very low in sodium, have no preservatives, no artificial or nature identical flavors, made with all natural ingredients, are gluten-free and non-GMO. My three corn thins gave me 3 grams of protein and 1.5 grams of fiber.

But the true surprise was just how much I enjoyed these. Texture-wise, they are awesome. Just the right amount of crunch. And taste-wise…they are quite tasty. After all, with a name like Tasty Cheese…you better live up to your name.

I hope I can find more flavors that are offered in stores around here. I’ll be searching high and low. And if not…next time I’m in Dayton…you better believe that I’ll be stopping into Dorothy Lane Market.

Real Foods does healthy snacks right with their Corn Thins. Flavor them like cheese…and you have a winning combination!

Three of Real Foods Tasty Cheese Flavored Corn Thins

March 26, 2013

Ian’s Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Buttons a cute pop-and-go snack

Product: Ian’s Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Buttons – $5.29+

In the realm of gluten-free cookies…these are by far the most adorable.

And yes…food outside of Japan can be adorable. Trust me. When I opened up my package of Ian’s Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Buttons, I wasn’t expecting little dime-sized cookies. But…that’s what I got. Mini-mini-mini chocolate chip crunchy cookies. No wonder an entire serving was 23 cookies. Now I understand why.

Well…you know how I am about cookies. And I spotted these on a shelf at Publix while I was in Birmingham, Alabama for the Making Tracks for Celiacs event. Yes…I realize how long ago that was…but I’ve had a lot of food to cypher through since then. Trust me, it was never my intention for these to make a home in my pantry. And that’s why tonight…they became dessert.

A little bit about Ian’s, first and foremost. Ian’s, as a company, set out with a mission to provide high quality, all-natural and allergy-friendly foods to the market that consumers can trust. The company takes great pride in providing quality foods they feel customers will enjoy. And they are always experimenting and coming up with fun and delicious allergy-friendly items to bring to the table.

Fun…I think cookie buttons fall under that category.

So, what are cookie buttons? Well, they are miniature chocolate chip cookies. Honestly. That’s all they are. These crunchy little cookie buttons are the tiniest chocolate chip cookies I have ever seen. And I’ve seen a lot of chocolate chip cookies. I’ve eaten a lot of chocolate chip cookies too…but that is beside the point. These itty-bitty Chocolate Chip Cookie Buttons are one of those snacks that just call out to be fed to children. I mean, they are bite-size and perfect for snacking. They are sweet without being overly sweet. The crunchy texture is perfect, not too hard, not too soft. And they are just one of those snacks your fingers will find and pop in your mouth. The chocolate chips give each cookie a nice hint of sweetness, and the cookie part itself is sweetened just enough without it being too much.

A serving of Ian’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Buttons is 23 cookies (or 30 grams). This serving will set you back only 130 calories and 4.5 grams of fat. That’s awesome for a cookie treat, yes? This serving also provides 11 grams of sugar, which isn’t bad considering…these are cookies. While these cookies do contain soy, egg, and milk, they are completely gluten-free and wheat-free.

I admit…they are nowhere near being the best gluten-free cookies I have ever tasted. They don’t even slot into my top 10. But…there is something very…intriguing about these. Would I buy them again? Eh…perhaps. I’ve had one too many amazing gluten-free cookies out there to really just settle on these…but they aren’t bad. And the size of them makes them fun and easy to travel with. So, they aren’t fantastic for kids or for a quick snack if you are on the go or just in a hurry. And…come on…they are mini chocolate chip cookies.

Cuteness counts for something, yes?

A serving of Ian's Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Buttons — A serving of Ian’s Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Buttons

March 26, 2013

Making a snack out of Trader Joe’s Queso Cheese Dip and Organic Corn Chip Dippers

Trader Joe's Gluten-Free Queso Cheese Dip with Trader Joe's Organic Corn Chip Dippers — Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Queso Cheese Dip with Trader Joe’s Organic Corn Chip Dippers

Products: Trader Joe’s Organic Corn Chip Dippers – $1.99+; Trader Joe’s Queso Cheese Dip – $2.49+

I wish I could write a love letter to Trader Joe’s. Quite honestly.

So often, the snack foods or vegan/vegetarian foods that most people can eat…I can’t. Because I can’t have gluten. And so often, some sort of gluten containing ingredient works its way into said snack foods or food items.

But…Trader Joe’s seems to hold the market…and that’s what keeps me coming back time and time again. While normally I don’t do queso dip…my roommate spotted this awhile back at Trader Joe’s…and as it was clearly marked gluten-free…she asked if we could go ahead and get it. For blog purposes, of course. Which is easy for her to say…because she’s not the one who has to type it. But…she rarely asks for a product while we are out grocery shopping, so I agreed and promised I would come up with something to use it with.

And then it sat in the pantry. And sat. And sat. And every time I contemplated using it in something, I would find something else to use. And so…it continued to sit on the pantry shelf.

A couple weeks ago, my roommate spotted yet another item while we ducked into Trader Joe’s. This time, the Organic Corn Chip Dippers. Basically, organic Fritos. They were even labeled gluten-free, so once again, who was I to say no. I was certain I could find a dish to pair them with.

And then…I didn’t.

Until tonight.

My roommate is now obsessed with sliders. Why? Because I made these little mini meatball sub sliders and now…everything she wants this week is in slider form. It’s a fun way to use some produce and get a bit creative in the kitchen. Tonight, I was making a gluten-free black bean and soy chorizo (using Trader Joe’s vegan and gluten-free chorizo) sliders, which I placed on toasted Udi’s Seeded Whole Grain Dinner Rolls with some fresh vegetables from my CSA bin. But, two little sliders, while still a decent dinner…needed something to go with it.

And after some quick thinking and a peek into the pantry…Trader Joe’s took over my dinner plates.

I’ll start with the Organic Corn Chip Dippers. As I stated before, these are basically a healthier and more natural Frito corn chip. The difference between these and Fritos is that Trader Joe’s version of these corn chips have no preservatives, no trans fats, and no chemicals baked into them. They aren’t greasy like Fritos are, leaving no oily residue behind on my fingers. And the ingredients list is super short: corn, sunflower oil, salt. Three ingredients. That’s all. So right there, they won me over. These chips are perfect for dipping, sturdy enough to hold a goopy scoop of queso cheese dip without busting apart or crumbling under the weight. And they aren’t overly salty either. Which, I do appreciate, because it lets the crisp, earthy flavor of the corn in these chips really shine. Perfectly flavored and great tasting.

As for nutritional information on the Trader Joe’s Organic Corn Chip Dippers, a serving is 28 grams (or about 10 chips). This serving will set you back only 160 calories. You will be taking in 10 grams of fat in this serving, which is a bit high, but these are chips…so keep that in mind. And much of that fat is a result of the sunflower oil, so at least it is a healthy fat. These chips also have only 160 mg of sodium. Not bad for a chip, right?

So, just because they are organic doesn’t mean they are healthy. Stick to a serving, and you’ll be enjoying a better-for-you corn chip dipper. Way better and way more flavorful than Fritos.

And, naturally, I decided to pair these chips with the Trader Joe’s Queso Cheese Dip that had just been begging for me to open it up since I bought it. And now I wonder why I had waited so long to do so.

Trader Joe’s Queso Cheese Dip is the perfect dip for nachos. It’s super cheesy flavored with a nice spicy kick that isn’t too much. Even my roommate, who is a spice wimp, raved about the queso. I think she liked it better than my black bean and soy chorizo burgers, to be honest. Bold flavors and a hint of spice make any queso amazing. But what really makes Trader Joe’s queso stand out is that a serving of 2 tablespoons has…are you ready for this?…only 15 calories. This is NOT a joke, my friends. Only 15 calories. For cheesy queso dip. I swear to the food gods! Don’t believe me? Go to your local Trader Joe’s and find this cheese dip and see for yourself. You realize, then, that the entire jar only would set you back 165 calories…which is what usually 2 tablespoons of regular queso would set you back. Um…AWESOME! That being said, a 2 tablespoon serving will only contains 0.5 grans of fat and 130 mg of sodium. This is beyond amazing. If you are tired of salsa and guacomole isn’t what you’re craving, then do pick up a jar of Trader Joe’s Queso Cheese Dip because with these nutritional facts, paired with the amazing flavor…you can’t go wrong.

Addictive. And a perfect snack or side dish to a meal. That’s what Trader Joe’s provides with Organic Corn Chip Dippers and Queso Cheese Dip. I was blown away. So, if I were to pen a love letter to Trader Joe’s…it would simply say:

I love the food you are able to provide for me when other stores fail to do so.

It’s the truth. And when the food is beyond my expectations and tastes amazing…even better.

Thank you, Trader Joe’s.

Trader Joe's Organic Corn Chip Dippers with a serving of Trader Joe's Gluten-Free Queso Cheese Dip — Trader Joe’s Organic Corn Chip Dippers with a serving of Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Queso Cheese Dip