Vegetarian – Page 89 – The Celiathlete

October 9, 2012

Recipe: Gluten-Free (and vegan…for me) Tostada Pizza

This was one of my favorite recipes for my mom to make when I was growing up. Honestly. She was the best at making her Tostada Pizza…including mixing the dough from scratch.

Of course, since my childhood a few things about me have changed. First of all…I became a vegetarian back in 2010 and have never looked back. So, the first alteration to the recipe I had to make was replacing the ground beef. Thankfully, Trader Joe’s makes an amazing gluten-free and vegan chorizo. YUM! Secondly, I had to go gluten-free back in 2011. So, the crust recipe had to change as well. While I can make a gluten-free pizza crust, it was getting late, so I used a pre-made gluten-free pizza crust instead. It worked just as well.

I’m going to post the original recipe for my mom’s Tostada Pizza here. But I am going to make note as to how I changed it up to make it gluten-free and vegan. If you are simply looking for a good pizza recipe, need a good gluten-free pizza recipe, or need a good gluten-free and vegan pizza recipe…this will do it (and hopefully not confuse you too much).

Recipe: Tostada Pizza

Servings: 4 – 12 (depending on crust you use and size)
Time: Prep 15 minutes; Cook 15-25 minutes

Ingredients for pizza crust**:

2 tbsp yellow cornmeal
2 cups packaged biscuit mix (use gluten-free Bisquick or other gluten-free pizza crust mix)
1/2 cup water

**Or…use a pre-made and store bought gluten-free pizza crust to save time. I used Rustic Crust Gluten Free Napoli Herb crust, which I purchased at the grocery store**

Ingredients for pizza:

1 pound ground beef (I used Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free & Vegan Soy Chorizo)
3 tbsp chopped green chilies
1 package taco seasoning (make sure this is gluten-free) (I didn’t use this in my recipe as I was using vegan chorizo, which is already spicy)
3/4 cup water
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans (I used Wild Garden Traditional Hummus)
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese (I used Rice Shreds)
1 cup lettuce, chopped
1 cup tomato, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
taco sauce

Directions:

Sprinkle your pizza stone or a well-greased 12 inch pizza pan with cornmeal.

If making your own crust, combine the biscuit mix and 1/2 cup of water. Stir with a fork until dough forms a ball. Turn dough on a lightly floured surface; knead 5 to 6 times. Roll to a 14 inch circle, pat into pizza pan or place on pizza stone, crimping the edges. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

If you are using a store bought pizza crust or gluten-free pizza crust…simply heat up your stone with the cornmeal on it. Do not pre-bake the crust unless it is raw.

If you are not a vegan/vegetarian, brown the meat; drain grease. Stir in the green chilies, taco seasoning mix and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes. Skip this step if you are making a vegetarian version, unless you opt to use soy crumbles. To take out the guesswork on the taco seasoning, I simply went with a vegan and gluten-free chorizo that I didn’t need to cook or add seasoning to.

Spread refried beans (or in my case, hummus) over the pizza crust. Top with the meat and chilies. Bake at 425 degrees for 8 – 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top with cheese. Bake 2 minutes more or until cheese melts. Remove from oven and sprinkle with lettuce, tomato, onion, and taco sauce on top.

~*~*~

I apologize for the unwieldy nature of this recipe. But…changing up my mom’s original recipe to suit my dietary needs isn’t always easy. And…I didn’t want to take away from the original recipe (even in this…a vegetarian food blog). So…make substitutions as you see fit…just as I did.

The result…a pizza just like how my mom used to make it…except completely vegan in my case! I remember why I loved it so much. It’s like eating a taco in pizza form. Two of the best comfort foods out there.

Want something different…go ahead and give this recipe a try. Whether you are a vegan/vegetarian or not…and whether you need to eat gluten-free or not…this recipe will work either way.

Yummy!

October 9, 2012

Schär doesn’t come up short with Shortbread Cookies

Product: Schär Shortbread Cookies – $4.99+

Yes. The Cookie Monster is back and in full swing. This shouldn’t come as a surprise at all. After all…we all know that I love my cookies.

And it just so happens that one of my go-to gluten-free companies makes some killer gluten-free cookies. But I didn’t know this until yesterday.

The cookies were actually a giveaway at the Gluten-Free Expo I attended back in Birmingham, Alabama. They have been in my pantry just anticipating the day I would get to them. Finally, after much pantry sifting and working through products that expired first…the evening arrived last night. And Schär Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies were my dessert.

These cookies are little golden biscuits of shortbread. But these aren’t typical shortbread. Schär makes gluten-free products, so these shortbread cookies contain no ingredients that have wheat, lactose, or gluten in them. These are made with corn flour, giving them a sweeter taste to them. But it doesn’t stop there, these are also sweetened more with a kiss of honey and sugar.

The result? A delicious golden biscuit that has a slight crunch when you bite into it, but keeps that buttery-rich texture as you chew. They aren’t your typical shortbread cookies, but…trust me…these are amazing and delicious. I could see how they would be fantastic crushed up to use as a crust or as a topping for an apple crisp or the like. They are that smooth, buttery, golden flavor that you remember shortbread as tasting, but these cookies aren’t rock hard and they are just as good on their own…or dipped in melted chocolate. And my favorite part is the lingering taste of vanilla after each bite.

Of note here…while these do have that buttery texture to them, these cookies contain no butter at all. Now that’s a true test for a shortbread cookie, yes? I love the crispiness and richness in each bite. And one serving is 4 cookies. FOUR COOKIES!! YES! And that will only set you back 130 calories. A serving of these cookies has only 5 grams of fat and, get this, only 5 grams of sugar. That’s amazing for a cookie. But with shortbread, you want the sweetness to come from the honey and vanilla…and that’s what you get here.

If you are gluten-free and looking for a different sort of cookie than the run-of-the-mill sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, and such that are offered in the grocery stores…seek out Schär Shortbread Cookies. Take a bite out of golden sunshine.

Schär…once again you have impressed me. You definitely live up to your golden reputation for delicious gluten-free foods.

October 9, 2012

Rolling out the spice with Guy Fieri’s 7 Pepper Salsa

Product: Guy Fieri 7 Pepper Salsa – $5.99+

When the jar says, “Burn Baby Burn” on it…I’m expecting this salsa to pack some heat. Heat and spice. That’s what I love about a good salsa. And with one by television chef Guy Fieri, I figured this one would be “off the chain” as he would say.

And…for the most part…it was.

Guy Fieri’s 7 Pepper Salsa is a blend of seven different peppers ranging in level of heat. These include red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, guajillo chile peppers, habenero peppers, chile de arbol peppers, chilaca peppers, and black pepper. Add to that the cooling and mild flavors of tomatoes, onions, lime, garlic, cilantro, and some seasoning, and what you have…is a jar of 7 Pepper Salsa.

Please note…a few of the peppers used are sweet…not spicy. Too much spice is not nice. You want heat, not burn. I don’t know about you, but despite being a spicy food lover, I still want to be able to taste the food. I want more than the spices on my palate. Everything has to mix and blend. No sense burning off my tastebuds with the first bite. How can I enjoy food then?

So…here is the run down on Guy Fieri’s 7 Pepper Salsa:

Is it spicy? Yeah. A little. I think Guy is definitely trying to cater to your average Joe Schmoe here as far as the promised heat. It seems rather tame. No burning going on. No disco inferno in my mouth. A little mild heat is what I got. No breathing fire. None of that madness. Needless to say…I was a bit disappointed by the heat level or lack thereof.

In the lineup of Guy’s salsas, this one is supposed to be the hottest. But I feel that Guy played it safe here with the heat level. So, if you heat freaks out there are looking for something to set your mouth aflame…look elsewhere. This is not the salsa for you. It has the potential to be so much hotter without being stupid hot…but this falls just short of that. Sadly enough.

As for the rest of it…the salsa itself is thick and chunky. I like that in a salsa. I don’t want something that is runny and will fall off the tortilla chip or dribble out of my taco. The various chunks are definitely full of the fragmented chile peppers. Don’t let the inclusion of habanero peppers scare you away. This didn’t singe, scorch, or burn the roof off my mouth. There was no real level of heat that made me rush to grab something to tame it. Nope. This was more of a medium heat variety to me. The flavor is amazing…rich, chunky, and packed with that meaty salsa flavor and texture that I want. But the heat fizzled in the end.

So, while the spice level was a bit of a let-down, let me say this…for a salsa, this is exactly the texture I would be looking for. I don’t mind a milder spice when it comes to these thicker salsas. And I give props to Food Network pawn, Guy Fieri, for bringing his love of spice, salsa, and sauces to the general public. I would totally buy this again. It made a great topper for my Gluten-Free and Vegan Tostada pizza tonight. And now I’m ready to try it out with some tortilla chips as well.

If it’s heat you seek…the burn promised with this salsa will not satisfy you. But if you are searching for a medium-spice, chunky salsa with huge flavor…this will definitely satisfy.

Guy Fieri 7 Pepper Salsa atop a gluten-free & vegan Tostada Pizza

October 9, 2012

Wild about Wild Garden Traditional Hummus

Product: Wild Garden Traditional Hummus – $3.49+

This is one of the best inventions I have ever come across when it comes to simple, on-the-go food stuffs. Hummus-To-Go squeeze packs from Wild Garden. I spotted these at my local natural food store on a shelf and knew I had to try them. So, I bought them. And, then despite the plethora of gluten-free crackers in my pantry and closet…they have just sat there.

Rest assured though…I know this is a good product. You know those amazing Go Picnic meals? Well, the hummus and cracker variety of Go Picnic includes a Hummus-To-Go pack by Wild Garden. And I devour my Go Picnic meals on a regular basis as I am usually on the go and this is far cheaper and less of a hassle for me to eat on the road than trying to find somewhere that can cater to my dietary needs.

So, while I have used the Wild Garden Hummus packs before…this was the first time I have used it in a way that is not the traditional way to eat hummus.

You see…I have gluten-free pizza crusts. Are you following me yet? Well…these gluten-free pizza crusts were sitting in my pantry and nearing their expiration date. So, tonight after a morning of hard cardio at the gym, a day at the office, and then an evening 5 mile run, I was starving. I also had received a beautiful pizza stone for my birthday last month from my dearest friend Judi, and I was ready to test it out. So, after sprinkling it with some corn meal and setting it in the oven to heat up…I got busy on the pizza.

Not just any pizza though. A take on my mom’s famous Tostada Pizza that I grew up eating. Of course, in the years that have passed since I lived at home, I have not only become a vegetarian, but I also had to begin eating gluten-free. So…this meant a few changes had to be made to the original recipe. Instead of ground meat and taco seasoning, I opted for Trader Joe’s vegan and gluten-free soy chorizo. This eliminated the meat portion of the dish and I didn’t need to invest in taco seasoning either. The other change I made was that instead of refried beans (not all are gluten-free!), I used Wild Garden Traditional Hummus instead. The rest of the recipe remained the same as how my mom made it.

So…while the pizza stone heated and seasoned in the oven, I took a gluten-free pizza crust (Rustic Crust, if you are curious) and spread one packet of the Wild Garden Traditional Hummus across the top of it. Then, I topped it with some of the Trader Joe’s Soy Chorizo and some green chilies. Once the stone was warm, the pizza crust was place don top of it and cooked for about 8 minutes. The edges were turning a beautiful golden color when I removed it. The next thing I did was add some chopped onion, some tomato, and my vegan cheddar shreds to the top. The stone went back into the oven for 2 minutes. Once more out of the oven to finish it off with some organic spring mix lettuce that I chopped up. One more minute in the oven and…viola! A fantastic Tostada Pizza…vegan and gluten-free style!

Of course…the entire point of this blog was not to give a recipe, but share my thoughts on the Wild Garden Traditional Hummus. Well…what can I say? It worked beautifully in place of the refried beans. Honestly. It was the right creamy texture…but definitely a lot healthier and a lot tastier, in my opinion. It served as the perfect base for the pizza (the sauce, if you will). Paired with the rest of the ingredients, it all just meshed really well. I was quite pleased with it as I wasn’t sure how baking it on a pizza crust was going to work out.

A tetra deli pack of Wild Garden Traditional Hummus

Wild Garden Traditional Hummus is simply made from chickpeas, sesame paste, water, sea salt, natural spices, and citric acid. It is naturally gluten-free, vegan, kosher, and low carb. This brand of hummus has no GMO’s, no preservatives, no hydrogenated oils, and no trans fatty acids. In addition, they are shelf-stable until opened and so good for you. Rich and creamy with a mild flavor, these hummus varieties won’t take away from the food you are pairing with them.

I found the texture and taste to be preferable to the refried beans in the original recipe. It paired well with the spicy hit from the soy chorizo and green chilies. And the vegetables were a shoe-in for paring with hummus. Not only are Wild Garden Hummus varieties great for dipping foods or topping off crackers…but it looks like they make a fantastic base for a pizza as well.

If you are wild about hummus and want to taste one that is packed with flavor and loaded without all the preservatives and additives, Wild Garden Hummus is for you. I found the Traditional to be a fantastic, mild, creamy flavor that left me feeling satisfied and raving over the taste. Wild Garden offers six flavors of their hummus, although not are all available in the to-go packs.

Whether eating at home, needing a snack, or on-the-go…pack some Wild Garden Traditional Hummus. Pack in the protein, the nutrients, and the goodness of hummus done right.

And eat it in whatever way you can dream up…imagine…or crave.

Gluten-Free and Vegan Tostada Pizza (using Wild Garden Traditional Hummus as a base)

October 8, 2012

Bob’s Red Mill bakes up too-good-to-share Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Product: Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread Mix – $5.79+

I have a confession to make.

Originally, I didn’t pull out the Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread Mix for me. Nope. You see, I have an amazing podiatrist who has gotten me back on my feet and running better than I did prior to the injury that put me on crutches for three weeks. And after setting two new PR (that’s personal records for the non-running lingo peeps) in my last two races, I wanted to bake them something as a thank you. I have quite a few of these Bob’s Red Mill Cinnamon Raisin Bread Mix bags in my pantry (thank you Big Lots!), so I thought…why not?

Prep work was easy because I do my bread baking in a bread machine. Yes…this takes awhile, but it takes all the ‘let it rise after kneading it’ hassle out of the equation. Following the simple instructions on the bag, I simply took room temperature water, two eggs, and 1/4 cup of canola oil and placed it into the pan of my bread maker. Then…the mix was added. Finally, the yeast packet that came with the bread mix was added. Now, my bread maker is not specifically designed for gluten-free bread making, but it is a dedicated gluten-free bread maker. So…I set it for the basic setting on a medium crust, hit start and let it run for the 3 hours it takes.

And at first, I was less than excited about the little glob of dough that was being worked by the machine. In fact, I let it run while I settled in on the couch and watched “Thunderball” (the James Bond film…mmm…Sean Connery!). I even wandered into the kitchen to air pop some popcorn at some point and was still set on just baking this up for my podiatrist and his staff.

But then, the baking part kicked in around the end of the movie. Suddenly, my entire apartment smelled like fresh-baked cinnamon raisin bread. It was making my mouth water. And despite having just snacked on popcorn…there was nothing more that I was craving than taking a slice of that and trying it. After the movie, I only had a few more minutes left on the bake cycle, and the aroma was making both myself and my roommate really want to dive into the bread. We were going to try it regardless…just a slice split between us. Then I was going to cut it up and package it up for my podiatrist with a couple of icing options.

But after the bread machine beeped to alert me that the cycle was done and my bread was ready, I eagerly took the pan out of the machine, overturned it to let the bread easily slide out onto my cooling rack, and then…let it sit and cool. That only lasted 10 minutes. I had to try it. Onto the cutting board it went.

It was still probably too early to slice into it…but I needed to try it. It smelled so fantastic. So, my bread knife glided through the still fresh bread loaf and sliced off the end piece. I saw the rise of fresh steam as the slice fell away and I let it sit for a moment to cool. But that was just long enough for me to snap a picture. Then…out came the margarine. I sliced the one slice of bread in half and gave a little spread of the Smart Balance spread over each slice. I handed one to my roommate and I took the other.

One bite…and the first words out of my mouth were…

“I don’t want to share this! I want to keep this here for us!”

She totally agreed.

Good. We were on the same page.

So, aside from making my entire apartment smell like a bakery (and a delicious, gluten-free bakery at that), how was the bread?

Well, the loaf is not going anywhere if that indicates anything. Most gluten-free breads (even those made from mixes), have the tendency to be very heavy and very dense. Not Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread. Nope. This was light and soft. The inside was moist without being heavy. And the Smart Balance spread that I spread across the sliced part melted right into the bread like a cinnamon-raisin sponge of awesomeness™ just begging to be devoured in seconds. I savored it as much as I could, but the half of a slice that I had was disappearing quickly. The crust on this bread baked to a perfect golden brown and has this amazing flakiness to it. The inside is moist and soft. And the raisins aren’t just an afterthought. Raisins explode from every bite of this bread. They aren’t just randomly scattered. There are plenty to go around and plenty to fill up the bread. No need to even add extra. In addition, the cinnamon flavor is there without overpowering and taking away from the bread. It adds a sweetness to the bread that really compliments the raisins.

So, apologies to my podiatrist’s office, but this bread is staying here with me. In fact, it’s my post-workout snack this morning after hitting up the gym. I’m taking some of my vegan vanilla cream cheese icing in because I think this bread could easily make me no longer miss cinnamon rolls if I dress it up like one. I can’t wait to give this bread a little warming at the office and spread it with some vanilla icing love. Epic breakfast at the office. I hope the aroma of the bread makes others inquire as to what I’m eating. My office is so anti-gluten-free anything that I love being able to make something and get them to try it (few often do) and fall in love with it.

Gluten-free baking and cooking doesn’t get the respect that it deserves. Too many people go into it with a closed mind.

Well, if they were able to try the Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread that the Bob’s Red Mill mix created, I bet their minds and mouths would both be open…and ready for more.

I know mine is.

The trick is getting through my workout before devouring my slice for breakfast.

If cinnamon raisin is your thing, if you miss cinnamon rolls, or if you just want to give gluten-free bread making (by hand or by machine…there are instructions for both on the bag of the mix) a try, I encourage you to give Bob’s Red Mill mixes a try. I haven’t been disappointed yet. It’s another one of those, “No way this is gluten-free!” moments…which I love.

SO GOOD!

A loaf of bread made with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread Mix and baked in a bread machine

October 7, 2012October 7, 2012

Bengal Lentils are another good gluten-free and vegetarian Tasty Bite meal

Product: Tasty Bite Bengal Lentils – $3.29+

This review is being written while I sit down and eat a bowl of Tasty Bite’s Bengal Lentils. Yep. It doesn’t get much fresher than this for a review. Because everything I am tasting I can put down right here…right now.

Needless to say…I’m once again rather impressed by Tasty Bite and their prepackaged Indian meals of goodness. While there have been others that have come before this one that I have liked better…this one isn’t bad.

In fact, if there were one thing I would nitpick at…it would be the lentils. Despite heating them for the correct amount of time, they come across as undercooked and crunchy. Which, doesn’t really take away from the dish, but it certainly bears making note of here. Everything else was a flavor-packed home run.

The Bengal Lentils are whole lentils that have been cooked in a light gravy consisting of aromatic herbs and spices. These include garlic, salt, ginger, chilies, coriander, and turmeric. The sauce is a flavorful blend of the lentils, tomatoes, onions, chickpeas and a sunflower oil. The result…a delicious hit of Indian flavor in each bite.

I cooked mine up and served over some steamed jasmine rice. I tend to do that with the Tasty Bite meals as it makes them more filling and more of a meal. Especially since I am splitting the serving (each bag comes with two in it) with my roommate. Besides, I love rice with my Indian meals.

Tasty Bite offers a wide variety of these packaged meals that you heat up in the microwave for about 90 seconds. So easy. And very handy to have on busy evenings or nights where you just don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I often keep a few of these in my pantry for just such occasions.

The Bengal Lentils have a nice, spicy bite to them without the heat being overpowering or too much. The flavors shine through with each bite. Again, I found the whole lentils to be a bit tough…but that is the only negative thing about this meal. The spices are right on par, blending together to make not only a perfect sauce, but the perfect flavors for an Indian meal. For something that is packaged, the nutrition information is rather good.

One serving is half of the package, and only sets you back 160 calories. With it comes a healthy helping of 7 grams of protein, 6 grams of fat, and only 480 mg of sodium, which is awesome for packaged food items. The Bengal Lentils are gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, and kosher. And…yes…they are quite pleasing to the palate…despite the taste of the al dente lentils.

Tasty Bite yet again offers up a meal that is of restaurant-quality flavor. I wasn’t quite as blown away by the Bengal Lentils as some of the previous varieties I have tried, but still…ate every bite and savored the authentic Indian flavor that accompanied it. And for the price…that’s hard to beat.

Tasty Bite Bengal Lentils over jasmine rice

October 7, 2012

Love at first cheesy bite with Schär Gluten-Free Cheese Bites

Product: Schär Gluten-Free Cheese Bites – $4.25+

Schär has most notably become one of my go-to companies for gluten-free products. Why? Because I have yet to really be disappointing by something that they have out on the market. When it comes to that gluten-free “wow” factor, Schär constantly delivers, whether it is their par-baked bread products or pasta or otherwise.

As I am working my way through my gluten-free snack stock in my pantry, this week brought me to the small package I had of Schär Gluten-Free Cheese Bites. Now…I can tell you right now, I loved these at first bite. I had actually sampled a few at a Gluten-Free Expo back in February and it was honestly love at first bite. First freakin’ bite.

But, that was awhile back and it had been a long time since my taste. But there wasn’t any of that trepidation when I loaded up a serving (30g) for work on Friday. I knew my afternoon snack would be enjoyed. I remembered that much.

But when snack time rolled around, I remembered exactly why these were stocked in my pantry. First of all, they were on sale one week. I just hadn’t gotten to them yet as I work (in expiration date order) through my snacks. Secondly…they are yummy! Beyond yummy, actually. They are a fantastic cheesy treat.

Forget Goldfish crackers (which are not gluten-free, so I have had to forget them anyway). These take the taste above and beyond what those smiling snack crackers ever did. Schär provides a gluten-free bite-size treat of cheese and powerful flavor. What’s not to like?

These are love in cheese cracker form. They actually remind me a lot of Ritz cheese crackers. Buttery, cheesy goodness that you just pop into your mouth. They have the right amount of saltiness to them to bring out the richness of the crackers. And I find that these would be amazing as croutons in a tomato soup, or sprinkled with some olive oil and ranch dressing mix. Yummy. They could be used as croutons in a salad as well. But my favorite way to eat them…straight out of the bag.

I let my co-worker, who is trying to learn more and taste gluten-free products to see how she likes them (most of them she doesn’t…but she is picky), try one and she loved them. Honestly. These are amazingly good. I applaud Schär for this nutritious and delicious snack. One serving is only 140 calories and 5 grams of fat. Not bad for a cheese cracker at all. And definitely not bad for an afternoon snack.

Schär…I hope you introduce more snack crackers like this one. These are to be raved about…for life. And I intend to savor every bite-size morsel from the remainder of the bag.

October 6, 2012

A delicious start to the day at Annie May’s Sweet Café

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

When I developed food allergies as an adult, I pretty much resigned myself to the fact that eating breakfast anywhere was going to mean a lot of egg dishes. And even then, I have to be careful about what goes into the egg dishes that I order while out. Interrogating the waitress over how things are prepared is not always something I want to do. But I have resigned myself to the fact that if I want to eat out safely…it’s something that has to be done.

Little did I know, until very recently, about a wonderful allergen-free bakery/café in Louisville, Kentucky…on Frankfort Road. And once I discovered it and tasted what they had to offer…I don’t want to go anywhere else.

You see, life can still be sweet, savory, and scrumptious thanks to the fantastic people at Annie May’s Sweet Café. Honestly. When someone like me can walk in and safely order a delicious waffle and a doughnut (seriously…why choose?) because I have a gluten intolerance…it makes me feel happy. Because I can’t do that anywhere else in this area. No one has really fallen into that niche yet…but Annie May’s stands here to fill that void. But…here’s the best part. My roommate was with me. She is neither a vegetarian nor does she have a gluten intolerance. She also got one of the waffles…and a doughnut as well. She can eat whatever she wants to at other breakfast/brunch/food establishments. Including regular waffles and regular doughnuts. So…she’s the real test. I eat like this because I have to…but that’s not the case with Cathy.

We placed our orders. Annie May’s offered three different varieties of waffles today. A regular allergen-free waffle served with your choice of maple syrup or agave syrup and your choice of butter or Earth Balance. Also a regular allergen-free waffle served with a blueberry compote. And finally a regular waffle with whipped cream and strawberries (gluten-free, but not vegan). Both Cathy and I were feeling the first option. So, I ordered a regular waffle with maple syrup and Earth Balance ($7.99), while Cathy opted for a regular waffle with maple syrup and butter ($7.99). Then, we had to get the delicious pumpkin doughnuts that are currently being baked up there. LOVE this time of year for pumpkin…everything. I previously had the cinnamon & sugar pumpkin doughnut, so this time I went with the allergen-free maple glazed pumpkin doughnut ($2.49). Cathy stuck with the one she had previously (because, let’s face it…chocolate = epic yumminess) and got the pumpkin doughnut with a chocolate ganache ($2.49).

We paid for our orders and went to have a seat at one of the tables inside the little café. It’s a quaint, very homey setting that just makes you feel comfortable. I could tell our waffles were done to order because it took some time to arrive at our table. But that was okay. Cathy and I sat there and just discussed a few things from my run (11 miles) and her trail hike this morning, to what we needed to get at the round of grocery stores we hit up while in Louisville. Before we knew it, our plates arrived with our breakfast goodies on them and we could hardly wait to dig in.

I spread my Earth Balance across one section of the waffle, then began to slice into it. This was waffle perfection. Not only was it a beautiful golden color, but it was crisp on the outside, with that perfect amount of softness on the inside. Not doughy softness, but waffle-softness. All you waffle fanatics know what I’m talking about. That bread-y delicious center that sops up all that syrupy goodness that you drizzle or dip it in. Yeah…waffle perfection. I was totally satisfied at first bite. The flavor was buttery good. It wasn’t dry. It wasn’t mushy. It was that right level of waffle crisp that I want…with every bite. Yes…even as I worked my way through it, it didn’t get mushy or soggy. The syrup was rich and sweet and the perfect complement to the waffle itself.

I already knew that Annie May’s made a killer pumpkin doughnut. I mean, I had one a couple weekends ago. But since then…I had been craving more. And thankfully they had some baked up and ready. The maple glazed pumpkin doughnut went perfect with my waffle. Honestly. Okay, so I was carb loading post-11 mile run. But…mmmmmmm…can you blame me? The doughnut was soft, rich, cake-y and light. It isn’t a heavy doughnut so you don’t feel guilty about eating it (not that I ever do when I get to indulge in gluten-free doughnuts!). Fresh baked are always better than the frozen ones I usually get to eat. And the evidence is clear with the first bite. Atop of today’s pumpkin doughnut was a sweet, amazing maple glaze. It reminded me of autumn on the first bite. Seriously. What better way to take a bite out of October and the new cooler weather than with an allergen-free pumpkin doughnut with a sweet maple glaze. It was love at first bite.

Nothing caps off an 11 mile run in the morning like a fantastic breakfast. Thanks to Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky…I can do that without having to question what is going into my food. Peace of mind makes me want to continue to frequent there whenever possible. In fact, I stated today that whenever we’re in town, Saturday breakfast needed to be at Annie May’s. Why not? I love supporting local businesses…and a local business that fits into my dietary restrictions is even more amazing.

But…take it from someone like Cathy, who doesn’t need to eat allergen/gluten-free…who devoured her doughnut and her waffle with sweet abandon. She raved about the taste, the texture, the flavors…and that chocolate ganache, which she loves to say is “to die for.” And…trust me…it is really that good.

We both walked out of there completely satisfied and happily full. And every bite of it was savored, enjoyed, and devoured with gusto. Even if you aren’t vegan or someone with food allergies…trust me…you’ll still love the food and sweet treats that Annie May’s has to offer. So, head over to Frankfort Avenue and take a bite of one of their allergen-free, gluten-free, and/or vegan offerings. Everything there is gluten-free…but you wouldn’t even know it. Don’t take my word for it though…go on and show your support for a local business and try something new or out of the norm. You’ll be hooked.

I guarantee it.

Annie May's Sweet Café's Allergen-Free Original Waffle with Maple Syrup and Earth Balance with a Allergen-Free Maple Glazed Pumpkin Doughnut — Annie May’s Sweet Café’s Allergen-Free Original Waffle with Maple Syrup and Earth Balance with a Allergen-Free Maple Glazed Pumpkin Doughnut

October 4, 2012October 4, 2012

Recipe: Sicilian Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Onions

Sometimes when I don’t get a CSA bin…I go a little produce happy at the grocery store. This is a dangerous thing because I nearly always run out of week to actually make things with the stuff I buy before my CSA bin arrives on Friday. So, as this week went on…I was attempting to make sure I was using the items that I purchased in lieu of having to cancel my bin last week while I was out of town.

One of the items that I purchased at my new favorite grocery store (Earth Fare…if you have one, don’t walk…run there! Or drive. Your choice…) was potatoes. Two kinds. Your standard russet potatoes, which I baked up last night with a little olive oil, salt, butter and some (vegan) cheese melted over them. And sweet potatoes…because I love sweet potatoes. They are rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Potassium, and Iron. Plus, for the runner in me…a great source of nutritious, unprocessed carbohydrates.

So my quandary last night was just how I wanted to top these off. With sweet potatoes…you can get rather creative if you want. So, after glancing through the refrigerator…I settled on the recipe that follows.

Recipe: Sicilian Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Onions

Servings: 2
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Cook 45 minutes

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 6 ounces each)
olive oil
garlic salt
garlic powder
paprika
dill weed
dried rosemary
1/4 of a red onion, sliced
salt
2 – 3 tbsp white wine
1 cup marinara (homemade or store bought)
shredded mozzarella cheese (I used Mozzarella Flavor Rice Shreds)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Rinse the sweet potatoes and pat each of them dry. Prick them numerous times with a fork.

In a small dish, mix together a blend of garlic salt, garlic powder, paprika and dill weed. Brush the sweet potatoes with a light coating of olive oil. Then sprinkle the seasoning mixture over them, turning to season each one entirely. Add a little dried rosemary over each of the sweet potatoes. Place on a baking sheet and then bake in the oven for 45 – 60 minutes.

While the potatoes are baking, cut up 1/4 of a red onion into half-rounds.

Heat a pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Once the oil is heated, add the red onion to the pan stir until the onions are coated in olive oil. Keep heating over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally. After about 10 minutes, add a sprinkle of salt. Continue to cook over the lower heat until the onions are soft and anywhere from honey-colored to deep brown, depending on how caramelized you want them to be. Add a splash of the white wine and allow the onions to absorb it completely.

Next, heat up your marinara. I used my homemade marinara ( https://veggiefoodlover.wordpress.com/2012/06/30/recipe-homemade-marinara-sauce/ ), but you can use any store-bought variety as well. Just give it a warm over a hot burner or in the microwave.

Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and turn the broiler on. Cut a slit into the sweet potatoes and open them up. Spoon in the caramelized onion, then top each one with a generous serving of marinara. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top and then put in under the broiler for about 1 minute, or until the cheese has nicely melted.

Serve…and enjoy!

~*~*~

I know that marinara coated sweet potatoes sound a little bizarre, but trust me…these were amazing. The sweetness of the potato mingled so well with the sweet flavor of the caramelized onion. The rich tomato flavor of the marinara was the perfect topper. And the melted cheese on top just finished it off. It was like…sweet potato gnocchi without going through the trouble of making gnocchi from scratch. The potato cooked to a soft, sweet perfection…and it was topped off with a whole lot of vegetable goodness. And the seasoning on the skin was perfection on the tongue.

I’m totally making this again! I love it when a food experiment goes right.

October 4, 2012October 4, 2012

Recipe: Apple Cider Spiked Hot Cereal with Caramelized Apples, Pecans, and Cream Cheese Icing

I love the fall. Not only does cooler weather get ushered in, but so do some of my favorite things to eat. Pumpkin is one. Apples are the other. And I especially love this time of year for the apple cider. I love to drink it…and even more…I love to cook and bake with it.

This morning, after a 5 mile run, I decided to get a little creative with some of the ingredients laying around my pantry and fridge. After all, I have a new CSA bin arriving tomorrow with new produce for me to enjoy, so why not get a little creative?

The base of this recipe is Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal, which instead of cooking in water with salt, I cooked in apple cider with cinnamon. Then I caramelized two Gala apples to top it all off with. The result…a mighty tasty hot cereal for this cool morning. I happened to have some cream cheese icing left over. This is a totally optional addition. A drizzle of maple syrup or honey would work just as well. Without further adieu…the recipe is below.

Recipe: Apple Cider Spiked Hot Cereal with Caramelized Apples, Pecans, and Cream Cheese Icing

Servings: 2
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Cook 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1-1/2 + 2 tablespooons cups apple cider
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup hot cereal mix (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal)
2 tbsp butter
2 Gala apples, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
dash of ground nutmeg
1 oz chopped pecans (optional)
maple syrup (optional)
cream cheese icing (optional)

Directions:

Heat a nonstick pan on medium-high heat. Add butter and allow it melt down, swirling it around the surface of the pan in circular motions to spread the butter and prevent it from burning.

Meanwhile, pour the apple cider into a pot and add the cinnamon. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to very low and pour in the hot cereal. Stir until mixed. Cover and allow to cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Peel and cube the apples. Drop the apples into the butter.

With a wooden spoon, stir them around until they are completely coated with butter. Continue to stir until the the butter in the pan is no longer bubbling. Add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and continue to stir. Add a dash of ground nutmeg as you stir. Then, cook the apples for approximately 10 minutes, or until the fruit begins to soften and brown slightly.

Remove the pan from the heat. Using your wooden spoon, remove the apples from the pan and place them into a bowl.

Pour the cooked hot cereal into two bowls. Add the caramelized apples to the top of the cereal. Sprinkle with a few chopped pecans. Then add any syrup, honey, or cream cheese icing to the cereal.

Dig in!

~*~*~

This hot cereal tastes like fall. It is sweet and savory all at the same time. Not to mention…healthy and filling. I loved how amazingly soft the apples turned out. It was my first attempt at ever caramelizing apples, so the result was perfection. This would make a great breakfast on a cold winter’s morning as well. If you love the flavors of fall…give this one a try. I promise…you won’t be disappointed.