Home Free Gluten-Free Crunchy Mini Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
Product: Home Free Gluten-Free Crunchy Mini Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies – $5.49+
A big thank you to the allergy conscious people at Home Free for creating a line of cookies that are free of the top 8 allergens in food. It means a lot to me, as a consumer with food allergies, and as a self-professed foodie, to have some options out there on the shelves. Granted, the only place I have spotted Home Free products has been at a local Home Goods store, but they are out there and available for me…and others with similar food allergies/intolerance…and for that I am thankful.
My discovery of Home Free products began at the Gluten-Free Expo in Birmingham, Alabama. There was a table of some of their products out and I grabbed a couple of samples and moved on. While I tried the mini chocolate chip cookies…I stopped there. They were good. Very good. But I didn’t have this brand, that I knew of, anywhere in my area.
Until the day I went into Home Goods and spotted their Gourmet Foods aisle, which, believe it or not, is home to a lot of different brands of gluten-free foods. A huge variety too. I went on a bit of a spree, and one of the items that made its way into my overloaded basket…were Home Free Crunchy Mini Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies.
First of all…what’s not to love about anything that contains the word chocolate, not once…but twice? Yeah…I couldn’t think of anything either.
Originally, these cookies were not part of the gluten-free line that Home Free offered. But the decided to include them to give those of us with a gluten intolerance a delicious tasty chocolate treat. I thank them for this. These cookies are peanut-free, tree nut-free, egg-free, and dairy-free as well. These cookies also contain 1/2 serving of whole grain. You gotta love that. So, while they are cookies, they also become a wholesome snack. Oh…did I mention that they are delicious?
Here’s the great thing about these cookies…aside from being double chocolate and all…they are amazing. Honestly. The crunch is there, but subtle, which I absolutely love. Every bite…and I mean every bite is packed with sweet chocolate. And yes…the amazing chocolate chips just add to that chocolate experience. These aren’t as crunchy as the vanilla counterpart, but they are a fantastic sweet treat. I could eat these by the handful (but I only allow myself one serving at a time).
Even better, a serving (6 cookies) only sets you back 130 calories and 5g of fat. They are trans-fat free and cholesterol free. The sodium and sugar content is quite low, considering these are cookies, but this doesn’t detract from the flavor at all. In fact, when something is double chocolate…it better taste sweet. You will love every bite and every morsel of these. I swear. I’m addicted. These have become one of my favorite desserts to polish off a meal with. Absolutely double-chocolate fantastic.
If you love chocolate and love cookies…these are the ones to try. Just a bit of a crunch, followed by a lot of chocolate goodness. Gluten-free and allergen friendly. You gotta love that. I know I do.
Home Free…you make my cookie habit oh so worth it!
Home Free Gluten-Free Mini Crunchy Vanilla Cookies
Product: Home Free Gluten-Free Mini Crunchy Vanilla Cookies – $5.49+
Growing up, one of my favorite cookies to buy at the store and eat the hell out of were Nilla Wafers. Weird, yes? I mean there is nothing special about them. They are processed cookies loaded down with high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oil, and artificial flavorings…among other things. Perhaps becoming gluten intolerant saved me from continuing to live on these cookie science experiments.
But, honestly…I missed them. I missed that crunch and that sweet vanilla (yes…I know…artificial flavors) flavor that would come with each bite. I had already cut out high fructose corn syrup from my diet…but I still missed these.
While out at a Home Goods store, my roomie and I discovered their food section. And the gluten-free gems we found inside filled up a basket and made me one very happy gluten-free girl. Much of it was on sale…and that helped spur the gluten-free food-spree.
Among them…Gluten-Free (and allergy friendly) Mini Crunchy Vanilla Cookies by Home Free.
We all know my feelings on cookies. Especially fantastic cookies. Well, I am here to tell you that Home Free is doing a lot of good for the food allergic community. These cookies are free of the top 8 allergens, low in sodium, contain no trans fat, cholesterol or saturated fat. You won’t find high fructose corn syrup or any partially hydrogenated oil in these miniature cookies. They are certified vegan, a good source of whole grain (9 grams per serving), and certified kosher. Best of all, the ingredients they use are 70% organic, so they are also certified organic.
But…here is where I should mention that these cookies…are also fantastic.
I remember being over-the-moon in love with Nilla Wafers as a kid. And while it has been…years…ages…since I had them, I can say this…Home Free’s Gluten-Free Mini Crunchy Vanilla Cookies…trump them…hands down. These cookies have the perfect crunch and the perfect sweetness to them. They taste fantastic…like vanilla cookies should. I’m already making plans to crush them down and make a pie crust out of them…perhaps for key lime pie or a banana pudding. These don’t get soggy. In fact, the crunch is one thing that sets them apart. And I…am addicted to them. These not only brought back childhood memories…they improved them.
While the Nilla Wafers Minis would set me back 140 calories per serving and 6g of fat, the amazing cookies from Home Free only serve up 130 calories (in 6 mini cookies) and 5g of fat. The low sodium and low sugar is a plus as well. They are definitely a ‘healthy’ choice if you are looking for cookies. And why load up on chemicals and all those bad preservatives when Home Free gives you a quality product, safe for the food allergic, and also taste so great.
Take my word on this…Home Free is worth seeking out if you are looking for a tasty cookie. The vanilla ones are divine. I think I’m happily addicted.
Product: Rustic Crust Gluten-Free Napoli Herb Pizza Crust – $4.99+
This is another case of looks can be deceiving when it comes to the gluten-free products on the market. I’ve seen these crusts on the shelf of my local grocery store for over a year now and have never bought them. Why? Because…they looked…funny. I know, that’s a bit fickle coming from a foodie like me, but…they just always looked green and crumbly and…there were products I knew were good like Udi’s pizza crusts in the freezer section…
And then…one word struck fear into my gluten-free heart one day while out at the grocery store:
CLOSEOUT!
Trust me…when you live off of a section of five shelves, the fact that anything suddenly is labeled as a closeout item means…it may not be coming back. And over half the section was now on closeout. I went into panic mode. I purchased everything I really, really wanted to try. And I did it without remorse, despite my bank account screaming in agony.
One of the products that made it home with me were the pizza crusts by Rustic Crust.
And with my weekly deliveries of delicious farm produce…I had some vegetables that were just screaming out to be made into pizza toppings. And so…I decided to give this crust a shot. The worst thing that could happen would be that it wasn’t any good. I’d still eat the pizza because I don’t waste anything…but…I’d prefer it to be delicious all the way around.
Rustic Crust Gluten-Free Napoli Herb Pizza Crust
My pizza was a simple white pizza. A touch of garlic-infused olive oil on the crust, crushed red pepper flakes, some thinly sliced summer squash, some sliced red onion, a smattering of goat cheese, a little sprinkle of mozzarella…what’s not to love? Into the oven it went for 15 minutes to cook. I had to admit, as the time ticked on…it was beginning to smell delicious.
I was actually quite surprised by the outcome of this pizza crust. A shelf-stable shell…it was either going to be amazing or…not. I let the pizza sit for a moment so that it wouldn’t fall apart when I sliced into it. And once I did, what I found was that this specific pizza crust baked up to a crispy perfection. And I mean…Chicago-style pizza crust crispy. It had a nice golden shell on the outside, but the center was still soft…as if baked right at home and made from scratch.
So, already I was feeling better about this pizza crust. But even the best baked items can fall short in the flavor test.
Not Rustic Crust. The Gluten-Free Napoli Herb Pizza crust was delicious all the way around. This crust was flaky and crispy and chewy and amazing and just…WOW! It worked as a white pizza. I was so nervous that without sauce it might just fall flat. But this pizza crust is packed with flavor and great texture. And…each slice is only 80 calories. As I topped mine off with mostly vegetables and a smattering of goat cheese and (for me) vegan shreds, it meant it was a rather nutritious slice of pizza all the way around.
Not only is Rustic Crust Gluten-Free Napoli Herb Pizza crust wheat-free and gluten-free, but it is also dairy-free and egg-free. It’s a vegan, gluten-free crust of wonder. This seven inch shell held up splendidly in the oven and with my toppings. I will say…it doesn’t reheat all that well the next day, but what pizza does? Pizza just hates the microwave…period. And that is no poor reflection on this crust…because even reheated and needing to be eaten with a fork…it still tasted great.
So…I have to bow down to the great gluten-free gods once more. I shall never again (or at least try to never again) doubt a product or judge it by its looks alone. This is my second favorite pizza crust I have tried so far (the winner so far belongs to Katz Gluten-Free), so that speaks volumes. It has certainly found a spot in my pantry from here on out. No doubts. No questions.
Simply delicious, crusty, warm, amazing pizza is right at your grasp. Go ahead…pick up Rustic Crust Gluten-Free Napoli Herb pizza crust and try it out for yourself. I promise…it will take you back to those pizza parlor days.
Rustic Crust Gluten-Free Napoli Herb Pizza Crust (topped with summer squash, red onion, goat cheese, 1/2 mozzarella, 1/2 vegan mozzarella)
Product: Livwell Gluten-Free English Muffins – $4.99+
You don’t realize how much you enjoyed something until you can’t have it anymore. For real. For the longest time after going gluten-free…the fact that I couldn’t have a doughnut or enjoy a bagel really started to bother me. These were foods that I used to have all the time, no second thoughts, and now…they were completely hands off.
One such food for me is English muffins. Laugh if you must, but I used to use English muffins religiously for breakfast goodies. Or…I’d grab one to eat on it’s own with either cream cheese or some soft butter or jam. Yeah…I missed having them.
That’s not to say that gluten-free varieties didn’t exist. They did. Unfortunately, the one brand I could find in my area was loaded with calories. No kidding. Just around 250 calories for one English muffin. No thank you. I love breakfast breads as much as the next person, but…damn…let’s save some wiggle room for the toppings, yes?
So, imagine my elation the day I walked into Whole Foods and spotted a new line of gluten-free products near all their gluten-free bread items. The brand is Livwell, and they make gluten-free, wheat-free, and dairy-free products that vary from different types of bread (flat breads, sandwich breads, diner rolls) to scones, to crumpets, to cakes, to pancakes, to…wait for it…English muffins.
Livwell Gluten-Free English Muffin (straight out of packaging)
At first glance, you wouldn’t think much about them. They are much like Schar products in that they are vacuum sealed and sitting on a shelf. Normally I would run from this madness, but these intrigued me. I can’t explain it, but they did. So…I picked up one of the packets of English muffins (I just had to) and made my purchase.
The other day for breakfast I decided my roomie and I would break these out and give them a go. So, I tore into the packaging and pulled out two of the English muffins. They were quite light and airy. I liked that. It means I wouldn’t feel overly stuffed because they were too dense or heavy. Winning already. I sliced each one in half and into the toaster they went.
I was a bit nervous, not quite sure they would be like or how they would toast up in a toaster. The packaging, after all, told me to grill them and I wasn’t feeling that brave so early in the morning. Toaster it was, and they did brilliantly. They were a beautiful golden brown upon popping up. And I lightly spread each half with a bit of Laughing Cow Light Cream Cheese. Order up.
I settled in for my breakfast and happily took my first bite. While these do not taste like classic English muffins, they are perfectly textured. They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, making for the perfect breakfast bite. And, each English muffin only sets you back 141 calories. I absolutely adored how light and soft these were. They satisfied my craving and were even better than the regular English muffins I used to devour.
Livwell…if this is just a taste of what you have to offer with your other products, well, I’m lining up to try some more. These were fantastic and I absolutely loved every delicious bite.
English muffins…welcome back into my life!
Livwell Gluten-Free English Muffins (halved and toasted)
As a runner and a fruit lover, I have this thing for bananas. Seriously. I love them on their own. I love them slathered in peanut butter. I love them chocolate dipped. I even love them in banana splits. Bananas are awesome. I could eat one every day.
With that in mind, and a convention looming, I had three ripe bananas in my fruit bowl and a need for gluten-free goodies. Well, thanks to The Cake Mix Doctor…a delicious, inspired, fantastic gluten-free cupcake emerged. It doesn’t get any better than chocolate cake with bananas and a peanut butter frosting, right? That’s three of my favorite things all rolled into one fantastic treat.
So I got baking…and these were a hit with the gluten-free crowd and the non-gluten-free crowd at the convention. Seriously…yum.
Recipe: Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Chip Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Chip Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
1 package (15 ounces) chocolate gluten-free cake mix (I used Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Devil’s Food)
1 cup mashed rip bananas (from 3 small very ripe bananas)
1/2 cup buttermilk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Ingredients for Peanut Butter Frosting:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature (I used Smart Balance)
2-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons milk, or more as needed (I used unsweetened almond milk)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Make the cupcakes: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 cupcake pans with 18 cupcake liners or lightly mist with vegetable oil to keep from sticking.
Place the cake mix, banana, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are just incorporated, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the batter until smooth, 1 to 1-1/2 minutes longer, scraping down the side of the bowl again if needed. The batter should look well blended. Fold in 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips.
Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the batter into the cupcake cups, filling them about two-thirds full. The recipe will make 18 cupcakes.
Bake the cupcakes at 375°F until done, about 18-22 minutes.
Allow to cool for 25 minutes.
Make the Peanut Butter Frosting: Place the peanut butter and butter in a medium-size mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, 30 seconds.
Stop the machine and add 2 cups of the confectioners’ sugar and the milk and vanilla a bit at a time, beating with the mixer on low speed until the confectioners’ sugar is well incorporated, 1 minute.
Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the frosting until light and fluffy, 1 minute longer, adding up to 1/2 cup more confectioners’ sugar if the frosting is too thin or up to 1 tablespoon more milk if the frosting is too stiff.
Use the frosting at once.
~*~*~
Peanut butter, chocolate, bananas…yeah…that’s living the good life. I loved sharing these with people at the convention and showing them how good gluten-free baking can be. Gluten-free sometimes has a bad reputation for being bland, flavorless and dense. Well, these were amazingly moist, soft, light and had a bit of every prime flavor in there. Bananas were made for peanut butter and chocolate…so it just makes sense that they all work together so well in these cupcakes. So…if you love bananas, love peanut butter, and love chocolate (and let’s face it…who doesn’t?)…I encourage you to bake these up and give them a try. They were a hit this past weekend and I can’t wait to make more of them.
You know what one of my favorite products to keep in my pantry at all times is? Pumpkin. Yes. Pumpkin. In the fall, I covet it. Not that you can’t get canned pumpkin year-round, it’s just that sometimes it can be a little hard to come by. I have learned to use it as a substitute for butter and eggs in recipes. It doesn’t change the flavor at all…just makes it healthier.
The same applies to using pumpkin in something like…macaroni and cheese. No need to clean your glasses, you read that right. Pumpkin in pasta. Seems…strange, yes? Well, I’m here to tell you that by using pumpkin you can cut at least 1/2 the fat and calories out of your homemade macaroni and cheese. Sounds too good to be true?
It’s not. And even better…this is a creamy, cheesy delight of a dish. And I have The BrokeAss Gourmet to thank for this amazing recipe. Try it…and see how awesome it is for yourself.
Recipe: Gluten-Free Brown Butter-Pumpkin Mac & Cheese
8 oz. elbow macaroni, penne, shells or other small pasta shape (I used Hodgson Mill Gluten-Free Penne)
2 tbsp unsalted butter plus more for the pan (I used Smart Balance)
2 tbsp all-purpose flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour)
3/4 cup milk (any kind…I used unsweetened almond milk)
3/4 cup unsweetened canned pumpkin
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp shredded aged white cheddar cheese (I used Cabot Extra-Sharp White Cheddar)
dash nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Lightly butter a 2 qt. baking pan or 4 ramekins/oven-proof bowls
Cook macaroni in boiling water according to package directions.
While macaroni cooks, melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. As soon as it begins to brown, add the flour and whisk until you have a very sticky dough.
Slowly whisk in the milk to form a creamy white sauce.
Continue whisking as you add the pumpkin and 1/2 cup of the white cheddar. You should have a very creamy orange sauce. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Drain the pasta and return it to its pot. Use a rubber spatula to scrape all of the sauce over the pasta and stir to coat the pasta evenly.
Scrape the sauced pasta into the prepared pan(s) and top with the reserved cheddar plus more salt and pepper.
Bake for 18-22 minutes or until the cheese is very bubbly and lightly browned on top. Serve hot.
Gluten-Free Brown Butter-Pumpkin Mac & Cheese (with fresh broccoli)
~*~*~
What’s really amazing about this dish is it tastes like cheese, not pumpkin. Honestly, you can’t even tell that pumpkin is a part of it. But it is. And it’s amazing. I made some for my roomie’s aunt and she absolutely raved about it. My roommate is insisting that I make up another batch on the double because she wants more of it. So, I would call this recipe a win.
Go ahead…buy a can of pumpkin and give this pasta a shot. I promise…you won’t just like it. You’ll love it. And your homemade mac & cheese may never be the same again.
Thank you to The BrokeAss Gourmet for this fantastic recipe (which I happily made gluten-free)!
Glenny’s Peanut Caramel Brown Rice Marshmallow Treats
Product: Glenny’s Peanut Caramel Brown Rice Marshmallow Treats – $5.49+
I love to snack.
Who doesn’t? And in the afternoon, I crave something sweet. It never fails. It’s all I really want. And the key to that is to not break the calorie bank in an afternoon snack. I mean…let’s face it. Two hours later and it’s time to make dinner anyway, yes?
Color me excited then when I stumbled across some Brown Rice Marshmallow Treats by Glenny’s. Now, I have a deep admiration for Glenny’s gluten-free goodies. The two different varieties of cookies that I tried from this brand were phenomenal. And those came highly recommended. I had not even been aware that they delved into tasty little snack treats as well, so when I spotted these on the top shelf of the tiny gluten-free section of my grocery store, and realized they were also vegan, then I was S-O-L-D.
I took them home and tossed them into my pantry with my snacks I grab to take to work.
This past week…I ripped open that box and happily placed one in my lunchbox. At work, I kept thinking that when 3:00 hit, I was going to rip into the most fantastic “Rice Krispie” treat ever. I mean…my store only had Glenny’s Peanut Caramel variety. And we all know I could eat peanut butter by the jar (only a spoon required). So…yeah…there was much anticipation.
Glenny’s Peanut Caramel Brown Rice Marshmallow Treat (wrapped)
Snack time rolled around and I pulled it out of my desk and tore open the shiny silver wrapper. What I found was a dry looking block of crispy rice cereal. It smelled distinctly of peanut butter with a hint, and only a hint of caramel. I was disappointed with the size of it too. The wrapper was very misleading as the bar was only about 2/3 the size of it. But…if it tasted better than it looked then we were in business.
But…that was not the case. I ripped off a small bit of it to sample and found that it tasted as dry as it looked. The caramel flavor was really not even there. As for the peanut flavor…there was a hint of it…but you don’t really taste it. In fact, it is really difficult to get past the dryness of the bar itself.
What I liked about it…that it was organic, gluten-free, and vegan. Loved that. I loved that each bar only has 100 calories and is relatively low in sugar content as far as these things go. But the flavor was lacking. There was no luscious caramel and creamy peanut butter flavor in there. They are sweet, yes…but they aren’t knock-me-down delicious. In fact, I didn’t find them delicious at all. I am finally down to my last treat, which I will eat tomorrow at work, and then I will never buy these again. I love that it’s guilt-free, but I hate that it is taste-free.
Glenny’s is fantastic when it comes to gluten-free cookies. But these crispy rice treats are nowhere near that caliber. I was beyond disappointed. Until I get a glowing review of any other flavors of these bars, they won’t grace my pantry or snack shelf again anytime soon.
It’s too bad…because these treats had the potential to be epic.
Glenny’s Peanut Caramel Brown Rice Marshmallow Treats (unwrapped)
Bella Notte Italian Trattoria, Lexington, Kentucky
Restaurant: Bella Notte Italian Trattoria, Lexington, Kentucky
Gluten-free and Italian food don’t always go hand-in-hand. Believe me. More than once I have relegated myself to the salad, but no croutons, please, at an Italian eaterie. In fact, unless I hit up a local chain or one of the box chains that has a couple of gluten-free options (Olive Garden, Carrabbas), pasta is usually off my radar unless I make it myself at home. And, unfortunately, much of the gluten-free options at the box chains are meat heavy…which doesn’t work for this vegetarian.
But, every now and again, you find a place that surprises you.
Bella Notte Italian Trattoria in Lexington, Kentucky, is one of those places.
I probably never would have given Bella Notte a second look if I were simply passing by on the road. I tend not to notice Italian places anymore because most of them have nothing I can eat. But I have this great app on my iPhone called Find Me Gluten Free and I used it to find somewhere I could eat after I ran in The Great Buffalo Chase 5K on the Fourth of July. One of the places it returned was this little Italian Tratoria on Nicholasville Road in Lexington.
Bella Notte is a very unassuming looking building just off the main drag. We arrived shortly after it opened for lunch. It wasn’t very busy at the time, but by the time we left, it was starting to pick up. I liked arriving before the crowd, especially with my dietary needs. That way I could be certain that my waiter or waitress understood my food allergies.
Little did I know that I wouldn’t have even had to worry about it here. The staff at Bella Notte knows their stuff.
Inside Bella Notte, Lexington, Kentucky
We were greeted warmly at the door and escorted back to a table near the far wall and window. The restaurant has a very homey feel to it. Christmas lights line the trees inside, twinkling in the dimly lit setting. The walls are a rustic yellow, but the area is set up like you might be eating out on a terrace in Tuscany. From the ceiling, little yellow stars dangle overhead. Bella Notte, as you may know, means ‘beautiful night’ in Italian.
We were seated and our waiter came over to get our drink orders while we looked over the menu. I knew from my gluten-free app that this place had gluten-free pasta, so that was a plus. When the waiter returned with our water, I let him know that I was medically gluten-free and he said they had a menu for that.
Boy…did they ever have a menu. He returned only a moment later with a full page menu, that resembled their regular menu, only excluded items that were not safe for me to eat. He also explained as he poured out the olive oil for the fresh, homemade bread my roommate could enjoy with her meal, that I should not feel compelled to sample the herbed oil as it does have gluten in it. I was also informed that both soups of the day, a tomato basil and a corn soup, were both gluten-free. I love a helpful staff.
After giving me a moment to decide on something off the gluten-free menu, he returned and we placed our orders. My roommate went with the Chicken Parmesan ($9.00). She had never tried Chicken Parmesan before and was intrigued. This one included a hand-breaded chicken breast served over a spaghetti marinara, topped off with mozzarella and provolone cheeses and fresh basil. With the option for either a soup or a salad, she opted for the Tomato Basil soup.
Bella Notte’s Gluten-Free Menu
My waiter then turned his attention to me. I ordered the Gluten-Free Penne Arrabianta ($7.00). I was going to get the corn soup, but just to be certain I asked if it was also vegetarian and he said it was not. So, instead I went with the Salad Rustica. He took down the order and went to go put it in at the kitchen.
I was already feeling very confident about eating here. The staff was definitely putting my mind to ease with their knowledge of the menu and the care they were taking with my order. I released a huge sigh of relief and before I knew it, the soup and salad arrived at the table.
The Salad Rustica is a beautiful blend of seasonal fresh greens, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, tasted walnuts, and a side of the chef’s vinaigrette. When it was set down in front of me, I was elated. Not only was it a vibrant salad, but they put the dressing to the side instead of dowsing my salad in it. I appreciated that more than ever because I’ve grown into not drowning my salad in dressing like I used to, and most restaurants tend to be heavy-handed on the dressing, especially a vinaigrette. I dug in…and wow. The walnuts are what really make this salad pop. The greens were crispy, fresh, and perfect. The waiter gave my salad some cracked black pepper on top and it really helped amp up the flavor in the greens. The lemon juice and olive oil were the perfect seasonings for this salad. And the vinaigrette was delicious. The chef was right on point with those.
After leaving a clean salad bowl, the main dishes arrived at the table.
Bella Notte’s Salad Rustica
My bowl of Gluten-Free Penne Arrabiata looked absolutely fantastic. My mouth was watering as I took a moment to look it over, take a picture on my cell phone and my camera, and finally picked up my fork and dug in.
Let me first say that when ordering gluten-free here, the gluten-free pasta is a fusilli. So, the penne in my pasta was replaced with a perfect al dente gluten-free fusilli. pasta. The rest of the dish remained true to the original. The pasta was coated in a homemade marinara sauce with crushed red chilies, a chili-infused olive oil, lemon juice, and topped with fresh basil. One bite, and I was hooked. It was a delicious, spicy pasta. One of the best arrabiata pastas I have ever had. Honestly. The red pepper was added to perfection. And the olive oil that had been infused with chili really gave it the perfect kick that I look for when I order an arrabiata pasta. I was beyond impressed. And I ate the entire bowl of pasta, savoring each perfect gluten-free noodle. Which, by the way, was amazing. It didn’t crumble and fall apart on my fork or under the marinara. It remained a perfect al dente throughout the entire meal. Impressed doesn’t even begin to cover it.
We both were quite happy with our food and the service at Bella Notte in Lexington, Kentucky. But, we had a 12:30 movie to catch at the cinema just up from the restaurant, so we didn’t linger nor grab a dessert. It was okay though; we were both completely stuffed. Our check was handed to us and I was quite happy to see that Bella Notte also does not charge you extra for ordering something gluten-free. There was no upcharge for the gluten-free pasta or anything. I felt like a normal customer and that, sometimes, is not an easy thing to come by as a gluten-free foodie.
Will I return to Bella Notte next time I’m in Lexington? Of course. I didn’t expect to find such care, such precision, and such knowledge at an Italian restaurant, but Bella Notte does everything right. And the food was amazing. So, if you are out and about in Lexington, Kentucky and looking for a great place to eat…check out Bella Notte. Honestly, take my word on this one. It’s a gem of a place that knows its food and happily caters to the gluten-free diner.
A beautiful dining experience at a beautiful restaurant…in the heart of Kentucky’s bluegrass region. Bravo, Bella Notte. Bravo.
I’m not always a cookie/cake/brownie/ice cream kind of girl. While I love them all (because, hey…I’m a woman and sometimes…you gotta have your treat!), sometimes something light, fruity, and smooth is what you crave.
When such a craving hits…I know just what to make.
Frozen yogurt popsicles. But…as I am an avid Chobani lover, in my case they are Fro-Cho pops. Any yogurt will do…but I love Greek yogurt because it doesn’t upset my stomach like regular yogurt does (lactose intolerance), it has an added kick of protein (which my vegetarian self loves), and I just find it versatile.
Let me tell you, these frozen treats are so easy to make. Go ahead and mix and match whatever fruit you choose. I was just using what I had left over and frozen from when I made the Fruit Salad Ice Pops. Any combination of fruit and yogurt (I used vanilla, but plain or any flavor would work just as well) will make these frozen pops shine.
Recipe: Tropical Fruit Fro-Cho Ice Pops
Tropical Fruit Fro-Cho Ice Pops
Servings: 8 Time: Prep 10 minutes; Freeze 6 hours
Ingredients:
4 ounces strawberries, hulled and halved ( 3/4 cup) and frozen
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds and frozen
2 bananas, peeled and sliced and frozen
1 cup Vanilla Chobani Greek Yogurt
Directions:
Place the frozen fruit and the yogurt into the blender. Blend until well mixed
Pour mixture into the ice pop molds.
Insert ice-pop sticks and freeze until solid, 6 hours (or up to 2 weeks).
~*~*~
I find that when it comes to making yogurt pops, frozen fruit works best. And then some of the freezing is already done ahead of time for you. This makes a very smooth mixture. If you aren’t a fan of the taste of Greek yogurt, add some honey to balance out the flavor, or use a 2% fat instead of fat free variety. Chobani makes both and other brands out there as well.
During these hot days of summer…cool off with something nutritious and homemade.
Seeing as how I’ve been getting plenty of fruits and vegetables from my local CSA, I have been trying to work up meals that will use everything up in time for the next bin. That’s not as much of a problem this week as since I am going out of town, I had to cancel my incoming bin. And I know I will have some carryover produce for the beginning of next week. That’s fine.
But it has introduced me to a lot of new dishes and new foods to prepare. And, with the help of Delight Gluten-Free Magazine, I prepared one of their featured recipes – a Chilled Asian Noodle Salad. I tweaked the recipe only slightly (I left out the apple), but the rest of it was all used. And my vegetable crisper drawer saw a lot of use today as I readied the ingredients and mixed everything together.
Without further adieu…this gluten-free/vegan recipe…
3 tablespoons gluten-free Tamari soy sauce (I used San-J)
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter (I used Peanut Butter & Co.)
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned (thinly sliced)
1 carrot, peeled, and julienned
1 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup bok choy, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cabbage, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 cup unsalted peanuts, rough chopped for garnish
Directions:
Bring water to a boil in a large pot.
Cook rice noodles as directed on package. Rinse noodles with cold water, drain well, and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together sesame oil, chili oil, rice wine vinegar, gluten-free Tamari soy sauce and peanut butter until well combined.
Add noodles, all vegetables, and cilantro to a large bowl. Toss to combine.
Pour the dressing over the noodle salad, and toss gently with tongs to mix well. Garnish with the chopped peanuts and serve immediately, or after refrigeration if desired.
~*~*~
The most difficult part of this was tossing it, to be honest. I had all the noodles on the bottom, all the veggies on top, and then the sauce over it…and my largest bowl just wasn’t large enough. But…I managed. And in the end, I was left with a fantastic, flavorful noodle dish that was perfect for dinner! All the flavors worked. And, as I mentioned, the original recipe called for a Granny Smith Apple to be peeled and julienned as well, but I didn’t have one on hand and the salad didn’t lack anything minus the apple.
Love Asian flavors and food? I highly recommend this dish!
The Celiathlete 