The Celiathlete

November 21, 2012

Lakewood, Ohio boasts fantastic gastropub with Deagan’s Kitchen & Bar

Restaurant: Deagan’s Kitchen & Bar, Lakewood, Ohio

Sometime the best laid plans fall through and you have to find a plan B.

Welcome to my world on the night of The Monkees concert up in Lakewood, Ohio. Now, I have a friend who lives in Lakewood and we had made plans to all meet up prior to the show for dinner. Our original spot of choice was somewhere I found on Find Me Gluten Free. A little joint called Tommy’s Pizza and Chicken. Sounds like a dive, yes? But sometimes dives have the best food.

Unfortunately…we never found out. Upon arriving at Tommy’s, we could see that it was more of a carry-out sort of place than an eat-in. That wasn’t going to work…at all. It definitely was a dive. And after a couple of texts with my friend in the area, Cathy (yeah…2 Cathy’s…try to keep them straight), we laid out a couple of alternatives. Get gluten-free pizza to go and bring it to her place. Check out Aladdin’s (they serve up Lebanese/American food). But, with a little magic from my Yelp app on my phone under the gluten-free friendly tag…I discovered Deagan’s Kitchen & Bar, a gastropub that wasn’t too far away. It had good ratings. I suggested it. We all agreed to meet there.

Deagan’s was a happening place that night. Very busy. Very lively. We stepped inside and were greeted by the hostess. I said that there would be five of us so they went to prepare a table. We ended up being positioned near one of the windows in the front…but in a quieter side room. That was definitely a good thing. We were given menus to look at and brought some water to start with. Although tempted with the drink menu, we forwent that. Cathy (the roomie) got a Diet Coke for caffeine purposes, but Jenn and I stuck with water. I explained to our waitress, Anisa (she’s awesome, BTW!), that I was a gluten-free vegetarian. She said they had a special menu for me and would swap mine out with it. She returned a moment later with a menu with certain items highlighted and little notes written on it for how to make something gluten-free (like no pita bread). She said there were some vegetarian options on there as well. It was nice to have that kind of peace of mind.

Cathy (the other one) and her sister arrived soon after and got settled in with drinks and menus. We talked and talked and talked and finally decided that we should probably order since we did have a concert to make. Anisa returned ready to take our orders.

Cathy (the roomie) ordered her standard, must-have, when it is on the menu. Fish and chips ($18.00). Jenn decided to try one of their small plates and ordered the Polenta Croutons ($8.00). The polenta croutons are cubes of fried polenta served with sauteed mushrooms, Parmesan and parsley. It was different and it looked really good. And Jenn even tried to eat the mushrooms…but in the end, they were left behind. The rest, however…she devoured. Cathy (the local) ordered the small plate of Mac and Cheese ($11.00), which was a rather big bowl of noodles, Gruyere cheese and chives. She got it with a side of the Brussels sprouts ($ Cathy’s sister, Sarah, ordered the small plate of Seared Scallops ($12.00), which consisted of two large scallops and was served with shaved Brussels sprouts with grapefruit and pomegranate. She got a side of the House Fries with it. As for me…I decided to go with a salad in the end. I chose to go with their Arugula Salad ($8.00) and, since it was marked gluten-free, give their House Fries ($7.00) a try.

Anisa went to put our orders in and for the rest of the time before food arrived, all of us were chatting up a storm. We talked movies, books, music, concerts, work…you name it. And conversation continued even when food arrived to the table. It took some time. I was okay with that. Again, I don’t mind having to wait on my food. It means that it is prepared fresh and to order. Not sitting under some heat lamp somewhere or getting to know a microwave.

Deagan's House Fries — Deagan’s House Fries

My Arugula Salad was stunning, by the way. Simple. Very pleasing to the eye. Not a lot of color, but what was there popped. Deagan’s Arugula Salad consists of arugula, shaved fennel, Parmesan and pine nuts. It is lightly dressed in a lemon oil. Now, normally I find arugula to be too peppery on its own…but with the saltiness of the Parmesan and the pine nuts, it all balanced out. The lemon oil, however, is what really tied it all together. While the salad looked simple, the layers of flavor in there seemed complex. It all worked. It was fantastic and delicious. And I enjoyed it more than I normally enjoy a salad at restaurants. Honestly. This one was really good.

There were a lot of House Fries in my side order, so I shared with Jenn and Cathy (the roomie). They were fantastic cuts of potato that were topped with shaved Romano cheese and truffle oil. It was served with a spicy mayo. Oh. My. Potato. Gods. These fries were really good and really addictive. No joke. The simple addition of shaved Romano cheese and a hit of truffle oil just took them from standard fries to something that was out-of-this-world good. And different. The spicy mayo that it was served with was delicious and I took great pleasure in dipping my fries into them. Yeah…for a different twist on fries…I highly recommend these.

In the end, we all agreed that Deagan’s was the perfect place to end up when all was said and done. Our waitress took fantastic care of our table. We all enjoyed and devoured our food. Cathy (the local) had left over mac & cheese…which she took home in a box. There was a lot in that bowl they brought her. She and Sarah ended up splitting the special dessert of the night, a bread pudding with caramel and pear. It sounded divine…and looked it too.

Afterwards, we paid our checks and headed out. Cathy and her sister were heading back to her place. We had The Monkees to go and see. In the end, I am happy we ended up at Deagan’s. Sure…this meant I didn’t get my traditional gluten-free pizza the night before a big race (yeah…I was running a 15K the very next morning back down in Columbus, Ohio)…but I did get some carbs (thank you gluten-free House Fries) and had great company and amazing food. I’d go back to Deagan’s Kitchen & Bar in a heartbeat next time I’m in the area. Sometimes the best laid plans have to change to lead you to somewhere even better.

Beyond impressed.

Deagan's Arugula Salad — Deagan’s Arugula Salad

November 21, 2012

Annie May’s Sweet Cafe satisfies my cinnamon roll craving

Product: Annie May’s Sweet Café Take & Bake Cinnamon Rolls – $12.00

Sometimes being gluten-free can be difficult. I don’t say that to garner sympathy or anything. The fact is…sometimes I just want a bagel. Or a doughnut. Or even cinnamon rolls.

YES!! Cinnamon rolls.

In fact, this past couple of weeks I had been out-and-out craving gluten-free cinnamon rolls. While I could easily go to the grocery store and pick up some from Udi’s…let me tell you…that is not what I wanted. In fact, Udi’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls are the one item by Udi’s that I have not liked or praised up and down. I am just not a fan of the texture and taste of them. I wanted something with a crust on the outside and that was still gooey on the inside. You know…just like mom used to make…back when I was little and could still eat cinnamon rolls whenever I wanted.

Yeah…the gluten-free gig is a bit of a challenge at times, but I have no choice. Thankfully, however, I have a local bakery in Louisville, Kentucky that caters to those with food allergies. Everything they make is free of gluten, nuts, tree nuts, and soy. Upon request, they can make most of their goodies vegan as well (minus dairy/eggs). You gotta love that.

Well, I absolutely LOVE Annie May’s Sweet Café. I try to get over there for something whenever I am in town. This past Friday was the exception. I was actually heading out of town, but saw on their Facebook page earlier that week that they had Take And Bake Cinnamon Rolls. Oh…that hit the craving switch again so I inquired if they might have them in on Friday. They said they would, so I asked if they could hold one package of them for me. They said they could…and all I had to do was get to Friday and go pick them up.

After leaving work at noon, I headed into Louisville, Kentucky and swung by Annie May’s Sweet Café to pick up my order. As promised, they had a package there for me, along with the delicious icing to go with it. I was thrilledto say the least. And they looked awesome too. Nothing tiny about these cinnamon rolls. Each one weighed around 6 ounces and they just looked fantastic…even without being baked yet. The package of 4 cinnamon rolls ran me $12.00, but it was totally worth the cost. I was already wishing it was Saturday morning in Ohio so I could bake them up and devour them with my roomie and my friend Jenn.

Annie May's Sweet Café Gluten-Free Take & Bake Cinnamon Rolls (baked) — Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Take & Bake Cinnamon Rolls (baked)

Into the cooler in the car they went…and they made the long journey to Columbus, Ohio. Upon arriving at my friend’s house, I put them in the refrigerator until the morning.

When morning came, I sent my roomie out for coffee while Jenn and I prepared the rest of breakfast. I got out the cinnamon rolls and preheated the oven, according to the directions on the package. The oven was at 325 degrees and in went the pan. The package said to cook for around 7-9 minutes. I went with 7 to start with. And at the end of it, they weren’t yet golden, so I let it run a little longer. After 9 minutes passed…still not golden. The scrambled eggs we were having with them were done, so we dug in and I got a bit daring and set the timer for 2 more minutes. Still not golden. And still doughy in the middle. Not good doughy…but raw doughy. So…back into the oven they went. This time…for 5 more minutes. I was aiming for that golden brown that I associate with cinnamon rolls. When the timer went off this time, they were starting to turn a light shade of brown. So, I decided five more minutes, and after that I would call it done regardless.

We finished up our eggs and I impatiently waited for the timer to sound. When it did, I removed them from the oven and prodded them momentarily with a knife. Still not a rich golden color. Still a little soft in the middle…but it was good enough for me.

Annie May's Sweet Café Gluten-Free Take & Bake Cinnamon Rolls (baked and iced) — Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Take & Bake Cinnamon Rolls (baked and iced)

I set them down on a hot pad holder and pulled out a knife to apply the icing to the tops. Do it while it’s hot and it sort of just melts over the tops. Yummy. There were three of us and four cinnamon rolls, so I split one of them into thirds and began to serve them up.

For the amount of time it took to bake them, I can say this much…it was worth it. Not only did these cinnamon rolls leave me stuffed (perhaps we really didn’t need the eggs like we thought), but they did have a bit of a golden crust on the outside and that delicious soft middle going on. I was in cinnamon roll heaven. I love having a place nearby that can satisfy that craving for me whenever I need it. Really good gluten-free cinnamon rolls are difficult to come by…but Annie May’s Sweet Café really, really does it right. And I love that these are big. Like…Pillsbury Grand big. Size of a fist big. Just…big and packed with flavor. The icing, the soft middle…it was cinnamon roll nirvana for me.

I don’t know what I would do without Annie May’s Sweet Café in my life. Honestly. How I had never heard of them before this past year is beyond me. Now that I know about them…I can’t help but go back weekend after weekend. They are often my source of a breakfast if I am running in Louisville that Saturday morning. They have so much to offer, not just baked goods, but also soups, sandwiches, and pizza. Oh…I have got to go in sometimes for their pizza.

As it stands…cinnamon rolls were a huge hit with me. I am addicted. My mouth is watering even as I type this up. Another craving is hitting. But it’s Thanksgiving week…and their orders are at capacity. So my craving might have to wait a week or so before I can satisfy it again. Whether it was a temperature flaw or something with the oven…I don’t care. What emerged….in the end…was just like the cinnamon rolls my mom used to make.

In fact…they were better.

Annie May’s Sweet Café…thank you for setting up shop in Louisville, Kentucky and giving people with food allergies amazing, delicious food. My roommate and my friend don’t have to eat gluten-free…but when I am there…they do. And they agree…the cinnamon rolls were nothing short of awesome. I might have been full sitting at that kitchen table on Saturday morning…but I was full from your really good product. You haven’t let me down yet.

Annie May's Sweet Café Gluten-Free Take & Bake Cinnamon Rolls — Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Take & Bake Cinnamon Rolls

November 21, 2012

The Claddagh in Columbus, Ohio serves up a simple, delicious – but unbalanced – salad

Restaurant: The Claddagh Irish Pub, Columbus, Ohio

I love pubs.

I love pubs a lot. But as a vegetarian, I was already limited on what I could eat there. When I had to go gluten-free…my options got even smaller. In most cases, I hope for an amazing salad. It has happened before. The right flavor combinations, the right ingredients, and yes…even a salad can be magic.

It was Friday night…the beginning of an exciting and busy weekend…and I was in Columbus, Ohio visiting my friend Jenn. I had actually purchased a Living Social deal for The Claddagh Irish Pub in Columbus knowing that there would be a cause to use it at some point. And that night was Friday night after a long trip up in the car.

We arrived and found parking and made our way toward the front of the pub. We entered and were immediately greeted and asked if we had a reservation. Uh oh. Did that mean that there was something going on that evening? I replied that we did not have a reservation and the hostess didn’t even flinch before picking up three menus and guiding us toward the back room. We were seated at a low-lit table in the corner and given our menus to look over.

Although…when it comes to pubs, Jenn, my roomie and I pretty much already know what we want. Our waitress came over and introduced herself and asked if we knew what we wanted to drink. Cathy grabbed for the folder of booze and looked for the one word that makes her happiest at pubs. Yep. They had it. Magners. She and Jenn both ordered a pint of that. I stuck to water as…well…I was running later that weekend and I wanted to hydrate properly.

After our drink orders were taken and water was brought out to all three of us, we placed our orders. Both Jenn and Cathy went with their most favorite pub offering on any menu. Fish and chips ($13.99). As for me…I was down to two salads that interested me. I was having a hard time choosing and Cathy wasn’t helping me make the call. So after a little debate…I made up my mind.

My order…the Galway Salad ($7.99). I stuck with the Balsamic Vinaigrette for my dressing.

With orders in, we sat and talked. Magners were delivered. We discussed upcoming plans we all had, the concert we were seeing the next night, and just whatever we felt like talking about. Why? Because we are good friends and conversation is never an issue with us. Love that. And soon, we found our orders being delivered safely to our table. Jenn and Cathy had big planks of fish (they use cod in an ale batter) over a bed of pub chips (fries). They came with a side of slaw and tartar sauce as well. Cathy, who has taken to at least trying the tartar sauce, was quite impressed with it and alternated dipping her fish in the pool of ketchup on her plate and the tartar sauce. Needless to say…they enjoyed their fish and chips.

The Galway Salad looks like…a basic salad. It basically consisted of a bed of mixed greens that was topped off with a boat-load (seriously…it was crazy and a bit overwhelming to the palate) of sun-dried tomatoes, a pile of goat cheese, and a scattering of candied walnuts. They thankfully kept the balsamic vinaigrette to the side so I could add however much I wanted.

The salad was good…but there were just way too many sun-dried tomatoes. They were clumped together at times and would definitely overpower a bite if too many were on the fork. I had to scatter them out and really make sure that they were balanced out by the other components of the salad itself. And, let me tell you, when you are working with four ingredients, that can be a challenge. Thankfully the balsamic vinaigrette helped offset some of that as well.

Was it amazing? Not really. It was okay. Not bad. Just a bit unbalanced when it came to how it was topped. I mean…it was a very simple, basic salad. It was good. It was delicious. But it was a bit much at times when it came to the heavy-handed sun-dried tomatoes that topped it off. But, I got through it and polished off my plate, leaving the pub with a happy (and full) tummy.

The Claddagh served me a delicious salad. I will give them that. I left there full. But I think the chef needs to learn take a lighter hand with the sun-dried tomatoes as it was way overpowering at times. Thank goodness for the goat cheese and walnuts to help tamper that flavor down some.

The Claddagh's Galway Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette — The Claddagh’s Galway Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

November 21, 2012

Go Picnic Black Bean Dip & Plantain Chips another winning on-the-go meal

Go Picnic Black Bean Dip & Crispy Plantain Chips

Product: Go Picnic Black Bean Dip and Crispy Plantain Chips – $5.99+

Fast food, shmast food.

Being a gluten-free vegetarian means a stop-off at any regional fast food joint is just not an option. I mean, I got sick for 5 days after eating Chik-Fil-A’s supposedly gluten-free waffle fries this past summer. Let me tell you, I have yet to go back.

So, when someone like me – someone who is constantly on the go and on the road – needs something to eat…what then? Well…thanks to Go Picnic my options just got a little more exciting and much healthier than any fast food stop would have been.

Now, I’ve blogged about Go Picnic before. I am a HUGE fan of the gluten-free Hummus + Crackers meal, which is usually my on-the-road poison. However, when I attended the Gluten-Free Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana a month or so back, I dropped by the Go Picnic booth and raved to them about how much I appreciated their gluten-free boxes (especially the ones that are also vegetarian/vegan). It just so happened that they had some of their brand new on-the-go meals at the expo…and if I bought them that day, I’d be saving some money, for sure.

So, my roomie and I made a decision to purchase six meals. She got two of the Sunbutter + Crackers plus the Turkey Pepperoni + Cheese boxes. As for me, I went with two of my favorite…the Hummus + Crackers and one of the brand new offerings…the Black Bean Dip & Plantain Chips box. I was pretty stoked about that one as it was new, vegan, and gluten-free. And it just sounded…different and interesting.

Well, the perfect opportunity to break out the Go Picnic meals came this past weekend as my roomie and I were venturing out to Ohio to visit our friend Jenn. Our plan…to see The Monkees on Saturday night and then on Sunday morning…I was off to the races. Literally. I was running in the Hot Chocolate 15K in Columbus. So, we left work at noon on Friday and went to run a few local errands before settling in for the 4 hour car trip up to Columbus, Ohio. With the errands out of the way…it was lunch time. And for me, lunch was the Go Picnic Black Bean Dip & Plantain Chips on-the-go meal.

After opening the box, I settled on starting with the star of the actual box…the Go Picnic Garden Black Bean Dip with the Sweet Perry Orchards Crispy Roasted Plantain Chips. I thought, at first, that this was an interesting combination and wasn’t quite sure how it would work in the end. However, the combination was actually quite delicious. What I loved was how the sweetness of the dried and roasted plantains made into chips complimented the rich, sweetness of the black bean dip. The Go Picnic Garden Black Bean Dip is amazing. A creamy, somewhat sweet and spicy blend of black beans, green chilies, jalapeno peppers, spices, garlic, and onion made for a fantastic base to dip the chips in. And Sweet Perry Orchards Crispy Roasted Plantain Chips made a fantastic alternative to crackers or corn chips. Honestly. They provided a hint of sweetness as well. They were crispy, crunchy, and just the perfect compliment to the rich dip. I was so happy with this flavor combination. The Go Picnic Garden Black Bean Dip is only 40 calories of this box’s total 360 calories and provides 2 grams of protein. Let’s hear it for the protein magic of beans! And the Sweet Perry Orchards Crispy Roasted Plantain Chips also only contain 70 calories in the provided 0.5 ounce bag. It also only sets you back 3 grams in fat. They are also very low in sodium (50 mg).

My next taste from the box that I chose to devour was the Sweet Perry Orchards Ginger Zip Fruit and Nut Mix. This was a surprisingly delicious mix of peanuts coated in ginger, dried cranberries, and banana chips. The ginger was the part that concerned me, as often it can be a little too strong and too much. Thankfully, pairing it with lightly salted peanut, banana chips, and the tart sweetness of the dried cranberries, the blend worked. It worked fantastically, actually. I was digging down into the little 0.75 ounce bag that came in the Go Picnic box in hopes of finding more of the mix in there. But, alas, when I said devour…that’s what I did. This one surprised me and it was a nice surprise. The ginger was just enough to add a bit of heat to a few of the bites, but it didn’t overwhelm the mix. It was nicely balanced. And the little snack bag you receive in the box is only 90 calories of the entire 360 in the box itself. And the rest of the nutrition information is nice as well. The little pack provides 5 grams of fat and 2 grams of protein. Not bad for a fruit and nut mix. Not bad at all. Oh, and the sugar content on this one isn’t bad either. Most “trail mixes” are laden with sugar. Thanks to the ginger, this one only has 10 grams of sugar. Other trail mixes would be at least twice that per serving.

My next choice to eat from the box was the Sweet Perry Orchards Power Play Tasty Seed Blend. Now, one of my favorite parts of the Go Picnic Hummus + Crackers box is the packet of dry-roasted edamame. Well, this is a different twist on that pack. Sweet Perry Orchards Power Play Tasty Seed Blend is a mix of dry roasted edamame, pumpkin seeds, and watermelon kernels. Sound weird? It’s not. In fact, what this little 0.75 ounce pack provides is a heap of protein and healthy fats. Yep. While salt is added, it’s not overdone either. The seeds really stand up for themselves and pack a bunch of flavor in each bite. The blend is interesting and different. I mean, who can say they’ve really enjoyed a watermelon kernel before? Well…truth is…I did. And the pumpkin seeds and edamame were also fantastic. Sweet Perry Orchards Power Play Tasty Seed Blend provides 110 calories of the entire 360 calories in the box and 5 grams of fat. This blend also provides 8 grams of protein. That’s awesome. As for the sodium…which can be a real sticking point, this bag only has 70 mg of sodium in it. Yep. It really is a healthy choice.

And finally…dessert. Because that’s what we look forward to at the end of a meal. Even lunch on-the-go. The Go Picnic Black Bean Dip & Plantain Chips box comes with dessert of dark chocolate. Oh yes…almost like it was made for me. Dark, delicious chocolate. The little piece is Professor Zim Zams Extraordinary Sweets Dark Chocolate with Orange. It’s a little circle of orange-flavored dark chocolate goodness. Now, sometimes the orange and chocolate combination works for me. Sometimes…it doesn’t. In this case, the bittersweet dark chocolate meshes so well with the tart orange. It’s a seamless marriage of flavor to be honest. And it was a decadent enough bite to satisfy that need for dessert or something sweet to cleanse the palate. Professor Zim Zams Extraordinary Sweets Dark Chocolate with Orange is only 0.35 ounces of rich chocolate flavor…but it’s just enough. This little disk of sweetness provides the Go Picnic box with the remaining 50 calories. It contributes 4 grams of fat into the serving and 2 grams of protein. And it is good to the last little bite. Because…I admit…I savored the chocolate. I love a good, sweet ending.

In the end, Go Picnic provided a hearty on-the-go meal in a little box that really satisfied every taste. Sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. It meant that I felt satisfied at the end of the box. And with only 360 calories, it’s a nutritious meal that you can take with you on the road, on a hike, on a picnic, or just for something easy on a busy day at the office. This little box also provided me with 13 complete grams of protein at the end of it, which is fantastic as I am a gluten-free, vegetarian athlete (distance runner!) so making sure I get enough protein in my diet can be a huge challenge. This satisfied.

I haven’t been able to find this actual box listed yet on Go Picnic’s Web site. But it is one of the new offerings from the company. I say…give it a bit of time and it will be there. As for me…I hope to find this one in the stores soon because I loved every bite of it. If you can find it…pick it up and try it. I promise…you’ll be as hooked as me. Go Picnic…you won me and my taste buds over again with simple flavors and nutritious snacks.

November 15, 2012

Running for chocolate…again…but this time it’s hot (the chocolate, that is)

In the time following the Louisville Sports Commission Half Marathon I have yet to take a day off. Seriously. I’ve already started up my training program for my half marathon in December up in Indianapolis. No rest for the road racer, that’s for sure. I haven’t actually given this much fun. While I have had days where I have not run, my legs have still been put through the ringer with elliptical, the stationary bike, and the circuit routine that I’ve been doing to help strengthen my core. No, these legs haven’t seen any rest.

But they do get a break for the next two days. It’s a short-lived break, however. Because I’m headed up to Columbus, Ohio. Initially this trip wasn’t for a race at all. When I read up on the race in Columbus, it just happened to coincide with my journey that way. Which was great.

The initial reason for my trip is to go and see The Monkees up in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday. This is going to make for a long drive back to my friend Jenn’s that night…and a really early morning on Sunday to get up and head to the race.

But…it’s America’s Sweetest Race. So, how could I turn down another opportunity to run for…hot chocolate!

Yes, my friends…I am running in the Hot Chocolate 15K in Columbus, Ohio. Probably on very few hours of sleep and still tired legs…but it’s going to be a fun race. And it will set my initial benchmark for a 15K race, as it is my first one at that distance. It’s exciting. It’s…also going to be cold. So…you know I’m going to be hesitant to even step outside and go run. But…I’ll just keep telling myself that hot chocolate awaits me at the finish line…along with other chocolate goodies (most of which, due to my food allergies, I can’t have…but I have Jenn and Cathy there…and they can).

Why the Hot Chocolate 15K…aside from the fact that I was already going to be in town? Well…the swag bag is awesome. You get a jacket. YES…a jacket. How totally awesome is that. And the finisher’s medal isn’t one you wear around your neck. Nope. It’s a Finisher’s Mug…which will contain hot cocoa, chocolate fondue and other chocolate treats! Running for chocolate rules! And after a cold 9.3 miles…that hot chocolate is going to taste fantastic.

Tired legs, cold weather and concert fatigue aside…I think it will be a really fun race.

Stay tuned…

November 15, 2012

Recipe: Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Casserole

There comes a time during those weeks I’m preparing to go out of town for the weekend that I realize I still have a whole heap of fresh produce from my CSA bin that I need to use or lose. And I am not one that likes to see good food go to waste. Such is the reason for my brilliant creation that I totally made up on the fly yesterday.

Keep in mind…this would have been a lot easier had I planned it ahead of time…prepped some of the items beforehand. But…I never have these brilliant moments of brilliance until I am already away from my kitchen. Naturally.

So, what is an allergic chef to do when her crisper drawer is still heaped full with veggies? Make something up. And what emerged was a fantastic little casserole, packed with veggies, sprinkled with a little cheese, and ultimately…nutritiously delicious.

Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Servings: 4-6
Time: Prep 30 minutes; Cook 60 minutes

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup white button mushrooms, sliced
1 shallot, chopped
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
pinch of red pepper flakes
2/3 cup black beans (mine had actually gone bad…so I substituted with Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Vegan Chorizo)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter (I used Smart Balance)
2 tablespoons flour (I used Arrowhead Mills Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour)
1 cup milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. Place on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, or until tender enough to pierce with a fork. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. When squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out insides, separating the strands with a fork.

Meanwhile, in a pan, heat olive oil and add chopped shallots and white button mushrooms and saute until shallots are soft and mushrooms begin to brown. Add the broccoli florets. Season with salt and red pepper flakes. Saute until broccoli begins to soften. Add black beans (or vegan chorizo) and heat through. Remove veggies from heat.

While the vegetables are cooking, melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Stir in the milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for 1 minute.

Set the saucepan aside and gently scrape the tines of a kitchen fork around the edge of the spaghetti squash to shred the pulp into strands.

Place half of the strands of spaghetti squash into a 2 quart baking dish. Add half of the sauteed vegetables and half of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Repeat the layers. Pour the sauce over the top and mix well.

Place the baking dish in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and serve.

~*~*~

I wasn’t exactly sure how this was going to turn out. Honestly. I was just in one of those modes where I’ll grab a bunch of ingredients, toss stuff together, somehow incorporate it into a dish, and just hope for the best when it’s done cooking. My roommate loved this…so this may be added to the list of things I can make with a spaghetti squash. I have a feeling I’ll be seeing quite a few this winter from my CSA.

Go ahead and give this recipe a try. See what you think. I know I’m excited to be dining on the leftovers tonight. Really, really good. Sometimes just making something up really works out.

November 14, 2012

Cheese Smarts Cheddar Crackers are a smart take on snack time

Product: Cheese Smarts Gluten-Free Cheddar Crackers – $2.30+

Oh, Big Lots. What would I do without you and your crazy international section with odd-ball gluten-free snacks? I just don’t know these days. Back at the beginning of summer, I actually posted about the Parmesan Crackers from Cheese Smarts. So, going into it, I knew at least that these crackers were palatable. Knock-you-over-with-cheesiness? Not exactly. But still good.

I can’t tell you much about the company, Unismack SA, aside from the fact that it is based out of Greece. Yep. Greece. And as you know, Europe holds food standards to a much higher degree than the United States. For that, I am thankful. And I love that these crackers are labeled gluten-free right on the front of the box. It’s a comfort to not have to haul out the iPhone in an attempt to check ingredients or a product’s Web site in order to be certain of gluten freedom.

Here is what I can tell you about the crackers, in general. Cheese Smarts Cheddar Crackers are baked, not fried. So, the cheese flavor is locked in through baking, not leaving a greasy residue like a lot of fried snack crackers do. That’s a huge plus. These crackers are made with 24% real cheese. I know…100% would be far better, but this is declared on the very front of the box. Only 24%. Hmmm. They are gluten-free, free of trans fats, and made with ingredients that are recognizable. In other words, the actual ingredients don’t read like a science experiment. Thank goodness.

So…enough with that. The nitty-gritty of this blog is how they taste and stack up against the plethora of other gluten-free cheese crackers out on the market. Well, at first bite you definitely get a healthy crunch. That’s partially due to the baking, I’m certain. The cheese flavor is there, not overpowering, but a bit underwhelming. The little flecks of salt on top of the crackers don’t overpower or make it an overly salty snack. With cheese snacks it can be a fine line when it comes to added salt, as cheese can be rather salty on its own. They aren’t bad. They just aren’t a cracker that you’ll hurry out to the store to stock up on. In a pinch…they’ll do, however.

A serving size is 12 crackers (or 29 grams if you weigh your portions like I do). This will set you back only 90 calories, however this serving also dishes up 6 grams of fat. These snacks are very low in cholesterol (10 mg) and sodium (only 240 mg). So, as far as a snack goes, you get a good portion size for relatively few calories in the cracker world.

These crackers aren’t bad. Not at all. They just don’t rank very high against some of the other major brands that are out on the marketplace. Nutritionally, they are difficult to beat. However, that being said, if it were to come down to taste…these wouldn’t be my first pick.

But…if I needed an inexpensive gluten-free snack…I’d be okay with these.

November 13, 2012

Recipe: Rosemary Roasted Carrots and Fingerling Potatoes

So, this past weekend, my roomie purchased a new cookbook for me. I actually told her not to get it. As, at full price, it was rather expensive. But she insisted that it was necessary because the holidays happen every time you turn around. And not just the fall/winter holidays. All the little ones in between too. After a quick flip through of the book, I finally relented my stance and let her get it for me.

The book is Gluten-Free and Vegan Holidays: Celebrating the Year with Simple, Satisfying Recipes and Menus by Jennifer Katzinger, who also authored Flying Apron’s Gluten-Free & Vegan Baking Book. So, if there is any authority in this area…this would be the person to turn to. And the recipes really did sound amazing. Everything was something I was willing to try.

Now, the first recipe I chose to do out of this cookbook is considered a side dish. But I eat side dishes for meals all the time. The original recipe calls for new potatoes, but I had 24 ounces of fingerling potatoes in my fridge from my CSA bin, along with baby carrots. It would work. The only ingredient for this recipe that I didn’t have on hand was fresh rosemary, but my grocery store happens to have that. And so, last night, I set out to prepare this recipe for dinner. And yeah…I wasn’t disappointed at all.

Recipe: Rosemary Roasted Carrots and Fingerling Potatoes

Servings: 4-6
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Cook 50 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound new red potatoes (I used organic fingerling potatoes), halved
1/2 pound carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
4 cloves garlic, minced1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss well to coat the potatoes and carrots with the seasonings and oil.

Pour the contents of the bowl onto a large baking sheet and roast the vegetables for about 50 minutes, or until the exteriors are crisp and the interiors can be easily pierced with a fork. (Halfway through cooking, using tongs or a spatula, turn the potatoes and carrots so that they brown evenly). Transfer to a serving bowl and season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

~*~*~

First of all…this smells amazing while it is baking up. Honestly. It really gave the apartment an amazing aroma. The vegetables really do crisp up nicely on the outside, leaving the inside nice and soft. Perfect. And wow…packed with flavor. This is a super simple, but super tasty dish. Honestly. I thought about bringing this to Thanksgiving, but mashed potatoes are always abundant there…so I don’t want to repeat the potato. Looking for a new way to enjoy potatoes and carrots…give this recipe a try.

November 13, 2012

Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix a dream to bake

Product: Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-Free Dreams Yellow Cake Mix – $5.99+

Thanks to a Manager’s Special at my local grocery store, I was able to pick up a couple of gluten-free cake/brownie/pancake mixes on super-duper sale (aka: a price I could afford!) from Cherrybrook Kitchen. I have used a few of their mixes before and have always enjoyed the results. So being able to give their Gluten-Free Dreams Yellow Cake Mix a try was a dream come true. I was already excited about the prospect of the type of cake this mix could yield.

Well, as it was a yellow cake mix…and I had every other necessary ingredient in the pantry and fridge…I gave an option to my roommate. I could bake it up as-is…and we could top it off with melted chocolate or something. OR I could possibly be persuaded to bake up her absolute favorite cake I have ever made for her…a gluten-free lemon chiffon cake, which, yes, uses a box of yellow cake mix.

Given the option, she chose to go with her favorite cake (I had pretty much expected that!), so this beautiful box of yellow cake mix was about to become a lemony work of food porn…er…art.

The only snag being that the recipe I have for this cake calls for 15 ounces of cake mix…and the Cherrybrook Kitchen boxes have 16.4 ounces. No big deal for me, however, as I have a fantastic kitchen scale and I simply got out a bowl, zeroed out the weight, and poured until I hit 15 ounces. I rolled up the remainder of the mix to make into a cake mug one day soon.

Following the instructions for my recipe, not on the box, to bake up this cake, I set to it, adding the necessary ingredients (orange juice, eggs, lemon zest, etc) to the batter and whipping it all up in my Kitchen-Aid mixer. I poured it into cake pans that had been dusted with gluten-free all-purpose flour, and then tucked the pans into a warm oven to bake.

Lemon chiffon layers made from Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-Free Dreams Yellow Cake Mix — Lemon chiffon cake layers made from Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-Free Dreams Yellow Cake Mix

The last time I baked this cake, I used the Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix…and it was fantastic. It cooked up to perfection the first time. With Cherrybrook Kitchen, I had to let the cake pans remain in the oven longer than the recipe called for in order to get them to that light golden brown on top and where the top would spring back when I pressed carefully on it. No problem with that though. As long as it cooked through. The pans were removed from the oven and left to cool. The recipe says for 5 minutes, but the last time I attempted to make a layer cake, I turned out the cake and it crumbled…so I let it go a little longer before telling myself that, eventually, the cakes had to come out of the pans. Mustering up whatever conviction I needed, I finally hauled myself into the kitchen, ran a knife around the edges, and turned the cake layers out of the pans.

SUCCESS!! No cake crumbling this time. Each layer popped out perfectly and beautifully. Nothing stuck to the pan. Nothing was left behind. Just two perfect cake layers which would now remain on wire racks to cool the rest of the way while I prepared the lemon curd (gluten-free variety) and the icing for the cake.

With that task done, I now set out to do the fun part…assemble the cake. One layer went down and then got coated with a warm layer of lemon curd. Then, the other layer was placed on top of it. I iced it with the prepared whipped lemon icing and called it done. It was late…too late for cake…so it would have to wait until after dinner the following night to be sampled.

Yesterday was the grand unveiling. I actually sliced into it that morning to take a slice to my teammate at the office. She loves to try the gluten-free foods that I make, because she’s a baker and interested in dealing with people with food allergies, and wants to see what can be done with gluten-free foods so that they don’t taste gluten-free. She loved this cake. Loved it. And that made me really happy and proud to have made it and shared it.

But after dinner that night…it was my turn. I sliced two more slices from the cake (which I am getting 12 slices out of)…one for myself and one for the roommate. As I mentioned before, this is the roomie’s favorite cake now…so…as I went back to plate my piece, I returned to find hers already half gone. She said she was trying really hard not to just devour it…and she was definitely succeeding.

So, how does the version of the cake made with Cherrybrook Kitchen’s Gluten Free Dreams Yellow Cake Mix compare to that of the one I had made previously with Betty Crocker’s Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix? It stands up quite well to its predecessor. Honestly. I asked my roomie her opinion, as this is her most favorite cake EVER and she said she felt the Cherrybrook Kitchen cake mix was a bit dryer than Betty Crocker’s…but it was still good. She might be right. While this cake wasn’t dry at all, I do believe that Betty Crocker had the edge on moistness when prepared in this manner. However, this is not a knock to Cherrybrook Kitchen. I can say this because the three of us who have eaten slices of this cake have all agreed that it is delicious. The cake wasn’t fall-apart dry. It was still moist and packed with amazing citrus flavor. It worked perfectly in this recipe…even with me having to measure out a certain weight of mix to make it in the first place.

Cherrybrook Kitchen makes fantastic gluten-free products. I have yet to find one that I don’t like. While this was prepared in a nontraditional manner, the Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix is a definite addition to the pantry in the future. I loved the taste and the texture. I found it to be a great mix to use for this recipe. Very impressed with the finished product and totally taking slices of it to Columbus with me on Friday to share with my friend Jenn!

Cherrybrook Kitchen is a great place to turn for gluten-free/wheat-free mixes in a pinch. They are a bit pricey, but most gluten-free mixes on the market are. If you find a good sale…stock up. That’s my best advice. The variety of mixes that I have been able to try have been awesome and I look forward to trying the rest of their products in their lineup very soon.

Yeah…color me impressed.

Lemon Lover's Chiffon Cake made with Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-Free Dreams Yellow Cake Mix — Lemon Lover’s Chiffon Cake made with Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-Free Dreams Yellow Cake Mix

November 13, 2012

Gluten Free You And Me mixes up a light, delicious Gluten Free French White Bread

Product: Gluten Free You And Me Gluten Free French White Bread Mix – $6.00

You know…it would figure.

I’ve been searching for the ultimate bread mix to bake up and continue to bake up because I make a lot of meals that just taste good with a small slice of bread, toasted in the oven with a spritz of olive oil and seasoning. And I’ve tried a lot of the name brands. Some I have fallen in love with. Some…I’ve been rather indifferent on. I haven’t hated any of them…but I don’t like a dense loaf of bread. I don’t want my bread to be heavy. It’s accompanying my meal, not becoming my meal.

Awhile back, while I was visiting my friend Jenn in Columbus, Ohio, she happened to make mention of a gluten-free event going on at a local gluten-free bakery/café of sorts. As we were already going to be out and about that day in town, we decided to stop by that morning and check it out. Although there were only a few things at this little event, one vendor in the front room really caught my attention.

Gluten Free You And Me is the company and they are based out of Dublin, Ohio. They had a few samples out, including cookies and their French White Bread, made from a mix that they were selling. Cathy tried a cookie and loved it. But Jenn and I…we were all about the bread. One taste and I about melted. It was light. It was fluffy. And it tasted…like fresh-baked, full-barrel, French bread. I knew then…I had to have it in my life.

So, for a small fee of $6.00, a tub of the mix was mine. I was excited and couldn’t wait to bake this up myself.

A loaf of Gluten-Free French White Bread (from Gluten Free You And Me Mix) fresh from the oven

But…other products in my expansive gluten-free pantry had to be used up first. However, this past weekend…it was time to see if I could do up the French White Bread as well as they had for the event. I could only hope.

Making the bread couldn’t be easier. Using a mixer, you put the dry mix into a bowl, add 1-1/2 cups of water, 1 tsp red wine vinegar (I didn’t have red wine vinegar, so I went out on a limb and used apple cider vinegar), 2 tablespoons of canola oil…and mix until the dough forms and is sticky. Then, you pour it into a 4 x 8 bread loaf pan (spray it with some cooking spray) and pat it down to evenly form a loaf shape. Score it across the tip with a knife and let it rise for about 35 minutes. Once it has risen within 1/2 inch of the top of the pan, you bake it in a 400 degree oven for around 40 minutes. Remove it from the pan and let it cool on a rack for 1 hour. Then…it is yours to enjoy.

Let me tell you, the most difficult part of this entire process was waiting for it to cool. I normally just want to slice right into the bread and give it a try…but I patiently (or as patiently as I could) waited the correct time before slicing into it.

Well, it was definitely as good as I remembered it. Figures. Because this is a little harder to get my hands on than, say, one of the major gluten-free bread mixes at the grocery store. But…definitely worth ordering online (yes…they do ship) if I can’t get out to where their products are sold in the Columbus area.

The Gluten Free You And Me French White Bread Mix bakes up a beautiful loaf of bread. The crust turned a perfect shade of gold and inside was a light, fluffy bread just begging for a schmear of butter. Yeah…this bread is damn near gluten-free bread perfection. The taste is exquisite. If you didn’t tell people it was gluten-free…they wouldn’t have a clue. At all. It tastes, dead-up, like the bread I used to be able to eat. And that, my friends, is nothing short of awesome. And I loved that I didn’t have to haul out my bread maker for this loaf. It was all done by hand, by the oven, and it baked to perfection. Happiness is a delicious loaf of gluten-free bread. It doesn’t get much better than this one.

I encourage you to visit the Web site for Gluten Free You And Me and take a look at the small, but amazing products that this company has to offer. They can ship some of their items, so check that out, especially if you are not in or around the Columbus, Ohio area. Their products are pretty hard to beat. Let me tell you…I’m still dreaming of this bread and thankful I have the other half of the loaf chilling in the freezer for future use. Well worth the purchase…trust me.

A loaf of bread made with Gluten Free You And Me Gluten Free French White Bread Mix and baked in the oven