There aren’t enough words in the English language to adequately profess of love of Dave’s Gourmet pasta sauces. This is the third kind I have tried and once again…it has lived up to every expectation…and, just as before, exceeded it.
I was given an eggplant in my CSA bin this past week and my roommate and I decided that Eggplant Parmesan was going to be a good meal and a great way to use that eggplant. I had gluten-free corn flake crumbs on hand for the ‘breading’ of the eggplant. So, I tasked my roommate of choosing from some of the gluten-free sauces stocked in our cabinet. We have a few. She emerged with Dave’s Gourmet Organic Roasted Garlic and Sweet Basil Pasta Sauce.
One we hadn’t tried yet. What better way to test it out than on a new recipe, right?
Sure.
So…that’s what I did. I coated a baking dish with a thin layer of the sauce…placed the baked eggplant over it, topped the eggplant off with more sauce, then added some vegan cheese, popped it into the oven for 20 minutes and…dinner was served.
The sauce…was so flavorful and amazing. It was honestly one of the best tomato sauces I have ever had. That’s no lie. And let me tell you, being the Italian food freak (yes…even now that I am gluten-free) that I am…that’s saying a lot.
The taste is just like homemade, honestly. It is really hard to believe this sauce comes out of a jar. But, my friends, it does. It has the right balance of sweetness and acidity. And the roasted garlic is just enough to flavor without overpowering the entire sauce. And why shouldn’t it taste homemade? The ingredients are: organic tomatoes, organic onions, water, organic carrots, organic extra virgin olive oil, organic garlic, organic evaporated cane juice, organic basil, organic roasted garlic, salt, spices. Everything that we have access to at a grocery store, in a garden, and in our pantries. Nothing weird or unpronounceable. Just good, hearty, chunky sauce for any pasta meal.
I’ve fallen in love with all three varieties that I have tried from Dave’s Gourmet. And there are still plenty more in the line-up for me to purchase and test out. And with a streak like this…I can’t wait to do just that. I love making my own sauce, but sometimes there just isn’t time to do so. I will always trust my gluten-free Italian meals to Dave’s Gourmet in that case. Seriously. While the sauces are quite pricey, they are totally worth the splurge. Or, do what I do and wait for a sale on it.
I promise…you’ll fall in love with Dave’s Gourmet sauces just as much as my roomie and I have. We swear by them.
Gluten-Free Eggplant Parmesan topped with Dave’s Gourmet Organic Roasted Garlic & Sweet Basil Pasta Sauce and vegan cheese
What normally comes up missing from a gluten-free lifestyle is anything that is…in a word…breaded. And that can be hard to work around at times. But thanks to some companies coming out with gluten-free crumbs packaged and ready for your “breading” needs, it does get a little better.
Prior to picking up a canister of Southern Homestyle Corn Flake Crumbs, I had only previously been exposed to the Glutino Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs (also made from corn). Somehow, in my mind, I pictured these from Southern Homestyle to be different. But…alas…they were just about the same in appearance and everything.
The canister holds corn flake crumbles, that are tiny and round, that are ideal to use with veggies, meats, or whatever. Being a no-meat kind of a girl, I decided to use the eggplant I got in my SCA bin this week and make an eggplant parmesan. The corn flake crumbles from Southern Homestyle would come in handy and I had happened to pick up a can of them when my grocery store ran a huge closeout on their gluten-free section. I fetched them from my gluten-free pantry and poured them into a dish. After coating my eggplant in the egg/almond milk/water wash, they were liberally dipped into the Southern Homestyle Corn Flake Crumbs and placed on a baking dish.
Southern Homestyle Corn Flake Crumbs coating slices of eggplant
The corn flake crumbs didn’t get soggy with each dipping, and I had four slices of eggplant to do. It clumped some, but any coating getting inundated by foods coated in egg and the like would do the same. With the eggplant generously coated in the corn flake crumbs, I baked them up for 20 minutes, turning them halfway through, and then finished up. After letting the “breaded” eggplant rest for 5 minutes, into a baking pan they went with marinara sauce and some vegan cheese. Back into the oven for another 20 minutes and they emerged ready to eat.
On its own, the Corn Flake Crumbs by Southern Homestyle would be rather bland. Paired with the eggplant, the marinara, and the cheese, however, it brought that much needed texture to the dish. Unlike wheat breadcrumbs, these corn flake crumbs do not get soggy as they sit, or are baked or coated. They remain crunchy. Success!! It really made the eggplant parmesan pop!
I hear this coating is ideal for frying too. A lot of eggplant parmesan recipes call for the eggplant to be fried in a pan…but I’ve never been big on fried foods, so I oven baked mine for a healthier option and it worked out just fine. I still got a crispy outer crust, just without the added oil and fat. However, the Southern Homestyle Corn Flake Crumbs would be ideal if you did choose to pan fry as the corn flake crumbs pick up less oil in the frying process, which in the end means less calories consumed and no oily appearance.
Because of the blandness on their own, it makes them more versatile. Dress them up with seasonings and spices however you wish. There are no limits here. And best of all…the finished product has that nice crispy outer layer, whether pan fried or oven baked. And that…is a beautiful thing in the kitchen.
An added bonus for the food allergic is that these Corn Flake Crumbs are gluten-free, wheat free, milk/casein free, lactose free, soy free, egg free, peanut free, tree nut free, and yeast free. They are kosher, vegan and vegetarian. So, unless you have a corn allergy…these would ideally work for you.
Look for Southern Homestyle Corn Flake Crumbs in your grocery store and see what they can do to dress up your dish!
Oven-Baked Eggplant Parmesan coated with Southern Homestyle Corn Flake Crumbs
Do you know what makes life better and breakfast out of this world?
Of course you do.
Chocolate chips! Seriously…pancakes, muffins, waffles…they are all just better with chocolate chips. Let’s face it…that hit of sweetness just makes that bite all the better. Imagine my delight when I found a box of Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix on the manager’s special table at my grocery store. And it was wildly discounted. I couldn’t pass up the deal, so I snagged it and purchased it…and placed it on my kitchen counter and not in the pantry…because I just knew I would be using it soon!
I was simply going to make pancakes with it, but then the roomie put in a request. She wanted waffles. Now…waffles are normally a weekend thing because they have the tendency to take awhile to cook up in my waffle maker. But…I agreed. And most of that morning I spent in the kitchen. I even ended up eating my waffles at the counter while I worked on the rest. But…totally worth it.
The Cherrybrook Kitchen Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix is so easy to make. Give it a shake to evenly distribute the chocolate chips. Then add milk and vegetable/canola oil. According to the package directions and how many you intend to make. The entire box makes 9 waffles or 21 pancakes. So…you get a lot. But they do have additional information to make fewer at a time should you wish. As I was doing waffles, I figured I could freeze them and then toast them back up in my toaster…so might as well prepare the entire thing.
I actually managed to get 12 waffles out of it…so…that’s not bad at all.
The trick is to let all the ingredients set in the bowl for five minutes before setting to the task of making pancakes of waffles. I did this and then began spooning 3/4 cup servings of the mixture into my waffle maker and letting it brown up. After the allotted cooking time, I opened up the waffle iron and removed the waffle to a rack to cool. And what I got was nothing short of a happy, pleasant surprise.
The mix actually churned out a perfectly textured waffle. The outside was crusty and golden and crispy to bite into or cut into with a fork. But the inside was a soft core. And scattered throughout…chocolate chips that just melted with the warm maple syrup and made everything so sweet and delicious.
And for those of you out there with further food allergies, this mix is wheat free, gluten free, peanut free, dairy free, egg free, nut free. It’s all natural, made with recognizable ingredients. None of that guesswork at all. I prepared mine with unsweetened almond milk. And they were fantastic. The calorie count is quite low on these as well…which is always nice. But they do fill you up.
And really…there isn’t anything better than chocolate chip pancakes or waffles in the morning. It’s so comforting and just brings a smile to your face…despite how tired you might still be.
In the market for an allergy-friendly pancake/waffle mix? I encourage you to try the amazing products from Cherrybrook Kitchen. I was blown away and hope to buy another box again when they go on sale. These mixes can be quite pricey…but they are amazing. So sometimes it is worth the splurge.
Trust me…this one is!
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Waffles made from Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix
Good-bye for life to those tough teff wraps that I started using when I just needed to make burritos or a wrap. I will not miss them. I also will not miss the brown rice wraps which tend to fall apart, turn gummy, and just end up a total disaster more than a masterpiece on a plate. I’m not sad nor sorry to see them go.
Why?
Because Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery has just released the best gluten-free food item to hit the market in a long time.
Gluten-Free Tortillas.
Yes. And not just any bland tortilla. Nope. These come in three amazing flavors: Original, Spinach, and Fiesta.
Rudi’s Gluten-Free Original Tortillas
I figured the best place to start would be with the Original flavor. I mean…always start with the basics and move on from there. I decided to pack my original tortilla full with burrito classics. I took a layer of spinach and added some rice, black beans, red onion, salsa, and queso fresco to it. I fold the wrap up (and it didn’t tear) and dinner was served. I can’t even begin to explain how happy this tortilla made me. For one thing, it held together without being stiff. While they are soft to begin with, I gave mine a quick warm in the microwave and it softened it up some. It didn’t crumble or break as I wrapped it around the filling. And, even better, it held together bite after bite after bite. I found this tortilla to have a very light, buttery, salty-sweet flavor to it. It worked so well with the filling. I was totally impressed.
Rudi’s Gluten-Free Spinach Tortillas
The next tortilla I decided to give a try to was the Spinach one. And for this one, I decided I was going to do breakfast. Why not? I love a good breakfast wrap and these had been sadly absent from my life when I went gluten-free. So, that morning, I did up an egg scramble which consisted of eggs, sauteed mushrooms, onion, and a hit of spinach at the end…just in there long enough to wilt. I hit up the pan with a drizzle of truffle oil and then loaded up my spinach tortilla. Once again, it isn’t necessary to warm the tortilla to make it wrap, but I went ahead and did so anyway, just for a few seconds. In the end…I was in heaven. Honestly…one of the best wraps I had ever managed to make. And, once more…nothing fell apart as I bit into it, nor did the tortilla disintegrate in my hands from becoming soggy from the filling. This was breakfast harmony. The spinach tortillas do not overpower you with spinach flavor. They are a very light green in color, which is a nice change of pace. And the flavor is spot on. I used these again with quesadillas that I stuffed with homemade guacamole and cheese. Toasted them up in my pan and viola…dinner perfection.
Rudi’s Gluten-Free Fiesta Tortilla
Finally, I opted for the most intriguing of the flavors. Fiesta. I love how colorful this wrap is. It has a soft orange hue to it and is freckled with spices and herbs. As it’s name suggests, this would be the perfect wrap for something Mexican. So, that was the path I decided on when I set out to make a filling for this. I sauteed up some onions, added organic black beans, fresh tomatoes, and fresh corn, and let it simmer for a moment in the pan until most of the tomato juice had been absorbed. Then, it was onto the tortilla. I topped it off with some Daiya cheddar shreds and melted it off in the microwave. I did not pre-heat the tortilla as I knew I’d be putting it in the microwave for cheese melting purposes. What emerged was what my roommate likes to call my best wrap yet. Packed with flavor, the fiesta tortillas have a nice zip to them. They turned out to be my favorite of the bunch. And I made this exact meal three more times that week because it was such a hit.
I can’t even begin to explain how happy these tortillas have made me. I use them for everything now and eagerly anticipate the day I can find them in one of my local grocery store/natural food store haunts. I find them to be miles ahead of any other gluten-free wrap/tortillas out on the market…and there aren’t that many options. Seeing Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery take on this task and provide an amazing product to the gluten-free community has me wanting to turn cartwheels.
But hold on…there is more. Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery is currently running a special giveaway on their website. Their What’s Under Wraps? Giveaway is currently underway and they’ve been giving away some fantastic prizes to those who have been participating. It’s winding up, but head over there and give it your best shot.
In addition, I am also hosting a great giveaway on this blog. If you missed the post, it’s still not too late to enter. Just hop on over to my blog and leave a comment about what your favorite picnic food is and get entered for a chance to win a Gluten-Free Prize Pack, compliments of Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery.
And when all is said and done…remember that once again Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery has put out something fresh, amazing, and delicious on the gluten-free market. Something that this gluten-free world has been missing. Thank you, Rudi’s…for giving me back tortillas and wraps that won’t fall apart, that are soft, that fold around my filling, and that are epically delicious…whichever flavor you choose. Having options is a great thing. I’m one happy girl!
Me crossing the finish line of the Walk Away From Colon Cancer & 5K Run – Louisville, Kentucky
Race: Walk Away From Colon Cancer & 5K Run
Place: Louisville, KY
Date: August 25, 2012
Time: 25:49
It was early in the morning when my alarm went off prior to my first race back from injury. Let me tell you…I was ready to be back to it. After doing a fun mile run (my local running store hosts the BlueMile BrewMile at local breweries/pubs) to test out my new orthodic inserts on a short run and…get back to running with others, I was hungry for this race. And I woke up feeling really good, really rested, and ready to take on the hills of Iroquois Park in Louisville, Kentucky. This particular park is known for its rather large hills. I’ve run there a few times and every time…the hills kick my ass.
That Saturday morning…I was feeling quite confident. I found a little saying on Pinterest as I was relaxing prior to eating some cereal and heading out to the park. It said:
Turn a setback into a comeback.
It was spot on how I felt about this race. As I mentioned in the previous blog, this is the second time that I’ve run the Walk Away From Colon Cancer & 5K Run. Last year…I was coming back off of a stress fracture and horrible runner’s knee. This year…a torn plantar fasciitis. Honestly, my goal is to run it next year without making it a comeback race.
But…technically it was a comeback. And I promised my podiatrist, my mom, my roomie, and my friends who cared that I would take it easy. I had ever intention of doing that.
My roommate and I arrived at Iroquois Park about an hour before the start of the race. I grabbed my Cashew Cookie Lärabar, my iPod, and my iPhone and we locked up the car and started toward the amphitheater. When we rounded the corner, we were in for a shock. People were everywhere. There were lots of booths set up for the health fare and such that accompanied the race. One of Louisville’s food trucks was there as well. The giant 10 foot colon was inflated and inviting people to walk through it. And the crowd was awesome. So many people were milling about, checking out the booths, seeing what was being offered, and talking with those around them. The atmosphere was uplifting. And at the 30 minutes pre-race mark, I cracked open my Lärabar and nibbled on it. It was right around this time that the executive director of the Colon Cancer Research Project, Andrea, welcomed all the runners, walkers, and teams. And she introduced other speakers, who proceeded to give short speeches. Then…they called all the colon cancer survivors in attendance up to the front. It was so moving.
My roommate said she was going to head up toward the start line to get a spot, so she hugged me and wished me luck before setting off. And a moment later, the organizers told the runners to head toward the start line, as we were to lead the line of people so the walkers would be safe and not get run over. U2’s “Beautiful Day” was playing over the loud speaker. And I was taking steps toward that starting lineup. And that was when a slight bit of fear set in. I felt like I was about to hyperventilate. It was all in my head. I knew it was fear of getting hurt again, not being able to do this for awhile. I really wanted to get past this fear I had of the one sport I have ever found joy and love in. With a few very deep breaths, I set my iPod, focused on Bono’s words as he sang, drew meaning from that, and then listened to the race director give instructions on how we were to navigate the course.
Then…a moment later, I hit start on my iPod and we were sent off with a whistle. With a deep breath and a slow exhale, I flashed a peace sign to my roommate as I stepped over the sensors at the start line…and was off.
Navigating Iroquois Park at a decent pace is really not hard. Especially since this race starts us going uphill and has us end going uphill. Yeah…it is evil. So, I just worked on running a smart, good race. It was warm out, so I wanted to take that into account when I set my pace. I also didn’t want to push too much at the beginning and have nothing left for the hill I knew I’d face near the end. Most of this run was actually done going uphill. There were some downhill parts, but mostly uphill. Trust me…it is possible.
My first mile ticked off and I was actually running better than I anticipated. I felt good. I was able to breathe without laboring too much. I tell you, the two weeks I spent not running due to injury had messed with my fitness levels. I felt so out of shape when I returned. And running slower is not easy for me to do. But I understand the importance of doing it…for the benefit of my heeling foot and to prevent further injury or further aggravating an injury. I wasn’t too worried about my pace. My goal was simply to come in faster than my comeback time from the previous year, which was 30:52. It holds the distinction of being my slowest 5K race I have ever run. I was already off to a better start, despite my initial trepidation. I think a lot of that was all in my head.
I focused a lot of attention on the uphill climbs. I had people pass me, but I didn’t care. I was not ready to push like I used to, and fight up that hill. I was having enough of a fight trying to do so without straining a tendon. With a half marathon coming up the following weekend, I didn’t want to do irreparable damage on a 5K.
Before I knew it, Mile 2 was in front of me and I was holding a decent enough pace, even passing some of the people who had passed me up on the hills. But they caught me again as that steep hill hit. I knew it was coming, and I had managed to conserve enough energy to propel myself up it at a slow, steady, decent pace. I didn’t care who passed me, I was getting up that hill safely. And that’s what I did. And when it leveled off, I could see the edge of the parking lot coming up, and that meant I was almost to the finish line.
I didn’t look at my watch or waste any time. I just kept on running. I wasn’t sure exactly how much further I would have, but soon, I could hear people. And then I saw my roommate waving at me, cheering for me. The finish line was right there. I just had to get over the line. And according to the clock, I already smashed my previous time from the year before. I crossed, breathing hard, and immediately heading over to the cold water being offered. I grabbed a bottle and Cathy came over and found me, already telling me how well I had done and that she couldn’t believe I ran it in sub-26 minutes. I surprised myself. And I felt good…if not breathless and really hot.
Afterwards, I worked my way over to the Earth Fare tent where I received a banana. I love a banana after a run and this tasted so good. We settled in at one of the picnic tables and I went to go get more water from another booth. While there, I found orange slices and grabbed one. I ended up splitting it with Cathy…then went back and got one more for each of us. Crazy delicious. It was just what I needed.
After a few moments of re-hydrating, I decided to go and look for a friend of mine that I used to work with, who was supposed to be walking at this event. I stood around, cheering on those heading to the finish line, hoping we’d cross paths. But I never saw her. And when I look at the official results, I don’t see her name on there…so I guess she didn’t make it to the race that day.
After the finish line was taken down, the awards were to be given out. Even if I know I’m not getting anything, I tend to stick around and cheer for those who do. And it was to my extreme shock that I ended up placing 3rd in my division. I happily went up and received my medal for that honor. I couldn’t have been happier.
Talk about turning a setback into a comeback. I’m really tempted to take that medal in and show my podiatrist. Maybe I will.
So, as it stands the official results for the Walk Away From Colon Cancer & 5K Run are that I finished in 25:49, was 72/684 overall, and 3/54 in my age division. Totally pleased!!! How could I not be. I missed two prior races due to not being able to walk leading up to this, was very nervous and tentative in my training runs…and then…I manage to surprise myself.
It was a great morning for a great race. One that benefited a fantastic cause that is near and dear to my heart. Next year, my goal is to run this race without having to make it a comeback from injury race.
Without Groupon, some of these fantastic breakfast/brunch spots would go unvisited by me, despite driving by them all the time. It was that case with Hillbilly Tea…and now…Highland Morning.
Every week I go to Louisville for my fun run on Monday and drive past Highland Morning (which is closed at that time as it does cater to the breakfast/brunch/lunch crowd). Now, as we all know…breakfast is not only the most important meal of the day, but also my favorite meal of the day. So, when breakfast foods are involved, you can count me in.
It just so happened that a Groupon came around for Highland Morning…and being the Groupon savvy shopper that I am…I snagged one. Why not? It’s a local business and it offers food that I can eat and also food that I love. It doesn’t get better than that. Well, unfortunately this Groupon stated that it was good during the week at all time, but on the weekends, only after 2 p.m. During the week is not an option, because I work in Indiana, not Kentucky. So, it would have to be a late lunch on a Saturday then.
And that’s how it worked out.
My first order of business was to check out their menu and figure out what I could eat there. Unfortunately, they don’t have an official Web site and their Facebook page doesn’t have their menu up. So, I actually asked about gluten-free options on their Facebook page. And I got a response that said: “Our eggs are gluten-free… and they’re delicious. Two great combinations.”
Absolutely right! With that piece of mind…I was ready to give this place a try.
It was around 2:30 p.m. when my roommate and I entered the restaurant and took a seat near the bar at the back. We were immediately greeted by our very friendly and helpful waitress, Sapphira, immediately greeted us with cold glasses of water and a warm welcome. She asked if we wanted anything else to drink besides the water. We both felt the need for some caffeine, so Diet Cokes were ordered in addition to the water. She went to retrieve them and I started browsing the menu. There was SO much delicious stuff to choose from. I had lots of egg/vegetarian options and actually had a hard time choosing what exactly sounded the most delicious at the time. But, I finally settled on one of the omelet choices.
We did alert Sapphira as to my food allergies and inquired as to whether the skillet potatoes were gluten-free. They were so I knew I could still have those as a side (which does cost an extra $1.00 to replace the grits with them, but I have never been a fan of grits and I love my starchy potato carbs!)
So, we placed our orders. My roommate decided to go off the beaten path (taking an example from the Menu Ninja – Jenn) and ordered Mike’s Fantastic Brauts ($7.00), which are two bratwursts on rye bread with peppers and onions. It came with a side of chips as well. Not bad for $7.00. That’s one hell of a deal.
As for me, I decided to go with the Oven Baked Tomato and Basil Omelet (with egg whites) ($8.50), with skillet potatoes instead of grits ($1.00), and a small fruit cup ($1.50). It just sounded…delicious. And the idea of an oven baked omelet instead of one done in a pan intrigued me. So…there it was.
And soon…it was time to dig in. Food arrived in a decent amount of time. And the first thing I noticed is how sensible my plate was. No stupid amount of skillet potatoes to overwhelm me and my stomach. The omelet was a thing of normal-size beauty. And my fruit was fresh and ripe. Yeah…this made for one happy girl at that table. I dug in, and…WOW. Flavor galore. The omelet was simple…but tasted amazing. It was just egg whites, tomatoes, fresh basil, and feta cheese. The cheese wasn’t heaped in there and overwhelming the omelet either. In fact…it was complimentary more than anything. And that’s what I want. I hate when places just heap the cheese in and that’s all you can taste. The tomatoes and basil were the star of this omelet and rightfully so.
My skillet potatoes were perfect. They had a nice pan sear on them. Brown and crisp on the outside, soft and delicious on the inside. Give them a quick dip in some ketchup and I was in breakfast potato heaven. For real! And the fruit cup was a mixture of strawberries, blueberries, pineapple and oranges. And yes…it was ripe and juicy and delicious. The perfect end to a perfectly good brunch.
My roommate loved her meal as well. She thought the brauts were cooked to perfection and complimented perfectly by the onions and peppers. And she absolutely loved the kettle chips that came with it. While she’s not a huge fan of rye bread, it worked well with the rest of it as a whole. So, yes…we were both absolutely pleased with our meals at Highland Morning.
And the prices couldn’t be better. I wish I didn’t have a gluten intolerance because some of their pancakes sound absolutely fantastic. I miss being able to have pancakes out…but I’m good with eggs. I went running this morning…the protein was good for me, yes?
Would I go back to Highland Morning? Totally. And I’d bring some friends to try it out. The food was delicious and simple and came in human-size portions. I like that. It is on Bardstown Road, which isn’t easy to navigate and can be a challenge to find parking on, but if I’m out and about and craving some eggs…I know where I’ll be heading.
Thank you, Highland Morning! Your food brightened what was already a very good day. Good day and good food makes me one very satisfied customer. I promise…I’ll be back. There are other vegetarian omelets that are calling my name.
Highland Morning’s Oven Baked Tomato & Basil Omelet (made with egg whites), with a side of Skillet Potatoes and a Small Fruit Cup
Almost a year ago, I was introduced to Koops mustard by Amanda, a good friend and my roommate’s sister. She brought me over some one day because it said gluten-free. I love when that happens. The two flavors I originally started out with were Arizona Heat (my favorite!) and Dijon. Both, I loved. LOVED! And rightfully raved about in my blog.
So, while out at my grocery store, I spotted a bottle of Koops Honey Dijon Mustard on the clearance shelf. As in…it was marked down to only $0.60. I checked the expiration date, and it was still a ways off…so I went ahead and got it. And why not? After all, Koops won me over with the other two flavors I had tried.
After my latest discovery of gluten-free vegan chickenless nuggets, I decided that tonight I was going to forgo the barbeque sauce and use honey mustard instead. I could make my own…and from now on I just might. But I knew this bottle of Koops Honey Mustard was in my pantry and I figured it would pair so well with my delicious gluten-free nuggets.
And why wouldn’t it? Honey mustard and vegan, gluten-free nuggets go hand-in-hand, I think.
And Koops has such a reputation too. Not only do they use all natural ingredients (meaning, you will be able to recognize every ingredient on the nutrition panel), but all of their products are also gluten-free. Love that. Their Web site bills the Honey Mustard as a mix of finely ground mustard that is flavored with honey for a sweet and mild taste. Sounds amazing, yes?
So, I squeezed some into my little dipping bowl and set it out while my nuggets finished up in the oven. I settled in immediately dunking one of my nuggets into the mustard. One bite…and I already knew it wasn’t for me. I should have just made my own. This mustard had a weird fruity taste to it. I know…it was bizarre. And I really, really didn’t like it. But, I was a trooper. I finished off my nuggets with it and then said that I could probably cook something with it. Although, at this point…I’m only out $0.60. I might just rinse out the bottle and recycle it.
Yeah…it just wasn’t to my liking. Sad, since I’ve loved every other Koops product I have tried. It just went all wrong with the Honey Mustard. I think I’ll stick with the recipe my friend Heather gave me for her homemade version. Why buy it when you can make it…and make it better? I love you, Koops…just not this flavor.
According to the Liz Lovely Web site, Gluten-Free Lovely Oh’s were the most requested treat by customers. And really…no company ignores the many requests of their consumers. Such was the case for Liz Lovely when it came to these indulgent, amazing, decadent, rich, delicious, addicting chocolate covered sandwich cookies.
In case you didn’t get my point…these are CRAZY GOOD!
So, what exactly is a Lovely Oh? Well, it’s simple…really. It’s a gluten-free and vegan Oreo-style cookie that has been liberally coated in 100% dairy-free dark chocolate. Nothing fake. No added waxes, oils or glazes. Just a sandwich cookie…and a layer of luscious dark chocolate. This…good friends…is the things gluten-free chocoholic dreams are made out of.
Growing up, every now and again, my parents would buy Chocolate Covered Oreos (or what are now Oreo Fudge Cremes) for us to have as dessert. These were a special treat. But when I go and compare the nutritional information of the Oreo variety to those of Liz Lovely…here’s what I discover. Not only do the Lovely Oh’s have fewer calories, but they also clock in with less sugar and more protein. Oreos contain a bunch of ingredients that no one could ever begin to pronounce correctly. The Lovely Oh’s have recognizable (and pronounceable) ingredients on their packaging. No guess work. I don’t have to sit and wonder exactly what that word is and what it might possibly be. Taking the guess work out of what I’m eating always makes me happy.
One of these cookies was me dessert tonight. And oh…my God! These are dangerous. Dangerous as in I could probably sit down with the container and eat all 8 of the cookies inside if I wasn’t careful. Yeah. Amazing. Rich. The chocolate coating melts in your mouth and gives way to the crunchy cookie that is formed around that creamy center. Yeah…it was heaven in each bite for sure.
I didn’t even question the price tag when these were spotted at the natural food store. I just reacted. They were at the register in the blink of an eye. Hey…I’m a cookie monster and these needed to be tried. Even my non-gluten-free roomie called these one of the best cookies she has ever tasted. Coming from someone who can eat any cookie out there, that says a lot.
If you can’t find Liz Lovely cookies in your area, then rest assured, you can order them online from the company. And they are totally worth the splurge…trust me. And these Gluten-Free Lovely Oh’s just edged up towards the top of my Cookie Hall of Fame. Here’s hoping they last the rest of the week…
Product: Health is Wealth Gluten-Free Chicken-Free Nuggets – $5.99+
It was the first time I ever cried out of happiness while standing in a grocery store. This is no exaggeration. Before I went vegetarian, I had chicken nuggets. Then, for health reasons…vegetarian happened and I could still have chicken-less nuggets. But then…it happened. My gluten-intolerance reared its head and away went the vegan/vegetarian proteins that I normally would grab for an easy meal. Why? Most of them contain ingredients that have gluten in them. So, I was left with what little was on the market for the gluten-free vegetarian.
Vegetarian burgers…yeah…those were easy to find.
The void in my life was with the nuggets. No company I could find made gluten-free chicken-less nuggets. I checked them all. Morningstar, Gardein, Quorn, Boca…and each time had to place them back in the freezer at the grocery store.
Then…a little ray of sunshine happened. It all started at my local natural foods store. I was in there one evening and my roomie and I spotted…gluten-free mozzarella sticks. YES! Those came home with us that instant. I mean…those were too good to be true and I had never seen them prior to then. Come to find out, the company that made them, Health is Wealth, has a line of gluten-free products. SWEET!
So, when I discovered they made gluten-free chicken-free nuggets, I immediately knew I had to have them. I had been craving, craving, craving them. Oh…yeah…I had been craving them. The problem was, none of the local health/natural food stores around here kept them in stock. So, I asked about ordering them. The same response came back to me at each store…only if I bought a case, and that would run me $85.00+. Now, I wanted my vegan gluten-free nuggets as much as the next girl…but I live in a small apartment with a small fridge/freezer, and don’t have $85.00 to just blow on nuggets, no matter how bad the craving is. So, I gave up and just continued to check every time I went into the stores…just in case.
Fast forward to this week. I’m visiting my parents in Birmingham, Alabama. And while I’m out and about, my roommate and I stop into Earth Fare, a super market that just opened there…and we just got one in Louisville, Kentucky as well. As we are wandering the aisles, taking in everything that our store might have, we find ourselves in the freezer section. And there…there they were…shining like a beacon from the gluten-free vegetarian gods…Health is Wealth Gluten-Free Chicken-Free Nuggets.
I literally started to cry. And then I vowed that if our local Earth Fare didn’t carry these, I’d be driving back to Birmingham with a cooler. I was that happy.
Upon returning to Louisville, we hit up our newly opened Earth Fare…and THEY HAD THEM! I did a happy dance of joy, cried some more, and snagged two boxes from the freezer section, not even caring that I had never tried them before. These were vegan nuggets that I could actually eat. My craving would be satisfied. I was moments away from true gluten-free food nirvana.
And so…for dinner…my roommate and I each had some vegan nuggets by Health is Wealth. She had the regular vegan nuggets while I cooked up, and drooled over my gluten-free, vegan nuggets. I cooked up some Alexia Yukon Gold Oven Baked Julienne French Fries. And I served them…with Stubb’s Barbeque Sauce.
I couldn’t wait to dive in. And I didn’t. I settled down to eat…and took my very first bite…without any sauce or anything. I just needed to taste them.
Health is Wealth had done it again in my book. These vegan, gluten-free nuggets are delicious. Scrumptious. Amazing. They are light, and packed with flavor. These soy based vegan nuggets are breaded with gluten-free corn and rice breading. And you don’t have to be gluten-free to appreciate the texture and taste of these. My roommate was given a taste of mine to compare to her Health is Wealth Vegan Chicken Free Nuggets…and she couldn’t tell the difference.
Yeah…craving more than satisfied. And what makes these even more amazing is the nutritional information and how it stacks up. These gluten-free vegan nuggets are only 170 calories for 4 nuggets. They have 3 grams of fat, but zero saturated fat and zero cholesterol as well. Not only are these good, but they are good for you. It’s hard to find any sort of processed food with those kinds of nutrition factors.
My taste buds, my heart, my stomach…they all are singing the praises of Health is Wealth once more. I am totally going to need to stock up on these and try some of their other gluten-free and vegan options as well. They haven’t let me down yet. And I think might be the first company to actually bring tears to my eyes while I’m standing in the grocery store. Tears of joy…of course.
Health is Wealth is gluten-free happiness…in a freezer box.
Health is Wealth Gluten-Free Chicken-Free Nuggets (with a side of Alexia Yukon Gold Oven Baked Julienne Fries & Stubb’s Barbeque Sauce)
Me and Cathy at my first race back after injury last year – the Walk Away From Colon Cancer 5K Run. It has the same distinction this year.
It was just last year around this time that I was prepping for my first race back from an injury. That injury was stress fracture in my right foot and really bad runner’s knee in my right knee. It kept me out of running for 3 months last year…and I struggled hard to come back to it. I was determined to be a better, stronger, and smarter runner after that. And…with a lot of motivation, a lot of practice, and listening to what my body was telling me…I did just that.
And my first race back happened on August 27, 2011 at the Walk Away From Colon Cancer 5K Run in Louisville, Kentucky. It was my first time running in Iroquois Park, so I had no idea what to expect. But from what I heard…it was hilly. Not what one wanted to hear when coming back from injury. But…with a lot of long-distance cheering from friends and family…and my ultimate support section (that being Cathy, my roommate…who has never missed a race yet and is always at that finish line)…I got through it and finished with my slowest 5K race to date. Yes…even slower than my first 5K ever.
But there are lessons in these stories.
As I stated in my earlier post, I’m recovering from a torn plantar fascia. This very painful injury had me on crutches for two weeks and has since had my foot taped up in order for me to comfortably move around. It was hard for my podiatrist to even okay me to run a little bit, let alone okay me to run in a half marathon on September 1, 2012…but he did okay it as I assured him that I would not push too hard and I would slow my pace. The point was to heal properly, not do further damage.
Well, that date is rapidly approaching…and my first official race back after missing out on two prior due to being on crutches and unable to run…is this Saturday. And what is it?
The Walk Away From Colon Cancer 5K Race.
Again.
But, I think I’ve done well to prepare myself for this. I rested for the first week after seeing my podiatrist. He had given me permission to run up to 2 miles, but I didn’t…figuring I could take the rest of that week off and then slowly get back to it. And…that’s what I did. When I went back to get fitted for inserts for my shoes, he said that I could work my way up to 10 miles over the next couple of weeks, gradually increasing my runs by 20%. But if I hurt…I was to stop. I agreed.
And so far, I’ve been doing fine. Sometimes something hurts, but I slow my pace and ease up…and I get that flow going again. My first weekend back on the road, I did a 10K run around my parent’s neighborhood. This past weekend…8 miles…with as many hills as I could find. I’ve kept my pace slower than I used to run and so far, my foot has treated me well. Nothing that has crippled m up again. And I intend to keep it that way.
The road to recovery is not an easy one for me. I put on my running shoes and all I want to do is take off and see how fast I can go and for how long. I’ve had to train myself to look at my runs differently. And it’s even more challenging when what used to be an easy run now feels so hard. It’s amazing how much fitness you can lose over just 2 weeks from being up on crutches and unable to even walk. I’ve been pretty good about doing my foot exercises he gave me to do, hoping to get that tendon back into perfect shape. I struggle at times to push myself because I have this fear that if I push even a little bit…I could get injured again…or do worse damage. And that’s the last thing I want to do. Those two weeks I couldn’t run were two of the worst weeks I’ve had in a long time. I was miserable.
But when I finally laced up my shoes for an easy 2 mile run…my first since the incident…I looked at my roommate and told her I was afraid. She told me not to be afraid of something I love doing so much. It’s okay to be nervous…but I shouldn’t be afraid. And so…I set out and ran…2 very easy, very slow miles. And I was glad I did.
That fear is still there every time I put on those running shoes and head out for a run. I want to get back to where I was pre-injury, but I know I need to take it easy. Ignoring the pace on my Garmin is not an easy task. I tell myself not to look…just to count the miles. And that’s what I do. But, sometimes it is just so tempting to let my eyes wander down on the watch and see what pace I’m going at.
Right now…it’s not about speed, it’s about getting through each run safely, without pain, and feeling good. The fitness will return once my body has healed completely. Until then…it’s all about pacing myself. Slow and steady means I get to race. And if that’s the case, I’ll be a tortoise. Because a stretch of time without running is torture to me. I’d rather be slow then sedentary.
On Saturday…I hit up the road at Iroquois Park once again for the same race I made my official comeback in last year. My goal is to simply finish…whether it means walking the hills like I did last year or not. At that finish line, I want to cross it without having to limp or needing assistance. I just want to run a good race and continue on my path to a full recovery.
Yes…this isn’t an easy task…but I’m making it work because in the end, I know it will make me a better runner.
The hardest lessons are most often the most important ones. I’m learning a lot about myself and what I’m capable of now more than ever.
The Celiathlete 