It’s the most important meal of the day, and quite honestly…my favorite meal of the day. I could eat breakfast food all day and never get tired of it. It’s so versatile. You can flavor it however you want. You can make it savory or sweet. Yes…breakfast is the meal of champions and I never skimp on it.
On Sunday night, my roommate opened up the pantry and spotted my Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Pancake Mix and declared that she was craving pancakes and…perhaps…we could have that for breakfast the following morning. When I asked what kind of pancakes she wanted, she deflected it back to me. She didn’t care. She just wanted pancakes.
So, after a run that morning, I returned home and settled into my apron with the needed supplies and with a few ingredients tossed in, what emerged was these glorious little griddle cakes.
Recipe: Gluten-Free Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Pancakes
3/4 cup milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
splash of vanilla (gluten-free)
Directions:
Combine the ingredients in a large bowl.
Blend all ingredients by whisking vigorously in a bowl until thoroughly mixed.
Let batter stand and preheat a nonstick griddle to medium-high temperature. Lightly oil or spray griddle with cooking or baking spray.
Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto griddle and cook until the top is bubbly. Turn and cook until golden brown. Adjust the temperature as needed.
Spread with a little margarine, sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar, then drizzle with gluten-free maple syrup.
Enjoy!
~*~*~
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I threw this together that morning. But they were really good. And the roommate approved, which is good as she was the one craving pancakes. I think the combination of brown sugar and cinnamon is delicious and when it’s drizzled with hot maple syrup…magic.
Getting bored with blueberry or chocolate chip or just plain pancakes…give these little flapjacks a try.
Product: A Taste of Thai Toasted Coconut Fortune Cookies – $3.19+
I think a little tear escaped the day I saw these on the shelf at the grocery store. It was unexpected. It was out of the blue. It was…just at the right moment because I was planning on cooking up a Vegetable Pad Thai that following week, and this would be the perfect compliment to it. I had sworn off ever eating a fortune cookie again, not that I was particularly fond of them, but sometimes it’s just the novelty of a product that means the most to you.
If I could personally thank the minds behind this product at A Taste of Thai, I would. These totally made my grocery shopping night and when all was said and done, definitely worked well as a treat to have at the end of the Vegetable Pad Thai feast. The best part, of course, being that I could actually eat these…just like everyone else.
A Taste of Thai's individually wrapped Toasted Coconut Fortune Cookies
Each box contains around 12-15 cookies. They are all individually wrapped, just like what you’d get at the local Chinese buffet or what have you. When you tear into the little packages, a small wafer-like cookie with a rolled up piece of paper inside greets you. Extricating the paper is easy. A little twist and it’s free. And the fun fortune reading commences. But the true test is whether or not the cookie itself is any good. Normally, the fortune is the important part. No one eats fortune cookies for their flavor, which is usually cardboard-like with a lemon zip.
Not these. These are actually quite delicious! The toasted coconut flavor lends a nice bit of sweetness to the little rolled cookie. Gluten-free and a fortune cookie all in one? YES PLEASE! Honestly, when something this small can make my night, then impress me with flavor, then it’s gotta be amazing. The flavor and texture of these is amazing and at only 18 calories per cookie, you can indulge yourself in more than one if you please. I’m a glutton for fortunes, let me tell you and didn’t feel the slightest bit guilty when I gobbled down three of these in one sitting.
Fortune cookies that are gluten-free and delicious. There is a gluten-free goddess looking out for me. And thankfully…good things come of that. I am going to have to go get another box of these…stat. These are fortune cookies you’ll actually want to eat!
I love Thai food. And a good pad thai is one of my favorite things to eat…ever.
My mom knows this, and a little while back mailed me a great recipe that she got online from Redbook for a Vegetable Pad Thai. I tossed this into my growing stack of recipes to try, but finally got around to actually doing it this past weekend. And I totally wasn’t disappointed. This is my tweaked recipe (to keep it vegetarian and gluten-free) from the Redbook recipe that I was sent. It was quick and easy to make and I always enjoy cooking with my wok.
1/2 pounds flat rice stick noodles (I used Annie Chun’s Maifun Rice Noodles)
1/3 cup Thai sweet chili sauce (I used WorldFoods Thai Sweet Chili w/ Kaffir Lime Sauce)
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (I used San-J Gluten-Free Low Sodium Tamari)
2 limes, juiced
1 lime, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
3/4 pounds (6 cups) mustard greens, stems discarded, leaves torn into small pieces, and washed well
1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 cups shredded carrots
6 scallions, thinly sliced
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cup(s) fresh cilantro leaves
Chopped dry roasted peanuts, for garnish (optional)
Directions:
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan; add noodles, stir to separate, then cover and remove from heat. Let stand 4 minutes, stirring once or twice, until softened. Drain; rinse with cold water.
In a small cup, combine chili sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and lime juice.
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
Add garlic and ginger; sauté 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Add greens and cover with lid for 2 minutes or until wilted.
Add bell pepper, carrots, and scallions; stir-fry 4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove vegetables to a bowl.
Return skillet to heat. Add remaining oil. When hot, add eggs and scramble just until set. Add to bowl with vegetables.
Return skillet to heat and add chili-sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Add noodles; gently toss, using a pasta fork, for 1 minute, to coat.
Return vegetables and eggs to skillet.
Cook, tossing with pasta fork, for 3 minutes or until hot and noodles are tender.
Transfer to a serving bowl with cilantro and toss. Top with peanuts, if desired. Serve with lime wedges.
~*~*~
This had it all. Spice. Sweetness. A bit of bite from the mustard greens. Protein from the eggs. Delicious fresh vegetables. And the light rice noodles that just sort of acted as a great base for the vegetables. It was delicious. I’m looking forward to making it again, but putting my own spin on it again.
WorldFoods Thai Sweet Chili with Kaffir Lime Sauce
Product: WorldFoods Thai Sweet Chili Sauce with Kaffir Lime Sauce – $3.99+
Finding a Thai sweet chili sauce that is also gluten-free isn’t as easy as it sounds. But I was making a Vegetable Pad Thai for dinner and it called for a Thai sweet chili sauce. I got online the night before heading out to grocery shop and found one particular brand that was basically available everywhere. The problem was…I couldn’t find it anywhere. The shelves were picked clean of it. Sure, there would be the spot where it should have been, but it wasn’t there and none were in stock.
It was at my final grocery stop at the day that I found myself in Whole Foods and in the Asian cuisine section. Once again, the brand I had looked up was sold out. Empty spot at the shelf just mocking me. But my roommate spotted another sweet chili sauce on the shelf from WorldFoods. It was even labeled gluten-free (YAY!). While this one also had kaffir lime added to it, we went ahead and got it. After all, the recipe called for lime juice anyway, so this would only add to that flavor.
What we didn’t expect was to fall in love with this sauce…which is exactly what happened.
This stir-fry/dipping sauce was fantastic. It has a nice heat from the spicy red chillies that are blended in with kaffir lime and lemon grass. This adds a nice tang to the heat, a counter-balance, if you will, that paired beautifully with the Vegetable Pad Thai and all the other components that were mixed in. My roommate and I loved this sauce so much, we garnished each of our bowls with a drizzle of it over the top. Honestly. The perfect heat for the prepared dish. The lime really adds to the flavor and makes the sauce stand out without taking away from the other components of the dish. It does, however, add that much needed spice that I love in my Asian food.
I’m already coming up with other dishes I can supplement this sauce into, including marinating some tofu in it for a random dish that I could easily throw together one evening after work. Yeah…this sauce is spicy sweet and delicious. I think I sense another jar being purchased in the very near future.
Vegetable Pad Thai made with WorldFoods Thai Sweet Chili with Kaffir Lime Sauce
I point the finger at two different elements that lead to the purchase and use of these Maifun Rice Noodles from Annie Chun’s. First…I blame a sale. I can’t pass up a sale on something that is gluten-free. So, thanks to my local grocery store having a price reduction on these, they have been in my pantry for a couple of weeks…and I have been pondering what to do with them.
That’s where the other element comes into play: My mom.
My mom has been surprising me recently with little envelopes in the mail that are full of recipes that I can try. One of the ones she sent me was for a delicious looking Vegetable Pad Thai. I had to tweak it a bit to ensure that it remained vegetarian and gluten-free, but it wasn’t difficult at all. And where the recipe called for flat rice stick noodles…I used these Maifun Rice Noodles instead, as they already had taken up residence in my pantry. Why go out and buy something else when I can easily substitute.
So, what are Maifun Rice Noodles? They are thin rice noodles, sort of like angel hair pasta, that cook up quick and easily and are ideal to use in any Asian style meal, be it soups, salads, or stir-fries. As I would be stir-frying mine up in my wok with the vegetables and sauces for the Vegetable Pad Thai, I followed the box directions for stir-frying with them, filled up a bowl with hot water, and soaked the noodles in it for about 8 minutes. Sure enough, after 8 minutes passed, they were no longer hard, but soft and ready to be added into the wok when the recipe called for it.
The difficult task came after I tossed everything in the wok and was ready to serve it up. Just like with pasta, the noodles like to wind around each other and get tangled into a giant knot, so while I had the vegetables and greens in the wok, the noodles were in the middle and none of the vegetables were easily intermingling with them. They were sort of off to the sides. So, I grabbed some tongs and did my best to mix everything together, but ended up scooping up noodles then ladling over the vegetables to be mixed with the chop sticks as we ate dinner. Sometimes, you just have to submit and let the food win.
All that being said, I couldn’t have thought of a better noodle to pair with this recipe. As the peppers and greens were sliced or roughly chopped, having the smaller, thinner noodles was a blessing in disguise. Not only did it lighten up the dish, but it didn’t take away from the flavors of the peppers and the mustard greens, garlic, ginger, lime, chilies, etc. Everything could be tasted without anything really dominating the dish. I loved how thin and light they were, which made me not fill up quickly and I didn’t feel stuffed at the end of my serving sized bowl.
These noodles are so versatile and with their natural lightness and thinness, they pair well in any cuisine. I hope another sale happens soon because I’d love to try these out in another recipe somewhere along the line, or create my own. Regardless, I’m in love with the versatility, flavor, and lightness of these Maifun Rice Noodles by Annie Chun. They were perfection in my stir-fry and really paired well with every component that was added to the wok and the dish in the end.
Vegetable Pad Thai made with Annie Chun's Maifun Rice Noodles
Product: HomeFree Gluten-Free Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies – $1.49 (for single pack as shown)
I had never heard of HomeFree products before until I ventured down to Birmingham, Alabama for a Gluten-Free Expo that was taking place in conjunction with the Making Tracks for Celiacs 5K run I was participating in. What better way to spend a morning than racing for a good cause and then checking out the vendors at the expo soon after?
HomeFree was one of the vendors that were featured at the expo. As I said before, I had never even heard of their products prior to this, but as it turns out, this company specializes in foods for people with food allergies and sensitivities. In fact, their products are made in a dedicated facility that is free of peanuts, tree nuts, eggs and dairy. Additionally, many of their products are now certified gluten-free, hence their presence at the expo.
On the table for sampling purposes, HomeFree had some of their Gluten-Free Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies. We all know that I love, love, LOVE cookies, so I couldn’t resist taking a nibble at the table and then grabbing one of the sample packs from the offerings for those attending.
This weekend, while prepping my dinner, my roommate and got hit with a case of the munchies. So, out came the sample pack of HomeFree’s Gluten-Free Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies. I mean, what better way to kick off a meal than to have dessert first, right?
What these remind me of are those mini Chips Ahoy cookies I used to eat as a kid. They are crunchy, but sweet. The chocolate chips don’t overpower the flavor of the crisp cookies, but it isn’t hidden in the background either. The mixture of ingredients works. And, although I’m not big on crunchy cookies, I really do like these. They are your classic mini chocolate chip cookies without being filled with the common food allergens. Gotta love that. They are easy to pop and easy to eat. And really good too. These bite-size treats didn’t last long at all and we were both quite happy with them. Yes…even my roommate who doesn’t have to eat gluten-free, but finds herself doing so more often than not as I am the chef of the apartment.
Safety comes first with HomeFree, because it was started up by a psychologist and mom of a child with food allergies. They take extra precautions when it comes to making sure no contaminants get into the kitchen where the baking magic happens. As someone who has developed food allergies, this peace of mind is a big thing and something I appreciate. Safe products that taste great. HomeFree makes baked goods safe for those who suffer from the most common 8 food allergies…packed with flavor and pleasing to the palate. Oh, mini chocolate chip cookies…you were gone too soon.
Now…to find a store in my area that might carry or be able to carry these products!
Sprinting through the start of the Anthem 5K Fitness Classic - Downtown Louisville, Kentucky
Race: Anthem 5K Fitness Classic
Place: Downtown Louisville, KY
Date: March 3, 2012
Time: 25:33
So, it finally happened. I finally set a new PR for a 5K race. And, believe it or not, it once again happened while running a race in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. My previous PR was set at the Louisville Komen Race for the Cure back in October 2011.
It was, by no means, a large margin of time that I beat it by. But it was a full 26 seconds, which, in a road race…is awesome!
During the week, the weather had been absolutely stunning. We were in the 60s most of the days. But then came Friday, the day before the race, and things got a little crazy. That morning we were greeted with some heavy rain. But it moved out of the area rather quickly. That being said, on lunch, I darted down to Louisville Slugger Field to pick up my race packet so it was one less line to stand in on race morning and one less thing to worry about. That was an easy trip. Over and back in record time.
Then, that afternoon, a storm front moved through. Crazy storms. Strong winds. Hard rain. Tornadoes touched down in some areas. Most of the people in my office scattered like leaves in the wind when they heard of the potential for tornadoes. My opinion still stands. If there is a tornado near where I live…why hop in my car and go toward it? Myself, my roommate, and the receptionist stuck it out at the office during the worst of it. We got strong winds and hard rain, but not much else.
Of course, the storm brought a nice cold front with it, which meant my mild weather was gone again. Right in time for race morning. Because that is Mother Nature’s mojo this winter. Nice weekdays…freezing weekends. Why? Because I slip into running shorts and race. It’s a cruel joke, really, since I hate cold weather.
That being said, it was in the low 30s that morning when I put on my running shorts and sat down to have a quick bite of Honey Nut Chex cereal before heading out to the race. My roommate scarfed down a breakfast and got dressed in record time (for her). I got my number pinned onto my jacket, which given the temperature I would be wearing, and we headed out. We stopped off at the gas station for her to grab some much needed Diet Mt. Dew and I snagged a Smart Water for after the race.
Downtown we went, earlier than we needed to, but knowing that this race was a big freakin’ deal and parking might be hard to come by. It wasn’t. We got to Slugger Field and parked in their lot without an issue at all. It’s nice to have the car so close when the race is done and the cool down is over. My roommate grabbed my sign and we headed inside to where people were milling about, runners were stretching, or signing up, or getting their packets. We found a clear space along the wall and took up residence there. I stretched a little, then decided to go use the bathroom. Good thing I decided that then because the line was stupid long and Slugger Field only opened up one of their bathrooms for the thousands of race participants there. And the bathroom only had four stalls in it. So it was a slow line, but I stuck it out.
Upon returning, I shed my long pants to acclimate myself to the cooler weather. I had time for a couple more stretches, but then we decided to start toward the finish line. We had about 20 minutes to race time, but my roommate wanted to get a good spot to cheer for me as I went through the start. This, despite being freezing cold out, was also a good idea. The start line was already swimming with runners lining up to get their spots. Including a team from Kenya (of which one would walk away the winner). It was craziness. So, I found a nice spot under an overpass in the mid-front of the pack and took up residence there while music played, announcements were made, and the National Anthem was sung. After that, we had about 5 minutes where the announcer went through some stats, like how over 9000 people signed up to participate in this race. Amazing. This was bigger than I thought. And I absolutely love big races!
I got my iPod ready to go and just as I did, we were off. It took about a minute or so to get to the start itself, despite not being that far away from it. But as soon as I was through, I was off with the crowd, setting a good, but challenging pace, and taking part in the first race of my first ever Louisville Triple Crown of Running.
What I love about running in downtown Louisville is that it means the inclines are minor and the path is usually pretty flat. Perhaps that has attributed to my fastest times being run on courses down there. Whatever it was, I know my legs were stiff from the cold so my first mile I pushed, but not too hard, in an attempt to warm them up. They finally got there, even in the cold weather and the very strong gusts of wind that met us as we churned through the course. After what seemed like an eternity, mile marker 2 came into view. My time said 17 minutes and some-odd seconds. Wow. I really did go out like a shot. And between that and my body trying to compensate for the cold by using more energy to keep it warm…this is about where I started to get hungry. So now, instead of focusing on my stride, my pace, my run, I was focusing on how completely empty I felt.
No. Not this. Not now.
I could feel myself slowing down. I hated that. I tried to shake it off. Push more. Knowing that at the end, a banana or apple would await me. I rounded a corner, and I could see the finish line in the distance. I was getting there. I just needed to push through it all and really, really get there. So, I dug deep, mentally noting that I need to work on race morning eats when it’s cold out. My pace picked up slightly and I pushed hard…then harder…crossing the finish line as the clock ticked toward 27 minutes. I figured my Race for the Cure PR still stood. The difficult task of finding my roommate in the sea of people was now the important matter. Thankfully, after a couple minutes of discombobulated searching, I found her on a sideline a ways down from the finish. It was the closest she could get, which meant, no finish line shot. She did say that we would by the professional shot from Brightroom of me crossing the finish though (except they didn’t get a picture of me at all in this race, so I’m more than bummed about that). I told her to stick there while I went to go find some fruit to eat. I snagged a banana and apple before heading back to where she was standing.
She had made friends with a nice lady whose husband was running his first 5K. They were waiting on him to come in as well and throughout the race, Cathy was giving her race day tips and things she’s learned in her year-long journey of living with a runner. After he came in, we all said our goodbyes and I went to change out of my running clothes and into some regular clothes so I could head to brunch at a local restaurant called Hillbilly Tea. The restrooms in Slugger Field were not as crowded this time, but as they are outside it was a cold, cold change. But I got sorted and I bid adieu to Slugger Field and the Anthem 5K Fitness Classic.
It was only later in the day that I got the results, which resulted in me doing a lot of squeeing in the car. My official time was my fastest 5K time yet, at 25:33 seconds, which is by no means fast, but it feels good when you beat your previous best time. As for the official standings, I was 52/724 in my age division and 1424/8496 finishers. Considering the day before I had turned to my roommate and said, “My goal is to be in the top 2000, which doesn’t look likely, but hey…”
So, there it stands. My first race in my first ever Louisville Triple Crown of Running and I’m off to a good start so far. The Rhodes City Run 10K is up next on St. Patrick’s Day (followed by another race that evening in Frankfort, Kentucky, kicking off the Frankfort Trifecta Run/Walk Series). I couldn’t be happier with how this race turned out. Perhaps Mother Nature will give us some beautiful weather for the 10K on March 17. Until then, back to training.
There are some things in life that just make me happy. Honestly. And it’s not what you would expect either. On the contrary, something as simple as the fact that making a skillet pasta meant I got to be all chefy and put my skillet in the oven…made me stupid happy. It’s the little things, my friends.
Tonight, I converted a recipe that came over the e-mail on Recipe.com (which was taken from Family Circle Magazine), from being a simple Skillet Four Cheese “Baked” Pasta to something even better. A Gluten-Free Skillet Cheesy Baked Pasta. Additionally, mine is also vegetarian. And, wow, did this ever go over well at dinner tonight.
Even better…the recipe is easy and everything is simple to prepare and put together. In the end, culinary magic in a skillet pan. Cheesy goodness!
16 oz rotini pasta or penne (I used Miller’s Finest Gluten-Free Corn Pasta Rigatoni)
3/4 pound hot Italian sausage (I used Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free and Vegan Soy Chorizo)
1 sweet red pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 jar marinara sauce (I used Classico Fire Roasted Tomato and Garlic)
2 cups shredded Italian four-cheese blend (I used Kerrygold 15 month aged white cheddar)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450° F.
Cook pasta following package directions. Drain.
While pasta is cooking, cut sausage into 1/2-inch slices. (If using Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Vegan Chorizo, then just cut off the casing and keep aside because you don’t need to add this right away). Seed and slice peppers and slice onion for a total of 4 cups.
Heat olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage (unless using TJ’s Gluten-Free Vegan Chorizo, where I added it 5 minutes after the vegetables), peppers and onions. Cook, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until peppers and onions are tender and the sausage is cooked through.
Add sauce and bring to a simmer.
Stir in the drained pasta and 1 cup of the cheese.
Sprinkle remaining cheese over the pasta and bake at 450° F for 8 minutes or until cheese melts and casserole starts to bubble.
Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
~*~*~
This dish was fantastic. My roommate has dubbed it her new favorite meal that I’ve made so far. And the best part is, we still have another 3 days worth of it. It cooked and baked beautifully, the cheese melting fantastically over the top while in the oven. I was impressed.
The Soy Chorizo from Trader Joe’s was the perfect substitute for the sausage, although if you are a meat eater, go ahead and keep the sausage. As I am a vegetarian, I went with something I knew I could have…and thanks to Trader Joe’s a gluten-free sausage does exist. It added a great kick to the overall dish. And the use of cheddar cheese instead of an Italian four cheese blend gave some added flavor without being overpowering or too mild. It was ideal. And yeah…it melted beautifully. This was also the first time I used gluten-free corn pasta, and I absolutely loved it.
This is one of the easiest meals to prep and cook. Just a little chopping and the rest is done via the stove and the oven in one pot (for the pasta) and one large skillet. It doesn’t get easier than that.
When I went to Whole Foods last Saturday, hummus was not on my grocery list. And I was sticking to my list because so often I veer off from it and then wonder why I ended up spending a small fortune. So, I promise you, this wasn’t even in my shopping basket as I went through the store.
Yet…I’ve been eating it all week.
So, how did it come into my life?
Simple story…that involves a Whole Foods employee who was being featured at her register. Listed as one of her favorite products was Oasis Jalapeño Hummus. Well, I love spicy things…and I love hummus. So, as it caught my eye, I turned to my roommate and said, “Jalapeño hummus? That sounds epically awesome.”
Amanda, our cashier, caught my interest and said that was her most favorite thing and that she’d be happy to give me a free container of it to try. Um…yes, please!! So, after she finished ringing up the food I purchased to make my vegetable pad thai and gluten-free skillet cheesy pasta this week, she hurried out to the refrigerated area and grabbed a container of the Oasis Jalapeño Hummus to send home with me. I thanked her profusely.
Well, that was the best marketing strategy ever because now, after having enjoyed it for the better part of this week, I’m absolutely hooked.
It looks like your basic, run-of-the-mill hummus, with a dollop of jalapeño in the center. Mmmm. But the slight heat is apparent throughout the entire spread. I dish up a serving each morning (2 tablespoons) and bring a serving of baby carrots with me to work and this is my afternoon snack. And it’s so perfect.
The hummus is smooth and creamy. It has that standard hummus flavor of the chickpeas and tahini with a touch of garlic and all. But it’s that slow heat from the jalapeño that really makes this a stand out among other hummus brands, types, and spreads. I even had my roommate give it a taste, and even she liked it. In fact, she commented on how amazing that would be on a sandwich as neither of us are big on mayonnaise. That comment shocked me because before she was very anti-hummus, but she seemed to honestly like this. Perhaps all she needed was a little spice to get those taste buds on par with everything else.
So, I want to thank Whole Foods, Amanda, and Oasis for this product. Now that it’s in my life, I think it will start making the grocery list. Fantastic hummus with a spicy kick. It pairs well with vegetables, bread, etc. The options are endless and that’s what I love to see in a product.
So, if you want to take hummus to the next level…find Oasis Jalapeño Hummus and get dipping. Because it really is worth raving about.
I admit it. I’m not ashamed of it. These things happen. They happen all the time. It just doesn’t normally happen to me because normally donuts are off limits. This isn’t a “OMG…my thighs will get huge!” sort of off limits. No, no. This is a…eating that regular donut will hurt me kind of way.
Truth be told. I have always, always loved donuts and not being able to eat them kind of…well…sucked.
There are gluten-free varieties out there. They are limited varieties…but they exist. But none…none have equaled the donuts that I used to be able to indulge in every now and again. And then…along came donuts by Katz Gluten Free.
First it was the Powdered Sugar Donuts. I raved about those already, and rightfully so. I mean…they blew me away. Light, sugary, delicious…it was love at first (low-calorie) bite. And then, while minding my business one day an e-mail comes through advertising KATZ NEW CINNAMON DONUTS. Do you realize the effect my prior experience with their donuts had? Let me fill you in…
The instant, and I’m not kidding, I opened that e-mail, I was on the Katz Web site and placing an order. Honestly. I didn’t hesitate or blink in the process. I knew I had to try them because…I fell so head-over-heels for the powdered sugar variety. These had to be good too, right?
Well, let me tell you, when FedEx arrived with my package two days later I hurried up front to the receptionists desk, snatched the box, opened it up, marveled, put them in the freezer, and promised myself donuts for breakfast on Sunday. I couldn’t do it on Saturday as I had a road race and I have my specific foods I eat those days.
Sunday couldn’t come fast enough. I thawed out two donuts (one for me and one for my non-gluten-free roommate) and then gave them a quick 10 second buzz in the microwave to add a bit of that ‘freshly baked’ warmness to them. As I settled in for breakfast, I anticipated my first bite, wondering if it could live up to the powdered sugar variety.
It did just that and then some. These seem a bit more fluffy than the powdered sugar counterparts, but just as amazing and delicious. I had to keep myself from scarfing it down, remembering to chew each bite, taste the sweet cinnamon, enjoy the light cake-like texture. And I managed, but it was no easy task.
These donuts are beyond amazing. They are one of the best I have ever eaten (and before going gluten-free, I ate lots of different types of donuts). They are a cake-based donut, but they are so light. They don’t feel heavy at all when you eat them. The texture isn’t dense at all, just bite-for-bite delicious. I can’t wait to choose another morning to indulge because every time I open up my freezer, they beckon to me.
Katz, you have once again outdone your gluten-free counterparts. The Cinnamon Sugar donuts are, so far, my favorite thing from your lineup that I have tried. I’m in donut heaven and I have you to thank for it.
And for those of you who might be counting calories, one plump, donut-sized donut will only set you back 160 calories. How’s that for an indulgence? Fall in love with donuts again. And then…go to Katz Gluten Free and place an order for these. You won’t be disappointed. The hard part is not immediately ordering more. Yes…they are that good.
A little sweet, a little spicy, Katz completely captures the essence of the perfect donut with this product. I’m hooked.
The Celiathlete 