The Celiathlete

January 9, 2012

Glutino chocolate donuts a sticky sweet treat for the gluten-free crowd

Product: Glutino Glazed Chocolate Donuts – $6.99+

While I love making my own gluten-free donuts at home, it’s quite time consuming and often can be stressful and frustrating. Donuts that stick to the pan are a recipe for culinary disaster and much cussing and tears. Trust me. The last time I made my own donuts, this was the result…until they stopped sticking.

Knowing there are gluten-free donuts available on the market is a relief. Especially when craving something sweet. I had previously delved into the store-bought gluten-free donuts once before, when I picked up a box of Kinnikinnick’s Chocolate Dipped Donuts. I had been quite impressed with them, so I was more than eager to give Glutino’s take on the donut a try.

Depending on which store I am in, my gluten-free donut options are limited. This time…there was only the Glazed Chocolate variety by Glutino. I was okay with that, because I’m female, and chocolate is one of my favorite vices. Purchase made. Done deal.

Sunday always seems like the ideal warm donut day. And yesterday was no exception. I opened up the box and heated the donut up from frozen in the microwave as directed. I always forget that I’m working with ancient kitchen equipment, so my donut was still a little chilled in the center, but not frozen. Next time…a few seconds longer.

But that didn’t take away from the fact that I was holding onto a donut that looked like the kind of donut you can pick up at donut shops everywhere. It looked like a classic, chocolate cake donut. It felt like a classic, chocolate cake donut. So…it all came down to taste.

I eagerly dug in. While this donut, warmed in the microwave, resembles a hot, fresh, cake donut…it wasn’t quite what I was expecting. First of all, the glaze over the cake-like donut was just a sticky mess. I don’t know if it really added to the flavor of the donut, but it did get my fingers coated. The texture was good, though not as cakey as Kinnikinnick’s variety. And while this one was a chocolate base, unlike Kinnikinnick, which was a yellow cake base dipped in chocolate, I found that I actually preferred the softer, chocolate coated version over this one.

Not saying Glutino’s donuts aren’t good. The glazed chocolate donut does warm to a moist, cake-like perfection that I associate with the fresh donuts I used to be able to eat. It’s just that Kinnikinnick did theirs better. I wouldn’t turn up my nose at Glutino’s donuts should the craving hit and it be all that my local grocery store has. Not at all. I wasn’t disappointed with the product. I just happened to have something I liked better prior to noshing on this breakfast pastry.

Glutino does continue to turn out fantastic gluten-free products time and time again. While the donuts were good, they just didn’t wow me like other Glutino items in the past. Perhaps it is unfair to compare to a different brand that I had before, but that’s what this blog is all about, right? But, I will not say no to the opportunity to eat these donuts again. In fact, I can’t wait for Sunday to break out another one from my freezer to enjoy after I hit the gym.

Kudos to Glutino for marching into the donut-making process and offering the gluten-free community something sweet and sinful for breakfast. While I liked their Glazed Chocolate Donuts well enough, I didn’t love them. But, in the end, it was a chocolate donut and therefore, devoured and enjoyed down to the very last bite.

January 9, 2012

Coffee is a delicious work of art at Quills Coffee

Restaurant: Quills Coffee, Louisville, Kentucky

It was a mild January morning when I stopped in at Quills Coffee Co. in Louisville, Kentucky. The quiet, unassuming coffee shop has been on my bucket list of places to try since I spotted them one day while eating at my favorite local Irish pub. They were hard to miss, situated right across the street from Molly Malone’s on Baxter Avenue.

For some reason, though, I just never made it over there. Until Saturday, when I had just finished running in the Frostbite 5K, an annual winter race in Louisville. The temperature was approaching 50 degrees. Frostbite…not so much.

But my morning had been frantic. Oversleeping, upset stomach, race…and now that everything had settled and the race was run, my roommate and I were gearing up to quickly make a couple of stops before heading back over the river to change and head out to Evansville, Indiana for back-to-back roller derby bouts with a friend of ours. Caffeine wasn’t necessary…it was essential.

We wandered into Quills and were greeted kindly by the staff behind the bar. We explained that it was our first time coming in and they said they would be happy to help us if we had any questions and to take our time looking at their drink menu. We did just that, pondering over what to try, and then, once set, we placed our orders. My roommate ordered a white chocolate mocha. And I went for the simple classic…a soy cappuccino.

Orders in, we settled in at a small, corner table and before we knew it…orders were up. First the white chocolate mocha, which, when I went to retrieve it, had beautiful art done in the milk. I mean…here is a company that loves its coffee. That is evident in the care and precision that goes into each cup. And all of it topped off with a fantastic design of some sort. Latte art…it’s my new obsession. A few moments later, my soy cappuccino was up, foamed to perfection and adorned with more latte art. A fern leaf on this one. It was love at first foam, I think.

Settling in, I had to take pictures. But my roommate was eager to get more caffeine into her system. She took a sip of her white chocolate mocha, not wanting to ruin the artwork, and looked beyond elated. She raved about the mesh of flavors. How the espresso wasn’t bitter at all, how the white chocolate was there, but not overpowering to the drink itself. And how rich it was. I opted to take a small sip…and yes…white chocolate nirvana. Achieved.

My soy cappuccino was calling my name, so I lifted my cup, admired the fine art in the foam once more, then took a sip. It was fantastic. The espresso shot was timed to perfection. Being a cappuccino, there is little room for error. If the shot runs too long, the espresso is strong and bitter. Too short, and it’s too weak. This tasted of espresso, accompanied by the steamed soy milk, topped off with a foamy layer of goodness. Oh yes…I do love my foam. You could call me obsessed with it. I don’t want whipped cream on any of my drinks…not even mochas. Give me foam any day and I’m a happy coffee connoisseur.

Inside Quills Coffee, Louisville, Kentucky

The atmosphere of Quills Coffee is fantastic. It had a lively buzz with customers of every age. Mothers sat with children. Young couples conversed over coffee. The older crowd sat near windows and read the paper while enjoying their cup of caffeinated goodness. It appeals to everyone. The dimly lit interior gives off that classic coffeehouse flair and the decor is minimal. Keeping it simple is the perfect way to highlight the important part – the drinks.

If you live in or near Louisville, Kentucky…I urge you to stop in at Quills Coffee and check them out. And if right now crossing the river from Indiana seems daunting, never fear…Quills just opened up a New Albany branch, dangerously close to where I work, on Market Street. And, unlike New Albany’s other coffee shops, it seems this one is open up like a normal one…until about 10 p.m. If nothing else, the Louisville one is. Which means…I can go to a local place and get a steaming cup of…whatever I am craving…and not have to hit up Starbucks in our local grocery store.

Do you realize how happy this makes me?

Quills Coffee is all about bringing great service to the area and providing a fantastic product, not just to the regulars, but to newbies like me. And for that, I felt beyond welcome, and extremely satisfied with the company. Need a fantastic coffee fix, I highly recommend trying out Quills Coffee. Treat yourself to something good…topped off with a little latte art full of coffee TLC.

January 8, 2012

Coconutty but not lemony – vegan & gluten-free cookies by Liz Lovely don’t live up to prior flavors

Product: Liz Lovely Gluten-Free Coconut Lemon Cookies – $3.99

Liz Lovely’s vegan and gluten-free line of cookies had been hitting a home run with me with each and every purchase I made. Determined to work my way through her gluten-free (and vegan) line, I have encountered some of the most fantastic cookies I have ever had in my life. I can’t sing the praises of this company enough.

So, we had to hit a snag somewhere in this tasty love affair, right?

It happened this week, when I stopped by the natural foods store in Louisville that stocks these amazing cookies. I have only about four varieties I have yet to try. Three of them were in the basket this week. So, I opted for the Gluten-Free Coconut Lemon cookies. I love lemon things, so I figured the coating of coconut would be evenly balanced by the lemon flavor.

These were dessert the other day, and after slicing the cookie in half (remember, Liz Lovely cookies have a serving size of 1/2 a cookie) to cleanse the palate after dinner, I couldn’t wait to take my first bite.

And yet…the explosion of flavor I expected wasn’t there. In fact, these cookies tasted more of coconut than lemon. I couldn’t taste lemon at all. Disappointing, because lemon is one of my favorite flavors when it is cooked into something. It can be overpowering, so I understand the reason to keep it light, but I feel if lemon is included in the name of a cookie, the tell-tale lemon flavor should be in every bite. These tasted like coconut…and soft cookie. That was it.

Liz Lovely has always delivered fantastic cookies prior to this, so this was a huge let-down to me. I hope that I just got a batch that was lacking the normal lemon flavor. I won’t know, however, because these didn’t blow me away like her previous ones did. So, when given the choice, her other cookie varieties will come home with me before this one.

Despite falling flat with these Coconut Lemon cookies, I do look forward to my next Liz Lovely experience. I know the company can bounce back from this flavor flop. I have faith.

Liz Lovely Gluten-Free Coconut Lemon Cookie

January 8, 2012

Mediterranean Snacks Rosemary Herb Lentil Crackers better off dipped than alone

Product: Mediterranean Snacks Gluten-Free Rosemary Herb Lentil Crackers – $3.99+

Lentils are one of the healthiest foods on the planet. They are packed with protein, iron, and vitamin B1, all of which are essential to a healthy diet. So, when I spotted these gluten-free crackers on the shelves of my local natural foods store…I was eager to give them a try.

As a vegetarian on a gluten-free diet, I need to make sure I get plenty of protein from the foods that I eat. One thing I did like about these snack crackers was that they came fortified with 5 grams of protein in each serving (which is about 18 crackers). The serving size only sets you back as many calories as a large banana (110 calories) with only 3 grams of fat in each serving. Not so bad when looking at those stats, right?

I just wish…they tasted better on their own. While they aren’t horrible and inedible in any way, Mediterranean Snacks failed to boost the flavor of these crackers. Despite having the Rosemary Herb variety, they were quite bland (especially after coming off of the cracker powerhouse that Crunchmaster delivered prior to sampling these). These crackers do pack a crunch, but the flavor seems lost. Despite Mediterranean Snacks claim on their Web site of a rustic taste, these crackers need a flavor boost in my opinion.

Yet, perhaps I am catching them at an unfair advantage. What goes better with crunchy crackers than a hearty dip. And I do believe that these crackers were specifically designed by Mediterranean Snacks to accompany a hummus, guacamole, tzatziki, cheese, or any flavor dip than eat on its own. However, I do believe the value of a product is best gauged when it is eaten without adding flavor to it. So these lightly salted crackers, while fine on their own, seem better suited for dipping.

Maybe the next time I eat them, I’ll pack a protein-rich hummus dip to pair them with.

On their own, these crackers don’t pack a wow factor as far as flavor. The crunch you would expect from a cracker is there, yet there is little else to sing praises over. These, however, would pair fantastically with a dip of choice. So, if you miss pita bread and hummus, simply substitute these gluten-free crackers and enjoy!

January 6, 2012

My first race of 2012

The big day is tomorrow.

The Frostbite 5K in Louisville, Kentucky will kick off at 9:00 a.m. at Cherokee Park. And I am really looking forward to it.

First of all, it’s my first race back from the holidays. I was having one of my best races before Christmas, when my shoelace with the timing chip on it came undone and I had to stop to secure it again. I came in at a respectable time, but I knew I might have come close or even sat a new PR had it not been for that snafu.

But these things happen for a reason and we live and learn from it.

My training for the Frostbite 5K? Well, I ran every day in December, as part of the Runner’s World Run Streak and my friend Armand’s own REDD (Run Every Day in December) campaign. Then the New Year hit and I took two days off. Which, from my prior post, you know stressed me out beyond belief. But then I came back, with some short runs to get to 7 miles as of today toward my 500 goal.

And it feels so good.

I don’t care if I set a new PR tomorrow or not (but this course is hilly so I’m betting…not!). I’m just happy to be hitting the race circuit again. I’m going to make sure my shoes are laced up tight, my hair is out of my way, and that I’m dressed properly for the weather. Given that today is a 63 degrees, I’m thinking the “frostbite” part of this race may not be the case. I’m okay with that.

I’ll be running.

And nothing makes me feel more joy in life than hitting the road with my own two feet.

January 6, 2012

Udi’s on a roll with breakfast treats, but cinnamon rolls fall just short of amazing

Product: Udi’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls – $6.99+

Dear Udi’s:

You have always been amazing. Your breads are delicious. Your muffins are sinfully moist and decadent. Your cookies are bite-sized morsels of goodness. I have praised you to the heavens and back each and every time I’ve tried one of your products.

But the honeymoon period has ended.

It’s okay…you’re not written out of my life. In fact, from what I understand, the product that I didn’t feel lived up to your high standards is being revamped for release this year. I’m okay with that.

So I will eagerly await. Don’t worry. I still love you.

Love,
Me

It was an average day at the grocery store and I was standing there with coupons expiring that day for Udi’s Gluten-Free products. I try not to let coupons for anything gluten-free go to waste, so my friend Jenn and I scoped out the section and selected some chocolate chip cookies to feast on, as well as the cinnamon rolls. The cinnamon rolls had been a tempting purchase before…but I always opted for the muffins instead.

The other day, I broke these out to warm up and enjoy for breakfast. I was quite excited, knowing how moist and amazing the muffins were. I put one on a plate, poured half the packet of icing over it, and heated it up in the microwave. It came out, icing dripping and smelling amazing. Cinnamon is one of my favorite smells when it’s baked. So, yeah…I was ready to bite into some moist, gooey, goodness with these cinnamon rolls.

And yet…that anticipation came to a bit of a let-down. The cinnamon rolls, while packed with flavor, were nowhere near the level of moistness that I want in my breakfast pastries. In fact, it seemed rather stiff, and the more it cooled, the harder it became to slice through with my fork. I finally gave up, got my fingers covered in icing, and just picked it up to eat it. It was good…just not great like the rest of the Udi’s lineup that I have tried. My roommate agreed. She said she much preferred the muffins over these, and I have to agree.

Udi’s sort of set the mark for me when it came to most gluten-free products. They were the first gluten-free bread I tried. And from there on, I fell in love. But these cinnamon rolls were just not up to par with the rest of their products. While a bit of a disappointment, it didn’t keep me from polishing these off. Like I said…they were good…they just weren’t blow-me-away great.

But…it has been noted that in the new line-up of products going to be released this year from Udi’s…a reformulated version of the cinnamon rolls is going to be hitting stores. This is, in fact, a relief. The statement says that the company, based off of consumer feedback, revamped the recipe, changed the icing, and now the rolls will be softer! Kudos to Udi’s for listening to their consumers and taking it to heart. I anticipate trying out the new rolls when they hit the market and tasting the difference for myself.

If you’re craving a cinnamon roll, these will do in a pinch…but, personally, I’d wait until the new, redone version hits stores. I know Udi’s can knock these cinnamon rolls out the park. They haven’t let me down yet.

January 6, 2012

Health is Wealth finally gives some cheesy love to the gluten-free community

Product: Health is Wealth Gluten-Free Mozzarella Sticks – $4.49+

Mozzarella sticks. Breaded cheese fried to a crispy perfection so that the outside is crunchy but the cheese inside is gooey. It was one of my favorite comfort foods to have at restaurants. But that all changed when I went gluten-free. These breaded sticks of cheesy goodness were no longer on my menu plan. Probably a good thing for my waistline, but not for the cravings every time they turned up on pub and restaurant menus.

In fact, giving into the thought that I would never again see mozzarella sticks on my plate, I pushed them out of my mind. I stopped looking for them. I passed them over on menus without batting an eyelash. They were a food-non-grata with me and it was just the way it had to be.

And then…my journey to the natural food store once again took an unexpected plot twist.

I had gone inside for one thing. A gluten-free baguette. Which…they were sold out of. To quell my rising anger at not being able to get what I intended, my roommate suggested I pick out something else to try…for blogging purposes, of course. I was reluctant, but the more I lingered, the more I wanted to try something else. So, I was scanning the shelves and finally went over to the freezer section. There, as if a beacon of light from Heaven itself shown down upon them, sat a box of gluten-free mozzarella sticks by a company known as Health is Wealth.

Health is Wealth is more known for their vegan and vegetarian frozen foods. I think I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. But right there on the front of the box in big and bold letters were my two favorite words when it comes to my favorite foods that I thought were forever nixed from my diet – GLUTEN FREE. I snatched these off the shelf as if they were a lifeline. For real. And when I took them home, they were the perfect side item to a gluten-free stuffed shells meal I also picked up.

These little nuggets of mozzarella cheese are breaded in gluten-free corn and rice breading. This gives the outside a nice, crispy texture when baked up in the oven. In addition, they breading tastes quite sweet so it pairs well with a marinara dip or just fine on its own. I immediately put these in the oven to cook up. No disappointment. Crispy on the outside and ooey-gooey on the inside. The cheese melted to perfection in the oven. So often, these frozen, pre-packaged appetizer and sides never quite reach the proper cheese melting expectation. More often than not, the cheese is still a solid lump of warmth, not stringy when you bite into it. But not these. Oh, no. I bit into one and the cheese stretched between the breaded stick and my lips. I think I rejoiced aloud at that.

I think these just became a ‘must keep stocked in my freezer’ sort of item. They were so easy…and so delicious. Both my roommate and her aunt, who are not gluten-free, raved about them. As for me…I was just happy to be having one of my favorite comfort foods again. Life is good when breaded, melty cheese is involved.

Health is Wealth did a fantastic job providing the gluten-free community with a fantastic product. One that I will continue to rave about and consume. Because I can.

I think I’m in love. The delicious kind of love.

Health is Wealth Gluten-Free Mozzarella Sticks (baked)

January 6, 2012January 6, 2012

Caesar’s gluten-free and wheat-free stuffed shells a quick, easy, and delicious boxed meal

Caesar's Gluten-Free & Wheat-Free Stuffed Shells with Cheese in a Marinara Sauce

Product: Caesar’s Gluten-Free and Wheat-Free Stuffed Shells with Cheese in a Marinara Sauce – $7.99+

The lack of gluten-free large pasta shells is annoying. And I’m here to tell you why. I have been craving Italian favorites (stuffed shells, manicotti, etc.), but no one seems to have the noodles for it. Gluten-free pasta isn’t new by any means, but it does lack variety. Especially in the larger shell dishes. With the exception of lasagna, finding something gluten-free on the shelf is nigh on impossible.

So…what’s the second best thing to homemade? Frozen.

And thankfully, this little company called Caesar’s has a line of gluten-free and wheat-free products in specialty stores. I found a few varieties of pasta meals in the freezer section of my local natural foods store. And thank goodness for that. I was just home from being away for the New Year and wasn’t quite certain what I wanted to make for dinner. It was getting late as it was…so this would be easy enough to fix. It was a toss-up between the manicotti and the stuffed shells meals. But, stuffed shells had been on my crave list longer, so it came home with me first.

The meal is simple. Bosh it in the microwave for a few minutes. It really is that simple.

The shells for this meal are made out of rice flour, stuffed with a sweet ricotta cheese and topped off with a delicious marinara sauce. One reason Caesar’s began offering these types of meals is that not everyone can enjoy authentic Italian food. As a girl who loves Italian food but can’t just go out and eat it anymore, having a company provide a variety of products (that no other company has pitched yet) means I am a fan for life. The fact that these products are delicious…is an even bigger plus.

Caesar's Gluten-Free & Wheat-Free Stuffed Shells (after microwaving)

Upon the dinner being completed by the microwave, I peeled back the plastic. Sure, at first glance it doesn’t look appetizing, but what microwave dinner does? Inside the package were three fully stuffed shells, packed with an herbed ricotta cheese. The marinara sauce was a very nice addition and kept everything moist and delicious. In fact, the red sauce wasn’t runny in the slightest, but a thick, hearty topping for the pasta itself. I dished it up onto plates (the meal is for one, but my roommate and I were splitting it) and we sat down to enjoy gluten-free stuffed shells.

Amazing. Honestly, this was packaged food done right. The microwave didn’t take away from the flavor, nor did it cook the life out of the pasta. It wasn’t dry or soggy. It was a perfect conglomeration of sauce, cheese, and noodle. And one that left me quite satisfied, and my palate pleased. The craving is gone for the stuffed shells and I owe it all to Caesar’s Pasta. I think manicotti will be next…

Find these little boxes of joy in your local stores and try them out. I will warn you…they are quite expensive. One meal ran up a tab of $7.99, one reason my roommate and I split a meal. However, they are definitely worth the cost in the end. You won’t even know they are gluten-free. But because they are, I can savor every last, cheese-filled bite.

Caesar's Gluten-Free & Wheat-Free Stuffed Shells with Cheese in a Marinara Sauce (cooked)

January 6, 2012

Irish-themed New Years topped off with fantastic food at Fadó Irish Pub

Restaurant: Fadó Irish Pub, Columbus, Ohio

Brace yourselves.

I know. An Irish pub. Shock, right?

Well, it was the perfect way to wind down after a fun-filled New Years spent with my roommate and my friend Jenn, the two who accompanied me to Ireland last year to ring in the New Year at The Clarence Hotel in Dublin, Ireland. Another trip like that was definitely not in the cards or the budget this year, so instead, we gathered in Columbus at Jenn’s house and created our own “Remember The Octagon” (in honor of The Octagon Bar in The Clarence Hotel…where we spent many an evening…AND New Years Eve at midnight last year!) Irish-themed New Year celebration.

We watched movies that dealt with Ireland (Waking Ned Devine and P.S. I Love You) and with Irish people in them (Bend It Like Beckham), tuned in for the ball drop, ate grown up milk shakes (where the “milk” is Prosecco), played games, laughed, and just had the time of our lives. Second best New Year’s ever!

And the next day, keeping with the theme, we opted to lunch out at Fadó Irish Pub.

We were told just to take a seat anywhere, as you would in Ireland, so we settled in toward the back room near a fireplace. Warm! Cozy. And despite the campy Irish decorations that littered the walls, the pub was quite relaxing and the perfect place to settle. Our waitress gave us some menus and took our drink orders and we began to decide what to eat.

Now, I’ve eaten at Fadó in Chicago and LOVED it. This was prior to becoming a vegetarian and definitely before I had to cut gluten out of my diet. So now, I was definitely looking at the menu with new eyes. While my two cohorts settled in for the lunch portion of fish and chips ($9.95), I decided to give the Farmhouse Salad ($6.95) (no croutons!) a whirl, and added some carbs to my diet with an order of their sweet potato fries ($6.00).

We chatted a little bit, reminiscing about Ireland for awhile, and when our food arrived, we settled in to eat. My two friends totally dug the fish and chips. I stole one of the fries from my roommate’s plate and immediately regretted getting the sweet potato fries. While I am a sucker for sweet potato fries, the regular thick-cut wedge fries were so amazing. Weird for me to say, as I usually can’t stand wedge fries. My sweet potato fries were decent though. Not soggy. Fresh cut, seasoned great. They were just…what they were – sweet potato fries. Their only handicap was that they were just…not as great as the regular fries. So, next time I go to Fadó, I know to stick with regular fries because…they were amazing. I had to steal a few more as I was eating because they just blew the sweet potato ones out of the fryer. *giggle*

The Farmhouse Salad is your typical, run-of-the-mill salad. Nothing fancy. But it was done right. The salad is composed of mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions and cheddar cheese. Simple. Basic. I could make it at home. But it was good. I chose the balsamic vinaigrette dressing to top it off with. And they gave it to me on the side instead of dousing my salad in it. I appreciated that too. When something as simple as a salad in a light vinaigrette dressing is the highlight of my meal, then the ingredients are definitely at the peak of freshness, and the combination works. I love salad as it is, so when it is something I can replicate at home…all the better. I think my only complaint would be the size of the salad for the price tag it came with. I actually expected more. But, it ended up being the perfect amount with the sweet potato fries on the side. We polished off our drinks and paid the bill, lingering in the corner by the fireplace a little longer. Soaking in our last bit of Ireland for the weekend.

Fadó is a great Irish Pub. It’s not authentic by any means…and can seem a bit campy, but it’s a great substitute for the real thing. I’ve never had a bad experience there. The food is amazing (even the salads!), the staff is friendly, the bar is beautiful, they serve Magners (in a bottle). When you can’t go to Ireland, taking yourself to a place where you can at least feel Irish is an amazing thing. I know Fadó has 14 locations throughout the United States…so if you are near one or going to be visiting an area with one…stop in for a pint or some grub. You won’t be disappointed!

January 6, 2012

Recipe: Gluten-Free Nutella Waffles

Warning: These waffles are amazing.

Seriously.

I had a jar of Nutella sitting in my cabinet, just screaming to be used. I also just happen to have a waffle maker (Thank you, Black Friday deals!) that I thought needed to be used again. In addition, I was heading to Columbus, Ohio, to visit my friend Jenn for the weekend and she’s a chocoholic as much as I am…so the thought of Nutella waffles was…more than ideal for breakfast one morning. I provided the gluten-free all purpose flour and the Nutella, the rest she had or we picked up there.

There are plenty of recipes out there for waffles topped with Nutella. But I wanted to actually incorporate it into the waffles. And what I managed was this recipe here below.

Trust me…you’ll be hooked at first choco-hazelnut bite.

Mmmm…

Recipe: Gluten-Free Nutella Waffles

Servings: 6-8
Time: Prep 15 minutes; Cook 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 eggs, beaten
2 cups flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-3/4 cups milk (I used lactose-free milk because that’s what we had, but I think these would be amazing with vanilla coconut milk)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 heaping spoonfuls of Nutella (best measurement ever!)

Directions:

Preheat waffle iron.

Beat eggs.

Beat in remaining ingredients.

Spray waffle iron with non-stick spray.

Pour 3/4 cup to 1 cup of batter onto waffle iron and cook for about 5 minutes, until done.

~*~*~

We came up with a variety of ways to eat these. With ice cream and Kahlua on top, dusted with powdered sugar, topped with chocolate chips, etc. But we went for the standard breakfast format…this time. With a spread of butter and a nice serving of real maple syrup.

It was…delicious with every bite.

A word of warning. Be careful when you pour the batter into the waffle iron. I had a Nutella batter Niagara Falls on my first waffle attempt. It still yielded a delicious Nutella waffle…it just left me with a big mess to clean up on Jenn’s counter. Aside from that…cook these up one morning. No one will be disappointed.

I mean…it’s made with Nutella. It can’t be bad!