Twas the night of my Monday fun run…and instead of doing my usual go-to meals…a Tasty Bite Indian meal or a grilled cheese sandwich…I went off the beaten path. I decided…pasta would be good. Mmmm…pasta.
I love pasta, and being gluten-free sometimes means I don’t get as good pasta as I used to be able to eat. Rice pasta gets mushy and gummy. Corn pasta is fine…but doesn’t always go with what I’m making.
And then…Andean Dream created the solution to my problem. Quinoa pasta. Yes…pasta made from quinoa. I figured…why not give it a try? So, I purchased a box of the spaghetti and took it home with me. I have an overabundance of gluten-free pasta…because I love pasta…like…love, love, love…devour…mmmmm…good…carbs…pasta…kind of love…so this one sat in my pantry until it was it’s turn.
Well, on Monday…for some reason…I decided it would be pasta night. Even though it was a hectic, busy, rushed night. Traffic going to Louisville is bad. I mean…BAD…every Monday and it’s only gotten worse with some of the construction going on…lane closures on the bridge…etc. Why I thought pasta might be a good idea, who knows? Things work out better in my head. Timing works out better in my head. But…that’s how life goes.
Live. Learn. Eat pasta anyway.
I made it home from work and immediately turned on the pot of water I left on the stove all day. It was covered, so I hoped that would bring the water up to a boil faster. I opened up the Andean Dream Quinoa Spaghetti and pulled out 4 ounces…or two servings. The box says that it serves 4, so this was half of the box. But you know me…I weighed it out.
The color and texture of the dried noodles remind me a lot of when I ate spelt pasta. That was a good sign. I loved my spelt pasta…until I could no longer eat it. While waiting on the water to boil, I did busy work…like get changed, put together lunch and snack for the following day, and chop up some grape tomatoes and get them sauteing in a pan with some olive oil. The water did boil and in went the Quinoa Spaghetti. The box said it would take about 13-15 minutes to cook, so I let it go…stirring occasionally…and hoped that it wasn’t one of those pastas that really took about 20-25 to reach that perfect al dente. It wasn’t. It took all but 13 minutes. I swear to the quinoa gods (which must exist for this to be a reality!).
Time to plate up. I had my tomatoes in a pan, so I drained the pasta, threw it in the pan with the tomatoes, added my chopped fresh basil, and just gave it a toss, warming it all up all the way through, coating everything in the remnants of the olive oil and red wine vinegar. Viola. Dinner was served. And…appropriately devoured…with a little slice of the gluten-free pull-apart bread I made and baked up over the weekend when my sister was in town.
So…how did the pasta stack up in flavor?
I only want to buy quinoa pasta from now on. It is fantastic. It didn’t get gummy or mushy. It held up through the additional cooking with the tomatoes and basil…in the sauce. It didn’t crumble or fall apart. It was so good. The texture reminded me not just of spelt pasta, but when I could eat whole wheat pasta. It just…was wow. Wonderful. Not chewy, not mushy, not disappointing at all. I was thrilled to cook it up again and have it perform equally as well on the second go-round.
Yes…Andean Dream has converted me. Quinoa pasta…FOREVER!
A serving size of Andean Dream Quinoa Spaghetti is 2 ounces, which dishes up a delightfully tasty 207 calories. Which is about right for a pasta. Just slightly under most other pastas out there. The Quinoa spaghetti has only 1 gram of fat. In addition to all that, not only is this pasta wheat-free and corn-free, but it is also sodium-free. That’s right!! A serving also provides you with a meager 3 grams of sugar and fiber. But, due to this pasta being made from quinoa and rice flour…a serving contains 6 grams of protein. Love that quinoa!!
Looking for a change or just want to step away from the strictly rice and corn based gluten-free pasta out on the market? I highly recommend Andean Dream pasta noodles. The spaghetti worked perfectly with my dinner and I can’t wait to try the other pastas that Andean Dream makes. So happy with this…and wish I had dug it out sooner!!
Gluten-Free Caprese Pasta made with Andean Dream Quinoa Spaghetti
Restaurant: Shalimar Indian Restaurant, Louisville, Kentucky
I need to send out a big, huge, whopping THANK YOU to my darling little sister. Because if it weren’t for her…it probably would have taken me forever…and ever…and even then I possibly would have put it off…to haul myself out to the Indian restaurant that is consistently voted THE BEST in Louisville, Kentucky. Normally, I would rave and go on and sing praises for the Indian restaurant I have been going to since co-workers suggested it. That being Dakshin, also in Louisville.
Oh. My. God.
I love Dakshin…but after the experience I had at Shalimar…it is out and Shalimar rightfully is where I want to go for my Indian food cravings. Forever. And ever.
Goodbye, Dakshin.
It was fun while it lasted.
Welcome to my Indian cuisine loving world, Shalimar.
I have mentioned quite a few times how my family grew up eating Indian food. Authentic Indian food. Our neighbors, who had children the same age as my little sister and my older brother, often invited us over to dinner when they were having curry. And I loved it. All the different spices and flavors…it was exciting and exotic. It was…beyond delicious. I was hooked at a young age.
So, as my sister’s husband isn’t as outgoing with food choices, when she told me she wanted to come visit me this past weekend, I wanted to get her to an Indian restaurant. Normally, I’d haul out to the far end of Louisville to Dakshin…but not this time. No way. I wanted to take her to the place that Louisville always seems to deem the best. This was a gamble…since I had never eaten there before. But…with those kinds of reviews and awards…how could it be a bad choice? I sent her the menu, although I knew that she’d be ordering the Chicken Curry…and comparing it to the stuff we grew up eating.
The big day, Saturday, came. And after a fun day of walking around sight-seeing, shopping, and just having a good time, we decided we were starting to get a little hungry. So…we headed over to Hurstbourne Lane to the strip mall where Shalimar is located. Two snags. First…traffic was ridiculous…so we ended up turning around and coming at the restaurant from another angle. By the time we got there and parked, we realized that the hours posted said dinner on the weekend was 5:30 p.m. We had about 40 minutes to kill. We hopped across the way to Half Price Books and just kept making circuits and looking at different books until we couldn’t take it anymore. Five minutes left…so we slowly meandered out of the store, got in the car, and headed back to the restaurant.
They were now open and people were being seated. We were given a nice booth at the side of the dimly lit restaurant and allowed to peruse the menu. I had looked over the menu before, but was going go give it a little more of a look while we had the time. Our water glasses were filled and we were asked if we’d like anything else to drink. We all decided to stick with water. I had spotted something that sounded AMAZING on the menu…so I was now set. Cathy was still deciding…but finally settled. When our server returned…we placed our orders.
Cathy went with the Lamb Biryani ($11.95), which is a classic Muglai dish of curried meats cooked with basmati rice. She made sure to specify that she wanted the spice on it as low as it could go. The less spice the better. Wimp. She also ordered a side of the Naan Bread ($1.95) to go with her meal. As predicted, my sister did order the Chicken Curry ($10.95), which is chicken that is cooked in a thick curry sauce. She opted for medium heat. She hoped it was as good as the Duggal’s. As for me…I went with the Broccoli Masala ($9.95), which might just be my new favorite thing in life. For real. This is simply broccoli cooked in spices. Except I ordered mine spicy! I always love some heat with my food…especially when it’s ethnic. And they promised they would do it up good for me.
Orders in, we talked a lot about growing up with Indian food in our lives…and just having some fun. We took some selfies in the restaurant. And…soon…our food arrived.
It all looked and smelled fantastic. I mean…really, really, really fantastic. I hated that I had pause to take pictures of my food for the blog because I was ready to dive in. My broccoli masala came with basmati rice, so after the photos were taken, I scooped up some rice onto my plate, then put some of the broccoli over it. Time to dig in.
FLAVOR EXPLOSION OF AWESOME-SPICY-SAUCE!!
No joke. If I were to pick something to eat as my last meal…this is definitely one of the front runners. Honestly, there seem to be no words to properly describe how amazing this dish was. I know…some of you are thinking that it’s just broccoli and spices…but it was more than that. It was the perfect blend of spices…with the perfect heat level. In fact…I probably could have taken it a little spicier. The broccoli was tender and cooked to perfection. The sauce…the sauce made it. The rice gave me some oomph to the meal. And I was even happier when I added a tomato chutney to it. It was the perfect meal with the perfect people.
For the record, the Chicken Curry brought back happy memories for my sister. Honestly. She was thrilled and said it totally reminded her of the stuff we grew up eating. And Cathy…loved her Lamb dish. She’s big on rice…and this was a big heaping pile of rice. For real.
We were so happy with the food and service that we got at Shalimar. I don’t think I can bring myself to stray from this restaurant. This is where you go to get authentic, delicious Indian food. This is where you go to get the flavors, the tastes, and the experience of Indian cuisine. This…is why Louisville consistently names this restaurant THE BEST Indian cuisine in the city.
Me crossing the finish line of the Big Hit Half Marathon – Louisville, Kentucky
Race: Big Hit Half Marathon
Place: Louisville, Kentucky
Date: October 26, 2013
Time: 1:39:00
Ah…the Big Hit Half Marathon (and Quarter Marathon). It’s come around again. This is the third year these two races have run and this is my third year running it. The only difference this year…I chose to do the Big Hit Half Marathon as opposed to the Big Hit Quarter Marathon that I ran the two years prior.
Why?
Because last year when I ran the Quarter Marathon, I placed first in my division. So, when you conquer one thing…you move to the next, yes? So…instead of 6.55 miles this year, I opted for the full 13.1 miles in the half. I was very excited to be changing it up this year and going for the full. While I absolutely love the Quarter Marathon…I was ready to see the course for the Half. So, with a Groupon that gave me half off registration, I signed up…treating this as a training run as I’m still in recovery from the Chicago Marathon.
And then…the weather reports came in.
Every day, the Facebook page for the Big Hit Half Marathon posted the temperature at race time…and it would get colder and colder each time. I was unamused. Because…I hate running in pants. But it does get to the point where it’s just stupid to wear shorts. And when it hits 30 degrees…feels like 29 degrees with the wind…it’s stupid to wear shorts. Although I had a big debate with myself about this…and on the morning of the race, opted to be smart and put on capris at least.
But I’m getting ahead of myself…as usual. This tale begins on Friday…at lunch time. That was when I headed over the river to get to Slugger Field to pick up my packet. There wasn’t much of an expo for this one. It was much smaller than the two years previous. In fact, while there was never a huge expo for the Big Hit…it actually had some vendors the two years prior. This year…there was a table with the awards…and there was also a table from our local Fleet Feet store. Other than that…the small space that the packet pick-up was held this year had the tables with the race numbers for bib and t-shirt pick up. The race bags also contained a few snacks. So, that was nice. But, I wasn’t used to the much downplayed for this race. The Louisville Sports Commission…yes…but not the Big Hit.
But…you can’t judge a race by its expo…or lack thereof.
Anyway…after work that night, I was committed to attending a fun little Halloween party at Louisville’s very own allergy-free bakery, Annie May’s Sweet Café. Friday happens to be gluten-free pizza night there…and the pizza at Annie May’s is the best when it comes to gluten-free. We all know, the night before the race is gluten-free pizza night for me. Keeping the flavors simple, Cathy and I split a gluten-free pizza with Daiya vegan cheese and tomatoes. Nothing spicy or heavy. And we each also got one of the gluten-free soft pretzels. If you are in Louisville in January when Annie May’s brings these back to the weekly rotation…GO AND GET ONE!! Carbed up…the next plan was to go to the pumpkin walk at Iroquois Park…but we were in costumes…and having fun with that, so instead we went to the mall and walked around. So much fun.
But…alas…there was a race the next morning…so we needed to get home so I could turn in and get some much needed rest before the race. I had laid out shorts…being optimistic about the weather. However, when I woke up the following morning and went to do a temperature check…I knew shorts were not happening. Nope. So…out came the capris.
Did I mention that I hate wearing pants? I was totally not feeling like running that morning. But…when you pay good money for a race, unless there are extenuating circumstances…you get your ass to that race. Even if this was being treated as an easy run…since recovery is important…no all-out racing until I recover from Chicago completely…I really, really wasn’t feeling it…at all. Dressed, I ate my cereal and got my change of clothing and whatever else I might need together. Cathy eventually got out of bed and downed some breakfast as well.
After some manic morning stuff, as usual, I got pinned up and let it be known to Cathy that I just wasn’t having a good morning. You know how I mention how amazing I felt at Chicago for the marathon. Yeah…this was the complete opposite. Cold weather and I are arch nemesis’…and today…the cold weather was winning. Especially since the wind was going to pick up and get stronger as the day went on. That being said, we grabbed the race bag, the sign, some snacks, and I filled my fuel belt (one bottle with water, one with Gatorade), snatched up the pre-race banana…and we were out the door, making the drive to Slugger Field. That ride was one of the easiest we had going to a race in Louisville. Honestly. At least there was that. We parked in the lot at Slugger Field and went to go inside, only to have signs directing us to the very small area where packet pickup occurred the day before. This mean…we had to walk around the building, still in the cold, and duck inside. It wasn’t too crowded…but we got away from those doors and ducked into this middle section. I immediately went to use one of the flushing toilets in the stadium…and to my surprise…there was no line. Business taken care of, it was back to shivering and playing the waiting game. It was cold…so when I finally decided I needed to be stretching…it was my half-assed “I’m too cold to stretch” kind of stretching. Good times.
Yep. I’m a wimp.
One of my BlueMile peeps, Kathryn, spotted Cathy and I and we stood around talking. She was in search of Harry, one of the best people in the world to run with, as she was hoping to run with him during the half marathon. We hadn’t seen him, but he wandered through shortly thereafter. Then Terry, another one of my running peeps, stopped by to talk. He had just been diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his knee, but it was his birthday…and he had a cortisone shot, so he was prepped to give the half marathon a go. He was also in search of Harry, so when he wandered back through…and went to follow him. Cathy and Tarry managed to follow him through the crowd of gathering runners. Somehow, Kathryn and I lost them. How we lose a girl wearing a blanket is beyond me. But it happened. And it took us a bit of time to find them again. Soon after we did though, the running group peeps joined up. Tammy, Laura, Mike…it was awesome.
BlueMile representing at the Big Hit Half Marathon!! We were a cold bunch ready to run!
Although we were all quite warm standing inside the stadium…the start was about 10 minutes away. We knew it was time to head outside and down to the start line. So, together we all braved the cold morning air, left the comfort of the inner sanctum of Slugger Field, and stepped out into the wintery air of downtown Louisville. It wasn’t a long walk to the start line…but it sure was cold. Cathy and I sort of led the way for the group, but we paused at the start line to take a group shot of those who managed to stick with us. I finally unzipped my hoodie…so the race bib was visible. I think that was out of habit, LOL! Damn you MarathonPhoto!!
And then…we were off to spread out and get to about where we needed to be for the start. Little purple balloons hovered over the sea of runners doing both the half marathon and the quarter marathon. I lined up just slightly back from the 1:45 pace balloon. When I ran Disneyland as a training run, I came in just after 1:42…so I knew this would be a good spot for me to keep me at my training pace.
Some announcements were being made…and I heard Laura and Mike behind me. Laura spotted Natalie, who we were missing at the start. She hadn’t been feeling well, but she was here. So, I went over to give her a good luck hug. Also found Michael and Patrick with her too. Okay…everyone was present and accounted for. That was good. I sneaked back to where I was for the start, finding Dennis from my Saturday running group…and when the announcements none of us could actually hear were done…we were off.
The wave of runners at the beginning of most races in Louisville is chaos. While pace groups dotted the start of this race…not everyone really adheres to where they need to be. I was just doing this for training…so I didn’t care. I just bobbed and weaved through the sea of people as best I could as we traveled down River Road. We were sent that way for about half a mile then we were turned around at a traffic cone and sent back the way we came, going by the start line, and clocking in for the first mile. This year’s course was changed slightly due to the construction going on for the new bridge. Hence…the wonkiness of the start. I was feeling good, but I knew I went out fast and was just trying to get ahead of some of the people I was dodging. So, I eased up…wanting to really abide by my training. I tucked into a nice spot, about 20 feet behind Tammy and two of her friends. I remained there up until about Mile 3…when I pushed past. Tammy was running the Quarter Marathon, so she was halfway there. I still had 10 miles to go. As I passed, she said, “Go Karen! Get it!” I love her!
The thing about the Big Hit Half Marathon and Quarter Marathon is that there isn’t a lot of crowd support happening. Nope. It was very desolate throughout much of the race. Those who volunteered at the aid stations were fantastic…there were even little children who came up with cheers for the runners as they ran by. That was so good. But for much of the time on the road…no crowds. Maybe a pedestrian who was happening by would stop and clap and cheer…but that was it. It made this half marathon more of a mental game than anything. I’m used to at least having some crowd support throughout most races…so this was a bit more like a Disney race…just…with even less support than you find during Disney runs. Because at least when you are in the parks you have a crowd. We were on the roads…and there wasn’t much going on. At Mile 5, the courses split. The Quarter Marathoners went to the left, heading into their last bit of their race, ending at home plate in Slugger Field. Half Marathon runners went to the right, taking Third Street all the way down to Central Avenue. We turned around again, with a quick switchback on Central Avenue before hitting Mile 8.
As I was heading back up Third Street, Harry spotted me as he was running the other way. So did Kathryn soon after that. And after her…Terry. All of them shouted my name and we waved and cheered for each other. I love my running peeps. I was feeling good as I headed into Mile 9 and 10, so I picked it up a little…hitting a brilliant Mile 11. I was two miles out. Still feeling good. The sun was out…and despite the very strong headwind now, I was having a good run and a good time. I was actually starting to feel like I was too warm for my liking. This is what happened at Chicago too. I really need to figure out my running comfort zone when it comes to temperatures. Regardless…the last mile was in reach, and as I turned onto Witherspoon, I could see Slugger Field and even hear the announcer in the distance. LOVED that.
This has always been my favorite part of the Big Hit race. As you come onto Witherspoon, you turn and run into the back entrance of Slugger Field. This puts you on the very back out of the outfield, near the wall. You can see the Finish Line at home plate and you just pick it up, and you run like you just hit a grand slam home run. You round the corner onto the third base line, and you hit the white cover that is laid out. You’re almost to the finish. And for me, I was looking at that clock over the finish line and pushing and pushing and pushing. I touched home plate…and was done.
I paused my Garmin and received a temporary finisher’s medal. Yes…temporary. As I slipped it over my head, I heard, “Karen…let me get a picture!” I looked at it was the MarathonPhoto photographer I got to know really well during the Louisville Triple Crown of Running this past winter. So that was awesome! I posed and then moved on to get the timing chip cut off my shoes. Cathy was waving my sign at me and I pointed at her and screamed, “PR!!” It wasn’t planned, but man…I felt so good. After getting the timing chip removed, I grabbed some of the offered snacks. I got a granola bar for Cathy, and grabbed a half banana and an slice of orange for myself. Along with some water. Then, I made my way up the steps, feeling my knee once again aching, but ignoring that. I stopped off at the results tent and they printed up my real-time results…and without even looking at them, I went to find where Cathy was camped.
She and Natalie (who ran the Quarter Marathon) were standing there and ready to give me hugs. I handed the results off to Cathy while I chatted up Natalie about how her race went. She did amazing. Even came in first in her age division. In fact, a lot of my group placed in their divisions for each race. I didn’t…but I wasn’t aiming to. All I knew was somehow I managed to clock a new fastest half marathon time. I didn’t know what it was officially, but it beet Lake Minnetonka…but at least a full minute. So, after I managed to eat my banana and orange, I asked Cathy for the results and we finally took a look at them.
My official results for the Big Hit Half Marathon are that I finished this 13.1 miles in 1:39:00. Holy cow!! And yes…that is my exact time. LOL!! A new PR!! I was so very proud because I wasn’t even aiming for a new PR. I was just running a comfortable pace and enjoying my run. Love when magic happens. I was 57/799 finishers overall. I was 10/440 females to cross the finish line and touch that home plate. And…I was 4/92 in my age division. I couldn’t have been happier with those results.
As much as I wanted to hang out and see my peeps get their awards for their division placements…I was cold and hungry. We walked Natalie to her car, as we had wrapped her up in the warm Sherpa blanket. And then…after congratulating her again, we headed to our car to get over to Annie May’s Sweet Café for some post-race food.
I always have a good time running in the Big Hit races. I was so happy to step up and move to the Half Marathon this year. I knew I could have rocked that Quarter…but since I needed 12 miles anyway…paced…this was the perfect opportunity to test it out. I stayed at my race pace the entire time. And even had negative splits. Can’t argue with those results.
Oh, and as for the finisher’s medals…it seems that they didn’t ship in time, so they hadn’t received them yet. As a consolation, the race provided temporary ones that we get to keep and will mail the official ones to us this week. I thought it was great of them to have medals to supplment for the runners. They didn’t have to do that, but they did. And that’s part of what makes this race so amazing.
Big Hit Half Marathon…I do intend to run you again next year. Thanks for always being awesome.
Cauliflower is so versatile. I have made “bread sticks” from a head of this vegetable. I have made buffalo cauliflower florets as well. Pizza crust. I’ve put it in stir-fries. I’ve made a tempura batter and fried them up. But…when my CSA bin delivered me another gorgeous head of cauliflower…well…I wanted to do something different. I have my go-to recipes…but I just wanted something different.
With the magic of Pinterest and a recipe that I built around from Nom Nom Paleo…I took this beautiful head of cauliflower, mixed it up with some healthy fats and a dose of curry, cumin, and seasoning. Roasted it up in the oven…then topped it off with some fresh herbs. And the result…pure magic. Enough that I want to make it again…soon. I need more cauliflower.
Preheat the oven to 450°F and move the rack to the lower middle of the oven.
Place the florets in a large bowl and toss them with a generous amount of the oil of your choice (about 2 tablespoons).
Add the curry powder, cumin, salt and pepper and toss until the florets are coated.
Pour the seasoned florets on a foil-lined baking sheet and cover it tightly with another sheet of foil.
Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, then remove the top layer of foil and continue to roast the cauliflower for 20 more minutes, flipping the florets every 8 or so minutes, until they are softened and browned in parts.
Plate the cauliflower and give each serving a squirt of lemon juice and top off with the minced fresh parsley.
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Serious flavor. Even Cathy was talking about the next time I made this dish. I was so happy with the way it turned out. It wasn’t too spicy, which worked in Cathy’s favor. Just the right hint of seasoning. Total perfection. Tender…delicious…and amazing.
Just a couple minor changes to a recipe can make or break it. Honestly. But…a couple years ago, Cathy bought me the cookbook for Bouchon, Thomas Keller’s restaurant in Las Vegas. In fact, we dined there when we were in Vegas and had one of the best food experiences of our life up to that point. It was, in a word, heavenly.
And then…I just sort of let this gem of a cookbook sit on my shelf…never really pulling it out to explore. But when my CSA bin gave me leeks, I remembered one of the dishes we had in Vegas was…Potato Leek Soup. So, I pulled out my cookbook and got settled in to see if it was something I could, indeed, set out to make…and make properly.
There were a couple of minor tweaks necessary, for my food allergies and the like…like making it vegan. It actually worked out perfectly. Honestly. I was so happy with the way this soup turned out that I am eager to make it again…and again…and again. The best part was…save for a few minor ingredients (chives)…this recipe was made from items that were already in my pantry.
I will make not of my changes in parentheses. But huge props to Thomas Keller for this amazing recipe. And if I hadn’t eaten at Bouchon…well…I might never have experienced this or been inspired to make it for myself.
Recipe: Vegan Potato Leek Soup (inspired by Thomas Keller’s Bouchon recipe)
4 tablespoons (2 oz.) unsalted butter (I used Earth Balance)
Heaping 1/2 cup sliced (about 1/4 in. thick) shallots
1/3 cup sliced (1/4 inches thick) onions
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound (about 1 large) russet potato, peeled
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Bouquet garni or sachet of 8 thyme sprigs, 2 Italian parsley sprigs, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 tsp. black peppercorn, wrapped in cheesecloth
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock (I used a low-sodium organic vegetable broth)
3/4 cup heavy cream (I used So Delicious Culinary Coconut Milk)
1/2 cup minced chives
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Cut away and discard dark green leaves and roots from leeks, leaving only white and palest green sections. Cut in half lengthwise, rinse in cold water to remove dirt between layers. Place leeks cut side down and cut in 1/4 inch thick slices (yields about 3 cups).
Melt butter in large saucepan over med-low heat. Add leeks, shallots, and onions. Season generously with salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium and sweat the veggies, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes – veggies should wilt but not brown.
Meanwhile, cut potato lengthwise into quarters, then cut crosswise into 1/4 in thick slices, yielding about 1-1/4 cups.
Add garlic to the sauteing veggies and cook for another minute, then add sachet and potatoes. Cook for 2 to 4 min longer.
Add 6 cups stock, adjust seasonings. Bring to simmer, then reduce and simmer for 30 min, or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and let soup cool for about 15 min. Remove the sachet. Transfer soup in batches to blender and puree, starting at low speed (to release heat remaining in soup), and then slowly increase speed until soup is smooth. Don’t overfill the blender, since hot liquid can spurt out. It is helpful to place your hand over the lid while holding a towel. Strain through a fine sieve or the like if you want the soup to be extra smooth. (That part is optional…I chose not to, and my soup was still smooth!)
To finish, return soup to a rinsed out pan and bring to simmer. Add cream and simmer on low for 5 min – stir frequently and careful not to burn! Remove from heat. Stir in chives if serving hot. If refrigerating, pour into container and place in ice bath to cool (it keeps about 2 days). Serve sprinkled with chives and olive oil and fresh ground black pepper.
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You would be hard-pressed to tell that this soup was vegan. Honestly, the changes I made didn’t affect the creaminess or the taste of the soup. It was so good, and Cathy and I feasted on it for three delightful evenings. It was super packed with flavor and still super creamy. Substituting culinary coconut milk for the heavy cream didn’t change the texture at all. It worked brilliantly.
So…with soup season coming on strong…give this recipe a try. Thomas Keller is a brilliant chef and this recipe is one of the best soups I have made so far. Truly a delight.
I have it in my pantry every week. The thing is…the brand and the flavors change. A lot. Why? Because I love a good gluten-free granola. And while I have found some rather amazing ones…I love to change things up…try new things…sample new flavors.
Now, I am a huge fan of KIND. The KIND bars are amazing, nutritious, all-natural snacks of deliciousness. For real. I have enjoyed every flavor I have ever sampled…and there are still more that I have yet to try. Imagine that!! But KIND doesn’t just do bars. They also do this fantastic granola line as well. Before I picked up the Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters, I tried Vanilla Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds…and it was love at first bite.
So, after returning from being out of town, and no CSA bin to work with…I had the opportunity to pair the apples I had in my fruit basket at home with whatever I wanted to in the morning parfaits I make with breakfast. Trying not to stop at too many grocery stores as we were now grocery shopping on a weekday…I asked my roommate to just pick one of the gluten-free options available at that store. She immediately locked onto the KIND varieties and snagged the Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters from the shelf.
Peanut butter…KIND product…this was going to be a match made in heaven…for sure. Peanut butter…as you may well be aware…is one of my most favorite things in life. In the world. I could eat it for live and never get bored with it. So…anything peanut butter flavored makes me one happy little vegetarian and gluten-free foodie.
As I said…apples were what I had at home. So, one morning, I set out to caramelize them to put in the Greek yogurt chilling in the fridge. But, to make this a true breakfast parfait…it needed a bit of crunch. It needed that granola topping. And peanut butter and apples go together so amazingly well. I mean…HELLO! They were meant for each other. In fact, one of my favorite snacks is slicing apples, coating them with peanut butter and raisins, and making them into sandwiches. YUMMY.
So, this parfait was definitely on the verge of epicness…before I even tasted it.
KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters…are beyond delicious. I mean…holy gluten-free granola goodness. Holy KIND awesomesauce. OM NOM NOM NOM. I would eat this stuff by the handful. I mean, it’s great on a caramelized apple and Greek yogurt…but it’s SO fantastic on its own. So, you can enjoy this any way you want and truly enjoy it. Each bite has that nice peanut flavor. In fact, little bits of peanuts are throughout these clusters. And that adds a nice bit of texture and salty-sweetness…that peanut butter is all about.
KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Clusters are a blend of gluten-free oats, brown rice, millet, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa. In addition to the whole grains, these whole grain clusters include evaporated cane juice, peanut butter, soy crisp, peanuts, whey protein, canola oil, sea salt, and natural vitamin E. Do note…these are not vegan due to the whey protein. Sort of sad about that. But, let’s face it…these are super delicious.
Nutritionally speaking, a serving of the KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters is 1/3 cup. This serving provides 130 calories and 3.5 grams of fat…which isn’t bad for granola. And since some of that fat comes from the nuts…it’s at least a healthy fat. These clusters are low in sodium and sugar, containing 80 mg sodium and 5 grams of sugar. I love a granola that isn’t loaded with sugar. LOVE it. These also contain 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. Filling, and delicious!
Not only are these clusters gluten-free, but they are all natural, contain no refined sugars, are non-GMO, contain no trans-fats, are cholesterol free, and as mentioned above…low in sodium. Every ingredient is obvious in the mix…and the ingredients are all real and prodnouncable. No hidden chemicals or preservatives. All natural goodness.
So…do try these out. Especially if you are a peanut butter freak like I am. Do something KIND for yourself, your body, and your diet. Find KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters and devour them. Devour them for the awesomeness that they are adding to your diet. Eat them on their own, over yogurt, or like cereal with milk. Whatever you want. Just go and get them…eat them…and love them as much as I do.
Yeah…these will be on the definite “purchase again” list! Whole grains…good for you…peanut buttery crunchy goodness. It’s all of life’s treats in one simple bag.
Kind Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters over caramelized apples and vanilla Greek yogurt
A couple weeks ago…I tried O’Doughs Gluten-Free Original Flavor Bagel Thins and was just…wowed by them. Sure, this bagel-lover enjoys that soft, chewy inside of a bagel as much as the next one…but sometimes, even with gluten-free bagels, it can be a bit much. So, the fact that gluten-free bagel thins existed made me very, very happy.
And my local grocery store just started to carry these little gluten-free gems in their freezer section. You do not know happy until you’ve seen me settle in at breakfast with a fantastic bagel with a schmear of some variety of cream cheese (often vegan). I was raised in New York…the bagel capital of the universe. No exaggeration. New Yorkers love a good bagel.
And when I had to go gluten-free…I feared that the bagel would be out of my life forever. I tried a few varieties out on the market and hated them. I fell in love with Udi’s…but they can be really filling at times. Sometimes…you just want something light…but bagel-y. Yes…that’s a word…now. And thanks to O’Doughs…this has become a reality.
O’Doughs Gluten-Free Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins are these thin little slabs of bagel, which I actually had to slice in half this time. The original were pre-sliced. I don’t know if this was a fluke or what…but…I managed. Without destroying them in the process too, I might add. God love a good serrated knife. WOOHOO! Anyway, these bagel thins are made up of filtered water, potato starch, tapioca starch, chickpea flour, sprouted flax flour, soya flour, rice flour, evaporated cane juice, cellulose gum, glycerine, sunflower oil, yeast, salt, xanthan gum, cinnamon, algal oil, baking powder, baking soda, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds.
I am wagering a guess that this is really their attempt at an Anything Bagel…which is a definite New York staple.
So…after giving them a toast…and a schmear of a pumpkin spice cream cheese…how did they work out?
Deliciously wonderful. This variety of O’Doughs Gluten-Free Bagel Thins actually have this fantastic rustic and nutty flavor to them. The top of the bagels themselves have this amazing sprinkling of seeds (sesame and poppy). I loved that, as they toasted up with the bagels themselves and really penetrated the dough of the bagel thins…giving them amazing flavor and texture. And…you won’t overfill your stomach with these thin little bagels of awesomeness. Not only does O’Doughs provide these amazing Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins free of trans-fat and eggs, they are also non-GMO, kosher, and a healthy and delicious source of fiber.
Now comes the point in the blog where I talk about the nutritional value of the product I ate. Well, the O’Doughs Gluten-Free Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins are made with all-natural ingredients and no preservatives. A serving is 1 bagel thin, which gives you 100 calories and 1.5 grams of at. One of these tasty gluten-free bagel thins provide 300 mg of sodium and 2 grams of sugar. Not too bad at all. And you will also be consuming 2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein.
As I stated in the blog about the Original Flavor Bagel Thins by O’Doughs…if you spot these…snatch up a bag of them and give them a try. They are some of the best bagels I have ever tasted. All that bagel flavor…not too filling…not too fattening. Just right. And with so many varieties of toppings to choose from with bagels…get creative and put your own spin on them. The Gluten-Free Sprouted Whole Grain Flax Bagel Thins are delicious, fantastic, and healthy. Not to mention…just plain awesome.
So…go and buy some and toast up some gluten-free bagel-y goodness today. Or tomorrow morning. But do it!
Okay…with me it happens all the time…but let’s ignore that fact for a moment here.
Picture walking through the frozen food section of your local natural foods store (this was Whole Foods, in case you were wondering) and catching just a quick glimpse of an interesting sounding product. That’s what happened here. I normally never would have thought twice about this little green bag of sliced apples…but…the fact that they were frozen apple fries…that got my attention. Baking apple strips and making them into a healthy alternative to potato fries. BRILLIANT!
So…I bought them. I had to. I needed to give these a try.
The brand is Peas of Mind, and they tout all-natural eats for growing children.
Kid food. Kids sometimes get the best food. And the fact that these were all-natural, non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, fat-free, egg-free, soy-free and vegan…well…they were definitely safe for me to eat. I didn’t care that these were intended for children. This kind of food was good for all ages. That’s how I figured it.
Peas of Mind makes a variety of healthy eats for kids. And their veggie fries come in a few different flavors, including carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and apple. YUM! But the apple ones were the ones that caught my eye…so those were the ones making the trip to my freezer.
And, as with most things…I bought these and then kept forgetting to cook them up. Until the last time I prepared my gluten-free veggie burgers. I figured a side of fries would go nicely. But instead of slicing up a sweet potato or potato and baking them up in the oven…I pulled these out of the freezer and prepared a baking sheet to get them cooking. I have to say…they were a lot thicker than I anticipated…not the gorgeous fry-shape that is shown on the packaging. But…my food doesn’t have to look like the package. It just has to taste good.
Before we get to that, however, let’s hit up the ingredients and nutritional information. The Peas of Mind Baked Apple Fries are made up of apple, dehydrated potato, water, canola oil, cinnamon, sea salt, and baking powder. One serving is 57 grams (or about 14 fries). In this serving, you will be consuming 70 calories and 0 grams of fat. Remember…fat free! You also get served 50 mg sodium and 2 grams of sugar. These will not be very filling as that serving has only 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein. Each bag provides 6 servings of fruit. Definitely healthy. Definitely different.
So…how were they?
Different. They were…different. In fact, I’d venture to say they were slightly on the bland side. I felt that they needed a dip of some sort. Peas of Mind recommends (on the packaging) ketchup or honey. I’m not a fan of honey on its own nor am I fan of apples in ketchup. So…I ate them without. Although now I”m tempted to do up a whipped agave dip for the next time I make these. Hmmm.
Anyway…the apple flavor is barely there…and they seem to need more cinnamon, quite honestly. The dehydrated potato sort of gave them this odd…blandness. If it were just apple strips, these would have been amazing. But the added flakes of potato just subtract from that sweet apple flavor. So, they were definitely a disappointment. I think next time I bake up a round from my bag in the freezer, I might sprinkle with a bit more cinnamon and try to draw out more flavor.
So, they weren’t bad…but they didn’t wow me either. Next time…I might just slice an apple into slices and give them a good bake in the oven and see how that goes. I wasn’t blown away, but I am definitely curious enough to try the other veggie varieties to see if they work out better than this fruity version.
Peas of Mind has definitely drawn me in…even though this first product I sampled from them didn’t really thrill me, I am eager to see what else they have to offer. I love healthy alternatives to foods. And this was definitely a healthy choice…just not one that was as delicious as it was healthy. I hope that changes as I give the other versions of the veggie fries a chance in the future.
Product: Nuovo Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi – $5.99+
This was it. The last of the gluten-free gnocchi that I randomly spotted and purchased from my local Earth Fare store. I was so happy to find three varieties…all three had to come home with me that day. I knew I wasn’t going to get to them that quickly…so I froze them until I was ready to try them out. Smart move on my part…because it took a bit longer than originally anticipated.
I was thrilled…just thrilled with the Classic Potato and the Basil and Potato varieties that I devoured before. I saved the Gluten-Free Sweet Potato version for last because…I love, love, love sweet potatoes. Like…more than most foods in this world. Sweet potatoes make me super happy. And I will eat them in different ways too. So…why not in a gnocchi?
Thanks to Nuovo, this was simple to do which made my evening a lot more enjoyable. I didn’t have to spend most of the evening prepping my own dough for this gnocchi. All I did was take it out of the freezer and place it in the fridge prior to going to work…when when I got home…put them in some salted boiling water and allowed them to cook just as the package stated.
Easy. SO easy. And I was already anticipating digging into a helping of this as it was cooking in the water…and I was warming a sauce (a marinara…because that was all I had on hand). I drained them, tossed them with the sauce…and dinner was served.
So…with all the anticipation…was it worth it? Was it just as I imagined it would be.
Nuovo Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi (boiled and drained)
Well…not really. In fact…I was more than underwhelmed by this particular variety. Where I raved and applauded the gluten-free Classic Potato and gluten-free Basil and Potato varieties…I was…just disappointed with the one I was anticipating the most. The Sweet Potato gnocchi definitely had a hint of that sweet potato flavor…however, it wasn’t the first thing to hit the palate. It was okay…it was still good…but it just didn’t knock my culinary socks off. The majority of the flavor came from the marinara sauce I tossed these potato pasta goodies in. I just felt like these were missing something…not texture-wise, but definitely in flavor. If you are going to be sweet potato…something…you need to have that sweet potato flavor there. I wanted to taste the sweet potato, not feel that it was masked. And that’s what I felt happened with these.
Nuovo is so very kind to offer a gluten-free version of their famous fresh pastas. I totally enjoyed the other two versions of gnocchi that I had from Nuovo…but this one just didn’t kick it up like the other two did. I think of them all, the Basil and Potato was my absolute favorite of the bunch.
Nutritionally speaking, the Nuovo Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi serves up 2 servings…so my roommate and I split the pack. This serving dished up 270 calories and 1 gram of fat. A serving will also provide you with 350 mg of sodium and 11 grams of sugar (which I think is high…but it is a sweet potato…). And finally, you will get 5 filling grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein.
Not bad for a potato-pasta! Not at all. I just wish they had a better all-over flavor to them. But…you can’t win them all, right? If you are looking for a great sweet potato flavor…spend the time to make your own. Otherwise…Nuovo offers two other flavors in their gluten-free varieties that really rocked my gluten-free gnocchi loving socks!
Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi in Mezzetta Napa Valley Bistro Homemade Style Marinara
It isn’t often that Cathy comes right out with a breakfast request. Normally, I ask the question the night before…”What do you want for brekkies?” Her response usually comes with a shrug, a garbled “Idunno…” And then leaves it to me to figure something out. Which…fine…I’ve grown used to that. But sometimes I don’t want to make the breakfast decision. Sometimes I actually do want to make something that she definitely wants to have in the morning.
But…last week…the unthinkable happened. Without a prompt from me…I got, “Can we have pancakes for breakfast?”
Can we ever!! Finally…some input. Finally…a request. FINALLY…a reason to bust out a new brand of gluten-free pancake mix. HA!
It was time to pull the Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix out of my pantry and welcome it to the wonderful world of my teeny-tiny kitchen. Mixing bowl time…at last.
I found the Authentic Foods brand of pancake mix while browsing the small food section at our local Home Goods store. I can’t believe how many different gluten-free foods they have in there by brands that I am unfamiliar with. And, to top it off, this was being sold at an unbeatable price. When the normal price is $3.00 more than what Home Goods is selling it for…well…you better believe my pantry is going to have a bag of it inside. Purchase made…and the wait time as I work through the products that came before it happened.
Until Cathy’s request. PANCAKES!
Now…simple pancakes would have been just fine. But I felt like making one of my favorite things from childhood. In fact, so many of my friends associate my sleepovers with the chocolate chip pancakes my mom would cook up for all of us the next morning. We all looked forward to it…putting on a nice slab of butter, then dowsing it with maple syrup. Oh yeah…my mom always treated us to chocolate chip pancakes…and my friends knew it.
So…I thought I’d bring it back. So, I mixed up the batter as instructed on the packet…1/2 a cup of the mix added to 1 beaten egg, 1/2 cup almond milk (milk or milk substitute), 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. I then folded in some of Enjoy Life’s mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. Voila…these were ready for my skillet.
The most amazing thing happened. No joke. These pancakes, after they began to cook on the skillet…puffed up and got fluffy…like real pancakes do. Like the pancakes my mom used to make me when I was growing up. I was thrilled to see the edges bubble up and the batter just sort of…expand with the heat. I was already anticipating flipping these over and seeing if the trend continued. And when the bottom side was an amazing golden color, these were flipped…and yes…they remained fluffy. You cannot even imagine the happy dance I was doing in front of my skillet. So many times gluten-free pancakes don’t rise…they just are flat…but these…fluffy and beautiful. Perfection!
Authentic Foods Pancake & Baking Mix is composed of a blend of stone-milled Garfava (a blend of flour made from garbanzo, fava beans, and Romano beans) and superfine brown rice flour. It was like biting into a traditional all-American pancake. Honestly. And with my addition of the mini chocolate chips…you better believe this breakfast took me back to those mornings my mom would treat us to this very same breakfast.
I served the pancakes with a drizzle of pure maple syrup…and settled in. These pancakes got that amazing golden crust on the outside. Inside…so fluffy and light. Not heavy and dense. Just the most perfect pancake I have made so far from these gluten-free mixes. I want to go see if Home Goods has more of this mix…because it made me so happy with each and every bite. For real. When pancakes make your day…there is something special going on.
Supposedly this mix is perfect for making waffles, muffins, cookies, donuts, crepes, and so much more. I just bought a donut cutter. Game on!
Nutritionally speaking, this pancake mix isn’t too bad for you either. I mean…these are carby…amazing…fluffy…REAL tasting gluten-free pancakes. Just take them for what they are and enjoy!! But…as I always cover this…a serving size of this pancake mix is 1/4 cup…which gives you light and fluffy…130 calories per serving and 1.5 grams of fat. So…really not so bad, right? Right! You will be getting 170 mg of sodium and 1 gram of sugar. Also these serve up a filling 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. So…woohoo!
If you have been longing for the light and fluffy pancakes you used to know…I highly recommend giving Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix a try. So far…it’s the one that has impressed me the most. I hope to find other products by Authentic Foods and see how they compare. Until then…I’m thinking pancakes for breakfast tomorrow.
The Celiathlete 