The Celiathlete

August 17, 2013

Restaurant Review: Seviche – A Latin Restaurant, Louisville, Kentucky

Restaurant: Seviche – A Latin Restaurant, Louisville, Kentucky

After a lot of talking about doing it…and then never…never…ever getting around to actually doing it…my roommate and I, along with our co-worker, Justin, have been making a point of visiting various local restaurants in the ever-expanding foodie city of Louisville, Kentucky. And why shouldn’t we? It’s in our own backyard. We live here…and yet we fell into always going to the same spots over and over again. And yet, Louisville is really finding its voice in the culinary world. Why overlook the spoils that we are readily provided?

Yesterday, we upgraded a little as far as restaurant choice. We opted to go to Seviche – A Latin Restaurant, located on Bardstown Road in Louisville, Kentucky. In all the years I’ve lived here, I have often walked by this restaurant, gazing in as I’ve passed…seeing the white table cloths and wondering…what the food was like.

Tack onto that the fact that the restaurant’s kitchen has three-time James Beard semifinalist, Anthony Lamas, at the wheel. Anthony Lamas has been featured at the Atlanta Food and Wine Festival, the Charleston Wine and Food Festival, and Bobby Flay’s Breeders’ Cup “A Taste of the World” event. He proudly serves only sustainable seafood at Seviche. He opened Seviche in 2005 and since then, the restaurant and Lamas has garnered major praise and attention. Esquire magazine said that “Seviche has emerged as one of America’s best and most innovative Nuevo Latino restaurants with plenty of the chef’s personality in every dish.” It later states that if you have time for one meal in Louisville…you should make it Seviche. In 2011, Lamas won the title of Extreme Chef on the hit Food Network show by creating a wedding menu with $99 worth of ingredients from a 99 cent store.

As for the restaurant itself, it was named “one of the ten great places for Latin flavor and flair” by USA Today in 2009. Louisville, Kentucky is very lucky to have this little gem. Honestly…I was impressed, hands down, even before I reached the restaurant.

Here’s why…

You see, with my special dietary needs, I tend to look at menus ahead of time and then get in contact with the restaurant itself in order to better prepare for my visit. It’s always good to know if I’ll be dining on a protein bar while my friends eat or if I, too, can indulge in the food that is being served. That being said, I sent an e-mail to the General Manager, Hap Cohan, who replied promptly to my inquiry about gluten-free and vegetarian options. After all, I was heading to a restaurant known for…seafood…so I wasn’t sure what would be good for me to eat. He replied that they do not have any gluten-free vegetarian options on the menu, per se, but the chef would be more than happy to make something for me. They often do a local vegetable plate with whatever fresh produce is in house…or they could build an entree with the items that are on their regular menu. He also recommended the gazpacho that was served during the summer. He asked for my name and party I am dining in so he could notate my requirements on the reservation so the chef and manager on duty would be aware when we arrived.

And when I arrived, I didn’t even have to specifically ask for the gluten-free menu. The hostess was already grabbing for it for me. I felt a lot of relief. We were seated and given a chance to look over the options for dinner. I was really stoked about being all dressed up for dinner at local restaurant that has received so much praise and high accolades for its food and its chef. I already had an idea of what I’d be eating…but then an option caught my eye on the gluten-free menu. So, I think I had my mind made up right away. As for drinks, while they had an amazing list of alcoholic beverages to choose from, with a 20 mile run awaiting me the following morning, I stuck with water, which comes with a cucumber in the glass. Refreshing. And different. Loved that. When Justin arrived (fashionably late), we all settled in to decide on what we’d like to eat that evening.

Time to place our orders. Justin went with the Mahi Mahi Tacos ($19.00), which included pico de gallo, cabbage, and a cuban lime aioli. Cathy went off the specials menu…ordering first the Sopa de Dia, which that evening was a Chipotle Cheddar Potato Bisque ($7.00). With that, she went out of her comfort zone, ordering the Albacore Tiradito Seviche ($15.00). She always said she hated tuna…so this surprised me. Turned out she forgot Albacore was tuna.

As for me, I ordered the Roasted Beet Salad ($13.00), which included lemon arugula mojo, capriole goat cheese, and mustard.

Seviche - A Latin Restaurant's Roasted Beet Salad — Seviche – A Latin Restaurant’s Roasted Beet Salad

With our orders in, we were able to sit and chat, drink our water (or in Justin’s case…his mojito)…and just talk about whatever we wanted…that didn’t involve work. As we all work together…that seems to be the way of it. And it’s nice that way.

When food arrived, I was just blown away by the sheer beauty of the plates. First of all, every plate on our table was a different size and shape. We joked with the waiter who brought out the food about it being culinary Tetris. But, we managed to get it all on the table and soon we were diving in. Cathy first tried the soup, immediately falling in love. She said it was right at her heat threshold…the perfect amount of spice and heat without it killing her palate. This is saying something because, as stated before, she is a heat and spice wimp! As for her Albacore Tiradito Seviche…she was in love. It was paired with watermelon, yuzu, and chili flakes with it. And yeah…she was enamored. With TUNA!! I applaud her foodieness. I told her not to judge tuna by the stuff in the can. She agreed!

We asked Justin how his Mahi Mahi Tacos were, and he was already done with one of the two he was served. Obviously…he was impressed. This was good, because he didn’t look at the menu before coming to the restaurant and had a bit of sticker shock at the prices. It was good that the food did live up to the cost. Besides…sustainable seafood. That’s important.

But…with the gluten-free vegetarian dining at a Latin Restaurant known for seafood dishes…well…I was the tricky one. First of all, the Roasted Beet Salad looked stunning. So bright and vibrant. Beets are a great food for runners. So, that was part of the reason I chose it with my long run the following day. It’s supposedly like legal doping. Who knows. I’ve grown very fond of roasted beets, so this salad won me over. Pairing it with the goat cheese and the mojo and mustard was fantastic. Fresh tomatoes were scattered about the beets as well. Super delicious. I savored each bite. And this was not a giant salad by any means. But every bite of it was amazing. I definitely cleaned the plate.

When our waitress returned…we had clean plates and smiles on our faces. She inquired if we were interested in desserts. Cathy said…”We are always interested in desserts!” She retrieved the dessert menu and we made the initial inquiry as to what, if anything, was gluten-free. She didn’t think anything was, but went to the kitchen to check. She returned a short moment later, saying that the renowned The “Avocado” dessert was gluten-free, as was the Bourbon Butterscotch Pudding and the Housemade Ice Cream. Since they were known for The “Avocado,” Cathy and I decided we had to get that. So we decided we would split it. Justin got one all to himself.

The “Avocado” ($7.00) is avocado ice cream, formed into the shape of half an avocado and sitting in a chocolate shell. The pit is a bourbon chocolate truffle. It is accompanied by dulce de leche and a coffee pine nut soil. It definitely sounded intriguing. And…hello…avocado ice cream. SOLD!

This dessert was gorgeous. Literally…gorgeous. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was plated beautifully and totally looked like an avocado. I love whimsical dishes and this definitely was a fun play on a favorite food. All in delicious dessert form. It looked gorgeous, but how did it taste? SUPER! Cathy took the “pit”…the bourbon truffle…and ended up saving it for last because, while she is not a fan of bourbon…she loved the flavor of that particular morsel. The avocado ice cream was fantastic. Seriously. It was mild, but had light citrus (perhaps lime) notes to each bite. The chocolate shell was crumbly and yummy. And that dulce de leche…the best pairing with the avocado ice cream and chocolate. As for that coffee and pine nut “soil”…when you put everything together…it was magic in your mouth. I was beyond impressed. I was in dessert heaven to be honest. One of the best desserts I have ever been served. Seriously. EVER!

I couldn’t agree more with the sentiment about visiting Seviche if you had just one restaurant to go to in Louisville, Kentucky. Be prepared for a high quality meal…and with that…higher prices than someone might be accustomed to paying. But Seviche, the servers, and the chef all took great care of me and worked with me and my food allergies. For that, I am forever grateful. And the food…it blew me away. I’ve been spoiled. I loved every bite of everything I ate there. I’ve heard good things about their guacamole (also on the gluten-free menu), so next time I venture to that restaurant…I think an appetizer might be in order.

For what it’s worth…Seviche is worth its weight in gold because it really does put out fantastic food, great service, and it’s all right here in my own city. I am one lucky gluten-free girl.

Seviche - A Latin Restaurant's The — Seviche – A Latin Restaurant’s The “Avocado” dessert

August 17, 2013

Product Review: Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans

Product: Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans – $2.99+

I love chocolate covered espresso beans. They are little “pellets of power” as my roommate calls them. And she couldn’t be more right. But they have to be dark chocolate coated. Why? Because dark chocolate…as I stated before…is my favorite chocolate and the only one I prefer to consume. Milk chocolate is not for me. And white chocolate…it’s never really impressed me. Dark chocolate, with all it’s healthy antioxidants and heart-healthy qualities is the way to go.

I still remember reading one of Dean Karnazes’ books (he is the Ultramarathon Man for those of you who are unfamiliar with the name) about running in his first ultra marathon. He was at one of the checkpoints and he was given a slice of brownie. What made this brownie the most amazing thing he had ever tasted…was the espresso beans that were baked inside the chocolate fudgey treat. Runners love that extra kick that caffeine can give to their runs…and having it with a hit of chocolate is my favorite way to eat espresso beans.

Imagine my joy when I was at my local Earth Fare store and spotted the Endangered Species line of chocolate bars. They had so many varieties on their shelves and my roommate told me to pick one. ONE!!!!! How was I supposed to choose? But…I did. And while the Dark Chocolate Bar with Blueberries was very tempting (blueberries…another super food for runners!)…I ended up selecting the Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans.

And I couldn’t be happier with my choice. This chocolate bar ended up getting tucked away in my drawer of run goodies in my kitchen. And, like the chocolate bars that came before it…I totally forgot that they were in there. With sell by dates coming up…I figured now was as good a time as any to work my way through them. A nice little sweet treat for the office day. Perfection. Just what I needed for that mid-afternoon pick-me-up. With the espresso beans, that shouldn’t be a problem.

So, this past week, I opened up the bar and broke it up into 1/5 portions. The serving size on the back indicates that the actual serving is 1/2 of the entire bar. But I just needed a taste…not half a bar at 2 p.m. Just saying.

Let me say this…this bar won me over at first taste. The dark chocolate is some of the best I have ever had the chance to taste. Rich. Smooth. It wasn’t too bitter at all. Just the perfect hit of dark chocolate goodness. And it’s the perfect percentage for dark chocolate so that it isn’t too bitter and you still know you are eating dark chocolate. This particular bar sits pretty at 72% cocoa. The espresso beans…oh…yeah. Just like eating a few dark chocolate espresso beans. That’s what this tastes like. Caffeinated love with a hit of coffee flavor. Color me a happy chocolate-eating girl.

This chocolate bar is certified gluten-free, vegan, uses Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa, it’s kosher, and it’s non-GMO certified. The cacao is sourced from ethically traded cacao farms that ensure fair trade, responsible labor practices and sustainable farming. Are you sold on this yet? What is even better, 10% of the net proceeds of each bar purchased are donated to help support species, habitat and humanity. That means…indulging in a cause. A very good and important cause.

So…this clean eating chocolate loving lady gives this bar a huge, huge thumbs up. Honestly. I’m totally addicted. Maybe it’s the espresso beans. Maybe it’s the delicious bittersweet dark chocolate. But I’d wager it’s the combination of the two. As far as ingredients go, this chocolate bar is made up of bittersweet chocolate, and roasted coffee. No…really. How’s that? It’s sweetened from vanilla and beet sugar. Clean eating chocolate for sure.

Nutritionally speaking, by breaking it up into 5 portions of 3 squares, I only consume 84 calories and 7 grams of fat. But, if you were to consume the 1/2 bar (or 43 grams) listed as the actual serving size, you’d be taking in 210 calories and 17 grams of fat. It is cholesterol-free and sodium-free. Seriously. And, for a chocolate bar, the 12 grams of sugar isn’t enough to make my eyes bug out of my sockets. There is also 5 grams of filling fiber and 3 grams of protein as well. Love it.

If you want a sweet treat without breaking up with your diet…if you just require a hit of chocolate every now and again, I highly recommend the Endangered Species brand. Even better…if you love coffee…indulge a little in the Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans. You won’t be sorry. And it does give the right hit of bittersweet goodness and a little pick-me-up when you need it most.

Indulge in a cause. Indulge in Endangered Species Chocolate. Enjoy!

Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans (unwrapped)

August 15, 2013

Product Review: Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar

Product: Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar – $3.59+

If there is one treat (aside from peanut butter) that I allow myself on a daily basis…it’s dark chocolate. Why? Because I love, love, love dark chocolate. I have never been a big fan of the mild milk chocolate…and white chocolate…that’s not even chocolate. Dark chocolate has and will always be my one true chocolate love. I blame my mom for this…as she was a dark chocolate fiend when we were growing up. I guess I do get some of my best traits from mom!

Anyway…I had a stash of these Dark Chocolate Dream dark chocolate bars in my drawer at home. I got them when a local store put them on closeout…as if they were going away forever. At the discounted price…I couldn’t let them get away without me trying them. Right? Right!

Well…I forgot I had them. *hangs head in shame*

No…really…I forgot. I FORGOT I HAD DARK CHOCOLATE IN MY HOME!! What in the world is wrong with me??! Anyway, I uncovered them not too long ago, as I was digging for a protein bar to take with me in case a restaurant didn’t have food for me. It was like uncovering treasure. A stash of like…six dark chocolate bars. All different. All just waiting to be devoured…savored…or whatever.

Working my way through them…the other day, without a dessert plan in mind after dinner (dessert is important…it must happen and it always does in my home!), I remembered that I had a Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar in that drawer…and in my pantry…Marshmallow Fluff and some gluten-free graham crackers. Do you see where I am going with this?

S’MORES!

I mean…gluten-free s’mores for dessert?! Brilliant, yes? Absolutely!

So, I went to the drawer and dug out the Pure Dark bar. Prior to this, I had a couple other Dark Chocolate Dream Dark Chocolate Bars…the Raspberry and the Rice Crunch. I broke off two of the squares for the s’more, retrieved the gluten-free graham crackers from the pantry and the fluff. One graham cracker got the bit of chocolate placed onto it…the other one…layered with Marshmallow Fluff. I took my kitchen torch (yes…I have my own kitchen torch) and toasted up the fluff before sandwiching them together for the perfect gluten-free (and vegetarian) S’more.

One bite…and I knew I was in Pure Dark heaven. Because the star of the s’mores was not the toasted fluff (although that is delicious) or the gluten-free graham crackers. No…the star is that hit of bittersweetness that can only come from amazing dark chocolate. This chocolate is rich…which meant it was the perfect thing to pair with the sweet fluff and the salty-sweet graham crackers. It just brought balance to everything. And…the Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar is simply that…dark chocolate. Nothing else. Just solid dark chocolate. And…yes…it is amazing. Let’s not forget, dark chocolate is actually considered healthy and good for you. It is loaded with antioxidants and heart healthy stuff.

So…what is this amazing Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar made from? According to the wrapper, the Pure Dark bar from Dark Chocolate Dreams contains evaporated cane juice, unsweetened chocolate, roasted soy flour, soy lecithin, cocoa powder, pure vanilla extract.

As for the nutritional value. Well…it’s chocolate. Need I say more?

But for those genuinely interested…one serving of the Dark Chocolate Dreams Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar is 1/2 of the bar. That would be four squares. This serving would provide you with 240 calories and 14 grams of fat. This is why I only do one square at a time…which works out to 60 calories and 6 grams of fat. Regardless…let’s say you really needed chocolate that day…so you went with half the bar. This would also provide you with 15 mg sodium, 23 grams of sugar, 1 gram of fiber, and 3 grams of protein. So…all-in-all…not too bad. Not great. But, this is to be a treat. I recommend 1 square a day…not half the entire bar. Much more manageable. Oh, and you get to enjoy it longer too.

Dark Chocolate Dreams has really impressed me. Honestly. I have enjoyed all three of the dark chocolate bars that I had in my drawer. Each one had something different about it that sort of set it apart from the others. But for the simple love of something dark chocolate and sweet…I highly recommend the Pure Dark bar. It doesn’t get much better than the original.

Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar (unwrapped)

August 15, 2013August 15, 2013

Product Review: Pillsbury Gluten-Free Pie & Pastry Dough

Product: Pillsbury Gluten-Free Pie & Pastry Dough – $4.49+

I had heard stories about these. Rumors. Whispers in the dark. Advertisements in my gluten-free magazines. I knew they were out there…the problem was I couldn’t find them. Anywhere.

What am I talking about?

Pillsbury’s new line of gluten-free refrigerated mixes.

For real!

Yes…Pillsbury. As in the Doughboy. Or…now…the Gluten-Free Doughboy.

I was strolling through my local grocery store over the weekend. I was on a mission. Bananas for Tuesday’s after-I-work-out breakfast banana split. Honestly. But first I had to check out the manager’s special area. Usually Sunday is the day to do that. But not this week. But as I was striding past the refrigerator section holding the yogurts, the cheeses and the butters and margarine…I spotted these beautiful little containers that had that light violet color I saw in the ads.

“OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!” And then I took off. Which left my roommate watching me scurry over to the refrigerated space. She followed and I started picking up the three different items that the store had in stock. You see Pillsbury introduced three gluten-free doughs, pre-mixed and ready…very convenient. Gluten-Free Cookie Dough, Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Dough, and Gluten-Free Pie & Pastry Dough.

I did this hillarious happy dance of joy, pumping my fists, doing a little jig and…turning to face my roomie and giving her the sad eyes that declare, “I really, really, really want these in my life!” We had plenty in our fridge, so she said maybe next week. I conceded, but my hand went back to the Pie & Pastry Dough.

“But…I can make the Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts…”

That was all I needed to say. The Pillsbury Gluten-Free Pie & Pastry Dough made its way into my hands to be taken to the register…along with the bananas, which was our original reason for shopping that afternoon. We paid, we went home, and this little tub of gluten-free joy went right into my refrigerator. And on Tuesday (Moday is fun run night…so that’s an easy food day), after a rough circuit training…it was time to see how this dough would do with the Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart that I used to make using puff pastry…you know…before I knew I had to go gluten-free.

Pillsbury Gluten-Free Pie & Pastry Dough (rolled out for the tarts and topped with grated Parmesan)

I knew that this dough wouldn’t puff up like a puff pastry, but I figured I could make it work. I basically followed the recipe for the tarts as I used to make them, substituting the puff pastry portion with a serving of this Pie & Pastry Dough. I scooped out a serving (56 grams) of dough and placed it on my lightly floured board. I floured my rolling pin and rolled the dough out to a six-inch circle (roughly). I repeated this with another serving, then plated them on the baking tray, gave a light sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, topped that with the onions I caramelized, a thick slice of tomato, a little salt, a little pepper, some goat cheese, fresh basil, and finally some shaved Parmesan.

While the container has this baking at at a much lower temperature, I went with what my recipe had for the original tart with puff pastry. Into the oven at 425° F, I baked this for the 20-25 minutes, checking on it every now and again to make sure that it wasn’t burning.

I was shocked that this actually worked. Honestly. But the tart came out beautifully. Sure, it didn’t puff up like it used to, but it didn’t need to. I served each of us one of the tarts and we settled in for dinner. My roommate dug right in, commenting on how she loved how the dough didn’t get soggy and how that it was still golden and flaky. I took that as a win as I took my fork and sliced into mine.

She was right. This was the ultimate dough for the crust of my Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart. The dough itself baked into a perfectly golden crust, not turning soggy in the middle where the toppings were all stacked onto it. In fact, I was so pleased with the way this turned out. It had this beautiful crisp outside and this flaky texture. It was one of the most amazing things I managed to make with a gluten-free dough. I was in love with every bite. Every. Single. Bite.

For real!

Needless to say…Pillsbury impressed me. Honestly. Pillsbury won me over with this dough. And I’ve only used it for one thing. I might have to try to make a calzone with it next. Hmmm…that might be an idea for Sunday…

So, let’s talk ingredients and nutritional information. The not-so-fun part of this blog. But…it is important, because I value everything I put into this body. So, while it’s not always pretty, I like to be aware of what I am consuming.

The Pillsbury Gluten-Free Pie & Pastry Dough is made from soybean oil, water, cornstarch, modified potato starch (BOO!), hydrogenated soybean oil (BOO!), rice flour, whole sorghum flour, fructose, sugar, salt, xanthan gum, guar gum, citric acid, and some preservatives. So…yeah…clean eating it is not. But I made a deal to do at least 70%/30%…so I was going to allow this to fall into my 30%.

Nutritionally speaking, a serving (56 grams) will bake you up a crispy golden serving of 250 calories and 17 grams of fat. So…yeah…it’s not a light dough by any means…but at least it tastes good. All things in moderation, my friends. That being said, the Pillsbury Gluten-Free Pie & Pastry Dough is cholesterol-free and has 340 mg sodium. This has 3 grams of sugar and less than 1 gram each of protein and fiber.

That being said…using it as the base for my Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart worked out wonderfully. I just want to make that again and again and again. And I can, because I still have over half the dough in the container in my refrigerator. Squeak of gluten-free doughy glee! Honestly…the dough was perfect. I was afraid that it would just be mushy and unimpressive, but this was one of the most beautifully baked crusts I witnessed. Especially in the gluten-free crust world. I am so happy with Pillsbury right now…I could…just hug that little Doughboy.

Gluten-free…anything…that might need a flaky, golden crust…just got a whole lot easier. And yes…it’s true…

Nothing says lovin’ like somethin’ gluten-free from the oven.

Pillsbury…I think I love you.

Gluten-Free Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart made with Pillsbury Gluten-Free Pie & Pastry Dough

August 14, 2013August 14, 2013

Product Review: Vanilla Chex Gluten-Free Cereal

Product: General Mills’ Vanilla Chex Gluten-Free Cereal – $3.29+

It’s been awhile since Chex cereal came into my pantry. Honestly. While I have previously touted it as one of the more affordable gluten-free cereals, the fact of the matter is that some of the ingredients just don’t fit into my lifestyle anymore. While I’m not doing Clean Eating 100%…where I can cut out the processed food and the additives and such that I don’t need to be consuming…well, I cut them out. There are better, healthier cereals out there. Yes…I might have to pay a little more for them, but I feel better about the ingredients. Peace of mind.

That being said, I also know that since I heard about the newest and latest Chex cereal flavor…and that it was one of their gluten-free options…I did want to try it. I didn’t really go searching for it, but one day while in a local grocery store, I spotted a couple boxes on sale…mostly because the boxes were dented. Hell, I don’t care what the box looks like. As long as the inner packaging is still sealed…

So, into my arms came General Mills’ Vanilla Chex Gluten-Free Cereal. And home it went in a grocery bag. I put it into the pantry, as I was polishing off an all natural chocolate cereal at the time (which was SUPER yum!). But yesterday was the big day for the Vanilla Chex. I had used up the last of my previous cereal and this one was about to have its moment to shine. It had a few spoonfuls to win me over. So, I wished it luck and poured out a serving of the cereal, snatching a few pieces to try dry before adding my unsweetened almond milk to the mix.

First of all, this cereal, as with the other flavored varieties of Chex cereals, is a blend of regular Rice Chex, and then the flavor-dusted cubes. The vanilla variety has this dusting of a sugary-sweet vanilla powder on them. My first taste, without the almond milk, was not one to win me over. While the flavor is awesome…think…Rice Krispies meet Nilla Wafers…it was really, really, really sweet. I mean…SWEET! And I love sweets. This was almost a little too sweet though. And it’s not often you’ll hear me say that. Trust me.

I was about to head to the gym for an hour of cardio and strength training, so I hoped that the almond milk tamped down the sugary-sweet flavor and also prayed that it wouldn’t revisit me after the workout. I poured in a splash of almond milk and settled in for breakfast.

Adding the milk helped. Probably because some of that vanilla sugar on the squares washed off and into the milk. That was fine. It definitely made the cereal easier to eat. And it really, for the life of me, tasted like I was eating a bowl full of Rice Krispie treats. Now, I love Rice Krispie treats (thank you gluten-free Rice Krispies) as much as the next person…but I like them in moderation. And this serving feels almost too big (though it is a standard serving) given the sweetness factor of this particular variety of the Chex cereal.

So…for me…this one is okay…but I’d rather snatch up the Honey Nut or Cinnamon or Chocolate varieties first. This one…while good…just was…too much for one sitting.

But, as always, I have to break this down for you. Why doesn’t Chex Cereal come into my house much anymore? Well, it’s this little additive called BHT. This version also has a lot of sugary ingredients, including sugar, fructose, and molasses. No wonder it tastes like a never-ending dose of Rice Krispie Treats.

As for the nutritional information, a serving of Vanilla Chex is 3/4 cup, which will provide you with 120 calories and 2 grams of fat. In addition, this cereal is cholesterol-free and only contains 190 mg of sodium. For being so sweet, the fact that it contains only 8 grams of sugar is shocking…but that’s what the nutrition panel tells me. Finally, you will be consuming a scant amount of fiber and very only 1 gram of protein, so expect to feel hungry soon after you eat it.

For a sugar rush or an occasional treat, I think Vanilla Chex would be a good stand-in for something. I also think it would rock some gluten-free Muddy Buddies and the like. But as a cereal I found it way too sweet for my liking. So, now that I’ve tried it…I’ll polish off the box and move on to the next gluten-free cereal to come my way.

It’s good. It’s just too sweet for me. That’s all.

August 14, 2013

Product Review: Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

Product: Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix – $5.99+

Cookies.

We all know by now that I am obsessed with cookies. I love them. I’m a human cookie monster. Or…at least I was…back when eating cookies was easier for me. After the Celiac diagnosis, that had to change. Sort of.

There is absolutely no small amount of gluten-free cookies out on the market. Not just the pre-made and pre-packaged stuff…but mixes are out there…and even refrigerated tubs of gluten-free dough. Nope…gluten-free cookies are abundant throughout the marketplace. And I have probably consumed a majority of the ones that are offered.

Somewhere along the way, I acquired a box of Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix. I mean…if you’re going to prove that a cookie has potential, then you have to go with the classic chocolate chip variety. I haven’t met someone who doesn’t enjoy a chocolate chip cookie. So, when choosing a cookie (gluten-free or otherwise), always go chocolate chip. ALWAYS!

I don’t remember where I got this mix…but I had it in the pantry for a long while. I know…shocker. But…I was in the mood to bake the other night. And, you see, I belong to this fantastic group of runners who meet up every Monday and run together. A couple weeks back, I made a gluten-free Minion (from Despicable Me) cake. So, I figured…why not treat them to something nice after a good run? Normally I would make these from scratch, using my mom’s famous recipe from when I was a kid. But…I was short on time that evening. So, I dug out this mix and simply got to making it.

First of all…super simple to make. I mean…easy-peasy!! I love making cookies (even gluten-free ones) from scratch…but since I had this and it was so convenient…I figured…just do it. The mix went into my KitchenAid mixer along with 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter (room temperature) and 3 tablespoons of vegetable shortening. It got mixed up until it was crumbly and incorporated. One egg gets added and it mixes on low until the dough starts to come together. I ended up adding 1 tablespoon of water to mine before it really started to come together. I kneaded the dough with my hands for a moment more until it was stiff and slightly crumbly. Perfect.

One tablespoon for each cookie…that was the plan. I managed to rock out 24 cookies…and still had dough leftover. But my roomie is a dough fiend and asked if after I filled up the second baking sheet if she could have what was left…if there was any. I agreed. And she enthusiastically devoured the raw dough…saying it tasted really amazing.

Into the oven the cookies went for about 12 minutes. I watched them carefully, waiting for them to start to get that golden brown color to them. I removed them just as they were beginning to get golden so I would have a chewier cookie. I prefer a little crust on the outside with a chewy cookie. It’s my favorite way to enjoy a cookie. So that’s what I was going for.

And I succeeded. The cookies were a huge hit. And I loved the size of them. They were two to three-bite cookies, perfect for a simple snack after a run. In fact, the cookies are what got some of the runners up the hill at the very end of the run. “If I run this entire hill…I can have a cookie.” Hey…anything to get through, right? RIGHT!! Everyone gave me their opinions and all of it was positive. Quite a few people in the group are gluten-free…but there are others who are not. And they said you couldn’t even tell they were gluten-free. They had that savory hit of saltiness to them…the sweetness from the chocolate…and this chewy, but slightly-dense texture to them. They were almost the perfect chocolate chip cookie. But they baked up beautifully and they were really, really enjoyed by all who ran. Some even took 2…or even 3. WIN!

Heartland Gourmet is a family operated business that understands that time together with family is important. This is why they offer healthy, wholesome, and delicious gluten-free, gourmet, and organic baking mixes and kits. Why? Because it gets your treats cooking without taking away time from your family. Even better…get your loved ones to help you make something special.

Now…the science of it all. The Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix is made up of a gluten-free flour mix (rice flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, xanthan gum), granulated sugar, medium brown sugar, chocolate chips, vanilla, non-fat dry milk, salt, baking soda and butter.

A serving is 1/4 cup of the dry mix, which is about 130 calories. Each serving contains 1 gram of fat, 65 mg sodium, 22 grams of sugar, 1 gram of fiber, and 1 gram of protein. So…treat it like a treat. No need to over-indulge. The entire point of making bite-size cookies was to satisfy the sweet tooth without sabotaging the hard work that goes into keeping the body fit and healthy.

Heartland Gourmet really bakes up traditional, yet very delicious gluten-free goodies. Their gluten-free chocolate chip cookies are amazing and definitely need to be shared. No one would be able to tell they were gluten-free. Honestly. They are really that good. Chewy, delicious…and somewhat healthy. Heartland Gourmet is, as their box says…naturally good.

Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

August 13, 2013

Product Review: Lexington Pasta Gluten-Free Fusilli

Product: Lexington Pasta Gluten-Free Fusilli – $3.00 for 6 ounces

There are moments of absolute amazement when I look at some of the things my roommate has done for me since my diagnosis two years ago. Seriously. She basically eats gluten-free and vegetarian at home, all the time, Not only that, she is always on the lookout for new gluten-free items for us, not just me, to try. She is honest to a fault when I cook or bake something new, changing up a recipe to now be gluten-free. Some are definitely more successful than others.

But my entire point here is…she’s full of surprises.

This past Saturday…she totally surprised me.

You see, every Saturday I meet up with a group of runners to do our long run. This past Saturday, I was heading out with a small group aiming to hit that magic 16 mile mark. This meant Cathy was going to be left to her own devices for 2 hours or more. But this never slows her down. She always finds something to occupy her time. And on this particularly raining Saturday morning, with a fresh local coffee in hand, she stopped by the local farmers market. You see, I was in need of a giant watermelon for a recipe I was going to make that night. She was going to get one from a local vendor instead of hitting up the grocery store. But, while she was there…she spotted something else.

The words GLUTEN-FREE on a sign for Lexington Pasta. She swung by the booth and inquired. And when I finally made it back to the meeting point, a local coffeehouse, after a very long run, we returned to the car and she told me to go look in the trunk. Aside from a 10 pound watermelon waiting for me, she also had picked up fresh basil. And buried in the ice of the cooler…she had picked up two small bags of Lexington Pasta’s Gluten-Free Fusilli.

While it’s true, this handmade pasta does look more like macaroni than fusilli, I could see the small twists in the fresh and handmade pasta…giving it that corkscrew affect that you would normally associate with fusilli pasta.

That being said…I was holding a bag of gluten-free handmade fusilli!!! This was huge! This was awesome. This was so awesome I deemed Sunday night to be pasta night. I’d cook up some of my gluten-free rosemary cheddar biscuits to accompany the pasta and it would be one epic Sunday meal. Because while some products can wait…fresh, handmade gluten-free pasta is not one of those things. I had to have it as soon as humanly possible.

We got home from our day of running errands and grocery shopping and I put one of the bags of pasta into the freezer. The other went into the fridge for use on Sunday night.

Lexington Pasta Gluten-Free Fusilli (cooked & drained)

What I love about handmade, fresh pasta is how easy it is to prepare. No boiling your pasta for 12-20 minutes to get it to that perfect al dente. Nope. I went ahead and got a pot of water on the stove to boil while I prepared a small salad with some heirloom tomatoes that Cathy also picked up from the farmers market. When the water began to boil, I simply emptied the little baggie of gluten-free fusilli pasta into the water and let it go for 2-3 minutes. The pasta does come with an instruction guide on how to cook it and does warn against overcooking. I then got the sauce heated while the noodles quickly finished up. After three minutes I drained the pasta and then put it back into the pan with the marinara I had warmed up. Giving it all a toss, I was ready to plate it up. Into the bowls it went. And dinner was served. Yes…that quickly.

First of all, handmade and fresh pasta will always win. Always. Pasta that is done locally will win even more. And what really caught my attention about the gluten-free fusilli from Lexington Pasta was that it didn’t stick together or dry up immediately. It cooked to the perfect al dente in the water. Quick. It was one of the quickest pasta meals I ever prepared. I almost didn’t have time to warm the marinara. I forgot what it was like to cook with fresh pasta.

Taste…taste was spot-on. I believe Cathy mentioned that it was a rice flour noodle. It didn’t get mushy. It didn’t stick. It didn’t fall apart. In fact, each noodle held the twisty shape through the entire cooking process, the draining, and the addition of the sauce. The serving size was just right. And the noodles…light. Delicious. They have spoiled me on gluten-free pasta, honestly. Not only is this local, but it tastes fantastic. There was no weird aftertaste. No chewiness. Nothing that would be off putting. In fact, if I were to serve this to people, they would never…EVER…guess that it was gluten-free.

I sort of want to go and get more. Like…now.

I was really that impressed.

Lexington Pasta is based out of Lexington, Kentucky…which is a short car drive for me. So, when the farmers market closes for the season, I can still go and purchase this gluten-free pasta of awesomesauce from their retail location. Because I was beyond impressed with this product and find it comforting to see a local business taking strides to work with those with special dietary needs…who love pasta. You know…people like me.

Lexington Pasta…you made this Celiac one very, very happy pasta-loving girl! Thank you!

Lexington Pasta Gluten-Free Fusilli (in marinara) with Gluten-Free Rosemary Cheddar Biscuits

August 13, 2013August 13, 2013

Rudi’s Gluten-Free wants you to say cheese and win big!

Rudi's Gluten-Free Bakery — Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery

Some of you might have heard that in October, I am going to be running in the Chicago Marathon. Shortly after getting registered, I decided that I would go one step further and run in the marathon and raise money for a good cause. I chose a charity and have been fundraising for it ever since. That charity, Action For Healthy Kids, makes it part of their mission to fight childhood obesity, undernourishment and physical inactivity by helping schools become healthier places so that children can live healthier lives. This specific organization engages diverse organizations, leaders and volunteers to take action and help foster sound nutrition and good physical activity in children, youth and schools.

It’s something I think this nation is lacking. Too often we see children sitting in front of game systems, computers, or the television. And their health is getting worse because of it.

But this charity that I am running for isn’t the only organization or company to want to strive to push children into a healthier and more active lifestyle.

In fact, my friends at Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery are excited to be celebrating the upcoming National Take Your Parents to Lunch Day on October 16. This special day was created to allow parents to eat lunch with their children in school and eat a school-provided lunch. The meal they provide will be nutritious and healthy and reflect a lot of action that is taking place throughout the country to provide healthier options for children in lunchrooms.

But Rudi’s excitement doesn’t stop there, my friends! In conjunction with National Take Your Parents To Lunch Day, Rudi’s will be honoring kids by hosting a fun back-to-school contest. The Say Cheese Photo Contest began on August 1 and will run through September 15. Parents are encouraged to submit photos of their children enjoying a yummy sandwich. That’s all. This photo will automatically enter you in the contest in which the grand prize is being featured in a Rudi’s Gluten-Free ad and a $500.00 Whole Foods gift card! In addition to the grand prize, fans can enter for weekly prizes like iPad Minis, Amazon gift cards, and North Face backpacks.

I encourage all you parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents to give your children a delicious sandwich and then snap a quick picture. Enter it in the contest and you have a good chance of taking home a prize.

I believe in companies that share my commitment to health and nutrition. Rudi’s Gluten-Free believes as strongly as I do that children deserve nutritious and delicious lunches and are very excited to give their fans the chance to celebrate by posting pictures of their children eating yummy (and healthy, delicious) sandwiches.

So get out your favorite sandwich fixings and fire up the flash bulb on your camera! Go to the Say Cheese Photo Contest Web site and enter the photo for a chance to win. And remember…say “CHEESE!”

August 13, 2013May 11, 2015

Recipe: Gluten-Free Peach Almond Muffins

Every Saturday ushers in my long run. Some weeks I go longer than others. It all depends on my training plan. Usually, whenever possible, I like to treat the runners from my Saturday morning clan, to something rewarding at the end of their efforts. We all, as small groups, run different mileage, or different paces, so I usually have my roommate over at the coffee shop we meet at afterwards with their treats.

As I had four beautiful, amazing peaches from my CSA bin this past week, I really wanted to make something with them. And it just so happened, that the week prior, I stumbled across an amazing looking recipe from one of my favorite blogs – Two Peas & Their Pod.

All I had to do was modify it to make it gluten-free. Not so hard when you have a fantastic gluten-free all-purpose flour. So, later than planned, on Friday night, I turned on my oven, got out the KitchenAid mixer…and got to baking.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Peach Almond Muffins

Servings: 18
Time: Prep 15 minutes; Bake 20 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Muffins:

2-1/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (I used Better Batter)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground all spice
1 large egg
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup buttermilk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1-1/4 cups diced peeled peaches

For the Almond Streusel Topping:

1/4 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (I used Better Batter)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1/3 cup sliced almonds

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.Line 14 muffin cups with paper liners or grease the cups. Set pan aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside.In a small bowl, whisk together egg, canola oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and almond extract.Pour liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix gently with a spatula. Mix until just combined.

Gently stir in the peaches.

To make the almond streusel topping, in a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. Mix with your hands until you have a crumbly mixture. It is ok to have pea size chunks of butter. Mix in the sliced almonds.

Pour muffin batter evenly into prepared muffin cups.

Sprinkle the almond streusel topping on top of the muffins.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let muffins cool to room temperature and serve.

~*~*~

These little muffins did surprise me. Because when I snagged one fresh from the oven…split it in half…and taste tested it…I couldn’t really tell that it had much flavor. So, I wasn’t exactly sure that they won me over. My roommate said she really thought it tasted good and encouraged me to go ahead with the plan to package them up and share with my running group.

I am so glad I did, because everyone had high comments on them. I was part of the last group getting back (I ran 16 miles, but the heat and humidity were killer…so it took a little longer), and everyone was finishing up their coffee and post-run refueling. And I saw quite a few muffin wrappers on the plates. Everyone thanked me for them and said they were delicious! Hmm…

Fact is, I do think these muffins are even better on the following day. Give all the flavors a chance to sit and soak into the muffin itself. Because when I had mine…it was fantastic. A little denser than I usually like my muffins, but the streusel topping was awesome and the peaches were really complimented by the different spices that were mixed throughout.

I’d make this again in a heartbeat.

So, if you love peaches and you love muffins…I encourage you to give this recipe a try. Super delicious. Runner approved.

August 12, 2013

Product Review: BOLD Organics Gluten-Free and Vegan Veggie Lovers Pizza

Product: BOLD Organics Gluten-Free and Vegan Veggie Lovers Pizza – $9.49+

Sometimes…if you look hard enough…you manage to find something amazing…despite it being a processed food in the freezer department. At least it was at a natural food store…so that’s saying something, right? Right!

That’s what I’ll keep telling myself.

Anyway…what I speak of is a brand of gluten-free and vegan pizza (this version anyway) made by BOLD Organics. In fact, BOLD Organics pizzas (the vegan and the meaty ones) are all gluten-free, milk-free, lactose-free, casein-free, whey-free, egg-free, peanut-free, and treenut-free. EPIC!! I mean…EPIC, right?! Right!

BOLD Organics was founded with a simple principle to strive for – creating the most delicious and healthy frozen pizza on the market. And that vision was reached and realized with the line of gluten-free and dairy-free pizzas that, as the Web site puts it, “are redefining just how good eating healthy can taste.”

It’s not too bold (see what I did there?) a statement either. Because what BOLD Organics did…was take their goal and do everything in their power to make it a reality. Seriously. Founder, Aaron Greenwald, often found that traditional gluten-free products on the market were bland and lacked taste. That was when Aaron embarked on his mission to not just help people eat better…but also feel better. And he sourced the best chefs he could find who not only understood gluten-free food, but could also provide bold (I did it again) flavors to the products his company would produce. And so…BOLD Organics was born.

BOLD Organics began producing high quality, allergen-free foods…so people could have a choice when it came to gluten-free pizzas. He strove to provide restaurant quality food with premium taste…without paying a premium price.

Well, when I spotted this in my natural food store’s freezer…I decided that having a frozen pizza on hand wasn’t a bad idea. I mean…when you need something easy one night, just pop it out of the freezer, onto a pizza stone…and viola…dinner! So, I had one stashed in my freezer. And, as I am trying very hard to work my way through the plethora of gluten-free goodness I have stocked up in my freezer and pantry, on Friday, as I had a 16 mile run on Saturday, I figured gluten-free pizza would be the way to go.

BOLD Organics Gluten-Free and Vegan Veggie Lovers Pizza (cooked)

Out of the two vegan options offered by BOLD Organics, I went with the Veggie Lovers version. Why? Because any pizza that is topped with seasonal vegetables (organic roasted red peppers, organic roasted yellow onions, and shiitake mushrooms) is okay in my book. The cheese they use is completely vegan. So, I pulled this out of the freezer directly after work and preheated the oven to 450° F, per the instructions on the box. I stuck my pizza stone in to warm while the oven preheated and set about opening up the box.

The box does make me think that the pizza would be a little bigger than it really is…but what it lacks for in size (it’s an 8-inch pizza), it makes up for in the fact that it is not a cracker-crust, very thin-crust pizza. Nope. Not at all. This pizza has depth to it. It has the most amazing crust…and I could tell that before it was even baked. With the oven heated and pizza stone warm, I tossed the pizza in to cook for 20-22 minutes. If the vegan cheese has not melted, it says to broil it for 1-2 more minutes. The cheese on my pizza melted beautifully and the crust became fluffy and golden and just…perfect looking.

I removed the pizza from the oven and sliced it in half. The box I have says the serving size was half the pizza. That seems to have changed now…but…I’ll go off what I had in my freezer. One half went to my roommate, the other half was mine…all mine. I can say this…it looked and smelled amazing. But, as always, the true test lies in the taste. That is the absolute heart of the matter.

I settled in for dinner, fork in hand, and sliced through the crispy, yet soft crust. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. That is pizza crust perfection, my friends. PERFECTION! And, furthermore…this pizza was frozen pizza perfection. It looked like all the non-gluten-free counterparts you see on the market. It wasn’t this sad-looking thin crust slab of cheese and veggies. No. This was a bold looking, veggie laden (save for the mushrooms…I got a bit gypped on those), vegan cheese coated amazing thing. The flavors were melt-together perfect. It was sweet from the peppers and savory with the cheese. It had that perfect crust. I was in pizza heaven. I was. Because, with the exception of my local allergen-free bakery, I can’t find anything but cracker-crust when it comes to gluten-free pizza. That just changed. My whole frozen pizza world just expanded. I was…SO impressed. The cheese, even being a vegan mozzarella, was stretchy and melty and gooey. Pizza perfection. BOLD pizza perfection. I’m sold. For life.

Let’s talk ingredients and nutrition, shall we?

This pizza is made up of filtered water, vegan gourmet mozzarella cheese alternative, inulin, soy protein, agar agar, sea salt, plant-based natural flavor, carrageenan (BOO!), vegetable source of lactic acid, organic crushed tomatoes, organic potato starch, organic rice flour, organic corn meal, organic roasted red bell peppers, shiitake mushrooms, organic roasted yellow onions, fresh yeast, organic tomato paste, organic extra virgin olive oil, xanthan gum, organic evaporated cane juice, organic oregano, organic apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and organic spices (rosemary, black pepper, granulated garlic, red chili).

As far as nutritional value goes…for half of a pizza…this isn’t too bad. One serving (1/2 of the pizza) served up 340 calories and 13 grams of fat. That’s actually not bad! I was impressed. It has 670 mg sodium, which is a little high…but…not bad in the grand scheme of things. The serving has 6 grams of sugar as well, which is super good. And, 1/2 of the pizza dishes up 6 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein.

It’s awesome. BOLD Organics produced a product they can totally be proud of and stand behind. I loved every bite I took of this one. And I will definitely try the Vegan Cheese version in the future too. With a fluffy and flaky crust like that…it’s hard to stop me from stuffing another one in my freezer.

This pizza BOLD-ly went where no gluten-free pizza went before…and they did it perfectly!

A serving of BOLD Organics Gluten-Free and Vegan Veggie Lovers Pizza