Cooking Tip: Sauteed Onions

Posted in Cooking Tips, Food/Cooking by

sautee onions IMG_1872 Single living can make for a lot of food waste. Of course, you can’t buy half an onion, so if you only want to sautee a small amount for a sandwich or omelette, what do you do with the rest? It’ll sit, cut in half, in the refrigerator until it gets nasty. Am I right?

So cook the entire onion.

You might as well – it takes the same time, and just a little more effort to slice up the rest of it. Sautee it until just before it’s done, then divide it up into single-serving sized containers. Freeze those, then take one out whenever you want a sandwich. I prefer to freeze in glass containers, that way I can just pop them in the microwave and defrost/heat them. Once they’re thawed, throw them in with your omelette, sauces, what have you. A quick and easy GLUTEN FREE solution to preventing food waste that adds nice flavor to any meal.

sautee onions IMG_1880

Gluten-Free Dole Sweet Corn Garden Soup

Posted in Food/Cooking by

Dole gluten free garden soup IMG_20150311_182017276This was not really for me. I thought maybe there would be chunks or bits of corn and maybe onion in it – but it is basically a straight puree.

It’s certainly easy enough to heat up – 2:30 in my 1100 watt microwave oven for the serving you see in the photo. I included the heels of Udi’s White bread for some substance. They were good for dipping. (Of course, butter makes EVERYTHING better.)

The flavor was okay; I’m sensitive to white pepper – it burns the back of my throat, so I’m pretty sure this contains some. The ingredients are all natural and pronounceable.

130 calories, 1g fat, 470mg sodium, 300 mg potassium, 30 carbs, 4 g protein.

Not bad, but I’d probably only buy it again if I had dental work and couldn’t eat solid food. Since I have two servings of this stuff left, I will probably add some corn and chicken to it and pretend it’s chicken corn chowder. Now that’s making lemonade, eh?

Gluten-Free Guacamole Dip

Posted in Cooking Tips, Recipes by

Guacamole dip yogurt IMG_20150309Have you seen the price of avocados lately? Ey carumba! But you’ve been invited to a party and you need to bring something gluten-free. You wanted to bring guacamole, but…. the sticker shock is just too much for more than a few servings. Well, don’t worry: here’s a way to stretch your guacamole, whether at home or as a party dish.

Use your favorite gluten-free guacamole recipe, or try mine. If you can, make it the night before your event so that the ingredients have time for their flavors to mingle. Right before the party or event or meal, mix in an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt. Of course you can also use sour cream, but the yogurt is healthier and higher in protein.

Money-saving tip: check the “quick sale” or clearance area of your dairy section. Sometimes you will find items marked down 50% because they are approaching their expiration date. The yogurt cup pictured here was 44 cents – vs. $1.39 for the sale price sour cream. If I’m eating this at home, I only mix together as much as I plan on eating and keep the guacamole protected from the air the rest of the time so it doesn’t brown.

Mix well, then serve with your favorite gluten-free tortilla chips (Juanita’s is my absolute favorite brand!).

Juanitas tortilla chips IMG_20150309

Udi’s Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins

Posted in Food/Cooking by

udis gluten free muffins IMG_20150313_072038474It is a good morning when you wake up to have an Udi’s Gluten Free Blueberry Muffin. It says on the package “Moist & Tasty” and they really are. They are also dairy, soy, and nut FREE.

These muffins are very light with a very pleasant flavor. There is no need to put butter on them – or even to toast them. I warmed them up from their frozen state – in the microwave – it took less than 30 seconds, and did not rubberize them. They are moist enough that they do not need butter. (And I love any excuse to slather anything in butter, so these must be pretty darn good.)

And here are the stats for one muffin: 270 calories, 10 g fat, 36 carbs, 3 g protein. Learn more at http://udisglutenfree.com. These are not as big as the usual glutenous muffin, and run just over $1.00 per muffin in a four-pack.

Light and fluffy on the inside, with big crunchy sugar crystals on top  makes for a nice, homemade muffin experience. These are great for getting something into an upset stomach. Udi’s, you’ve done it again. Good job.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

WeightWatchers Smart Ones – Chicken Mesquite

Posted in Food/Cooking by

GF Smart Ones Mesquite Chicken IMG_0385I did some research online and found a number of Smart Ones frozen meals to be gluten-free. Now, these meals are not labeled as such. But if you check the allergens listed at the end of the ingredients on the Chicken Mesquite, you will find it says Contains Milk, Soy. Not wheat.

This Chicken Mesquite is described as “white meat chicken smothered with a smoky mesquite-flavored sauce with ranch redskin smashed potatoes.”

Mind you, I have the absolute most sensitive palette of anyone I have ever met. The first few bites of the chicken were good – hot, tender, tasty. But then the back of my throat started to burn, and that spread to my tongue, the rest of my mouth, and my lips. FIRE! Again, I think the spicy chicken nuggets at Wendy’s should come with a fire extinguisher, so 99 percent of the population would NOT think these are even remotely spicy. But I did. And I’m writing about me. LOL

In any case, the potatoes were really, really awesome. I’m so glad I saved those for last. If you want a meal with a bite for around $2.00 on sale – Chicken Mesquite is for you.

Cole’s Fine Foods: Gluten-Free Heaven Dessert

Posted in Food/Cooking by

coles angel tiramisu IMG_20150413_212947729Sometimes, there isn’t really one word to describe something. In the case of this dessert – Jeanine at Cole’s called it her version of tiramisu since she uses angel food cake instead of ladyfingers. I wasn’t really certain what to expect.

Now we finally know exactly what Sally (Meg Ryan) was having in the restaurant scene during Harry Met Sally.

Chunks of chocolate; thick, rich, sweet, creamy filling; light, fluffy, delicious angel food cake; and the bottom layer of the cake was soaked in something yummy. I don’t know what else was in there… But I do know that if heaven had an official dessert – this would be it.

I think this should be renamed Heavenmisu or Angelmisu.

Just wow. Now pardon me while I go get a spatula to scrape every bit out of this to-go container.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Cole’s Fine Foods
521 E. Holland, Suite 20
Spokane, WA 99218
Place an order: 509-419-1739
www.colesfinefoods.com

G/F Mac & Cheese Steel Cage Match: Amy’s Brand

Posted in Food/Cooking by

GF amys mac and cheese IMG_2514Last time we talked about SamMills the Corn Master’s Gluten Free Macaroni & Cheese In a creamy Cheddar Cheese Sauce. This time, we’re going to talk about Amy’s Gluten Free Rice Mac & Cheese made with organic rice pasta.

Amy’s costs about 60 cents more, was higher in cholesterol, but lower in sodium. Amy’s is non GMO, too. The stats might make you cringe a little – but come on, it’s mac & cheese! 400 calories, 16g fat, 640mg sodium, 47g carbs, and 16g protein. For those of you concerned with these, it contains calcium – 30% and Iron – 10% of your recommended daily requirements.

You can cook Amy’s either in a conventional, toaster, or microwave oven. Nice. I cooked on high for 3.5 minutes, then stirred it and cooked it for 2.5 more. It did boil over a tiny bit, but oddly enough, there was no splatter.

And let me tell you – DELICIOUS. I was so surprised. And, to make things even more interesting, there was a moose in my backyard having dinner, so we ate together. Mine had gotten cold while I was take pictures and setting up the video camera, but it still tasted really good. The consistency is excellent. Hot and hearty. For more on all the stuff Amy’s makes, go to www.amys.com

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Cole’s Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

Posted in Food/Cooking by

coles gluten free carrot cake 032815Well these things just look too pretty to eat. Yet again, Cole’s is perfect on presentation. But how do they taste?

Yum.

After sitting in my refrigerator overnight, I can tell you it’s not as moist as it would have been yesterday. But it still held together well, unlike many gluten-free products. The consistency is hearty and it’s nice to get shredded carrots in each bite. The cake itself has a very delicate flavor which is complemented – and in fact, enhanced – perfectly by the “blow-you-away-awesomeness” of that cream cheese icing. Definitely the best cream cheese icing I’ve ever had, gluten-free or otherwise. And these little cakes are very generously iced. Seriously. this icing is died-and-gone-to-heaven good. The perfectly balanced and exceptionally smooth blend of cream cheese, sugar, and I’m not sure what else, makes for umami nirvana. That’s right, I said umami nirvana. You’d better used that fast, because I’m going to trademark it.

Once again, I have a happy, satisfied feeling after eating one of Cole’s gluten-free treats. Well done.

Cole’s Fine Foods
521 E. Holland, Suite 20
Spokane, WA 99218
Place an order: 509-419-1739
www.colesfinefoods.com

Cole’s Fine Foods – Gluten-Free Goodies

Posted in Food/Cooking by

coles gluten-free scones 032715Have you ever eaten something that tasted so good that you did not want to eat anything else for hours afterwards so you could keep that taste in your mouth? That is how good the gluten-free angel food cake is at Cole’s Fine Foods. In fact, while I was there, a man who is not gluten-free came in to buy one for a cookout because he said it was better then regular angel food cake. Can’t get there to buy your own cake? Get their angel food cake mix and you can make it at home whenever you want.coles angel food cake mix 032715

coles angel food 032715I am regretting not buying that last piece of angel food cake. I wouldn’t have eaten it, no – I would have built a shrine to it at home. A little crown, a little throne, some gold coins – I don’t know. I’ve never done this shrine thing before (as far as you know). Why a shrine? Because one thing the folks at Cole’s have down pat that I have not experienced in all my years of eating gluten-free is an amazing and superior consistency that makes it indistinguishable from food with wheat flour in it.  Jeanine, the proprietor, must have thought I was nuts, because honestly, when I bit into the lemon bar, it brought tears to my eyes. No, not because it was too tart, but because, in nearly 4000 days, I have not tasted something that incredible that was gluten-free. (No, I’m not an emo. I used to be a foodie. Then food allergies came.) The dinner rolls and bread also had phenomenal consistency not usually found in gluten-free food. The flavor and consistency of the Italian herbed bread knocked my socks off. Continue reading →

Cole’s Fine Foods: Gluten-Free Lemon Bars

Posted in Food/Cooking by

coles fine foods lemon barI’m in love. Seriously. I want to marry this lemon bar. Do they allow that in Washington State? I don’t care. I’ll be an outlaw.

I just do not know how Jeanine at Cole’s Fine Foods does it. This lemon bar – the consistency and flavor – rival and surpass that of any gluten-mongering pastry I’ve ever had. How. Does. She. Do. It? </Shatner>  The pastry-style bottom has just the right amount of flakiness yet has a wonderful sort of shortbread consistency and taste to it. Most gluten-free shortbread I’ve had has been like sweetened sand. Not this. It’s perfect. As is the filling. I am in awe.

On a scale of 1-10, I give this infinity.

Run, do not walk, down to Cole’s in North Spokane and get yourself a gross of these things.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Cole’s Fine Foods
521 E. Holland, Suite 20
Spokane, WA 99218
Place an order: 509-419-1739
www.colesfinefoods.com

I’ll be writing more about Cole’s next weekend. You don’t have to wait for that, though. Go try them out for yourself.