Tag Archives: gluten-free meals

More Goodies at Cole’s Fine Foods

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Here’s a round-up of some more of the delicious menu that you’ll find at Cole’s Fine Foods. Don’t mind if the photos don’t exactly match the specific items. I’m a little disorganized at the moment! Trust me, it’s all good.

coles-perfect-chocolate-cupcakes-032715German Chocolate Cupcake: If you love chocolate, these cupcakes will knock your socks off. The cake part of this treat is bursting with chocolate flavor. It’s so good, it doesn’t even need icing. But it gets icing, and man, this icing is smooth, decadent, and delicious. The coconut filling adds just a hint of creamy sweetness to the center. Honestly, cut this guy in half; don’t eat it all at once. Just wonderful.

coles-pizza-032715Pesto Pizza: It’s what’s for lunch, or what should be. Wonderful flavor, excellent consistency, and one of the great pleasures of eating this pizza is the amazing aroma that fills your senses before each bite. And it tastes exactly how it smells – which isn’t always the case with food.

coles-fine-foods-lemon-bar-img_20150327_171407221Dairy-free Lemon Bars: Yes, the orgasmic lemon bar now has a dairy-free sibling, and without putting them in a taste-test side-by-side, I couldn’t tell the difference. So all you non-dairy folks, get on over to Cole’s and enjoy one of those.

Cole’s now also has even more vegetarian offerings, and an awesome new take-out freezer where you can buy prepared pizza, desserts, pie crusts, and more, and cook them up in your own house. Personally, I’ll leave the cooking to the talented Jeanine, but either way, you’ll always find something excellent at Cole’s.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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 Quiche

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coles-quicheGooey strings of cheese follow your fork as you break off each piece. Fantastic consistency – not rubbery, sweaty egg like some gluten-free quiches, but more thick and hearty. And that’s even after it sat overnight and I microwaved it for 60 seconds. As you all know by now, I’m not a fan of peppers, but this had just the right amount of red peppers to complement the flavor, so I didn’t even pick them out. I know, crazy, right? And the artichoke hearts added such a lovely flavor.

Unlike so many gluten-free quiches, this one holds together so well (yes, and has a flaky, delicious crust that holds together, too), that you can pick it up with one hand and eat it. I’m amazed. That crust was really awesome. I’d love to try it underneath some pumpkin pie (hint, hint).

Another awesome creation by Cole’s Fine Foods. If you don’t live in Spokane, see if they’ll ship one of these babies to you. You’ll love it.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Lean Cuisine Herb Roasted Chicken – GLUTEN FREE

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lean cuisine comfort herb roasted chicken gluten free

Click to enlarge

Well, this was surprising. After cooking this meal in Lean Cuisine’s “Comfort” food series for 6.5 minutes on high, I was expecting rubber. Not so.

The chicken was a large piece of white meat breast – and you could even tell by looking at it that’s what it was. The sauce on it was a light, yet savory, cream of mushroom style with real mushrooms in it. I’m not sure where they get “herb roasted.” Maybe it was, but I couldn’t taste them. The mushroom sauce complemented it nicely, so I didn’t miss the herb flavors. The red potatoes in fact had their skin on and were very tender. The broccoli was just a hair overdone (I like it really well cooked anyway, but if you like it crispy, forget about it), and those veggies were inundated with red peppers. Why???

The outside edges of the chicken were a little tough, but it was cooked in a microwave, so what do you expect? The consistency isn’t horrible by any means, but it certainly doesn’t have the pull-apart moistness of a fresh-roasted chicken. But what do you want for $1.88 on sale?

Here are your nutritional statistics:

ONLY 170 calories; 4g fat; 510mg sodium; 18g carbs; 16g protein.

Despite the fact that red peppers were fused via nuking to a couple of the potatoes, this one’s a winner in my book.

RECOMMENDED

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

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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.

Eating Right Gluten Free Carnitas Bake

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BAKED CARNITAS IMG_3876I know what you’re thinking: what’s a Yankee with a sensitive palate doing eating a Carnitas Bake? Answer: living dangerously.

I have to say, this Carnitas Bake by Eating Right is a bit spicy, but I’m picking the green peppers out, so maybe that’s toning it down a bit. Okay, and I’m also picking out whatever looks like a red pepper.  I will be honest, I actually like this.

It does have a kick to it, but I don’t mind it. The overall flavor is pleasant and a bit on the sweet side. I guess that is balanced out by the peppers for most people. The consistency is fine – I cooked it for 5-1/2 minutes and just the very outside edges of the tortillas got a little hard and crispy. It probably could have gone for 5 instead. There is plenty of meat which is moist and not chewy.

It holds its heat for a nice, long time, too. My only suggestion would be that you might like to add some grated cheese across the top of it. I think it would be great with some guacamole and sour cream.

So, if you want something a little spicy for only about $2.99 – this is a winner. Available at Safeway.

Recommended.

Quick and Delicious Gluten-Free Breakfast

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RANCH SCRAMBLE IMG_3872I have a love/hate relationship with eggs. I hate the smell. I love the protein. I won’t eat them if they’re runny. I love that they’re versatile and easy to prepare. I also do not like ranch dressing. Yes, I know, there is actually one human being alive who doesn’t like ranch. Whatev. But I do like the small company Litehouse, and I do like their OPA dressings which are super low in calories and high in protein. And, two negatives make a positive, right?

In this case, yes.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbs OPA Ranch Dressing
  • 1 tbs Cream or Milk
  • 2 slices Udi’s White Sandwich bread

Break eggs into a small, non-stick skillet. Add cream and dressing. Stir with plastic fork or whisk until thoroughly mixed. Cook on your preferred setting until your level of doneness is achieved. Meanwhile, toast bread.

Boom – done. One pan, one plate. Easy cleanup. No nasty egg smell in the house. In less than 5 minutes, you have a delicious, different, protein-rich meal for any time of day – not just breakfast.  Eggs and ranch…I’m thinking a quiche might be next… Nah, too much work. You try it and tell me how it goes. 😉

Click here for more on Litehouse OPA Ranch dressing.

Real Food, Real Taste and Gluten-Free: Bistro Sensations

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Bistro Sensations Smoked Mozzarella SausagesI love it when something good happens by accident. But when something great happens by chance, well then – I’m going to tell everyone.

I was in Wal-Mart and saw Bistro Sensations Smoked Mozzarella with Artichoke and Garlic fully cooked chicken sausage in the refrigerated section. I have no idea why I picked up the package. When I turned it over, surely enough, it said gluten-free. That was all I needed to see! I was also pleased that they contained no soy (although they are not labeled as soy-free).

When we got home, we put those sausages on the grill. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best): I give them an 11. Even my gluten-mongering spouse loved them. Great flavor, great texture…I felt like a normal person eating normal food. That doesn’t happen too often.

The sausages were not greasy. The seasonings were just right. We had 1-1/2 sausages each with some beans. That left one sausage. I decided to make a crustless quiche with it the next night.

There are no seasonings other than salt in the following recipe because I wanted the flavor from the sausage to be the feature of the dish.

Sausage & Cauliflower Crustless Quiche (Gluten-Free)

  • 5 eggs
  • 1 cup of cooked cauliflower
  • 1 Bistro Sensations sausage link
  • Salt
  • Dash of milk or half and half
  • 1 cup of Italian shredded cheese
  • Pam for grilling or oil

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Grease pie pan.
  • Chop up cauliflower and sausage.
  • Spread half of each on the bottom of the pan.
  • Beat eggs.
  • Add milk/cream and salt. Beat some more.
  • Add shredded cheese and stir.
  • Pour 3/4s of the egg mixture into the pie pan.
  • Scatter the other half of the cauliflower and sausage evenly through out the pan.
  • Pour the rest of the egg mixture into the pan, covering the rest of the ingredients.
  • Cook for 30 minutes.

Let sit for about 5 minutes to set, then cut and enjoy. Makes 4 generous slices as a main course.

Enjoy!

This article originally appeared on Celiac-Disease.com on April 17, 2010 at http://celiac-disease.com/real-food-real-taste-and-gluten-free-bistro-sensations/  Unfortunately, it is not clear if Bistro Sensations sausages are still available. I’m sure other brands will work just as well.

G/F Mac & Cheese Steel Cage Match: SamMills Brand

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gluten free mac and cheese IMG_1892

No one said there would be math.

At the WalMart store in Colville, Washington, there is an impressive selection of gluten-free foods in the freezer section – for a non-health food store, anyway. This is where I discovered SamMills the Corn Master’s Gluten Free Macaroni & Cheese In a creamy Cheddar Cheese Sauce.

At $2.97 for 8 ounces, vs. Amy’s at $3.58 for 9 ounces, it was worth trying. It is wheat free, soy free, egg free, tree nut free, peanut free, fish free, shellfish free, and gluten free. Phew!

While I was in the store, I glanced at the cooking instructions. “Cook on high for 3-1/2 minutes” in the microwave. Super easy. Sold.

Then I got it home and went to cook it. That was when I really read the instructions:

Gluten free mac and cheese IMG_1887

  • Cook on HIGH for 3-1/2 minutes
  • Remove film, stir well and cook thoroughly until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

SAY WHAT? No one told me math would be involved. *Sigh*

Seriously, cooking to a certain temperature is my most hated thing. I take this stuff very seriously, and if I can’t get it up to temperature, am I supposed to throw it away? I mean…

Anyway, I finally got it to 165. That was kind of a pain. It didn’t look too bad. And, it had very good flavor. The pasta consistency was similar to slightly undercooked, but I like it that way. I’d much rather have pasta I can sink my teeth into than have mush. So, the SamMills Mac & Cheese was good, but the cooking part was a bit stressful for me and sort of lessened the enjoyment of the dish. For more on SamMills products, go to www.SamMills.eu.

Tune in next time for Amy’s Rice Mac & Cheese.

EATING RIGHT Gluten Free Homestyle Chicken & Rice Pasta

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eating right chicken IMG_3866I do not like peas. I don’t. I’ll eat them, they don’t repulse me or anything, but I find the flavor tends to overpower dishes. So, I ate all the peas out of this first. (Or I tried to, anyway. There were a lot of them.) Problem solved.

So, peas must have been on sale that day because this was loaded with them. There was a generous amount of chicken, but I only saw a few mushrooms, a couple of carrots and one piece of celery. I’m a meatatarian, so that didn’t hurt my feelings any. By the way, the chicken was not overcooked at all. It was a little chewy, but not like pretend chicken nugget processed yuckiness – if you know what I mean. It’s definitely real chicken. The pasta was tender and al dente. Well done, Eating Right.

Despite all my whining and complaining, I really liked this. It has the rich, creamy flavor of a cream of mushroom soup casserole. It’s hearty, and it was hot as hell after cooking it for 6.5 minutes and then letting it sit for 2. I like my food hot, so that made me happy, too. For $2.67 on sale, I am very, very happy. (Normal price $2.99)

Now to the particulars:

340 Calories, 13 grams of fat, 75 mg cholesterol, 700 mg sodium, 36 grams carbs, 20 grams protein.

Okay, so maybe a little high on the fat and sodium, which is probably why it tastes good.

At that price, I’d do it again. Definitely recommended!