Gluten-free Pasta Review

Good morning sweetpea's!

The weekend is here and I have been doing so much stuff this week, it's spring and that means getting into dirt and garden fun! I will post on those adventures another day, for now we are talking pasta. 

Store bought, gluten-free pasta throwdown along with the lowdown. I have been eating much less pasta as I seem to be having some serious carb sensitivity of late, but I decided to take one for the team & test these two noodles out. 

I do it all for you-okay, truth is I was also really craving a vegetarian rosé sauce, and figured that my monthly craving should not be ignored. Surprisingly carbs beat out chocolate and I was happy to oblige my tummy and hormones. 

So, I am going to show you some pics of the noodles I purchased, this will clarify the differences and make it easier to comment; before giving my final verdict.

There was Catelli that was a mix of gluten-free grains, it did contain corn which is not great for people like me but I really wanted to test it against the second brand.

As you can see, the Catelli was very yellow. It retailed for $2.99 and the package said it cooked in 7 minutes. 

The claim seemed rather dubious to me, if you have ever cooked gf pasta, you are well aware of the 20+ minutes, takes too long, wasting away as I wait, gonna starve, cooking times. I used to use brown rice pasta from a brand called Tinkyada but veered away from it as I grew to have some difficulty with too much rice. And the extended cook time and goopiness of the end product did not endear me to it either. At the time it was the best on the market, compared to everything else. 

Times have changed, I think? Meh. 

This was the result of the Catelli:

It cooked like regular pasta, no fuss, no muss. I didn't take pictures because it was that uneventful, it really surprised me. Oh, and it did cook really fast. That 7 minutes was not a joke, this brand will easily go to mush and leave the el dente realm; if you are not careful. 

You have been warned!

The consistency was okay, it was a bit odd because it looked like spaghetti but it did not exactly act like regular spaghetti. What do I mean?

Well, the texture was a bit rubbery? 

Yeah, I guess that best describes it. 

It also did not cling to it's spaghetti brother and sister strands, as most pasta will do; and I noticed it when I ate it. That sounds weird I know but it's true! I was eating it and felt the individual strands as I chewed, it was odd. It didn't taste bad, it didn't taste great either. It was better than old brands I have had but lacked oomph in it's la la. 

Kind of flat but I wasn't mad at it.

It felt like a familiar friend you used to know but stopped hanging with for some reason that you couldn't put your finger on; then you ran into them and decided to give them another go and realized, it would do to pass time but you wouldn't miss them when gone. This pasta left me with that feeling. That, it's okay if you're there and it's okay if you're not. I won't look for you but if you show up, I'll entertain you for a bit until something better comes along. 

That paragraph makes me sound like the most shallow excuse for a human being ever but it really does break down how I felt when eating this pasta. As for the friend, well, most of us have been there and if you're the one who is on the receiving end of the flippant response to your existence, I am so sorry. Here's a cute puppy to heal from your tale of woe:

Okay, back to pasta!

Here's the second batch from Go-Go Quinoa:

Please note the 340g Catelli for $2.99 vs the 227g GoGo Quinoa at $4.99-yikes! 

Yeah, as a Chef it really pisses me off to pay this much for a package of pasta that really only gives 1 good sized serving when cooked with probably 1/8th of a cup to spare. I have seen it at more than $5 too & did notice the price hike, with which I was not impressed, from its initial $3.49 last year; but I digress.

It's very white because it is made with quinoa, great news! 

It has no corn, yipeeee! 

Bad news? 

It clumps and clings like a mofo. 

That means you need to use a fork during cooking to seperate pasta logs, see above pic on left. Package says it cooks in 12 minutes, pfthhhh. 

Dude, took almost twenty to get that firm to the bite texture, and it needed a rinse. It gets starchy goops as it cooks but not as bad as other brands. I rinsed it and noticed the pasta was better for it. 

Taste? 

Let me say this, I really do prefer the GoGo Quinoa brand to any other I have tried so far. Their spaghetti noodles are great! They are not perfect, old school, gluten-filled pasta; however, they are the closest yet. I like the taste, it doesn't over power my sauces, is not boring, has a great mouth-feel, holds up well under sauce, is not full of water and goopiness, and twirls great on my fork and spoon!

It also went really well with my last minute, thrown together, vegetarian sauce. Big win!

It is definitely a clear winner, GoGo Quinoa indeed! Mild tasting but perceptibly better than it's counterparts.

Try it, I think you will enjoy it .

I have heard that homemade pasta is the best for gluten-free, and I was recently lent a book with recipes; so I can try my hand at pasta making. It's kind of thrilling as I have not done it since culinary school-I think. Don't quote me on that last one, it's been so long since gluten pasta making has been part of my life that I really cannot properly recall. I will try making some fresh though, as I have a new pasta maker waiting to be used. 

Will let you know how it goes, for now though, leave your comments or questions down below. I love to hear from yah & don't forget to subscribe!

Happy Saturday and Abba bless.

Canelle Bakery Bread Review

                            

Morning lovelies!

I am all about this bread and I cannot wait to share with you. 

It's a new player on the gluten-free bread scene at my local grocers, it's from a Quebec based company called Cannelle Boulangerie; not to be confused with Maison Cannelle (QC has a thing for cinnamon), has a line of breads that I think, in the history of gluten-free bread from the freezer section, blows away any bread  I have had. Yes, it was and is that good. Allow me to break it down for you. I bought the Muesli Cheri bread which was whole-grain with walnuts & a touch of honey. 

First things first, this bread is a great value; it is priced at under $6.00! I paid $5.69 and the size is bigger than my usual gluten-free breads, like almost double the loaf! I was over the moon because of the selection of flavours, flours used, whole-grain, lactose-free, non-gmo, and locally made, it was amazing to behold. 

                            

As you can see in the above picture, the slices are more on par with regular slices of gluten whole grain breads. You can see that it's still holding together-like no problem holding together! It DID NOT crumble at any point, not before toasting, not during, not after, not while being handled, (I divide my bread in half and use only half per week, the rest I refreeze)

and this was a loaf that had previously been frozen! For all you gluten bread eater's, I know this may seem like an extreme exaggeration but ask any gluten-free eater, it's a big deal.

                          

Slices were a proper thickness, not ridiculously thick or too thin, and you will adore how you can actually see the walnuts and grains in the bread. 

                         

This was the bread divided in half that I froze, the rest I refrigerated in a Ziploc bag because there are no preservative chemicals in this bread-double win!

                         

Another huge selling point for me was that it was not a brick of death heaviness, that feels like it's twisting one's intestines for the sole purpose of further torturing the gluten challenged; but I digress...

Next, it toasted gloriously! See for yourself:

                          

Most importantly, it tasted stupendously good! It was light but not empty fluff, it was crisp with good substance, a nice balanced bite, shorter toast time-including not needing to be flipped for a second side re-toast! I put butter on both, tried one with marmalade and kept one plain.

                          

I had to test the marmalade one twice to be sure I had it right, hehheh. Okay, I just like marmalade. Anywhoodles, this bread is a smashing success! It tasted slightly nutty but very mild, had a very balanced texture/crunch/flavour profile, it didn't get horribly dry, held up to spreads, and in my opinion, tasted best on its own with butter and a delightful Earl Grey spot O' tea! I am highly recommending you go out and try this brand, it's the bread you have been looking for. Especially if you were a whole grain, healthier bread eater before you had to go gluten-free. There are other flavours such as: (I tried the quinoa & it was delicious!)

And it's this wonderful group of people who are bringing us such a fantastic product, thank you so much for helping me fall in love with gluten-free bread! 

This company also has a line of mixes, desserts and a myriad of other cool gluten-free baking stuff. You really need to get out there and grab some Cannelle Boulangerie goodness!

Leave any comments or questions down below, I love to hear from you.

Have a happy & blessed day everyone!

VH General Tao GF Sauce Review

                

Good morning one & all! 

It's Saturday and what better time than now to post a review for a new gluten-free product I just discovered at a local Asian market. 

VH has finally figured out that sauces can be made without wheat and there are people who will buy it, wow! 

Now, I usually prefer to make my own sauces because I like being able to pronounce what goes into them and not expose my body to a host of ungodly chemicals that no human should ingest; but I digress; but this caught my interest.

We had to stop to get some more tofu puffs for a recipe and I was searching for a Japanese sauce I had come across in a recipe, I searched because I was wanting to check out the ingredients to see if it could be de-glutened. The latter was a dud but instead, I came across this General Tao sauce and was utterly floored to see the no gluten written on it. Feeling adventurous and realizing I was way overdue in the product review department, I decided to get a bottle. 

                   

It was just under $5.00 and I found it at

Marché Kim Phat on Taschereau on the South Shore. A bit of a trek for us but worth it because there's always so much to see there and prices are amazing! Plus there are loads of ingredients that are new to me and I get to have fun. 

Back to General Tao sauce, I have not had General Tao in YEARS, thanks to my allergies; so I was pretty psyched about this. 

First thoughts, It is much darker than the sauce I used to get on my tofu that I ordered at Wok café downtown. That one was this intense orange and v-e-r-y sweet, I liked it but having observed General Tao in other restaurants, I knew that this darker one still fell in the same category but would be more savoury. I cooked it with vegetables and tofu puffs. 

                     

It coated well and I added loads of garlic and some extra gf soy sauce to smooth out the taste. Why? Read below. 

                     

My final thoughts on this sauce? I felt it was too strong in an odd vinegary way, which totally surprised me because I have never had this sauce taste like that in a restaurant before. It needs the addition of garlic and soy. Like I said, I found it coated the tofu and veg well, was quite tasty once cooked, and was much less sweet in a good way. I would have liked a more smooth flavour that didn't sting the back of my throat and if you're looking for the authentic General Tao, you might be disappointed. It was enjoyable, for a store bought sauce but reminded me more of Hoisin with a lot of vinegar and spices. I won't buy it again but the people who ate it did not mind and we all finished our plates of food. If you don't feel to make your own sauces and need something quick/easy, then this is the sauce for you. It's decent but still not up to par with General Tao we are used to in North America.

                

On a completely unrelated note, I am toiling away on my cookbook and am happy to report that the recipe for my black bottom pecan pie, is finally ready to go in with a worthy crust.

           

She tasted so good! It was my sons request for his birthday, instead of cake. I know it seems crazy but he does not like frosting at all, you might get him to eat cream cheese frosting on carrot cake but he really prefers this pie. To be honest, I am more of a pie person myself. Simply lovely to have sweet off-set by proper flaky goodness. It took a long while but I finally got a crust I am satisfied with, that even the gluten mouths touted as tasting fantastic with a nice flakiness minus the grit. That awful grit was so tough to get away from and it is a subtle yet ever apparent texture in so many gluten-free pies I have had; good and bad. Look how lovely the bites were...

             

Although I won't be posting the recipe here, sorry, I am excited to add it to the cookbook and will announce on here when it's ready to send off and God willing, do well. For now though, here's another pic to tie you over.

               

Keep coming back because I will be posting the lovely Spirulina Apple Protein Charms recipe this week to come. Vegan treats that will fuel your workout.

             

Let me hear from you, leave comments or questions down below. God bless you!

                             

Just in Time for Valentine's: Pamela's vs Bisquick Gluten-free Pancake Mix Showdown/Review

                  

Bonjour one and all!

Today we have a showdown just in time for Valentine's brekkie in bed choices. Two pancake mixes enter the kitchen ring but only one can be declared a champion of scrumptious, golden, syrup slathered, gluten-free pancake goodness!

In the left corner we have Bisquick mix with it's familiar, yet unassuming yellow box, promising the taste of memories which some enjoy and some hope to forget. 

                 

Next, in the right hand corner we have the less seasoned, soft & newly changed package that houses Pamela's Gluten-free mix, with interesting ingredients and high performance hopes!

                

Now for the commentator pre-battle comments...

I will have to cop to the facet that we were not a Bisquick Mix home in my childhood, my mother made everything from scratch and didn't see the need for boxed mixes for things as easy to make as pancakes or biscuits. I do recall some boxed cake mixes and Pilsbury pop cans of delight here and there but never pancake mix. I think the first time I tried Bisquick or Auntie J mix was at a friend's house, in the morning after a sleep over. It was disappointing and tasted funny, kind of off, pasty, and I did not like the way they sucked up syrup. All I kept thinking was, 

"What is wrong with you Mr. Pancake? Your syrup suckage is killing my happy time, pancake morning dreams." 

I never looked back, that is, until I became unable to eat gluten. I went through a serious pancake withdrawal depression. As a chef, I was stubborn about switching over, irritated and impatient with the weirdness of gluten-free flour and it's ability to not produce results one is used to with gluten protein players. I gave up at one point and found myself in the meager gluten-free section of the super market, eyeing and finally buying a gf boxed pancake mix. 

Now let me tell you, I have tried my fair share of gluten-free pancake mixes, each one more disappointing than the last; I was not too keen on trying more. 

Then I discovered Pamela and was so happy because pancake loveliness had finally returned to my life! 

I have been at the store recently and saw that Bisquick was on special and it was gluten-free, I thought, why not? So, I am giving you the mix throw down/low down and am not mincing words. Here goes...

Firstly, the mixes were very easy to prepare, not many additions, and the batters were comparably thick. I prefer a thinner pancake so I added a bit more liquid to get the consistency I wanted.

Then I proceeded to heat ze pan and have frolicking flapjack fun! Say that 3 times fast.

Here's what the Bisquick mix one's look like, I found they were very pretty:

                   

Bisquick produced a very fluffy, light and super bubbly pancake. They were quite tasty with a slight aftertaste of starch; not off-putting but I noticed a little something. They did do the syrup suckage thing but not as badly as the original version used to do. All in all, it was an acceptable flapjack, it reminded me a bit of the Mc Donald's pancakes, not as rubbery or pasty but close in texture and taste. They use a mix as well, so this is not surprising. I know it's not the best comparison but Mickey D's was what first came to mind when I tried them.

Next, Pamela's. 

Her mix cooked a bit differently and I found the final product was better for it. I swooned for the slightly crisped edges that were also a bit puffed, the smooth, rich taste, and delightful texture. They did absorb syrup but the pancakes tasted so good with it that I did not mind, and I even added some frozen cut cranberries when I cooked a few, to off-set the sweetness and I was not disappointed. My family and friend's really enjoyed these and even went out to the stores to buy their own mix from Pamela, and they do not eat gluten-free! Poppa Bear buys this whenever we are together, we eat these together with fruits and turkey bacon-which I scarf shamelessly; and somehow the mix magically vanishes when I am away.

Pamela's was hands down the winner in this taste test and that is with good reason, if you look at the ingredient's listed in Pamela's mix versus Bisquick's, you will quickly understand the why. Pamela's uses almond meal, a better variety of gluten-free flours, and buttermilk powder. This means something else though, you will pay more for this product and I have noticed a big price jump since 2016 arrived. As our planet suffers, so too does our food supply and it is impacting our wallets at the check-out; whether you buy gluten-free or not, I am sure you have noticed. Apparently this trend will continue. With regards to pancake mixes, I prefer to pay a bit more for quality, support businesses that are using ingredients that matter to me. It means I just choose to indulge a bit less often. If your budget is tight, bisquick is still a good choice, however, Pamela's is one to aim for when you can.

                

Keep an eye out for this winner in your health-food stores and let me know which you prefer in the comments section down below. I love to hear from you!

                 

Thai Crispy Rolls Review

Good day lovely people, review time today and I think it's gonna be interesting. We're talking Thai Crispy Rolls.
Let me say, that these were a wonderful addition for my gluten-free, surprise, last- minute find. I have never heard of Thai Crispy Rolls before and boy am I ever glad that has changed!

I discovered these recently at our local Asian market, I was checking out Mochi, then cookies, and pretty much became sad and wistful for gluten-filled goodies until my eyes fell on this packaging. I was sure they were full of wheat but decided to check out the ingredients, just for fun. Low and behold, these use white rice flour and taro. Super cool and yes, they were quickly bought! Taro is a root that is used quite a bit in Asian cuisine, snack foods, and desserts. I was thrilled because these looked like wafer roll cookies I used to eat back in the day, which were filled with hazelnut cream.
Firstly, these are not a "healthy" snack, as they contain sugar. However, for 6 rolls there is only 4 grams of fat, 115 cal, and 1 gram of protein. Not too shabby for a treat.
When I removed these from the package, they were very much intact which was quite amazing, considering how fragile these are. They are beautiful rolls of crisp, tightly layered, baked dough, which I am assuming is made much like a crepe. They look really pretty and would be stunning as a finishing touch on a dessert, like a mousse.


I tasted these with a hot cup of Earl Grey tea, another time with apple juice, and I had them with almond milk as an afternoon break on the weekend after working on the cookbook. My first impression was hopeful, this quickly turned to delight as I bit into its crispy, light, dense yet airy-if such a thing is possible, mild coconutty, perfectly balanced sweetness. It was just as blissful the following times and I went a step further on the almond milk try by adding some Nutella. Yes, it was a glorious wonder, and I was flooded with childhood memories of hazelnut filling wafers, once more!

These are definitely on my recommendation list, they are not expensive either. I paid $2.99 Canadian and the bag is not all air, we tried a different brand and they both tasted the same, the only difference was the second type was shorter and a bit more densely packed, with regard to the crispy layering.
The only down side to these, if I must mention one, is that they are very delicate and they break easily. This is normal, they are a super thin, layered wafer cookie. When you bite them they flake and crumble a bit, just tilt your head back or keep your hand open, to catch the crumbs.
I broke mine in half and poured the crumbs in my mouth as they broke,delicious crispiness. You gotta try these!

That's all for now folks, I leave you with the joy of geeky expression by way of these awesome Star Wars snowflakes made by a very talented someone out there. I liked Chewbacca best, which one is you fav? 

Baked 2 Go Bakery & Bread Review

Good day lovelies, we recently made an excursion to Baked 2 Go Bakery or Boulangerie de Pointe on St. Laurent street in Montreal on the Plateau. My mother has become a big fan of their white bread which we had gotten in a shop somewhere else a while back. She ran out of bread, so we decided to take a trip and I figured it was a perfect opportunity for a review. Slam!
Upon arrival we were thrilled to have found parking right in front, they are in between Rachelle and Mount -Royal street which can be difficult for parking, if you are familiar with Montreal, I need not say more.
We walked inside and I immediately went into snap happy mode, I had called before to ask if this was okay, as I was doing a blog write-up; plus we reserved 2 breads which they were kind enough to offer to slice. I have to come clean, this was not my first time at this shop, I had gone before on my own but was in a bit of a rush so I didn't have much time to look around. It was an in & out burger kinda moment. Upon arriving this time, we took in the place, quaint, serene, and very clean, were my first thoughts. It could be seen as a bit cool because of the clean and modern lines but the wood, orange/ browns, and white colours, along with the layout and posters, lend this shop a comfortable relaxed atmosphere.
Look down below:


                                        
                                         

                                        
Baked2Go began in 2013 with a concept from four family members who applied food science, a deep grasp of the nutritionally conscious, and a heartfelt desire to create gluten-free items that gave options to those with gluten related illnesses and multiple allergies. It looks more like a laboratory in the back, less like traditional bakeries I have worked in, and they wear lab coats when baking. They take cross contamination very seriously in this shop which is great for people like us who cannot take chances with our health. Re-living the gluten response nightmare is not wanted or necessary.
What I like about this "advanced" bakery, as they call it, is the attention to detail. They have everything clearly labelled, not just gluten-free but also soy-free, corn-free, vegan, etc. It's brilliant because gluten sufferers often have multiple response triggers and may still be unable to partake in gluten-free treats because other allergens are present. Look at the different offerings, there were Madeleine's, submarine/baguette breads, loaves, cookies, mini cakes, muffins and more!


The signs are very clear, all is well labelled and often things are individually wrapped. V-E-R-Y cross contamination conscientious indeed. They also make an effort to have higher protein in their items, cool for those looking for higher protein options. They also make a concerted effort to keep it locally grown when using ingredients, whenever possible.

Their fridge was well stocked with one of my favourite Kombucha lines, Rise. I was happy when I saw that they had my maple blueberry-yum! There's coconut water, if you prefer, you can have specialty hot coffee and tea.

I do want to say that the first time I went to this bakery, I found the service was much better, however, the young lady serving us this last time may have been a bit frazzled because of the pics and questions. In all fairness, she was nice. I was just a bit surprised that she didn't make an effort to give more information since she knew I was doing a blog review; as I stated earlier, I think she may have been frazzled.
I tried the bagels, which were nice. They get a crispness on the outside when toasted. Not exactly the chewy bagel consistency but still a good substitute. Everything was so well laid out, it was such a pleasant shopping experience because of the various signs and different goods.


Time to move on to what so many people specifically go to this place for, the butter croissant's. Truth?
Nope and nope.
Sorry Baked2Go, I am not trying to be mean, I am just keeping it real.
Do not expect that light, flaky, fluffy, buttery croissant. You will be sorely disappointed.
I was so looking forward to these, I was over the moon at the thought that I had found the croissant nirvana I had missed. Honestly, these things were a huge let down. I wasn't the only one who tasted them, I had bought these on my previous visit and had shared them with another gluten-free diner, we were both sad after the first bite. These things reminded us of a thick, layered, pie crust dough reminiscent of a Rugelach cookie without the tasty cinnamon or fruit additions. They were heavy, man, were they heavy! Like a brick in your stomach heavy, very greasy, dense, and I will not be spending the high price for one of these little guys again. The only thing they got right on these were the shape. I know there are people who will be happy to have these and the chocolate croissants flavour, which is fine, but I am speaking as a trained Chef who specializes in gluten-free. This was not what was promised and I can not recommend them. However, there are some awesome things below that I highly recommend and feel Baked2Go has outshone the competition on, so read on.


This bread is divine! It is a wonder in the gluten-free landscape! Remember when you used to be able to eat a piece of bread that didn't need to be toasted? Or could be eaten with just butter? Or that was squishy goodness when slathered with PB & J? This is the one to make your heart sing and your pleasure sensors walk down memory lane and do a dance of joy. Yup, that good. Look at the foldability, the fluffy yum, plus it holds up under heavy toppings and absorbs perfectly. No mush, no heaviness, no bad mouth feel, and best of all-no crumble!!!!!
It freezes well, it toasts perfectly and is reasonably priced. Only draw back? Has cornstarch. However, there is a vegan whole-grain version that I prefer and that one was corn-free! So go get em'.

The baguette was a slightly weaker version of the regular loaf bread, it's okay but not as good as Louise Sans Gluten. If you want a different roll for sandwiches, hoagies, or subs, this will be fine. It doesn't have the French Baguette crunch with chewy that we French natives are familiar with.

By far the coolest thing, decoration wise, was this dude by the cash! My inner geek was thrilled and giggled when I saw Darth Vader holding business cards in the corner by the cash.
This is Baked2Go's addy, you can check out their website which I am linking as well. I would suggest you make it a stop on your gluten-free travels in Montreal, it's worth it.
Baked2Go
4255 Boul St-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2W 1Z4
www.baked2go.com