Gluten Free Lemon Basil Pudding Cake

 

This is an amazing, decadent recipe for anyone following a gluten free diet, whether by choice or due to a disease.

Click the link below for the full recipe!

Lemon Basil Ginger Pudding Cake

 

 

From Local Markets to Your Grocer’s Freezer: Moo Moo’s Vegetarian (and Vegan!) Cuisine

by Ashley Morgan

Moo Moo’s has certainly come a long way since its humble beginnings in 2005. Owner Michele Rastelli, a devout vegetarian since her teens, dreamed up Moo Moo’s long before it became a real brand, first wanting a vegetarian restaurant and then beginning as a small brand selling to local markets out of a café kitchen. Moo Moo’s is now touted by some of the world’s largest news outlets, namely FOX and CNN. And for good reason, the meals are imaginative, tasty and made with fresh ingredients. All meals are vegetarian and many are gluten-free and vegan, as well.

 

I tried the Poblano Chickpea Patties frozen meal, which happens to be both vegan and gluten-free. The meal comes with two patties, similar to a crabcake in density and texture, atop a mixture of corn and peppers. My first impression was that it was one of the most delicious appearing frozen meals I’ve seen in a very long time, even just out of the box and still frozen. Once heated, the warm colors were comforting, reminding me of a home-cooked meal. I loved the sprinkling of paprika over the patties, giving a smoky flavor and great color.

As some of our readers may know, I eat a lot of frozen vegan and vegetarian meals. While I cannot say that any frozen meal can hold up against something freshly prepared, this Moo Moo’s concoction very successfully competes with homemade cuisine. A homerun in my book for sure.

Gluten Free, Vegetarian Delight: Garden Lites Roasted Vegetable Soufflé

by Ashley Morgan

I love how the lights in the Publix freezer section turn on and off automatically as you stroll through the aisles. I know it’s simple mechanics and motion sensors, but for some reason it always fascinates me that someone even thought to invent it. As I was making my way through the section, a light turned on just a little late, illuminating the Garden Lites box like a beacon. Despite knowing that most boxes portray perfect specimens of their products on the cover, and containing something that doesn’t even resemble it inside, something about the freshness of the colors made me have to try it. Not to mention that I love soufflés, especially vegetable soufflés. And I was not disappointed.

While the product inside may not be quite as beautiful as the one on the cover, it tastes as if I had just whipped up the ingredients myself from scratch. Carrots, onion, spinach, broccoli, egg whites, potato, zucchini, red peppers…fresh, real ingredients in a list taken verbatim from the back of the box.  And at just 140 calories, 1 gram of fat and 350 grams of sodium, it truly is as healthy as it sounds.

While it is not vegan, due to it being a real egg white soufflé, it is gluten free and full of healthy, natural vitamins and minerals. One soufflé contains a whopping 250% of the daily value of vitamin A, which is an A+ in my book.

EnviroKidz Organic, Gluten-Free, Gelatin-Free Crispy Rice Treats

by Ashley Morgan

It’s rare to find a product that is sold nationwide, but still holds that family oriented, local farming mentality. Founded in 1985, but with much older roots dating back to the 1930’s, Nature’s Path (the owners/creators of EnviroKidz) have built a company through years of dedicated organic farming and family values. I was impressed reading through their quaint, but ample website that they have such strong connections with their workers and farmers. If you have a few moments, I would suggest you read through it a little too. I’ve included a link at the bottom of this post.

When you can place a story with the product you pick up in your hands, whether in a farmer’s market or in a grocery store, something special happens. The product is no longer just a cereal bar, just a piece of fruit, just a bag of rice – it becomes your connection with the hands that made it. And that makes enjoying the product just a little sweeter.

Opening the packaging of the crispy rice treat this morning, I was immediately greeted by the wafting scent of fresh fruit. I turned over the package and re-read the ingredients, noting that the bar contains both fresh freeze-dried raspberries and blueberries. Freeze-dried doesn’t always invoke the most pleasant of thoughts, but in this bar they are lovely. All ingredients are also USDA approved organic and gluten-free. While I don’t have children, I immediately thought why other products aren’t this health-conscious. This is what we should be feeding our children – not chemicals and preservatives, basically poisons.

Nothing artificial, almost vegan (it includes organic honey), made from gluten-free organic brown rice flour and tastes better than any other crispy rice treat out there. I don’t think a healthier sweet snack exists.

Visit http://www.EnviroKidz.com/ to check out their site, I really was impressed with the scope of their dedication to organic farming. Nature’s Path will also donate 1% of all proceeds to an environmental or children’s educational charity for every product you purchase.

Vegan on the Run

by Ashley Morgan

Yesterday I needed something substantial for lunch, and since I decided this last minute, I ran out to the health food store near my job and took a peek around the freezer section. I wanted something quick, healthy and filling.

I found two items that fit into my diet, were gluten-free and vegan: Amy’s Mexican Tamale Pie and Kettle Cuisine’s Organic Carrot and Coriander Soup. Both are organic, vegan, gluten-free and 150 calories or less.

As I’d never tried either of these before, I thought I’d do a short review for our readers and take a few photos (please excuse the quality, my iPhone was the only option for photography).

Amy’s Mexican Tamale Pie  

150 Calories, 3g of Fat, 590 mg Sodium, 27g Carbohydrate, 4g Dietary Fiber, 2g Sugars, 5g Protein

Bottom line, this is filling and has decent texture/flavor for a frozen product. A thick vegetable stew topped with a polenta-like mash, for the amount of calories this really is a viable lunch option that is great for on the go.

Here is a photo of the cooked product:

I give it three carrots. It’s good, not amazing, but I’d eat it again when looking for a quick healthy lunch.

 

Kettle Cuisine Organic Carrot and Coriander Soup

100 Calories, 3g of Fat, 410 mg Sodium, 15g Carbohydrate, 5g Dietary Fiber, 9g Sugars, 1g Protein

I’m not good with spicy food, and when I bought this I didn’t think of the coriander. Therefore, anyone with a taste for heat may like this soup a lot better than I did. The soup itself is thick once you stir it and has a nice flavor, but the heat from the coriander overwhelmed me. It took two glasses of water in the middle just to continue eating it. But I did like the carrot flavor and it tasted very fresh, unlike many frozen meals.

Here is a photo of the cooked product:

I give this one three carrots, as well. Even though I personally would not purchase this again, it was not due to quality. My personal tastes just cannot handle the amount of spiciness this little soup packs!

Overview

The whole meal, for 250 calories, is filling and satisfying. Being a completely vegan meal (and me being an omnivore), this is a huge accomplishment for both brands. I really enjoy the quality that both Amy’s and Kettle Cuisine have upheld, and will continue to purchase their products.

Plus, each one was only $3.49 at my local health food store, so great on price, as well!

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Tell us! What are your favorite veg/vegan frozen meals?