Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Gluten Free Cooking Class @ Formaggio Kitchen

Have you ever wanted to know how to make those delicious pre-gluten free comfort foods like gnocchi or chicken pot pie? I do! If you are in the Boston area on Sunday March 4th, you should check out this great event being held at Formaggio Kitchen's Annex in Cambridge. 

I used to live around the corner from the Formaggio when I was in the South End. This was one of my favorite places to wander into for a last minute dinner and also the place where I found the epic Salsa Divino from Desert Pepper. If I didn't already have somewhere to be that day, I would most certainly be attending this class.

For more details on the event and to sign up, check out the event's website. Class admission is listed as $45/ person and comes with lessons as well as great recipes and plenty of tasting. 

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

A Tale of Two Soups: Part 1 (Kettle Cuisine Review)

A little while back, Kettle Cuisine was kind enough to send me samples of six of their gluten free soup options to try. 

Here is a run down of the soups, their basic nutritional values and of course my comments.

Angus Beef Steak Chili with Beans


Calories: 250
Fat: 9g
Sodium: 540mg
Carbs: 21g
Fiber: 8g
Protein: 22g

Comments: 
This is a really tasty soup and probably one of my favorites. For a soup that comes frozen, the steak pieces have great texture and taste. I, of course, shamelessly loaded the soup with low fat cheese. This isn't a commentary on the soup quality... I just like cheese. Overall, it's fairly low in fat and calories for the amount of protein and fiber it packs. This is a great lunch soup that will keep you full well into the afternoon.


New England Clam Chowder













Calories: 310
Fat: 17g
Sodium: 620mg
Carbs: 26g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 13g

Comments:


I grew up in Massachusetts and am very fussy about my chowder. This clam chowder has a good consistency, the right amount of potatoes/ clams/ onions etc. and it's seasoned nicely. Personally, I like my chowder a little thicker, but this one is still good. However, since it has a high fat content, (like any chowder), this is a sometimes/ special treat soup for me. 

Chicken Chili with White Beans
















Calories: 320
Fat: 15g
Sodium: 570mg
Carbs: 23g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 25g

Comments:
This is a hearty stick to your ribs soup that is great after a day of running around in the snow or this season... a winter hike. I shared some with Mike and he really liked it as well. Again, it's slightly higher in fat, but unlike the chowder, it has a solid protein content and a good dose of fiber.



Roasted Vegetable Soup
















Calories: 190
Fat: 9g
Sodium: 620mg
Carbs: 23g
Fiber: 7g
Protein: 4g

Comments:


This soup was good, but it wasn't one of my favorites. It made a good accompaniment for half a turkey wrap and packs a fairly solid amount of fiber, which I keep mentioning is good for satiety and keeping your blood sugar stable.

Thai Curry Chicken Soup
















Calories: 330
Fat: 11g
Sodium: 560mg
Carbs: 44g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 13g

Comments:
I love almost anything curry related and this soup was no exception. The sweet, yet savory flavor mixed well the basmati rice and chicken. I wasn't too sure about the mushrooms at first, but they seemed to grow on me after a few spoon fulls, (pun intended). 


Tomato Soup with Garden Vegetables













Calories: 110
Fat: 3.5g
Sodium: 710mg
Carbs: 16g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 13g

Comments:
This was a fantastic addition to the mozzarella, tomato and basil sandwich that I brought for lunch. I seriously can't get enough of tomatoes these days! They are so good. The soup has wax beans and green beans, which add nice texture along with the carrots and other vegetables. For only 110 calories, it gives a warm winter boost to your everyday sandwich.



Overall, I've liked Kettle Cuisine's products from Day 1. Their gluten free options allow me to enjoy delicious soups without having to spend the time to make a full batch myself. Don't get me wrong, I love to make soups, but this is a big time saver when you're in a hurry. I think the only criticism I could give the soups is that most of them have a fairly high sodium content, which isn't really good for you. The tomato soup with garden vegetables has a shocking 710mg of sodium for a little bowl of soup. I think that if Kettle Cuisine ever added lower sodium versions to their gluten free line up, I would be totally smitten.

Kettle Cuisine's Soups can be found in the freezer section of your grocery store and come in little black bowls. They're pretty handy as emergency lunches and good with dinner after a long day out of the house. 

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

How's It Going?

It's been more than a few weeks since my last post. Both product reviews and restaurant reviews have come to a stand still and the restaurant list is in dire need of updating from all of your excellent suggestions!


So, what have I been up? Wedding planning! Our wedding is less than two months away and we're currently in crunch mode. Also, along the way I managed to injure my lower back and have been in physical therapy twice a week. Add that to a commute that is over an hour on a good day and my beloved blog gets put on the back burner in favor of keeping my head above water. 


Please note any food allergies


Fortunately, my soon to be husband has been seriously helpful with grocery shopping and cooking. About a month ago, my friend was helping me into my wedding dress that I had purchased from Vow's in Watertown, Ma last summer. It fit, but was dangerously snug. Amid all the chaos, I had packed on more than a little bit of weight and was on track for seriously letting out my dress or having to buy a new one all together. Panic ensued and an Internet search for a diet began. I wound up finding a diet plan from Women's Health that claimed you could lose 10 lbs in a month if you followed it. I wasn't so sure that would be the case, but I figured I would try it anyways. After the first week of being hangry, (angry because you're hungry), my body adjusted and I've actually never felt better. The diet was easily adapted for my gluten free requirements and the fact that I have a sheet of paper telling me what to eat has taken the extra stress of healthy meal planning off my plate, (pun intended). 


We still have a lot to do, so articles may still be sporadic until April, but keep your eyes out. I recently received samples from Kettle Cuisine that I'm in the process of writing the review for and there's also going to be an article written about my very gluten free wedding shower and of course a final review on Willowdale Estate's gluten free wedding capabilities.