Well, tomorrow I find out if I have what it takes to be Master of something (heehee). My thesis defense is tomorrow afternoon, so I'm once again glued to the computer working on my presentation. I wish I had a picture of me pulling my hair out :) I'm actually relieved that the day has come. I feel like I've been working on this forever, and I'm ready to be finished.
If I pass the defense, there will be plenty of exclamation points in tomorrow's post!
Wish me luck!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Galbusera ZeroGrano Line Gluten Free
Occasionally, I have come across an Italian brand of products at my local grocery store called Galbusera. As a kid, we would sometimes eat their crackers or melba toast-like bread products at my grandma's house.
A few months ago, I stumbled across the brand in my local Longo's, with a large red Gluten Free sticker across the front of one of the packages. The product was a large cracker, made with rice flower and with a hint of rosemary. My son really liked them, and they were sophisticated enough to serve to adults as well.
Since there were no other products with the big red sticker on them, I figured that was the only cracker they made without gluten.
Turns out I was wrong.
My husband took my son to visit some friends this weekend in Aylmer, Quebec, not far from Ottawa. (While I was working on my thesis presentation. I will be happy when this is over!) While there, he picked up some simple cookies for my son from the same company. The cookies are the crumbly, sandy-textured cookies that are great for dunking in milk or coffee. They come wrapped in single serving packages of a few cookies each, making it great for packing in lunches, while ensuring that the others in the pack stay fresh for longer.
So, I did a bit of research and discovered that this company has a line of 5 different gluten free products. The product line is called ZEROGRANO. It includes the crackers, the cookies, a chocolate chip type cookie, a chocolate cookie with a vanilla cream centre, and a wafer style cookie.
The website is only in Italian, and the packaging of the product is in Italian as well, with stickers in English and French placed on them for sale in Canada. I've only found them at Longo's, but my husband found the cookies at a mainstream supermarket in Quebec.
If you can find them, I highly recommend them. The crackers and the cookies taste really, really good and the product is good quality. They stay fresh for a long time, and the packaging is convenient for travel or snacks on the run. A great product to add to the list of gluten free options!
A few months ago, I stumbled across the brand in my local Longo's, with a large red Gluten Free sticker across the front of one of the packages. The product was a large cracker, made with rice flower and with a hint of rosemary. My son really liked them, and they were sophisticated enough to serve to adults as well.
Since there were no other products with the big red sticker on them, I figured that was the only cracker they made without gluten.
Turns out I was wrong.
My husband took my son to visit some friends this weekend in Aylmer, Quebec, not far from Ottawa. (While I was working on my thesis presentation. I will be happy when this is over!) While there, he picked up some simple cookies for my son from the same company. The cookies are the crumbly, sandy-textured cookies that are great for dunking in milk or coffee. They come wrapped in single serving packages of a few cookies each, making it great for packing in lunches, while ensuring that the others in the pack stay fresh for longer.
So, I did a bit of research and discovered that this company has a line of 5 different gluten free products. The product line is called ZEROGRANO. It includes the crackers, the cookies, a chocolate chip type cookie, a chocolate cookie with a vanilla cream centre, and a wafer style cookie.
The website is only in Italian, and the packaging of the product is in Italian as well, with stickers in English and French placed on them for sale in Canada. I've only found them at Longo's, but my husband found the cookies at a mainstream supermarket in Quebec.
If you can find them, I highly recommend them. The crackers and the cookies taste really, really good and the product is good quality. They stay fresh for a long time, and the packaging is convenient for travel or snacks on the run. A great product to add to the list of gluten free options!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Gluten Free Weekly Menu Plan
Monday: Vegetarian Fajitas with Corn Tortillas, Black Bean Spread,
Guacamole and Fresh Tomato Salsa
(This has to be made the same day, so everything doesn't go soggy)
Tuesday: Gluten Free Pasta Bake with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Chicken in a Creamy Sauce
Wednesday: Steak and Vegetable Stir Fry over Rice
(I have my thesis defense this day. If I pass, we're going out instead!)
Thursday: Pureed Lentil and Vegetable Soup with Crostini
Friday: Chicken Fingers and Oven Crisp Potato Wedges
Guacamole and Fresh Tomato Salsa
(This has to be made the same day, so everything doesn't go soggy)
Tuesday: Gluten Free Pasta Bake with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Chicken in a Creamy Sauce
Wednesday: Steak and Vegetable Stir Fry over Rice
(I have my thesis defense this day. If I pass, we're going out instead!)
Thursday: Pureed Lentil and Vegetable Soup with Crostini
Friday: Chicken Fingers and Oven Crisp Potato Wedges
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Udi's Makes Gluten Free Baguettes!
I almost forgot to post this! Last week we picked up a frozen gluten free baguette, made by Udi's. The baguette had the look of a traditional baguette, although it's about half to three quarters the length of a regular one.
It needs to be popped in the oven for a few minutes before eating, to get the outside nice and crispy and the inside fluffy and soft.
We ate ours the first night to accompany our meal, and I have to admit it was pretty good! did it trick me into thinking I was eating a gluten filled baguette? Not exactly. But it was a perfectly respectable substitute, and one that's been sorely lacking in our lives!
The texture of the bread doesn't hold up well the next day, unless it's reheated. I sliced what was left and popped the slices in the toaster. Slathered with some jam for breakfast the next morning, they were delicious. They'd also make great crostini in the oven, drizzled with some olive oil and salt.
I was enjoying the bread so much that I forgot to take any pictures. Guess I'll just have to buy another loaf!
It needs to be popped in the oven for a few minutes before eating, to get the outside nice and crispy and the inside fluffy and soft.
We ate ours the first night to accompany our meal, and I have to admit it was pretty good! did it trick me into thinking I was eating a gluten filled baguette? Not exactly. But it was a perfectly respectable substitute, and one that's been sorely lacking in our lives!
The texture of the bread doesn't hold up well the next day, unless it's reheated. I sliced what was left and popped the slices in the toaster. Slathered with some jam for breakfast the next morning, they were delicious. They'd also make great crostini in the oven, drizzled with some olive oil and salt.
I was enjoying the bread so much that I forgot to take any pictures. Guess I'll just have to buy another loaf!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Sorry for the Light Posting This Week
This week has been a busy one, and I haven't had a chance to plan out my posts as well as I generally like to. I have end of semester marking to get done, as well as preparing my presentation for my thesis defense next week.
Forgive me?
I'll be posting tomorrow, and the menu plan will go up as usual on Sunday.
Happy Friday!
Forgive me?
I'll be posting tomorrow, and the menu plan will go up as usual on Sunday.
Happy Friday!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Marking, Marking, and More Marking
Exams started today, and with it came a pile of marking. Keeping my energy up with water packed fruit cups, gluten free granola bars and fruit smoothies!
Oh, and dreaming where I'd like to go on my next vacation!!!
Oh, and dreaming where I'd like to go on my next vacation!!!
 |
| South of France, Anyone? |
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The End of a Semester & the Start of Something New
The new year has just begun, but at work the end of January is when Semester One ends where I teach. This time of year is always busy- last few days of classes, exam prep, and tons of marking. It's a time of transition for both students and teachers, and everyone feels a little worn down by the time exams actually start.
On the flip side, the start of a new semester also brings with it all the excitement and change that starting something new entails. I'm looking forward to the challenge of a new semester, and starting the second half of the school year. In the meantime though, I've got essays to mark. So I'll cut this short.... Until tomorrow!
On the flip side, the start of a new semester also brings with it all the excitement and change that starting something new entails. I'm looking forward to the challenge of a new semester, and starting the second half of the school year. In the meantime though, I've got essays to mark. So I'll cut this short.... Until tomorrow!
Monday, January 23, 2012
Product Review: Sweets From the Earth Chocolate Cake
While at Metro this weekend, I saw a new Gluten Free chocolate cake product from a local Ontario company called Sweets From the Earth. The box was fairly small for a cake, but the size of many gluten free baked goods are smaller than regular ones, so that didn't put me off. I thought that $14.99 was a bit expensive, but since many cakes are ten dollars and up, I picked up a box. It's tough to find gluten free baked desserts that are also dairy free for my son, so when I find one, I give it a try.
I have mixed feelings about this product. I'll begin with the positive.
The Good: This product tastes really good. It has a dense texture, which is more like a brownie than a cake. There's a generous layer of chocolate frosting on the top, with a flavour that reminds me of the homemade frosting my mom would make when I was a kid. Thick, sweet and chocolately with a homemade feel is the way I would describe this product.
The Not So Good: There were some things that I didn't love about this product. The cake is baked directly into the box, so it would make it difficult to present the cake in an attractive way without trying the lift if from the bottom in one piece or cutting the edges off the box. Also, as I mentioned above, it doesn't actually remind me of cake in the traditional sense of the word. To me, this product is a classic brownie, and I actually wish it was marketed that way, because then I wouldn't have been expecting something different.
The Verdict: While I really like the taste of this product, I think that the $14.99 price tag for what is essentially a package of brownies is too high. I don't mind spending extra money for a specialty product that is too difficult or time consuming for me to make myself, but I can buy 2-3 gluten free brownie mixes for the price of one of these chocolate cakes. For that reason, this won't be one of my go-to products.
I have mixed feelings about this product. I'll begin with the positive.
The Good: This product tastes really good. It has a dense texture, which is more like a brownie than a cake. There's a generous layer of chocolate frosting on the top, with a flavour that reminds me of the homemade frosting my mom would make when I was a kid. Thick, sweet and chocolately with a homemade feel is the way I would describe this product.
 | ||
| The cake, still in the box |
The Verdict: While I really like the taste of this product, I think that the $14.99 price tag for what is essentially a package of brownies is too high. I don't mind spending extra money for a specialty product that is too difficult or time consuming for me to make myself, but I can buy 2-3 gluten free brownie mixes for the price of one of these chocolate cakes. For that reason, this won't be one of my go-to products.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Gluten Free Weekly Menu Plan
Today is a VERY big football day, so although I cooked, I didn't take pictures. Here's what we're eating at our house this week.
Monday: Chicken Parmesan with Potato and Sweet Pepper Salad
Tuesday: Chili Con Carne with Tortilla Chips
Wednesday: Chicken & Rice Soup with Spring Vegetables
Thursday: Pork Gumbo Served on a Bed of Long Grain Rice
Friday: Spinach Quiche in a Gluten Free Pie Crust & a Mixed Salad
The pie crust used for the quiche was a store bought, frozen crust, and I'll be doing a review of it this week. I've also got a review for the chocolate cake I picked up at Metro.
Now it's back to football!!!
Monday: Chicken Parmesan with Potato and Sweet Pepper Salad
Tuesday: Chili Con Carne with Tortilla Chips
Wednesday: Chicken & Rice Soup with Spring Vegetables
Thursday: Pork Gumbo Served on a Bed of Long Grain Rice
Friday: Spinach Quiche in a Gluten Free Pie Crust & a Mixed Salad
The pie crust used for the quiche was a store bought, frozen crust, and I'll be doing a review of it this week. I've also got a review for the chocolate cake I picked up at Metro.
Now it's back to football!!!
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