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Parma! Vegan, Plant-Based Alternative to Parmesan Cheese (Review)

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Parma Vegan Parmesan

Parma! Vegan Alternative to Parmesan Cheese

Okay, first of all, I have to say this: Even if you aren’t a vegan and aren’t actively looking to add more plant-based foods to your daily life… you will want to continue reading and you will most certainly want to try the Parma! products.

Trust me. I am not TOTALLY in either of these camps either – although I do enjoy a lot of vegan and plant-based meals and recipes, I do not exclusively eat this way. The more I read about healthy ingredients, however, the more closely I look at the ingredients in everything I buy. When it comes to ingredients, I want there to be as few as humanly possible, I want to be able to pronounce each ingredient, and I want to be able to recognize each one as an actual food.

  • The ingredients for Parma! Garlicky Green Vegan Parmesan: Nutritional yeast, sunflower seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, garlic, Himalayan salt, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, kelp, basil, oregano
  • The ingredients for Parma! Chipotle Cayenne Vegan Parmesan: Nutritional yeast, sunflower seeds, walnuts, Chipotle (roasted jalapeno pepper), Himalayan salt, hemp seeds, onion, cayenne

If you’re one of the ones who is looking for a vegan and plant-based answer to Parmesan cheese…  this is your lucky day. These products are absolutely delicious.

Baked Potato

Baked Potato

Since I had to give up gluten and wheat (celiac), I have been very mindful of my eating. Years of eating food I didn’t fully realize were doing harm damaged my digestive tract and (even after 10 years), it’s only recently showing huge improvement. Eating more healthy foods (and keeping a keen eye on ingredients!) has helped.

The simple truth is, the healthier you eat, the healthier you feel and the healthier you are. If you’re interested in health and how what you eat influences it (which I assume you are since you are still reading!), you know as well as I do that oftentimes vegan alternatives and plant-based foods and ingredients can be disappointing. I have bought so many products that sounded like Heaven and tasted like… well you know.

I believe more of us would eat a lot healthier if the healthier was tastier. All indications point to the fact that the people behind Parma! fully, fully get that.

I was a bit nervous about trying these products. They were sent to me in exchange for telling you all about them – completely honest and upfront about whether I liked, disliked, hated or loved them. Before I first tried them, I was actually thinking about how I would be able to write a review about something while saying, “Didn’t care for it, myself, but…”

I guess I just didn’t think it’d be possible to create a delicious alternative to Parmesan Cheese. Here’s the thing: I’m a cheese fanatic! I use Parmesan cheese in and on everything.

Now can you see why I was nervous??

Parma Vegan Parmesan

Parma! Vegan Parmesan

Imagine the look on my face when I opened the two bottles, tasted each and literally said, “Wow… Delicious!” after each one.  Same script, same words, same shocked and delighted expression.

These are both nutty, delicious, and incredibly flavorful. The Parma! Chipotle Cayenne Vegan Parmesan has a little heat but not (at all) too much. It’s outstanding.

The Parma! Garlicky Green Vegan Parmesan is equally delicious with a subtle and wonderful taste of garlic. I made a potato casserole (pictured below) a few nights ago and, whereas I normally use cheddar cheese, I wanted to try smoked Gouda instead. I added a little minced garlic and some of the Parma! Garlicky Green Vegan Parmesan – it was delicious!

Potato Casserole

Potato Casserole

I have also used EACH of these products on baked potatoes. My favorite way to enjoy them on a fresh baked potato (white or sweet) is to sprinkle it directly onto the potato, followed by butter and whatever else I’m in the mood for.

Recently, I made baked potatoes and topped them with some of the Parma! Chipotle Cayenne Vegan Parmesan before adding butter, sour cream, chopped scallions, and thinly sliced Romaine lettuce (you’d be amazed how much Romaine adds to a baked potato). The Parma Parmesan gave the potato so much flavor! I’ve since also used the other variety of Parma! on baked potatoes. Phenomenal!

Things I love about Parma! Vegan Parmesan:

  • The products are gluten-free and are made in a dedicated facility.
  • They’re dairy free – whether you eat keto fulltime or part-time (like me), the more food you can enjoy that’s keto, the better. Any swap (from dairy to non-dairy) you make counts toward better health.
  • The products are Kosher.
  • They’re delicious!

In addition to the uses pictured and named above, I have also loved using these products on popcorn (DELICIOUS!), gluten-free toast, in and on Chaffles, sprinkled on asparagus, on gluten-free pasta, and sprinkled on gluten-free bread… parmesan bread never tasted so good!

These are truly delicious and I hope you’ll try them as soon as possible.

Where can you buy Parma! Vegan Parmesan?

  • There are stores across the country that carry the wonderful products (none anywhere near me, however!). When you visit their website, you can find use the map to locate the deliciousness near you.
  • Shop for the products directly from their website!
  • Parma! is available on Amazon – so if you’re already throwing things hot and heavy into your cart (surely I’m not the only one), throw in a couple of bottles of Parma! and get ready to be amazed. Nutty, wholesome, flavorful, and CRAZY delicious.

To read more about Parma and the CEO (Shannon Schnibbe) behind the deliciousness, click here.

 

 

Coconut Recipes: The Complete Coconut Cookbook

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The Complete Coconut Cookbook (Coconut Recipes)

Outstanding Coconut Recipe Collection

The Complete Coconut Cookbook (Amazon link) may as well have been written with me in mine – I love coconut that much. My undying devotion to coconut extends outside of the kitchen with coconut-scented lotions, bath gel, conditioner, candles, etc… but it’s in the kitchen where the real magic happens.

When I was contacted about reviewing a cookbook devoted entirely to coconut recipes, you can imagine how quickly I jumped on the idea. There’s just something about the wonderful, unmistakable flavor of coconut – ESPECIALLY during the summer. Obviously, I eat and cook with coconut, coconut oil, coconut sugar, and coconut milk all year, but in the summer I think I love it even more.

After all, it tastes like summer and smells like summer.

The Complete Coconut Cookbook (Amazon link) is a beautiful paperback cookbook with 200 excellent, easy recipes and packed with gorgeous photos. I am honestly tempted to buy a copy for the photos alone. They’d be so beautiful framed and grouped on a wall.

I love that the recipes are gluten-free and grain-free and anyone with nut allergies will appreciate that they’re nut-free as well.

Book Description:

Coconut is a “hot” ingredient among foodies, primarily for its rediscovered healthy impact.

Always a delicious ingredient and often a decadent treat, coconut is now embraced with a new enthusiasm that borders on obsession. Its rich, smooth and creamy textures add to the compelling and considerable health and nutrition benefits of pure coconut products.

Despite the mounting evidence supporting the health benefits of coconut and the ever-increasing number of coconut products in supermarkets, comprehensive guidance on how to use such products lags behind. The Complete Coconut Cookbook offers home cooks the delicious, convenient coconut using its entire range of special ingredients.

Everyone, from hardcore health-foodies to recreational cooks and everyone in between, will enjoy these all-natural, high-energy, top-notch coconut recipes which can all be made with ease and flair. The 200 innovative recipes cover a broad spectrum of fresh flavors and textures and provide delicious and dependable results. Perhaps most importantly, there is a complete nutritional analysis for every recipe.

Camilla Saulsbury includes coconut recipes for virtually every occasion and every time of the day: Breakfast, Breads and Muffins, Beverages, Salads, Vegetable Sides, Soups and Stews, Main Dishes, Cookies and Cakes and Desserts.

For example a nutritious start is Coconut Waffles, a late afternoon snack is Coconut Flour Zucchini Bread, and a sit-down hearty dinner is Southwestern Sweet Potato and Poblano Soup.

An unusual feature is a comprehensive section on the science of coconut nutrition along with a survey of user-friendly nutrition information about each coconut ingredient and “how-to” data for each coconut product. ~ From Amazon (link to the cookbook on Amazon)

Some of the wonderful recipes in The Complete Coconut Cookbook Include:

    • Sunflower, Pepita and Chia Granola
    • Coconut Chia Breakfast Bowl
    • Cranberry Orange Muffins
    • Hot and Sour Coconut Soup
    • Green Chile Chili
    • Stuffed Portobellos
    • Japanese Ginger “Noodle” Bowls
    • Cauliflower “Rice”
    • Coconut “Bacon”
    • Crispy Coconut French Fries
    • Steamed Broccoli with Tahini Coconut Sauce
    • Sautéed Spinach
    • Coconut Shortbread
    • Mashed Sweet Potatoes
    • Coconut Butter
    • No-Bake Lemon Coconut Bars
    • Plus many, many more recipes (and did I mention the many gorgeous photos??!)

In addition to the wonderful recipes (they are certainly the main stars) and full-page gorgeous photos, I also love the wonderful section at the front of the book praising the health benefits of coconut and detailing the perfect “coconut pantry.” Great stuff.

Finally, I also love the extra health and nutritional information included about some of coconut’s co-stars:

  • Cranberries are loaded with disease-fighting antioxidants and are a good source of vitamin C as well.
  • Active compounds in ginger have anticancer properties and have actually been shown to DESTROY color, ovarian, and rectal cancer cells.
  • The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin, an antioxidant that has been shown to fend off cancer growth.
  • Turmeric is also good for your heart’s health.
  • The book is filled with similar information… priceless information.

I whole-heartedly recommend adding  The Complete Coconut Cookbook (Amazon link) to your cookbook library. You’ll be so glad you did… and you’ll know what to do with all that coconut flour, coconut milk, and coconut oil you’ve stocked up on! (oh wait, that’s me)


Frothy Warm Vanilla Milk Recipe

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Hot Milk in a Great Rita Hayworth Mug

Warm Frothy Vanilla Milk

I have always been a fan of hot drinks – make that fanatic. Basically, I have a hot drink of some type near me at all times – coffee, hot tea, hot chocolate, apple cider… doesn’t matter if it’s winter, spring, summer, or fall.  As someone who has had bronchial asthma all of her life, I’ve always appreciated the way a hot drink keeps my airways open. In addition to better breathing (always a good thing), I simply find a cup of warmth comforting.

When I read earlier this year that drinking hot drinks, frequently, was thought to keep one safer from getting COVID, I let out a whoop… I had something already in my corner to help me.

This recipe is for something that is much more delicious than it sounds. It’s fun to experiment with different milks (cashew, almond, coconut, and even lactose free – each of the nut milks are outstanding fixed this way). My favorite milk to use is Coconut milk. A word of warning, if you use a nut milk with added vanilla, omit the extra vanilla – or add less. If you add too much, you’ll basically find yourself drinking vanilla.

I put my hot vanilla milk into my Blendtec (Amazon link), but any blender would certainly do. I simply use my Blendtec daily, so not using it would make it worry what had happened to me.

Could you make the Frothy Warm Vanilla Milk without a blender? Absolutely. You just can’t call it frothy – doing so would be a violation against kitchen protocol, you know.

One of the best things about adding this recipe to your rotation of warm drinks is the fact it is caffeine free (perfect for evenings and young people) AND warm milk promotes better sleep. Win/win!

Hot Milk in Rita Hayworth Mug

Delicious With OR Without Cinnamon On Top


Easy Dill Tartar Sauce: An Easy Tartar Sauce Recipe That Happens to Be One of the Best

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Easy Dill Tartar Sauce

Easy Dill Tartar Sauce: One of the Best

As I’ve said before on the food blog, one of my favorite tartar sauce recipes is from the Barefoot Contessa (The recipe is here… it’s outstanding.). I’m such a fan of that particular tartar sauce that I honestly stopped making any other version for over a year. But then, I got a little tired of having the same one each time, so I switched things up a bit. The result is honestly a tartar sauce I like just as well… maybe, just maybe, even better.

Don’t tell the Contessa!

My recipe calls for Duke’s Mayonnaise, simply because it’s the only one I buy and use. If it isn’t available where you live, simply use your favorite. The main thing is that you use mayonnaise and not salad dressing – it really makes a difference.

As for the sweetener – I’ve made this using sugar, stevia, and Truvia and there is no difference whatsoever. Use whatever sweetener you choose to use.


The Best Honey Mustard Salad Dressing… Easy and So Much Better Than Store-Bought

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Honey Mustard Dressing and Salad

Honey Mustard Dressing

I am an absolute salad fanatic and feel there is no hope for me to be anything else. When we go to restaurants (when there isn’t a global pandemic, of course), I give one extra points for a great salad. If they bring out a salad that obviously came from a bag, it doesn’t much matter what else they do to try to impress me, they’ve already lost me.

And salad bars…..  holy cats do I ever love those?!

Tossing modesty aside, though, none of them can beat the salads I make at home. There are several reasons, I suppose, but one is I get crazy creative and experiment, not only with different vegetables, but also different greens (and combinations of greens), cheeses, seeds, herbs, and other fun additions like real bacon bits, baby corn, dried cranberries, etc.

Another special touch that turns an average salad into a delicious experience is a great salad dressing.

I prefer to make the salad dressings we use for several reasons:

  1. Since the pandemic, I find that the more things I can make at home, the fewer things we run out of and have to go get. I always have the staples on hand for my favorite dressings (French, Honey Mustard, Ranch, and Vinaigrette), so having my favorites in a rotation simplifies my life and keeps me out of stores!
  2. You can control the amount of sugar and/or salt in your dressings. Some of us like things a little less sweet than others or a little less salty. When you make the dressings, yourself, you have full control over what’s added.
  3. I love the idea of avoiding additives!
  4. I have to eat gluten-free (health reasons) and anything I can make, myself, gives me more peace of mind.
  5. Most importantly…. they simply taste A LOT better. Even if there weren’t a 1, 2, 3, and 4 above – I’d still make my own salad dressings for reason 5 alone. I mean, come on… taste trumps everything else!

The easy recipe, below, is in my opinion the absolute best honey mustard dressing recipe you’ll find. This is my go-to dressing for grilled chicken salads and I also love it on a great chef salad.

Obviously, adjust the amount of honey to suit your own tastes – Dijon mustard too, as far as that goes. However, I would suggest starting with this combination first – this way you can tell if you, personally, want less (or more… I won’t judge!) honey.

Tate’s Bake Shop Gluten Free Coconut Crisp Cookies

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Tate's Bake Shop Gluten Free Coconut Crisp Cookies

Tate’s Bake Shop Gluten Free Coconut Crisp Cookies

I haven’t been very active on the food blog (or any of my blogs for that matter!) lately. My computer crashed and crashed hard a while back and, on top of that, I have been so affected by the pandemic that (truth be told) I allowed everything to get me out of my regular routine. While my family, thanks be to God, hasn’t been personally touched by the Coronavirus, the fact that so many other families have been touched and often tormented by it has shaken me to my core. For better or worse, I am an insanely empathetic person and don’t just feel other’s pain.. I FEEL it.

I decided a few weeks ago to stop reading every news story and stop visiting personally (through social media) with every person who has suffered a loss. I made the decision to pray for them but not to read every single thing going on. It’s keeping me sane.

Ironic thing is, just when I made this decision and decide to get back into my normal routine – my computer checked out on me!

2020 has a real attitude, doesn’t it?

Back to “Normal”ish

If you’ve read my food blog before or know me, personally, you know that Cookie Monster is my spirit animal. I love cookies… I live for cookies. They’re one of my favorite things to bake and eat! So I decided to jump back into the food blog with a review of some extra, extra wonderful cookies I just discovered: Tate’s Bake Shop Gluten Free Coconut Crisp Cookies (link to the cookies on Amazon). I had never seen them on store shelves before, but recently saw them at my favorite grocery store in the “cheap” bin.

If I’d ever seen them before, there wouldn’t be any of them left to go in the bargain aisle – I’d have bought them all!

These cookies are absolutely outstanding. They have such a distinctive and delicious taste of coconut (one of my favorite flavors), while giving an extraordinary crunch – something, as a dunker, I appreciate in a cookie. While these cookies were (past tense, we ate them all) fantastic right out of the bag, they were Heavenly with coffee as well.

These cookies are available on Amazon (gluten-free as well as the original) and I couldn’t recommend them more highly. I just noticed that there is also a Tate’s Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip (Amazon link) cookie and I am pretty much beside myself.

This human Cookie Monster feels like it’s Christmas morning.

I hope and pray that you and your loved ones are well and safe. I’m thinking of you and praying for you. I hope you will, now – more than ever, find the things that bring you joy and embrace them every chance you get. For me, that’s family (including my cats!), cookies, and old movies.

Stay positive and stay safe. We will get through this! ~ Joi

Tate's Bake Shop Gluten Free Coconut Crisp Cookies

Tate’s Coconut Crisp Gluten-Free Cookies with Coffee

Tangy Southern Coleslaw: Fast, Easy, and Oh So Delicious!

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Tangy Southern Coleslaw

Tangy Southern Coleslaw

One of my biggest culinary obsessions is coleslaw – it goes with so many things.. and those few things it doesn’t conceivably go with?

I make it go!

The only drawback to loving a particular food so much is it makes you hyper picky when you order it in restaurants (or, worse yet, when a family member makes some and it tastes like a movie prop!). Let’s be honest, really truly wonderful coleslaw is a work of art and not many people pass for artists.

This particular easy, but delicious southern coleslaw is spot on – a work of art that’ll make you a Picasso.

My personal favorite coleslaw is usually vinegar-based, but I wanted to add some creamy tanginess to the mix (literally), so  I opted to sort of combine a creamy coleslaw and a vinegar coleslaw. That’s where the buttermilk comes into play. It may sound unusual, but it really does make things interesting.

And delicious!

Notes:

  • I specify Duke’s Mayonnaise simply because it’s the one I always buy and use in my recipes. I simply think it’s the best. However, using Hellman’s will not alter the recipe. In fact, it’s pretty much the same… don’t tell my beloved Duke’s that though.
  • This is outrageously delicious on or beside a chili dog or pork sandwich.
  • One of the things that makes “Southern Coleslaw” in fact “Southern Coleslaw” is the sweetness. Our capacity to eat sweet food is unequaled. If you want to add a little less sugar, feel free to cut back a tad. However, a certain amount is very, very necessary to balance the acidity of the vinegar.


Chaffles 101: A New Obsession for MANY Reasons

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Chaffle Waffles

Chaffles with Blueberries… Delicious!

Have you ever heard of Chaffles? Whether you eat Keto, gluten-free, or simply love trying out fun, delicious new food trends, you’re going to love these!

First of all, what is a chaffle? The basic chaffle is simply 1 egg (beaten) with 1/2 cup of shredded cheese (usually mozzarella, because it’s neutral in flavor, for a basic chaffle)… combined and cooked for 3-4 minutes in a waffle iron or chaffle maker.

Why I, Personally, am OBSESSED with Chaffles:

  1. I have to eat gluten-free (health reasons) and chaffles (even when you add extra ingredients) are gluten-free. However, unlike most gluten-free waffles, breads, etc.. they don’t cost an arm and a leg. Heck they don’t even cost one limb. Shredded cheese and an egg. That’s it.
  2. I have been experimenting with “Keto” recipes because I’m cutting into the number of carbs I eat. I’m not cutting them out, mind you, but I figure I can at least cut back on the number of carbs I consume. The best way I’ve found to do so is to experiment with Keto recipes. Chaffles are Keto-Friendly.
  3. They are crazy fun to make and to experiment with. The options are endless. If you’re making chaffles as “waffles,” you can try a lot of different fruits and/or nuts. My favorite is blueberries but other berries are delicious as well. If you want your chaffle to serve as bread, add a little garlic powder. When I make them for pasta, I use a little extra mozzarella (makes them crispier) and add some garlic powder before cooking. I also make a melted garlic butter for dunking them in. I promise… the flavor is exactly like garlic cheese bread. Before I had to give up gluten/wheat, one of my favorite things to make was garlic cheese bread – French bread with butter, garlic, and melted mozzarella cheese. When I first took a bite of chaffles made with garlic, dipped in melted garlic butter, the flavor took me right back to the French bread. Without the large carb count OR gluten.
  4. I happen to have a hiatal hernia which doesn’t normally cause problems. However, because of this guy, I need to eat frequent, smaller meals and dense food can be a problem. Gluten-free bread and certain other gluten-free food is about as dense as dense gets. Chaffles provide a softer, far less dense way to enjoy waffles, sandwiches, ‘toast,” etc.

The Original Chaffle Recipe by It’s Creator (Not Me)

The video below is the original Chaffle recipe and video from the creator of the chaffle, Kat Keto Doss (link to her YouTube Channel). Unfortunately it is not me.. I’d love to have been that clever! I felt it only fair to include the creator in an article about chaffles. Many have taken the premise and have come up with new techniques, new flavors, new creations, etc. but this is the brains behind the entire food craze.

(Continued below…)

When making chaffles, I, personally, combine the cheese and beaten egg and place it directly on the waffle iron on in the chaffle maker. Simple as simple gets. I don’t follow a strict Keto diet, either, so I never weigh my cheese – I use 1/4 cup, plus usually a tiny bit extra down on the bottom of the iron and a little extra on top of the egg mixture before I close the iron. This adds a little extra crunchiness and I just appreciate the golden brown color.

Chaffle Waffles with Blueberries

A Few Personal Tips of the Trade When Making Chaffles

  • I’ve found that I prefer finely shredded cheese over the traditional shredded cheese, but I guess it’s a personal thing.
  • If you like for them to have a firmer texture, allow them to sit a minute or two when you remove them from the waffle iron or chaffle maker.
  • While I do have, use, and love a chaffle maker, I use my Hamilton Beach Waffle Maker more than the Dash chaffle maker. The chaffle maker is ideal for making one (or even two) chaffles if you’re cooking for one person and I use it for my own lunches throughout the week. However, if you’re using chaffles for making several sandwiches or if you’re cooking for several people, the traditional waffle maker is much faster. The waffle maker also makes them larger, obviously, so there is more chaffle to nom on! However, the chaffle maker make a super cute size for small sandwiches (extra delicious with sausage and egg).
  • Chaffles EASILY replace waffles. Just be sure to use mozzarella or the taste will be way off. Basically, you don’t want your cheese to bring any flavor with it, which is why mozzarella perfect for the job. When you add a little butter and syrup, I promise you, you’ll be convinced you are eating good old fashioned waffles. It honestly just blows me away.
  • I love pizza chaffles – they’re an ideal way to conquer pizza cravings. I make them as I would a normal chaffle, but add a little oregano before pouring into the iron. I always add a small amount of mozzarella to the iron as well. While the chaffle is cooking, I warm some pizza sauce (my favorite is Classico, but any will do). When the chaffle comes out of the waffle iron or chaffle maker, I add a little sauce and Parmesan. I normally top mine with sliced olives, but any toppings will do. It’s usually best if you warm the toppings up first, as well as the sauce.
  • You can add a little coconut flour, gluten-free flour blend, rice flour, or almond flour to give your chaffles a more bread-like consistency. I’ve done this before when my chaffles were pulling garlic bread duty. It’s excellent also for pizza chaffles.

Whether you eat keto, lazy-keto, gluten-free, or simply want to cut unnecessary carbs, you’re going to love chaffles. I hope you’ll try them asap. You’ll be hooked!

Below is a keto, gluten-free (and delicious) way to enjoy chili dogs without bread – I made chaffles with cheddar cheese and piled the hot dogs, chili, cheese, and onions on top. It was seriously, seriously good!


Gluten-Free Black Bean Burgers

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Gluten-Free Black Bean Burgers and an “Olive Garden” Style Salad

One of my three beautiful daughters is a vegetarian, so I’m more than a little familiar with protein patties and “fake” hamburgers. In fact, I used to love them almost as much as she does! However, when I had to give up gluten/wheat, it meant giving these up as well.

Thankfully there are some outstanding gluten-free breadcrumbs on the market, so I can make my own black bean burgers anytime I feel the urge… which is often because I am addicted to them.

I make black bean burgers differently almost each time I make them, but the recipe below (the way I made them this afternoon) is my favorite. It has the most flavor and I love the  combination of bell pepper and red onion. The Worcestershire sauce (use Lea & Perrins if you have to eat gluten-free) also adds a little extra something something.

{Below is the recipe, if you simply want to see it! More about gluten-free black bean burger options below the recipe, if you’re interested…}

While most people prefer black bean burgers on buns, toasted bread, or in wraps, I prefer mine alongside soup or a salad. For whatever reasons, I’m just not a big sandwich person – but soup or salad? ALL DAY!

For my black bean burgers (and meatballs and salmon patties, too, for that matter), I always use Kroger’s Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs (the original version for black bean burgers and salmon patties, the Italian Seasoning for meatballs.). If you don’t have a Kroger near you, there are other gluten-free breadcrumbs on the market. If all else fails, make your own!

When I make black bean burgers, I never saute the vegetables beforehand, simply because I like the crunch and texture. If you had rather your vegetables be softer, saute them first. Your burgers, your call, by gosh. Speaking of which, feel free add or subtract the vegetables and even seasonings I’ve used. This combination, in my opinion, makes the most flavorful black bean burgers – and, trust me, you don’t get heat from the hot sauce… just flavor.

One final thought about black bean burgers – they’re an EXCELLENT go-to burger if you’re trying to completely give up meat or simply trying to eat less meat. When you add the toppings you normally would to a burger, black bean burgers almost always satisfy the “meat cravings” people normally experience.

 

 

On The Go Edamame Tropical Fusion Snacks: Gluten-Free, Low in Sodium, and Delicious

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On the Go Edamame Tropical Fusion Snacks

I recently received samples of a delicious new snack I know you’ll love as much as I do. These are On The Go Edamame Tropical Fusion Snacks. In addition to Tropical Fusion, these Edamame Fusion Snacks are also available in Berries Fusion and Goji Berry Fusion.

When I first heard about these snacks, I was completely intrigued. When I’m on the receiving end of snacks, gluten-free food, seasonings, etc., my emotions usually run the gamut from excited (when I just KNOW something will be delicious) to dubious (“How is this going to taste??“). However, this is the first time I can honestly say I was simply “intrigued.”

One of the reasons why is that I am the world’s biggest edamame fan. Seriously, I am addicted. I always have at least one bag of frozen edamame on hand – usually two. I love it popped in the microwave, salted, and set right in front of me….. and I really don’t like to share!

I also LOVE edamame in tossed salads and pasta salads. Delicious!

But… in a snack mix???

Like I said, it had me intrigued. Probably like the first time Popeye heard about Green Smoothies. Intrigued.

As soon as they came, I opened the box, quickly took pictures of the packets, and tore into one. Nevermind the fact that I was in the middle of cooking lunch – I had to know what they tasted like.

Suffice to say I nearly ruined my lunch by eating a packet at once.

Every single bite is delicious and nutritious.

I (obviously) love that they’re gluten-free – but that’s just one of the many things to love.

{Continued Below….}

On the Go Edamame Tropical Fusion Snacks

Edamame Infusion Snacks Are…

  • Preservative Free
  • Gluten-Free (worth mentioning twice)
  • Sulfur Free
  • Good Sources of Protein
  • Good Sources of Iron
  • Good Source of Fiber
  • Perfect for Lunch Boxes or Backpacks
  • Ideal to keep in the desk door for snacking

Since I’m one of those people who has low blood sugar, I always keep a snack in my purse – just in case I find myself in need of something to eat before I drop to my knees. Carrying snacks in handbags, pockets, lunchboxes, or backpacks can be tricky. Chocolate melts, cookies crumble, granola bars… well, let’s be honest, sometimes I’d rather deal with dropping to my knees. Snacks such as this are always fresh and delicious. They won’t crumble, melt, or taste like cardboard doing an imitation of oatmeal.

I’m a huge fan of granola bars, could you tell?

Visit On The Go Snacks to learn more about their different snacks – this particular one is completely out of this world.

Where to Buy: You can find On The Go Edamame Fusion Snacks on Amazon. I’ve linked to the Tropical Fusion variety, but the others are there as well.