The Chart House, Weehawken, NJ

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Last weekend my family and I spent a night in Weehawken. We arrived late and had limited options for dinner because everything was booked. The Chart House was very close to our hotel and luckily we were able to get a reservation for 6 at 8:15pm. This location is beautiful. The ambiance is unparalleled. The restaurant site on the end of a dock on the Hudson River, surrounded by water on all 3 sides of the floor to ceiling glass walls, with incredible views of the city.

The Boston location is also located on the Waterfront, in a historic building, providing a unique dinning experience. I think both locations are really special in their own ways and provide an extraordinary dinning experience.

Before I start on the food there is one thing I need to relay to you, and hopefully someone from The Chart House will see this too and do something about it: Educate Your Staff!! It was incredibly unnerving how uninformed our waiter was about the menu. He told me the coconut ginger rice was not gluten free, yet I read another gluten free review in which she ate it (and didn’t get sick). When he brought our appetizer, specially stated gluten free, it came with pita chips and fried plantain. My gluten free menu only said fried plantains, so I knew the pita was not gluten free. But I asked, just in case this was a wonderful surprise. He said the plantains were not safe to eat but he was pretty sure the pita was ok, he just wanted to double check. I was shocked! Pita is not gluten free and it is hard to find gluten free pita, never in restaurants. I asked the waiter to bring me a separate basket of fried plantains since there were about 4 in the pita and cracker basket. Later, I found out these are not fried in a gluten free fryer. Another point I’d like to add. After writing this post, I googled other gluten free dining reviews at The Chart House and there are a remarkable number of negative reviews. So, please please please be careful and make sure your waiter is well informed. If you do not feel comfortable ask to speak with the manager. This is such a shame because this is one of the best seafood restaurants I’ve been to.

I praise their efforts for having a gluten free menu but when compared to the regular menu it doesn’t even come close. There are very few options, which is frustrating because the main menu looks incredibly delicious with creative and mouth-watering dishes.

The food was excellent. The fish was fresh and every dish was exceptionally prepared and extremely flavorful. For appetizers we shared the Crab Avocado and Mango Stack. A large portion of jumbo lump crabmeat tossed in remoulade, layered with avocado and mango. This dish was beautifully presented, refreshing and delicious. The remoulade had a nice little kick to it with minimal cream or mayonnaise (not sure which one was used). It was loaded with crabmeat, and surprisingly, it was not salty.  I think this was the best, most flavorful dish we ordered, and it should not be missed. You must order it.

We also shared the hummus trio; a classic combination of traditional, roasted red pepper and edamame hummus served with plantain chips. Luckily the hummus is gluten free, always, and the only mistake our waiter made was serving us pita chips. This made me nervous that he didn’t inform the kitchen I had a gluten intolerance. The hummus platter was ok. The roasted red pepper was actually one of the best I’ve had, better then Cedar’s! The traditional was just like every other hummus, there was nothing to make it stand out, and the edamame lacked flavor. FYI, the plantains are fried in the same fryer as gluten so be ware. This is a great appetizer for sharing, the amount of hummus was more than enough for the 6 of us to share. I would suggest skipping this one and sticking to what they do best – seafood.

For my entrée I chose the Bronzed Fresh Fish. A pan seared, savory balance of sweet and spicy, topped with jumbo lump crab, dice fresh tomatoes and lemon shallot butter served with steamed vegetables. It also came with mashed potatoes, which was not stated on the menu. I ordered the sauce on the side, and it was delivered this way, but the tomatoes were missing. When I inquired with the waiter he said tomatoes were not part of this dish. Excuse me, but the menu says they are. I didn’t argue though, I had enough with him, he clearly did not know the menu well. The fish was very tasty, cooked to perfection and more spicy than sweet. The crab meet was incredibly salty, which was a big shock after eating the not-at-all salty crab appetizer. The mashed potatoes were actually pretty good, and this means a lot coming from a mashed potato hater. My sister loved them and ate most of them.

Website: http://www.chart-house.com/

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Gluten Free Vegetable Lasagna

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This delicious Gluten Free Vegetable Lasagna can also be made dairy free by omitting the cheese.IMG_2758

Recipe by Katelyn Dennis

Ingredients:

1 Box GF Lasagna Noodles (I used Tinkyada Brown Rice Lasagna)
8 small mushrooms
1 box frozen chopped spinach
1 egg
1 16 oz container of fat free ricotta cheese
Half of one white onion
1 garlic clove
1 zucchini
1 jar gluten free pasta sauce
Shredded Italian cheeses (mozzarella, Parmesan)image-1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Bring a large sauce pan of water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles so they are just under al dente (about half way cooked). When done, drain the noodles and set aside.

Chop up the onions, mushrooms, and zucchini.  Sautee onion and garlic for 3 minutes then add in mushrooms and zucchini and cook for about 5 more minutes so the vegetables are about half way cooked.image-2

Mix together egg, ricotta cheese, spinach, salt & pepper in a small bowl. *if not using cheese, add spinach to other vegetablesimage-3

Layer in a baking dish the tomato sauce, noodles, spinach & ricotta filling, tomato sauce, ½ of the vegetables, noodles, spinach & ricotta filling, the rest of the vegetables, noodles, tomato sauce and top with shredded Italian cheeses.image-5image-4

Cook for 40-45 minutes.

Brunch at The Sinclair with the Boston Brunchers

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IMG_2913I had my first brunch experience with the Boston Brunchers at The Sinclair in Harvard Square this past weekend and I had an absolute blast! The girls were all so friendly and fun and we talked for hours, literally, 2.5 to be exact! We sat on the newly opened roof deck and enjoyed not only a sunshine filled afternoon but also a fantastic tasting menu of their unique brunch menu and cocktails prepared by Chef Michael Schlow.

We started off with the Mimosa Flight. A trio of mimosas including, from left to right, Tradtional OJ and Cava, Novara-Mango Campari and Cava, and the third, my favorite, Orchard Pear Austrian Liqueur, Nectar and Cava.IMG_2914

I wasn’t sure what to expect as this was my first brunch with the Boston Brunchers but I was thrilled that we were going to sample many different menu items. The menu looked delicious and the whole morning leading up to brunch I just couldn’t decide what I was going to order!IMG_2911

Our first course was a Misty Point Virginia oyster with pink peppercorn, cucumber ice and vinaigrette.IMG_2918

For our next round of cocktails we enjoyed the Smoked Pork Belly Bloody Mary made with house smoked vodka and Bloody Mary mix and topped with Pastrami’d Pork Belly & a Grillo’s Pickle. I was skeptical about the pork in my drink but it was so tender and tasty. Surprising the bloody Mary did not have a strong pork flavor.IMG_2920

One of my all time favorite foods is Smoked Salmon so I was thrilled for this next course; Smoked Salmon topped with pickled Thai onions, capers and pickled chilies.IMG_2923

Our next we tried a cold white asparagus soup, made with very little dairy. It was thick but not heavy and refreshing after sitting in the beaming sun for over an hour. IMG_2926The next course was my favorite – fried calamari. I am rarely able to order this at any restaurant, so you can just imagine how thrilled I was when our waiter put one in front of me and told me it was gluten free! The calamari was battered in potato starch and cornmeal, not your typical flour! It was lightly breaded and I could still taste the freshness of the fish. The Tom Yum Gai Sauce had a slow heat and was not straight on spicy, thank goodness!IMG_2930

For our next cocktail we were served the Tiger Lily, a refreshing concoction of Corraiejo Tequila Blanco, Aperol, grapdefruit juice and soda water. Refreshing and delicious!IMG_2932

Just when we thought the meal was over we were served a succulent duck confit on top of a sweet potato and beet hash. There was an ample amount of duck and I loved the creative take on a traditionally boring potato hash breakfast dish.IMG_2933

Our waiter was extremely friendly, asked us many questions and took a genuine interest in listening to us talk about our blogs. He was attentive but never rushed us. The manager and the rest of the wait staff were equally as friendly.

The Sinclair offers an innovative menu and fresh food and absolutely worth a trip during your next venture to Harvard Square. The menu is made up of small and large plates, as well as dishes designed to be shared with the whole table. Now that the weather is nice I suggest opting for the outside patio or sitting in the bright sun-light second floor dinning area for a light snack or full meal, there is something for everyone.

Note: Brunch at The Sinclair was provided to me free of charge as I won a spot with Boston Brunchers. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Gluten Free Dinner at Joe’s American Bar & Grill

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This week I was invited to attend a Gluten Free Dinner at Joe’s American Bar & Grille with Amanda from Marlo Marketing/Communications and Amanda Humphrey of Gluten Free Hub. I had such a great time with these two ladies, chatting about food, restaurants and just about everything else we like about Boston.

Joe’s menu is about 85% Gluten Free. Almost everything on the menu can be gluten free by making simple adjustments to the dish. Burgers and sandwiches can be served on gluten free rolls, pasta dishes are served with gluten free penne, the ahi tuna served without soy sauce, and so on.

The manager, Tiffany, and chef put together a nice appetizer spread for us, they wanted us to sample their most popular gluten free appetizers, and we did not argue. Frist we had the Seared Ahi Tuna, served sashimi style and pepper-crusted with a side of wasabi and fresh ginger. The ginger-soy dressing was left off, as we all know soy sauce is a gluten free nightmare.  The tuna was delightful! Lightly cooked on the outside and completely raw on the inside, just the way I like it, with much pizzazz from the pepper crust.

Next we had the nachos. I love nachos and it’s pretty hard to mess those up. I couldn’t get over the size of these nachos! Loaded with jack and chedder cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo, jalapeños, salsa, sour cream and a big spoonful of guacamole, it wasn’t anything special but they were delicious.

The Black Skillet Roasted Mussels were served smoking hot in the skillet. These were excellent, lightly salted, juicy and very fresh, not to mention a generous portion size. I highly recommend starting off your meal with these, especially if you go with a group or wanting something to share.

The most popular gluten free dish at Joe’s is their pizza, and I can see why. It’s not every day you find a restaurant that offers gluten free pizza on a delicious crust (that doesn’t taste like cardboard). The pizza crust comes frozen and is first grilled then baked. I loved the crunchiness of the crust. We opted for the Buffalo Chicken, not my first choice because buffalo is usually too hot for me but I went with it. Well let me tell you, it was hot! I must say the pizza had great flavor, but I just couldn’t’ handle the heat. Amanda loved it and I’m sure you will too (if you can take the heat!).

The gluten free pizza crust and burger rolls come from Buckwheat’s Gluten Free Bakery in Nashua, NH. Buckwheat’s also makes sandwich bread and baguettes. I always find it funny when a restaurant serves gluten free “dinner rolls” that are the same rolls used for sandwiches. This happens all the time and it makes me laugh. Buckwheat’s products are also used at Papa Razzi and Charley’s, both which are also a part of the Back Bay Restaurant Group.

We also tried the Chicken Club Sandwich, served on a gluten free roll with a side of “fries”, or what they should really be called, potatoes. I liked the potatoes, but it was more a crispy fried baked potato than an actual French fry. The sandwich was huge and, unlike many gluten free breads that are very crumbly, this bread held together pretty well.  If a restaurant can do a simple dish well, then you know that they have taken the time and effort to learn how to cook and prepare gluten free meals. When the basic dishes are good, it’s a good indicator that the other gluten free dishes are going to be great too.

The third dish we sampled was the The Marinara Pasta with gluten free penne and shrimp. Unfortunately the meatballs are not gluten free, I was looking forward to that, but if you want marinara sauce you can sub the meatballs with shrimp, chicken, veal or vegetables.

When I asked about the pasta, Tiffany (the manager) couldn’t remember exactly what it was made of (rice, corn, ect.) so she went to the kitchen and brought out a bag for us to see. Not only did she let us look at the ingredients, she gave me the bag of penne to take home! I really like the brand this brand, bionaturae. The gluten free penne is organic and is made of rice, corn and soy, so if you also have a soy allergy be sure to let them know and stay away from the pasta.

Joe’s offers Red Bridge gluten free beer. I really wish restaurants would start carry gluten free beers other than Red Bridge. I’m sure many bar managers have not tried Red Bridge themselves and don’t know just how bad it is. There are so many other BETTER gluten free beers available!!

Tiffany also informed us that they carry gluten free vodkas, and easily rattled off which ones. It made me feel very confident eating and drinking there. She knew the gluten free menu options inside and out. Tiffany was incredibly friendly and welcoming. Our waiter was also extremely knowledgeable about this and knew which menu items were gluten free or could easily be made gluten free. He also had great recommendations for us.

Location:181 Newbury St. Boston. For other locations, click here.

Website: http://www.joesamerican.com

Product Review: Betty Lou’s Inc. Makers of Great Tasting Healthy (Gluten Free) Snacks

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When I opened my box of samples everything looked delicious and healthy. Betty Lou’s offers a wide selection of nutritious food products that make it easy to make good snacking decisions. Right off the bat, it’s important to note the components of Betty Lou’s products and what separates them from other brands. Betty Lou’s foundation comes from, you guessed it, a woman named Betty Lou, who took refined sugars out of her family’s home 32 years ago. Her products today still reflect that crucial point, and there is something for just about everyone and every taste bud. They offer snacks for healthy eating and specific dietary needs; soy free, dairy free, lactose free, corn free, vegan, low fat and most importantly, all products are gluten free. All products are free of wheat, refined sugars, hydrogenated oils, and genetically modified foods.

My favorite product I sampled was the Just Great Stuff Organic Cacao and Acai Bar – free of the 8 major allergens. It has a wonderful texture; soft and crunchy at the same time.  The texture is soft, not chewy, which a lot of bars of this type tend to be. The sweetness comes from the fruits not sugars, and this made it taste pure and healthy.  The cocao did not overpower the nuts or the sweet bursts of acai I tasted in every bite. These bars come in 3 otherflavors; Superberry Acai, Fruit and Veggie, Chocolate Dream Greens. Each bar has 170-180 calories, and the Cocao and Acai has the least amount of sugar (11g).

Next I tried the Fruit Bars. The Apple Cinnamon reminded me of the Nutri-Grain cereal bars I used to eat as a kid, before starting my gluten free lifestyle. This bar is a little sweeter than what I remember cereal bars tasting like. (In case you were curious, I was, a Nutri-grain bar 120 calories, 3 grams of fat, 3 grams of sugar and only 12 sugars.) It was almost as sweet as an apple pie. I don’t think I could eat this in the morning, but it does make for a great snack or dessert. The Cherry bar was way too sweet for me, and I don’t really like Cherry to begin with so I gave the rest to my boyfriend. He thought it was too sweet too.  In addition to being gluten free, these are also free of corn, soy and dairy.

Other flavors include Blueberry, Cherry, Apricot and Strawberry. Each bar has 180-190 calories, 3 grams of fat, 5 grams of fiber and 23 grams of sugar. Too much sugar for me, but a healthy dessert option than cheesecake or cookies!

Betty Lou’s carries a line of Nut Butter Balls. I tried the Almond Butter Nut Butter Balls, which are packaged in small snack ball sized shapes and come in a variety of flavors including peanut butter, almond butter, high protein almond butter, coconut macadamia, cashew pecan, and spirulina ginseng, and are perfect for a quick bite on the fly or to throw in your bag. The best thing is that they are not overly sweet, although I do wish there was a little less than 8g of sugar. Brown Rice Syrup, fruit juices, vanilla extract, although important for things like consistency and probably keeping the balls together, these ingredients slightly overpower the almond flavor. Every few bites I did get the Almond Nut flavor and I loved it, I just wish there was more of it!  Not a lot of sugar (8g), low in fat (1g), high in protein (5g) and fiber 5g, 20% of your daily value make these a great pre or post workout snack, or afternoon pick-me-up. Delicious. I can’t wait to try the coconut macadamia this one sounds delicious. The High Protein Bar is packed with, you guessed it, even more protein (12g) but that also comes at a price; more sugar (12g).

Now on to the Angell Bars…

The Angell Bars come in 3 flavors – Snow Angell, Angell Crisp, and Dark Angell, and I was able to sample the dark chocolate almond; a vegan dark chocolate wrapped around a creamy dark chocolate and almond center. I thought it was really good. I think this was my favorite products. Big surprise right? I really enjoyed the rich chocolate flavor and the little bit of crunch inside the bar. I also like that it wasn’t too sweet, which often happens with chocolate bars. Dark chocolate, being the main ingredient, which is naturally less sweet, gave the bar a slightly more bitter taste than most chocolate bars. Texture wise it was really smooth and creamy with a slight crunch here and there. Absolutely decadent. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to eat a regular chocolate candy bar again.

My one complaint about Betty Lou’s products is the amount of sugar. Although it is wonderful that the sugars come from natural and quality ingredients, and not refined sugars, chemicals or additives, I wish these had less sugar overall. My yeast free diet does not allow for many sugars so until I am off of that, many of these are off limits to me.

I highly recommend trying Betty Lou’s products. You can order on the website, and are available at a few local Health Stores.

I’d also like to note that their customer service is incredibly friendly and love to talk about their products, so if you have questions to do hesitate to be in touch with them!

Disclaimer: I received these products for free to sample and review for my blog.  I was not paid for my review and all opinions are my own.

Taste of Columbus Hospitality Group: Boston Blogger Event

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This week my sister and I attend Taste of CHG, hosted by the Columbus Hospitality Group at Mistral. This was a blogger event centered around some of the new dishes and drinks at their local restaurants and hotels. The CHG includes some of Boston’s most well-known higher end restaurants including Mistral, Sorellina, Mooo…, Teatro, L’Andana, XV Beacon Hotel, and The Inn @ St.Botolph.  Each restaurant sampled a small bite inspired by their menu, and almost all were gluten free. It was great to have the chance to meet some of the chefs and restaurant managers, as well as the restaurant PR and other local bloggers and social media fanatics.

Mistral served a tuna tartare with crispy wontons in a ginger and soy sauce. This was the only thing I couldn’t eat.

The newest member of the CHG family is La Nina, a company specializing in Authentic Mexican food. The tortilla chips served were truly authentic. These chips are not your ordinary grocery buy or restaurant-style-bulk-prepared, the chips were served freshly fried for the event. It was easy to tell the ingredients were real, no preservatives, additives, unnecessary salt or oil, just corn.  The chips were topped with a spicy salsa. These chips are being served at some local restaurants, but are not yet available for retail.

The Chef from Moo0…. attended, and I spoke with her briefly about the gluten free options at her restaurant. Luckily, this steakhouse serves an almost entire gluten free menu by default. She said they do not get too many requests for gluten free meals but when they do they can accommodate, no problemo! Tonight she was serving Beef Sirloin Sliders with moo sauce and caramelized onions, without the roll and sauce. The meat was soft and tender, and just melted in my mouth. I’ve only been to Capital Grille [a few times] and Flemings, but after tonight I will definitely be a future customer at Mooo.

Sorellina sampled a Chilled Pea Soup with lemon ricotta creama and chive blossoms. I personally was not a pea soup fan before tonight, but this soup was just bursting with flavor and turned me into one. I loved the whole peas on the bottom and there was just a little cream, which allowed for this dish to stay refreshing and light.

L’Andana, which is actually located in Burlington, served Swordfish Kebabs with wood-roasted peppers, onions, and cured tomatoes. I love kebabs, I love eating my veggies this way, and I loved the idea of using swordfish as the protein. I like this variation of the classic dish. It was simple yet flavor at the same time.

I saved the best dish for last. This was by far my most favorite dish of the night.  Teatro is the only restaurant that was featured this evening that I have eaten at before (You can read my review here). Teatro offered us a fig and prosciutto sausage in a spicy tomato brodo served with a shishito pepper. The sausage was spicy and flavorful and I really liked the tomato brodo. I loved the spices and I also loved that it was not too spicy, I even ate the pepper!

Not only did I sample delicious food, but I also tried the two signature cocktails.

First I tried “Spring Thyme,” made with Tito’s handmade vodka, rhubarb, thyme, lime, and soda for a refreshing but not-too-sweet cocktail. This was definitely my favorite of the two drinks. I was a little nervous the rhubarb would be too sweet for me, but that was not the case at all.I loved slightly pungent, savory, clove-like taste the thyme added to the drink.

The second custom designed drink of the night was called “The Races,” made with George Dickel Rye Whiskey, mint, lemon, and prosecco. I know what you are thinking – Whiskey is not gluten free. But I just had to try it! And don’t worry I only had one sip. With a heavy whiskey flavor, it was a bit too strong for my tastes. The prosecco gave it a little fizz that I liked, but there was not enough to hide the Whiskey taste. If this drink had a little more prosecco and a little less whiskey I think I would have liked it.

Just when you think it’s over, dessert was served. Mistral makes its own homemade ice cream and sorbet in house. I tried the Ginger Maple and Vanilla Ice Cream (cones are not gluten free). Both were rich but not overly sweet. I did not get a chance to try the sorbet but it sure did look good.”"

We had a great time sampling all of the delicious treats and meeting other Boston Bloggers. Thank you Mistral, CHG, and everyone else for this great evening and wonderful opportunity. I can’t wait to come back for more!

Gluten Free Cashew Butter Lentil Granola Bars (vegan)

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Yup, you read that right – I put lentils in my granola bar. Don’t make that face! You can’t judge until you try them, and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Tomorrow I am taking a 6.5 hour road trip to Hershey Pennsylvania for my friend’s bridal shower, and I wanted to make a healthy snack for the drive.

I wanted to make something easy with the ingredients I have on hand., I really wasn’t in the mood to run out to the store. I just bought a bag of red lentils at a Turkish Grocery in Brighton and I love eating lentils in dishes like curries, stews, salads and red lentil hummus. So I thought why not granola bars with lentils? After browsing a few recipes, I didn’t have all the ingredients for one single recipe. So I made up my own and I love it! My friends liked it too!

Ingredients:

1 cup dried red lentils
2 – 2 1/4 cups gluten free rolled oats (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
3/4 cup cashew butter (or other nut butter, such as almond butter)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (or other dried fruit, such as cranberries or raisins)
3/4 cup chopped almonds* (or other nuts and seeds, such as pecans or peanuts)
1/2 cup chocolate or carob chips (I used gluten & dairy free Enjoy Life)
3 tablespoon honey (or other sweetener, such as agave or stevia syrup)
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1- 2 tablespoons 100% Pure Vermont Maple Syrup
2 tablespoons coconut flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

*The Almonds give the bars a nice crunch – don’t chop them as small as I did, they loose the crunch. If you like crunchier bars – like me- add even more nuts or use a granola or puffed rice cereal, something that’ll give it more crunch (again, I wish I had done this). You can add up to 2.5 cups of extras (nuts, seeds, dried fruits). My recipe calls for 1 3/4 cups extras.

Start by cooking your lentils. Rinse 1 cup of dried lentils. Once the lentils have been rinsed, place in large pot and add two cups of water, and bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed.

Preheat oven to 275 F.

Transfer lentils to a bowl and mash with a fork (they may already be slightly mushy as red lentils don’t hold their shape as well when cooked). Let cool slightly. Add the oats, coconut flakes, almonds, chocolate chips, coconut flour, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix together.

Next add in the cashew butter, honey, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Mix thoroughly until well combined.

If you like sweeter granola bars, add more honey or sweetener of your choice. I would start with 1 tablespoon and  taste the mixture first, adding more if desired.

Line an 9×13 square baking pan (or 8×8 if you want thinker bars) with wax paper (optional, you do not need this). Transfer lentil mixture to the pan and press with your hands into an even layer. Bake at 275 F for 15 minutes. Remove, cool, cut into bars, wrap each one individually and keep refrigerated or frozen.

Product Review: The Good Bean – The Fruit & No Nut Bar

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Most energy bars are made with nuts. It’s nice to see a healthy, tasty granola bar made without nuts. This is great news to people who have nut allergies!  Not only nut free, these bars are also gluten free, low GI and contain no GMO ingredients.  I am loving these bars! These bars are truly a wholesome and filling snack for any time of the day.

Thanks for the coupons!

The chickpeas give these bars lots of fiber and 5g of protein per serving, and at the same time have less fat than many nut-based bars. Currently there are 3 flavors available: Apricot Coconut, Fruit & Seeds Trail Mix, and Chocolate Berry. The website says “New Flavors Coming Soon” – I can’t wait!! These bars have great texture and flavor, and did not taste like a mouthful of beans. Chickpeas do not have very much flavor to begin with, and they actually have a slightly nutty flavor, which I think is what makes these bars work so well.

My favorite bar was the chocolate berry (surprise, surprise). It is a perfect combination of fruit and chocolate and not overly sweet like many chocolate flavored bars, I absolutely loved this combo. There is enough chocolate to satisfy a sugar craving without being overbearing; I did not feel like I was eating a dessert bar. This bar is more solid than the others.

Surprisingly, the Apricot Coconut Bar didn’t taste too sweet either, but at the same time satisfied my sweet tooth. The bar has a chewier texture than the other bars, but still not very dense and a little crunchy. I love the burst of coconut flavor I started tasting a few bites in. Yum!

The fruit and seed bar was the final and third bar I sampled. This bar was the gooiest of all 3. It was also noticeably drier than the other two bars, perhaps due to the seeds?  I loved the minimal amount of cranberries, and the wonderful pumpkin flavor.

The texture is very similar to a nut filled granola bar – crunchy and wholesome, but not as heavy, which I prefer. Another plus to being nut free is the amount of fat per bar, 4.5-5g, is much less than a nut filled bar, average of 10-13g per serving. If you are curious, check out The Vegetarian Resource Group list of energy bars nutrition. This is a great chart to compare the nutritional content of different bars.

My one complaint is the amount of sugar, 11-12g. Brown Rice Syrup and pure can sugar are two ingredients I wish were left out. Since January I’ve been on a Candida Diet – no yeast, no fruit, no added sugars, low carbohydrates, etc. – and I am not supposed to eat anything with more than 6g of sugar per serving, and unfortunately these bars far surpass that maximum. So until I am allowed more sugar back in my diet these are off limits for me. Which is too bad because I really enjoyed them! (This post was written before my diet started.)

In addition to the bars, I also sampled the Crunchy Chickpea Snack. I’m so happy these do not have yeast, and are low in sugar with only 2-3g per serving. I used to snack on Saffron Road’s Wasabi Chickpeas, which honestly got a bit too hot for me sometimes, but that all stopped in January when I began my yeast free diet. (Click here to check out my review of Saffron Road products) These chickpeas have a nice crunch, but not as hard as nuts. These make for a handy snack to keep in my desk drawer or purse. One day I even added some to my salad, which gave it an extra crunch and extra protein to keep me energized for the day!

Other flavors available are Cracked Pepper, Smoky Chile & Lime, and Sweet Cinnamon. These are also low in fat (2g) and high in Fiber (6g) and Protein (6-7g). They are available for purchase online at Spencer’s Market 1 2.5oz bag for $2.69 ($3.11 on The Good Bean website).

The Good Bean products are available at many Whole Foods (not Brighton, grr!) and Health Food Stores. Around Boston you can find them at The Whole Foods at Fresh Pond and Newtonville. For other store locations, click here.

Gluten Free Options at The Taco Truck

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The Taco Truck is one of my favorite food trucks in Boston. Serving Authentic Mexican Street Food using locally grown and organic food [whenever possible]. On Sundays, from May 5th through October, the Taco Truck joins a whole slew of Food Trucks at Sowa Open Market. For the full schedule, click here

The tortillas used are 100% corn. All of tacos, except the pescado and aquacate, are gluten free.
If you tell them you have a gluten allergy they can change their gloves. But do be ware that there are gluten items in the truck, and there is only one fryer, so cross contamination is possible. I didn’t have any problems, but I do not have celiac, so use caution, as always, when dining out.

The tacos come in pairs, costing $4.50 – $5.00 ($2.25 – $2.50 each), which is actually quite reasonable, especially considering the focus on local and organic ingredients. As of now you can’t mix and match, but it would be great if they could offer this option to their costumers. My advice, go with a friend and order two different tacos. This is exactly what my sister and I did.

All ingredients are fresh, there’s no question there. I could taste the freshness of the cilantro, vegetables, and handmade sauces. And everything is incredibly flavorful. All tacos are served on double corn tortillas with a lime. Cotija cheese or avocado can be added to any taco for an extra for 75 cents each.

We tried two tacos, first was the Pollo Asado ($4.50); a mixture of guajillo (chile) marinated grilled chicken with lime-pickled onions and roasted red salsa, topped with avocado. Amply filled with juicy, moist nicely seasoned chicken.

We also ordered the Carnitas Michoacan ($4.50); slow braised sweet pork with onion, cilantro and fresh green salsa. The Carnitas were also moist,and  taste as though they had been braising all day. The green salsa and onions were so fresh and unlike anything I’ve had at a Mexican restaurant before, also very spicy, much spicier than the pollo taco.

The Platanos Fritos, aka fried plantains, ($2.50) were sweet and creamy. I loved the soft texture of the plantains, but would have preferred the crema on the side. Plantains are like bananas, but much sweeter. If you haven’t tried platanos fritos before you must try them!! These were among my favorites, Orinoco also makes delicious plantains.

There is always a line around lunch time, so get there early or be patient. The line moves slow and the food takes longer than expected to be prepared, but I assure you it is worth the wait.