Amy's Kitchen: The Vegan/Gluten-Free Starter Kit

Three weeks ago, I officially made the switch from vegetarian to vegan. I was impressed to see how many vegan items are available both in stores and at restaurants. Gluten-free and vegan items are a bit harder to come by, but I am happy to report that we have found some great products. This blog will focus on our favorite items from Amy's Kitchen. Like many families, mine is always on the run.  When we do not have time to cook a full meal, we need quick go-to items that can be stuffed into lunch bags, and easy dinners that we can add small homemade touches to.  Some of my favorite quick meals come from Amy's Kitchen.  Amy's is unlike any other company that I have found in terms of quick, delicious meals that fit a variety of dietary restrictions. Amy's also offers a wide variety of options to fit any food craving, including Italian, Mexican, Asian, and Indian.  Our favorite Amy's frozen meals in each category are:

• Organic Tofu Scramble - This is the perfect dish for breakfast or just a breakfast craving.  The scramble also includes delicious hashbrowns. We add ketchup and a touch of salt and it is a great protein-rich meal!
  
  

• Baked Ziti - Yes, you heard that right, this is a gluten-free/vegan pasta bowl!!! This is restaurant-quality in our opinion and fills the Italian food craving.
• Baked Ziti Kids Meal - I have to admit that this one is my personal favorite.  This kids meal has the delicious goodness of Baked Ziti with a healthy dose of broccoli, a very tasty rice foccacia (it is so good that I have sent a request to Amy's to sell it separately), and an apple crumble (which should also be sold as a dessert option, in my opinion).

• Teriyaki Bowl - It is hard to find a gluten-free Asian dish since they usually have gluten in the teriyaki sauce, so I was ecstatic when I found this bowl.  If you prefer a saltier teriyaki sauce, you could try adding some gluten-free Tamari (soy sauce).
• Enchilada Meal- The enchiladas are packed with vegetables and black beans and also comes with pinto beans (extra protein) and spanish rice.  Perfect for a Mexican craving! I like serving this one with tortilla chips.
  
• Indian Mattar Tofu - This dish has the perfect combination of spices and gives those of us who loved Mattar Paneer the ability to enjoy this dish as a vegan.

Amy's also has a number of organic, or mostly organic, soups & chilis that we love to heat up. Our favorite soups are Thai Coconut Soup (I add chili sauce, green onions, and more stirfried shitake mushrooms and serve over rice) and Fire Roasted Southwestern Vegetable (I like to add corn tortilla strips or serve with chips).  We also like their Organic Medium Chili with Vegetables.  The chili is good to serve with tortilla chips, over rice, or over french fries (we recommend Cascadian Farms organic Shoestring Fries) with vegan cheese if you want a fun snack for the kids. 

We have many more products to recommend.  But for the vegan newbie who is on the run, Amy's is certainly a great place to start!

Laura's Wholesome Junk Food (GF,V)

(www.lauraswholesomejunkfood.com)

These tasty snacks are made by a real M.D.! Dr. Laura Trice sells several flavors of her wholesome snacks - not all are gluten-free, so make sure you read the label carefully. The gluten-free flavors have a green circle on them that says "This flavor's gluten free". I recently tried the Cashew Chocolate Chip Bite-lettes, which are delicious! I found this tasty treat at Whole Foods - they have a list of stores by state on their website.

I also enjoy that the bite-lettes are no bigger than an inch in diameter. Their small size is perfect to satisfy a sweet craving with one or two bite-lettes without going overboard - they also last much longer that way! For a fresh, homemade taste, put them in the microwave for about 10 seconds.

What makes them so wholesome?

• All Natural
• Gluten-Free
• Vegan
  
• No Hydrogenated Oils
  
• No Trans Fats
• No Artificial Colors
• No Preservatives
• Cholesterol Free

Ingredients:
Cashew butter (roasted cashews and safflower oil), rice flour, chocolate chips (dehydrated cane juice, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, and vanilla), dates, fruit juice, natural grain dextrins (from rice), evaporated cane juice, water, 100% expeller pressed Canola oil and/or 100% expeller pressed Sunflower oil, non-GMO soy powder, sea salt, vanilla and nonaluminum baking powder (cornstarch, sodium bicarbonate, monocalcium phosphate).

Delightful Betty Crocker Brownie Mix (GF, V)

The Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownie Mix is scrumptious! I am munching into a delightful chocolate square right now and I cannot tell a difference between this and the original mix.

The box specifies different bake times depending on your pan size. I would recommend the smaller pan (8" x 8") since the batter ends up being very thick, but not enough to fill the larger pans. The mix itself is both gluten-free and vegan, so vegans can use this as a base and then use their egg replacers and butter substitutes to make brownies. It may be a bit of an experiment, but I imagine it could be quite tasty with a little extra effort.

The ingredients are as follows:
Sugar, Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla), Cocoa Processed with Alkali, Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Corn Starch, Xanthan Gum, Salt.
Note: contains soy ingredients

As for the eggs and butter that the recipe calls for, I recommend Organic Valley butter (or other organic butter) and Giving Nature organic eggs. Giving Nature eggs are organic, cage-free, and humane certified (meaning that the hens are not only cage free, but also have the ability to engage in natural activities and guaranteed ample room and gentle handling). I get my Giving Nature eggs at Whole Foods; if you cannot find them at your grocer, look for the Certified Humane logo on the other eggs they sell.

Thank you to Betty Crocker for expanding the tasty line of treats to the gluten-free folks with a sweet tooth! Other available mixes include: yellow cake, devil's food cake, and chocolate chip cookies.

Erewhon Organic Crispy Brown Rice Cereal (O,V,GF,SF)

Erewhon Organic Crispy Brown Rice - Just Like Rice Krispies!

Allergens: Gluten-Free, Organic, Soy-Free, Vegan

Review
I originally bought some of this cereal as a granola replacement in my yogurt. Many gluten-free cereals that I have found do not make the tastiest cereal, so I prefer to add it as a yogurt topping instead. To my delight, I found that this cereal is actually good and very comparable to Rice Krispies. It even has that snap-crackle-pop that I grew up loving as a kid! I would recommend this with soy milk (or coconut milk for soy-free folks) and bananas. If you want to sweeten it up, swirl a little honey (or agave nectar for vegans) on the top before pouring your milk.

For more information about the nutritional facts of this product and other company information, visit the website: http://www.usmillsllc.com/usmills/productview_description.php?id=143&back=BisPIQFxCDQEbgRuBW8Cc1N6A3FXYwo9ACFQYQRqUi4GdAk6WikGaAJjDHhRNlE9WjgGOlIy

Organic Raw Kombucha Tea (v,o,sf,gf)

Kombucha: a New & Refreshing Beverage Sensation

Allergen Info: vegan, soy-free, organic, gluten-free

Health Benefits: supports digestion, metabolism, immune system, appetite control, weight control, liver function, body alkalinity, anti-aging, cell integrity, and healthy skin & hair

Product Information:
Kombucha is a handmade Chinese tea that is cultured/fermented for 30 days. This process enables essential nutrients to form, including active enzymes, viable probiotics, amino acids, antioxidants, and polyphenols. The fermentation process may also result in less than 0.5% alcohol content.

The GT's company that makes Kombucha says that these nutrients combine to "create an elixir that immediately works with the body to restore balance and vitality". GT began selling the tea after it helped his mother who was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. For more information, visit the website: www.GTSkombucha.com

PRODUCT REVIEW:
The eye-catching packaging and list of health benefits are what inspired us to pick up the first bottle of Kombucha (Organic Raw in Original flavor) from our local Wegmans. Upon first sip, I was caught off-guard by the sparkling sensation on my tongue. There are bubbles in there! It immediately reminded me of a sparkling asian pear alcohol that I used to drink, and I was an immediate fan. I realized that my asian alcohol was probably created in much the same way that this tea is, but the fermentation process of the tea is cut short so no more than 0.5% alcohol is in the beverage. It is unlike any other tea drink I have every tried. In addition to the effervecent kick, it is tart and a bit like light apple cider vinegar. I will say that this may be an acquired taste for some. It is certainly a fun drink - it must be cold and is probably best enjoyed by sipping, since the bubbles inhibit any urge to gulp the bottle down.

There are other flavors available, and although I was a quick fan of the Original flavor, the Multi-Green that we purchased the subsequent day was more than my palate could handle. I have never been a fan of spirulina, so the multi-green and I were bound not to get along. However, this flavor is undoubtedly healthy for you, so if you are a spirulina and algae fan, I encourage you to give it a shot. As for me, I think I will stick to the less green options like the cranberry Synergy drink that has 5% fruit juice mixed in.

I found the company website to be very interesting and informative, and I would encourage you to visit it and learn more. I found it interesting that the tea is really "living" and because of that, each bottle is unique. The flavor and sparkle from one bottle to the next can differ, making it an adventure each time you open a bottle. There may also be "floaters" in your drink - but don't freak out - they are healthy for you and a sign that your bottle is very much alive and ready to help you get balanced! Although I have not used this for appetite suppression or weight control, the company does say that adding the tea to a meal could decrease hunger, or you could use it to replace a meal altogether, enabling you to feel satisfied and balanced without feeling like you are starving.

I am thoroughly enjoying my Kombucha tea and the wonderful and immediate effect it seems to have on my body. After each sip, I feel a bit more alert and refreshed. This may be attributed to sparkling bubbles, or the tea's ability to restore my vitality and balance as the company says, either way I like it. I am very pleased to find such a unique item on the shelves of my local Wegmans. I encourage you to pick one up and experience the new and unique sensation that Kombucha has added to the beverage aisle.