Tested: Maple Walnut Blondie, Orange Chocolate Cookie, Molasses Cookie, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Cranberry Oatmeal, Double Chocolate Brownie.

Courser Farm Kitchen a little home based business located about 2 hours north of me in Warner, New Hampshire. I love supporting small local business and though they aren’t super local to me, they are local enough! I will definitely be placing orders in the future for these super awesome treats! They make cookies, brownies, bars, blondies and breads that are all gluten free and vegan! They also take special orders for cakes and cupcakes!

When I got the little box of heaven in the mail from Emma it may as well have been Christmas! I ripped it open and took a few nibbles of a few of the products but found the strength to wrap them back up (well, almost all of them…) and wait for my neighbor to be available to come taste test with me since he is gf. We had a blast eating them. The goodies we got to try were the Chocolate Chip Cookie, Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie, Orange Chocolate Cookie, Molasses Cookie, Double Chocolate Brownie and the Maple Walnut Blondie!

I am a sucker for Cranberry Oatmeal cookies so those were definitely my favorite, I just wish they had a little more cranberry in them. But then again, I always almost double the amount of cranberries in the recipe I use… The cookie was nice and chewy and perfectly spiced. The Chocolate Chip was pretty fantastic too, it reminded me of the Cookie Crisp cereal I used to eat when I was a kid. It would have been perfect dipped in an ice cold glass of almond milk. Molasses cookies rock my socks in general so it’s no surprise this one was another winner! Give me chewy cookies or give me death! The dark sweetness of the molasses with the gentle hint of ginger really made me wish I had a whole truckload of these bad boys.

Now, I am very against combining chocolate with fruit flavors like cherry, orange, raspberry, etc etc, but I was extremely surprised at how much I liked the Orange Chocolate Cookie. It is a chocolate cookie with chocolate chips with a touch of orange, which was the perfect amount for me. It actually has me rethinking my hatred (yeah, really) of fruit flavored chocolate. I wouldn’t say that I’m a convert, but I’m going to be more open minded about it. See what a good product can do?! Speaking of good products, Double Chocolate Brownies? Hell to the yes! Fudgy, chewy and wicked chocolatey? The brownie was so good it didn’t last long enough to be photographed!

New England is pretty awesome to begin with, but the fact that we have the best of the best maple syrups makes it that much better. And that is exactly what you get with the Maple Walnut Blondie. New Hampshire maple syrup in a cake like little bar sprinkled with walnut chunks. Are you salivating yet?

(Left: Maple Walnut Blondie. From Top to Bottom: Orange Chocolate Cookie, Molasses Cookie, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Cranberry Oatmeal. Not photographed: Double Chocolate Brownie. I inhaled it.)

Course Farm Kitchen sells there goods at a few local cafes and farmers markets, if you live in the New Hampshire area, or happen to be passing through, definitely stop by any of the places listed on their to grab some! If you don’t live in the area, get your butt over here and order some! What are you waiting for?!

Pros:

• Homemade.
• Local (sort of to me).
• Delicious!

Cons:

• None. Seriously.

Reviewed by Liz Whitaker

Tested: Macaroni, Coconut Cookies, and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pasta and cookies made from quinoa? And they taste good? I could have never thought up such a product in my wildest culinary dreams! The people responsible for Andean Dream products really are geniuses. I will be honest though, I was a little skeptical, but still excited, when I learned about the products I was going to be taste testing. I didn’t have very high expectations but I was definitely surprised, especially by the pasta. I got to try the Macaroni, Coconut Cookies and the Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Not only does quinoa have a high protein content but it also contains calcium, phosphorous, iron and all eight essential amino acids. In addition to having a great tasting and versatile little grain to eat, you get a nutritional powerhouse. Did you know quinoa has been used for human consumption for about 3 or 4,000 years?! And to think I didn’t knowingly try it until I was 25!

The first product I tried out was the Macaroni and it was love at first bite! You don’t have to cook this particular brand as long as non-xgfx pastas which is great, but you do have to keep an eye on it, I’ve heard quinoa pasta over cooks really easily. Luckily I didn’t have that problem; it came out perfectly tender and had a really great taste as it was. It wasn’t starchy tasting like “regular” pastas and I probably could have just eaten a bowl of it plain. Okay, maybe I did, so what? While the pasta was cooking I whipped up a thick walnut pesto to pour on so if I didn’t like the pasta I would at least have something tasty to smother it in. I now prefer quinoa pasta over other varieties and can’t wait to get my hands on some more!

Onto dessert… The cookies, oh the cookies! They come in portion sized little packages, 2 per bag, and are about 2 bites each but they are adorable! Both the coconut and chocolate chip were really tasty although a little dry and crumbly but I was very willing to look past that because they both reminded me of some pre-vegan childhood favorites. The coconut reminded me of a certain pecan shortbread cookie I used to love but without the pecans. They had a very light coconut flavor and would be excellent crumbled over some xgfx ice cream. The chocolate chip cookies were very much the same as the coconut but with the addition of mini chocolate chips. They reminded me a lot of a certain kids breakfast cereal that made my favorite Saturday morning cartoon commercial. I still have some of the cookies stashed away in a cabinet so nobody eats them on me!

The makers of these excellent products are not only dedicated to providing delicious gluten free products made from quinoa, they are also dedicated to making the world a better place. The individual packaging the cookies come in is vegetable based and recyclable. The products also support 280 indigenous farming families in Bolivia who grow the quinoa for them! Any company, especially the small independent ones, trying to make an environmental and social impact are the kind I truly don’t mind paying a little extra for greatness. Everybody wins!

Pros:

• All vegan. All gluten free.
• The company has made a direct impact on improving the lives of the 280 farming families growing the quinoa.
• 5 different types of cookies and 3 shapes of pasta.
• The best dried pasta I have eaten!!!
• According to an email from the owner of the company these products are not only available on their website but at most Whole Foods Markets as well!

Cons:

• A little pricey ($5.99 for cookies and $4.99 for pasta).
• The cookies were a little dry but dunked in an ice cold glass of your favorite xgfx milk will solve that problem!

Reviewed by Liz Whitaker

eBook Reviewed: Anti-Candida Feast: Holiday And Special Occasion Recipes
Ricki Heller, Diet, Dessert ‘n Dogs

I didn’t know much about the anti-Candida diet, but after following the link to the website (Whole Approach) that Ricki Heller explains outlines her own anti-Candida diet (ACD) in the intro to Anti-Candida Feast, I learned that 1) Candida is a yeast allergen that can exacerbate and even cause many health issues such as depression, arthritis, asthma, and more; 2) a three-stage diet plan exists to fight Candida (or Candidiasis); 3) this diet focuses on whole, minimally processed foods; and 4) normally xgfx ingredients such as nutritional yeast, peanut butter, most vinegars, and mushrooms are to be avoided. Fitting with gluten-free, all wheat products are a no-go. There is a lot more to learn about Candidiasis so I urge all of you who are curious to read up on it.

I wouldn’t have immediately spotted all of these restrictions just by (virtually) flipping through Heller’s e-book. What I saw was normal foods that I eat all the time (or at least desire to eat all the time!): pâté, mini cupcakes, cookies, salads, pancakes, tofu scramble. The “weirdo” ingredients that are already well known to most vegans include agar, Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, chickpea flour, miso, and stevia. I must say, as a gluten-eating vegan, the recipes looked delicious, with the possible exception of the desserts relying on stevia as a sweetener. Some people don’t mind stevia, and I can tolerate it in chai tea, but I find it far too bitter for desserts.

I’m a huge fan of nut roasts (heh), having tasted some excellent ones at restaurants in the UK and long wondering why they aren’t more popular across the pond. So when I saw Heller’s Holiday Nut Roast with Smoky Almond Gravy, I knew we were about to embark on our first anti-Candida feasting adventure.

I’m not wealthy, and I live in an area where food is quite expensive, so in the future I would definitely save the Nut Roast for, as is suggested, a very special occasion. After a costly trip to my health food store picking up elite ingredients such as organic brazil nuts and cashews, I was intent on a truly astonishing roast.

And it was! It sounded more finicky in the directions than it actually was, since it’s essentially just some cooked veg and a bunch of nuts ground up in the food processor. I had worried that it would be dry due to the long baking time, but it was perfectly moist. The gravy, based on Isa Chandra Moskowitz’ Smoked Almond Gravy from Vegan Brunch, (can I just point out how appreciative I am of authors who actually credit a recipe’s inspiration?), was delicious. I’d made the Vegan Brunch version in the past, and despite using raw then toasted almonds rather than the smoked ones Moskowitz calls for, they tasted really quite similar. Altogether, the result was a moist, savory, protein-packed nut loaf smothered in a thick, tasty gravy. I certainly didn’t feel like I was following any kind of special diet or compromising taste and/or essential ingredients.

Heller has a pleasant conversational writing voice, and her recipes are free of typos and skewed instructions. I hope to try some of the other savory dishes; namely the Carrot Paté, Crimson Salad with Pecans and Pumpkin Seeds, and Millet “Polenta” with Roasted Garlic and Caramelized Onion. I might even take another stab at conquering my stevia trepidation in order to try the Chocolate Pots de Crème.

Pros:

• Nice layout, tempting recipes, solutions for special occasion foods.
• Simple, whole food ingredients. Everything relatively easy to find.
• Full color photos, eco-friendly e-book format.
• Avoidant of most allergens, with the exception of nuts (though they aren’t used heavily).
• Essential information about cooking for the Anti-Candida diet, xgfx-style.

Cons:

• Heavy on the desserts. Not a ton of savory and main-dish recipes.
• Most of the sweet recipes rely on stevia.
• Could use more scintillating photos, but hey, it’s a self-published e-book, stop being so picky!

Amy’s was kind enough to send me and my pardner Dazee coupons for three free products, plus a coupon for .75 off!  Although we almost never buy frozen heat ‘n’ eat food we were excited to try these. Comfort food in a box for quick meals and hungry spots, OK!  But yea, keep that in mind when you read our results, because I cook most everything we eat from scratch.

I sent Dazee to the store with the coupons and told him to get whatever struck his fancy as long as the products he picked out were xgfx. It was fun to see what he pulled out of the bag, and not too surprising; Dazee often goes for the comfort. He chose their Rice Macaroni with Dairy Free Cheeze, Rice and Bean Non-Dairy Burrito, Rice Crust Spinach Pizza and the Non-Dairy Baked Ziti Bowl.

Rice Macaroni with Dairy Free Cheeze

We were both excited to try this mac ‘n’ cheeze, especially since so many people love it. Vegans go a little what we call “Coo Coo Badookie” for cheeze sauces and pasta. We liked it fine, but found it pretty bland even with extra salt, especially since tastier less fatty versions are easy to make at home.  However, I can see how I might be tempted to bring this home if I were too busy to cook or wanted something insanely quick and rich to eat.

Pros:

• Pasta had a great texture.
• Super fast in the microwave.
• Hearty.
• Good portion size–especially with a side of salad or greens.
• Paper packaging.

Cons:

• The sauce doesn’t have the best aroma.
• Needs salt.
• Tasted like super processed food and has a slight chalky texture.

Burrito:  Gluten Free Non-Dairy (Rice & Bean)

When I used to work in a big natural foods supermarket and had exactly 30 minutes for lunch everyday; I used to eat Amy’s wheaty vegan version of this burrito for lunch a LOT. Cheap and fast and relatively healthy, I’ve been wishing for a gluten-free version for a while now. However, when I first opened the package I was a little surprised by the visual appearance of the burrito, the “tortilla” has a super spongy look to it. I decided to prepare the burrito just like I did in the good ol’ days, so into the microwave it went—following the directions on the package. I’m glad to report that once cooked the texture of the wrap is really good! I wouldn’t call it a tortilla by any means, but it did the job, didn’t fall apart while I ate it, and actually had a very enjoyable bite, even though it looks more like Ethiopian injera than anything else. The filling itself is just like the regular vegan burrito—tasty–especially if you add extra salt, but nothing extraordinary. It’s good for what it is: a frozen and  healthy burrito on the run. I ate mine with a side of steamed sweet potatoes spooned into lettuce leaves with fresh basil and Korean BBQ sauce. A happy lunch!

Pros:

• Quick.
• Healthy.
• Portable.
• Relatively inexpensive.
• Tasty.
• Good texture.

Cons:

• Funny looking wrap.
• Needs salt.

Pizza:  Spinach Pizza Rice Crust

Oh gosh. I was a little worried when I saw Dazee whip the frozen pizza out of the bag. I’m pretty much OK with any sort of xgfx pizza, but Dazee is much pickier about food than me. I’d tried this pizza once before, in New Orleans while trying to sober up for Mardi Gras, and it was the perfect meal. However, I was concerned it wouldn’t hold up to the scrutinizing of a formal review.

Dazee prepare this according to the package directions (baked in the oven), and trouble started when he couldn’t get the cheeze on top to melt. Not surprising to me, since he doesn’t cook beyond oatmeal and popcorn. Dazee took one bite of the first slice and wouldn’t eat anymore and neither would our visiting friend. Me? I think this pizza is just fine, although the crust texture is a little “funky” and could be crunchier. I think it makes good booze food.

Pros:

• Quick.
• xgfx pizza!!!
• Good booze food.

Cons:

• Expensive.
• Tricky to get the cheeze to melt on top.
• The crust.

Bowls:  Non-Dairy Baked Ziti

xgfx Ziti!

The ziti on the cover of this box looks amazing so I was more than happy to remember it in the freezer, as I was searching for something to eat one recent afternoon.  Since I was really hungry and wanted something quick I opted to follow the microwave directions on the back of the box.  While my finished ziti looked nothing like the ziti on the box, but it tasted really good. The pasta texture was great, the sauce was savory and rich tasting, and I was super glad to eat it. I think the portion size was good for a small meal, but a small side salad would have made it even better.

Pros:

• Quick.
• Pasta has great texture.
• Tasty with a rich savory flavor.
• Paper Packaging.
• Satisfying.
• Good serving size for lunch.

Cons:

• On the fattier side.
• Doesn’t look like top of box.
• Pricey.

While Amy’s hasn’t convinced me to stock up on frozen convenience food instead of cooking our meals from scratch, I understand their place in my world and am glad to know they exist. I especially appreciate Amy’s for including xgfx meals in their product line and am happy to know I can locate their meals in many regular grocery stores across the country. For instance, when in need of something nourishing and tasty to eat late at night in the deep south, Amy’s to the rescue!

Reviewed by Kittee Berns

Tested: Kvass and Salad Dressings

When I was asked by xgfx to write a product review for Zukay kvass and salad dressings, I said “sure!” and then immediately wondered, “What’s a kvass”?

After some cursory googling, I learned that kvass is a lacto-fermented beverage originally made from stale rye bread, which became popular among the peasant population in Russia during the middle ages. Why exactly was the peasant population lacto-fermenting beverages from stale bread anyway? Turns out it was inexpensive, had medicinal and healing properties, was easy to make and safer to drink than water at the time. .. all very good reasons!

Today, there are literally thousands of recipes for kvass that don’t require a rye or wheat base and therefore provide great xgfx options. The folks over at Zukay Live Foods make various types of kvass and salad dressings that, in addition to going through the fermentation process, contain lovely probiotics. If you are wondering why these two things are important, Zukay provides a great overview on their website. All of these products are vegan, gluten-free, contain no preservatives and are raw and unpasteurized.

These are the Zukay products I tested. Did I enjoy them? Let’s find out!

Beet & Ginger Kvass
INGREDIENTS: Water, organic beets, organic ginger, celtic sea salt, live active culture.
This was my favorite kvass flavor. The color was rich and deep, and looked like the end product of a bunch of beets having a fight. I got some on my hand and it actually stained it a little it was that potent. Not surprisingly, it tasted exactly like fresh beets, with a little kick of ginger at the end. I felt like a superstar after drinking this stuff! I’m kind of obsessed with it now.

Carrot Ginger Kvass
INGREDIENTS: Organic carrots, water, organic ginger, celtic sea salt, active live culture.
I liked this flavor of kvass. It tastes like a bunch of vibrant, freshly juiced carrots. Although it contains no lemon, it did have a pretty strong and tart lemon taste, but I couldn’t identify any ginger flavor. Like it’s beet cousin, it has a bright and potent color, so much it almost glows.

Veggie Medley Kvass
INGREDIENTS: Organic tomatoes, water, organic cucumber, organic carrots, organic cabbage, organic celery, organic kale, organic parsley, celtic sea salt, live active culture.
This medley, packed with seven kinds of vegetables, was magnificent. Unlike the beet and carrot variety, this kvass was clear, but still had a wonderful depth of flavor. Cucumber was the most dominant taste, and it contained none of the acidity of the other two. It was light, refreshing and had a little fizz to it—I was kind of sad taking the last swig! I would strongly recommend all three of these juices.

On to the salad dressings!

Tomato Olive Salad Dressing
INGREDIENTS: Organic tomato, water, kalamata olives, organic garlic, celtic sea salt, herbs de provence, pepper, live active culture.
I really like the simplicity of this dressing. It reminds me of a fresh tapenade. The kalamata is the clear star here, while the tomato and garlic make brief appearances here and there. I really loved this dressing and wouldn’t change a thing about it. It was my favorite Zukay dressing.

Sweet Onion Basil Dressing
INGREDIENTS: Organic sweet onion, water, organic turnip, organic garlic, celtic sea salt, basil, pepper, live active culture.
When I first popped open this dressing, I immediately smelled a rich and pungent scent of sweet onions. You can actually see and identify most of the ingredients in the dressing when you first pour it out. The texture works well in a salad—it also provides a good tang at the end. On the bottle, Zukay suggests adding your own olive oil to make a vinaigrette, which I did. This totally transforms the flavor and texture. I actually like the addition of olive oil better than the plain dressing. It just adds a little more body and rounds it out a bit.

Red Pepper Cilantro Dressing
INGREDIENTS: Organic red pepper, organic tomato, water, cilantro, organic garlic, celtic sea salt, pepper, live active culture.
This reminded me of a Bloody Mary. It had a rich tomato flavor and a little zip at the end. I’m not sure that this would taste great on a salad—the taste is very dominant and would overpower instead of compliment a salad. I did enjoy the very slight hint of cilantro and this dressing fills the room with a wonderful aroma upon opening it.
Where to find Zukay products and how much $$$ it will cost you:
I am from Boston and I have never seen these products anywhere, which is a shame, because I do enjoy them! I did a ?store locator search on the Zukay website and found out I’d have to travel 20 miles to West Concord (the closest location to me) to find their products. But because I am lazy and gas prices are high, I’ll just shop online. You can get a 6-pack of kvass for $30, which includes shipping. Salad dressings run from 7.50-9.00 a bottle, which also includes shipping fees.

Pros:

• Delicious and simple— unique products and flavors
• Healthy and fresh

Cons:

• A bit pricey
• Products are hard to find in certain regions

Reviewed by Erin Wysocarski