Product Review: Bionaturæ Pasta

One food item with few satisfactory GF options is pasta. Often GF pastas are mushy, have no taste or taste too much like corn. With a combination of rice, potato and soy flours, Bionaturæ has largely combated the three major vices of GF pasta and created a delicious substitute. It really does have the flavor and texture of regular pasta. Sometimes, when I'm feeling sneaky, I'll serve this pasta with the "it's gluten-free, try to make the best of it" preface and haven't yet heard a complaint. It comes in a variety of pasta shapes/types including the classic spaghetti, but also penne, fusili and shells. The shells are great for macaroni and cheese. I used some of the penne rigate I had on hand to create a filling and delicious shrimp scampi. Shrimp scampi is a favorite dish I can rarely order in restaurants and so, therefore, have learned to make at home. It's a perfect weeknight recipe because it's easy, fast and, most importantly, yummy.

Shrimp Scampi

• One cup or so Bionaturæ penne rigate
• One cup chopped spinach
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• Chopped onion, whatever amount looks good
• At least one clove garlic, chopped
• 5 or so deveined, detailed shrimp
• White wine, maybe 1/3 cup
• One tablespoon butter
• Chopped fresh basil, for garnish
• Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  

This recipe is so easy! Just cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Saute together the onion and garlic in a small amount of olive oil with the butter, add the mushrooms and cook until browned. Add the spinach, shrimp and white wine. Let everything hang out over low heat until the pasta is cooked and drained. Add pasta to mixture, stir well and serve with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.

Product Review: Van's All Natural Wheat Free Waffles

Waffles are, perhaps, one of the most delicious breakfast foods and frozen waffles are at once delicious and wonderfully convenient, truly a rare combination. Van's Natural Foods makes a variety of gluten, dairy and egg-free breakfast options that for all their "free-ness" are remarkably yummy. Bonus points for being readily available and often on sale in major grocery chains including Shaw's and Hannaford's. My personal favorite flavor is blueberry followed closely by apple cinnamon. A few words of advice: like all GF foods, make sure your waffles are well toasted! And plan to eat them quickly, I find them especially susceptible to freezer burn.

Product Review: San-J Thai Peanut Sauce

This peanut sauce by the San-J company caught my eye on the grocery store shelf because it had gluten-free emblazoned across the front of it's label- no eye strain from label reading! I love it when companies make my life easier. San-J's Thai Peanut Sauce is certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (speaking of organizations that make life easier!) and the company produces several other GF sauces, including teriyaki and Asian BBQ.
I paired the Thai Peanut Sauce with one of my favorite naturally GF foods: Thai Spring Rolls and found it an interesting diversion from my usual peanut sauce selection. It didn't have quite enough peanut flavor for my taste, but I enjoyed the contrast between the tamarind soy sauce and the spring roll's flavors. I think it would be excellent with chicken and plan to experiment more soon.

Thai Spring Rolls

• Rice paper
• Rice Noodles
• Carrots, grated or thinly slices
• Scallions, sliced
• Lettuce, thingly sliced
• Fresh mint, chopped
• Cooked shrimp with tails removed

This is a simple and versatile dish, feel free to experiment with ingredient combinations. Chopped chicken, tofu or tempeh can be substituted for the shrimp and basil also works nicely in the place of the fresh mint. This is my favorite combination: the fresh, crisp vegetables, bright mint and shrimp taste like spring to me.

To make a roll (or packet, to actually describe what they look like), follow the package directions to wet the rice paper. A plate with a small amount of water works well for this task. In the center of the rice paper, pile the rice noodles, shrimp, carrot, onion, lettuce and mint. Roll or fold together- whatever works best for you. Serve with warmed peanut sauce and enjoy!