old spaghetti factory

Hello, gluten-free friendees!

A few months ago, Scott surprised me with carry-out from Old Spaghetti Factory in Forest Park.  It was delicious!

They have a defined gluten-free menu available.  There's a 75-cent upcharge for gluten-free pasta.  In our world, that's not too bad.  I'm generally pleasantly caught off guard when the mark-up is under $2.

I had the baked chicken and a side salad.  The presence of croutons on the salad made me hesitant, but Scott had gone over & over my allergies with the pasta folks.  Fortunately, it was safe & yummy. 

Baked chicken may sound unremarkable, but no...  The chicken is marinated in lemon juice & garlic, seasoned with oregano, baked, and served with Mizithra Cheese & browned butter and marinara sauce over pasta.  Read: amazingness.

Not familiar with Mizithra cheese?  I wasn't either.  It's a Greek cheese that pairs incredibly well with my beloved browned butter.  It gets kind of melty in the dish, sprinkled on top.  I'm salivating just thinking of that combo.  Who needs the marinara, anyway?

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Happy eating :)

2013 ccsg cookie exchange details!

It's time for the Cincinnati Celiac Support Group Annual Holiday Cookie Exchange!

Saturday December 21st 11 AM - 12:30 PM
Lane Library
1485 Corydale Drive
Fairfield Ohio 45014

Bring your GF cookies to share and also a container to take all types home to enjoy for the holidays!

mediterranean snacks

Hello, friends!

I don't know what it is about that late fall/early winter weather -- whether it's watching big games on TV or snacking around a bonfire -- but it makes me want dips.  Hummus, ranch, queso, black bean (simply delicious recipe coming soon), guacamole...the more, the merrier!  As much as I loooove plain old tortilla chips, they don't always hit the spot.

Mediterranean Snacks has some yummy new HummuZ Crackers.  They're all natural and gluten free.  Their crunch is lighter than a cracker but more substantial than your typical chip.  They come in three flavors:

• Roasted Garlic

Photo via Mediterranean Snacks website

• Roasted Red Pepper

Photo via Mediterranean Snacks website

• Olive Tapenade

Photo via Mediterranean Snacks website

The folks over at Mediterranean Snacks were at the 2012 Celiac Awareness Tour at Xavier University in Cincinnati and graciously sent me one bag of each flavor to sample.  Unfortunately I took one of the bags (roasted red pepper) to a get-together, and the whole bag was tossed into a bowl with unfriendly, gluten-filled crackers.  I didn't get to try a single one, but  I didn't want to write my review until I had.  I didn't know it would take quite so long to locate them, but I finally have!!

They're all tasty and light, but the olive tapenade flavor is my tastebuds' favorite.

A bonus: they have since come out with Tapaz 2 Go, a portable mini-meal of hummus and sea salt lentil crackers.  The packaging is really cool & simple: the box flips over & turns into the perfect plate for the hummus!

These also come in three flavors:

• Classic Hummus
• Roasted Garlic Hummus (which I haven't yet tried)
• Red Pepper Hummus (my favorite!!) 

So who is Mediterranean Snacks?  They've been around since 2005, and their philosophy is based around Living Snactive -- combining a healthy attitude with an active lifestyle and nutritious snacks.  Many of their products are legume-based and have been certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO).  If you have other dietary restrictions, there are more details here, and many of the products are GMO-free.

Check them out and find a new cracker/chip choice for yourself!  Another bonus: visit their website for a link to a $1 off coupon!!  (You need to have Java enabled.)

Happy eating :)

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Full disclosure:
The HummuZ Crackers were sent to me free-of-charge (longer ago than I'd like to admit) from Mediterranean Snacks in exchange for an honest review.  At the time, they were called HummuZ Crispz.  Beyond those samples, I was in no way compensated.  The opinions expressed above are mine & mine alone.