So Rachel keeps getting all of these products to try and I am the lucky one who gets to try some of them.

Naturally raised meat...what's all the hype?

It's about our health people! Whether gluten free or not, the quality of the food we eat is über important!




So, here's a great article from our friends at Kettle Cuisine, that explains more about quality meat. Also, not to be biased or anything, but Crosby and I think the "good" stuff tastes better too!! ;-)


The Importance of Selecting Naturally Raised Proteins

If you walk into any Chipotle Mexican Grill (Have you seen their new commercial?) and check out their ingredient messaging, their commitment to naturally raised pork, beef and chicken is abundantly clear. If you walk into any Panera Bread and check out their salad offerings, you will see that all of the chicken used in their salads is all natural and antibiotic free. And when you purchase any (non-vegetarian) Kettle Cuisine soup, you can always expect naturally raised chicken or beef. So….why are all three of our companies committing to pay more (sometimes significantly more) for naturally raised proteins? I can assure you that it’s not just for added marketing hype.

There are many benefits associated with cooking with and eating naturally raised proteins. They taste better and more importantly they taste like they should. They are free of antibiotics that pose long term biological and environmental threats. They are free of growth hormones that pose questionable health risks. And, the animals are raised by humane standards and in a way that is truly sustainable.

For the rest of the article, and a picture of a fellow Armenian (I just get the name, but Crosby's 1/4!!), read more... http://blog.kettlecuisine.com/2012/02/the-importance-of-selecting-naturally-raised-proteins/

I'm such a wuss! I have to start with that so that the rest of this post makes sense.

I'm trying the New England Clam Chowder from Kettle Cuisine for lunch today and I'm scared...haha, I guess not scared, just nervous.


I feel like a kid...what if I don't like it? Which brings me back to my wuss status. I don't care for funky, chewy food (just ask about mussels in London during our honeymoon...they just got pushed around on our plates!).

So here I sit, faced with clam chowder. I do have to say though, it smells really good!

My first bite was safe with just potatoes and broth (would you call it broth?) and it was tasty!!! Creamy, peppery, giant potato chunks, yum! I'm quite impressed. As the flavor lingers in my mouth I find myself wanting another bite. And another.

Which brings me to the clams! Ahh...what will I find?!? Surprisingly, the yummy flavor continues! Wow! Pretty stinking' good, even with the clams chewiness. But I will say they are quite chewy in that funky seafood way. However, I find that as I eat, if I just don't think about it, they're fine! I'm afraid though that if I focus on the chewiness too much it might not be good!

And with that...let me end this post and continue to enjoy my chowder!

One quick note...if you enjoy seafood, I'm sure you will not just like, but love this soup!! I imagine in a gluten free bread bowl would be quite scrumptious!

Monday have you singing the blues?  You're tired...it's cold...I know. :)



SOUPS, CHILIS & CHOWDERS

 
Well, sing no more because Kettle Cuisine is here to the rescue!  Their soups are designed for people like YOU (and me...it's tasty!). 

Here's why.  You're headed to work and you didn't have time to prepare lunch the day before.  Sound familiar?  Stock your freezer with these soups and you'll be set.  They'll provide you with a warm, cuddly meal that's also nutritious. 

I don't know about you, but I love a nice warm, fuzzy meal in the winter.  It just hits the spot, you know.  But, so often the problem with soup is that it's not filling and leaves you not just wanting, but needing more.

That's where Kettle Cuisine comes in.  Pop one of their soups in the microwave and be prepared to curl up in your office chair with a great meal that's satisfying.  Now, I do need to add, that depending on how much you eat, you may need to pair the soup with something else to fill you up (I've eaten them alone at lunch and been fine, but you may be different...).

Roasted Vegetable Soup w/ Quesadilla (homemade)

I started with trying the Roasted Veggies Soup with a quesadilla for dinner and OH MAN!  It was delicious and I was full.  This soup is packed full of chunky veggies and spices.  Best of all, it's gluten free, dairy free and vegetarian!  The creators of Kettle Cuisine, definitely worked hard to cater to each of our dietary needs.  And to make something that's tasty, wow! 

I mean, it might sound silly, but this soup really was amazing.  I couldn't get over how homemade it tasted.  Seriously, I've tried many different gluten free frozen meals (remember, I'm a teacher so we don't exactly get a real "lunch" break!) and most don't taste that good.  I was impressed to find something that I'd be excited to just pop in the microwave and eat!  After trying this soup I can honestly say that I will be keeping our freezer stocked with Kettle Cuisine. 

To quote their website, "Our Roasted Vegetable Soup begins with a bounty of farm fresh vegetables perfectly roasted for optimum flavor and texture, lightly pureed, and seasoned with our own hand-blended spices. Then it’s finished with extra virgin olive oil to further complement the diversity of its flavors."

To highlight another soup very quickly, let me tell you about the Chicken Chili with White Beans.  Man!  Spicy and rich, this stuff hit the spot.  I tried this on one of those grab something out of the freezer and run to work days and I was impressed.  The chicken tasted like real meat and the flavor was intense.  I've never tasted a chili quite like this.  I noticed the ingredients listed cocoa powder...I wonder if that was the key to the unique, delicious taste?  The spice was definitely apparent, but it wasn't too overwhelming.  Another great thing I loved was that it was creamy, but not heavy!  In my opinion, this is definitely a soup you can eat alone and be filled. 

Chicken Chili and White Beans

One note...this soup is gluten free, but not dairy free.  But, if dairy isn't an issue, then enjoy!  To quote Kettle Cuisine again, "Our made-from-scratch chicken stock is the foundation for this satisfying chili that’s loaded with all natural chicken, hearty white beans and finished with sour cream and fresh cilantro."  Yum!

One last note.  All Kettle Cuisine soups are gluten free, but you'll need to peruse their selection to see what's dairy free, vegetarian or low fat.  Each is clearly labeled and the site is very easy to navigate!

So Rachel gets to try some flavors of kettle cuisine.

If you don't know about them yet, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!?!

Anyway, I just wanted to write a quick update on these soups and showcase Rachel's excitement of getting to sample these amazing products!

Look for at least six, that's right six upcoming posts related to these soups. I'll give you a hint at one of them... It's something you can eat at the beach...

Can anyone guess?!? If you guess correctly, we'll send you something. I don't know what, but something fun!