Gluten Free Food Reviews

I am off on a two week vacation to enjoy my immediate and extended family. It has been wayyyyyy too long! I will be back the first week of July, and will launch a full month of yummy cookie and biscotti mixes and products for all of you gluten free eaters out there. I can’t wait to share my yummy finds with you! 

In the meantime, please browse my product reviews and share your opinions and feedback about gluten free products you have tried. The more, the merrier!

See ya in July!

Continuing on my quest for a simply yummy, to die for and brag to your friends gluten free pizza crust, I happened upon this innocent box on my last trip to Richmond. The box is about $5.29 and makes two decent sized pizzas. I thought I had found near perfection in the fragrant , thin, crispy and chewy Namaste mix, but this crust is a whole other ball game.

The dough mixed up easily and required the addition of yeast (included on the box) and rise time of 30 minutes. I patted the crust out with my fingers, since rolling pins just don’t seem to function in my hands. I made the crust thicker this time since I was craving something to really sink my teeth into. I knew it was a risk, because with many other gluten free pizza crust mixes you could end with a soggy and grainy rice mess. I prebaked the crust for 15 minutes before adding my simple toppings of basil, peppers, onion and garlic.

The end result was fantastic. The crust was completely baked with a very soft and smooth textured finished product. If this crust is eaten fresh from the oven, it has almost no “ricey” taste and supports the toppings with no sogginess or crusty crumbles. You can really sink your teeth into it, if you are craving more of a deep dish style pizza. However, I must share that the bottom of the crust did not brown or crisp up at all. The entire crust remained soft and chewy with a pleasant flavor that did not compete with my toppings.

When I reheated leftovers the next day,the crust was still quite soft, but the texture was courser and exhibited more of the “ricey” taste we gluten free eaters have grown to recognize. But it still wasn’t bad. I was very impressed! Overall, a great product I will buy again

Sheri, from It’s Just Not Dinner gluten free blog also has some great things to say about this crust mix! Be sure to check it out!

Pros: a soft crust perfect for thicker crusted pizzas, nice flavor and texture fresh from the oven

Cons: Doesn’t crisp or brown on the bottom of the crust, long prep time

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Where Can I Buy This Crust Mix?

ArrowheadMills.com

Ingredients: organic white rice flour, organic potato starch flour, tapioca starch flour (contains sulfites), organic evaporated cane juice, organic soybean flour, sea salt, xanthan gum. Yeast Packet: active dry yeast.

I tried these chips thanks to Danielle, of the Gluten Free Artist blog , who commented on the wasabi version of these chips in my “Top 5 Foods” post. My local store did not carry that particular flavor, so I settled for the fiesta lime.

These chips come in a medium sized bag weighing 6 ounces, perfect for a single person to last a few meals or snacks. The chips themselves are thick and hearty, boasting a heavily textured “whole grain” looking surface. The flavor is tangy and had a nice lime kick. They are quite zesty and a party for the mouth! The texture and flavor provides a pleasant snacking experience and pairs well with a simple sandwich or tex-mex meal. Thanks Danielle, for posting about this brand of chips. They are quite a find!

Pros: great zesty flavor and big crunch factor

Cons: Can’t think of any!

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Where Can I Buy These Tasty Chips?

Ingredients: Brown rice, brown rice flour, organic masa corn flour, white rice flour, high oleic expeller-pressed safflower or sunflower oil, organic sesame seeds, seasonings (rice flour, organic buttermilk powder, salt, organic evaporated cane juice, organic nonfat milk, tartaric acid, citric acid, dried parsley, safflower oil, organic lime oil, and less than 2% tricalcium phosphate (anti-caking agent). Contains Milk.

My sister made this Mrs. Leepers gluten free stroganoff mix during my during my last visit, and I loved it! I couldn’t wait to rush home and try it out for myself.

I purchased this mix locally for $3.29. This one dish mix makes quite a large portion, and could easily serve 3 or 4 hungry people. The preparation itself is quite simple. First, you brown the hamburger, then add milk, water, butter, sauce mix and noodles. From start to finish this mix takes about 25 minutes to prepare.

The mix itself is very basic- noodles and cream sauce complimented by the additional hamburger. It is simple and unsophisticated, and unfortunately, a bit bland. I added onion, sour cream, and fresh mushroom to the mix and it was very tasty! However, after adding so many of my ingredients to maximize flavor, I might as well have made the dish from scratch.

The noodles taste great- no mushiness or issues with texture. They cook perfectly and hold their shape nicely. The sauce mix has a hint of sour cream and is missing “something”, in and of itself it is not that great. My gluten consuming sister noticed a slight aftertaste- you know, the kind most boxed meals have. Also be sure to drain the beef completely- otherwise it looks and tastes greasy.Overall, this is a decent mix that serves as a great base for a nice meal,and one I would buy again.

Pros: great noodles, easy preparation

Cons: For maximum flavor, you may need to add fresh iingredients.

Rating: 3 3/4 stars

Where Can I buy this mix?

Mrs. Leeper’s Gluten-Free Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients: Rice pasta (organic brown rice flour, organic white rice flour), stroganoff seasoning: sour cream powder {sour cream (cream, cultures, lactic acid), nonfat milk, citric acid, disodium phosphate, natural flavor}, potato starch, salt, rice flour, onion and garlic powder, whey, sugar, corn syrup solids, dextrose, whey protein concentrate, dehydrated parsley, caramel color and autolyzed yeast.

I heard so many great things about the Gluten Free Pantry Chocolate Truffle mix, I just had to try it out! I made these for our Memorial Day cookout to rave reviews.

I purchased this mix from my local natural foods store for $3.99. It is 16 ounces and makes an 8×8 size pan of medium thickness brownies.

Mixing was fairly easy, just add eggs, melted butter and optional chopped nuts. The batter is very thick and a little difficult to spread in the pan. I used a touch of cooking oil on my fingertips to prevent sticking as I smoothed the batter in the pan by hand- spatulas and spoons just weren’t working for me. The instructions suggest 25-27 minutes baking time. Since I like fudge brownies, I opted to bake the brownies for 25 minutes. However, they were underbaked, even for my taste, so I would suggest baking the full 27 minutes for best results. Anything less, and it will just look, taste, and cut like brownie batter.

I also suggest completely cooling and freezing the brownies for at least an hour before cutting, as suggested on the package. These brownies are more like a slice of fudge than a traditional brownie, and really need that freeze time to allow for cutting clean lines. These moist brownies are very fudgey and have a rich chocolate taste, free from grittiness or significant crumbling ( just a bit at the edges ). The mix also contains chocolate chips that add another level of richness to the final result.

These truly are a decadent treat that anyone would enjoy. And they are just as good the next day, if they last that long!

Pros: wonderful flavor, moist, rich, chewy and gooey,

Cons: More like fudge than a traditional brownie, need long cooling/freezing time before cutting and serving

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Where can I Buy This Fudgey Brownie Mix?

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Ingredients: Sugar, chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla extract), cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanillin), cocoa powder, white rice flour, potato starch, corn starch, xanthan gum, salt

This Namaste gluten free pizza crust mix is packaged in an unassuming brown and maroon paper bag. Each brown bag makes two 14 inch pizza crusts,and sells for $6.69 at my local health food store. A while back, Natalie, the Gluten Free Mommy, asked if I knew of a good pizza crust mix. At the time, I didn’t, but this is one of two contenders that may satisfy our gluten-free pizza cravings.

I made the two pizza crusts at the same time, and froze the second one for use later in the week. I wanted to see how the taste compared. However, the nice thing about this mix is that there are instructions on the bag if you only want to make one crust at a time.

When you open the bag, you are immediately overwhelmed by a heavenly italian aroma- yes, the italian seasoning is already premixed into the crust for extra flavor. Perfect!Preparing the mix is failry simple, just add oil, water and mix for 3 minutes with a mixer. I would suggest using a stand mixer. The dough was easy to shape and I used my fingers to pat out the 14 inch crusts. I did use a bit of oil on my fingertips to prevent sticking. With this crust, you bake it for 10 minutes, add your toppings ( For the yummy spinach feta pizza recipe pictured above, click HERE), then bake an additional 8 -12 minutes. I found with my recipe, 11 additional minutes was perfect; anything less than that produced a soggier crust.

The result was simply Wonderful. Simply heavenly. Simply flavorful. The crust was perfectly crispy on the bottom and nice and chewy in the center. It didn’t have the typical rice flour taste and graininess. In fact, my gluten-consuming husband remarked on how good it was and how good the crust turned out.

When I tried my second pizza ( the one that I froze), I found the results were just “Ok.” I didn’t get the same fresh, crispy/chewy experience. I would suggest making a fresh crust each time for best results. Overall, this was a great crust that I am happy to buy again.

Pros: Perfect thin crust experience- crispy and chewy with a wonderful aroma and flavor, food allergy friendly

Cons: Probably not the best mix for a thicker crust

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Where Can I Buy This Pizza Crust?

Namaste - Pizza Crust
From: glutenfree.com

Ingredients:Brown Rice Flour, Tapioca Flour, Arrowroot Flour, Italian Seasoning, Xanthan Gum, Cream of Tartar, Baking Soda, Salt, and Ascorbic Acid.

I bought these little snacks during my last trip to Richmond to share with my adorable nephew, who is dairy-free. The 4.5 ounce box cost $3.95 , and contains about 5 servings. I was especially intrigued that such a snack could pack in a whopping 5 g. of fiber in each serving.

Upon first taste of these light and airy snacks, they seemed ok. A light, but processed “cheddar” taste with lots of crunch. So far, so good. But then, the aftertaste hit and it was just AWFUL! I can’t even begin to describe what it was. I think it was a combination of the amaranth, chicory root, and the imitation cheddar flavor. Please, save your money, this isn’t a product worth your it.

Pros: Good source of fiber

Cons: nasty aftertaste- YUCK!

Rating: 1 star

If you are feeling brave, and want to try these anyway, you can buy them at:

Ingredients: Amaranth flour, chicory root extract, rice flour, inulin, rice protein concentrate, cold pressed canola oil, onion powder, sea salt, paprika, tumeric, garlic powder, non-dairy natural cheddar cheese flavors and calcium lactate

One of my favorite nuts is pecans, so I was pleased to discover my local natural foods store started carrying these pecan cookies . I purchased this 8 ounce bag for $3.39. I went home, settled in with a cold glass of milk, and gave them a taste.

They are small mini-cookies that provide a satisfying crunch. In fact, they can be a bit crumbly if you aren’t careful! The corn flour gives these cookies a chunky, grainy texture. It boasts a sweet buttery flavor accented with bits of pecans sprinkled in. These cookies go stale fairly quickly, so make sure to store them in a ziplock or air tight container. I think these would make a good pie crust, all crushed up and mixed with a bit of butter, as an alternative to a graham cracker crust.

I wasn’t all that impressed with the overall taste of the cookies, they were a bit on the bland side and too crunchy for my taste. However, they weren’t horrible, and did not have any unpleasant aftertaste. I liked them enough to finish the bag in a few days, but not enough to buy them again.

Pros: nice bits of pecans

Cons: doesn’t taste “fresh”, a bit bland

Rating: 3 stars

Where Can I Buy these Cookies?

Vitacost.com

Ingredients: Gluten free flour (contains corn flour, soy flour, potato flour, corn starch, rice starch, potato starch, rice flour, white bean flour, xanthan gum), dehydrated cane juice, pecans, non hydrogenated canola oil, butter (may contain color additive annato), egg whites, unsulphered molasses, corn starch, natural flavors, baking soda, sea salt, soybean lecithin (used as an emulsifier).