Gluten Free Food Reviews

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.

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I purchased this mix for $4.59 from my local natural foods shop. The mix is 17.5 ounces and makes a 9×13 pan and makes 12-20 brownies, depending on how small you cut them.

This mix requires vegetable oil, eggs ( or egg substitute) and water. The mix is moderately thick and spreads fairly well in the pan. After baking it is best to wait until the brownies are completely cool before cutting and eating; otherwise they tend to be sticky and the taste isn’t as great. After baking, the brownies tend to be fairly thin. For a thicker brownie consider using two mixes or a smaller pan.

These brownies are a nice moist cake brownie with a hint of fudginess. When slicing and removing the brownies from the pan, the corners tend to break off and the top didn’t have the crinkley texture I like. To me, these brownies had a nice cocoa flavor without overpowering sweetness, thanks to the evaporated cane juice. I liked that they held their shape, and the bits of mini chocolate chips added just the right touch. The texture was great, with no indication of grittiness or chalkiness.  I could taste the rice flour base, but strangely enough, I did not mind this time. These are decent brownies that will suffice for any chocolate or brownie craving; however, they are not the decadent, lucious chocolate treat you may dream about. That said, I will probably buy them again. Especially if it is topped with vanilla ice cream. Yum!

Pros: soft and chewy, moist, holds shape well

Cons: fairy thin, chocolate flavor could be richer

Rating: 4 stars

Where Can I Buy These Brownies?

Amazon.com

WellnessGrocer.com

Ingredients: organic evaporated cane juice, organic white rice flour, organic chocolate chips (organic sugar, organic chocolate liquor [non-alcohol], organic cocoa butter, soy lecithin [added as an emulsifier], organic vanilla flavor), organic potato starch, organic cocoa powder, tapioca starch, natural vanilla flavor with other natural flavors, (organic sugar, natural vanilla flavor with other natural flavors), xanthan gum, sea salt, baking soda, and non-aluminum baking powder (monocalcium phosphate, baking soda, cornstarch).

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1/20 package (about 25g)
Servings Per Container: about 20
Amount Per Serving					Mix	Prepared
Calories					110	160
	Calories from Fat				20	70
% Daily Value**
Total Fat 2g*					3%	13%
	Saturated Fat 1.5g				7%	11%
	Trans Fat 0g							Â
Cholesterol 0mg					0%	7%
Sodium 40mg					2%	2%
Total Carb. 21g					7%	7%
	Dietary Fiber <1g				3%	3%
	Sugars 13g				Â	Â
Protein 1g					Â	Â
Vitamin A					0%	0%
Vitamin C					0%	0%
Calcium					0%	0%
Iron					2%	2%
* Amount in mix. Prepared as directed with eggs, butter and water contains an additional 5.5g fat (0.5g saturated fat), 20mg cholesterol, 5mg sodium, 1g protein.
** Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
		Calories:			2,000		2,500
Total Fat		Less than			65g		80g
	Sat Fat	Less than			20g		25g
Cholesterol		Less than			300mg		300mg
Sodium		Less than			2,400mg		2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate					300g		375g
Â	Dietary Fiber				25g		30g