Gluten Free Food Reviews

Who doesn’t love a summer cook out? Whether you prefer a juicy burger, spicy bratwurst or a skewer of roasted veggies, there is something for everyone. Thankfully, when I am the host, I can ensure the affair will be gluten free, so I can eat and enjoy without worry.

However, I love my Minnesota brats with all the fixings. And to handle all of those condiments, you need a good, hearty bun. At a gluten free cookout, what’s a girl to do? I found these Kinnikinnick gluten free hot dog buns in the frozen foods section and wanted to give them a shot. I am very picky about gluten free bread, and realized this would either be very good or very, very bad.

To eat these buns, you need to defrost them. I wrapped a bun in a paper towel for 30 seconds or so and it was ready to go. To lightly toast the buns ( to minimize crumbling, and enhance flavor), I baked mine in the oven for a few minutes. Both versions tasted OK- neither one better than the other.

First of all, these buns are hearty big and thick with lots of gluten free bread to support even the largest hot dog. In fact, they are almost too big and can overwhelm whatever you choose to put inside.

The texture of these gluten free hot dog buns is a bit textured and spongy and tasted a bit of the white rice flour. They are also very soft- no coarse crumbs. To me, these buns tasted gluten free, but did what they were meant to do- cradled my cookout meat of choice without becoming a soggy mess when slathered with my favorite ketchup.

The best thing about these gluten free hot dog buns is that they have a whopping 7 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. That was a nice bonus I wasn’t expecting.

PROS: soft, hearty, lots of fiber and protein

CONS: spongy, very thick, you can tell these are gluten free, just “OK”

Rating: 3 stars

To Purchase: Click HERE to get them at WellnessGrocer.com

Ingredients: white rice flour, tapioca starch, water, sugar, poly dextrose, egg whites, dextrose, yeast, sunflower oil ( and/or canola oil), pea protein, sodium carboxy methylcellulose, salt, vitamin blend (thiamine, viatmin B2, niacin, folic acid, iron)

Kinnikinnick has started it’s own blog- “The Gluten Free Insider”

It’s informative and fun- click HERE to check it out!

**Don’t forget to check out my other Kinnikinnick gluten free product reviews!

I picked up this 22 ounce Gluten Free Pantry gluten free bread mix from Nature’s Pantry for $5.19. I thought it would pair well with yummy chicken soup on a chilly spring evening. I was not disappointed!

The prep for this bread was fairly simple with the help of my KitchenAid Artisan Mixer mixer. I added vinegar, milk, honey salt, melted butter, and eggs and let it rise for 40 minutes. I brushed the top with egg and baked for 40 minutes. The dough was sticky and a bit fussy to spread in the pan, but with the help of a wet spatula, it smoothed just fine. Total prep and cook time totaled 1 1/2 hours.

I have to tell ya, fresh from the oven this bread smelled just like “regular” french bread. I thought I hit the jackpot!

The exterior of this gluten free french bread was golden, chewy, and slightly flaky that provided the perfect crunch. The inside of the bread is soft, spongy and chewy, which was a little disappointing. After some cooling time, I sliced it warm with an electric knife. Yum! It tasted great warm from the oven- something that doesn’t work for many other gluten free breads.

This gluten free french bread isn’t a perfect replacement for “regular” gluten french bread, but it will definitely curb your craving if that is what you want.

PROS: wonderful french bread smell, slightly flake crust, slices fairly well

CONS: you have to add lots of extra ingredients, texture is a little spongy

Rating: 4 stars

Want to try it for yourself? Click the link below:

Gluten-Free Pantry - French Bread and Pizza Mix
From: glutenfree.com

Ingredients: white rice flour, potato starch, corn starch, guar gum, granulated honey, salt, yeast

Want to make homemade gluten free french bread? Check out the following recipes to get you started:

Karen at Gluten free Sox

Ashley at Recipezaar

Mike from Gluten Free Blog

AOL Canada

I found myself in a fix for dinner. I was planning on making chicken tenders with my favorite coating, the Southern Homestyle corn flake crumbs. But, I was out. Oh no! So, I tried the Ener G bread crumbs, and prayed my picky kids would like them. My 10 ounce box of Ener G bread crumbs cost $2.99.

The bread crumbs appeared slightly yellow in color, mostly fine with larger pieces in texture, and coated my chicken easily. As I sauteed the chicken tenders, they created a crisp coating that wasn’t too thick and heavy.

The end result was great! The flavor was mild enough that you could easily add any spices or seasonings you wish, and the flavors would not compete. I added some garlic and parmesan cheese to my chicken coating, and it was so good, my kids inhaled them. THAT, is amazing. These gluten free bread crumbs are a good product that would work in a variety of recipes (chicken, baked mac & cheese topping etc).

Pros: Mostly fine texture, some larger bits; mild flavor, versatile, affordable price

Cons: Add your own seasonings for best results

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Where Can I Purchase these gluten free bread crumbs?

Click HERE for the Ener G website, or check your local natural foods store

Ingredients: Filtered Water, Rice Flour, Tapioca Starch, Safflower or Sunflower Oil, Pear Juice Concentrate, Yeast, Methylcellulose, Bamboo Fiber, Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose, Calcium Phosphate, Salt, Glucono Delta Lactone, Guar Gum, Hi Maize Corn Starch, Sodium Bicarbonate, Organic Palm Fruit Oil, Tapioca Syrup, Orange Citrus Fiber, Nulomoline (inverted sugar from cane or beet), Xanthan Gum.Enriched with Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Iron and Folic Acid.

It has been a rough month- I have been sick a whopping three times, which has made it difficult to try new gluten free products. I have had no energy, and nothing seems to taste good. As a result, I have a pantry full of gluten free bread mixes waiting patiently to be prepared and appreciated. It looks like my bread reviews will spill over into March! My March gluten free product give-away will still go on as planned though. Check back on March 1st to enter!

I picked up this large 35.5 ounce bag of Kinnikinnick Kinni-Kwik Bread and Bun mix for $5.79, which was enough to make a dozen dinner rolls and a large yummy loaf of gluten free bread.

This bread mix cannot be easier to prepare! Just add water, milk, or soy milk, mix for 3 minutes with an electric mixer, and it’s ready for the oven. No rise time necessary! Seriously, it is foolproof, even for me! The dough was a touchy sticky to work with, but a wet spatula easily smoothed the top of the bread dough.

I baked the bread for 50 minutes, and it came out of the oven looking golden and gorgeous! I couldn’t wait to try a piece warm with my favorite peanut butter. This gluten free bread is very, very soft, with a slightly crunchy crust with a somewhat spongy/eggy consistency. Because of the nooks and crannies, it had a somewhat rough texture. However, because this gluten free bread is so soft, it actually tasted light and smooth. I was surprised, and also pleased to discover virtually no crumbling when sliced or eaten.

This bread really tasted great. The flavor seemed quite mild and would pair up with any sandwich toppings your heart desires. I did not notice an aftertaste, either.

Because the bread turned out so well, I was anxious to try the bun, or dinner roll version. Batter preparation was exactly the same, and I used my favorite scoop to fill greased muffin tins. I smoothed the top of the buns with my fingers dipped in water and popped them into the oven. A mere 25 minutes later they were hot and on the dinner table. The texture and flavor was the same as the loaf prep. However, my rolls rose unevenly, causing them to have a bumpy, lumpy appearance. My gluten consuming family provided mixed reviews. My husband like them but my kids said they tasted “different,” and refused to eat them after the first bite. Overall, I liked this mix and would definitely buy it again.

PROS: soft, fluffy bread, looks great, super easy prep, great price

CONS: a bit spongy, buns rise unevenly

Rating: 4 stars

Want to try this Kinnikinnick Bread & Bun Mix? Click below!

Kinnikinnick - Kinni-Kwik Bread & Bun Mix
From: glutenfree.com Ingredients: White rice flour, potato starch, pea starch, tapioca starch, sugar, whole egg powder, malto dextrin, poly dextrose, dextrose, pea protein, glucono delta lactone, egg white powder, fructooligosaccharide, pea fibre, sodium carboxy methylcellulose, cellulose, sodium bicarbonate, rice bran extract, inulin, salt, sodium stearayl lactylate, fructose.

I found this loaf of packaged bread on display at my local Wegman’s grocery store. I was curious, and nervous, all at the same time. I have yet to discover a great dark bread , and was curious as to how it tasted. However, I was also nervous, because my last encounter with a dark gluten free bread ( Bob’s Red Mill) was less than tasty. I decided to take the plunge at plunked down $5.69 for my 1 lb. 8 oz. loaf of Le Garden Bakery’s Country Seed Bread with the hopes I could have a tasty sandwich for a late dinner that night.

When I arrived home I discovered the bread was double wrapped for freshness- a big plus in my book since this gluten free bread does not contain any preservatives.

The bread looked really good- a dark crust dotted with cornmeal, brown sesame seeds and whole millet sprinled on top of the loaf. However, it was softer than I expected and the crust toppings did not provide any of the “crunch” the package boasted. The loaf felt dense and firm as I held it in my hands, and much to my surprise it sliced easily with slight crumbling with small chunks of crust separating from the bread. I found that thinly slicing the bread seemed best for my sandwich.

The flavor was just wonderful! It was actually reminiscent of wheat bread- mild but flavorful. The bread kept it’s shape and didn’t fall apart with each bite. The brown rice flour, arrowroot flour and tapioca flours blended nicely and hardly tasted gluten free. I noticed the bread tasted slightly grainy, a more fine verses a course crumb, and was definitely on the dry side. However, I noticed on the package, that I purchased it on it’s expiration date and ate it the following day, which might explain the graininess and dryness.

Overall, it is a versatile dense and chewy bread. Due to the dryness, I will probably use the rest of this bread as french toast, croutons, or toast with butter and strawberry jam. I plan to try this bread again, except this time I will look for an expiration date.. If I notice a big difference I will let you know! That would definitely bump up the star rating.

PROS: nice flavor, great for slicing

CONS: dry and slightly grainy- watch the expiration date!

Rating: 3 1/2 stars

For some beautiful pictures of this bread and packaging, click HERE

Want to try this bread?

Check out your local Wegmans , natural foods store, or order directly from Le Garden Bakery by clicking HERE

Ingredients: Whole grain brown rice flour, spring water, whole eggs, arrowroot flour, evaporated cane juice, tapioca flour, organic palm shortening, baking soda, kosher gelatin, yeast, sea salt, brown sesame seeds, whole millet, cornmeal

As I stocked up my own gluten free pantry one Saturday, the clerk at my local natural foods store offered me this free Bob’s Red Mill gluten free whole grain bread mix. I couldn’t believe it! I really miss my whole grain gluten filled wheat bread, Could this be the substitute I was hoping for?

Mixing this whole grain gluten free bead mix with water, eggs and cider vinegar was a snap with my Kitchen-Aid mixer. The dough was thick and hearty, but not overly sticky or difficult to work with. So good, so far.

The bread baked up beautifully with a nice dark and slightly crunchy crust and boasted lots of little nooks and crannies I let the bread cool, then sliced it and topped with with a bit of butter and jam. I was impressed with how easily the bread sliced with little crumbling. Unfortunately, my gluten free bread glee stopped there. The bread looked good, but oh my, it tasted AWFUL!

The texture was rough, thick and very strange- like nothing have ever tried before. The plethora of caraway, sesame, sunflower seeds; and whole grains in this bread seem out of place. The ingredient flavors do not blend well and are a harsh and chaotic blend of flavors. There is no sweetness to this bread, and the dark color is only based on the addition of cocoa. Even though I used to enjoy multi-grain breads, I was not used to this. I tried to eat this bread twice and became nauseous after each attempt. I don’t think I will ever buy this bread on my own. If any of my readers have tried this mix with better results, I would love to hear about it!

PROS: looks great, slices easily, lots of whole grains

CONS: flavor and texture is just awful

Rating: 1 star

Feeling brave? Wanna try it for yourself?

Ingredients: Whole grain buckwheat, garbanzo bean flour, potato starch, cornstarch, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, whole grain sorghum flour, tapioca flour, turbinado sugar, cocoa powder, evaporated cane juice, fava bean flour, dried molasses (molasses, maltodextrin), xanthan gum, caraway seeds, active dry yeast, sea salt, whole grain teff, potato flour, onion powder, guar gum, soy lecithin.

See what Stephanie at What I Eat ,and Sea at the Book of Yum had to say about this mix!

(For Sea’s review, just scroll down the page. You’ll be glad you did!)

One night my fabulously talented husband cooked pork BBQ for me and my entire family, perfectly flavored and super savory. However, in order to have a great dinner, I wanted my BBQ on a sandwich roll, not just on two slices of rice bread. It’s just not the same! So, when I came across this four pack of gluten free tapioca hamburger buns, I thought I’d give them a try. I purchased them for $4.95. To prepare them, simply slice the bun in half and warm in the microwave or oven if you wish. This is what I did, since I like warm bread with hot fillings.

I must admit, these Ener-G gluten free hamburger buns really surprised me. The first bun I tested from the package didn’t disappoint me at all! It was soft and chewy, but kept it’s shape with no excessive sogginess or crumbling, despite the healthy slathering of BBQ sauce I enjoyed on my sandwich. The flavor was light and mild, had no funny aftertaste, and would pair well with any hearty burger or sandwich filling you desire. The texture was smooth with no graininess, thanks to its tapioca flour base. These gluten free hamburger buns did seem a touch dry, but not so much that it would keep me from buying them again.

I did not feel like I missing out of the dining experience at all because I had to eat gluten free. Now, that is some thing to be happy about!

On the downside, I found that the extra hamburger buns went bad really fast. I stored them in the refrigerator and used two more for my lunch and dinner the following day. The texture definitely seemed grainy, drier, and just not as good. On day three, I threw away the last bun of the pack; it just wasn’t worth eating.

Overall, these gluten free hamburger buns were great straight from the package. However, you must eat them fast and/or share with someone for maximum flavor and texture.

PROS: texture, density, flavor, appearance, 4 grams fiber

CONS: slightly dry, eat them VERY fast!

Rating: 4 stars

Ingredients: Filtered Water, Rice Flower, Tapioca Starch, Cold Pressed High Oleic Safflower Oil, Pear Juice Concentrate, Bamboo Fiber, Yeast, Methylcellulose, Tapioca Syrup, Guar Gum, Salt, Palm Oil, Calcium Phosphate, Glucono Delta Lactone. Enriched with Thiamine (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Niacin, Iron and Folic Acid.

I thought this single serving of gluten free cornbread from the Lean On Me Baking Company would be great with a hot bowl of soup on a drizzly and particularly miserable autumn day, and I really wasn’t in the mood to make a whole pan of cornbread. Perfect. I picked this frozen product for $2.99 at my local natural foods store. I was curious whether a sugar free, protein packed ( 7 grams!) piece of cornbread tasted any good.

This is what the cornbread looke like fresh from the box. A little icy, eh?

This is what the cornbread looked like after thawing for 45 minutes of my countertop.

The box directions suggest thawing for 10 minutes at room temperature. Ummm, this is not nearly enough for it to thaw and warm enough to eat! After 45 minutes it appeared thawed, so I zapped it in the microwave for 15 seconds for the final warming.

This cornbead is surprisingly moist, almost too much so. It has a springy, smooth texture with a mild corn flavor that is borderline bland. The consistency reminded me more of a cake than a cornbread, as it was not crumbly at all. I definately needed some honeybutter for this cornbread! Overall it is a decent product that is great for soups and chili.

PROS: no crumbling, moist, single serve package, sugar free, 7 g. protein

CONS: almost too moist, bland flavor, long thaw time

Rating: 4 stars

Where Can I Buy This Cornbread?

Lean On Me Home Style Gluten-Free Cornbread (Frozen - 0.25 Unit)

Gluten Free Mall

Ingredients: water, eggs, maltitol, soy protein, soy oil, corn bran, cornmeal, baking powder, salt

This mix was graciously sent to me from Gluten-Free Essentials to review. I haven’t had any form of lemon poppyseed anything for ages, so I looked forward to trying this mix. Initially I thought this was a muffin mix, but the final product ended up as a lemon poppyseed tea cake. So, viola! The next installment for gluten free cake month!

Preparing the batter for this mix turned out to be quite interesting, thanks to the poor packaging and mix directions. First, the front of the package inidicates that this is a bread and muffin mix. However, when you look on the back for prep directions, it lists the ingredients for “Lemon Poppyseed Tea Bread.” Huh? Where did the “tea bread” description come from? A little confusing.

Second, it specifically says you will need to add butter, applesauce and eggs. Yet, as you read thr0ugh the directions, it also requires club soda, water or milk. Why isn’t this listed in the “You will need” portion of the directions? Because I didn’t have milk or club soda on hand, I used water, although it would have been fun to experiment with the club soda. Third, there are baking directions for two loaf pans or a 9×13 cake pan- NO MUFFIN BAKING DIRECTIONS, even though it claims it is a muffin mix on the packaging. There is also a recipe for a lemon glaze under the directions that I used for my 9×13 pan of tea bread, although to me it seemed more like a cake.

Anyway, I easily prepared this mix by hand and the batter had the consistency of cool whip when it was ready for the pan- very light and fluffy. Fresh from the oven after 33 minutes and topped with the very tangy and sweet lemon glaze, this product looked amazing- the light lemon cake was speckled evenly with poppyseeds. The cake itself is not very sweet and boasted a mild lemon flavor. Immediately upon testing, this cake seemed to be very spongey and squishy- way too moist for my preferences. I think a longer baking time would suit this product better- closer to 37 minutes would be idea, depending on your oven. It had a medium density that gave it substance without feeling too heavy. I also noticed that after cooling for a few hours, the texture seemed to improve and wasn’t as spongy, and tasted even better the next day. My gluten eating husband and family especially liked this mix, so much so that there were no leftovers to be found 24 hours later.

This mix would make a great loaf pan of lemon poppyseed bread, and could be successful as a muffin ( no glaze) or cupcake ( with glaze), just be careful to watch it since there isn’t a muffin baking time listed on the mix.

PROS: subtle lemon flavor, not too sweet, easy to mix by hand, low sugar.

CONS: Prep directions are confusing, be careful not to underbake

Rating: 4 stars

You Can Buy This Mix at:

Gluten-Free Essentials.com

Ingredients: rice flour, sorghum flour, sugar, cornstarch, GF baking powder, guar gum, baking soda, poppy seeds, lmeon juice powder, maltodextrin ( from corn), salt.

I purchased this 7.5 ounce bag of Chebe Garlic & Onion Breadstick Mix at my local natural foods store for $3.19. The bag makes 6 nice sized breadsticks.

To prepare the mix, you need to add oil, eggs, and water. I mixed the dough by hand and rolled it out into individual breadsticks. I found the dough to be sticky at first, but after working with it they kept their shape fairly well.

These breadsticks are best when eaten warm and fresh from the oven. They have a yummy onion and garlic aroma that is reflected in the taste as well. The flavors balanced well and were just right. The texture is soft and chewy- very satisfying and a nice change from rice flour based products. These would be a great addition to any salad or meal. I have already purchased them a few times and wasn’t disappointed. Click HERE for additional nutritional and prep information

Pros: great aroma and flavor, nice & chewy, good texture

Cons: from prep to table took 45 minutes- it’s not a quick and easy addition to a meal.

Rating: 4 stars

Chebe Garlic-Onion Gluten-Free Bread Stick Mix

Ingredients: Manioc (tapioca) flour, modified manioc starch (100% manioc), salt, onion flakes, minced garlic

Where Can I buy Chebe Breadsticks?:

Chebe.com

Gluten free Mall.com