Gluten Free Food Reviews

Yes, my blog has a different look- again! I am hoping this will be my temporary look until I can get a designer to help me tweak it just the way I want. I know it is a little, well, boring, but at least I can post reviews again.

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Amy’s gluten free pizza is found in the frozen foods section, and I wanted to compare it to Glutino’s spinach and feta pizza that I just LOVE ( as soon as I can find it locally, a review will definitely be posted!). This medium sized pizza could feed about two hungry people and cost $6.19. Kind of pricey, but I hoped it was worth it.

Well, right away I was disappointed. the actual pizza fresh from the box seemed to lack cheese in a huge way- much less coverage than I expected. But really, I guess I shouldn’t bee too surprised, since most packaging tried to make the product look good enough to buy it. I guess I was a sucker it his regard.

After i baked the pizza for 13 minutes, I noticed a strong garlic scent. Hmm, maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all . . .

. . .or, maybe it was.

The crust on this Amy’s gluten free pizza tasted mealy and coarse, although it baked very soft, comparable to a warm slice of rice bread with a touch of crispness on the outer edges thanks to a touch of olive oil.

The toppings boasted an overpowering fresh spinach flavor with tangy tomato sauce. So-so- flavor -not super yummy, but definitely edible. The soy based mozzarella and ricotta cheeses were just “OK” as well, si nce i am used to the flavor of dairy based cheeses. The pizza could definitely use more cheese since it seemed more like a garnish than an actual topping. The cheese also requires broiling for it to really melt and cook. The funny thing is, I thought this pizza tasted better cold than fresh from the oven.

Overall, this pizza was average for a gluten free pizza. I would eat it if I were really hungry, but I wouldn’t consider it a staple in my freezer for a quick meal option. I guess I am just really picky.

PROS: fresh topping flavors, 8 grams of protein per serving, 4 grams of fiber

CONS: crust is too soft and coarse, high in fat- 20 grams per serving

Rating: 3 stars

Since the ingredient list so sooo long, click HERE to view it and see the packaging as well!

To purchase this pizza, your best bet is to check your local grocery store’s natural foods section or a local natural foods store.
Read what PaperGirl, Lisa B. from Vegsource.com, Ken from Vgean Lunchcast, Roseann from Supervegan, Jenny from LivingVegan, and Jim from EZ GFCF have to say about this gluten free pizza product!

Also, feel free to check out my review on Amy’s Rice Crust Cheese pizza!

Another home-style favorite of adults and kids alike- good ‘ole mac & cheese. I found this on my last trip to Minnesota and just had to try it out and compare it to one of my frozen food favorites- Amy’s Rice Mac & Cheese. No stores in my local area carry this gluten free frozen product, and I was curious to see how the two compared. I purchased this 10.6 ounce box cost $5.29.

Fresh out of the package, this is what the gluten free mac and cheese looked like:

To be honest, it looked a pretty bad- a little freezer burn going on? I popped this product in the microwave for a total of five minutes, and this is what the mac& cheese looked like straight from the microwave:

It came out very soupy and not very appetizing. Yuck. So, I cooked it for another 40 seconds and let it cool until the sauce thickened up. The final result is the picture at the top of this review. Thank goodness it ended up looking OK.

The brown rice noodles seemed very dense and chewy, and the sauce tasted quite mild due to the fact that this product features a three cheese blend of monterey jack, cheddar and parmesan. The sauce tasted creamy and smooth, but appeared clumpy on the noodles, similar to Amy’s gluten free Rice Mac and Cheese . This Glutino Mac & Cheese tasted less homemade than Amy’s and reminded me of a gluten free version of Kraft mac and cheese flavor, minus the neon orange coloring. When I read the nutritional information on the back of the packaging, I almost fell off my chair! This product contains a whopping 20 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat. WOW!

Overall, this is a good gluten free version of macaroni and cheese, but I have to say I still prefer the strong, cheesy, homemade flavor of Amy’s.

PROS: easy prep, mild flavor for those that aren’t sharp cheddar cheese fans

CONS: soupy at first, pricey, high in fat

RATING: 3 1/2 stars

Please click HERE to view the packaging, ingredients and nutritional information.

Do you have some extra time and want to whip up a batch of homemade gluten free mac & cheese? Check out Shauna’s recipe at Crazy Orange Turtle’s Gluten Free Kitchen- it looks like a winner!

Hooray! My new computer finally came in, so sit back and get ready for the great reviews I have been waiting to post. I have been MIA for a bit since my old computer decided to misbehave. Now I am back and am excited to share some great new gluten free products with you.

Who doesn’t like a bowl of steaming hot soup on a cold winter evening?

I used to eat lots of chicken soup in the winter when I was growing up in Minnesota- it was great for taking the bitter edge off the long, cold winter. The winters in Pennsylvania aren’t quite as frigid or snowy, but a good bowl of soup still hits the spot after a day of being out and about. However, quickly heating up a jar or can of Campbell’s soup just isn’t an option anymore since my celiac diagnosis. When I come in from the cold, the last thing I want to do is wait an hour or more for homemade soup to simmer.

What’s a girl to do?

This Leahey Gardens No Chicken Rice Soup may offer a nice option when you want soup in a pinch, but don’t have the time for homemade. This soup comes in a powdered mix packaged in a single serving 42 gm golden yellow pouch, and I purchased it for $1.79 at Nature’s Pantry, the local natural foods store in my area.

This soup is certified vegan, and the title is clear that there isn’t any real chicken. But I really like real chicken soup, so I hope this tastes good. And you know what? I am pleasantly surprised. It’s actually really tasty!

Preparation couldn’t be easier- mix the pouch with 1 1/2 cups of water. A quick zap in the microwave for two minutes, let it rest for five minutes, and it is ready to eat.

This soup consists of a incredibly flavorful broth accented by tiny bits of red bell pepper, spices and white rice. The bits of “chicken” are made from textured soy protein. The soy “chicken” bits are OK, but they look odd and have a strange texture and appearance. In fact, I ended up spooning them out of my bowl, because the rest of the soup was good enough without them.

This is not a thick and hearty soup- basically a great broth with a little veggies and rice thrown in, and in reality, you could probably make easily make it yourself . However, it is great as a last minute meal idea if you want something hot and tasty, or even as a quick lunch at work.

PROS: great price, easy prep, flavorful and filling

CONS: the soy “chicken” bits have a strange texture and appearance

RATING: 4 stars

Ingredients: precooked long grain white rice ( enriched with iron, niacin, thiamine mononitrate ( vitamin B1), folic acid), food starch- unmodified, yeast extract, fructan, veegtable fiber, dried bell pepper, sunflower oil, onion powder, salt, maltodextrin, natural flavor, spice

To but this gluten free soup mix, please ask your local foods grocer- I was unable to find an online source for purchase.

Want to try making homemade gluten free chicken and rice soup?Visit Gluten free Mommy’s blog for her fabulous recipe!

This Lundberg creamy parmesan risotto mix has become a staple in my pantry. It is great for those rushed, no fuss evenings because I know it will be hot and ready to serve by the time my chicken is off the grill. I purchased this 5.5 ounce mix for $2.19 at my local grocery store, it serves my family of four perfectly.

To prepare this mix, you saute the rice in oil or butter until lightly browned, then add the seasoning mix and water. Simmer for 20 minutes or so, and it’s ready! This gluten free parmesan risotto is the perfect density- not too mushy, not too firm. The sauce is indeed creamy with a nice balanced herb and strong parmesan cheese flavor, and pairs well with grilled chicken or fish. There is no hint of a processed or “boxed” flavor as with some side dish mixes- gluten free or not. This is another reason I like it so much. It’s yummy!

The packaging indicates that this risotto dish is best served piping hot, and they’re not kidding. It tastes best straight from the stove- literally. The longer you wait to eat it, the consistency and flavor quality declines, and it just isn’t as good. Also, forget about leftovers and reheating it- it’s not nearly as tasty and flavorful.

PROS: Great flavor and consistency, risotto is perfectly cooked, quick and yummy option for dinner.

CONS: Eat it quick! Doesn’t taste very good as leftovers

Rating:Â 5 stars

Wanna try this mix? Click the link or picture below:

Lundberg - Creamy Parmesan Risotto
From: glutenfree.comIngredients: Eco-Farmed California Arborio Rice, Parmesan and Cheddar Cheese Blend, Salt, Natural Flavors, Buttermilk Powder, Onion and Garlic Powder, Cane Juice Powder, Butter Powder, Whey Powder, Rice Flour, Dehydrated Parsley, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Black Pepper, Turmeric, Expeller-Pressed Safflower Oil (Less than 2% Added as a Processing Aid).

Since I enjoy Amy’s frozen version of gluten free macaroni and cheese, I was curious to see what this packaged product would taste like. I purchased the 9.1 ounce bag for $4.59 at my local natural food store. After tasting it myself and researching this gluten free macaroni and cheese online, I have found that you will either love the Heartland Finest white cheddar macaroni & cheese, or you will hate it. Unfortunately, I did not love it.

This gluten free macaroni and cheese is fairly easy and quick to prepare. Just boil the noodles for a mere four minutes, then mix in butter, milk, and the cheese pouch, just like most boxed or prepared macaroni products. This mac and cheese was ready and on the table within 10 minutes! That was impressive! What was also impressive was the fact that each serving provides a whopping 14 grams of protein and six grams of fiber. Very nice. It’s too bad I didn’t like the flavor.

The noodles seemed dense and chewy with a heavy bean flavor and a hint of corn. To me, they just didn’t taste that good, but that may be because I am not a huge fan of bean flour used in noodles and baked goods. The sauce was thick and creamy, but had a slightly sour aftertaste that did not compliment the flavor of the noodles. To me, it isn’t as good as some of the other gluten free macaroni and cheese products out there. I prefer a softer, lighter pasta with a heavier cheddar flavor, and this product featured neither.

Did you try it and like it? Post your comments!

PROS: fast cooking time, high in protein and fiber

CONS: heavy bean flavor, cheese has an odd taste

Rating: 2 stars

Wanna try Heartland’s Finest White Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese for Yourself?

Click HERE to purchase from glutenfree.com.Â

Ingredients: Navy Bean Flour, Yellow Corn Flour, Cheddar Cheese (milk, salt, cheese cultures, enzymes), whey, buttermilk, salt, disodium phosphate.

Once upon a time I made a mean teriyaki stir fry. Really- I loved it. Then my need to eat gluten free got in the way. Bye bye soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, kung pow sauce- the asian inspired sauces I loved were not on my gluten free “approved list.” It was almost a year before I even realized there was gluten free soy sauce and 17 months before I tasted it. Yum. So, when I spied this Amy’s Teriyaki Bowl frozen meal for $4.89 at my local grocery store, I had to give it a try.

 This is what it looked like straight from the box. Not bad, eh? I was thrilled to find all those veggies on top.

I opted to cook this gluten free teriyaki meal in the mircrowave for five minutes, There are directions on the box for an oven method- however, it requires a whopping 50 minutes in the oven. Uh, no thanks!

This is the “after” shot. Again, not bad.

Like other Amy’s Bowls, the vegetables turn out perfectly cooked- tender but not soggy. The peppers seemed to disappear, but at least the green beans and broccoli tasted good. The rice was cooked OK, but seemed too chewy for my taste.

The sauce tasted sweet and tangy with just a hint of spice. However, when the sauce, vegetables, tofu and rice combined, all I could taste was the sauce. I felt pretty disappointed because I actually like the taste of the rice and distinct vegetables- losing that made me feel like I was just eating a bowl of teriyaki, not a meal that had teriyaki as an ingredient. I know my opinion may not be a popluar one, since I have read many positive reviews of this gluten free product. I guess I differ on this one due to personal taste. It is a good gluten free product, but probably not one I would buy again for a while.

This would also make a great and healthier cloice for lunch at work- it boasts a mere 4.5 grams of fat, 10 grams of protein and 290 calories.

Pros: healthier lunch choice, lots of veggies, cooks evenly

CONS: sauce overpowers the rice and vegetable flavors

Rating: 4 stars

Where Can I Buy This Product?

WellnessGrocer.com

Read what Rebecca at VegFamily.com has to say about Amy’s Teriyaki Bowl!

Click HERE for nutritional information and ingredient list

Yummmmm, a steaming hot bowl of pasta on a chilly November afternoon. Sounds good to me! As I go about my cleaning and errands during the day, I sometimes keep a frozen gluten free product in the freezer to cook up while I put away groceries or get ready to pay bills. Brown rice pasta is something I have grown to love, and enjoy to even more than the gluten pasta I used to consume. It’s lighter, more flavorful and just tastes GOOD. On one particularly chilly day, I popped one of Amy’s gluten free Baked Ziti Bowls in the microwave for five minutes. You can also bake it in the oven for 55 minutes, but really, who wants to wait that long for something that is supposed to be a convenience food? Each bowl is one serving size.

This is what the pasta bowl looked liked fresh from the freezer:

To my surprise, it actually looked pretty good. A sprinkling of soy cheese graced the top of the noodles with green peas peeking out on the sides. However, it didn’t look that good for long:

Wasn’t there soy cheese on there? Where are the peas? I felt a bit nervous at the scary site- the way the soy cheese cooked with the organic tomato sauce didn’t look tasty at all. Stirring the ziti helped a bit. And, it did smell realllly good!

 The yummy smelling sauce was thick, nicely seasoned, and complimented the ziti noodles with just a touch of sweetness. The addition of soy ricotta, garlic and olive oil were simply scrumptious. However, the noodles cooked unevenly in the bowl; some noodles tasted perfectly cooked, while others were dense and chewy, and not pleasant to eat. The peas cooked nicely without mushiness and held their shape well. However, I am not sure that the peas really complimented the sauce- the peas almost seemed out of place when it came to flavor. I wished the peas weren’t in there at all. But, that may be because I am not used to adding peas to my pasta.

Overall, it is a decent gluten free product that would be great for a quick lunch idea.

PROS: great flavor and aroma, tasty sauce, organic ingredients, non dairy

CONS: noodles cooked unevenly, we want more soy cheese Amy’s! ( it disappeared!), appearance doesn’t look good after cooking

Rating: 4 stars

You can buy this product from Wellnessgrocer.com or in the frozen food section of your local grocery store. This link also lists ingredients.

Read what Cybele of the Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook says about this product!!

I really like making my own chicken tenders and nuggets. IÂ use gluten free corn flake crumbles, a bit of egg and cooking and oil, and sha-zam! A chicken dish that my kids inhale in a matter of seconds. When I saw the Ians gluten free chicken nuggets in my local grocery store, I was really curious. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a quick version of my kids favorite snack right in my freezer? My children are not gluten free and are huge fans of Tysons nuggets, but I try to feed them gluten free whenever I can. With our family history of allergies, the less major allergens the better. It can’t hurt, right?

This eight ounce box contains two servings of nuggets. I actually use the term “nugget” loosely here. These Ian’s gluten free chicken nuggets are more like balls. They may be prepared in the microwave or in the oven. True to form, I tried to microwave first, then the oven. The oven produces a crisper nugget, but I didn’t notive that much of a difference in the overall flavor. The coating on the nuggets is made of corn flake crumbles, cornmeal and corn flower, and definately has a strong cornmeal flavor and texture. The corn coating appears cracked as well after cooking.

The inside of this chicken nugget is interesting at best. It is fairly dry and peculiar. I wasn’t sure it it was actually chicken! After examining the box I realized the filling for these nuggets isn’t just chicken- it is chicken mixed with more cornmeal as a filler. Yuck. The overall flavor and texture of the nuggets was very poor and I will not buy them again. Ever. This might be Ok for a kid who doesn’t know any better ( it is low in sugar and the chicken is made with no added antibiotics and hormones, all natural) but even my kids wouldn’t touch it after seeing the inside. Their reaction? ” No Mom, we want the *real* homemade chicken nuggets- those look gross!”

Enough Said.

PROS: All natural, free from many major allergens, nartural hormone/antibiotic free chicken ingredients

CONS: flavor, taste appearance, interior texture. Yuck!!!

Rating: 1 star

Click HERE for package photo and nutrition information. Ian’s Chicken nuggets is about half way down the page.

Interested in trying these chicken nuggets for yourself? Check out the WellnessGrocer.comÂ

Read what Suzanne at TimesUnion.com/blogs says about these chicken nuggets!

To kick off my focus on gluten free frozen foods for this month, I just had to begin with an Amy’s product. To me, this line of frozenfood products has been a lifesaver while adjusting to a gluten free way of cooking and eating. Going gluten free often means more cooking from scratch with “new” ingredients. However, I don’t always have the time, energy, or desire to create a meal from square one. Amy’s gluten free frozen meals provided me a quick meal option that is fairly healthy when those rushed and tiring times came along.

One of the first Amy’s products I tried was the Amy’s Bowls Brown Rice & Vegetables with organic tofu. Each package contains one decent sized portion that may be cooked in the microwave or oven. Since the microwave only requires five minutes of cooking time ( and the oven requires a whopping 50 minutes!) I took the quick and easy route of zapping in my microwave.

Fresh from the freezer, this is what the Amy’s Brown Rice & Vegetable bowl looked like:

After cooking for five minutes in the microwave, I stirred the bowl and contents, and this was the result:

Overall, I found this product to be very flavorful and a great find. The vegetables (onions, miushrooms, broccoli, and carrots) semeed perfectly cooked and not too mushy. The flavor of the onion and mushrooms was especially yummy and strong. I liked how the broccoli spears were a nice, large size and still had a nice crunch to them.

The rice was slightly sticky and moist, with just a hint of added spices and tahini sauce that complimented the brown rice and vegetables, instead of competing with them. The tofu pieces are quite large, so I cute them into smaller pieces for more even distribution ( Plus, I am not a huge fan of tofu, so this helped in that regard.) In fact, the tofu absorbed the flavor of the rice bowl, so I hardly noticed the tofu was an ingredient. That was a huge “plus” for me.

Overall, I found this to be a hot and satisfying meal option that I will most likey purchase again.

PROS: tasty flavor and texture, vegetables cooked perfectly, great quick lunch option, lots organic ingredients

CONS: rather large pieces of broccoli, onion flavor may be too strong for some

Rating: 4 stars

Where can I purchase Amy’s Brown Rice & Vegetable Bowl?

Check your local grocery store’s frozen foods section- I know they are sold in Wegmans, Walmart, Giant and Weis in Pennsylvania.

See what IAteAPie.net , Elaine from WebMD has to say about this gluten free product!

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