Gluten Free Food Reviews

Before going gluten free 18 months ago, I lived on bagels. Loved them. Especially with cream cheese and sliced strawberries, peanut butter, or strawberry jam . . . yummm. And before last week, I hadn’t tried a gluten free bagel because I convinced myself a decent tasting replacement just wasn’t possible. I am not sure why I picked up this package of Glutino Sans Gluten Free Premium Plain Bagels and plopped it in my basket, but I did. And boy am I glad!

These bagels are sold in packages of five for $5.79 in the frozen foods section of my local grocery store, and are double packaged for ultimate freshness.

I first thawed my bagel in the microwave for 40 seconds before slicing it and placing it in my preheated oven on a piece of tin foil ( I don’t have a dedicated gluten free toaster in my home- yet.). I baked it until it was golden brown on the top. I removed it and immediately smothered it with cream cheese, as I used to do before my celiac diagnosis.

Yum.

I found the bagel to have the perfect thickenss and size for a satisfying breakfast or snack. The exterior was crisp and crunchy, the interior soft and chewy, but a bit of a springy texture. However, this did not take away from the product. I found the flavor to be gentle and perfect for spreads and toppings. I did not detect any dryness or graininess.

I don’t miss my “old” bagels anymore. The only thing I like better is the sesame flavor! (Look for the review tomorrow!)

However, on the down side, this bagel must be toasted for maximum flavor and texture. If thawed and sliced, it crumbles more and resembles a typical piece of rice bread- slightly dry and grainy. Therefore, if you wish to make a bagel sandwich, please toast the entire bagel. You’ll be glad you did. This gluten free product is also high in fat- 16 grams of fat per bagel. Note the nutritional information of the package is for 1/2 a bagel, but I don’t know anyone that just eats a half, after thawing and toasting . . .

PROS: Crunchy and chewy when toasted, pleasant but mild flavor, closely resembles a “regular” bagel

CONS: untoasted eating is not recommended, high in fat

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Where Can I Buy Glutino San Gluten Free Premium Plain Bagels?

Glutino - Premium Plain Bagels
From: glutenfree.comIngredients: Corn mix (corn starch, skim milk powder, evaporated cane juice, salt, glucono-delta-lactone, pectin, sodium bicarbonate, sodium alginate, modified vegetable cellulose), water, tapioca starch, margarine (palm and palm kernel oils, soy lecithin), skim milk powder, evaporated cane juice, liquid egg whites, safflower oil, liquid yolks, guar gum, yeast, salt, thiamine, niacin, vitamin B6, riboflavin, iron, calcium Read what Gluten Free For Me  , Going Gluten Free, or Ellen from I am Gluten Free  say about these bagels!

It’s been a while . . . almost a week and a half since my last review frozen foods review- uugggh. Now that my busy/crazy comittments are past, I am back on the GF review bandwagon. I also had high hopes of reviewing a great pie crust mix- Cause You’re Special Homestyle Gluten-Free Pie Crust Mix. However, on my last trip to my local natural foods store, I puchased the last two mixes, and I need those for my Thanksgiving meal. Therefore, it leaves me without a mix to photograph and review for my site! Oh well . . .I used this mix with great success last year an would highly recommend it. I will at least have a review up in time for Christmas baking though. I am interested to see if this mix is as good as I remember.

In the meantime, I just had to review one of my favorite frozen food entrees:Â

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Amy’s Garden Vegetable Lasagna made with organic rice pasta and vegetables. I purchased this gluten free food product at my local Wegman’s Grocery Store for $4.99. This is perfectly portioned for one person, and I think it would make a great gluten free lunch product for work or school.

This is what it looked like straight from the freezer and removed from it’s colorful cardboard box. Not exactly impressive . . .

This Amy’s lasagna may be heated in the mircrowave for five minutes or baked in the oven for 35-40 minutes. If you have read my reviews, you probably know I tend to be impatient with these types of products, and I almost always choose the microwave version of warming and cooking. This was no exception. I heated the lasagna in my microwave for the full five minutes and let it cool for 3-4 minutes before digging in.

When it comes to lasagna, I usually like a hearty meat sauce with lots of cheese. That’s just my style and preference. However, this veggie version really surprised me. I loved it! The vegetables in this gluten free lasagna taste light, fresh and flavorful and balance perfectly with all of the ingredients. There is definately no hint of a processed or prepared taste. The overall flavor is not heavy and hearty in my opinion, it is light and flavorful.Â

This lasagna is very curious- all the tomato sauce is on the top, and the filling between the layers of rice pasta is just the veggies and ricotta. The rice noodles hold up well and taste great. They provide a nice backdrop for the ricotta and veggie medley without mushiness or pastiness. Yum! The tomato sauce on the top is just right- it isnt too sweet and compliments the rest of the ingredients.Â

I did notice that the token sprinking of cheese on the top diasppeared when I cooked the lasagna, and I couldn’t taste it at all, unlike the picture on the box. But then again, I don’t know of any frozen food products that look just like the box! I also noticed that the bottom layer of the lasagna appeared and tasted a bit watery/soggy, but it wasn’t such a problem that would keep me from buying this gluten free product again.

PROS: light, fresh, flavorful, perfect single portion size, orgamic ingredients

CONS: a bit watery at the bottom, more cheese on top would be nice

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Where Can I Buy Amy’s Garden Vegetable Lasagne?

WellnessGrocer.com

OR:Â to check the frozen food section at your local grocery store

Ingredients: organic brown rice, organic rice pasta lasagne ( organic rice, four, water), ricoota cheese, organic onions, organic broccoli, organic zuchinni, organic carrots, organic peas, organic spinach, filtered water, parmesan cheese, spices, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, organic garlic, organic evaporated cane juice. (All cheese made without animal enzymes or rennet.)

Today I have a house of sick and grouchy kids, and a husband that is out of town on business ( not a good combination). After coaxing saltines and sips of Sprite and Pedialite, I needed something quick, filling, comforting, and naturally, gluten free for myself. The box of Amy’s Macaroni & Cheese in my freezer seemed to fit the bill perfectly. I believe I purchased this boxed and frozen product for $3.09 at my local grocery store.

The prep for this gluten free propduct couldn’t be easier. I popped it in the microwave for a total of six minutes, pausing after four minutes for a brief stir. I was also pleased to discover this product did not splatter and mess up my clean microwave. There’s nothing I hate more than food splatters that stink up the microwave! I admit, initially the mac and cheese looked pretty scary fresh from the box:

But the final product looked a bit more appetizing!

This product actually tasted pretty yummy! The noodles were great- soft, but firm enough to hold their shape with no mushiness. The sauce was fairly thick, and stuck to the noodles in little clumps here and there. However, the texure of the sauce was smooth, it just looked a bit clumpy because it was so thick. The flavor of the sauce was also quite satisfying- it tastes like a homemade cheese sauce- no artificial or processed flavors here! If you are looking for the thin, kraft-style sauce, this isn’t for you.

Overall, this Amy’s Macaroni & Cheese frozen product is a yummy product that has a nice homemade flavor. The ingredients are high quality and the portion size is perfect for one person. Add a salad or fruit and you have yourself a nice, satisfying meal in a matter of minutes. This product really fit my needs tonight- fast, tasty and filling. I must note, though, that part of the reason it was so filling was probaly due to the high fat/saturated fat content - 16 total grams of fat per serving- yikes! However for ocasional use, I will definately buy this product again.

PROS: Great flavor and texture

CONS: sauce is really thick; high saturated fat content ( 10 grams!)

Rating: 4 stars

Amy’s Rice Mac & Cheese may be purchased at most local grocery stores in the frozen foods section ( Wegmans, Walmart, Giant, Weis etc).

Ingredients: organic rice macaroni ( organic rice flour, water), organic lowfat milk, cheddar cheese, butter, rice flour, sea salt, annato. No trans fat, added MSG, no preservatives

I picked up this mix on my last trip to the midwest. I did not recognize the brand or packaging of this Sylvan Border Farm chocolate cake mix, and promptly purchased it with a promise from my mother that our family would help me sample it. Ok, twist my arm mom! The helfty 1 lb 12 ounce mix makes a 9×13 pan.

Initially I was impressed with the packaging. Inside the unassuming earthy white bag, the mix was double bagged for freshness, accompanied by an insert of recipes. What a nice surprise! I mixed it in a Kitchen-Aid stand mixer and added oil, milk, eggs and boiling water. I found the batter to be very thin and sloshy when I added the water, so much so that some of it sloshed over the edge of the bowl. Helpful hint: be sure to mix at a lower speed when adding the water. I tasted a fingerswipe of the batter and it was just awful- very pasty and tasted like rice flour. I kept my fingers crossed that the final product would be worth my time; I was not disappointed.

This cake was baked in a 9×13 pan for 40 minutes and perfectly rose up above the pan in a reddish cocoa mound.This baking time was perfect, and I would suggest baking at the low end of the suggested 40-45 minute window to prevent overdrying.

The cocoa smell was divine! After letting the cake cool completely and topping it with my famous homemade chocolate truffle frosting, it was ready for consumption by my gluten consuming family. It was amazing! The texture of the thick slices of cake was soft, fluffy and smooth, not a bit grainy or pasty. The cake tasted like a real cake-a real gluten cake- and very moist with average crumbling. The chocolate taste is a slightly sweet cocoa flavor, almost like a german chocolate cake; I loved the chocolate flavor without feeling like I was in for a sugar high. My entire family raved about this cake, and I plan to make it again.

I stored this cake covered on my countertop, and it remained perfectly moist and tasty for a whopping 3 days. Yet another reason to love it.

PROS: Excellent flavor and texture, tastes like “regular” cake, makes a large 9×13 pan

CONS: be careful- sloshy batter

Rating: 5 stars

Ingredients: Sugar, White Rice Flour*, Potato Starch, Cocoa, Brown Rice Flour*, Amaranth Flour, Quinoa Flour*, Baking Soda, Xanthan Gum, Aluminum-free Baking Powder, Salt, White Cornmeal*, Garbanzo Bean Flour*, Soy Flour*; *Organically Grown

Read what Alisa from Moove over Milk has to say about this mix!

Oh my goodness, are these Glutino crunchy chocolate covered wafer cookies addictive!

This product was sent to me from Glutino to review, and I am so glad they did! These cookies sell for about $3.99 for a box of 16 wafers, or four servings. Looking at the packaging makes you want something chocolate just by looking at it! I was surprised to find that the center of the of the inside packaging tray has a false bottom, so you aren’t getting as many wafers as you’d expect- the edges are stacked two high, and the center is a single layer of wafers- just something to keep in mind.

These wafers are a perfect balance of crispiness and sweetness. The chocolate is rich without tasting too sugary, and the wafers are light and crunchy and hold their own between the creamy layers of chocolate. These definately do not taste gluten free, and if you choose to purchase them, I’d suggest adding two boxes to your virtual shopping cart.They really are that good!

Pros: Wonderful flavor, texture and sweetness- doesn’t taste gluten free!!

Cons: Be careful of melting if shipped in the summer heat

Rating: 5 stars

Where Can I Buy These Tasty Wafer Cookies?

Ingredients: WAFER: evaporated cane juice, palm oil, potato flour, cocoa powder, soy oil, soy lecithin, salt, vanilla extract, sodium bicarbonate, ammonium bicarbonate. COATING: evaporated cane juice, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, cocoa mass, soy lecithin, salt

Oh, boy, are you in for a treat. These mini biscotti, or biscottines, are hand made perfection. These high quality cookies do not taste gluten free in the least. I think I have found my new favorite cookie!

When eating them, I was taken back to my trip to Italy two years ago- they taste like real Italian biscotti! They provide a nice crunch, and then melt in your mouth. The texture is smooth and uncomplicated without the grittiness or graininess that often accompanies GF cookies and biscotti. Unlike their traditional American counterpart, these biscottines do not require dunking in a hot beverage to make them palatable, or even bitable. This product is great alone or with a drink. However, only a one to two second dunk is sufficient, otherwise it will melt and disappear in your cup.

The flavor is light and delicate, not too sweet or overpowering. This biscottine flavor is vanilla with mini chocolate chips evenly scattered throughout the product- just enough chocolate to satisfy a sweet tooth, but not so much that it covers up the vanilla flavor. I would suggest eating these within three days of opening the bag, but trust me, that won’t be a problem.

I spoke with Phyllis, the owner and creator of these amazing gluten free cookies. She was very friendly and excited about sharing her product. I found out that, in fact, her family is Italian and that the “biscottines” name comes from her mother’s name for these cookies, so the name of the product is a tribute to her, and the time Phyllis spent baking with her mother growing up. She bakes all their products by hand, and packages them herself for shipping with the utmost care. You can count on amazingly fast shipping- I had my box of biscottines within two days! They arrived perfect and intact.

This fall I will start featuring small start up and local bakeries, so be on the lookout for more information on this up and coming business. Thank you Phyllis, for allowing me to review your biscottines!

Pros: Amazing flavor and texture- I can’t believe they are gluten free!

Cons: None that I can find!

Rating: 5 stars

Wanna try these for yourself! Click below to purchase:

Sorella - Biscottines - Chocolate Chip
From: glutenfree.com

Ingredients:Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Tapioca Flour, Eggs, Canola Oil, Vanilla Extract, Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, Sugar,Aluminum-Free Baking Powder, Xanthan Gum, Salt.

With noodles like these, who needs wheat? These Tinkyada gluten free spaghetti noodles were one of the first gluten free products I tried and it has become a staple in my own gluten free pantry.

I usually buy these noodles locally for $3.69. The bags are 16 ounces and will easily have enough noodles for a few meals. One aspect that makes these noodles great is the fact that you can overcook them and they are still edible! With other brands of rice noodles, overcooking can be the kiss of death- you end up with a sticky, mushy, bowl of goo. Yuck. These noodles are very forgiving! I tend to prefer them more al dente with a cooking time of 14 minutes, softer noodles should be cooked at 16 minutes.

The width of these noodles is slightly larger than their wheat counterparts and have a soft but slightly chewy consistency. The flavor is pleasing and mild and compliments any sauce you want to whip up for dinner. Thin sauces tend to slip off the noodles, so I like to use a chunky veggie or meat sauce. I have found that these noodles leave me satisfied and content, unlike regular noodles that leave you feeling heavy and overly full. Both gluten free eaters and gluten consumers will both enjoy these noodles.

Pros: Great texture, flavor, simple ingredients, holds sauce well

Cons: Are there any?

Rating: 5 stars

Where Can I Buy These Amazing Noodles?

Ingredients: Stoneground brown rice, rice bran, water

I purchased this 13 ounce bottle of salad dressing for $3.95 from my local grocery store, in the natural foods section. I was excited to find an italian style dressing marked “Gluten-Free”. Yah, baby!

I must say, this dressing is wonderful, amazing, light, and flavorful. The consistency is that of any good vinaigrette, and pours easily, but is not runny. The aroma is so strong and fresh, you can almost taste the herbs. This dressing is not too sweet or fruity, but balances the blend of flavors harmoniously. The addition of lemon juice also gives it a nice kick. My gluten consuming family and friends always remark about how good it is. I must agree! This dressing works well on fresh salads as well as in recipes or marinades. A little dressing goes a long way, and I found the bottle lasts a long time at my house.

Pros: strong and flavorful

Cons: Can’t think of any!

Rating: 5 stars!

Where Can I Buy This Salad Dressing?

WellnessGrocer.com

Ingredients: Water, safflower and/or sunflower oil, vinegar, honey, sea salt, cornstarch, dried vegetables (bell pepper, onion, garlic), garlic puree, herbs, extra virgin olive oil, locust bean gum, spices and lemon juice concentrate.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size:2 tablespoonServings Per Container:12  Amount Per Serving % Daily Value Calories: 50 Calories from Fat: 35 Saturated Fat: 0g 0% Sodium: 400mg 17% Dietary Fiber 2g 9% Protein: 0g  Vitamin C: 0%  Iron: 0%  Organic: 95% Â

Ok ladies and gentlemen, in the spirit of competition started at  problogger.net, this is the Top 5 list for all you celiac, natural foods, and gluten free food lovers. Want to make your tongue tingle? Read on, my friends .

1) The Gluten Free Pantry Angel Food Cake Mix - The all-time best gluten free product I have tried to date. Read my review here. It is simply amazing; it is so fluffy and light, I served this to my friends and family and they swear it is better than “regular” angel food cake. You’ll feel like an angel on a cloud as you slurp up this yummy confection with some fresh cream and berries.

2. Tinkyada Pasta Joy Brown Rice Spaghetti Noodles- I loved reviewing these noodles!They are so perfect with a thick and hearty meat or veggie packed sauce. Their mild flavor and great texture makes this one an A+ winner in my book. With these, I don’t miss wheat pasta in the least.

3. Pamela’s Products Baking & Pancake Mix- now, I call this mix perfection in a bag. It is the ultimate mix for mouth watering pancakes, flavorful sweet breads and muffins, and killer cookies. I can’t believe I had to be diagnosed celiac to find this product!

4.Blue Diamond Almond Nut Thins- Ranch Flavor- Oh, my. goodness. These little round crackers are addicting! You start with one, and then before you know it the box is gone. They are perfectly crisp and the flavor leaves your taste buds begging for more.

5. Envirokidz Peanut Butter Panda Puff’s Cereal - I just had to throw in my favorite breakfast treat- a throwback to my childhood but 10 times better. This cereal is a party for your mouth. The corn-based cereal tastes amazing with the star ingredient- REAL peanut butter- can you imagine? A perfect way to start the day when you want something light and slightly sweet, all rolled into one.

Thanks to A Mom’s Life for her Top 5 list as well. I love it!

 I think these have to be my all time favorite gluten free snack cracker. Seriously, they are so good!

These crackers come in a 4.25 ounce box and sells for $2.89 in my area. These ranch flavored crackers are a  flavorful snack that successfully balances the nutty cracker with the ranch flavor. The crackers are perfectly crispy, but not too much so. Just right.  The light ranch flavoring that coats the thin crackers is also perfect. It almost remind me of the cool ranch flavor Doritos I used to enjoy, but without the heavy, greasy taste. Even my non-celiac husband loves these crackers- that’s how you know they are good!

Pros: Great flavor and crispness, decent price,

Cons: The size of the box is deceptively larger than the 4 servings it contains inside.

Rating: 5 stars

Ingredients: Rice flour, almonds, seasoning ( salt, natural buttermilk flavor (buttermilk, whey, maltodextrin, skim milk), sour cream powder (sour cream [cream, non fat milk, and cultures], cultured nonfat milk, citric acid, tocopherols, ascorbyl palmitate [maintains freshness]), garlic powder, cultured whey, onion powder, spice, yeast extract, parsley, lactic acid and natural flavors), potato starch, expeller pressed safflower oil and soy lecithin (processing aid).

Where Can I Buy These Crackers?

Amazon.com