Product Review: Taste of Gluten Free Pumpkin Cake Mix
Posted on | April 20, 2012 | 1 Comment
Taste of Gluten Free sent us this 13 ounce gluten free pumpkin cake mix to try out. Yum! I love pumpkin flavor anything, so this was right up my alley. This mix makes a 9 inch cake and retails for $5 from the Taste of Gluten Free website.
To prepare this mix, I combined the dry mix with vegetable oil, eggs, and canned pumpkin. I baked the cake for 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven, and let it cool completely before topping the cake with the homemade cream cheese frosting recipe included on the package, as well as toasted walnuts.
This mix seemed easy to prepare, and I was pleased that the cake mix was so easy to work with. I noticed that when I removed the cake from the oven, it fell just a little. My guess is that it needed a few more minutes to bake.
This gluten free pumpkin cake tasted quite sweet, and is definitely a cake, not a quick bread disguised as a cake. The sweetness is perfect for a subtly sweet cream cheese frosting, or alone as an unfrosted snack cake. Both ways tasted delicious. I also noticed a perfect cinnamon spice flavor that tasted balanced, and did not overwhelm the pumpkin.
This cake was ridiculously moist, maybe even more so since it could have used a few more minutes to bake. I noticed that the gluten free pumpkin cake tasty mushy when paired with the frosting alone, but tasted excellent when topped with toasted walnuts for texture and contrast. Dryness is not a problem!
As for the provided cream cheese frosting recipe on the front of the package, I quite liked it. The frosting tasted silky and smooth with just the right amount of sweetness, and the recipe made enough for a nice thick layer on the cake. When I frosted the cake, it did pull up a little of the top cake layer, simply because the cake was so moist. Other than that, it was tasty and easy to prepare and work with.
Overall, this is a good pumpkin cake mix that I would be happy to keep in my pantry.
Rating: 4 1/2 stars
Pros: moist, perfect cinnamon and pumpkin flavors
Cons: pretty sweet- sugar is the #1 ingredient
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Ingredients: sugar, rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, cinnamon, baking soda, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt
Nutritional Snapshot: Not provided
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Want to try this gluten free pumpkin cake mix for yourself?
Check out the tasteofglutenfree.net website for ordering information
Product Review: Kitchen Table Bakers Parmesan Cheese Crisps – parmesan and sesame flavors
Posted on | April 14, 2012 | No Comments
Kitchen Table Bakers sent me these parmesan crisps to try out. I was curious, as I hadn’t heard of them before, and their product seemed unique. Each three ounce container featured about 18 three inch round crisps that were shrink wrapped for freshness and to minimize breakage. Each container retails for around $5.99, and they make eight flavors: Parmesan, sesame, rosemary, flax seed, garlic, Italian herb, jalapeno and “everything.” I tried the parmesan and the sesame flavors
These lacy looking cheese crisps were reminiscent of crisp crackers and despite their delicate crunch, were sturdy enough for dips, toppings, or even broken up as a crouton in soups. To be honest, I enjoyed them in all of these scenarios, and they were just as good by themselves as a savory snack.
The flavor really made an impact. I wasn’t expecting such intense, robust flavor! The aged parmesan was the most flavorful of the two, although both tasted delicious.
One of the aspects I liked about these crisp was that the ingredients were simple- just cheese. They don’t use fillers or binders, and it showed in the flavor. My husband is the kind of guy that when he makes grilled cheese, he would add extra cheese to the grill to cook and make a crisp out of, and he loved these. In fact, he came back for the crumbs at the bottom of the container and asked where to buy them! I took that as a good sign, because he is definitely the foodie in our family, and he was impressed with the quality.
Overall, these are greats crisps that will probably become a staple at my home.
Rating: 5 stars
Pros: rich flavor, versitile snacking options
Cons: a little pricey
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Nutritional Snapshot:
(Parmesan – 3 crisps) 80 calories, 6 g. fat, 150 mg sodium, 7 g. protein, 20% DV calcium
(Sesame – 3 crisps) 80 calories, 6 g fat, 150 mg sodium, 6 g protein, 15% DV calcium
Ingredients:
(parmesan): pasturized part skim milk, cheese cultures, salt, non animal rennet
(sesame): pasturized part skim milk, sesame seeds, cheese cultures, salt, non animal rennet
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Want to try these gluten free parmesan cheese crisps for yourself?
They may be purchased from the kitchentablebakers.com website, or via amazon.com with free super saver shipping:
Product Review: Kinnikinnick’s *new* Soft Hot Dog Bun
Posted on | April 9, 2012 | 2 Comments
Kinnikinnick sent me their new gluten free hot dog buns to test out. They are completely new and replace their old hot dog buns. Each package contains four hot dog buns and retails for around $4.59 per package.
These buns are stored frozen, but remain soft and smooth on the countertop for a few days. When thawed from frozen in the microwave, I found the buns thawed quite evenly due to the fact that they are not pre-sliced. However, slice them carefully! If you slice the buns too deep, the bun will separate and won’t cradle your hot dog or toppings very well.
These buns are thinner, smoother, and much softer than their old hot dog buns, and remind me of the store brand gluten hot dog buns I sometimes buy for group gatherings. All huge improvements. I did not notice any graininess, with a texture and favor reminiscent of white bread. They are thin enough not to overwhelm a regular hot dog, but sturdy enough for a sausage or bratwurst. I found they stood up well to condiments and relishes without sogginess. And a bonus, they are great for both kids and adults that don’t want to feel “different” in group settings or cookouts.
So, how does this compare to Udi’s? Well, both are solid, tasty buns. However, I think the Udi’s bun is a bit drier and thicker, but flavor is comparable in my mind.
Overall, love the new Kinnikinnick buns, and love that it is just in time for cookout season.
Rating: 5 stars
Pros: remains soft and smooth at room temperature, stores well, mild flavor, looks appealing
Cons: Can”t think of any
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Ingredients: Water, White Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Tapioca Starch, Sunflower and/or Canola Oil, Sugar, Egg White Powder, Corn Starch, Cellulose, non-Hydrogenated Shortening (palm fruit and/or canola), Psyllium fiber, Yeast, Modified cellulose, Rice Starch, Salt, Cultured Corn Syrup Solids, Maltodextrin, Citric Acid, Modified Cellulose, Vitamin and Mineral Blend(Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folic Acid, Iron), Enzymes
Nutritional Snapshot: 180 calories, 5 g. fat, 0 cholesterol, 30 g carbohydrate, 6 g. fiber, 1 g. sugar, 3 g, protein
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Want to try Kinnikinnick gluten free hot dog buns?
Check the freezer section at your local grocery store. Or, the buns may be purchased on Kinnikinnick’s website. I included the image below from their website, so you could see the bright yellow packaging.
Tags: gluten free hot dog buns > Kinnikinnick
Product Review: Kinnikinnick Soft Hamburger Buns
Posted on | April 1, 2012 | 2 Comments
There is nothing like a good hamburger. Sadly, I haven’t had a really good hamburger with a really good gluten free hamburger bun since I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. I would either make do with sub par gluten free bread, or wrap my burger in lettuce. When Kinnikinnick came out with this new hamburger bun to replace their old buns, I thought, why not give it a try? Especially since Kinnikinnick sent some samples to taste. Free- even better!
In each package retails for $4.59, and comes with four buns. Kinnikinnick recommends you store them frozen, or they may be stored fresh on the countertop for a day or two. They are supposed to be soft enough that after they defrost they may be consumed with no toasting or special preparation. These buns are not pre-sliced so all you need to do is slice them when to is time to eat.
When my burger was done grilling, I popped one Kinnikinnick hamburger bun in the microwave for 45 seconds. It was the perfect time. The bun was no longer cold, but still soft and evenly defrosted. I waited for the bun to cool, then sliced it in two. It is very important to let the bun cool after removing from the microwave, because when I tried to slice it right out of the microwave and it just smushed. It actually looks like a gluten hamburger bun!
I went all out and added onion, tomato, pickle, cheese, lettuce, and ketchup. Even though the lettuce was ripped funny, I still think this burger looks amazing! I took a bite and was in love. The bun is soft, and squished down a bit; just like I would expect a bun from McDonalds to do. The smell of the bun actually reminded me of McDonalds. Although the bun is soft, it didn’t squish into nothing. It still held it’s shape, and my burger. It kept it’s shape to the very last bite. There is not distinct taste to the bun, it lets the meat and condiments do the talking.
I am in love with Kinninnick’s new soft hamburger bun. Try these as soon as you can!
Rating: 5 stars
Pros: soft bun with a light taste, 5 g fiber
Cons: it didn’t come out sooner!
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Ingredients: water, white rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, sunflower and/or canola oil, sugar, egg white powder, corn starch, cellulose, non-hydrogenated shortening (palm fruit and/or canola), psyllium fiber, yeast, modified cellulose, rice starch, salt, cultured corn syrup solids, maltodextrin, citric acid, modified cellulose, vitamin and mineral blend (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, iron), enzymes
Nutritional Snapshot: (1 bun) 150 calories, 5g fat, 26g carbohydrates, 2g protein, 5 g fiber
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Want to try the new Kinnikinnick soft hamburger buns?
Check your local grocer’s freezer section, or they may be purchased directly from the Kinnikinnick website.
Product Review: Udi’s Original Granola -dairy/soy/egg free
Posted on | April 1, 2012 | 1 Comment
Udi’s has tried their hand at another gluten free product. I love their bread and muffins, let’s see of their granola is just as good.
This is their original granola, so there are no fancy robust flavors, or exotic fruits. Although this has a basic, original favor, it is not bland. The oats have a light sweet taste from wildflower honey, and the raisins, banana chips, and assorted nuts add complimentary flavors.
I ate this granola for breakfast with a little milk and it filled me up well into lunch. The oats even stayed crunchy throughout the whole bowl. The banana chips, however threw me for a loop. These banana chips are not actual dried banana, but a concoction of banana, coconut oil, sugar, and natural banana flavor. The texture was odd and slightly hard, but provided a pleasant contrasting texture with the nuts.
I thoroughly enjoyed this granola and was sad when the bag was empty.
Ratings: 5 stars
Pros: light tasting with a variety of nuts and fruits
Cons: Banana chips are an odd flavor and texture
Review submitted by Kristina
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Ingredients: certified gluten free oats, wildflower honey, canola oil, raisins, banana chips (banana, coconut oil, sugar, natural banana flavor), walnuts, cashews, almonds, pistachios
Nutritional Snapshot: (1/4 cup) 120 calories, 4.5g fat, 19g carbohydrates, 7g sugar, 3g protein
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This gluten free granola from Udi’s may be purchased from their online store, or in bulk via amazon.com:
Product Review: Mispacha Flavored Coating Crumbs
Posted on | March 31, 2012 | No Comments
This is a kosher parve, Passover approved product.
Glutenfreematzo.com sent us Mispacha gluten free flavored coating crumbs to try out. This 6 ounce package retails for $2.49. The manufacturer recommends using this product for breading on either chicken or fish. I used it to make eggplant parmesan instead.
I poured the breading on a plate and noticed how small the granules were. This potato based coating product’s color and crumb size reminded me of imitation mozzarella cheese. Because of the size of the crumbs it coated the eggplant very well. It did not clump together but laid a thin coating.
I baked the coated eggplant in the oven. When it was time to turn my eggplant, the crumbs did not stick to the pan, but adhered perfectly to the eggplant. When it was completely cooked I saw that the crumbs crisped up and continued to coat the eggplant. Perfect! The package stated that the crumbs are flavored, but I didn’t notice much of a flavor at all.
In an eggplant parmesan recipe, tomato sauce is used to top the breaded eggplant .Unfortunately, when the tomato sauce came in contact with the coated eggplant, the gluten free crumb coating softened very quickly. Within a minute the coating became very soggy and almost inedible. How disappointing!
If this breading is used with chicken or fish without a sauce, it may taste better, but with eggplant parmesan it was just so-so and didn’t perform as I had hoped.
Rating: 3 stars
Pros: kosher for passover, tiny granules coat well, toasts up nicely
Cons: no flavor, becomes soggy quickly
Review submitted by Kristina
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Ingredients: potato starch, dehydrated potatoes (contains sulfates to maintain whiteness), salt, dehydrated onions, cottonseed shortening, sugar, spices
Nutritional Snapshot: (2 Tbsp) 70 calories, .5g fat, 15g carbohydrates, 1g protein
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This product may be purchased from allinkosher.com
Product Review: Yehuda Gluten-Free Matzo Style Squares
Posted on | March 31, 2012 | 2 Comments
Easter is almost upon us. We have been sent a few items from glutenfreematzo.com that are kosher or used during Passover. Matzo is unleavened bread that is eaten during Passover, but can also be eaten the week before.
Glutenfreematzo.com sent us Yehuda gluten free matzo-style squares to try. They also distribute toasted onion matzo, gluten free kosher pasta, and other gluten free kosher foods for Passover.
I have never tried matzo and felt very excited to try it. Inside each 10.5 ounce box there were approximately 10 matzo-style crackers that measured about 8 in x 8in. Unfortunately when I opened the box I saw that over half of them were either cracked or crushed to crumbs. When I tried to pull the remaining whole pieces out they cracked as well. I wasn’t able to see one whole matzo.
I tried one piece by itself, without condiments, and found it to be similar in taste and texture to a saltine cracker. The taste was mild and simple, with a tiny bit of salt. It was very thin (which is probably why it cracked so easily), with a nice crunch. It stayed crisp as I chewed and didn’t turn into mush like saltines would. It is very good! I would eat this as a snack any day.
Rating: 4 1/2 stars
Pros: Stayed crisp with just enough salt
Cons: Half of the crackers broke in transit
Review submitted by Kristina
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Ingredients: tapioca starch, water, potato starch, potato flour, expeller pressed palm oil, natural vinegar, egg yolks, honey, salt
Nutritional Snapshot: (1 matzo) 125 calories, 3.5g fat, 22g carbohydrates, .2g sugar, 1g protein
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To purchase these gluten free matzo-style crackers, please visit the glutenfreematzo.com website for ordering information.
Product Review: Taste of Gluten Free Bread Mix
Posted on | March 31, 2012 | No Comments
Here is another mix sent to us from Taste of Gluten Free. This gluten free bread mix retails for $5.00 on their website and makes one 9 inch loaf or 8 small hamburger buns.
This mix was incredibly easy to make. All I had to do was mix 1 2/3 c warm water and 1/4 c mayonnaise with the packaged dry mix. I admit, I was nervous adding the mayonnaise. I don’t love mayonnaise to begin with, plus I thought about all the fat and calories that it added to the bread. But, I had faith that this company knew what they were doing and brushed my fear aside. I baked it in a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes.
This bread was very difficult to smooth out, so there were a lot of ridges and spikes on the baked bread. The crust was crisp, but not hard. The inside was very smooth with no graininess, and did break a little if I tried to cut it too thin. When I tried eating this bread plain, I could definitely taste the mayonnaise. It wasn’t overpowering, but more of an aftertaste. There was no other taste to the bread, it is very plain and mild. When I made a sandwich with the bread ,the mayonnaise taste disappeared, and it let the condiments and meats stand out, enabling me to enjoy my sandwich. This bread was a good, solid substitute for traditional white bread.
Rating: 4 stars
Pros: soft, easy to prepare
Cons: slight mayo taste
Review submitted by Kristina
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Ingredients: white rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, cultured cream, pasteurized dried egg whites, yeast, sugar, egg replacer, xanthan gum, gelatin, salt
Nutritional Snapshot: 120 calories, 2.5g fat, 30g carbohydrates, 3g protein
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Want to try this gluten free bread mix? Visit the Taste of Gluten Free website for ordering details.
Product Review: Nuts Online/Nuts.com Gluten Free Hearty Whole Grain Bread Mix
Posted on | March 31, 2012 | No Comments
This is another mix sent from from Nuts Online, an internet based company that previously specialized in nuts. This mix retails for $3.99.
I was very excited to try this mix after loving their chocolate cake mix. Again, the directions for the mix were not on the package, but online. To prepare this gluten free whole grain bread mix, I first prepared the yeast (not included) by adding it to 1 1/2 c warm water. I then mixed the gluten free hearty whole grain bread mix , 1/8 cup oil, 2 eggs, 1/2 tsp. cider vinegar, and yeast. I let it rise for 45 minutes, then baked at 375 degree oven for 50 minutes. While mixing the dough I noticed all the different seeds and grains. I have tried many breads that claim to be multigrain or hearty, but only contained two or three types of flour. This bread definitely fit the description of “whole grain” and “hearty.”
After I let the bread cool, I gave it a try. This bread was unlike other breads I have tried. It featured a strong, distinct taste that I think the consumer would either love or hate. The taste came mostly from whole grain buckwheat and garbanzo bean flour. It appeared dark brown and appears to be like a pumpernickel. The seeds added a little crunch, but not much flavor. When I spread butter on a piece of the bread, the taste of the bread seemed the strongest, and a little overpowering. When I assembled a sandwich with the bread, the flavor was toned down when paired with the flavors of my sandwich toppings.
The crust was very crunchy, so much so that the top of the bread was even hard. The inside seemed soft with a smooth texture. There was no aftertaste, as with some whole grain gluten free breads. I would suggest this bread if you don’t mind strong flavored bread. If you like mild tasting bread, this is probably not for you.
Rating: 4 stars
Pros: Multigrain, soft in the middle, inexpensive
Cons: very strong tasting, hard crust
Review submitted by Kristina
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Ingredients: whole grain buckwheat, garbanzo bean flour, potato starch, corn starch, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, whole grain sorghum flour, tapioca flour, 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
Nutritional Snapshot: 130 calories, 3.5g fat, 23g carbohydrates, 4g fiber, 3g sugar, 4g protein
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Want to try his bread? Check out the nuts.com website for ordering information.
Product Review: Chebe pizza crust mix
Posted on | March 31, 2012 | No Comments
Chebe sent us this pizza mix to test out, and I couldn’t wait! I’m a huge fan of their foccacia bread, cheese bread and breadsticks, and hoped this gluten free pizza crust mix was up to par. It retails for around 3.49 and makes a medium sized crust.
Preparing this pizza crust was very similar to their other cheese bread mixes. I added a cup of hard cheese (mixture of parmesan and pecorino), an egg, and milk. I mixed the dough with a fork, and then kneaded it by hand until it formed a smooth ball.
Pressing the pizza dough in the pan proved to be a bit challenging, since the dough was thick and firm. I used the heel of my hand to spread the dough and with some patience and muscle, was able to get the dough fairly uniform in thickness. I also created a thick edge for a crust, something I usually don’t do with other gluten free pizza crust mixes due to the thinner, more elastic texture. I topped the pizza with peperoni, white onion and mushrooms.
The pizza baked for 20 minutes and smelled wonderful! I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into it. The included spices in the crust really smelled good. Unfortunately, the flavor of the crust turned out to be way too strong for my toppings. The garlic and onion flavor, which reminded me of their breadsticks, really competed with my marinara sauce and veggies. It just didn’t taste good and I felt this gluten free pizza crust mix would be better as a stand alone breadstick or cheesebread. If you want to try this as a pizza crust, I would suggest mild toppings with no extra seasonings.
The texture was reminiscent of their breadsticks as well, crunchy and firm on the exterior edges and the bottom of the crust, with a soft, thick, doughy center that added a nice bit of chewiness. I wouldn’t classify this mix as a traditional pizza crust mix, but I did enjoy the combination of crunchiness and chewiness it offered.
Overall, I enjoy Chebe bread mixes, but this pizza crust was not a winner for me
Rating: 3 stars
Pros: great crunch and chewiness, easy to prepare
Cons: mix contains very strong seasoning, which competes with toppings.
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Ingredients: manioc (tapioca) flour, modified manioc starch, iodine free sea salt, garlic, onion, oregano
Nutritional Snapshot ( 1/10 of mix): 70 calories, 0 g fat, 103 mg sodium, o g fiber, o g protein
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Want to try this mix?
This mix may be purchased individually from vitacost.com or amazon.com:
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This work by Karen Walsh is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License