Gluten-Free Odyssey

I’m baaaaack!

Hey friends! I apologize that I haven’t posted any tasty reviews for a long time! I am going to get back on the horse and start expanding my gluten-free horizon again. I can’t wait to share my findings with you!

Some more smores, please!

In my last post I talked about how if I ever saw gluten-free graham crackers on the shelf, I would snatch them up no matter the cost.

Friends, I have found them! It has been several months since I’ve been to Whole Foods, and their gluten-free product lines have really expanded since then. I was scanning all of the gluten-free snack foods, (because I’m pregnant, and always hungry for a snack), when my eyes fatefully met Kinnikinnick’s S’moreables Graham Style Crackers. It was like I was supposed to go to Whole Foods and see these crackers today. Really made my day. ;) They are absolutely delicious! A little more crumbly and dense than an actual graham cracker, but pretty much have that graham cracker taste. I am so ecstatic about these!

You can bet your britches I’ll be having smores, very, very soon. Kinnikinnick knows what’s up! :D Hooray!

Aahh, those were the days…

I would love to take snacktime back to my childhood and have myself some good ol’ Teddy Grahams, but sadly, they are poison to my body now. For the last six months, I’ve really been craving them too! I miss the chocolate ones the most. Not only were they delicious, but the fact that they are shaped like tiny bears just made it that much more fun to eat!

I have found a solution to our inherent need to eat tiny animal shaped cookies.

Annie’s Gluten-Free Bunny Cookies are delicious and cute! I would say that rather than fully filling the void of Teddy Grahams, they more fill the void of Animal Crackers. Their texture is closer to that of Animal Crackers than Teddy Grahams. The flavors are pretty tasty, however, the chocolate cookies taste more gluten-free than the vanilla do. A bit disappointing, since those are my favorite.

I’m still waiting for the day that someone invents a gluten-free graham cracker. Or is it even possible? If I ever see a box of them on a shelf, I’m snatching them up! I don’t even care if they are $10.00! The day that I have smores again will be a day of celebration and serious binging. Give us our gluten-free Teddy Grahams!

Glutino Pizza - Not So Much

The other day I tried baking Glutino’s Duo Cheese Pizza. It was nothing more than okay. What’s with these gluten-free pizza companies making pizzas without real sauce? The sauce on this pizza was not even red, and it didn’t even taste like tomatoes. Bleh!

However, on a positive note for Glutino, the brown rice crust was delicious. It was, for the most part, crispy and had good flavor.

One warning though: I feel the size of the box is misleading for how tiny of a pizza it really is.

I probably will only buy one of these again if I’m in a pinch for something quick.

So far, making my own pizza on a pre-prepared crust, or baking one of Bella Monica’s ready-to-bake pizzas are the best choices for pizza night.

I’m thinking about writing Glutino to tell them how terrible their sauce is. Couldn’t hurt, right?

Donuts….mmm

One of my favorite pastimes as a kid was making homemade donuts. I loved to help my parents by shaking the donuts (aka biscuits from a tube) in a paper bag after they were fried. Coating them in a delicious and always perfect combination of cinnamon and sugar. I was sad to think that I will never have those donuts ever again.

Until I tried Kinnikinnick’s gluten-free cinnamon and sugar donuts. They are incredible! They actually taste just like the donuts I made back then.

I’m not as big of a fan of the vanilla glazed donuts (still good, just not my favorite), and I haven’t tried the chocolate yet. I will have to find a store that actually sells the chocolate ones soon!

Try them if you haven’t, you’ll love them!!

http://consumer.kinnikinnick.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/products.home/productcategoryid/17

Gluten-Free Pizza Night!

Pizza was one of the items I was most sad about losing (hence my “about me” section). The crust was always my favorite part, and it makes me salivate thinking about it. Obviously without gluten, we may never see light and bubbly pizza crust again. Hopefully a gluten-free baking genius will find the magic recipe soon!

I still continue to search for a pizza that fully satisfies me. My husband and I recently tried Bella Monica’s Spinach and Tomato pizza. It’s a flatbread company, so of course the crust was flatter and crispier. Despite the lack of fluff, the crust was really delicious! The flavor was good, and I was really excited! Unfortunately, the feta cheese ruined it for me a bit. I’ve never been a fan of feta (I didn’t realize it had it until I was home). It can be so overpowering. I would have bought their Margherita pizza, but my market was out (obviously really popular!). Next time for sure! I will have to update the verdict for that one on this post. My guess is that it’s going to be great, and very satisfying!

TIP: If you buy this pizza, make sure it goes directly on the rack! I’ve heard it’s not very good when it’s flimsy, as most pizza isn’t.

Happy pizza night!

Bella Monica’s Home Page: http://www.bellamonica.com/

Where to Buy Bella Monica: http://glutenfreepizza.typepad.com/gluten-free-pizza/where-to-find-bella-monica.html

Glutenfreeda, you have freed me!

I recently discovered the first ever single-serve gluten-free burrito. Let me tell you, it was magical! Glutenfreeda really knows what they’re doing! I knew that once I was diagnosed, burritos (one of my favorite Mexcan staples) would be a thing of the past. I had never seen a gluten-free “flour tortilla” before, and I was shocked when I saw them sitting, in the form of a burrito, on the shelf at my local health food market. They are a bit pricey for one single burrito, but it’s worth every penny! If Glutenfreeda made these “flour” tortillas for sale, I would for sure purchase a bag of them and make my own at home (not to mention some chimichangas)!

It’s not just the tortilla that makes this burrito delicious though. It’s the organic and natural ingredients they so perfectly balanced them with. I fell in love with my first bite! I specifically tried the Vegetarian Bean & Cheese, and have plans to try some other flavors too!

I recommend these burritos to anyone who needs a change for their lunches, or even for a quick dinner! Celebrar la buena comida!

Check them out: http://www.glutenfreedafoods.com/burritos.html

The Search for the Best Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread

I thought the day would never come when I would find the perfect gluten-free sandwich bread. Gluten-free breads typically have to be toasted and often have a slightly-off taste. I was a huge fan of Kinnikinnik’s Brown Sandwich Bread and their Italian White Tapioca Rice Bread. Key word: was.

I have discovered the most incredible sandwich bread, by the suggestion of a local health-food store owner, and fellow Celiac. Are you ready for this? I’m not sure you are. If you have been struggling to find the perfect bread, I promise you will explode with joy when you taste a slice of this g-free heaven!

Udi’s White Sandwich Bread is the best invention since sliced bread! Oh wait.

No really! It blows any sandwich bread out of the water! The taste is as good as white wheat bread! You’re going to die when you read this next one.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO TOAST IT!!! It is soft and supple. The texture is just like regular bread. Can you sense the joy oozing from me? I have wanted a sandwich every day since discovering this bread. I want to make french toast! I want a pulled pork sandwich! I want toast with butter!

Udi’s has many other products that I plan on trying, and look forward to it!

Stay tuned as I continue my journey in seeking the best alternatives to our gluten-containing favorites!

To check out Udi’s products and to order online, visit: http://www.udisglutenfree.com/products