Category Archives: Food/Cooking

G/F Pizza Steel Cage Match: Udi’s Brand

Posted in Food/Cooking by

Udi's Gluten Free Cheese PizzaIMG_1701I was so very excited when I saw pizza in the gluten-free freezer case at WalMart. Pizza is one of the foods I really do miss from my gluten-mongering days. So when I saw both Amy’s and Udi’s had gluten-free pizza available, I grabbed them. You can read my Amy’s review here.

A few comparison notes:

Amy’s pizza is about one dollar more than Udi’s. The calories, carbs, and protein are about the same. Amy’s pizza is 12 ounces and they expect you to get 3 servings out of it. Udi’s is 10 ounces and they divide that bad boy into two servings. All-in-all, very close.

Amy’s is non GMO and uses organic rice flour and tomatoes. It does contain soy.

Black Olive Pizza IMG_1704Of course, I couldn’t *just* make a cheese pizza. Continue reading →

G/F Pizza Steel Cage Match: Amy’s Brand

Posted in Food/Cooking, Health by

Amy's Gluten Free Cheese Pizza IMG_0512I was so very excited when I saw pizza in the gluten-free freezer case at WalMart. Pizza is one of the foods I really do miss from my gluten-mongering days. So when I saw both Amy’s and Udi’s had gluten-free pizza available, I grabbed them.

A few comparison notes:

Amy’s pizza is about one dollar more than Udi’s. The calories, carbs, and protein are about the same. Amy’s pizza is 12 ounces and they expect you to get 3 servings out of it. Udi’s is 10 ounces and they divide that bad boy into two servings. All-in-all, very close. Continue reading →

Lobster Classic Chunk Style by Trans-Ocean

Posted in Food/Cooking, Recipes by

IMG_0471 lobster 1Over three years ago, I wrote about Crab Classic Chunk Style by Trans-Ocean. That’s still available, and I’m still buying it. You can usually get a package at Wal-Mart for $2.50 each. And, there are about two servings per 8 ounce package which makes it pretty affordable.

What I recently discovered was that I could get the Lobster version for the same price. Again, like the crab, this product does not claim to be gluten-free. There is no gluten added, however, unlike the flake and leg styles. Those actually say “contains wheat” in the allergens. MAKE CERTAIN you do not buy those styles if you have a gluten or wheat allergy. It’s easy to confuse them as they all look nearly identical.

I prepare the lobster the same way as I do the crab – chop up some celery, add some mayonnaise (I use canola-based mayo), and instead of just stirring, I use a fork and a knife to break it up into smaller chunks. Then I serve it over salad for a healthy, cool, summertime meal. No salad dressing needed. Great for lunch or dinner.

From their website: “Lobster Classic is a premium blend of wild caught, sustainable Alaska Pollock and real lobster meat. The product has a unique, chunky texture and crisp flavor profile that is unlike other surimi seafoods. Use Lobster Classic for delicious lobster salads, hot casseroles and as a dip style appetizer with cocktail sauce. Certified by the American Heart Association, Lobster Classic is low in fat and cholesterol. It is also a source of Omega-3 EPA and DHA, providing 100mg per 3 oz. serving. It’s fully cooked, making it easy to enjoy seafood while helping build a healthy heart at the same time.”

It’s nice to eat something that tastes good that’s good for you. For more information on this product, go to http://www.trans-ocean.com/lc_chunkstyle.html

IMG_0478

White Box Bakery Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

Posted in Food/Cooking by

IMG_1912 white box carrot cakeO.M.G. Talk about an explosion of deliciousness. Three layers of wonderfully thick, spicy, nutty cake with a wonderfully smooth cream cheese icing await you.

Back in the dark ages, when I was a kid, there was a brand of frozen carrot cake loaf that was dense, moist, and delicious. This White Box treat reminds me of that, only better. It’s packed with nuts and a delightful medley of spices. It’s not cakey – it’s hearty and filling. I didn’t taste carrots – but I didn’t care. The cream cheese icing was light – it wasn’t oily or overly tangy. All the flavors complemented each other perfectly. And the icing on the cake (sorry, couldn’t resist that REALLY bad pun) was that the decor on the top was just lovely. Elegant, even. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Pretty much everything at White Box comes highly recommended by me. Super nice people, great food. Learn more about White Box on their website: http://www.whiteboxpiesbakery.com/  And by the way, folks – they ship.

White Box Pies Bakery and Cafe
28 E Sharp Ave.
Spokane, WA 99202

Lazy Gluten-Free Chicken Casserole

Posted in Food/Cooking, Recipes by
lazy gluten free casserole IMG_5012web

Little effort; lots of yumminess.

Sometimes you just want something hearty, you know? Something like chicken pot pie, but way less complicated. Well, have I got the recipe for you. Fast, easy, and with food that’s already cooked. I just threw this together sort of capriciously, and certainly did not expect this to taste so good. I’m going to try to recreate it below – but you can’t really go wrong no matter how you do this. Add vegetables if you want. I think celery and onion might be good additions without overpowering the flavor too much.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cooked chicken breast, shredded or broken up  (or parts of your choice)
  • 2 cups g/f cornbread, loosely crumbled (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
  • 1 cup cooked white rice
  • 1 container g/f chicken broth or stock (I used Costco’s brand)
  • Italian-style shredded cheese for garnish (mozzarella, Parmesan, etc. blend)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine first three ingredients in 9×9 glass baking dish (I’m sure metal is fine, I used Pyrex). Mix well, with hands. Do not flatten or compact. Pour chicken broth just until you can see it come to the top of the mixture. Sprinkle a thin layer of the cheese over the top. Bake for 20 minutes at 350. Turn oven up to 400. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is browning on top. SERVES 4.

The rice and cornbread should have absorbed almost all the chicken broth, making them moist and fluffy. This is hot, hearty comfort food that can be tweaked to your preferred level of moistness. Leftovers can easily be reheated in a bowl – fill bowl with the amount you want, then pour any leftover chicken broth in. Microwave for about 2 minutes on 70%, stir, then an addition 30 – 60 seconds on high for one bowl. It should absorb the additional chicken broth as it sits.

As I said, this recipe was an accident, and was not measured. You may have to experiment a little to get the combination of broth/food that works best for your taste. However – the flavor is just awesome. Enjoy!

Heather’s Fairy Tale Bakery

Posted in Food/Cooking by

Well, I did a bad thing. Normally when I do a food review, I stage the goods nicely, take a photograph of them, then eat them. This time they went straight into my mouth. Oops. So, I apologize, I do not have any photos to go with this review.

I bumped into Heather’s Fairy Tale Bakery at a Farmers Market in Stevens County, WA. It was their last day there, so I decided to go out on a limb and try more than just one item. (I don’t get out much.) I wasn’t disappointed.

I’m not a big fan of chocolate chip cookies in general, but there was something about the way these looked in the case – like they were perfectly cooked. They were golden brown around the edges and spoke to me. Sure enough, chewy in the middle, loaded with chocolate chips, and no hint of being gluten-free. Yay Heather!

Next I tried the sugar cookie. I prefer a chewier consistency than what this offered, but I have to say, the flavor was unique and excellent. There was just a hint of a spice – perhaps cinnamon – that really made it a treat.

Last was a Nanaimo bar. I’d never had one of these before, and I was a bit reluctant to try it because it looked incredibly rich. I tend to appreciate more delicate flavors – but that’s just me. The flavor was a robust chocolate and a lovely creme. The consistency did not give away that it was gluten-free. Since I’d never tried one of these before, I didn’t have a clue what they were supposed to taste like, so I had a gluten-monger experienced with Nanaimos try it and he said it was right on the money. So there you have it. I spaced this treat out over about an hour’s time. Chocolate lovers will rejoice, for certain.

All gluten-free, all reasonably priced, and all delicious. Visit Heather’s Fairy Tale Bakery online at www.heathersfairytalebakery.com or in person at the address below.

Heather’s Fairy Tale Bakery
576 N Wynne
Colville, Washington

Healthy & Inexpensive Gluten-free Breakfast

Posted in Food/Cooking, Health, Recipes by

Here’s a quick video detailing a healthy, inexpensive and filling gluten-free breakfast, complete with nutritional information.  Enjoy!

Wendy’s Gluten-free Menu

Posted in Food/Cooking, Health, restaurants by

Of all the “fast food joints,” Wendy’s seems to be the friendliest towards folks with gluten intolerance.

You can check out their gluten-free menu here:  http://www.wendys.com/redesign/wendys/pdf/en_US_gluten_free_list.pdf  (new link as of 4-6-2014)

Sometimes, you just can’t help but need a bite to eat, and in a pinch – Wendy’s is my choice.  If you print out the gluten-free menu or at least study it before-hand, at least you won’t feel like you have no options next time the “this day went way longer than I expected and I’m out of snacks” happens to you.

Eat well!

The Organic Peddler in Del Norte, CO

Posted in Food/Cooking, Health, Shopping, Travel by

I’ve been bad lately.  I’ve been posting my gluten-free reviews to my regular blog instead of here.  Not that that matters, really, since no one seems to read this column anyway, but just in case this review helps one person find the food they need for their diet, here’s the link for it:  http://ksbrooks.wordpress.com/2011/04/22/review-the-organic-peddler-in-del-norte-co/

Gluten-Free Goodies at Whole Earth Center

Posted in Food/Cooking, Health, Shopping, Travel by

Date of Visit:  2-9-11
Whole Earth Center
360 Nassau Street
Princeton, NJ 08540
www.wholeearthcenter.com

Out of bread, snacks and patience during my cross-country adventure, my face became bright with hope as the Whole Earth Center on the eastern side of Princeton came into view. 

When I walked in, the store’s aromas soothed my mind, wooing me into a better mood.  An oasis of healthy living, its shelves loaded with organic goods, a deli offering gluten-free options, and an entire separate area dedicated to colorful produce from local growers.  As I had anticipated, the prices were a little higher than I was used to, but in the face of hunger, one has to make choices.

I chose a loaf of frozen bread for $7.19 and couldn’t resist the fresh-baked gluten-free cookies despite their $11/pound price.  Their assortment was excellent – at least 6 different flavors – and the homemade consistency and flavor were exceptional – worth every penny.  Even my non-gluten-free partner enjoyed them.

The staff was helpful and friendly, and the bathrooms were clean.

If you’re on the road and in need of something good to eat – stop in to the Whole Earth Center.