Tag Archives: gluten free prepared foods

Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowl by EATING RIGHT

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chicken teriyaki IMG_2953As teriyaki goes, I thought this Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowl by EATING RIGHT was a little light on flavor. With 930 mg of sodium, I anticipated a little more teriyakiness to it. For $2.99 and gluten-free, it’s hard to knock it. The chunks of real white meat chicken are of good consistency.  There were a couple of soybeans, a few water chestnuts, but no other veggies in this bowl. In their defense, I did try this dish one other time and there were a lot more vegetables in it. So, they don’t seem to be very consistent.

Overall, I probably would not purchase this again. It wasn’t “bad” but it wasn’t all that, either. I wouldn’t have purchased it a second time if I hadn’t been lazy and forgotten to write the review the first time.

Van’s Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Waffles

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IMG_1019 gluten free waffles compI figured I’d try these Van’s Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Waffles because sometimes it’s nice to have something hot that’s quick and easy to prepare. I got them on sale at Safeway for a very decent price (can’t recall exactly, sorry).

These waffles are gluten-free, Kosher, all natural, no artificial colors or preservatives, egg-free, dairy-free, and corn-free. Wow. Is there anything left? Two waffles are considered a serving, and they have 200 calories, 6 grams of fat, 35 grams of carbs, and 2 grams of protein. Not hideous. I do like that they are made with canola oil and not soy. That’s a plus for me.

While they’re toasting, they smell awesome, I’ll give them that. Granted, my toaster oven is a piece of junk, but these guys were not very crispy after one cycle. so I put them back for a second. It could be my oven, or, it just could be that they were a bit old and that’s why they were on sale. Even after the second toasting, they weren’t as crispy on the outside as I was expecting. No big deal.

Because of the lovely aroma coming from the toaster, I expected these to be chock full of apple cinnamon flavor. They weren’t. It was quite muted. I was hoping to just be able to eat these without syrup – just with butter – but there was just not enough flavor to do that. That’s okay, I was just hoping to cut back on my sugar consumption a little. The maple syrup really did complement the flavor, however, and bring out that apple a bit more.

In general, I do like the Van’s brand, and they have an incredibly amazing granola that I’ll write about at a later time. Meanwhile, you can check them out at http://www.vansfoods.com/.

Eating Right Gluten Free Margherita Pizza Review

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473 pizza malfunctionStop the presses! This is something to write home about. (Two cliches, one paragraph. You’re welcome.)

Seriously, this EATING RIGHT Gluten Free Margherita Pizza is pretty good, especially for a microwave pizza. For $2.99 (regular prize at my local Safeway), you get a filling, gluten-free personal pizza that takes up to 3 minutes to cook.

The pizza I got seemed to have had a wardrobe malfunction, with the topping slipping down revealing a naked crust. Oh, the humanity! Continue reading →

Freschetta Gluten Free Pizza

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IMG_5561 freschetta burnedHoly flipping pizza, Batman, this is amazing. Freschetta has hit the nail on the head when it comes to making really excellent gluten-free pizza. Wow. The taste is just awesome. And, it has plenty of cheese on it. Ooey, gooey cheese.

I grew up eating pizza in Boston and New York City. So I know what pizza is supposed to taste like. Amy’s is definitely not it. Udi’s is closer, but it’s one of those “good for gluten-free” deals. Freschetta’s tastes like real pizza. The kind the guy flips around in the window. *happy sigh*

I have two minor issues with this pizza.

#1 – You get four servings from the Freschetta pizza – that’s two okay size slices per serving. I don’t think so. This pizza is too good to just stop there. I usually (twice so far) eat three, which reduces it to 3 servings per pizza (at $9.99/pizza). I could probably make it four slices (half the pizza), but I do have some semblance of self control.

#2 – I keep forgetting to put the flipping pan in the oven while it’s preheating. The first time, I completely forgot and ended up with the burnty pizza picture you see above (because I left it in for the 15 minutes instead of 12). The darn pizza STILL tasted awesome. The second time, I remembered AFTER the oven was preheated, so I put the pan in for five minutes and then put the pizza in. Still not enough time – the middle of the pizza stuck to the pan again, but not as badly as the first time.

Sticking to the pan or not, you still cannot beat the taste and consistency of this Freschetta Gluten Free Pizza. I’ve had gluten-free pizza at actual pizza shops, and Freschetta still wins. Yay for us!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

IMG_5787 gluten free freschetta pizza

Udi’s Lasagna

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IMG_4211 udis lasagnaYUM! Hot, hearty, quick, easy, reasonably priced, and delicious. How can you go wrong with that combination? Udi’s has hit it out of the ballpark with this lasagna. So satisfying. The flavor, consistency, and appearance – all great.

Even though when you take the tray out of the microwave the sauce looks a bit soupy, it’s really not. There’s just enough of it to keep it moist. And the sauce is light and flavorful. Spicy smell while cooking, but not spicy to taste. There’s just enough sausage to give it a hint of a very pleasant kick.

The cheese consistency was good. At 5:45, the cook time was very convenient. While it’s frozen, it may look like it needs more cheese on top, but it really doesn’t.

I don’t know about other gluten-free lasagnas, yet, but for $4.99 a single serving, I’ll be looking for this on sale and will buy a few when that happens. Thank you, Udi’s.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Wolfgang Puck Free Range Chicken Soup

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IMG_5659 wolfgang puck compWhen I feel crummy, I want chicken soup. Of course, when I feel crummy, that’s when I don’t feel like making chicken soup. Who wants to go to all that trouble? You? Then send me some chicken soup, will you? (I will say, last time I was ill, a dear, sweet friend made me some turkey soup. All hail turkey-soup-making friends!)

This time, I was prepared. At least I hoped I was. On a recent trip to Safeway trolling for gluten-free foods, I found Wolfgang Puck Free Range Chicken with White and Wild Rice Organic Soup on sale. So I got a can.

I will be completely honest. (What else is new?) When I opened this can, I almost hurled. It smelled TERRIBLE. If your stomach is at all off, I recommend you have someone else open the can. (Sorry, I just call ’em like I see ’em.)

I heated one can of soup in one bowl (see photo). It says on the can there is enough for 2 servings, but I beg to differ if you’re serving it as a meal. If you’re serving it as an appetizer, well, you can probably get away with that. I cooked it for 2-1/2 minutes on high as per the instructions. I recommend putting a plate underneath. It didn’t boil over, but there was a lot of  condensation under the microwave-safe cover.

IMG_5661 wolfgang puck compThe broth was not runny – it was a nice thickness for dipping toast or crackers (or in my case, 1/2 an Udi’s bagel). The texture of the rices was very good. The chicken chunks were a little tough, but not chewy or nasty. My sensitive palette would have liked just a tad less paprika, but for normal people, I’m sure it was fine.

Would I buy it again? I consider this one of those “break glass in case of emergency” foods, so yes. I have a container of Pacific Foods g/f chicken soup ready to try next. We’ll see who wins the spot on my lazy Susan.

Great Value Brand Gluten Free Granola Bars

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IMG_5679 great value granola barYes, that’s right, WalMart has gotten into the gluten-free food business. Technically, I’m not sure their Dark Chocolate Granola Bars actually qualify as GRANOLA since they seem to be made of rice crisps, but I’m not complaining. I really, really like these.

So many gluten-free granola bars require bionic jaws to chew them, or teeth of steel to crack into them. These bars are light and happy and sweet, sort of like what I would imagine Rice Krispie treats would be like if you added chocolate flakes.

Five bars come in a box for $2.48 which is about 50 cents less than the least expensive gluten-free snack or granola bars. Unlike the others, these are not “packed with nutrition,” but they have only 100 calories and 2.5 grams of fat. They’re great for a quick sweet tooth fix. Beware, if you eat while driving or on the couch, the chocolate flakes do have a tendency to fall out. You wouldn’t want those on your pants. No, that didn’t happen to me. They fell all over the plate in the photo. I’m just sayin’.

I like these bars a lot and I do recommend them.

 

Kozy Shack Simply Well Naturally Flavored Puddings

Posted in Dessert, Food/Cooking, Health, Snacks by

Kozy-Shack-Simply-Well-Rice_Pudding-4Pk-565x245There’s a lot of cheap junk food out there…and there’s a lot of expensive health food out there as well. So finding something healthy that tastes good at a decent price…and then adding gluten-free to the mix is an accomplishment!

Kozy Shack Simply Well puddings are naturally flavored, and state gluten-free not only on the outer packaging, but on each individual serving cup as well. They contain 3 grams of prebiotic fiber per serving, are made will real milk, are a good source of antioxidant vitamin E, calcium and vitamin D, and have no hydrogenated oils or preservatives.

Healthy Pudding? Yes, pudding…you know, like dessert? Yet each cup has only 100 calories and as little as 1 gram of fat, depending on the flavor. Speaking of flavor…they taste great. I tried the lemon ginger; don’t let the name discourage you – it is not biting or tangy. It is a light, mildly sweet, lemony treat, with an occasional tiny hint of ginger. The consistency is smooth like custard. It is great as an in-between meal snack.

The dark chocolate flavor is less sweet, and a little less smooth than the lemon. It is a little heavier consistency-wise, and more resembles the flavor of a chocolate mousse than a pudding. I would love to add some whipped cream on it for a really delectable dessert. However, it doesn’t need the topping to be delicious.

All good things come at a price; I purchased these treats on sale for three dollars per four-pack, which translates to 75 cents a cup – for a yummy, healthy, gluten-free treat. There are five flavors in all.

Simply Well Naturally Flavored Pudding by Kozy Shack can be found in your grocer’s refrigerated dairy section. For more information about Kozy Shack, go to their official website. All Kozy Shack puddings, flans and gels are gluten-free.

 

This article originally appeared on Celiac-Disease.com on March 10, 2010 at http://celiac-disease.com/kozy-shack-simply-well-naturally-flavored-puddings/  Flavors and prices may have changed since that date.

Best. Cookies. Ever.

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IMG_5723 immaculate cookiesSerious. Dead serious. Not kidding. These cookies are the most awesome cookies ever, even better than glutenous cookies!

Imagine, if you will, the outer edges of a brownie – just a little crispy on the outside but still chewy on the inside. Then imagine an entire cookie exactly like that. That is what the Immaculate Baking Company has created with their Fudge Brownie Cookie Dough. You get 12 balls of dough in a tray. Flatten those out (I use wax paper and the palms of my hands), pop them in the pre-heated oven, and BAM! 15 minutes later you have the most amazing cookies ever. Even my gluten-mongering friends are like OMG with these cookies. Best. Cookies. Ever.

Seriously – you could put some vanilla ice cream and other stuff on them and make a brownie barge type thing but they are so good I hate the idea of actually putting anything on them. I appreciate them all by themselves.

WARNING – do NOT bake all of them at once if you are alone. You will eat them ALL. I tend to cook four at a time right before I bring two to a friend. If I wasn’t bringing them until the next day, I would eat them all. You will not be able to resist. Honestly.

Run, don’t walk, to your nearest Safeway or the other stores which carry this product. You won’t be sorry.

More information (including a store finder) is available at www.immaculatebaking.com.

IMG_5739 immaculate cookie

 

Gluten Free LUNA High Protein Bar

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IMG_5664 luna bar compOne word: yuck. Sorry, LUNA, I am a supporter, but I couldn’t stand this.

The first thing that assaulted my senses was the taste/smell of alcohol on the very first bite. Then there was a weird saltiness. The only reason I was able to finish the bar was because I drowned it in Cool Whip (which I then proceeded to eat directly out of the container to get the LUNA taste out of my mouth. I’ll let you decide whether I’m joking about that or not).

The flavor was supposed to be Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. The only other two flavors available (in the store) contained peanut butter, and I’m not a fan of that. I’m also not a fan of soy-based protein, which is the foundation for this bar. It didn’t occur to me to check the ingredients in the store – I just saw GLUTEN FREE and the 99 cent special price and dove in. Yes, I’m a big dummy.

This LUNA bar is 170 calories, 6g of fat, 12g of protein, and contains decent amounts of calcium, Vitamin D, iron, and other stuff. Oddly, there was no chocolate liqueur which a lot of these bars use for flavor.

It turns out that they have a bunch of other flavors, too. You can check those out at http://www.lunabar.com/products/luna-protein  Maybe those flavors are better. I don’t know. I do know that I’m not going to find out.

IMG_5665 luna bar