Category: Products

Product: Imagine Light in Sodium Organic Creamy Harvest Corn Soup – $3.99+

I know what you’re thinking.  Corn soup?  Sure, there are plenty of recipes, cans, and mixes for corn chowder, but a creamy corn soup?  How is that going to taste?

Funny, my roommate and I wondered the same thing when we bought this.  But the local Big Lots carries this soup (and a couple other varieties in the low sodium options) at a much cheaper price that the local grocery markets.  So, how could we turn our noses up to a gluten-free soup?  Besides, we won’t know if we like it until we try it, right?

I had no doubts it would be good, but convincing my roommate to give it a try took some doing.  But as the month neared for the expiration, she finally agreed to it one evening for dinner.  And so…out came the box of Imagine Light in Sodium Organic Creamy Harvest Corn Soup.

Into the pan on the stove it went to heat.  I was trying to think of ways to dress it up for her…but I had no peppers or onions in the apartment.  So, she got the soup as it came…straight from the box.  No added seasoning, no added vegetables or cheese for flavor.  Simple soup.

So when she took her first sip of it, then immediately dipped her spoon back in for more…I knew there had be something good in this soup.  And upon my own tasting, it was just easy to see that Imagine once again created a fantastic product out of simple ingredients.  And nothing beats a simply delicious meal after a long day at work, right?  I know after spending all day at the office one of the last things I want to do is stand in the kitchen preparing a meal.

This soup is composed of very basic, simple ingredients: corn, celery, onions, and potatoes…all organic.  It is then seasoned and preserved in the box and ready for consumption.  Where I was worried this soup would fall flat on flavor, it instead was alive with it.  Each bite had a kick of corn-flavor, seasoned and flavored to perfection by the other ingredients.  And with this having 50% less sodium than the regular version, it didn’t lack any flavor at all.  Spoonful after spoonful it was consumed until bowls were empty and we were quite satisfied with the meal overall.  Nutritious, low in sodium, low in calories, yet quite filling.  It was the perfect storm as far as soups go.  Now we wish we had more boxes of this particular flavor.

Every soup definitely has its day.  Imagine’s Light in Sodium Organic Creamy Harvest Corn soup will now forever be a part of our pantry.  And it should find a place in yours.  Like…now.

Product: SnapDragon Pan-Asian Cuisine Whole-Grain Brown Rice Crisps – $3.99

I adore my friends who see gluten-free products and immediately think of me.  Since I had to go gluten-free, it seems the people who are around me notice items now that are labeled as gluten-free.

My friend, Amanda, knows someone who works in a natural food store.  She was given some products and spotted that they were vegan and gluten-free…which made her immediately think of me.  So, she came over one day with a special delivery of these products for my enjoyment.  Not only were their some gluten-free Asian sauces, but she had a couple varieties of vegan and gluten-free rice crisps as well.

These little snacks are a product from SnapDragon Pan-Asian Cuisine.  The first kind of the two she brought me were the Whole-Grain Brown Rice Crisps.  Upon first glance, they don’t seem like much.  Little crackers that you can pop while you mindless work away at the office, or if your tummy gets the snack rumblies around 3 p.m.  It happens.  Every day.  To me.  Don’t judge.

However, one bite of these crisps and you’ll be hooked.  I was.  And there really isn’t much to them!  I guess that’s the magic and wonder of these snacks.  Light and quite low in fat, these are a healthy alternative to chips or crackers.  What makes these so interesting (Yes, snacks can be interesting!  I’m a foodie…and food is fascinating!) is that they are so simplistic, yet so flavorful.  The Whole-Grain Rice Crisps have a very mild spice to them, which is part of the mysterious authentic Asian seasonings that are implied on the box.  But it pairs well with the airy and light texture of the brown rice crisps themselves.  They are baked, boosting the health factor greatly, and then very lightly seasoned with sea salt, giving them the whole snack appeal.  Healthy and delicious…that’s a winning combination in my book.

And, by the grace of the gluten-free food gods, I have discovered a local store that has a few varieties of these crisps on their shelves!  It’s a specialty store, but it means I won’t have to beg Amanda to get in touch with her friend in hopes of getting more.  Vegan.  Gluten-free.  Naturally delicious.

Give these little rice crisps a chance.  Especially if you are a sucker for Asian foods, because these bring a fusion of Asian flavor to each bite.

Product: Lundberg Family Farms Honey Dijon Rice Chips – $2.79+

We all love a little salty crunch in our lives, right?  Chips are usually the go-to snack food.  Many of the varieties out there, however, are not gluten-free.  And that makes finding a safe product a little more difficult than usual.

But thanks to great companies like Lundberg, who make a wide variety of various gluten-free products, that’s changing.  All that has to be done is the gluten-free community must be offered a delicious product that goes beyond our expectations.  I can safely say that Lundberg does that over and over again with the wide variety and flavor of their numerous gluten-free products.

But the one that really sets them apart is their Rice Chips.  More specifically, their Honey Dijon Rice Chips.

I was at a gluten-free tasting fair at a local natural food store.  These were set out on a table for samples, so both my roommate and I tried one of the two kinds that were offered.  The Honey Dijon, however, were the most flavorful chip we had in a long time.  They reminded me a lot of Doritos, back when I could eat the wide variety they offered.  They pack quite a crunch, and the flavor is a balance between the sweetness of the honey and the warmth of pepper and mustard.  The rice chips are a very healthy alternative, a serving only setting you back 140 calories.

But when compared to other chips of the same nature, this product by Lundberg is volumes above the competition as far as taste, texture, crunchiness, and overall flavor.  Not one chip in the bag was lacking in seasoning.  It was literally a masterpiece of snack time proportions bite after bite after bite.

Best to play it safe and dish out a serving rather than eat from the entire bag…because I promise, it wouldn’t take much to devour the entire package in just one sitting.

So if you are looking for the perfect compliment to a meal, a sandwich, a burger, or just something to crunch on in the afternoon, grab a bag of Lundberg Honey Dijon Rice Chips.  Your chip-eating mentality will change forever.  You’ll be hooked.  Nothing else will do.  It’s a vicious cycle…but one you’ll love to be a part of.  Get your snack on…the gluten-free, kosher, epically delicious way!  Tear into a bag of Lundberg Rice Chips and you’ll understand what I mean.

Really.  What are you waiting for?  They’re on the shelves at your grocery store.  Go.  Go now.

Product: Lightlife Original Tofu Pups – $3.99+

I’m a vegetarian with a gluten-intolerance.

That means pretty much ever vegetarian protein out there is not made for someone like me to consume it.  Most will say that the products they make contain need the wheat protein to give it a great texture.

My roommate (who is a carnivore and a lover of wheat products) had a coupon for free kosher hotdogs from our local grocery store, so I was attempting to find something comparable that I could eat for dinner as she worked her way through the hotdogs.  After a lot of hunting, I managed to find Lightlife’s Tofu Pups.

Yes…these are vegetarian and gluten-free.  And they even look like “real” hotdogs as well.  They are a bit smaller, but my gluten-free hotdog buns fit them perfectly, so no complaints on this end.

These are quite simple to prepare.  Boil water.  Remove from heat.  Drop in a Tofu Pup into the hot water and let it cook for about 2-3 minutes, unless you’re doing it from frozen…then it takes a bit longer.  I then removed it to a paper towel to sop up any excess water before placing it in a bun and dressing it up with some find condiments of my choice.  Paired with a serving of gluten-free rice chips and some gluten-free vegetarian baked beans (Busch’s Vegetarian Baked Beans!), it’s a fantastic throw-back to the summer picnic meal in the comfort of your own kitchen.

So…time to get real.  When the Tofu Pups cook up, they turn a sort of orange color.  It doesn’t look appetizing…but I pressed on.  As for the taste…they would be rather bland without being dressed up with a condiment.  The texture is a bit chewy, but I did boil them and not grill them, so I can’t expect that crisp “casing-like” snap to them with each bite.  But, these are a low-fat, healthy alternative for those vegans (yes…these are certified vegan) who enjoy a hotdog every now and again.  Tofu Pups didn’t blow me away…but they sufficed enough to make a meal for this gluten-intolerant vegetarian.

All of Lightlife’s other vegetarian hotdogs and sausages do contain wheat protein, but the Tofu Pups, thankfully, are an exception to the rule.  While they may taste bland, that’s nothing a little ketchup and mustard can’t fix.  And at only 60 calories per “pup”…well, it’s hard to say no to that, right?  Until I find another gluten-free, vegetarian hotdog…these are what I get.  And, while they didn’t blow me away…they’ll do.  Don’t expect to bite into these and get a burst of faux hotdog flavor.  You won’t get it here.  And the spongy texture might be a little offsetting if eaten on its own without a gluten-free hotdog bun or some sort of startch to bulk it up.  So, keep that in mind should you venture to give these a whirl.

Product: Hodgson Mill Gluten-Free Brown Rice Linguine with Golden Milled Flax Seed – $3.24+

I admit it.

I’m having a love affair with the gluten-free products produced by Hodgson Mill.  I have enjoyed their gluten-free muffins, devoured their gluten-free brownies, and now had the opportunity to cook up a bit of their pasta.

My grocery store had a manager’s special going on, and included was Hodgson Mill’s Brown Rice Linguine with Golden Milled Flax Seed.  Never one to snub a bargain on gluten-free items, I grabbed a box and vowed to give it a fair shake.  After all…I am completely satisfied with my Tinkyada brown rice pasta items.  But, a deal is a  deal.

One night, I was craving some pasta, so instead of going to my normal gluten-free noodles, I reached for the box of Hodgson Mill Brown Rice Linguine.  It was simple to make.  Boil water.  Add pasta.  Allow to cook until al dente, drain, rinse with cold water.  It’s that easy.  Then…let your imagination run wild.

I topped mine off with sauteed mushrooms, garlic, and tomatoes, seasoned with parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and red pepper flakes.  Then I mixed in some Daiya vegan mozzarella cheese and then topped it all off with a scattering of feta cheese.  Viola.  Dinner was served.

So how did Hodgson Mill fair in the gluten-free pasta war?  I found the texture to be very creamy.  Easy to swallow.  The flavor was fantastic.  It paired well with everything that I put on it.  And had I actually put a sauce on it, I have no doubt these noodles would have held up to it instead of becoming soggy and mushy.  These noodles felt light and easily slid down the throat.  They were easy to twist around the fork, and didn’t break in the process.

As a bonus, because of the Golden Milled Flax Seed, these noodles are also a fantastic source of Omega 3 oils.  They are gluten-free, wheat-free, egg-free, dairy-free, and all natural.  I mean, look at the ingredients: brown rice flour and golden milled flax seed.  Yes…I would call that all natural.  Two ingredients.  Two ingredients that I recognize.  No chemicals.  Nothing I can’t pronounce.  Nothing that I sit there, raise an eyebrow at, and wonder exactly what that is a scientific formula for.

These noodles cooked up amazingly well.  Proving once again, when a company decides to do products gluten-free, they can be just as amazing (if not better) than those products they have that do contain such allergens.  I have been quite impressed with the gluten-free products that I have had the opportunity to try from Hodgson Mill.  And as always, I look forward to trying more.

As far as their pasta goes…I was very, very impressed.  And after eating just a serving, I didn’t feel like I had too much.  I’m hoping to find more of their pasta options in the stores to give it a try.  If it’s anything like their brown rice linguine noodles, I have a feeling I won’t be disappointed.

Whether you have to eat gluten-free or not, give these a whirl the next time you crave pasta.  They may win you over.  And look at how much better they are for you compared to other brands when it comes to ingredients that go into making them.  Really, you can’t argue with simplicity.  Especially when it tastes so good!