Category: Products

It looks like peanut butter.  It smells like peanut butter.  It even tastes like peanut butter.  The trick here is…there is not one nut in this spread!

Nuts seem to be one of the things I’m not allergic to when it comes to food.  Thank goodness.  I don’t know what I’d eat if I couldn’t have my peanut butter (or my preferred almond butter!).  But I tend to buy those organic and that can mean a lot of money for one small jar.

Then, my mom texted me one day and told me about a gluten-free brand of nut-free “peanut butter” that actually tastes like peanut butter despite the fact there are no nuts in it.  I was intrigued and sought it out.

I.M.  Healthy Soy Nut Butter is the product.  And I was quite leery about purchasing it at first.  After all, I can have most peanut butters as long as they are gluten-free.  But, my mom raved about it…and I was visiting somewhere that would have kids around with peanut allergies.  Just in case one got into the pantry, I didn’t want to be responsible for them having a serious allergic reaction to peanut butter.  So, I.M. Healthy Soy Nut Butter came home with me.

I bought the chunky kind, although it does come in a wide variety: creamy, chunky, honey, unsweetened, and chocolate.  But I have a soft spot in my heart for chunky peanut butter so, I went with the chunky variety here.  One morning, I spread a bit of it across my Udi’s gluten free bagel and had a taste.

My mom was absolutely correct!  It tasted just like peanut butter!  I was really impressed.  The texture was awesome.  The flavor was amazing.  And if I had done this in a blind testing, I never would have pegged this as not having nuts in it.

I.M. Healthy Soy Nut Butters have absolutely no peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, dairy, egg, wheat (gluten), or shellfish.  And the product is manufactured in a plant that does not house any of these products so there is no cross-contamination.  That’s awesome.  What this product is made from is soybeans.  And in this particular kind, the chunks are roasted soybeans that add a bit of a crisp texture to the spread.

It was so much better than I expected.  In fact, since departing from the home I was visiting, I now have the creamy variety in my pantry.  And, depending on where I shop for it…much cheaper than my organic peanut butter and almond butter.

No peanuts?  No worries.  You can’t even tell.  Even if you don’t have a food allergy, I recommend giving these a try.  They are far and away the closest thing to peanut butter without actually having peanuts in them.  Kudos to a company for taking a common food allergy and bringing around a product that is so close to the real thing…if you didn’t know better…you’d swear it was.

There is a reason that Udi’s Gluten Free Foods are top-of-the-line.  When I had to go gluten-free, their bread won my heart immediately.  I mean, finally…something that tasted like bread.  Granted, it’s about half the size of a normal slice, but…it tastes like real bread.  Beggars can’t be choosers, right?

For followers of my blog, last month I blogged about two different types of bagels I tried in search of the perfect bagel.  After all, I was raised in New York…home of the most amazing bagels on Earth.  No lie.  But when I had to give up foods with gluten, that meant my bagels had to fall to the wayside.  And the Enjoy Life Cinnamon Raisin bagels (blech!) and the Kinnikinnick Tapioca Rice New York Style Plain Bagels (ehhhhh) just weren’t up to standard with what a bagel, to me, should taste like.  Size, texture, flavor…all of it was wrong.  Although Kinnikinnick came closer of the two brands to what a bagel should be.

But then…then I picked up a bag of Udi’s Gluten-Free Plain Bagels.  The first thing I noticed, from the packaging alone, was that the size was perfect.  Finally…a gluten-free bagel that was the actual size of a real bagel.  Thank you, Udi’s!  I split it in half and popped it in the toaster and allowed it to toast up as I would any other bagel.  And when it popped up…I was pleasantly surprised.  The texture, just by touch, seemed right.  It was crispy from the toasting, but soft on the inside.  I was already getting psyched to take my first bite.

I put a spread of peanut butter across the top and broke off a bit of it.  I noticed the texture again as I pulled it apart.  Soft.  And then…the moment of truth…I popped the bit into my mouth.

I almost cried.  Tears of joy.  Because Udi’s did what other company’s haven’t managed to do yet.  They created a bagel that was soft, chewy, and delicious.  They were the size of a bagel, not a doughnut.  The texture was perfect.  They weren’t too dense.  And they honestly tasted like a bagel you’d get from a bakery.  I had to sit back for a moment and let it all process because this was a true moment of enlightenment.  Much like their sandwich bread, Udi’s outdid all their competition and created a product that tastes so much like the real thing it was frightening.  My roommate (who doesn’t have to eat gluten-free) tried a piece and was blown away as well.

And this is why Udi’s dominates the gluten-free food market.  And yes…this is why I pay $5.99 for sandwich bread and why I wouldn’t flinch to put down another $5.99 on a bag of 4 Udi’s gluten-free bagels again.  I am continuously blown away by this brand and, when I can afford it, I buy up their products.  They still have many I am eager to try, but I’m working my way through them.  The problem I run into is the grocery stores in my area aren’t carrying Udi’s products.  But I think a few letters to the store managers might help fix that.

Until then, my search for the perfect gluten-free bagel has come to a triumphant close.  Udi’s won that battle and now I refuse to look any further.  You can’t get better than perfection.  And Udi’s serves up gluten-free perfection each time.

So grab a bagel and your favorite gluten-free topping and enjoy a bagel for breakfast again in all it’s gluten-free glory!  Udi’s makes it simple and delicious.  Trust me.  It might even be better than the real thing!

Blue Diamond is best known for their nuts.  So, who can argue with a company that has created delicious products in the past with their Almond Breeze almond milk and their bold and traditional flavors in their line of nuts?

I felt confident when I purchased a box of Nut Thins to have as a snack while waiting around in the General Admission line of an upcoming U2 concert.  I didn’t know what I was in for.  It was by random selection I picked up the Pecan Nut Thins that day.  My grocery store carries every flavor…but this one just intrigued me.

Crackers are hard to come by when you have an intolerance to gluten.  What Blue Diamond created was a masterpiece.  Upon first bite, I was hooked.  These could even double as a chip to dip in salsa or a cheese queso.  Salty…crunchy…and packed with amazing flavor.  These crackers were so good, I think I inhaled them.

It was love at first bite with the Pecan flavor.  The right hint of nut-flavor, with the cracker and chip crunch.  It’s like a perfect union of snacks…done with a hint of salt and a lot of flavor.  These pecan ones were just the way to be introduced to these crackers.  They were rich in flavor, low in sodium, and every bite had me reaching for another one!  It only makes me anticipate the other flavors, which include: cheddar, BBQ, almond, hazelnut, ranch, smokehouse, and one called hint-of-salt.  Oh yeah…these are on my “always buy” list when it comes to gluten-free snacks.

Whether you eat them on their own, or pair them with a dip or spread, Nut Thins are sure to satisfy ANYONE who tries them.  This isn’t just for those who can’t have gluten.  These are worth sharing with the world.  And I intend to…one appetizer, one concert, one picnic at a time.

Blue Diamond doesn’t disappoint with these crackers.  And thankfully, I get to enjoy them down to the last crunchy cracker.

Gluten-free doesn’t always mean delicious.  I have realized this since having to adhere to a gluten-free diet.  While some products are amazing, others fall short of their potential when it comes to flavor, texture, taste…

But, gluten-free shouldn’t scare you away.  There will be food failures even in regular snacks and meals…and that’s why I keep trying out products and going into each taste with an open mind.  I love to be surprised.

Food Should Taste Good.  I can’t argue the brand name.  It says it all right there on the bag.  The question was…would it?   Now, this wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had a snack by this company.  I’ve sampled their Sweet Potato Chips before and was blown away by them.  So, when I was hunting for a snack one night, the Jalapeño Chips seemed like a good next step.

I don’t know if you noticed, but I love a good kick of spice in my food.  Could these chips really deliver that desired heat while still maintaining the bar set by the Sweet Potato Chips?  There was only one way to find out.

That evening, I settled onto the couch with a small bowl of these chips and a movie.  The first thing I notice is…they aren’t coated in salt.  This is a good thing as watching and monitoring sodium content is something I do.  With only 140mg sodium per serving…this is a great treat for those keeping an eye on their sodium intake.

It was love a first bite.  At first, you taste the flavor of the corn tortilla chips…and then you taste the peppers.  These chips remain true to the peppers they highlight in their (small!) list of ingredients on this bag.  You get the initial flavor of the jalapeño pepper, then the spice kicks in.  The heat isn’t overpowering at all.  The mix of the jalapeño and crushed red pepper give it the spice and corn tortilla and hint of salt cool it back down.  It is just what the spicy-food lover in me craved in a chip.  Especially one that I was eating without a salsa (although the website for the Food Should Taste Good brand suggests pairing these with a four different types of salsas…which I might try sometime!).

Amazing flavor aside…here’s what else I love about this brand.  In just this bag of chips alone, there are eight ingredients used to make them.  No chemicals.  Nothing you can’t pronounce or have to run a Google search to figure out what it is.  These ingredients are fresh and common.  And, best of all, they are packed into a product that is also all natural, kosher, contains no MSG, has low sodium, is free of trans fat, is gluten-free, lactose-free, cholesterol free, contains no preservatives, and is not genetically modified.

No wonder the Food Should Taste Good brand puts out food that tastes good.  It’s actual food!  And I applaud them for that.

What’s more…I highly recommend anyone trying their products.  They have something for cheese lovers, spice lovers, and just your general chip lover.  Give it a shot.  Pair it with salsa or eat it on its own.  Either way, you’re in for a delicious treat.  This brand totally lives up to its name.  This food tastes amazing!

I used to loathe hot cereal.  With a passion.  I didn’t like the texture or the taste.   I didn’t like how it would thicken if you let it sit for a moment.  None of it appealed to me.

And then, as I got older, my palate changed.  Now, every day for lunch I have a bowl of oatmeal.  However, since having to adopt a gluten-free diet, I’ve had to carefully watch the ingredients in some of the oatmeal I buy.  So, to bypass this precautionary step, I opted to spend a little extra money and purchase gluten-free oatmeal.  My grocery store doesn’t carry much that is gluten-free, but they did have the variety pack of gluten-free oatmeal by Glutenfreeda.  The flavors didn’t sound too scary, so I gave in, opened my wallet, and paid the high price for gluten-free reassurance.

During the course of that week, I would bring in a pack with me to the office to have as lunch.  For my first taste of Glutenfreeda oatmeal, I chose the Banana Maple with Flax.  Cooking it up in the microwave, I couldn’t even smell anything that resembled banana or maple.  This was unusual to me, because the oatmeal I had previously would smell amazing as it was heating up.  Not wanting to cast judgement too quickly, I gathered the bowl out of the microwave and returned to my desk to eat while I finished up some of my work.  Giving the cereal a bit of a stir, I immediately noticed that I couldn’t spot any banana chunks.  I stirred it again, then gathered up a small spoonful of it, blew across it, and then took my first taste.  It tasted like it smelled…like nothing.  I gave the oatmeal another stir, then lifted a bigger spoonful from the center and tried again.   Same problem.  It was bland.  No flavor.  No hint of banana or maple.  Just this strange cardboard-like flavor that was everything oatmeal should not taste like.  I was highly disappointed and already regretting my decision to give this brand a try.  Convincing myself to give another flavor a try the next day was going to be difficult, because getting this one down was a challenge in and of itself.

The following day, however, I braved the pantry and plucked out a packet of the Maple Raisin with Flax.  I was a bit reluctant to head into the kitchen to cook it up that day at lunch, but I did…hoping that it would at least have more flavor than the banana version from the day prior.  This time, I detected a hint of maple in the air as the microwave cooked it together.  And I was thrilled to actually be able to find the raisins in this one when I stirred it together after it finished heating.  With a little hesitation, mostly out of concern that it would be a repeat of the day before, I took my first bite of it.  This one was much better.  There was flavor.  It was subtle, but it was there…the sweetness of the raisins and the maple did come through on this one.  And I had an easier time eating this one down before it got cold.  I was pleasantly surprised by the Maple Raisin version.

So when it came to trying the last flavor in the variety pack, I had mixed feelings.  Banana Maple had been a fail; Maple Raisin a win.  Where would Apple Cinnamon with Flax fall in the scheme of things?  I was hoping it would be an even further step in the right direction.  At lunch, I didn’t hesitate when I poured the dry package into a bowl and added the water.  I noticed the chunks of dried apple and could spot the cinnamon throughout.  This already was a good sign.  I heated it up and was delighted by the smell wafting from the microwave.  Returning to my desk, I stirred it together and took a bite.  And it was good.  I actually preferred the Maple Raisin to this one, but this was a close runner-up in the pack.  It was blander than it smelled, but the flavor was there.  So, it was palatable to say the least.  The apple was now soft and the cinnamon was stirred throughout…but it lacked something other apple cinnamon oatmeal I had previously had.  The flavor just wasn’t up-to-par.

Since I had two packets of each, I made sure I used up the Banana Maple one first.  This time, however, I came more prepared.  I chopped up a ripe banana and added it to the oatmeal…which gave it the flavor it had been lacking the previous try.  I still couldn’t spot any dried banana, but with the real fruit now infused in it, I could easily stomach the taste.  It made  a much easier lunch the second time around with my addition to it.

I’m glad the variety pack for the Glutenfreeda oatmeal was what my store had available.  Had the Banana Maple with Flax been the only available flavor, I never would consider purchasing this product again.  But since I know that the Maple Raisin and Apple Cinnamon versions have flavor and don’t need to be doctored to be enjoyed, I might consider trying Glutenfreeda again…just in the individual flavors so as not to waste my lunch on a flavor I don’t enjoy.

So, it was a mixed bag with Glutenfreeda’s variety pack of oatmeal.  Avoid the Banana Maple with Flax and you have a decent product.  But, I’d stick with something you know to be good if it doesn’t set off any food allergy…then don’t spend the extra money on a product you might not enjoy.