Category: Vegetarian

Product: Back To Nature Gluten-Free White Cheddar Rice Thin Crackers – $4.59+

Rice crackers.

You either love them or hate them.  In most cases, I hated them.  Honestly.  They tend to remind me a lot of what communion wafers tasted like.  Just dry, flavorless, unimpressive crunchy bites.  Yeah…not my most favorite thing.

The last variety of rice crackers I tried…left me rather reluctant to try more.  They reminded me of…cardboard.  Not that I ever ate cardboard, but it was just not to my liking.  I found them dry, lacking flavor, and just…blah.

So, when I ran across a sale at my grocery store where certain products were on close-out, my roomie and I just grabbed some items we had thought about trying…but just couldn’t justify the risk of not liking it at that price.  So, despite not being completely sold on rice crackers, the Back To Nature Gluten-Free White Cheddar Rice Thin Crackers made their way into the cart…and then into my pantry.

And there…they sat.  I am working my way through gluten-free snacks by their expiration date, so these had to wait a couple of weeks.  But today…they were given their moment to shine.

I opened up the box to pull out a serving to take to work with me for my afternoon snack.  These crackers are little circles made from rice.  They are naturally gluten-free.  I pulled out a serving of them and then called my roommate over for a taste test.  As my roomie doesn’t have to eat gluten-free, I like to get her take on the items I buy to indulge in and eat.  She took one of the crackers and took a bite, looking very thoughtful.  She popped the rest in her mouth, then asked for another.  When she nibbled on that, she said…”These remind me of Bugles.”  Remember Bugles?  Those little cone-shaped snacks that everyone puts on their fingertips before eating?  Yeah…those.  I ate those a lot growing up…so that was a good sign.  And now that I can no longer eat them…well…maybe this would be a good substitute.

At work today, I pulled them out for my afternoon snack.  A little bit of caution was taken when I took my first bite.  But when I did, what I found was how light these crackers were.  The crackers were dusted with white cheddar powder, which stayed on the crackers and didn’t coat my fingertips (like Cheetos would).  This is good, because I snack on these while I’m working on some paperwork.  I wouldn’t want to get that all over my papers.  I loved the crunch these crackers packed.  But, more than anything, I appreciated the fact that these had flavor.  My roommate was absolutely correct…they tasted like Bugles.  Huh.  Go figure.  They weren’t bland or lackluster when it came to texture.

Even more, they aren’t an unhealthy snack.  The serving size is 30 grams (or about 18 crackers).  These are very low in fat.  Even better, they contain no cholesterol, no gluten, no hydrogenated oils, and are free from artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors.  WIN!  So…naturally good.  That’s even better.  No chemicals.  No guessing.  No wondering what exactly it is you are eating.  It’s all laid out for you.

While rice crackers are still not my favorite snack to munch on…these aren’t bad.  Not at all.  In fact, they are quite good.  Delicious even.  And I’m happily packing up another serving for tomorrow.

Back To Nature did gluten-free rice thin crackers a favor…and they can’t get much better than this White Cheddar variety.  Really well done!

Product: Livwell Gluten-Free Crumpets – $4.99+

In honor of the Olympic games carrying on in London right now, I am feeling more connected to the English and British.  Therefore, I’ve been planning some meals accordingly and preparing certain dishes with London on my mind.

Thanks again to the fabulous people at Livwell…another delicacy is once again back in my diet.  What might this be, you ask.

Crumpets.

Yes…those very English breakfast griddlecakes…that are somewhat of a hybrid of an English muffin and a pancake.  I, for on, have always loved crumpets.  But, alas, being gluten-free usually means I have to pass on any baked goodie unless I make it myself.  While I’m certain I am more than capable of giving this a go, my mornings are often rushed and busy.  So…now I know where I can purchase some and know for sure they are safe for me to eat.

First of all, these thin, flat cakes are, in my opinion, best served with butter and jam.  I also tacked on a little drizzle of honey…but I’ll get to that.

I found the Livwell products on the shelf of my local Whole Foods.  I have insisted that they never, ever get rid of the products because I keep finding new ones in their line that I absolutely love (Hello, gluten-free pita bread!).  They said that most people who don’t like Udi’s like the Livwell stuff, and if you like Udi’s, you don’t like Livwell.  I’m the happy medium…I like both.  Seriously.  So far, I’ve enjoyed everything.  So, I like the way this is going and will continue to try other products in the line.

The crumpets come in a pack of four, all vacuum sealed.  All the preparation that is needed is giving it a short toasting in the toaster.  That easy.  I opened up my package of them for my roommate and I this morning.  These spongy cakes smelled amazing just coming out of the package.  And so, into the toaster they went to warm.  When the popped up, they were toasty, warm, and ready for a schmear of butter, strawberry jam, and a drizzle of honey.

In a word…it was a gluten-free breakfast of awesomeness.  The only way my breakfast could feel more English would be to devour it with some tea.  Which…is exactly how I intend to eat these tomorrow…dressed the same, but with a delicious cup of hot tea.  Nothing could be better in the morning while I get caught up on Olympic news.  These light, low calorie, soft little griddlecakes are so good, you won’t even know they are gluten-free.  Absolutely loved them.  And at only 110 calories for one crumpet…you can’t go wrong.  Spread a topping on and enjoy however you like it.

Again, Livwell…I continue to sing your praises.

Product: Udi’s Gluten-Free Three Cheese Pizza – $7.99+

So…earlier this year Udi’s released quite a few new products.  And when I saw the products online as they were announced, I couldn’t have been more excited about this.  After all…Udi’s = gluten-free yum.  They really do.  The bread, the pizza crust, the cookies, the muffins, the bagels…they’re fantastic.  Throw them in front of any unknowing person and they’d be hard pressed to call it a gluten-free item.  Udi’s works gluten-free magic.

Well, one of the new products that was announced were three varieties of gluten-free frozen pizzas.  Come on…do the happy dance with me.  While I love grabbing an Udi’s pizza crust and topping it off with my own toppings, sometimes it’s just nice to come home and throw something in the oven…no thinking, no chopping, no shredding…just simplicity and ease.

That’s what you get with Udi’s new line of pizzas.  The three flavors that were released were Uncured Pepperoni Pizza (which is off-limits for this vegetarian), Margherita Pizza, and Three Cheese Pizza.  The last two, I can consume as a gluten-free vegetarian.

Well, after the announcement, I searched high and low for these products, but I just couldn’t find them in my area.  When I went out to Colorado, naturally, I could find them everywhere…but I was in a hotel room with only a refrigerator.  No way to cook it up or keep it frozen.  So, I marveled at it through the freezer door of the grocery store and made myself walk away.  And then, a couple weeks ago, I was out at the local natural foods store…and there they were on the bottom shelf…like a beacon of heavenly gluten-free light shining upon me…Udi’s Gluten-Free Frozen Pizzas.  I immediately grabbed the Three Cheese Pizza and hurried to the check out.

Well, with an injury to my foot from stepping off a curb, standing in the kitchen for too long can be a task…so, the other day, I reached into the freezer and pulled out this little goodie.  My roommate and I needed an easy, fast dinner…and this was going to be it.

It’s so easy to prepare too.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Remove the pizza from the packaging and set on a pizza sheet.  Bake for 12 minutes or until the cheese begins to bubble and the crust begins to brown.  So easy.  I cooked as the box recommended, then pulled it out of the oven, sliced it up, and my roommate and I each sat down to half of the pizza.

This half, mind you, is only 320 calories.  AWESOME!

But how did it taste?  Amazing.  No…really, really amazing.  Gluten-free sometimes gets a bad rap, but when something as amazing and delicious as this pizza comes out on the market, it may change people’s minds.  Honestly, the crust browned to a perfect crisp, but stayed a little soft for chewing.  The cheese was stretchy good.  And so tasty.  The toppings on this pizza were basically tomato sauce with some spices, topped with a premium blend of mozzarella, Parmesan, and Romano cheeses.  YUMMY!  No really…it’s yummy.  The crust was flaky, light, and delicious.  The toppings were a perfect seasoned blend.  And nothing fell apart or crumbled.  Just really…really good food.

My roommate raved about it.  And since she can have regular pizza…that’s a big thing.  I should have known…with the masterminds at Udi’s behind the wheel, this was going to be one epic pizza.

If I had any complaint, I would have to say I wish the toppings were set a little closer to the edge.  There was a huge bit of crust left exposed, as you can see in the picture.  I tried to set it right after it baked, but…well…that just sort of made a mess.  It was okay though…because at least the crust and toppings were good…so that the crust was stand-out even without something atop of it.

Kudos to you, Udi’s…for taking on frozen pizzas and doing them to perfection.  The cheese lover in me triple thanks you for this triple cheese delight.  Despite the hefty price…I’m willing to pay it again…and again…and again.

Well worth it.  Then again…Udi’s normally is.

Product: Schär Gluten-Free Snack Crackers – $6.99+

I have had such good luck with products from Schär.  Honestly, when it comes to gluten-free products, they stand out.  I’ve had pasta, breads, and snacks from their line-up and have fallen in love with each and every one of them.  Love at first gluten-free bite, yes?  So…when it came down to trying the box of Gluten-Free Snack Crackers from their line of products, I couldn’t wait to dig in.  Mostly.

Why the mostly?  Well…I’m a health nut.  Don’t let the cookies/cakes/ice cream deceive you.  I’m an athlete, so while I do treat myself to things every now and again, I do watch my calories and nutrition when I buy products.  I didn’t buy these snack crackers, mind you.  These boxes were being given away at the Gluten-Free Expo I attended in Birmingham, Alabama.  I was excited to be receiving Schär products to try…and not just a sample pack…an entire box.

But…the mostly comes in when I look at the nutrition panel for these snack crackers.  These crackers come in individually wrapped packets of 8 crackers.  These 8 snack crackers, each about the size of a deck of cards, will set you back 240 calories.  Yes…just for 8 crackers.  These packets also contain 11 grams of fat with each packet.  So, we’re not talking the most sensible snack cracker out there.  But when it comes to gluten-free foods…perhaps it is.

Anyway…the other night I made up my homemade gluten-free cheddar broccoli potato soup and I wanted some crackers to go with it.  These were in the pantry so, that’s what my roommate and I had with it.  I opened up the little individual packets and eased out the snack crackers.  They looked like really big saltines, minus the saltiness.  So, that was a good thing.

In my mind, I had these made out to be like…gluten-free Club crackers.  So, imagine my disappointment when I broke off a piece of the cracker and popped it in my mouth.  Nothing buttery or smooth.  In fact…I found the flavor on these to be almost close to cardboard.  Which is such a huge disappointment for me because I am a strong believer in the products that Schär puts out on the market.  Every single one I have had prior has knocked my socks off.  But these crackers were just bland.  They lacked…flavor.  Seasoning.  Something.

Thankfully, the entire purpose of these crackers were to dip into my soup.  When I combined them with my homemade soup, they worked out just fine.  I don’t know if these crackers are actually made to be eaten on their own, but I don’t recommend it.  What I do recommend is getting a gluten-free cheese spread, cream cheese, or finding a gluten-free soup and using these crackers in that.  Sparingly.  Maybe half a pack.  Because there is still no excuse for that nutrition panel.

On their own…Schär Gluten-Free Snack Crackers are a bust.  When used with soup, or a spread, or however you like to dress-up your crackers, these actually improve.  Enough to make them have some sort of flavor.  The texture is light, so it isn’t a texture issue.  It just lacked some seasoning of some sort.  I wasn’t impressed at all.  And at 240 calories per serving…I really want to be wowed.  Because as of now…reaching for another packet means I have to convince myself that those 240 calories are worth it.  An internal battle with your nutrition-conscious side should not have to occur before a meal for a side/garnish/snack.  It shouldn’t happen.

I was not a fan of the Schär Gluten-Free Snack Crackers.  I think I’ll skip them in the future and see what else is out there on the market.  Perhaps at less of a calorie hit for the day…with less fat…and with better flavor.  It was a let down for me…but I still love Schär for all the other delicious gluten-free products I have had from their line.

Product: Bob’s Red Mill Homemade Wonderful Gluten-Free Bread Mix – $3.99+

When a company names a gluten-free bread mix “Homemade Wonderful Bread Mix” then it needs to live up to the standards set forth by naming it as such, yes?  Well, that was the challenge before Bob’s Red Mill when I picked up the Gluten-Free Homemade Wonderful Bread Mix from Hobby Lobby awhile back.

Here’s the thing with my gluten-free bread making.  It’s been fair to middling.  I’ve been trying different bread mixes in my dedicated bread maker, but…nothing has just stood out and wowed me.  Everything has baked up flat, dense, and just…eh.  No pop.  No rise.  No…wow factor.

Yes…when it comes to gluten-free bread…there must be a wow factor.

Well, with the expiration date nearing on the bag of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Homemade Wonderful Bread Mix…I decided to put the name of the bread to the test.  Except…I was really, really going to test it.  The ingredients to add to this bread mix is simple, really.  1-2/3 cup warm milk (I used unsweetened almond milk), 1/4 cup melted butter, 1 tsp cider vinegar, the yeast packet (included), and 1 egg plus enough egg whites to get it to 3/4 cup.  This is where I changed things up.  I hate separating eggs, so instead, I used enough apple sauce to get it to 3/4 cup as the egg white substitute.  Of course, I was a little concerned about whether this would affect the bread at all…but this is how we learn in gluten-free baking, right?  I added all the ingredients per the instructions in my bread maker, set it for basic with a medium crust…and let it bake.

When I finally got around to sneaking a peak at the bread…it was already rising.  And this was the first time I ever had a gluten-free bread mix in that bread maker that actually domed up like my regular bread used to.  This was already making me a very happy girl.  I was just hoping my applesauce substitute wasn’t going to destroy this amazing looking loaf of gluten-free bread.  As it baked, the crust began to brown and it looked absolutely fantastic.  When the bread maker signaled that it was done, I pulled out the container, eased the bread out into the cooling rack and let it cool for a bit.

It looked and smelled fantastic.  Like I said, most bread mixes I have used haven’t risen to dome up at the top.  They are flat.  Not Bob’s Red Mill’s bread mix.  This one looked amazing.

So, after giving it some time to cool, I couldn’t resist a taste.  I grabbed my knife and sliced off the very end.  I gave it a small spread of strawberry preserves and a sprinkling of honey.  Then…my first bite.

I was blown away.  This was gluten-free bread?  Really?  I checked the bag again.  It was.  My roomie, who can eat regular bread was eating the other half of the slice that I cut.  She said it reminded her, taste and texture-wise of regular wheat bread.  It was absolutely fantastic.  Not too dense, airy without holes, moist, and gluten-free bread perfection.  And it rose!!  IT ROSE!

It’s the little things in life when it comes to gluten-free baking.  Trust me.

Anyway…I have since toasted up slices in the oven with a spray of olive oil and a dash of garlic powder…and it still rocks.  Bakes up to a nice crust on the outside…soft on the inside.  Just gluten-free bread heaven.  I’m beyond impressed.  And my substitute did nothing to change the way the bread came out.  It rose, it set without falling.  It’s a work of bread making art if I do say so myself!

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Homemade Wonderful Bread Mix is definitely my choice for gluten-free bread making at home.  I’m beyond impressed.  I’m sold for life.  Really delicious.  Really amazing.  Really wonderful.

Product: Lundberg Farms Mediterraneans Curry Brown Rice Couscous – $3.39+

Lundberg Farms is…as I like to say…full of win!

Major, epic, colossal WIN!

Why, you might ask?  Well…because they tend to be able to bring items from my past back into my life.  The pre-gluten-free life, for example, often included meals that were served with or over couscous, which is a coarsely ground pasta made from semolina (a type of wheat).  So, when I was told I needed to go gluten-free…away went the couscous and in its place…rice or quinoa.

Don’t get me wrong…I love both rice and quinoa…but there was just something about that texture in couscous that I was lacking now.  Quinoa did in a pinch…but it just wasn’t the same.

And then…Lundberg Farms rode in on it’s white hoarse, delivering products that no other company has tackled yet.  One of such…is their Roasted Brown Rice Couscous line.  Four different varieties of gluten-free couscous in a box…easy to add to boiling water, cover, heat and enjoy!  It is that easy.  And the results are fantsastic…but let me get there.

In my local stores, all I have usually been able to find is the Mediterranean Curry flavor.  Since then, I have found the others at the natural food stores in Louisville, but here locally, it’s pretty limited to just the one flavor.  So, what ended up in my pantry was the Mediterranean Curry Roasted Brown Rice Couscous.  And I really had nothing to make up with it…so it just sat there…and sat there.

But I have a running injury and standing up in the kitchen to prepare meals is a bit of a task right now.  So…this is what I made up to have with my lunch.  To keep it in the same region, I made up some homemade tzatziki to serve with Crunchmaster Original Multi-seed Crackers as well.  Because in this household…we love to serve foods by the region…or something.  Just being a nerd, I suppose.  No crime against that in the kitchen…or in life.  Ever.

Anyway…nothing could be simpler to make.  Just boil 2 cups of water on the stove.  Pour in the brown rice couscous and the seasoning packet.  Give it a mix.  Cover and turn the heat down on the stove to the lowest setting.  Let it simmer for 10-13 minutes.  And do resist the temptation to lift the lid.  It smells fantastic from the time you add the seasoning…but do resist the urge.  Let it cook through, then remove from heat and let it sit, still covered, for five minutes.  Once that time is up, pop off the lid, breathe in the amazing aroma, and fluff it with a fork.  Now…it’s ready to eat.  One box makes four servings, so heap it onto a plate and dig in.

Lundberg Farms makes all their products with organic and natural ingredients.  No high fructose corn syrup or trans fats here.  You won’t find hydrogenated oils or any of that stuff that is really not fit to be consumed by humankind.  Nope.  What you will find in the Mediterranean Curry Roasted Garlic Couscous is organic roasted brown rice, seasonings, dried vegetables, brown rice flour, spices (cardamom, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, ginger, pepper), natural flavors, and lots and lots of delicious, edible, natural stuff (technical term).

The Mediterranean Curry variety of the Roasted Brown Rice Couscous is also only 150 calories per serving (and you get a lot in a serving!), with only 1.5 grams of fat and 460 mg of sodium.  Not bad for pre-packaged with seasoning, yes?  This variety is kosher, vegan and gluten-free.  It’s made with whole grains and is a non-GMO certified product.  YAY!

And how does it taste?  Delicious doesn’t seem to it justice.  It was one of those things that when it hits your taste buds it just ignites everything.  The aroma of it is fantastic, but the taste is what really sells it.  The Mediterranean Curry flavor has a bit of a spice to it, but nothing with heat.  Just flavor.  And it tastes amazing.  I found it to be lighter in texture than that of the regular couscous I used to prepare.  And the flavor was outstanding.  I’m raving about it to my roommate who is raving about it right back at me (and she can still have regular couscous!).  We’re elated.  And we’re stuffed with this gluten-free couscous goodness.  We were both so impressed with it that it was hard not to eat the two servings we set aside for another time.  Just…really good.  And it complimented our cracker and tzatziki side perfectly.  A little Mediterranean spice from the couscous, paired with the cooling flavor of the tzatziki…it was lunch nirvana.

So, if you love couscous…but haven’t had it since going gluten-free…or have been gluten-free and haven’t tried it yet…thanks to Lundberg Farms, you now can.  And from what I can tell, the gluten-free version is, for me, better than the “real” thing.  So…go ahead…purchase a box and simply make it up.  Try it out.  Get creative.  Serve it with something as a side or treat it as your meal.  Either way you serve it…you’re serving up a little dish of yumminess.

And thank you, Lundberg Farms…or the opportunity to have couscous once again.  I think I love you.