The Celiathlete

February 16, 2012

Enjoy Life two Double Chocolate Brownie bites at at time

Product – Enjoy Life Soft Baked Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies – $3.99+

When most people think gluten-free, the words soft, moist, delicious, epic, yummy, melt-in-your-mouth, and amazing won’t be the first words that come to mind. I can promise you that.

But that’s because a lot of gluten-free foods have a stigma attached. Most think that anything that is gluten-free will immediately be heavy, dense, tasteless, flavorless and dry.

I know that’s not the case. And I hope other people come around in their way of thinking. Because gluten-free foods can be, and are, fantastic.

Last night, my case was proven once again by Enjoy Life. Again, I’ve had some hits and misses on their products, but a majority of them have been really good. These went beyond really good. These were moist nibbles of chocolatey goodness. And that, my friends, is a good thing.

Enjoy Life’s Soft Baked Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies are soft baked, so each bite is moist and rich. The chocolate flavor of these brownie cookies is enhanced by the addition of Enjoy Life’s (dairy-free, soy-free, and gluten-free) semi-sweet mini chocolate chips. So, not only do you get a rich brownie to chew on, but you get little bursts of chocolate throughout each bite. How can that be a bad thing?

It’s simple.

It can’t.

Enjoy Life is certainly a brand to trust if you have food allergies. Their products are void of the eight most common food allergies (wheat/gluten, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish or shellfish). These products are also made in a dedicated facility so there is no cross-contamination. This means, if you have one of the most common food allergies, this is a brand you can rely on to keep you safe! Oh, and read the ingredient list. You’ll recognize every ingredient on there. No chemicals that leave you not only wonder how to pronounce it, but what in the world it might be and if it is, really, that safe to ingest. No guess work with these products. Or as the box says, “No artificial anything.” Peace of mind.

But, back to the chocolate. I was in chocolate heaven at first bite when I sat down with two of these for dessert (serving size, my friends!) I was getting ready to head out the door to yoga and needed my sweet, chocolate fix. This did it…in spades. These melted against your tongue with each chewy bite. I love that they weren’t hard at all. And the chocolate blasts is just enough without making it too rich to stomach. In a word: YUM!

Enjoy Life hit it out of the ballpark with these amazing cookies. And I hope more of the offered varieties I spotted on their Web site come to the area where I live. I have a very limited selection at all the stores I shop at, so seeing more of these products make an appearance would make me a happy sweet-toothed foodie. For sure.

Whether you’re a cookie monster, a chocoholic, or just love to treat yourself to something good every now and again, I think Enjoy Life is a fantastic company making good products for everyone to enjoy…not just the food allergic. But, for those of us with these allergies, bless them for their dedication to making products safe for us to eat.

Now…go grab a cookie and see for yourself.

February 15, 2012

Liz Lovely’s Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles a throwback to my mom’s own recipe

Product: Liz Lovely Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles – $3.99

Yes.

Another cookie review. I love cookies. You love cookies. We all love cookies. So either I’ll review as many as I can sink my teeth into, or gluten-free cookies really will take over the world.

*blink*

I’m okay with that, by the way.

This is actually the last cookie in the gluten-free, vegan line-up from Liz Lovely. Yes…I have tried all the rest of them. Some I’ve loved. Some I liked. And only one I didn’t really care for at all. But overall, Liz Lovely bakes up gluten-free, vegan cookies to die for.

The last one in the cookie arsenal is the Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle.

Once again, let me reiterate that snickerdoodles are one of my favorite cookies…EVER! My mom used to make them every Christmas and I would love reaching into that cookie jar to snatch one at the close of dinner. I love the cinnamon-sugar combination, the light texture, everything about the perfection that is a delicious snickerdoodle cookie.

Well, Liz Lovely has created a gluten-free, vegan variety that takes me back to those days when I was young, eating my mom’s freshly baked cookies. Yes…these are good enough to be compared to my mom’s!

Here’s what’s awesome about them. They are very light and soft. The cinnamon adds the right amount of spice, but the sweetness from the sugar balances it all out. Honestly, if I didn’t have to open the package to get them out, I would swear they were homemade. Soft, great texture, sweet, flavorful, delicious…I could go on.

The point is, Liz Lovely makes amazing cookies. The company is also known for their strictly vegan line as well (which has some other flavors not available in the gluten-free line-up). Yeah, they might be a little pricey, but the product you receive is out of this world. Honestly. If homemade isn’t an option, I highly recommend either ordering Liz Lovely’s cookies online, or finding a local store that carries them. They are worth it down to the last crumb. Just remember…as hard as it is to stick to it, a serving size is half of a cookie. Yes…half.

Snickerdoodles…pure win. I mean, when I compare them to the ones the most amazing baker I know (my mom!) used to make for me, well, you know they have to be good. And they are. Gluten-free and damn good.

Liz Lovely Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle cookie

February 14, 2012February 14, 2012

Chia Goodness? More like Chia Weirdness!

Product: Ruth’s Foods Apple Almond Cinnamon Chia Goodness – $7.99+

Fact: I never would have even looked twice at this product except a co-worker of mine picked it up for me as she spotted the gluten-free label on it and it made her think of me.

So, with that disclaimer put out there, yesterday I finally got around to trying this product out, manufactured by Ruth’s Foods. It’s called Chia Goodness and it comes in a variety of flavors. For me, yesterday, it was lunch. Normally I’m a (gluten-free) oatmeal at lunch kind of girl. Especially during the winter. But what I love about oatmeal is that it’s filling without being too heavy. It’s the perfect lunch to enjoy in the comfort of my work cubical.

But, as I was in the midst of opening up a new box of oatmeal, I spotted this in my pantry and decided now was as good a time as any to try it.

It’s bizarre. Two tablespoons is all the package calls for. What you dish up is a strange mix of little black seeds and whatever dried fruits is combined to flavor it. Mine is Apple Almond Cinnamon. So I had dehydrated apples, almonds, and raisins throughout mine. This is a raw food, so you can ‘enjoy’ it either warm or cold. Cold kind of freaked me out, so I heated up some water, poured the required 1/4 cup into the bowl and let it sit for about 5 minutes. This is all per package instructions.

The result? Well, it smelled fantastic…like apple pie. Yum. However, it had become a gelatinous bowl of…black seeds and dehydrated fruit. Honestly, it had this slimy film that no amount of stirring or allowing it to sit and absorb helped. It looked unappetizing. The weird part was…it actually tasted good. It had really great flavor and was seasoned perfectly so that the cinnamon didn’t overpower it and the dehydrated fruits were a key to the texture.

BUT…the sliminess killed it for me. You see, apparently when chia seeds (yes…like those you put on a Chia Pet) get wet, they get gelatinous, taking on a slimy, wet texture. That’s fine…if you’re growing a Chia Pet. If you’re trying to enjoy a lunch, that’s not so fine. It was really, really difficult for me to get beyond the look of this product to eat it. I was hungry, so I did. It smelled and tasted good, which is a plus. It looks like that Shrek Chia Pet you’ve been harvesting on your windowsill regurgitated in your bowl, which is bad.

I definitely see the draw to chia seeds, though. Chia seeds have some of the most nutrition packed into them. They are not only lactose free, but naturally gluten-free as well. These little seeds are a powerhouse for calcium, containing more than five times that in milk. Even more impressive is that these little wonder seeds contain more Omega 3 than flax or salmon. That’s perfect for a vegetarian like me. Except…I can’t stomach the sight of this stuff.

So, if a bowl of goo doesn’t set your stomach turning, you might really like Chia Goodness. It’s available in four flavors: Original, Cranberry Ginger, Apple Almond Cinnamon, and Chocolate. It really smelled and tasted good. I just can’t handle the slimy consistency. It just turns my stomach. While Chia Goodness is a superfood in a simple package, it’s just not for me.

A bowl of Ruth's Foods Apple Almond Cinnamon Chia Goodness

February 14, 2012

Thanks to Schär, I’ve once again gone crackers!

Product: Schär Gluten-Free Table Crackers – $5.99+

Up until recently, I pretty much wrote off ever having simple crackers ever again. There are plenty of snack crackers out in the gluten-free market. Really good ones too by Mary’s Gone Crackers, Crunchmaster, Glutino, etc. But none that I noticed that were anything like your every day table crackers. You know…saltines. The ones you pair with a creamy soup or chili, using the little squares as a spoon for the hearty meal.

I missed those and didn’t even realize it.

And then, once again, Schär stepped in and came to my gluten-free rescue.

One of my local grocery stores has a few shelves of gluten-free foods in one of their aisles. So, I often stop there, eye the products longingly, look at the price stickers, and sadly move on. But one day there was a sale. Yes…a sale. And on one of the shelves was a package of Schär’s Table Crackers. Now, I had never seen anything like this before. From the image on the package, these looked like saltines. Was it even possible?

Needless to say, the package found its way into my shopping cart and then in my pantry. And then the weather got weird and warm in winter so soup wasn’t really on the menu. And then the weather turned around.

So, the other night I made a creamy broccoli cheddar soup (yes, from scratch) for dinner. It felt like the ideal time to break out the Table Crackers that had been lying in wait in my pantry. So, as the cheddar cheese was melting into my creamy soup, I was opening up this package and marveling at just how much these crackers resembled my Saltines of days past.

A packet of Schär Gluten-Free Table Crackers

The pack that I grabbed from the container were a bit crumbled. Probably from shipping. But, crackers are crackers whether dipped or crumbled into soup. I was just happy to have them. I broke them up (and despite the ‘perforated line,’ they don’t bust up uniformly but…eh…who cares? You dip them anyway!) and set them on a plate. Dished up some soup and carried it over to the couch to enjoy under the coziness of my Rainbow Brite snuggie (Don’t mock me, it’s awesome!).

One bite of Schär’s Table Crackers and I was reminded of my post-gluten-free days. They taste exactly like saltines, minus the unnecessary salt. They are a little heartier than the crackers of my past, but that means they stand up to the rigors of soup and chili dipping. And they taste amazing. I admit…I was skeptical.

These crackers are made from buckwheat, which, despite the name, is gluten-free. Potato startch and rice flour round out the flavor combination giving it the base. The rest, is pure Schär magic. Once again, spot on with their products. I love finding a brand I can trust. So far, Schär has not let me down.

Even better…they brought table crackers back into my life.

It’s winter. So grab a steaming bowl of soup and these amazing gluten-free Table Crackers from Schär and melt away the winter chill. These crackers are so much like the ‘real’ thing, you won’t even know the difference. Light, easy to digest, and tasty. What more could you ask for?

A serving of Schär Gluten-Free Table Crackers

February 14, 2012

Baking up gluten-free goodies with Gluten-Free Bisquick

Product: Gluten-Free Bisquick – $5.19+

I was ecstatic the day I was out shopping at the grocery store and ran across a box of Betty Crocker’s Gluten-Free Bisquick. Prior to having to go gluten-free, I would use Bisquick in any number of recipes…specifically my mock Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits, or pancakes, or desserts (like strawberry shortcakes!).

There was one minor problem with the gluten-free variety…and that was the price tag. It is a smaller box than the original, which obviously contains less product, and is around twice the price. Talk about a baking whammy. So, it remained on the shelf until one day when my roommate treated me to one of her infamous gluten-free gifts.

We were out at the grocery store and she told me to pick something to try. My hands immediately went for the box of Gluten-Free Bisquick. Why? I had visions of biscuits dancing in my head, of course.

So, it’s pure irony that when I pulled it out to use it…it wasn’t for my pancakes, my cheddar biscuits, waffles, or shortcakes. Nope. I used it for gluten-free lemon streusel muffins.

Gluten-Free Lemon Streusel Muffins made with Gluten-Free Bisquick

No joke.

As the base for these muffins, I felt the Gluten-Free Bisquick worked wonders. It made a very creamy, rich base when mixed with the other ingredients. And it didn’t overshadow the lemon flavor that was added by both the zest and juice of one lemon. It provided a great base in which to bake with, safely, for people with a gluten intolerance.

And the finished product was pure magic. Honestly. The muffins are moist, soft, lemony, and hold up to a warming in the microwave. They don’t stick to the pan liners. I know a lot of this is due to the fact that I used a trusted product. Sure, it wasn’t for my original intention, but I reached for Bisquick prior to my dietary changes.

Why should that change? What emerged was a fantastic treat, which shouldn’t be surprising. Being gluten-free doesn’t take away from the quality. So with a name like Bisquick, trusted over the years, the same should hold true for the unleaded version.

I was impressed. And next time I have a box of Gluten-Free Bisquick, those cheddar biscuits are going to be made!

Thank you, again, Betty Crocker, for giving your fantastic products back to the gluten-free community. I am, once again, impressed!

February 13, 2012

Not wooed by Bards Sorghum Malt Beer

Bard's Gluten-Free Original Sorghum Malt Beer

Product: Bard’s Original Sorghum Malt Beer – $2.79+

I’m going to once again call this one an unfair tasting because, as I mentioned in my previous gluten-free beer post…

I. HATE. BEER.

Loathe it, really. Even the good stuff I got overseas…I took one sip and was done with it. Granted, this purchase was made for the sole reason of cooking with it, but in order to make the blog legit, a taste test had to be had.

What I discovered is…Bard’s Sorghum Malt Beer tastes…like beer.

*shudder*

Now, if you like beer, then you’ll absolutely love this. And you’ll also like the nice price tag that accompanies it. It is, by far, one of the cheaper gluten-free beers out on the market.

Bard’s isn’t all bad. I find it hard to find fault in a company that took it upon themselves to bring beer back to the over 2 million people who have a gluten intolerance. It was the first company to embrace the gluten-free community and bring beer back into their lives. For that, they are to be commended. They are trailblazers. And their Sorghum Malt Beer contains no gluten, wheat, oats or rye. Safe for the gluten-intolerant among us.

But, for someone like me, who will cook with beer, but hates to drink it…Bard’s is not the right fit for me. It was a good (and less expensive) option for my gluten-free chile con queso. It’s light flavor was just the kick the queso needed without the beery aftertaste.

As a company, I give full admiration to Bard’s for paving the way for gluten-free beers in the market. If only I was a beer drinker. But…if you are a beer drinker…and you actually do like the taste of beer…this brand is totally for you.

Bottoms up.

February 13, 2012July 22, 2012

Recipe: Gluten-Free Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I love broccoli cheddar soup. Honestly. I used to eat it all the time when I’d go to restaurants. And then, I became a vegetarian and know that a lot of places make their soups with chicken stock. To top it off, I then found out I had a gluten intolerance, and most creamy soups are made with flour.

This one is no exception, except I substituted the flour for a gluten-free all-purpose flour and vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. What emerged as it simmered away on the stove was a vegetarian and gluten-free version of a classic soup. And yes…it tasted absolutely fantastic!

Recipe: Gluten-Free Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Servings: 6
Time: Prep 20 minutes; Cook 60 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon melted butter (I used Smart Balance)
1/2 medium chopped onion
1/4 cup melted butter (I used Smart Balance)
1/4 cup flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour)
2-1/2 cups half-and-half (I used Horizon Organic half & half)
4 cups vegetable stock
1 lb. (16 oz.) fresh or frozen broccoli florets
1 cup grated carrot
Kosher salt and freshly grated pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat, and sauté onion until soft, about 3 minutes. Add additional butter and flour, whisking for 3-5 minutes to create a roux. Whisk while adding the half-and-half and vegetable stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Stir in the broccoli florets and grated carrot. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Simmer over low heat for 30-35 minutes.

Remove soup from heat and pulse with an immersion blender until smooth. Or, puree the soup in batches in a food processor until smooth, adding mixture back to the pot.

Return pot to low heat and stir in cheddar cheese. Simmer for 10 minutes, and serve.

Enjoy!

~*~*~

I have Pinterest to thank for bringing this recipe to my attention. I adapted it for my own dietary needs. And it really was a fantastic, creamy, delicious soup. Perfect for these winter days. And it was so easy to make. The most labor intensive part was shredding the cheese and carrot. The rest…simple.

It’s winter. That means soup’s on. So go ahead and make up your own batch tonight!

February 13, 2012

Recipe: Gluten-Free Lemon Streusel Muffins

Lemon. It’s refreshing. The flavor lends itself to dishes and really turns up the volume. And I love lemony things. LOVE!

Lately I’ve been in a scone making mindset when it comes to breakfast for the mornings I am a slave to the gym. They’re easy to warm up when I get to work and settle in for the day ahead. But, then I saw this recipe come over my Twitter feed from Delight Gluten-Free Magazine and I knew that this week the scones were going to take a backseat to muffins.

This recipe makes far more streusel than you are ever going to need. So I have my leftovers in the fridge awaiting a pancake morning! However, the muffins bake up light and the lemon flavor is AMAZING! Seriously, it’s the right hit of lemon without lacking flavor and without overpowering the muffins themselves.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Lemon Streusel Muffins

Servings: 15 muffins
Time: Prep 20 minutes; Bake 25 minutes

Ingredients for the Streusel Topping:

1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour (I used Gluten-Free Bisquick)
1 cup granulated sugar (I used Truvia)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 cup butter, melted

Ingredients for the Muffin Batter:

2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour (I used Gluten-Free Bisquick)
3 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar (I used Truvia)
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup skim milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin with liners and non-stick spray.

To make the streusel topping, in a small bowl combine all topping ingredients and mix together until crumbly. Set aside until ready to use.

For the muffin batter, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla, milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix together on medium speed.

Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

Pour batter evenly into the 12 muffin cups and sprinkle topping evenly over the 12 muffins.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool before serving.

~*~*~

Honestly, one bite and I knew that these were even better than I anticipated. Do note, I actually ended up using 1/3 cup of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour with the Gluten-Free Bisquik because…I didn’t have enough in the box. That’s the biggest problem with companies that delve into gluten-free products is they give you so much less than the regular variety. But it didn’t affect these at all. And I’m looking forward to savoring each bite after I hit the gym this week.

If you love lemon, you’ll definitely love these!

February 13, 2012

Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Mint Creams a fresh sensation all its own

Product: Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Mint Creams – $2.99

Damn you, Trader Joe’s!

I keep falling in love with your products. The problem is, most of the time I go in there for something specific (this time it was your extra virgin olive oil) and these little plastic containers of goodness stare back at me from…everywhere!!

Last time, it was the dark chocolate mint covered espresso beans.

This time…your Dark Chocolate Mint Creams begged for me to bring you home. Mint and dark chocolate is my weakness (obviously), and after wondering (briefly) why these were not in my life, they found their way into my shopping basket, to the register, in a bag, and in rightfully in my life.

What Trader Joe’s did here was find the love child of a York Peppermint Pattie and a Junior Mint. I’m serious. It’s like the best of both worlds. The dark chocolate is the key to making this work, however. It’s bittersweet, deliciousness lends it’s rich flavor to the creamy, fresh mint cream in the middle. It’s a York Peppermint Pattie on steroids. In a good way.

Even better…the box not only labels these as vegetarian but also containing no gluten ingredients. BONUS! I felt completely safe when I bought these and dug into them.

If you love mint and chocolate, then these little treats are for you. Honestly, they are a step above the both Junior Mints and York Peppermint Patties. And I love both of those (and both are gluten-free as well). So this was a worthwhile purchase for me because…yeah…two of my favorite minty chocolate treats all rolled into one fantastic, delicious, plastic container of Trader Joe’s goodness.

This goes beyond tasting the sensation. These are chocolate. These are peppermint. These are awesome.

February 11, 2012

Udi’s Cinnamon Raisin Bread is a sweet breakfast in the making

Product: Udi’s Cinnamon Raisin Bread – $5.99+

First, I have to get this off my chest. Bear with me for just a moment…

FINALLY!!!!

You know, as a patron of the gluten-free food scene, I am a fan of Udi’s products as much as the next person. Their cookies are off the charts. Their muffins are soft, spongy goodness. Their bagles…taste like bagels! And while their bread was the first gluten-free bread I ever, EVER tasted, my last few loaves have been riddled with holes, which makes enjoying a grilled cheese sandwich, a peanut butter sandwich, or any kind of sandwich for that matter, a bit of a task. Near impossible. And it was so frustrating because, in a sense, I’m paying for air. Bread with pockets of air carved into them. And with the $5.99 price tag attached to these loaves, I was not willing to go through that again.

Observe my last loaf of Udi’s bread:

Despite how amazing their gluten-free bread is…I swore it off. Because I felt cheated.

And then, wouldn’t you know it, my local grocery store had loaves of Udi’s bread on sale. And the rule for me is if it’s gluten-free and vegetarian…and it goes on sale…then I get it while I can afford it. So, I didn’t ignore the sale. And since I had yet to try it, and my roommate encouraged me it would be good for the blog…I bought a loaf of the Cinnamon Raisin Bread.

This morning…I decided to give Udi’s it’s second chance. So, imagine my delight when I opened up this loaf of bread, removed two slices, and found them WHOLE (not holey)! Things were looking up! Perhaps the Udi’s bread ban could finally be lifted. I haven’t gotten past the first two slices though, but this is a promising start.

Now, the important part. How did it taste?

Well, I did say that Udi’s made amazing products. Their gluten-free Cinnamon Raisin Bread is no exception to that rule. The texture is fantastic. The cinnamon flavor pairs deliciously with the raisins that are prevalent in every slice. There is no skimping on the ingredients here. I topped mine off with a smear of gluten-free (and vegan) margarine and a light dusting of powdered sugar. YUMMY! I was definitely in breakfast heaven this morning. I bet this would be amazing made into French Toast. Hmmmm…breakfast tomorrow, perhaps.

That being said, I still find their bread to be much smaller than other gluten-free breads out there. While size isn’t everything, I do find that the Rudi’s brand of bread (each flavor: Multigrain, Original, Cinnamon Raisin) is of equal quality, uses only natural ingredients, and has a better size ratio going for it. And…it’s usually $1.00 cheaper than Udi’s if not more.

However…I’m not saying that Udi’s isn’t up to par. That is not the case. I enjoy their products immensely and really find them to be at the forefront of gluten-free foods out on the market these days. I just can’t always rely on their bread to make a perfect gluten-free sandwich.

Maybe the times are changing. I’ll have to see how this loaf works out as I go further into it.

Yes, gluten-free products do cost more…but for health, for quality, for peace of mind, it’s sometimes necessary. I think Udi’s is one amazing company that specializes in gluten-free products, manufactured safely. If you mention gluten-free bread, theirs is usually the first brand that comes to mind or is mentioned. That’s saying something. The products they put out back up their outstanding status in the land of gluten-intolerance.

I am a fan. And slowly…very slowly…they are earning my respect back for their bread.