Gluten Free Pasta: Schar Multigrain Penne Rigate - Product Review #120

Gluten Free Pasta: Schar Multigrain Penne Rigate

PRODUCT NAME:                       Multigrain Penne Rigate

BRAND:                                      Schar

COST:                                         $3.99

SIZE:                                          12oz

COST PER OZ:                           $0.33/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:         NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:         NA

ORGANIC:                                 NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:         NA

VEGAN:                                    YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:          YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:          Germany

SHELF LIFE:                              1 Year +

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging. We cannot verify the accuracy of this information. For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:
Schar makes a great tasting line of gluten free products. They have been in business for over 30 years so they know their stuff. It’s no surprise they are Europe’s number 1 gluten free Italian Pasta. It’s because their products are high quality and taste great. Perfect example is this Schar’s Gluten free Multigrain Penne Rigate. We were lucky enough to have received a sample of this product from Schar to try. It was one of the best we’ve had.

Gluten free pastas can sometimes be a tricky thing to master. Leave it in too long and it becomes a big pot of mush. Take it out too early and you’re stuck with pasta that is tough to chew. Schar has come up with the recipe for the perfect balance. We cooked this pasta up with some vegetables and chicken and it was terrific. They even held their shapes perfectly. Pasta is really just there to compliment your sauce so flavor isn’t much of an issue. It’s all about the texture and this one is perfect.

This pasta has a lot going for it. Not only is it gluten and wheat fee, but it is also lactose, egg, soy and preservative free. The nutrition facts also look pretty good with 190 calories, no cholesterol and 15 milligrams of sodium per serving. The ingredients are very simple too with just corn, rice and buckwheat flour.

Overall, we loved this pasta. At $3.99 per 12 ounce box, it’s an average value, but take one taste of it and you’ll be in love too. This is definitely pasta we would eat regularly. For more information about Schar and their line of gluten free products, visit their website at: www.schar.com.

Taste: This pasta tasted great. It absorbed flavor perfectly, but the texture was the star attraction here. It was the perfect balance of firm and soft.

Labeling: Schar has put a lot of effort into their labeling. The picture and the colors are all very pleasing to the eyes and are sure to catch your attention on the shelf.
Packaging: This pasta comes sealed in a paper board box.

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:
Texture:           5
Taste:               5
Value:              3
OVERALL:        4.7

Reviewed 5/16/11 by Calvin C.

Weekend Edition Hot off the Press #17: What does it mean when a product is organic?

The word "organic" has become a household term now. You can readily find organic produce in your local supermarket and you might even notice the word popping up your favorite prepared foods, too. But what's all the fuss about?

Proponents of organic farming support the movement because it has a softer impact on the environment (fewer pesticides), uses less energy, and supports a diverse ecosystem of plants and animals. This is in opposition to current industrial farming practices, which encourage the use of pesticides, genetically modified organisms, and the practice of monoculture (filing the field with one plant type, such as soy or wheat).

To use the "organic" label on their products, companies and farmers must be certified by an accredited certifying agency (there are 53 in the U.S.) and must meet regulations set forth by the National Organic Program, which was created by the USDA's Organic Foods Production Act in 1990.

The organic certification process starts when a farmer submits an application that includes information like a history of the substances (such as fertilizers) that were applied to the land for the past three years and the farmer's organic system plan. Called the OSP, the plan details the farm's methods and lists all substances that are used on the crops. Farms must also describe their record-keeping system and their plans to prevent the interaction of organic and non-organic crops. After being certified, farms must keep detailed records for five years.

Once the application is reviewed by the certification agency, the agent visits the farm for an inspection. After being certified, farms are inspected annually. The farm must notify the certifying agent anytime they use a prohibited pesticide on the crops, because this might affect their "organic" status.

For prepared products to be organic, 95% of the animal and plant ingredients must be certified organic. Often, manufacturers will not deem the entire product as organic, but will list organic ingredients on the label, such as organic cocoa or organic flour.

There are some great organic and gluten-free products out there for the gluten intolerant community. Bob's Red Mill sells some delicious organic coconut flour that will liven up your baked goods. And you will likely find that many of the gluten-free snacks in the grocery aisle contain organic ingredients.

However, don't confuse the overused "all-natural" label with an organic certification. Many manufacturers can label products as being "all-natural" if they don't contain synthetic ingredients, like preservatives or dyes. Organic foods tend to be all-natural by definition. Farmers and producers must meet a stricter set of requirements listed by the USDA.

The benefits of eating organic foods have yet to be conclusively shown. A 2002 study did show that organic produce contains fewer pesticide residues than conventionally grown food. Unfortunately, there have not been many strong studies on the effect of eating an organic diet over a long period of time.

Opponents of the organic movement claim that organic practices are not sustainable. Data has shown that organic crops often have a lower yield than conventional crops. This forces organic farmers to use more farmland to grow the same amount of food. Since there is a limited amount of viable farmland in the world, critics have pointed to the growing world's population as a cause to abandon the practice of organic farming.

While the debate continues among the experts, it is ultimately up to consumers to decide if the increased price of organic food is worth the perceived benefits. After all, farming was completely organic for most of human history.

Gluten Free Chips: RW Garcia Flaxseed and Corn Tortilla Chips - Product Review #99

Gluten Free Chips: RW Garcia Flaxseed and Corn Tortilla Chips

 PRODUCT NAME:                        Flaxseed and Corn Tortilla Chips

BRAND:                                        RW Garcia

COST:                                           $3.49

SIZE:                                             7oz        

COST PER OZ:                              $0.50 

                                               

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:           YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:            GFCO

ORGANIC:                                    YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:            QAI

VEGAN:                                        YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:              UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:              San Jose, CA & Lincolnton, NC

SHELF LIFE:                                  6 Months

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging.  We cannot verify the accuracy of this information.  For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.   

         

REVIEW:
RW Garcia’s Flaxseed and Corn Tortilla Chips are the perfect gluten free snack.  Finally, a gluten free snack that is not only good for you, but tastes great too!  The other week, the manufacturer sent us a few packs of these delicious chips that completely won over the taste buds our staff. 

RW Garcia’s Flaxseed and Corn Tortilla Chips come in 4 flavors; Soy, Spice, Thai, and Blue Flax.  The soy flavor is similar to a regular tortilla chip, the Spice flavor is a slightly smoky savory flavor and the Thai flavor is a sweet and spicy flavor.  There’s a flavor for everyone.  A lot of times, chips are salty and have way too much flavor powder on them.  They end up being way too salty.  You won’t find that here with these RW Garcia Flaxseed and Corn Tortilla chips.  Each chip is perfectly seasoned with just enough flavor powder so you still taste the natural taste of the flaxseed and corn.  The texture is great too.  We saw very few broken chips in the bag.  They are crispy and firm and do very well with dips. 

Nutrition Facts for Thai Flavor

The chips tasted great and we were even happier when we saw how healthy these chips are.  With just 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, no cholesterol, 80mg of sodium and 2 grams of protein per serving for the Thai flavor, these are actually really healthy.  The spice flavor has similar nutrition facts, but an even more impressive 5 grams of protein.  The Soy flavor has just 50 mg of sodium and an impressive 5 grams of protein.  Similar chips flavored tortilla chips I’ve seen have well over 200 mg of sodium per serving, so it’s surprising to see that this one has under 80mg.  These chips also contain flaxseed, which is known to be very healthy.  It is probably the reason for the high protein content.  It also makes these chips a great source of Omega-3s with over 500mg per serving.

Overall, we loved these chips.  They taste great, they have great texture and they are healthy.  Priced just a little higher than your typical flavored tortilla chip, it isn’t a bad value either for such a high quality snack.  For more information about these chips and for store locations, visit their website at: www.rwgarcia.com.

Taste: This chip packs great flavor and texture in a very healthy snack form.

Labeling:  Great labeling that is very easy to read.  These chips are also certified organic and gluten free.  One thing we saw on here that we’ve never seen before is the high capacity barcode on the back that brings you to great recipes for these chips. 

Packaging:  Sealed chip bag

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:

Texture:                 5             

Taste:                     5             

Value:                    3

OVERALL:              4.3

 

Reviewed 3/30/11 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Cookies: Lucy's Chocolate Chip Cookies - Product Review #87

Gluten Free Cookies: Lucy's Chocolate Chip Cookies

PRODUCT NAME:                            Chocolate Chip Cookies

BRAND:                                           Lucy’s

COST:                                             $4.99

SIZE:                                               15 cookies (5.5oz)

COST PER OZ:                                $0.33/cookie ($0.91/oz)

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:             YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:              GFCO

ORGANIC:                                      Partial Organic Ingredients

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:              N/A

VEGAN:                                         YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:               YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:               Norfolk, VA

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging.  We cannot verify the accuracy of this information.  For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.   

         

REVIEW:
An allergy friendly chocolate chip cookie made by a doctor who is also a mother of a child with severe allergies?!  If there was ever a perfect baker, it’d be Dr. Lucy.  Knowing how difficult it is to find high quality allergy friendly food for her child, Dr. Lucy decided to start her own line of high quality cookies.  What she ended up with is an entire line of gluten free allergy friendly cookies. 

I was very impressed just looking at a box of her chocolate chip cookies.  The cookies contain no peanuts, tree nuts, milk or eggs, have no cholesterol, no trans fat and is certified kosher, gluten free and vegan.  I can confidently say that Lucy has gone above and beyond with these cookies.  Everything is made in a dedicated bakery that uses strict standards which includes testing, buying only raw material that she trusts, and she even goes as far as to not even allow peanuts or tree nuts in the building.  This really shows her knowledge of the subject and that she cares about the product she is producing. 

Is it even possible to have a healthy cookie that tastes great?  When you hear all of the characteristics which make this cookie so healthy, your mind kind of goes blank and automatically you’re thinking that “there’s no possible way that these things can taste good.”  Rest assured because Lucy has broken that mold.  I’m not sure how, but Lucy has figured it out.  Her Chocolate Chip Cookies are great.  Many times when you try a gluten free cookie, you can tell right away that there is something about the taste that just isn’t right.  Not the case with Lucy’s Chocolate Chip Cookies.  They taste just like regular chocolate chip cookies and have a great crispy texture.  You really have to try them for yourself.

Nutrition Facts

The nutrition facts for this cookie are about on par with similar cookies, but what you have to remember is the high quality ingredients that go into this cookie.  Combine that with the care that Lucy has put into this product and you are in for a delicious and healthy snack.  For a full list of where you can purchase this cookie, visit Lucy’s website at: www.drlucys.com.

Taste: This cookie tastes just like a regular chocolate chip cookie, but is probably one of the crispiest I have ever had. 

Labeling:  The labeling on this package is very attractive and easy to read.  I like that all of the certification seals are clearly printed on the side of the box. 

Packaging:  Sealed plastic package placed inside a paperboard box. 

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:

Texture:                 5             

Taste:                     5             

Value:                    3

OVERALL:              4.3

Reviewed 030811 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Snacks: Jaxn's Twice-Baked Sweet Potato Stix - Product Review #79

Gluten Free Snacks: Jaxn's Twice-Baked Sweet Potato Stix

 PRODUCT NAME:                   Sweet Potato Twice-Baked Potato Stix

BRAND:                                  Jaxn’s

COST:                                    $17.95/6pack

SIZE:                                       5oz/pack

COST PER OZ:                        $0.60/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:      NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

ORGANIC:                               NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

VEGAN:                                   NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:        UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:        Georgia

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging. We cannot verify the accuracy of this information. For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.
REVIEW:
The story of how Jaxn’s Sweet Potato Twice-Baked Potato stix all started when Jaxn went on a date with a cheerleader who ordered sweet potato fries. From that point on he was hooked. The story might sound a little farfetched, but who knows it just might be true. Funny stories aside, there is a lot to like about sweet potatoes fries. The slightly sweet flavor combined with the salty seasoning, makes for the perfect snack. The Sweet Potato Twice-Baked Potato Stix made by Jaxn’s adds to it the healthy aspect of the popular snack. Their version, which is basically a sweet potato snack stick is all natural, gluten free and contains 75% less fat than regular potato chips.

Pop open the bag and you will find little round orange sticks that resemble sweet potato fries. Although the only similarity between this snack and sweet potato fries is looks, I will say that these things are great! The fact that they are twice baked ensures that these delicious snacks are light and extremely crispy. The flavor of these potato sticks was very interesting. You get the sweetness of the sweet potato, but Jaxn’s has also added their own blend of seasoning which includes brown sugar, sea salt, ground white pepper , cinnamon, red pepper and lime. This blend of flavors does a great job in bringing out the natural sweet flavor of the sweet potato.
 

Nutrition Facts

The package claims that these potato sticks contain 75% less fat than regular potato chips. With just 2.5 grams of total fat per serving, I think that’s a fair claim to make. Calories, cholesterol and sodium all seem to be pretty good as well. Each serving of about 18 pieces contains 70 calories, 5 milligrams of cholesterol and 150 milligrams of sodium. With values like this, it makes this snack the perfect healthier alternative for fried chips and French fries.

Overall, we loved Jaxn’s Sweet Potato Twice-Baked Potato Stix. Great flavor and texture in a healthy snack, what more can you ask for? In fact, I even left them open on my desk over the weekend and they were still fresh and crunchy. While their story on their back was poorly written, but funny none the less and their tag line of “A half-baked kid becomes a twice-baked guy!” seems a bit out of place, if you base everything on the product alone, these twice-baked potato stix will have you hooked too.

Taste: These potato stix are extremely light and crispy and the seasoning adds a great touch of saltiness that doesn’t over power the snack, but instead brings out the natural sweetness of the sweet potato.

Labeling: While the graphics on the package was nice, we found that tagline of “A half-baked kid becomes a twice-baked guy!” and the cheerleader story a little a little inappropriate.

Packaging: These Twice-Baked Potato Stix come in your typical potato chip bag. The only recommendation I for them is to maybe put more air into the bags. We found a lot of half broken pieces in our bag.

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:
Texture:         5
Taste:             5
Value:            3
OVERALL:      4.3

Reviewed 022811 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Noodles: Oriental King Rice Stick - Product Review #43

PRODUCT NAME:                             Rice Stick

BRAND:                                            Oriental King

COST:                                              $0.79

SIZE:                                                16oz  

COST PER OZ:                                $0.05/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:              NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:               N/A

ORGANIC:                                        NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:               N/A

VEGAN:                                            YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:                UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:                CHINA

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging.  We cannot verify the accuracy of this information.  For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.            

REVIEW:
We here at Gluten Free Reviewer are lucky enough to live in an area with a big Asian community which gives us access to a large variety of affordable food.  This Oriental King Rice Stick is one of those items.  At only $0.79 for a 16 ounce package, what more can you ask for.  Noodles and rice are a large part of Asian culture.  They have rice or noodles with every meal.  It’s no wonder their noodles are so good.  This particular noodle is made of rice and is such, called rice stick.  There are many ways you can prepare it…boiled then sautéed, fried, or served in boiling hot soup.  No matter how you prepare it, these noodles are sure to be good. 

We opted to boil these noodles and sauté them up with some onions and garlic and it tasted great.  A lot of rice noodles seem to get mushy when you cook them, but these noodles stayed firm and held their shape.  Being that they are rice noodles, they are also good at absorbing the flavor of the gluten free tamari soy sauce we use.  I think I may have under cooked them a little bit because they were a little on the tough side, so if you decide to try these noodles out, make sure they are relatively soft before you sauté them.    

Taste: These are rice noodles so like most, they don’t have too much flavor, they are more like a base that you have to add to.  With some sautéed veggies and maybe some meat, these noodles are great.  Nice firm texture so they won’t fall apart like many other rice noodles.

Labeling:  The labeling on these Asian noodles is usually in Chinese or Vietnamese writing and I can’t read either, but this packaging wasn’t too difficult because there were actually English cooking instructions on the back.  

Packaging:  Simple plastic packaging with an airtight seal. 

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:

Texture:                 4             

Taste:                     3             

Value:                    5

OVERALL:              4

Reviewed  1/4/11 by CC

Gluten Free Cake: Mariposa Sour Cream Coffeecake - Product Review #41

Gluten Free Cake: Mariposa Sour Cream Coffeecake

PRODUCT NAME:                             Sour Cream Coffeecake

BRAND:                                            Mariposa

COST:                                              $7.25

SIZE:                                                7.25oz                  

COST PER OZ:                                 $1.00/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:               NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:                N/A

ORGANIC:                                        NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:                N/A

VEGAN:                                            NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:                 YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:                 Oakland, CA

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging.  We cannot verify the accuracy of this information.  For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.            

REVIEW:
In the past week or so, we have been testing a lot of Mariposa products.  We have found that they are excellent gluten free bakers with a plethora of baked goods.  Recently, we had their Sour Cream Coffeecake.  So what is a coffeecake?  Looking at the ingredients in this particular cake, there’s no coffee in it…so why is it called a coffeecake?  The answer to this is pretty simple.  The term coffee cake is used for cakes that are meant to be served with coffee so really, muffins, pound cakes, and anything of the likes can be called a coffee cake. 

So what makes this coffeecake so special?  For one, it’s gluten free.  It’s also really moist and is layered with cinnamon walnut streusel.  The cinnamon in it is a very nice touch.  It brings a nice fragrant small to the cake while also adding a little sweetness.  The walnuts also do a great job of putting adding some texture to the cake.  It seems like they did their homework with this cake because everything works so well together.  While this may be a coffee cake, we aren’t very big coffee drinkers here so we just had the cake for dessert after lunch.  We liked it a lot.   Really, you can have this cake any time of the day and despite not being big coffee drinkers, we all agreed that this cake would go perfectly with a nice hot cup of Joe. 

Whether you’re on a strict gluten free diet or not, you will probably enjoy this cake, well…except for those of you who have a nut allergy.  This cake does contain walnuts so if you’re allergic, you’ll probably want to stay away.  We had this cake at room temperature, but it would probably taste even better if it was put in the oven for a few minutes. 

Taste: This coffee cake was great, it was moist, it was soft, and it had tons of flavor.   It had the nice aroma of cinnamon and the crunch from the walnuts for the perfect blend of texture and flavor.  What we liked most about this coffeecake was that it wasn’t overly sweet.  It was a great balance.  I haven’t gotten to try it with a nice cup of coffee, but I already know it would go hand in hand with a hot cup of Joe.   

Labeling:  Mariposa does a great job with the labeling on their products.  They use stickers with just the right amount of information on it.  It’s not like on some packaging where it’s so busy with information that it just gets distracting.  All there is on this label is the name of the cake, a short description of what it is and, of course, the list of ingredients.  One thing that is missing on this packaging almost all of their labels is the nutrition facts.  Read my weekend blog titled “Weekend Edition Hot Off the Press #3: Where did the Nutrition Facts Go?!” for more information on that.      

Packaging:  Unrecyclable cellophane packaging, which is typical for baked products like this.

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you 

purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:

Texture:                 5             

Taste:                     5             

Value:                    3

OVERALL:              4.3

Gluten Free Cake: Cocounut Tree Brand Cassava Cake - Product Review #37

Gluten Free Cake: Cocounut Tree Brand Cassava Cake

PRODUCT NAME:                          Cassava Cake

BRAND:                                         Coconut Tree Brand

COST:                                           $6.99

SIZE:                                             35.3oz

COST PER OZ:                              $0.20

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:            NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             N/A

ORGANIC:                                     NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             N/A

VEGAN:                                         UNKNOWN

WHEAT FREE FACILITY:                UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:               Vietnam

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging. We cannot verify the accuracy of this information. For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:

Cassava is very popular in Asian cuisine. One of the more popular items is the Cassava cake, which is a dessert dish made with cassava, coconut, sugar, water, and vanilla. It is very similar to a sticky rice cake, but is generally a little stickier and less grainy. This particular cassava cake came in a vacuum sealed plastic package. First think you will notice is that it is heavy, weighing in at 2.2 pounds. When we opened it, we noticed that it was pretty hard so we decided to steam it to soften it up. Thinking how I’ve seen cassava cakes made, I think we could have baked it too.

This cassava cake was a little different than the homemade cassava cakes I have had. It was a lot denser than all of the cassava cakes I have had. You don’t need too big of a piece because it is filling. I think I am the only one in the studio that has had homemade cassava cake, so it didn’t really live up to my expectations. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. Everyone else in the office seemed to love it and I can see why. Texture wise, it is nice; firm, but chewy and sweet too.

The nutrition facts also seem very reasonable. The entire cassava cake has 8 servings, and if you actually divide that out, you a good size piece. At only 74 calories a serving, 27mg of sodium, and 2g of sugar I think this can be considered a relatively healthy dessert for just about anyone to enjoy. A tip for the holidays…this is a great gluten free alternative for dessert. Just top with fruit and serve.

Taste: The cassava cake was pretty good for a prepackaged cake. The sugar content doesn’t seem to be outrageous, but I did find this cake a little on the artificially sweet side. It’s hard to explain it, but it seems like the cake was flavored with something other than sugar because there was a slight after taste to it. Texture wise, it was nice, but I would like to try and bake it next time to see if the outcome product is different. If you have had homemade cassava cake, you probably won’t like this as much, but if you haven’t, then you will probably love it.

Labeling: There isn’t really much labeling on this product. There are just 2 stickers on the package, one front for labeling purposes and one on the back for nutrition facts. I was reading the nutrition facts and I found a typo. Sodium in this cassava cake is only 27mg per serving, which technically qualifies as very-low sodium, but it says that it is 18% of the daily value. That is a typo because really it is less than 1% of the daily value

Packaging: Non recyclable plastic packaging, although for a product like this, it is necessary to keep it fresh.

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product..

RATING:

Texture:             3
Taste:                 3
Value:                5
OVERALL:          3.7

Gluten Free Tart: Crave Bakery Lemon Tart - Product Review #35

Gluten Free Tart: Crave Bakery Lemon Tart

PRODUCT NAME:                      Lemon Tart

BRAND:                                     Crave Bakery

COST:                                        $5.49

SIZE:                                           5.6oz

COST PER OZ:                            $0.98/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:          NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:           N/A

ORGANIC:                                   Partial

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:           N/A

VEGAN:                                       NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:            Designated GF Equipment

LOCATION OF FACILITY:            California   

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging.  We cannot verify the accuracy of this information.  For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.            

REVIEW:

When Cameo brought this tart into our office, it was the first thing RS, who is the one that is gluten intolerant in our office, noticed.  He hasn’t had a lemon tarts in months since he learned of his gluten intolerance and was excited to try this lemon tart.  It looked so good in its packaging.  It comes in a nice plastic package that resembles an upside-down Tupperware container.  I thought this was pretty clever because it keeps the tart in place and prevents it from getting crushed or moved around too much. 

We had this tart at room temperature and it was good.  The filling had just the right amount of flavor without overpowering the crust too much.  The crust had a nice texture, but was a little on doughy.  If you’re a fan of a soft tart crust, this is the tart for you.  If you are a fan of a firm crispy tart crust, this is also the tart for you, but you may want to throw it in the oven for a few minutes to cook the crust a little more.  I didn’t try it myself, but it seems like a logical solution. 

Overall, Crave bakery did a great job with this tart and I can’t wait to try the other baked goods Cameo brought over.  After tasting this tart, I know why she has such a good reputation. 

Taste: The lemon filling in this tart is great, not overly sweet like others I’ve had and just enough sour to remind you that it is a lemon tart.  The dough had great flavor.  It is made with sweet rice and tapioca flour so the crust itself has a slightly sweet flavor.  The texture of the tart was okay, but we thought it was a little on the soft doughy side.  Some prefer this, but we however prefer a firmer tart crust.  I think putting it in the oven for a few more minutes could remedy this by firming up the crust a little.  It’s nice that it is this way so it gives you a little more flexibility with the tart. 

Labeling:  Same labeling as found on Crave’s other baked goods…very simple labels so that the item just behind it can do its job looking good. 

Packaging:  Very clever packaging here that is pleasing to the eyes.  It also doubles to keep the tart air tight so it will last longer.    

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:

Texture:                3             

Taste:                     4             

Value:                    3

OVERALL:              3.3

Gluten Free Cookies: Crave Bakery Monster Cookie - Product Review #34

Gluten Free Cookies: Crave Bakery Monster Cookie

PRODUCT NAME:                    Monster Cookie

BRAND:                                   Crave Bakery

COST:                                      $23(12-pack)/$13(6-pack)

SIZE:                                        2.3oz/cookie

COST PER COOKIE:                 $1.92-$2.17

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:       NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        N/A

ORGANIC:                                Partial

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        N/A

VEGAN:                                    NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:         Designated GF Equipment

LOCATION OF FACILITY:         California

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging.  We cannot verify the accuracy of this information.  For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.            

REVIEW:
We had a nice treat today.  Cameo Edwards, founder and CEO of Crave Bakery, visited us today and brought us some nice sweet treats to try.  Among those treats, we found these Monster Cookies and we had to just dig right in.  First thing you will notice is that these are no ordinary cookies…these are “monster” sized cookies.  They are cut in squares to about the serving size of brownies.  In fact, that’s probably the best way to describe them; they are chocolate chip cookies in brownie form. 

If you aren’t familiar with Crave Bakery, read my blog from this past Saturday for more on them.  They are a locally based bakery (San Francisco) that specializes in gluten free baked goods… DELICIOUS gluten free baked goods.  They use only the highest quality ingredients in these baked goods and if you’ve had the chance to try one of their products, you will know it.  They use a lot of organic products and ingredients produced by small local family-owned farms with good operation practices.  What you end up with is a high quality product like these Monster Cookies.

Open up the packaging and you will find a soft moist cookie to fulfill your “Craving”.  This cookie has some substance to it.  It’s not one of those cookies where you have to eat like 10 of them to be satisfied.  These are about 2.3oz per cookie.  Take a bite and your sweet tooth is sure to be pleased.  The cookie is a little dense, but that’s a good thing.  The label says that it is milk-free, but I must say that this cookie would go great with a nice tall cold glass of milk.  If you like soft cookies and have a sweet tooth, this is the cookie for you.  If you’re sharing this cookie, make sure you make even cuts, because if you don’t, I’m sure you will end up fighting over who gets the bigger piece. 

Just to clarify, we are in no way associated with Crave Bakery or Cameo Edwards and the views expressed here are of those of us here at Gluten Free Reviewer. 

Taste: Great sweet flavor.  A little on the sweeter side, but with a glass of milk, it would be perfect.  The texture is great as well…moist and soft similar to the texture of a brownie.  The outer layer is also a little crispy, which is a nice touch to finish off the cookie.  

Labeling:  The labeling on this packaging is very simple with the company logo and a list of the high quality ingredients used.  You won’t find any nonsense here on this labeling, but really, it doesn’t need much because the cookie can probably sell itself.  

Packaging:  Plastic cellophane packaging that is clear so you can see the product. 

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:

Texture:                 5             

Taste:                     5             

Value:                    4

OVERALL:              4.7

Reviewed  122010 by CC

Weekend Edition Hot Off the Press #4: Crave Bakery

Ever since the issues of gluten intolerance and celiac disease showed up on our radar, we have been searching high and low for good gluten free food to review.  We have the pastas and snacks covered, but we haven’t been able to find very many options for good gluten free baked goods.  In our search, one name kept coming up…Crave Bakery in San Francisco.  Crave specializes in gluten free baked goods such as brownies, cookies, cakes, and tarts.  A quick search on Yelp brought up rave reviews of their baked goods.  Intrigued by this, we knew we had to get a hold of them. 

A few days ago, I got the opportunity to interview Cameo Edwards, founder of Crave bakery.  In 2002, after struggling to figure out the root cause of her illnesses, Cameo came to the realization that she was sensitive to gluten.  “Craving” for the baked goods she loved so much, she put her family tradition of baking to good use fulfilling her cravings for baked goods in delicious gluten free form.  It all started with her famous gluten free, casein free brownies, and Crave Bakery was born.

The company has grown a lot since 2003.  They now have about 15 different baked items on their menu and sell in specialty grocery stores in 12 states.  They sell delicious cakes, cookies, cupcakes, tarts, and of course their famous brownies all of which are made with high quality and organic ingredients from small, local producers and family-owned operations.  They even have a special edition Pumpkin tart that is only available September through December for the holidays.  And if you’re looking to host a special event, Crave even offers custom cakes for your guests to enjoy.  Even if you have special needs due to allergies, it’s no problem for Crave, because they will be able to whip something up for you.

Crave puts a lot of care into their products.  From ingredients to manufacturing processes, they have everything figured out.  All of their ingredients are all of the highest quality and they make sure of it by researching all of their sources to ensure that they are confident about their operation practices.  Take for example

the eggs they use, which come from free-range, happy and active chickens in Petaluma.  In their manufacturing facilities, which are located in San Francisco and Sacramento, they have adapted segregated production which means that all of their products are made on gluten free specific machines that are run in their own section of the manufacturing facility.  And if you thought that wasn’t enough, they use third parties to ensure that their products contain no more than 5-ppm gluten.  That’s actually stricter than some gluten free certification agencies.  For those of you who have other allergies, you will also appreciate that they start their manufacturing everyday with the least allergenic products and end their production day with products that contain nuts.  

Cameo Edwards has done a spectacular job with Crave Bakery and we hope to see more from her and Crave Bakery.  If you’re interested in trying some of her products, you can find a list of all of their retail locations on their website or you can order directly online at cravebakery.com.  Visit us this coming week when we review some of the delicious baked goods from Crave Bakery. 

Gluten Free Chips: Kaia Foods Sea Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips - Product Review #33

Gluten Free Chips: Kaia Foods Sea Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips

PRODUCT NAME:                           Sea Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips

BRAND:                                           Kaia Foods

COST:                                             $5.99

SIZE:                                               2.2oz

COST PER OZ:                                $2.72/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:              YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:               GFCO

ORGANIC:                                       YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:               QAI

VEGAN:                                           YES

WHEAT FREE FACILITY:                  UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:                 Oakland, CA

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging. We cannot verify the accuracy of this information. For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:

The other day, our guest, Anne Angelone, brought these Kaia Foods Sea Salt & Vinegar Kale chips to try. We are not the biggest fans of raw food and at first we were a bit hesitant to try them because we had a bad experience with a certain raw kale chips we have tasted in the past. Anne assured us that these kale chips were good. We took her word for it and went ahead and popped the bag open. When these finally made their way around the table to me, I reached in the bag looking for a chip and was surprised to find nothing, but crumbled up pieces of kale. Where did the chips go? I have never had these chips before, but I was expecting much larger pieces. Is this really how they’re supposed to be?

Aside from being crumbled up, they actually tasted good. The raw kale chips we have had in the past smelled a lot like seaweed and had a weird aftertaste. Rest assured because these kale chips don’t smell anything like seaweed and they also don’t have a weird aftertaste. As far as taste goes, these taste 1000 times better than the kale chips we have had in the past.

If you aren’t into raw food, these might be a good starting point. I just wish that the pieces were larger. I would really consider them chips, but they would probably make a great addition to a salad. They are a little on the more expensive side, but considering it is gluten free and raw, the price is about average.

Taste: We were surprised that we actually liked these kale chips. Although they were more like crumbs than chips, they had decent flavor. It was a little on the salty side, but overall, it was much better than we expected. The texture of the “chips” was alright. It had a slight crunch, which was nice. What really hurt it was the size of the chips…they were way too small. If you’re trying to sit down and have these chips on their own, I hope you have a spoon to eat them with.

Labeling: The labeling on the packaging was very simple. It reminded me a lot of the packaging found in a lot of the Target brand snacks with a different color scheme. It was also nice to see that they are certified organic and certified gluten free. That might explain the higher price.

Packaging: The packaging actually pretty good. It is a resealable plastic package that they actually ask you to reuse on the back.

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product..

RATING:

Texture:                2                             

Taste:                    4

Value:                   2

OVERALL:             2.7

Reviewed 12/07/10 by CC

Gluten Free Crackers: Crunchmaster Multi-Seed Crackers - Product Review #32

Gluten Free Crackers: Crunchmaster Multi-Seed Crackers

PRODUCT NAME:                            Multi-Seed Crackers

BRAND:                                           Crunchmaster

COST:                                             $2.49

SIZE:                                               4.5oz

COST PER OZ:                                $0.55/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:              YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:                GFCO

ORGANIC:                                        NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:                N/A

VEGAN:                                            YES

WHEAT FREE FACILITY:                   UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:                  Loves Park, IL

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging. We cannot verify the accuracy of this information. For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:

We are always in search of good gluten free crackers to add some crunch to our lunch. We have tried quite a few crackers and these are one of the better ones. If you are looking for a nice crispy cracker, look no further than these Crunchmaster Multi-Seed Crackers. They are made with brown rice flour, sesame seeds, potato starch, quinoa seeds, safflower oil, flax seeds, amaranth seeds, and tamari soy sauce.

These crackers are extremely crispy and, despite all the different seeds, are not overly hard. The crackers that we have had in the past have been great, nice and crispy, but because they contained several different kinds of seeds, there were hard spots on the cracker. If you have sensitive teeth, those hard spots might spell disaster. These crackers still have those different textures, but the seeds are much softer and easier to bite into.

If you’re looking for a nice crispy cracker with a nice blend of textures, then this is the cracker for you. These particular crackers are vegan, however almost all of the other varieties they make are not. Just something to keep in mind when shopping for these crackers…if you are vegan, make sure you read the label to verify that the variety you purchase is vegan.

Taste: These crackers tasted great. You can really taste the blend of seeds contained in this cracker. It is perfectly salted so they can be eaten by themselves or with your favorite dip. The texture is also very nice…perfectly crispy and not too heavy. Be careful though, because they are so good, you just might end up eating the entire package.

Labeling: You will find very attractive packaging around these crackers. They use nice appetizing colors and very clean looking graphics. You will also be pleased to see that these crackers are Certified Gluten Free by GFCO.

Packaging: The packaging is great. I understand that you just about always need to use plastic packaging on items such as crackers to preserve the freshness of the cookies. It’s nice to see that, that is all they used. No double packaging here.

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product..

RATING:
Texture:          5
Taste:              5
Value:             4
OVERALL:       4.6

Reviewed 120710 by CC

Gluten Free Cookies: Glow Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies - Product Review #31

Gluten Free Cookies: Glow Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

PRODUCT NAME:                      Chocolate Chip Cookies

BRAND:                                     Glow Gluten Free

COST:                                       $5.99

NUMBER OF COOKIES:              7

COST PER COOKIE:                  $0.86/cookie

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:        NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:         N/A

ORGANIC:                                 NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:         N/A
 
VEGAN:                                     NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:          YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:           New York

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging. We cannot verify the accuracy of this information. For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:
Who doesn’t like a nice chocolate chip cookie? If you’re on a strict gluten free diet, it might be a little harder to find, but here is one example of a well made gluten free chocolate chip cookie. There are two types of cookies, the soft chewy kind and the nice crunchy kind. It’s all personal preference, but if you like the crunchy kind, these Glow Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies are for you. They are made with garbanzo and fava bean flour, which I thought was an interesting alternative to wheat flour. Garbanzo beans and fava beans have more flavor. It’s a little hard to describe, but I would describe it as slightly sweet. The flavor is a little different, but I think it fits nicely with these cookies. Tasting these cookies, you probably won’t taste this difference. I only taste the difference because it reminds me of the Chinese Bean Buns that I have been eating since I was a kid.

Bottom line, if you are looking for a nice crunchy cookie, this is your cookie.

Taste: Great tasting cooking that is perfectly sweet. The dough is a little sweeter than traditional cookies, but it doesn’t interfere with the overall taste of the cookie. Texture is also great with a nice crunch.

Labeling: The labeling is very attractive. You can really tell that they put some time into their graphics. They use eye catching colors and clear photos of the cookie to draw you in. They even go as far as having a mad libs on the back for you to enjoy. They did a nice job with this packaging.

Packaging: Don’t you hate it when you open up a package of cookies only to find a half broken cookie? Well you won’t find that here. This package resembling a Chinese take-out box is the perfect shape to keep your cookies safe.

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product..

RATING:

Texture:                 4                             

Taste:                     4

Value:                    3

OVERALL:              3.6

Gluten Free Cookies: Minnie Beasley's Almond Lace Cookies - Product Review #29

Gluten Free Cookies: Minnie Beasley's Almond Lace Cookies

PRODUCT NAME:                    Handmade Almond Lace

BRAND:                                   Minnie Beasley’s

COST:                                     $6.99

SIZE:                                        5oz

COST PER OZ:                         $1.39/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:       NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        N/A

ORGANIC:                                NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

VEGAN:                                   NO

WHEAT FREE FACILITY:          NO

LOCATION OF FACILITY:          Denver, CO

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging. We cannot verify the accuracy of this information. For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:
A few of us in the studio have a sweet tooth… I am one of them. When I saw these cookies on the lunch table, they looked so good and I knew I had to have some. About a week later, we finally got around to trying them. RS and TD took the chocolate ones on their road trip and loved them so much that they ate half of the package. TD doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth and she liked these, which really says something about these cookies. We had two varieties…Dutch Chocolate and the regular flavor which I guess is just sugar flavor? They were delicious.

Taste: These cookies satisfied our sweet tooth addiction. They were both great, but we thought that the regular flavor was just a little too sweet for our tastes. We actually preferred the chocolate version because it was actually not as sweet. The regular version seems like it took a dive in a sugar bath, whereas the chocolate one took a dive in a chocolate bath. The main difference is that the sugar is just sugar and the chocolate has more of a bitter flavor that offsets the sweetness.

Labeling: The labeling on these cookies was very simple with just a sticker on the plastic packaging. We’ve been seeing this with a lot of the smaller companies. It is a cheap alternative to getting an entire custom package made. One thing on the label that jumped out to me was that these were “handmade.” I love that it is handmade, but this also makes me wonder how accurate the nutrition facts are. I don’t know about you, but when I am cooking, I never make anything exactly the same. Is this baker exact with his/her measurements? If he/she isn’t then there might be a little variation in the nutrition facts.

Packaging: Resealable plastic packaging that is recyclable.

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product..

RATING:

Texture:                5             

Taste:                    5

Value:                   3

OVERALL:             4

Reviewed 12/6/10 by CC