Gluten Free Brownies: Crave Bakery Dark Chocolate Brownies - Product Review #36

Gluten Free Brownies: Crave Bakery Dark Chocolate Brownies

PRODUCT NAME:                      Dark Chocolate Brownies

BRAND:                                     Crave Bakery

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

SIZE:                                          2.8oz/piece

COST PER PIECE:                      $2.17-$1.92

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:
If you are from the San Francisco area, chances you have probably heard about Crave Bakery’s Dark Chocolate Brownies.  What you may or may not have known is that they are actually gluten free.  What can I say about these chocolate treasures other than…They may very well be one of the best brownies I have ever had. 
There are plenty of brownies out there, but not too many gluten free ones.  A lot of times, the lack of gluten flour can give a gluten free brownie a weird taste.  You won’t find that here.  These brownies are great.  They have the right texture, the perfect consistency, and, of course, the rich chocolate flavor we have come to expect in a brownie.  Crave uses bittersweet chocolate in these brownies and it gives it just the right amount of sweetness.   The texture is firm, but a little just a little flakey, which is the perfect texture for a brownie.   
Crave has lived up to their name with this brownie.  They use high quality ingredients, make everything on designated gluten free equipment, and they even perform strict testing to ensure that there is no cross contamination.  After eating it, I still find myself craving for more.  If you are looking for a high quality brownie made with only the best ingredients, this is the brownie for you.  Whether you are gluten intolerant or not, this is the brownie for you.  And if you are a chocolate addict, you will definitely satisfy your cravings with these brownies. 

Taste: Great rich chocolate flavor in perfect brownie form.  If you haven’t had the opportunity to try these brownies, you must. 

Labeling:  You will find the signature Crave Bakery label on this packaging.  Like I have said before, it provides just the right amount of information and lets the contents of the packaging do all the talking. 

Packaging:  We got these brownies in a plastic container, but I believe they also come individually packed.  No matter how they are packaged, I’m sure you will enjoy these brownies. 

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  122210 by CC

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: Ca' Momi Brutti Ma Buoni - Product Review #30

Gluten Free Cookies: Ca' Momi Brutti Ma Buoni

PRODUCT NAME:                      Brutti Ma Buoni (Ugly But Good)

BRAND:                                     Ca’ Momi

COST:                                       $9.85

SIZE:                                         15 pieces

COST PER PIECE:                     $0.65

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:        NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:         N/A

ORGANIC:                                 NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:         NO

VEGAN:                                     NO

WHEAT FREE FACILITY:            NO

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:
On a recent trip up to Napa, TD found a bakery called Ca’ Momi that had delicious gluten free cookies called Brutti Ma Buoni. If you were wondering, that means “ugly but good” in Italian. The name is the perfect description for these delicious cookies. I apologize that the photo above is just a photo of the packaging, but we ate all of them before we got a chance to photograph them. The cookies look like they were scooped up and balled then put in the oven to bake, but judging by its name, I don’t think a fancy looking cookie is the purpose of this cookie. It’s the taste! These things are delicious!

They are made of all organic egg whites, sugar, and hazelnuts. I don’t know about you, but I’m a big fan of hazelnuts and when I saw that on the list of ingredients, I already knew I would like these cookies. Bite into them and they are very crispy and sweet and you can definitely taste the distinct nutty flavor of the hazelnuts. It was hard to eat just one. I will say that although I’m pretty sure just about anyone would love these cookies, but people with sensitive teeth should probably stay away. These cookies take a bit of effort to bit into because they are so crunchy. They crumbs also find their way to lodge themselves in between your teeth.

The only real downside I can see for these cookies is that currently, you can only get them at their store in the Oxbow Public Market in Napa, CA. You might think that the price is a little high, but it is actually very reasonable for what you are actually getting, which is a gourmet handmade cookie that is delicious, not to mention GLUTEN FREE. Hopefully in the future they will sell them online for everyone to enjoy.

Taste: Sweet, crunchy, and delicious, are the three words that come to mind when I think about these gluten free Brutti Ma Buoni cookies from Ca’ Momi. It makes a great dessert by itself, but I actually think it would be great crumbled in some vanilla ice cream. No matter how you end up having them, I’m sure you will enjoy them.

Labeling: A 2.5”x1” label with the name of the cookie, the company logo and the ingredients is all is all that is on this packaging. No nutrition facts or anything to hold you back. Knowing that they taste so good, I’m actually a little scared to see the nutrition facts.

Packaging: The packaging is simple bakery fresh packaging. Just a cellophane bag tied at the top with a ribbon. These are made fresh from scratch so I don’t think they will keep too long, but I doubt that will be a big problem because I can almost guarantee that these will be go quickly.

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:                    5

Value:                   4

OVERALL:             4.5

Reviewed by CC 12/3/10

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

Weekend Edition Hot Off the Press #3: Where Did the Nutrition Facts Go?!

WHERE DID THE NUTRITION FACTS GO?!

As we have been taste testing all this delicious gluten free food, we have been paying more attention to what is on the label.  The other day, we were having some gourmet tortilla chips and noticed that there were no nutrition facts on the package.  A few days later, we were having some brownies that were also missing the nutrition facts.  When we didn’t see those nutrition fact labels it brought up the question of when are nutrition facts required.  The nutrition facts label is our key to being informed about what we are eating.  In fact, we have become accustomed to it.  After digging around on the US FDA website, I was able to find the answer.  Hidden among the thousands of links on the website was the one word I was looking for…Exemptions. 

The one thing that caught my eye on the list is something called a Small Business Exemption.  I assume that formulating nutrition facts and getting them on a package is a costly process.  You have to pay a lab to analyze your product for the nutrition content and you have to do this for every single one of your products.  If it’s only for a couple of products, it’s probably not too bad, but if it’s for a whole line of products, the cost adds up.  Small businesses typically don’t have as much financial backing as larger companies and it would be difficult for them to finance all of these costs.  That’s where the Small business exemption comes in.  If your company has less than $50,000 in food sales you are exempt from putting nutrition facts on your products.  There is also an exception that says if you have more than $50,000 in food sales, and your total sales of food and non-food items is less than $500,000 you are also exempt. 

Other exemptions include food served or sold in restaurants, food served and sold for immediate consumption, and food processed and prepared primarily in a retail establishment and not outside of that establishment.  Restaurants, cafeterias, bakeries and deli’s fall into almost all of these categories.  Some of these places voluntarily provide this information to their customers, but most don’t.  This brings us to the question of… what is really in our food? 

There is a clause in the rules and regulation that states that if the company makes a claim about the product, like high in vitamin C or something similar, that product is no longer exempt and business must put nutrition facts on the packaging.

We all need to stay informed about what we are eating and the nutrition is a big part of that.  If the nutrition facts are missing, take that extra step to ask the necessary questions so that you are informed about what you are really eating.  You don’t want to dive into a dish blind, get informed.

*This information was found on the US FDA website.  Visit their website for more information about nutrition facts. 

Gluten Free Crackers: Edward & Sons Purple Rice & Black Sesame Exotic Rice Toast - Product Review #28

Gluten Free Crackers: Edward & Sons

PRODUCT NAME:                    Purple Rice & Black Sesame Exotic Rice Toast

BRAND:                                   Edward & Sons

COST:                                     $3.29

SIZE:                                       2.25oz

COST PER OZ:                        $1.46/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE       NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

ORGANIC:                               NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

VEGAN:                                   YES
 
WHEAT FREE FACILITY:          UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:         Thailand

*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:
These Edward & Sons Purple Rice & Black Sesame Exotic Rice Toast crackers are the same as we had a review for yesterday, but a different variety.  Same great texture as the one from yesterday, but we actually like these much better.  You can really taste the purple rice in there.  The flavor reminds me of the purple rice packages you would get at your Asian market or Vietnamese sandwich shop.  The flavor goes nicely with the black sesame flavor as well. 
The flavor on this cracker was even lighter than the Jasmine Rice & Spring Onion, which was nice.  I compared the nutrition facts of the two varieties and I was surprised to see pretty different numbers.  The biggest difference was in the sodium content.  These Purple Rice & Black Sesame crackers had only 35mg of sodium per serving, whereas the Jasmine Rice & Spring Onion crackers had 140mg of sodium per serving.  Both of these numbers are reasonable, but it’s surprising to see such a big difference.  We prefer the Purple Rice & Black Sesame crackers and after seeing the nutrition facts, it’s the clear winner.

Taste: Great light flavor of purple rice, great light, yet crispy texture, and nice firmness.  Also a plus is that there wasn’t an aftertaste like the Jasmine Rice & Spring Onion variety. 

Labeling: The labeling is exactly like the Jasmine Rice & Spring Onion variety that we had a review for yesterday, just with a different picture on the front. Here is the labeling section from yesterday.  “The labeling is very attractive with nice pictures on the side showing the different varieties of the crackers with gourmet toppings by a chef in California.  These crackers are also vegan not to mention gluten free.  They use 2 icons on the front of the box.  Usually when I see an icon similar to the one on this packaging, my first thought is that it is certified.  Doing a little more analyzing, I realized that these crackers are not in fact certified.  Instead, I believe that the icons are just there to signify that these crackers are vegan and gluten free.  A little tricky, but this teaches us to always pay attention to the labeling.” 

Packaging: The packaging is also the same as the crackers from yesterday… here is the packaging section from yesterday. “The packaging is very attractive, yet it is a little wasteful.  It has typical double packaging as is the norm for crackers.  Inside the box are 2 individually wrapped trays with 2 servings per tray.  I understand that it might be more convenient for people on the go, but if you think about it, It’s actually triple packaging.“

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:                     4

Value:                    3

OVERALL:              4

Gluten Free Crackers: Edward & Sons Jasmine Rice & Spring Onion Exotic Rice Toast - Product Review #27

Gluten Free Crackers

PRODUCT NAME:                       Jasmine Rice & Spring Onion Exotic Rice Toast

BRAND:                                       Edward & Sons

COST:                                         $3.29

SIZE:                                           2.25oz

COST PER OZ:                            $1.46/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:          NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:           N/A

ORGANIC:                                   NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:           N/A

VEGAN:                                       YES

WHEATFREE FACILITY:               UNKNOWN 

LOCATION OF FACILITY:             Thailand

*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:

Edward & Sons Jasmine Rice & Spring Onion Exotic Rice Toast…so what makes these crackers so exotic?  Well for one, the blend of flavors is a little exotic, but what really makes them exotic is that they are actually from Thailand.  Thailand?! You ask…we found this a bit surprising too because the packaging seems like American packaging. 

Edward & Sons Exotic Rice Toast comes in three different flavors, Purple Rice & Black Sesame, Thai Red Rice & Flaxseeds, and of course Jasmine Rice & Spring Onion.  So far, this is the only one we have tried and I will say that they are good.  They are crunchy yet light because they are made of rice, but they are firm enough to hold their own when used for dipping.  We had these with a cheese dip from Trader Joe’s and they went perfectly together.  On their own, they aren’t too bad.  The flavor is nice and light, however it does taste a little artificial and leaves a slight aftertaste. 

When comparing these to other gluten free crackers, these are pretty good.  The only thing I didn’t like so much was the flavor, but that might be remedied with another variety of these crackers.  If you’re looking for a cracker to enjoy with your favorite dip, these are the crackers.

Taste: Decent light flavor, but it leaves a slight aftertaste in your mouth.  The texture is great…light yet crispy as is pretty typical for crackers made of rice.

Labeling: The labeling is very attractive with nice pictures on the side showing the different varieties of the crackers with gourmet toppings by a chef in California.  These crackers are also vegan not to mention gluten free.  They use 2 icons on the front of the box.  Usually when I see an icon similar to the one on this packaging, my first thought is that it is certified.  Doing a little more analyzing, I realized that these crackers are not in fact certified.  Instead, I believe that the icons are just there to signify that these crackers are vegan and gluten free.  A little tricky, but this teaches us to always pay attention to the labeling.

Packaging: The packaging is very attractive, yet it is a little wasteful.  It has typical double packaging as is the norm for crackers.  Inside the box are 2 individually wrapped trays with 2 servings per tray.  I understand that it might be more convenient for people on the go, but if you think about it, It’s actually triple packaging. 

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:                    3

Value:                   3

OVERALL:             3.6

Gluten Free Crackers: Back To Nature Multi-Seed Gluten Free Crackers - Product Review #26

Gluten Free Crackers: Back To Nature Multi-Seed Gluten Free Crackers

PRODUCT NAME:                      Multi-Seed Crackers

BRAND:                                     Back to Nature

COST:                                       $3.59

SIZE:                                         4oz

COST PER OZ:                          $0.90/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:        YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:         GFCO

ORGANIC:                                 NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:         N/A

VEGAN:                                     UNKNOWN

WHEAT FREE FACILITY:            UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:           Madison, WI

*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 these wonderful crackers at lunch the other day.  They were some of the best crackers we have had and they’re gluten free!  They are extremely flavorful as they are made of several different seeds, including brown rice, whole grain corn, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and flax seeds.  I took a look at the nutrition facts on these crackers and they are very reasonable compared to many other similar crackers.  Only 130 calories, 25 from fat, and only 160mg of sodium per serving and the serving size isn’t too bad at 15 crackers. 

These crackers are really crunchy too.  The crunch reminds me of the crunch you would get from an Asian rice cracker.  If you have had one of these, you know what I’m talking about; that light, yet airy crunch. 

These crackers are great, but there is one thing that I didn’t like so much and that is that there’s only 4oz of crackers in the box, which is a little on the low side.  The cost per ounce is about $0.90.  Comparing that to other gluten free crackers, the cost is a little higher, but I do believe these crackers taste better than the others I’ve had.   

Taste: These crackers taste great.  You can eat them alone or with your favorite dip.  They are also pretty solid and can easily hold up to your favorite dip.  I read a few other reviews on these that say that they were too salty.  I’m not sure if they have made tweaks, but I didn’t find them too salty.  Looking at the nutrition facts on the side of the box and sodium content is actually 100mg less than the Glutino crackers that were recently reviewed.  I think the flavor from the different seeds contained in this cracker is the main reasons why it has so much flavor.  I would definitely recommend this cracker on taste and texture alone.

Labeling: The labeling is printed on recycled brown paperboard so it is a little difficult to read.  The paperboard itself is already dark and they print with even darker brown.  I guess it’s the “natural” look that they’re going for that fits with their company theme, but I found the box a little hard on the eyes to read.  I did see that this cracker is Certified Gluten-Free which is nice because a lot of products that we have been trying are not.  I also like to look and see if the products we test are vegan and judging by the ingredients, I believe it is, but nowhere on the box does it claim that it is.  If it was vegan, I would think that it might be good to put it on the box.    

Packaging: Nice recycled packaging and it is printed with inks derived from vegetables such as soy, flax and tree nuts…that might explain why everything is brown.    

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

Weekend Edition Hot Off the Press #2: Sprouting Ideas

Mung beans are a common ingredient in Asian cooking.  Is it because it is readily available, is it the taste, is it the cost, or is it the health benefits.  It’s probably a combination of all of the above.  Yesterday we had a review for mung bean thread, which is noodle made with mung beans, broad beans and water.  It was affordable, it was tasty, and apparently it is good for you. 

So what are mung beans?  Mung beans have several different names.  They are known as green beans, mung, and moog among many other names.  When they sprout, they are bean sprouts.  Yes, the same bean sprouts that are probably in half of the dishes you order at your local Chinese restaurant.  So you have most likely encountered them.  You probably just didn’t know what they were.    Especially in Asian cooking, you will find different variations of the mung beans.  You know one form, which is the bean sprout, the other surprising places you might find the mung bean is in your noodles and your dessert.  The starch from the mung beans is extracted and used as an ingredient to make noodles and jellies. 

What are the advantages of eating mung beans?  Mung beans are very nutritious.  They are a good source for Vitamin A, B, C and E, as well as Calcium, iron, potassium and fiber.    Mung beans are recommended in diets because they help lower cholesterol, and help digestion because of their high fiber content.  What does this all mean?  Bottom line, they are good for you.

If you have access to Asian food stores, mung bean can also be a very affordable alternative.  Take for example our mung bean noodles from yesterday’s review, that package was only $0.99!  If you can save money while also maintaining a good diet, wouldn’t you try it?  Stir fry some mung bean noodles with some vegetables and maybe some meat and you have a nice balanced meal and you don’t have to break the bank. 

Gluten Free Noodles: Five Grain Brand Mung Bean Thread - Product Review #25

Gluten Free Noodles: Five Grain Brand Mung Bean Thread

PRODUCT NAME:                       Mung Bean Thread

BRAND:                                      Five Grain Brand

COST:                                        $0.99

SIZE:                                           5.3oz

COST PER OZ:                            $0.19/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:          NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:           N/A

ORGANIC:                                    NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:            N/A

VEGAN:                                        UNKNOWN

WHEAT 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:

Being in San Francisco has its perks; one of them being the large Asian community which gives us the privilege of cheap Asian food.  As we have said before, Asian rice noodles are a good cheap gluten free alternative.  Asian rice noodles usually only contain rice and water.  Today, we had mung bean thread, which looks a lot like rice noodles.  And much like rice noodles, the ingredients were very simple… mung bean, broad bean and water are the only ingredients in these noodles.  Being that they are from Chinatown…these were extremely affordable.  $0.99 for the 5.3oz pack, which calculates out to just $0.19 an ounce. 

Many of these noodles are best when served in hot soup.  These particular noodles  are very firm and would do great in soup.  If you plan to serve them dry, cook them a little longer so they aren’t as tough to chew.  I undercooked them a little and found them very firm and springy. 

Taste: Taste-wise…there isn’t too much to these noodles.  Not much flavor, but really good texture.  Fry them up with some stir fried vegetables and meat or serve them up in some piping on noodles…they will be perfect. 

Labeling: These noodles are pretty simple and there isn’t much too them so there really isn’t too much to be said about the labeling. 

Packaging: Non recyclable packaging. 

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:                     3

Value:                    5

OVERALL:              4.3