Gluten Free Cookies: Gilbert's Goodies Chocolate Chip Paradise Cookies - Product Review #60

Gilbert's Goodies Chocolate Chip Paradise Cookies

PRODUCT NAME:                    Chocolate Chip Paradise Cookies

BRAND:                                   Gilbert’s Goodies

COST:                                     $5.50

SIZE:                                       18 cookies (7oz)

COST PER COOKIE:                $0.31/cookie ($0.79/oz)

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:      NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

ORGANIC:                               NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

VEGAN:                                   NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:        UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:        Sandy Hook, CT

*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:
What do you do when you can no longer eat the foods you have enjoyed all your life because you have discovered that you have developed several food allergies? The was the dilemma that Liz Gilbert of Gilbert’s Gourmet Goodies was faced with when she came to the realization that she was allergic to wheat, gluten, peanuts, nuts, soy, milk, corn and shellfish. Instead of just sitting back and depriving herself of the food she loved so much, she set out on a journey to create the baked goods without the things she is allergic to. It took her over six months of trial and error to get the recipe just right. I think she got it right because looking at the end product, it looks like she has developed a variety of great tasting products with no high fructose corn syrup, no hydrogenated oils, no preservatives, and are all natural.

Today, we tried the Chocolate Chip Paradise Cookies. It comes packed in a resealable plastic bag containing about 18 cookies totaling 7 ounces. Each cookie is about an inch and a half in diameter so they are pretty smaller cookies; almost bite size. Take a bite into one and you will know instantly why these are called paradise cookies. The texture of the cookies is great. It is similar to a shortbread cookie, but it is just a tad firmer. When you bite into it, it still holds its shape. The flavor was also very good. It was a little on the sweet side. While this is a chocolate chip cookie, I felt that the sweetness of the cookie part overpowered the chocolate flavor a little too much. This cookie would be the perfect complement to a nice cup of coffee or hot tea.

With so many things going for this cookie like being gluten free, allergy friendly, and all natural among many others, this really is a great cookie. The serving size is 4 cookies and with 140 calories, 6g of fat, 4g of saturated fat, and 12g of sugar, these probably aren’t the best for you, but if you account for the fact that Liz used high quality ingredients, meaning no high fructose corn syrup, no hydrogenated oils, and no preservatives, it is probably better than most cookies out there. One thing that did impress me is that the sodium content in this cookie is actually less than 5mg. Considering that most of the cookies we have tried had over 100mg of sodium, this is impressive.

This cookie is great for just about everyone. Those of you that have food allergies, this is the cookie for you. At $5.50 per 7oz bag, it isn’t outrageously priced either. That translates into $0.31/cookie, which is about the price you would pay for a regular cookie about the same size at the mall. A list of places these cookies are sold is available on their website: www.gilbertsgourmetgoodies.com and of course, you can buy them directly too.

Taste: Great textured cookie made with high quality all natural ingredients. The cookies are a little on the sweet side, but would go perfectly with a cup of coffee or hot tea.

Labeling: The labeling on this cookie was very nice. The bright colors made it look very fun and eye-catching.

Packaging: Resealable plastic package so it will stay fresh for 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:         5
Taste:             3
Value:            4
OVERALL:      4

Reviewed 013111 by Calvin C. 

Weekend Special Edition: Detox/Cleansing Diet (Part 2/3)

Today’s special edition post is a follow-up to our previous post regarding the “Detox Workshop” offered by Anne Angelone (M.S., LaC) which I (RS) participated in.

I must say… WOW! In just a short period of one hour we learned a wealth of practical and relevant strategies to better understand what our body is trying to tell us. Anne provided each participant with a “Metabolic Assessment Form” in which you answer on a scale of 1-3 whether you experience particular symptoms (ex: Get lightheaded if meals are missed, unexplained itchy skin, etc.). There are about 150 different items to rate which are broken down into 17 categories. High scores in each category reveal evidence of particular conditions (ex: Hypoglycemia, Hyperacidity, adrenal conditions, etc.).

We even learned the basics of eastern medicine’s “tongue reading” and each had a chance to learn what our tongues were trying to tell us. The tongue serves as a diagnostic map which, at least in my particular case, was in-line with what other doctors and lab tests have been saying thus far.

A very interesting fact which I personally took away from the class is that the existence of a food allergy could have all along been the reason why I constantly felt like I was over-heating and always had extreme difficulty in hot weather. During the workshop, the light-bulb went off that ever since I have been gluten-free, I have actually begun to feel cold just like everyone else.

Following this class, I embarked on my “10-Day Detox” diet and am currently on it. The idea behind the 10-day diet is to eliminate as many known types of allergens as possible. Even if you don’t think you are allergic to them, you eliminate them during the ten days. This should, in theory, give the gut a break from inflammation/irritation and thus give it a chance to begin healing. So for these ten days, not only will I be gluten free, but here are some examples of what else I will be avoiding:

-       Soy

-       Corn

-       White rice

-       Diary / eggs

-       Peanut

-       Tofu

-       Refined sugars

-       Artificial coloring, flavoring, sweeteners

-       Caffeine

-       Certain fruit: grapefruit, oranges, banana, pineapple, watermelon

-       “Nightshade vegetables” (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, bell peppers)

-       Any non-organic chicken or beef (which by the way must be grass-fed, not corn fed)

So there go all my current gluten-free alternatives! Back to the drawing board we go. She did provide some wonderful recipes that I look forward to trying. Organic meats, quinoa, and brown rice will be my new best friends for these 10 days.

Sounds disconcerting, but she is giving us a lot of resources so we can still maintain a healthy balanced diet and get all the nutrients we need. She is even giving us restaurant and café recommendations that can accommodate our diet!

I welcome the change in eating routine and I really hope to see some of the results some of her previous patients have seen:

-       Better digestion and elimination

-       Fewer symptoms of Chronic Illness

-       Improved Concentration, Mental Focus and Clarity

-       Improved Mood

-       Increased Energy

-       Less congestion and fewer allergic symptoms

-       Less joint pain

-       Increased sense of relaxation

-       Enhanced sleep

As I mentioned, I will be posting the results of my 10-day Detox diet in part 3 of the “Detox/Cleansing Diet” posts. In the meantime, if you’d like to find out more about what Anne does, you can visit her website at http://www.expandingqi.com/. She not only does in-person consultations, but also does phone, email, and Skype sessions with her patients

If the 10-day diet proves to be a success for me, we are going to see if we can work with her to offer this same workshop via Skype so that our interested readers from around the globe can take advantage of the opportunity.

Stay tuned till next time where I will share my experiences through the 10-Day Detox Diet.

Weekend Edition Hot off the Press #7: Health Benefits of Rice - Part 2

Why the World Loves Rice
By: Julia L.

Rice: it's what for dinner, right? There's a good chance you've eaten rice today. It's a main staple in over half the world's diet, and possibly yours. It's also the second-most produced grain in the world (corn's the first). But not only is it plentiful in places like Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, rice also has many health benefits.

The nutritional value of rice depends on how it's processed. Two very popular styles of rice are brown and white rice. Do you know the difference between the two? Shockingly, they're actually the same rice from the same plant! White rice is polished, which removes certain parts called the germ and bran from the grain. But are these parts important? Yes, very. The germ is a component of rice that contains the most vitamins and healthy oils (it nourishes the seed for the rice plant, too, not just you!). It's called the "germ" because it's the part of the seed that germinates, or sprouts, into a plant. Interesting, right? The germ contains oil, Vitamin E, and B vitamins. The bran is full of dietary fiber (think bran muffins) and oils.

In the past, in parts of the world where nutritionally dense food wasn't as available and rice was a majority of the population's diet, removing the bran and germ from rice was possibly life-threatening due to vitamin deficiencies. In fact, beriberi, which is the deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1), was discovered in Japan among people eating only polished white rice. Doctors discovered that people were missing out on the vitamin B1 from the missing rice germ. Luckily, white rice is now often enriched with vitamins to prevent deficiencies like this one.

It's clear that brown rice is a better overall choice, but can you still eat white rice and be healthy? Of course! Even though white rice has been polished and processed, it still provides many of the health benefits that rice has to offer. Rice is mostly made of carbohydrates and is more calorie-dense than wheat. It provides a fifth of the world's calories, if you can believe it. It also contains about 5 grams of protein for every cup of cooked rice. This is great news for those of us trying to avoid gluten, one of the proteins in wheat. Want some more good news? Rice's protein is actually more digestible than wheat's, which means you can absorb more. Rice also contains something called "resistant starch," which stops your blood sugar from spiking (unlike white bread), keeps you fuller longer, nourishes healthy colon cells, and may help you maintain your weight.

So, don't take it from me, listen to the three billion people around the world who eat rice every day. And right now, the price of rice is only $500 per ton—that's only about 25 cents a pound! Come on; get it while it's hot!

Weekend Edition Hot off the Press #7: Health Benefits of Rice - Part 1

Rice plays a large part in the gluten free world. It’s versatile and can be made into a variety of different things. Being that rice is so important; we thought we should take a deeper look into what rice is and what health benefits it brings to the table. This weekend, you are in for a treat. We had a few of our writers write about this topic. This is part 1 and part 2 will be posted tomorrow morning.


It’s Not Just Rice
By: Justin C.

It’s rolled with seaweed and fish in Japan. It’s covered in spicy, yellow curry in India. It’s turned into a milky, cinnamon drink in Mexico. However it’s cooked, served and eaten (or drank), rice has been a staple in many of the greatest civilizations. And why wouldn’t it be? Rice has so many factors that keep our body health and moving.

There are more than 40,000 different varieties of rice, including jasmine, basmati and sushi rice. So each type may differ to some degree in how healthy it is in certain areas. You can divide rice into two categories: brown and white rice. White rice is basically brown rice that has gone through a husking process that, as a result, also removes some of its nutrients.

But despite the different types, one thing you can count on is that all rice is low in fat, low in sodium, cholesterol-free and a good source of the quick energy fuel, carbs.

Rice can be an awesome source of fiber. The American Dietetic Association recommends a minimum of 20-35 g/day. And if you’re like most Americans, you’re not getting enough of the stuff. Not even close! Most Americans get maybe half as much as they need. And that’s a shame since there are many benefits of fiber; it’s especially known to keep your bowels moving and healthy, as well as making you feel full faster. It also helps decrease risks of health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and cancers.

Think about incorporating some whole grains, such as brown rice in your diet. A cup of cooked brown rice has about 4 g of fiber (compared to 1 c of white rice which as 1 g of fiber).

You may even be surprised that the nutrients found in rice can help fight damages that occur in your body. Every day, you breathe in (and eat) pollutants and toxins, which does some damage to our bodies. But various antioxidants found in rice helps combat these and help our body stay in check. For example, the potassium in rice helps reduce toxins in our body, and B vitamins, specifically B1, regulate blood sugar.

Speaking of sugar, rice is a good source of it. In the past few years, carbohydrates (sugar) have had a bad rap. You may love it or you may hate it, but one thing is clear: you need it! More specifically, the carbohydrate, glucose, is needed for your brain to function. You can’t think or function without it!

Carbohydrates are used as a quick energy source. If you’re looking for something to eat before a run or a workout, rice can give you the energy you need. It’s not all about protein when you’re working out. Try some wrapped in a tortilla with some egg and cheese, which also incorporates some proteins and fats, which are needed for longer bouts of exercise. But that’s for another blog.

So who knew this seemingly simple food is as complex in providing so many numbers of attributes that help our bodies stay healthy and strong? And as many countries and civilizations have shown, it’s an amazingly versatile food that can be incorporated in countless dishes.

Come back tomorrow morning for part 2 of this Weekend Edition. 

Gluten Free Granola: Paleo People Cappuccino Crunch Granola - Product Review #59

Gluten Free Granola: Paleo People Cappuccino Crunch

PRODUCT NAME:                      Cappuccino Crunch All Natural Granola

BRAND:                                     Paleo People

COST:                                       $7.90 (2-pack)

SIZE:                                         5oz each

COST PER OZ:                          $0.79/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:        YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:         GFCO

ORGANIC:                                 NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:         N/A

VEGAN:                                     YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:           UNKNOWN

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:
Who thought eating like cavemen could be so enjoyable? Paleo People, formerly Paleo Women, did. Laura, the woman behind the product, set out to create a granola that would cater to her CrossFit community. Her goal was to create a product that was made with ingredients you would find in the cave dweller days because food back then was at their peak for health and performance. What she came up with was this all natural granola.

Today, we tested their Cappuccino Crunch flavor granola. First thing you will notice is the very attractive packaging that is resealable and of course if you’re familiar with gluten free foods, you will see that this granola is certified gluten free by GFCO. Made with almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, coffee beans, raisins, and dried cranberries among other things, this granola is one of the bests I’ve had. I was feeling a little sluggish this morning and this granola gave me that little pick me up that I needed.

Open up the package and you will be greeted with the fragrant aroma of fresh coffee. The clusters of granola vary in size, but grab a handful and pop it into your mouth and you will notice the nice blend of different textures. The chewiness of the dried fruit, the full bodied texture from the variety of nuts, and the crunch from the coffee beans all come together to create the perfect texture.

This granola is flavored with honey, cinnamon and the sweet flavor from the dried fruit and with 7g of sugar in each ¼ cup serving, it’s reasonable. The flavor is perfectly balanced and not overly sweet like you might find with other granolas that are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup and ridiculous amounts of sugar. If you look on the nutrition facts and are scared by the 12g of fat, just remember that the main ingredient in this granola are nuts, which are naturally high in fat, but don’t worry because it’s the good kind.

This granola is good for just about anyone, except for those of you with nut allergies. At about $3.95 per 5oz package, the cost isn’t much different than your traditional granola. Don’t forget to practice portion control either. Just because granola is supposed to be good for you, don’t overdo it. Serving size for this granola is ¼ cup.

Taste: Great slightly sweet flavor coupled with a mild coffee flavor. Whether you like coffee or not, you will probably like this granola. The texture is also very nice with a blend of textures from soft to crunchy.

Labeling: Attractive labeling that is very easy to read. This product is also Certified Gluten Free.

Packaging: Resealable packaging that is great for people on the go.

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 012811 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Sauces: Shiloh's All Natural Bearnaise - Product Review #58

Gluten Free Sauce: Shiloh's All Natural Bearnaise

PRODUCT NAME:                          Béarnaise Sauce

BRAND:                                         Shiloh’s All Natural

COST:                                           $7.40

SIZE:                                             11fl oz

COST PER OZ:                              $0.67/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:            YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             GFCO

ORGANIC:                                     NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             N/A

VEGAN:                                         NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:              UNKNOWN

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:
The other day, we got some arctic char (a mix between a trout and a salmon) to cook up for lunch. As the resident chef here at the studio, I was looking for something to flavor it with. I had thought about flavoring it with some gluten free teriyaki sauce, but then I remembered that I had gotten some Béarnaise sauce from the nice people at Shiloh’s All Natural sauces at the Fancy Food Show. Béarnaise sauce is a French sauce that kind of looks like tartar sauce, but is flavored with lemon juice, tarragon, and shallots.

It all started when Shiloh’s Steakhouse, owned by Fabrice and Geoffrey Ghanem, opened up in Los Angeles, California. With a successful restaurant up and running, demand for their sauces and marinades grew. That’s when they decided to team up with their executive chef Katsuji Tanabe to create sauces they can bottle up to sell. They’ve gone to great length to ensure that these sauces are of the highest quality. You might be pleased to see that the entire line of sauces is certified parve as well as certified gluten free by GFCO.

Arctic Char with Shiloh's Gluten Free Bearnaise Sauce

Let me say that I was blown away by this sauce; it was the perfect complement to the fish. I pan fried the fish and at the last minute spread the sauce over it so that the sauce would melt into the fish. It added a nice buttery taste to the fish with just the right amount of herbs. At 190 calories and 21g of fat per 2 tablespoons of sauce it is more on the indulgent side of things, but you don’t really need to add too much of this sauce to infuse the fish with flavor. I think I only used about half a table spoon on each of the fillets of fish. On the plus side, the sodium is relatively low for such a flavorful sauce at 125mg per 2 tablespoon servings. My suggestion is to hold off on adding salt when using this sauce because you probably won’t even need it.

Overall, we loved this sauce and can’t wait to try it on some chicken and steak. At $0.67/oz, it’s not a bad value either for such a delicious sauce. The fact that it is has a parve certification and is certified gluten free is just the cherry on top. If you are interested in purchasing some Shiloh’s delicious sauces, right around now they should be available at your local Whole Foods or you can always find them on their website at: www.shilohsauces.com.

Taste: Delicious sauce that is the perfect flavor addition to your favorite fish, but seeing how much we enjoyed it, I’m sure it’ll go great on chicken or steak as well.

Labeling: This sauce is certified gluten free and parve and it’s nice to see those certification seals on this bottle. The nutrition facts are a little difficult to read. Due to the size of the bottle, it is in paragraph form rather than the traditional nutrition facts table.

Packaging: A very attractive glass jar that you can probably find another use for.

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 012711 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Rice: Lotus Foods Organic Forbidden Rice - Product Review #57

Gluten Free Rice: Lotus Foods Organic Forbidden Rice

PRODUCT NAME:                      Bhutanese Red Rice

BRAND:                                     Lotus Foods

COST:                                       $4.49

SIZE:                                         15oz

COST PER OZ:                           $0.30/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:         NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:          N/A

ORGANIC:                                  YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:          QAI

VEGAN:                                      YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:            UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:            Bhutan

*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:
Lotus Foods has rice called Organic Forbidden Rice. I’m not quite sure what exactly makes it forbidden, but just because it’s called forbidden, I know I want to eat it. I was surprised to see that this forbidden rice is a black rice. Lotus Foods calls it a medium-size heirloom rice. If you remember from my review earlier this week, heirloom rice natural rice that is grown from indigenous seed stock that is often ancient and hasn’t been hybridized or genetically engineered.

Like the Bhutanese Red Rice from earlier this week, this Forbidden rice is also very good for you. Lotus Foods proudly boasts that this organic rice is high in anthocyanins, a class of flavanoid antioxidants, as well as iron. In fact, they have found a study that shows that a spoonful of black rice has as many antioxidants as a spoonful of fresh blueberries. When cooked, 10 spoonfuls have the same equivalent.

When we first opened up this bag of rice, the first thing I noticed is that it is extremely fragrant. The smell is very similar to dried tea leaves. This rice is also very easy to cook. The package advertises a cooking time of 30 minutes. We decided to go with the set it and forget it way of cooking using our handy rice cooker. We had a little bean curd left over and decided to toss that into the pot with this rice. The final product was a delicious rice and bean curd mix. This rice was also surprisingly soft. It was just as soft as the Bhutanese Red rice from earlier in the week. I’m not sure if it was the bean curd that we cooked this rice with, but we sensed a hint of sweetness and nuttiness to this rice that was very pleasant.

If you are looking for a high quality rice that tastes great, is good for you, and is “forbidden”, this is the rice for you. At $0.30/oz or $0.50/serving, it’s a reasonable price to pay for a Forbidden rice.

Taste: Great nutty flavor with a hint of sweetness, although the sweetness might be from the bean curd we cooked with this rice. This rice also has great texture, nice and soft, but firm enough to hold its shape.

Labeling: Similar packaging to the Bhutanese Red Rice we had earlier in the week, but this rice is certified organic, unlike the last. There is also a nice story about this rice on the back, sans the 1,000 year old glacier water.

Packaging: Air sealed plastic packaging. The amount contained in the package is good for about 5 big eaters.

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 012511 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Sauces: Premier Japan Teriyaki Sauce - Product Review #56

Gluten Free Sauce: Premier Japan Teriyaki Sauce

PRODUCT NAME:                         Gluten Free Teriyaki Sauce

BRAND:                                        Premier Japan

COST:                                           $4.69

SIZE:                                             8.5oz

COST PER OZ:                              $0.55/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:            NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             N/A

ORGANIC:                                     YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             QAI

VEGAN:                                         YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:               UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:               USA

*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 I asked Rody, who is the gluten intolerant one in our studio, what he missed most since finding out he was gluten intolerant, he mentioned teriyaki sauce. Most teriyaki sauces are made with regular soy sauce, which as you probably know, has gluten in it. While I was at the 2011 Fancy Food Show at the San Francisco Moscone Center last week, I was happy to see that someone had made gluten free teriyaki sauce. That someone is Premier Japan has made a gluten free version of soy sauce using gluten free tamari soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce. The brand might sound familiar because it is the same company that makes the wheat-free hoisin sauce I reviewed last week.

Teriyaki sauce is used a lot in Asian cooking, especially Japanese. It is used in stir fry, it is used to glaze when barbequing, and it is also used over barbecued meat and fish. Teriyaki sauce is traditionally sweet. Premier Japan’s version of the sauce is pretty good. It is sweet like your traditional teriyaki sauce, but there is a kick of tanginess and spiciness as well. I think the tanginess comes from the use of apple cider vinegar and the spiciness comes from the black pepper used in the sauce. It’s not your traditional sweet teriyaki sauce, but it is definitely a good one.

Like I said with the hoisin sauce from this brand, you are going to want to watch the amount you use. This sauce actually has more sodium than the hoisin sauce we reviewed last week. Each tablespoon of this sauce has 15 calories and 250mg of sodium. That’s 10% of your recommended daily sodium intake. Just think about…if you were to have 10 table spoons of this sauce, you’d have hit your sodium limit for the day.
We used this sauce to flavor our vegetable stir fry and it added just the right amount of flavor. A tip though, the sauce is pretty concentrated with flavor so add a little water when you cook with it. This will help you keep your portions under control. Overall, we think this sauce tastes pretty good despite the fact that it isn’t your traditional teriyaki sauce. If you’re looking for something that will add a little sweetness and kick, this is the sauce for you.

Taste: Good tangy taste with a hint of spiciness from the black pepper. It isn’t your traditional sweet teriyaki sauce, but with the addition of the tanginess and spiciness, it is still a great sauce.

Labeling: Identical labeling to the hoisin sauce we reviewed last week. This sauce is also wheat-free, gluten free, vegan, and organic.

Packaging: Regular twist top bottle filled with 8.5 fl. Oz of sauce.

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:      3.7

Reviewed 012511 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Rice: Lotus Foods Bhutanese Red Rice - Product Review #55

Gluten Free Rice: Lotus Foods Bhutanese Red Rice

PRODUCT NAME:                        Bhutanese Red Rice

BRAND:                                       Lotus Foods

COST:                                         $4.49

SIZE:                                           15oz

COST PER OZ:                            $0.30/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:          NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:           N/A

ORGANIC:                                   UNKNOWN

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:           N/A

VEGAN:                                      YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:            UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:            Bhutan

*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:
Rice is one of the most popular food items in the world. It is very versatile and can be made into a countless number of things including porridge, pilaf, risotto and even pudding to name a few. Not only is it versatile, but it is also gluten free. With something so popular, it was a matter of time before we finally reviewed a variety of this food marvel. And I think we picked a good one. Lotus Foods, out of El Cerrito, CA has a unique variety of rice that not only tastes good, but is also good for you. It’s called Bhutanese Red Rice.

Bhutanese Red Rice, grown in the Paro Valley of Bhutan, is heirloom rice that is specific to this region. If you were wondering what heirloom rice is, the Lotus Foods website states that it is a term used for plants that are grown from indigenous seed stock that are often ancient and have not been hybridized or genetically engineered. In other words, it is a natural. With over 45g of whole grain per serving, this rice is considered 100% whole grain which means it is good for you. Add to that the fact that this rice is irrigated with 1,000 year old glacier water rich in trace minerals and it is high in fiber and vitamins, this rice proves to be a great healthy rice.

The rice is easy to cook too. You can do it the traditional way on your stove top or you can do it the easy way like we did in a rice cooker. Just add water and in about 20 minutes you have delicious rice. At first, I was a bit apprehensive because the rice looked like it would be hard, but it was actually very nice and soft. It was not overly sticky either like many other short grain rice varieties tend to be. With it’s nice rich red color it also looks very pleasing to the palette. The rice we have had in the past have all been pretty bland with most of its flavor added with whatever sauce we decide to pour over it, but this rice was different. It actually had a nice nutty flavor to it.

If you are looking for a high quality rice that not only tastes great, but is also good for you, this is the rice you are looking for. At $0.30/oz, it isn’t the cheapest rice out there, but I wouldn’t say it’s unreasonable for the quality of product you get.

Taste: Great nutty flavor with great texture. It is soft, but not overly sticky like many white rice varieties.

Labeling: Very simple labeling that gives a lot of great information about the rice on the back. Who would have known that there is rice that is irrigated with 1,000 year old glacier water rich in trace minerals?

Packaging: Air sealed plastic packaging. The amount contained in the package is good for about 5 big eaters.

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 012411 by Calvin C.

Weekend Edition Hot Off The Press #6: 2011 Fancy Food Show

2011 Fancy Food Show Directory

Earlier this week, I attended the 2011 Fancy Food Show at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, which is the west coast’s largest specialty food and beverage event. The show, which is in its 36th year, is put on by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT). This year, over 1,300 exhibitors from 50 countries came out to show off about 80,000 specialty foods and beverages. The purpose of my visit was to see what kinds of gluten free products were available as well as talk to the companies and manufacturers about their thoughts on gluten free food. 

First things first, this show was huge. Vendors filled up the north and south halls of the Moscone center. The vendors ranged from large well known brands, to smaller mom and pop operations. I was surprised to see so many gluten free products, a lot more than I had expected. They were sometimes hard to find as I had to ask many of the representatives if their products were gluten free. I think that a sign signifying that they had gluten free products would have been helpful. Just about all of the vendors knew what gluten free products were so it is definitely on a lot of radars. Many of the vendors who didn’t have gluten free products said that they have been getting a lot of requests for them and that they have gluten free products in the works. This is definitely a step in the right direction for celiac and people with gluten free intolerance and see next year’s show being even bigger for the gluten free world. 

Vendors are coming out with very innovative ideas. One I liked in particular was the Gluten Free Falafel chips made by Famous Organics in Southern California. They had a great product that I think will be very successful in the gluten free market. I also saw a lot of sauce companies like Shiloh’s who have a whole line of gluten free sauces. Talking to some of these companies, I saw a genuine interest in the greater good. Like a particular salad dressing company who refused to put a gluten free label on their products even though they are gluten free. They want to ensure that they go through the right channels to ensure that their products don’t harm anyone. In fact this came up several times. It was very humbling to see that these companies actually care about the needs and health of their consumers. This also brought up a very good question of which gluten free certification company is the best and has the strictest testing. This is definitely something I will need to look into in the future. 

I learned a lot from the Fancy Food show and it also gave me a lot of great ideas on what to write on in the future. Combine that with the great companies who are putting work into producing a broader variety of gluten free food and it really shows me that things in the food world are changing. Companies are listening to the needs of the people and the people are becoming better informed and actually looking at what they are eating. With the conclusion of the 2011 Fancy Food Show, look forward to my reviews of the gluten free products I found at the show. 

~Calvin C.

Gluten Free Sauces: Premier Japan Wheat-Free Hoisin Sauce - Product Review #54

Gluten Free Sauces: Premier Japan Wheat-Free Hoisin Sauce

PRODUCT NAME:                       Wheat-Free Hoisin Sauce

BRAND:                                      Premier Japan

COST:                                        $4.69

SIZE:                                          8.5oz

COST PER OZ:                           $0.55/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:         NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:          N/A

ORGANIC:                                  YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:          QAI

VEGAN:                                      YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:           UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:            USA

*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:
Asian food is known for their sauces, but most of them use soy sauce as an ingredient. As we know, soy sauce contains gluten. So what alternatives are out there when you just can’t use regular sauces anymore? Premier Japan has the answer with their line of gluten free sauces. Today, we are reviewing Premier Japan’s Wheat-Free Hoisin Sauce. It is a sweet sauce that is often used in grilling and barbecuing. Many people also like to use it as a dipping sauce as you will often see in Vietnamese Pho restaurants.

So the big question is, how does it compare to regular hoisin sauce? Let me first make it clear that I tasted the sauce by itself and this review is based on the sauce alone. The first thing I noticed is that this sauce is really thin. The hoisin sauces that I am accustomed to are really dark and thick, much like a paste. This might actually be a good thing. With regular hoisin sauce, it is so thick that sometimes you end up with way too much sauce on your meat. With a thinner sauce like this, you end up getting just the right amount of sauce on there. The taste of this sauce is also tangier, probably because of the vinegar used in the sauce. It’s not to say that it is horrible, but it is definitely different than what I was expecting.

When using this sauce and many sauces like it, you have to remember to look at the nutrition facts and pay close attention to the serving size. For this sauce, the serving size is 1 tablespoon. That might not seem like a lot, but when you see that it contains 160mg of sodium for every serving size, you might want to think twice when you go in for that double dip. I know that the sauce makes everything taste better, but you don’t want to kill your daily sodium intake in one sitting.

Taste: Good tangy taste. Not exactly what I was expecting as a hoisin sauce, but good in it’s on right. The sauce is also a little thinner than regular hoisin sauce which is nicer because it sticks to your food better.

Labeling: Very nice and simple labeling. This sauce is wheat-free, gluten free, vegan, and organic. All of which are makings for a great sauce.

Packaging: Regular twist top bottle filled with 8.5 fl. Oz of sauce.

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:                3
OVERALL:          3.3

Reviewed 012111 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Bagels: Udi's Cinnamon Raisin Bagels - Product Review #53

Gluten Free Bagels: Udi's Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

PRODUCT NAME:                   Cinnamon Raisin Bagel

BRAND:                                 Udi’s Gluten Free Foods

COST:                                   $6.83

SIZE:                                     4 Bagels (14oz)

COST PER BAGEL:                $1.70

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:     YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:      GFCO

ORGANIC:                               NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

VEGAN:                                   NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:        YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:         COLORADO

*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:
Every time I search for gluten free bread, one name always comes up…Udi’s. Udi’s Gluten Free Foods out of Denver, CO has been making gluten free breads for several years out of the dedicated gluten free facility. It all started when a friend of Udi’s Certified Master Baker asked him if he could bake some gluten free bread. At that time, there were very few options of good-tasting gluten free bread. The rest is history. Udi’s Gluten Free Foods now has product in over 3500 stores in all U.S. states and in Canada. It’s with good reason too.

I got a hold of Udi’s Gluten Free Foods Cinnamon Raisin Bagels and decided to give them a try. Open up the bag and you will immediately get the sweet aroma of cinnamon and raisins. I prefer my bagels toasted so that is what I did with this one. I didn’t try it untoasted, but I will say, that this bagel tastes great toasted. The texture is not much different than regular bagels, but it is a little lighter. I would say this is an improvement over regular bagels. It’s not as tough to chew. Overall it had a nice slightly sweet flavor that I really enjoyed.

One thing that did scare me about these bagels is the nutrition facts. I compared the numbers with that of a regular cinnamon raisin bagel and the sodium count, calorie count and total fat were all on the high side at 450mg, 280 and 8g respectively. This just goes to show you that gluten free doesn’t always mean that it is automatically good for you. So if you do decide to eat this bagel, you might want to make sure you plan your remaining meals accordingly.

Taste: Great taste with a nice light texture. It is just a little lighter than a regular bagel, which I think is a good thing.

Labeling: Very simple labeling on these bagels. The fact that they are gluten free, dairy free, soy free and nut free are highlighted within circles right on the front of the package.

Packaging: You will find your normal bagel packaging here. It is the typical plastic bag with the bag tie ring to seal it up. If you decide to freeze these bagels, you might want to put them in a freezer safe resealable 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:            2
OVERALL:      4



Reviewed 012011 by CC

Gluten Free Cookies: Mary's Gone Crackers Double Chocolate Love Cookies - Product Review #52

Gluten Free Cookies: Mary's Gone Crackers Double Chocolate Cookies

PRODUCT NAME:                     Double Chocolate Love Cookies

BRAND:                                    Mary’s Gone Crackers

COST:                                      $4.75

SIZE:                                        12 cookies (5.5oz)

COST PER COOKIE:                 $0.40 ($0.86/oz)

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:       YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        GFCO

ORGANIC:                                YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        ICS-INTL

VEGAN:                                    YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:          YES

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:
While I was at the 2011 Fancy Food Show at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, I came across the Mary’s Gone Crackers booth. If you recall, they make delicious gluten free crackers made with a blend of seeds. I spoke with them briefly about their products and was informed that they actually make gluten free cookies as well. They call them Love Cookies.

Today, we decided to try the Double Chocolate Love Cookies. If I recall correctly, the representative said that Double Chocolate was one of the newer flavors. The packaging is very similar to their crackers with very nice graphics on the front. If you are familiar with the brand, you would be able to pick it find it on the shelves with no problem. Open up the box and you will find 2 separate packages with 6 cookies in each package. Although it is extra packaging, I liked this concept. The package is not resealable, so it’s a good way to ensure that at least half the cookies stay fresh.

The first thing I noticed about these cookies is that they look a lot like chocolate snickerdoodles. Pop one into your mouth and you will be greeted with a very nice chocolate flavor. This cookie is not overly sweet, which is one of my favorite things about it. It is a very dry cookie, but you have to remember that this cookie is dairy-free. The organic gluten free blend of brown rice flour, tapioca flour, potato flour, potato starch, and amaranth flour give this cookie a very unique texture that I haven’t had with any other cookie. Combine that with the chunks of chocolate in the cookie, and you have a very pleasant cookie.

Mary’s Gone Crackers have done a great job with this cookie. It tastes great, has good texture, and it’s not horrible for you. It is organic, kosher, non-gmo, gluten free, vegan, allergy friendly, uses low glycemic sweeteners, contains chia seeds, no hydrogenated oils and has no trans-fats. It’s like a health freak’s perfect cookie. At 130 calories and 100mg of sodium for 2 cookies, it’s not as bad as some other cookies, but as always, remember to watch what you are eating and practice portion control.

Taste: Great rich chocolate flavor that isn’t overly sweet combined with a nice dry, but chewy texture.

Labeling: Very attractive labeling similar to their other line of products.

Packaging: 2 sealed packages with the cookies split evenly in a recycled 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 011911 by CC

Gluten Free Crackers: Nicole's Divine Crackers "My Dreams Come True" - Product Review #51

Gluten Free Crackers: Nicole's Divine Crackers

PRODUCT NAME:                     My Dreams Come True

BRAND:                                    Nicole’s Divine Crackers

COST:                                      $4.99

SIZE:                                        5oz

COST PER OZ:                         $1.00/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:       NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        N/A

ORGANIC:                                Organic Grains

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        UNKNOWN

VEGAN:                                    YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:          UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:          Chicago, 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:
My Dreams Come True! It’s not just a saying. It’s actually the name of one of the varieties of gluten free crackers made by Nicole’s Divine Crackers. They make a line of gluten-free crackers with very catchy names. “My Dreams Come True” is the one that we tried and it is definitely an interesting combination of flavors that I would never have thought of…Cranberry Pepper. They also have “Tomato-Tomahto”, “Be Sure to Flax Me”, and “Dilly Dillingham”, all of which are very catchy.

Flavor is a big part of how we rate the products that pass through our tasting station. With a name like “My Dreams Come True” my expectations ran high especially with the unique combination of flavors of cranberry and pepper. Open up the bag and you’ll find it filled with 5 ounces of pita chip-like crackers. I popped a cracker in my mouth and began chewing. Were my eyes playing tricks on me? I saw what looked like pita chips so I expected a nice firm crunch. Although it was close, there was just something about it that was just different. I would describe it as firmer than your traditional cracker (think Ritz) and not as crispy as a pita chip. Something else was different too…the flavor. I’m not sure if it was the dried cranberries, but there was a hint of flavor I’m just not used to. We decided to try these with some blue cheese dip and they did a good job with scooping up the thick dip. It held its shape and because of its firmness, you can actually get a good amount of dip on there.

Overall, I thought these crackers were alright. They wouldn’t be my first choice of crackers, especially at $4.99 a box. But there are some advantages to these crackers. They are relatively healthy compared to a lot of other crackers at only 70 calories and 95mg of sodium per serving. So if you are looking for a healthy cracker to enjoy with your favorite dip, these are probably the crackers for you.

Taste: These crackers had a good firm texture and had a very unique flavor, probably from the cranberries.

Labeling: Nice labeling with very catchy names.

Packaging: Simple, yet attractive paperboard outer packaging. Inner packaging is sealed plastic. One thing to note is that the paperboard package is resealable, but the inner one isn’t.

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:           2
OVERALL:     3

Reviewed 011811 by CC