Gluten Free Soup: Kettle Cuisine Thai Curry Chicken Soup - Product Review #105

Gluten Free Soup: Kettle Cuisine Thai Curry Chicken Soup

PRODUCT NAME:                       Thai Curry Chicken Soup

BRAND:                                      Kettle Cuisine

COST:                                         $4.35

SIZE:                                          10oz                      

COST PER OZ:                           $0.44/oz                  

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:         YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:          GFCO

ORGANIC:                                  NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:          N/A

VEGAN:                                      NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:           NO

LOCATION OF FACILITY:           Chelsea, MA

SHELF LIFE:                               1 Year

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

         

REVIEW:

 Kettle Cuisine makes a whole line of gluten free soups.  We have tried a few of their soups in the past and liked them.  So a few weeks back when they sent us their newest soup, Thai Curry Chicken Soup, we were eager to try it.

Cooking the soup is simple.  You have 2 different methods to choose from; microwave or stovetop.  For the microwave method, just heat it up in the microwave for 3-4 minutes.  For the stovetop method, just pour the contents into a pot and heat until it’s hot.  The box directions don’t give a time estimate, but in our kitchen, it took about 7-8 minutes.  No matter which method you decide to go with, you will have a nice hot bowl of soup in under 10 minutes. 

The story behind the soups is that Jerry, owner of Kettle Cuisine, makes these gluten free soups for his daughter, Kate, who is on a strict gluten free diet.  His goal is was to make healthy gluten free soups that also tasted good.  To live up to this goal, Kettle Cuisine uses only high quality ingredients in their soups.  They use chickens that are on a vegetarian diet and are raised without antibiotics.  No artificial ingredients are used and it is minimally processed.   

Curry is a strong flavor and can be a tricky flavor to work with.  Kettle Cuisine decided to go with Thai curry which is a lighter and sweeter curry that we think appeals more to the general public.  Thai curry is usually made with coconut milk, which mellows out the strong curry flavor.  We loved the flavor of this soup.  It had a nice mellow curry flavor with just a hint of spice.  We had mixed opinions on the texture.  Some thought it was grainy and others thought it was perfect so it’s all up to preference.  If you’re familiar with Burmese food, the taste reminded me of Burmese Coconut Chicken Noodle Soup, but instead of noodles, there was brown rice in it. 

Nutrition Facts and Ingredients

Kettle Cuisine puts a lot of care into their soups.  All their soups are made without artificial ingredients, are minimally processed and the entire line is gluten free. This particular soup is gluten free and dairy free.  Although I like to think of this soup as completely healthy, it isn’t.  It contains 330 calories, 11 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 560 milligrams of sodium, 44 grams of carbs and 13 grams of protein.  While these numbers aren’t horrible, especially if you compare these nutritional values with those on canned soup, it isn’t the healthiest thing you can eat.  This soup does taste great though.  The key is to make sure you look at the nutritional values on the things you eat to make sure you are within your daily values.  So if you decide to have this soup for lunch and dinner, plan the rest of your day’s meals accordingly. 

Overall, we liked this soup a lot.  We had a unanimous thumbs up on flavor, but mixed feelings on texture.  If you like thick soups and the flavor of curry, this is the soup for you.  For more information about Kettle Cuisine’s soups, visit their website at: www.kettlecuisine.com       

Taste: This soup has great flavor.  The curry is very mellow, which we believe appeals to the average person’s palette.  The soup has mushrooms, chicken, brown rice, peppers, and bamboo shoots so it is a nice blend of different textures. 

Labeling:  The labeling on the package is great.  It is clean and easy to read and has a great picture of the soup. 

Packaging:  The soup comes in a microwavable bowl which is placed in paper 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:                 3             

Taste:                     5             

Value:                    3

OVERALL:              3.7

Reviewed 041211 by Calvin C.   

Gluten Free Chips: Medora Snacks Popcorners - Product Review #100

Gluten Free Chips: Medora Snacks Popcorners

PRODUCT NAME:                         Popcorners

BRAND:                                        Medora Snacks

COST:                                           $1.99    

SIZE:                                             5oz

COST PER OZ:                              $0.40/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:            NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             NA

ORGANIC:                                     NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             NA

VEGAN:                                         NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:               NO

LOCATION OF FACILITY:               Freeport, NY

SHELF LIFE:                                  1 Year

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

         

REVIEW:
Popcorn…one of the most popular movie time snacks.  I love popcorn just as much as the next person, but the skins of the kernels always seem to find their way to get stuck between my teeth.  Medora Snacks out of New York has the perfect answer to this dilemma with their Popcorners Popped Corn Chips.  The manufacturer sent us samples of these amazingly tasty chips that we just fell in love with.

The Popcorners come in 5 flavors: White Cheddar, Cheesy Jalapeno, Butter, Sea Salt and Kettle.  They are all delicious, but if I had to choose out of the flavors, White Cheddar is probably my favorite.  The chips resemble a tortilla chip.  They are triangular and have a slight curve to them that make it perfect for scooping up your favorite dip although they taste great on their own.  These taste exactly like popcorn and the flavoring on them just enhances the popcorn rather than overpowers it.  The overall flavor is very light.  As for the texture, it’s not quite popcorn-like, but it’s a very nice light texture.  Bite into it and it has a nice crunch, much like the texture of a very thin rice chip. 

These delicious snacks are fairly healthy too.  They are all natural and they are actually popped rather than fried.  Each 1oz serving contains 130 calories, 3 grams of fat, no cholesterol and 2 grams of protein.  Sodium differs from flavor to flavor.  Kettle has just 105mg, Cheesy Jalapeno has 115mg, White Cheddar has 120mg, Sea Salt has 170mg and butter has 280mg of sodium per serving. 

Medora Snacks has put a lot of care into their products.  Although the facility they make their products in is not a designated gluten free facility, they have an isolated gluten free area.  The gluten free products have their own segregated line to prevent cross contamination from occurring.  They also test their products regularly as an added precaution. 

Overall, we loved these chips a lot.  At just $1.99-$2.29 per bag, they’re a pretty good value too.  It’s a good thing too, because you will probably be buying a lot of these being as addictive as they are.  For more information or to find retail locations, visit the Popcorners website at: www.popcorners.com. 

Taste: These popped corn chips tasted great.  They have a light and crunchy texture and great flavor that isn’t overpowering.  Watch out though, because they are pretty addicting. 

Labeling:  The labeling on these chips is very simple and easy to read.  Each flavor has its own color associated to it so you can find it quickly on the shelf. 

Packaging:  Regular air filled chip bag

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

RATING:

Texture:                 5             

Taste:                     5             

Value:                    5

OVERALL:              5

Reviewed 4/1/11 by Calvin C.  

Gluten Free Pasta: Hodgson Mill Brown Rice Penne with Milled Flax Seeds - Product Review #98

Gluten Free Pasta: Hodgson Mill Brown Rice Penne

PRODUCT NAME:                       Penne with Milled Flax Seeds

BRAND:                                      Hodgson Mill

COST:                                         $3.39

SIZE:                                           8oz                        

COST PER OZ:                            $0.42/oz                          

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:          NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:           NA

ORGANIC:                                   NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:           NA

VEGAN:                                      YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:            YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:            USA

SHELF LIFE:                               30 Months

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

         

REVIEW:
We have tried many gluten free pastas here in our studio.  There have been white rice pastas, brown rice pastas and corn pastas, but we’ve never seen any made with flax seeds.  That’s exactly what makes Hodgson Mill’s Brown Rice Penne pasta so special.  Not only is it made with brown rice, but it is also made with Golden Milled Flax Seeds.  Hodgson mill sent a few packs of this pasta to us the other week and when we received them, we were really excited to try it out. 

Cooking this pasta up is as easy as any other pasta.  Just boil it in for 4-6 minutes and it’s ready to be tossed with your favorite pasta sauce.  Although I served I didn’t follow their serving suggestion, Hodgson Mill has included a Greek Pasta Salad recipe on the back of the box.  We decided do something a little uncommon with this pasta.  We decided to toss it with some roast duck.  The flavor of the duck is really strong and there is tons of oil that comes out of the duck that is perfect for coating pasta like this.  It was delicious.  The pasta had a good texture.  It was a soft, but just a tad grainy.  I’m not sure if this was caused by the brown rice or the milled flax seed, but it wasn’t very noticeable.  The flavor of the pasta was also pretty good, although the duck sauce might have some part in that. 

Nutrition Facts and Ingredients

As far as pastas go, this one was pretty healthy too with just 209 calories, 1 gram of fat, no cholesterol and no sodium.  The flax seed in this pasta make it a great source for omega 3 oils, which you might know helps lower cholesterol and boosts immunity among many other benefits.  Hodgson Mill is dedicated to doing something special for all of their customers, as their box says.  They put a lot of care in their products.  Not only is this pasta produced in a strictly maintained gluten free facility, but they also test each batch using the ELISA Gluten Assay test to ensure that you are truly getting a gluten free product. 

Overall, we liked this pasta a lot.  It’s gluten free, it’s kosher, it’s produced in a gluten free facility and it has a lot of health benefits.  What’s not to like about it.  For more Hodgson Mill products or for a list of retail locations, visit their website at: www.hodgsonmill.com.  

Taste: This pasta was good.  It had good flavor and other than being just a little grainy, it had great texture as well. 

Labeling: The labeling on this package was very clean and simple.   

Packaging:  Pasta packaged 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:                  4             

Taste:                      5             

Value:                     3

OVERALL:               4

Reviewed 3/25/11 by Calvin C. 

Gluten Free Cookies: WOW Oregon Oatmeal Cookie - Product Review #90

Gluten Free Cookies: WOW Oregon Oatmeal Cookie

PRODUCT NAME:                         Oregon Oatmeal Cookie

BRAND:                                        WOW Baking Company

COST:                                           $3.89

SIZE:                                            13 cookies / 8oz

COST PER OZ:                             $0.30/cookie $0.49/oz        

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:           YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:            GFCO

ORGANIC:                                    NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:            N/A

VEGAN:                                        NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:             UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:             Washington

*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:
After trying WOW Baking Company’s chocolate chip cookie and seeing how much we liked those, we decided to give their Oregon Oatmeal a try as well.  I’m not quite sure what Oregon Oatmeal is, but my best guess is that it is WOW Bakery Company’s own creation.  The packaging states that this cookie is “A new “TWIST” on an old favorite.”  By adding bits of cranberries and apricots they have improved a classic, and boy did they do a good job. 

Bite into this cookie and you’re truly in for a treat.  The cookie is soft and textured like your traditional oatmeal cookie.  The thing that surprised me was that this cookie was actually chewy.  Gluten is usually what makes a cookie chewy; the more gluten in it, the chewier it is.  WOW has obviously figured this out and has added chewy dried fruit to the mixture to make up for it.  You end up with a great tasting cookie with the perfect blend of textures.  I can honestly say that if I didn’t know prior to tasting it that it was gluten free, I would never have guessed it. 

Nutrition Facts and Ingredients

This cookie is all about balance.  As we talked about, the texture of the flakey gluten free cookie is balanced with the chewiness of dried fruit, but that’s not the only role the dried fruit is playing in this cookie.  The dried cranberries and apricots also play a big role in the flavor balance of the cookie.   Let’s face it, an oatmeal cookie on its own is pretty boring.  It has great texture and has some flavor, but in the end it is just an oatmeal cookie.  The addition of dried fruit to an oatmeal cookie is what makes it stand out.  WOW did their homework when selecting sweet dried apricots and tart dried cranberries.  The two balance each other very well and we all get to enjoy a great tasting oatmeal cookie that WOW has dubbed Oregon Oatmeal. 

After tasting this Oregon Oatmeal Cookie and their Chocolate Chip Cookie, we are becoming big fans of WOW Baking Company.  For a full list of retail locations or more information regarding this cookie, visit WOW’s website at: www.wowbaking.com.

Taste: This oatmeal cookie is the perfect balance of textures and the perfect blend of flavors.  It is a soft chewy cookie that is perfectly flavored with tart dried cranberries and sweet dried apricots.    

Labeling:  The labeling on this package is much like their packaging for their chocolate chip cookies.  The graphics are simple and clean.  One thing that I noticed about these cookies is that the “enjoy by” box is empty.  I’m not sure if it was missed or if you are supposed to fill it in yourself, but I think that is something the manufacturer should specify.      

Packaging:  WOW say that you should eat these cookies within 2 weeks if left out, but if frozen, they can last up to 12 months.  To make this possible, they have packaged their cookies in a freezer safe package. 

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 031611 by Calvin C. 

Gluten Free Cookies: WOW Chocolate Chip Cookies - Product Review #89

Gluten Free Cookie: WOW Chocolate Chip Cookie

PRODUCT NAME:                          Chocolate Chip Cookie

BRAND:                                         WOW Baking Company

COST:                                           $3.89

SIZE:                                             13 cookies / 8oz

COST PER OZ:                              $0.30/cookie $0.49/oz          

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:            YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             GFCO

ORGANIC:                                     NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             N/A

VEGAN:                                         NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:              UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:              Washington

*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:
Take one bite of these chocolate chip cookies and it just might have you saying “WOW.”  That might be one reason their name is WOW.  The other is that it stands for “With-Out Wheat.”  WOW Banking Company out of Washington makes a line of Certified Gluten Free cookies and brownies that are made in small batches with premium all natural ingredients.  What you end up with is a delicious product like their Chocolate Chip cookie that we are reviewing today. 

If you’ve eaten gluten free cookies before, you would know that a lot of them taste very different.  It might be the texture or the flavor, but something usually tastes a little different.  I’m happy to say that WOW has done a great job with making it taste like a traditional cookie.  Made with a gluten free flour blend of brown rice, sweet rice and tapioca, you probably won’t even notice that these cookies are gluten free.  Flavor wise, they are great too; slightly sweet with bits of real chocolate chips like a cookie should be.  This cookie is best described as a hybrid between a short bread cookie and a crunchy chocolate chip cookie.  It has a slight crunch but is also slightly soft and flakey because of the lack of gluten in the dough.  Overall it is a nice match up of textures.   

Nutrition Facts and Ingredients

WOW Baking Company has done their homework.  They’re goal was to make great tasting gluten free cookies that are so good, it redefines the way you think of a gluten free cookie.  Although the nutrition facts are no better than your traditional chocolate chip cookie, what you have to remember is that WOW uses only high quality ingredients in this cookie.  The big one is going to be the fact that WOW uses organic cane juice, organic cane sugar and real vanilla to flavor the cookie rather than refined sugars and artificial flavors.  This gluten free cookie is one you would be happy to serve to your family and friends. 

Overall, we thought this cookie was great and it is definitely something we would buy again.  For a full list of retail locations or more information regarding this cookie, visit WOW’s website at: www.wowbaking.com.

Taste: The taste of this cookie is just like your traditional chocolate chip cookie as a slightly sweet cookie with bits of chocolate chips scattered throughout.  The texture is a combination of soft and crunchy.  The outer layer is crunchy, but once you bite into it, you will be greeted with a nice softness similar to a shortbread cookie. 

Labeling:  With a name like WOW (With-Out Gluten) it is no secret that this cookie is gluten free.  The graphics on the package is also very simple and clean.  You won’t find any distracting characters or graphics on this box.  It is also nice that they list important information like the fact that this cookie contains milk and eggs and may contain traces of nuts.   

Packaging:  Wow has done their research and knows that you might want to save these cookies to enjoy later.  They say that you should eat it within 2 weeks if left out but it can last up to 12 months in the freezer.  To make this possible, they have packaged their cookies in a freezer safe package. 

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:                    4

OVERALL:              4

Reviewed 031511 by Calvin C. 

Gluten Free Snacks: Mareblu Naturals Crunch Bags - Product Review #84

Gluten Free Snacks: Mareblu Naturals Crunch Bags

PRODUCT NAME:                         Crunch Bags

BRAND:                                        Mareblu Naturals

COST:                                           $2.79

SIZE:                                             3oz                        

COST PER OZ:                              $0.93                                                    

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:
 When Mareblu Naturals was developing their product line, aside from tasting good, there were 3 goals in mind.  They wanted everything locally grown and packaged, natural and healthy.  It looks like they succeeded with their Trail Mix Crunch.  Mareblu Naturals Crunch Bags comes in several varieties including almond, blueberry pomegranate, pistachio trail mix, and cashew among several others.  They are all natural, 100% vegan, Kosher, cholesterol free, dairy free, contain no preservatives and of course are certified gluten free.  With a long list of attributes like that, you have strong makings for a healthy snack.

Mareblu Naturals has a very nice variety of these Crunch Bags.  We had the Blueberry Pomegranate Trail Mix Crunch, Pistachio Trail Mix Crunch, Cashew Crunch and Almond Crunch varieties.  The one that appeals to you will all depend on what you like.  I’m a fan of almonds pistachios, and cashews so all of them appealed to me.  They all had a slightly sweet slightly salty flavor that was perfect.  The only complaint we had was that some of the pieces were saltier than others. 

The one that stood out the most was the Blueberry Pomegranate Trail Mix Crunch.  It contained cashews, almonds, pistachios, blueberries and was sweetened with a little pomegranate juice.  Mareblu Naturals says that it is their most popular flavor and with good reason.  The different nuts give it the perfect blend of crunchiness while the blueberry adds a pleasant chewiness.  The flavor is great too.  The blueberries add a lot of sweetness to the flavor and what you end up with is a flavor that reminds me of one of my favorite childhood cereals, Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries.

Mareblu Naturals have done a great job with this snack.     It is has a vegan certification, pareve certification and a gluten free certification.  If you are allergic to peanuts, rest assured because these snacks are peanut free and are produced in a facility that is peanut free.  All of these have about 150 calories, 11-12 grams of fat, 45-50 milligrams of sodium and 5 grams of sugar.  These numbers look pretty good and are definitely a healthier option that many of the other snacks out there.  Only thing to watch out for are people with sensitive teeth might want to pay attention when they are chewing as this will get stuck between your teeth. 

Taste: These crunch bags tasted great.  They had a nice balance of sweet and salty and a great blend of textures.   

Labeling:  The labeling on the packages was very easy to read.  The Blueberry Pomegranate Trail Mix 

Crunch had a join our E-club offer in place of the certification seals.  While I know joining their e-club is important, I think the certifications are more important.  They also do not say whether or not their facility is gluten free or not.    

Packaging:  Resealable plastic package which makes it convenient to eat on the go and in separate sittings.  

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:

Taste:                     4

Texture:                 4                             

Value:                    4

OVERALL:              4

Reviewed 3/8/11 by Calvin C.

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

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

 PRODUCT NAME:                   Sweet Potato Twice-Baked Potato Stix

BRAND:                                  Jaxn’s

COST:                                    $17.95/6pack

SIZE:                                       5oz/pack

COST PER OZ:                        $0.60/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:      NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

ORGANIC:                               NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

VEGAN:                                   NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:        UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:        Georgia

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

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

Nutrition Facts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviewed 022811 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Sauce: Spicy Nothings Classic Curry Simmer Sauce - Product Review #76

Gluten Free Sauce: Spicy Nothings Classic Curry Simmer Sauce

PRODUCT NAME:                   Classic Curry Simmer Sauce

BRAND:                                  Spicy Nothings

COST:                                    $6.50

SIZE:                                       12oz

COST PER OZ:                        $0.54/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:      NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

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:
Imagine coming home from a long day at work, exhausted and hungry. One of those frozen things just isn’t enough and you want something home cooked for dinner, but just don’t want to spend hours making it. The people over at Spicy Nothings have created just the thing for you. Imagine a home cooked curry dinner in about 30 minutes. It’s possible with Spicy Nothings’ line of curry sauces. They come in 5 varieties including: Lentil Curry, Coconut Curry, Spicy & Tangy Curry, Spinach and Cream Curry, and of course Classic Curry. These sauces are all gluten free, all natural, vegan and delicious.

Who knew cooking a delicious curry dish could be so easy. All you need to do is sauté up some meat and/or vegetables, add in the Spicy Nothings Curry Sauce and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve your creation with some rice or bread and you’re set…a delicious meal in under 30 minutes.

Inspired by India and made in USA is one of Spicy Nothings’ mottos and they’ve done their homework too. They have all the spice and flavor you would expect from an Indian curry, but without all the heat. The Classic Curry sauce is labeled medium. Coming from a family where curry makes an appearance on the dinner table at least a few times a week, I thought this sauce was great. A tip when using this sauce, you will not need to season your meat or vegetables when you use this sauce. It has tons of flavor on its own and is actually just a tad salty on its own. When mixed with rice, you get a very nice balance of flavor. Another thing I liked about this sauce was that it wasn’t grainy like many other curry sauces. It has a nice smooth yet chunky texture which is perfect.

Overall, we thought this sauce was great. We had it with chicken and we had it with eggplant and it worked well both times. Cooking in under 30 minutes was a plus in our busy work day. It doesn’t take much of this sauce to add some flavor into your meal so split it into 2 cooking sessions. Just remember to refrigerate. At $6.50 per 12oz bottle, it’s quite expensive, but if you figure in the time you will save, it makes it makes a little more sense.

Taste: This sauce packs a great authentic curry flavor with just the right amount of heat. It tastes the best when it is served over rice.

Labeling: The labeling on this sauce is very simple and easy to read. It is all natural, gluten free and vegan.

Packaging: The packaging is your usual glass bottle. It’s the perfect size to reuse for some curry powder after you finish off delicious sauce in it.

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:            2
OVERALL:      3.7

Reviewed 022211 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Pasta Sauce: Lucini Italia Tuscan Marinara with Roasted Garlic - Product Review #74

Gluten Free Pasta Sauce: Lucini Italia Tuscan Marinara

PRODUCT NAME:                   Tuscan Marinara with Roasted Garlic

BRAND:                                  Lucini Italia

COST:                                     $23.94 (6-pack)

SIZE:                                       13.5oz each pack

COST PER OZ:                        $0.30/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:      NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

ORGANIC:                               NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

VEGAN:                                  YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:        YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:        Canada

*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:

Lucini Italia is all about creating authentic handcrafted food using only high quality ingredients. All of their products are prepared in small batches which ensures that the quality of all their products is up to their standards. The other day, we had the opportunity to try their Tuscan Marinara with Roasted Garlic. It is 100% natural, has no added sugars, and is vegan and gluten free, which are all great characteristics for a pasta sauce.

Preparation of this sauce is very easy. The directions give you the choice of microwave preparation or stove preparation. The packaging is microwave safe so if you choose the microwave preparation, all you need to do is vent the package and throw it in the microwave for 90 minutes. We chose to prepare this sauce on the stove so we heated it in a saucepan on low heat for about 10-15 minutes.

We served this sauce over some rice and corn pasta. The consistency of the sauce was just perfect. It was just thick enough to evenly coat all of the pasta. The sauce pouch contained 3 servings in it while our pasta contained 4, so the ratio of sauce to pasta was a little low. If you prefer a higher sauce to pasta ratio, I would recommend paying attention to the serving sizes of the sauce and pasta and plan accordingly. This pasta sauce is also available in a larger jar if you plan on making larger batches. The taste of the sauce was good. The sauce itself was very simple. Diced tomatoes, tomato puree, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, sea salt, roasted garlic, and herbs and spices come together and make a very flavorful sauce. You can really taste the sweetness of the tomatoes and garlic.

With all the high quality ingredients used in this sauce, does that mean it’s healthier too? We took a look at the nutrition facts and compared them to the nutrition facts of a leading brand pasta sauce and found that the Lucini sauce was marginally better. The Lucini sauce had less calories, sodium and sugar. While these numbers weren’t substantially lower, they do impact your daily values less. Combine that with their use of all natural ingredients and nice healthier alternative.

Overall, we liked this sauce a lot. The only thing that concerned us was the higher price tag, but that is due to the fact that it is handcrafted in small batches and is made with high quality ingredients. If these are things you look for in a pasta sauce, this is the one for you.

Nutrition Facts

Taste: The sauce had a nice sweet flavor from the tomatoes and roasted garlic and the consistency was just right. Everything was pureed together so it had a nice thick consistency that helped it stick to the pasta.

Labeling: The labeling on this package was nice. The sauce is gluten free, vegan and holds a Med Mark label, which stands for Mediterranean Mark. According to the Lucini Italia website, “The Mediterranean Mark is a symbol found on authorized food products verifying the product contains no added trans fats in any amount, no more than 8% of total calories from saturated fat, no more than 480 mg of sodium (side items and snacks) or 600 mg (meal-type foods), and no more than 4g of added sugar to support a healthy, balanced Mediterranean-style diet.”

Packaging: Very clever packaging. I have never seen pasta packaged in a microwave safe pouch. It is great for people who are on a time constraint because all you need to do to make this pasta sauce is to toss it in the microwave for 90 seconds.

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:            2
OVERALL:      3.7

Reviewed 2/18/11 by CC

Gluten Free Soup: Kettle Cuisine Southwestern Chicken and Corn Chowder - Product Review #70

Kettle Cuisine Southwestern Chicken and Corn Chowder

PRODUCT NAME:                    Southwestern Chicken and Corn Chowder

BRAND:                                   Kettle Cuisine

COST:                                     $4.35

SIZE:                                       10oz

COST PER OZ:                        $0.44/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:      YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       GFCO

ORGANIC:                               NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

VEGAN:                                   NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:        NO

LOCATION OF FACILITY:        Chelsea, MA

*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:
Southwestern Chicken and Corn Chowder… just saying that puts me in a festive mood. This chowder is just one of many in Kettle Cuisine’s line of gluten free soups. If you were wondering what the difference between a soup and a chowder is… it’s the thickness of it. Soups are usually just broth based, whereas chowders are thickened with cream. So if you’re allergic to dairy, you might want to stick to soups. This chowder is great. It’s all natural, contains no preservatives, no artificial colors, no MSG, no artificial flavorings, not to mention it’s certified gluten free. What more can you ask for?

Cooking this soup up is a breeze. You have 2 options, microwave or stovetop. The lack of a microwave in our studio forced us to the stovetop option, but it was still easy. Just release the frozen contents of the bowl into a pot and turn the heat to medium. I decided to add about a half cup of water just to speed it up a little. Make sure you watch it closely and stir it so it doesn’t burn. Chowder is thicker and contains cream, which tends to burn easily if you let it sit too long.

This Southwester Chicken with Corn Chowder was delicious. Kettle Cuisine uses high quality ingredients in their products. Take for example the fresh green and red peppers and the tender grilled chicken in this chowder that is raised without antibiotics on a vegetarian diet. Add to that the corn and the long list of spices and you have a fiesta in a bowl.

Although this soup tastes great, it isn’t the healthiest thing in the world. It contains 230 calories, 10 g of fat, 50 mg of cholesterol, and 620 mg of sodium. These numbers are all a little high, but I decided to compare it to the nutrition facts of a similar regular Southwester Chicken and Corn Chowder. The nutrition facts seem to be about the same. The kettle cuisine version has double the cholesterol, but 140mg less sodium. Point of this is to make sure you are aware of what you are eating and how much it impacts your recommended daily values.

Overall, this chowder tastes great, but as much as we love things that taste great, not all of them are great for us. When eating this, make sure you watch what you eat for the rest of the day.

Taste: Great tasting chowder that is nice and thick like it is supposed to be. The pieces of chicken were much larger than I had expected and was really tender.

Labeling: The labeling on this product is similar to the labeling on the Chicken Soup with Rice Noodles we reviewed yesterday. All of the important information about the soup right on the front. One thing that I didn’t mention on yesterday’s review was the nice picture on the front. I don’t think our bowl looked as good, but it sure tasted good.

Packaging: Usual packaging. It comes in a microwave safe container so it can go right from your freezer to your microwave, to your stomach.

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

Reviewed 021011 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Soup: Kettle Cuisine Chicken Soup With Rice Noodles - Product Review #69

Gluten Free Soup: Kettle Cuisine Chicken Soup With Rice Noodles

PRODUCT NAME:                   Chicken Soup with Rice Noodles

BRAND:                                  Kettle Cuisine

COST:                                    $4.35

SIZE:                                      10oz

COST PER OZ:                       $0.44/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:     YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:      GFCO

ORGANIC:                              NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:      N/A

VEGAN:                                 NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:       NO

LOCATION OF FACILITY:      Chelsea, MA

*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:
Chicken noodle soup is often considered a comfort food. Not so much for people with Celiac and gluten intolerance because of the noodles in there. Jerry of Kettle Cuisine took it upon himself to restore the comfort food title for everyone with his gluten free Chicken Soup with Rice Noodles. After learning that his daughter had to go on a gluten free diet, he decided to create a whole line of great tasting gluten free soups.

The soup comes in individual 10oz servings that are frozen. All you need to do is microwave or heat it a pot on your stovetop and it’s ready to serve. With 140 calories, 3g of fat, and 14g of protein per serving I would consider it pretty healthy. The one thing that you should pay close attention to is the 540mg of sodium in this soup. While it is only a fraction of the sodium in regular canned chicken noodle soups, it does not mean you should over look it. Originally, the recommended daily sodium intake was 2400mg. Last month, the American Heart Association announced a new daily guideline of 1400mg. It’s just something to keep in mind. When eating prepackaged soups like this.

When we cooked this soup up, we opted for the stovetop option because we don’t have a microwave here. It was very easy, just put the frozen contents of the bowl in a pot and heat on medium. Make sure you keep an eye on it and stir it frequently to keep the chicken from sticking to the bottom.

Jerry did a great job with soup with this chicken noodle soup made with chicken stock, chicken meat, rice noodles, carrots, celery, onions, chicken fat, sea salt, and spices. I think the fact that this soup comes frozen rather than canned has helped a lot with how fresh this soup tastes. The chicken and the vegetables are all tender and don’t taste artificial like you would find in a canned soup. You might be happy to hear that the chicken used in this soup is raised without antibiotics and on a vegetarian diet. They also do not add any preservatives, artificial colors, MSG or artificial flavorings.

Overall it tasted great. The saltiness of the soup was balanced by the sweetness of the vegetables. It can be best described as tasting like a vegetable soup with chicken in it rather than a chicken soup with vegetables in it. The main difference being it is not nearly as salty as one of those canned soup deals. We did find that the soup was a still a little salty for our taste. Here’s a tip, if you find the soup a little too salty, just add some water to it to dilute it.

If you’re looking for a healthier chicken noodle soup, this is the soup for you. It has made this comfort food staple accessible to everyone including celiacs and the gluten intolerant.

Taste: Great tasting soup with real chicken and vegetables that actually taste like vegetables.

Labeling: Very nice labeling with all of the important information about the soup right on the front. All natural…check. Gluten free…check. No artificial ingredients…check. The list goes on and on.

Packaging: Usual packaging. It comes in a microwave safe container so it can go right from your freezer to your microwave, to your stomach.

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

Reviewed 021011 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Pizza: Conte's Mushroom Florentine Pizza - Product Review #63

Gluten Free Pizza: Conte's Mushroom Florentine Pizza

PRODUCT NAME:                      Mushroom Florentine Pizza

BRAND:                                     Conte’s

COST:                                        $9.50

SIZE:                                          16oz

COST PER OZ:                           $0.59/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:         NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:          N/A

ORGANIC:                                  NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:          N/A

VEGAN:                                      NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:           UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:           New Jersey

*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:
Rolled out dough blanketed with tomato sauce, cheese and other delicious toppings; it can only be one thing…PIZZA! Pizza is a favorite among many. Have a guy night out, what do you get?...Pizza and wings. For celiacs and the gluten intolerant, it’s tough because a good gluten free pizza is a rare find. We were delighted when Conte’s out of Vineland, NJ decided to send us a few of their products to try, which included their gluten free pizza. Their pizza is gluten free and all natural.

We decided to try their Mushroom Florentine Pizza with Roasted Garlic and Olive oil. Pick up the box and look at the front, and you will see a beautiful pizza that looks crispy with gobs of melty cheese over it. Just looking at the picture makes you hungry. We couldn’t wait to try this pizza out. The directions on the box said to bake it at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Because we don’t have a formal kitchen, we did the cooking in a small toaster oven. Actual cooking time for us was about 15 minutes. I’m not sure if it was because of the moisture from the toppings, but the outer crust was crispier than the middle of the crust. Maybe if we left it in for just a little longer, but by then, the toppings would’ve burned.

We were busy here at the office today and didn’t get to lunch right away so we ended up leaving the pizza to sit for a while. By the time we got to it, the pizza was lukewarm. We were surprised to find that this pizza was still good. It had tons of flavor and the crust actually had a nice texture. This pizza would be best classified as a thin crust pizza, which I think helps with its texture. The thin crust made it easier to make to a nice golden brown crisp. We also liked the toppings. Many of the frozen pizza have toppings that for some reason taste artificial, probably from the flash freezing. The toppings on this pizza actually tasted how they were suppose to taste with no weird flavors or aftertaste. Conte’s did a fine job with this pizza.

Looking at the nutrition fact on the back, the recommended serving size is a quarter of the pizza. With 240 calories, 10 grams of fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol and 610mg of sodium, these nutrition facts seem to be marginally better than similar frozen pizzas that are not gluten free. When eating products like this, you have to remember to take into account the daily values for each category. Remember to have everything in moderation to follow the recommended daily values.

Overall this pizza was great. A gluten free pizza that not only tastes great, but also has great texture? A few years ago, people probably wouldn’t have believed us, but Conte’s has done right and made a product that they should be proud of. If we’re going by taste alone, this pizza easily gets a perfect. One tip though is to make sure you practice portion control and pay attention to the nutrition facts so you know exactly how much you are eating. If you’re interested in this pizza, contact Conte’s to find a retail location near you or go to their website: www.contespasta.com for a list of retail locations by state.

Taste: Tons of flavor packed in cheesy goodness over a crispy crust. What more can you ask for in a pizza?

Labeling: The picture on the front is an attention grabber. Take a look at it and it will have your mouth watering. While what you end up will probably not look as good as the picture, it is close.

Packaging: Your typical frozen pizza packaging. You will find a vacuum sealed frozen pizza in a cardboard 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:            2
OVERALL:      4

Reviewed 020311 by Calvin C.