Gluten Free Rice Cakes: Lundberg Tamari with Seaweed Rice Cakes

PRODUCT NAME:                  Tamari with Seaweed Organic rice cakes

COMPANY NAME:                  Lundberg

COST:                                    $3.49

SIZE:                                      8.5 oz

COST PER OZ:                       $0.41                            

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:     YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:      Unknown

ORGANIC:                              YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:      USDA organic

VEGAN:                                  YES                            

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:       YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:       Richvale, CA  

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:

Taste: 

Lundberg rice cakes have come to be a staple in my life.  Originally I discovered them when I was sick. My stomach had turned to a churning mess, and almost every food item that I could possibly conceive of made me feel terrible to recall. I needed sustenance and I needed it bland. I tapped all my resources and after thinking long and hard they all came to one conclusion: rice cakes.

I hobbled over to my local health food store and grabbed a (surprisingly dense!) bag of tamari and seaweed flavored brown rice treats. Paired with a hearty vegetable soup I popped them in my mouth, one by one. It seemed no coincidence that the grumble in my gut calmed exponentially and that my taste buds suddenly seemed to smile.

Stereotypes had taught me that rice cakes were gross little hockey pucks, nothing to get excited about. Lundberg seems to have single handedly changed all that. I mentioned before that my rice cakes were surprisingly hefty in weight and there is a reason for this. Lundberg’s website reveals that they imbue each tasty little cake with about double the amount of rice that one might find in your average rice cake. The result is a crunchy and airy denseness that does much more to satisfy a craving for something substantial.

I have a past obsession with tortilla chips and although in my current life I eschew the deep fried I do sorely miss the pizzazz of a crunchy treat. Lundberg rice cakes are baked, which works in delivering that crunch I so sorely miss. While baked chips will simply never do it for me (blech!), these rice cakes tap into a snack-y goodness I thought I had long left behind.

On to the flavor; I mentioned that I was searching for a bland treat, but I simply couldn’t resist the call of tamari and seaweed. Since going gluten free I have truly missed soy sauce’s salty tang and anything with tamari (the gluten free equivalent) peaks my interest. Each cake is gently kissed with the deep rich flavor of tamari and sprinkled with seaweed. The even and careful hand of seasoning provides a bit of nuance without overpowering the earthy flavor of the brown rice. While seaweed and tamari both have the potential to dominate, Lundberg’s careful application is perfect for subtly adding a little something special to each bite.

Calorically, rice cakes are a dieters dream. At sixty calories a piece they are not necessarily as low-cal as one would guess but despite this fact, the density and volume of them fills a belly up at about three maximum, so it becomes nearly impossible to over eat. While I could shove deep fried and heavily caloric chips into my mouth all the live long day, Lundberg’s rice cakes satisfy much more quickly.

Labeling:

Labeling of this product was clear and concise. It included all the nutrition facts, some benefits of brown rice, and a little company history for a consumer to sink their teeth into.

Packaging:

Lundberg rice cakes are wrapped in plastic and then put in a plastic bag. Although it is not the most environmentally sound way to wrap these treats, it seems appropriate for the freshness of the product.

Reader’s Reviews:

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

RATING:

Texture:         5

Taste:             4

Value:            4

OVERALL:      4.3

Reviewed  by Lacy D.

Gluten Free Chips: Late July Multigrain Snack Chips - Product Review #108

Gluten Free Chips: Late July Multigrain Snack Chips

PRODUCT NAME:                         Multigrain Snack Chips

BRAND:                                        Late July

COST:                                           $3.39

SIZE:                                             6oz        

COST PER OZ:                              $0.57/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:           YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:            GFCO

ORGANIC:                                    YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:            QAI

VEGAN:                                        YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:              UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:              USA

SHELF LIFE:                                  6 Months

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

         

REVIEW:

On a recent trip to the supermarket, we ran across Late July Organic Snacks’ multigrain snack chip in a flavor called Sea Salt by the Seashore.  Seeing that it was certified gluten free, we knew that we had to try it.  Digging around on their website, we found out that these chips are organic, certified gluten free, 100% whole grains, has 280mgs of omega-3s, contains no GMOs, no trans fats, and no artificial colors or preservatives.  On top of that they donate 10% of their profits to summer camp scholarships.  What more can you ask for?

Looking at the chip, the first thing that came to mind was that these were tortilla chips.  Take one bite into them and you will quickly see that it is more than that.  They may be in the shape of tortilla chips, but they are so much better.  These chips are made with a mix of seeds and a blend of whole grains like ground whole corn, quinoa and brown rice.  They taste great.  They are very light and crispy and have a nice light flavor.  The variety we purchased was just seasoned with sea salt so you can really taste the flavor of the grains.  The sea salt flavor was very mild and is not something we would eat on its own, but it would be great with your favorite dip. 

Nutrition Facts and Ingredients

These chips have a lot going for it.  They taste great, have great texture and they’re actually pretty good for you.  We had the Sea Salt by the Seashore variety and the serving size for these chips is about 13 chips.  Those 13 chips contain 120 calories (40 from fat), 4.5 grams of fat, no cholesterol, just 70mg of sodium, 2 grams of dietary fiber and 2 grams of protein.  These are pretty good numbers considering many of the alternatives on the market have much higher values.  Combine that with the fact that they are certified gluten free and peanut and tree nut free, and you have yourself a great snack

Overall, we liked these chips a lot.  They are light, have good natural flavor and are pretty healthy for you.  It’s the perfect snack to enjoy with your favorite dip.  These chips are also available in Mild Green Mojo (green chilies with cheese and a hint of lime) and Dude Ranch (tangy sour cream and a perfect blend of herbs and spices).  These are definitely a snack we would buy again.  For more information about these chips or about Late July Organic Snacks, visit their website at: www.latejuly.com. 

Taste: These chips pack a great natural whole grain flavor in a light and crispy chip.  These would be perfect for dipping. 

Labeling:  The graphics on the package were very bright and fun.  The text is easy to read and all of the certification labels are on the bag. 

Packaging:  Sealed chip bag. 

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

RATING:

Texture:                 5             

Taste:                     4             

Value:                    3             

OVERALL:              4

Reviewed  4/15/11 by Calvin C.   

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

Gluten Free Chips: RW Garcia Flaxseed and Corn Tortilla Chips

 PRODUCT NAME:                        Flaxseed and Corn Tortilla Chips

BRAND:                                        RW Garcia

COST:                                           $3.49

SIZE:                                             7oz        

COST PER OZ:                              $0.50 

                                               

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:           YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:            GFCO

ORGANIC:                                    YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:            QAI

VEGAN:                                        YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:              UNKNOWN

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

SHELF LIFE:                                  6 Months

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

         

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

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

Nutrition Facts for Thai Flavor

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

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

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

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

Packaging:  Sealed chip bag

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

RATING:

Texture:                 5             

Taste:                     5             

Value:                    3

OVERALL:              4.3

 

Reviewed 3/30/11 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Pasta: Lundberg Brown Rice Spaghetti - Product Review #91

Gluten Free Pasta: Lundberg Brown  Rice Spaghetti

PRODUCT NAME:                      Brown Rice Spaghetti

BRAND:                                     Lundberg

COST:                                       $3.95

SIZE:                                         10oz                      

COST PER OZ:                           $0.40/oz  

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:         NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:          N/A

ORGANIC:                                  YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:          CCOF

VEGAN:                                      YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:           YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:           California

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:
The Lundberg Family Farms have been producing high quality rice products since 1937.  It’s no wonder they make some of the best rice products around today.  They have a large variety of products including rice, rice cakes, rice chips, risottos and pastas.  Recently, we picked up their Organic Brown Rice Pasta Spaghetti that just happens to be gluten free. 

Cooking this pasta is as simple as just boiling it in water.  I tested the cooking directions on the box and the cooking times were accurate.  The directions called for bringing 4 quarts of water in a large pot to a boil with the option of adding 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of oil.  The salt is to flavor the pasta a little and the oil is to prevent it from sticking together.  There are plenty of arguments for and against, but it’s really left up to you to make the final decision.  I will recommend that if you are on a low sodium diet, leave the salt out.  I decided to add the salt and oil in my cooking process.  The box directions say to boil the pasta for 9 minutes, or 8-9 minutes for al-dente, making sure to keep a rolling boil throughout the cooking process.  Following these directions, we ended up with perfectly cooked spaghetti. 

The important part of pasta is its texture.  If it’s too hard, it doesn’t absorb the flavor from the sauce enough and if it’s too soft, it falls apart and makes your bowl of pasta mushy and watery.  Lundberg’s Brown Rice Pasta is perfect.  It is soft enough so it chews very nicely and it absorbs the flavor from the sauce just right and it is firm enough that it maintains its form.  We tossed this pasta with some chicken pesto sauce with some parmesan cheese.  It was delicious. 

Overall, we thought that this pasta was great.  It is definitely something we would buy again.  It’s gluten free, whole grain and vegan.  What more can you ask for.  The only drawback to this pasta is that it is a little on the pricier side at $3.95 for a 10oz package, but you have to remember that this is a high quality product that is gluten free, kosher, non gmo, vegan, and organic; all of which are makings for a great pasta.

Lundberg Brown Rice Spaghetti Nutrition Facts and Ingredients

Taste:  The taste and texture of this pasta was great.  It was the perfect consistency to toss with pesto sauce, but I think it would do great with marinara or any other sauce you want to toss it with.   

Labeling:  The labeling on this package is great.  The graphics are nice and the font is easy to read. 

Packaging:  The pasta is sealed in plastic and then placed in a 100% recycled paperboard. 

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 031611 by Calvin C.  

Gluten Free Cake: Tia's Bakery German Chocolate Cake - Product Review #71

Gluten Free Cake: Tia's Bakery German Chocolate Cake

PRODUCT NAME:                   German Chocolate Cake

BRAND:                                  Tia’s Bakery

COST:                                     $4.95-5.50

SIZE:                                       4oz

COST PER OZ:                        $1.23- $1.38/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:      NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

ORGANIC:                               Partial

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

VEGAN:                                   NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:        NO

LOCATION OF FACILITY:        California

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

REVIEW:
Before this day, I had never tried a German Chocolate Cake, let alone a Gluten free one. I was surprised to find that it was a chocolate cake with coconut frosting and despite its name, has no affiliation with Germany. After having Tia’s Gluten Free German Chocolate Cake, I am a fan of both the German Chocolate Cake and of Tia’s Bakery.

Tia started baking at an early age with her grandmother at her side. She loved baking and had a true passion for it. In 2003, she found out that she was allergic to gluten and refined sugar. It turned her world upside down because she was no longer able to enjoy the treats she had baked all her life. A few years went by and after much coaxing by her family, she got her passion for baking back and started experimenting baking with wheat flour substitutes. In 2009, she started up Tia’s Bakery and the rest is history. She is now selling her delicious baked goods in several stores in 12 states and growing.

Tia’s uses almond and coconut flour in their products. Almonds have high protein content and coconuts have very high dietary fiber content. The combination makes for a very healthy flour blend. This flour blend is not only healthy, but it is also one of the best I have ever tasted. The texture of the cakes is just perfect. It is extremely moist and fluffy. You probably wouldn’t even know it was gluten free if you didn’t look at the package.

The cake itself was not very sweet and had a nice light chocolate flavor. It reminded me of an Asian style cake which is very fluffy and moist like a sponge cake. Most of the cakes sweetness came from the frosting. It was sweet, but not overly sweet. This is probably because Tia’s does not use refined sugars. Instead, she uses organic agave nectar as a sweetener. Tia’s also uses a lot of coconut in this cake. Some of the flour is coconut flour, but in addition to that, they also use organic coconut oil, coconut milk, and unsweetened coconut. So if you’re a fan of coconut, you’ll probably like this cake. The cream is mixed with coconut and pecans. When eaten with the moist cake, it is the perfect blend of textures.

While a lot of the ingredients used in this cake are good for you, it doesn’t mean you should eat too much of it in one sitting. This cake contains 650 calories, 42 grams of fat, 16 grams of saturated fat, 170mg of cholesterol, 370 milligrams of sodium, 59 grams of carbohydrates and 45 grams of sugar. Looking at these numbers, they are all pretty high so you might want to share this delicious cake with someone.

Overall, this cake tastes great and contains high quality ingredients. While it is supposed to be healthy, you will still want to practice portion control. A note from the packaging, this cake contains tree nuts and is made in a facility that produces products containing wheat.

Taste: This is one of the best cakes that I have ever tasted. The texture and flavor was great and I couldn’t even tell that it was gluten free. Take one bite and you will love how the moist cake, coconut and pecans come together.

Labeling: This package has very simple labeling. Tia’s motto is “Scrumptious & Totally Health”. Does it live up to its motto? Scrumptious…yes totally healthy…maybe, but it might take a little more wishful thinking.

Packaging: The packaging was very nice. It comes in a single serving container that is like a Tupperware container that keeps everything fresh. This cake will stay fresh for about 2 months in the freezer.

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 021411 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Snacks: Mary's Gone Crackers Sea Salt Sticks & Twigs - Product Review #65

Gluten Free Snacks: Mary's Gone Crackers Sea Salt Sticks & Twigs

PRODUCT NAME:                       Sea Salt Sticks & Twigs

BRAND:                                      Mary’s Gone Crackers

COST:                                        $4.65

SIZE:                                           8oz

COST PER OZ:                            $0.58/oz

CERTIFIED GLUETEN FREE:        NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:           N/A

ORGANIC:                                   YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:           ICS

VEGAN:                                       YES

WHEAT FREE FACILITY:             YES

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:
If you’re looking for something with a great crunch to snack on, we think we have found just the thing for you. Mary’s Gone Crackers’ Sea Salt Sticks and Twigs might just be the perfect salty snack. You might remember last week when we reviewed the Curry flavored version of this delicious snack and how much we loved them. The perfect crunchy texture mixed with all those spices, it was perfect. Like the curry version, we loved these Sea Salt flavored one too. In fact, we might even actually like these more.

I don’t know what it is about the simple flavor of sea salt, but it makes everything taste so right. The sea salt in these sticks and twigs is the perfect complement. It does a great job of highlighting the different flavors of the brown rice, whole quinoa, flax seeds, sesame seeds, amaranth, millet, and chia seeds. Combine that with the same crunchy texture that we have come to expect from Mary’s Gone Crackers and we come out with the perfect snack.

We like to pay close attention to the nutrition fact on the products we eat so it’s no surprise that we paid attention to this one. 150 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 300 mg of sodium is contained in 1 serving of 15 pieces. These numbers are almost identical to the ones on the Curry flavored Sticks & Twigs from last week. The 1 difference you will see is the sodium content. This version has almost double the sodium content. That sounds bad, but not all is lost because although it is more than the Curry Flavor, these still have about 100mg less sodium than a leading brand of pretzels. Regardless, we still recommend practicing portion control with these snacks especially if you are sensitive to sodium or have high blood pressure.

If you’re afraid that these won’t keep long after opening, rest assured because we tested that too. We actually opened these Sea Salt Sticks & Twigs last Thursday and when we ate them today (Monday) they were still nice and crispy with no signs of going stale.

Have we found the perfect snack? It’s pretty darn close. These are perfect for just about everyone, but like we have said in the past for their other crackers we have tried, if you have sensitive teeth, you might want to be a little careful because they are extremely crunchy and some of the seeds are a little hard. At 300mg of sodium, they aren’t horrible, but it is something you should pay attention to, especially if you have high blood pressure.

Taste: Made up of brown rice, whole quinoa, flax seeds, sesame seeds, amaranth, millet and chia seeds this snack has a great crunchy texture, but watch out for those hard seeds that are mixed in. Combine the great crunch with the nice simple flavor of Sea Salt, and you have a great snack.

Labeling: Mary’s Gone Crackers’ labeling is among the best I’ve seen. They use the same theme on all of their packages that makes it unmistakable that this is a Mary’s Gone Crackers product.

Packaging: Regular vacuum sealed packaging.

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

RATING:
Texture:         3
Taste:             5
Value:            4
OVERALL:      4

Reviewed 020711 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Snacks: Mary's Gone Crackers Sticks & Twigs - Product Review #62

Gluten Free Snacks: Mary's Gone Crackers Sticks & Twigs

PRODUCT NAME:                      Curry Sticks & Twigs

BRAND:                                     Mary’s Gone Crackers

COST:                                       $4.65

SIZE:                                         8oz

COST PER OZ:                          $0.58/oz

CERTIFIED GLUETEN FREE:      NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:         N/A

ORGANIC:                                 YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:         International Certification Services

VEGAN:                                     YES

WHEAT FREE FACILITY:            YES

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:
Mary’s Gone Crackers has branched out?! It’s true, metaphorically and literally with their new Sticks and Twigs. Today, we got a chance to try Mary’s Gone Crackers’ Curry Sticks & Twigs. If you’re a fan of their crackers, you will love these. These Sticks & Twigs are pretty much the same as the crackers, except that they are rolled up. Couple the new shape with new flavors like this curry flavor and it looks like Mary has another winner on her hands.

Mary’s Gone Crackers describes these snacks as light and crunchy pretzel snacks. I wouldn’t quite consider them pretzels as they don’t have the texture of a pretzel. They have a much more interesting and complex texture than a pretzel does. With ingredients like brown rice, whole quinoa, flax seeds, sesame seeds, amaranth, millet and chia seeds, I would describe them and pretzel stick shaped seed snacks with tons of flavor.

This particular variety is curry flavor and we thought it was a very unique flavor. Curry is a very popular flavor, but I think this is one of the few times that I’ve seen a curry flavored snack food. It looks like they have gone further than just adding a curry flavored seasoning to regular Sticks & Twigs. They have actually mixed the curry flavor into the cracker giving them a light yellow tint throughout. This way, you won’t have to worry about an uneven tasting snack or worry about getting your fingers yellow with the curry powder. With so many flavors, you would think that they have a ton of sodium in them, but at 190mg of sodium, they actually far less than the sodium levels you would find in a pretzel.

We have come to love the products that Mary’s Gone Crackers has come out with. You can feel safe knowing that their factories are dedicated gluten free and nut free facilities. Their products are also organic, kosher, non-gmo, and contain no hydrogenated oils among many other things that make this such a great snack. One thing to note is that like their crackers, some of the seeds are a little hard and can spell trouble for people with sensitive teeth. So if you have sensitive teeth, you might want to stay away.

Taste: Great hint of curry flavor and a nice blend of textures made up of brown rice, whole quinoa, flax seeds, sesame seeds, amaranth, millet and chia seeds.

Labeling: Mary’s Gone Crackers’ labeling is among the best we’ve seen. They use the same theme on all of their packages that makes it unmistakable that this is a Mary’s Gone Crackers product.

Packaging: Regular vacuum sealed packaging.

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

RATING: 
Texture:         3
Taste:             5
Value:            4 
OVERALL:      4

Reviewed 020211 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 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 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