Gluten Free Reviewer Grocery

Showing posts with label chocolate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chocolate. Show all posts

Monday, October 31, 2011

Gluten Free Frosting Mix: Pamela's Dark Chocolate Frosting Mix

PRODUCT NAME:                   Dark Chocolate Frosting Mix

BRAND:                                  Pamela’s Products

COST:                                    $4.49

SIZE:                                      12 oz

COST PER OZ:                        $0.37/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:      NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       NA

ORGANIC:                               NO                        

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       NA

VEGAN:                                  YES                                        

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:        NO, but Dedicated Machinery   

LOCATION OF FACILITY:        Ukiah, 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:
Frosting mix is always a good thing to keep around because in a pinch, and we know that that pinch inevitably occurs more often than not, it’s there, it’s quick and it’s a no brainer.  Pamela’s Dark Chocolate Frosting mix would be my mix of choice.  It is delightfully rich and chocolate-y.  It is a pretty sweet frosting, but has a hint of the bittersweet in there.  It is what a good dark chocolate should be and has the intensity of true cacao flavor.  Its texture is creamy and spreads really well.  A big plus with this mix, is that you can control how thick the frosting is by how much liquid you add to it.  It’s nice to have the flexibility as some recipes might be better with a slightly thinner frosting while others require a dollop of thick chocolate goodness.  Also, it doesn’t leave that pasty texture on your tongue like a lot of mixes do. 

The recipe for the mix is right on the back of the bag and couldn’t be easier.  You add butter or margarine and some water and voila!  I used soy-free dairy-free butter and it worked great with that too.  One of the great things about a good frosting mix is that it becomes the base for a lot of different kinds of frostings.  You can manipulate this mix into many different styles of frostings by just adding cream cheese, sour cream or milk, if you do dairy, or you can opt for the vegan versions of any of these if you don’t.  One bag can be the go-to base ingredient in whatever you might need it for and it is this versatility that I like keeping in my cupboards.

The bag has a lot of extra recipes printed on it that you can add to the frosting to take it to the next level.  They suggest mocha frosting, chocolate orange frosting, chocolate raspberry frosting to name a few, and they all sound really delectable.  I am planning on trying the chocolate orange frosting next time myself and baking some caramelized orange cupcakes to go with it.  Should be a nice treat for the gorgeous fall weather we’ve been having.

There are 12 servings in the bag, each of which is about 180 calories if you prepare it the way they suggest.  That’s quite a heavy dose of calories, but this is more of a treat than anything.  Just remember…everything in moderation.   Pamela’s is a local company here in Northern California, which I love to support.  They have a really great website with all kinds of recipes as well as detailed product information if you want to find out more about their line.  All in all, this is a great frosting mix with a wonderful chocolate flavor and one I would recommend to keep in the cupboards when you need a good chocolate frosting.  For more information about this product or any of Pamela’s other products, visit their website at: www.pamelasproducts.com.  You can find this and many other Pamela’s products at GFR Grocery. 

Taste: sweet with hints of cacao and bittersweet chocolate
Labeling: Bright colorful packaging with clear gluten free labeling
Packaging: simple bag with mix inside.  Not a lot of packaging which reduces waste
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 by
Krisztina L

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Gluten Free Chocolate: Poco Dolce Olive Oil Sea Salt Bar

PRODUCT NAME:                         Olive Oil Sea Salt Chocolate Bar

BRAND:                                        Poco Dolce

COST:                                          $6.00

SIZE:                                            1.763 oz          

COST PER OZ:                             $3.44 per oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:           NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:            NA

ORGANIC:                                    NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:            NA

VEGAN:                                       YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:             NO

LOCATION OF FACILITY:             San Francisco, CA

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:
When you first see the name, Olive Oil Sea Salt attached to chocolate, you’re not sure what you are quite in for.  But then local company Poco Dolce specializes in exactly that, “little bit sweet” chocolates and confections.  In the first bite, the rich creaminess of the dark chocolate melts wonderfully in your mouth.  It has a smooth consistency, not like many other dark chocolate bars that are hard or brittle.  The taste itself is a very pleasant surprise.  I happen to be a fan of savory mixed with sweet, but I think this is a flavor that could win over just about anyone.  The olive oil shows up in a very subtle way, leaving a hint of its essence on the roof of your mouth and the back of your throat where the saltiness settles gently on your tongue.  These mix splendidly with the luscious velvetiness of the chocolate.  It has an almost floral aroma and taste when all combined, reminds me of lilacs.  There is a warmth and softness to the chocolate that has a very comforting appeal and overall is a really well done take on the “savory side of sweet,” as they themselves call it on their website.

Poco Dolce has a nice local startup story.  Beginning as an Italian pastry baker, owner Kathy Wiley soon discovered her love of making chocolates a few years ago.  Since then, the popularity and accolades of Poco Dolce have flooded in, but the company still retains its small production, small team and most importantly of all, its quality in their products.  Despite being available in fine stores and groceries all over the country, I would consider this chocolate a boutique chocolate and its price reflects as much.  However, like in anything, locally made, quality made, environmentally conscious products are the things that we should all support.  Poco Dolce takes great care as to what goes into their chocolates and they have quite a variety of flavors to choose from.  As far as being gluten free, of course it is, and you probably would think why wouldn’t a chocolate bar be?  I can tell you that a lot of chocolates put malt in their ingredients, which is a glutinous product snuck in there unsuspectingly.  The ingredients for this bar are pretty simple: bittersweet chocolate, olive oil, grey sea salt.  There’s nothing hidden in there that shouldn’t be in there.  This Olive Oil and Sea Salt bar was really delicious and I look forward to trying more of their creations.

Check out the website for other flavors, products and more info: www.pocodolce.com

Taste:  smooth, velvety chocolate with subtle infusion of olive oil and light saltiness
Labeling:  classy simple minimalist label
Packaging: chocolate is wrapped in foil and comes in a resealable cardboard pouch
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 by Krisztina L

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Gluten Free Cookies: Aunt Gussie's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten Free Cookies: Aunt Gussie's Chocolate Chip CookiesPRODUCT NAME:                    Chocolate Chip Cookies

BRAND:                                    Aunt Gussie’s

COST:                                       $5.95

SIZE:                                         6 oz

COST PER OZ:                          $0.99/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:       YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        GFCO

ORGANIC:                                 NO                        

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:         NA

VEGAN:                                     YES    

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:           YES        

LOCATION OF FACILITY:            New Jersey

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:
Gluten Free Cookies: Aunt Gussie's Chocolate Chip Cookies Nutrition Facts and IngredientsAunt Gussie’s Gluten Free Chocolate Chip cookies are surprisingly tasty.  They are not only gluten free but vegan as well.  They have a toasty sweetness to them that lingers on your tongue.  The chocolate chips are a bit small, but there are quite a few of them so you are sure to get a few with each bite.  These remind me a lot of Chips Ahoy cookies.  The texture and flavor are almost the same.  It definitely took me back to the days when I didn’t know I had a gluten allergy.  One thing that I did notice about these cookies is that they are a bit too crumbly.  On the plus side, they are crispy and are great for dunking, essential for any chocolate chip cookie.  If you’re looking for something sweet to fulfill your sweet tooth craving after a long day at work, these certainly fit the bill.

Aunt Gussie’s has done a good job with these chocolate chip cookies.  One thing you have to remember about these cookies is that they are a treat that you should enjoy .  It shows when you look at the nutrition facts and see that two cookies contain 140 calories so you shouldn’t pig out on these too much.  The ingredients are all simple and straight forward though so you are not actually eating anything that is all that bad for you in the long run.  The other nice thing is that the Aunt Gussie’s Bakery prepares their gluten free foods in a completely gluten free facility and using all natural ingredients.  Overall, these are a pretty good chocolate chip cookie considering and certainly something you could keep in your cupboards for when the mood strikes or take along to a gathering where vegan gluten free treats would be appreciated.  

Check out the website for other flavors and more info:  http://www.auntgussies.com/

Taste:  Toasty, sweet, a bit nutty, chocolate-y

Labeling: engaging bright label clearly marked gluten free and vegan.

Packaging: re-sealable recycled cardboard box with plastic cookie container inside

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

RATING:
Texture:                 3                             
Taste:                     3.5                         
Value:                    3.5         
OVERALL:              3.3

Reviewed by Krisztina L

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Gluten Free Cookies: Enjoy Life Soft Baked Double Chocolate Chip Brownie Cookies

Gluten Free Cookies: Enjoy Life Soft Baked Double Chocolate Chip Brownie CookiesPRODUCT NAME:                    Double Chocolate Brownie Cookie

BRAND:                                   Enjoy Life

COST:                                      $4.19

SIZE:                                        6oz

COST PER OZ:                         $0.70/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:      YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       GFCO

ORGANIC:                                NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        N/A

VEGAN:                                   YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:         YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:         SCHILLER PARK, IL

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:
Gluten Free Cookies: Enjoy Life Soft Baked Double Chocolate Chip Brownie Cookies Nutrition Facts and IngredientsWhen I tell people who are unfamiliar with an allergy conscious diet of the foods I am unable to eat, they often ask, “Well, what can you eat?” When I answer them with an enthusiastic, “A lot!” They look at me with pity in their eyes while their hands clutch their beers and pizzas. I don’t feel like I am really missing out on anything and Enjoy Life seems to understand that a great tasting food can be made without ingredients commonly consumed in a western diet. Made without the eight most common allergens; wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish, and shellfish, Enjoy Life produces a product that can be enjoyed by just about everyone without sacrificing taste or texture. Focusing on snack foods, Enjoy life provides a variety of cookies, snack bars, trail mixes, chocolate bars, and so on.

Enjoy Life’s Soft Baked Double Chocolate Brownie was very chocolaty, soft and delicious. It didn’t taste exactly like a gluten-y brownie, rather, it tasted somewhere between a chocolate truffle and chocolate bread pudding. It was soft, but not chewy, full of chocolate chips and chocolate flavor. These half dollar-sized cookies did not leave a strange aftertaste or the chalky feeling sometimes associated with gluten-free baking after snacking.  They just were simply very tasty.

Not only were these brownie cookies made without the most common allergens, they were also created with only unrefined sweeteners like dates, fruit juice, and brown sugar. These cookies were also made of all natural ingredients and contain no trans fats all without sacrificing and ounce of richness. While slightly different that traditional brownies, there is no reason that anyone with or without an allergy would not be able to enjoy these cookies.

Taste: These cookies were chocolaty, rich and very delicious. I quickly ate about four of them as soon as I opened the package. They were soft, not too rich, but just decedent enough to satisfy my chocolate addiction.

Labeling:  The front of the package proclaimed these cookies to not only be all natural, nut and gluten free, but chocolaty and rich. There was a lot of information about what is left out of Enjoy Life’s products in addition to the standard, necessary information, like ingredients list and nutrition facts.

Packaging:   Six servings of cookies were stored in a plastic tray inside of a plastic bag which was then put inside 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:                4  
Taste:                     5 
Value:                    3
OVERALL:              4


Reviewed  by: Jennie L.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Gluten Free Cookies: Aunt Gussie's Chocolate Spritz Gluten Free Cookies

Gluten Free Cookies: Aunt Gussie's Chocolate Spritz CookiesPRODUCT NAME:                    Chocolate Spritz Cookies    

BRAND:                                   Aunt Gussie’s Gluten Free Kitchen

COST:                                     $5.95  

SIZE:                                       6 oz.

COST PER OZ:                        $0.99/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:      YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       GFCO

ORGANIC:                               NO                        

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       NA

VEGAN:                                   YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:        YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:        New Jersey

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:
Gluten Free Cookies: Aunt Gussie's Chocolate Spritz CookiesAunt Gussie’s Gluten Free Chocolate Spritz cookies are not only gluten free, but vegan as well.  They are made with a blend of several types of cocoa, which is evident from the first bite you take.  The flavor is bold bittersweet chocolate with a lightly toasted nutty after taste that lingers a little on your taste buds.  Biting into the cookie on first blush, they are crisp, but not crumbly and rich, but not chewy.  They have a pleasant consistency and density that certainly delivers.  I think the true virtue of this cookie is its propensity for dunking.  After trying my first bite, I instinctively went for my Vanilla Hemp milk and I was finely rewarded.   The cookie brilliantly holds a milk-like beverage, blending its cocoa flavors very well with whatever you choose to dunk it in.

The company that makes these cookies, Aunt Gussie’s, makes a whole lot of other products some of which are not gluten free.  They, however, make their gluten free products in a special gluten free facility so these are safe for people who have a severe intolerance or Celiac’s disease.  The cookies themselves are a good size and require several bites to polish off.  Three cookies are 130 calories.  They are made with a nice blend of flours and other natural ingredients.  We can’t forget that these are indeed cookies and not health food, but when the sweet tooth strikes you, these are a great choice.

For more information and to see other Aunt Gussies products, visit their website at: http://www.auntgussies.com/

Taste:  Great flavor of raw cocoa that is slightly sweet with a nutty after taste

Labeling: engaging bright label clearly gluten free and vegan.

Packaging: re-sealable recycled cardboard box with plastic cookie container inside

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 by Krisztina L.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Gluten Free Chocolate: Navitas Naturals Cacao Nibs

Gluten Free Snacks: Navitas Naturals Cacao NibsPRODUCT NAME:                        Cacao Nibs

BRAND:                                       Navitas Naturals

COST:                                          $9.99

SIZE:                                            8 OZ

COST PER OZ:                             $1.25/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:           NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:            N/A

ORGANIC:                                    YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:            CUC

VEGAN:                                        YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:             YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:              NOVATO, CA

SHELF LIFE:                                 1.5 YEARS

*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:
There is something wonderful about consuming a snack that you can feel physically benefiting your body. This is especially true when the snack is not only healthy, but also tastes great. Navitas Naturals specializes in snacks which are raw, vegan, and organic. Their products make it simple and convenient to add more Superfoods into your diet. Superfoods, or foods which have a low caloric count but are packed with nutrients, can give you an energy boost and improve your health. It can be hard for busy people to be able to enjoy the benefits of such foods, and Navitas Naturals makes it easy.

Cacao nibs are simply made of the bean of the cacao plant, which is the base of all rich chocolaty treats. To turn cacao into chocolate, a lot of processing needs to be done and a good amount of sugar will be added, changing its flavor immensely. in it’s pure, raw form, it still has a strong, smoky bitter chocolate taste and is very rich in all that is good for you, like antioxidants and dietary fiber. High in magnesium, Navitas Naturals processes their organic Raw Cacao Nibs at low temperatures, insuring that none of the essential nutritional benefits are destroyed.

I enjoyed my cacao nibs in my yogurt, giving it a boost of rich flavor and nutrients. I also added the nibs to my baked goods, like the crust of a chocolate, gluten free pie, which gave the crust a little crunch as well as a gourmet touch. Some people really like the taste of bitter chocolate, and unfortunately I am not one of them, and find the taste of pure, un-doctored Cacao Nibs a little intense. I would recommend substituting cacao in any recipe in which you would use chocolate. Navitas Naturals provides a great list of recipes for cacao nibs like Antioxidant Superfood Truffles and Acai Chocolate Flourless Cake on their website www.navitasnaturals.com/recipes/cacao-recipes.html.

Gluten Free Snacks: Navitas Naturals Cacao Nibs Nutrition Facts and Ingredients

Taste: Cacao nibs are rich, chocolaty, smoky and bitter. They can be enjoyed by the handful or added wherever you would use chocolate chips for a healthier snack.

Labeling:   The designers of Navitas Naturals’ package seem to take extra care to make their product appear healthy and clean. The design is cute and contemporary with brown and white silhouetted leaves and a sunny label on the front of the package stating that the snack is certified organic.  On the front it says this product is full of antioxidants, iron and magnesium. The back of the package not only had an ingredients list and nutrition facts, but also included information about the benefits of and suggested uses for this quality product.

Packaging:   Eight, 1oz servings were stored in a Ziploc-style 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:         4  
Taste:             4
Value:            3
OVERALL:      3.7

Reviewed by: Jennie L.