Gluten Free Crackers: Skinny Crisp Brownie Crisps

PRODUCT NAME:                 Brownie Crisps

BRAND:                                Myrna’s Skinny Crisps

COST:                                  $5.99                                    

SIZE:                                    5 oz

COST PER OZ:                      $1.19

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:   NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:    NA        

ORGANIC:                            NO                         

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:    NA   

VEGAN:                                YES                                  

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:     YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:     Boulder, CO     

SHELF LIFE:                        3 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:

These Brownie Crisps by Myrna’s Skinny Crisps are pretty extraordinary.  These crisps are not quite a cookie and not quite a cracker, but somewhere in between.  They are crunchy and full-bodied in their texture.  Made mainly out of almonds and chickpea flour, they are pretty hearty and pack a solid flavor.  They have a real cocoa richness that reminds me of the taste of a hot cocoa mix made from real dark chocolate.  Instead of being overly sweet themselves, the crisps have a hint of a bittersweet flavor that gets nicely accented by the sweetness of the sprinkles on top.  The overall flavor is well balanced and really very tasty.  These crisps make a really great snack.

They come in a re-sealable package that would be great to keep in the office or in a bag when you’re on the go.  They are perfectly satisfying for that midday hunger when you have just one more errand to run before you can eat a proper meal.  They are also just sweet enough to satisfy that after dinner chocolate craving.  They are gluten free, dairy free, vegan, casein-free, egg free, contain no hydrogenated oils and are baked in a gluten free environment.  Despite all of that though, they are certainly not taste, texture and substance free and honestly, they deliver much more than what you might think after a first glance. 

The back of the packaging tells a little story about how a little princess learned she could no longer eat gluten and she went to her fairy godmother to make her a perfect snack that wouldn’t upset her tummy and be delicious at the same time.  Skinny Crisps were the result of this fairytale baking and they come in all sorts of flavors besides Brownie Crisps.  They are a bit on the expensive side, which is the only drawback, but they are nutrient dense and delicious.  You are definitely getting a quality product.  Three crackers are only 80 calories and with each one packing in some iron, calcium and protein.  These little bites are truly “just right.”
These Skinny Crisps are available locally at the Gluten Free Grocery in the Dogpatch/Potrero Hill along with a whole variety of other delectable morsels and delicious foods for the discerning gluten free palette.

For more information, you can check out Skinny Crisps’ website: www.skinnycrisps.com.

Taste: dark cocoa flavor accented with the sweetness of the sprinkle topping

Labeling: simple label with clear gluten free description

Packaging: re-sealable bag with clear front so you can see the product

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

RATING:

Texture:      5                           

Taste:          5                             

Value:         3             

OVERALL:   4.3     

Reviewed by

Krisztina L.

Gluten Free Dumplings: Feel Good Foods Handmade Asian Style Shrimp Dumplings

PRODUCT NAME:                    Handmade Asian Style Shrimp Dumplings

BRAND:                                     Feel Good Foods

COST:                             $8.40

SIZE:                                           10.75 OZ 

COST PER OZ:                           $0.78             

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:        UNKNOWN

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        N/A

ORGANIC:                                  NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        N/A

VEGAN:                                      NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:           NO

LOCATION OF FACILITY:         NEW YORK, NEW YORK

SHELF LIFE:                                UNKNOWN

*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 several dumpling dinners my friends have enjoyed and I have had to sit out from, I was excited for my chance to enjoy safe, gluten free shrimp dumplings at home. Feel Good Foods makes their handmade shrimp dumplings with a wrapper made of a blend of sweet rice flour, rice flour, potato starch, and corn starch, these dumplings were savory, chewy, and not too filling. Since my celiac diagnosis, I have been taking steps to wean myself off of an eight-year long vegetarian diet so I can have more food choices instead of less. I am still a bit squeamish about eating any meat or fish, and I found Feel Good Foods’ Shrimp Dumplings not overwhelmingly fishy. They combined the shrimp with vegetables and herbs, like carrot, green onion, ginger, garlic, and cilantro to make a savory, well balanced filling. The provided dipping sauce tasted like tamari with a bit of a kick. It was dressed up with a little added ginger, garlic, and black pepper to dress it up a little bit.

My only gripe with this product was the instructions for preparation. It says the dumplings should be placed in a non-stick pan with 3/4 of a cup of boiling water (which will turn milky in color and texture as the dumplings cook) where they would sit and steam with a lid on, for approximately 13 minutes. The water was supposed to evaporate. However, when I prepared the dumplings, the water never evaporated; instead it turned into a thick, white, glue-like paste. Upon second glance of the directions, I noticed this note, in small font below the instructions:

“For best results dumplings must be prepared in a non-stick pan.”

I was using my perfectly seasoned, slick cast iron frying pan, which I cook everything in. I grabbed a Teflon-coated pan from my cupboard, and scooped the dumplings, which had turned into gooey blobs, into the new pan. I fried the dumplings on all sides until they were golden brown, and managed to salvage the meal. I wish Feel Good Foods had explicitly instructed me to use a Teflon pan instead of a cast iron, because I consider my cast iron to be non-stick.

Taste:   These dumplings were salty, chewy, and flavorful. The filling, made of shrimp and vegetables was not too fishy or dense. I found these dumplings to be a perfect appetizer or main course.

Labeling: The front of the package stated that these dumplings were made with all natural and gluten free ingredients. The back has a symbol indicating that Feel Good Foods is part of the Celiac Spure Association, and the package is created with wind power. There is also information about the company, preparation instructions, an ingredients list, and nutrition facts.

Packaging:  

Eight dumplings were inside of a plastic bag housed inside of a cardstock 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 by: Jennie L.

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

Gluten Free Tamales: Primavera White Corn and Zucchini Tamales

PRODUCT NAME:                    White Corn and Zucchini Tamales

COMPANY NAME:                    Primavera Tamales

COST:                                     $9.99

SIZE:                                       18 oz

COST PER OZ:                        $.55                                   

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:      NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

ORGANIC:                              YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

VEGAN:                                  YES                         

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:        NO

LOCATION OF FACILITY:        N/A      

SHELF LIFE:                           1 Week Refrigerated

*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:  The tamale is, in my opinion, a wheatless gold mine. It is almost always free of those little gluten buggers that make us sick, and its probability for deliciousness is through the roof. That being said, it is extremely difficult to find tamales that use ingredients that I consider healthy, and ones that are also vegan. In steps the lovely saviors at Primavera Tamales, a company out of Agua Caliente, CA.

Karen Taylor, owner of Primavera Tamales, has clearly made a commitment to the excellence of her product. Her website reveals that she has gone to many lengths to synthesize the authentic (traveling to Oaxaca, Mexico City, and Michoacan to take cooking classes) and the political (she uses only local and organic produce and eschews hydrogenated oils and shortenings.)

These White Corn and zucchini tamales are absolutely awesome. Despite the vegan-ness of them they are nowhere near being the  dry, crumbly, and bland corn pocket you might imagine. Primavera's tamales are moist, well formed, and tasty. The masa is flavorful, delicately spiced with hints of garlic and cumin. The white corn creates a textural nuance that surprised and delighted me, while the zucchini was marinated in a slightly spicy red sauce that rounded out the creamy texture of the outer encasing. There was no dairy present in my tamale but a milky mouthfeel was created just by the melding of fats and corn. Although Primavera DOES indeed offer a variety of dairy filled tamales, it almost seems completely unnecessary to imagine adding anything to the beautiful simplicity that is the vegan version.

Calorically, I was pleasantly surprised by Primavera’s facts. Each tamale clocks in at 250 calories (which is very little for a tamale, probably because there is no added cheese). When paired with a simple salad and some salsa, I find one (maybe one and a half if you’re really hungry) to be a perfectly sufficient meal. Although they are indeed high in fat (how do you think they get so moist?) the product ultimately satiates and keeps a consumer full for quite a while so in the end, it all seems worth it.

Labeling:

I found labeling of this product to be very sufficient. All the nutrition information was very clear and concise which I particularly appreciated as Primavera is a small scale company and many of those do not bother to glean nutrition information of their products.

Packaging:

Packaging of this product was a double plastic bag wrapped with a zip tie. It seemed appropriate for the freshness of the product and could easily be frozen without having to transfer containers.

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:      4.5

Reviewed by Lacy D.

Gluten Free Cereal: Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice Cereal

PRODUCT NAME:                                     CRISPY BROWN RICE CEREAL

BRAND:                                                         EREWHON 

COST:                                                             $5.65

SIZE:                                                               10 OZ

COST PER OZ:                                              $0.57/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:                       YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:                      GFCO

ORGANIC:                                                    YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:                      OREGON TILTH

VEGAN:                                                         YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:                         UNKNOWN                       

LOCATION OF FACILITY:                         SAN FRANCISCO, CA

SHELF LIFE:                                                  8 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:

The folks at Attune Foods have created an industry consisting of several lines of all natural snacks made with the consumers’ digestive health in mind. Erewhon is made up of of seven organic and gluten free versions of classic cereals like Corn Flakes and Rice Krispies. All their products feature simple, all natural, allergy conscious ingredients. Made with certified gluten free ingredients and without common allergens like dairy, soy, peanuts, or tree nuts, Erewhon organic cereals are safe and delicious for most everyone.

Rice cereal, while it appears to be safe, is usually not safe for people with gluten sensitivities. This is because it is often sweetened with barley malt. However, this is not the case for Erewhon’s Crispy Brown Rice cereal. While it is similar to conventional Rice Krispies cereal in texture and induced childhood memories with a snap, crackle, pop, it is distinctly different because of its certified organic label and simple, all natural ingredients list. Also unlike Rice Krispies, Erewhon’s Crispy Brown Rice cereal was nutty, a little salty, and not very sweet at all. This is a huge relief to those, like myself, who crave a more savory breakfast.

I poured unsweetened almond milk over my bowl of crispy brown rice cereal and enjoyed it with bananas and raspberries on top. The cereal was light and airy, but a little too light for my appetite. I tend to eat pretty big breakfasts, and at a meager 110 calories, this cereal left me feeling hungry a couple hours later.

Taste:  nutty, crispy, and slightly salty, this cereal tasted the way I expected an organic puffed rice cereal to taste. I enjoyed mine with almond milk and fruit, which made for a nice, very light breakfast or snack.

Labeling: The front of the package featured the products name, its organic, gluten free status, and its standing as a 100% whole grain cereal. The side of the package had nutrition information, its certification labels, and ingredients. The back had an overabundance of information about the product and brand.

Packaging:   Nine 1cup servings of cereal were packaged in a plastic bag inside of a classic cereal 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:             4

Value:            3
OVERALL:      3.7

Reviewed  by: Jennie L.

Gluten Free Crackers: Crunchmaster Roasted Vegetable Flavor Multi-Grain Crackers

PRODUCT NAME:                       Roasted Vegetable Multi-grain Crackers

BRAND:                                     Crunchmaster

COST:                                        $3.50

SIZE:                                          4.5 oz

COST PER OZ:                           $0.77 per oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:         YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:          GFCO

ORGANIC:                                  NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:          NA

VEGAN:                                      NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:           NO

LOCATION OF FACILITY:           Loves 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:

Crunchmaster Roasted Vegetable Multi-Grain crackers are satisfying, crispy and delicious.  They have a really intense flavor that is far superior to, but reminds me somewhat of pizza flavored Doritos.  The vegetable flavors are very forward when you bite into the cracker and they finish with a grain of toastiness that sits nicely on your tongue.  The crackers are not too salty and have a pleasant “cheese-like” creaminess to their texture.  There’s brown rice, corn, quinoa, flax seeds, garlic, rosemary, tomato and other seasonings listed in their ingredients, all of which combine nicely to make a hearty harvest season treat.  These crackers are really wonderful with hummus and I am sure they would pair well with cheeses, grapes, olives, or just about anything that could go on an afternoon snack tray.  These are also tasty enough where you could get away with serving these at a party that is not just gluten free.  They hold well next to any other cracker and are honestly one of the best rice crackers I’ve tried.  The flavor is strong enough where it might not be up to everyone’s cup of tea, but I think it certainly deserves a try.  You might love them as much as I do.

Crunchmaster’s website has a lot of really great information.  They detail their process, which is a combination of tried and true Japanese rice cracker making techniques as well as their vows to uphold the standards of the Western palette.  They are really vigilant in their choices of ingredients and use simple, honest recipes in making their crackers.  They are wheat free and certified gluten free so.  I should also mention that 15 crackers are only 120 calories and 3g of fat.  Hurray for a snack that’s tasty, decently healthy and gluten free for everyone to enjoy.

Check out their website for other flavors, products and more info: www.crunchmaster.com

Taste:  Crispy, full flavored cracker that is reminiscent of pizza flavoring with a hearty vegetable kick. 

Labeling:  Inviting “healthy-looking” label clearly written and informative

Packaging: resealable bag to keep the crackers fresh

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

RATING:

Texture:                4                             

Taste:                    4                             

Value:                   3             

OVERALL:             4.3

Reviewed by Krisztina L