Gluten Free Cookies: Original Caveman Cookies

Gluten Free Cookies: Original Caveman Cookies

PRODUCT NAME:                     Original Caveman Cookies 

BRAND:                                    Caveman Cookies 

COST:                                       $5.45 

SIZE:                                         3oz 

COST PER OZ:                          $1.81 

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:        YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:         GFCO

ORGANIC:                                 NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:         N/A

VEGAN:                                    YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:          YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:          New York, NY

SHELF LIFE:                             1 Year


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

REVIEW:

The folks at the Caveman Cookie bakery pride themselves on creating a product similar in nutritional content and ingredients to the snacks our Paleolithic ancestors would have enjoyed. Their treats are all natural and made with minimal ingredients; the Original Caveman Cookie is made with only seven ingredients, all of which are foods and spices I recognize. They promote the “caveman” diet, which is a natural, holistic eating regiment based on easily digestible foods that early Homo sapiens would have sustained themselves on. Followers of the “caveman” diet focus on consuming whole, healthy foods like meat, veggies, fruits, and legumes and avoid foods like dairy, wheat and other grains which are common in the modern human diet.

Nutrition Facts

Caveman Cookies are sweet, chewy, and delicious, but to think of these desserts as a traditional, unhealthy cookie would be inaccurate. If you are craving a sinful treat full of bad fat and sugars, Caveman Cookies are not for you. These healthy snacks, which are more like granola bars than actual cookies, will satisfy your sweet tooth while providing nutrients and fiber, making you feel full. Free of preservatives but packed with all the good stuff, like honey nuts and berries, these tasty little snacks are great for bagged lunches or work as a healthy alternative to combat an afternoon sugar binge. Individually wrapped, they are a very convenient gluten-free alternative used to fight the inevitable hunger pangs that occur when everyone around you is munching on communal, wheat-filled snacks. 

Soft and chewy, these cookies have a consistency similar to a healthy, nut and honey filled version of the nostalgia-inducing oatmeal raisin cookie. Like the original oatmeal raisin, these cookies have sugary raisins and small chunks of walnuts. Instead of the allergic reaction provoking oats and wheat present in the original, these safe cookies were made from dough consisting of almond meal and honey. The Caveman Cookie would be an ideal healthy breakfast on the go because they are energy filled with 3 grams of protein per serving. I enjoyed mine with a cup of coffee on the bus and I was ready to face the day.

Taste: Chewy and sweet, these cookies tasted like a simple, healthier version of an oatmeal raisin cookie.

Labeling:  The information provided on the package was minimal and clear. On the front of the bag the phrase “gluten free” is obvious. The facts were limited to only necessary nutritional information, ingredients list, and a short blurb about the cookies inside.

Packaging:  Adorable! The cookies were all individually sealed in little plastic sleeves, making it easy to slip one in a purse or lunch sack. The cookies were housed in a brown paper bag with a sticker on the front and back which featured a cartoony bearded caveman enjoying one of his cookies.

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:                     4
Value:                    2
OVERALL:              3


Reviewed  by: Jennie L.

Gluten Free Granola: Love Grown Foods Simply Oats Oat Clusters & Love

Gluten Free Granola: Love Grown Simply Oats Oat Clusters & Love

PRODUCT NAME:                    Simply Oats Oat Clusters & Love

BRAND:                                   Love Grown Foods

COST:                                      $4.99

SIZE:                                       12 oz

COST PER OZ:                         $0.42/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:       YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        GFCO

ORGANIC:                                NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        N/A

VEGAN:                                    NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:         YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:         Colorado   

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:

Taste:  
Love Grown Foods makes a lot of claims about their product. They say that each and every morsel has piles of love poured into it, and also that their wares are not simply foods, but a LIFESTYLE. Although these statements seemed a bit bold upon first glance, I decided to approach this product with an open mind. Hey, if the company is willing to assert that their product is going to bring my entire life new clarity I’m willing to give it a shot. Who couldn’t use a little more love in their day-to-day?

Right off the bat I noticed how pared down this gluten free granola choice was. Although the company has many flavors, this particular product was very simple. The short list of ingredients included gluten free oats, honey, agave, canola oil, and spices. All the add-ins that granola companies seem to capitalize on (fruit, nuts, excessive amounts of sugar or coconut flakes) were completely absent. Not only that, but the product was free of many of the other things that can make granola less-than-healthy. In addition to being gluten free, this product is also free of trans fats, artificial flavors, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, and genetically modified ingredients. It seems to me that each and every aspect of the granola’s impact on one’s health and well being was considered, and if that isn’t loving, I’m not sure what is.

Onto my dining experience. I am quite used to oats in the morning, but due to my tendency to enjoy something steaming upon my rise, I usually go for oatmeal. The morning of my taste test I woke up to a quite unpleasant surprise: due to the gas company needing to do some work on our lines, the gas was out! As I am an intense creature of routine I had a panic moment but then  I remembered: Love Grown Oats were stove-free. Time to indulge!

On the packaging Love Grown Foods suggested using the granola in a number of ways. A topping for yogurt and a crumple to top a pie were two highlights. Although I considered trying to run to the store to grab a container of soy yogurt, laziness eventually won out. I ate my oats in a bowl, straight up.

I admit, I am a calorie watcher. My standard oatmeal packs about 350 calories with my add-ins. I checked out the serving size of the granola and noticed that about ½ cup plus almond milk would be about equal to my norm. Although this didn’t seem like very much I measured it out. A tiny bowl sat before me and I sighed. This might be a kind of hungry morning.

Despite my hesitancy, the taste was pretty delicious. There were a lot of clusters, which I really appreciated and there weren’t a lot of flavors competing for my attention. The bowl before me presented a succinct and slightly sweet simple delight and I enjoyed the crunch and the experience of something sort of like a baked-good for breakfast. I admit I did add some fruit of my own, and I found the freshness of some berries to top was a perfect compliment. As I finished my bowl I was surprised to see that I was indeed fairly full. The fullness lasted until my mid-morning snack. Although this product is by no means low calorie (120 calories for ¼ cup), I found the small serving size to be sufficient.

Labeling: Labeling on this product was very clear, aside from the specific company and location of the gluten free agency by which it was certified.    

Packaging: With all the emphasis on love and lifestyle, I was a bit surprised to see this granola wrapped in plastic. Would something compostable or even just recyclable not work? I know the crispness of this product is vital but finding a more environmentally sound package might make sense.

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 Lacy D.

Gluten Free Crackers: RW Garcia 5 Seed Crackers - Product Review #103

Gluten Free Crackers: RW Garcia 5 Seed Crackers

PRODUCT NAME:                       5 Seed Crackers

BRAND:                                      RW Garcia

COST:                                         $4.00

SIZE:                                           4oz         

COST PER OZ:                            $1.00 

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 philosophy is “great tasting can be good for you.”  We saw it with their tortilla chips and today we saw it with their 5 Seed Crackers they sent us a few weeks back.  They use only high quality ingredients in their products including organic non-GMO corn and additive-free and preservative-free seasonings.  Their 5 Seed Crackers live up to their philosophy. 

RW Garcia’s 5 Seed Crackers come in 3 varieties, Rosemary and Garlic, Onion and Chive, and Tellicherry Cracked Pepper.  These crackers, made with white corn, hemp seeds, brown flaxseed, poppy seed, black sesame seeds and white sesame seeds, pack great flavor.  You would think with just 50 mg of sodium per serving, there might not be much flavor, but you’d be wrong.  These crackers are flavored with things like garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and salt.  It doesn’t take much seasoning to make these crackers taste good either.  The corn and 5 types of seeds these crackers are made of are flavorful on their own.  The flavors work very well together.  The texture is also pretty good.  Biting into a cracker, you get a nice crunch, but I must admit that these are a little on the dry side.  It goes great with dip though.

Nutrition Facts

Part of RW Garcia’s philosophy is being a healthy snack.  With a serving size of about 16 crackers, these have 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, no cholesterol, and 50mg of sodium.  I’m by no means a health expert, but seeing the nutrition of similar products, I would say these are pretty healthy.  I wouldn’t feel too guilty eating these crackers. 

Overall we liked these crackers a lot.  They have great flavor, they pack a great  crunch and they’re pretty healthy.  Add to that the fact that it is certified organic and is Non-GMO Project verified, we’ve got a great snack on our hands.  They are a little on the pricy side, but what you’re paying for is a quality snack that not only tastes good, but is also good for you.  For more information about RW Garcia’s line of snacks, visit their website at: www.rwgarcia.com.

Taste: These crackers pack a nice light flavor that is great for snacking.  You can enjoy them on their own or with your favorite dip for the perfect crunchy snack.   

Labeling:  You can see right away that RW Garcia has put a lot of effort into their labeling.  All of the images are clear and all of the text is easy to read.  These crackers are Non-GMO Project verified, certified organic and, although it doesn’t say it on the packaging, certified gluten free. 

Packaging:  The packaging is very attractive with colors that are pleasing to the eyes.  A sealed plastic bag holds the crackers and is placed in a recycled paperboard box. 

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

RATING:

Texture:                 4             

Taste:                     5             

Value:                    2

OVERALL:              3.7

Reviewed 040711 by Calvin C.   

Gluten Free Cookies: WOW Lemon Burst Cookie - Product Review #95

Gluten Free Cookie: WOW Lemon Burst Cookie

PRODUCT NAME:                          Lemon Burst Cookie

BRAND:                                         WOW Baking Company

COST:                                           $9.00 (6-pack)

SIZE:                                             2.75oz each 

COST PER OZ:                              $1.50/cookie $0.54/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:            YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             GFCO

ORGANIC:                                     NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             N/A

VEGAN:                                         NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:              UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:              Washington

SHELF LIFE:                                 21 Days

*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:
WOW Baking Company has an entire line of delicious Certified Gluten Free baked goods.  The other day, WOW Baking Company sent us their new cookie, Lemon Burst, to try.  What started off as a seasonal flavor for spring and summer has been such a big hit, that it is now available year round.  WOW Baking Company describes it as a light and soft baked cookie with a refreshing burst of lemon flavor.  This is a perfect description of this cookie and boy is it delicious. 

The flavor of lemon is a very strong flavor that can be very tricky to master.  After tasting this cookie, it looks like WOW Baking Company has done just that.  The flavor of the cookie is great.  It’s basically a sugar cookie with just a hint of lemon citrus flavor.  WOW uses lemon oil to flavor, rather than pieces of lemon or lemon zest, to flavor this cookie.  I think this was a great choice.  Instead of the strong lemon flavor, you end up with just the aroma of lemons.  Combine that with the light and soft texture of the cookie and you’ve got a home run here.  WOW uses their special gluten free flour in these cookies, which is a blend of brown rice, sweet rice and tapioca.  The texture of the cookie is most like that of a butter cookie.  It is soft, moist and extremely light.  It almost has the texture of a fine cake.   

Overall, we thought this cookie was excellent.  After having one, you’ll know right away that it’s one of those cookies that you will end up craving because it’s so good.  This is probably one of the best tasting gluten free cookies I have ever had and at $1.50 each for a fresh baked cookie, it’s actually a pretty decent value.  The shelf life is pretty impressive too at 21 days.  It might not seem like much, but you have to remember that this is a fresh baked cookie.   For a full list of retail locations or more information regarding this cookie, visit WOW’s website at: www.wowbaking.com.

Taste: The taste of this cookie is very refreshing.  It is basically a sugar cookie that has a slight hint of lemons.  The cookie itself is great too.  It is extremely light and soft much like a butter cookie and cake hybrid.    

Labeling:  The labeling on this cookie is very simple.  Everything is on 2 stickers; one of the logo and one of the ingredients.  One thing that I noticed was missing was the nutrition facts, which can be found on their website. 

Packaging:  This cookie is individually wrapped in plastic. 

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

RATING:

Texture:                 5             

Taste:                     5             

Value:                    4

OVERALL:              4.7

Reviewed 032111 by Calvin C. 

Gluten Free Mix: Sof'ella Chocolate Cake Mix - Product Review #73

Gluten Free Mix: Sof'ella Chocolate Cake Mix

PRODUCT NAME:                    Sof'ella Chocolate Cake Mix

BRAND:                                   Sof'ella Gourmet Natural Foods

COST:                                     $5.10

SIZE:                                       1lb 1oz

COST PER OZ:                         $0.30/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:       NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        N/A

ORGANIC:                                NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        N/A

VEGAN:                                   OPTIONAL

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:         UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:         California

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

REVIEW:
Today, the baking process began with some difficult decisions. Namely, when you have a box of cake batter, do you make cupcakes? A layered 9-inch round? Do rectangles taste as good as circles?

Secondly, what kind of frosting goes best with chocolate cake? Cream cheese? Vanilla? Do I incorporate fruit? At once, I am inspired and overwhelmed with the possibilities this little box of Sof'ella chocolate cake mix offers.

There was a perplexing lack of frosting, or even frosting recommendations on or in the box. They reference you to their Web site for more products and recipes, but don't mention frosting specifically. Luckily, when I checked out the recipes page, the following directions were found to ease my anxiety:

Gluten Free Chocolate Frosting

• 2 c. powdered sugar
• 1/3 c. Dutch (alkalized) cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (NOTE: Vanilla extract sometimes contains gluten so pay attention to the label)
• Pinch of salt
• 2 sticks (or 16 tablespoons) of unsalted, room temperature butter
• 1-2 tablespoons of water (Depending on desired consistency)

"In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer. Add the cocoa, vanilla, [sugar] and salt and beat until smooth. Add water until you've reached a desired consistency."

I take this to be a sign and opt for this classic butter cream on a one-layered round.

The actual baking process is a total cinch. Cream the butter for a minute, add the eggs and mix, then pour Sof'ella's mix in along with a bit of warm water. You should have a thick, beautiful, dark batter. It was a bit sticky, so make sure you have your spatula handy for scraping the sides. In order to handle the batter more easily, you can always spread a little butter on your spatula or spoon to make it non-stick. Pour your batter into the preferred pan, and bake for the amount of time specified on the box.

Now, here's where things can get a little tricky. When dealing with gluten free flours and nontraditional thickening agents, the fear is that you'll either under-bake or over-bake and end up with a hockey puck. Because the consistency of this particular cake is so fragile, you can't really depend on the 'ol toothpick in the middle method for ensuring doneness. It might come out clean, even if the cake needs five more minutes. Also, depending on altitude, you may need to add 25°F to the recommended temperature. Check out www.sofellafoods.com for high altitude baking tips.

I happened to under bake mine a tad, fearing the hockey puck scenario, but the final product was still mighty tasty and super moist.

I hate to mention nutritional facts when we're dealing with chocolate cake here, but without frosting, this cake contains almost two sticks of butter, two eggs, and 23 grams of sugar in 1/12 of a piece. With frosting, we're talking another two sticks of butter and two cups of powdered sugar. I'm not messing around when I say this cake is intense. But I like that in a cake.

In terms of overall value, the mix itself is $5.10. Factoring in the nearly two sticks of butter and two eggs in the batter, along with frosting components, I spent an additional $10, making this at least a $15 cake. So, although the process was easy, and as the final product is a fresh, homemade cake, I momentarily question its value against, say, store bought cake. However, there is something to be said about filling the house with the unbeatable smell of baking chocolate – not to mention the love that goes into homemade baked goods.

In which case, I highly recommend this cake. Perhaps top it with a dusting of powdered sugar and some fresh berries for a lighter experience.

Taste: The taste of the cake by itself is extremely rich. I know why a serving size is 1/12 of the cake – that's all it takes. I almost want to say that it didn't need such a sweet, buttery frosting because the cake itself was so moist and rich. One small piece definitely satiated any and all chocolate cravings I had.

Labeling: Labeling is aesthetically pleasing, with an amazing photo of a layered cake and some cupcakes in the background covered in frosting. Huge, easy to read directions cover the back, and nutritional facts take up one entire side.

Packaging: Box with a plastic bag inside to hold the mix. I have personally deemed the box a tad unnecessary, as it seemed they were having a hard time filling up all that real estate with type and photos.

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:            4
OVERALL:      4.3

Reviewed 021411 by Mallory L.

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 Noodles: Five Grain Brand Guilin Rice Vermicelli - Product Review #40

Gluten Free Noodles: Five Grain Brand Guilin Rice Vermicell

PRODUCT NAME:                              Guilin Rice Vermicelli

BRAND:                                             Five Grain Brand

COST:                                               $0.59

SIZE:                                                 14oz      

COST PER OZ:                                  $0.04/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:                 NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:                  N/A

ORGANIC:                                          NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:                  N/A

VEGAN:                                              YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:                   UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:                    China

*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:
Looking at some of the other products we have reviewed in the past, you will see that we are a big fan of Asian rice noodles.  They are an affordable gluten free alternative to the fancier gluten free pastas.  That also might be because these noodles aren’t marketed as gluten free noodles.  Take a look at the ingredients, and all that is in the noodles is rice and water.  If you’re gluten intolerant and on a budget, I highly recommend trying these noodles if you have access to them.  Just look at the price…we got this 14oz package of Five Grains Brand Guilin Rice Vermicelli from Chinatown for only $0.59.  Try to find that in your local non-Asian supermarket… you won’t find anything that comes close. 

These particular noodles are Guilin Rice Vermicelli, which is a special type of noodle from Guilin, a city in China.  They are rich in history and have been around for over 2000 years.  It looks like they perfected the recipe too because they are some of the best noodles we have had, gluten free or not.  They come in different sizes, small to extra large, which references the diameter of the round noodles.  They are probably the closest you will get to regular spaghetti. 

The texture of these noodles is nice and firm.  A little uncommon for a rice noodle, but the people of Guilin, China have probably perfected the recipe for the noodle because don’t forget, these noodles have been in existence for over 2000 years.  One trick though when making though.  After boiling them up, put them in some cold water to prevent them from sticking together. 

Taste: Not much flavor as this is a typical rice noodle, but the texture is perfect.  It is nice and firm and doesn’t fall apart while cooking like many other rice noodles do. 

Labeling:  For an Asian noodle company, the labeling on this is actually pretty good…No typos and nice high quality image of the noodles on the front. 

Packaging:  Typical plastic packaging for noodles.  You won’t find double packaging here. 

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

RATING:

Texture:                5             

Taste:                     5             

Value:                    5

OVERALL:              5

Reviewed 120310 by CC

Gluten Free Pizza: Mariposa 10" Pizza - Product Review #38

Gluten Free Pizza: Mariposa 10" Pizza

PRODUCT NAME:                        10” Topped Pizza

BRAND:                                       Mariposa

COST:                                         $10.75

SIZE:                                           10oz

COST PER OZ:                             $1.07/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:           NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:            N/A

ORGANIC:                                     NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             N/A       

VEGAN:                                         NO

WHEAT FREE FACILITY:               YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:              Oakland, CA

*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:
Pizza…who doesn’t like pizza?  Only problem most of the pizza out there are made with wheat flour.  Enter…Mariposa with their 10” Topped Pizza, which is a frozen cheese pizza that just happens to be gluten free.  Celiacs and the gluten intolerant can now rejoice, finally a gluten free pizza that actually tastes like a pizza! 

A little background about Mariposa…they are a company based in Oakland, California that specializes in gluten free baked goods.  Mariposa has been producing delicious handmade gluten free baked goods that are just as good, if not better than their glutinous equivalents since 2004.  They bake everything at their dedicated gluten-free facility in Oakland, California.  You won’t have to worry about cross contamination with these baked goods.  So what is their secret to making such delicious baked goods?  It’s their special gluten free flours, which are combinations of organic brown rice flour, sweet rice flour, potato starch and tapioca flour.

This gluten free pizza was great.  We baked the pizza up with some sausage and garlic as toppings and it was DELICIOUS!  It was very easy to make.  Dice up your favorite toppings sprinkle them on top and bake it in the oven until the cheese is melted.  What you end up with is a delicious cheesy pizza with a cripy crust.  The texture of the dough is perfect.  If we didn’t know any better, we wouldn’t have known it was gluten-free.   You can tell this is a high quality pizza crust.

This pizza was great.  Produced by a local company producing handmade high quality food is definitely a plus.  Some might think the price is a little high, but you’re paying for quality.  Just compare it to a frozen pizza you would get at your local grocery store.  You’d probably pay about $8 for one of the gluten filled frozen pizzas…I don’t’ think it’s too much to ask to pay a few more bucks to get a high quality gluten free product.

Taste: This pizza is great.  There was no weird aftertaste like some of the other gluten free bread products we have tried in the past and it had great texture.  We baked it just long enough to get a nice crispy outer crust and it was perfect.  The dough had the perfect consistency; not too chewy but not too flaky.  With our added toppings, it made for a delicious lunch.

Labeling:  There wasn’t much in the form of labeling, just a simple sticker on the front with the company logo, the name of the product, and the ingredients.  This was one of the inspirations for the weekend blog about missing nutrition facts.  This pizza does not have nutrition facts on the packaging and I believe mariposa is exempt from it because they qualify for the Small Business Exemption. 

Packaging: The packaging is very simple as well.  No double packaging here, just a Ziploc bag and a round piece of cardboard to keep the pizza from deforming. 

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 12/10/10 by CC

Gluten Free Granola: Two Moms in the Raw Blueberry Granola - Product Review #22

Gluten Free Granola: Two Moms in the Raw Blueberry Granola

PRODUCT NAME:                       Gluten Free Blueberry Granola

BRAND:                                      Two Moms in the Raw

COST:                                         $11.25

SIZE:                                           8oz

COST PER OZ:                            $1.40/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:          NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:           N/A

ORGANIC:                                   YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:           Natural Food Certifiers

VEGAN:                                       YES

WHEAT FREE FACILITY:              NO

LOCATION OF FACILITY:             Lafayette, CO                               

*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:
Dilemma Dilemma Dilemma…
We reviewed the blueberry granola…well safe to say no one on our team really loved this product…Chewy yes … A bit too chewy.  For us, the taste seemed laden with salt, agave, lots of millet, buckwheat, flaxseed, sunflower, sesame, pecans, almonds, pepitas, apples, and somewhere in there, some blueberries.  There is of course a story on the rear insert that talks about how the idea of Two Moms in the Raw came about and it is a touching one.  Shari, founder and owner of Two Moms in the Raw, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and found that a raw food diet worked the best to help her heal.  Now we are one of the few to commend the pluck of a determined and creative businesswoman.

We thought that we should search out reviews by raw blogs as this is a RAW product and we found that the reviews are superlative… The Raw community comments range from being appreciative to delighted that Starbucks is now a retailer of the product…  Yes, you can buy raw products in a national chain which is the good news… So what can we say but… There are two distinctly different interpretations of taste!!!  

If you are a raw food eater, then you will probably love this product.  If you aren’t, then this is probably won’t enjoy this product as much as Shari would like. 

Taste: We are not raw eaters so our tastes are different, but we thought that the granola was a little on the salty side and actually tasted more like apples than blueberry.  It was also very chewy, a little too chewy for our tastes. 

Labeling: The labeling on the package was very simple.  Raw…check…gluten-free…check… organic…check.  This product has all its healthy guidelines covered. 

Packaging: Non-recyclable resealable plastic packaging.  Some reviewers we found online liked the packaging because they reused them as reuseable sandwich bags, but we don’t think it’s too good of an idea unless you want whatever you put in it to smell like the granola bar. 

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 (from a non-raw eater):

Texture:                2                             

Taste:                    1             

Value:                    2

OVERALL:             1.6

Reviewed 11/01/10 by TD + CC

Gluten Free Pasta: Andean Dream Quinoa Macaroni - Product Review #20

Gluten Free Pasta: Andean Dream Quinoa Macaroni

PRODUCT NAME:                          Quinoa Pasta Macaroni

BRAND:                                         Andean Dream

COST:                                           $5.99

SIZE:                                             8oz

COST PER OZ:                               $0.74/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:             NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:              N/A

ORGANIC:                                      YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:              IMO-Switzerland

VEGAN:                                          Unknown

WHEAT FREE FACILITY:                 Unknown

LOCATION OF FACILITY:                Bolivia

*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 coming to the table today, we knew exactly what to expect from this pasta.  It was the same brand of pasta that we had for lunch yesterday only in a different shape.  Our expectations were met with the great texture and taste we had experienced the day before. 

Consistency with cooking is also another thing to note with this product.  We got the same texture that we expected 2 days in a row which is important.  When you cook spaghetti, you want to be sure that spaghetti is what you get unlike the surprise that we got the other day when we found rice in place of the spaghetti that we put in.

He was quite intrigued by our daily gluten free lunches.  So from our office and from Brian of Brian Martin Metals, we give the 280 families a perfect 5 for this product.  

Taste:  We had a few guests for lunch today, Brian of Brian Martin Metals, who said that the pasta tasted “clean” and that came as a compliment.  Quinoa is a great grain that has a very good flavor. 

Labeling: The labeling on this packaging is very simple.  On the front, is just the brand and type of pasta; no unnecessary jibber jabber.  On the back is a nice background story on the quinoa grain and how the grain is grown in the Bolivian Andes at an elevation of 13,000, which they claim is where the finest quality of quinoa is grown.   

Packaging: Good packaging as it is made out of paper, which can be recycled.

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