FREE Gluten Free Muffin Samples

If you're interested in trying some delicious gluten free muffins made by Auntie Shelley's Gluten Free Muffins, they are giving out free samples to the first 100 people to like them on FB.  Just visit Auntie Shelleys Gluten-Free Muffins Facebook Page

Off the Press #21: Auntie Shelley's Gluten Free Muffins

Great tasting gluten free muffins can sometimes be difficult to find.  Recently, we were connected with Auntie Shelley’s Gluten-Free Muffins, which is an Oakland, CA based a startup that specializes in just that; gluten free muffins.  What sets them apart from the rest is their unique selection of flavors.  These aren’t your typical muffins. 

Last week, I got the opportunity to interview Andrea of Auntie Shelley’s Gluten Free Muffins.  Like their muffins, their story is also unique.  It all started with a friend named Shelley, who was allergic to gluten, and grandma’s tamale recipe.  You might be thinking…Tamale recipe?!  That’s right!  Grandma’s recipe for tamales actually used rice flour instead of wheat flour.  It was one thing that was safe for Shelley to eat.  From there, the recipe was modified and turned into a muffin recipe and the rest is history.  

The one thing that sets Auntie Shelley’s Gluten Free Muffins apart from the rest is definitely their flavors.  Usually, when you think of a muffin, you are probably thinking of flavors like banana nut or poppy seed.  Auntie Shelley’s decided to go the non-traditional route.  They do muffins in tropical flavors like mango, peach, pineapple, orange, and coconut, among others.  This really sets them apart from the rest. 

 

The family has put a lot of care into these muffins.  They spent about 3 years developing the recipe and judging by the product, they have done their homework.   These muffins are handmade from scratch with only high quality ingredients.  Take for example the fruit they use.  All of it is locally grown and all natural.  You won’t find any of the fake stuff in these muffins; that means no preservatives.  Auntie Shelley’s is truly a family business.  They come together on Thursday and Friday nights and bake these delicious gluten free muffins fresh from scratch in a co-op kitchen in Hayward, CA.  The facility is not completely gluten-free however the kitchen that these muffins are baked in is gluten free.  These are muffins that you would feel safe feeding to your family.  

Auntie Shelley’s Gluten Free Muffins  is off to a great start.  They are currently only available on Amazon.com, however, good news, their website launches tomorrow.  As a promotion for their website launch, Auntie Shelley’s Gluten Free Muffins will be offering free samples of their delicious gluten free muffins.  If you’re interested in their muffins, visit their website tomorrow at: www.glutenfreeshelleys.com.  They will be giving FREE samples of their muffins to the first 100 people to like their facebook page:  Auntie Shelley's Gluten Free Muffins Facebook Page

Gluten Free Mixes: Sof'ella All Purpose Baking Mix - Product Review #96

Gluten Free Mixes: Sof'ella All Purpose Baking Mix

PRODUCT NAME:                     All Purpose Baking Mix

BRAND:                                    Sof’ella Gourmet Natural Foods 

COST:                                      $5.10

SIZE:                                        16oz

COST PER OZ:                          $0.32/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:        NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:         N/A

ORGANIC:                                 NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:         N/A

VEGAN:                                     OPTIONAL

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:          UKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:          CALIFORNIA

SHELF LIFE:                              2 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:

Man, it’s difficult to find good pancake mixes that aren’t gluten free. We’ve reviewed Sof’ella products before, so I was excited to bust open this beautiful box of mix  that they sent to us to try– their chocolate cake was lusciously moist and super satisfying.  The Sof’ella crew got it right again with this all-purpose baking flour, which promises to create everything from fluffy pancakes to cookies to gorgeous muffins.

The brand promises products that are “both rich and moist without the gritty or artificial taste associated with most gluten free flours.” Not to be cheesy, but they’re pretty right on.  I made the amount of batter recommended in the instructions on the back of the box, which turned out to be immense. I proceeded to make one large, fluffy pancake that morning then saved the remaining batter for a family breakfast the next day. The batter managed to feed a family of three multiple pancakes – and I’m pretty sure I could have stretched the batter out even more with a couple of tablespoons of water.

The batter called for one large egg, 1½ cups of water and 1 tablespoon of oil. With an egg substitute or two egg whites, you could have a stack of cakes virtually free of fat, cholesterol and animal byproducts. The batter was thick, and became even thicker overnight, which had an impact, obviously, on the girth and texture of the cake. While I prefer a more hefty meal, some diners requested that the batter be made thinner – simply a matter of personal preference.  In terms of value, the amount of batter was substantial, and there is still enough mix in the bag for another round, though probably not enough for cookies or muffins.

I primed a nonstick pan with butter before doling out a mound of batter. The mix was thick enough that I had to smooth and flatten it into a pancake shape with the spatula. The box recommends that you watch for little bubbles to form on top before you flip, just like normal pancakes, but don’t wait too long. I saw a few bubbles, but not nearly the amount you would see with traditional batter.

Pancakes made with Sof'ella Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Mix

I simply peeked underneath for that golden brown color, and flipped when I thought it sufficient. All in all, one medium-sized cake took about 3-4 minutes. The butter really soaks in during the cooking process to create a fantastic crunch, so I didn’t add any more once the cake was cooked. A couple tablespoons of jam or syrup, and you’re good to go.  The taste was simply amazing. Sweet hints of vanilla even suggest a faint trace of buttermilk, although there is no such ingredient in the mix. Heck, there isn’t even milk! Even with such a thick pancake, the inside was fully cooked and fluffy as can be. The texture wasn’t gummy or gritty, and it soaked up the syrup perfectly.  Both family members (disclaimer: they are not gluten intolerant and unused to the unique tastes and textures of alternative flours) thought the cakes were “surprisingly good,” and truly enjoyed their meal. When asked if they wanted seconds, both refused, but I prefer to think that two pancakes were more than filling and they just couldn’t eat another bite.

Not that I’m a calorie counter, but I loath to eat heavy breakfasts. To me, eating heavily in the morning slows things down for the entire day. Plus, I like food so much and I prefer to spread meals out into several delicious encounters throughout. So, my favorite part of Sof’ella’s pancakes have to be the ingredients. The mix itself contains zero fat and only 200 calories per 8-inches of prepared pancake. With a small amount of butter and a bit of jam, this is a piping hot, delicious breakfast that I can whip up quickly without feeling weighed down.

Pancakes are no longer a Sunday-only meal! Batter can even be prepared the day before and refrigerated overnight. With a slather of peanut or almond butter and a drizzle of honey, this might just be a new pre-workout ritual.

Check out www.sofellafoods.com for recipes and high altitude baking tips. 

Taste: Fabulous crunch on the outside, with a fluffy center. The batter contains just the right traces of vanilla and buttermilk, which is strange because buttermilk is not on the ingredient list.

Labeling: Beautiful photo of all the potential baked goods one could make from this base on the front of the box: pancakes, muffins, waffles and cookies. While I have only tried the pancakes, I do believe all things are possible with this sweet flour. Ingredients and directions are easy to read. Their Web site is also super navigable and highly recommended for tips and

Packaging: Paper bag in a cardboard box. Both are recyclable and the bag is easily sealed with a clip, ready for later use.

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 3/24/11 by Mallory L.

Gluten Free Muffins: Udi's Double Chocolate Muffins - Product Review #75

Gluten Free Muffins: Udi's Double Chocolate Muffins

PRODUCT NAME:                    Double Chocolate Muffins

BRAND:                                   Udi’s Gluten Free Foods

COST:                                     $6.00

SIZE:                                       4 Muffins (12oz)

COST PER MUFFIN:                $1.50

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:      YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       GFCO

ORGANIC:                               NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

VEGAN:                                   NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:        YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:        COLORADO

*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:
Udi’s motto is “making gluten free delicious” and after tasting their Gluten Free Double Chocolate Muffins, we can say that it’s a fitting one. Udi’s Gluten Free Foods, located in Denver, CO is one of the biggest names in the gluten free world. They make a large variety of gluten free products including breads, bagels, pizza crusts, granola, and of course muffins and they are sold in over 3500 stores in the U.S. and Canada.

I’m a big fan of muffins and an even bigger fan of chocolate so I was very interested in trying these Double Chocolate Muffins. Open up the package and you can immediately smell the chocolate. I have had other gluten free muffins before, and I could tell right away, that this was not your typical gluten free muffin. The gluten free muffins I’ve had before have been dry with a texture that was not even remotely close to what a muffin should be. Muffins should be soft and moist and have some substance to it and that’s exactly what we have here. As far as taste and texture goes, it was perfect. One thing I would change about the muffin is to maybe make the baking trays a little shallower so that the muffins overflow over the top a little more. I’m a big fan of the tops of muffins because they are nice and sticky and just delicious. I was a little disappointed to see that this muffin didn’t have much of a muffin top.

Flavored with evaporated cane juice, cocoa powder, chocolate chips and lemon flavor, this muffin has the perfect sweetness. Although I didn’t taste the lemon flavor, I definitely tasted the cocoa flavor. The chocolate chips were mixed into the muffin and added little pockets of sweetness and a crunch, which we thought was a very nice blend of textures. The muffin was extremely moist and chewy, which surprised us because it’s the gluten that usually makes baked goods chewy. As far as gluten free muffins goes, this one is the closest to the real thing I have ever had.

Udi’s is a great company that has gone to great lengths to provide great tasting gluten free products products without having to sacrifice flavor or texture. This muffin is not only gluten free, but it is also soy free, dairy free and nut free. You will be glad to know that these muffins are also Certified Gluten Free and made in a dedicated gluten free facility so you don’t have to worry about cross contamination with other gluten products.

Overall, we thought this muffin was great. It had a very subtle sweet flavor and was extremely moist. They were so much like regular glutinous muffins that I couldn’t even tell the difference. If you’re a fan of chocolate and like muffins, I’m sure you’ll like this one. One thing to note is that while these muffins don’t contain any tree nuts, they are produced in a facility that also processes tree nuts, so if you are allergic, you might want to be careful with these.

Nutrition Facts and Ingredients for Udi's Double Chocolate Muffins

Taste: Great taste with just the perfect amount of sweetness. The texture is spot on and is just as moist as a regular muffin.

Labeling: Gluten free, soy free, dairy free and nut free…these muffins are great. The labeling on them was very simple and provided all the info you would want to know about them.

Packaging: The packaging for these muffins was great. It’s a recyclable plastic container that holds 4 3oz muffins.

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 022111 by Calvin C.