Gluten Free Mixes: Orgran Pizza & Pastry Multimix

Gluten Free Mixes: Orgran Pizza & Pastry Multimix

PRODUCT NAME:                      Pizza and Pastry Multimix

BRAND:                                     Orgran

COST:                                        $5.99

SIZE:                                          13.2 oz.

COST PER OZ:                            $0.45/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:         YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:           Allergen Free International

ORGANIC:                                   NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:           N/A

VEGAN:                                      YES               

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:            YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:            Australia       

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:

Nutrition Facts

Taste:  Pizza! Is this not the untouched promise land for a gluten free vegan?

Friends often use these delectable triangle shaped slices of delight as conduits for good times. Many late nights of the past have found me sadly sulking in pizzeria corners while companions indulged. I’ve gazed on wistfully and even found myself pondering the act of simply chugging the marinara sauce to satiate my craving. This thought was always second guessed by the distinct possibility that even the sauce could be sweetened with barley malt, a decidedly gluten rich ingredient- Boo! Just like alcohol or coffee, pizza is a social lubricant: it just makes fun times funner.  This is a food a simply needed to get in on.

Here in steps Orgran’s Pizza and Pastry Multimix. A bit of research revealed that this company offers a very extensive line of gluten free products and flour mixes. When given the opportunity to focus on the pizza dough mix for review I was ecstatic: get this girl up on that pizza train!

The product, to be clear, is a blend of flours and rising agents. One is instructed to add yeast, sugar, oil, and water, top with whatever ingredients they want on their pizza, and bake. I, personally, topped mine with homemade arugula pesto, balsamic marinated red onions, and olives. I imagine that a cheese and meat topped pie may produce different results. Please keep that in mind.

The taste of the dough itself was quite satisfactory. Before my gluten free days I became accustomed to the nutty, earthy taste of whole wheat products and this is definitely not that.  Orgran’s crust had a bit of a Wonder Bread appeal: not to imply that the product itself is overly processed, but simply to say that the taste recalled more on the bleached-white taste of pizza crusts I ate as a kid- you know, before the health freak adult in me decided to mostly eat whole grains. Most people would see this more generic white flour flavor as a plus-I know I did.

Labeling:    I found this product to have a confusing and excessive amount of text and directions. The box contained instructions in nine different languages and stated that most of the additional ingredients were “optional”. The oil measurement called for 0.7 ounces. When you find an average kitchen with a 0.7 ounce measuring device please let me know. I know that kitchen scales do exist, but as a lay person chef (like most of us) this device simply doesn’t exist in my home.

Packaging: The packaging seemed appropriate for the freshness of the product. It was a plastic bag encasing the flour in a recyclable 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:           3
Taste:               4   
Value:              3   
OVERALL:        3.3

Reviewed by Lacy D.

Gluten Free Pizza: Conte's Gluten Free Pizza Shells - Product Review #94

Gluten Free Pizza: Conte's Gluten Free Pizza Shells

PRODUCT NAME:                       Gluten Free Pizza Shells

BRAND:                                      Conte’s

COST:                                         $5.99

SIZE:                                           2 Shells                

COST PER SHELL:                      $3.00

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:          NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:           NA

ORGANIC:                                   NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:           NA

VEGAN:                                       NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:            NO

LOCATION OF FACILITY:            New Jersey

SHELF LIFE:                               Up to 1 Year Frozen

*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:

Conte's Pizza Shells with Sausage and Green Onions

Yesterday, we posted a review of a pizza crust we had tried.  What we left out was that we actually tried 2 different pizza crusts that day; the other was Conte’s Gluten Free Pizza Shells.  Conte’s calls them shells and Udi’s calls theirs crusts; really these two terms can be used interchangeably.  Conte’s sent these to us a couple months back and they have been sitting in our freezer for the perfect occasion to review them.  Much like Udi’s pizza crusts, Conte’s pizza shells also come in packs of 2 however the Conte’s ones are a little larger at 10” a piece.  So how did these pizza shells stack up against the competition?

We prepared these pizza shells exactly the same way as we prepared the Udi’s version.  First we spread a layer of gluten free pizza sauce over the shell then topped it with cheese, chicken sausage and green onions.  The cooking directions call for baking these pizzas in a 425 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.  We opted to stick with the lower temperature of 375 degrees like the Udi’s version because we were afraid it would burn and it paid off.  The pizzas were baked for about 10 minutes and they came out perfectly done. 

There are many different types of pizzas.  There’s thin crust, thick crust, stuffed crust, bread stick crust and the list goes on and on.  Then of course, there are different textures to pizza as well.  You might like your pizza crispy, doughy or maybe a combination of both.   Conte’s pizza shells are very unique.  It contains several different traits.  First off, it is definitely a thin crust pizza; the pizza is probably about a half inch thick.  Then we go into the texture of the pizza.  It is all going to depend on how you cook the pizza.  We cooked it at 375 for about 10 minutes.  The bottom came out slightly browned and crispy, but when we bit into the pizza, the crust was also doughy.  It was much chewier than the Udi’s version; not in a bad way though.  Whether you like this pizza dough or not will all depend on how you prefer your pizza.  If you prefer a pizza that is crispy almost like a chip, you may or may like this pizza.  If you’re a fan of doughy yet crispy pizzas, you will love this pizza crust.   

In our research about these pizza shells, we found several other reviews for this product.  A lot were good, but there were some that weren’t so good.  The main complaint was that these pizza shells arrived broken.  We inspected our shells when they arrived and we did notice some small cracks in the crusts, however it maintained its overall shape fairly well.  My recommendation to Conte’s would be to add a piece of cardboard to the packaging so that the shells will not bend as easily and keep their shapes better. 

As far as nutrition goes, we know that pizza isn’t always the best for you and that you should always practice portion control when eating it.  While this pizza isn’t the worst thing for you, in fact it has only 1 gram of fat per serving, which is pretty good.  What concerned us a little was the 330mg of sodium per serving.  The serving size is 1 slice and there are 8 per container so that means a quarter of a pizza shell contains 330mg of sodium.  That means 1 whole pizza shell contains 1320mg of sodium. This is a pretty high number, but you also have to remember that we haven’t even accounted for the pizza sauce, the cheese and other toppings that are also usually high in sodium.  So here’s a tip, when making a pizza like this, make sure you look at the nutrition facts of the crust and the toppings you plan to put on it and of course, when enjoying your creation, practice portion control. 

Taste:  The taste and texture of this pizza crust were pretty good.  It is best suited for people who prefer a doughy crust although if baked correctly, it can also be crispy. 

Labeling:  The labeling on this package was very simple.  It consisted of 2 stickers, one of the product label and the other of the nutrition facts. 

Packaging:  The packaging was very minimalistic.  The pizza shells were just shrink-wrapped.  I think the addition of a cardboard backing would help provide the necessary support to keep the shells intact. 

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:                    4

OVERALL:              4

Reviewed 3/23/11 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Pizza: Udi's Gluten Free Pizza Crusts - Product Review #93

Gluten Free Pizza: Udi's Gluten Free Pizza Crusts

PRODUCT NAME:                         Gluten Free Pizza Crusts

BRAND:                                        Udi’s Gluten Free Foods

COST:                                          $5.00

SIZE:                                            2 Pizza Crusts (8oz)

COST PER OZ:                             $2.50/pizza crust ($0.63/oz)

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:            YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             GFCO

ORGANIC:                                     NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             NA

VEGAN:                                         NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:              YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:              Colorado

SHELF LIFE:                                  Up to 6 Months Frozen

*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 hear Gluten Free Pizza, what do you think of?  After tasting a pizza we made using Udi’s Gluten Free Pizza Crusts, it has me thinking Udi’s.  A few weeks back, Udi’s Gluten Free Foods sent us a pack of their Gluten Free Pizza Crusts to try.  The pizza crusts come in packs of 2 and have a shelf life of 7 days on the counter, 21 days in the fridge and 6 months in the freezer.  It is just a pizza crust so you have full control over what toppings you want to put on it.  It is a great base to start with. 

I have never made a pizza before, but making this one was easy.  The hardest part was probably deciding what toppings to put on the pizza.  After a little thought, we decided to make a chicken sausage pizza with garlic and sautéed green onions.  After spreading gluten free marinara sauce on the pizza, we sprinkled 3 cheeses over the pizza.  Finally we spread the pieces of chicken sausage over the pizza and topped it with sautéed green onion.  We cooked the chicken sausage beforehand so really all we needed to do was to melt the cheese.  We tossed the pizza in the oven at 375 degrees for roughly 5-7 minutes just like the packaging instructed.  A little tip, we decided to brush a little olive oil on the bottom of the pizza crust so it would be crispy and also to prevent burning.  We ended up with a delicious pizza that was extremely crispy.

The best word to describe this pizza is crispy.  If you’re a fan of crispy thin crust pizzas, then this is the pizza crust for you.  It doesn’t even matter if you’re on a gluten free diet it or not; you will enjoy this pizza.  What separates this pizza crust from many of the other, gluten free or not, is the fact that the Udi’s dough is very light.  This pizza crust is made with a blend of tapioca starch, brown rice flour and potato starch.  It is probably the lightest pizza I have ever had.  Bite into it and you will notice right away that this is something special.  The texture is just so light and airy.  Flavor wise, it is good too.  You won’t find any weird aftertaste with this pizza. 

Overall, we loved Udi’s Gluten Free Pizza Crusts.  This is definitely something I would buy to eat at home.  It has a texture I have never seen with any other pizza I have tasted.  Comparing this pizza crust to other on the market, at just $2.50 per crust it’s a great value for such a good product.  If you’re a fan of light crispy pizzas, do yourself a favor and try this pizza crust.  For a full list of retail locations, visit Udi’s website at: www.udisglutenfree.com.

Taste: Udi’s makes great gluten free pizza crusts.  They are extremely light and crispy and have just the right amount of flavor, letting the toppings do the rest of the work. 

Labeling:  The labeling on this package is very simple.  Like on their other packages, Udi’s Gluten Free Foods utilizes little labels showing that the product is gluten free, dairy free, soy free and nut free.  On top of that, this product is also certified gluten free, certified kosher and contains 8g or more whole grain per serving. 

Packaging:  The packaging is very minimal.  The pizza crusts are placed in a plastic bread bag that is tied at the top with a bag clip.  I had concerns that it wasn’t enough protection in the freezer, but it proved to hold up perfectly fine as I tasted no freezer burn in the pizza. 

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  3/21/11 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Pizza: Conte's Margherita Pizza - Product Review #64

Gluten Free Pizza: Conte's Margherita Pizza

PRODUCT NAME:                          Margherita Pizza

BRAND:                                         Conte’s

COST:                                           $9.50

SIZE:                                             16oz

COST PER OZ:                              $0.59/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:            NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             N/A

ORGANIC:                                     NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             N/A

VEGAN:                                         NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:              UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:              New Jersey

*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:
Margherita Pizza, named after Queen Margherita, is a popular pizza topped with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil. It was first made in 1889 for the queen and was made specifically for the purpose of to show the colors of the Italian flag. Conte’s has their own take on this popular pizza with their Gluten Free Margherita Pizza with Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil. One thing that you will notice immediately is that the basil is missing as a topping, but there is basil in the tomato sauce. This gluten free pizza crust is made with rice flour and corn starch. Topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, Romano cheese, roasted garlic, and olive oil, this pizza is sure to please just about anyone.

Baking this pizza was a breeze. Just take it out of the sealed plastic packaging and pop it in the oven at 450 degrees. The directions said to make it for 10-12 minutes; however we were baked it in a toaster oven that just doesn’t get as hot as a conventional oven so we ended up baking it for closer to 18 minutes. At that point, we had a nice crispy pizza with piping hot cheese on it. I’m not sure what we did wrong, but this pizza ended up looking more like a cheese pizza than the Margherita Pizza pictured on the box where the cheese was marbled with the tomato sauce.

Just like the Mushroom Florentine pizza we reviewed yesterday, we found this pizza to be very tasty. The roasted garlic was a very nice touch that added even more flavor to the pizza. This pizza had similar nutrition facts as the mushroom Florentine reviewed yesterday, but with a little less sodium at 550mg. Please note that although this pizza has 60mg less sodium, this is still a high sodium content. Although we know this pizza tastes great and you probably want to eat it all by yourself, we highly recommend sharing this pizza or splitting it into separate meals.

We thought this pizza was great. With both the Mushroom Florentine and the Margherita pizza being so good, it’s hard to choose which one we like more. If you’re looking for this pizza, you can find a list of retail locations on Conte’s website: www.contespasta.com.

Taste: Great crunchy crust covered with mozzarella and Romano cheese. The addition of roasted garlic and olive oil finished off the whole package to make this a delicious pizza. Note the high sodium content though and practice portion control.

Labeling: I don’t know who their photographer is, but he/she did a great job photographing the pizza. Every time we look at it, it makes our mouths water.

Packaging: Your typical frozen pizza packaging. You will find a vacuum sealed frozen pizza in 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:         5
Taste:             5
Value:            2
OVERALL:      4

Reviewed 020311 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Pizza: Conte's Mushroom Florentine Pizza - Product Review #63

Gluten Free Pizza: Conte's Mushroom Florentine Pizza

PRODUCT NAME:                      Mushroom Florentine Pizza

BRAND:                                     Conte’s

COST:                                        $9.50

SIZE:                                          16oz

COST PER OZ:                           $0.59/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:         NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:          N/A

ORGANIC:                                  NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:          N/A

VEGAN:                                      NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:           UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:           New Jersey

*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:
Rolled out dough blanketed with tomato sauce, cheese and other delicious toppings; it can only be one thing…PIZZA! Pizza is a favorite among many. Have a guy night out, what do you get?...Pizza and wings. For celiacs and the gluten intolerant, it’s tough because a good gluten free pizza is a rare find. We were delighted when Conte’s out of Vineland, NJ decided to send us a few of their products to try, which included their gluten free pizza. Their pizza is gluten free and all natural.

We decided to try their Mushroom Florentine Pizza with Roasted Garlic and Olive oil. Pick up the box and look at the front, and you will see a beautiful pizza that looks crispy with gobs of melty cheese over it. Just looking at the picture makes you hungry. We couldn’t wait to try this pizza out. The directions on the box said to bake it at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Because we don’t have a formal kitchen, we did the cooking in a small toaster oven. Actual cooking time for us was about 15 minutes. I’m not sure if it was because of the moisture from the toppings, but the outer crust was crispier than the middle of the crust. Maybe if we left it in for just a little longer, but by then, the toppings would’ve burned.

We were busy here at the office today and didn’t get to lunch right away so we ended up leaving the pizza to sit for a while. By the time we got to it, the pizza was lukewarm. We were surprised to find that this pizza was still good. It had tons of flavor and the crust actually had a nice texture. This pizza would be best classified as a thin crust pizza, which I think helps with its texture. The thin crust made it easier to make to a nice golden brown crisp. We also liked the toppings. Many of the frozen pizza have toppings that for some reason taste artificial, probably from the flash freezing. The toppings on this pizza actually tasted how they were suppose to taste with no weird flavors or aftertaste. Conte’s did a fine job with this pizza.

Looking at the nutrition fact on the back, the recommended serving size is a quarter of the pizza. With 240 calories, 10 grams of fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol and 610mg of sodium, these nutrition facts seem to be marginally better than similar frozen pizzas that are not gluten free. When eating products like this, you have to remember to take into account the daily values for each category. Remember to have everything in moderation to follow the recommended daily values.

Overall this pizza was great. A gluten free pizza that not only tastes great, but also has great texture? A few years ago, people probably wouldn’t have believed us, but Conte’s has done right and made a product that they should be proud of. If we’re going by taste alone, this pizza easily gets a perfect. One tip though is to make sure you practice portion control and pay attention to the nutrition facts so you know exactly how much you are eating. If you’re interested in this pizza, contact Conte’s to find a retail location near you or go to their website: www.contespasta.com for a list of retail locations by state.

Taste: Tons of flavor packed in cheesy goodness over a crispy crust. What more can you ask for in a pizza?

Labeling: The picture on the front is an attention grabber. Take a look at it and it will have your mouth watering. While what you end up will probably not look as good as the picture, it is close.

Packaging: Your typical frozen pizza packaging. You will find a vacuum sealed frozen pizza in 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:         5
Taste:             5
Value:            2
OVERALL:      4

Reviewed 020311 by Calvin C.

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 Snacks: Go Raw "PIZZA" Flax Snax - Product Review #3

Gluten Free Go Raw Pizza Flax Snax

PRODUCT NAME:                           “PIZZA” Flax Snax

BRAND:                                           Go Raw

COST:                                              $5.49

SIZE:                                                3 oz (85g) $1.83/oz

COST PER OZ:                                 $1.83/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:               YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:                Gluten-Free Certification Organization

ORGANIC:                                        YES

VEGAN:                                            YES

WHEAT FREE FACILITY:                   UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:                  Mountain View, 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:
Now according to the serving count which is three 1 ¼ “ discs of seeds… You are ingesting a whooping 167 calories!!! + 269mg. of sodium!!!!..I would say if you nibbled these salty discs manufactured  with Celtic salt no less, ”Celtic Sea Salts are a prime condiment that stimulates salivation helps to balance and replenishes all of the body’s electrolytes.” www.healthfree.com/celtic_sea_salt, you would probably, as I did, actually eat 9 discs because I was of course not really paying attention to the process of ingesting these little caloric bombs… so I calculate that I ingested 501 calories + 807 mg of salt.

Taste: Reasonable with the salt + organic tomatoes powder, BUT the caloric content + sodium content are not reasonable coupled with the portion size

Labeling: ”Pizza” Flax Snax… since when is a pizza an inch + 1/4 in diameter..???

Packaging: Just about every available space on this package has information on it, which of course I read AFTER I ate 9 seed discs!!!  For all this hoopla about organic + seeds +family owned what happened to the packaging?????? Small, plastic + not recyclable..

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:

Taste:                  2

Texture:              2

Value:                 2

OVERALL:           2

Reviewed 10/23/10 by TD