Best gluten-free "Ritz" style cracker!

I'm a cracker person....always loved Saltines and Ritz crackers with cheese, or spread or even plain old butter!  So when I had to give up gluten crackers, I went on the hunt for "real" tasting crackers.  Twelve years later, I'm still on said hunt.  There are many really tasty crackers available today.  Absolutely Gluten-Free, Crunchmaster and Schar all offer some really good options that gluten eaters can also enjoy.  However, until recently the Ritz style cracker has eluded me. 

In the past, I've often ended up with six or seven boxes of crackers in my pantry at one time.  Clearly, no one needs that many crackers so I took a break from trying new brands for a while for a couple of  years.  That break ended two weeks ago when I decided to check out the tiny GF section in a Publix that is not our normal store.  Low and behold, there was a product from Lance (you know - the company that makes the silly-small peanut butter and cheese sandwich style gf crackers) marked "NEW" and the photo on the box look exactly like a Ritz cracker.  I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try them so into my basket they went!  I ended up getting to try them for almost nothing due to a random act of kindness.  The person in front of me in line gave me a gift card worth over $3 (what was left after they checked out) and the crackers were maybe $3.59.

Unfortunately, when I opened the bag of crackers, the small size of the round disks was a shock.  I shouldn't have been surprised since the above mentioned sandwich crackers are also way too small.  The good news is that this new plain cracker pretty much taste like a Ritz cracker!  There is a very slight sandy mouth feel which is the only sign they're not a "regular" cracker.  Due to the buttery flavor and perfect crunch, I can get past that sandy feature.  I would prefer they cost twice and much and be twice the size they are...but I'm probably alone in that wish ;)

If you like Ritz crackers, but can't have the real thing anymore, the Lance brand is definitely worth trying.  I've only seen them at Publix, but they're apparently sold at Target as well. 

Top 10 favorite gluten-free things 2018

As gluten-free products in the U.S. change and improve, the list of my favorite finds does the same.  Many of my past favorite things are no more - Glutenfreeda cookies and Amy's Potato Leek soup, for examples - but at least new and amazing items continue to roll down the gluten-free pipeline.  Please note this list is comprised only of items I can buy locally, though many fantastic products are sold online that are not available in the ATL.  The * denotes where I've found listed items.  Most are available are more than one place so be sure to find which store near you carries them, on the individual manufacturers' websites.  If something says one particular flavor "only", it just means that is the only flavor (or flavors) I personally care for. 

Image courtesy of Trader Joe's 

1. Best Bagel - Canyon Bakehouse Everything  *Sprouts
2. Best ready-made cupcakes - Lucky Spoon - lemon and zucchini only  *Sprouts
3. Best whole grain bread - Schar Artisan Baker 10 Grains and Seeds  *Earthfare
4. Best egg fettuccini - Trader Joe's  *TJ's (possibly made by RP's)
5. Best fresh pasta - various types - RP's Pasta (now Taste Republic)  *Whole Foods
6. Best fritters - Katz Gluten Free - apple only  *Sprouts
7. Best cookie - Tate's Bakeshop Ginger Zinger (gf)  *Bed, Bath & Beyond
8. Best cookie mix - Fresh Market Chocolate Chip  *Fresh Market
9. Best frozen meal - Amy's Cheese Enchiladas  *Kroger  
10. Best frozen pizza - Kroger Four Cheese  *Kroger

To find the above items (if you haven't yet, but would like to), there are a few things to keep in mind.    The Lucky Spoon cupcakes are shipped frozen, but put out in the "fresh" bakery section on a special dietary needs display in Sprouts.  Tate's cookies have their own display at BB&B, but you must pay attention not to grab the green (gluten) bag.  The gluten-free cookies come in a white bag.  Also, the chocolate chip version of these cookies are absolutely horrible to me...odd to say the least.  Sprouts stocks all Canyon Bakehouse goods in the refrigerated cooler in the bakery - not in the freezer.  

Lastly, the Trader Joe's Egg Fettuccine is stocked in the strangest place imaginable.  It's above the produce...yes, I said produce.  And due to the way it's laid flat, you can't even see the label.  At least, it's that way at our TJ's.  It's unbelievable how my friend, Jamie, ever found it and was able to tell me about it.  But, I'm really grateful that she did!  This pasta is also offers the most value since it's $3.99/pk for FRESH gluten-free pasta.   

Gluten-free in 2018

It's hard to believe that it's been 12 years since I started following the gluten-free diet due to my celiac diagnosis.  Within that first year (2006), three in my family, including me, were gluten-free so at least holidays with them have been a breeze.  Back then we didn't have all the wonderful things now available at your local grocery store - or at Whole Foods, Sprouts and Earthfare. My first pizza crust, pasta, cookies and cake mix experiments had me thinking I would not be enjoying any of those things ever again!  Talk about gross....no wonder people generally think all gluten-free food is horrid.  For many years, much of it was exactly that.

I remember reading a grocery report that stated by the end of 2010, gluten-free items would disappear from store shelves and the gluten-free craze would be over.  Isn't that a hoot?  That particular paper was partially funded by the wheat industry, by the way.  Almost a decade later, the gluten-free label has been slapped on the most ridiculous things like canned pineapple, coconut milk and sea salt.  And there are more cookies, crackers, cake mixes and pasta brands than the gluten-free market should be able to support.  Yet, almost weekly I come across something new...it's a bit overwhelming even to me.

From talking to people who are gluten-free for various health reasons, which are not related to a celiac or gluten intolerance diagnosis, it seems that the gluten-free market is going to continue to thrive much longer than anyone anticipated.  All indications are that there will likely be people that continue to order gluten-free buns, etc. just for the heck of it - who would not know if they ate food containing gluten.  That's really not a problem unless you can't get a bun because one of those people took the last one.

The biggest concern I have (the same one as hoards of gluten-free folks) is that eventually many trend diet followers will fall off the gluten-free bandwagon, so to speak. When that happens, some of the larger food companies will discontinue some items on their gluten-free roster.  Business is business and if they didn't do that, it would not make sense.  What we'll be left with in terms of product selection, quality ingredients and of course, wonderful taste are the unknowns in that scenario.  Let's hope there are enough great tasting, quality replacement foods left after the gluten-free frenzy dust settles down.  

Review: Cedar's brand of hummus

Since I've been gluten-free, I have grown to LOVE hummus!  I doubt I even ate any before I was 40, but now I hate to go a day without it.  It's one of the most healthy spreads around and with so many flavors to choose from, there is something for everyone!

While checking out the hummus offerings at Whole Foods recently, I came across a couple of flavors from Cedar's that I've not seen before.  I picked up both the Spinach Artichoke and Roasted Red Pepper 'hommus' as they call their product.  Both are clearly marked gluten-free right on the top of the lid.

The Spinach Artichoke flavor was okay, but not one of my favorites.  I love spinach artichoke dip so this was quite surprising.  The Roasted Red Pepper hummus was right up my alley.  It's bursting with wonderful flavor and is simply delicious!

Cedar's gluten-free items bear the GFCO symbol.  The Gluten Free Certification Organization is a division of GIG.      

Awesome chips from Late July!

It seems that Late July introduced a line of gluten-free chips last fall, but I just found them at Natural Foods Warehouse in Duluth last week. Even though there are some flavors of Doritos that are gluten-free, they contain MSG which I avoid in addition to gluten.

The Dude Ranch Organic whole grain chips from Late July are like a Dorito - only better!  The flavor is wonderful and the crunch factor is perfect.  The multigrain chips are certified gluten-free and they are delicious. I will be trying the other flavors very soon!

Gluten-free find of the week! 10-12-10

This may not be a new product, but it is new to me. While picking up turkey pepperoni to use for pizza at home recently, I flipped over a bag of turkey mini sausages and saw the term gluten-free on the package. Unlike the the product that was demoed at the recent vendor fair by Johnsonville (which my husband loved!), the Turkey Snack Bites from Old Wisconsin are free of MSG!

For those of you that are newbies, MSG is gluten-free in the U.S. Once I went gluten-free, I found out that the additive MSG (not in it's natural form) bloats me up like a balloon so I have to avoid it. In fact, I can't even stand up straight if I inadvertently get into it when dining out. I'll try the sausages soon with some gourmet mustard sent to me from a company out in Cali and write up a proper review for both items. That will post on www.Celiac-Disease.com late next week.  

These Snack Bites were at Publix and most every item I checked from Old Wisconsin was labeled gluten-free. I just love it when I can buy something new at the regular grocery store and lately, there have been too many new things for me to purchase and try. Yes, it really is a great time to be gluten-free!

Yes - I worked the ATL gluten-free vendor fair

The recent gluten-free vendor fair was definitely the best event we've ever had in Atlanta. Because I worked the show, the only speaker I got to see was Cynthia Kupper from GIG. She spoke before the show started and was amazing. We were so lucky to have her attend the event this year!

To those of you who looked for my table and never found it, I apologize that my table location was out in the hall. Some vendors even asked me after the show why I didn't work the show since they could not find my table in the main ballroom. One of the exit doors dumped out right in front of our space, but some people went in and out the other door and never got down to our side of the hall. I sincerely apologize to anyone who thought I didn't show up. Wild horses could not keep me away from the wonderful event!

Regardless of our table location, we ended up selling almost all our t-shirts and ran out of three sizes of them at the show.  Many kids wanted a shirt but we didn't have anything but adult sizes. All sizes are in stock at my Cafe Press Store, Make Mine Gluten Free. The new edition of the Triumph Dining Restaurant Guide has over 6500 restaurants listed and many people were excited to find out such a book exists. I would never have survived my first gluten-free year without the dining cards and restaurant guide from the line. Thanks to all who helped make it worth our while to work the show this year!

I must admit that I'm looking forward to next year when I won't be working the show. There is just too much going on for me to be stuck behind the table for most of the event. Some of the local vendors I didn't get to see asked me to come to their businesses to get samples of things to review. The products I picked up at the show will be reviewed on Celiac-Disease.com starting next week.

Review: Glow Gluten Free cookies

Glow Gluten Free cookies have been available at Return to Eden for a while now, but I never picked them up. Truthfully, I've never been one to eat cookies as a snack that often. That's changed somewhat since I've been doing gluten-free product reviews, because I have cookies sent to me from time to time for that purpose. Such is the case with Glow Gluten Free cookies. I read one rave review after another about these cookies and finally decided to see what all the buzz was about.

Even though I'd seen so many glowing reviews for Glow's gluten-free goodies, I had never noticed that the ingredients included bean flours. Gosh - I never met a sweet made with such flours that I loved so when I read the ingredients on the sample boxes that arrived at my house last week, I was suddenly not so excited to try them. But of course, I had to. I'd been sent all four flavors to taste so I tried to be positive and gave one of the cookies a try.

First up was the Chocolate Chip cookie. The texture was definitely more crunchy than chewy, but the cookies are crunchy in a soft way...it's hard to explain actually. In any case, the good news is that the taste of the cookies was very good and best of all, there was NO bean flour taste to it. Whew - what a relief!

As the week progressed, we ended up getting into all four flavors of the Glow Gluten Free cookies. Here is how the rest of the flavors broke down at our house.

Snickerdoodles - excellent flavor; my second favorite flavor; my husband's least favorite.

Double Chocolate Chip - exceptional taste; my favorite of the bunch; my husband's second choice.

Ginger Snaps - exceptional texture and taste; my third choice only because I'm not a ginger snap person; my husband's favorite option (he ate four the night we opened them -  giving me one bite - and ate the last three cookies the next day at work).

If you ever watch the Rachel Ray show, you know that she has a "snack of the day" and Glow's Gluten Free cookies recently made the cut. You can watch the video clip here. According to Rachel, we're in the midst of a gluten-free movement. Hey - the more times gluten-free is mentioned on a mainstream cooking show - the better for all of us!

Glow Gluten Free cookies are all natural and free of casein, trans fats and preservative as well. You can view the impressive nutritional data here. The cookies from Glow carry GIG's trusted seal of approval. If you can't find Glow's cookies in your area, you can order them online. My favorite way to enjoy these cookies is to dunk them in hot tea or coffee. Give them a try and I bet they'll have you "glowing" too!

*Special thanks to Jill for my sample cookies and for making healthy gluten-free cookies that taste decadent!
                 

Gluten-free Hamburger Helper in Publix

Betty Crocker introduced three new gluten-free Hamburger Helpers and one of them - Asian Fried Rice - finally arrived on the shelves at Publix. All three versions are said to be available at both Kroger and Publix locations here now. It usually takes a while for stores to find room on the shelves for new product so it's likely the other mixes are in the back at my store too. However, I had been out most of the day and I wanted to get home so I didn't ask anyone to check the back room for the other gluten-free Hamburger Helpers. When the Betty Crocker mixes arrived there, it took over two weeks for them to get put out but they sold them to me out of the stock room in the meantime.  

The good news is the Asian Fried Rice mix was only $1.59. There was a sign on the shelf that said all Hamburger Helpers were on sale 2 for 1 (or half price if you buy only one), but don't you know the Asian Fried Rice rang up are full price. I would have bothered the clerk to investigate if the new mix was supposed to be half off, but the last time the Betty Crocker mixes were on sale like that, I found out after what seemed like forever that none of the gluten-free mixes "qualified for the sale".

To find out where the new mixes are sold in your area, check the Live Gluten Freely website. You can also sign up there to win a free box of gluten-free Bisquick.    

UPDATE: I had to return the Asian Helper I bought last week. I'm disappointed, but not that surprised. Don't worry - the product is indeed gluten-free - it's just not for me. Here's why.

 

Gluten-free Bisquick hits the ATL!

The main ingredient in the new Bisquick is rice flour, followed by sugar. By reading the ingredients, I'm not overly impressed, but maybe the company is using the finest quality rice flour in the world. Based on the ingredients, I decided that I don't want to make pancakes with the mix. I can usually tell by the flours used in something if I will personally care for it and I can't imagine that Biquick pancakes will hold a candle to the ones made with Gluten-free Naturals or King Arthur gluten-free mixes. I really hope I'm pleasantly surprised when I make biscuits with the new Bisquick.

Since it's too hot to turn on the oven,  I'm going to wait to test the mix out later. At $4.19 for a 16 oz. box, it's not a very good value so I want to read other reviews where people have had success with it, before using it myself. Avid gluten-free bakers should have some fun with this new product. The Bisquick box has four recipes on the back (pancakes, biscuits, waffles and strawberry shortcakes) and three on the side panel (chicken fingers, oven baked chicken and pizza crust). Check the Live Gluten Freely website for more recipes using the product.

• Gluten-free Bisquick ingredients: rice flour, sugar, leavening (baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate), modified potato starch, salt, xanthan gum. *May contain soy ingredients. 

Some Kroger stores in the area have the new gluten-free Hamburger Helper in stock and Publix might as well. Since I have so many similar (but healthier) items from Mixes from the Heartland here, it will be a while before I check out the new Hamburger Helpers. I'd be most interested in a version that contains gluten-free pasta, but so far none of the gluten-free options offer that.



      

Review and Give-away: Magners Irish Cider

Please note that while I do have something to give-away, it's not alcohol - or food. If you're still interested, then by all means, keep reading.  

Several weeks back, I was informed that a new gluten-free cider that was rolling into GA - or at least to the Metro Atlanta area of it. Not being one to turn down much in terms of free gluten-free products, I agreed to review the cider even though I'm not the biggest fan of beers or ciders in general. They weren't on my preferred drink list when I consumed gluten either. Below is part of the press release about the product roll out in Georgia. According to Erin's blog post, Magners has been available in NYC for over two years. Hey - better late than never, right?!  

Magners has a crisp, refreshing taste with a great balance of sweet and tart flavors. It has been produced since 1935, validating its lasting appeal. Magners is 100% naturally Gluten free, providing refreshment for the more than 3 million US consumers who cannot drink beer. Magners has 4.5% alc./vol and only 125 calories per 11.2 oz. bottle. 

“Following the enormous consumer success throughout the United States in the past several years, we’re excited to add Atlanta to its growing market list,” said Kevin Murphy, US Marketing Manager, Wm. Magner Inc. “You’ll likely see Magners being served “over ice” a popular Irish tradition that has caught on in the states.” 

I'm going to have to try Magners over ice...what a great idea for summer especially! I'm far from a beer or cider aficionado, but here are my thoughts about this new product called Magners Irish Cider It tastes like a cross between a beer and a hard cider to me. It has a nice smoothness to it, unlike many gluten-free beers I've tried. Unlike many gluten-free ciders, this product is not really sweet, at least it's not to me. If the combination of a smooth beer with a non-sweet cider taste is something you've been looking for, I recommend you try this new cider option from Magners. The below excerpt from the Magners website offers another reason you might want to give it a try.

Magners is truly an Irish success story. In Ireland, through a successful marketing campaign, infusing a mature intellectual appeal into the brand, Bulmers Original Cider has changed attitudes to cider and recovered a brand that had been subject to declining sales, low pricing and low profits.

On the international stage, Magners has grown from strength to strength over the last 5 years and is now the number 1 packaged cider brand in Great Britain. It is available in 17 markets around the world and continues to grow at a rapid pace as more and more people are introduced to the crisp refreshing taste of Magners.

You can check the Magners website to find out if this cider is sold at restaurants or package stores in your area. If you're in the Atlanta area, look for it at Ri-Ra, Stout, Brewhouse Cafe, The Marley House, Mac McGee's, Greens Package, Total Wine and Kroger. The list of places you can find Magners is growing, but if your store doesn't carry it, consider asking the store owner or manager to bring it in for you.  

Now for the fun part, Magners is sponsoring a give-away for a BBQ tool set (as shown in photo). For your chance to win it, please leave a comment below and mention what your favorite gluten-free food is to grill outside. The winner's address must be in one of the lower 48 states and the deadline to enter is July 17th at 12 midnight EST. The winner will be announced on Monday, July 18th. Good luck!   


*Special thanks to Magners for my sample 6-pack and for sponsoring this fun give-away for my readers!