Cheddar Snackers from The Grainless Baker are fabulous!

The Grainless Baker in PA makes some outstanding gluten-free products, but my faves from the line are the hamburger/hot dog buns, graham crackers and cheese crackers. On a recent visit to Return to Eden (the store has a new website), I picked up the newly reformulated cheese crackers called "Cheddar Snackers". It's hard to imagine that the original version of the bakery's killer cheese crackers could be improved upon, but somehow they were!

The crackers have sleek new packaging as well and since the "snackers" as they're called, are so small, one serving is 17 of them. I didn't eat that many at once but I could easily do so. The crackers are simply delicious - perfectly cheesy and crunchy! I shared a couple of them with a gluten eater recently who stated "those are really good". The comment came complete with a very perplexed look. Hey - not everyone got the memo that most of us are eating fantastic gluten-free foods that taste as good or better than they items they were meant to replace.

If you have not picked up (or ordered) these wonderful gluten-free cheese crackers (like a Cheez-It only better!) yet, you really should check them out! The new "Graham Snackers" are also available at Return to Eden. I've tried five brands of gluten-free graham crackers and for me, none compares to the wonderful version from The Grainless Baker. Be sure to stop in and meet the mastermind behind The Grainless Baker at the upcoming Atlanta Vendor Fair on September 25th!    
 
*Photo courtesy of The Grainless Baker




   

Pinkberry is now swirling in Atlanta

Ever since I read about Pinkberry on A Gluten-Free Guide's blog, I wanted to try it. The only problem was that at the time, the only locations were in NYC. Later on, the healthy yogurt shop opened up in L.A. If you read the Pinkberry FAQ page, you'll see a statement that their yogurts and fruit parfaits are gluten-free. The fact that their yogurts are gluten-free is not surprising. The parfaits on the other hand, are another story. They are made with granola and 98% of those sold in the U.S. contain gluten. The parfaits  are made to order so you don't have to get granola, of course.

We decided to stop in at Pinkberry after a fabulous gluten-free lunch at Blue Moon Pizza recently. The Marietta location was jam packed and the place was so loud that we could not hear ourselves think. I looked at the mostly very young staff and decided I wouldn't worry about the parfaits or the granola that day. If I had to scream for a manager to hear me, it wasn't worth the trouble and I wasn't going to order a parfait no matter what I found out about the granola anyway.

When we got up to the counter, we found out we could try as many flavors of the yogurt as we wanted to for free. And so we did. I tried coconut, mango and watermelon. Oddly enough, I didn't care for any of those and opted for basic chocolate instead. I tasted it as well before ordering. It was heavenly. I had them add fresh strawberries to it and it was some of the best frozen yogurt I've ever had. My husband can't remember what he ended up ordering and neither can I, but he liked it. He opted to have some syrup added but he regretted that. He liked the yogurt better plain as the syrup was overpowering.

OK - here is what you need to watch out for if you visit Pinkberry. The girl who took our order went to get my small cup and my husband's medium cup. She returned and placed his cup upside down on the counter. The same counter where gluten topping crumbs could easily have been since they were busy and in a hurry and well, the (non fruit) toppings are all in the same area on the counter. Many of them contain gluten, of course. The good news is that the girl never put my cup down anywhere. She filled it with the yogurt and handed it directly to me. The other good news is that the fruits are cut fresh daily and they are in a different area of the counter than the non fruit toppings.

Before our visit to Pinkberry, I e-mailed the corporate office to ask about the granola and though I got an auto e-mail reply that someone would be in touch about my inquiry, no one ever contacted me. When I called the local store after our visit, the "shift lead" (who was apparently the highest ranking person working at that moment) told me that to be safe, gluten-free customers should probably order the parfaits without granola. She did not know if the granola was gluten-free or not. I'd never order a parfait with granola because it's not my thing so I'm not going to do further research about this issue. I think the company either uses gluten-free granola and some of their staffers just don't know it - or they have incorrect info on their website about the parfaits being gluten-free.

Pinkberry is now franchised and new locations are set to open in Charlotte, NC and Orlando, FL to name a couple. Hopefully, they'll work out the granola issue soon. It's doubtful you'll get a discount if you order a parfait without granola and if it's truly gluten-free, someone should be able to confirm that from the corporate office.

Pinkberry is way out of the way for us and therefore, we won't be popping in to the Marietta location again. I'm not sure if it's the area of town or what, but the staff in Cobb county was particularly cheerful and helpful. This is something rarely seen in the Atlanta market these days - at least it's not normal at a yogurt shop. If another location opens up in town or closer to us, we'd definitely go back for more creamy and delicious gluten-free yogurt. I have a feeling that the fact that I'd just had pizza and cheesy garlic bread for lunch had something to do with the me not liking the fruit flavors on our first visit to Pinkberry. You know if New Yorkers line up around the block for the frozen treat, it must be pretty darn good!
 

 

     
    


   

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!  

Atlanta gluten-free find of the week

Even though I found the crust-less gluten-free quiche made by Lean on Me Baking Company at Whole Foods over a year ago, I could never bring myself to pay $4.99 for the tiny single serving box. When shopping at Return to Eden yesterday, I found the same product for only $2.79 so into the basket it went. I had the quiche for breakfast today and while it was OK, it wasn't anything to get excited about. First off, it was made with egg whites.. I didn't read the label past the "gluten-free" part. My bad. Next, the spinach flavor was overwhelming and I could barely detect the cheese. Cheese is my fave ingredient in quiche so this was a real negative for me as well.

Even though this exact product is clearly not for me, people who love spinach and egg white omelets would probably love it. Many others would enjoy the portable-ness of it. Throw it into a cooler bag on the way to visit friends out of town (if it's a road trip) and you'll have a safe gluten-free breakfast in three minutes flat. The quiche is high in protein (16g) and low in calories (120). I will likely try another version of the quiche to see if it appeals more to my taste buds. The company also makes mini gluten-free cheesecake (sans the crust), but I'm not a fan of cheesecakes in general. I'd love to try their gluten-free carrot cake and the new gluten-free cookie dough though!      

Review: Jason's Deli gluten-free sandwich

We stopped into Jason’s Deli for lunch on July 3rd. It was our first visit ever to the restaurant. Jason’s in Duluth is very busy and when we arrived, we asked about the possibility of getting a gluten-free sandwich a couple of days before the gluten-free sandwiches were to be offered. The manager nicely offered to make us sandwiches on the gluten-free bread himself. I saw the Udi's bag on the back counter shelf and noticed the manager putting on new gloves to prepare our meals.  

After checking out the new gluten-free menu (not the one with gluten-free items noted but a completely new menu), I ordered a roast beef sandwich with cheese. I didn’t order any condiments, as I knew they would not have a separate condiment station set up since they were not actually set up to make gluten-free sandwiches that day. The manager made our sandwiches on the opposite side of the line from where gluten sandwiches were made.

The sandwich was less than $6 and came with Ruffles potato chips and a pickle. When the sandwich arrived, I was taken aback at how much roast beef was on it. I ended up eating only half of it and took the other half to go. It was a really good sandwich and meal overall. The bread of course was fabulous as Udi’s bread always is. 

The extensive gluten-free menu lists the salad bar items that are gluten-free, which is many of them. However, after checking out what the salad bar looked like, I would only order the salad bar if I was there when the store opened. That way, I could get my food before anyone else got the chance to misplace a serving utensil and contaminate an otherwise gluten-free item. In the area where the croutons were (which is in its very own section on the bar), crouton crumbs were everywhere. This is the norm for salad bars, of course.

There are various ways the salad bars can be set up so that cross contamination issues are kept to a minimum. For instance, the gluten-free dressings can be put in an area where gluten dressings would be very likely to be dripped into them. Hot Stix in Atlanta set up their food bar with such things in mind so it’s a shame the concept didn’t make it here. As I was not having the salad bar at Jason’s Deli, I didn’t study the placement of everything, but I’d still probably only get the salad bar if I was there when they opened for the day. I have no interest in going to Jason’s for salad anyway, since I can have a sandwich now!

In addition to sandwiches, there are baked potato options on the gluten-free menu and vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce for dessert. In fact, the ice cream is free (if you order other food, of course) and it’s gluten-free as long as you skip the cone. The location of Jason’s Deli that we visited was shockingly busy. Once we tasted the sandwiches, we understood what all the “hullaballoo” was about. It’s a fun place to grab a quick, reasonably priced and now - tasty gluten-free bite. 

Please be aware that gluten-free sandwich service is just being rolled out at Jason’s Deli locations (and might not be available in all stores yet). All locations will obviously not offer the same experience that I had. My food was absolutely gluten-free and the experience was a very pleasurable one. There was no anxiety, but of course, the manager knew I was reviewing the meal online. My advice to anyone interested in enjoying a gluten-free sandwich at Jason’s Deli is to sit where you can see your sandwich being made. This way, you’ll be able to tell if there are two condiment stations set up, etc.  

Remember, when Starbuck’s rolled out their ill fated gluten-free cake, many stores opened the individually wrapped cakes and placed them in the gluten filled pastry case. They did this to make the cake “look more appetizing”. Seriously, that is what they did. There will likely be growing pains related to this new venture at Jason’s, so if you see that a mistake was made on your order, don’t accept it. Politely explain what you saw that was done wrong and tell them how to do it right. When and if you do this at any establishment, it’s very important that you speak with a manager. Not a bus person or friendly order taker - a manager. If you don't feel your concerns are being understood then call the corporate office to report the situation. 

Jason's Deli didn't go to the trouble of researching gluten-free breads, products and learn about proper gluten-free service to fail at catering to our community. Thinking everything will go perfectly at every location in the early stages of a gluten-free menu roll out is unfair to the company. We know there are many ways they can mess up a perfectly safe meal and if you want them to do it right, you need to correct them if they get it wrong.      

I’m super excited to be able to have a wonderful sandwich on delicious edible gluten-free bread when eating out in my area. Hopefully others will support this effort by Jason’s Deli to serve our community. We should all appreciate that enjoying a gluten-free meal at Jason’s Deli is an exceptional value as gluten-free dining options go. And these days, who can’t appreciate a bargain?!

For another take on another Jason's Deli in the Atlanta area, read Anne Steib's detailed review.

UPDATE 10-14-10: Even though for a million dollars I would never have found this menu on Jason's Deli site, their tech support person was kind enough to walk me through it. Word to corporate - get the  menu up in a user friendly way already. People are saying they won't go in unless they can review the menu online first.

Gluten Free Menu for Jason's Deli 

*Udi's gluten-free bread is gluten, dairy, soy and nut free. 

Taste American Gra-Frutti at Whole Foods in Duluth tomorrow!

The Whole Foods in Duluth, GA is hosting a Livin' Local tasting event on July 10th from 10 am to 5 pm. Not all vendors will be sampling gluten-free products but from 10-4, American Gra-Frutti will sampling some of their wares. Everything the Marietta, GA company makes is gluten-free. If you haven't tried their products yet (and you live in the Atlanta area), you're really missing out! Atlanta area Whole Foods locations and Return to Eden have been selling American Gra-Frutti products for a while now, and the company sent out a press release yesterday about them rolling out to all Southeast Region Whole Food locations! Below is an excerpt from the notice.      

The “You Love Chocolate Chip” cake and cupcake, as well as the “They’ll Never Know” spice cake, flavored with carrots, squash and spinach, are now on sale at Whole Foods Markets in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee and North Carolina.  Both cakes, topped with a decadent dairy-free frosting, can be purchased as a “grab and go” individual cupcake, a cupcake four pack, or a 5” two-layer cake.

All American Gra-Frutti products are produced in a dedicated, gluten-free facility by company Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Marilyn Santulli. The American Gra-Frutti bake shop is located in Marietta, Ga., and American Gra-Frutti products are sold around metro Atlanta including Whole Foods Markets, Harry’s Farmer’s Markets in East Cobb and Alpharetta, Turner Field, Return 2 Eden, and Life Grocery.   American Gra-Frutti products are also sold at MOM’S Organic Markets in Maryland, and Abbey’s Health Food Store in Tampa, Fla.

Many American Gra-Frutti products are free of dairy (and some other things like MSG, HFCS and artificial colors/flavors) but my fave product from the line is not dairy free. It's the Peachtree Pimento cheese spread. It's a pimento cheese with a twist as there is no mayo in it! Using it to make cheese grits might change your life! Did you know that I am considered a G.R.I.T.S. myself? Yes, I'm a GIRL that was born and RAISED IN THE SOUTH. There is a whole line of products with the slogan on it, but somehow I've never even bought a t-shirt. In case you didn't know, in the South, we're girls until we stop breathing. OK - back to American Gra-Frutti products - try them - you'll like them. No, you'll probably LOVE them - and that goes for people that can eat gluten too!

*I've reviewed this product line several times so you might see a quote from me on the American Gra-Frutti website. They are not a client of mine and I have no affiliation with them other than loving their fabulous products and sharing the news with others. Congrats to the gang at American Gra-Frutti for this big step in the distribution world! I can't wait to see what you create next!    

Win the new cookie mix from Jule Gluten Free!

Sorry I didn't get around to posting about this give-away before now. Today is the last day to enter to win the new cookie mix from Jules Gluten Free. Winner's shipping address must be in the lower 48 U.S. states. Click here if you fit that bill and haven't already entered to win.  

Please note, posting a comment on this post doesn't enter you in the contest. Only comments posted on the www.celiac-disease.com article about the new mix qualify.

Look for my detailed review of our experiences at Jason's Deli (in Duluth, GA) tomorrow. We actually got a preview before they rolled out the gluten-free service on Monday.

Jason's Deli rolls out gluten-free sandwiches in the ATL!

The manager at the Jason's Deli in Duluth confirmed that they will indeed be offering gluten-free sandwiches on Monday, July 5th. I did not contact any other locations so if you want to know if your location is rolling out the sandwiches next week, please contact them directly. You can enter your zip code to find locations on the Jason's Deli website.  The manager who can eat gluten thinks the gluten-free bread is "awesome"! Considering it's supposed to be Udi's bread they're using, he's absolutely right! We already have plans for Monday, but will be sure to pop in the next weekend when shopping at Natural Foods Warehouse to check enjoy a gluten-free sandwich! And by they way, if you love Udi's bread as much as we do, be sure to pick some up at the store above. It was only $3.99 a loaf the last time I was there! Hope everyone has a lovely holiday weekend!    

    

Update on YEAH! BURGER

When we visited the fun and funky new burger joint YEAH! BURGER recently, we ordered gluten-free buns for our burgers and one order of fries. They were fine, but I didn't know that you are supposed to specify you need gluten-free fries. Not all the fries there are gluten-free (don't ask me why) and I would not trust the staff to figure out I need gluten-free fries even though I ordered a gluten-free bun. This is nothing against the staff - they are just young and overly busy due to the extreme popularity of this place. I ate plenty of the fries we shared so I can say without question that they were indeed gluten-free. That might mean the staff automatically ordered gluten-free fries for us, but again, I would not trust that would happen all the time. Please specify if you need gluten-free fries when dining at YEAH! BURGER. In case you missed it, you can read my full review of the place here.

Gluten-free cinnamon buns coming to Atlanta Whole Foods!

We rarely shop at Whole Foods anymore, except to buy overpriced "to die for" cheeses that we can't find elsewhere. All their gluten-free items cost more than at the store we shop at around the corner (Natural Foods Warehouse) from our Whole Foods. However, there might soon be a reason to pop back into Whole Foods every now and then. Sweet Odelle's gluten-free cinnamon buns will soon be available in the Atlanta area locations. The ink on the deal is dry so look for the cinnamon buns to start showing up at Whole Foods soon! Sweet Odelle's is based in Suwanee, GA and does not have a store front.

The tightly rolled, small cinnamon buns that we had were simply delicious! Sweet Odelle's is a local company and you can buy the cinnamon buns now at the farmers markets they exhibit at. Check their website for market details.We didn't care for the cream cheese glaze which is the most popular for the gluten-free buns. Vanilla is more up our alley when it come to glazes.

The owner of the Sweet Odelle's can't eat gluten so this venture is not about someone jumping on the gluten-free bandwagon without understanding how to make truly gluten-free products. They take every precaution to make safe foods in a multi use facility.

Please note: the photo above is for the regular cinnamon buns. We  had our very early before leaving town and I forgot to snap a photo of them. The gluten-free buns are quite small, but I only ate one of them. My  husband scarfed down four in one sitting. If you buy them at the farmers market, the price is $10 for six small buns or 4 large ones. I'm not sure what the Whole Foods price will be.