Cookies: Food-Tek Chocolate Chip

Ah the disappointment! I attempted to whip up a batch of Food-Tek's Quick-Bake, wheat-free, gluten free, trans fat free, enriched chocolate chip cookies, but had little success.

The gluten free chocolate chip mix, like other Food-Tek products comes with its own measuring cup, and multiple packs of mix- in this case 4.

I followed the directions initially which said to preheat the oven to 375 degrees, add contents of mix to a bowl, then add 5 cc of water and 1 tsp. of softened butter, then mix until well blended.

Perhaps I've stated this before with previous Food-Tek reviews, but the little cup needed to measure the water in never seems to have a clearly indicated mark. 5 cc's in reality is about a teaspoon's worth of liquid. So I put in the 5 cc's and mixed and mixed and not surprisingly I couldn't get it past a powder. How could I possibly drop by rounded teaspoons?? So natch I added more water, but of course it was too much water- like maybe a whole tablespoon? It just was so ludicrous.

In the oven, the rounded blobs all blended into one another, though I was still hoping for the best after 8 minutes of baking.

The cookies were uh rather crumbly, delicate would be the clear understatement here, with a taste that might have clearly begun as cookie-like, but soon became decidedly glue-like. "Glue" was Rob's term for them.

It has always been my opinion that Food-Tek products resemble more Easy Bake Oven snacks (anyone remember those?), geared for kids with celiac, than actual food products. So I guess I was left feeling utterly inept that I couldn't bake up some decent gluten free cookies. Yeah, easy for children, and impossible for adults!

So perhaps all you celiac readers out there will have a much better experience with Food-Tek's chocolate chip cookies than me.

Happy Mixing!

Ingredients
Corn starch, sugar, chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, dextrose, soy lecithin, vanillin), corn oil, nonfat dry milk, dried egg, baking soda, salt, vanilla, fumaric acid, niacin, thiamine hydrochloride, riboflavin, folic acid.

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 23 g
Servings per container: 8
Amount per serving
Calories: 100
Calories from fat: 35
Total fat: 3.5 g
Sat fat: 1 g
Trans fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 10 mg
Sodium: 135 mg
Total carb: 17 g
Dietary fiber: 0 g
Sugars: 7 g
Protein: 1 g

Pizza: Glutino Spinach and Feta

We've always been very impressed with Glutino's gluten free products and the Spinach and Feta Pizza is no exception.

Available in the frozen section, simply remove packaging, place in a pre-heated 400 degree oven and bake for 17 minutes. Nothing could be easier. Admittedly I did add some additional cheese as the feta mostly fell off the frozen pizza. It's tiny square shape was apparently not conducive to a round frozen pizza. Go figure.

Out emerged a celiac safe, decadent-looking pizza. The taste of course was wonderful. The crust was crunchy, substantial and almost buttery in flavor. Certainly not a low-carb, low fat or low sodium food, this gluten free goody was a real treat.

Ingredients:
Water, corn starch, tapioca starch, spinach, mozzarella-brick cheese blend (pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, bacterial culture, salt, microbial enzyme, calcium chloride, cellulose), feta cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, bacterial culture, calcium chloride, microbial enzyme, lipase, salt, natamycin, lactic acid), ricotta cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, lactic acid, salt), safflower oil, evaporated cane juice, glucono-delta-lactone, dried egg whites, salt, guar gum, yeast, garlic, pectin, sodium-bicarbonate, spices, sodium alginate, modified cellulose.
This product contains eggs and milk ingredients. May contain traces of soy, fish and sesame seeds.

Nutrition Facts:
Serving size: 1 pizza (175 g)
Servings per container: 1
Calories: 430
Calories from fat: 140
Total fat: 16 g
Sat fat: 5 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 25 mg
Sodium: 1000 mg
Total Carb: 62 g
Dietary fiber: 4 g
Sugars: 0 g
Protein: 10 g

It's Official - We're a sponsor of the National Celiac Walk/Run in May

Diana and I are happy to report that CeliacFoodReviews.com is a national sponsor of the 6th Annual International Celiac Walk/Run. We are still working out our schedule to see if we can participate in the Baltimore Walk/Run.

If you are a celiac or are friends with one, please walk, run, and/or contribute to the walk.

New Orleans Gluten Free Style

Gluten free in New Orleans? Yes it is entirely possible to obtain celiac-safe fare in the city that prides itself on beignets, po-boys and fried crawfish. On a recent trip to the great jazz and food capital, Rob and I had a terrific time navigating the French Quarter, the Garden District and the multitude of stop-you-in-your-tracks Cajun and Creole food.

Though I did say it’s possible to find gluten free meals, it’s not always easy in the Big Easy. Be forewarned that the majority of the casual/lunch establishments feature fried, breaded or roux-added specialties on the menu. We were most pleasantly surprised however by New Orleans hospitality and no matter where we went, the wait staff tried to accommodate our dietary needs.

On our first stroll out, we checked in for Hurricanes and corn-fried pickles. These were deliciously unexpected and tasty. Apparently any thing fried does indeed have a special culinary appeal! We should note, however, that though the pickles were corn-breaded, we’re fairly sure the same oil might have been used to fry the gluten menu items. We kept our fingers crossed and hoped for the best.

Next we tried out Red Fish Grill where we treated ourselves to raw oysters, baby green and shrimp salads, and black fish. We were extremely pleased and glad to be a part of the scene.

Café du Monde was on our must-do list if anything for the experience. It was a raucous and bustling place piled high with powdered sugar beignets. We opted for take-out café au laits and took a walk on the riverfront. Unfortunately for celiacs, Café du Monde offers only beignets, coffee, and hot chocolate. But we didn’t mind! Well Rob did, I did not!

Muriel’s was a charming, stylish restaurant with old world New Orleans flair. Bayona, also in the French Quarter was a true treat. I had a succulent dish of lamb, and Rob finished off the evening with a delectable crème brulee. Both restaurants were familiar with gluten-free requirements and definitely tried to provide a satisfying celiac friendly dining experience.

Lunch time found us at a casual eatery that didn’t have much in the way of gluten free. What we did have though was another round of fresh raw oysters, dirty rice and grilled vegetables. It was fair, though ironically a nice change of pace. We could actually walk out without feeling like our stomachs were about to explode from overeating!

On our last night, we gave Emeril Lagasse’s, NOLA a try. Were we ever glad we did! It was well worth the 40 minute wait. We were escorted to the 2^nd floor via elevator and seated in an intimate room. We feasted on fresh green salads with blackberries and pistachio crusted goat cheese, and grilled tilapia. The tilapia could have been spiced up more, but I believe the chefs were ensuring the dinner was absolutely celiac-safe.

We ended our evening with a melt-in-the-mouth crème brulee that was just dynamite.

Our farewell breakfast found us back at Café Beignet for southwestern omelets and roasted potato hash-browns. We highly recommend their coffee and chicory too.

So do go to New Orleans and have an absolute blast. Though you won’t be able to indulge in the beignets, po-boys, or muffalettas, there are certainly plenty of other dishes that are available to gluten-free seekers. If worse comes to worse, you can always stroll down Bourbon Street with a tall Hurricane in hand!

Bread:Food-Tek Enriched Minute White Bread Mix

Here's another review for Food-Tek. We made their wheat free, gluten free, trans fat free Enriched Minute White Bread mix. It's claim is that the bread is "fast & fresh" from your microwave. Fast and fresh indeed- but tasty??

It was one of those Saturday breakfasts and we were out of gluten free bread. I found this in the pantry and whipped it up in seconds.

As stated in my previous review of the corn bread, I dislike this brand because each "kit" contains a lot of plastic trays etc. that are needed to make the product. What happened is I made this once, then who knows what I did with the mold trays, but I didn't have them anymore. So I improvised with shallow Tupperware trays- which I don't like (we've been microwaving only in glass lately- but I couldn't locate those either). (Please note we were visiting my parents for the weekend- I'm not that disorganized!)

Well I wasn't expecting much other than plastic poisoning, but what emerged were 2 English Muffin-looking halves of bread. I released them and felt the need to toast them.
Once toasted, I created an egg and bacon sandwich for Rob.

The celiac safe but space age bread held together very well, but definitely had a sponge-like texture. The white bread was on the sweeter side and was a bit rubbery. Still it worked well in a pinch and allowed for a satisfying gluten free breakfast sandwich.

Rob did find they made a great egg and bacon sandwich, he thought he was at McDonalds.

Ingredients:
Corn starch, sugar, corn oil, nonfat dry milk, salt, baking soda, fumaric acid, niacin, thiamine hydrocloride, riboflavin, folic acid. Contains milk.

Nutrition Facts:
Serving size: 40 g
Servings per container: 8
Calories: 170
Calories from fat: 40
Total fat: 4.5 g
Sat fat: 0.5 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 510 mg
Total Carb: 30 g
Dietary fiber: 0 g
Sugars: 7 g
Protein: 1 g

Risotto: Lundberg Creamy Parmesan

Risotto is almost always so delicious - and can be safe for those with celiac disease. Rob survived on risotto quite well in Italy.

Lundberg's Creamy Parmesan Risotto proved quite tasty and very easy to prepare. I made it on the stove by sauteing 1/2 tbs olive oil with the rice; I then added 2 1/2 cups of water, the seasoning pouch and brought to a boil. Lastly I reduced the heat and simmered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The results were amazing. The risotto was indeed creamy and tasty and provided a perfect complement to our tomato soup dinner.

Ingredients:
Eco-farmed California Arborio rice, Parmesan and cheddar cheese blend, salt, natural flavors, buttermilk powder, onion and garlic powder, cane juice powder, butter powder, whey powder, rice flour, dehydrated parsley, autolyzed yeast extract, black pepper, turmeric, expeller-pressed safflower oil (less than 2% added as a processing aid). Contains milk.

Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: 1/2 cup cooked (39g dry)
Servings per container: 4
Calories: 140
Cal from fat: 15
Total fat: 1.5 g
Sat fat: 0.5 g
Trans fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 5 mg
Sodium: 490 mg
Potassium: 72 mg
Total Carb: 27 g
Dietary fiber: 1 g
Sugars: 1 g
Protein: 5 g

Celiac Disease Public Service Announcement

Glad to see more publicity.

Cake: Gluten-Free Pantry Decadent Chocolate Cake Mix

To celebrate a sweet gluten free Valentine's Day this year, I made Rob a Decadent Chocolate Cake from Gluten-Free pantry. I apologize for posting this so late in the game.

The gluten-free cake was simply stunning and unbelievably moist and delicious. I made it in one of those new silicon pans, which I'm still not completely sold on yet.

In any case, this chocolate cake was just divine. I topped it with a chocolate sauce concocted of chocolate bars, cocoa, sugar and butter- but I imagine it would be just as delicious without it.

Unfortunately for me, Rob had the entire cake eaten within 30 hours.

To make the cake, beat 5 tbs. softened unsalted butter, add the mix plus 2 eggs, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, and 1 cup low fat buttermilk or low fat yogurt. (I used my favorite full fat Fage yogurt).

The celiac safe mix can also be made lactose free and egg free if desired.

Ingredients:
sugar, white rice flour, potato starch, cocoa powder, tapioca starch, sodium bicarbonate, salt, guar gum, sodium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate.

Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: 3 tbs. dry mix (41g)
Servings per container: 10
Calories: 150
Cal from fat: 10
Total fat: 1 g
Sat fat: 0.5 g
Trans fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 15 mg
Sodium: 230 mg
Total Carb: 33 g
Dietary fiber: 0 g
Sugars: 18 g
Protein: 2 g

Cookies: 'Cause You're Special, Inc. Classic Sugar Cookie

It's been a while since I've made gluten free cookies, so I wanted to give 'Cause You're Special Classic Sugar Cookies a try.

The wheat free, gluten free, casein free cookies were easy to make and required (only) 1/2 cup cold butter, 1 egg and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. I mixed first with a beater then managed to mold into a ball and refrigerated for 1 hour.

I rolled out the dough onto a (gluten free) floured surface and cut into shapes using a Williams-Sonoma cookie cutter, then baked for 15 minutes.

The cookies emerged appropriately pale and just brown on the underside. I let cool and gave to Rob to taste. He was happy to report they were light, crisp and buttery. To me they tasted just like gluten sugar cookies with only a hint of the rice flour aftertaste. We have success! Celiac sufferers will enjoy these cookies.

Ingredients:
White rice flour, sugar, potato starch, corn starch, xanthan gum, cream of tartar, baking soda

Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: 1 cookie (15 g)
Servings per container: 24
Calories: 51
Cal from fat: 1
Total fat: 0.1 g
Sat fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 27 mg
Total Carb: 12 g
Dietary fiber: 0.3 g
Sugars: 4 g
Protein: 1 g

Pizza: Orgran Natural Foods Pizza & Pastry Multimix

Pizza remains one of Rob's favorite meals, so I didn't hesitate to try Orgran Natural Foods wheat free, gluten free Pizza & Pastry Multimix.

The celiac safe mix can be made in 5 minute and only requires water. I was a bit puzzled however by the multimix part. For us pizza has a distinct flavor that is completely different than pie or pastry. The package does point out that yeast may be added to enhance pizza flavor, and cane sugar may be added to enhance pastry flavor. Hmmm an all-in-one mix that is many things to many people.

I followed the directions, made my well and added 250 ml water and stirred. But what I stirred soon became the gloopiest mess ever. My hands were so covered in dough, I couldn't feel my fingers. Finally able to scrape the dough back into the bowl, I miraculously formed a ball. This stuff is no joke! I was slightly put off too, I should note, by the "oaty" grain smell that emanated from the bowl.

After coating a pan with olive oil, I rolled the dough out, sprinkled some salt and pepper on the crust and examined it. The dough had a nice yellow hue and looked appetizing enough. Even though the directions didn't say to, I baked for 10 minutes then added Sundried Tomato Tapenade, ricotta, fresh basil and fresh sundried tomato-infused mozzerella. I topped with a drizzle of olive oil and baked the additional 20 minutes.

What emerged was a fantasy for celiacs and non-celiacs alike. The cheese had melted beautifully and the basil gave a fresh shock of color to the gluten free pizza.

Unfortunately the pizza did not taste as satisfying as it looked. Rob and I decided the crust lacked flavor and had a poor mouth-feel. It was not crusty or chewy- or rather it was chewy for a moment before breaking down quickly. It seemed more like a pastry crust than a pizza in truth.

In sum, I plan on trying this again but making a pie crust instead. I won't be using this for gluten free pizza.

Ingredients:
Maize starch, tapioca, rice flour, soya flour, glucona delta factone, sodium bicarbonate, guar gum, fruit pectin.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1.4 oz/ 40g Dry
Servings per container: 9
Calories: 135
Calories from fat: 8 g
Total fat: .8g
Sat fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 220 mg
Total Carb: 31 g
Dietary fiber: .8g
Sugars: .2 g
Protein: 3.7 g

Bread: Ener-G Foods Tapioca Loaf

Well, I needed a loaf of gluten free bread to have on hand, so I thought I'd give Ener-G Foods Tapioca Loaf a try. This bread is wheat free, gluten free, dairy free, casein free, contains no saturated fat, no trans fat, no cholesterol and no sugar. With all that the tapioca loaf doesn't contain, its doughy appearance, and the fact that it contains an oxygen absorber* right in the package, I wasn't expecting a culinary delight.

Upon opening I was a bit taken by the yeasty aroma emerging from the package and the rather rubbery feel of the bread. But getting past that, the bread itself doesn't taste too bad. It has a chewy rather dense flavor that is briefly rubbery then pasty on the palette before it breaks down in your mouth. I would say it is probably best toasted first.

Ener-G tapioca bread did make a fairly mean gluten free grilled cheese sandwich however (if a 3 x 3 slice of bread can be considered mean!) Suffice it to say, that yes Ener-G's Tapioca Loaf is perfect to have on hand, and can be spiffed up with a toaster and with some butter, cheese and the right fillings.

Ener-G's tapioca bread should not be frozen and has "pioneered a vacuum packing system that eliminates the need for preservatives and gives [the] product a 1-year shelf life without the need for refrigeration or freezing". Once opened, the recommendation is to seal in an airtight container and place in refrigerator.

Ingredients
Filtered water, rice flour, tapioca starch, safflower or sunflower oil, pear juice concentrate, bamboo fiber, yeast, methylcellulose, guar gum, orange citrus fiber, salt, calcium phosphate, glucono delta lactone. Enriched with thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, iron and folic acid.

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 slice (28 g)
Servings per container: About 16
Calories: 90
Calories from fat: 40
Total fat: 4.5g
Sat fat: 0g
Trans fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 90 mg
Potassium: 30 mg
Total Carb: 12 g
Dietary fiber: 2g
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 1g

*"Package may contain a non-toxic sachet to increase shelflife. Do not eat sachet. Keep out of the reach of children".

Corn Bread: Food-Tek

Last Sunday we were pretty much out of everything, so I served up some wheat free, gluten free enriched minute Corn Bread from Food-Tek.

So yes, the corn bread was finished in a matter of seconds, but perhaps a little more effort might be worth it. First off the Food-Tek corn bread comes in a bag containing 4 packs of mix. Also included is a plastic measuring cup and a plastic container to heat the bread in. Though I'm not a fan of all that plastic, I can understand the need to be able to put this stuff together at home. It still seems like a waste and a little to space-age for me.

The instructions say to fill the thimble-sized measuring cup to the 40 cc mark- only there is no 40 cc mark. I spent about 30 seconds trying to get the water measurement correct. Finally I added the water to the container, then added the corn bread mix. It tells you to shake vigorously for 30-45 seconds which I did, then removed a dripping cover, and loaded the small container into the microwave and gave it about 1 minute of waves. I then inverted the container onto a plate - which did not come out cleanly- and gave to Rob to try. Unfortunately the corn bread was more like a cake of sugar, lacked flavor, and didn't have a whole lot of nutrition.

While I do think any company that makes gluten free products deserves to be commended, this corn bread certainly wasn't on top of our list. I will say though, that this probably is a perfect product for kids who have celiac. They can make it up with ease, take it along to a friend's house, and never be without a snack.

Ingredients:
Corn starch, sugar, corn oil, yellow corn meal, nonfat dry milk, dried egg, vanilla, baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, salt, citric acid, niacin, thiamine hydrochloride, riboflavin, folic acid.

Nutrition Facts:
Serving size: 35 g
Servings per container: 8
Calories: 150
Calories from fat: 35
Total fat: 4 g
Sat fat: 0 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 5 mg
Sodium: 180 mg
Total Carb: 26 g
Dietary fiber: 0 g
Sugars: 13 g
Protein: 2 g

Pasta: Mrs. Leeper's Chicken Alfredo

As I'm always on the look-out for fast (gluten-free) food, I wanted to give Mrs. Leeper's Chicken Alfredo a try. Made with rice pasta, this dinner can be prepared in about 15 minutes.

According to instructions, I cooked up a pound of cubed chicken in a 10 inch skillet. Once cooked, I added 2 cups of hot water, 3/4 fat free milk and the sauce mix. I brought this to a boil, then added the pasta, covered and simmered for 11 minutes. I then removed from heat and let stand for a few minutes before serving.

I served the Chicken Alfredo in bowls and topped with a stir-fry of carrots, onions and green beans. Quite tasty, is what Rob and I both concluded of our meal. Mrs. Leeper's Chicken Alfredo was creamy with a tang from the various cheeses. The pasta, as it is made from rice is not terribly hearty- meaning it does get a bit soft, but with the crisp vegetables, it tasted just fine. Certainly don't expect a restaurant-style fettucini alfredo if that's what you are craving, but do expect a quick, tasty meal that is safe for celiacs.

Puppodums - Sharwood's Indian

It's been a while since I've made my favorite Keema Matar over Ghee Rice, so I figured last night was a great time to do it. While shopping for ingredients, I came across Sharwood's Indian Puppodums in plain and in spicy.

These gluten free Indian crackers can be microwaved or deep fried and cook up in seconds. They were the perfect accompaniment to a celiac safe Indian dinner.

As we're still trying to watch our waistlines, I popped them in the microwave as directed, on a paper towel, spread with just a tad of Smart Balance Omega, as I don't have corn oil. In 45 seconds, the flat tortilla blossomed into a puffy cap. (The directions do advise you monitor their progress to prevent a burnt puppodum). The puppodum was marvellously crispy and light as air. And with no fat, approx. 20 cal. a pup, and no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, how can you go wrong? In all fairness, deep frying would likely make them dangerously delicious- but someday I'll probably give it a try.

I will surely make a habit of stocking Sharwood's gluten free Indian puppodums from now on.

Rob, my husband, make a short video of a puppodum cooking in the microwave.



Plain Indian Puppodums
Ingredients: Black gram bean flour, salt, raising agent: lime (calcium oxide), rice flour, sunflower oil.
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 4 pieces (30 g)
Servings per container: about 4
Calories: 80
Cal from fat: 0
Total fat: 0
Sat fat: 0g
Trans fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 720 mg
Total Carb: 14 g
Dietary fiber: 3 g
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 7 g

Spicy Indian Puppodums
Ingredients: Black gram bean flour, salt, raising agent: lime (calcium oxide), spices, rice flour, sunflower oil.

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 4 pieces (30 g)
Servings per container: about 4
Calories: 80
Cal from fat: 0
Total fat: 0
Sat fat: 0g
Trans fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 720 mg
Total Carb: 13 g
Dietary fiber: 4 g
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 6 g