Organic Maca Bar - Cherry Chunk Fudge

While Rob and I were shopping for new sneakers we came across a rather large supply of energy bars. This particular one is a Cherry Chunk Fudge Organic Maca Bar from Potent Foods. Said to contain 5000 mg. organic maca from the Andes Mountains of Peru, I was a bit skeptical as to its taste. Nicely though this is a cold-processed, doctor formulated, gluten free, soy free, non GMO, low sodium, dairy free, wheat free and cholesterol free product that is also USDA Organic, Kosher and Vegan Certified. Besides it's cherry chunk fudge, how bad could it be?

Appearance-wise it resembles most pressed chocolaty logs. On this one though there are visible cherries protruding out. It has a chewy/crunchy texture and I would say it's more of a dried fruit flavor with only a hint of chocolate. It's not terribly sweet either. It's definitely decent enough but I don't love it. It doesn't have a distinct flavor and there is a bit of a tang at the end.

Obviously these are perfect to tote along for a snack, will absolutely satisfy hunger on a bike or hike in the woods, and I truly love the ingredients. Aside from that I'd rather have a gluten free meal any day of the week!

Ingredients:
Organic almond butter, organic agave nectar, organic dates, organic raw maca (5000 mg), organic tart cherries, organic brown rice protein, organic cocoa, organic flax meal, organic maple chunks, organic almonds, organic vanilla, organic rosemary antioxidant.

Allergy Information: Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts/treenuts, soy, dairy, wheat and eggs. This product contains almonds.

Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: 1 bar (57 g)
Calories: 230
Calories from fat: 90
Total fat: 10 g
Sat fat: 1 g
Trans fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 10 mg
Potassium: 200 mg
Total Carb: 29 g
Dietary fiber: 6 g
Sugars: 19 g
Protein: 8 g

Papadini Orzo

The other night I made Papadini Orzo Pasta with Tofu and it was wonderful. This was a new one for me which I found in the health food store. It's Papadini's Hi-Protein Pure Lentil Bean Pasta Orzo and it's gluten free and wheat free. The recipe was actually on the back and is made with the orzo, tofu, ginger, onion, etc.

Papadini's orzo was easy to make requiring rapidly boiling water, 1 tbsp. canola oil, and frequent stirring for 5-6 minutes. The package does caution against over cooking- which I was careful not to do.

I drained the orzo, rinsed then drained again according to the instructions and was ready to go. The orzo cooked up in lovely almond shapes and had a pasta/rice texture. It's somewhere in between- sort of chewy like pasta but firmer like rice. It really had a pleasant, mildly nutty flavor. Best of all the orzo is very high in protein and is a good source of iron, folic acid and soluble fiber. I also liked that it is made solely with lentil flour, salt and baking soda.

This particular recipe required sauteing the vegetables first, then adding the orzo and combining. I was really impressed with how well it came out. We had ours hot, but I imagine this would make a wonderful cold salad that would easily replace gluten pasta any day. Papadini's orzo is also low in fat, sugars and sodium.

Papadini's Orzo is a definite winner!

Ingredients:
Lentil flour, salt, baking soda

Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: 2 oz (56.7 g)
Servings per container: 4
Calories: 190
Fat cal.: 10
Total fat: 1.0 g
Sat fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 94 mg
Total carb: 33 g
Dietary fiber: 5 g
Sugars: 1 g
Protein: 13 g

Allergy Information:
Processed in a facility which may use wheat, corn, soy & eggs.

Legal Seafood

Having celiac certainly has its challenges- eating out is high on our list. Lately we just aren't sure if what we're ordering is actually gluten free and with stressed out waitstaff- you never know- unless of course you happen to have a Legal Sea Foods near you. Though we did do a review of L.S. a year ago here's another one. We are thrilled to report another exceptional gluten free dining experience.

Upon arrival Rob asked for the gluten free menu, which the maitre d' gladly handed over after a bit of shuffling. Once seated Rob salivated over the multitude of celiac-safe choices.

We started with mojitos, corn meal calamari and oysters. One of the waiters quickly let us know that the cocktail sauce was not gluten free, but assured us that the mignonette sauce would be.
Next up was a delicious salad filled with avocado, greens, tomatoes, and gluten free croûtons. It was a delight. More than that though was the attention to our needs. Just after we were served the manager came to our table to explain that he personally saw to it that Rob's meal was gluten free using clean cookware. Wow! That's usually the problem in restaurants- you never know what kind of gluten contamination might be going on in the kitchen.

Of course all the attention made Rob's ears tinge with slight embarrassment. Deep down though I know he was relieved that the meal he just consumed was indeed gluten free.

Thank you Legal Sea Foods!!

Pizza: Foods by George Cheese Pizza

Still on the quest for the perfect gluten free pizza, I found a mini frozen cheese pizza by Foods by George. This gluten free pizza can be made simply by baking in a preheated 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.

This time I followed the directions which said to place the pizza directly on the oven rack. I guess I was always afraid the cheese would melt all over the place causing the mess to burn and smoke and trigger the alarm in our apartment. But alas my brilliance stunned me and I thought to place a sheet of aluminum foil on the rack below the pizza. Wow for me.

Indeed the gluten free single serve pizza browned up nicely and after 12 minutes, it was ready to be tested out by Rob. I of course had to add a plentiful amount of crushed red pepper to give it more heat and pizazz.

The end result surely was a tasty celiac safe pie. Rob was a bit disappointed though by the crust. It is definitely of a tapioca flour/potato flour construction which means it's not a super-flavorful crust, but it still tasted good. Some of the more labor intensive gluten free pizza crusts contain more ingredients for a better flavor, but hey you can't beat the convenience of unwrapping and heating! I am also not a huge fan of the modified food starch even if it is from corn and the high fructose corn syrup. Still I do like the idea of having a gluten free pizza on hand in the freezer ready to go.

Ingredients:
Mozzarella cheese (cultured pasteurized part-skim milk, salt, enzymes, cellulose gum), water white rice flour, tomato sauce (tomato puree [water, tomato paste], soybean oil, salt, modified food starch [corn], dried onions, high fructose corn syrup, spices, natural flavors), egg whites, tapioca flour, tomato paste (tomatoes), potato flour, canola oil, evaporated cane juice, romano cheese (sheeps milk, enzymes, rennet, salt), yeast, salt, spices, guar gum, garlic powder

"Manufactured in a facility that produces products that contain milk, eggs, tree nuts and soy".

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 pizza (185 g)
Servings per container: 1
Calories: 400
Calories from fat: 130
Total fat: 15 g
Sat fat: 8 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 30 mg
Sodium: 860 mg
Total carb: 44 g
Dietary fiber: 2 g
Sugars: 5 g
Protein: 20 g

Jigsaw Bar- Chocolate

Another Jigsaw brand bar Rob and I had the opportunity to test out was the gluten free Chocolate bar. This bar too contains no soy protein, no gluten and no casein.

I found love with Jigsaw's Coconut-Almond bar so I was hoping for the same with the chocolate.
These bars contain "powerful glyco-nutrients & heart healthy omega-3's". I think they taste fantastic and are low in calories and carbs but high in protein.

The Chocolate Jigsaw is a bit more predictable as a nutrition bar- meaning it tastes fairly similar to other bars I've tried. But this in no way means it doesn't taste delicious. It has a rich intense carob-chocolate bite to it with perhaps a bit of a marzipan after-taste. The chocolate like the coconut almond is smooth, soft and easy to chew. I also like the protein crisps that give it a crunch.
Again, you would never in a million years even know that this bar is gluten free.

So I guess I found love again (after Rob and the coconut almond). Definitely the chocolate eats more like a candy bar and has an intense dark chocolate flavor. You can be sure we'll ordering these regularly from now on.

Ingredients:
Protein Blend (Rice Protein Concentrate, Whey Protein Crisps [Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Rice Flour, Calcium Carbonate], Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate), Maltitol Syrup, Unsweetened Chocolate, Xylitol, Almond Butter, Glycerine, Cocoa Powder (processed with alkali), Gum Arabic, Palm Kernel Oil, Natural Flavor, Meg-3R Omega-3 Powder (Refined Fish Oil, Fish Gelatin), OptiNutrin(TM), Mushroom Extract, Salt, Vitamin C, Natural Vitamin E (d-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate), Niacinamide, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B6, Riboflavin, Thimaine Mononitrate, Vitamin A, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12.

Nutrition Facts: Serv size: 1 bar (50g) Calories: 180 Fat Cal: 60 Total Fat: 7 g Sat fat: 3 g Trans fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 5 mg Sodium: 75 mg Total carb: 24 g Fiber: 2 g Sugars: 0 g Sugar Alcohol: 14 g Protein: 12 g

Allergy Information: Contains Almonds, Fish Gelatin, and Milk Products. Made in a facility that processes peanuts, tree nuts, soy, dairy and eggs.

Please note: Jigsaw did provide free samples.

Jigsaw Bar- Coconut Almond

Celiac Rob and I were thrilled to receive our first shipment of gluten free Jigsaw bars. In the past I've stayed away from many of the protein/energy bars because of their high sugar content, their high carb content, their high caloric content, or their overly funky taste.

So I was sort of expecting the same with Jigsaw bars. But Yippee! I could not have been more surprised!

The coconut almond bar is smooth without a ton of sugar, though you can easily taste the coconut and creamy almonds. It's not too dense and is packed with flavor. Best of all the Jigsaw bar contains "glyco-nutrients and heart-healthy omega-3's". This is a truly satisfying and nutritious bar that is not parading as a glorified candy bar, and you would never even guess that it is gluten free. I'm not kidding when I say I could make a steady diet of the coconut-almond Jigsaw bar!

The coconut almond jigsaw bar contains no soy protein, no gluten and no casein.

Ingredients:
Protein Blend (Rice Protein Concentrate, Whey Protein Crisps [Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein concentrate, Rice Flour, Calcium Carbonate], Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate), Maltitol Syrup, Almond Butter, Coconut, Glycerine, Erythritol, Xylitol, Gum Arabic, Palm Kernel Oil, Natural Flavor, Meg-3(R) Omega-3 Powder (Refined Fish Oil, Fish Gelatin), OptiNutrinTM, Mushroom Extract, Salt, Vitamin C, Natural Vitamin E (d-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate), Niacinamide, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B6, Riboflavin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12.

Allergen Information: Contains Almonds, Fish Gelatin, and Milk Products Made in a facility that processes peanuts, tree nuts, soy, dairy and eggs.

Nutrition Facts:
Serv size: 1 bar (50g)
Calories: 190
Fat Cal: 70
Total Fat: 8 g
Sat fat: 4 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 5 mg
Sodium: 65 mg
Total carb: 23 g
Fiber: 3 g
Sugars: 1 g
Sugar Alcohol: 14 g
Protein: 12 g

Please note: Jigsaw did provide free samples.

Crackers: Health Valley Rice Bran Crackers

Let's face it, there are a ton of gluten free crackers out there, and I personally think they are all pretty good; some of course are fabulous like Mary's Gone Crackers or Ka-Me's sesame rice rounds. It is more rare however to find a sweeter gluten free cracker that resembles the whole-wheat version. I love that sweetness with a creamy Camembert.

So I was very happy when I found Health Valley's Rice Bran crackers. These are 70% organic and have no trans fat, and of course are gluten free. These bites are almost like a cookie and just sweet enough in my opinion to offset a soft cheese. They do have a "wheat-like" crunch, but not a crunch like a crisp rice cracker. These are definitely denser with a brown sugary or almond flavor. Be aware though that the cracker size pictured on the package is shown far larger than actual cracker. In reality the crackers are about 1/3 the size and resemble oversize postage stamps.

These are definitely tasty, but maybe not everyone will like them as much as I do.

Ingredients:
Organic brown rice flour, organic cane juice, organic corn flour, organic soy flour, organic soybean oil, soy protein, rice bran, natural vanilla flavor, natural almond flavor, soy lecithin, baking soda, concentrated lemon juice, vegetable glycerin, acacia gum.

Nutrition Facts:
Serving size: 6 crackers (28 g)
Servings: about 8
Calories: 110
Fat cal: 25
Total fat: 3 g
Sat fat: 0 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 70 mg
Total carb: 19 g
Fiber: 3 g
Sugars: 4 g
Protein: 3 g

Cookies: Nana's No Gluten Chocolate Crunch

I had the ultimate luck in coming across Nana's No Gluten Ginger cookie, so I went ahead and tried Nana's No Gluten Chocolate Crunch cookie. I think I found the perfect gluten free chocolate cookie. This celiac-safe delight is bursting with chocolate flavor and has a crunchy bite to boot. It is dense, not too sweet, and not too heavy a cookie that is perfect for satisfying chocolate cravings. It also has an utterly satisfying creamy chocolate aftertaste that simply hits the spot. Best of all, this gluten free beauty has no refined sugars, no dairy, no hydrogenated oils, no cholesterol, no eggs, no added salt, and no cane or beet products.

Nana's homemade gluten-free chocolate taste is to die for!

Ingredients* (vegan): Brown rice flour, tapioca flour, cocoa, fruit juice, gluten free whole grain dextrins (a natural and unmodified starch), gluten free puffed rice, expeller pressed canola oil, baking soda (non aluminum), pure vanilla.

*Grown from seeds that are not genetically altered.

"Made in a facility that also manufactures products containing wheat, peanuts and tree nuts."

Nutrition Facts:
Serving size: 1/2 cookie (50 g)
Servings per container: 2
Calories: 180
Calories from fat: 60
Total fat: 6 g
Sat fat: 0 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 190 mg
Total Carb: 31 g
Dietary fiber: 1 g
Sugars: 10 g
Other carbs: 20 g
Protein: 2 g

Cookies: Nana's Ginger Cookie

While shopping at the local natural food market the other day, I found Nana's No Gluten Ginger Cookie in a single size wrapped package. Containing no eggs, no dairy, no refined sugar, no dairy, no hydrogenated oils, no cholesterol, no added salt, no GMO's, no cane or beet products, Nana's ginger cookie is fruit sweetened and made with all natural ingredients.

Can I just say how much I love this cookie? It's dense soft, moist, gluten free, and chock full of edgy ginger with a hint of cinnamon. It really does taste like the gluten version without the heavy denseness. It does have a slightly crumbly texture once you actually begin chewing, but then again that's generally the mark of gluten free snacks. I highly recommend this one!

Rob my favorite celiac, also liked this cookie.

Ingredients*
(vegan): Brown rice flour, tapioca flour, fruit juice, gluten free whole grain dextrins (a natural & unmodified starch), expeller pressed canola oil, baking soda (non-aluminum), natural flavorings.

*Grown from seeds that are not genetically altered.
"Made in a facility that also manufactures products containing wheat, peanuts and tree nuts".

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/2 cookie (50g)
Servings per container: 2
Calories: 180
Calories from fat: 45
Total fat: 5 g
Sat fat: 0 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 85 mg
Total Carb: 32 g
Dietary fiber: 1 g
Sugars: 9 g
Other Carbohydrates: 22 g
Protein: 2 g

Crackers: Roland Feng Shui Rice Crackers

A second Roland product we taste-tested was the Feng Shui Original Rice Cracker. These too are gluten free, fat free, cholesterol free and MSG free. The air-tight pack is filled with fun, surprisingly shaped crackers.

I especially gravitated towards the big squares which were very crisp and had a baked in shine of celiac-safe soy sauce. The orange moon pieces contained the paprika, though only a hint of the flavor was noticeable. On first bite there is an almost candy-like sweetness which provided a fascinating mouth-feel. But then you crunch into the crispy cracker and they uh just resemble rice crackers. Again, I'll just preface that with an "I'm not sure how much flavor rice crackers are intended to have" comment.

But I liked them and enjoyed finishing off the bag- and Rob was left wondering where they went. At least they didn't find themselves thrown across the room! He'll just have to go back to the AOL store in Dulles, VA and pick-up another pack.

Ingredients:
Rice, naturally fermented soy sauce(soybean, salt, no gluten), sugar, tapioca starch, natural paprika color.

Nutrition Facts:
Serving size: 1/2 cup (30g)
Servings per container: about 3
Calories: 110
Calories from fat: 0
Total fat: 0 g
Sat fat: 0 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 280 mg
Total Carb: 25 g
Dietary fiber: 2 g
Sugars: 1 g
Protein: 2 g

Restaurant - Carlyle, Arlington, VA

So last week we had the chance to catch up with some good friends in Virginia. We decided on the Carlyle , located on 4000 South Arlington Street. As the weather was in our favor, we were lucky to be seated outside.

Rob first perused the menu then made the normal "what can you do that's gluten free" speech to the waiter. He went to check with the chef; meanwhile another wait-staffer offered Rob a gluten free menu. Rob needless to say was overjoyed at the thought of an actual celiac-safe dining selection. The only other time we've been so lucky is at Legal Seafoods or Risotteria.

At first glance there appeared to many enticing meals to choose from. Upon further inspection however, we noticed that the dinners were color coded with red being not gluten free; the green being "made with corn", and the blue being gluten free. Rob asked about the ribs which were supposed to be safe; it turns out the ribs were actually not safe for celiacs. Hmm. It caused us an inordinate amount of confusion. Rob finally suggested to the waiter that the Carlyle just print the gluten free items instead of peppering the menu with non-celiac-safe choices. At last we asked the waiter to check on the grilled shrimp and grits to make sure it was gluten free. Luckily for Rob, it was, especially as he was running out of choices.

When the gluten free shrimp and grits came out, we were ready to eat. Despite the bit of an ordeal we had ordering, Rob's dinner was very delicious. The shrimp were perfectly grilled and the grits were smooth as silk. We could have been in New Orleans! Great gluten-free food and friends, who can ask for more?

Cookies: Mi-Del Arrowroot Animal Crackers

Who'd a thought?? MI-DEL has created a great tasting wheat free and gluten free animal cracker. These all natural cookies are a perfect celiac-safe cookie. Never mind feeling slightly juvenile eating the animal-shaped treats, these are worth it.

MI-DEL's arrowroot cookies are crisp and crunchy and not too sweet, and definitely resemble gluten animal crackers. Rob did say he thought they looked over-cooked and a bit too brown, but believe me, your taste buds are colorblind.

Ingredients:
The cookies contain gluten-free flour (corn flour, soy flour, potato flour, corn starch, rice flour, potato starch, xanthan gum), organic dehydrated cane juice, canola oil, arrowroot flour, butter, whole eggs, corn starch, honey, natural flavors, soy lecithin (used as an emulsifier), baking soda, sea salt.

The package also states that although "produced in a facility that processes milk, peanuts, tree nuts and wheat, MI-DEL Gluten free products are routinely tested using the ELISA method to ensure gluten free status as determined by the World Health Organization."

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 10 cookies (30g)
Servings per container: about 8
Calories: 130
Calories from fat: 35
Total fat: 4g
Sat fat: 1g
Trans fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 10 mg
Sodium: 85 mg
Total Carb: 23g
Dietary fiber: 2g
Sugars: 9g
Protein: 2g

Crackers: Roland Feng Shui Hot Wasabi Rice Crackers

Recently Rob picked up a pack of Roland Feng Shui Hot Wasabi Rice Crackers for us to try. These all natural rice crackers are gluten free, fat free, cholesterol free and MSG free.

We gave them first to my father-in-law to taste; unfortunately his tongue hit the wasabi before he had a chance to chew them and the cracker landed halfway across the room. Guess he didn't really like them.

Undeterred, I gave the crackers a try and fared far better. The crackers are round in shape, very light and you can see the wasabi bits baked right in. But yes they do have quite a wasabi bite to them at first! Once you chomp them up though the wasabi sting fades quickly. Other than the initial surprise, they generally taste just like regular rice crackers. They don't really have a lot of flavor to them- though I'm not sure how much flavor, rice crackers are intended to have.

In any event, Rob definitely enjoyed them and finished off the pack in no time flat.

Ingredients:
Rice, naturally fermented soy sauce (soybean, salt, no gluten), sugar, tapioca starch, wasabi and seaweed.

Nutrition Facts:
Serving size: 1/2 cup (30 g)
Servings per container: about 3
Calories: 110
Calories from fat: 0
Total fat: 0 g
Sat fat: 0 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 280 mg
Total Carb: 25 g
Dietary fiber: 2 g
Sugars: 1 g
Protein: 2 g