Bread From Anna: Gluten Free, Soy & Rice Free

So I again gave a stab at preparing Breads from Anna's gluten free, soy free and rice free bread mix. This time I used a BreadMan bread machine and awaited the results. From start to finish it took about 5 hours to create. Following the directions exactly, I did as was told and filled the baking tray with warm water, eggs, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil. The recipe said to use 2 large eggs and 1 large egg white - measuring between 2/3 and 3/4 cup. I thought my eggs were large, but they clearly didn't reach the 2/3 cup point- so I did add an additional egg.

Lastly I didn't trust the enclosed yeast pack- you never know how long those packages are waiting around for consumption. Instead I used my own package of yeast- freshly purchased and I sprinkled it on top of the mix. Okay - so perhaps I didn't follow the directions exactly.

I then instructed the BreadMan to create a quick wheat, dark crust loaf (or rather it instructed me) and voila- what eventually emerged was a bread that was lumpy on top but otherwise looked pretty bread-like. It smelled good- but not phenomenal like a bakery or anything.

As I had spent most of the snowy morning snacking, I had plenty of will power to not dive right in and cut a slice. I actually allowed it to cool! When the loaf had rested for a while, I took the plunge and cut a hefty portion. It felt weighty and substantial- but maybe a bit too moist. I figured a toast in the toaster wouldn't hurt. I buttered the hot slice and took a bite. Yes it was dense and didn't taste too bad. I think I was underwhelmed mainly because it seemed to have a strong gluten-free flour taste to it- which I theorize derives from all the bean flours.

So my original complaints about this bread remain- it's too heavy, with too strong of a bean flavor. But all is not lost- Rob certainly enjoyed having a slice of buttered bread- and I didn't really mind either!

Ingredients:
Cornstarch, tapioca flour, powdered skim milk, chickpea flour, pinto bean flour, navy bean flour, sorghum flour, Montina flour (perennial bunch grass, achnatherum hymenoides), maple sugar, xanthan gum, salt and yeast.

Nutrition Facts:
Serving size: 28 g
Servings per container: about 20
Calories: 90
Calories from fat: 0
Sat. fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 180 mg
Total carb: 22 g
Dietary fiber: 3 g
Sugars: 3 g
Protein: 3 g

Against the Grain Gourmet: Rosemary Baguette

To my recent delight, I found a package of gluten free rosemary baguettes from Against the Grain Gourmet. Against the Grain Gourmet is based in "the green mountains of Vermont", and their products (what a relief!) "are baked in a 5,000 sq. ft. dedicated gluten free facility". Their products contain no gluten wheat, soy, corn, rice or yeast.

I don't believe I've ever tried Against the Grain- but was happy to give the baguettes a try. This 2 baguette pack was frozen- and as we aren't in the habit of eating a lot of (gluten free) breads- I returned them to the freezer once I got them home.

Digging around for some Saturday fare, I located the baguettes and heated one up in a 350 degree oven right on the rack. (I forgot to thaw- which the directions advise). Warming the gluten free baguette up released a wonderful aroma of rosemary in the kitchen. After baking about 15 minutes I pulled the baguette out of the oven and was pleasantly surprised. The exterior was hearty and crusty- but a gentle squeeze revealed a soft interior.

I sliced the baguette in half, filled with prosciutto, tomato and fresh mozzarella and gave the sandwich a splash of balsamic vinegar.

On first bite, I knew I found a winner. The gluten free baguette was indeed soft and bread-like in the middle and hearty on the outside, and the rosemary gave the sandwich a tasty herb addition. But more, the baguette was almost buttery and yeasty (even though it doesn't contain any) and just pure deliciousness rolled into one.

Like most gluten free breads, this baguette was not filling and heavy in the same way as gluten breads- which was nice- especially as Rob and I devoured the sandwiches in no time flat! We clearly exceeded the serving size.

Thank you Against the Grain- it was a very happy Saturday!!

Ingredients:
Tapioca starch, milk, eggs, mozzarella cheese, canola oil, salt rosemary

Nutrition Info:
Serving size: 1/3 baguette (2.5 oz)
Servings per package: 6
Calories: 160
Calories from fat: 49
Total fat: 15 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 56 mg
Sodium: 397 mg
Total carb: 29 g
Dietary fiber: 0 g
Sugars: 0 g
Protein: 6 g

Bread: Lifestyle Healthcare Gluten-Free Bread Roll

On Friday I was able to try the Lifestyle Healthcare Gluten-Free bread roll on my British Airways return flight to the USA. Since a previous flight with a gluten-free meal where I was given a muffin made out of flour I always double check the ingredients.

This product's ingredients includes:
gluten-free wheat starch (contains less than 0.3g per 100g), maize starch, whey powder, sugar, palm oil, yeast, sugar beet, raisin juice, salt, thickener: guar gum, soya flour, emulsifier: soya lecithin, presevative: calcium propionate.

My celiac radar was on high alert considering the first ingredient, but I kept coming back to the manufacturer's name and their tag line of "The Gluten-Free Bakers." I decided in the interest of science I'd sacrifice myself and try this out.

The bread roll looked like someone took a normal loaf of bread and shrank it to a tenth of the normal size.

It tasted ok, a bit dry, but edible especially considering this was a meal on an airplane. The product is dense, adding butter helped.

Of course I'm a bit concerned about the wheat starch, but Celiac.com has an article about it. I had no adverse symptoms.

If you're flying on British Airways this is a nice addition to their gluten-free meal, but it won't become a daily staple of my diet.

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

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

Bread: Chebe Garlic and Onion Breadsticks

As Rob and I were blown away by the Chebe Bread, I immediately picked up a package of the Chebe Garlic & Onion Mix to try. Chebe’s Garlic & Onion breadstick mix is gluten-free, yeast free, casein free and lactose free.

I made the breadsticks essentially the same way by mixing the product with 2 tbs. olive oil, 2 large eggs, and 4 tbs. of milk. This time I omitted the pecorino cheese. I rolled into sticks about ¾” thick and placed on a non greased pan. I baked them for 23 minutes at 375 degrees.

Again, the Chebe was a hit! Totally gluten free and completely delicious! I served ours with a home-made spicy tomato and bean soup. I had to work hard to stop eating them and freeze the rest. I’ll let you know how they taste after being frozen.

One observation I will make is that I did miss the cheese. The garlic and onion just weren’t strong enough to taste, and I think the cheese would have boosted the flavor. But in all likelihood, I think the dry milk in the regular Chebe bread might be the missing ingredient here- and if you can tolerate dairy, I would go with the original and add in some garlic and onion.

Ingredients:

Manioc (tapioca) flour, modified manioc starch, iodine-free salt, onion, garlic. Contains no gluten, no wheat, no casein, no lactose, no yeast, no MSG. Chebe Bread Products are made in a gluten-free environment.

Chebe Bread Products, Newport, Vermont

1-800-217-9510

info@chebe.com

http://www.chebe.com/

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 0.75 oz (21g) dry mix

Servings Per Container: 10

Calories: 70

Calories from fat: 0

Total fat: 0 g

Sat. fat: 0 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 190 mg

Total Carb: 17 g

Protein: 0 g

Bread: Chebe Bread

As part of a celiac-awareness raffle, I won a package of gluten free, yeast free Chebe bread mix. Chebe’s motto is that it is “slightly unusual and unusually good”. Wow that is it the biggest understatement of the century!

Rob and I in short, were just astounded at the delicious bread I made up without the use of a bread machine. Chebe bread is created mainly from the manioc plant, and can be prepared quickly in a variety of ways.

I prepared ours using a fork to mix the package contents with 2 tbsp. olive oil and 2 eggs, along with 1 cup freshly shredded pecorino cheese, and an additional 1/3 cup of water. I then kneaded the dough by hand, rolled into small balls (1 in. in diameter), and placed onto a non-greased plan. The Chebe baked for 25 minutes in a 375 degree oven, and emerged golden brown.

The gluten free Chebe balls resembled and tasted just as delicious as cheesy gougeres. These were light, flavorful and perfectly bread-like- but still safe for celiacs. I couldn’t believe how close Chebe comes to gluten bread! One thing I did notice is that the pecorino was perhaps a bit too salty of a cheese. Next time I think I’ll try a fontina instead. Interestingly, Chebe can also be used to make sticks, can be frozen, made into pizza dough, and enhanced with a variety of cheeses, herbs, seasonings etc. Truly remarkable!

Ingredients:

Manioc (tapioca) flour, modified manioc starch, dry milk, iodine-free salt. Chebe Bread Products are made in a gluten-free environment.

Chebe Bread Products, Newport, Vermont

1-800-217-9510

info@chebe.com

http://www.chebe.com/

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 0.75 oz (21g) dry mix

Servings Per Container: 10

Calories: 70

Calories from fat: 0

Total fat: 0 g

Sat. fat: 0 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 200 mg

Total Carb: 17 g

Protein: 0 g

Bread: Breads From Anna Gluten Free Bread Mix

Breads From Anna is a gluten free, yeast free, corn free, dairy free, soy free and rice free bread mix. With so many seemingly missing ingredients, one might wonder if it is taste-free! Though this bread did take a bit of getting used to, it had far more flavor than expected.

With this mix, I combined 2 tablespoons oil, 1-1/2 cups milk (recipe calls for soy, rice or nut milk), 2 large eggs, 1 large egg white in the mixer. I blended the wet ingredients first, then added the dry ingredients- again trying very hard not to over mix. I placed the batter into a greased and lightly dusted (rice flour) loaf pan and popped in a pre heated oven for 70 minutes at 375 degrees.

What emerged was truly a satisfyingly dense loaf that was browned all over- but nearly obscenely heavy. I cut thick slices, added some butter and apricot jam and voila- except the bread wasn’t quite as light and airy as expected. It also had a rather yeasty- or rather a bean-like flavor- which is not surprising since it is comprised of chickpea, pinto, and navy bean flours. It really did resemble much more of a bean loaf rather than a soft spongy white bread. This is a truly hearty loaf! By day 2, though, the bread had taken on a bit more flavor if that makes sense, and after heating in the toaster and adding some cream cheese, it tasted quite good for breakfast.

In sum, this isn’t bread for the faint of heart, and probably would not make the best gluten free sandwiches, but it will certainly get you up and at ‘em in the morning!

Ingredients:

Tapioca flour, arrowroot, chickpea flour, pinto bean flour, navy bean flour, potato starch, millet, Montina (perennial bunch grass and achnatherum hymenoides), crystallized honey, xanthan gum, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 43 g

Servings Per Container: 12-14

Calories: 140

Calories from fat: 5

Total fat: 0 g

Sat. fat: 0 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 530 mg

Total Carb: 32 g

Dietary fiber: 2 g

Sugars: 3 g

Protein: 2 g

English Muffins: Foods by George - Cinnamon and Currant English Muffins

I was recently delightfully surprised by the Cinnamon and Currant English Muffins made by Foods By George.

The gluten-free, wheat-free, lactose-free, casein-free, dairy-free, corn-free and soy-free English muffins come in frozen stack of four. The muffins have a baked brown exterior that truly resemble a tall English scone, rather than the flattened version of English Muffins most American grocery stores sell. We defrosted ours in the oven at 325 degrees for 10 minutes then sliced in half and threw in the toaster for about 5 minutes. Up popped two delicious looking muffin-halves just waiting for some butter- hey it was the holidays and we were out of SmartBalance.

The butter melted perfectly into the nooks and crannies and in between the currants. Rob and I were in heaven on our first bite. The exterior toasted up to crunchy perfection, while the inside remained soft and moist. There was enough cinnamon to actually be tasted and the currants were plentiful throughout.

Though not as rich and filling as gluten English Muffins or scones, the Foods by George muffins have an authentic mouth feel and closely resemble the real-deal. The muffins are especially convenient for the weekend when nobody feels like eating regular cold cereal. We’ll definitely be adding these as a staple. Plus, we learned that a portion of the proceeds from Foods By George is donated to Celiac Disease research.

Gluten-Free Foods By George Cinnamon and Currant English Muffins contain:

Flour base (white rice, tapioca, potato), water, egg whites, currants, evaporated cane juice, canola oil, yeast, salt, guar gum, cinnamon.

Nutrition Facts:

Serving Size: 1 muffin (102 g)

Servings Per Container: 4

Calories: 22

Calories from fat: 35

Total fat; 3.5 g

Sat. fat: 0 g

Trans fat: 0 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 220 mg

Total Carb: 42 g

Dietary Fiber: 2 g

Sugars: 13 g

Protein: 4 g

Bread: Everybody Eats Gluten-Free French Bread

Last night my wife's family cooked up a large spaghetti, meatball, and sausage dinner which was a perfect opportunity for my wife and I to try out the Everybody Eats gluten-free French bread I had delivered via Fed-Ex from last week. We froze the two loafs waiting for an opportune time to try them.

To prepare a loaf my wife removed from the freezer and placed them wrapped in aluminum foil in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, after which she sliced them down the middle. Then poured down the middle a mixture of fresh minced garlic, melted butter, and black pepper. Then she placed it back into the oven without any wrapping and baked for another 10 minutes.

Taste:
The bread was simply amazing, the crust was tough and crunchy. The inside was light and yeasty. I'm planning on making a hero sandwich on a loaf.

Level of Realism:
Excellent - Various non-celiacs tried the bread and found it tastier than the real thing. They couldn't tell it wasn't regular bread. It looked like regular bread. We highly recommend this bread even at $12 for 2 loaves.

Bread: Glutano Baguette

Today Rob and I tried Glutano brand baguette. The bread is imported from somewhere in Europe and is packaged in a sealed freezer bag. It is designed to keep for many months on end with no refridgeration.

Level of realism:
Low, Glutano has a smooth exterior with no definable crust. The big drawback to the baguette, however is it's low flavor content. It really doesn't have much of a taste. We even spruced it up with butter and garlic. The baguette visually though looks like a smaller version of the real deal. We kept ours frozen then baked in a 350 degree oven, sliced in half added butter and garlic and baked additional minutes. The baguette never seemed to crisp up- it managed to keep its density regardless.

Ingredients: Glutano Baguette contains no artificial flavoring, colors or preservatives.
Water, maize starch, maize flour, sugar, rice starch, potato flakes, thickener guar gum, unhardened vegetable fat (grape and palm), potato starch, salt, yeast, acidulant (sodium diacetate).

Nutrition facts:
Serv. size: 1 Baguette
Calories: 430
Fat cal: 90
Total fat: 10 g
Sat fat: 3g
Cholest: 0
Sodium: 1,400 mg
Total carb: 82 g
Fiber: 12 g
Sugars: 4g
Protein: 3g
Vit A: 0
Vit C: 0
Calcium: 100%
Iron: 35%
Percent daily values based on 2000 calorie diet

Overall impressions:
The Glutano baguette is fine in a pinch. It has a very long shelf-life, and is a convenient size for a 2 person dinner. With so many other great gluten-free breads to choose from, it might be hard to justify selecting this one again though.

Bread: Everybody Eats Sesame Bagels

I'm on a roll, well not a roll, that was the last review, now I'm onto bagels.

I've always missed bagels, in college after a long night of partying I'd occasionally enjoy a nice bagel. Against the rules? Sure, but man they tasted good.

Last Thanksgiving I tried some gluten-free bagels from Wegmans. They were really, really dense, dry, and mealy.

With my first order from Everybody Eats I ordered a dozen sesame bagels. $20 for 8 pieces, $2.50 a bagel.

Taste:
After slicing two in half and throwing in the toaster, one gladly accepted some butter while the other one accepted peanut butter. They were amazing, a tough bagel crust and a dense but not too dense interior.

Level of Realism:
Good - While the bagels tasted great, they don't look 100% like regular bagels. Not a big issue, but if I'm rating realism I've got to review their looks. My wife did comment that they weren't as chewy as regular non-celiac bagels. Irregardless of their aesthetics, my wife and I highly recommend.

Bread: Everybody Eats Ficelle Dinner Rolls

As promised this is the second installment of a series of Everybody Eats gluten-free product reviews. After the great deli rolls, the dinner rolls would have a hard time keeping up. My wife and I got to enjoy them at dinner tonight with a nice steak.

They come a dozen to a bag for $18.00 - $1.50 a roll.

The rolls vary in shape and toppings. Poppy and sesame.

Taste:
After toasted in the oven wrapped in tin foil with a bit of butter, these rolls evenly squared out my normally roll-deficient plate. My wife and I both enjoyed them hot out of the oven. I have no point of reference- but my wife thought they tasted just like normal dinner rolls.

Level of Realism:
Excellent, they are the perfect size and have a similar texture to normal dinner rolls. Nice tough crust, and a fluffy interior. Diana and I highly recommend them.

Bread: Everybody Eats Deli Sandwich Rolls

This is the first in a series of reviews of gluten-free (celiac) products from Everybody Eats. The first time my wife and I experienced their product was at the 10th anniversary dinner for the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research. They provided dinner rolls for the meal, which were excellent. It was funny because almost everyone at the dinner (mostly comprised of celiacs and their families) kept asking the wait staff if they really were gluten-free.

I was waiting until we moved back to New York City so I could experience their products first hand.

Pedro and Bruce make and bake their various gluten-free products in Brooklyn, New York and deliver them locally. I had mine shipped Fed-ex out to my in-laws house on Long Island. The Deli Sandwich Rolls come 6 to a bag for $12 or $2 per roll plus shipping.

Ordering isn't high tech, there's no shopping cart. You just email them and they call you back.

Taste:
Upon arrival I immediately threw one in the oven to toast it up (as suggested by the manufacturer). On with the Smart Balance and it tasted amazing. The crust was crunchy with the interior being unlike any other celiac bread product I've had before. Most celiac bread is dense, this was airy. My wife and mother-in-law both had one (as a sandwich) and they thought it was very similar to an actual deli roll. They have both tried some of the normal frozen celiac bread and thought this was extremely close to a normal roll.

My wife commented, "There was no lead-ball sitting in my stomach after eating a sandwich on these rolls."

Level of Realism:
Excellent, while they weren't as big as normal Kaiser rolls they were plenty big enough for a nice sandwich. The crunchy crust and delightful interior texture made each bite a special moment. Obviously the cost is not the same as non-celiac rolls, but as we all know most celiac food isn't cheap. My wife and I highly recommend their deli rolls.