Product review...Namaste Chocolate Fudge Frosting mix

Hi all. I hope you are all enjoying the weather as the last weeks of Summer linger on. I had plans to work in my garden today and weed, but my plans changed as they seem to do quite frequently lately. It seems that this past month I have been away from the computer more than usual with all the family planned trips and I do apologize for not posting as frequent as I would have liked.

Today I would like to review a product from Namaste foods, their Chocolate Fudge frosting mix. I have reviewed several of Namaste's products and was excited to once again sample one of their products.

This mix calls for just 6 Tablespoons of margarine or butter and 3-4 Tablespoons of BOILING water....this is an important key factor. After initially  mixing these ingredients you MUST let the icing rest for 15 minutes to allow the high quality sugar to dissolve, then beat at high speed until smooth and creamy, or you will get a gritty tasting icing. The taste was deep chocolate and the icing decorated my cupcakes nicely. The only draw back is having to wait 15 minutes to "finish" the icing if you are in a hurry.

The icing bag also has a recipe for a Cherry Vanilla Cake on it which I hope to try at a future date around the holidays, along with a recipe for Choconut Cake and Coconut Fudge frosting using their products. The company has many other baking mixes along with Pasta dishes that all are made in a dedicated facility free of gluten, wheat, soy, corn, potato, peanuts, tree nuts, dairy and casein's.

Ingredients:
Brown sugar, Dutch cocoa, rice milk powder, silicon dioxide (added to prevent caking) and salt.

You can purchase their line and view numerous recipes using their products at Namaste Foods. You can also find many of their products at your local grocery store.

Rating 4 1/2 Stars

As always...Have a great wheat free day!!!

Product review...Better Batter yellow cake mix

Hi all. It is good to finally be back home from all the family activities this past week and catch up on some much needed rest. It was so good to see family and celebrate my grandson's and great grand daughters birthdays but I must admit I felt as if I was the energizer bunny....constantly on the move.

Before I went to visit I had made cupcakes from a yellow cake mix that Better batter was kind enough to supply me with. I have to save they were truly a saving grace for me during my visit when all others were indulging in birthday cake. They were soft, moist and delicious. My grandson who just turned 8 even ate one after indulging in a slice of wheat laden birthday cake and didn't seem to notice the difference, as he ate every crumb!

This mix calls for water OR milk, oil, and eggs. The directions are as simple as can be and for all those at the party who ate one (yes, I shared), they were pleasantly surprised.

Ingredients:
Sugar, rice flour, tapioca starch, brown rice flour, potato starch, potato flour, natural vanilla flavor, xanthan gum, pectin, sodium acid pyrophosphate, baking soda, salt, turmeric, monocalcium phosphate monohydrate.

Rating: 5 Stars (You can't argue with a 8 year old)

All in all I would say that these cupcakes are very close to the cupcakes of my yesteryear's. You can even make a lower fat Vegan version. ( directions on the box) You can purchase this cake mix along with their chocolate cake mix for $6.99 at the Allergy Free Kosher button to the right. Or you can visit their home site to order at Better Batter  for recipes and to check out their gluten free community. The mixes both sell for $7.50 on their site but if you wish to order the mixes from their "short date" list you can save even more...Decisions....decisions....

I have to say that since I have been so determined to not put one grain of gluten in my mouth anymore that my husband is now on board the gluten free train!!! He has been gluten free for two weeks now and he is really liking the changes in his body. No more stomachaches, and he has even lost some weight.

I hope you are all doing well on your journey also. Until next time....Have a great wheat free day!!!

 

Gluten-Free Shopping guide...

Hi all. Well we are back from our trip to visit my husbands family and we had a great time. It is always hard to see all the family in such a short visit but we managed. Tomorrow I will be off on a week long trip to now visit my family. My grandson will be turning 8 and we will be celebrating on Saturday. Then it is off to a second birthday celebration Sunday as my oldest great grand child will be turning 4, where has all the time gone?

Oh....my husband bought me a Gluten-Free Grocery Shopping Guide by Madison & Madison when we were away...it is the next best thing to sliced bread!!! I don't know how I have managed without it up until now. It definitely has made my life allot easier this past week. You can purchase the guide at http://www.CeceliasMarketplace.com With this book, you’ll get information about all of your favorite brands and gluten-free foods. The guide contains a list of over 45,000 food and drink items. Major food manufacturers like Heinz, Kraft, Del Monte and Frito Lay are all included. Also, the items from your favorite supermarket chains, like Albertsons, Hy-Vee, Kroger, Meijer, Publix, Safeway, Trader Joe’s, Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Winn Dixie, Wegmans and more are listed. You’ll be able to quickly look up the information you need within seconds, all with this one handy, compact guide. I love it, and it has made my shopping so much easier as I am sure it will for you. If you are new to the world of eating wheat/gluten free this guide is a must have!

I have several more products that I will be reviewing when I get back from my trip but I wanted to let you know I will be away from the blog for a few days. I hope you all had a great holiday weekend with family and friends also. So until I return and post again....Have a great wheat free week!!!

Product review...Annies mac & cheese...

Hello once again. I hope you all had a great holiday weekend with friends and family. I had a blast! It was so comforting to be around those I love and catch up on new stories as well as old.

One of the things that also comforts me is a nice warm dish of mac & cheese. I remember growing up on the stuff, it was always a quick, easy, inexpensive meal. It has also always been a staple in my kitchen when my children were growing up, and even now.

Since going wheat/gluten free I have tried many gluten free varieties and have finally found one that meets my taste needs and it is microwavable to boot!!! Annie's Homegrown microwavable mac & cheese. I found mine at our local Meijers store and it cost a little over $5.00 for five single serving packets.

After my first attempt I found that adding a little more water than the directions called for was a quick fix for the dryness and clumping of the noodles . After my second attempt I found that by adding butter to the already cooked noodles before adding the cheese packet, not only made the finished product cheesy and delightfully pleasing, but also kept the cheese from clumping.

I have to admit that this is a great substitute for the microwavable mac & cheese cups I ate before becoming wheat/gluten free. If you do the division it is actually not anymore expensive either, considering it is a gluten free product.

I love the fact that I can still enjoy a comfort food which is tasty and quick for those days when I am frazzled or just to wore out to cook.

Ingredients:
Rice pasta, (rice flour), Cheddar cheese (cultured pasteurized milk, salt, non-animal enzymes) whey, buttermilk, butter, non-GMO corn starch, sodium phosphate, annetto extract for color.
*Contains milk ingredients

Rating: 5 Stars 

Product review...Really Great Food Company's Rye bread mix...

Hi all. The weekend is here and I am almost ready for our family trip. I have my brownies and bread made, and my suitcase is almost packed. I have to finish up a few odds and ends and then  I will be done.

Before I leave for my trip I just had to take the time to tell you about this awesome bread mix I found from The Really Great Food Company. It is a Rye-Style bread mix and I have to say that although there is not a bit of rye flour in the mix  I could not tell the difference!!!

You can make the mix in a breadmaker or the oven and since I like to feel like Suzy Homemaker on occasion I made mine in the oven. Actually I am kind of a control freak when it comes to food these days if the truth be known ...  :-)

Although the recipe calls for eggs I used a egg substitute, and it came out perfect. It toasts to perfection and even a grilled cheese sandwich turned out great. I have to say that out of all the breads I have tried since going gluten free that this is at the very top of my list in texture and taste.

The company offers other bread mixes, as well as cookie and cake mixes, and I am anxious to try them all. If this mix is any indication of the quality of the others then I feel confident I will enjoy each and every one I try. The mixes are formulated by Chef Ann Sammartino who has a degree from the internationally renowned Johnson & Wales School of Culinary Arts. She also suffers from Celiac Disease so she is well tuned into the needs of others who must avoid gluten.

I really enjoyed the texture of the bread. It was dense enough for a good structure but moist enough so as not to be chewy. It rose and browned well, and as I mentioned before, the taste was as close to any of the rye breads on the market that are laden with wheat flour. This is  a real treat in a gluten free world.

Ingredients:
White rice flour, potato starch flour, cornstarch, brown sugar, orange peel, caraway seeds, xanthan gum, salt. (Gluten free yeast packet is enclosed) You can view all their products at http://thereallygreatfoodco.com

Rating 5+ Stars

I hope you all enjoy your holiday weekend, so until next post....Have a great wheat free day!!!
 

Product review....Butterfly Bakery Mini Blueberry muffins...

Good afternoon everyone! I hope you are having a pleasant summer with family and friends. It is sad to see that summer is almost over as it seemed to have passed so quickly! I am looking forward to the last holiday gathering of the season this weekend with family before the Autumn weather soon approaches.

During the cooler months nothing beats a warm cup of tea or coffee and a great muffin to end your evenings. Butterfly Bakery was kind enough to send me a package of their Mini Blueberry muffins to sample, and this morning I indulged in a few, or more...remember, I did say mini...

These are a great little muffin loaded with blueberries and taste, so just one was not enough.They are only 80 calories for a serving of two, with just 6g of sugars. Not bad if you are watching your sugar intake.

Although they are small they pack a punch of flavor. They are soft, moist, and filled with wild blueberries. Although the texture is a little more like a cupcake than most muffins I am use to eating, they satisified my taste buds fairly well. This would make a excellent dessert for a afternoon tea.

Not all of the bakery's products are gluten free but they do offer a selection in this area, along with some sugar free products as well. You can find out more about the different products they offer and the company at: Butterfly Bakery
Ingredients:
100% Teff flour, sugar, eggs, water, soybean oil, wild blueberries, non fat milk powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, natural flavor, xanthan gum.

Rating 3 3/4 Stars

Have a great wheat free day!

Product review...Namaste Vanilla Cake Mix...

Hi all. I hope today is going well for you. I have been baking since early this morning trying new bread recipes, tweeking here and there with different flours, searching for that perfect blend. I have also decided to try a egg substitute as well when baking, as it seems I never have enough eggs in the house when most of my  recent "TRYS" have been dropped in the garbage pail...

I decided to try a Vanilla cake mix from Namaste today as we will be visiting my husbands family in Buffalo over the weekend and I need to be prepared with non wheat ladened items in tow for me to enjoy. There are always desserts galore lining the desert table when visiting and I refuse to be tempted!

This is the second time I have tried this particular cake mix from Namaste since I wasn't pleased with the first results thinking I must have done something wrong. So loaded with a few helpful tips from the company I decided to give it a try once more.

Since we will traveling over seven hours by car I thought it best to make cupcakes instead of a cake as they will travel slightly better. The mix makes 24 cupcakes, enough for traveling, and some for the freezer I thought. I followed the directions to the letter... The cupcakes rose quite well and had a wonderful scent while baking, same as the last time. I took them out of the oven when they were done and left them cool for over a hour. Since I hadn't been pleased with the way the previous batch had turned out I had decided to wait before mixing the icing packet they were also so kind to have sent, untill after I had sampled the results.

The cupcakes were soft and moist to the touch like most of the wheat laden cupcake mixes on the market. However the inside texture of the cake itself was a totally different story. They were moist, but almost had a elastic type texture when you tried to break a piece off. Although the flavor was spot on I just couldn't enjoy the texture in my mouth or the denceness.

This is the first cake mix I have used from this company and although the flavor was good I don't feel I would ever get a  "I can't believe this is gluten free" from anyone I might try to serve these to. They have more of a muffin/bread texture rather than a cake.

Maybe it's me....If you have had a better experience with this mix I would to hear from you. Maybe you can provide a tip or two for me as well as my readers.

Ingredients:

Sweet brown rice flour, tapioca flour, brown sugar, evaporated cane juice, arrowroot flour, rice milk powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, xanthan gum and ground vanilla bean.

Rating: 2 3/4 Stars

You can visit their home site at Namaste Foods

As always...Have a great wheat free day!

Product review...XO Baking Co. Pancake & Waffle Mix...

The sun is shining and it is a beautiful day! Not a day you would expect to have pancakes for breakfast, yet pancakes were on my mind...I recently received a GF Pancake & Waffle mix from XO Baking Co. and I have had a hankering for some soft tender cakes, and today was the day to indulge.

These pancakes were moist, tender, raised perfectly, and were quite tasty. Being that this was the first time I have tried any of the XO Baking products I was quite pleased. I am not the best pancake maker on the planet but I found that I did a fairly descent job this morning. Since I was the only one home for breakfast I had them all to myself!!!

XO Baking products are produced in a dedicated gluten free facility (manufactured in a facility that uses soy and milk). Along with being gluten free the products are also Kosher.  For those of you who live a Vegan lifestyle  XO Baking products also contain no milk or eggs, however they are not certified as Vegan. They are also 100% Trans fat free, and contain no artificial colors or flavors, using only unmodified ingredients.

The owner of  XO Baking Co.,  Lindsey Deitsch, is a Certified Health and Nutrition Coach as well as a  professional chef and baker. When finding she had Celiac Disease herself in 2009 she was determined to produce a product line for  herself, as well as others, that tasted delicious.

Organic coconut flour, high in fiber,  is found in all 16  of XO products. If you need to avoid soy then you will want to check out the companies All Purpose flour blend, Gingerbread Cookie mix, Banana Bread mix and their Cornbread mix which are all also soy free.

The nice thing about XO Baking is that all orders over $45 are shipped FREE!!! I have several other products from the company which I will be reviewing in the future, and can't wait to see if they are just as tasty. I have to say that this pancake mix is as close to the "real" wheat laden versions that I ate for all those years. The taste and texture were spot on. I would recommend this mix to everyone who craves a good old fashioned pancake.

Ingredients:
Premium Cassava flour, unmodified potato starch, pure cane sugar, organic coconut flour, baking powder, sea salt, xanthan gum, organic vanilla flavor.
*Contains Coconut

Rating 5 Stars

To see XO's other products or to place a order visit their website at XO Baking Co.

FRONTIER SOUPS review...

Hi all. Now I do realize that we have several more weeks before Fall will actually arrive, but I like to have a good bowl of soup anytime of the year. Today it was overcast and gloomy, so what could be better than a warm bowl of soup and a grilled cheese sandwich, Yum. I received several varieties of soup mixes from the good people at Frontier Soups and was really in the mood to try their Potato Leek Soup, and today was just the right day for it.

Now if you have never heard of the company before, then let me tell you a little about them. They are celebrating their 25th anniversary in business, so I believe that pretty much says it all! They are located in Waukegan IL, and most of the ingredients used in their mixes are grown on American farms. The mixes contain all natural premium ingredients, with no salt, preservatives or MSG added. Thirty one of their mixes are lab tested and certified as gluten free, although the facility is not dedicated gluten free. Along with the soup mixes they also offer dips, rubs and marinades (GF) and a few baking mixes that do contain gluten.

The soup was so easy to make. All I had to add was chicken broth, a few extra cubed potatoes and some heavy cream at the end. The taste was really good. The only thing I would wish is that the pieces of leeks and scallions would have been a little more tender. I will try adding a few more minutes of cooking time before adding the potato cubes next time, as I am sure this will solve the problem.You can also puree this soup the next day and serve cold. It took about 40 minutes from start to finish and a grilled cheese sandwich was the perfect combination. A one cup serving is just 180 calories with 0 sugars, and only 7g in carbs.

Ingredients:

Potato cubes and slices, onion, leek, celery, scallions, herbs.

I enjoyed this particular soup and look forward to trying others in their line in the near future. After all, Fall is just around the corner :( Sorry!!! You can view and purchase their line of products at http://frontiersoups.com

Rating 4 1/2 Stars

Qwackers product review...

Hi all. Today I want to tell you about a gluten free cracker,  Qwackers. If you like Gold fish crackers, but can't eat gluten, then this is a great alternative. The crackers come in 1 ounce bags and make great snack packs for lunches or on the go. No cheesy fingers here! Although the crackers are made for kids, they are a great treat for kids of all ages.

The crackers have a great cheddar taste with just a hint of salt. They are baked so you will find no trans fat here. They are also corn and sugar free which makes them a healthier alternative for kids.
They contain no preservatives, artificial ingredients or colors.The 1 ounce bag has 130 calories and serves one. Be careful, as they can be addictive...My grandsons both ate two bags in a setting and I had to hide mine to keep it safe!

Ingredients:
White rice flour, sharp Cheddar,(pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, enzymes) Butter (cream, salt) Water, potato starch, tapioca starch, extract of annatto seed (for color) Cultured buttermilk, sea salt, guar gum, cream of tarter, baking soda
* Contains milk

These are a nice item to have on hand with little ones around, for in between meals, or just a quick snack. They are light, crunchy and cheesy. You can order from their web at QWACKERS

Rating 41/2 Stars

Butterfly Bakery Chocolate chip cookies....

Hi all. Today I would like to share with you a product from the Butterfly Bakery in NJ who was kind enough to ship me some of their chocolate chip cookies for me to to sample and review. (they also sent me mini gluten free blueberry muffins which I will review separately) We all know I love my sweets, and I was excited to review yet another item that had chocolate in it.

The Butterfly Bakery was founded in 1998 by Brenda who is the founder and CEO when her mom was diagnosed with Diabetes. She wanted to be able to create sweets that her mother could still eat and enjoy, now that's a good daughter!  In addition to their gluten free line of just nine items, they also offer products which are sugar free, no sugar added, whole grain and low calorie, a little taste for everyone, with a total of 75 different products in all.

The chocolate chip cookies are a nice size, about 2 3/4 inches across, and come in a round 11 ounce tub which sells for $5.99 on their home site. I could tell before even opening the tub that these seemed to be a fairly delicate cookie, as several were already broken in half and there were lots of crumbles in the bottom of the container.

The taste reminded me somewhat of a mild, airy version of a shortbread cookie loaded with mini chocolate chips, and yet surprisingly enough they did hold up well to dunking in milk without falling apart. In my own personal opinion this is not your everyday chocolate chip cookie, although they did have a nice flavor the texture really threw me off quite a bit.

One cookie contains 137 calories, with twelve servings per container. Although they are gluten free they do contain milk and eggs is you have these allergy issues, and they are packaged in a plant that also manufactures products with nuts/peanuts.

Ingredients:
Amaranth flour, teff flour, sugar, brown sugar, water, butter, soybean oil, chocolate chips, whole eggs, baking soda, salt, natural flavor.

If you would like more of a airy, delicate, shortbread type cookie loaded with chocolate chips then these are right up your alley. I have seen many of the Butterfly Bakeries products in the refrigerated bakery section of our local Giant Eagle stores recently. If you can't locate their products in stores local to you then visit their site at the  Butterfly Bakery for more information.

Rating 3 1/4 Stars 

Although the taste was indeed good it did not have that "original" chocolate chip cookie taste and texture that I prefer. These may however make a excellent pie crust in the near future...