In the Lap of Gluten Free Luxury

The title of this post came to me while in Florida visiting family this past week. I could write about the white sugary sand beaches, the tropical green waters of the Gulf of Mexico and go on and on about the fun we had fishing on a fantastic charter boat, but all I really want to write about is FOOD! I spent five days in what can only be described as the lap of gluten free luxury. When traveling, things become unknown as far as food options unless you do your homework. I admit I did not give food a lot of thought before going to Florida. To me, Florida meant fresh fish, fruit and vegetables, all gluten free options. I really did not consider a whole pantry full of gluten free packaged goods. But that is exactly what I found when we arrived.

I felt as if I had been gently dropped onto my own personal gluten free island. Brownies, crackers, chocolate wafers oh my! There were so many options I had to bring some home before even trying them. My favorite products were Sam Mills Gluten Free Corn Pasta, and Glutino Sans Gluten Free Wafer Cookies.

Sam Mills Gluten Free Corn Pasta came as such a surprise to me. I had always been told when buying gluten free pasta to buy a rice variety. I have had success with rice brands, but Sam Mills has made me a believer that rice has some competition. There were seven people at our dinner table, only two follow a gluten free diet. Everyone loved the pasta. In fact the hostess (who is not on a gluten free diet) said she will buy Sam Mills from now on. The texture and taste cannot be beat. Best of all No Sticking!

Glutino never ceases to amaze. People who complain that gluten free food is bland with no flavor haven't had anything from Glutino. They make pretzels, crackers, cookies, wafers, bread and much much more. Today, I am writing about the Milk Chocolate Coated Wafers. Crispy wafers layered with chcocolate and deliciously dipped in yes, more chocolate. In appearance they remind me of something I ate as a child, but in taste they are so grown up. I see these gems on a dessert platter at a cocktail party or yes at your five year old's birthday bash!

P.S. The fish, fruit and vegetables were just as I thought, plentiful and mouthwatering. Many thanks to my family and to Florida for the southern hospitality I could get used to :)

Nosh & Enjoy Life

I must admit since being diagnosed with celiac disease I bake and cook more at home. Not just out of necessity, but taste too. My family and I really enjoy homemade food. That being said, I also enjoy the convenience of packaged goods especially when they taste oh so good.

Recently I joined a book club and everyone knows that book clubs usually share more than an interest in literary works, they share food. I like to bring snacks, yes so that I know there is something I can nosh that is safe, but I enjoy introducing gluten free foods to folks who may not know how delicious they can be.

That brings me to Enjoy Life Foods . To date, I have only had snack bars and cookies, but what I have had leaves me wanting to try more. For example the No-oats Oatmeal cookies and the Snickerdoodle cookies, yum! At the meeting of my last book club a friend brought the brownie cookies. Right away I noticed a significant change for the better. The brownies are now called "Soft Baked" Double Chocolate. Wow, what a difference! They are soft and moist. I have not had the Snickerdoodle or No-oats Oatmeal variety since the improvements, but I want to.

RECIPE TIP:
These cookies are delicious as is, but if you want to take them to the next level. Smear a generous tablespoon of your favorite frosting onto one of the cookies and then sandwich them by placing another cookie on the frosting. Oooo la la! (pictured above)

Not only have a friend and I brought these Enjoy Life "sandwiches" to book club; I have also sent them into my son's classroom as a treat. There is always someone who does not require a gluten free diet inquiring how to get a hold of these cookies.

I have spent so much time writing about the cookies I haven't mentioned the snack bar variety: Caramel Apple, Cocoa Loco, Sunbutter Crunch, and Very Berry. I recommend you try them all. Sunbutter Crunch is my favorite.

Enjoy Life Foods prints "Eat Freely" on their packaging and that is exactly what they have helped us to do. Congratulations Enjoy Life, you are now listed under the Top 20 products on Gluten Free and You. For those who don't know this label indicates my top 20 favorite gluten free products and/or brands. If I were diagnosed today these are the foods I would want to know about.

Snikiddy Original Flavor Baked Fries

Made with cornmeal, potato flakes, sunflower oil and a variety of other ingredients I have heard of and can pronounce without the help of wikipedia, these unassuming pleasantly packaged "fries" are quite possibly the best snack I have purchased since my celiac diagnosis.

As a child I loved potato sticks, these are better. As a teen I liked potato chips, these are better. In fact I think Snikiddy Baked  Fries are the best of both worlds.  My family and I have sampled the original flavor and the ketchup flavor. We preferred the original flavor with its unexpected burst of flavor and crisp texture over the ketchup variety. The ketchup fries are without a doubt appropriately named. I am sure they will be overwhelming popular with folks who really love ketchup. I am anxious to try the cheddar cheese and Parmesan garlic flavors.

I purchased the large 20oz. bag simply from the packaging alone. I had not tried them nor had anyone told me about these fries. On a return trip to Wegmans, where I bought them I told the manager of the Nature's Market section how delicious they were. She said they were being purchased at a rapid pace. I am not surprised.

To Snikiddy and other companies who are meeting and surpassing the expectations of consumers like myself, I say thank you.  I encourage all Gluten Free and You readers to check out http://snikiddy.com/  for more information.

I Used to Take Bread Crumbs for Granted

When I write a product review, you can be sure I am passionate about it. My review of Pamela's Products Gluten Free Bread Mix is no exception. In fact, this bread mix which I discovered with the help of a R.O.C.K. co-chair nearly changed my life and that of my son.  My celiac disease diagnosis was stunning and scary. I was riddled with questions and  guilt about having passed it to my son. The clear thinking me knew it was not my fault and that pretty soon I would figure out the gluten free diet and live a happy and healthy life.

Pamela's Products Gluten Free Bread Mix gave me the jump start I needed to feel reassured that I could eat gluten free and enjoy it. My son and I had tried a few breads purchased from the freezer section of a grocery store. Then we tried Pamela's.  Baked inside my bread maker, it was like no other bread I had ever had, gluten free or not. The outside was crisp, the inside fluffy and moist. It compliments all foods. I have made everything from peanut butter and jelly on this bread to french toast and grilled cheese. It goes well with soup. I could write a book on the foods I have had with this bread.

I used to take bread crumbs for granted. Well, no more. That's right, this bread is so delicious you must use every last crumb. I have many recipes that call for bread crumbs. I will often take unused portions of my loaf and put it in the food processor and make crumbs and then place them in the freezer in a freezer bag or container.


 I  highly recommend an excellent bread knife. I labeled this product review under Top 20, Links, Product Reviews and Quick Prep. It does take nearly four hours with my bread machine to bake this bread, but the prep is under ten minutes. Top 20 is a new label. This label is exclusively for my top twenty favorite gluten free products. Stay tuned as this label category takes shape.

Pamela's Products Chocolate Walnut Biscotti

Pamela's Products are by far my favorite gluten free products on the market. The Chocolate Walnut Biscotti is pleasing to the eye and the taste buds; add a cup of coffee and now that's amore.
These biscotti are very chocolaty and crisp even after being dunked in coffee. The shape is perfect and now that there are six in a box, they are economical as well.