Review: Sweet People Marshmallows

Most marshmallows are gluten-free, so it is not a tremendous victory to find GR marshmallows. It IS a delight to find guaranteed-GF marshmallows and it is a special delight to find such delicious varieties as are offered by Sweetpeople Confectionery of Murcia, Spain.

I was feeling adventurous when I tried my first bag: Watermelon Marshmallows. They were beautiful and delicious and I am hooked. The watermelon and citrus flavors are my favorites. Sweetpeople responded to my query that so far, they are sold through TJMaxx and Marshall's here in the US.

The Sweetpeople Web site: http://www.sweetpeople.es

Review: Anheuser-Busch Redbridge Beer

I love Guinness. That is what I wish I could order.

My favorite beers are Killian's Red, Amstel Light, Dos Equis, Corona, most Magic Hat choices and some Sam Adams varieties.

I do not love Michelob, Budweiser, or Coors.

I greatly dislike wimpy beer with weak aftertaste.

And I never expected to like Redbridge.

I was wrong.

Maybe I was so anxious for a beer that any would have tasted good, but I think that's just not so.

I like Redbridge. And had I tried it before going GF - I would have had it again.

It isn't wimpy and it is hearty enough for me - and no weak, shadow-of-itself aftertaste.

Thanks, Anheuser-Busch!

The Redbridge Web site: www.redbridgebeer.com

GF Candy Lists

It's almost Halloween and there are a lot of new and updated lists of GF candy and snacks.
Here are just a couple.
Most of the items listed never have had gluten.

PLEASE always check with manufacturers unless the labels promise there is no chance of gluten.

From Celiacs Online, Web site of the Chesapeake Celiac Support Group
http://rtburns.com/celiacs/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Gluten-Free-Candy-List.pdf

From the Web site of the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA)
http://www.celiaccentral.org/SiteData/docs/2010%20Glute/7fe94d7929e448a0/2010%20Gluten-Free%20Candy%20List.pdf

From Gluten-Free InfoWeb (which hosts many food lists)
http://www.glutenfreeinfo.com/FoodList/fd/FD-candy.htm

Review: Amy's Rice Crust Cheese Pizza

Another one of my favorites and NOT because it helps me forget I can't eat gluten. When my girls eat pizza, I eat pizza and it goes from freezer to table in less than 15 minutes.

No, you are never going to bite into this pizza and imagine you are in Boston's North End.
And your honest friends will not tell you "this tastes just as good as any I've ever eaten!"
The crust is crumbly and almost cracker-like with no hint of yeasty, chewy, wood-fired goodness.
That said, the crust is tasty and pleasant, as soon as you (I) get over the fact that it's not the same.

Amy's Web site: http://www.amys.com

Review: Amy's Mexican Casserole Bowl

I could eat this every day! Very tasty, but loaded with calories, but still one of my go-to favorites.
The red enchilada sauce is wonderful and the corn is cooked just right. The masa bits are the perfect size and the beans are tender and well shy of mushy. 
5 stars for taste and minus 1 star for high calories (470), fat (5g saturated), and sodium (780mg).

Nutritional Analysis
Amy's Web site: http://www.amys.com

Review: Nature's Path Crunchy Vanilla Sunrise Cereal

It's crunchy, filling, and has an admirable nutritional profile.
It keeps its crunch in milk and stands up well to being mixed with yogurt.

When eaten it alone, though, it has a weird aftertaste.I thought I'd enjoy eating it straight out of a snack bag, but I was wrong and it came back home with me, uneaten.

I buy it occasionally, because I enjoy cereal and yogurt, but sometimes it gets stale before I finish it.

Nature's Path Web site: http://www.naturespath.com

Review: Glutino Pretzel Twists

Glutino Pretzel Twists are, simply, PERFECT!
I try always to have some in my cupboard.
They taste as good as any pretzel I have ever eaten and have a long shelf-life.
They are sturdy enough to scoop peanut butter and don't get soggy in hot cheese dip.

Enough said.

For more information: http://www.glutino.com/

Review: Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste

It's a new staple in my kitchen. I use it in soups, sauces and stir-fry medleys, and it never fails to add layers of flavor.
When I started cooking vegetarian, gluten-free, I tried a lot of recipes new Asian, Middle Eastern and African. My shopping lists evolved and I fely lucky to have tried this curry paste. This is another reason why being gluten-free doesn't entirely stink! I'll try to remember to add recipe links below.

Thai Kitchen Web site:  http://thaikitchen.com

Review: Nutella

Hazelnut chocolate goodness.

Simply delicious.

Now that I am gluten-free, I indulge in some foods I might previously have skipped. It's not always smart to keep looking for "GF versions" of the same foods I have loved for  40+ years/ Sometimes I have to look at what has always been gluten-free.


Nutella makes a huge difference on a less-than-stellar GF english muffin or on boring slice of toasted GF bread.

Storage tip: the label will tell you to store in a cool place - do it. It will get runny in warm temperatures and rock hard in the fridge.

From the Nutella Web site:

Is Nutella® gluten free?

Nutella® does not contain any ingredients derived from gluten containing cereals: wheat, barley, rye, oats or triticale.

That's not a rousing gluten-free guarantee, so if you're celiac, you may want to avoid it. I am very sensitive to gluten and have had no symptoms, so I indulge happily!

Review: Thai Kitchen Pad Thai

Quick. Easy. Boring.

It's not expensive and it's easy to store. I can keep it in my drawer at work and have a quick meal (add hot water, let sit, drain) in a matter of minutes. The noodle texture is fine as long as it sits long enough (if I rush it, the noodles are stiff).

My single criticism: the flavor is disappointingly bland, by any standards.

Thai Kitchen Web site:  www.thaikitchen.com

Review: DeBole's Corn Spaghetti-Style Pasta

Ah, the search for readily-available, reasonably-priced (for me, a mom on a budget), gluten-free pasta continues!

The first time I cooked this,I made the mistake of walking away from the pan, and the pasta clumped together in a solid mass.

The second time I made it, I stayed close and stirred. Halfway through, the cooking water seemed gelatinous (corn starch in water as a thickener?), so I drained the noodles and added fresh boiling water. The result was less sticky and more of the strands of  pasta were separate, though many were still stuck together. The pasta was not delicious and the texture was somehow "sturdy" (as opposed to "al dente").

The thrid time was not quite a charm. I used a very large pot with a lot more water and broke the noodles, hoping that would help keep themseparate while cooking, but the pasta still clumped and the taste was not excellent.

If I am craving pasta,I may try it again, but it's far more likely I will give up on this brand and try another.

The Debole's Web site: http://www.deboles.com 

Review: Rustic Crust Gluten Free Napoli Herb

Such a disappointment!

The Web site promised "Pine no more" for those days of pizza - and I am still pining.

Most of what was available at the store had already cracked into several pieces. I picked a package where both crusts were still whole and treated it gingerly. I was  excited to try itright away and made the 1st pizza, according to directions, as soon as I got home. The crust held up to the sauce and cheese while cooking, which is good, but when it comes to eating a slice - it falls apart  when you lift it. And the taste is nothing like the gluten-full dough I pined for.

Ok. I readjusted expectations and ate as if this were a completely different (not pizza) meal. And still, I was disappointed. The crust was that crumbly/mushy/dense texture that we get so often in GF rice-flour breads. It was not very tasty - even with the "Napoli Herb" addition - and the tapioca flour is not enough to save the texture. The taste was not enough to recommend it, neither was the texture. Both fell flat.

I won't be buying this again.

I am not even tempted.

Rustic Crust Web site:  http://www.rusticcrust.com

Review: Kinnikinnick Foods S'moreables Graham Style Crackers

I took the girls on vacation for the first time  in YEARS: camping on a sandy beach, with legendary wild ponies nearby. 

The sun was hot, the surf was rough and when the sun set, the mosquitoes were huge, thick and hungry. We pitched the tents in a wild breeze and managed to keep the woodfire burning. S'Mores were very much on my mind. After a search, I had found a precious box of gluten-free graham crackers. Life was good.Well, in theory, anyway.

These Kinnikinnick Graham Crackers are not S'Mores-friendly. They taste like graham - but the texture is all wrong. They are a lot like shortbread cookies. They'll hold a toasted marshmallow and a melty chocolate square- but when I bit into the s'more, the filling oozed out long before the cracker broke. Tasty, but not very S'More-y.

As a cookie, I give it 4 stars, but as a graham cracker, I give it just 2 stars.

Kinnikinnick Foods Web site: http://consumer.kinnikinnick.com