Product Review: Barilla Gluten Free Pasta

Some exciting news in the world of pasta - Barilla is introducing a line of Gluten Free pasta! It's made with non GMO corn and rice in a dedicated Gluten Free facility. With four varieties to choose from (spaghetti, penne, rotini and elbows) the meal possibilities are endless. I was happy to learn that this pasta was created with Celiac's in mind and not just for the diet hungry fadsters. The wonderful folks at Barilla kindly sent me some pasta to sample.

When I first opened the box of spaghetti, I noticed the colour right away. It is just like "regular" spaghetti, not gritty or gray like some of the other brands that I have tried. The instructions on the box are very simple and to the point. Ten - eleven minutes in boiling water while stirring occasionally. 

My family and I really enjoyed the spaghetti. It has the texture that I remember (pre Celiac diagnosis) growing up with and it tastes great. The only items that I added to the pasta were tomato sauce and frozen peas. Sometimes simple really does pay off. It was a great meal that paired nicely with an Udis bun doubling as garlic bread.

Not sure what to make? Check out Barilla's  recipe page for some inspiration.
As for the price point of 2.79- $3.29, no complaint's there.

Barilla Gluten Free pasta is in the process of hitting stores. Expect to see it widely available by the end of 2013.

If you have had the chance to try Barilla Gluten Free pasta, let me know what you think.

Tim Hortons Gluten Free Macaroons - Review

With all the talk of American franchise Dunkin Donuts offering an array of pre packaged Gluten Free goodies, you can imagine my delight when out of nowhere Canada's beloved Timmy's surprised us with Gluten Free coconut macaroons! Totally unexpected AWESOMENESS right?!

Yes, I have a sweet tooth ;)






Let's talk about why I am loving this yummy treat -

• Tim Horton's rolled this product out the right way - with Celiac customers in mind. A first of it's kind in Canada.
• It is certified Gluten Free through the Canadian Celiac Association's Gluten Free Certification Program and that is no easy feat. They have very strict policies that keep Celiac health a number one priority.Check my photo above for the seal of approval.

• Price point is $1.29 for a pack of two macaroons. That alone says that Tim Hortons cares as they are not attempting to nickel and dime us like most companies who venture into the Gluten Free world.

• Each package is individually wrapped and prepared off site in a dedicated facility.

I would not  consider myself a coconut fan but I really enjoyed the texture and flavour of this sweet little meringue style confection! The added bonus of a chocolate drizzle is just enough without going overboard. If you are not normally a sweets person, this is most likely not a product for you. 

They are small enough to fit in a purse or a small lunch bag while being packed full of flavour. Makes for an easy to take "just in case" snack for those adventurous moments where something Gluten Free may not be easily accessible.

It's a great product for a treat and by treat I mean something that is consumed in moderation. Yeah, it's quite sweet so lets go there for a nano second - This is a snack. It is by no means meant to be healthy. Does anyone honestly walk into a donut shop and expect health food? I think not. So with that being said I applaud Tim Hortons efforts to create a Gluten Free item on their menu.

We now have an option on the road. Seeing as there is a Tim Hortons on nearly every block and every major highway exit in Canada, finding these babies should be easy peasy. We drove to Florida last year and a certified option like this would have been a welcome convenience! I can imagine the joy of Celiac cottage goers as well. 

The website states that the Gluten Free macaroons are available for "a limited time" which is kind of disappointing. But I understand that they probably want to see how well it is received before they make any long term decisions regarding it. I for one am hoping that this product does well. If it does, perhaps we could see Gluten Free prepackaged muffins and donuts in our future.

Thank you Tim Hortons for being Celiac friendly!



*Disclosure : I was sent a free sample of Tim Hortons Gluten Free Macaroons. My opinion is that of my own and was in no way affected.

Easy Eats For A Gluten Free Trip

With Summer finally here, that means a lot of us will be going on little getaways. Driving, flying or just spending the day away from home, it's always best to have a safe food plan. Below is a list of my favourite items for on the go and the best part (aside from taste) is that they do NOT require heating or cooling. How's that for simplistic awesome?!

Enjoy Life Mountain Mambo is a tasty seed and fruit mix that comes in a resealable pouch. I love this product and buy it regularly! It's the perfect trail mix with it's lovely balance of sweet and salty. There is also just enough chocolate to fill that sugar craving while maintaining it's healthiness.

GoPicnic Ready To Eat Meals

I stumbled across these by accident when we drove to Walt Disney World last October. What a genius idea - they really are a picnic meal in a box. The Turkey Pepperoni & Cheese was my absolute favorite!

Bummer note - currently not available in Canada. Will have to stock up next time I'm in the States!

LARABAR Fruit and Nut Bars are a very convenient travel item. The Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough bar is one of my favourites - it really is like eating cookie dough! There are 19 different kinds of bars, 9 of which are available in Canada. 

Enjoy Life Crunchy Cookies

These cookies offer the right amount of sweetness and the perfect snap of crunch. I buy them in individual packages of two at my local Bulk Barn. The large boxes are great for home, but the smaller double packs are perfect for on the go. Each of the 4 flavours gets a star in my book!

BlueWater Seafoods Review and Giveaway

I was approached by BlueWater Seafoods and asked if I would like to review one of their Gluten Free products. After thinking about it, I said yes and was sent a very useful sling bag and a free product coupon to redeem for one of their Gluten Free items.

I chose to take on this review because I feel that BlueWater Seafoods truly wants and values my honest opinion. To me, that is VERY important.

I chose to try the Haddock Classic Grill. 

Out of the box

Ever hear the phrase "don't judge a book by it's cover"? Well we have a case of that here.  Upon opening the box, you are presented with two packaged fillets that leave a lot to the imagination. 

Frozen food is not pretty. It's convenient.

I followed the instructions for oven use. If anyone is brave enough to try the microwave route, please let me know how that goes for you. 

In the oven

Being Celiac, its hard to find fish that you can just pop in the  oven and eat. Almost everything is breaded *cringes* in wheat. I had not explored eating fresh fish very much as all that pin boning and prep scares me to be honest.




I have to say that I am really impressed with the Gluten Free indication on the top right corner of the box! If more companies took little steps like this, my grocery shopping time would be cut in half. 



BlueWater Seafoods  participates in the Trusted Catch program.

"BlueWater is committed to protecting and enhancing the sustainability of seafood resources and is working actively to support this under our Trusted Catch program. Trusted Catch encompasses all of our sustainability initiatives, from sustainable seafood sourcing to other green efforts including a more efficient plant and distribution network.

Regardless of where our seafood is caught and processed, BlueWater uses the same strict, rigorous quality control processes to ensure that we provide you with the safest, most wholesome and delicious seafood products on the market – not only for today, but for generations to come."

Eighteen minutes after oven entry (oven temperatures vary) dinner was ready. What a transformation! The frozen brick turned into a beautifully cooked piece of fish. My first impressions of this fish were boldly changed upon taste. It was moist and flavorful. Usually, I'm the first person at the table to add a sauce or a dip to what I am eating. Not this time though. The seasoning really enhanced the flavor of the fish without overpowering it. No need for anything extra here.

The verdict? Pretty sure that I will by this product again as it is very simple to make and the price point of $4.99 per box is not overkill. I like that this is something  I can make for myself on a busy night, without a hassle. Since I only cooked the one piece of fish, I am eager to try out a recipe from the BlueWater website with the next piece.

Finished baking

Don't forget to visit the BlueWater Seafoods website and make sure you check out their  awesome Gluten Free recipe section.

Dinner!

The great folks of BlueWater Seafoods have supplied me with THREE prize packs to host a give away with.

 Each prize pack consists of

• A Free Product Coupon to sample a Bluewater Seafood product of your choosing
• A BlueWater Sling Bag

To enter the contest, follow the Rafflecopter instructions below. Good luck everyone! :)


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Product Review: President's Choice Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins

Presidents Choice deserves a well earned shout out for their Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins. I actually don't (although I should) cringe at paying $5.99 for these gems. They are that good! To top it all off , they are sold fresh, not frozen! This makes for a positive change from all of the freezer burnt Gluten Free muffins out there.

I have to say that these muffins have become a staple in my pantry. They are my go to snack when I'm on the run, want a quick breakfast or even a late night snack. You will notice that they are a great size and do not fall into the everything Gluten Free must be miniature to it's counterpart trap. 

Highlights

• Moist 
• Perfect amount of blueberries 
• Great size 
• Texture is soft and light
•  Fresh tasting, not frozen
• It does not fall apart after one bite
• No need to chase each bite with a drink

If you have not tried these yet, I recommend that you give Presidents Choice Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins a go. If you have tried them, let me know what you think.

Presidents Choice Gluten Free Banana Loaf - Review

PC Gluten Free Banana Loaf

I bought this product having no expectations at all. Horrible of me, I know. It's hard to get excited for a new product sometimes. Why? Well, because what if it sucks? Or what if I love it and can never find it again? Both  situations have happened to me on many an occasion. So I went into this with a we'll see kind of attitude.

Price: 5.99

While not outrageously high for a Gluten Free product, I must say that I am slightly disappointed with the price point. Presidents Choice is a very large company with a lot of pull. I guess I was expecting them to have a more competitively priced Gluten Free line. 

To my delight and surprise, I loved it! The Banana Loaf is sweet, but not too sweet. It is light, moist and and fluffy. The loaf is great with a dab of butter or on its own. 

I pre sliced the loaf and placed it back in the resealable container that it came in. This made for a quick and easy snack on demand.


You can purchase PC Gluten Free products at stores under the Loblaws banner such as No Frills, RCSS and Extra Foods. Items can vary by location. To find a store near you, use the PC Store Finder

President's Choice Gluten Free Bread Review

Presidents Choice Gluten Free Bread

As far as price goes, the cost for Presidents Choice Gluten Free bread is average. It was not overly expensive like some brands out there. At $5.99 it falls in the  right in the middle as far as GF bread prices go.

This is a dense bread. The feel of it in my hand reminded me of pound cake. In defense of the pound cake comparison, this bread makes AMAZING french toast! I like to think of it as a breakfast bread, or even a grilled cheese bread. So many options here.

Toasted or not this bread isn't going to chip your teeth. Always a great start!

I really like that it is sold in a non frozen state. I find any GF bread that has been frozen, just doesn't come off right.

When the bread is eaten lightly toasted it is pretty good! It probably would not hold up a sandwich without being toasted prior. Do note that there is a recommendation to toast this bread on the back of the sandwich bag. 

As I went through my loaf of bread, I noticed some slices were falling apart or already in pieces. Most likely due to the delicateness of the bread and being manhandled in the grocery store.

Toasted

Not Toasted

If you choose the adventurous non toasting route, be prepared for that all to common  crumbly, lodged in your throat dryness that goes hand in hand with our special bread. Not as bad as some brands out there, but noticeable still.

I would definitely buy Presidents Choice Gluten Free bread if I ran out of my usual bread (Kinnikinnick Soft Bread). It's far superior to certain frozen GF breads on the market and does the trick if you just want a slice of toast. 

This is a great start for a company who is a newcomer to Gluten Free products! I look forward to seeing improvements to the bread. There's always room for improvement right? I also look forward to seeing a wider variety of Gluten Free products from Presidents Choice....like ready made meals that can be popped into the oven. *hint* *hint* 

Gluten Free Expo Toronto 2012

Awesome swag bag 

Last Sunday, September 30th I attended the Gluten Free Expo in Toronto with my husband and our three year old son. I was super excited for this event and I hope to see another one next year. While it was a great experience, there were definitely a few hiccups.  I don't want to focus too much on the negative as I'm sure that this was a monstrous event to put together and the packed to the walls turn out can only mean good things.

Lets start with the positives

• Amazing turn out  - I was seriously surprised by how many people turned up for the event. Hopefully this kind of enthusiasm will lead to more awareness and more variety on the store shelves.

• Awesome variety of vendors - There were the known favourites such as Kinnikinnick, Udis, and Pamelas. And there were so many companies that I had never heard of until I tried a sample or spoke to them at their booths. The vendors ranged from food companies and catering to restaurants and magazines. There was also a vendor representing the Chicago Centre for Celiac Disease! Awesome possum.

• great items available for purchase - Wow. Just wow. I probably could have purchased several weeks worth of groceries here. Some vendors had  pretty great deals as well. 

• Everyone was in good spirits - This says it all I think

• My little guy managed the 2 hours we were there without a melt down! Woohoo! He also enjoyed all of the yummy Gluten Free samples that he tried.

• Loads of yummy samples. Seriously yummy  And nothing beats a sample of something to encourage a purchase

Gluten Free Samples and Coupons

• Easy to gain entrance with pre-purchased tickets - That itself was a great option! Hope to see this again.

Jax and Myself

• Had the opportunity to meet Jax! Had to save the best for last on my list of positives. She is truly a Gluten Free inspiration and I recommend having a regular peak at her website Gluten Free Ontario

Alright, on to the not so fun stuff

• We arrived at 9:50 am and waited a good ten minutes to turn into the parking lot. We entered the venue at about 10:10am and it was packed. By 11:30 it was so crowded that vendors were hard to gain access to. Just walking through the crowd was tough. It seemed like there was not enough space for people to line up at the vendors without causing a blockage to the people who just wanted to pass by. 

• Paid $9.00 for parking. I had no idea until we got there that parking would not be free. My fault for not looking into it but I figured $18 on 2 tickets would qualify for free parking or at least some sort of a discount for attending the expo.

• When we left it was very chaotic as there is only one exit from the parking lot. We sat in a lineup of cars for 35 minutes before a second ticket booth was opened and someone came out to direct the flow of vehicles. My dad works by the Toronto Airport and apparently this is a common logistics issue at this  particular venue. All in all, I'm happy nobody freaked out and eventually (35 minutes later) traffic got flowing at a somewhat fair pace. 

• No time to really get to know vendors or learn about the products. We ended up leaving when things got to the point of not being able to get to the booths and see what products were there. Although we strolled by most tables, there were some like the Chicago Center for Celiac Disease where I could only squeeze in enough to snag a pamphlet. Really wish I could have been able to have a chat with them. Everything just felt so rushed.

• I  heard that a few vendors were eating non GF foods at their booths. Thats a big no no. Also, I feel as though any vendor that had GF oats in a product should have had a disclaimer saying so as many Celiacs, including myself get ill from even Gluten Free oats. 

Would I attend a future event?

Hubby & little man in parking lot

Yes, but I would attend with a different frame of mind. Perhaps taking turns navigating the Expo with hubby. This way one of us can keep the little man happy and out of the crowds. It was too difficult to navigate a stroller through the tight space and much too hard for my little guy to walk without getting tripped over.

Next time I will be expecting some big crowds. I will also buy products as I visit the booths instead of attempting to go back at the end of our rounds.

NEW products that caught my eye at the Gluten Free Expo

 Forno Mina Cheese Rolls from Brazil

 At $4.00 they come already made and you just pop em in the oven. Talk about convenient  I have made my own version of these cheese buns for several years and Forno Mina is so authentic. Nothing compares to the airiness and texture  they are soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.

Boring Porridge
I was skeptical at first but HOLY MOLY was it great. Add this to Vanilla yogurt and bam, you have a healthy and easy to make snack. I am such a fan now will have to order this online for sure. Shipping across Canada is only $2.00! 

Review: Whole Foods Mississauga

Over the weekend we made a trip to Whole Foods in Mississauga Ontario.  Wow, what a journey that was! Really wish they would open up shop in Durham region.

I always have my eye open for new places to stock up on Gluten Free food so we went to check it out and see if there were any thing different  available there.

The staff at this location was really friendly and were awesome in helping me find GF food. Let me tell you what a scavenger hunt that was! I'm quite surprised that Whole Foods does not have a better way of displaying GF items. Even Metro does a better job then them, and I'm not fond of Metro's (location near me) GF layout. The food was everywhere. There was really no rhyme or reason to it.

Overall, the items at this location were pretty much on par with what I can get where I live. Nothing special other then the odd  crepe or lasagna. I know people say whole foods is overpriced but we only looked at Gluten Free items and well, they were pretty much on par with everywhere else. Yippee (note sarcasm).

Gluten Free Chicken & Potato Casserole - Review

How about a Gluten Free lunch all the way from Scotland. That's what I have here. 

This hearty dish is a Chicken & Potato Casserole. It is made by Tesco and is part of their Free From line. The price was IMPRESSIVE - £2.40 which works out to around $4.00 or so Canadian. Still, affordable by Gluten Free standards.

This product earned my favor right from the start. Just a few minutes in the microwave with the top sides of the package peeled open and we have a hearty meal!

Although it's called Chicken & Potato Casserole, it was more of a stew in my opinion. That could very well be due to our different way of wording things on this side of the pond.  It was fantastic! Not only did this come out of the microwave fiercely hot, but it did not have that signature microwaved texture.  Very rarely does anything come out of the microwave tasting like it was made fresh and this did. 

This dish reminded me of the stew that my grandmother used to make when I was a child. The chicken was moist and the potato had a nice bite to it. The only thing missing was dough balls. To remedy that, I grabbed a couple of Queijos and tossed in. Perfect!

The portion would probably be one bag to one person, unless your feeding this to kids. Then you could probably split it between two people.

I would definitely purchase this in the future...if I could. Unfortunately the lovely folks at Tesco do not ship to Canada and hubby wont be making a return trip to Scotland any time soon.  

This makes me want to fight for more Gluten Free variety in this country. We have enough cookies and snacks. I want to see healthy, ready to eat  and easy to prepare Gluten Free meals.  

That is a post for another day though.

Enjoy Life Plentils Review

I won a contest care of Enjoy Life ! Talk about exciting! The prize I have been eagerly awaiting has arrived. Can you guess what it is? I received a box containing the NEW  and soon to be released in stores Plentils. My gift pack contained 4 bags of Plentils. One of each flavour -

Margherita Pizza 

Light Sea Salt

Garlic & Parmesean

Dill &Sour Cream

The overall design of the individual packages made me smile right away. As you can see from the pictures, it was like opening a box of Summer. I kid you not. The colours are bold, yet warm and inviting.

On to the most important thing....TASTE. It took a few Plentils to get used to the texture. They have the crisp snap of a potato chip when bitten into. Once in your mouth, the Plentil is almost like a rice-cake in airiness. At the end, it melts away like a shrimp chip. It's a rather interesting experience. Before I knew it, I had downed an entire bowl and was starting a second. Good thing they are healthy. ;)

After sampling the Plentils I have decided the following

1) They are a welcome treat

2) Great snack choice for school / work lunches

3) Would be great for entertaining

4) I can't eat just one

5) Flavour filled without being overloaded

The little note that was on top of my Plentils states that the packaging I received will be used in America only. I'm guessing that the Canadian version  will be only slightly different with the obvious addition of French labelling. 

If you cannot wait for Plentils to hit store shelves, they are currently available online through the Enjoy Life  web store.

A Tenenberry Let Down

Talk about mouth watering! I was so excited when I saw this Gluten Free Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake by Tenenberry  at Sobeys. I Called my mom, who is also Gluten Free due to Celiac Disease and told her about my yummy discovery. 

We decided that this would be OUR Christmas day dessert. We also decided that we were not going to share it with the Gluten Eaters, no matter how much they drooled.

Christmas day came and went right along with my high hopes for this Gluten Free Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake. I wanted to brag to the world how amazing it was. I really did.

As you can see from the side view picture, there was a touch of frost on the side of the cheesecake when I had purchased it. No big deal, I thought. Should have thought again. 

I tried so hard to enjoy a slice of this cake, but I could't. There was an overwhelming gritty / grainy texture. To me, it seemed as though the cake had been frozen and defrosted  multiple times. The Graham Cracker crust bottom was complete mush! Even the taste of the cheesecake wasn't right. Something was very off. WAY OFF.

My mom and I  decided it was best to toss the remaining cheesecake in the trash. Good thing too as we both ended up with some mild tummy troubles. No doubt (presumably) due to the way the cake was repeatedly frozen/unfrozen.

This was a waste of $24.99, but also a learning experience. Perhaps it was just frozen and thawed too many times. I don't  know. What I do know is that I won't be spending that kind of money on a Gluten Free product that I have never tried before, ever again.

All I really wanted was a special treat that my mom and I could share on Christmas day. Something delicious for us, while everyone else at the gathering enjoyed their gluten filled snacks. Next year I'm going to bake an apple pie for our family Christmas. Nothing more heart-warming and comfort filled than apple pie and ice cream.

Gluten Free Batman Cake

To help celebrate my husband's birthday this year, I made him a cake. Gluten free for obvious reasons. I used a GF Golden Cake Mix (more on that later) and whipped cream cheese frosting both care of Betty Crocker . To make the Batman design and other decorations, I used Wilton Sparkle Gel. Very easy to use.

Back to the Betty Crocker cake mix. Although it tasted alright and was easy to make, I doubt I will buy it again. Unless there is a substantial price decrease that is. It is simply not worth the cost.  The mix made half the amount of cake that other GF cake mixes make for the same price or less. I really layered the icing both inside and on the cake as well. This helped the height slightly. I did find this cake to be quite crumbly. 
Re

An interesting discovery (although I'm not surprised) is that there is quite a bit less cake mix in the GF Betty Crocker version compared to the wheat indulged Betty Crocker counterpart. Plus the four dollar or so difference, in price. 

I opted not to make a cake for my son's 3rd birthday this year as he LOVES "Cars" and I seriously lack the skill to tackle a cake of the nature below. I purchased it at Walmart for $20.00. In all honesty, the gluten eaters did not really like it. Most people commented that it (fondant) was too sweet and opted for my GF cake instead.

Happy Birthday to my boys!