Celiac Disease & Gluten Free Diet Resources
May 16 2012

Jules Gluten Free Unique Cake Mix

It has been a year since Jules Gluten Free built the Worlds Tallest Gluten-Free Cake!  Now Jules is making it easy to make that cake on a much smaller scale with her brand new Cake Mix!  This has got to be the most versatile gluten-free cake mix on the market.  One mix can be made into make all kinds of different cakes – chocolate, vanilla, carrot, lemon and more!

Put special occasions back on the calendar! Jules’ Cake Mix isn’t just delicious and easy…but it’s the real deal. No more using a mix that only makes one layer of a cake or only makes 12 cupcakes. Jules’ Cake Mix makes two delicious 9-inch round cakes, or makes 24-30 yummy cupcakes (what’d you expect from Jules, anyway?). And, because Jules knows many of you have other dietary restrictions, you add the sweetener that suits you—sugar, coconut palm sugar, evaporated cane juice, vegan sugar: any granulated sugar will do. This mix has a 15-month shelf life, so order extra to have plenty on hand for those special, or not-so-special occasions that deserve cake!

Jules Gluten Free Cake Mix can be ordered straight from the website.  The mix is $10.95 plus shipping, but when ordered with other Jules Gluten Free products totaling more than $49, shipping is free!!  While $10.95 may seem expensive for cake mix compared to some of the other gluten-free mixes on the market, remember that this mix affords the baker the ability to customize the mix.  Additionally, it makes twice the amount of cake or cupcakes.  See this mouthwatering cake below?  Make sure to click on the picture to get instructions on how to make it using Jules Gluten Free Cake Mix.

Jules plans to share many other cake variation recipes on her blog in the near future.  She wanted to get started with sharing the chocolate cake first, since it is so popular!

I am excited to give this mix a try to make larger cakes.  My family will tell you I am not much of a cake decorator, but I sure enjoy baking and eating them!

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May 15 2012

Rudi’s Gluten-Free Adds Tortillas To Line-Up

Rudi’s Gluten-Free has got it going on!  They already have an impressive line-up of gluten-free products and have just added gluten-free flour tortillas to it! 

 

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The new tortillas come in three different varieties:

  • Plain
  • Spinach
  • Fiesta

I love wraps for lunch, so I was excited to give these a try.  I used the plain and spinach varieties to wrap my turkey, cheddar and spinach up, while I used the fiesta tortilla for tacos.  They all have a great flavor and texture and were able to be rolled at room temperature.  Storing the tortillas at room temperature for more than a few days is not recommended, so I warmed a couple of them up in the microwave to see how they behaved.  They were just as easy to roll, though one of them split a little easier than the room temperature tortilla.  The only downside to these tortillas is size – I would love for them to be a little bigger.  One is not really enough, as it makes a smallish wrap, but two would be too much. 

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Each tortilla contains 90 calories and 5 grams of fiber. 

Plain – Whole Grain Flours (Sorghum, Brown Rice, Corn, Amaranth, Quinoa, Millet, Teff), Corn Starch, Tapioca Flour, Rice Flour, Water, Canola Oil*, Xanthan Gum, Evaporated Cane Juice, Cultured Dextrose and Maltodextrin, Salt, Guar Gum, Baking Powder (Monocalcium Phosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Corn Starch), Malic Acid, Active Dry Yeast, Apple Cider Vinegar

Spinach – Whole Grain Flours (Sorghum, Brown Rice, Corn, Amaranth, Quinoa, Millet, Teff), Corn
Starch, Tapioca Flour, Rice Flour, Water, Canola Oil*, Xanthan Gum, Spinach Powder, Evaporated Cane Juice, Cultured Dextrose and Maltodextrin, Salt, Baking Powder (Monocalcium Phosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Corn Starch), Guar Gum, Dried Cilantro Leaves, Malic Acid, Garlic Powder, Apple Cider Vinegar, Active Dry Yeast

Fiesta – Whole Grain Flours (Sorghum, Brown Rice, Corn, Amaranth, Quinoa, Millet, Teff), Corn Starch, Tapioca Flour, Rice Flour, Water, Canola Oil*, Xantham Gum, Evaporated Cane Juice, Cultured Dextrose and Maltodextrin, Salt, Baking Powder (Monocalcium Phosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Corn Starch), Guar Gum, Malic Acid, Red Bell Pepper Powder, Jalapeno Powder, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Carrot Granules, Parsley Flakes, Apple Cider Vinegar, Active Dry Yeast

Rudi’s Gluten-Free products are certified gluten-free by the GFCO and while they are not made in a dedicated facility, they are made on dedicated gluten-free equipment on separate production days.  To find Rudi’s Gluten-Free tortillas and other products near you, check the store locator here.   Do you like coupons?  Here is a $1.00 off coupon to use the next time you buy a Rudi’s Gluten-Free product.  Have you tried Rudi’s Gluten-Free tortillas yet?

***The products reviewed in this post were sent to me free of charge for review purposes.  The opinions shared here are mine and have not been influenced by anyone or anything.

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May 14 2012

Impromptu Gluten-Free Lunch at Ted’s Montana Grill

It isn’t often that Aaron and I get to have lunch out together during the middle of the week, so when the opportunity presented itself last week, I was thrilled!  We had met to sign some papers at a local bank and he had some extra time before he had to be at his next appointment, so we headed over to Ted’s Montana Grill.  While I have eaten gluten-free at Ted’s in the past, it has been 4 or 5 years.

Ted’s has a fairly extensive gluten-free menu.  Since it was lunch time, I knew I wanted a salad of some sort, so I opted for the “Big Sky Grilled” with the bison option and basil vinaigrette dressing on the side.  I appreciated that the salad was a reasonable size and not one that could feed four people.

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The burger was big and juicy, just the way I like them!  This was the perfect amount of food for lunch, though I did manage to steal a few of these from Aaron.

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Some of the best French fries on the planet.  No lie.  They are cut by hand and fried in a dedicated fryer.  I am considering using these to carb load for my next half marathon.

Had we been at Ted’s Montana Grill for dinner I would have had a difficult time deciding what I was going to eat.  There are so many tantalizing choices!  On my list of menu items to work through:

  • Cedar plank salmon
  • Canyon creek burger – Cheddar cheese, smoky bacon, fresh jalapeños, blackberry jam and a fried egg* “over-easy”
  • Peppercorn burger – Seasoned and seared with peppercorns, Gruyere cheese, herb Dijon mustard and baby arugula

They also have Haagen-Daz ice cream, shakes and floats!!

Ted’s Montana Grill has a date on the gluten-free menu which states when the information will be valid until.  I like this because every now and then I will run into a gluten-free menu that is dated more than 2+ years in the past.  One that comes to mind that was really old is Quaker Steak and Lube’s gluten-free menu.   The one I was given the past few times I have dined there was dated “2007”, though the one they have posted online has “2010″ on it.  Things like that don’t do much for instilling confidence in the staff or the establishment.

Ted’s has locations across the Eastern part of the US, Colorado and Montana (of course).  And, if all of the above wasn’t enough to convince you that Ted’s is a great place, check out their commitment to the environment.

Ted’s Montana Grill has a deep commitment to the environment and our goal is to be 99% plastic-free.  That’s why we re-introduced the paper straw, (not produced in the United States since 1970) and use it in all of our restaurants.  Menus are printed on 100% recycled paper.  Our to-go cups are made of cornstarch that bio-degrades in landfills in just 50 days.  Soft drinks are served in recyclable glass bottles.  Our take-away food is placed in Bio-Plus Earth Containers, which are high-quality, bio-degradable containers that are microwavable.  These containers have been endorsed by the Green Restaurant Association.  In addition to maintaining a 99% plastic-free restaurant, we also try to conserve energy and water.  In Tallahassee, Fla., we worked with the city’s Energy Services division and One World Sustainable Inc. to install 66 solar panels on the top of our restaurant.  And we are always looking for innovative ways to reduce our energy consumption like wind generators as well as low voltage lighting in all of our restaurants.  Many of the restaurants feature water-efficient toilets in order to help conserve water.  And all of our restaurants are non-smoking.

Will all of this change the world? Maybe, maybe not. But it’s the right thing to do

Have you eaten at Ted’s Montana Grill?  What did you have?

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May 12 2012

Mother’s Day Gluten-Free

Mother’s Day is tomorrow – have you purchased your cards or made plans yet?  While it may be too late to make reservations for brunch, it isn’t too late to plan out a day that Mom won’t forget.  Last year I shared some restaurant and meal ideas for Mother’s Day.  This year I want to focus more on simple brunch ideas and even some non-food ways to “WOW!” Mom. 

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Brunch doesn’t have to be complicated.  It can be simple to throw a few naturally gluten-free dishes together.  One of the easiest ways to make brunch gluten-free is to focus on what you can make with minimal substitutions.  Shirley from Gluten-Free Easily does this well with her Crustless Quiche Lorraine.  There is no complicated crust to make, just a bit of gluten-free flour is added to the egg mixture.  Fruit is a super-simple, yet impressive side dish that pairs well with egg dishes.  It doesn’t take long to cut up a melon and toss in some cut strawberries, blackberries and maybe some pineapple or grapes.  Feeling fancy?  Serve mimosas – all you need is orange juice and champagne. 

If you plan on leaving the cooking to someone else, that is fine too.  There are plenty of things you can do for Mom that don’t involve food.

  • Plan a hike
  • Plant flowers in her garden or pots
  • Purchase a gift card for a pedicure or massage
  • Take over her chores/duties for the day

Try to steer the focus away from food.  I know that most of our family functions revolve around food when they should revolve around spending time with the ones we love.  Most importantly, take the time to really stop and smell the roses. 

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the wonderful Mothers out there!

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May 11 2012

Review: Baba Joon’s Chocolate Chewies

I had the opportunity to try one of the best gluten-, dairy- and preservative-free cookies this week – Baba Joon’s Chocolate Chewies.  The cookies are like little nuggets of heaven or as Baba Joon’s says “little chocolate miracles”.  There are many different varieties of the chocolate chewies:

  • Coconut
  • Tart Cherry
  • Apricot
  • Coconut Almond
  • Hazelnut Coconut
  • Roasted Peanut
  • Orange Almond
  • Mexicali
  • Walnut
  • Ginger Almond

More about Baba Joon’s:

Baba Joon’s Chocolate Chewies is a family owned and operated business. Our goal is to provide a delectable and healthy chocolate treat for everyone, but especially for those with gluten-intolerance, celiac disease and children with autism, who have specific dietary needs.

We have been baking Chocolate Chewies since 1984 and have become a favorite to customers all over the country. We will be moving from Eugene, Oregon and are looking forward to relocating to our new facility in San Jose, California. It is our sincerest hope that you will enjoy these healthy little cookies, and make them a staple in your home!

I received samples of the Apricot, Orange Almond and Walnut varieties.

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As much as I love apricot and chocolate separately, I don’t think I had ever tried them together.  I was amazed at the wonderful flavor combination and how well they complimented each other.  This was hands down my favorite cookie and each one is only 36 calories!!  The Orange Almond and Walnut varieties each have approximately 70 calories per cookie and were both very good, but I hold a special place in my heart for the Apricot nuggets from heaven!  These cookies are made from a base of powdered sugar, egg whites, cocoa, GF vanilla and salt with other ingredients added in to customize the cookie.  There is no flour used at all in the cookies.

Baba Joon’s Chocolate Chewies can be purchased right from their website.  They are priced at $6.40/package and have approximately 14 cookies per package.  There is a sale running right now:

Buy any 4 bags, pay for 3! Discount code: 1FREE4YOU

These may be a little expensive for an every day treat, but they would make nice gifts or special occasion treats.  Have you tried Baba Joon’s Chocolate Chewies?

***These cookies were sent to me free of charge for review purposes.  The opinions shared here are mine and have not been influenced by anyone or anything. 

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May 10 2012

Review: Schar Deli Style Bread

One thing I really miss about “regular” bread is the size.  Most packaged gluten-free breads are on the smaller size.  I was pleased when I saw the size of Schar’s Deli Style bread – it is almost twice the size of some of the other packaged breads on the market.  The Schar site describes this bread as “sourdough bread”.  Enough said.  I have been hunting for sourdough since I started the gluten-free diet 6+ years ago.

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After running a half marathon the other day, I knew I would need a big sandwich to help me refuel.  I was thrilled to use these big slices of bread.  The package says there is no need to toast the bread, but I did.  I wanted a warm sandwich because I am always cold after I run.  I did taste the bread untoasted, though, and it was very good!  Turkey and cheddar with Grey Poupon and mixed greens were the fillings of my choice.

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I was thoroughly impressed with this bread and wish it came in a bigger package!  Each package only contains 5 slices.  Schar considers each slice a serving, but I clearly used 2 for this sandwich and can’t see only using one unless I was pairing the sandwich with a bowl of soup.  Perhaps a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup should be added to my lunch menu this week!

Ingredients: water, corn starch,sourdough (rice flour, water), buckwheat flour, rice flour, psyllium seed husks (vegetable fiber), rice starch, sugar beet syrup, sunflower oil, soy protein, sugar, salt, yeast, modified cellulose, apple extract, citric acid, tartaric acid. CONTAINS SOY.

Each slice of bread contains 120 calories, 2 grams protein, 1.5 grams fat, 3 grams of fiber and 21 grams of carbs.  The sodium count is 320 mg per slice, so keep that in mind should you choose to use 2 pieces to make a sandwich.  The bread contains no milk, preservatives or GMOs, but does contain soy.

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The Schar Deli Style bread can be purchased in stores across the US and online (though they are temporarily out of stock right now).

Have you tried Schar’s new Deli Style Bread?  What did you think?

**This bread was sent to me as part of a package to review by Schar.  The thoughts shared here are mine and have not been influenced by anyone or anything.

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