Celiac Disease & Gluten-Free Diet Resources

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Jun 17 2013

Almond Dream Introduces Three New Members to the Frozen Dessert Family

Summer is the perfect time to sit on the deck, park bench or beach and enjoy a frozen bowl of ice cream or frosty treat.  Almond Dream has made this a little bit easier with its line of gluten-free non-dairy frozen desserts.  There are three brand new flavors new to the line-up this summer.

adream thumb Almond Dream Introduces Three New Members to the Frozen Dessert Family

The new flavors are:

  • Mint Chocolate Chip
  • Toffee Almond Fudge
  • Strawberry

The new flavors join four other Almond Dream ice creams, two Almond Dream Bites varieties and an Almond Dream Dessert Bar.

  • Vanilla
  • Chocolate
  • Praline Crunch
  • Cappuccino Crunch
  • Vanilla Bites
  • Chocolate Bites
  • Vanilla Dessert Bars

This is a wonderful option for those who can’t eat ice cream made from dairy.  With the new flavors added to the line-up, there is sure to be something for everyone.  To see where to find the Almond Dream products close to you, visit the store locator on the website.

Here is a little more about Taste the Dream, the makers of Soy Dream, Rice Dream, Almond Dream and Coconut Dream:

The roots of RICE DREAM and SOY DREAM go back to 1971, when Robert Nissenbaum, one of the original founders, had opened Morning Dew Organic Food Market in St. Louis, MO. It was one of the first organic/natural food stores in the United States. Robert was very passionate about the relationship between diet, health and well being, as well as very concerned for the environment. He explored the natural vegetarian diet, macrobiotics, yoga, and organic gardening. He used his store as the vehicle to share his ideas and inform others about the benefits of this new way of living.

In 1982, Robert and another partner founded Imagine Foods in the Missouri countryside. Things really took off when he and his partner took some of their products including soy tempeh, an early version of RICE DREAM beverage, and RICE DREAM Frozen Dessert to a natural food industry trade show. The distributors were crazy about the RICE DREAM Frozen Dessert. The orders kept coming, and the company kept growing and changing, to offer the highest quality, most delicious all-natural foods.

In December of 2002, Imagine foods was made part of The Hain Celestial Group- the country’s largest and most respected natural and organic foods company. Imagine Foods is proud to be part of The Hain Celestial Group’s family of brands that provide delicious “better for you” foods loved by people of all ages.

The one thing that never changed throughout this period of company growth is the commitment to Robert’s earliest belief in the value of good tasting, healthy, natural and organic foods. Today, Imagine Foods makes some of the best-selling organic and natural brands—Rice Dream, Soy Dream, Imagine Natural Organic Soups and Broths, Soy Dream and Rice Dream all-natural frozen desserts and Chocolate Dream solid, non-dairy candy bars.

We appreciate your interest in our products and hope that you and your family will enjoy them for years to come.

For more information about Taste The Dream products and for valuable health information see:

I love that the Special Dietary Restrictions part of the website includes a list of all of their gluten-free products in addition to information on dairy-free, kosher and vegan products.

Have you tried any of the Almond Dream Frozen Dessert products?  I found that my local Kroger carries some of the frozen desserts and hope to pick some up this week!

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Jun 15 2013

Review: Perdue Simply Smart Breaded Chicken Breast Tenders

I first heard about Perdue Simply Smart Gluten-Free products back in October, but had been unable to find them locally.  I ran into Giant Eagle earlier this week and went to grab a bag of the Tyson Gluten-Free Chicken and spotted the Perdue Simply Smart Breaded Chicken Breast Tenders. 

IMG 6813 thumb Review: Perdue Simply Smart Breaded Chicken Breast Tenders

I decided on the Perdue variety for a couple of reasons.  First,  we hadn’t tried them yet and I wanted to share my thoughts with you all.  Second, there is 65% more in the Perdue package for only $.50 more. 

INGREDIENTS: Boneless Chicken Breast with Rib Meat, Water, Rice Flour, Yellow Corn Flour, Yellow Corn Meal. CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF Salt, Corn Starch, Brown Sugar, Raisin Juice Concentrate, Honey, Yeast Extract, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, White Pepper, Spices, Natural Extractives of Celery Seed.

  • Fully cooked and gluten free.
  • Minimally processed. No artificial ingredients.
  • 30% fewer calories and 50% less fat than USDA data for breaded fried boneless chicken.
  • No preservatives or fillers.
  • Made with only white meat chicken.

These were a big hit in our house!  Needless to say, they didn’t last long!  Jon loves chicken fingers and nuggets and these are so easy to prepare. I am thrilled to see the certified gluten-free label on this product.  I am much more likely to purchase a product that is certified gluten-free over one that isn’t. 

Perdue has recipes on their website and a store locator to see where you can find the gluten-free breaded chicken near you. 

Have you tried Perdue’s Simply Smart Breaded Chicken Breast Tenders?

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Jun 14 2013

Review: Pillsbury Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Just last month I shared the news that Pillsbury was launching three new gluten-free refrigerated dough products and yesterday I finally located them in a local Giant Eagle store.  I didn’t have an easy time locating the products, It was the second Giant Eagle store where I looked for the new products that I finally found them.  The first location didn’t know anything about the products, but after speaking with the manager, she was going to do her best to get them in soon, in addition to some other new gluten-free items. 

I have a fun weekend of sampling planned out, but we couldn’t wait to dig into the cookies.  Since the dough is already prepared, it is simple to make as many as you wish at a time.  I opted to make 4 cookies, 3 for Jon and 1 for me. 

IMG 6820 thumb Review: Pillsbury Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

IMG 6822 thumb Review: Pillsbury Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

The cookies are simple to prepare. Simply preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spoon dough by the tablespoonful onto a cookie sheet for 11-13 minutes.

IMG 6819 thumb Review: Pillsbury Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

IMG 6825 thumb Review: Pillsbury Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

The cookies didn’t spread a whole lot and were a little thicker than my homemade chocolate chip cookies.  The dough is pretty firm when it is used right from the refrigerator, so I suspect that has something to do with it.  It was all we could do to let these cookies cool down a bit to set before we dug right in.

IMG 6829 thumb Review: Pillsbury Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

I wish you could smell the heavenly aroma coming from these cookies!  There is nothing better than a warm chocolate chip cookie!  A little crisp on the outside and melty, gooey chocolate on the inside!  I don’t think Jon stopped telling me how good the cookies were the whole time he was eating them!  I know we will be buying these again!

The tub of Pillsbury Gluten-Free Cookie Dough costs $4.99 and has roughly 16 cookies worth of dough (when measured by the tablespoonful).  This is a wonderful way for friends and family to be able to accommodate gluten-free guests without a high risk of cross-contamination.  Simply line the cookie sheet with parchment paper for a clean surface. 

Have you tried the new Pillsbury Gluten-Free Cookie Dough?  

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Jun 13 2013

Review: Wellaby’s Mini Crackers–Classic Cheese

Crackers are a great on-the-go food choice.  They are easily tossed into small Ziplock bags or containers on their own or as part of a snack mix.  Gluten-free pretzels, nuts and mini crackers make for a great on-the-go mix. 

IMG 6789 thumb Review: Wellaby’s Mini Crackers–Classic Cheese

Wellaby’s Mini Crackers Classic Cheese taste a lot like non-gluten-free small cheese crackers, or at least how I remember them tasting.  They are thin, but not too thin, crispy and have a great cheese flavor. 

IMG 6791 thumb Review: Wellaby’s Mini Crackers–Classic Cheese

In addition to being free of gluten, the crackers are also free of nuts, MSG and GMOs. 

IMG 6794 thumb Review: Wellaby’s Mini Crackers–Classic Cheese

Each cracker is about the size of a quarter. 

Wellaby’s, Living well, Tasting Great, also has a variety of other gluten-free crackers in their line-up:

  • Cheese Ups – Three varieties
  • Crackers – Four varieties
  • Mini Crackers – Two varieties
  • Pita Chips – Three varieties

Wellaby’s products can be found in many stores across the US, world and on Amazon.com.  Have you tried any of the Wellaby’s products?

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Jun 12 2013

FoodQuest: Gluten-Free

When I get emails from places that spotlight local restaurants, I don’t often see the mention of “gluten-free”.  However, this week I opened up a surprise when I received my “FoodQuest” email and it said, “Local Gluten-Free Dishes”.  I was thrilled to explore the dishes listed in this email and then the FoodQuest website to see what they have listed for the gluten-free diner.

First, a little more about FoodQuest:

Sometimes the simplest questions are the toughest to answer. “I’m hungry, where should we eat?” is one of them. Frustrated with websites that required reading long-winded reviews, we set out to create a new, more visual way to find great food.

FoodQuest.com brings menus to life with beautiful photos, descriptions and smart ratings to help you find your next great meal.

FoodQuest’s powerful search lets you find dishes with your favorite ingredients and explore new restaurants. It’s is your ticket to inspired dining.

Launched in Columbus, OH in January 2013, FoodQuest features a desktop and mobile version so you can see what the food looks like before you order! There is no app to download and it’s free to use.

While I have been receiving the FoodQuest emails for some time now, this is the first time I have noticed any mention of gluten-free food.  When I clicked through, this is just a sampling of the gluten-free menu items I found from several Columbus restaurants.

foodquest thumb FoodQuest: Gluten Free

Some of those restaurants include:

I have opportunity to dine at some of these establishments, but not all of them.  I hope to make my way to all of them by the end of the year. I love exploring new-t0-me restaurants and then sharing the gems with fellow gluten-free diners.  The end of the FoodQuest email concluded with this joke:

What do you call a gluten free joke? Corny.

Do you subscribe to any local restaurant email newsletters?  How do you find out about the gluten-free offerings from restaurants in your neck of the woods?

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Jun 11 2013

Recipe: Gluten-Free Quinoa Cake

I am always on the lookout for delicious and nutritious recipes.  This Gluten-Free Quinoa Cake fits the bill.  The cake is made with quinoa flour, sorghum flour and almond meal as the flour combination.  The cake also calls for coconut palm sugar as opposed to regular sugar, which can help prevent blood sugar crashes that make you hungry.

quinoacake thumb Recipe: Gluten Free Quinoa Cake

Gluten-Free Quinoa Cake

  • 2 cups quinoa flour
  • 1/2 cup sorghum flour
  • 3/4 cup almond meal
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup coconut palm sugar
  • 3 organic eggs
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup grated carrots
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1/2 cup seedless dates
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  1. In a mixing bowl, mix together flours and dry ingredients
  2. Add eggs, oil, vanilla and orange juice. Then beat to combine.
  3. Stir in the carrots, coconut and dates by hand.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  5. Pour the batter into the backing pan and bake for about 25 to 35 minutes. Then enjoy!

While the cake does have a decent-sized ingredient list, the instructions are simple, making this a recipe to add to your list of “Must Try” recipes. 

*Recipe courtesy of cibo verde, a meal delivery system that prepares fresh, organic meals that personally cater to customers’ body calculations and helps them maintain a healthy lifestyle.

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