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Review: Katz Gluten-Free Products

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 8 Comments

One of our readers mentioned a company called Katz Gluten-Free in a comment on an article about Chattanooga a while back. Until I saw the comment, I’d never heard of the company. Soon after that, someone from Katz gluten-free contacted me about reviewing some of their products. Never one to turn down gluten-free food (unless I know I don’t like something which has happened a few times), I accepted the offer. By then, I’d read several nice reviews about the product line and I was anxious to try them for myself.

When the package from Katz gluten-free arrived, it contained some Challah Bread, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cinnamon Rugelech, Chocolate Rugelech and a mini Challah Roll. My gluten eating cookie monster husband ate almost every cookie but did leave me a couple to try for the review. I’m not a huge prepared cookie fan in general but these chocolate chip cookies were very good and tasted pretty much like a gluten cookie. There was no odd taste, texture or aftertaste which has been a problem for some gluten-free chocolate chip cookies we’ve tried. Next up were the Rugelechs. Both the cinnamon and chocolate version were very good, but I’ve not really had many gluten versions to compare them to. My favorite flavor of the two is the cinnamon. The Cinnamon Rugelechs are perfectly “cinnamony” – though in fairness, it’s hard for me to imagine something having too much cinnamon for me.

Next I needed to try the breads from Katz gluten-free.  I’m a tough customer when it comes to bread and if I don’t love it, I don’t have it again. The Katz gluten-free Challah bread made perfect to toast and should work quite nicely for things like a grilled cheese or tuna melt sandwich. Last up for my taste test, but certainly not least, was the mini Challah Roll. The roll was unbelievably fresh and it offered an exceptional taste. The roll pretty much tasted like a high quality gluten roll with sesame seeds on top. The day it arrived I wrapped it in foil and then heated it in the toaster oven. Anything from this line that is not going to be eaten right away should be frozen – except for the cookies.

Since I only got one Challah roll, I don’t know how the rolls taste after being frozen, thawed out and reheated. If they are as good that way as they are without being frozen, then every high end restaurant that serves sliders needs to order these mini Challah Rolls stat! I plan to try the new Oat Challah Rolls and the Sandwich Rolls with burgers when grilling weather arrives in Atlanta. One of those – if not both – should work well as a hamburger bun, or for any sandwich that calls for a bun. At our house, those include pulled barbeque pork and Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches.

All Katz gluten-free products are kosher and free of gluten, dairy and nuts.  There are many things in the line up that I have not yet tried including, but not limited to, pizza crust, farfel, bread crumbs, kugel, cup cakes, muffins, various cookies, honey loaf, marble cake, oat Challah rolls, various breads, and sandwich rolls.  The company has a “shop by allergy” option on the website for those who need to avoid more than just gluten. The line up includes some things that are free of at least one of the following allergens – corn, soy, rice, egg or sugar.

Special thanks to Katz gluten-free for my tasting samples. I sure hope we can enjoy your rolls on some sliders in the ATL real soon!

Valentine’s Day Gluten-Free Candy

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 8 Comments

As I was shopping for Valentine’s Day gifts today, I was reminded that it is very important to diligently read labels on all candy, even candy that is gluten-free in its original form.  I picked up a bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Hearts and flipped it over to read the ingredients and found wheat flour was on the list.  I am writing this because I know that it can be easy to become complacent & think that because you have checked something before, it is okay to eat or feed to your child who is gluten-free.

Before buying any candy, reference an updated gluten-free candy list. Remember that ingredients and/or suppliers may change, so always read the label.

There are plenty of candies that are made by gluten-free companies or are marked “gluten-free”:

If there is something in particular that you have in mind that you can find the reference, give the company a call.  Most companies have phone numbers or emails listed on their websites.

Another idea is to make your Valentine’s Day treats at home, in your own kitchen.  You can make your own candy.  You can make sugar cookie cut-outs or cupcakes.  There are so many great gluten-free cake & cookie mixes out there now.  If you are interested in fudge – here is a recipe that was my Grandmother’s. Valentine’s Day morning breakfast? Heart-shaped pancakes (Pamela’s are a hit in our house)! Top with maple syrup & strawberries with a few dark chocolate chips.

The bottom line here is to always remember to double-check your food. You can never be too safe when it comes to label reading. It is that one time that you don’t check that something will have changed.

Best Gluten-Free French Fries?

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 4 Comments

There are several chain restaurants and fast food joints that report that their fries are gluten-free since they are fried in dedicated fryers. Most, but not all, French fries start out gluten-free but when they’re dropped into a fryer that is used for gluten items as well, the fries are no longer considered gluten-free. The fast food places that are supposed to use dedicated fryers for French fries are Chick-Fil-A, Burger King, and McDonald’s. Because the starting agent for McDonald’s fries contains wheat, the company no longer states that they are gluten-free Several independent tests for the McDonald’s oil that contains wheat showed no detectable levels of gluten, but these days they won’t state that the fries are gluten-free. The company will actually not state that anything they offer is gluten-free. Every location of Chick-Fil-A I’ve checked with (four in three in three states) has confirmed that they use a dedicated fryer for fries.

Burger King’s new Gluten Sensitive List was impressive at first but when the corporate office said they don’t suggest that severely gluten intolerant customers should eat there, it became much less impressive. My Burger King has a dedicated fryer and I tried the fries recently. They were fine and gluten-free – at least on that day at a very non-busy time. The apple fries are Burger King should be gluten-free at all times since they are not fried at all. Five Guys Burgers doesn’t put anything in their fryers except for fries. Therefore, the burger chain probably has the least risky fries and they are the best fries we’ve ever had. Please note the company uses 100% peanut oil so those with peanut allergies would want to avoid the fries at Five Guys.

Non-fast food places that have gluten-free fries on their menus are Ted’s Montana Grill, Red Robin (not all locations), and Cheeseburger in Paradise. Some, but not all, locations of Margaritaville have gluten-free fries and even decent gluten-free buns. The gluten-free service varies at this chain so always inquire about their gluten-free offerings before showing up and expecting them to know what you can eat. In my own experience, I’ve found the Orlando location of Margaritaville to be the best for gluten-free options and staff knowledge.

Ted’s Montana Grill began rolling out their new gluten-free menu in 2009 and all locations might not have a gluten-free fryer for fries, even though fries are clearly listed on the website, which is the same menu at all locations here. It would be excellent if they picked up some gluten-free flour to make some gluten-free onion rings. Fried onion rings are what you smell when you walk into the place as they serve a large fried onion ring on most of their steaks. The best cheese fries around can be found at the Roswell, GA Outback Steakhouse. As far as I know, that is the only Outback location that has a dedicated fryer.

The above information is meant to inform our readers about what companies “might” have gluten-free French fries. We are not suggesting anyone eat fries – or avoid them – at any of the places listed. Personally, I’ve had safe fries at Cheeseburger in Paradise, Burger King, Chick-Fil-A, Ted’s Montana Grill, Margaritaville (only in Orlando), Five Guys, and Outback (only in Roswell, GA). I don’t care for the fries at McDonald’s but I’ve had safe hash browns there on several occasions. In a French fry survey at The Savvy Celiac, McDonald’s won for favorite gluten-free fries. As always, everyone has to make the right choices about what they choose to eat and what they want to avoid.

Trader Joe’s Women’s Once Daily Multivitamin & Mineral Supplement

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 4 Comments

The road to health after being diagnosed with Celiac Disease starts with a gluten-free diet, but does not end there. Just because something is gluten-free doesn’t mean it is healthy. There are plenty of gluten-free junk foods out there. In addition to removing gluten from my diet, I also needed to add in vitamins. I was deficient in Vitamin D and had low iron stores. I have always had problems with vitamins. They have always upset my stomach. It was a struggle for me even when I was pregnant both times to get my prenatal vitamins in. I finally resorted to Flinstones while pregnant, a suggestion made to me by my OB/GYN.

With the help of a friend last year, I started to add some vitamins into my diet. Instead of doing a multivitamin at the time, I opted for the most important ones for my body & the female body – calcium, vitamin D, magnesium. I quickly found out that my body is not crazy about the magnesium supplement even though it is indeed gluten-free. The calcium & vitamin D were okay. I was able to raise my vitamin D level to right below normal with the combination of the vitamin I took twice daily & some exposure to the sun.

Now that I am training for a marathon in May, it is even more important for my body to have all the vitamins & minerals that it needs. I browsed a lot of websites & stores for a multivitamin that would not make me feel sick and that wasn’t too expensive. I finally settled on Trader Joe’s (or Trader Darwin’s, as the bottle so cleverly states) Women’s Once Daily Multivitamin & Mineral Dietary Supplement. Aside from the label having the Trader Joe’s “No Gluten Ingredients Used” symbol, it also said “gentle on the stomach” right on the front. That sure caught my eye. Trader Joe’s also happens to have one of the best return policies out there – not happy – bring it back for your money back – no questions. As a side note, Trader Joe’s will also let you sample just about anything in the store before you buy it! I had a nice chocolate sampling last time I was there!

Some of the main features that stand out to me about these vitamins are:

  • Additional Women’s Nourishing Blend comprised of 300 mg of food & herbal powder (Dong Quai root, Spirulina, Red Clover blossoms)
  • Vegetable Juice Complex equivalent to 40 mg vegetable powder – Kale, Spinach, Dandelion Greens & Beet Juice.
  • Lactobacillus Sporogenes (a probiotic)

From the bottle:

Trader Darwin’s Once Daily Women’s Multivitamin provides complete nutrition for women, including bone supporting calcium and other nutrients plus iron, a high potency B complex, and a nourishing blend of botanicals & green foods.

I have been extremely pleased with these vitamins. I am glad that I finally found one that doesn’t make me feel sick! After taking this product now for over 2 weeks, I feel great & don’t have the “normal” queasiness I get from taking vitamins. I highly recommend this vitamin to all women, not just those with Celiac Disease.

Noodles & Company Gluten-Free Menu

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff Leave a Comment

I like to be able to have a couple of fallback places to go for a healthy, quick meal where I feel confident that I can eat safely.  My two standard fallbacks are Chipotle, and Noodles & Company. It may seem a bit unusual that one can eat gluten-free at a noodle place, but it is actually pretty easy, and I have done it numerous times.

Official Website Menu Information: Noodles & Company Gluten-Free Menu
Location Finder: Find a Noodles & Company Location Near You

Noodles & Company is a fast-food restaurant chain located throughout the US that offers noodles based on Asian, Mediterranean, and American influences. They also offer hearty salads that can be prepared gluten-free. Their website provides a chart that illustrates exactly what dishes contain gluten and the major allergens. They also have this chart available at restaurant locations, just ask the cashier when you go to order.

In looking at the chart it may look like there is nothing for us gluten-free eaters except the Pad Thai, but that is because these items are made with gluten noodles. If you ask to replace the noodles that typically come with these dishes, with the rice noodles used with the Pad Thai, you can easily enjoy several noodle dishes, which include*:

  • Pasta Fresca
  • Penne Rosa
  • Pasta Cavatappi
  • Whole Grain Tuscan Linguine
  • Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce
  • Buttered Noodles
  • Pad Thai

*Be sure to order the above dishes with rice noodles.

The following salads can also be made gluten-free:

  • Chinese Chopped Salad (no wonton strips, with fat-free Asian dressing)
  • The Med Salad (no noodles)
  • Caesar Salad (no croutons)
  • Tossed green salad (no croutons, with fat-free Asian dressing)
  • Cucumber Tomato side salad

As far as their proteins/meats, the sautéed beef, braised beef, and sautéed shrimp are gluten-free. While tofu is usually gluten-free, it is not here, because of how it is prepared. If you are a vegetarian like me, I will order extra veggies with my Pasta Fresca with rice noodles. It is extremely easy to have a satisfying gluten-free and/or vegetarian meal here.  My young daughter also loves going here and sees it as a treat, so we typically have mom-daughter lunch dates here.

The cashiers have all seemed knowledgeable at the many Noodles & Company locations I have been to and are more than happy to help answer any questions.  Be sure to tell them you have to stay away from gluten, and they will mark it on the order.  They will mark it “allergy aware” from the register.  The rice noodles are made in a separate pot from the wheat-based noodles, and I have never had a problem.  Noodles & Company has definitely made it easy to be able to eat a healthy, quick meal without having to spend 15 minutes holding up the line and explaining what my food needs are.  I have only had positive experiences here.

As always, when dining out gluten-free, do your due diligence and make sure the staff understands your needs. There are very few restaurants that are 100% gluten-free, so cross-contamination is always a risk. If you don’t feel comfortable with what you are hearing from the staff, perhaps it is best to dine elsewhere.

For information about other gluten-free restaurants menus, check out our gluten-free restaurants page.