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Review: Gluten-Free Apple Cinnamon Chex

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

I have been stalking the shelves of my local grocery store ever since I discovered that Chex cereals had introduced a new gluten-free flavor – Apple Cinnamon. I am a fan of all things Chex, so I was very excited to try the new variety! I wasn’t able to find the cereal in my local stores, so I ordered a box online.

The apple cinnamon variety joins five other gluten-free varieties of Chex cereals. Some more information on Chex:

IMG_1851Did you know that 9 out of 10 Americans aren’t getting enough whole grain? Chex® cereals makes it easy to start your day the whole grain way! Whole grain provides plant nutrients, vitamins, minerals and fiber that work together to help keep you healthy.

Simply Nutritious

With an irresistible flavor and a hearty crunch, Chex® is a great way to get more whole grain in your diet!

  • Rice Chex®
  • Corn Chex®

Simply Delicious

If you like your Chex® sweet, but not too sweet, try one of our sweet flavors. All with less than 10 grams of sugar per serving!

  • Honey Nut Chex®
  • Chocolate Chex®
  • Cinnamon Chex®
  • Apple Cinnamon Chex®

All Chex® cereals provide at least 8 grams of whole grain
per serving; at least 48 grams recommended daily.

I should have started a timer from the time the Apple Cinnamon Chex entered my house until the time I broke down and opened the box. I was nowhere near hungry, but how could I not just grab a handful to see what was waiting inside?  Then I could brainstorm about what I would make for breakfast tomorrow using the cereal.  I was not disappointed!  I loved every bite of this cereal!  It reminds me a lot of cinnamon toast with a hint of apple.  Hot cinnamon apples is one of my favorite fall toppings for waffles or oatmeal, so this was kind of like a cereal version.  I can see this cereal being a wonderful addition to plain Greek yogurt, crushed up and used as breading for French toast or in a Chex mix of the caramel apple variety.  I found a recipe for a Caramel Crispy Chex Mix that calls for rice and corn Chex. Sub the new Apple Cinnamon Chex in place of the rice or corn and cut back a bit on the sugar that is called for in the recipe. These Apple Almond Bars also sound like they would be fantastic with the new cereal.

Ingredients:

  • Whole Grain Rice, Rice, Sugar, Canola Oil, Apple Powder, Salt, Cinnamon, Allspice, Ginger, Molasses, Natural Flavor. Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols), BHT and Sodium Sulfite Added to Preserve Freshness.
  • Vitamins and Minerals: Calcium Carbonate, Iron and Zinc (mineral nutrients), Vitamin C (sodium ascorbate), A B Vitamin (niacinamide), Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), Vitamin B1 (thiamin mononitrate), Vitamin A (palmitate), Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), A B Vitamin (folic acid), Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3.

Apple Cinnamon Chex should be arriving on grocery store shelves across the country in the very near future.

Have you had a chance to try the new Apple Cinnamon Chex?  What is your favorite variety of Chex gluten-free?

Review: Poptillas Popped Tortilla Chips

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

Who likes chips? I do! I come by it honestly, I swear! My mother ate Dorito’s while she was pregnant with me and those are still my favorite, though I can’t eat the original flavor because they aren’t gluten-free. No worries, I have found plenty of chips that I like to occupy my taste buds. The newest chips on our block are these Poptillas popped tortilla chips made by Classic Foods.

I sampled a few of their Baked Classics last year and really enjoyed them, so I had high hopes for the Poptillas.

    • All Natural
    • Made with Whole Grain
    • gluten-free
    • No MSG
    • No Cholesterol
    • No Trans Fat
    • No Preservatives
    • No High Fructose Corn Syrup

There are three varieties of the Poptillas:

Yellow Corn: A new way to enjoy an old favorite. Lightly salted and ready for dipping.

Nacho Cheese: Incredibly cheesy with a hint of spice.

Salsa Verde: Spicy, zesty and tangy. It’s your favorite salsa on a chip!

I brought these on vacation with us, as they arrived right as we were leaving.  I knew that we needed some chips to snack on in the car because with my kids boredom = hunger.   I can’t say enough good things about these chips!  They have such a unique flavor and texture – I can’t seem to put the bag down!  My favorite flavor is the nacho cheese, though the salsa verde and yellow corn are good, too.  The yellow corn is great for dipping in salsa, hummus or even using in a taco salad.

The new Poptillas can be purchased online for a special introductory price of $6.95/box + shipping for 4 bags.

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*These chips 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.

Review: Orchard Bar

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

If you like to snack, boy have I found a great new snack for you to try! Orchard Bars are all-natural, vegan and gluten-free bars that are loaded with nuts and fruit, sunflower and flax seeds. The bars are rich in antioxidants (vitamins A & C), low in sodium, high in Omega-3 and a good source of protein.

I love to keep snacks like these on hand for quick refueling after a workout or something to hold me over until my next meal when I am out running around.  More about Orchard Bars:

NEW from Washington State’s orchard country, our all-natural Orchard Bars are loaded with real fruit, heart-healthy nuts, nutritious seeds, and protein-rich soy nuggets. No date paste filler, no peanuts, no strange substances from the lab. Just all-natural energy from fruits, nuts, and seeds.

There are five different varieties of the Orchard Bar:

Blueberry pomegranate & almond – fruit [fruit juice from concentrate (organic apple, blueberry, pomegranate), blueberries, pomegranate powder, organic apple flake], organic evaporated cane syrup, organic tapioca syrup, almonds, seeds (sunflower, flax), soy protein nuggets (soy protein isolate, tapioca starch, salt), fruit pectin, citric acid, natural flavors, sodium citrate, ascorbic acid, Vitamin E (to preserve freshness). CONTAINS ALMONDS & SOY.

Pineapple coconut & macadamia -fruit [fruit juice from concentrate (organic apple, blueberry, pomegranate), blueberries, pomegranate powder, organic apple flake], organic evaporated cane syrup, organic tapioca syrup, almonds, seeds (sunflower, flax), soy protein nuggets (soy protein isolate, tapioca starch, salt), fruit pectin, citric acid, natural flavors, sodium citrate, ascorbic acid, Vitamin E (to preserve freshness). CONTAINS ALMONDS & SOY.

Strawberry raspberry & walnut -fruit [fruit juice from concentrate (organic apple, strawberry), strawberries, raspberries, organic apple flake], organic evaporated cane syrup, organic tapioca syrup, nutmeats (walnuts, almonds), seeds (sunflower, flax), soy protein nuggets (soy protein isolate, tapioca starch, salt), fruit pectin, citric acid, natural flavors, sodium citrate, ascorbic acid, Vitamin E (to preserve freshness). CONTAINS WALNUTS, ALMONDS, & SOY.

Cherry almond crunch – New flavor with ingredients not listed on website yet (I tossed my wrapper already!)

Banana mango & macadamia – New flavor with ingredients not listed on website yet (I tossed my wrapper already!)

These bars were filling and had a great flavor and texture.  My only complaint is that they were a little too sweet for me for a snack, as I am used to eating bars with no added sugar (organic evaporated cane syrup and organic tapioca syrup).  That being said, I would eat these for a healthier dessert option.  I loved the pineapple coconut macadamia bar – it was like being transported to a tropical island!  The other flavors were all very good and I liked the combination of fruits and nuts.

Orchard Bars can be purchased in select stores and online.  There is a sample offer where you can try 2 bars for just $2.50 including shipping and handling.

Have you tried Orchard Bars?  What did you think?

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

Review: Udi’s Gluten-Free Frozen Pizza

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 2 Comments

A couple of months back my mom and step dad were able to find and sample the new Udi’s frozen pizzas. I have been unable to find them in the Columbus area until our brand new Earth Fare store opened this week.  Earth Fare not only carries all three varieties of the Udi’s pizzas, but they had coupons for them as well!  The price of the pizzas were $7.49 each and then an additional $.75 off with the coupon.

IMG_1228I purchased the uncured pepperoni for Jon and the margherita pizza for me.  I have to say that I felt a little mislead by the size of the pizza box, as the actual pizza inside is much smaller.  The nutritional label says there are 2 servings, but I was able to eat the whole thing and a large salad.  I don’t mind the size, it was just misleading.  In addition to being gluten-free, the pizza is also free of soy.

INGREDIENTS: gluten-free PIZZA CRUST (FILTERED WATER, TAPIOCA STARCH, BROWN RICE FLOUR, EGG WHITES, RICE FLOUR, RESISTANT CORN STARCH, TAPIOCA MALTODEXTRIN, VEGETABLE OIL (MAY CONTAIN ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: SUNFLOWER, SAFFLOWER, NON-GMO CANOLA OIL), RICE BRAN, SUGARCANE FIBER, CANE SYRUP, GUM (XANTHAN GUM, SODIUM ALGINATE, GUAR GUM), SALT, KONJAC, YEAST (YEAST, POTATO STARCH), ENZYME (CALCIUM SULFATE, ENZYMES)), SAUCE (TOMATOES, FILTERED WATER, TOMATO PASTE, EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, SUGAR, SALT, SPICES, GARLIC, CITRIC ACID), FRESH MOZZARELLA CHEESE (CULTURED PASTEURIZED MILK, ENZYMES, SALT), DICED TOMATOES, PARMESAN CHEESE (PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, RENNET), BASIL, HERB BLEND (BASIL, PARSLEY, MARJORAM, SAGE, THYME, ROSEMARY AND SPICES).
CONTAINS EGG, MILK.

The pizza after baking – note, this is a normal-size dinner plate.

IMG_1261Not quite as pretty as the picture on the box, but still tasted good.  I liked the combination of flavors in this pizza, but I think I prefer the plain Udi’s pizza crust topped with my own toppings.  I am not sure if they use the same crust for the frozen pizzas, but it didn’t taste like it.  It is possible that being frozen topped with sauce and cheese could have had an effect on the crust as well.  I do think it is great to have these options available in stores for times when a quick, simple meal is needed.  These are great for when your children visit a friend or relative and they need a safe meal.

Udi’s frozen pizzas can be found at most Whole Foods store locations.  Like I said, I found mine at Earth Fare, but please call to check your local Earth Fare before making a trip just for this pizza.  If you haven’t subscribed to Udi’s newsletter yet, you can do so here and get a $1.00 off coupon after you sign up.

Review: Gluten-Free Ricola Products

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 3 Comments

Just when you thought cold & flu season was behind us, schools are closing due to flu outbreaks!  I have to say I was a little shocked when I hear that on the news this week, though I do know of several friends fighting the crud.  As I have said before, being sick is bad enough, but having to search for gluten-free products on top of feeling cruddy is no fun.

Ricola has a whole line of gluten-free throat & cough drops & supplements to help battle the symptoms that come along with the cold & flu.

Ricola Cough & Throat Drops – “Since the invention of the Swiss original herb cough drop using mountain herbs, Ricola has produced fine quality herb drops with great passion and skill. Still to this day, all Ricola herb drops have one thing in common: The Ricola herb mixture – soothing for the mouth and throat.”  There are 6 different varieties of the Cough & Throat Drops Original, lemon mint, honey lemon, cherry honey & dual action.  The dual action drops not only help to calm the cough but they are also designed to help soothe the throat.

Ricola with Vitamin C – Just 2 of these drops provide 100% of the daily value of Vitamin C.  Mixed Berry flavor that uses raspberries, black currant & bilberries in combination with a mixture of Swiss alpine herbs and vitamin C.

Ricola Sugar-Free – Same benefits as the Cough & Throat Drops, but sugar-free.  These come in 5 different varieties: Lemon mint, mountain herb, menthol, green tea & cherry.

More about Ricola’s products:

Founded in 1930, with company headquarters in Laufen and subsidiary companies throughout Europe, Asia and the USA, Ricola products now include about 30 different herb specialty flavors. All the herbs used in Ricola products are organically cultivated in the Swiss mountains.

Lactose and nut intolerance
All Ricola products are lactose and nut free.
Gluten intolerance
In the United States, there are no established government standards as to what can be considered gluten-free or what is safe for use in celiac patients. Our products contain less than 0.002% (or less than 2ppm) gluten. We urge you to share this information with your doctor or to contact the Celiac Sprue Association of the USA @1-877-CSA-4CSA.

We received several of the Ricola products to sample and liked them all.  I have been using 2 of the Vitamin C drops per day since they arrived & I love the mixed berry flavor!  The cough drops all have a decent taste to them.  I am normally not a fan of cough drops, unless they taste like candy, so I was impressed with these.  I will definitely be keeping these at the top of my list when we need cough drops.

Ricola products can be purchased in mainstream grocery & drug stores across the US and more than 50 countries.  Have you tried Ricola Cough & Throat Drops?  What is your go-to cough drop?

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