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Review: Udi’s Gluten-Free Pepperoni Pizza

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

While I am still scouring my local Whole Foods for the new Udi’s gluten-free pizzas, my mom and stepdad were able to find them at the Whole Foods store in Winter Park, Florida. My stepdad, Joe, began following the gluten-free diet last year after finding he had a sensitivity to wheat.

In addition to being gluten-free, the pizza is also soy-free. There are 2 servings per box at 350 calories, 18g fat, 16g protein and 4g fiber each.  The ingredients are as follows:

INGREDIENTS: gluten-free PIZZA CRUST (FILTERED WATER, TAPIOCA STARCH, BROWN RICE FLOUR, EGG WHITES, CORN STARCH, RICE FLOUR, TAPIOCA MALTODEXTRIN, VEGETABLE OIL (MAY CONTAIN ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: SUNFLOWER, SAFFLOWER, CANOLA OIL), RICE BRAN, CELLULOSE POWDER, 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), MOZZARELLA CHEESE (PASTEURIZED MILK, CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), UNCURED PEPPERONI (NO NITRITES OR NITRATES ADDED* *EXCEPT FOR THOSE NATURALLY OCCURRING IN NATURAL FLAVORING (CELERY JUICE POWDER). PORK, BEEF, SALT, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF WATER, SPICE, SEASONING (CANE SUGAR, NATURAL FLAVORING), SEASONING (EXTRACTIVES OF PAPRIKA, NATURAL SPICE EXTRACTIVES), LACTIC ACID STARTER CULTURE), ROMANO CHEESE (PASTERUIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES), BASIL, SEASONING BLEND (BASIL, OREGANO, SALT, GARLIC, MARJORAM, CHILIES, FENNEL, ONION, TOMATO, HONEY POWDER (CANE REFINERY SYRUPS, HONEY), AND SPICES). CONTAINS EGG, MILK.
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2012-02-05_19-31-47_313The written review, as I received it from my mom & Joe:

gluten-free crust is great.  Thin crust, and crisp on the edges when baked.

Flavor was very tasty. We had the uncured pepperoni pizza, which is also soy-free.  Well presented when unwrapped, and very easy to prepare.  Slices hold their form very well; the crust remains intact and doesn’t crumble.  No shortage of toppings, but the sauce and the cheese could be spread more evenly across the pizza.  $6.99 at Whole Foods in Winter Park, Fl, for a 10 ounce pizza, which was very reasonable.  Very high in sodium, which is a definite downside.  We would definitely buy this pizza again – and also try their other versions.

Udi’s gluten-free is also making three cheese and Margherita frozen pizza varieties.  The pizzas should be available in most Whole Food stores across the nation.  This reminds me that I need to ask at my store’s customer service counter the next time I go in.

Have you had a chance to try Udi’s new frozen gluten-free pizzas yet?  If so, what did you think?

Review: Yoplait Gluten-Free Greek Yogurt

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

Greek yogurt is all the rage these days.  Nutritionally speaking, Greek yogurt has more bang for your buck with twice the protein of regular yogurt.  There are many brands on the market, but today I am going to focus on Yoplait Greek yogurt.

I have been steering towards Greek yogurt when I eat yogurt mainly for protein reasons.  A lot of times I will use yogurt to refuel after my workouts in the morning.  I am not usually hungry right away, so eating something small, like 6 oz. of yogurt, is perfect for me.  I then have time to shower & get the kids up & moving before I sit down for breakfast.  Yoplait now has 6 flavors on the gluten-free Greek yogurt product list.

  • Blueberry
  • Honey vanilla
  • Strawberry
  • Plain
  • Key lime
  • Peach

IMG_0502Yoplait labels their gluten-free products “gluten-free” right on the side, so there is no confusion.  Yoplait is part of General Mills.  Yogurt has many health benefits, including helping to build stronger bones with calcium (35% of the RDA in one serving), vitamin D to help with calcium absorption, probiotics to help keep your digestive system healthy, and protein, as I mentioned above.

 

I have now worked through all of the flavors except the peach and I really like them all, but I think the key lime is my favorite.   I can see making a dessert with it by crumbling up gluten-free graham crackers over the top.   I like to use the plain variety for baking or on my baked potato, like sour cream.  If you are trying to cut back on your sugar intake, buying plain Greek yogurt and adding in your own, fresh fruit, is a great way to do so.  I also like to eat yogurt mixed with a bowl full of cereal or as a topper for my gluten-free waffles.

Yoplait Greek yogurt can be purchased in mainstream grocery stores across the US.  For a $.30 off coupon, click here and find a link on the right side of the page.  **It is important to note that not all of Yoplait’s Greek yogurts are on the gluten-free list or labeled gluten-free.  There are some newer versions (that come in 4-packs or with granola) that either haven’t been added to the list or aren’t safe for us to eat.  Please exercise caution if you are buying something that isn’t on the list. 

Have you tried Yoplait Greek yogurt? How do you like to eat your yogurt?

Review: Gluten-Free at The Macaroon Company

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 5 Comments

I recently had the opportunity to try the new (to me) gluten-free treat from The Macaroon Company, which is located in Woodstock, GA, just outside of Atlanta. Brian Murray, the company’s founder, and the owner was extremely generous and personally brought me some samples to try of their company’s namesake, the macaroon.

The Macaroon Company’s macaroons are not like the trendy macrons with a cream filling. These macaroons are old-school, the ones traditionally made with coconut, and these macaroons, in particular, are gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free, as well as being vegan and raw, with no baking involved in the process.  Agave is used exclusively as a sweetener.  The ingredients are simple and pronounceable and include most if not all organic ingredients.

These macaroons work very well for people on restricted diets such as gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, or diabetic.

I was given samples of the Lemon Pound Cake, Amaretto & Orange, Fudge Brownie, Pina Colada, Mint Chocolate, and Chocolate Raz.   They also have seasonal favorites, so be sure to visit the website for what is currently available.  The packages include 15 pieces and retail at $5.  I absolutely love coconut, so I was not sure which one to dig into first.

The individual pieces are small, but they pack in the flavor and are extremely satisfying and fulfilling.  As their tagline states, “Taste Like More” and it is true!  My husband, daughter and I loved being macaroon taste testers.  My husband and I were in agreement and our favorite was the Lemon Pound Cake, my daughter loved the Fudge Brownie, and couldn’t get enough.  While we did have our favorites, they were all delicious.  Whichever flavor you choose you will not be disappointed. They make a great fiber-rich sweet treat!

Brian started making his macaroons several years ago as a way to make extra cash, but after realizing their popularity with his friends, he began to sell them, and viola!  The Macaroon Company does not have its own storefront but is available online and at area farmer’s markets, such as the Alpharetta Farmer’s Market and Sweetapple Village Market.  To find out exact locations, check out their Facebook page, or email Brian directly, brian@themacarooncompany.com.

Are Keurig K-Cup Coffees Gluten-Free?

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 12 Comments

Do you start your day out with a Cup-O-Joe? I do. There is nothing better than sitting down to catch up on email & blog posts while drinking my first cup of coffee of the morning.  Even when I am only drinking decaf, there is something about the hot coffee that makes it all okay.  Of course coffee itself is gluten-free. Where complications may arise is with the flavored coffees.

IMG_0374After receiving a new Keurig for my birthday last week, I couldn’t wait to dig into my sample pack of K-cups. While most of the K-Cups were just different brands of coffee in the cups – such as Caribou, Green Mountain & Tully’s, there were a few flavored varieties in the box.  I went to the Keurig/Green Mountain website to see if there was any information on the flavored coffees and didn’t find any, so I sent an email.  This is the email I received back:

Our Coffee, Café Escapes, hot cider, cocoa and teas are gluten-free. Each of the Perfect Iced Teas, Hot Cocoa and Café Escapes items has specific nutritional information under ?Tasting Notes?. The Nutritional label can be viewed in the product images. Please let us know if you need anything further. If you have any questions, or if there is anything else we can assist you with please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Care Team.
Sincerely,
Lauren
Consumer Direct Web Associate
GMCR Specialty Coffee Business Unit
customercare@gmcr.com
Tel: (866) 639-2326 Mon.-Fri., 8a.m.-6p.m. EST

I did write back to confirm that this included the flavored coffees and was assured that it did.  I was thrilled to hear this and couldn’t wait to get to sampling! Keurig has a wide variety of coffees, teas and cocoas that can be purchased on their website, and select retailers.

Do you have a Keurig?  What is your favorite K-Cup variety?

Review: Katz Gluten-Free Doughnuts

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

Just a few weeks back I wrote an article about Katz’s gluten-free debuting a few new products, specifically, doughnuts.  I am pleased to tell you that I have been able to sample all three varieties and can’t wait to share my thoughts with you!  When I got up this morning I was less than pleased to find out that our warmer-than-normal January temperatures were on their way out and snow was on its way in.  That set the mood for the day right off the bat – gloomy. I tried to focus on all of the nice weather that we have had up until now, but that didn’t work.

Just after lunch, my doorbell rang and I found a nice package from Katz gluten-free waiting for me my day instantly brightened!  How could I continue this gloomy mood with gluten-free doughnuts to be sampled?

No need to wait for breakfast, right?  They practically jumped out of the package onto the plate.

 

I have to admit that I was shocked at the size of the doughnut holes!  They are just about the size of my fist!  Okay, well maybe not quite that big, more like a racquetball size.  As much as I wanted to eat them as is, I knew I had to cut them open to inspect the insides.  I also knew that it was in my best interests to share these with Jon.

IMG_0323First and foremost, all three of these doughnuts tasted amazing!  I honestly wouldn’t have known they were gluten-free if I hadn’t seen the package.  I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t more jelly in the jelly version.  It did appear that some of it soaked into the doughnut rather than remaining in the middle where it should be.  The custard didn’t seem to have the same issue, probably due to the consistency of the custard.  The powdered sugar doughnut reminded me of the packaged doughnuts my mom used to buy me as a child, only better!  Jon instantly fell in love with all of them, too, so I see some fighting going on around here soon.

Katz gluten-free Doughnuts can be purchased on their website and are on sale currently!  There is also a gluten-free sample pack available for free (only pay the cost of shipping – $4.99).  The sample pack includes:  “1 Slice each of Whole Grain Bread, Sliced Challah Bread, White Bread and Wholesome Bread. Also included are 1 Dinner Roll, a sample Cookie and Rugelech, and 1 Sample Slice of Marble Cake“.  Free shipping is available on orders over $30 to certain locations.

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