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Review: Progresso Manhattan Clam Chowder

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Ready-made soups often contain gluten, which is suprising to most of us when we find out we must avoid consuming it. In fact, most Campbell’s soups contain gluten – including their famous cream of “everything” soups. Luckily, Progresso has reformulated many of their soups to be both gluten and MSG free. The list of safe soups keeps growing on the Live gluten-freely website. In fact, both the white clam chowders in the line are now gluten-free as well. I don’t like that type of soup so I haven’t tried either the regular or 99% fat free version from Progresso.

When I ate gluten, one of my all time favorite soups was the Manhattan Clam Chowder made by Campbell’s. Since it contains wheat, I haven’t had it in over four years. However, the Progresso version of that soup is gluten-free and even labeled as such these days. The first time I tried the soup, I could not believe how delicious it was. It was better than I ever remember the Campbell’s version being. What an absolute delightful discovery that was!

It’s not really soup weather in Hotlanta, but Progresso soups were on sale for 2 for 1 recently, so I stocked up on the Manhattan Clam Chowder. Someone else stocked up on my other faves from the line because Publix was out of all of them. The flavors in the clam chowder are really excellent. The potatoes, celery and carrots are perfectly tender and the clams themselves are really wonderful. It’s an added bonus that the soup has 7% of your RDA of fiber per serving. There is some confusion about the statement “no MSG added” on products today. In the case of this soup, the MSG in the soup is naturally occurring in the yeast extract in it. There is also some confusion about whether or not MSG contains gluten. It actually does not and never has. MSG stands for monosodium glutamate and somewhere along the way, someone translated that info into the additive containing gluten.

I try to avoid products that contain added MSG – like many mainstream snack foods and a host of other products – because it doesn’t agree with me. However, when it’s the naturally occurring version as in yeast extract, it doesn’t bother me at all. In addition to being gluten-free, the Progresso version of Manhattan Clam Chowder is low in fat, has no artificial flavors or added MSG and contains only 100 calories per serving. Presently, the gluten-free soups are not available in the Progresso soup cups. Hopefully, that will also change in the future. I’m sure people who take their lunch to work would be thrilled to find gluten-free Progresso soup cups to take to the office or even to visit friends or family out of town.

General Mills is very interested in hearing from consumers in our market so if you want to see some Progresso soup cups, give the company a call and let them know. Their toll free number is 1-800-248-8330. You can also e-mail the company through the General Mills website.

Review: King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour Mixes

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King Arthur is name that many fans of baking are familiar with, they are known as the America’s oldest flour company, establish in 1790! They are 100% employee owned and based in Vermont. When I learned this well-known flour company had launched a gluten-free line, I was eager to try the results.

King Arthur’s gluten-free products are produced in a dedicated gluten-free facility that is also certified gluten-free by the non-profit gluten-free Certification Organization (GFCO).  This facility is also free of nuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, eggs and dairy.  Many of the mixes may call for eggs and or/dairy but with simple substitutions they should be workable.

Fellow writer, Tiffany Janes wrote  a review about the pancake mix not long ago, so I am going to add my own thoughts about the pancakes as well as add additional reviews.  I had the opportunity to try several different mixes by King Arthur recently.  I didn’t know where to start, they all looked delicious from the product photos on the packaging.  I have always felt packaging is so important and can really win or loose a fan instantly.  There are definitely some products I have seen and been immediately turned off by the packaging and therefore never try it.  However, I thought the King Arthur packaging was simple and attractive, and definitely made me want to try whatever was in the box!  The back of the boxes clearly list in illustrations and text what additional ingredients you will need to prepare the mixes, which I feel is necessary with any mix.

I began with the brownies.  I had some friends coming over for dinner and felt that was a perfect opportunity to have gluten eaters who are not familiar with gluten-free foods give some feedback.  I feel that if gluten eaters love it, then it definitely is not going to taste like a gluten-free food imitating something else. The brownies required butter (or oil), water and two eggs. These came out chewy, gooey, rich and delicious!  I have tried many gluten-free brownie mixes since being diagnosed and many of them have been disappointing and grainy, but this is definitely one of my new favorites. My gluten-able friends couldn’t stop eating them, and took home half the batch. These were definitely a winner.

Next, I tried their gluten-free multi-purpose flour.  The brand I regularly used as my all purpose flour was suddenly discontinued so it was great to try something new in hopes it can become a new kitchen staple for me.  I used the flour in a Yorkshire pudding recipe I had recently used.  My husband is from England and has a few decades of Yorkshire pudding experience, so I knew the test was getting his approval.  These came out lovely, and had a wonderful tasty, soft texture in the middle.  My husband was completely enthusiastic about the results, and ate most of the batch.  I made these again for friends a few days later with equally positive results.

As pancakes are a weekend ritual for my family, I was looking forward to the pancake mix after the tasty results of the previous mixes.  The pancake mix calls for 2 eggs, butter (or oil) and milk.  As I emptied the mix into a mixing bowl, I noticed a different smell.  It wasn’t the gluten-free rice flour smell that I smell with some products, but I could not put my finger on it.  I looked at the ingredients and they list ‘natural flavors’ so this gave me no answers.  But as I mixed the batter, the smell became increasingly like maple syrup.  As if there was maple syrup flavor put into the mix.  I used buttermilk rather than regular milk and let the batter sit for ten minutes before cooking.  They resulted in amazingly fluffy pancakes in perfect round circles, like pancakes one would achieve with Bisquick.  As I finished cooking, my husband and daughter walked in the door and mentioned they could smell maple syrup.  I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.  The pancakes went off well, they were a nice texture, however after a couple of pancakes I did not appreciate the maple syrup flavor.  I like syrup once in a while, but I definitely don’t want to feel like I have to have syrup flavor with my pancakes.  I think the flavor and smell were too overwhelming and artificial, and personally it was not for me.  If someone is crazy about maple syrup then they will probably love these pancakes. If it was not for the flavoring I would try these again.

Finally, I tried the muffin mix.  I had a meeting at my daughter’s school, and thought blueberry muffins would be a nice treat to bring everyone.  The mix calls for the addition of butter (or oil), three eggs, milk and 1 1/2 cup of add-ins, I choose frozen blueberries.  Like the pancakes the flour had a scent to it, I looked on the ingredient list and noticed nutmeg.  In the end result, the muffins had a wonderful texture, however the nutmeg flavor was a bit too strong.  I actually really enjoy nutmeg, but I don’t want to feel like any muffin I make with this mix has to have a nutmeg flavor to it.  I would use this mix again, but I know now to only use it with something that could handle nutmeg flavor with it.  Another suggestion is that I added the 1 1/2 cups of frozen blueberries, but I think that was too much, and it would have been better with just a cup.  Since there were so many blueberries (which is a good thing), it made it difficult to get the muffins clearly out of the oiled muffin pan. I think less fruit would have helped.

I am not sure why the pancakes and the muffins had the added flavoring to it, but my call would be to take it out of the formula and list it as a baking tip.

Overall, I am very excited about the brownies and the multi-purpose flour and will become a repeat customer for sure, but could leave the pancakes. I also have a pizza crust waiting for me, and will be sure to make it soon!

King Arthur’s gluten-free flours can be ordered online and will increasingly be available on grocery stores shelves across the country.

Review: Glutino Cookies and Candy Bars

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

Most of the candy bars I grew up eating are gluten-free. They are also made with a lot of not so healthy – or even real – ingredients. Therefore, I try not to indulge in them much anymore. All of the cookies I ate growing up contain gluten, of course. Even though I’m more of a salty snack lover than a chocoholic or candy lover, I like to have tasty gluten-free options in all food categories. You never know when you’ll be in the mood for a crunchy candy bar, after all.

About two years ago (I think), I found Glutino Wafer Cookies at my local health food store. I picked up the chocolate covered vanilla creme version and found the cookies to be perfectly chocolaty and crunchy. I didn’t much care for the version with chocolate creme, but as I said, I’m not a chocoholic. The cookies are small, but very filling. The wafers are crispy and do not have any odd taste, mouth feel or aftertaste. The same can not be said for several other gluten-free cookies I’ve tried. If there is anything that tastes “off” to me, the product goes on my “do not buy again” list. I had to start this list many moons ago, when I noticed that I’d forget I bought something a year ago and didn’t like it – and then I bought it again.

About a year ago, I found the Glutino Candy Bars at my health food store. I tried the Dark Chocolate and the Chocolate Peanut Butter flavors. The Dark Chocolate bars didn’t do anything for me. They were not bad – they were just not my cup of tea. However, the Chocolate Peanut Butter bars (covered in milk chocolate) were exceptional! Obviously, you have to like the combination of peanut butter and chocolate in order to enjoy such a bar. I’ve been known to spread peanut butter on a Hershey’s chocolate bar, so I guess I fit that bill.

The Glutino Chocolate Peanut Butter candy bars actually remind me of a mainstream wafer chocolate and peanut butter cookie, but it’s been so long since I had them that I can’t even recall the name right now. Maybe someone out there knows what I’m thinking about. Anyway, the Glutino bars are really wonderful and my only complaint is that they can’t be stored in the car in my emergency food stash. The chocolate will melt in our climate in the car except in the dead of winter. There is even a disclaimer about them possibly melting during shipping (direct to consumers, not stores) during warm months on their website. If we travel with the candy bars, we pack them in a cooler and then let them warm up before eating. They are not that great cold, in my opinion.

Glutino makes many great items including, but not limited to,   pretzels, crackers, cereals, breads, bagels, baking mixes and frozen dinners. You can usually find their products at Whole Foods and most health food stores. These days, even some mainstream grocery stores carry some of their products. I found the crackers at Publix recently. You can also purchase Glutino products online at Amazon.com.

Gluten-Free Cake Mixes

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

One of the most common complaints that I hear from people on the gluten-free diet is that there are not any good gluten-free cakes. At one time I thought that was true, but was glad to find out it wasn’t true eventually. The first gluten-free cake mix I used, made a cake that tasted like it had wheat germ in it. It was completely inedible and we could not throw it outside for the birds (and chipmunks and rabbits that call our backyard home) to eat, because there was frosting all over it. It was Valentine’s Day so I made the cake in the shape of a heart. If only it tasted half as good as it looked. It would be months before I braved trying another gluten-free cake mix.

The Cherrybrook Kitchen gluten-free chocolate cake mix was my favorite before I tried Pamela’s. I’m not sure we’ve made any version except the sour cream recipe from the Pamela’s mix, but we absolutely love it. The Betty Crocker chocolate cake is OK, but we didn’t think it was special enough to buy again. The chocolate cake mix from Namaste is pretty good and unlike most brands, it makes a two layer cake. That makes it one of the most economical brands available.

Of all the cake mixes we’ve tried, the Spice Cake mix from Namaste is our favorite yet. Adding a half cup of unsweetened applesauce to the batter results in a very moist cake. We add raisins and chopped pecans as well. The mix works for pan bars or mini loaf cakes which work great for holiday gifts. There is a recipe on the spice cake bag to make a carrot cake as well. For a tropical twist on the cake, you can add crushed pineapple and coconut. But if you do that, don’t add but 1/4 cup of applesauce. There is a lot of juice in the pineapple, even when you strain it very well.

gluten-free Naturals makes an excellent yellow cake mix. You can use that mix in place of a gluten cake mix on most recipes that call for such on Recipe Zaar. The Betty Crocker white cake mix is good, but we found it to have a short shelf life once it’s baked. By the third day, the cake tastes like butter, which isn’t something we enjoy in a cake. For that reason, we’d only use that mix when we know the cake will be eaten the day it’s made or the next day. We did not find the same problem with the chocolate cake mix from Betty Crocker.

For gluten-free pound cakes, we like the mix from 123 gluten-free and Sylvan Border Farm. Each offers a great taste and texture – good enough to serve the most finicky glutenoids. It’s a good idea not to tell anyone the cakes are gluten-free unless you have to. I’ve done a little test to prove that most people will avoid taking a piece of cake that’s noted to be gluten-free, unless they follow the gluten-free diet. For a block party, I put a small gluten-free sign next to the mini cupcakes I’d brought. When I noticed that no one was eating them, I discreetly removed the sign. Soon after that, the cupcakes were gone and three people asked for the recipe. They were Namaste spice cake cupcakes with homemade pineapple cream cheese frosting, by the way.

The only ready-made gluten-free cakes that are widely available (that I know of) in the U.S. are the delicious World’s Best Carrot Cakes. Both the gluten and gluten-free versions of the cakes are sold at Whole Foods stores in most regions. Two of the five cakes made by this company are gluten-free and we can’t decide if we like the traditional or the chocolate carrot cake better. They are both exceptional in both taste and texture. The cakes are not made in a dedicated factory, but strict precautions are taken to protect against cross contamination.

It seems like it would be hard for parents of kids who can’t eat gluten when it comes to cake. Not only do they have to bake (or order) a gluten-free cake for their kids birthdays, they have to send something safe for their kids to eat at the parties of others as well. gluten-free Bakehouse at Whole Foods made it a little easier to take your own gluten-free cake – or rather cupcake – to a party. The gluten-free cupcakes are stocked in the freezer at Whole Foods and though I’ve not tried them personally, I’ve only heard great things about them.

Review: Udi’s Gluten-Free Plain Bagels

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 10 Comments

I have tried many gluten-free bagels over the past 4 years of being on the gluten-free diet. Kinnikinnick, Glutino, Trader Joe’s, Joan’s Gluten-Free Great Bakes, and I have made my own from Pamela’s Gluten-free Bread Mix. All of the bagels have been good, but only Joan’s came close to a replica of that chewy crust and doughy center that I remember from my pre-gluten-free days. Enter Udi’s Gluten-free Plain Bagels.

The outside of the bag of Udi’s Bagels says “soft, chewy, yummy”. They did not lie. These bagels are edible straight out of the package at room temperature, something I haven’t found with any other gluten-free bagel. Joan’s bagels are excellent, don’t get me wrong, but have to be toasted.

The outside of the bagel has a chewy factor; the inside is soft and doughy & reminiscent of the gluten-filled version. Perfect to spread a nice layer of cream cheese over for breakfast or a snack.

I couldn’t let this opportunity get away without toasting & adding my signature tuna melt toppings.

If you made me choose my favorite gluten-free bagel, it would be close, but I have to say that I believe that Udi’s comes out on top. I love the versatility! Not having to toast the bagel is a wonderful option. The bagels can be stored in the freezer or on the counter (if they will be consumed quickly, they will be in my house). I have many other toppings that I want to try on my new-found love – almond butter & jelly, hummus, avocado & tomato, fried eggs, and maybe even a Sunshine burger.

Udi’s products can be purchased online here. They are also carried in many stores around the country, including Whole Foods. Some Einstein Brothers Bagels in Denver are even carrying these! I hope that becomes a nationwide thing! Udi’s bagels cost $6 per pack of 4 bagels. Joan’s bagels are $8 per pack of 5. The nutritionals are comparable at 280 calories & 270 calories respectively. Have you tried Udi’s bagels yet?