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Orange Leaf Yogurt Gluten-Free Menu

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It is always nice to be able to join friends for a frozen treat on a hot afternoon or after a nice meal out. Self-serve frozen yogurt places are popping up all over the place, so I thought it was time that I check one out. I was able to visit Orange Leaf Yogurt this weekend for a mid-afternoon snack.

I had tried several other times to visit Orange Leaf, but the line had been out the front door. I don’t like crowds. Especially when I am trying to ascertain if I can safely eat someplace for the first time. I opted to head back at a less crazy time, which is clearly mid-afternoon on a Saturday.

There were only a few people in the store when I walked in. I loved the light, bright and funky décor. There is a wall of self-serve yogurt machines and then a toppings bar.  I asked the manager on duty which flavors were gluten-free. I was told that the gluten-free flavors were any of the following:

  • Banana
  • Blueberry
  • Blueberry Banana
  • Butter Pecan
  • Caramel
  • Caramel Chocolate
  • Cherry
  • Chocolate
  • Chocolate Cherry
  • Chocolate Coconut
  • Chocolate Mint
  • Chocolate Peanut Butter
  • Chocolate Raspberry
  • Classic Tart
  • Coconut
  • Coffee
  • Cotton Candy
  • Dole Pineapple
  • Eggnog
  • Grape
  • Grapefruit
  • Green Apple
  • Green Tea
  • Honeydew
  • Kiwi
  • Lemon
  • Lychee
  • Mango
  • Mango, Strawberry, Banana
  • NSA Chocolate
  • NSA Vanilla
  • Orange
  • Passion Fruit
  • Peach
  • Peanut Butter
  • Peppermint
  • Pineapple
  • Strawberry, Banana
  • Pistachio
  • Pomegranate
  • Raspberry
  • Raspberry Banana
  • Raspberry Lemonade
  • Strawberry
  • Strawberry Banana
  • Strawberry, Raspberry, Blueberry
  • Taro
  • Vanilla
  • Watermelon
  • White Chocolate

Obviously, not all of the above flavors are available at all times, though I had a nice selection to choose from.  I opted for pineapple, coconut, coffee & caramel.  I headed over to the toppings bar, which is a cross-contamination nightmare.  In all honesty, I didn’t feel safe adding any of the fruit or toppings that were out in the open, as there were gluten-containing toppings placed right next to them.  I saw that some of the toppings had other toppings that didn’t belong in them and that was enough to convince me to skip them.  There was another small section that had closed bins that I chose peanut M&M’s and regular M&M’s from.  I went to add some Reese’s Pieces, but when I grabbed the scoop, a malted milk ball rolled out.  Not good. My advice is to stay away from the toppings or ask if there is a specific topping that an employee can get from the back that hasn’t been put out and is “at risk” yet.

The yogurt was good, but not something that I would probably opt to have on a regular basis.

Orange Leaf has many locations across the country.  Have you tried Orange Leaf?  What was your experience like?

Review: Gluten-Free Rice Krispies

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When I heard about the new Kellogg’s cereal coming out, I could not wait to try it!  I’m really not sure why since I didn’t eat cereal regularly when I ate gluten, but it probably has something to do with the fact that I never understood why most mainstream cereals, including those without wheat in them, contain barley malt.

For the last couple of months, people have reported finding the gluten-free version of Rice Krispies (yes, there are two versions now) at various stores in other states.  Finally, after checking the cereal aisle once again at Publix last weekend, I found the gluten-free Rice Krispies!  And to top off the exciting find, Kellogg’s cereals were on the 2-for-1 Publix special so I got the box for 50% off!

My husband immediately mentioned that I better plan on eating all the cereal by myself (he knows I don’t really care much for cereal unless making a snack mix with it since he didn’t care for Rice Krispies with or without gluten in them.  I explained that I’d figure out a way to eat the whole box myself.

Monday morning arrived and I decided to open the new cereal and give it a try.  I poured some milk over the cereal and sure enough, that familiar snack, crackle and pop sound was music to my ears!  Remember how much fun that was to hear when you were a kid?  Well, this big kid still thinks it’s fun as can be!

So, how does the new cereal taste?  In all fairness, I have to admit that I probably have not had gluten Rice Krispies in well over 20 years.  But if memory serves me well, this cereal tastes just like I remember the traditional version tasting.  It simply tastes like Rice Krispies, period.

The gluten-free version of Rice Krispies is made with brown rice so it offers a bit more in terms of nutrition than the white rice (gluten containing) version.  There are also very few ingredients which kind of surprised me, but in a good way.  There is no high fructose corn syrup in the cereal either, which is a more common ingredient in mainstream cereals that the average consumer is aware of.

It is great to see Kellogg’s getting into the gluten-free marketplace and hopefully, more mainstream companies will finally figure out that the gluten-free diet is not a fad that is on its way out.  In fact, it’s just getting started here in the good old U.S.A.  Who knows?  Maybe the company will introduce gluten-free versions of Cheese-It crackers and even Pop Tarts eventually!

*Be sure to check out our own Kim Bouldin’s review of gluten-free Rice Krispie treats here! There are many recipes for Rice Krispie treats on Food.com, but remember to use gluten-free cereal to make them and all gluten-free ingredients as well.  

Review: Mimi’s Cafe Gluten-Free Options

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

Last year we wrote a post about Mimi’s Café Gluten-Free Menu. It was nice to see the menu written out, as each time I have been to one of their restaurant locations, I am presented with a notebook with confusing information inside. The other night was no different.

Hannah and I headed out to have a girly dinner and then try a new frozen yogurt place in town (which ended up being packed and we settled for Coldstone). We wanted to hit the new Jason’s Deli up the street, but they don’t open until later this week.  Mimi’s was the next choice on our list. I have dined at Mimi’s many times in the past, but it has probably been over a year since the last time I was there.

I was hoping that they would have improved their menu delivery since the last time that I was there, but that was not the case.  The notebook was brought out, which I don’t mean to complain about, as it is more than some places offer.  I would just think that with as common as gluten-free dining has become if you are offering it, you should have a printed menu to hand out.

There are lists inside the notebook that are meant to follow the menu, which they do somewhat.  The problem I found was conflicting information throughout the list.  For example, one place would mention that the ginger/honey glaze contained gluten, while another area of the list/menu didn’t.  I was reassured when the manager came over to see if I had questions about the menu and we talked about some of my questions and the procedures at Mimi’s.  They seem to have a good understanding of cross-contamination and have good procedures in place to try to avoid it at all costs.  They are willing to work & modify dishes as needed.

I chose to order the Broiled Chicken & Fruit plate with a side of brown rice.  The chicken is not marinated (the marinated chicken contains gluten).  None of the dressings are gluten-free, so I had olive oil & balsamic vinegar.  If you don’t like O & V, consider bringing your own.  This was a good size portion, though it wouldn’t have been enough for me had I not ordered the rice.  I might ask for extra salad or fruit if I were to order this again.  Aside from that, the chicken was flavorful and moist.  The fruit was tasty and not bland, which is sometimes the case in restaurants.

 

Mimi’s Café has locations across the  US.  Ever wonder how Mimi’s Café came to be?  Read on…

In 1944, an American airman named Arthur J. Simms fell in love with the beauty, foods and flavors of France. It was to become a passion that would change his life.
Stationed there during the final days of World War II, young Arthur J. was taken by the friendly neighborhood bistros and warm, inviting cafés. Arthur J. loved the simple yet charming meals. He savored the aroma of freshly baked breads, café au lait and the company of good friends raising toasts all around. Equally captivating was a mademoiselle he met by chance, who went by the name of Mimi. Arthur J. Simms never forgot his days in France. In 1978, he opened the first Mimi’s Cafe® – a neighborhood bistro inspired by his memories of Mimi and passion for good food, wine and camaraderie that he remembered so fondly.

Have you dined at Mimi’s Café?  If so, what did you order?  Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Review: Enjoy Life Foods Crunchy Cookies

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Not long ago, I reviewed the delicious newly improved soft cookies from Enjoy Life Foods. The company makes an excellent line of gluten-free products that are also free of many other main allergens.  To be honest, it’s hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that anything baked can be good if it’s gluten-, dairy-, soy- and nut-free – much less delicious.

When I was asked if I would like to review the new Crunchy Cookies from Enjoy Life Foods, I had to think about it for a minute.  First off, I’m not the biggest cookie lover in the world and secondly, I really don’t care much for crunchy cookies with or without gluten in them.  Even so, I was still in search of more cookies that would stand up for dunking in my afternoon tea so I decided to give the new offerings from Enjoy Life a try.

The trouble with many gluten-free cookies in terms of dunking them into a hot liquid is that they often contain a lot of tapioca and potato flour (or starch).  That means the cookies immediately disintegrate when put into hot liquids.  I’ve ruined more than a few cups of tea learning this.

When my goodie box from Enjoy Life Foods arrived, I immediately read the ingredients on the boxes of cookies.  There was no tapioca or potato flour (or starch) in any of the four flavors.  So far, so good.  It’s taken a while to get to all the flavors of cookies even though the cookie monster in the house (who can eat gluten) ate most of the cookies in each box.

First up for review was the classic Chocolate Chip flavor. The cookies were very good, but once I’d tasted them all, they ranked fourth overall for me. I don’t like crunchy cookies except with tea and I don’t care for chocolate chip cookies with tea so I was expecting that to be the case.   My husband particularly liked this flavor, however. The Double Chocolate Chip cookies were really good with a delicious chocolate flavor.

The Vanilla Honey Grahams were delicious and as expected, the perfect texture to use with hot tea!  No falling apart or becoming mushy at all.  They performed like a crunchy gluten cookie does in that respect.  These might work in place of Nilla Wafers for banana pudding, but I don’t like that dessert so I’ll never use them for that.  They don’t taste like Nilla Wafers but should hold up well in the pudding, unlike many gluten-free cookies that I know others have tried to use unsuccessfully in that Southern treat.

Last up, but far from least, was the Sugar Crisps.  That particular flavor tasted just like a gluten-sugar cookie and it was amazing with my afternoon tea!  I don’t even like sugar cookies in general – even during the holidays – so I’m not sure why this cookie turned out to be my absolute favorite in the bunch.  In any case, that is the flavor I’ll buy to enjoy with my tea.  For cookies to eat without dunking,  I’ll continue to enjoy the soft-baked cookies from the line.  Gluten-free Snickerdoodles anyone?!

Here is some information about the allergens Enjoy Life Foods products are free of:

Click here to find out where you can find Enjoy Life Products near you.

Gluten-Free Finds in Canada

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

While on vacation in Montreal in May, I found a boxed sans gluten mac-n-cheese and decided to buy it.  I brought it home and eventually got around to making it.  Of all the boxed gluten-free mac-n-cheese products I’ve tried, this is by far the best.  However, I’ve had a hard time trying to figure out what company makes it for Irresistables – the brand it’s sold under.

In the Quebec province in Canada, ingredients on packaged foods are in both French and English.  I read the ingredients on the box, but nothing else.  It wasn’t until after we returned home that I noticed the ‘Made in the USA’ notation on the box.  If a company here makes it, then it stands to reason that the same company is selling it here under a different brand name.  If it’s a brand I’ve tried before, then the product has been greatly improved upon since I tried it.

It appears from this website that the Irresistables line offers both gluten and sans gluten products.  Obviously, I have no idea how any of the other sans gluten products in the line taste.  I did not think the pasta without cheese sauce on it was very impressive, but with the cheese sauce it might even fool a gluten eater.  The mac-n-cheese was surprisingly good, though not out-of-this-world delicious.  If I could buy the same product here, I probably would.

Since we were staying two short blocks from a neighborhood grocery store, we visited it several times during our stay.  It was clear that the staff members at the store were not very familiar with sans gluten products or where I could find them in the store.  It was kind of like being at a mainstream grocery store at home actually.  As you’d expect, the health food stores in Montreal were the best places to find a great selection of sans gluten and allergen free foods.

Because I could not find any online store in the U.S. that offers the Irresistables line (likely because it’s sold under a different brand here), I thought to check Amazon.ca.  It was surprising to me that the site doesn’t even have a food department, when the U.S. site has almost 8000 gluten-free products listed presently.  Be sure to read the ingredients before ordering a new found gluten-free product on the site.  I’ve almost ordered candy, crackers and a couple of other things by mistake because they were listed as gluten-free even though the products all contained wheat.  All-natural and organic items have a way of slipping into the gluten-free list – most likely by mistake.

If any of our readers know if the sans gluten Irresistables Macaroni & Cheese in the U.S., please let us know in the comments below.  Also, let us know if you know what company in the U.S. makes the product for the Irresistables label.