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Review: Wolfgang Puck Gluten-Free Soups

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

Soup is such a comforting food. I don’t eat soup often, but will often save it for those days when I feel like I need a hug or comforting in some way.  It is unfortunate that a lot of prepared/canned soups have gluten in them as a thickener.  Wolfgang Puck offers several varieties that are free of gluten.  I have to be honest that I was not aware of this until I was contacted to see if I would be interested in reviewing a few of the gluten-free soups.  I was eager to see how they tasted, as I have tried a variety of other gluten-free soups on the market.

Wolfgang Puck is going to be changing several of the soups & stock recipes over the next few months to be gluten-free and that claim will be stated on the product so that it is simple to know which of the products are gluten-free.  The broths have always been gluten-free, though they will now also carry the “gluten-free” claim on the label.  The following products are currently gluten-free:

  • All organic broths – beef, free range chicken & vegetable
  • All Natural Roasted Chicken Stock
  • Free Range Chicken with White & Wild Rice Soup
  • Signature Tortilla Soup
  • Tomato Basil Bisque
  • Black Bean Soup
  • Hearty Vegetable Lentil Soup

All of the soups are certified USDA organic and are made with the finest all natural ingredients.  I was curious what precautions  are taken to ensure the gluten-free products are safe, so I checked out the Soup FAQ.  This is what I found:

What is the process that Wolfgang Puck uses to ensure products are gluten-free?

We analyze gluten-free products to ensure compliance with our strict gluten-free standards at the time of initial production. We perform ongoing testing on finished products on a frequency of at least once every six months to assure continued compliance with our gluten-free policy.

Why are only some of the Wolfgang Puck products gluten-free?

Wolfgang Puck’s primary concern is the safety of our consumers. All of our recipes are hand crafted, which explains why some products contain food starches and others do not. Many of our products share manufacturing processes and equipment with gluten containing ingredients and products. For this reason, Wolfgang Puck has decided not to label gluten-free on products where we could not ensure compliance with our strict gluten-free standards.

I was able to sample the Tomato Basil Bisque and the Free Range Chicken with White & Wild Rice soups.  Both were outstanding!  If I was served these and didn’t know that they came from a can, I would have never been able to guess that they had.  They were both perfectly seasoned and not overly salty.  One of my pet peeves about canned soups is that if I can find a gluten-free version, they are often too salty or high in sodium for my liking.  The chicken soup was full of chunks of chicken and a good amount of rice in a broth that really did taste like it had been homemade.  The bisque was perfectly thickened and had chunks of tomato throughout.  My favorite way to eat soup is with a small salad & a toasted Udi’s gluten-free Bagel spread with avocado & sea salt.  Heaven on a day when I need some comfort.

Wolfgang Puck Soups are available to purchase online at Amazon or Buy The Case. Most grocery stores across the U.S. should also be carrying the soups. If not, make sure to ask them to carry your favorite variety.  Click here for a $1.00 off coupon for Wolfgang Puck Soups.

Review: Gluten-Free Hamburger Helper

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

When I found the gluten-free version of Asian Helper Chicken Fried Rice from Betty Crocker at Publix last year, I was delighted!  It wasn’t until the next day that I realized the product contained MSG which is gluten-free, but doesn’t agree with me. I returned the product the next time I went to Publix.

Always a gluten-free sleuth, I decided to pick up the gluten-free version of Hamburger Helper Cheesy Hashbrowns to read the ingredients about a month ago. Imagine my excitement to not find the term MSG or words monosodium glutamate in the ingredients! I double and triple checked the label before throwing the box into my cart.

We’ve now had the gluten-free Cheesy Hashbrowns twice and both times I used ground turkey to make this one dish meal. Like the regular Hamburger Helper meals, it’s easy to prepare. Just brown the meat, add water and the potatoes and eventually, the sauce mixture. What I enjoyed about the dish was the easy preparation and taste. I love meat, potatoes and cheese so it would be hard for me not to appreciate something like Cheesy Hashbrowns with ground turkey.

What it took me a moment to get over was the color of the cheese sauce. You mix a dry powder (that looks like the cheese powder in Kraft mac-n-cheese) with milk and when everything is combined, the color is bright orange. Of course, when the sauce is mixed into the rest of the dish, it’s not bright orange at all. In fact, it’s really not orange at all.

The meal is really good though it’s kind of salty and I’m a salt freak. To negate the overly salty flavor, cut part of a raw potato up and place it in the pot when cooking. This is a Martha Stewart trick that works beautifully. If you don’t have a potato, you can reduce the amount of the sauce powder you use when you make the sauce.

Now that I’ve tried the gluten-free Hamburger Helper, I really wish the Asian Helper meals were also free of MSG. Even though I order chicken fried rice at our favorite Chinese place several times a month, I’d like the option of having a mix to use every once in a while. The Hamburger Helper Cheesy Hashbrowns meal kit is really tasty, easy to prepare and it’s an excellent bargain as well!

*Look for gluten-free Hamburger Helper and Asian Helper at your local grocery store. They are stocked with the regular Hamburger Helper mixes at Publix stores.

Trusting Gluten-Free Restaurants

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 6 Comments

Have you heard about the chef out of Colorado that was bragging on Facebook this week about feeding his customers gluten despite their asking for gluten-free food? Unfortunately, this is not an April Fool joke and is true.

It is one thing to inadvertently get cross-contamination in your food when dining out, but to be intentionally poisoned? The thought of this makes me sick. Chef Damian Cardone blatantly bragged to his Facebook followers that when customers ordered gluten-free pasta, he fed them regular pasta and then claimed no one got sick. You can read more about this debacle here, as the posts have since been removed from Facebook.

It would seem to me that this guy should be punished in some way, shape, or form. I would sincerely hope that he is not currently cooking meals for anyone and if he is, that they don’t have to be gluten-free or allergen-free. If this guy was willing to serve gluten to Celiacs, what is to say that he wouldn’t serve peanuts to someone with a life-threatening peanut allergy or serve food that he had dropped on the floor? He clearly can’t be trusted.

Having worked in several restaurants, I can understand that it can be frustrating when a customer makes special requests, however, the restaurant is a “service” industry. Chefs, servers, and greeters are there to make guests feel welcome and cater to their needs, not complain about them or take it upon themselves to completely disregard the request & serve them the very item they asked to not have.  If a chef or restaurant doesn’t want to deal with special requests or allergies, then clearly state so on the menu. Will your business suffer? Maybe. I can assure you of one thing, the path that Chef Damian chose is not the way to go.  News like this travels fast and affects a lot of people. In this day & age, social networking can make or break you.

So, what can you do to stay safe when dining out? As we all know, dining out can be risky. There are certain things you can do to minimize your risk, but that risk can’t be completely eliminated unless you dine at home. Speak with the manager on duty and ask that they oversee the preparation of your meal from start to finish. Ask about the precautionary measures that are taken to avoid cross-contamination, such as separating pans, and cleaning the grill or special plates.  When in doubt, always ask.  When you have a good experience make sure to thank the staff and tip accordingly.  I am extremely loyal to restaurants where I have a good experience.

Branching Out at Gluten-Free Restaurants

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

I talked a little bit in my last post about loyalty to companies that do gluten-free well and have good business practices. Not only do I stick with companies that I know I can trust, but it seems that I stick with a certain food or menu item as well. With all of the restaurants out there now offering a wide variety of different gluten-free foods, I really need to branch out.

When I visit certain restaurants I tend to stick with the tried & true instead of trying something new.  I have been working to try & branch out lately at my favorite gluten-free dining establishments.  For example, when dining at Moe’s earlier this week I had a chicken & rice bowl, and the next time I was there, I had a salad topped with chicken and a multitude of other toppings.  When I went to Bonefish Grill, I had my Chilean Sea Bass “Lily Style”, which is the topping from Lily’s Chicken on the sea bass instead of the Chimichurri sauce that I always get.  The “Lily Style” includes spinach, garlic, artichoke hearts, and a lemon butter sauce.

One of the places that I have found it the hardest to branch out is P.F. Chang’s.  Though they probably have one of the largest gluten-free menus, I always end up getting the same exact thing – Singapore Street Noodles.  I should know from past experiences, it is rare that I will try something new & not like it, so why not give something new a try?  It isn’t like we gluten-free eaters don’t have choices these days, right?  I feel like it was just a few years ago that I was lucky to be able to get a plain salad, baked potato & dry piece of fish or chicken to eat out safely.

Last night we went to P.F. Chang’s and I did it – I branched out – I ordered the Steamed Salmon with Ginger and a side of Sugar Snap Peas with Garlic.  I can’t tell you how wonderful this meal was!  The salmon was so tender, perfectly cooked, and had an amazing flavor.  I would absolutely recommend this meal if you like to eat salmon.  To see the gluten-free menu, click here.  And, last, but not least, once you have eaten a healthy meal of salmon & veggies, splurge on the amazing Chocolate Dome!  I can’t get the pictures to upload from my phone right now, but I will share one with you from a few years back in 2008.  This shows how happy my son is that he can get a gluten-free dessert.

Do you have a habit of sticking with one dish when you dine out or do you branch out & try new things?

Moe’s Southwest Grill Gluten-Free Menu

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 6 Comments

“Welcome to Moe’s!” Those words were sweet music to my ears when I walked into the door. We don’t have Moe’s in Columbus, so when I visit my sister in Atlanta, there is at least one visit to Moe’s on the agenda. We do have Qdoba & Chipotle, but there is something about Moe’s that warms my heart (and it isn’t just the jalapeno peppers). First, let’s get to the details:

Official Website Menu Information: Moe’s Southwest Grill Gluten-Free Menu
Location Finder: Find a Moe’s Southwest Grill Location Near You

 

Moe’s Southwest Grill Gluten-Free Menu

Tortillas & Chips:

Be aware that they do use common fry oil for all of their fried items, so some cross-contamination may happen.

  • Fried Corn Chips
  • Crispy Corn Taco Shells

Proteins:

  • Chicken
  • Fish
  • Ground Beef
  • Steak
  • Tofu
  • Pork

Beans:

  • Black Beans
  • Pinto Beans

Toppings:

  • Black Olives
  • Cheese
  • Chipotle Ranch
  • Cucumbers
  • Guacamole
  • Jalapenos
  • Lettuce
  • Queso
  • Rice
  • Salsa, Kaiser, or El Guapo
  • Sour Cream
  • Southwest Vinaigrette
  • Fat-Free Salsa Vinaigrette
  • Veggies
  • Tomatillo Salsa
  • Pico De Gallo
  • Corn Pico De Gallo
  • Hard Rock N Roll Sauce
  • Baja Chicken Enchilada Soup

Moe’s Southwest Grill Review:

I love the menu & the names of the dishes! Some of the choices include Homewrecker, Art Vandelay, Close Talker, and Joey Bag of Donuts. I have had the Close Talker – lettuce, choice of meat, beans, shredded cheese, pico de gallo, cucumbers, black olives, and your choice of dressing -the Southwest Vinaigrette is awesome – and the Chicken Rice Bowl.

The entire menu, with the exception of the chips and tortillas, is gluten-free at Moe’s. Last year when I went to Moe’s, I brought in my own chips and the manager even gave me a basket to put them in. The ingredients are fresh & Moe’s never uses microwaves, MSG, freezers, animal fat, or lard. More about Moe’s and their mission:

The first Moe’s restaurant opened in Atlanta, GA on December 1, 2000, and offered burritos, tacos, quesadillas, nachos, salads and fajitas. Guests could choose from over 25 fresh ingredients including grilled chicken, steak or tofu. There were meals just for kids, beverages just for adults, and free chips and salsa for all guests to enjoy with every meal. To demonstrate their commitment to freshness, Moe’s has never used freezers, microwaves, animal fat, lard, or MSG. Over the years, Moe’s has added ground beef, pulled pork, bacon and Junior burritos to the menu and has featured popular limited time offers like the Chicken Club Quesadilla and Phil E. Burrito.

Food quality, safety and customer service are no joke, but aside from that, Moe’s tries not to take itself too seriously. For fun, the folks at Moe’s gave each menu item a unique name like The Funk Meister taco, Homewrecker burrito, Billy Barou nachos, to name a few, just to keep things interesting.

And the music at Moe’s is also a good conversation starter. If you listen closely to the tunes playing at any Moe’s restaurant, you’ll notice all of the songs are performed by dead musicians. Songs from Barry White, Johnny Cash, and most recently, Michael Jackson, have been added to the original play list to honor the sweet sounds of the artists who left us too soon.

Above all, the food tastes great. I wish there was one close to us, but the closest is almost 100 miles away. Do you have a Moe’s close to you?

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.