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Review: Gluten-Free Bisquick

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 50 Comments

Some of our readers might have been excited by the news in this post about the introduction of gluten-free Bisquick. I know I was as excited as anyone and I never even used regular Bisquick when I ate gluten. Finally, the new Betty Crocker mix arrived in my area. When I read the ingredients on the box of the much anticipated gluten-free Bisquick, I was somewhat disappointed. The first ingredient is rice flour and the second one is sugar. Generally speaking, something with a lot of rice flour doesn’t appeal that much to me. At least, it doesn’t when it comes to baking mixes. I decided that I’d just make biscuits with the new Bisquick because I could not imagine that pancakes made with it could compete with my three favorite pancake mixes.

The pancake mixes from Gluten-Free Naturals, Pamela’s Products and King Arthur Flour all make excellent pancakes. Even though all of those mixes contain rice flour, there are enough of other types of flours to counteract the negatives of rice flour. There is nothing wrong with rice flour, of course. I just personally tend to like things that are lighter on it than other flours. The Gluten-free Naturals mix contains soy flour which I think mimics gluten flour very well. Pamela’s mixes are heavy on almond flour. The King Arthur mix must contain enough tapioca starch and potato starch to keep the pancakes from tasting grainy or bland.

Even though I’d originally planned to wait and make biscuits with the new Bisquick, I decided that making pancakes with it was the most important test I could do with the new mix. The 16 oz. box sells for $4.19 at Publix in the Atlanta area. There are only about 2 ¾ cups of flour in the small pouch inside the box so it’s a fairly pricey mix. With two strikes against it (ingredients and price) I tried to be hopeful about how pancakes made with the gluten-free Bisquick would taste.

I mixed up the batter very quickly. You add an egg, some milk and some canola (or vegetable) oil to the flour and that’s it. The batter seemed thin but I wanted to follow the instructions to a ‘t’ so I did. The amount of batter the recipe on the box yields is supposed to make 10 pancakes. Apparently, I poured too much batter out for mine (it called for ¼ cup each), since I only got 7 pancakes out of it. As they cooked, bubbles formed just like with other pancakes. The pancakes turned golden brown and were easy to flip. They seemed a bit heavy on the spatula as I moved the cooked pancakes to our plates. I hoped I was imagining that part of the experiment.

Unfortunately, the pancakes were very heavy in terms of texture – unlike all the gluten-free pancakes we make with the brands noted above. They had a bit of a grainy taste as well. However, the worst part was the fact that they had a “skin “on them. My husband actually came up with that term. He said “I don’t remember the pancakes we usually eat having a thick skin like these do”. No, he wouldn’t because none of them have any type of  “skin”. I might be able to overlook that weird aspect of the pancakes if they tasted good. They were much too dense for pancakes and tasted rather bland. I was so disappointed in the taste and texture of the pancakes that I didn’t finish eating mine.

With any new product, there are usually some pros and cons. I listed what I thought those were regarding pancakes made with the long awaited gluten-free Bisquick from Betty Crocker (a General Mills company).

Bisquick Gluten-Free – the good and the bad (my personal opinion).

  • Pros: sold in mainstream grocery stores; easy to mix; manufactured in gluten-free facility; made by a respected mainstream (Big 5) food company.
  • Cons: grainy texture; thick “skin”; too heavy; not enough pancakes per batch of batter (only makes 10 if pancakes are quite small).

Ever since General Mills jumped on the gluten-free gravy train, I’ve tried to support their efforts in any way I could. I would like to do the same with this new mix. Even though I personally won’t be making pancakes with the gluten-free Bisquick again, I think everyone should absolutely buy the mix and decide for themselves if it’s for them or not. What one person likes has nothing to do with what others might like. It would be best for everyone to make their own mind up about this new mix. General Mills definitely deserves that much from our community.

Review: Gluten-Free Ice Cream Cones

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

Until I was diagnosed with celiac disease, I had no reason to purchase gluten-free ice cream cones – ever. If I felt like an ice cream cone, I went to the Buster’s around the corner and ordered frozen yogurt in a cone. After I went on the gluten-free diet, all of a sudden I had a great desire to find the best gluten-free ice cream cones available – if such a thing existed. In the past four years, I’ve tried around eight different gluten-free ice cream cones and more than half of them tasted like styrofoam to me. However, three of the items we’ve tried are not only good enough to buy again – you could even serve them to gluten eaters if need be. Yes – these are some pretty great ice cream cones indeed!

Last spring, I tried the waffle cones made by Barkat. They were pricey to say the least, and there is no free shipping from that online store. But oh – the cones were so worth the money! It was the first time I’d had a really great ice cream cone in over three years. As great as they were, the expense of ordering them online was not something I could repeat so I set out to find a decent ice cream cone that I could buy locally.

Finally, last summer, I found the Let’s Do Organics gluten-free cake cones at the store I shop at. Even though I don’t love cake cones in general, the $2.49 price tag was too good to pass up. I’m not sure if the cones I had were stale or what the problem was. The expiration date was over a year after I purchased them so I doubt that was the problem. However, they tasted as stale as they could be to me. I actually could not get over how bad the cones were. There went $2.49 down the drain. I found someone who wanted to try them so I gave the rest of the package to them. They thought they were fine.

Interestingly, I read a rave review of the waffle cones from Let’s Do gluten-free Sugar Cones (made by Let’s Do Organics) online. Let’s Do Organics is a line in the Edward & Sons company. To my surprise and delight, the sugar cones are absolutely delicious. The ingredients are pretty simple and include: potato starch, demerara sugar, tapioca starch, expeller-pressed palm oil, potato fiber, soy lecithin, cocoa powder, salt and xanthan gum. One cone has 50 calories and 1% of your RDA for fat. There are instructions on the box regarding “freshening up” the cones, should the cones lose their crispiness. The cones are made in Israel and are also Kosher.

Last but certainly not least are the Goldbaum’s gluten-free cake cones. Those are sold at Earthfare and so far I’ve not seen them in my area. That doesn’t mean they aren’t sold here, of course. The cones are the best cake cones I’ve ever had. Not the best gluten-free cake cones – the best cake cones, period. After all, I never liked gluten cake cones in the first place. The perfect light taste and crispy texture was a delightful surprise. The ingredients in the Goldbaum’s cones are quite similar to the Edward & Sons sugar cones. They are also made in Israel and also Kosher.

I wonder if one company is making all these great tasting cones and offering them for private label service. Whatever the case is, my gluten-free ice cream cone search is finally over. I invested about $9 in two boxes of cones (offering 24 cones total) this summer and now I have more than enough of them last through the summer. Luckily, my husband isn’t a cone fan so I don’t have to share them. He likes to eat a lot of ice cream at once and no cones are big enough for him. All the gluten-free cones I’ve tried are quite small, regardless of the brand, but Goldbaum’s has a waffle bowl and a jumbo waffle cone. Yes – my search for wonderful gluten-free ice creams cones if definitely over!

*If gluten-free ice creams sandwiches are something you miss, be sure and check out Kim’s post about those cool treats here!

Review: Gluten-Free and Dairy Free Creamer

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

Several weeks ago, I was contacted about reviewing a new non-dairy creamer. When my sample box arrived, I didn’t have a coffee maker because I’d thrown the old one out and not yet replaced it. I’m more of a hot tea drinker at home. We finally picked a new coffee maker over the fourth of July weekend so I was able to try the new soy based, gluten and dairy free creamer. I’ve got to say that it tastes pretty much like other powder creamers that contain dairy. I was impressed that it didn’t have a strange flavor or behave differently than dairy based dry creamers. It dissolved well and quickly, just like “normal” powder creamers do.

SoyGo is all natural, vegan and contains both fiber and protein. It’s diabetic friendly and has the pre-biotic inulin in it.  Each SoyGo box has 25 packets/servings in it and each has 10 calories. The fiber count is an impressive 2% of the RDA. That’s a lot of fiber for something that small, I think.  The convenient packets are easy to pack to use with your coffee at work. a day of shopping or for trips.

Excerpt from SoyGo website:

SavingOpusOne presents… SoyGo! For soy lovers and the health-minded on-the-go! It’s hard being on the road or simply out and about when you want that cup of coffee or tea and a soy creamer isn’t available. This is no longer the case. Our travel-size creamer is not only delicious and creamy, it’s also vegan, non-gmo, all-natural, lactose-free, gluten-free, and diabetic-friendly. Made with the finest, organically grown soy powder available, we’re sure that you’ll love it as much as we do. It also contains both protein and fiber in every serving. Just grab a packet and hit the road!

The way this product came to be is quite interesting. The manufacturer has a goal to help reduce animal suffering at factory farms.  We never thought much about where our food was coming from until I was diagnosed with celiac. Once we started reading labels and found out how many chemicals were in everyday foods, we were simply shocked. Eventually, we learned more about how a lot of meat products are produced and that led to us changing some of our meat purchases as well.

SoyGo creamer ingredients:

Soy Powder – All natural and 100% Organic and Non-Gmo* vegan, Sugar – Non-GMO*, 100% vegan (including manufacturing), Color Added – 100% Vegan, all natural whitener, Xanthan gum – All natural, vegan, Non GMO*,Inulin – All natural, vegan, Non-GMO*, Natural flavors(French Vanilla) – Organic, Non-GMO*, All natural, vegan, Natural Flavors (Non-dairy cream flavor), Vegan, All natural, non-GMO*, Dipotassium Phosphate – All natural, vegan, Lecithin – Vegan, all natural, Salt – 100% vegan

Some retail outlets have started carrying SoyGo, but if your store doesn’t have it yet, you can order it online. The 25 packet box is currently $5.99 plus $2 shipping (U.S.).

*Special thanks to SoyGo for my sample box of creamers!

Jason’s Deli Gluten-Free Menu

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

For anyone who is familiar with gluten-free bread, you know that Udi’s is one of the top bread out there. It is a bread that tastes great straight out of the package, no heating or toasting necessary. Once I discovered Udi’s it has been difficult to try other bread because I love how I can just make a sandwich as easily as I did before being gluten-free with equally, if not better, amazing results.

Official Website Menu Information: Jason’s Deli Gluten-Free Menu
Location Finder: Find a Jason’s Deli Location Near You

On July 6th, I decided I would give Jason’s Deli a try. Before I headed out, I checked their allergen list online to prepare myself for what I could and could not eat. Unfortunately, I decided to go at lunchtime so it was extremely busy.  I have not been to a Jason’s Deli for years, so I looked at the menu, and could clearly see where items were listed with a ‘g’ for gluten-free, however on their regular menu it didn’t mention anything about sandwiches being safe, just salads and some of their potatoes.  I know when I looked online it showed that their meats and cheeses were safe, but it was not reflected on the menu.  I asked the server at the counter and he wasn’t sure either and said if it is not listed with a ‘g’ it would not be safe.  I was so confused.  He said they had gluten-free bread, and I could see the Udi’s loaves behind the counter, but if it didn’t list which meats and cheeses were safe, what would I have on my sandwich bread?

I asked to talk to a manager, and he showed me a special gluten-free menu they had behind the counter. He explained how since they just started it the previous day they were still pretty new to it.  I suggested that they keep the gluten-free menu in front so people could see it, and he replied that they only had 4 so they would wait until someone asked to look at them. I went ahead and ordered a roasted turkey and cheddar sandwich with a side of potato salad for myself and a tuna salad sandwich with hummus and chips for my husband, both on gluten-free bread.

As I waited and watched the sandwich makers make sandwiches I had a sudden panic about cross-contamination. I quickly went up and asked the manager if they use new gloves and a separate surface when making gluten-free sandwiches. He told me, no, but they could.  This worried me. I told him that yes absolutely, I would like them to use new gloves and a separate surface and when my sandwich was complete he assured me that he helped make them and made sure they used a clean area.  Again, I can understand they are new to this, but I would have hoped the staff would have been well-trained before the introduction because cross-contamination would be extremely easy here.

I took the sandwiches and set off to enjoy my lunch poolside. The end result was fantastic.  The turkey sandwich was just like the deli sandwiches I enjoyed when living in NYC..massive! The tuna salad was delicious too, and usually, I am not a huge fan of potato salad, but this one has got to be my favorite, it was kind of like a mashed potato salad.  It was so nice to be able to eat a sandwich from a chain like every other person.

In the end, I had a very good experience and will go back again; however, I can see how the opportunity for cross-contamination would be great, and it is necessary to ask them to change gloves and use a separate, cleaned surface from the rest of their sandwiches. Hopefully, once they have been doing this for a while, they will know to do this on their own.  I would also suggest that they make the special gluten-free menu readily available and that they mark the finished sandwich on the outside of the wrapper as being gluten-free, perhaps with a sticker or even a big ‘G’ written on it.  This would avoid any confusion when next to gluten sandwiches, and give some piece of mind to the customer.

A big thank you goes out to Jason’s Deli for providing to the growing gluten-free population! You can check out our Jason’s Deli gluten-free options review here.

Jason’s Deli Gluten-Free Menu

Soups

  • Tomato Basil

Salads

  • Mesa Chicken Salad
  • The Big Chef (request gluten-free dressing)
  • Nutty Mixed-Up Salad (request gluten-free dressing)
  • Chicken Club Salad (request gluten-free dressing)

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.

Review: Gluten-Free Chips and Salsa

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

It’s pretty easy to find salsa and tortilla chips that are made without gluten-free ingredients. However, if you’re looking for either item with the words gluten-free on the label, you might pay a hefty price for them. Most tortilla chips are made from corn and are gluten-free, but many popular brands are not labeled as such. Some brands are made without gluten ingredients, though due to the manufacturing process, many companies won’t state the item is gluten-free. Many mainstream brands of salsas are gluten-free, but again, they are not all labeled that way.

Enter Drew’s Salsa and Green Mountain Gringo Tortilla Chips. While shopping at my local health food store recently, I found both items and noticed that both were labeled gluten-free. I’ve been using some of the gluten-free dressings from Drew’s for years, but they would not say their salsas were gluten-free when I inquired quite a while back. The Double Fire Roasted Salsa from Drew’s is not only gluten-free and delicious, it’s made with 100% organic ingredients.

Green Mountain Gringo chips are certified by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (a GIG program) and the bag bears the GFCO symbol. The chips have a wonderful rectangle shape, making them the perfect chip for salsas and dips. The taste of the chips is pretty much like most any really good corn chip. They have a great texture that offers a perfect crunch. I’m a salt addict and there is plenty of salt on these chips for me. People that don’t like salty chips would probably not enjoy these. Until I looked the website up, I had no idea the company also makes several salsas – and all of them are gluten-free as well.

From the Green Mountain Gringo website:

ALL OF OUR PRODUCTS ARE: All Natural, No Preservatives or artificial colors or flavors. gluten-free, Cholesterol Free, No GMO’s (Genetically modified produce).

The salsa from Drew’s contains organic tomatoes, peppers, onions, spices, cider vinegar, water, garlic, herbs, sea salt and black pepper. It’s all real food and all the flavors meld perfectly to offer the finest tasting salsa I’ve had from a jar. Because I don’t like any chunks of anything in my salsa, I actually use a small food processor to puree the whole jar so it’s just the way I like it when I have a hankering for chips and salsa. Most people would not consider the Drew’s salsa I bought to be “chunky”, but unless it’s pulverized, it’s chunky to me.

It’s not that difficult to make home made salsa and it would be rare to find a recipe for it that calls for gluten ingredients. If you need to make a lot of salsa for a party, it would be more cost effective to make it from scratch than to buy several jars of it. In our case, it’s very cost effective to buy ready made salsa because we don’t go through it that fast. It’s great to be able to find more and more gluten-free labeled items that don’t cost a fortune these days. Here’s to hoping this wonderful trend continues!