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Review: Tito’s Handmade Vodka

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

When it comes to mixed drinks, I prefer a vodka cranberry or vodka and 7-Up. My vodka of choice in the past was Stoli’s, but I recently had the opportunity to sample Tito’s Handmade Vodka.

Tito’s Handmade Vodka is made right here in the US, in Austin, Texas. More about Tito’s:

Tito’s Handmade Vodka is produced in Austin at Texas’ first and oldest legal distillery. It’s made in small batches in an old fashioned pot still by Tito Beveridge (actual name), a 50-something geologist, and distilled six times. Tito’s Handmade Vodka is designed to be savored by spirit connoisseurs and everyday drinkers alike. It is microdistilled in an old-fashioned pot still, just like fine single malt scotches and high-end French cognacs. This time-honored method of distillation requires more skill and effort than modern column stills, but it’s well worth it.

It is heralded by the country’s top bartenders and mixologists as one of the smoothest expressions of the spirit, and Wine Enthusiast awarded it a score of 95 Points — higher than Ketel One, Absolut, Belvedere, and Grey Goose.

Tito’s is made from 100% corn mash, so it is naturally gluten-free, which makes this girl very happy! I always store my vodka in the freezer, so I popped my bottle of Tito’s Homemade in the freezer the day I received it. I decided last night to have a vodka 7-Up while making dinner.

This drink really hit the spot! So smooth! The only thing missing was a lime! How could I have forgotten to get a lime?

Tito’s Handmade Vodka can be found in select stores across the US. Check Tito’s website to find the location closest to you, as they may vary based on state laws.

Have you tried Tito’s Handmade Vodka? What do you think?

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

Review: Hungry Jack Gluten-Free Funfetti Pancakes

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

I believe it was only last week when I heard about Hungry Jack’s new gluten-free pancake mix. I knew right away that my son would be thrilled, as pancakes are one of his favorite foods and they are easy for him to make. He has really broadened his horizons over the past few months in terms of his cooking skills. I checked our local Meijer grocery store when I was there on Tuesday and was surprised to see they already had the new product on their shelves.

IMG 5460

The mix makes approximately 11 servings according to the box.

Ingredients: RICE FLOUR, SUGAR, DEXTROSE, LEAVENING (BAKING SODA, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM ALUMINUM PHOSPHATE), CANDY BITS (SUGAR, VEGETABLE OIL [PALM AND PALM KERNEL], MODIFIED CORN STARCH, CONFECTIONER’S GLAZE, SOY LECITHIN, COLORED WITH [YELLOW 5, RED 40, BLUE 1, YELLOW 6]), POTATO STARCH, PEA FIBER, BUTTERMILK, TAPIOCA STARCH, CANOLA OIL, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: SALT, POTASSIUM BICARBONATE, HYDROXYPROPYL METHYLCELLULOSE, XANTHAN GUM, CALCIUM CARBONATE, EGGS, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, CELLULOSE GUM, YELLOW 5, RED 40. Contains: Egg, Milk, Soy.

The box has instructions to make 6-8 pancakes, 12-16 pancakes, or 18-22 pancakes. Simply add water to the corresponding amount of pancake mix and you are in business. My son likes large pancakes, so while he chose the smallest portion to make, it made less than 6 pancakes. I believe he ended up with 2-3 large pancakes.

He declared these his new favorite pancakes and something he plans on making for breakfast a lot next year when he is living on his own.

Look for the new Hungry Jack gluten-free Funfetti Pancakes in your local grocery stores. Check the store locator on the Hungry Jack website for more information. Have you spotted or tried the new Hungry Jack gluten-free Funfetti Pancakes? If so, what did you think?

Gluten-Free Snack Options at CVS

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CVS has a brand named “Gold Emblem Abound” that offers affordable healthier snack options. It is nice to see that there are more than just junk food options available there, as I know I have fallen into that trap when I just run in to pick up a prescription. Not all of those products in the line are gluten-free, but there are several in the line-up that is. We received four different products from the line to sample and review.

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  • Barbecue Flavored Rice Crisps
  • Sea Salt Flavored Baked Rice Thins
  • Lime & Black Pepper Flavored Rice Thins
  • Cranberry Almond Rice Pop Clusters

In addition to being certified gluten-free, these products are also low in cholesterol or cholesterol free and low in saturated fat or low sodium. While each and every one of the products are tasty, the Cranberry Almond Rice Pop Clusters are my favorite. Look for Gold Emblem Abound products in CVS stores across the US. You can find a coupon for $1.00 off here.

Have you tried any of the Gold Emblem Abound Products? If so, which ones? What did you think? I love that there are options like this available.

*These products were sent to me free of charge for review purposes. The thoughts and opinions here are mine and have not been influenced by anyone or anything.

Culver’s Gluten-Free Menu

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

Culver’s is jumping on the gluten-free bandwagon by beginning to offer a gluten-free bun option. By offering gluten-free buns, gluten-free customers will now be able to enjoy ButterBurgers and Grilled Chicken Sandwiches. With this news, we decided to do some digging into what gluten-free options are available at Culver’s restaurants.

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

Culver’s is jumping on the gluten-free bandwagon by beginning to offer a gluten-free bun option. By offering gluten-free buns, gluten-free customers will now be able to enjoy ButterBurgers and Grilled Chicken Sandwiches. The ButterBurgers and Grilled Chicken Sandwiches will come unassembled with a warmed, wrapped gluten-free bun to minimize the risk of cross-contamination. More about the new offerings:

 “Our mission is that each guest who chooses Culver’s leaves happy. When some of our guests shared that they were unable to enjoy our signature ButterBurger because of gluten allergies, we had a responsibility to respond,” says CEO and co-founder Craig Culver. “This option makes it possible for all guests to savor a delicious burger.”

I was excited when I first received the email with this news but was curious about the fries. Would the fries be gluten-free (fried in a dedicated fryer)? I sent an email and received this response:

Thanks so much for reaching out. I would be happy to help with your questions!
Prior to introducing the gluten-free bun in Culver’s restaurants, a regional system wide training was held to educate managers/owners about the product and how to manage it. The gluten-free bun is served to the guest in a sealed bag to avoid cross–contact from other gluten products in the restaurant.

The Crinkle Cut Fries do not contain gluten, however there is a risk of cross-contact with gluten in the fryers. We recommend guests concerned about cross-contact avoid all items cooked in the fryer. Culver’s restaurants are not gluten-free environments and cross-contact with other food items that contain gluten is possible. We cannot ensure any of our menu items (except the gluten-free bun in the sealed package) are gluten-free.

After browsing Culver’s gluten-free menu, I was pleased to see that in addition to fries there are a number of other food items that don’t contain gluten:

Culver’s Gluten-Free Menu

Butterburgers:

  • Rotella’s Gluten-Free Bun – Culvers will give you a packaged (sealed) Rotella’s bun that is warmed up and your burger ingredients are separated in another box. This will minimize the risk of cross-contamination.

Sides:

  • Coleslaw
  • Crinkle Cut Fries
  • Steamed Broccoli

Salads:

  • Chicken Cashew Salad with Grilled Chicken
  • Cranberry Bacon Bleu Salad with Grilled Chicken

Soups:

  • Broccoli Cheese Soup
  • George’s Chili
  • Georges Chili Supreme

Concrete Mixers:

  • Chocolate Concrete Mixer (with Reeses)
  • Salted Caramel Concrete Mix (with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups)
  • Vanilla Concrete Mixer (with Butterfinger)
  • Vanilla Concrete Mixer (with Heath English Toffee Bars)
  • Vanilla Concrete Mixer (with Reeses)

Cones:

  • Chocolate Dish
  • Vanilla Dish

Sundaes:

  • Banana Split
  • Caramel Cashew Sundae
  • Turtle Sundaes

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: Trader Joe’s Chocolate Chip Brownie Mix

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

We are huge brownie connoisseurs in this house…so much so that I am not sure we have ever met a brownie we didn’t like. I found Trader Joe’s gluten-free Chocolate Chip Brownie Mix on my last trip to Trader Joe’s and I didn’t think twice about picking it up to give it a try. Brownies can have a cake-like texture or a more dense, fudgy texture. Personally, I am “team fudgy”…the more dense and fudgy, the better.

One of the best things about this mix is how easy it is to prepare. It took me less than 5 minutes and didn’t require more than a bowl, a couple of measuring cups, and a spoon/spatula to mix the ingredients. Once mixed, I spooned the batter into an 8-inch x 8-inch baking pan and then baked it according to the instructions on the box.

IMG 4765The brownies took a little longer than the package directions specified, but that may be due in part to our new oven and my not being familiar with it. The hardest part was waiting for them to cool, but they were well worth the wait. Each bite was full of intense, chocolate flavor and they were a nice cross between a cake-like and fudgy texture. The kids thoroughly enjoyed them and asked for a repeat performance. Soon.

As you can see above, the mix does contain soy and may contain traces of milk and egg.

Do you have a favorite gluten-free brownie mix or recipe? Are you “Team Cakey” or Team Fudgy”?