gluten-free expo product reviews.

You may remember, a few posts ago, when I talked about going to the Gluten Free Living Now EXPO in Carmel, Indiana. I was able to sample many delicious products and I came home with a boatload of delicious samples and tasty items. I'd like to take a few minutes and give you my reviews of what I consider to be the best products that were offered that day.

I do want to make plain that these companies did not ask me to review their products, and most of them had no idea I even wrote a blog (I did tell a couple). Therefore, they did not influence me in any way; I'm simply picking the items and products I personally liked. So, here you go, in no particular order:

Harvest Cafe Coffee Roasters, LLC

Yes, I know that coffee is normally gluten-free to start with. And, I also know that those of us with Celiac Disease probably shouldn't be drinking much coffee anyway, due to the tendency of the caffeine to speed up the digestive system. I've yet to really cut out coffee, but I have cut way back on my intake.

However, they sell more than just coffee; they have hot chocolate, flavored syrups, flavored teas, herbal tea, and decaf coffee, among other things. They roast the coffee on site in small batches to bring out the best flavor. You can go by the roastery and sample a cup for yourself; I tried the Black Magic blend at the Expo and it was to die for. They also have a full store on their website. Give them a call or stop in!

Deborah Kaye's Cookies

Okay...first of all, these are the biggest gluten-free cookies I have seen yet. Most gluten-free cookies are small, almost bite-sized, or just about the size of a vanilla wafer. These are huge; the cookie I have here is easily the size of a saucer, and the website says they are four to five inches in circumference.

The flavor I have is Oatmeal Chocolate Pecan, and let me tell you, it is absolutely delicious. It's not crunchy, it's not chewy; it's a nice mixture of the two, being a little crunchy around the edges and a little chewy in the middle. You could eat it all in one sitting, and it would be a great dessert; although it does say on the back that a serving is a half of a cookie, so you might want to take that into consideration.

At the Expo, I spoke with Deborah Kaye's husband at the booth, and he said that people sometimes crumbled the cookie onto some yogurt for a breakfast treat (which sounds like a good idea; the cookie is certainly more substantial than most gluten-free granolas I've tried).

The price is a little expensive; $24 for a box of twelve cookies, but you're getting twenty-four servings so it works out to a dollar a serving. If you eat a half a cookie a day, that's twenty-four days of delicious treats. You can buy online or purchase them at selected retailers. The cookies are made in a dedicated gluten-free kitchen using gluten-free ingredients, so you can be assured of a safe, quality treat.

Allergy Free Foods

One of the biggest problems I've found in eating gluten-free is finding delicious "convenience"-type foods, stuff like chicken nuggets and strips, things that make you feel like you're eating junky food that you can indulge in on a Friday night with a good movie. Most of the food I've tried in this vein haven't been that tasty. That all changed when I sampled the chicken tenderloins from Allergy Free Foods. It was all I could do to just take one sample! Juicy, tender, crispy on the outside and yummy chicken breast on the inside...it tasted just like I was eating deliciously decadent full-gluten chicken strips. All I needed was some ranch dipping sauce and I was set. I think my teenage daughter might even eat these of her own free will. Best of all, the foods offered eliminate the top nine allergens, so if you have allergen issues other than Celiac Disease, you're probably covered by these products.

From what I can tell on the website, you can only order from them in bulk, but they do have a store locator. I would email them and ask about the stores in your area, since I was given a handout at the expo with store locations that are not on the map. I would think that kids and teenagers would love these, since they could eat foods like their friends eat. You could probably serve these to a group of kids and they would never know the difference, they are that good.

Isabella's Best Baked Goods

The cookies I've been able to find at my local stores have been pretty meh, at best. However, at the expo, I was able to find several cookie companies with absolutely delicious cookies. Isabella's Best was, well, one of the best. I sampled the Chocolate Chip Cookies and they were to die for! Moist and tasty with just the right amount of chocolate chips. It's hard to believe that they are free of gluten, wheat, dairy, eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts. If you have kids with serious food allergies, these cookies are for you!

They are sold mainly in the Central Indiana area, but they are also sold at Dollywood, which I thought was pretty cool; it's hard to find gluten-free snacks when you're out and about.

Endangered Species Chocolate

Sure, that chocolate bar you picked up at the checkout counter doesn't say it has any glutenous ingredients in it, but do you really know if it is truly gluten-free? Well, these chocolates are certified gluten-free by the Gluten Free Certification Organization; they are also organic, kosher, and many of the dark chocolates are vegan (however, the chocolates are made on equipment shared by milk, peanuts, tree nuts, and soy) and their cocoa is ethically traded. Plus, ten percent of their net profits are given to organizations that support species, habitat, and humanity.

Along with chocolate bars and bites, they offer things like chocolate towers, seasonal goodies, event favors, and fancy fruits. There's something for everyone!

My current favorites? Organic Dark Chocolate Cherry (which helps koalas) and Organic Smooth Milk Chocolate (which helps lions). I really want to try the All-Natural Dark Chocolate With Espresso Beans (which helps tigers). You can order from the website or there is a store locator link.

Maplegrove Gluten Free Foods: pastariso Instant Rice Mac & Cheese Meal

This company had several items for sale, but they had samples of this product and once I tried it, I just had to have some. I love macaroni and cheese, and the little instant cups of that blue-and-yellow brand were so handy to keep around for "those" days. I truly have missed instamac, and with this product I can enjoy it again!

I know; you've probably tried other gluten-free box-o-mac varieties and they've all fallen short in some way. Take it from me, this will far exceed your expectations. It tastes just like mac-n-cheese in a cup should taste like; no funky colors, no weird taste, no strange smells, just delicious taste. Kids will love this stuff! Add water, zap it in the microwave for a few minutes, stir, and enjoy! They have both white and brown rice varieties available; I tried both and they were both scrumptious. You won't be sorry!

Mim's Kitchen

I went to two days of the Expo, and both days I just had to visit this booth. One taste of these warm, delicious, fresh-from-the-oven cookies, and my mouth was in heaven. Seriously, if someone didn't tell you that these cookies were gluten-free, you would never know.

For one thing, these are not pre-made cookies, but rather pre-formed frozen cookie dough that you bake up in your own oven. This makes the cookies fresh and delicious every time. Another thing is that many gluten-free cookies are small and crunchy, but these are big and chewy. Seriously, these are the size of a regular Toll House cookie, and that's a plus in my book.

You can buy these cookies online, or on the website is a link where you can find a store in your area that carries them. You will not be sorry if you splurge on these tasty treats. They are about ten dollars for twelve cookies, but that works out to less than a buck a cookie so you're good. Have any kid you know taste-test them and they will gobble them up!

riceworks

Sometimes, you want something crunchy and chippy and that tastes like it isn't good for you at all. Enter riceworks...the snack that tastes decadent but that really isn't. They are made with brown rice; they are a little thicker than, say, a Dorito, but I kinda like that. It gives these chips a hearty snap that will satisfy any crunch craving. They also pair well with your favorite dip or salsa, and with several flavors to choose from you can find whatever it is your need needs.

I personally tried the Parmesan & Sundried Tomato, the Salsa Fresca, and the Tangy BBQ; all of them are delicious. The guy at the sample table told me that the Parmesan tasted like a Cool Ranch Dorito. Not quite, but it was totally yummy all the same. Best of all, these are widely available and you can probably find them at your local grocery or big box store, which is great for those must-snack-now or emergency chip-n-dip tray moments.

Food Should Taste Good

I couldn't agree more. :)

Seriously, let's face it. There are many gluten-free foods which simply do not taste good. I have spit out some supposedly delicious gluten-free good, and trust me...I do not spit out food. But when you see a bag that literally spells out what everyone is thinking, you just gotta try it.

These foods do not disappoint. I received a few samples of the Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips and the Multigrain Tortilla Chips, and both of them held up well to the crunch test. Not only that, but they taste wonderful, and many varieties are available at your local grocery store. You could pair a variety of these on a tray with a variety of the riceworks Tortilla Chips, add a couple of Mexican-inspired dips and/or spreads, and you've got a great appetizer tray to sit out at your next gathering or to take to a party. Nobody will know these are gluten-free if you don't tell them! (So don't tell them!)



Okay, so in looking over this list, I realize that most of these selections are cookies or snack foods. There's a reason for that.

Think a minute; most foods, in their natural state, are gluten-free. Throwing together a gluten-free dinner really isn't that hard, if you think about it. A chicken breast, pork chop, steak, fresh fish filet...all gluten free. Throw some fresh veggies on the plate as a side; broccoli, green beans, a tasty salad, zucchini, asparagus, red or yellow or green or orange peppers...all gluten free. Even potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, any sort of beans, are all gluten free. Fruit is gluten free, too, for a sweet dessert. Butter and margarine and salt and pepper don't have gluten. Wash it all down with some milk, iced tea, or even water, and of course they are all free of gluten as well. As long as you prepare your food in a gluten-free manner, using dedicated utensils and pots and pans and a clean work surface, you're going to be safe.

The problem comes in when you want to add other foods to your diet; foods like cookies, chips, crackers, pasta, canned food, processed food, or any food with a breading. Yes, eating fresh fruits and veggies and lean, free-range meats are the best thing for you, there's no argument there. However, sometimes you just gotta have something that reminds you of fast food, junk food, or just plain not-quite-good-for-you food. When everyone else is chowing down on fried chicken strips, the last thing you want to have is a plain piece of chicken. It's probably better for you, but come on. You know what I mean.

I personally think it's okay to splurge every now and then, as long as it's a gluten-free splurge, and as long as it isn't every day. If you don't give in to your cravings every so often, you're much more likely to binge on food that you shouldn't be eating at all, quite possibly including glutenous foods. You do have to watch preparation, and read labels very carefully even on foods you know are safe to start with, but sometimes you simply have to find gluten-free substitutes to your favorite glutenous foods.

And, honestly, they didn't have any sort of fresh fruits or veggies offered at the Expo. :)

So, there you have it. If you do visit any of these retailers in any form, please tell them you read their review on Fun With Celiac Disease. Just remember...we're all in this together!