Glutino's Pretzel Twists

Brand: Glutino

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Product Name: Pretzel Twists

Location/Cost Info: Glutino's website




Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
Pretzels were up on my list with beer and pizza as things that I would miss if I were GF. Having crossed off the last two, I was pleased to find these pretzels from Glutino. Crunchy and salty, just like a pretzel should be. And you could feed them to anyone and they'd never realize there wasn't any gluten in them.

Z's Review: * * * *
I find Glutino to be a very inconsistent brand. Some of their stuff is really bad and some of their stuff, like these pretzels, are actually really good. These pretzels are salty and crunchy and really quite enjoyable. They taste a little bit buttery, but all in all a nice replacement for regular pretzels.

Orgran's Garlic & Parsley Rice Pasta

Brand: Orgran

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Product Name: Garlic & Parsley Rice Pasta

Location Purchased: Whole Foods

Cost: $3.99

Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
More aesthetically pleasing than anything else, these shells made a good impression when plated. They were pretty close to regular pasta in terms of texture and flavor as well.

Z's Review: * * * *
I quite enjoyed these medium-sized pasta shells. The texture was pretty close to regular pasta and they had a really good consistency. They didn't get mushy and they didn't fall apart. I have to admit that I didn't really taste the garlic or parsley in them, but it did make them attractively speckled with green. I would certainly use this pasta again.

Boulder Soup Works' Red Lentil Dahl

Brand: Boulder Soup Works

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Product Name: Red Lentil Dahl

Location Purchased: Whole Foods

Cost: $7.99


Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
This soup is called Red Lentil Dahl, but it's really yellow. However, it is tasty and satisfying. I had it for lunch and wished there had been more!

Z's Review: * * * *
I was offered a sample of this soup at Whole Foods and I enjoyed it so much I immediately bought it for dinner that night! Not only is this soup gluten-free, it is also vegan and dairy-free. But it certainly isn't taste-free - it's delicious! The lentils make a nice thick soup and the curry gives it just enough spice to make it really satisfying. On their website, Boulder Soup Works suggests having this soup over rice - which I think is what I will try next time!

SIDE NOTE: Boulder Soup Works soup can be purchased at seven Whole Foods locations near Boulder, Oliv You & Me in Boulder, and at the Boulder Farmer's Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If you live near Boulder, this soup is a great way to eat gluten-free and buy local. I'm looking forward to trying their other soups soon!

Amy's Tortilla Casserole & Black Bean Bowl

Brand: Amy's

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Product Name: Tortilla Casserole & Black Bean Bowl

Location Purchased: Safeway

Cost: $4.49


Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
Very nice...a tasty pile of food. Surprisingly tasty for something frozen and microwaved. I think beans are wonderful to eat pretty much all the time and the sauce on the casserole was just spicy enough to be fun.

Z's Review: * * * *
The tortilla casserole is a bit mushy, and I'm not exactly sure what is in it, but it tasted pretty good. The black beans with a little bit of cheese on top were delicious. The whole meal also smelled pretty good too. All in all, a pretty good quick meal.

Mi-Del's Cinnamon Snaps

Brand: Mi-Del

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Product Name: Cinnamon Snaps

Location/Cost Info: Mi-Del's website




Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
These make really good little s'mores, if you can't have regular graham crackers. Crunchy and bite-sized, you could eat these by the handful and enjoy every second.

Z's Review: * * * *
I found these cookies when I was on a quest for gluten-free graham crackers to take camping. I didn't find any graham crackers, so I bought these cookies as a replacement for making gluten-free s'mores. I figured graham crackers are sometimes cinnamon flavored, so I thought these would be close. Although they are smaller than the half graham cracker used for the average s'more, they tasted great! An excellent option for a gluten-free s'mores substitute. Because what's camping without s'mores? (NOTE: Make sure your marshmallows are gluten-free too!)

RESTAURANT: Coney Island Boardwalk

A&Z

at
Coney
Island

Restaurant: Coney Island Boardwalk

Location: Bailey, CO - 10 Old Stage Coach Road - (303) 838 - 4210
Full-scre
Gluten-Free Options: While there aren't that many gluten-free options, this place is pretty conscious of gluten-allergies for a hot dog stand!

Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *

Hidden back in the mountains near Bailey, CO, perched on the banks of the north fork of the South Platte River, is Coney Island. Ginormous hot dogs, piping hot burgers, and ice cream to top it all off. When Z asked if she could get her burger without a bun, they asked if it was preference or for an allergy. Z told them allergy and they sprang into action. They make everything fresh to order and while the chili on my footlong chilidog wasn't the best I've ever had, it was really really good. Definitely a good place to stop on the way to anywhere else on US 285.

Z's Review: * * * *
We usually review restaurants in the Boulder/Denver area, so Coney Island Boardwalk is a little bit outside our usual range. However, it's a giant hotdog in the middle of the Rockies! How can you not stop!! While gluten-free options at Coney Island are basically limited to burgers and hot dogs without the bun, the staff was actually pretty knowledgable. When I ordered my burger sans bun they immediately asked "is that a preference or an allergy?" When I told them it was an allergy they changed their gloves and attempted to limit cross-contamination. The burger was also quite tasty and the atmosphere was fun! Made for an enjoyable stop on our road trip.

Thai Kitchen's Spring Onion Rice Noodle Bowl

Brand: Thai Kitchen

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Product Name: Spring Onion Rice Noodle Bowl

Location Purchased: Sunflower Farmer's Market

Cost: $1.69

Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
Spicy and very satisfying. I really liked the texture of the rice noodles. It was a nice change from the usual ramen texture.

Z's Review: * * * *
This "cup of soup" was a little bit spicy and actually pretty satisfying. It came with a little package of red oil, so you could always add less if you wanted it to be less spicy. I really enjoyed this as a quick, gluten-free lunch.

Enjoy Life's Cinnamon Crunch Granola

Brand: Enjoy Life

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Product Name: Cinnamon Crunch Granola

Location/Cost Info: Enjoy Life's website


Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *

Crunchy with just the right amount of cinnamon kick. Z and I are planning to use this as topping for the next GF apple pie we make...I can't wait. Must go bake now.

Z's Review: * * * *
You can smell the cinnamon in this granola the moment you open the bag, so I was a little bit concerned that the cinnamon flavor would be a bit overpowering. But, luckily, it isn't. The cinnamon flavor is actually pretty mild and it pairs really nicely with the sweet raisins. Like the cranapple crunch granola, this is a little on the small side to eat as a trail-mix style snack, but it would be great poured over yogurt and eaten with a spoon. This would probably even be good as an ice cream or apple crisp topping! In addition to being gluten-free, this product is also "allergy friendly" - free of the 8 common allergens: wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish, and shellfish.

Enjoy Life's Cranapple Crunch Granola

Brand: Enjoy Life

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Product Name: Cranapple Crunch Granola

Location/Cost Info: Enjoy Life's website


Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *

Crunchy and just a little bit chewy, this would be good over yogurt or in trail mix, but is a bit dry by itself.

Z's Review: * * * *
Some gluten-free products that we have tried have been labeled "granola" but really look nothing like you expect granola to look. This one looks just like regular granola. Paired with tiny bits of dried apple and dried cranberries, this granola really is a satisfying cranapple crunch. The apple flavor is actually pretty strong, despite the pieces being so small. Also, the pieces are perhaps a little bit too small to serve as a trail mix style snack, but this would be really great over plain yogurt. In addition to being gluten-free, this product is also "allergy friendly" - free of the 8 common allergens: wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish, and shellfish.

Trader Joe's Gluten Free Ginger Snaps

Brand: Trader Joe's

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Product Name: Gluten Free Ginger Snaps

Location/Cost Info: Trader Joe's website (why oh why isn't there a Trader Joe's in Colorado?!?)


Note: This product was part of Z's Blind Ginger Cookie Taste Test! See the results!

Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
These are crunchy and don't have a lot of ginger flavor, but they still ended up being my favorite of the bunch. Satisfying.

Z's Review: * * * *
This cookies are crispy and crunchy, but luckily not too hard. I think they have sort of a brown sugar flavor so they are not too gingery, though there is a gingery aftertaste. All in all a satisfying ginger cookie.

Trader Joe's Cranberry Maple Nut Granola

Brand: Trader Joe's

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Product Name: Cranberry Maple Nut Granola

Location/Cost Info: Trader Joe's website (why oh why isn't there a Trader Joe's in Colorado?!?)



Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
Crunchy and just slightly sweet. We had it on plain yogurt, which was a very nice companion. This is a great option if you are GF because you'd never even notice that it is different.

Z's Review: * * * *
"Cranberry" is the first word in the name of this product, but I didn't actually get any cranberries the first time I poured this granola over yogurt. So I think: more cranberries! Aside from the lack of cranberries, because it doesn't use wheat and oats, the texture and feel of this granola is pretty different from "ordinary" granola. But it is crunchy, a little bit sweet, and added great flavor to my plain yogurt. I certainly enjoyed it.

Amy's Indian Palak Paneer

Brand: Amy's

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Product Name: Indian Palak Paneer

Location Purchased: King Sooper's

Cost: $4.49



Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
This is similar to the Paneer Tikka dish but this one has spinach. It started off good and added one of my favorite vegetables, making it even better. Again, I was left wishing I had more.

Z's Review: * * * *
The box says: "creamed spinach & cheese with rice & rajmah dal; made with organic spinach, rice, and beans." So far this has been my second favorite Amy's Indian meal (with Paneer Tikka as my favorite!). I've learned to love paneer (the Indian cheese), so the spinach and paneer part was really tasty. These Indian meals always have good rice too. I never had kidney beans with Indian food before, so I did think that was a little bit odd, but they were really tasty also! All in all, a good, quick lunch!

Amy's Indian Mattar Paneer

Brand: Amy's

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Product Name: Indian Mattar Paneer

Location Purchased: Safeway

Cost: $4.49



Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
Peas are not one of my favorite vegetables, so I was unsure how I would like this dish. I bear them no ill will; I just wouldn't choose to construct a dish around them. I was pleasantly surprised though. The combination of the peas, garbanzo beans, rice, curry, and paneer was very satisfying and I was scraping the dish wondering where it all went before I realized that I ate it all up. My one request would be for more paneer, because that it just damn good cheese

Z's Review: * * * *
The description on the box is "curried peas & cheese with rice & chana masala, made with organic rice, tomatoes, & peas." This made a very tasty lunch, though I have to admit that I have enjoyed some of Amy's other frozen Indian meals more. (Check back soon for those other reviews!) I also wish there had been more paneer in it because that cheese is absolutely delicious! But the peas and chickpeas were enjoyable too.

SIDE NOTE: Some of Amy's products are labeled "gluten free." But others, like this one, are labeled "no gluten ingredients." I thought this was a little bit confusing, so I emailed Amy's to request clarification of the difference was between the two labels. This is what they said:

There is actually no difference between "gluten free" and "no gluten ingredients". Both are appropriate for folks who cannot tolerant gluten.

Our gluten free products contain only the ingredients listed in the ingredient statement. There are no hidden, unlabeled ingredients. We understand that it is critical that these products be free of gluten and we take this very seriously.

A wide range of activities and cross-checks are completed to ensure that cross-contamination and/or inadvertent use of the wrong ingredient does not occur.

Best regards,
Carol Tamagni
Consumer Relations

EnviroKidz Gorilla Munch Cereal

Brand: EnviroKidz by Nature's Path

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Product Name: Gorilla Munch Cereal

Location/Cost Info: Nature's Path website


Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
Just like small, crunchy Kix. So...if you like Kix, I think you will like these.

Z's Review: * * * *
I have to admit that this cereal is a tiny bit too sweet for my taste. But, after all, it is marketed towards kids! And I do think kids would really love this cereal. It reminds me of Kix, only this version is organic, gluten-free, and part of the proceeds go to wildlife conservation! This cereal tastes good with milk (it doesn't get soggy too fast!), but I think kids would also like it as a dry snack.

Arrowhead Mills' Organic Crunchy Valencia Peanut Butter

Brand: Arrowhead Mills

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Product Name: Organic Crunchy Valencia Peanut Butter

Location Purchased: King Soopers

Cost: $5.79 for 16 oz.

Total From A to Z: 4.5 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
I don't have a lot to say about this peanut butter. It's just good. Nice on celery, even better on graham crackers.

Z's Review: * * * * *
I think most peanut butters are gluten-free, but this one was specially marked on the jar so I thought it was worth reviewing because it is delicious! It's great to put in recipes or eat alone - I used it in GFE's flourless peanut butter cookies and also ate it on celery sticks. It can be a little bit soft and oily when you first open it, but it gets much more usable after it's been in the fridge for a little bit. It's organic and delicious with a little bit of crunch. Yum!

RECIPE: GFE's Baked Potato Soup

Source: GFE - Gluten Free Easily

Original Recipe: Baked Potato Soup

Recipe Review by Z: This recipe comes from a gluten-free blog that I love: Gluten Free Easily. GFE focuses on how eating gluten-free can be easy by focusing on "real" foods. I chose this recipe because of its simplicity and because it looked like it would make a good, hearty soup! It was really simple to make. For GF flour, I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour. I also added quite a bit of black pepper. I served the soup with shredded cheese and crumbled bacon on top. Next time I think I'll add some chives for a little extra crunch and color!

Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *

Thick and very satisfying. A hearty meal, rich and wonderful. It could have been a little bit thinner, but it was not bad at all. Good with usual baked potato toppings or just by itself.

Z's Review: * * * *
This was a really hearty baked potato soup and it was ridiculously easy to make! It uses ingredients that you might have around your house already and it doesn't take much tending. And one bowl of this soup - with a little bit of shredded cheese and crumbled bacon - was more than enough to fill me up for dinner! My only complaint was that it might have turned out a tiny bit too thick. The leftovers in my fridge look more like mashed potatoes than soup! Maybe I need to make an altitude adjustment and add a little bit more chicken broth next time? But this soup was so yummy that I'm certain there will be a next time!

Starfish's Crispy Battered Haddock

Brand: Starfish

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Product Name: Crispy Battered Haddock

Location Purchased: Whole Foods

Cost: $8.99 for 10 oz


Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
This reminded me of fishsticks like my mom used to make back in the day before my brother and I were allowed to use the oven ourselves. It uses the same breading as the other Starfish offerings. A bit chewy but still very good.

Z's Review: * * * *
This gluten-free crispy battered haddock tasted a little more "fishy" than the halibut, but not necessarily in a bad way. The texture of the fish was also a little harder and less flaky than the halibut. However, the batter was still delicious and crispy right out of the oven. It was also nut free, soy free, milk free, and egg free. I also thought, for some reason, that the haddock browned a little bit better than the halibut, though I don't know why. I think the haddock make a nice, less expensive version of the fish and chips if you don't want to go for the halibut.

~~~
Guest Reviews!
We shared this meal with friends and thought we'd share their feedback with you too!

Our Friend RK's Review: * * *
This fish was tougher (i.e. less easy to cut with a fork) than the halibut. But it had the same nice, light breading. Not bad at all for a cheaper option than the halibut.

Our Friend BM's Review: * * * *
This was crispy but had more of a fish stick flavor. Still better than plain "store bought" fish sticks, though.

365 Everyday Value's Gluten Free Pancake & Waffle Mix

Brand: 365 Everyday Value

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Product Name: Gluten Free Pancake & Waffle Mix

Location Purchased: Whole Foods

Cost: $3.69 for 16 oz.

Note: This product was part of Z's Blind Pancake Taste Test! See the Results!

Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
This mix was also very close to real pancakes. Very nice.

Z's Review: * * * *
I actually had a hard time deciding between this one and Gluten-Free Pantry's pancake. Although this mix made a thinner batter than Gluten-Free Pantry, in the end I decided that this pancake was a bit too bread-like. However, it did brown nicely and the flavor was really good. So it is certainly a good option for a gluten-free pancake.

Ancient Harvest's Traditional Quinoa

Brand: Ancient Harvest Quinoa Corporation

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Product Name: Traditional Quinoa

Location Purchased: King Soopers

Cost: $6.29 for 12 oz box

Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *
Quinoa by itself is rather plain with a slight crunch and a subtle nutty flavor, but it can be an excellent compliment to other foods. This time, we had it with grilled salmon and asparagus and getting a bite with all three flavors together was really tasty. Making it with chicken broth adds just a hint of flavor.

Z's Review: * * * *
This traditional quinoa wasn't as nutty and flavorful as the Inca Red quinoa. It was a much more basic flavor that I think would go well as a side dish with a variety of dinners. It was light and fresh and healthy-tasting. And the leftovers reheated nicely for dinner the next day!

Pamela's Products' Chocolate Cake Mix

Brand: Pamela's Products

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Product Name: Chocolate Cake Mix

Location/Cost Info: Pamela's website




Total From A to Z: 4 Stars

A's Review: * * * *

Good cupcakes. Pamela seems to have a good handle on baked goods. These were moist and chewy, just like non-GF cupcakes. Chocolatey delicious!

Z's Review: * * * *
I used this mix to make cupcakes. The cupcakes turned out fluffy and chocolaty and quite enjoyable. They also lasted well over a couple of days.