Review of Beanfields

Beanfields are a fun find to say the least. I have tried the Nacho and the Pico De Gallo chips (I found them at PCC). They were really light and crispy; much lighter than most chips.  I was surprised at how much they truly have a cheesy taste to them.  They are non-gmo, made in the USA and just down right delicious.  I am blanking on how much they cost, but they were a reasonable price for these sort of chips. They are gluten free, corn free and vegan. These chips have a fair amount of protein and fiber.  The bags were smaller than average, and they disappeared in record time.   I am dying to try the ranch chips, as I have missed Ranch Doritos immensely.   If you see these, grab a bag! Or you can buy the Nacho, Pico de Gallo, or Salt and Pepper chips at Amazon. 

Review of Follow Your Heart Dressings

Go Dairy Free has this great review of the Follow Your Heart Dressings here. It says that all of their dressings are gluten and dairy free. If that is true, I have been on a new mission. . . to find and try that Blue Cheese Dressing.  As you may know, Blue Cheese is usually grown on gluten bread so people who are very sensitive to gluten usually have a problem with blue cheese even if they don't have a problem with dairy. I have missed blue cheese dressing something fierce, so this is revolutionary! I found it the other day and took it home. I must say it does magically taste like blue cheese dressing. It's not quite as pungent, but I'm not sure that this is a bad thing.  In fact, I would say people that are on the fence about blue cheese dressing are more likely to enjoy it. My kids love it!

photo from Go Dairy Free

Here is their summary, but please go to their website to get the full review (see link above)

"We love the diversity in this line of vegan salad dressings - from oil-free Asian options to organic vinaigrettes to creamy dairy-free alternatives. We've just begun taste-testing and are already in awe of the spot on Bleu Cheese and indulgent Ranch. Both are a bit thicker than expected, but that just ups the value of each bottle!"- Go Dairy Free

I personally have had their Ginger Miso Dressing. It's great on a salad with spinach and green onions. I also used it on some chicken to give it a really nice asian flavor. You can also use it to make coleslaw have an asian twist. The only catch is it does contain soy. 

Follow Your Heart's Website says this about it: "Our Miso Ginger is a breathtaking blend of organic miso, candied ginger, rice wine vinegar, and toasted sesame oil. It adds an exotic twist to salads and goes perfectly on Asian-inspired foods! - See more at: http://followyourheart.com/products/organic-miso-ginger-2/#sthash.5iSiiHSA.dpuf"

Review of Thai Kitchen {Gluten Free} Instant Rice Noodle Soup

This very simple soup is becoming a favorite of mine. Some times you just want a little noodles and soup. I used to eat Ramen when I was a kid, more often than I'd like to admit!  I have missed those easy quick gluten-filled noodles. This has been my little alternative. It is gluten free and ready in 3 minutes.  You can cook it on the stove top or in the microwave. It comes with a seasoning packet and an oil packet. The noodles are really thin, unlike Ramen noodles. It does contain soy, which is something that I only eat occasionally.  The noodles are savory with a little sweetness. There is no meat, or veggies in the packet, but adding a little chicken, chopped spinach, frozen peas and carrots could turn this into a simple lunch. I would top it with chopped onions and cilantro. Ok. And maybe some sriracha to give it some kick! If you can have egg, some scrambled eggs would go nicely in this as well.

Review of Annie's Naturals Organic Papaya Poppy Seed Dressing

Annie's website describes this dressing as, "This unique version of poppy seed dressing with its innovative fruity-sweet flavor leaves the palate with hints of succulent papaya and onion. It’s a perfect match for green and fruit salads, as a marinade or sauce base for pork – even drizzled on ripe avocado!"

A reviewer had this to say about it: " It tastes a lot like Wendy's honey mustard sauce and it makes me really happy since I can't eat that now, being a vegan. It's soooooo good! Highly recommended."

My vote? It is creamy, sweet and totally delicious.  I love that is organic, has no artificial flavors or synthetic colors.  It is Gluten free and Vegan.  I will definitely be buying it again.

Review of Erewhon (Crispy Brown Rice) Rice Crispies

These rice crispies are a great gluten-free alternative. As silly as it may seem, traditional Rice Krispies are not gluten free unless the box specifically says so (for awhile they were making a gluten free variety). They usually add malt and malt contains the gluten protein. These are organic, low in sugar, low fat and just like rice krispies! I have even crushed them and used them in meatloaf. I  have also crushed them, seasoned them and used them to bread meat. My favorite thing to make with them is my gluten and dairy free recipe for Rice Crispy Treats. I love these and buy them at Amazon in bulk to save money. On my sidebar there is a link for these if you are interested. Check it out!

This is what Amazon says the manufacturer has to say about them. "Made from whole grains of organically grown brown rice, this delicious oven-toasted cereal stays crisp in milk. Sweetened only with organic brown rice syrup, Erewhon Gluten Free Crispy Brown Rice contains all natural and organic ingredients. With a taste designed to appeal to the whole family, each serving is gluten free, low in fat, and contains no cane sweeteners. Enjoy with fresh fruit or as a topping for yogurt! Erewhon Gluten Free Crispy Brown Rice is a natural way to start the day. Since 1966 the Erewhon name has stood for quality in natural foods. We always begin with the finest natural ingredients, and we never use artificial additives, flavors, colors, or preservatives in any of our products. You can trust the Erewhon name for exceptional quality and great taste in 100% natural foods. Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice cereal flavors include Original, No Salt Added, Gluten Free, and Mixed Berries.'

Review of {Gluten Free} Lee Kum Kee Siracha Sauce

I am a fan of spice and have been wanting to try Siracha Sauce, but wasn't sure if any of the ones I saw were gluten free until I found this one: Lee Kum Kee's Siracha Sauce.

Let's just say that I am a fan. It has become like a little kid's ketchup in my hands. I want it on anything that could almost be considered asian. In fact I put it on egg rolls, stir fries, rice, kale salads, you name it!  I think I even thought about putting some on my spaghetti. You do need to refrigerate it.  I only use a little bit as it is super spicy. Since I am the only one in my house that loves spice it could last me a year even at the rate that I am using it! If you love spice, give it a try!  It's like ketchup that seriously bites you back.

Review of Organic Gluten Free Bionaturae Pasta

One of my recent discoveries is this delicious pasta alternative.  As the label below shows you, it contains rice, potato and soy. So, if you can have those things you are in luck!  I like that it is organic and made in Italy. I was impressed with it.  I thought the texture was excellent for a gluten-free pasta, much closer to what wheat pasta is like. It was fairly forgiving like wheat pasta.  Perhaps my favorite thing about it is that you can get different shapes of pasta like elbows, linguine, penne, and Fussili.  It's not the least expensive gluten-free pasta out there, but if you like your pasta and have been disappointed with other ones, I think it is absolutely worth a try. It's one of the best I've had. 

Someone called Blue Doe on Amazon has this great tidbit to say about it, "This product is spendy but well worth it. Not gritty like some gluten-free pastas. I only cook it 7 minutes, stirring frequently and keeping the water boiling. This pasta does not expand like semolina pasta, you get a smaller portion for the same size serving of dry ordinary pasta."  

Review of Menchie's

I discovered Menchie's this last September. A friend was raving about it and we decided to go check it out. I felt silly that it had taken me so long to discover this place. For those of you that haven't been there, they have frozen yogurt machines that you can use to serve yourself. There are little cups available if you want to try a flavor. When you go to get your ice cream they have really large cups/dishes you can grab.  There are usually a couple of dairy free options. On the machine itself it says if it contains dairy. 

One word of caution, however, for my dairy free peeps. Sometimes when we go in they have coconut ice cream sharing a machine with a non-dairy ice cream. Each flavor has a spout and then there is one in the middle that swirls the two flavors together. Since coconut milk is often used to make dairy free ice cream, one time (in my preoccupation with getting an eager and demanding three year old the frozen yogurt) I missed that the one side of the same machine was a dairy coconut flavor, not dairy free. Fortunately,I figured it out before we ate it, but unfortunately it meant we had to chuck a lot of amazing ice cream.  So, if you go there for dairy free ice cream, pay special attention to the signs and make sure both in the same machine are dairy free.  

After you dish up the yogurt you can add candy,sprinkles, nuts, sauces or berries on top. My kids love this part. I stick with fresh berries, which is plenty fun. If you are super sensitive, this place may have enough cross contamination that you would have a problem. However, if you are dairy or lactose intolerant, and can handle a little cross contamination this place is a gem. My son is quite sensitive to dairy, but handles this just fine. When you get up to the counter they weigh your container and you pay based on the weight. The one we go to is always busting with people, even on a cold winter's day. I must say, I totally get it. Frozen yogurt with fun toppings is a huge hit for young and old alike!