Wegman's Recall: Purely Elizabeth Original Ancient Grain Granola

Wegman's supermarkets, regionally located in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, and Maryland, have issued a recall on a gluten free product.
Purely Elizabeth Original Ancient Grain Granola, with expiration date 4/2014, are being recalled. The product had higher than acceptable gluten levels.

If you cannot find the expiration date, look for lot code 3619.

Those of you who have purchased the item from other sources, make sure you check the expiration date, and lot code. Call the company if you have this specific item.

source: http://www.wivb.com/news/local/wegmans-recalls-granola-due-to-gluten

photo credit: http://www.vitacost.com/Images/Products/1000/Purely-Elizabeth/Purely-Elizabeth-Original-Ancient-Grain-Granola-Organic-855140002175.jpg

Gluten Free Halloween Candy

Halloween is a month away. If your child has been newly diagnosed with Celiac disease, you may be wondering what kind of candy is safe.
Here is a brief list of candy that is safe for your Celiac child:

• Hershey's Kisses
• M&Ms (except those that contain pretzels).
• 3 Musketeers
• Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (with the exception of the seasonal shaped cups).
• Snickers
• York Peppermint Patties.
• Endangered Species Chocolate
• Enjoy Life Chocolate Bars
• Baby Ruth
• Junior Mints
• Pop Rocks
• Mounds
• Starburst
• Tootsie Rolls
• Smarties (US made candy only)

Unfortunately, Candy Corn is not on the 'safe' list. While it does NOT contain gluten elements, it IS processed in a facility that also processes wheat. I'm just as sad as you are (candy corn was my favorite Halloween treat).
Always remember to check your child's candy loot when they get home from trick or treating. Make sure you tell your child not to eat their candy until after you've inspected it.

Source: http://gfreelife.com/2011/10/2012-gluten-free-halloween-candy-list/

photo credit: http://blog.scratchmenot.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/allergy-free-gluten-free-halloween-candy.jpg

I will be away from 9/26 to 9/30.

Hey everyone. I will not be blogging or doing food reviews from 9/26-9/30. I am getting another cortisone injection in my lower back tomorrow morning, and will be on painkillers for the majority of the weekend. I will be back on 9/30. If you have any questions about anything, you can email me. I will answer all questions first thing on Monday morning.

I hope everyone has a happy, healthy, and gluten free weekend! :-)

-Shauna

Email: shausil82@gmail.com

photo credit: http://s3.favim.com/orig/39/bed-cartoon-cute-drawing-iphone-Favim.com-322734.jpg

Food Review: Tastefully Simple's Gluten Free Fudgy Brownie Mix

Last night, I had the pleasure of testing a new product: Tastefully Simple's GF Fudgy Brownie Mix. I had heard about Tastefully Simple, and always wanted to try their items, but, since they didn't have a GF option at the time, I lost hope on that dream.
Recently, my boyfriend's mother gave us two mixes from Tastefully Simple: Fudgy Brownie Mix, and Beer Bread. Since I was craving brownies, we decided to prepare brownies.

After baking for 40 minutes, at 350 degrees, the brownies were ready to come out. We let them cool for a few minutes, and then we indulged in the brownies. The brownies were very moist, and delicious. They taste EXACTLY like regular brownies!

Some advice for those of you who are interested in trying this product:

1. Let it sit and cool for 10 to 15 minutes. If you cut into it any sooner, the pieces will not stay intact.We cut into it within 5-7 minutes of taking it out of the oven, and the pieces didn't stay intact.
2. Try this product at your own risk. While this product IS gluten free, it is NOT certified gluten free. They do state on the packaging that they routinely test their products to make sure that gluten levels are less than 20ppm. Also, this product is manufactured in a facility that also processes soy, eggs, wheat, tree nuts, fish, milk, and shellfish.

As you all know, I am a sensitive Celiac, and I haven't had any issues as of yet. I tested the product 12 hours ago, and I have no symptoms of being 'glutened.' As I stated above, try at your own risk. The product cannot be found in stores, but, I provided the link to the Tastefully Simple Website below.

I do thank Tastefully Simple for providing gluten free options. I've always wanted to try their products, and I am pleased with what I have tried so far. Thank you!

photo credit: TastefullySimpleTracy (http://tastefullysimpletracy.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/1097998_10151864914704923_1065319341_n.jpg )

If you are looking to order this product for yourself, go to the Tastefully Simple Website at:  http://www.tastefullysimple.com/shopourproducts/allproducts/glutenfreefudgybrowniemix753903.aspx

Food Review: Udi's GF Plain Bagels

This morning, I tried out Udi's GF Plain Bagels. With what I experienced with yesterday's pizza, I was not sure what to expect with Udi's Bagels.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that their bagels were pre-sliced. After my bagel was done browning in the toaster, I was happy to see how nicely it browned (I've noticed that a lot of gluten free breads do not brown well in toasters). I put my favorite flavor of jelly on the bagel, and took my first bite. The first bite had that crunch from being toasted. Inside, it was soft and chewy. The bagel is quite filling and it had filled me up quite nicely.

I really don't have anything negative to say about this product. I couldn't even tell that this product was gluten free. It has the softness and taste of a regular bagel.

I highly recommend this product, especially for fellow Celiacs that are craving a bagel. Top the bagel with your favorite jelly, pair it with a bowl of fruit, and enjoy a hot cup of coffee or tea.

You can find this product in the freezer section of the natural foods section. 







*If you are allergic to eggs, do not purchase this product.*

photo credit: http://ts4.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4755848499953839&pid=15.1

Food Review: Udi's Pepperoni Pizza

Udi's has been a go-to brand since my Celiac disease diagnosis in 2011.
Recently, I had tried out Udi's Gluten Free Pepperoni Pizza. I preheated the oven to 400 degrees, and baked the pizza for 12 minutes. After letting it cool for a few minutes, I cut the pizza in half and tasted it. Off the bat, I tasted the basil that had been sprinkled across the pizza. The pepperoni had a very nice kick to it. The sauce had a nice blend of spices in it.
However, I could not taste the mozzarella. It was lacking in flavor.
The thin pizza crust was crisp, which I really like in a pizza. However, the one thing that I did not like was the excessive amounts of flour underneath the pizza. I almost couldn't even taste the pizza crust because of the flour.

While there were a few things about the pizza that turned me off, I still found it to be a good meal. I like the serving size (1/2 pizza is a serving). It definitely fills you up quite nicely. Considering the serving size, the calorie intake isn't too bad. There is a good amount of protein and dietary fiber in this pizza.

A word of warning: This pizza does contain milk and eggs. If you are intolerant or allergic to those items, do not try this product. This pizza costs around $8 or $9, depending on where you shop. You can find this pizza in the natural foods section of your local supermarket.

Readers, this pizza is worth trying, especially for my fellow Celiacs that are craving pizza.

Bon Apetite!

 photo credit: http://img4-3.realsimple.timeinc.net/images/daily-finds/food/0412/gluten-free-pizza_300.jpg

Food Review: GoPicnic's Hummus and Crackers.

Those of you whom have shopped at Walgreens, Walmart, and Target, have probably seen the GoPicnic meals lining the shelves. Did you know that they are Gluten Free? Not to mention, they are also a protein-packed and filling lunch for those of us who are constantly on the go.

I have been a fan of GoPicnic for over a year now. When I first stumbled upon this product, there wasn't much of a variety of meals. My go-to meal was GoPicnic's Hummus and Crackers. This meal contains Crunchmaster's Multi-seed crackers, Wild Garden hummus dip, Sweet Perry Orchard's Baja Blend Fruit and Nut Mix, and Sweet Perry Orchard's Power Play Tasty Seed blend. If you think you may be missing dessert, think again. This meal comes with a Heavenly piece of sea salt chocolate.

Jam packed with fiber, protein and healthy fats, you can trust that you are being provided with a healthy lunch. No refrigeration is needed, so you can pack it away in your office drawer full of goodies. If you're in school, you can pack it in your backpack.

Besides the piece of chocolate, my favorite part of this meal is the Baja Blend. For less than $4, you can trust this meal to provide you with what you need, during your busy day. As I've mentioned before, as a sensitive Celiac, I am quite picky as to what I eat, but, I have never been 'glutened' from this meal. I highly recommend this meal to anyone with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

Product DOES contain soy, and has been processed in a facility that also processes peanuts and milk. If you're not a fan of hummus and crackers, check out any of GoPicnic's other gluten free products. You can find them at your local Walgreens, Target, and Walmart.

photo credit: http://a248.e.akamai.net/origin-cdn.volusion.com/buzes.flddv/v/vspfiles/photos/GoPicnic-Hummus-2T.jpg?1352398774