Going Gluten-Free can be Healthy and Delicious
About a year ago, I discovered my youngest son was allergic to wheat, and I have been on a journey ever since to learn how to cook and bake gluten-free. At first, I was at a complete loss, especially when it came to baking as I was completely unfamiliar with gluten-free flours and gluten-free products. After a lot of experimentation, with some incredibly successful results as well as my share of failures, I feel as if I finally have enough gluten-free recipes under my belt that I can turn to if I want to make cakes, muffins or cookies. I don’t do a lot of baking, but at least I feel confident enough to make one of these treats if my son asks.
There are times, however, when I don’t have the time to bake. Also, when we travel, I pack a whole suitcase full of gluten-free bread, bagels, cereal and snacks since I never know what will be available nearby, and it’s nice to know there are some good gluten-free products that make my life easier. After our first disastrous trip with my son after we found out about his food allergies, I learned my lesson – always be prepared with a gluten-free hamburger bun in your purse. Whether you’re on a road trip or on a plane, this hamburger bun will save you a lot of stress, trust me.
Today, I’d like to share some of my son’s favorite gluten-free products, including some prepared goods (all minimally processed, without preservatives and mostly healthy) that have bailed me out in a pinch. My son has eaten all of these gluten-free products over this past year with good success. When I bake, I like to use a variety of gluten-free flours, but in a pinch, I have used the gluten-free flour blends and baking mixes listed below. And although I would love to bake and make all my son’s snacks for school, I do appreciate the fact that there are some healthier gluten-free snacks on the market. It makes school snacks, playdates and birthday parties so much less stressful.
Compared to ten years ago, there are so many more gluten-free products on the market, some healthier than others. Gluten-free products can be expensive, and we’ve had our share of buying some products that ended up in the trash (you all know I hate throwing away food), so I’m hoping this list provides a starting point for anyone new to the gluten-free diet. Don’t be afraid to ask your local health food store to order any products you’d like to try – they’re more than likely to be willing to accomodate your request.
I would love to hear what your favorite gluten-free products are. The more we share, the easier we’ll make it for all those new to the gluten-free world and others like me who are continuing to learn more about gluten-free products.
Gluten-Free Grains/Flours/Blends
Pancakes, Cookies and Donuts made with Gluten-Free Flours
- Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free grains (rolled oats, amaranth, quinoa, millet, medium cornmeal) – for hot breakfast cereal, meatballs, cornbread, and cookies
- Trader Joe’s Quinoa – a good value; nice as a pilaf or hot breakfast cereal
- Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free flours (amaranth, quinoa, millet, sorghum, teff, corn flour, garbanzo/fava bean, brown rice) – great for making your own gluten-free flour mix, and terrific in chocolate chip cookies
- Ancient Harvest Quinoa Flakes – perfect for granola bars and cookies
- Ancient Harvest Quinoa Flour – great in muffins
- Honeyville Almond Flour – wonderful for donuts and coffee cake
- Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour – perfect for hot pretzels
- King Arthur Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour Blend – makes nice fluffy pancakes
- King Arthur Ancient Grains Flour Blend and King Arthur Gluten-Free Whole Grain Flour Blend – perfect way to up the fiber in muffins
Gluten-Free Baking Mixes
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread and Cornbread made with Gluten-Free Baking Mixes
- Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix – great for pancakes, muffins and quick breads
- Pamela’s Cornbread and Muffin Mix – an easy cheat for Cornbread Stuffing Muffins
- Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Cornbread Mix – perfect with a bowl of Turkey Black Bean Chili
- King Arthur Gluten-Free Pancake Mix – nice in a pinch
- Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Brownie Mix – contains sorghum flour which is high in fiber, iron and phosphorus
- King Arthur Gluten-Free Cookie Mix – good for birthday parties; add chocolate chips or other mix-ins
Gluten-Free Breads/Baked Goods
Roasted Cauliflower Chestnut Soup with croutons made from Canyon Bakehouse bread
- Canyon Bakehouse San Juan 7-Grain Bread – great for sandwiches, French toast, grilled cheese, croutons, or as a binder in meatballs
- Canyon Bakehouse Hamburger Buns – a must for traveling
- Udi’s Whole Grain Bagels – a must for traveling
- Udi’s Pizza Crust – prebaked; the best crust we’ve found that comes closest to regular pizza crust
- Udi’s Bread – good for Thanksgiving stuffing (it’s firmer and dryer than the Canyon Bakehouse bread)
Gluten-Free Pasta
Turkey Bolognese served with Corn Pasta
- Ancient Harvest Pasta (quinoa and corn flour) – multi-colored Garden Pagodas and mini shells are fun for kids
- Schar Anellini (corn and rice flour) – perfect for chicken noodle soup and tomato pasta soup
- Le Veneziane Pasta (corn flour) – my kids like their fettuccini pasta and butterfly shaped pasta
- Trader Joe’s Brown Rice Pasta – very similar to Tinkyada, but less expensive, perhaps a private label brand
- Trader Joe’s Corn Pasta – much more inexpensive than other brands
Gluten-Free Cereal
Creamy Amaranth Porridge
- Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free grains (rolled oats, steel cut oats, amaranth, quinoa, Mighty Tasty Hot Breakfast Cereal)
- Erewhon Brown Rice Cereal – I crush this cereal and use it as a coating for chicken strips for baked crunchy chicken tenders, or in no-bake “Clif” granola bars
- Barbara’s Gluten-Free Puffins Multigrain Cereal
Gluten-Free Snacks
- HomeFree gluten-free mini cookies- the chocolate chocolate chip (yes, double chocolate) and chocolate chip were my son’s favorites
- Kinnikinnick S’moreables Graham Style Crackers, for snacking or s’mores
- Mary’s Gone Crackers Onion Crackers and Chipotle Tomato Pretzel Sticks
- Trader Joe’s Savory Thins (rice crackers), perfect as base for Soy Sesame Salmon Tartare
- Crunchmaster Rosemary & Olive Oil Multi-Seed Crackers, terrific with Kalamata Olive and Caper Hummus
- Enjoy Life Double Chocolate Crunchy Cookies
- Food Should Taste Good The Works! Tortilla Chips, great with Roasted Corn, Avocado and Black Bean Salsa
- Glutino Gluten-Free Pretzel Twists and Sticks
Special Gluten-Free Items
- Mary’s Gone Crackers Just The Crumbs – the Savory bread crumbs are a nice crunchy topping for Roasted Cauliflower and coating for Buffalo Chicken Nuggets
- Kinnikinnick Panko Style Bread Crumbs – great for coating chicken tenders and onion rings (for green bean casserole)
- Kinnikinnick S’moreables Graham Style Cracker Crumbs – perfect for Pumpkin Pie
- Orgran Gravy Mix – good in a pinch, especially during the holidays
- Bell & Evans Gluten-Free Chicken Tenders and Applegate Gluten-Free Chicken Nuggets – great for vacations or lazy days
- Annie’s Rice Pasta and Cheddar
I would love to hear what your gluten-free products are. There are so many on the market that we have not tried. Please feel free to leave links to your favorites in the comments section. This post is intended as a resource for anyone new to a gluten-free diet and others like me who are still learning their way around the gluten-free world.
Note: This list is based on my son’s personal taste and preferences and was compiled solely as a resource for others. I am not affiliated with any brands. No compensation was received for writing this post.
And now for the giveaway! (This Giveaway is now closed)
HomeFree is offering an assortment of their gluten-free mini-cookies, the ones that are my little guy’s favorite. Although I try to make as many of my son’s snacks and treats as possible, it’s nice to know there are healthy gluten-free treats (these cookies are made with whole grain oats) that I can throw in his snack bag for school or when we’re going on vacation and I need to pack a snack for the airplane ride. It’s also nice to have an allergy-free snack that my son can bring along to a friend’s house or to a birthday party. As a mom, and a clinical psychologist, Jill Robbins, founder of HomeFree, understands how important it is for kids with food allergies and sensitivities to feel included at social occasions, where a sweet treat is often part of the fun.
Giveaway Details:Â
One winner will receive HomeFree’s Gluten-Free Mini Cookies Sampler which contains 2 boxes each of their gluten free chocolate chip mini cookies, gluten free chocolate chocolate chip mini cookies, and gluten free vanilla mini cookies. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited. US Residents only. Must be over 18. Giveaway will end on February 14, 2012 at 11:59PM EST. One winner with a valid entry will be selected at random using random.org. Winner will be notified by email and will have up to 3 days to claim their prize or another winner will be selected.
How To Enter:
Required Entry: For a chance to win, leave a comment below along with your email address so I can contact you if you win.
You can earn up to six additional entries by doing any of the following. Be sure to leave a separate comment for each additional entry so I know you did it:
- Like me and HomeFree on Facebook
- Follow me and HomeFree on Twitter
- Follow me on Pinterest and pin this post
- Stumble this post and follow me @JeanettesHealth on Stumbleupon
- Sign up for my Email or RSS Feeds
- Tweet this giveaway, being sure to include my Twitter handle (@JeanettesHealth)
* If you already follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and/or Stumbleupon, and/or already subscribe to Jeanette’s Healthy Living, let me know as well, since this counts as an entry.
Disclosure:Â I was provided with samples of HomeFree products for the purpose of doing a review and giveaway. However the opinions expressed in this post are my own.
Other Posts With Favorite Gluten-Free Products:
My Top Ten Gluten-Free Products, Gluten-Free Goddess
Gluten-Free Product Reviews, celiac.com
Five Popular Gluten-Free Foods, Fit Sugar
Gluten-Free Blogs that are Inspirational and provide a Great Resource:
Gluten-Free Easily
Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom
Gluten-Free Goddess
Cook It Allergy Free
Lexie’s Kitchen
The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen
Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free
The Spunky Coconut
Diet, Dessert and Dogs
With Style & Grace
Dan Dan Mien and Book Launch Party for Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites (Giveaway)
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This is SUCH a great resource. most of us know SOMEONE who is gluten-free and it’s great to have this around to know which products they can ate…and which also taste good!
I see this giveaway is for US residents only so I’m not entering! Just wanted to say that I loved this post, and all of the gluten-free tips you shared. It would be awesome if those cookies were in Canada, they look delicious. Similar to Enjoy Life tender cookies?
Hi Leanne – our cookies just launched in Canada! Let us know the store location and phone number where you shop and we can check with our distributor to see if they are on the shelves.
Kira Morehouse
Social Media Marketing Intern
HomeFree, LLC
P.O. Box 491
Windham, NH 03087
http://www.homefreetreats.com
Connect with HomeFree on Facebook and Twitter:
http://www.facebook.com/HomeFreeTreats
http://twitter.com/HomeFreeTreats
Thanks for that amazing list! A wonderful resource.
I would love to sample these cookies. 2 years ago i had some health issues and i was told to stay away from all gluten, i have not done well with it. I love my sweets to much. This would be great to taste cookies that i know i can eat.
Amazing giveaway! I’d love to win and share the cookies with my sister who is gf:-)
WHOOHOO for more gluten free giveaways. this is an awesome roundup. i love the GF flour mixes you sent from bob red mills and i still use them! my favorite is sweet rice flour. i don’t tend to buy premade gf products just b/c of the preservatives and my sensitive stomach, but good to know for my two students who are celiacs, since i always am having breakfasts and fiestas in class. one of my readers told me about this: betterbatter.org and it apparently makes the gf baking more fluffier!
Junia, so glad you’re enjoying all the Bob’s Red Mill Flours. How do you use the sweet rice flour?
Thanks for the great tips. I have only been GF since last fall – sensitive intestines…
I try to make a lot from scratch, but I swear by El Peto Pancake Mix. I’ve tried a few and this is my favourite.
I wish I could remember the name of the English Muffins I buy… I know them when I see them…
Hi Rona, thanks for telling us about El Peto Pancake Mix – I haven’t heard of it before. If you think of the English Muffins you like, please share it.
Great list! A few years ago we found out my Dad has celiac disease and for a family of bakers this was definitely a challenge. Love Bob’s Red Mill grains and hot cereals and it’s so nice to know they are safe. Authentic Foods Brown Rice Flour Superfine is a flour we have found substitutes 1 to 1 for wheat flour in baked goods. I’ve made shoo-fly pie & the crust with it (the recipe calls for mostly flour, sugar & molasses) and you could hardly tell the difference from the original recipe. Not much fiber but really good for special baked goods. Going to pass your site on to my mom who is alway looking for ideas! Thanks!
Thanks for sharing your experience with Authentic Brown Rice Flour Superfine. I’ve not seen that around, but will keep an eye out for it.
Thank you for the giveaway! For some reason, I could not follow you on Stumble but I did stumble the post for you. Great resource!!!
omg great information, recipes and giveaway!!
I started eating mostly gluten free just over a year ago when I found out I had a sensitivity to it. There are so many brands and products on your list that I’ve never even heard of! I totally agree with you on the Udi’s pizza crust — so good!
michellemaskaly (at) yahoo.com
There are so many gluten-free products available today, it’s amazing. Ten years ago, it was so much more difficult to find. The companies are getting better at coming out with quality products. Let me know if you come across any that you like. I know there are so many we have yet to try.
Thanks for this list! A lot of the brands on this list are something I’ll have to check out online, because I live in a small town with a small selection.
I currently follow you on FB and receive your emails, and I’ve liked Home Free on FB.
If you have a small health food store nearby, try asking them if they’d be willing to order some products for you. Our local store is really good about doing that and you’ll save on shipping and handling.
What an incredible resource! Thank you for this information. And thank you for a giveaway, too!
Thank you so much for doing this. I just got my first shipment of garfava flour from Authentic Foods today. I also make the wonderful gluten free chocolate chip cookies on the back of Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Flour. They have been a big hit. Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day provides my gluten sensitive partner with wonderful Sesame and Cheddar Gluten Free Bread.
Thanks for sharing the gluten-free foods you’ve been making. That bread sounds delicious!
This is a fantastic post! I am going to pass along to a friend who recently made the switch to GF. Thanks so much!
This would be amazing!!! 🙂
Thank you so much, there are alot of products on your lists that I haven’t tried yet.
I liked you and home free on facebook
google reader subscriber
What a fabulous resource! Thanks for taking the time to put it together.
both Jason and I are gluten intolerant and stay away MOST of the time, and my mom is diagnosed Celiac. thank you for such an incredible listing of information! I will definitely keep this and share with people I know are aware of gluten and staying away.
I’d LOVE to try these cookies!
What an amazing round up Jeanette. It’s amazing how many more options there are now. 8 years ago I thought I might be gluten intolerant. 2 years I tried to manage this with no gluten products. I tried to make my own, with a lot of trial and error, but like you said, travel made things impossible. I so glad to see all the new options available.
What a fabulous giveaway and great roundup of recipes!
I have learned so much because of needs of friends and their children. Shall be sending the link around – allergies are life-changing.
Thanks for passing this along Claudia. Food allergies can be so frustrating and intimidating to begin with, but after spending the last year trying to figure out what my son can eat, it has become much easier.
I’ve never tried my hand at gluten-free cooking/baking, Jeanette, and I have no clue either. Thanks for taking the time to put this useful guide together! Makes it so much easier for newbies to the gluten-free diet like me 🙂
I’d LOVE to try these!
hugzeke@gmail.com
It is so nice to see Gluten Free cooking and baking that looks yummy! My Mom also suffers from the wheat allergy and I can’t wait to try some of these recipes next time we visit. They look so good I am making my list to try before we visit!
wow who knew there were so many gluten-free products/options available now. i don’t need to be gluten-free but am interested in learning and experimenting w/ more recipes along those lines.
already a subscriber
Thank you for sharing this great list. I just started eating GF and am often overwhelmed when I shop. As you mentioned…the GF products are very expensive and many do not taste good. I have thrown away more GF products than I care to admit. Your list and tips will be very helpful as I continue to explore the GF world. I am excited about trying some of your recipes and recommended products.
Emily – hope this post helps. I ask my local health food store for their suggestions as well since they get a lot of feedback from customers. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, just ask. A lot of times the smaller stores are more than willing to order product for you.
I love (in a pinch) all of the following packaged GF products below:
Namaste Vanilla Cake mix-I add in a half a can of pumpkin puree, 3/4 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup Veg Oil, tablespoon vanilla crushed pecans and/or raisins inside and on top, and the usual add-ins it calls for on the package and it is a WONDERFUL pumpkin cupcake that no one knows is GF. Soooo good on Saturday mornings. They all get eaten up within a day or two.
I have just discovered King Arthur Brownie Mix-I use Enjoy Life DF/GF/SF chocolate chips in them (hubby can’t have milk) and it is soooooooo good. Everyone that has tried this mix says it tastes better than regular gluten brownies, my 7 year old included.
Super instant and kid friendly-
Ian’s fish sticks are carried now at most major grocery stores and Target and are GF/DF
As are many Oreida fries and tots for kids (or a bad day with no time!)
And I LOVE this recipe for french bread loaves (makes two at a time and most of the ingredients are not expensive once you buy them initially, for example the asian rice flours are super cheap in the Chinese Grocery stores!!!) http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/11/gluten-free-french-bread-recipe-easy-easy-easy.html
They are the closest GF bread to regular bread I have ever found, and make great sandwiches, french toast etc.
Hope that helps everyone! : ) I know I was really lost when my hubby realized his severe allergies to dairy, soy and gluten over the past few years. All of these things make him feel “normal” and that is very rewarding for me.
Melody, thanks for all your suggestions. There are so many good gluten-free products available these days, so I appreciate you sharing your favorites!