Archive for 'Gluten-Free/Casein-Free Diet'
When Edward was in Pre-K, his teacher rewarded students for staying in their seats, completing coloring worksheets and raising their hands before speaking by proferring Skittles, Ring Pops, Dum-Dums, Pixie Sticks and the like.
Needless to say, Edward did not receive that much candy because he preferred to stand near the world map memorizing countries, write his own math problems to solve on the back of the coloring sheets or lounge in the reading center reading book after book.
Still, eliminating artificial colors, flavors, and high fructose corn syrup was our first step toward implementing what would eventually become the GF/CF diet to help Edward’s behavior. Three years ago it was almost impossible to find sweets and candies that didn’t have colors and dyes. We found a few items and brought them to class, but Edward soon tired of the same old lollipops day after day.
Life for the sweet lover who avoids the artificial is easier now, however, with a host of organic, natural candies. I was delighted to learn about Surf Sweets candies last year, and even more excited when they sent me a sampling of their candies to review.
These confections are simply great with a “normal” texture. They offer Gummy Worms, Gummy Swirls, Gummy Bears, Fruity Bears, Jelly Beans, and Sour Worms.
These treats are:
*Made with Organic Fruit Juice and Sweetners
*Natural Colors and Flavors
*100% of Your Daily Vitamin C
*Free of Corn Syrup and GMOs
*Made in a Nut Free Facility
*Gluten Free
According to Joseph, you can’t tell the Gummy Worms from the ones they sell at the ball park.
Sue thrilled to the Gummy Swirls would have eaten the entire bag if I had let her.
Edward embraced al of the Surf Sweet offerings, preferring, not surprisngly the Gummy Worms!
I just keep a bag of these in my purse and then when candy is offered at soccer or another event, I’ve got a swell substitute!
Thanks, Surf Sweets!
“They don’t even taste organic!” Edward on the Arico Cookie! (That’s a good sign!)
I picked up these beauties at Whole Foods while out of town, and I’ll have to say they look yummy, and are quite moist! Other aficionados of GF/CF cookies might note that many are dry and troublingly uniform in shape. Yet these treats look like “real” home-made chocolate chip cookies. One might even call them “Chips-A-Hoy esque!”
Edward found them delicious, and even thrilled to them during Sue’s school indoor egg hunt today…not one whine over the forbidden hot-pink iced sugar cookies with sprinkles!
INGREDIENTS: Flour base (organic brown rice whole grain flour, rice starch, rice protein, baking soda), organic dark chocolate (organic cane sugar, organic cocoa paste, organic cocoa butter, non GMO soy lecithin, organic vanilla. Chunks may contain traces of milk protein due to manufacturing equipment), organic cage free eggs, organic cane sugar, chicory extract, organic agave nectar, organic palm oil, organic sunflower/safflower oil, calcium carbonate, natural flavor, sea salt. Contains eggs, soy and may contain traces of milk protein.
Here he is supporting Arico’s confection:
Edward, who has been on the GF/CF diet for over a year now, adored these treats! That’s enough for me! We’ll have to request these at our local Publix.
Enjoy!
It’s been quite a while since Edward has reviewed any gluten and casein-free fare, but in his burgeoning desire to become “famous” he requested we do another review. We have enjoyed many products from Turtle Mountain, and highly recommend their offerings. These ice cream bar delicacies are completely gluten and casein-free. All three children wanted to try them as evidenced here:
The chocolate was rapidly picked off the coconut ice cream middle by all three children. Sue chose the coconut-almond variety which enabled her to gleefully spit tiny bits of nut and coconut all over the patio, much to the delight of an ant family.
Edward knew to steer clear of the nuts and opted for the plain chocolate. Whereas he thrilled to the chocolate coating, he found the ice cream middle to be, in his own words, “too, too sweet.”
From a child who raids the sugar bowl whenever it is in reach, I found this hard to fathom. I did taste the interior of the confection and while the texture was so similar to traditional ice cream, it was a tad on the sweet side.
Everyone seemed to agree on the extreme sweetness of the product, and this brought out the artist in Sue.
All in all, the chocolate coating was supreme but the ice cream interior was a bit much. We do love other Turtle Mountain products, however, particularly the Purely Decadent Cookie Dough ice cream!
Sounds appetizing, eh?
Something about marshmallows in any way associated with Nile Perch and Tilapia is troubling…
Yet here’s a close gander at a perfectly toasted sampling:
You see, it all started when my mother-in-law, whom I earnestly, dearly love, sent Edward a Marshmallow Bow and Arrow for his birthday from drugstore.com. For a child obsessed with the Middle Ages, a child who cannot stop talking about the importance of the Ottoman Empire, this was a fetching choice.
Feel that wild love?
The only issue was his inability to actually eat traditional mini-marshmallows due to their inclusion of obvious enemies tetrasodium pyrophosphate and artificial color “blue 1″–a particular nemesis–after they had been shot.
Yet, without fail, the ‘squirrel people‘ sent their promised Halloween/Birthday candy stash for the gluten/casein/food dye/artificial flavor-sensitive–two weeks late–and it included a package of fish gelatin marshmallows.
I’ll just lead off with a typical Edward quote:
“Well, they smell like rotted fish, but they do taste quite sweet and good. I like them! I really do! You just need to hold your nose when you eat them!”
Good times. For a family that guzzles fish oil like cheap ripple, this is fab.
Whoosh!
Dodged that one because although these mallows are.not.cheap, they enable us to embrace the familiar thrill of toasted marshmallows.
At this point, I just seize the joy and run with it!
I run for the hills! It’s vitally important!
My sweet Edward is 7 today. Here he is at age 1.
It’s amazing how quickly time flies.
We celebrated at Red Robin followed by a gluten-free cake! His “big party” is a sleepover next week…that should be interesting…
Turtle Mountain has introduced another winner into the Channel household: So Delicious Cultured Coconut Milk Yogurt with active and live cultures.
After Edward’s favorable review of Turtle Mountain’s Purely Decadent gluten-free/casein-free ice cream, the good people in their marketing department shared several more products with us!
While six flavors are available, here’s a breakdown of typical ingredients:
INGREDIENTS: WATER, COCONUT MILK, BLUEBERRIES, ORGANIC EVAPORATED CANE JUICE, PECTIN, CHICORY ROOT EXTRACT, DEXTROSE, NATURAL FLAVORS, ALGIN (KELP EXTRACT), MAGNESIUM PHOSPHATE, TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, RICE STARCH, LOCUST BEAN GUM, AGAR, CULTURE, CARRAGEENAN, GUAR GUM, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, VITAMIN B12.
Live Active Cultures include: L. Bulgaricus, S. Thermophilus, L. Plantarum, L. Rhamnosus, L. Paracasei and Bif. Lactus
Edward grabbed raspberry first. It had small chunks of berries and was quite creamy:
He ate it quickly and hungrily, proclaiming that it tasted just like “real yogurt that I haven’t had in a such a long, long time!” He also enjoyed the blueberry flavor and deemed it his favorite.
Sue, who is three, and Joseph, age 8, also thought both fruit yogurts were fabulous.
The mango was not so well-received by Edward. He described it as “slimy, sour and gross…like ‘rotty’ mango.” I tasted it, and it was quite sour. Missing also were the fruit chunks that the blueberry and raspberry included; the consistency was that of baby food bananas.
Sue, however, proclaimed the mango as her favorite and ate the entire carton! She claimed it tasted like carrots (??)
Edward, ever the critic, also made a confused face when he read about the “plain” yogurt.
“Plain is not a flavor! I think I’m not going to like it!”
He was wrong, however; he thrilled to the plain, crying out, “Give me more, mom!” He also enjoyed the vanilla, describing it as tasting like “vanilla cake and key lime pie!”
I’ll be requesting my local Publix add this to their offerings. The Turtle Mountain web site even has a handy grocery request form you can give your local store.
Edward’s advice: “They should keep making it!”
Please head on over the Hello Kittie Mama’s Bon Bon Gazette for more GF/CF Friday Reviews!
Finally, finally, finally, eureka! Someone has done it! A great-tasting, fairly-priced dairy and gluten-free ice cream novelty with enviable flavor and creamy texture!
We have tried so many different dairy-free ice cream substitutes with Edward, our 6-year-old who has been on the GF/CF diet for 8 months; he flatly rejected them all. Until the arrival of this jewel! It actually has chunks of gluten-free chocolate chip cookie dough! Feel the love:
The only down-side is Edward’s out-right obsession with the flavor and creamy goodness. For instance today, I rounded the corner in the kitchen to find this:
My local Publix has even had this confectionary miracle on sale!
Buy, buy, buy!
Today’s review features Glutino’s Gluten Free Crackers.
First, let me say that these crackers are incredibly attractive.
There is something about the “Glutino” name stamped within the cracker that hearkens memories of fancy Pepperidge Farm cookies. This nuance, however, is lost on my 6-year-old GF/CF reviewer, Edward, who has been on the diet for 7 months.
Edward was a lover of all thing Ritz as a younger child, so his first inclination was to lick the Glutino cracker. Apparently, it did not hearken any special Ritz-like memories for him because he refused to try it. I slathered peanut butter, jelly and honey in an attempt to coax him to try at least a small smattering. Not even a smackeral.
So, you are left with my opinion, as well as that of Sue, who just turned 3. Sue thrilled to the cracker as long as it was swimming in jelly. She is the same way with bread, so I am not sure what that says about this particular cracker.
I will say the cracker has a delightful smell and pleasant crunch. The next thing the palate is addressed with, however, is a disturbing saltiness. I am a lover of salt, but this is excessive. The cracker is almost reminiscent of a Pepperidge Farm Table Water Cracker with a salty, almost bacon soda-ish flavor. The aftertaste does linger.
I would struggle to eat these crackers. I tried them with my favorite cheese and they overpowered the cheese.
I don’t see these as winners.
Every Friday, I will review a Gluten Free/Casein Free (GF/CF) product from the perspective of my 6-year-old, Edward, who has been on the GF/CF diet for 7 months.
Here he is with a temporary mullet:
Don’t you feel like you can trust his opinion?
While Jello is not typically a gluten or casein-filled product, it is filled with artificial flavors and colors, which are incredibly destructive to my son’s sensitive system. I have, however, found a Jello-like product that my whole family will tolerate when it’s been several months since they’ve had “real Jello” and they have forgotten about the crisp, clear color and flavor of the true “Jello” brand. Behold:
Jello is such an consummate part of childhood and I felt a considerable amount of sorrow that Edward was missing out on this. Plus it seemed like such a good texture from a sensory perspective.
I first ordered this from the Squirrel’s Nest a web site devoted to gluten/casein/artificial color/artificial flavor-free candies and treats. (I highly recommend them! I ordered all Christmas and Easter candy from them this past year; their prices are fair and customer service is unbeatable!) Whole Foods also carries this brand.
I think the picture says it all:
It’s OK.
I mean, you see the limpish thumb and the tolerant face. It’s not the gleeful joy we’ve seen before with chocolate cake. Still, it’s jiggly, it’s sweet, and I have found that other children will eat it. And that’s cool because it is priced ($1.69)–only slightly higher than standard Jello.
I’m no photographer, but if you look closely, you might spy the cloudy nature of the product. And while that is troublesome to those of us accustomed to the clear, jewel-like gleam of the Jello brand product, what is more confounding is best described by Edward’s question: “What’s the brown dust in the bottom of my bowl?”
Yes, you can’t see it with my limited photographic skills, but there is a brownish sediment that settles to the bottom of the Jello-like product once it is molded. Perhaps the beet juice coloring is the culprit? I don’t know.
It won’t send children running in from the yard, but at least it’s sweet.
Maybe we can break out the microscope next week and research this mysterious brown sediment further. In the meantime, I’ll buy it again.
I guess.
Maybe I should mold it into shapes?
Every Friday, I will review a Gluten Free/Casein Free (GF/CF) product from the perspective of my 6-year-old, Edward, who has been on the GF/CF diet for 6 months.
(HelloKittieMama from the BonBonGazette will also be posting reviews on her site, so please check her out! )
I planned to make two cakes for my brother’s birthday–one GF/CF and one Betty Crocker. I prepared this Pamela’s Chocolate Cake Mix first. It was as easy as Betty Crocker–I just added eggs, water and oil. Since I was a tad concerned about dryness, I decided to make one large bundt cake. I just iced it with a glaze made with powdered sugar and water.
This easily came out of the bundt pan, and when I tasted the edges, I decided this was so spectacular I did not need to waste my time on Betty Crocker. The cake was smooth and moist with a perfect chocolate flavor. I am seriously picky, but even I would not have known this was GF/CF.
I did not announce that the cake was GF/CF, but everyone raved about it and asked for as second piece. I waited until the next day to tell my brother and his girlfriend that the cake was gluten-free. They had a difficult time believing me!
Edward absolutely adored this cake. His take? “This is the best cake I have ever had! Thank you for making it. Now, can you make another one?” (That’s the only negative. Now every day he begs for me to make another cake.)
I believe this would be the perfect cake for school birthday cupcakes! I am so relieved to find a cake mix that I can use for everyone.
Watch out Betty Crocker! Pamela’s on the move!
