Every mommy-to-be has her go to favorites to fill those pregnancy cravings. Katz Gluten Free saw me through two pregnancies and all of those times between. It’s no secret they’re a favorite for me. They’ve captured my heart on the sweet side that’s for sure, with my pastry favorite Chocolate Buns, the delicate Sprinkle Cookies just like I used to get from an Italian bakery, and the cupcakes, oh my, picture perfect Chocolate Cupcakes iced with chocolate frosting and topped with rainbow sprinkles. And so much more! But they don’t just do sweets, their bagels have always held a sweet spot with me too! They were the first to offer this gluten free mommy a gluten free Everything Bagel that could rival even it’s gluten competitors.
So when I heard that Katz Gluten Free was coming out with a Grab ‘N’ Go line with donuts and bagels I had to check them out. Could it be that my favorites were going to be packed and ready to go for a busy mom out the door? All of us gluten free folks are well versed on bringing along our own meals and/or snacks to any and all events. Katz makes our lives so much easier with this now. The benefits with these delicacies wrapped in individual portions are endless. I’m thinking vacations! I love that these will make those weeks away a breeze. Ahem, not to mention those early morning flights to Disney that can now start with a fresh powdered donut or egg sandwich on a bagel. Love it!
The best part, these individual portions are kept so fresh in their wrapping! Nice soft powdered donuts ready to be enjoyed as a quick breakfast or treat at a school party. Plain bagels that are perfect to throw in your bag for lunch or bring along to put together a breakfast sandwich at a restaurant. Hey, we can all totally admit that we’ve brought our own bread and put together our own burgers, sandwiches, and beyond, right? Well if you haven’t, you will with these!
Admittedly, I was slightly disappointed by the size of the plain bagel. I’ve purchased their regular bagels in their plain and everything flavors for years and they’ve always been biger bigger but don’t let the size deter you. The convenience, texture, and flavor speak for themselves and are on my list of must gets before our Disney vaca in a few months!
Interested in Katz’s Grab ‘N’ Go line, check out all they have to offer here!
It’s hard to believe but we are only 3 weeks away from Thanksgiving. Time has literally flown by, as it always does this time of year. It seems like once October rolls around, the weeks pass so quickly, probably because the last few months of the year are loaded with birthdays and holidays in our family. November alone holds the birthdays of 3 family members and 2 friends along with Thanksgiving of course, and shortly after follows December with three more family birthdays, including my precious little angel’s, one friend’s birthday, and my favorite holiday of the year. I always feel like we’re bouncing from one party or event to another but to be honest, I just love all of the time that we spend with family that we don’t necessarily get to see everyday which is exactly why Thanksgiving ranks in my top 3 favorite holidays.
Every year about this time, the holiday decorations start rolling out in stores, Christmas music pops on here and there, and Christmas shopping commences, and I just love every bit of it. What I’m not a huge fan of though is all of the holiday dinner commercials flashing on the tv which are a constant reminder of the two big family dinners that are looming ahead of me. Don’t get me wrong, I love the family part, it’s the dinner part that worries me. Not all of my family always remembers or understands my gluten free diet so the dishes they bring are always in question but my parents, and in recent years my mother-in-law and her husband, have always been the best at accommodating, taking a lot of the worry out of at least a couple of the main dishes.
My love of cooking has definitely grown over the years, so I’m always more than happy to contribute a few dishes to the meal, especially ones that are gluten free, and when I can dairy free and egg free for my nephew to enjoy too. I always like to add a few of our family’s savory favorites that have become traditions over the years and then add in a dessert here and there. The past few years, my go to for pre-made gluten free sweets has been Katz Gluten Free. They’ve consistently delivered some fantastic items that certainly do the gluten free world justice. When I first noticed that they offer pies, I was shocked since I hadn’t seen many if any pre-made gluten free pies out there, but then I instantly thought of Thanksgiving, my dad’s favorite pie holiday, where he rolls out at least three huge, mouthwatering (non-gluten free) pies. While I’ve dabbled in gluten free pie making over the years, on a holiday like Thanksgiving where I’m also making a number of other dishes, the cost and time spent make purchasing a pre-made pie more and more appealing. So before Thanksgiving comes around this year, I wanted to give Katz’s gluten free pie a try, but if it’s anything like their other items, I knew my Thanksgiving order would soon follow. So, Katz offers a couple different varieties of gluten free pie, which also happen to be free of dairy, nut, and soy too, including apple, cherry, and blueberry. I’ve always loved blueberry pies so I figured that would be a good one to try out. Price wise, each of these pies come in a 6″ size that runs about $7.99, but remember Katz offers promotions all of the time so keep an eye out over the coming weeks for a holiday pie deal. If you need something a bit larger than a 6″/personal pie, you can either order two 6″ varieties or they also offer the apple pie in an 8″ size for $12.99. If you want to check out all of Katz Gluten Free’s pie varieties, head over to their cake/pie section on their site. Once you decide what varieties of pie you’d like to go with, go ahead and order away, but not before you peruse the rest of their site just to be sure that there’s nothing else that you might like to try for the holiday season. Gluten free sprinkle cookies anyone? Once your order is placed, it’ll be no time until it arrives; I always get my orders really quickly from Katz, but keep in mind I am relatively close to them geographically, but nonetheless I’ve always received my orders in a timely fashion. When your pies do arrive, make sure you make room in your freezer to pop these in and save them for Thanksgiving, or at least try to. To enjoy, since these pies are pre-baked, all you have to do is thaw them in the refrigerator and if you’d like, warm them for 15 minutes in the oven, which does add the homemade, pie baking smell to your house that’s very appealing this time of year.
And finally, you’re probably wondering what these pies taste like. Okay, I think I’ve kept you in suspense long enough to tell you that these are DELICIOUS! The blueberry pie filling that I tried wasn’t too sweet but was just right with blueberries scattered throughout, while the crust, well that was just perfection. The gluten free pie crust was crispy and was softened just enough by the filling, but by no stretch did it do the signature crumble apart that so many gluten free products do. Katz’s gluten free pie tasted so homey, just like my dad’s homemade pies but without the gluten. I’m certainly adding these to my holiday shopping list, and I highly suggest that you do too. Let me know what kind you end up getting and what you think! Enjoy!
Note: No pretty pie picture unfortunately because my dear husband promptly dropped the wrapped pie flat on the ground before I even had a chance to bake it, so even though the pie was still edible and delicious just the same, it didn’t look so pretty at that point. There’s always next time.
Mmmm, I can still smell my dad’s cinnamon bread, drizzled with sugary icing while cooling on our kitchen counter. This was certainly a holiday staple in our house, seeming like only yesterday when we were all so eager to take our first bites of my dad’s huge loaves of cinnamon bread. Such fond memories from years past that I’ll keep with me forever, but only as memories, since those delectable sweets were loaded with gluten.
Thanks to Katz (one of my all time favorite gluten free brands!), one of my childhood holiday staples can return with gusto! While perusing their website to see what new gluten free eats they offer, I stumbled upon these little babies, Chocolate Buns, along with their standard Cinnamon Bun counterpart. I was excited to discover that they offered a new pastry, as I’m certainly a huge fan of their dessert/ breakfast pastry options. I couldn’t resist ordering a box of each to give them a try, but I must admit I was most excited to try the chocolate version.
Katz All New Chocolate Buns!
When my Chocolate Buns arrived, I couldn’t wait to tear open the box and check them out in person. Unfortunately though, I was a bit disappointed by the container that greeted me. After their shipping and handling, the container of chocolate buns was a bit messy with the buns moved about inside. It almost seemed like the container was just too big for the chocolate buns, so maybe a smaller container could prevent them from moving and flipping during shipping. I’m personally not very critical on presentation anyway, I’m more concerned with the important stuff, like their taste and texture. Despite the disarray of the container though, the chocolaty buns inside were a beautiful sight to be had. They were petite and perfect, who cares if there’s a little bit of extra chocolate smooshed on the outside of the chocolate bun anyway.
Chocolaty deliciousness! A pregnant woman’s dream!
So these chocolate buns are stored in the freezer and when you’re ready to eat one, just pop it onto a plate and thaw. I didn’t warm them up, however I’m sure you could zap them for a quick few seconds to just warm them slightly. After just one bite, I was hooked. These have certainly joined my list of all time favorite gluten free pastries. I have just one question for Katz though, where were these when I was pregnant?!?! I would’ve have been obsessed with these delicate pieces of chocolaty goodness. These are truly a gluten free pregnant woman’s dream come true (okay really any of us gluten free woman!), with the icing drizzled on top to the chocolate that finds itself spiraled between the pastry dough, each bite is the perfect amount of sweetness. The dough is perfectly textured, not too flaky but not too dense, and keeps it’s spirally bun structure with each bite.
Okay, so size wise, these are no Disney World, Gaston’s Tavern humongous cinnamon buns; however, as far as a gluten free versions go, these are incredible! They are a perfect size for a quick morning pastry or a dessert after dinner, the only problem being that your left certainly wanting more because they were just that tasty. Another great perk for this one, is that these chocolate buns are free of gluten, dairy, and nuts, so if you nixed those from your diet for one reason or another you’re in luck! For more info on their chocolate buns, check them out here.
Price wise, these cost $5.99 for a pack of 4. Running at about $1.50 per chocolate bun, this isn’t terrible and is certainly right on point with prices that gluten free bakeries would charge, if they even offered an item like this. Better yet though, Katz offers promotions on their site frequently so you’ll more than likely be able to purchase these delectable bites with a promotional code that’ll save you a bit too, making these taste even sweeter.
As usual, Katz has not disappointed me. Now with each bite of a Chocolate or Cinnamon Bun I’ll be reminded of my dad’s holiday bread, at least until I brave converting that recipe to gluten free for myself (eek!). You certainly can’t ask for anything better from a gluten free product, beside it tasting phenomenal, looking even better, and reminding you of those sweet holiday memories that you’ll never forget. Katz continues to amaze me with just how perfect their gluten free items are in every way. Thanks again Katz for putting out another amazing product, and keep them coming!
Clear your cabinets and make room for these soft and delectable gluten free sprinkle cookies!
Growing up, I remember making those occasional trips to Italian Peoples Bakery and our parents treating us to their perfect Italian cookies; my favorites of which were those brightly colored leaf cookies that are stuffed with chocolate fudge in the middle and the light and soft sprinkle cookies. They brought many smiles on Saturdays after dance class that’s for sure! As the years have passed, those trips dwindled down but I still remember the lightness of those cookies and how they literally melted in your mouth.
In my experience with gluten free baking, it’s rare to describe gluten free pastries as being light and soft, but in Katz’s case, these terms are used quite often. They’ve succeeded yet again in producing a fantastic sprinkle cookie that is sure to make any gluten free Italian or cookie lover happy! An added bonus about these cookies is that they’re also dairy and nut free as well, only containing soy and eggs. So, if you happen to have multiple food restrictions or allergies you might just be in luck!
Katz sprinkled cookies are dairy, nut, and gluten free.
On their website, these cookies sell for $5.19 for a 6 oz package. Their shelf life is 4 months, that’s right I said 4 months, not to say that I’m promising that they’ll make it that long on your shelf though. This extended shelf life is a fantastic perk with Katz products allowing you to buy in bulk either by the case or individually when they have one of their many promotions.
Katz sprinkle cookies in their glory!
If you haven’t had Italian sprinkle cookies, these gluten free treats are also just like Luna Rosa’s which are those gourmet cookies that are adorned with chocolate sprinkles, multi-colored sprinkles, sandwiched with fudge or jelly, dusted with powder sugar, or dipped in chocolate. These are my mother’s favorite cookies that my dad surprises her with on special days like a birthday or holiday, but I always used to sneak one every now and then in my gluten days. Katz’s gluten free sprinkle cookies resemble the classics from my childhood perfectly with their extremely soft, melt in your mouth kind of texture and mildly sweet flavor with the extra touch from the sprinkles, which are those long, soft kind that are perfection.
These cookies are an amazing snack and a great alternative to your homemade standbys. There were many a pregnant day that I perused Katz’s website for a different baked good that I hadn’t had success in making gluten free for myself yet. When I came upon these sprinkle cookies, I was instantly thrown back into those fond days of being a kid and enjoying those gluten filled sweets. I couldn’t help but give them a try and thanks to Katz they certainly lived up to my memories, making me miss Italian Peoples or Luna Rosas a bit less. So treat yourself or your little one to one of Katz’s gourmet gluten free cookies which you can check out on their site here. As always, make sure you check into their promotions to try to save a bit!
I first met the Katz brand on one of my very hungry days in my 2nd trimester of my pregnancy. I was meandering through my local health food store scouting out new and potentially delicious gluten free products when I zoned in on these delicious looking chocolate cupcakes covered in chocolate frosting and sprinkles. While I was pregnant, the baking me kind of took a back seat, so you can understand my excitement when these little beauties came into my sight. Selling for about $5.99 for a pack of 4 cupcakes I was willing to give them a try and I was so glad that I did!
Pack of four Katz cupcakes.
These cupcakes are divine. The chocolate cake portion is textured more like a moist brownie which I am a huge fan of. Atop the cupcake is a thin layer of sweet chocolate frosting, just enough to add a sweet frosty finish to the cupcake. Finally, what cupcake is complete without sprinkles; so to finish theirs off, Katz has dusted half of the frosted cupcake tops with sprinkles. And let me just add that these sprinkles are the good kind, the long, soft sprinkles that add a little extra something to your bite! My only complaint, is that I wish that the whole cupcake top was covered in those delicious sprinkles! Ever since I was little, I always loved sprinkles on top of cookies, cupcakes, cakes, you name it, it was sprinkled. More sprinkles, the better! Such a perfect finish to a sweet treat!
These are simply delicious!
Over the past few years, I’ve tried my fair share of gluten free cupcakes. Overall, the mixes that are available now produce exceptional products and are becoming more affordable as more brands join in. As fantastic as the mixes are, however, every pregnant woman would agree that there are certainly days that go by that you would love to just bite into a perfect pastry without having to make it yourself. Unfortunately, when it comes to purchasing premade gluten free desserts like cupcakes they tend to really lack in the texture department and usually fall apart after just one bite. I’m so happy to share that Katz products have become the exception to this trend! I must say, it was worth every penny to purchase these premade cupcakes that I could enjoy each and every bite of from start to finish without them crumbling apart, thanks to their brownie texture!
Just take one out of the freezer and enjoy!
Similar to many of their other products, these cupcakes should be stored in the freezer and therefore have an extended expiration date. This is an added bonus if you wish to take advantage of one of Katz’s many special offers and buy these ahead of time for a special event or just to stock up on treats for the little ones for months to come. When you’re ready to enjoy these, you only have to pop one (or two!) out of the freezer and either take a bite right away or let it thaw for a few short minutes!
Like I mentioned earlier, I purchased these from a small, local health food store for about $5.99. Unfortunately, Katz products aren’t easy to find in stores locally around me so I typically order their products online. On their website, Katz offers a pack of 4 frosted cupcakes for $5.79. A plus with ordering from the website is the amazing promotions that Katz frequently offers. Many a time, I’ve purchased products with significant discounts paired with their flat rate shipping fee of only $7.99 for purchases under $50 (free for orders over $50!). So sign up here today for emails for their new products, coupons, and company information and keep an eye out for sales on products that you’d like to try or have already fallen in love with!
If you’re interested in ordering these cupcakes, you can find all of their nutritional information here (these are also dairy and nut free too!)! While you’re there, make sure you check out many of their other fantastic products, such as their everything bagels or chocolate frosted donuts. To catch a sneak peak at these items, check out my bagel review here and donut review here.
As you probably have learned from several of my other product postings, I am a huge fan of Katz’s products and truthfully can say that they helped me through many a pregnant day! Not once have I purchased a product of theirs and come away with any ounce of disappoint. So take advantage of their many special offers and indulge in these special chocolaty delights!!
Being a member of the forbidden bread group, typically bagels do not usually fit in to the gluten free diet. However, several companies have produced gluten free options such as plain and cinnamon raisin bagels for the gluten free eater to enjoy. Katz has once again raised the bar, providing several new varieties of bagels that I for one have not seen or smelled since I walked into my local bagel shops many years ago.
During a pregnancy with dietary restrictions, you find yourself constantly making compromises during each meal finding what you want to have does not necessarily match with what your diet allows you to have. Many a pregnant morning, I craved a doughy everything bagel that was toasted and layered with cream cheese, a huge no no according to my gluten free diet. Sadly, this was one craving that I had to ignore or at least substitute with a frozen plain bagel from our grocery store. Although I was quite happy and thankful for this option, especially how convenient it was, that nagging craving motivated me to do a little searching online. That’s when I stumbled upon Katz’s bagel options; I was elated when I discovered that they offered my all time favorite bagel flavor and at a reasonable price. After an extremely quick shipping period, I finally was able to enjoy one of Katz’s everything bagels with a thin layer of low fat cream cheese along with a piece of fruit on the side, a perfectly filling and nutritious breakfast that could tidy me over until a late morning snack.
Katz does it again, welcome back to my life everything bagels!
Their everything bagels are covered in a combination of garlic, onion, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds and are enjoyed best by a light toasting. They are a bit thinner than the average regular bagel but still maintain the wonderful doughy texture that is signature to the bagel.
Gluten free everything bagels by Katz.
Once toasted, they are perfectly complimented by a low fat cream cheese spread or butter if you prefer.
Everything bagels lightly toasted and layered with low fat cream cheese.
I have welcomed everything bagels back into my life with open arms. They are a wonderful treat every now and then, pregnant or not pregnant, and have made many gluten free eaters feel a bit more welcomed in a world of gluten! To check out other Katz bagel varieties and pricing take a look at their website here and make sure to sign up for their emails as they frequently have promotions on their products.
TIP: When following a restricted diet, especially while pregnant, don’t be afraid to do a little searching on the internet to find what you’re looking for, you may just discover a wonderful company as I had in Katz who will provide you with a number of delicious options that will make both you and your baby very happy!
It’s been a long four years and some months since my diet changed over night. One day I literally woke up and wheat and gluten were long gone. But along with the sad disappearance of my once happy diet were the horrible symptoms that seemed to plague me for years on end. I can definitely say that every single day since day 1 has been a challenge; I have to choose every day to live this healthier lifestyle for myself, and that’s where will power comes in handy. Thankfully, I guess I have a ton of it because I’ve never cheated once since the big change many moons ago.
Changing your diet though for medical reasons, either your diagnosis told you to do it or your symptoms did, is totally different motivation to stay strong than just following a new diet fad. Once I saw the huge change in my quality of life I knew that living wheat and gluten free for me was a change for forever, not for a few months. Accepting that from my early twenties until eternity I’d be a little different and have to live a life that’s a little bit harder was always the hardest concept to accept and still is, but nothing beats feeling healthier inside and out.
Even though the rewards have been huge for me it doesn’t mean that there haven’t been certain life instances that make living wheat and gluten free more frustrating and difficult. Many a social situation has been a source of slight frustration, mainly weddings and dinner parties where you always feel like the world just isn’t made for you. But I have to say the hardest times that have challenged my different lifestyle the most are my pregnancies. Living gluten free without worrying about nutrition for you and a baby, without feeling tremendously more hungry than you normally would, and without pregnancy cravings that will drive you mad if you don’t get something that tastes similar is a challenge that was completely new to me a few years ago.
Having a healthy and happy gluten free pregnancy is 100% possible but it doesn’t mean that you’re not frustrated from time to time and that your will power is truly put to the test. Faced with already an extremely picky palette, daily sickness, and other appetite suppressing feelings, on many occasions during both of my pregnancies I looked at my diet with more frustration than I had in years. I’d never wanted to cheat my diet more than I had during my pregnancies partly to just survive the really sick days and on the opposite side to enjoy filling foods that I couldn’t stop craving that I knew would fill my always hungry belly. Being alone in feeling this way was the most difficult part of all and hence the birth of my blog, I wanted to create a place for other mom’s and mom-to-be’s to share their triumphs and tribulations about gluten free living, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
So today I wanted to share my biggest gluten cravings this pregnancy, you know the ones that make me wish I wasn’t gluten free for just a day so baby and mommy could eat safely and happily. Yes, yes I know this is a nightmare to even think about the what ifs but this is pregnancy, not every craving can be so easily gluten free, and this is a real gluten free life where thins aren’t always easy.
Donuts. Ah, my arch nemesis. I never frequented Dunkin Donuts on a daily basis but donuts popped up here and there often enough during my gluten days. Since going gluten free, I’ve certainly found a substitution that makes me more than happy when I really need it but there are times when we get our little girl a special holiday donut or when I saw a gigantic chocolate frosted donut with sprinkles at Epcot that makes things so much harder for me. Gluten free donuts are all cake donuts which certainly come close to pre-packaged varieties in the grocery store but they don’t hold a candle to the light and airy ones at Dunkin Donuts. Maybe one day I’ll be seeing those light and airy pastries again outside of my dreams, but for now, Katz gluten free donuts will fill that craving just fine.
Hoagies. This is a toughie. Yes, I can certainly make myself a lunch meat sandwich on a gluten free roll or baguette but I miss so much being able to go to our local Italian hoagie place and order a delicious thick roll stuffed with all of the hoagie fixings. It’s not the convenience that I miss so much, though it is definitely nice to not have to make everything yourself, but let’s face it, I’ve yet to meet a gluten free hoagie roll or even gluten free rolls that even come close to those delectable rolls that hold a hoagie so well. This has been a huge craving this pregnancy and while my husband has been great getting me gluten free lunch meats from time to time, they’re nothing like the hoagies from my memory.
Pizza. There are certainly plenty of gluten free pizza options out there, homemade, store bought, and restaurant take out included, but can any of us honestly say that we don’t look at the massive pies that come out of the pizza ovens and back at our gluten free individual, thin crust pies with disappoint, I was a pizza crust lover, I loved getting to the edge of the pizza and nibbling at the doughy crust. I’ve never met a gluten free pizza that offers that same feeling but I have to say I’ve been fortunate to come across a few good substitutions that although don’t offer that doughy pizza feel do come pretty close in look and taste. While I make pizzas often myself, I do enjoy a store bought Freschetta Gluten Free Pizza and a take out pie from Mama Mia Trattoria.
I’d be lying if I said that gluten free living is easy peasy; while the rewards and benefits always outweigh any of the challenges and obstacles, it certainly doesn’t mean that it’s an easy road. Living a lifestyle that’s different from the majority of everyone around us is tough and only gets tougher when you’re going through life changing events like a pregnancy. Life gets tougher, true, but it doesn’t become impossible. I many a time this pregnancy, more so than my last, have talked about this with my husband and he is a good reminder of why I’m on this path to begin with. Living this way is the best thing for me and my baby and no matter how difficult, challenging, and lonely it may feel, it’s to hard to always see it but it is completely worth it. My husband is a great calming influence for me and always lets me vent my frustrations but sharing all of these feelings with you is what’s most important. Hopefully my steps down this path can help you now or later in life. Like I’ve always said, pregnancy is a tough time for many of us but when you’re gluten free it’s even tougher so let other mommy-to-bes and seasoned moms out there be a support for you and that little one.
Is anyone as surprised as I am that we’re only a few days away from Thanksgiving? This Fall seems to have just flown by, but I for one am super excited for all of the holiday festivities. For us the holiday family get togethers really commence with the November birthdays, these are only the start of what will be a number of family events of the season. This past weekend we rang in my dad’s belated 60th birthday and my nephew’s 8th birthday, a number I’m still having a hard time grasping. It’s like I blinked and he become an eight year old, much like how I’m in the midst of planning my daughter’s 2nd birthday party that’s rapidly approaching right behind Thanksgiving. Stay tuned to learn more about her Snow White 2nd Birthday!
For now, our holiday celebrations continue with the big Thanksgiving dinner this week. With only a few days to go, I have yet to even go buy my ingredients, so needless to say I’m not quite ready yet. This year is a bit different than the past few since we’re celebrating with my family rather than Dan’s. Unfortunately my severe cat allergy gets in the way of joining in with their fun. As much as I’m a lover of all of God’s creatures, these darn cats make it really tough by making breathing an impossible task. So needless to say in an attempt to enjoy a Thanksgiving full of clean air and breathing and free of cat dander, it’s onto my cat-free family’s house this year. But even though we’re not sharing the dinner table with Dan’s side, I’ll still try to bring a little of their family love to our table too. So do you want to see what’s in store for our gluten free, and really dairy free too thanks to my nephew, Thanksgiving dinner?
Main Dishes:
Turkey and Gravy
Gluten Free Stuffing
Sides:
Mashed Potatoes
Canned Asparagus (I love how soft the asparagus gets like this, even though I do enjoy fresh asparagus too this is a staple for our Thanksgiving dinner)
Pies galore, gluten free and non-gluten free thanks to my Dad
Chocolate Pudding
Thanks to Katz, tons of gluten free/dairy free/nut free/soy free Pumpkin Pie
So that’s what our menu is shaping up to look like so far, what about yours? Share any of your favorite gluten free family recipes, I’m always looking to add to my gluten free table!
With years of hopping between grocery stores just to find a loaf of bread that I could eat, I now can happily just grab a loaf of gluten free bread and toss it into the cart with the rest of my groceries on my bi-weekly trip to the store. It took awhile, but now my Shop Rite stocks a pretty wide selection of Schar gluten free products, from rolls and breads to cookies and crackers. Now when I grab my husband and daughter’s loaf of bread, all I have to do is turn around and see four or five shelves of yellow packaged products with Schar’s signature red label and a red “gluten free” plastered on them.
At the beginning of my gluten free adventure, I, like many others, struggled to find just the right bread that I could eat on a daily basis. Most, if not all, of the options out there were frozen and kind of bleh, but when I came upon Schar, and found it right there on the middle of a non-refrigerated grocery store shelf, I just had to try it. A quick toast later and it was ready to enjoy and boy did I ever enjoy it. I’ve turned to Schar ever since for my sandwiches and miscellaneous bread consumption, among other sweet and salty gluten free snacks. While I’m always on the lookout for new gluten free breads, especially those that don’t require a little pre-toast before eating and might even be available in my local store, for now, I’ll stick with Schar who I know I can grab at my Shop Rite and enjoy without too much prep.
I always like to keep a pretty close eye on some of my favorite brands, just in case they release any new products. Just recently, I was clicking along on Schar’s website and came upon their very own gluten free bagels, plain and cinnamon raisin. I was elated with this news! While I’ve had great gluten free bagels from Katz and Sweet Note Bagels, neither of which have made their way into my local grocery store yet, leaving an online order as my only option for now. Since I’m an avid fan of both brands, especially Katz’s everything bagels and Sweet Note’s cinnamon raisin, this isn’t too big of a deal, but it would certainly be nice to have additional bagel options on hand at all times when you’re just in the mood for a bagel.
For those in-a-pinch, bagel craving moments, I’ve always turned to Glutino bagels. They’re in the frozen section and a package of 4 or 5 is priced at $5.99. A quick defrost and toasting later and you have your gluten free bagel fix. Now, sitting next to Glutino in the freezer case, you can find Schar’s bagel options, coming in a pack of 4, you can get plain and cinnamon raisin varieties for only $2.99 at my Shop Rite. They’re a bit bigger than the Glutino options but very similar in taste. Just like Glutino, these taste more like a Lender’s type bagel that have a bread kind of texture. So far, I’ve enjoyed Schar’s plain bagels toasted with butter or cream cheese, both of which have been quite good, but one of my favorite uses for a gluten free bagel is a breakfast sandwich.
Schar Bagel Breakfast Sandwich
For pregnant me, one of my favorite pregnancy breakfasts was a gluten free bagel, either with butter, cream cheese, or an egg, bacon, and cheese combo, along with fruit on the side. It was substantial enough to hold me over for more than a half an hour and filled that nagging craving for one of those huge bagels from that small bagel shop around the corner from me, well kind of. At the time I only really had Glutino bagels and later on Katz varieties to choose from for my bagel craving, but now and next pregnancy I have so many to choose from, kind of exciting isn’t it.
With the Schar bagels on hand, I decided the other night to do a breakfast dinner, yolky egg sandwiches with pork roll and cheese. These are so simple and tasty and really perfect on any gluten free bagel. They’re certainly a must have during a pregnancy for me, but of course with a fully cooked yolk center or just a scrambled egg instead.
Ingredients:
1 Gluten Free Bagel (I love Katz, Sweet Note Bagels, Schar, and Glutino)
1-2 slices of Pork Roll, use either pre-sliced or in a roll, pre-sliced is easier (Case’s is gluten free)
1 egg
Cheese of choice (I like American or shredded colby jack on my sandwich.)
Directions:
Begin toasting your gluten free bagel.
While your bagel is toasting, slice your pork roll if necessary and add the slices to a warmed skillet (medium heat). The key with cooking pork roll is that you put four 1/2 inch long slits at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 around the circle. As pork roll cooks it begins to puff up and the circles will buckle, so with the slits it keeps the circles lying flat.
Cook the pork roll a few minutes on each side, just until they brown a little.
Cook your egg to your liking, making sure you have a fully cooked yolk center if you’re pregnant.
When all is done cooking, just add your slice of pork roll to the base of your toasted bagel, then your egg, top with some shredded or a slice of cheese, and finally cover it all with the top of your bagel.
Either let your sandwich stand for a minute to allow your cheese to melt or microwave the sandwich for a quick 10-20 seconds or so to melt the cheese.
Enjoy!
Porkroll, egg, and cheese on a toasted Schar bagel.
This sandwich is perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I could really eat any breakfast option at all times during the day, but especially a breakfast sandwich. The Schar bagel was a perfect size for the sandwich, large enough for the egg and pork roll to not hang over the sides. Better yet, the signature falling apart of a gluten free sandwich was non-existent with this one. From start to finish, each bite held together perfectly thanks to the fantastic Schar bagel.
You certainly can’t beat buying a pack of four gluten free bagels for $2.99, especially when they’re as big and tasty as Schar’s are. Finally, we can enjoy a regular everyday item without breaking the bank. Now, if we could only bring the price of breads down I’d be a happy camper. Thanks Schar for adding yet another great bread product to the gluten free market! Now hurry up and grab your gluten free bagel today and make one of these sandwiches, just don’t forget to send one over to me too!
Sincerely,
Lindsay
Gluten Free Pork Roll, Egg, And Cheese Bagel Sandwich
1 Gluten Free Bagel (I love Katz, Sweet Note Bagels, Schar, and Glutino)
1-2 slices of Pork Roll, use either pre-sliced or in a roll, pre-sliced is easier (Case's is gluten free)
1 egg
Cheese of choice (I like American or shredded colby jack on my sandwich.)
Instructions
Begin toasting your gluten free bagel.
While your bagel is toasting, slice your pork roll if necessary and add the slices to a warmed skillet (medium heat). The key with cooking pork roll is that you put four 1/2 inch long slits at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 around the circle. As pork roll cooks it begins to puff up and the circles will buckle, so with the slits it keeps the circles lying flat.
Cook the pork roll a few minutes on each side, just until they brown a little.
Cook your egg to your liking, making sure you have a fully cooked yolk center if you're pregnant.
When all is done cooking, just add your slice of pork roll to the base of your toasted bagel, then your egg, top with some shredded or a slice of cheese, and finally cover it all with the top of your bagel.
Either let your sandwich stand for a minute to allow your cheese to melt or microwave the sandwich for a quick 10-20 seconds or so to melt the cheese.
Enjoy!
By Gluten Free Mom To Be
Gluten Free Mom To Be http://www.glutenfreemomtobe.com/
I’ll be honest, most of the time during my pregnancy being gluten free wasn’t too difficult. Of course there were plenty of moments where I couldn’t seem to get a specific craving out of my head and couldn’t necessarily satisfy it either but that was to be expected. There were also plenty of moments that my cravings were completely doable and were for things that I could eat in a second. Like everyone else’s pregnancies though mine was no different, scattered throughout there were cravings for non-gluten free items that, no matter what I would do, just wouldn’t disappear. Two in particular stand out at the moment, bagels and donuts, both of which were extremely off limits in my diet. (more…)
