Gluten Free Pantry Essentials: Where All Of Your Basic Ingredients Are Covered

Udi’s Has Redefined The Gluten Free Tortilla, Making Them Soft And Tasty, Perfect For Any Meal!

Flour tortilla wraps used to be one of my favorite lunches or dinners prior to going gluten free. In fact, in my college days I probably ate these at least a few times a week, mostly for lunch, stuffing them either with egg salad, grilled chicken, or a caesar salad. These were such a flexible and healthier option for a lunch or dinner. Flash forward two years and those days were long gone, as my once beloved flour tortillas, as suspected by the term flour, were chock full of gluten and strictly off limits in my new lifestyle. 

Over the past few years of dining gluten free, I’ve tried a decent amount of tortillas, whether they were corn or brown rice. For me, these gluten free options were always a bit too strong in taste and brittle or rubbery in texture, unfortunately, just never fitting the bill of the soft and tender flour tortilla that could lend itself to so many different dishes. As a result, any dish involving tortillas has been absent from my gluten free diet for the past two years or so.

Thankfully, my hiatus from soft and tasty wraps has come to an end as I’ve recently discovered a wonderful contribution to the gluten free world! Udi’s has introduced the allergy free community to a gluten, dairy, soy, and nut free tortilla that both tastes and looks like the gluten filled version! Allergy free diners fitting into those categories will no longer have to abstain from tortilla consumption and drool over the soft and delicious tortillas teasing them at stores and restaurants.

Udi's Flour Tortillas
Udi’s Flour Tortillas

They’ve produced tortillas that not only have a mild flavor that do not interrupt with the stuffings, but also a soft and tender product that reminds me of those delicious wraps that I used to enjoy only a few short years ago. Udi’s has put out two varieties of these tortillas, a large size selling in a 6 pack and a small size available in an 8 pack. Pricewise, these sell for about $4- $5, depending on store and size. 

Crispy Chicken Cobb Wrap
Crispy Chicken Cobb Wrap

Being a huge fan of Udi’s products, I couldn’t wait to give these a try and bring back one of my favorite lunch options. I must say, yet again Udi’s did not disappoint. They’ve managed to produce a gluten free tortilla that doesn’t compromise on its taste or structural integrity. They’re soft and flexible, perfect for wrapping, after a quick 30 second warm up in the microwave.

For my first taste test of these tortillas, I decided to bring back a long forgotten Red Robin’s favorite, the crispy chicken wrap. I threw together some cobb salad staples and my favorite crispy chicken, wrapped the mixture up in a tortilla, and eagerly took a bite. Delicious! To check out my recipe for my Quick and Easy Crispy Chicken Cobb Wrap, check out my post here. All I can say is thank you to Udi’s, I can see many gluten free wraps, quesadillas, and soft tacos back in my future. 

Sincerely,

Lindsay

 

Homemade Gluten Free Pizza Is Now So Much Easier With Schar’s Premade Crusts

Thankfully gluten free pizzas are typically not hard to come by at your local grocery store. Many of the leading gluten free brands have put out pizza products including pizza mixes, premade pizza crusts that are either frozen or on the shelf, and even frozen premade pizzas in a variety of combinations. Each of these options range in pricing, some being cheaper than others depending on their convenience factor.

Pregnant or not I always keep a couple of pizza crusts in my freezer or cabinet for a quick dinner. For days that I have a bit more time I prefer making my pizzas or calzones from a store bought mix, and as an added bonus, you tend to get more for your money with these as you’re able to make a lot more pizzas for usually less money. While pregnant though, nothing could beat a quick, easy, and tasty pizza in only about 15 minutes. Many of my pregnant days I longed for a large, cheesy pizza from my local pizzeria which are overflowing with gluten, but trust me making a quick pizza for yourself hits the spot just the same without the terrible repercussions. Depending on personal preference, there are options for gluten free thin crust or deep dish versions of pizzas. Schar produces a great thicker crust that is the perfect base for any number of toppings.

Schar Pizza Crusts
Schar Pizza Crusts

They’re about a 1/2 inch thick and once topped and baked create a wonderful deep dish-esque crust. I like to top these with a number of different topping combinations but one of my favorites is just simple homemade tomato sauce, skim mozzarella cheese, and a dusting of dried herbs. If you’re craving something rather than a plain cheese pizza, stay tuned to see the variety of pizza toppings that I love to pair with these crusts!

Schar's thick crust, perfect for a quick meal.
Schar’s thick crust, perfect for a quick meal.

A package of two of these crusts will run you around $6.99, depending on where you purchase them. Although it’s somewhat pricey, either indulge occasionally or wait for them to be on sale and stock up at that time. Also sign up on Schar’s website for Schar Club where you can receive coupons!

It is truly a pleasure to be able to enjoy a doughy pizza crust again without too much of an effort. I can’t lie, while I was pregnant I indulged in homemade pizzas quite a few times. When I could muster up the energy to make homemade pizzas from scratch it was fantastic, but the ease and convenience of these premad Trust me, if you’re craving a deep dish kind of pizza, this one will certainly do the trick! Give them a try today!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Gluten Free Bisquick Mix Courtesy of Betty Crocker

Betty Crocker has produced a number of gluten free products mainly in the way of baking mixes. I for one am a huge fan of all of the gluten free baking mixes so when I came upon this little surprise I was thrilled! I couldn’t believe that Betty Crocker had expanded their gluten free line again, this time branching off Bisquick by making Gluten Free Bisquick mix. This mix has made my life so much easier and tastier too! I’ve used it for a number of recipes and each time it has produced a perfect product. Some of my favorites have been my Sour Cream Blueberry Pancakes, that I posted about here, and Garlic Cheddar Biscuits, absolutely delicious! The convenience and flexibility of this mix makes it a permanent item on my pantry shelves.

Gluten Free Bisquick
Gluten Free Bisquick

My only complaint is the actual size of the product which sadly gets used up just way too quickly. Since this product is newer though I think Betty Crocker will wait and see how it is reviewed and hopefully do as they did with the regular Bisquick when they made a larger version, here’s to hoping! Until then, I can see many biscuits, pancakes, and many other gluten free treats in my future! Give this a try and you’ll be so glad that you did!

TIP: Keep an eye out for coupons on Betty Crocker’s website as they have posted coupons for this item recently which help out a ton on its $5.49 price tag at my local grocery store. Shop around though at other grocers or even a Walmart or Target which around me have carried this item as low as $4.18. If it’s not located in any of your local stores check online, for instance you can order it online at Walmart. For me, the versatility of this mix is completely worth the price tag!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Naturally Gluten Free and Deliciously Healthy Pregnancy Snack

During pregnancy, indulging in healthy and delicious snacks are a must. It never fails, no sooner have you finished your breakfast or lunch and you’re hungry yet again. That little one inside of you is helping you burn calories way quicker than usual so always make sure you keep an easy snack on standby. One of my personal favorites is a sliced Granny Smith apple with either peanut butter, hazelnut spread, or Smart Balance’s new dark chocolate peanut butter for dipping. The best apart about this snack…it’s naturally gluten free!

A perfect snack, sliced green apple and chocolate peanut butter spread.
A perfect snack, sliced green apple and chocolate peanut butter spread.

Apples and peanut butter are a powerful snack, providing a much needed healthy dose of fiber, protein, and calories. The combined effects of the two are perfect for a late afternoon or late morning pick-me-up. Any apple or peanut butter will do the trick, I prefer the Granny Smith, Fuji, or Wine Sap (highly recommend this one during apple picking season) combined with a Smart Balance brand peanut butter or their new chocolaty flavor, all of which are gluten free. Depending on the sales that week, I’ll also indulge in Jif and Skippy peanut butter which are also gluten free and a bit more cost friendly as they are put on sale quite often. No matter which varieties you prefer, make sure you always keep your cabinets stocked for this perfect gluten free, pregnancy snack!

TIP: Peanut butter by nature is gluten free, however always be sure to check labeling on any peanut butter brand that you purchase. Smart Balance is one of the healthier and gluten free brands of peanut butters and always indicates gluten content, or rather lack of, on their labels.

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Barilla Has Finally Produced Gluten Free Pasta!

All I have to say is THANK YOU BARILLA!

Several of the mainstream pasta brands have finally joined the gluten free world and I for one couldn’t be more grateful. Barilla has introduced a number of gluten free pasta shapes, including penne, rotini, elbow, and spaghetti, all made with a perfect blend of corn and rice creating a pasta that both tastes and feels like regular pasta. Having tasted my fair share of gluten free pastas I must say I’ve never quite taken to either the brown rice or corn varieties that have existed. The new Barilla offerings have truly embraced the eternal goal of producing quality gluten free food that doesn’t taste free of gluten at all.

Welcome to the gluten free world Barilla!
Welcome to the gluten free world Barilla!

An added bonus of the debut of the larger pasta brands like Barilla is not only the increased variety of choices but also the much more competitive pricing. It unfortunately is not a secret that to eat with dietary restrictions is a much more costly way of life; to even consume pasta, which tends to be a cheaper dinner option for most diners, gluten free eaters must pay more. Now myself and my fellow gluten free eaters can indulge in a pasta dish for under $3.00 a box, in fact at my local grocer these varieties are available at just $2.69.

Now that gluten free pasta is much more economical to enjoy, it can be enjoyed more often  by all. The versatility of cooking with these pastas is endless so don’t be afraid to dig out your all time favorite family pasta dishes or try something new off of Barilla’s list of gluten free recipes here.

TIP: Keep an eye out for these pastas to go on sale, it isn’t often but it certainly does happen. More importantly, keep a watch for coupons for these items, either on their website or couponing sites, they do exist, not commonly but I have seen them. I’ll keep you posted as I discover these coupons so we can all take advantage of finally getting a good deal on gluten free pasta and finally gaining a little bit of control over our gluten free grocery budgets.

Sincerely,

Lindsay

My Go To Gluten Free Bread Crumbs

Bread Crumbs are certainly a must have to keep in your pantry at all times. I personally use them in a good portion of my recipes from breaded chicken to baked macaroni and cheese. A bonus is their shelf life, which usually extends out about 9 months. My personal favorite gluten free bread crumbs are the Schar brand which come unseasoned and in an 8.8 oz bag and cost about $3.49, depending on the store. Another one of my favorites are Gillian’s Foods Italian Bread Crumbs which come in a 12 oz container and cost about $6.19. I personally prefer to purchase the Schar bread crumbs and season them myself, and after a little prep at home and saving a little bit of money, my bread crumbs end up tasting just as good as the more expensive brand

So as I mentioned earlier, Schar bread crumbs are rice flour based and come unseasoned. I prefer seasoned bread crumbs for most of my recipes so I just add my own seasonings to them when I get home and store them in these handy Ziploc containers.

GF Italian Breadcrumb Ingredients
Gluten free seasoned bread crumbs with just 6 ingredients.

These bread crumbs have a great texture and taste in comparison to others that I’ve tried that are either too flaky or are very very bland.

Schar breadcrumbs before spices are added.
Schar bread crumbs before spices are added.

What’s great about getting these bread crumbs is the ability to customize what spices you like in your seasoned bread crumbs. I usually like traditional Italian spices such as basil, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, and garlic salt. I typically add the bread crumbs to the container first, then add about one heaping tablespoon of each spice, cap the container, and shake them to mix!

Seasoned Schar breadcrumbs.
Schar bread crumbs seasoned with spices.

Voila! Your seasoned gluten free bread crumbs are ready to use and enjoy! To store just seal and keep in a dry place and you’re set for weeks of yummy recipes!

TIP: A bonus to purchasing Schar products is the potential for coupons. You can sign up with the Schar Club on their website here and keep an eye out. Schar coupons also do occasionally appear on coupon sites and facebook as well. But no worries, as I see them, I’ll direct you to them so keep an eye out here!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

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