Growing up, once we were past our years of character themed birthday cakes I’m pretty sure every birthday we requested my mom’s angel food cake. It was so light and fluffy with a little sponginess to it too, not to mention her chocolate pudding frosting she’d add to it (tear). Ah those were the days, lots of fantastic memories filled with gluten. These days, you won’t see many an angel food cake at birthday parties in our neck of the woods, mostly because it’s chock full of gluten. But now thanks to Whole Foods Market gluten free brand I’m going to welcome Angel Food Cake back into my life with open arms!
Whole Foods Market offers their own gluten free brand called Gluten Free Bakehouse. As far as their line of gluten free products is considered, there’s so much variety and each product that I’ve tried has been just as tasty as the other. From gluten free scones and muffins to pie crust and breadcrumbs and not to mention now angel food cake. It seems like the possibilities are endless for this gluten free store brand! Mouth watering yet? Yeah, mine is too, now it’s time to hop over to your local Whole Foods and grab your angel food cake, but don’t forget to print this Whole Foods Bakehouse Coupon.first to save yourself $1. Enjoy the treat and savings!
Any pastry stuffed with a cream and smothered with chocolate is my kind of dessert. Although it’s been a long time since I tasted the sweet heaven of an eclair, I’ve been so lucky to enjoy a gluten free cream puff that mimicked my favorite parts of the eclair, thanks to Wildflour Bakery/Cafe (take a peak at this gorgeous gluten free cream puff). Since my gluten free baking skills are not quite up to snuff with the professionals, I’ve yet to attempt some of my bakery favorites. But, after some searching through Google and the magic of pinterest, I’ve found a great recipe that makes a tasty substitute to the pastry form of an eclair, and with a little tweaking, the Gluten Free Chocolaty Eclair Cake has been born (Thanks to The Kitchen Is My Playground for the inspiration).
This recipe is really genius. It’s kind of a cross between an eclair and a s’more, combining the creaminess of the eclair filling with the crunchy graham crackers that sandwich the s’more. You simply layer gluten free graham crackers, my favorites are these Honeygrams by Schar, with a vanilla pudding and light cool whip filling, and smother the top with a chocolaty topping. After setting overnight, the graham crackers absorb the deliciousness of the vanilla pudding/whipped topping filling and soften to be just like a cake! It’s truly a delicious dessert and takes only a few minutes to throw together!
Ingredients:
2 3.5oz boxes of gluten free vanilla instant pudding
3 cups skim milk
1 8oz container light whipped topping (I used Wegmans brand which states gluten free.)
16.8 oz gluten free graham crackers (I used three 5.6 oz boxes of Schar graham crackers.)
16 oz jar of chocolate frosting (Pillsbury states gluten free on their label.)
Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine two 3.5 oz packets of vanilla pudding mix with 3 cups skim milk.
Stir in one whole 8 oz container of light whipped topping.
Light whipped topping mixed with vanilla pudding packets and skim milk.
In a 9″ x 13″ dish, cover the bottom with a layer of gluten free graham crackers.
To the layer of graham crackers add half of the vanilla pudding/whipped topping mixture, making sure to cover the graham crackers.
Bottom layer of gluten free graham crackers topped with half of the vanilla pudding/light whipped topping filling.
Add another layer of graham crackers on top of the vanilla pudding/whipped topping layer.
Second layer of gluten free graham crackers.
Layer remaining vanilla pudding/whipped topping mixture on top of the second layer of graham crackers.
Second layer of remaining vanilla pudding/light whipped topping filling.
Finish the dessert with a final layer of graham crackers.
Top and final layer of gluten free graham crackers.
For the final touches, empty a 16 oz jar of chocolate frosting into a small microwavable bowl and warm for a few seconds to make it creamy.
Gently spread frosting across the top layer of graham crackers. You may not need the entire bowl, just use what is needed.
Finishing touches, a chocolaty frosting layer atop graham cracker and eclair-like filling.
Refrigerate dessert over night and enjoy!
For me, this dessert was love at first bite. It was just the right amount of filling and graham crackers, all topped with a sweet icing topping, the perfect finish. This dessert takes literally 10 minutes to throw together and a somewhat painful length of time to let everything set. My advice, put the dessert together first thing in the morning and it’ll be ready for dessert after dinner the same day, just make sure you lick the spoon of the amazing filling for a little taste. But trust me, a little patience and it’ll be worth the wait because once the pudding has set and you’ve given a chance for all of the flavors to melt together, you end up with a perfect summer dessert of cake-like graham cracker layers mixed with fluffy pudding that tastes just like an eclair filling, all smothered in a sweet chocolaty icing. So add these ingredients to your shopping list for your 4th of July cookout this weekend and whip this dessert up, you’ll definitely have some happy diners on your hands!
I thought it was only fitting to share a great Turkey Hill Coupon that I stumbled upon. Turkey Hill offers 62 frozen treats that are gluten free. Check out more on Turkey Hill’s allergen labeling and gluten free flavors on my post here. After you pick out your favorite gluten free flavor, print out this fantastic $1/1 coupon and save a little on your sweet frozen treat!
One of my favorite desserts, pregnant or not, is a delicious bowl of ice cream. I think I probably had ice cream or frozen yogurt during about 90% of my pregnancy, yup it definitely ranked as my top snack. Some of my favorite flavors are those usually with a little bit of fruit to them like strawberry banana and cherry with chocolate pieces, but then I always love my peanut butter flavors, like peanut butter ripple and chocolate with peanut butter swirled throughout. Ah, yummy!
Since my last days living the non-gluten free life, I have yet to step back into our local ice cream parlors. While you can always order ice cream in a cup rather than a gluten filled cone, having worked in an ice cream shop I for one know that scoops are shared between flavors so cross contamination is an absolute yes. With the explosion of allergen awareness though, our world is slowly changing. We now have a local self serve frozen yogurt shop that labels all of their flavors with allergen info (thank goodness this was present during my pregnancy!). Also, many thanks to Joy for releasing gluten free ice cream cone options that us gluten free diners can enjoy with our favorite gluten free ice cream flavors at home.
With summer upon us, I thought it was only appropriate to recommend some of my favorite ice cream brands that provide allergen or gluten specific information:
Breyers: On their site, Breyers indicates that most of their ice creams are naturally gluten free, however some do contain gluten as well as other allergens. For this reason, they will indicate in the ingredient label if any of the 8 most common allergens are contained in the product. As far as labeled gluten free Breyers’ ice creams, they’ve just recently released over 30 of their flavors with a gluten free symbol marked on their packaging (this is so exciting). Some of my favorites among these include the Black Raspberry Chocolate, Peach, and Vanilla Fudge Twirl. To see this complete list just head over to Breyers’ website. So next time you’re in the ice cream section keep an eye out for these specially labeled gluten free varieties but also make sure you check out others that may not have been marked yet. I personally have studied every label before buying, only ever purchasing those that clearly do not contain any wheat or gluten sources, and have never had a problem even with those that have not been labeled with the gluten free mark. As always though, if there is any question on gluten content call their contact number on the product.
Turkey Hill: This brand is top on my list mainly because they offer my all time favorite flavors, peanut butter ripple and chocolate peanut butter cup. Turkey Hill offers 62 frozen treats that are gluten free. My favorites include the peanut butter varieties of course but also Chocolate Marshmallow and PomBlueberry Chocolate Truffle. Pick out your favorite gluten free Turkey Hill flavors on their website. As far as labeling, the last time I purchased Turkey Hill ice cream I did not see any gluten free markings (it looks like they may add these according to their website labels); however they do clearly state which of the common allergens are in the product. I usually just check the label thoroughly and make sure no allergens or sneaky ingredients are present that could cause a problem, but you could also bring along their list of gluten free flavors to help you in your choosing.
Blue Bunny: At this time, Blue Bunny doesn’t validate or certify that any of their products are gluten free. However, they will indicate allergen content clearly on their ingredient labels. I love this brand and purchase their ice creams frequently, when the sale is right that is. I’m always a bit more hesitant buying products that are not labeled gluten free; however, without this label, and even with it too, I always study the ingredients very carefully and don’t hesitate caling if I fear of any hidden gluten, although I can honestly say that I’ve never had to do this. Some of my favorite Blue Bunny varieties include their Frozen Yogurt flavors like Bordeaux Cherry Chocolate and Strawberry Banana. While they offer some very tasty flavors with allergen information listed, hopefully in the near future they tackle the gluten free label as well.
Friendly’s: Similar to Blue Bunny, it appears that Friendly’s doesn’t directly label their products as being gluten free. However, just like Blue Bunny they will indicate allergen content on their ingredient labels. For this reason, I have purchased a number of their ice creams without any gluten reaction. Just as I always advise though, I do call if I ever have a question of any ingredient in particular but have rarely needed to since most of the labeling across all of the flavors is incredibly clear. Check out Friendly’s huge list of flavors and just click on your favorites to see their nutrition and allergen information. One of my new favorite flavors is the Black Cherry Chocolate Chunk, fruit and chocolate combo is obviously a winner for me.
Wegmans: As with all of Wegmans brand products, if a product is gluten free, they are marked as such on their label. I love Wegmans! Check out Wegman’s ice cream selection, they definitely have some yummy gluten free flavors and at such a reasonable price.
So as far as the ice cream department, we certainly do have a number brands and flavors to choose from. While all of my recommendations mark allergen content, some even indicate if a product is gluten free. It certainly seems like the ball is definitely rolling in the right direction, so let’s hope it continues and many more brands pop up with gluten free labels.
What I do love is that we really do have so many choices across each brand, allowing us all to pick out exactly what we want and save money too by buying with a sale. Ice cream can certainly be pretty expensive so it’s a real treat to not have to be committed to just one brand and to be able to join the rest of consumers out there and take advantage of great sales, especially during summer time. So while you cool off with a sweet frozen treat and pair it with a Joy gluten free ice cream cone, maybe even pass along a thank you email to the brands that are working so hard to add to our gluten free selection!
TIP: Keep an eye on all of these websites for coupons posted during the summer and make sure you pair them with your grocery stores’ sales so you get the best deal!
I LOVE scones; they’re a perfect breakfast treat on occasion or dessert now and then. Fruity or chocolaty, either way, they are a delicious start to the day or sweet finish to a meal! Since going gluten free I’ve tried my baking hand at preparing gluten free scones but haven’t quite been able to find the perfect recipe. While I’ve been figuring out the best recipe and ingredients, I’ve been so fortunate to find gluten free scones at not one, but two locations in the area. My husband and I first spotted gluten free store brand Cranberry Orange Scones at Whole Foods Market, a local grocer; soon after, we stumbled upon some Cranberry scones at a gluten free bakery nearby, Wildflour Bakery/Cafe. For more information and a sneak peak at Wildflour Bakery/Cafe’s Cranberry Scones, check out my review.
Whole Foods, along with Wegman’s, is one of the only grocery stores to offer store brand gluten free products. While Wegman’s labels all of their store brand products with gluten free symbols, if necessary, Whole Foods has produced a separate line of gluten free bakery items. Whole Foods Gluten Free Bakehouse offers gluten free scones, cakes, cupcakes, pies, breads, stuffing, and biscuits. Although I haven’t tried nearly all of their products, what I have tried so far have been amazing and better yet, they’re priced competitively with other gluten free name brands.
In the freezer section of Whole Foods, you’ll find separate freezer cases for gluten free products. The cases are packed full of breads and pastries by Whole Foods Gluten Free Bakehouse, Udi’s, Rudi’s, and a couple of other gluten free brands. Nestled in the cases are these delicious gluten free cranberry orange scones. Coming in a pack of four, the scones are a substantial size that I usually cut in half to enjoy for breakfast or dessert. Keep them stored in the freezer until you’re ready to enjoy one of these pastries, then just pull one out, let it defrost at room temp (this doesn’t take too long) or zap it for a few seconds in the microwave, and enjoy by itself or with some gluten free butter along side of it.
Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Scone
I personally love these scones. They’re perfectly firm with sweet cranberries scattered throughout and an essence of orange floating around. I’m partial to enjoying these a little on the cold side or room temp but have also dabbled in them warmed up with a little butter in the middle too! Either way, they’re delicious and I highly recommend them. So head over to your local Whole Foods and pick up your favorite bakery treat in their Gluten Free Bakehouse section!
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!
Summer’s here! There’s certainly nothing better than enjoying an ice cream cone on a hot summer day. In a world where we’re surrounded by gluten everywhere though, it’s a bit more difficult to grab one of these at your local ice cream shop. No worries, thanks to Joy, gluten free ice cream cones have made their debut! These cones are light and airy and are the perfect crunchy complement to a deliciously sweet ice cream. You absolutely must pick up a package (or two!) of these on your next shopping trip, but make sure you print this coupon first!
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