GLUTEN FREE TOP 10
We use this for waffles, breads, and cookies. You see, GF flour isn't just one flour. It is a flour mixture. Ingredients include things like brown rice flour, white rice flour, tapioca starch, xantham gum, and almond meal. Otherwise it just doesn't work out well. Trust me. Some people mix their own. Me? Been there. I prefer to save myself the headache. But, as you can see, it isn't cheap. One 4-pound bag costs $13! Obviously, we don't have waffles very often. I buy this from amazon.com, and always get free shipping. It ends up cost slightly less than getting it from the GF store.
These are the most *normal* tasting cakes we've found. Pamela's has some cake mixes, but there is a distinct GF aftertaste, plus they are a little dry, which is a very common (and very annoying) drawback to most GF products. Betty's are moist and delicious. Again, they can be pricey, costing roughly $3.50 per box, which may not seem bad, but it only makes one 8 inch round cake. If you want a full 13x9 cake, you're gonna have to buy 2. I also get these from amazon.
#3 Rudi's Gluten Free Bread
This one I can't buy on amazon, so I have to actually drive to the store. {Gasp!} It comes in the freezer section, and actually tastes the most normal, although we still always end up toasting it. However, it costs a whopping $6 a loaf! Bread is a luxury we don't budget in much these days. But, when we want an actual sandwich vs. rolling up lunch meat around a string cheese, or eating peanut butter directly out of the jar, we splurge on Rudi's.
#4 Pasta: Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta with Rice Bran
I know they have quinoa pasta, but I seriously cannot get that stuff to cook right. It's either too cooked or not cooked enough. Typical quinoa. This rice pasta can be sticky, but it's our favorite. The packages cost between $3 and $4 a bag. Lucky you, who pay less than $1 for a bag of pasta!
#5 Pizza Crust (Frozen): Kinnikinnick
I also have to buy these at the store, as they are kept in the freezer section. Honestly, it's the most edible pizza crust we've found, simply because it doesn't have the texture of a sponge. Like, seriously, try taking your kitchen sponge and putting some sauce, pepperoni, and cheese on it. I am not even joking. But this is non-spongy, and I have yet to find something GF that is non-edible from kinnikinnick. They have great doughnuts and even some K-Toos that, to me, taste just like Oreos. (Although, I did have a friend smell the K-Toos and tell me, "Katie, those don't even smell normal." Eh. GF beggars can't be choosers.
#6 Pizza Crust (Homemade): Bob's Red Mill
Again, this is the most edible homemade pizza crust we've found. I am still searching for a GF Pizza Hut or Papa John's. Please. Someone - show me a delicious (not just edible) GF pizza and I will love you forever!!
You thought wheat free and gluten free were the same, eh? Well, they aren't. There's gluten in other things, too. Like barley and rye. Anyhow ... this bread mix we use our bread maker to make. The sweet bread is the best. We will throw this in the bread maker for 3 hours, come home, and all my kids want to do is eat bread. Bread. BREAD! They love it. Our favorite: Monte Cristos. The kids think they are in heaven. Still, it usually ends up being roughly $4.30 a loaf (not including the other ingredients like eggs and oil).
#8 Food Should Taste Good Chips
We love 'em all. Multigrain and Sweet Potato (barring little Mia) being our regular favorites. I usually get these on amazon, but I get the Multigrain ones at Costco, too.
#9 Cold Cereal: Chex
Thank goodness for General Mills! Our favorites? Chocolate, Cinnamon, and Honey Nut.
#10 Hot Cereal: Bob's Red Mill GF Oatmeal
Didn't know oatmeal had gluten in it? Well, it doesn't. Not naturally, anyway. However, it's grown in wheat fields, or in close proximity, and it's processed in factories that also process wheat. Therefore, it may be tainted with wheat. So they have to grow it separate, and process it separate, and BAM! They can charge, like, quadruple. Eh. My kids LOVE oatmeal. Jackson will straight up tell you it's his favorite food. They eat it at least once a day. And will request you add flaxseed and brown sugar. What can I say?
*Note: Some GF peeps cannot tolerate even GF oatmeal. So be careful.
2 comments:
So Lindsay Anderson directed me to your blog, and I love it! I'm gf as well. I totally agree with your top 10 list, but I notice you didn't mention Udi's. Udi's changed my life. Love their bagels and pizza crust (which can also be used like garlic bread, or naan). Also, Still Riding pizza makes a pretty good pizza crust. Here's the AMAZING part though, pizzerias serve it. You can go to Still Riding Pizza's website and find a pizzeria near you that serves gf pizza. We are lucky to have one down the street. Pricey, yes. But sometimes a pizza that I don't have to cook is worth the $.
Last thing I wanted to share - if you like really thin-crust pizza like I do, I cut the eggs from Bob's Red Mill Pizza, but keep the yeast. I let it rise a little, then roll it out to fit my pizza pan. My family (7 gf people in all), absolutely love it when I make it this way. But we're East Coasters, and like when you can fold a pizza in half while eating it.
You can e-mail me at any time, I love to talk gf. :) skdberry at gmail.
Come to San Francisco and I'll show you some TASTY GF Pizza here! I dare you.
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