Chex Cereal from General Mills

This gluten free product review was so much fun to do! I have signed on to a blogger network called My Blog Spark, sponsored by General Mills. I did it in order to keep track of all the new gluten free products they are releasing (and there are a lot of them!) They sent me coupons to try their cereals, so, try them I did! They also sent along some helpful information about how beneficial cereal can be.

For this review, I worked my way through most of the Chex line. I grabbed Strawberry Chex, Corn Chex, Chocolate Chex and Cinnamon Chex. I cover them all below :)

Ease of Use

As easy as only cold cereal can be! Chex Cereals are easy to serve and eat, perfect for those mornings before school.

Appearance

Chex have always reminded me of little baskets (Come to think of it, I'm not sure why :)

The Strawberry Chex ranged in color from almost red to pink to white.  Chocolate Chex are varying shades of chocolate brown. Cinnamon Chex are light in color, and glisten a bit with cinnamon and sugar. Corn Chex (which I have to admit are my favorite) are golden in color.

Taste and Texture

To do each of the General Mills Cereals justice, I'll branch out a bit here and do each one individually.

Strawberry Chex- I was really surprised when I tasted these. I admit that I expected them to be super sweet with a fake strawberry hint. I was so wrong! They actually have a very rich flavor to them, not overly sweet at all. They reminded me of a cereal I ate as a kid that had real strawberries inside. They were crisp and delicious.

Chocolate Chex- Again, I was surprised that these were not candy-sweet. They had a great chocolate flavor and great texture. They are great to snack on right out of the box.

Cinnamon Chex-These Chex are super tasty! There is the perfect mix of cinnamon and sugar on each one, meaning that nothing is over-powering.

Corn Chex- They taste as golden as they look! The corn flavor is slightly sweet, but not at the same time (I know, real clear, right?) They are fantastic with a bit of vanilla soy milk.

The thing I really liked about all of the flavors (besides the taste) is the way each little square grabs the milk and holds onto it. You have a minute before sogginess sets in, so enjoy!

Versatility

More good news here! Chex Cereals have been known for years for being perfect for snack mixes, but with all the new sweet flavors the possibilities are endless. Try making chocolate and strawberry bars, or a savory and sweet mix. The plain varieties are great to crush and use as crispy toppings and coatings.

Overall Value

You can grab a box of Chex Cereal for under $3.50. Best part is, they are available in the cereal isle of every grocery store. There is no hunting for specialty sections with this gluten free cereal. Here's another bonus for you! Along with the coupons I received,  My Blog Spark and General Mills have also supplied a $1 off coupon for you! Get yours by clicking this link.

Rating

I love Chex Cereal and highly recommend all the flavors!

Kinnikinnick Sesame Bagels

Kinnikinnick Sesame Bagels are on the review block today.  Back in my gluten eating days, I was a bagel addict. I loved to smear them with cream cheese and munch away. Since going gluten free I've been looking to recapture the glory of the bagel days. That did not happen today :(

Ease of Use

Kinnikinnick Sesame Bagels are premade, but not pre-sliced. Be careful that you don't cut your hand! The cutting is the hardest part, though, they are pretty easy to eat. the sesame seeds come off easily, so be prepared with a crumb catcher.

Appearance

Kinnikinnick Sesame Bagels are nice and round with a perfect golden brown glazed top (as in shiny, not sweet frosting glaze). They are topped with a thick layer of sesame seeds.  After cutting one open, you can see that the inside texture is not dense and chewy like regular bagels, the holes in the crumb are too large.

Taste and Texture

Both of these categories leave much to be desired. The texture is very soft, more like an english muffin. The flavor is lacking in many areas and the bagels themselves have an odd odor to them, especially while being toasted.

Versatility

Kinnikinnick Sesame Bagels can be used for pizza, sandwiches or smeared with cream cheese.

Overall Value

A package of Kinnikinnick Sesame Bagels sells for $5.60 for a package of four. Not great in the value department.

Rating

As a bread, these might have been ok, but as a bagel I can't recommend them.

Gluten Free Life Flax Shortbread Cookie

Before doing this review, I had never heard of such a thing as a flax shortbread cookie. Adventurous soul that I am, you know I had to check it out. The label on this cookie from Gluten Free Life reads "verrry yummy". Gotta love the confident packaging!

Ease of Use

Very easy! Just open the package and eat!

Appearance

Gluten Free Life Flax Shortbread Cookies are golden brown and about 3 inches in diameter. You can see the seeds all throughout the cookie.  The cookie looks moist, even through the plastic.

Taste and Texture

I'm impressed! The Flax Shortbread Cookie was amazing! It was soft and chewy, with just the right amount of sweetness. The flax seeds added a touch of crunch and texture that blended perfectly with the flavor of the cookie.

There is no gluten free weirdness to be found here. It was perfectly moist and delectable.

Versatility

Um.... You can make an ice cream sandwich out of it....

Overall Value

Gluten Free Life Flax Shortbread Cookies sell for $2.49 each. That's a pretty steep price, but at least they are sharable!

Rating

Steep price tag or not, I love these cookies! They really are verrry yummy.

Pamela's Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today's gluten free product review is for Pamela's Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies. Pamela's makes a mix as well, but this review is for the premade cookies in the blue and black box.

Ease of Use

Easy Peasy! Just open the box and eat.

Appearance

Pamela's Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies are fairly large. They are not a flat cookie, but raised in the middle.  There are large chocolate chunks visible throughout.

Taste and Texture

The texture of Pamela's Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies is great. They are not hard, but not soft and chewy either. They have a nice bite to them. The chocolate is silky smooth and tastes wonderful.

The flavor of the cookie leaves something to be desired. There is an odd flavor that is hard to place, but it's not the best I've ever had.

Versatility

The versatility is limited in the same way as any other packaged cookie. You can use it as far as your imagination stretches.

Overall Value

Pamela's Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies cost about $3 for a box of nine cookies. The price isn't bad.

Rating

This is not a product comparison blog, but I have to say that I've had better. This product rides a fine line between being recommended and not. They fall into the category of foods that I would eat if they were provided for me, but wouldn't buy again. Since they are not bad, I recommend that you try them at your own risk.

Tropical Traditions Coconut Cream Concentrate

Since doing the review for Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil, I’ve been exploring more and more with coconut products. They have natural health benefits that are pretty amazing! The latest product I tried was Coconut Cream Concentrate. It’s some interesting stuff! I’m excited to do this gluten free product review, and to share the recipe I developed while testing this product.

Ease of Use

When I received the jar of Tropical Traditions Coconut Cream Concentrate, it was below freezing outside. The cream had separated from the oil, which made the jar look pretty, but create a challenge of use. I heated the entire jar, stirring as I went, to combine the oil and cream again. It didn’t take long, but it is one extra step to keep in mind for your first use.

After the Coconut Cream Concentrate was combined and in liquid form (thick liquid) it was easy to use. You just measure and pour it into whatever you are mixing it into.

Appearance

Tropical Traditions Coconut Cream Concentrate is thick and creamy. It has an off-white color and mostly smooth texture. When it is warm it pours out of the jar easily. When it is cold it is more solid and needs to be scooped or warmed for pouring.

Taste and Texture

It tastes thick and creamy too! The flavor is very rich. It tastes like unsweetened coconut, a pretty complex flavor. It fills your mouth and stays there (but not in the unpleasant greasy way). The texture is mostly smooth, though it does offer more texture than a pure liquid would.

Versatility

There are a ton of uses for Tropical Traditions Coconut Cream Concentrate. It can be used in both savory and sweet recipes. There are a lot of recipes for it on the Tropical Traditions recipe page, and even more in their Virgin Coconut Oil Book. I used the Veloute Base for Non-Dairy Cream Soups from the book and made a delicious Tomato soup. I tried other recipes as well, but the soup was my favorite. I was amazed at how thick and creamy it was, while being gluten free and dairy free.

Overall Value

A 32 oz. jar of Tropical Traditions Coconut Cream Concentrate retails for $19.95. It’s pricey, but worthwhile to keep on hand for the versatility.

Rating

I recommend Tropical Traditions Coconut Cream Concentrate. This is especially true for people who want to make great gluten free and dairy free cream soups!

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Udi's Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread

I miss great bread, mostly because it is necessary for great sammiches.  Who doesn't love a BLT or a gooey grilled cheese?  These tasty hand meals are a right of all humanity, not just the gluten eating ones.  Therefore, it is my pleasure to do this review.  Udi's Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread is good enough that I "review" it quite often!  Let me tell you why:

Ease of Use

Udi's Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread comes frozen from the grocery store.  Once it's thawed, it is great to eat right out of the package.

Appearance

Udi's gluten free bread loaves are about half the size of "regular" loaves.  Each slice looks like a smaller version of wheat bread.  It has texture and color that make the tummy rumble.  It has just the right amount of holes in the crumb (interior) and the crust is a rich golden brown.  There is a light coating of white powder on the crust, but it doesn't interfere with the taste.

Taste and Texture

Unbelievable!  Udi's Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread is soft!  I have been eating these tasty slices right out of the bag (sans toppings even).  There is no need to toast it, though it does make delicious toast.  The texture is what you would expect from whole grain bread, hearty and nice to bite into. The crumb is soft and chewy and the crust is firm, but not hard.

The taste is wonderful.  There are no odd flavors to disguise with extra butter. 

Versatility

I would use this bread for just about anything.  It makes great french toast and sammiches (of any kind).  My only complaint is that I had to use extra cheese for my grilled cheese because the bread seemed to absorb some of it.  It dries out a little after the first four days or so, but then it is perfect for bread crumbs and croutons. 

Overall Value

Udi's Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread can be purchased online for (are you ready for this?) $5.00!  Unheard of!  It seems that the shipping would be a little steep to buy a loaf at a time, but they offer an 8-pack as well.  It is also pretty widely available at retail stores.

Rating

I cannot say enough good things about this product.  From the taste to the price, and even the packaging: I love it!