Exhaustion and Comfort Food: A Review of EnviroKidz Panda Puffs

I'm exhausted. So much so that I'm too tired to even tell you about it. When I get this worn down, my first instinct is to fill my bed full of comfort food and dive straight in. Two birds with one stone! One dirty, dirty inedible stone that also makes an awful pillow. 


I think I've purchased one box of cereal since developing my gluten allergy in a moment of weakness last summer. It was a box of Fruity Pebbles,* which are like Rice Krispies but neon and frooty.** Rice Krispies are not gluten-free unless you buy the ones specifically marked as such, by the way. The Fruity Pebbles were disappointing in both their frootiness and mooshiness, and then they turned my toothbrush orange just like they did when I was a kid. 


But lately, all I want is cereal. While cereal is actually a lot of effort to prepare, especially in the early morning, this one totally worth it. Panda Puffs are amazetastic! They're clearly labeled as gluten-free, which makes them a no-brainer when I'm standing in the store. They have a pleasant peanut butter taste that plays really nicely with milk. Panda Puffs are kind of like the Reese's Puffs (WARNING WARNING WARNING: that link is obnoxious... proceed at your own risk) but without the ass-nasty aftertaste. Plus, they hold their crispness in milk but don't cut your mouth the way that Cap'n Crunch does.*** 


Long story short, Panda Puffs are a great cereal option for glutards who still have their childhood sweet tooth!


*Totally gluten free, in case you want some!
**The misspelling is to denote the lack of real fruit contribution to the fruitiness.
***I was really into kids' cereal prior to my allergy, in case you couldn't tell. 

Opinions About Food: Udi's Gluten Free Sandwich Bread

Are you currently living in a tent due to the economic downturn? Are you currently living in a tent because you're occupying Wall St/Boston/Iowa City? If you're living in a tent for any reason, I've got great news for you! Udi's Gluten Free Breads are satisfying even without toasting!

Pros: Udi's breads taste good and they hold up slightly better than other breads. These breads don't have any of the weird beany, metallic, or odd flavors that some gluten-free baked goods have. These breads also lack the grainy texture of some gluten-free breads and bread-like products. I had a hamburger between two slices of their white sandwich bread and it crumbled/got soggy/disintegrated slower than typical gluten-free breads. I was able to eat about half of my burger before reverting to a knife and fork! Progress! It also makes a damn fine grilled cheese sandwich. This bread also freezes well, in case you don't eat a lot of bread.

Cons: The loaves are tiny. I felt like Gulliver eating  Lilliputian sandwiches. But the Glutenless Goddess don't care (That's a Honey Badger reference for those of you who aren't on top of old viral videos... NSFW). 

Go forth and fill your tent with Udi's bread. If you live in a high-end tent, go ahead and fill your breadbasket. 

Mmm... Beer...

Greetings, adult readers.
Non-adults: How about you play in a pile of beautiful fall foliage while I talk to the grown-ups.


Coast clear?


Sweet. I found a new gluten free beer that I like, Estrella Daura. It doesn't taste like regular beer, but it is better than most of the gluten free beers I've had. (Disclaimer: I haven't had a lot of gluten free beers. After I went gluten-free, I switched to wine and harder things.) It doesn't have the weird metallic, sorghum aftertaste that New Grist has. It doesn't have the weird rice-y skunky flavor that Redbridge has. It is refreshing and satisfying. Go try some if you're 21 years of age or older. 


Does anyone out there have recommendations for other gluten-free beers? Know of any good foreign brewskies that we can get stateside? If so, I'd love to get other recommendations!

Thoughts-a about gluten-free pasta

Today's post was inspired by this post on glutenous vs gluten-free soba. It is a thorough comparison of the two, so if you're interested in learning more about soba, or just want to see an academic type apply precision to food comparisons, check it out!

I love pasta, but not all gluten-free pasta is lovable. There's some really good stuff out there, and the pasta you prefer may depend on the dish you're making. The great thing about gluten free pasta is that there is so much to experiment with! I'm no Martha Stewart, but here's what I've learned about gluten-free pasta based on my [limited] cooking experience.

1. Don't be surprised if your pasta tries some textural tricks. Some pastas might harden if you save leftovers. I don't know why, but you can cook pretty some gluten-free pasta within an inch of its life and it will re-harden in the fridge. Its a hard-knock life for g-free pasta. Either that, or g-free goes totally softy. Don't be surprised if other pasta goes in the complete other direction and absorbs every liquid around it, including those in other containers in the fridge. It may inflate and get soggy, which will leave you with some pasta-like mush. FYI: Gluten-free pasta is especially prone to bloat in soups. Play around with different types of pasta, like corn, quinoa, multigrain, and rice to figure out what works for you.

2. Some gluten-free pastas make the water milky as they boil. It doesn't really affect your enjoyment aside from having to look at an oozing pasta porridge during the preparation process, but it happens sometimes. Try not to overcook gluten-free pasta because that will make the disintegration worse. 

3. Cooking times vary quite a bit depending on the blend and the shape, so be sure to read the box. Some multigrain blends cook in as little as 5 minutes, other rice types can take as long as 18. Some boxes' directions are just lies, though, so be sure to check on your gluten free pasta a few times during cooking. Gluten-free pasta can be a finicky little beast, but it is worth the effort!

4. Rice pasta tends to be mushy. I don't mean Asian-type rice noodles, but rather noodles that are designed to be like Italian pasta. There are some notable exceptions to this rule, like Tinkyada, but in general if you're going to be baking or simmering in a sauce or soup, or doing some other extensive cooking, I wouldn't recommend pure rice pasta. 

5. Corn pastas tend to be rubbery. This works out great if you're making something like baked ziti or mac & cheese or soup, but can be a little chewy if you plan to make a cold pasta salad or just want buttered noodles. 

Here are some of my favorite pastas, which have been kitchen-tested for satisfying texture and taste.

For general use:

Ancient Harvest Quinoa Blends

Tinkyada Rice Pasta

For lasagna:

DeBoles No-Boil Rice Noodles

For your multigrain cravings:

Schar Multigrain Penne

For baked dishes:

Mrs. Lepper's Corn Elbows

Do you have pasta that you like or dislike? Do you have a favorite spaghetti or pasta that holds up well in soup? Any tips, tricks, or observations? If so, drop a comment at the bottom of this post! I'm always looking to improve my familiarity with the growing g-free options on the market!

Opinions about Food: Kinnikinnick Chocolate Dipped Gluten Free Donuts

I found Kinnikinnick's gluten-free chocolate-dipped donuts at Target this weekend. Sweet mother of donuts! Oh merciful provider of sugary and fatty foods! Oh heaven of the heavens! Sweet diabetic coma! These donuts are A-MA-ZING. 

Pros: Holy shit. It is a gluten-free donut. It looks like a donut, it tastes like a donut, it has frosting. They have so much frosting that you can't stare at someone through the hole. Good frozen or warm out of the microwave. They come frozen, so you don't feel obligated to eat them all in one sitting. 


Cons: They'll make you fat. They don't have sprinkles. They are smaller and a little denser than I remember regular donuts being, but I don't care. My life is complete now. 


If these become available on Amazon, I'm going to buy them all. Then eat them all, get a tummy ache, barf them out, and start all over again. 

Obesity epidemic, here I come. 

Opinions about Food: Yoplait Greek Yogurt

I just downed a bottle of haterade, so here we go.


Yoplait's Greek yogurt is the worst Greek yogurt I've ever eaten. 

Pros: Labeled as gluten free. Did not make me sick. Contains vital calcium and protein calories. 


Cons: The flavors taste terrible and the texture is like regular yogurt. The blueberry one was not awful, but not even chocolate chips could save the honey or strawberry ones I had. The honey one tasted slightly rancid. The strawberry one tasted like I licked a homeless man's winter parka on a summer day, but with a note of bad strawberry jelly.

If you like your yogurt to taste vaguely of cardboard, this is the yogurt for you. Otherwise, there are other glutard-friendly Greek yogurt options out there that you might find more satisfying, like Chobani, Fage, Stonyfield Farms, or Dannon. Be sure to check ingredients, though, since companies change their formulas at their whim. 

I am sorry, Yoplait. Seriously, please don't sue me for defamation or something. Your other yogurts are among my favorites -- lots of satisfying original and light flavor options, most of which are gluten free and clearly labeled as such! I'm just not sure how this Greek yogurt train de-railed so catastrophically. Kudos for trying, but I'll just stick to what you know best. 

Opinions about Food: Glenny's Oatmeal Cookies: A Review/Love Affair

Oops... apparently this didn't post when I meant it to! Sorry! But without further ado...

Welcome to Opinions about Food. DISCLAIMER: These are my own opinions. They are not fact. Just because I like or dislike something doesn't mean you will feel the same way. Please don't sue me.

Time for my first product review. As people who know me know very well, I have opinions and I like to share them. 

Today I will gush about how I much I love Glenny's Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Taste: Phenomenal. No weird glutard flavors in here -- just chocolate chips, oatmeal, sugar, and heaven

Texture: Soft and chewy. No weird glutard grainyness

Size: Small. I could easily eat half of a box. Note: The box only contains 10-ish cookies

Overall: Did 1,000 baby angels just high-five in my mouth? Awesome! Hands-down one of the best pre-made cookies you can buy! And soft and chewy!!

Caveat: Not all Glenny's are created equal. I found the glutard Brown Rice Marshmallow Treats to be disappointing... The portions were small and everything felt very 'meh' overall.