Easy DIY Gluten Free Corn Dogs

Of all the recipes I've tried on The Gluten Free Gallery, a blog hosted by Gabby the Gluten Free Guru, her Corn Dogs How-to is my personal favorite. There's just something so satisfying about questionable meat circumscribed by masa corn flour and deep fried in vegetable oil. They may not be guilt-free calorie-wise, but without gluten, these homemade corn dogs are a perfect way in my book to celebrate lunch time.

I generally half the recipe and put in a little less sugar for a personal serving, but it's hard to go wrong with this kind of meal regardless of the details. You can also turn to The Gallery for more gluten free recipes of snacks and sides such as granola bars, macaroon treats and cheese dips.

Delicious Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe from Alton Brown

The Food Network's Alton Brown certainly knows his way around the kitchen, which is why it's unsurprising that his peanut butter fudge recipe is absolutely scrumptious. What does come as a shock, however, is that even I can make this simple microwavable dish and it can come out just fine.             
The four-ingredient recipe--calling for butter, peanut butter, vanilla extract and powdered sugar--is a cheap and simple approach for adding another treat to the holiday platter this Christmas. Since the directions require only 4 minutes of actual cook time, and since the dessert can last for a week in the fridge, you ought to be able to squeeze Mr. Brown's incredible peanut butter fudge into life somehow. (Photo credit: Thoursie)

Are Rice Krispies Really Gluten Free Now?

I overheard an inquiry the other day, which made me want to point out an important distinction to my gluten free friends. "Wait, regular Rice Krispies are gluten free now, right?" No, the regular, blue-boxed Rice Krispies still contain malt flavoring and, consequently, are not gluten free. Skip the traditional offering in the aisle and look for a new tan box, which screams out "Rice Krispies Gluten Free with Brown Rice."

The official website explains that "the new cereal is made with whole-grain brown rice and eliminates barley malt (the source of gluten in the original Rice Krispies cereal). Our gluten-free option is produced in a separate facility, and each batch will be tested to ensure its gluten-free status. You’ll find Rice Krispies Gluten Free cereal in the cereal aisle, right alongside the original Rice Krispies® cereal, and at the same price, too!"

Happy shopping!

15 Gluten Free Cereals from the Grocery Store

If you're stuck in a cereal rut, there's no need to despair. Here's a list of fifteen gluten free cereals to help you step outside the box--organized by flavor, of course. (There must be order.) You'll likely find most of these picks at your local grocery store, which should add some convenience and cost-efficiency. The specialty store can be avoided and everyone can be happy. 

Traditional

Rice Chex from General Mills (Labeled gluten free.) 

Corn Chex from General Mills (Labeled gluten free.) 

Kix from General Mills (No gluten listed.)

Rice Crispies with Brown Rice from Kellogg's (Labeled gluten free.) 

Fruity 

Fruity Pebbles from Post (Labeled gluten free.) 

Trix from General Mills (No gluten listed.)

Chocolate-Based 

Cocoa Pebbles from Post (Labeled gluten free.) 

Chocolate Chex from General Mills (Labeled gluten free.) 

Organic

Organic Maple Buckwheat Flakes from Arrowhead Mills (Labeled gluten free.) 

Organic Amazon Frosted Flakes from EnviroKidz (Labeled gluten free.) 

Organic Gorilla Munch from EnviroKidz (Labeled gluten free.) 

Organic Corn Flakes from Nature's Path (Labeled gluten free.) 

Other

Honey Nut Chex from General Mills (Labeled gluten free.) 

Honey Kix from General Mills (No gluten listed.)

Cinnamon Chex from General Mills (Labeled gluten free.) 

Explanatory note: The above entries are each followed by a parenthetical comment detailing whether the company itself explicitly markets the cereal as "gluten free" or whether the cereal simply lacks the mention of gluten within the ingredient list. As always, read the packaging at the time of purchase to ensure the current offering is, indeed, free of any irritating products. (Photo courtesy of Alfredo-9.)

"10 Tips for Gluten-Free Grocery Shopping"

"Staying Happy & Healthy While Avoiding Gluten" 

A shopper's guide to eating gluten free including tips on doing your research to know what ingredients to stay away from, shopping local and staying positive about your new lifestyle.

Favorite Snack Foods: Crackers Edition

I have two favorites when it comes to gluten free crackers, and each serves an important and unique purpose. The Crunchmaster crackers are a serviceable snack on their own, perfect for munching on without any add-ons. I also like to eat them with cheese or with a meat such as turkey or ham. The multi-grain product is a hearty snack and does the job. The Glutino crackers, on the other hand, are a light and crispy choice. I liken them unto a blend between Ritz and Club; although, I can't verify the last time I sampled either. I prefer the original flavor and love to make peanut butter or cheese cracker sandwiches out of them.

Multi-Grain Crackers from Crunchmaster: "packed with delicious toasted seeds (sesame, quinoa, flax and amaranth) and is lightly seasoned with a wheat free tamari soy sauce." These are "All Natural, 100% Whole Grain, Cholesterol Free, Certified Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Vegan/Dairy Free."

Where Can I Buy Them? On the website, you can find a "Store Locator" field to enter your U.S. zip code and identify what affiliations are closest to you. In my area, I can purchase Crunchmaster at Safeway, Costco and Walmart.

Original Crackers from Glutino: "Light and flaky crackers, perfect alone or with your favorite fruit spreads and cheese." These crackers do contain eggs and come with an obligatory "may contain" warning of "traces of soy, milk, and sesame."

Where Can I Buy Them? You can use the site's "Locate a Retailer" function to get confirmation of the closest affiliated store near you. In Colorado, I can pick these crackers up at King Soopers, Target and Vitamin Cottage.

Happy snacking! 

Virgilio's Pizzeria: Restaurant Review of Gluten Free Pizza

Virgilio's Pizzeria is located at C470 & Kipling in Littleton, Colorado, and has apparently been "Voted Best Pizza In Denver Since 2005." Among other items, the restaurant serves gluten free pizza. You can see the menu online, but basically you can build your own pizza by selecting a variety of toppings including the usual suspects: pepperoni, ham, mushrooms, olives, sausage, peppers. For those so inclined, you can even order a vegan-friendly vegetable cheese.

Gluten free crusts are available in 10 1/2 inches, and start at $10.99. (Although, my end bill pre-tax was 10.74 so who knows how that worked out.) Mozarella cheese comes already included, and I simply ordered pepperoni to top the pizza off. Adventurous, I know.

But, the pizza was absolutely delicious. The crust was thin and crispy, but not too crispy as to make chewing difficult. The sauce, cheese and pepperoni were also lovely, as well as the ambiance of the pizzeria in its entirety. I was originally planning on getting a single slice, but found out the embarrassing way that I had missed the several entries on the menu stating that was unfortunately not allowed for the specialty of gluten free. Hence, I got a cool carryout pizza box to take home. Hours later, my gluten-free eating family tasted the pizza and concurred as to its goodness. The next day I finished off the pizza, broiling the leftover slices for a few minutes to reheat the crust and to return the cheese to its most delicious state. I also tasted the pizza cold and both options were very palatable.

To me, the price was reasonable and the food was tasty so I'm looking forward to going back sometime.