Vegan Gourmet Cream Cheese Alternative
Just tried this vegan cheese yesterday (bought it to go with the crackers below) and actually liked it. I was of course a little skeptical as I am of any non-cheese cheese…but it was actually pretty good. Nice texture/consistency…and taste. Especially when it’s paired with something else – like a cracker/bagel. I could definitely see myself using this as a base for dips and when I do, I’ll let you know how that goes.
These crackers are wonderful! I saw them at New Seasons yesterday and decided to try them. I’m certainly glad I did! Aside from just tasting good – these are super good for you. I’ll definitely keep these around – so far I’ve only tried the Savory flavor, but I’ll be checking out the Rosemary soon.
From their website:
flackers™ are a health giving, wonderful tasting flax seed cracker. These flax seed crackers are made with just flax seeds, herbs and flavoring! The seeds are first sprouted to increase the bioavailability of vitamins and nutrients then they are dehydrated at very low temperatures to preserve all of the essential nutrients and omega-3 fatty acids.
Ener-G Seattle Brown Loaf Bread
I gotta tell you – I have liked Ener-G products for awhile (some better than others), but I only recently tried the Seattle Brown Loaf and I’m in love. It’s got 4 grams of fiber per slice, it’s soft and the closest thing to regular wheat bread you can get without making something yourself. I love finding things that work that are pre-made to make my life easier. I just found out from perusing the website you can even get it in two slice packs for travel. Brilliant idea!
Glace De Poulet Gold Roasted Chicken Stock
I wrote a whole blog post about this chicken stock. It was the first stock/bouillon/broth I could find with no sugar added.Thank goodness! While we all know making chicken stock from scratch tastes the best – it’s also time consuming and I just don’t have time for that. Not only is this chicken stock without sugar – it has great flavor. I just checked out the website for the company that makes it – More Than Gourmet – and they’ve got lots of great stuff. Check them out!
I’m using stevia for some of my recipes and to sweeten drinks – and while there are many brands and flavors to choose from – I like Truvia for specifically for it’s crystallized appearance and sweet flavor. I always keep it in my purse for when I’m out and about and thankfully the coffee drive thru on my way to work stocks it! They have awesome recipes on their website too. Check it out if you haven’t.
Pamela’s Baking & Pancake Mix
Seriously, I have tried a ton of GF baking mixes on the market and Pamela’s is by far the best I have used. It is so versatile, great flavor, great texture when baked. I could not live without Pamela’s in my kitchen! I also LOVE her bread mix, but I’m not using it this year since it has cane sugar. It’s pretty amazing though – there’s a sweet bread recipe on the bag and I was able to modify and adapt that one and come up with a very close GF version of Norwegian Julekake!
Bob’s Red Mill GF Steel Cut Oats
I LOVE THESE! Talk about an awesome treat. Not only are these steel cut oats great for breakfast…I love having them for a snack/dessert with a little bit of butter, cinnamon and Truvia. YUM. I highly recommend these as well as the GF Rolled Oats and GF Quick Cooking Oats – Bob’s Red Mill has done right by these!
Daiya Vegan Mozzerella Style Cheese
Was fortunate enough to have some of this cheese about 6 weeks ago – it was great! I was at a pizza place in Virginia called Z Pizza (California based) and they had a GF crust and I was going to order a pizza without cheese when she let me know they had a vegan cheese. I gave it a try and it was great! Not like the soy cheese I’ve had that don’t melt or taste creamy – this stuff was awesome. I found it locally at Whole Foods. Check it out!
Food For Life Gluten Free English Muffins
Wow is all I can say! I discovered these at a store I’d never been to – and apparently they are a new enough product (5/31 was when I found it) that they aren’t even on the companies website yet. But I have to tell you – this is the only bread product I have seen come close to what an english muffin truly tastes like and looks like. It’s got the nooks and crannies – it gets crispy – it’s not mushy – it actually tastes like an english muffin and looks like one too.
Bliss. Perfect name for this substitute to traditional ice cream. It’s Gluten/Dairy/Soy free, certified organic, vegan, low-glycemic and only sweetened with agave. I’ve only tried one flavor in the pint size which is the Naked Almond Fudge and it’s amazing. Creamy and satisfying. The 1/2 cup serving is perfect – just enough to quench the sweet tooth and rich enough to make me feel like I’ve had a real treat without having to deprive myself or sacrifice quality/flavor.
While I’ve only had this one flavor – there are plenty to choose from – including two different types of bars. I’ve tried the Naked Coconut Bars and they are great too.
Just like regular ice cream – Coconut Bliss is best when eaten in moderation! Still have to watch your calories and fat intake.
Nature’s Highlights Brown Rice Pizza Crust
I was surprised by this crust. We’ve been around the block when it comes to GF pizza crust. There are some we like, some we don’t – many we just use because we want a pizza crust. I’ve made some from scratch and they taste great – but just take a bunch of time. What I LOVED about this crust is that it was thin and crunchy without seeming like cardboard. I tend to like thin crust pizza’s so it was perfect. It doesn’t have a ton of flavor – but as long as you have great toppings – it’s the perfect bed! I topped it with a wonderful organic pizza sauce – cheese(for my husband) grilled turkey and prosciutto. I had a little bit without any cheese and thought is was fantastic. My husband raved about it. He liked that it wasn’t so dense and he loved the crispiness. This one gets our vote for make at home pizza!
BONUS: It’s only ingredients are brown rice and potato!
This is the pizza sauce I refer to above. It has a great robust flavor. As far as a jar or canned pizza sauce goes – it’s the best I’ve tried so far.
Ethnic Gourmet – Chicken Tikka Masala
It was awesome to find a frozen dinner that was gluten free, no sugar added – add to that it’s low in calories & fat, super flavorful and each is free of artificial flavors, colors and preservatives. I was impressed with the depth of flavor…had a great heat to it as well. I added just a dollop of sour cream to temper the heat – just made it taste even better. The portion size was great and the fact that it’s under 300 calories is even better. I’ll be sure to check out some of their other flavors – they have quite a few that are gluten free, no sugar added and cheese free. This brand definitely gets a thumbs up.
Love it! Nice and thick with a rich flavor. It’s become a favorite and a staple in my kitchen now!
Tinkyada Brown Rice Fusilli Pasta
This is my favorite shape/texture brown rice pasta I’ve found so far. The shapes hold up well – it’s still good when re-heated in the microwave. One trick I use with any GF pasta is as soon as it is done and I drain it – I rinse it the noodles – hot water is fine. This helps remove any sticky residue that may cause the noddles to stick.
Monte Bene Farm Fresh Pasta Sauces
Fantastic and so fresh tasting! By far this has been my favorite no sugar added pasta sauce I’ve had. My current fave is the Tomato Basil – my friend Kayce loves the Spicy Marinara. Either way – you cannot go wrong with this brand. The freshness is unmistakable!
Guylian Belgian No Sugar Added Milk Chocolate Bar
Wow. I’ve only taken 2 tiny bites, but it is smooth, sweet and wonderfully milk chocolatey. My husband loves it when I shave one of the little squares over his strawberries. I’m sure there’s other options out there – but this one has won my heart.
I’m mostly drinking water, herbal teas – a little iced tea here and there – but it was great to find a soda I could have if I was craving one. Zevia is great – I love the flavor – it’s not too carbonated. I’ve tried the Ginger Ale, Lemon/Lime & Dr. Zevia – so far I like them all – especially the Dr. Zevia. It’s nice to know there are alternatives out there that I’m willing to keep in the cupboard.
Connect with Me!