To make gourmet candy, you have to start with the best ingredients. The chocolate that is used to make Sweet Pete’s gluten free gourmet sweets is produced by Callebaut. From the Callebaut website:

Abstaining from foodstuff to feel better
In general, the “Free-from” product category includes gluten-free, dairy free, lactose-free and sugar free. Typically, this category “focuses” on people suffering from allergies or food intolerance. The latter term describes an adverse food-induced reaction that does not involve the immune system. Lactose intolerance is one example. In contrast, the immune system of people suffering from food allergy reacts to a certain food causing hives, asthma, or other – in some cases life-threatening reactions. The only way to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid the triggering food.

Chocolate indulgence for everyone
Barry Callebaut works constantly on making chocolate accessible to everyone, which is one of the keystones of the company.

To me it seems that Callebaut is another company that is looking to provide quality products for people that suffer from various food intolerances. The fact the Sweet Pete’s is using superior ingredients to make their candies made me want to try them even more. Who can resist handmade caramels, lollipops, and chocolates? Not me, that is for sure. Read on for my thoughts about some sweet treats I was lucky enough to sample.

Sea Salt Caramel, Rocky Road, and Chocolate Dipped Kinnikinnick Kinnitoos

Sea Salt Caramel
A sweet and salty, chewy caramel that is truly decadent. This is so good they sell it by the pound! One of Sweet Pete’s best sellers and it is delicious.

Ingredients: Sugar, Corn Syrup, Sweetened Condensed Milk. Salt, Sea Salt, All Natural Vanilla Extract

Rocky Road
Pictured lower left, the rocky road candy bar has a fluffy marshmallow filling covered in milk chocolate and topped with pecans.

Ingredients: sugar, cocoa fat, dry whole milk, unsweetened chocolate, soy lecithin, sugar, water, corn syrup, honey, corn starch, all natural vanilla flavoring, pecans, Canola oil

Dark Chocolate Sandwich Cookie
Before going gluten-free, Oreos were one of my favorite sweet snacks. Of course Kinnikinnick Kinni-Toos quickly filled the void left behind when I could no longer indulge in Oreos. Perhaps one of my favorite holiday treats was a chocolate dipped Oreo. Years have passed since I have had a dipped Oreo, and this dark chocolate dipped sandwich cookie from Sweet Pete’s did not disappoint. So rich was every bite that I think one cookie could nourish the craving of a chocoholic for a week! I cannot wait to order these dipped in white chocolate. Pictured above on the right, these cookies are also available dipped in milk chocolate.

Milk Chocolate Pirate Lollipop and Hard Candy Apple Flavored Frankenstein Lollipop

Ingredients: sugar, cocoa mass, emulsifier, natural vanilla flavor, soy lecithin, icing, sugar, flour mix, organic palm oil, cocoa powder

Milk Chocolate Lollipop
Sweet Pete’s makes lollipops in a variety of shapes and flavors fitting the season or your liking. With Halloween nearly here, I sampled a devilishly sweet milk chocolate pirate lollipop that was melt in my mouth good.

Ingredients: sugar, cocoa fat, dry whole milk, unsweetened chocolate, natural vanilla flavor, soy lecithin

Hard Candy Lollipop
My son and I also taste-tested an apple flavored Frankenstein lollipop that was so yummy my son asked if we could buy some more. These lollipops are also vegan!

Ingredients:corn syrup, water, sugar, natural flavors, natural color

Corn Syrup Substitution
Those with corn sensitivity may request their lollipops, taffy and caramels be made with tapioca syrup instead of corn syrup. Products made with the tapioca syrup will cost about 10% more than those made with corn syrup. Obviously, corn syrup is cheaper to produce and thus the reason for an additional charge for this substitution. Customers can call Sweet Pete’s to place a phone order for the substitution. Ingredient substitutions are not available in the online ordering.

My son enjoying a lollipop made by Sweet Pete's.

Halloween Special
Sweet Pete’s is offering a deal on the purchase of their lollipops for Halloween. Buy any four lollipops and get 20% off. Also if you buy one pound of the sea salt caramels, you will receive free shipping. These deals will last until 10/31/11, so take advantage and order some of Sweet Pete’s handmade natural gluten-free candy for you and your loved ones this Halloween.

I like that Sweet Pete’s is making candy the old fashioned way and that they are using natural ingredients. Making gluten-free candy for those of us that have had to go without will help individuals with gluten-intolerance feel included during the holidays. Unfortunately, I feel that Sweet Pete’s online ordering could be a bit more allergen friendly. I have multiple food intolerances, and when I was getting ready to place an order I had to contact the company via email to see if I would be able to eat what I wanted to purchase.

I would like to see Sweet Pete’s list the ingredients, or at least the major allergens on its ordering page. Also, it would nice on the gift baskets to know exactly what products will be included in the purchase. I have a nephew that must eat gluten and casein free. I wanted to order him a gift basket for the Holidays, but I will have to phone or email to see what he can have. I really enjoyed this candy and I will become a regular customer of Sweet Pete’s.

Note: Sweet Pete’s provided samples for review purposes, however the opinions represented in this review are 100% my own.

Katz Gluten Free Bundt Cake with Coffee Flavored Icing

Katz Gluten Free has recently added three new products to their stores and I was given the opportunity to sample them. First I taste-tested the coffee bundt cake. I am not a coffee drinker and so I didn’t have high expectations when I decided to sample this cake. The cake arrives with the icing in a small plastic cup and must be warmed up to frost the cake. After following the directions for icing the cake, I ended up with what could have been a centerpiece for a party. The cake looked delicious, and it was pretty tasty. I found that I actually enjoyed the coffee flavor of the icing. I would purchase this cake again in the future for special occasions.

Katz Gluten Free Apple Pie

Another new product from Katz includes their mouthwatering homemade pies in the flavors of apple, blueberry, and cherry. Unfortunately, I cannot tolerate cinnamon; my tongue swells up and my arms go numb. Needless to say my husband was happy to eat some apple pie for me. He thought the flavor was good, but the crust wasn’t as flaky as he would have liked. Obviously that is difficult to achieve in gluten-free baking. I did not serve the pie warm, and he thought he might prefer it that way. The pies are on the small side, so for those of you watching your waistline eating one slice will be great. I’m afraid it might be all too easy to eat the whole pie.

Katz Gluten Free Sugared Snack Poppers

Lastly I tried the Sugared Snack Poppers. I found them to be a great crunchy little cookie that I could just pop in my mouth. The flavor reminded me a bit of vanilla wafers I use to eat as a child. My mom would make a banana pudding with nilla wafers and that was a sweet treat. I attempted to do the same with these, but was unable to find an organic banana pudding mix so I went with butterscotch instead. It just wasn’t the same. I will definitely try this again, but with homemade banana pudding. These snack poppers could be addictive just eating them on their own.

Katz Summer Bloggin’ Giveaway
It is not to late to enter the Katz Summer Bloggin Giveaway! You too could try these great gluten-free snacks along with 37 other products. The contest ends August 15th, so sign up now to win a prize pack of 40 gluten-free items baked by Katz Gluten Free. Also, leave a comment on this post for a second chance to win a box of 10 treats from Katz.

NOTE: Katz Gluten Free provided samples for reviewing purposes.

I have just returned home from visiting my younger brother, Justin, who is now living with his wife in Colorado Springs. Traveling from Indiana by car with my husband and son, we saw many sights and had a wonderful trip. Of course I still packed my cooler full of gluten-free goodies because I had no idea what to expect along the way. When we finally arrived in Colorado, I dined on the best gluten-free pizza I’ve ever had from a take-out restaurant. Plus the grocery stores were fully stocked with organic whole foods and gfree options. I can attest to the area being a gluten-free mecca and would happily move there, if I could convince the rest of my family.

My dad unfortunately passed away this year, so I didn’t get to visit with him on Father’s day or the 4th of July. So my trip to Colorado to see my baby brother was a much needed visit. All of us went on a day trip to the Royal Canyon Gorge park. Not only did we get a gorgeous view, but there was an incline railway, a petting zoo, a few rides, along with the typical fair food. My brother bought a funnel cake, and I reminded him to eat slowly and to chew his food properly. You see, the last time he ate funnel cakes he almost choked to death.

Gluten-Free Funnel Cake

My mom is a bit of a spendthrift and as she didn’t like spending $5 on a small funnel cake at the local Forest Festival. She thought, “Why not have funnel cakes anytime we want?” So she bought a funnel cake kit. My dad would mix these up and my younger brother would practically inhale them. One night, Justin ate one too many and it upset his stomach. In a late night run to visit the porcelain god, his stomach in angry protest began returning the food from whence it came. Unfortunately, Justin didn’t chew his food properly and some funnel cake lodged in his throat. Luckily my dad was up late that night, probably having problems sleeping. He heard Justin being sick in the bathroom and was able to give him the Heimlich Maneuver. Dad saved Justin’s life that night, true story. So after this happened to my little bro, he is able to eat funnel cake, so why can’t I? Oh the Gluten.

What if I told you there is a super easy way to make a gluten-free funnel cake, easy enough that even I can make it? So easy I made two pretty perfect ones my first time trying. The idea came to me when I was telling my mom about my brother risking eating a funnel cake again. I was reminiscing with mom about how dad use to make them. I asked her if the batter was anything like pancake batter and when she said yes, I instantly thought about Pamela’s Products. After I got off the phone, I whipped up a batch.  I’ll warn you though, they are a bit dangerous. Please chew them properly. Eat slowly and enjoy!

Gluten-Free Funnel Cake Recipe
(Follow the directions on the Pamela’s Products Pancake and Baking Mix for Waffles)

1-1/2 cups Pamela’s Mix

3/4 cup water

2 eggs separated

2 TBSP oil

You will also need clean vegetable oil for frying. You don’t want your funnel cake to taste like onion rings. For the topping you will need enough powdered sugar or brown sugar & cinnamon mix to dust on top.

To make the batter, first whip the egg whites until they are stiff. In a separate bowl combine Pamela’s Mix, egg yolks, water and oil until there are no lumps. Fold in stiff egg whites.

I mixed my batter in a large Pyrex measuring cup with a spout. I filled a medium size pot with vegetable oil. Once the oil was up to temperature, I drizzled the batter into the hot oil in circular and criss-crossing motion. I let the funnel cake fry until the bottom was golden, then flipped it to brown the other side. When it looked golden and delicious I placed it on a paper plate and tossed powdered sugar all over it. Another option would be to top them with brown sugar and cinnamon, which would taste more like an elephant ear that you would purchase at a carnival.

Upon tasting my deep fried treat, I thought it must taste so good because it has been so long since I have had one. So I had my hubby taste it and he thought it was pretty close to what you might get at a fair. Unfortunately it doesn’t reheat well, so just make as much as you can eat in one sitting. Using 1-1/2 cups of Pamela’s Mix yielded two good sized funnel cakes.

Also by commenting on this post and sharing it on your twitter feed you will be entered into a drawing for 10 items from Katz. So you have two ways to win! Katz has some really great products, so this is your chance to try some of their goodies for free. Enter now because the contest will run until August 15th!

Gluten & Fibro Free Reviews of Katz Products

Hamburger Buns

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Udi's Hamburger and Hot dog buns

I decided to make just a good old fashioned hamburger on the grill, accompanied by some brats. I also grilled up some squash and zucchini for my Mother’s Day feast. While these buns are soft and delicious and do not need toasted, I did warm them up for a few minutes on the grill. Everything tasted so great I ended up stuffing myself.

While these buns are definitely tasty, I’m a bit concerned about a couple of the ingredients in them. The whole grain hamburger buns have Molasses in them, which can contain Sulfur. Udi’s doesn’t list on the packaging whether or not they use unsulfured Molasses. I have a sulfur allergy and I ate one of these buns before realizing this. I think this is why I might have suffered some digestive upset from eating them. Or I could possibly be reacting to the resistant corn starch. I’ve suspected a sensitivity to corn for a while now, but when I eat corn on the cob I don’t seem to have a problem. Why would I react to corn starch or corn syrup and not whole kernel corn?

When reading about the processing of Molasses, I came across an article that describes sulfur and sulfite content in syrups (Read more about corn syrup, molasses, and maple syrup). I have always thought that I reacted badly to corn syrup because of the corn, but maybe it is a problem with sulfur or sulfite intolerance instead. Apparently, corn syrup and molasses are both usually processed with sulfur dioxide. Whole Foods has a great article about the processing of molasses. Learn more about molasses processing here. Even though the classic buns by Udi’s don’t have molasses, perhaps the cultured corn syrup could be a problem to those with sulfur or sulfite intolerance. Sulfite intolerance symptoms can include headaches, joint pain, heart palpitations, asthma, and hives.

So what is “resistant corn starch” anyway?

Nutrition Diva explains a resistant starch as being any starch that does not break down into sugar. The benefits of using resistant starch can include improved bowel function, appetite control, regulated blood sugar, and reduced calories. There are apparently four types of resistant starch, ranging on a scale RS1 to RS4.¹ Anything in the RS4 category would be chemically modified. I am also wondering if the resistant corn starch in Udi’s buns comes from genetically modified corn? The food label doesn’t answer this question.

Delicious summer BBQ made easy thanks to Udi's

I have had a problem with extreme bloating after eating these buns. This could be a simple matter of the resistant starch increasing my fiber intake to an amount that is higher than what my digestive tract is use to processing. Or perhaps I am having some type of reaction to sulfur/sulfites. I have not had a problem with my tongue and throat swelling like when I take sulfa drugs, so I am thinking it is probably just too much fiber.

Even though I am worried about reacting to a couple of the ingredients in the new buns by Udi’s, I cannot deny that they are delicious. My Mother’s Day celebration was complete as I could dine on the tastiest hamburger I have had in a long time. I hope that I will be able to enjoy these for the duration of the summer BBQ season; however if my intestinal bloating does not subside I may have to give these buns up for good, which is rather unfortunate. If you haven’t already tried this product, I do highly recommend them.

1. Resistant Starch http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resistant_starch

Newcomers to the expo wait in line to get their free copy of "Living Without" magazine.

I attended the vendor fair portion of the Gluten-Free Expo held in Chicago this weekend, April 29 – May 1, 2011.  I spent nearly four hours walking around grabbing the latest goodies from some of my favorite companies, like Udi’s, Kinnikinnick, Pamela’s, and Shabtai Gourmet. With over 70 vendor’s at the expo, I also found some great new products too, like NoNuttin Foods. I’ll spend some time over the next couple of weeks reviewing my great finds, but if you live in the area I really think that it would be worthwhile for you to travel to the expo this Sunday. I traveled three hours and back in one day and I feel it was really worth my time. Some of the highlights from my day include meeting the Celiac Diva, Lauren-Lucille Vasser, trying Udi’s new hot dog buns, and learning that Enjoy Life is now producing chocolate chunk chips. Many thanks go out to Living Without magazine, and Jen Cafferty for planning and hosting this great event!

In late May, Nature’s Pharm in Lafayette, Indiana will be hosting a spring gluten-free tasting on May 21, 2011. I was told today that a representative from Udi’s will be on site to hand out samples of the new hamburger and hotdog buns, along with the new ancient grains bread. I’m looking forward to attending these events. Maybe I will see you there!

I have yet to see the Udi’s Gluten-Free Hamburger buns show up in my local Krogers, however I have found some online grocers selling them. I’m itching to get my hands on the new buns, so it is tempting to place an order and have them shipped to my house. When following Udi’s on Twitter or Facebook, I thought that I had read that they should be in local stores by May, just in time for BBQ season.

From Udi’s, “Grilling in the backyard has never tasted so good – and it’s gluten free! Our soft, golden buns accompany your much-loved ingredients, be it a classic burger or a savory deli sandwich.”

Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: 1 bun (77g)
Servings per Container: 4
Calories: 190
Total Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: .5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 310mg
Total Carbohydrate: 34g
Dietary Fiber: 4g
Sugars: 4g
Protein: 5g

Ingredients: filtered water, tapioca starch, brown rice flour, sunflower oil, egg whites, resistant corn starch, cane syrup, tapioca maltodextrin, potato flour, evaporated cane juice, tapioca syrup, yeast (yeast, potato starch), sugarcane fiber, salt, gum (xanthan gum, sodium alginate, guar gum), mold inhibitor (cultured corn syrup citric acid), xanthan gum, enzyme (calcium sulfate, enzymes).

Contains: Eggs

Gluten free, dairy free, soy free, nut free.

Kosher ¹

I am so happy to see that they are soy free! If you are like me and you can’t wait for these to show up in your local stores, you could purchase from an online vendor below:

Gluten Free Palace
Linda’s Diet Delights

By the Case:
NEW Udi’s Gluten Free Classic Hotdog Buns 12.9 oz. – case of 8
NEW Udi’s Gluten Free Hamburger Buns 10.4 oz. – case of 6

1. LindasDietDelights.com

Cleaned Production Line (CL)
These products do not contain any gluten but are made using the same equipment as products that do. The manufacturer assures us that they consider gluten a top allergen and therefore clean the equipment between runs to ensure that these products are safe from cross-contamination.

Dedicated Production Line (DL)
These products do not contain gluten and are made with machinery that only processes foods without gluten. The manufacturer assures us that they consider gluten a top allergen and therefore take the necessary steps to ensure that these products are safe from cross-contamination.

Dedicated Facility (DF)
These products do not contain gluten and are made in a building where there is no gluten in any other product.

I’m glad to see that one of my favorites, marshmallow peeps are still gluten-free, even the chocolate dipped chicks. Yummy! As always, please be sure to read the ingredients on the package. For example, some companies outsource the production of their candy and so the special run Easter candy may be safe while the regularly sold candy is not (or vice versa). Also some of the Cadbury eggs are safe, and some are not because they have been manufactured in different facilities. So just keep an eye on those ingredients before indulging. I hope you all have a safe and Happy Easter!

New Gluten-Free offerings at select Subways in Texas

Since January, Subway has been testing a bun made of egg whites, corn starch and tapioca starches for customers with gluten sensitivities at 700 outlets in Dallas and East Texas.¹ They are even offering a gluten-free brownie for dessert made by French Meadow Bakery. It sounds like Subway has trained their staff well, and has gone to great lengths to insure little chance of cross contamination. The gluten-free blogger at TastyEatsAtHome is lucky enough to live near one of the Subways that is test marketing the gluten-free offerings. Read her review about the new products.

I really hope that Subway will decide to carry these food items. The convenience of being able to get a sandwich at a Subway again would be amazing. Eating gluten-free gets easier everyday as more restaurants begin to offer food specifically for us!

Read More Reviews:

Gluten Free Angel
Celiac About.com

1. CNN Health