Favourite Top 5 Gluten Free Breads

After being gluten free for almost 3 years now, I have become well aware of the products that

gain the status of "I can't believe this is gluten free"! It has taken me a long time to realize which gluten free products I like and don't like. When I first started my gluten free diet, I was eating bread that tasted like styrofoam, bagels that had a sticky chew to them and cereals that almost seemed fake. It took me a long while to figure out what were the good breads, good crackers, good cereals, etc.Yesterday I ran into a lady shopping at Bulk Barn who was new to the gluten free lifestyle. She was so lost in what to buy and what products are the better ones. I gave her my suggestion on what pancake mix to buy as she was searching for one that would be light and fluffy. I think many people are in the same boat as this lady, wondering what the good brands are. So I thought I would share my top 5 favourite gluten free breads!

Drum roll please!

#1: Udi's Gluten Free Foods: Whole grain bread loaf $5.99

Udi's bread is only 2 weeks new to me. I heard from a friend that it was her favourite gf bread, however I could never find it in any of the grocery stores near me. This bread is amazing! I find

that it has the consistency of "regular" wheat bread...however, for those starting off a gluten free diet, nothing can be comparable to a fresh gluten loaf. The bread has a good crust around it and it doesn't have any after taste that gluten free breads can often leave. The big bonus with

Udi's, it doesn't crumble and it isn't dry. It also toasts! You don't need to press the toaster down three times until you can see a golden toast, it toasts very easily. The only down side is the small pieces, but hey, portion control right? Udi's also has a white bread option, but I like the whole grain as it has more flavour to it...and I feel healthier eating

a whole grain option.

#2: Genius by Glutino: White Sandwich bread $5.99

This was my favourite bread before I discovered Udi's, but it is still high up there. I love this bread because of the size. It makes a perfect normal sandwich. The sizes are comparable to a regular slice of wheat bread. There isn't a whole lot of taste with this bread, and I can't differentiate between the white and whole grain option. There is not gluten free after taste though and this too toasts wonderfully. I also love how low calorie this bread is. I find many gluten free breads to be very dense with calories, for example, 1 slice of Food for Life Brown Rice bread is 110 calories, along with O'Doughs flax bread, Genius is only 80 calories per slice. I like the white sandwich option because it makes the perfect grilled cheese!

#3: Organic Works: Quinoa & Honey Bread $6.95

The price of this bread gets me, $6.95 is pretty pricey for a loaf of bread, especially when you compare a loaf of Dempsters Whole Grain wheat bread which is less than $3. This bread is a special treat for me, I just can't seem to get past how expensive it is. Understandably though. The bread is very dense and full of flavour. I love the quinoa honey bread because it is very different from any other bread. I can taste the sweetness from the honey and there is a bit of a crunch from the quinoa. I like eating this bread simply plain, not even toasted, with a spread of butter!

#4: O'Doughs: Flax Bread $3.99 for half a loaf, $6.99 for full loaf

O'doughs makes the perfect toast. It's dense and hearty and pretty chewy when toasted. I find that this bread is pretty crumbly eating it un-toasted as a sandwich, and the slices are fairly small, so it's hard to make a jam-packed everything sandwich. I like this bread with soups or chili. I also like this bread in the morning for toast. The flax does have a slight flax flavour, however I like choosing the flax option for the small percentage of omega 3's. O'Doughs also has fabulous buns. The buns are pretty hefty though, so if I ever make a sandwich with them, I tend to make an open face sandwich. I also like using the buns for hamburgers.

#5: Food For Life: Brown Rice Bread $5.99

This is the bread I started with when I first started being gluten free. I really like the sweetness of this bread. However I only like it toasted. This bread isn't very good on it's own, nor is it good to make a sandwich with. My favourite way to have this bread is to toast it and top it with almond butter and honey. A great snack before bed!

If you have any other questions about what products are good or where to purchase them, please contact me at thegutgazette@yahoo.com!

Gluten Free "Kraft Dinner"

University foods definitely include Kraft Dinner. I would love to see the numbers on how many students in University/College eat Kraft Dinner a week. I am sure it's a high number!

Unfortunately the gluten free students don't have that option to open a box of KD and quickly cook it. However, I found a wonderful gluten free alternative to Kraft Dinner!

The brand is Irresistibles, found at the grocery store Metro (in Canada).

It was definitely delicious, but I wouldn't say it was "irresistible". The pasta took a lot longer to cook then the box indicated, so I had to keep checking on it...I didn't want to overcook it. The powdered cheese was much brighter in colour than Kraft Dinner's cheese.

I didn't find the powdered cheese to be that "cheesy" in taste, it was a bit bland, and I had to smother it in Ketchup. I would buy this again, and I would recommend it to those who are gluten free and need a Kraft Dinner alternative. However, if you aren't gluten free, don't pick up this box, go straight to the real stuff...it's not the same as good old Kraft Dinner.

If anyone knows of any other gluten free macaroni and cheese (that is in a box), I would love to hear them!

"A Healthy Snack = A Healthy Tummy"

I wanted to share a blog that my friend Jenna has created as a project for one of her nutrition courses.

It's an amazing blog full of colour, fun foods and great nutrition tips to help you feed your child nutritiously during your busy life.

The blog is called Little Bites, Lotta Nutrition, it will definitely wow you! Check it out!!

Gluten Free from Grandma

This weekend was my FIRST time ever having a gluten free pie! Grandma made my favourite Thanksgiving pie, pumpkin, gluten free. I was so happy and appreciative of it. She had told me countless amount of times that I shouldn't get my hopes up and that she wasn't sure what it was going to taste like. The first bite was amazing. The pastry melted in my mouth and had the taste of regular gluten crust. It was buttery and rich, not too sweet...it was perfect. The pumpkin pie filling was just as delicious. It had the perfect amount of spice to it and wasn't too dense or too sweet. My sister tried a bite of the crust and decided to go the gluten free route on the pie as well. Job well done Grandma. You had no reason to worry!

Sweet 16

Noooo....I have not turned 16, but it has been 16 months since I last posted on The Gut Gazette.

After taking time off to focus on me and my health, I have decided to start blogging again :)

For the past 16 months+ I have been gaining my health back in all areas. Physical health, and mental/emotional health. I have been in more states of remession than flare ups, I have gained weight to now be at a healthy weight (which has decreased my Crohn's symptoms substantially), I have come to an agreement with myself that life is too short for worrying, the life in my eyes is back and I am the happiest I have ever been! I am also less restricted with what I eat now. I am able to eat some of the foods that I wasn't able to eat before, such as tomatoes, strawberries, oranges, sugar, chocolate :) , and corn. I am able to eat dairy in moderation, but too much sets me off. However, gluten is still a big no, and I have come to terms that I'll most likely never be able to eat it again (but I really shouldn't say "never").

The reason I have come back to blog is to create more awareness around Crohn's disease AND to blog about food and food products (one of my favourite things)!

I hope you enjoy my upcoming posts, there isn't much of a plan, I'm not going to dedicate hours to blogging, I'm just going to freely blog and go with the flow.

Take care!
M

Just a Drop

If you deal with digestive issues, I am sure you can relate about the embarrassment you feel when using public washrooms...or just any washroom.

Well, my embarrassment has been banished, as I now use Just a Drop. I wish I had known about this all my life, it's so amazing how well it works. Just a Drop is a Canadian company from the East Coast that has created a product to eliminate bathroom odours. It is made from concentrated plant extract, making it environmentally friendly and safe for all toilets and septic systems. Before you do your buisness, you just squeeze a few drops in the toilet, and once you're done there's no smell at all, it's absolutely amazing.

There are three scents: Eucalyptus, Floral Oasis and Refreshing Spring

I like all of the scents, but my favourite would have to be the Eucalyptus. It is the most "refreshing", and smells more like a cleaning product. I find that the Floral Oasis sort of smells like an aersol spray...so it kind of gives it away that you had to use some sort of odor eliminator. The Refreshing Spring is also nice, it too smells like a cleaning product, but a little more intense then the Eucalyptus.

They even sell it 'to-go'! It's great to just carry around in your purse, or you can even stick it in your pocket.

There is also a travel size option, so you can take it on the plane with you with no problem. It's also nice and small, so you could also use it as a 'to-go' option.

According to the Just a Drop website, many people with medical conditions have turned to this product to relieve their embarrassments with bathroom odors, such as Crohn's Disease, Celiac, IBS, and Colitis. I'm so happy I've been able to try this, and honestly, I don't think I'll ever go anywhere without it again. I was a little skeptical at first to how well this would actually work, but my doubts were unneeded, as this is the best thing ever!!

You can order Just a Drop online, or if you click 'Where to Buy' on the website, you can see what stores carry it near you. Now go order some! You won't regret this purchase!!!

Have a great Monday!

The Winner!

Well....I was definitely late at posting the winner of the CSN Giveaway, so sorry about that.

But here it is, finally...

Congratulations Erica! You have won the $50 gift certificate to spend how ever you like at any of the CNS Stores!!!

Erica said...I would spend it on this bakeware set: http://www.cookware.com/Pyrex-1058994-REX1001.html

Please send me your email so I can get you your prize!