Heath English Toffee Bits

    Little bits of toffee. They can go in practically anything. A perfect hint of sweetness. A great substitute when chocolate is not quite the right thing.

    Eat them on their own. Put them in cookies. Stir them in trial mix. Top yogurt or ice cream. Always a good finishing touch.

    Find Heath English Toffee Bits in most major grocery stores.

Luigi Vitelli Gluten Free Corn Pasta

               It’s interesting when you are looking for one thing in a grocery store and end up discovering something you didn’t know anything about.  This is what happened to me when I was looking for Pickapeppa Sauce in the Jamaican row of Cermak’s.  I never found the Pickapeppa Sauce, but I did find Luigi Vitelli Gluten Free Corn Pasta across the aisle.  A friend had told me he really liked corn pasta as a substitute for wheat pasta, but this was the first time I had found it.

                The first time trying a new product is always interesting as we wait to see how it tastes.  I made a dish using the corn pasta linguine with a roasted poblano pepper cream sauce and chorizo sausage.  The pasta tasted as though you were eating a corn tortilla, which went really well with the other ingredients.

                If the Luigi Vitelli Gluten Free Corn Pasta is something you would like to try, it comes in six different varieties: Elbows, Fusilli, Linguine, Penne Rigate, Rigatoni, and Spaghetti.  You can get more information about these products at vitellifoods.com.

                I hope you enjoy this pasta.  It has a lot of possibilities.

MOD Pizza

              There is a new pizza place in town, and it’s called MOD Pizza.  Built on the structure that you pretty much build your own pizza, this restaurant works fast and is tasty, too.  No matter what you decide to put on your pizza, the price will always be the same as the price is determined by the size of the pizza you choose.  A gluten-free crust is available for an additional cost.

                When creating your pizza, you have two main options.  One is to go with the prearranged combinations that are offered.  You can either stick with the exact ingredients listed, or add other ingredients without increasing the cost.  The second option is to completely create your own.  You walk down the buffet style set-up and let the pizza maker know which ingredients you would like.  The list of ingredients you can have is quite lengthy, meaning you can experiment with a new combination each time you come in.  It also means that each pizza ends up being truly your own.

                As good as this pizza is, there is one thing I must warn you about, and the company website does as well.  While the gluten-free pizza crust is an option, it is baked in the same oven as the crusts that are not gluten-free.  For those who have a severe allergy to gluten, this is something to definitely be aware of.

                I am very glad MOD Pizza put out the warning about the baking of the gluten-free pizzas on their website (www.modpizza.com).  It shows that they truly care about their customers.  On their website you can also find nutrition facts and ingredient lists for their other pizza components so you can go into MOD Pizza educated about what you will be eating.  Add this care for customers to the nice staff I encountered (plus the good pizza), and MOD Pizza is definitely a place I want to go back to.       

Boar’s Head Dark Chocolate Dessert Hummus

              Chocolate spreads are being seen from multiple companies, some domestic, some foreign.  Now this flavor concept has moved to the hummus row.

                Boar’s Head has brought out a Dark Chocolate Dessert Hummus for the holiday season.  The person demonstrating it on a recent visit to the Sendik’s grocery store in Elm Grove, WI was suggesting it not only be used as a spread, but also as a dip.  She especially mentioned using it with fresh fruit. 

This dessert hummus would be an interesting gluten free addition to a fruit plate at your family gathering.  So, look in your local stores where Boar’s Head products are sold, and see if they have this limited-edition holiday treat.

Gorilly Goods

              You never know what you will find at a food fair.  Awhile back my mom and I went to a non-GMO fair at Metcalfe’s.  One of the vendors we came across was for Gorilly Goods.  They were featuring their small bags of snack mixes which are organic, raw, vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free.  There were six flavors available to try and each one had their own unique combination of ingredients along with an interesting name.  I brought home Forest which consisted of dark chocolate, fruit, and nuts.  If you like bananas, this is definitely the flavor for you.  My mother enjoyed Coast which was sweet curry, cashews, and fruit.  The other flavors were Hillside (pumpkin seed and kale), Baja (pumpkin seed, hemp, and cilantro), Trail (nut, goji, and cacao nibs), and Jungle (fruit and nuts).

                While I originally discovered Gorilly Goods at Metcalfe’s, I have also found them at Outpost Natural Foods.  If neither of these stores are in your area, you can go on the Gorilly Goods website (gorillygoods.com) and search to see if they are in a store near you.   

Popchips Ridges

            Well, it’s that time of year again.  Football is in full swing, and out comes the game day food.  It doesn’t matter whether you are watching your university alma mater or an NFL team, there always seems to be food around to munch on.  While shopping recently, I came across a new potato chip to crunch.  It was Popchips Ridges. 

I know we are all supposed to be aware of portion control, but sometimes you have to wonder how the Nutrition Facts label can state that only 6 crackers or 11 chips are the portion amount.  That seems hardly worth the effort to open the bag or the box to eat them.  I am happy to report that the Popchips Ridges flavor I ate (Chili Cheese) had 28 grams, or about 21 chips, to a portion.  That is a great amount.  I also found the Popchip Ridges to be delicious, and I will say right here, I exceeded my portion control amount along with wishing I had some guacamole to go with them.

Popchips Ridges come in four additional flavors: Buffalo Ranch, Cheddar & Sour Cream, Tangy Barbeque, and Perfectly Salted.  All are gluten-free.

I hope you get a change to try Popchips Ridges.  I found them at Woodman’s, but check either the chip or the natural foods aisles at other stores in your area.

popchips.com 

Hershey’s Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate Chips

               The chocolate chip.  That small morsel most recognized as part of a cookie.  It’s true you can make a gluten free cookie using all sorts of alternatives to wheat flours, but what about the chip itself?  Do you read the ingredients when you purchase a bag of chocolate chips?  Maybe, maybe not.

                I am glad to tell you that my favorite Special Dark chocolate chips by Hershey’s are gluten free.  Yes, you can make your cookies, trail mix, or any other treat without being concerned about gluten.

                If you are not a dark chocolate fan, there are other Hershey's Baking Chips to choose from.  I found a list on The Hershey Company website. 

                Hershey’s Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate Chips can be found at most major grocery stores.  I buy mine at Woodman’s or Sendik’s.

                Enjoy your baking!