Every mommy-to-be has her go to favorites to fill those pregnancy cravings. Katz Gluten Free saw me through two pregnancies and all of those times between. It’s no secret they’re a favorite for me. They’ve captured my heart on the sweet side that’s for sure, with my pastry favorite Chocolate Buns, the delicate Sprinkle Cookies just like I used to get from an Italian bakery, and the cupcakes, oh my, picture perfect Chocolate Cupcakes iced with chocolate frosting and topped with rainbow sprinkles. And so much more! But they don’t just do sweets, their bagels have always held a sweet spot with me too! They were the first to offer this gluten free mommy a gluten free Everything Bagel that could rival even it’s gluten competitors.
So when I heard that Katz Gluten Free was coming out with a Grab ‘N’ Go line with donuts and bagels I had to check them out. Could it be that my favorites were going to be packed and ready to go for a busy mom out the door? All of us gluten free folks are well versed on bringing along our own meals and/or snacks to any and all events. Katz makes our lives so much easier with this now. The benefits with these delicacies wrapped in individual portions are endless. I’m thinking vacations! I love that these will make those weeks away a breeze. Ahem, not to mention those early morning flights to Disney that can now start with a fresh powdered donut or egg sandwich on a bagel. Love it!
The best part, these individual portions are kept so fresh in their wrapping! Nice soft powdered donuts ready to be enjoyed as a quick breakfast or treat at a school party. Plain bagels that are perfect to throw in your bag for lunch or bring along to put together a breakfast sandwich at a restaurant. Hey, we can all totally admit that we’ve brought our own bread and put together our own burgers, sandwiches, and beyond, right? Well if you haven’t, you will with these!
Admittedly, I was slightly disappointed by the size of the plain bagel. I’ve purchased their regular bagels in their plain and everything flavors for years and they’ve always been biger bigger but don’t let the size deter you. The convenience, texture, and flavor speak for themselves and are on my list of must gets before our Disney vaca in a few months!
Interested in Katz’s Grab ‘N’ Go line, check out all they have to offer here!
This mommy is getting her gluten free groove back! That’s right after almost a year of a restricted pregnancy and nausea dictated diet, I’m back with a healthy appetite for anything and everything gluten free I can get my hands on (well maybe not everything, I am still a very picky eater). Once baby girl arrived my acid reflux and nausea had vanished, I was diving into fruit salads, appetizers of soft cheeses, and heaping cold cut sandwiches piled high on some of the best gluten free bread I’ve ever tasted.
Next to one of my favorite gluten free breads, Canyon Bakehouse’s Deli Rye bread, Schar has released a brand new bread that’s perfect for every kind of sandwich. Their Artisan Baker White Bread is soft, fresh, and needs no prep before eating, a huge win in the gluten free world! And trust me, when it comes to gluten bread I’m hypercritical seeing as I love my sandwiches and have greatly missed them over the years.
Not long after baby arrived, my husband first brought home a loaf of this brand new bread and I have to admit that I was a little reluctant to give it a try. Unfortunately my faith in Schar’s breads has dwindled down to pretty much nothing after I’d bought many a loaf of bread over the past year that was either squished into tea sandwich sized slices or so brittle that just removing a slice from the small package causes the whole loaf to break in half. I’d grown so frustrated wasting $5.99 on a small loaf of unusable bread that we really hadn’t been purchasing bread the past few months and my love of sandwiches was put on the back burner towards the end of my pregnancy.
Thankfully though Schar has stepped up and given us a phenomenal new loaf of gluten free bread, one that I hope sticks around for a very long time. First off, while the loaves are still the same size, you cut the packaging open and the slices are ready to eat then and there, no toasting needed. I absolutely love being able to just pull the bread out of the packaging and use it straight away, a rarity for gluten free breads which usually come frozen or fresh, requiring heating in some way before eating. Next up the texture, I can’t rave about the texture enough. We all know that anything bread like in the gluten free world can be really off putting texture wise but this bread is a huge exception. These slices have that elasticity that lacks in so many other types of gluten free bread, but these definitely hold their own in so many different kinds of meals, trust me I’ve tested it. Whether you want a sandwich loaded with lunch meat, french toast or grilled cheese in the skillet, or even use a slice to wrap around your favorite hot dogs, Schar’s Artisan bread can do it all without crumbling to the touch or disintegrating with the moisture.
For the ultimate bread test though, the biggest question is taste. Will the perfect new texture compromise the breads taste? I’m happy to report that the answer on that one is absolutely not! This bread literally reminds me of gluten breads from my past, soft and pliable slices of bread that are squishy and elastic to the pull who’s taste blends with any and all kinds of concoctions.
Using a new recipe, Schar’s successfully created a fresh, soft and squishy, and excellent tasting gluten free bread, all the qualities we’ve been dreaming of and they’re now wrapped up in just one loaf of bread. I have to admit in my postpartum recovery where easy to make sandwiches are a new mommy’s best friend this bread has been a savior. I’ve had many a gluten free sandwich for quick lunches and dinners without any thawing, microwaving, or toasting. Thanks so much to Schar for giving us the gluten free bread of our dreams! Now let’s cross our fingers that they’ll use this new recipe to make all of our favorite versions of bread!
So put away that frozen bread, run to the store, and buy all of the fixings for your perfect sandwich but don’t forget Schar’s Artisan Baker White Bread because that’s what will make your sandwich truly perfect and perfectly gluten free!
Growing up, I went on some pretty memorable family vacations, but one that really stands out is our cross country adventure. For a whole month one summer, my parents hitched a trailer to our suburban and drove us from New Jersey out to California and back again. We saw so much of the countryside traveling this way and got to stop at some pretty cool places too like Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone National Park, Alcatraz, Muir Woods, and the Grand Canyon. Not to mention visiting some quirky sights too like the Corn Palace, a place made entirely of corn, riding the trolley cars, and walking the crooked street of San Francisco. It was a jam packed vacation that took us to places we may have never been to otherwise. Thanks to my parents I’m able to tell my little girl more about this country than I ever dreamed I could.
Some of my favorite times on our cross country vacation were spent in California where I met a whole other half of our family for the first time, where we went to Disneyland, and where we walked the streets of Los Angeles and San Francisco, taking in all of the sights, sounds, and tastes these cities had to offer. I still remember like it was yesterday, spending a morning seeing San Francisco’s Alcatraz and then walking along Fisherman’s Wharf, picking out a place for lunch. We decided on soups and/or sandwiches from a delicious restaurant nestled right in the wharf, offering authentic San Francisco sourdough. It was so chilly and windy, a perfect San Francisco day for soup and sourdough bread. I remember my mom and dad’s huge sourdough bread bowl, overflowing with piping hot soup inside, it was a sight to see for sure and apparently tasted even better than it looked. Never being a huge soup fan, I had a sandwich on sourdough bread and I can still taste the delicious flavor. The crust was so crunchy on the outside and the inside was light and filled with wholes, but chewy too, just how a perfect sourdough roll should be. Years later, and we haven’t been back to San Francisco but the flavors and textures of that lunch have not been forgotten.
Gluten Free Sourdough By Bread SRSLY
Since going gluten free, my diet has been left with many holes in it, without gluten free substitutions to fill them in. As the hype and popularity of this diet/lifestyle grows, there seems to be more and more unique gluten free options out there. We’re far from where I hope we’ll end up one day but just being able to find new items like this gluten free sourdough is really encouraging. Which brings me to the beauty of Twitter. I was blogging not too long ago and stumbled upon a gluten free sourdough bread company in San Francisco, Bread SRSLY. Just after one glimpse, I was instantly transported back to my family’s time in San Francisco and couldn’t help but crave a taste of that crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside sourdough bread. But would these gluten free rolls and loaves of bread compare to the ones that stood out in my memory? Well there was only one way to find out.
Happy delivery day in the Gluten Free Mom To Be’s house!
A little chat later, and the generous gluten free folks at Bread SRSLY in San Francisco were sending along a couple of samples of their gluten free sourdough bread. I couldn’t have been more excited for their arrival and thankfully didn’t have to wait too long. I opened the box like it was Christmas morning and found three brown paper packages of gluten free sourdough in a few varieties, including rolls, a loaf of regular bread, and a loaf of kale bread. I couldn’t wait to dive into one of them, so that day for lunch I decided on a warm sandwich of fresh mozzarella and sliced tomatoes between two halves of a sourdough roll.
Fresh Mozzarella, Sliced Tomatoes, And A Gluten Free Sourdough Roll
Looks tasty doesn’t it? Well, I’m happy to report that these rolls taste just as good as they look. After unrolling the top of the paper package you get a whiff of sourdough. The rolls are bit darker than your classic white sourdough rolls but texture and flavor are right on point. You can enjoy them with or without toasting, both ways they taste good. The crust on the outside is crispy and the inside is chewy and light, just like the sourdough deliciousness I enjoyed years ago. Of course you can enjoy these anyway you’d like, but I highly recommend heating up a couple of slices of mozzarella and tomatoes on a toasted gluten free sourdough roll. You end up with a warm, gluten free sandwich, with all of the fantastic flavor and texture of the sourdough roll, that would be perfect being served in Fisherman’s Wharf for a breezy and cool San Francisco day.
Gluten Free Sourdough Rolls By Bread SRSLY
Bread SRSLY has joined the ranks of companies that have seemed to accomplish the impossible. They’ve produced a gluten free product that is 100% unique to the gluten free world that resembles it’s regular version remarkably well. We all know that perfecting taste and texture of gluten free products, especially those in the bread family, is incredibly difficult but seems to be done flawlessly by some of these smaller companies. My favorite feature of these sourdough rolls is that you can taste the love that’s baked into them. You can just tell that so much thought, trial and error, and passion has been put into making a great product, which just makes them taste that much better.
Take a look at the Bread SRSLY site to see the entire list of gluten free products that they offer. And if you’re not in the Bay area it’s not a problem, neither am I, but I can still order some of their sourdough products on their site and get them sent right to my front door. These rolls are yet another fantastic addition to the gluten free world and one that I’ll add to my pantry whenever I can. Congratulations Bread SRSLY on your gluten free success!
Through my years of living gluten free, I’ve searched high and low for the best gluten free breads out there. While I’ve found my go to brands for everyday meals, I always keep my eyes peeled for more options. Although I’d heard the name Canyon Bakehouse before I’d never seen any of their products in my local stores. Hearing more and more fantastic things about them, I was intrigued to see what kinds of products they offer, so I finally decided to check out their website. Oh my was I ever glad that I did too. Here I found two gluten free breads that I’d never seen gluten free before, their Rosemary and Thyme Foccacia and Deli Style Rye. (more…)
I have to admit, I’ve never been one to crave mac and cheese from a box. Don’t get me wrong I have most definitely eaten the legendary blue boxed Kraft Macaroni and Cheese on more than one occasion, but I’ve by far, preferred a warm, heaping plate of my mom’s homemade cheesy macaroni instead. I can still taste the warm tomato soup layered with cheese and pasta, delicious memories from years past. (more…)
Who would’ve thought that our years of enduring gluten free bagels that feel more like rolls or slices of very dense bread than actual bagels have come to an end. That’s right! We’ve entered a new phase in the gluten free world where everyday it seems that more and more delicious products are appearing from smaller, up and coming businesses rather than from the massive pioneers that led the gluten free industry. It’s so exciting to see these new brands appearing with their fresh and inspired gluten free lines. They’ve introduced so many new and tasty products that have either been your typical gluten free food falling short in flavor and feel categories or completely obsolete in a gluten free individual’s diet. Either way, I for one am so encouraged for the gluten free diner’s future, seeing all of the amazing new brands and tasting their fantastic additions to the gluten free shelves.
Not too long ago, I stumbled upon one of these newer brands thanks to the power of sharing on Twitter. Sweet Note Bakery is definitely named appropriately as their team is led by the sweetest of bakers who have kindly put together an amazing gluten free bagel that is free of gluten, dairy, egg, and soy! While you can certainly buy their product online, I wanted to snatch a bite as soon as possible. So I scoured the store locator and found them in one of my local allergy and healthy eating stores. Low and behold, the team from Sweet Note Bakery was hosting a tasting event at the store that upcoming weekend. It was a perfect opportunity to not only sample these delectable looking bagels but also meet the faces behind the potentially amazing product.
Sweet Note Bagels
With my family in tow, we stopped into the event and met Brittany, one of the team members over at Sweet Note Bakery. I felt so comfortable sampling and purchasing their product, thanks to Brittany’s ability to answer the Gluten Free Mom To Be’s long list of questions. Her passion and belief in their product was contagious and we were soon hopping on the Sweet Note Bagel bandwagon too. One warm bite of sample bagel later and we were hooked. Both my husband and I were so impressed with their product, that we couldn’t help but purchase a few packages to keep enjoying at home.
Sweet Note Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
I personally love plain, cinnamon raisin, and everything bagels, all of which are Sweet Note Bagel varieties. For about $7.99 at our local store you get a package of four which can be stored in the freezer until you’re ready to enjoy. After just 45-60 seconds of defrosting in the microwave, just slice your bagel and toast briefly and you’re ready to go. Once the bagel is toasted, add either a thin layer of low fat cream cheese or if you’re feeling a bit fancier try making a breakfast sandwich with the everything or plain, adding on scrambled egg, cheese, and bacon, yum! It is truly amazing how Sweet Note Bakery has created a gluten free bagel that tastes identical to a gluten filled version. They have a crispy crust on the outside and a chewy middle, just like the gluten filled ones I used to enjoy.
Size wise, they are about the same size of any other freezer bagel like Glutino gluten free bagels or even Lender’s regular bagels. Unfortunately, being that they are so delicious, I for one wish that they were bigger. They’re just that good! Who wouldn’t wish that one day we could grab a gluten free bagel that doesn’t necessarily fit in the palm of our hand. But hey, Sweet Note Bagels, while they are on the smaller side but are comparable to any other frozen bagel, are really just right and hit the spot every time!
Okay, so price wise, they are a bit pricey, however keep in mind these girls are a new business and need to start somewhere. Although I can’t afford these everyday, I certainly will continue to support them on occasion when I can (more often when I’m pregnant again for sure) and hopefully help them grow their business too. Everyday it seems, Sweet Note Bakery is sharing more and more locations that you can find their bagels; so hopefully one day in the near future, you’ll spot Sweet Note Bagels in your local grocery store at maybe a cheaper price too.
Grab a package of Sweet Note Bagels today! Their product is phenomenal and even makes you ask that question that you’re so used to asking in a bad way, “Are you sure this is gluten free?”. This time though when you’re asking that question, you’ll only be saying it because they taste that good, what a great feeling that is! So use Sweet Note Bakery’s store locator to see if you can grab some of these at a store near you. And if you can’t, no worries, just order some via their website! I highly recommend my three favorite varieties, cinnamon raisin, everything, and plain!
One of my favorite desserts, pregnant or not, is a delicious bowl of ice cream. I think I probably had ice cream or frozen yogurt during about 90% of my pregnancy, yup it definitely ranked as my top snack. Some of my favorite flavors are those usually with a little bit of fruit to them like strawberry banana and cherry with chocolate pieces, but then I always love my peanut butter flavors, like peanut butter ripple and chocolate with peanut butter swirled throughout. Ah, yummy!
Since my last days living the non-gluten free life, I have yet to step back into our local ice cream parlors. While you can always order ice cream in a cup rather than a gluten filled cone, having worked in an ice cream shop I for one know that scoops are shared between flavors so cross contamination is an absolute yes. With the explosion of allergen awareness though, our world is slowly changing. We now have a local self serve frozen yogurt shop that labels all of their flavors with allergen info (thank goodness this was present during my pregnancy!). Also, many thanks to Joy for releasing gluten free ice cream cone options that us gluten free diners can enjoy with our favorite gluten free ice cream flavors at home.
With summer upon us, I thought it was only appropriate to recommend some of my favorite ice cream brands that provide allergen or gluten specific information:
Breyers: On their site, Breyers indicates that most of their ice creams are naturally gluten free, however some do contain gluten as well as other allergens. For this reason, they will indicate in the ingredient label if any of the 8 most common allergens are contained in the product. As far as labeled gluten free Breyers’ ice creams, they’ve just recently released over 30 of their flavors with a gluten free symbol marked on their packaging (this is so exciting). Some of my favorites among these include the Black Raspberry Chocolate, Peach, and Vanilla Fudge Twirl. To see this complete list just head over to Breyers’ website. So next time you’re in the ice cream section keep an eye out for these specially labeled gluten free varieties but also make sure you check out others that may not have been marked yet. I personally have studied every label before buying, only ever purchasing those that clearly do not contain any wheat or gluten sources, and have never had a problem even with those that have not been labeled with the gluten free mark. As always though, if there is any question on gluten content call their contact number on the product.
Turkey Hill: This brand is top on my list mainly because they offer my all time favorite flavors, peanut butter ripple and chocolate peanut butter cup. Turkey Hill offers 62 frozen treats that are gluten free. My favorites include the peanut butter varieties of course but also Chocolate Marshmallow and PomBlueberry Chocolate Truffle. Pick out your favorite gluten free Turkey Hill flavors on their website. As far as labeling, the last time I purchased Turkey Hill ice cream I did not see any gluten free markings (it looks like they may add these according to their website labels); however they do clearly state which of the common allergens are in the product. I usually just check the label thoroughly and make sure no allergens or sneaky ingredients are present that could cause a problem, but you could also bring along their list of gluten free flavors to help you in your choosing.
Blue Bunny: At this time, Blue Bunny doesn’t validate or certify that any of their products are gluten free. However, they will indicate allergen content clearly on their ingredient labels. I love this brand and purchase their ice creams frequently, when the sale is right that is. I’m always a bit more hesitant buying products that are not labeled gluten free; however, without this label, and even with it too, I always study the ingredients very carefully and don’t hesitate caling if I fear of any hidden gluten, although I can honestly say that I’ve never had to do this. Some of my favorite Blue Bunny varieties include their Frozen Yogurt flavors like Bordeaux Cherry Chocolate and Strawberry Banana. While they offer some very tasty flavors with allergen information listed, hopefully in the near future they tackle the gluten free label as well.
Friendly’s: Similar to Blue Bunny, it appears that Friendly’s doesn’t directly label their products as being gluten free. However, just like Blue Bunny they will indicate allergen content on their ingredient labels. For this reason, I have purchased a number of their ice creams without any gluten reaction. Just as I always advise though, I do call if I ever have a question of any ingredient in particular but have rarely needed to since most of the labeling across all of the flavors is incredibly clear. Check out Friendly’s huge list of flavors and just click on your favorites to see their nutrition and allergen information. One of my new favorite flavors is the Black Cherry Chocolate Chunk, fruit and chocolate combo is obviously a winner for me.
Wegmans: As with all of Wegmans brand products, if a product is gluten free, they are marked as such on their label. I love Wegmans! Check out Wegman’s ice cream selection, they definitely have some yummy gluten free flavors and at such a reasonable price.
So as far as the ice cream department, we certainly do have a number brands and flavors to choose from. While all of my recommendations mark allergen content, some even indicate if a product is gluten free. It certainly seems like the ball is definitely rolling in the right direction, so let’s hope it continues and many more brands pop up with gluten free labels.
What I do love is that we really do have so many choices across each brand, allowing us all to pick out exactly what we want and save money too by buying with a sale. Ice cream can certainly be pretty expensive so it’s a real treat to not have to be committed to just one brand and to be able to join the rest of consumers out there and take advantage of great sales, especially during summer time. So while you cool off with a sweet frozen treat and pair it with a Joy gluten free ice cream cone, maybe even pass along a thank you email to the brands that are working so hard to add to our gluten free selection!
TIP: Keep an eye on all of these websites for coupons posted during the summer and make sure you pair them with your grocery stores’ sales so you get the best deal!
I’m always on the lookout for a delicious new gluten free bread option that bears some resemblance to non-gluten free bread that I once enjoyed. A few years back, I used to enjoy Panera sandwiches on all sorts of different breads, but one of my favorites by far was their focaccia, it was so light and perfectly seasoned. Flash forward several years and Panera sandwiches are off of our list of safe gluten free dinners out. I’m not going to lie, not being able to enjoy a soup and sandwich at Panera is a hard one to lose, especially since this restaurant holds a special place in my heart. I still remember my years in college when my parents would come up and visit me and we would head over to the local Panera. It was such a great environment for us to sit, eat, and catch up on my days at school. Not to mention, we would top it off by sharing a dessert or two and they’d always send off their poor college student with a to go bag of treats.
All grown up now with no more gluten allowed, my Panera days are something of the past and so are those delicious bread choices (tear). Much to my surprise though, a couple of weeks ago I stumbled upon gluten free focaccia by Canyon Bakehouse. They’ve accomplished the impossible it seems in the gluten free world and have produced a fantastic product. Their focaccia is soft and moist and perfectly seasoned with rosemary and thyme, take a peak at how beautiful Canyon Bakehouse’s Focaccia is. It is definitely one of my new favorite breads and is perfect for a sandwich, dipping in some olive oil and seasonings, or something a bit fancier like my Gluten Free Garlicky Focaccia Appetizers, topped with caprese and spinach artichoke toppings. Top with either set of toppings and you’re good to go with some delicious appetizers or a side to your dinner. My little one and husband gobbled these up so quickly, I’m just lucky I got to try some too! Enjoy!
Note: Feel free to use as much or as little of each topping ingredient as you’d like. This recipe only lists the combination of topping ingredients you should use but really depends on which variety and how many of the focaccia appetizers you wish to make.
Ingredients:
Canyon Bakehouse Focaccia
Butter (I use Smart Balance.)
4 tbsp minced garlic
Shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper to season
Caprese Toppings:
2-3 plum tomatoes
Fresh basil leaves
Spinach Artichoke Toppings:
Spinach (I like the frozen steamer bags of spinach.)
Artichokes (Jar of Cento artichokes are gluten free.)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Slice focaccia lengthwise and cut into four long slices (2 from the top of the bread and 2 from the bottom).
Spread a thin layer of gluten free butter across each slice of bread.
Add 1 tbsp minced garlic to each slice of buttered focaccia and spread across the slice.
Cut focaccia in half lengthwise and spread butter with minced garlic on top.
Toast focaccia in the oven for 15 minutes.
While focaccia is toasting, prepare desired toppings to either do half caprese and half spinach artichoke or to do all of one or the other.
Slice 2-3 medium tomatoes.
Prepare frozen spinach.
Rinse and chop artichokes.
In a small bowl, combine even parts (about 1/2 cup, this amount really depends on which route you go with toppings) spinach and artichoke and add 2 tbsp shredded part-skim mozzarella and 2 tbsp parmesan cheese.
Remove toasted focaccia from the oven and carefully cut into small squares.
To sliced focaccia bites, add toppings. For the caprese garlicky focaccia bites, add a single slice of tomato and basil leaves on top. For the spinach artichoke garlicky focaccia, add 1 tbsp of spinach/artichoke mixture to bread.
Toast focaccia for 15 minutes at 350 degrees, then top with caprese or spinach artichoke toppings.
On both versions, top with part-skim mozzarella cheese (I used slices, but I’d use shredded next time I make these.).
Top with cheese.
Toast focaccia bites in the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese has melted and begun to brown.
Carefully remove hot appetizers and add to serving dish.
Carefully remove bread from baking sheet and add to serving dish.
Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper if you’d like.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Delicious!
After making both varieties and having them taste tested by my toughest critics, the non-gluten free eaters in the house, seeing as not a crumb was left of each of them, I’d say that both are winners! The fresh basil combined with the tomatoes was so delicious, just like my favorite caprese summer salad; while the spinach artichoke bites reminded me my creamy spinach artichoke dip that I love to make, but instead of the dip part, a delicious piece of garlicky butter bread was in its place. In my opinion, you certainly can’t go wrong with buttering up and adding garlic to a tasty piece of bread, but why not take it a step further and add your favorite appetizer flavors too.
Thanks to Canyon Bakehouse, these focaccia bites will be making an appearance in our house on a number of occasions in the future and will surely please all of our diners. The possibilities are truly endless with this kind of bread, so if you have any extra after making these appetizers, feel free to use it for your next lunch meat sandwich or cut it up and dip it in your favorite spices and olive oil! I can’t wait to incorporate this bread into another one of our meals in the near future!
Sincerely,
Lindsay
Gluten Free Garlicky Focaccia Appetizers
2014-06-30 07:54:25
Toasted focaccia garlic bread, topped with caprese and spinach artichoke toppings.
Spinach (I like the frozen steamer bags of spinach.)
Artichokes (Jar of Cento artichokes are gluten free.)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Slice focaccia lengthwise and cut into four long slices (2 from the top of the bread and 2 from the bottom).
Spread a thin layer of gluten free butter across each slice of bread.
Add 1 tbsp minced garlic to each slice of buttered focaccia and spread across the slice.
Toast focaccia in the oven for 15 minutes.
While focaccia is toasting, prepare desired toppings to either do half caprese and half spinach artichoke or to do all of one or the other.
Slice 2-3 medium tomatoes.
Prepare frozen spinach.
Rinse and chop artichokes.
In a small bowl, combine even parts (about 1/2 cup, this amount really depends on which route you go with toppings) spinach and artichoke and add 2 tbsp shredded part-skim mozzarella and 2 tbsp parmesan cheese.
Remove toasted focaccia from the oven and carefully cut into small squares.
To sliced focaccia bites, add toppings. For the caprese garlicky focaccia bites, add a single slice of tomato and basil leaves on top. For the spinach artichoke garlicky focaccia, add 1 tbsp of spinach/artichoke mixture to bread.
On both versions, top with part-skim mozzarella cheese (I used slices, but I'd use shredded next time I make these.).
Toast focaccia bites in the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese has melted and begun to brown.
Carefully remove bread from baking sheet and add to serving dish.
Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper if you'd like.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
Feel free to use as much or as little of each topping ingredient as you'd like. This recipe only lists the combination of topping ingredients you should use but really depends on which variety and how many of the focaccia appetizers you wish to make.
By Gluten Free Mom To Be
Gluten Free Mom To Be http://www.glutenfreemomtobe.com/
I LOVE scones; they’re a perfect breakfast treat on occasion or dessert now and then. Fruity or chocolaty, either way, they are a delicious start to the day or sweet finish to a meal! Since going gluten free I’ve tried my baking hand at preparing gluten free scones but haven’t quite been able to find the perfect recipe. While I’ve been figuring out the best recipe and ingredients, I’ve been so fortunate to find gluten free scones at not one, but two locations in the area. My husband and I first spotted gluten free store brand Cranberry Orange Scones at Whole Foods Market, a local grocer; soon after, we stumbled upon some Cranberry scones at a gluten free bakery nearby, Wildflour Bakery/Cafe. For more information and a sneak peak at Wildflour Bakery/Cafe’s Cranberry Scones, check out my review.
Whole Foods, along with Wegman’s, is one of the only grocery stores to offer store brand gluten free products. While Wegman’s labels all of their store brand products with gluten free symbols, if necessary, Whole Foods has produced a separate line of gluten free bakery items. Whole Foods Gluten Free Bakehouse offers gluten free scones, cakes, cupcakes, pies, breads, stuffing, and biscuits. Although I haven’t tried nearly all of their products, what I have tried so far have been amazing and better yet, they’re priced competitively with other gluten free name brands.
In the freezer section of Whole Foods, you’ll find separate freezer cases for gluten free products. The cases are packed full of breads and pastries by Whole Foods Gluten Free Bakehouse, Udi’s, Rudi’s, and a couple of other gluten free brands. Nestled in the cases are these delicious gluten free cranberry orange scones. Coming in a pack of four, the scones are a substantial size that I usually cut in half to enjoy for breakfast or dessert. Keep them stored in the freezer until you’re ready to enjoy one of these pastries, then just pull one out, let it defrost at room temp (this doesn’t take too long) or zap it for a few seconds in the microwave, and enjoy by itself or with some gluten free butter along side of it.
Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Scone
I personally love these scones. They’re perfectly firm with sweet cranberries scattered throughout and an essence of orange floating around. I’m partial to enjoying these a little on the cold side or room temp but have also dabbled in them warmed up with a little butter in the middle too! Either way, they’re delicious and I highly recommend them. So head over to your local Whole Foods and pick up your favorite bakery treat in their Gluten Free Bakehouse section!
As a true Italian, pasta was one of my family’s favorite dishes that we enjoyed at least once or twice a week along with a Sunday dinner or two. Spaghetti, fettuccine, penne, riagtoni, ravioli, tortellini, and lasagna, we enjoyed it in all shapes and sizes. On the occasion that we ate out, pasta was my go to meal, specifically vodka rigatoni, since I wasn’t a huge meat eater. As an adult, I continued to enjoy pasta in a variety of different forms, but one of my favorites was the fresh pasta that my then boyfriend and I would make. In fact, the night my boyfriend proposed to me he made our favorite dinner of fresh pasta with vodka sauce and meatballs. A few years down the road, my diagnosis of a severe gluten intolerance appeared, and it was goodbye to my pasta days, a truly heartbreaking day for this Italian. I thought that I had said goodbye forever to a staple that was part of so many memories throughout my life.
Although it’s been one heck of a process trying to find gluten free pasta that didn’t disintegrate while cooking and have a lackluster taste to boot, I’m so happy to have discovered the best substitutions for gluten filled regular pasta. While the boxed pastas by Ronzoni and Barilla, that have been released in recent months, are fantastic and stand out above all of the rest, I still do miss the occasional treat of enjoying the freshness and perfect al dente texture of fresh pasta. Thankfully, my husband, being the best non-gluten free spouse that a gluten free wife could ask for, scoured the internet and found one of my favorite gluten free products to date, RP’s Gluten Free Pasta.
Fresh gluten free pasta!
RP’s Pasta Company produces a number of varieties of fresh gluten free pasta, including fettuccini, linguini, fusilli, lasagna sheets, and spinach fettuccini. After a quick 2-3 minute boil, their pasta is cooked to perfection. Toss the pasta with your favorite sauce or just butter and cheese and you’re ready to enjoy!
Fresh gluten free fettuccine with creamy pesto sauce.
My favorite sauce to add on top is a creamy pesto, but I’m actually eager to try it with a homemade alfredo next time! I’m also super eager to try their fresh lasagna sheets which I’ve yet to spot at my local store, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed on that one. As far as price, their pasta is pretty affordable at $5.99 a package at Whole Foods. To stick to my family’s grocery budget, I keep to purchasing the boxed gluten free pastas for my week to week grocery shopping, but RP’s gluten free pasta is certainly on my list for the occasional trip to Whole Foods that I make about once every month or so. The best part is, is that the expiration date on their pastas is usually pretty far ahead, so you can store it in your fridge for an extended period of time but can always move it to your freezer if necessary later on. To check out RP’s gluten free pastas and where you might be able to purchase them, just take a peak at their website here.
I can’t give this product enough props, it truly is amazing what company’s are able to accomplish now with gluten free ingredients! RP’s Pasta Company has raised the bar when it comes to gluten free pasta with their fresh pasta version, a product until about year ago had gone totally absent in my life. They produce a standout product that will remain a gluten free staple in my home for many years to come and hopefully yours too!
