Gluten-free Product Review: Oggi Ravioli

August 29, 2017Leave a comment

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I recently tried these ricotta & lemon ravioli from Oggi Foods and I definitely recommend them for a great quick weeknight dinner. Ravioli is something us celiacs very rarely get to eat so I was very happy when I found these. Only a few minutes minutes in boiling water and they are ready! I also like that they have a simple ingredient list.

I recently discovered Oggi’s Montreal made products, trying their frozen pasta, frozen pizza and frozen pizza dough. I ordered these ravioli from Lufa Farms and have also seen them at the pasta store in the main hall of Jean Talon Market. We tried both flavours, I preferred the ricotta and lemon and my boyfriend preferred the 4 cheese. A package makes a good meal for 2 people with you favourite sauce. I have seen a package for $7.50-$8.50, last I checked Lufa Farms was the cheapest.

I also highly recommend their pizza, which you can now find at Costco.

Gluten-Free Product Review: Skinny Pasta Frozen Meals

November 23, 2016November 23, 2016Leave a comment

Based on the packaging I wouldn’t be a fan of these meals. I don’t like that it’s called “Skinny” pasta, to me it’s a play on the idea we should be smaller and also I don’t need my lunch to only be 240 calories. I had previously tried this product when it was under another name and loved these frozen meals. Despite my initial apprehensions I am now a huge fan of the frozen butternut squash ravioli. I love this product mainly because it is delicious but I also appreciate the price point, quality, ease and small ingredient list. As a working student I often have 12 hour days and these meals mean I can avoid picking up a $15 lunch that may have been contaminated by gluten. I got these in the frozen section of my local Rachel-Berri for $5.50 on sale. They take about 5 minutes in the microwave. Try them out, I highly recommend it if you miss ravioli and need a solid option for a quick back-up lunch. I tried the cheese and butternut squash and while I like the cheese one, I much preferred the squash.

3 Cheese

Butternut Squash

Product Review: Vegan GF bagels from Merveilles Sans Gluten

May 19, 2016May 19, 2016Leave a comment

My best friend bought these bagels for me the other day at Veganessa’s store in Beaconsfield. These bagels from Merveilles Sans Gluten (Wheatless Wonder) are so delicious and vegan. They stay fresh and soft for up to 5 days in the fridge and are amazing lightly toasted. So yummy!

Try them out if you can get your hands on them. They are delicious and almost help cure my longing for a real Montreal bagel. Almost…

I looked on their website and saw that Louise Sans Gluten in Dorval carries their products, as do a few other stores on the Island. I will keep you updated if I find other locations to buy the bagels and will try to post about Veganessa soon!

http://www.wheatlesswonder.com

Gluten-Free Product Review: So Delicious Cookie Dough Ice Cream

March 17, 20162 Comments

I rarely eat something and think I must blog it but this So Delicious Cookie Dough Coconut Milk Ice Cream is that good. I picked it up at the store to serve in a few days when my vegan BFF comes for dinner and I fear there may be none left. As someone who has not eaten cookie dough ice cream since the early 2000’s this was a “is this real moment”. It was doubly amazing since I have been avoiding eating too much dairy. Yes, you can have dairy & gluten-free ice cream that is incredibly delicious.

Try it for yourself. And be warned, just because it is gluten-free and vegan does not mean it is healthy. It is definitely a treat. A delicious treat you should try. I spent a lot of my childhood secretly picking through my ice cream for the perfect chunk of cookie dough and apparently I haven’t grown up at all 😉

PS- I also love So Delicious Ice Cream Bars and other Coconut Milk Ice Creams

http://sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products/coconut-milk-frozen-desserts

GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCT REVIEW: Club House Gluten-Free Gravy

August 17, 2015August 17, 20151 Comment

I was having a serious cheat day where I wanted to eat all the things and I just had to pick up this gluten-free gravy from Metro to make a homemade gluten-free poutine. This gravy mix is incredibly easy, you basically simmer the package content with a cup of water for 4 mins. For a packaged gravy it tasted great and was delicious on my french fries with some cheese curds. Gluten-free gravy in a pouch really makes a homemade 100% gluten-free poutine an easy cheat meal option. They had Brown Sauce and Chicken Gravy flavours at my grocery store and it was affordable at less than $2.

http://www.clubhouse.ca/en-ca/products/meal-helpers/25-less-salt/gluten-free-brown-gravy-mix

Gluten-Free Product Review: Caponi Tagliolini

March 19, 2015Leave a comment

This pasta is amazing and you have to try it. It is expensive at $6 for 250g but it is worth it for a meal where the pasta should be the center of attention. The only place I have seen this pasta in Montreal is at Fromagerie Hamel in Jean Talon Market. I love Fromagerie Hamel with their huge selection of cheeses and this pasta is a welcome bonus to my Sunday Jean Talon Market shopping list.

Last time we served our Tagliolini with some store bought pesto and olive oil and it was perfect. Homemade sauce would make this pasta even better.

I found a link on Amazon but it’s very expensive. You can see if your local specialty store can order it for you. You should definitely try it if you can. My boyfriend who eats wheat says its better than any “normal” dry pasta he has tried!

My favourite “healthier” gluten-free snacks of the moment

February 6, 2015February 6, 2015Leave a comment

I am always trying to eat healthier and spend less money on food. These two goals often conflict and I vary in my level of success on both fronts. You could say I have really good and really bad weeks. I try to always keep my desk and mini fridge at work stocked with snacks that are on the healthier side. Bottom-line is that stocking up on healthier gluten-free snacks helps keep you from eating unhealthy alternatives (chips and chocolate for me) and from being tempted by potentially unsafe meal options that could contain gluten. There are not many 100% safe gluten-free options near my work and the safe ones are on the more expense side. Packing a lunch and having healthy snacks on hand make gluten-free life so much easier.

Snacks to stack up on:

Nuts such as almonds, cashews and pecans(always make sure they are gluten-free and stay away from seasonings if they don’t specify they are gluten-free)
Yogurt (I prefer plain greek yogurt and I add things like granola, honey, peanut butter, maple syrup and fruit)
Gluten-free crackers
Nut butters
Gluten-free granola
Gluten-free energy bars (perfect for a pre-workout snack)
Fruits (my favourite to keep at work are green apples)
Veggies and hummus
Cheese
Lots of tea

A few of my current go-to’s (I took the pics in my office):

Rise Kombucha

I love Rise Kombucha, particularly the green one, which is mint and chlorophyl. It is refreshing but definitely does not fit in the budget category at all at around $4 a bottle and $9 for a larger bottle. I love the taste, it’s refreshing and I find it is good for calming an upset stomach after a getting gluten poisoned.

http://www.risekombucha.com/en/faq/

Luna Bars

Luna bars are now gluten-free and are a great snack to keep in your purse/bag or desk for when you are starving. Half a bar is great for a pre-workout snack. I love the Nutz Over Chocolate flavour.

http://www.lunabar.com/

Bakery on Main Granola

I like to buy this granola when it’s on sale and keep it in my desk. My favourite is the Nutty Cranberry Maple. It goes great with yogurt and is also good on its own.

http://bakeryonmain.com/

What are some of your favourite gluten-free snacks?

Gluten-Free Cider & The Perfect Fall Day

October 28, 2014March 20, 2015Leave a comment

A recent perfect fall day was the best combination of one of the last warm days of fall, great friends and a visit to an apple orchard and the Michel Jodoin Ciderie. Cider has been my go to drink instead of beer since I was diagnosed with celiac disease. I prefer mine less sweet and most of the Michel Jodoin ciders are less sweet than some others on the market. They are located not too far from Montreal in Rougemont and you can also find their products at most SAQs and some fancier grocery stores and Deps,

http://www.micheljodoin.ca/en/

If you’re like me and have a million apples and you don’t know what to do with them try this recipe from my old blog Gluten-Free Montreal. My mom has been making me this since I was little and no matter how hard I try mine never tastes as good as hers. She made a few adjustments to her recipe to make sure her apple crisp is gluten-free and still just as delicious.

http://krisgf.tumblr.com/post/33660940887/fall-for-apple-crisp

The Best Gluten-Free Pancakes Made with Bisquick

October 4, 2014October 9, 20143 Comments

The Gluten-Free Bisquick mix continues to surprise me in the best way possible. I made the pancakes from the recipe on the back of the box and they were amazing. I’m pretty sure they were the best gluten-free pancakes I have ever eaten. While most gluten-free pancakes tend to be dense these were light and delicious and tasted super normal. I used butter instead of oil and almond milk. Also, I found it took more milk than the 1 cup in the recipe to get the right consistency. These were too easy to make, just add milk, an egg and a little butter or oil and bob’s your uncle!

I definitely recommend getting your hand on this mix and making these pancakes for the people in your life that have had to eat one too many not-so good gluten-free pancake breakfasts. These will make up for the dry and dense gluten-free pancakes of the past.

I have only seen this mix so far in the gluten-free section of the IGA on St-Catherine.

Gluten-Free Product Review: Sabatasso’s Gluten-Free Pizza

October 3, 20141 Comment

My mom picked me up these Sabatasso’s Pizzas at Costco. The price is right at $12 for 2 pizzas. Almost unheard of in the gluten-free world. And while the price is right thankfully the taste was just as good. For frozen pizzas these are great. It’s a simple cheese pizza and would make a great base for all sorts of toppings. While I try to stay away from pre-packaged food this is a good option when you are in a rush, just pop it in the oven. It also made the perfect late night snack after a night out. Even celiacs need unhealthy pizza at 2 am!

The GF BFF

Your guide to gluten-free living in Montreal: because everyone needs a gluten-free BFF

Category: Product Review