Gluten free suggestions

Gluten free products can be hit or miss. Pamela's brand is always a grand slam for us. The baking mixes are not gritty like some brands and they do not have odd flavors either. All of the Pamela's products we have purchased have been as good, if not better than similar products made with wheat flour.

I have purchased Pamela's products at Fred Meyer, New Season's, Lamb's, Albertson's, and Whole Foods. I'm sure there are other stores that carry them as well. Different stores carry different products from the Pamela's line.

Here are some of our favorite Pamela's products:

1. The bread mix can be used in bread makers, made the old fashioned way, and you can make it with or without dairy. The mix can be used to make pie crust, pizza crust, bagels, cookies, and more.

2. The pancake and baking mix. This mix has buttermilk solids, so it does not work if you are off dairy as well, but it is delicious. I've used it to make cakes, cookies, and pancakes.

3. The cake and frosting mixes are unbelievable. I made a white cake with vanilla frosting for my son's birthday and it was gone in 5 minutes flat. (Mostly eaten by people that had no idea it was gluten-free and were shocked when I told them)

4. We've also tried the pre-made chocolate chip cookies, molasses cookies and lemon cookies. They are fantastic!

5. The gluten-free brownies are also delicious. I add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and it is to-die-for chocolatey heaven.

**Vegetable and olive oils have very distinct flavors which I believe take away from the flavor of baked goods. When recipes call for oil, I use either coconut oil (which truly has no flavor) for high heat temperatures, or butter if I am making it for a crowd that is okay with dairy.

Other foods/brands we like

Trader Joe's brand of rice pasta macaroni and cheese in a box is a favorite for my kids.

Trader Joe's small beef tacos (made with corn tortillas) in the frozen foods section.

Amy's brand of frozen convenience foods are delicious. We especially like the frozen bean and cheese burritos. She has a gluten and dairy free version as well. We haven't tried them, but I've heard they are great.

Kinnickinick's makes really great gluten and dairy free doughnuts. Of all of the brands we tried, these were a favorite for my kids. They can be found in the frozen section with the other gluten-free frozen foods.

We've tried every brand of gluten-free bread. The only kind my family will eat is homemade from the Pamela's mix. That gets rave reviews and makes great sandwiches. Be sure to store it in the freezer, though, as it has almost no shelf life.

Shelton's brand of mild turkey chili is a go-to meal for my husband and I when we are in a rush. I buy it at Fred Meyer in the gluten free section. I pair a small bowl of it with a small salad for a well-rounded meal in 3 minutes flat. It is high in protein and fiber and low in sugar. They have a spicy version as well, but I like lots of flavor and less spice.

For cold cereal EnviroKidz has a number of different choices that my children love. We've tried other brands and keep coming back to this one for flavor and texture reasons.

If I missed one of your favorite foods, please send me an e-mail as I likely have a recommendation for that food as well.

I can be reached at: tetfitness@yahoo.com

Have a wonderful day!