Products

I find it funny that the term “Gluten-free” has become synonymous with “healthy”. When it comes to packaged foods, that almost always is not the case. In fact, I’d argue that most gluten free items are worse than their wheat-filled counterparts. To compensate for the lack of gluten, which gives things like bread its fluffy texture, companies often add corn starch, salt, sugar and artificial substitutes to make it taste better...so watch out! One thing you will notice I bring up a lot is the number of ingredients, notably the number of pronounceable ingredients. I am that annoying customer at the grocery store who studies every product label before putting it in my cart, but hey, do “mono-glycerides” sound like something you want to put into your body? I don't think so.

Here are some of my top picks of gluten free items that either a) are actually healthy, b) taste amazing, or c) both! It’s possible!

Bread

Bread has always been a tough one. Since wheat is basically the essence of bread, it really is hard to find a comparable alternative. I’ve tried some that taste like cardboard and others that taste like cake. The ingredient list for a loaf of bread is GIGANTIC so I usually refrain from buying it altogether. One ray of sunshine in the gluten-free bread world is Silver Hills Omega-Flax Bread. As the name suggests, it’s packed with health benefits like Omega 3s, flax seed, fiber, protein and all natural, organic ingredients. You can buy it fresh or frozen, but I like to freeze mine anyway to preserve freshness. Although this bread tastes delicious, it doesn’t come close to the taste of Wonder, or any other bread for that matter. It is very dense and has almost a nutty flavour. Don’t be fooled by its small size either – two slices for a sandwich will definitely be enough to fill you (and that’s saying a lot coming from a girl who is never full). I found this while on vacation in Vancouver, BC last year and I continue to search for it in Ontario grocery stores. I’ve found it once at a Toronto Sobey’s but for some reason it’s very hard to find. If anyone can find this bread on a regular basis, please let me know where!

Cupcakes

Cupcakes are a girl’s best friend. At least for me they are. Being gluten-free has definitely not stopped me from enjoying these treats...I mean, what would life be without them? My birthday just passed (I received a year’s worth of cupcakes from my amazing friends! see below), so believe me, I’ve tried every mix out there.

Here are my top two:

First place goes to “Pamela’s Chocolate Cake Mix”. These may not pass the few ingredient test but mmm, mmm, mmm, are they worth it!! My wonderful best friend Justyne discovered these gems at the Niagara Falls specialty grocery store, Commisso’s. They are a bit pricey but once you try them, you will be in heaven. They almost taste like fudge, they are so rich and moist! Everyone needs a treat once in a while, you may just have to stay on that treadmill a little longer after these ;) Thanks Pamela!

Second place goes to “Irresistibles White Cake Mix”. Random, right? It was the only gluten free dessert mix at Metro and I was in a rush one day so I decided to take my chances. I was pleasantly surprised to read only 7 ingredients, 95g of sodium and 14g sugar – way less than any gluten free or regular mix I’ve seen. PLUS they actually taste good too! Talk about fooling your party guests into eating gluten-free!

Honourable mention goes to Prairie Girl Bakery’s gluten free cupcakes. I have no idea what’s in them because they don’t list ingredients on their website, but they taste amazing and are perfect if you’re pressed for time.