Tag Archives: Frozen food

January 9, 2012

Gluten Free Reviewer Grocery-GFR Grocery

That’s right you read the title correctly, an all gluten-free store and the first of it’s kind in San Francisco. Every single item in this store is gluten-free. Gluten Free Reviewer Grocery started out as an online store, and if you go to their website you can check-out their whole story. GFR Grocery It’s worth a read.

I was very excited to head over to the store after checking out the products on their website. When I arrived the owner Topher Delany was working, and she gave me a most wonderful tour. She is incredibly personable and very hands on. She shared some of her personal favorites from the freezer selection (Iamori and Christine Upper Crust) and told me a bit about each of the bakeries. The shelves are stocked with hard to find gluten-free products, local, independent suppliers, global brands, and some good old stand-by’s that I always keep in my home. I definitely found the typical items one would expect a gluten-free grocery to stock, but there are also some special treasures I didn’t even know existed. One treasure came in the form of matzoh ball mix, or as eena kadeena calls it, Mock-Zah ball mix.

This hidden gem has shelves, freezers and refrigerators filled with unique gluten-free goodies. My questions were more then answered. A hand gesture to a section could never be imagined here. I am quite sure that I missed some things while walking around all wide eyed, like a kid in a candy store which makes me even more excited for my next trip.

600 Illinois St.
(between Mariposa St & Terry Francois St)
San Francisco, CA 94107

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December 18, 2011

Kettle Cuisine Soup Review- Three Bean Chili

When D and I arrive home from work around 7:30pm-8pm, the last thing either one of us wants to do is cook. Now that the autumn chill has really set in we have both been craving something warm and delicious. When we get the chance we cook soups and stews on the weekend and freeze them for the week. Recently we have both been working so much that cooking for the week hasn’t been an option. We sometimes pick up food on the way home, something D can easily do, but there are far fewer options for me. Luckily I have the Kettle Cuisine soups in my freezer.

Last night when I rolled in from work dog tired D was nowhere to be found. I figured he was working late so I checked my stash of Kettle Cuisine soups. I still had five left and grabbed the Three Bean Chili. Just like the chicken and rice noodle soup the chili was low in fat and calories (220 cal. 3.5 g. fat). This meant that I could have some yummy lentil chips and a little shredded cheese on top.

The chili smelled delicious when I poured it from its heating container in to the bowl. When I tasted it I thought it had a nice touch of heat, but it was a little sweet, and needed more salt. After adding the salt I tasted it again and the sweetness was now balanced. Since I like spicy foods I added some pickled jalapenos and a little shredded cheese.

I liked the Three Bean Chili. It is a good size for lunch and with a salad a decent size for dinner.

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December 1, 2011

Kettle Cuisine Soup Review- Chicken Soup with Rice Noodles

As much as I love to cook I don’t always have the time. When I’m grocery shopping I’m also on the lookout for gluten-free products that are quick, easy, reasonably healthy, and hopefully taste good. As luck would have it a gluten-free company with products matching those requirements came and found me!
A few weeks ago Kettle Cuisine, a soup company founded over 20 years ago, contacted me. After visiting my blog and reading my product reviews they asked if I would like to review their soups. Given my love of soups, who was I say no? I accepted right away and arranged to have them shipped to me the following week. Since Kettle Cuisine soups are sold frozen someone had to accept the delivery of the six soups and put them in the freezer.

The first soup I decided to try was good old-fashioned chicken noodle soup. I use chicken noodle as my baseline for prepared soups. If you can live up to my expectations here then I have high hopes for your other soups. I pulled the box from the freezer and my first reaction was great bowl, good serving size, and decent fat and calorie count (140 calories 3 grams fat). I put the bowl in the microwave and heated it for 4 minutes. The soup was piping hot and I was ready. I took my first bite and found the broth to be bland, but I’m a salt person so I seasoned it. After adding salt and pepper I could taste the flavor and I thought it was good. I also liked that the chicken was not rubbery and the size and consistency of the carrots. The noodles were decent, but not as firm as I like. I’m wondering if microwaving the soup less time would change that? All in all this was a pretty good chicken noodle soup. Next time I’ll heat it 3:30 instead.

Check back in a few days for another Kettle Cuisine soup review!

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September 26, 2011

Gluten-free (hormone free) Chicken Breast Tenders from Bell & Evans


While in search of the Hallelujah Chicken Chunks at Whole Foods, which it appears they no longer carry, I found Bell and Evans chicken breast tenders. They are expensive for the amount of food you get, but since I couldn’t find the chicken chunks and I don’t I don’t like Ian’s gluten-free chicken nuggets I bought them anyway.

The chicken tenders are uncooked and frozen. There are 2 servings per box and 3 tenders per serving. There is always more than one way to cook frozen foods, but anything with breading turns out better in the oven. I cooked my tenders in a toaster oven for 22 minutes, turning halfway through. I found the breading crispy and the chicken tender. Thus far these are the best gluten-free breaded chicken fingers on the market. Well done Bell & Evans!

If you are a chicken tender person then I recommend these over any other brand I have tried. You can find other Bell & Evans products at Whole Foods as well.

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June 6, 2011

Gluten Free Natural Breaded Chicken Chunks-hallelujah!

Sometimes all I want to do is shove something in the oven, make a salad and call it a meal. Occasionally I want one of my old lunchtime fast-food favorites, Wendy’s chicken nuggets.


Hallelujah, a Canadian brand, makes gluten-free chicken chunks which, as far as I am concerned, is as close as you can get to a chicken nugget. They are breaded, uncooked chunks of chicken. The directions say bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 min in the oven. I cooked mine in the toaster oven for 22 min. I’m not turning my oven on for 6 chicken chunks. I flipped them halfway through.


The chunks are easy to make, take a relatively short period of time, they are crispy on the outside while staying juicy on the inside, AND they taste pretty darn good. I give Gluten Free Natural Breaded Chicken Chunks, a 4 out of 5.

I purchased these at Whole Foods.

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June 2, 2011

Grocery shopping, not specialty shopping, in San Francisco

Since becoming gluten-free, nearly 2 years ago, I have noticed the gluten-free product selection not only growing, but also being visibly recognizable to those shopping. For instance, not only are particular items labeled gluten-free on the shelf, like at Whole Foods, but now my large grocery chain, Safeway, has an entire gluten-free section, with a sign so big and bright that you would have to be blind not to see it. Check this out!

Also, check out brands like General Mills and Progresso who have gluten-free lines and charge the same price as their gluten filled lines.

Another Bay area grocery store chain with a decent sized gluten-free section is Mollie Stone. Mollie Stone’s Market is more expensive than Safeway, but they sell more product lines on their shelves, and offer more gluten-free choices in their freezer.

Trader Joe’s is another great grocery store. They label their products with a G-gluten-free, V-Vegan S-low sodium well, you get the picture. They make shopping gluten-free easy-peasy.

I love Trader Joe’s!

Rainbow! Rainbow! Rainbow! In an earlier post I talked about my love for Rainbow Grocery. It’s not close to everyone, nor is it for everyone, but their selection of gluten-free products is the best I have found. The desserts are amazing, they have Crave Bakery items and Mariposa Baking Co goodies! The cookie isle alone is enough to get me there.

Grocery Stores NOT specialty stores

Safeway Grocery Store
Check their website for hours and locations, or get your groceries delivered!

Mollie Stone’s Markets
Check their website for hours and locations

Trader Joe’s
Check their website for hours and locations

Rainbow Grocery
1745 Folsom St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 863-0621

Gluten Free Reviewer Grocery
600 Illinois St.
San Francisco, CA 94107
415-626-FREE (3733)

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May 6, 2011

Amy’s Gluten-free Burrito

Before going gluten-free (BGGF), I was a big fan of Amy’s bean burrito, as a quick-lunch when I was too busy for anything else. Clearly that is no longer an option. I have had trouble finding a replacement food. Today, at Whole Foods, I picked up Amy’s Gluten Free Burrito. Not bad.

Amy's Gluten Free Burrito

Just like all gluten-free food, if you follow the microwave directions it’s a bit mushy. I opted for using the microwave for 1 min 30 sec, flipping it over (the bottom-side now up) on to aluminum foil, and putting it in the toaster oven on 350 degrees for 2 min. In the end, the burrito was heated through, the wrapper was not soggy and it tasted pretty good. I give it a rating of 3 out 5, if you use salsa or hot sauce. As for replacing the quick-lunch I used to throw in the microwave in a pinch, it isn’t quite there. A microwave is in almost every office building. A toaster oven is not.

Can be purchased at Safeway Grocery Stores as well.

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