I was recently given the opportunity to sample a couple of All But Gluten products. Although I'm not on a gluten-free diet myself, my mom has a gluten sensitivity so she avoids gluten whenever possible. When she comes to visit I try to have gluten-free foods for her. I'm always impressed with the amount of gluten-free products on the market today. It seems to be easier than ever to find gluten-free choices nowadays. The hard part is finding ones that actually taste good and have all the nutrients that you would find in regular bakery staples. I was happy to find that All But Gluten tastes just as good as traditional bakes goods and that most of their products are enriched with vitamins, minerals and are a source of fibre. They're also manufactured in a dedicated gluten-free facility and bear the Canadian Celiac Association's Gluten-Free Certification Program Mark of Trust on the packaging.
When I went to Save-on-Foods to look for All But Gluten products to try, I expected to find them in the bakery freezer, but they were actually sold fresh on display as soon as I walked in the door. That was a pleasant surprise. I was also surprised how many products there were to choose from, like whole grain loaf, sliced white loaf, cinnamon raisin loaf, focaccia, pizza shells, muffins, brownies and macaroons. I decided to try roasted onion focaccia and pizza shells.
That night, we tried the pizza shells.
I bought a rotisserie chicken from the deli so we could have chicken pizza. I also used some regular pizza shells as well in order compare them. We had ranch chicken pizza, using ranch dressing as the sauce, and barbecue chicken pizza, using barbecue sauce. I topped them with pieces of rotisserie chicken, orange and yellow bell peppers, red onion, and mozzarella cheese. There were no baking instructions on the package for the pizza shells, so I just baked them at 425F for about 8 minutes, until the edges began to brown. I like my pizza a bit crispy, but if you want them softer you could use a lower heat.
THE VERDICT
The kids loved it! They had no idea it was gluten-free, nor did they care. They actually preferred the gluten-free crust over the regular pizza crust. I asked Tony afterwards if he liked the gluten-free pizza and he said "which one was gluten-free?" He had no idea. He thought they were all yummy. I found the gluten-free shells had a spongier texture, but not in an unpleasant way. I liked that they were lighter than the regular pizza shells, which were more dense and chewy.
The next night we tried the roasted onion foccacia.
I wanted to try something like the Roasted Chicken Sandwich with Avocado Spread from the All But Gluten website, but we had used up all the chicken from the pizzas the day before, so I made a meatless sandwich. I used mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, fresh basil, and avocado spread. I topped them with blue cheese-stuffed olives on toothpicks and served them with my homemade minestrone soup.
This one was not such a hit with my boys, but it had nothing to do with the focaccia. They just didn't like what I did with the focaccia. Apparently avocado sandwiches are not as appealing to them as they are to me. Tony, who doesn't like focaccia, actually enjoyed this more than I (or he) had expected. Although it was a bit crumbly and delicate, this focaccia had amazing flavour and was surprisingly moist.
Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Focaccia with Avocado Spread
1 loaf of Roasted Onion Focaccia1 ripe avocado
2 tbsp ranch dressing
1 tomato, sliced
4 oz sliced mozzarella cheese
8 fresh basil leaves
Whole stuffed olives (optional)
Pre-heat oven to 300°F. Slice the All But Gluten™ Roasted Onion Focaccia horizontally to form a top and a bottom half.
In a small bowl, mash avocado and mix with ranch dressing. Spread it onto both sides of the focaccia.
Layer cheese and basil leaves on bottom half of focaccia. Cover with top half and wrap in foil. Place in pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes or until warm and cheese is beginning to melt.
Remove focaccia from oven and let rest for a few minutes then open them up and place slices of tomato inside. Close them up, cut into wedges. Pierce with toothpicks topped with olives, if desired.
Explore the world of All But Gluten ™ and rekindle your love of baked goods.
For more information click here http://allbutgluten.ca
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This sponsorship is brought to you by The Gluten Free Agency who we have partnered with for this promotion.
All But Gluten™ has provided me with free coupons and monetary compensation for writing this post, but all opinions are my own.
