Gluten Free Soup: Comfort in a Bowl
I mentioned in my last post that soup is my ultimate comfort food. Sure, I love a great gluten free brownie and ice cream sundae every once in a while, but nothing screams "warm," "cozy," and "comfortable" louder than good old chicken noodle.
Only a few weeks after my diagnosis, a huge craving for soup hit me out of nowhere. When I scoured all the shelves, my Mom and I first discovered Wolfgang Puck's brand of Organic soups. Veering on the safe side of culinary goodness, I chose Chicken with White and Wild Rice. For those who want to experiment, though, Wolfgang offers seventeen different flavors.
A word of warning: not all of his soups are gluten free, so be sure to check the label before buying!
I love that his soups don't contain MSG, and the helpings are pretty generous for being low-calorie meals. For my particular taste, I enjoyed the hearty combination of rice and chicken. The flavor of the soup's liquid base, though, killed my taste buds. In my particular soup, the base tasted almost sour, with a rather strange aftertaste that I didn't take to. If you have a more exotic pallet than I do, Wolfgang Puck's line of gluten free soups is definitely a place to start.
My personal favorite soup, though, is Chicken Noodle from the Gluten Free Cafe. Compared to Wolfgang Puck, Gluten Free Cafe only offers four types of GF soups, but the existing flavors cover all the bases (chicken noodle, vegetable, black bean, and cream of mushroom). My sister (love ya' sis!) actually found this while scouring Sprouts for gluten free options, and I tried it a few days later after soccer practice.
As soon as I opened the lid, I started drooling. The scent matches "normal" chicken noodle soup perfectly and immediately caused me to remember the yummy soups of my childhood. And the taste? Delicious! The celery, carrots, chicken, and noodles are perfectly balanced and the soup tastes eerily similar to its gluten-including counterpart.
The only negative aspect of this soup is its lightness. For people watching their weight, this 100 calorie soup is a filling yet light dinner. Since I am trying to gain/maintain my weight, I fix this by adding my own ingredients, like extra grilled chicken and cooked brown rice. It enhances the flavors already there and ensures that my stomach remains quiet for the rest of the night.
Tackling the dietary element of celiac disease is a long and complicated process, and every time I find another delicious GF alternative to my favorite foods, I party hard. Mentally, at least. Overall, I give Wolfgang a 6.5/10 and Gluten Free Cafe a perfect score. I've had my chicken noodle soup twice this week, and I have no regrets. With my new soup, another box in my diet has been checked, and I can't wait to see what tasty gluten free product I'll discover next!
What's your GF comfort food? Do you have a favorite GF soup? Comment below!
Only a few weeks after my diagnosis, a huge craving for soup hit me out of nowhere. When I scoured all the shelves, my Mom and I first discovered Wolfgang Puck's brand of Organic soups. Veering on the safe side of culinary goodness, I chose Chicken with White and Wild Rice. For those who want to experiment, though, Wolfgang offers seventeen different flavors.
A word of warning: not all of his soups are gluten free, so be sure to check the label before buying!
My personal favorite soup, though, is Chicken Noodle from the Gluten Free Cafe. Compared to Wolfgang Puck, Gluten Free Cafe only offers four types of GF soups, but the existing flavors cover all the bases (chicken noodle, vegetable, black bean, and cream of mushroom). My sister (love ya' sis!) actually found this while scouring Sprouts for gluten free options, and I tried it a few days later after soccer practice.
As soon as I opened the lid, I started drooling. The scent matches "normal" chicken noodle soup perfectly and immediately caused me to remember the yummy soups of my childhood. And the taste? Delicious! The celery, carrots, chicken, and noodles are perfectly balanced and the soup tastes eerily similar to its gluten-including counterpart.
The only negative aspect of this soup is its lightness. For people watching their weight, this 100 calorie soup is a filling yet light dinner. Since I am trying to gain/maintain my weight, I fix this by adding my own ingredients, like extra grilled chicken and cooked brown rice. It enhances the flavors already there and ensures that my stomach remains quiet for the rest of the night.
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| My fave soup, plus rice and more chicken |
Tackling the dietary element of celiac disease is a long and complicated process, and every time I find another delicious GF alternative to my favorite foods, I party hard. Mentally, at least. Overall, I give Wolfgang a 6.5/10 and Gluten Free Cafe a perfect score. I've had my chicken noodle soup twice this week, and I have no regrets. With my new soup, another box in my diet has been checked, and I can't wait to see what tasty gluten free product I'll discover next!
What's your GF comfort food? Do you have a favorite GF soup? Comment below!
Gluten Free Cafe Soup is too light for my taste too. I pretty much just save it for if I catch a cold and need some chicken soup. Progresso also make some gluten-free soups, including a delicious and filling clam chowder. http://progresso.com/Products/Gluten-Free
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