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Review: TheVoiceofMom.org

The first time I heard about a friend’s coworker who couldn’t eat anything with wheat, I was suspicious. What was this supposed disease she had? Was it real? I am older and wiser now. These days I know that Celiac disease is something to be taken very seriously.

Deerfields Bakery is taking Celiac, which is an autoimmune disorder, very seriously. In April 2008, the Chicago-based bakery launched a gluten-free line of baked goods at their three Illinois locations, online and at Whole Foods in Chicago. The bakery recently let The Voice of Mom get a test bite of some of their gluten-free baked goods.

Up today: Gluten Free Triple Chips.

The GOOD: Being gluten-free doesn’t have to mean being boring or eating the same thing day in and out. These are proof positive of that. The cookies have a moist crumb that is just the right amount of sweetness to offset the chocolate chips.

The BAD: These have a slight texture to them that reminds me of oatmeal — but there is no oatmeal in the recipe. But it’s not necessarily bad, just unfamiliar.

MONEY MATTERS: Gluten-Free Triple Chips are sold in packages of six for $6.99. They are available at Deerfields Bakery, Whole Foods in the Chicago area and online.

ECO-FRIENDLY QUOTIENT: Deerfields Bakery is a member of Carbonfund.org’s CarbonFree™ Small Business program, which offsets 70 metric tons for every CarbonFree™ Small Business, for an annual donation of $385.  The bakery also uses recycled paper for packaging material.  We like that!

The MOM VERDICT

Sarah says: This is my first experience with a gluten-free anything. And guess what? I absolutely loved these. They rivaled some of my favorite cookies with gluten. So if you are gluten-free, these could be a good way to remind yourself of what food was like before your diagnosis — without the health issues. And if you aren’t living gluten-free, these are still worth trying.

Cate says: Sometimes when you hear phrases like “gluten-free,” “sugar-free,” “low-fat” and the like, it’s easy to go into taste-testing with a preconceived notion.  Forget that these are gluten-free.  They are cookies, and good ones at that.  Given that these were coming to us from Chicago, I wasn’t expecting them to be as soft as they were - receiving them a few days later can do wonders for freshness, but I needn’t have worried.  These contain no soy flour and no artificial ingredients.  Their products also use organic evaporated cane juice (instead of refined granulated sugar).  Almost a guilt-free indulgence - and a big thumbs up from us!