Gluten-Free Food for Life Brown Rice Tortilla Review

I'm always on the lookout for delicious gluten-free bread products. I was thrilled when my local grocery store started carrying wheat-free, gluten-free Food for Life Brown Rice Tortillas.

 Finally, I could give corn taco shells and tostadas a rest and enjoy a soft taco or burrito. But, would the rice flour tortilla be as good as a wheat-based tortilla? Here's my opinion.

Tortilla quesadilla for lunch!

What do Food for Life Brown Rice Tortillas taste like?
My first impression of these tortillas was positive. I used them to make a quick tortilla pizza piled high with tomato sauce, cheese and vegetables. The grainy flavor of the tortillas blended well with the Italian meal. Although the tortillas have a distinct rice flavor, the taste isn't overpowering.

What is the texture of the gluten-free tortillas?
One of the first things I notice about gluten-free pastas and breads is the texture. Many are crumbly, hard or extremely dense. Once loaf of bread I tried in the past was so dense melted butter couldn't even penetrate the bread when toasted.

I was skeptical when I tried these tortillas. But, surprisingly these tortillas are relatively soft. When taking a bite of a plain tortilla, the texture is chewy but soft. If you fold one burrito style, it cracks and tears.

What are the best ways to use these brown rice tortillas?
My favorite way to eat Food for Life Brown Rice Tortillas is by keeping them flat. They are great for making quesadillas, a flat sandwich cut into quarters or as a base for gluten-free pizza.

If you want to fold or bend the tortillas, prepare to bake them with sauce and eat the meal with a fork. Although I haven't tried it yet, I think these tortillas would be great in a baked enchilada recipe or cut into strips and fried for a gluten-free salad topping.

Are these tortillas healthy?
According to the Food for Life website, these brown rice tortillas are kosher and made from sprouted grains. These tortillas include whole grain brown rice flour, filtered water, tapioca flour, safflower oil, rice bran, vegetable gum (xanthan, cellulouse) and sea salt.

Since they are a source of whole grains, these tortillas are healthier than other brands of tortillas made with bleached wheat flour.

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

Note: This article was originally written and published by myself on Yahoo! Voices on March 12, 2012.

Eating Healthy, Quickly: 10 Minute Quesadilla Lunch

Layer on the veggies! Photo by Angela Tague

One of the number one excuses I hear people give for not eating healthy is time. Well, sure if you plan on making a four course meal from scratch you're going to be in the kitchen for hours. That's why I have a few go-to quick lunches I make often.

My absolute favorite is a pan-cooked veggie quesadilla. Now before you say you don't like spicy food or Mexican fare, this lunch treat is mild and flavorful--sans spices.


Pan-cooked Veggie Quesadilla in 10 Minutes

• olive oil
• soft tortillas (2 per meal)
• flavorful cheese crumbles
• fresh veggies (mushrooms, red onion, spinach, sliced tomatoes, roasted red pepper slices, etc.)

1. Simply preheat a large skillet. Spray it with a light mist of olive oil and keep the heat on a low-medium setting.
2. Place one soft tortilla in the pan. I use brown rice tortillas due to a sensitivity to gluten. These cook up crisp and delicious. I have not tried using a flour tortilla, but assume it works well too.
3. Now, layer on crumbles of a good quality cheese. I use a locally produced sharp white cheddar or a deli yellow cheddar. Choose a cheese with a bold flavor.
4. Finally, layer on the veggies. I used pre-sliced mushrooms (time saver!), thinly sliced red onion and pre-washed baby spinach leaves. I've been dying to also try roasted red pepper slices and fresh sliced tomato.
5. Top the veggies with a few more cheese crumbles. These help glue the quesadilla together. Place one more soft tortilla on top of the veggies and cheese and squish the concoction with a flat lid or bottom of a plate. Let the quesadilla cook for 3-4 minutes. Then, flip with a pancake turner and let the other side cook. Your lunch is ready when the tortilla slightly browns, the cheese melts, the onions soften and the mushrooms begin to change color. Are you drooling yet?

I cut my treat into wedges with a pizza cutter. If I'm feeling naughty the wedges get dipped into Daisy sour cream. (Read the ingredient list--it's only cream!) Finally, I add a handful of corn tortilla chips or baby carrots to the plate and I'm set.

So, what are you having for lunch?

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

PS: Visit me on Facebook! I also blog about beauty, natural skin care, nutrition, crafts and cleaning tips. I post links on Facebook daily. :)

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Gluten-Free Brown Rice Tortilla Recipes

Recently I discovered that Fareway on the northside of Sioux City stocks Food for Life Brown Rice Tortillas. I've been experimenting with the whole grain brown rice tortillas, and here are my three favorite ways to eat these tasty gluten-free tortillas.

Brown Rice. (Photo by Fir0002, Wikimedia Commons)

Cheesy Quesadilla
I like keeping the tortillas flat since they tear easily. Since I was craving Mexican food, making a quesadilla was a no-brainer. I lightly oiled a hot skillet, placed one brown rice tortilla in the pan and topped it with shredded cheddar cheese. If you like spicy quesadillas, try adding pepper jack cheese.

Then, I added another tortilla and let the quesadilla cook on each side for a minute or two. Unlike wheat flour-based tortillas, rice tortillas get an extra crispy crust which made this treat very easy to hold and dip. Try serving with a side of salsa, sour cream or guacamole for a delicious Mexican appetizer.

Panini-Style Sandwich
Recently, I stuffed cheese and vegetables between two rice tortillas to create a panini-style sandwich. This is a great way to get rid of leftovers or add extra hidden vegetables to a meal. Since I'm a vegetarian, I kept the sandwich simple by layering mozzarella cheese, spinach and fresh sliced tomatoes on my panini. After five minutes in the oven, the sandwich melted and toasted. Other toppings to try include sliced deli turkey or a mixture of ham and cheese.

Gluten-Free Tortilla Pizza
This is my personal favorite recipe using rice tortillas. Making gluten-free pizza from a boxed mix is simple, but costly. Using brown rice tortillas is much easier and adds a serving of whole grains to my diet.

To make a substantial crust, I use two tortillas separated by a sprinkling of shredded mozzarella cheese. Then, top the pizza with tomato sauce, more cheese and favorite pizza toppings. After five minutes in a 400 degree oven, the cheese was melted and the tortilla crust was crispy and golden. This tortilla creation reminds me of crispy, thin crust pizza.

Are you looking to add more whole grains to your diet? Brown rice tortillas are a great way to start! Let me know how you enjoy preparing tortillas!


Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague


PS: Want to read more about going gluten-free?

Gluten-Free Diet Traps: Avoiding High-Calorie Foods
Gluten-Free Pasta: Mung Bean Noodles Prepared Three Ways
Starting a Gluten-Free Diet
5 Naturally Gluten-Free Desserts

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