Gluten Free, Carb Free "Bread" - I Can't Believe It's Not Bread! product review

Several years ago I wrote articles/lessons for an on-line community/magazine called "The Homemaker's Mentor." It was a great place for homemakers to come together and learn from each other - and it was also my first writing gig (thank you, Martha!).

The Homemaker who started it all is Martha Greene, of Marmee Dear & Company. Go ahead and check out her website, but hurry back here for the rest of the story.

A quick aside - Martha, Rebekah Wilson and I wrote a book together that is available on Amazon here.

Back to the main story!

Martha's daughter, Erica, has started her own homebased business, and what a business!

I'll let Erica tell you the story in her own words from her website:

Growing up, my mother always made delicious, fresh, homemade whole wheat bread. When I was diagnosed with gluten intolerance 17 years ago, I tried many gluten-free breads, but I always found them to be crumbly and heavy on my stomach. I like to eat clean, which means the fewer ingredients on the list, the better! When I began battling Candida, I restricted my diet to only lean protein and non-starchy veggies. Longing for something tasty in my diet, I began mixing up simple ingredients I had on hand in my kitchen. When my first "BUN" came out of the oven, I was blown away! Only 5 ingredients, simply stir & bake, and I found I had a soft, chewy, light "bread" that had 16 grams of protein and only 3 net carbs and was gluten-free, grain-free, high-fiber, yeast-free, sugar-free, low carb, Paleo & Candida friendly! I quickly discovered that my simple recipe was able to make not only a "BUN" but also "SLICED BREAD" and a "SUBMARINE BUN" complete with sesame seeds on top! And then found the basic recipe could even be made into an amazing PERSONAL PIZZA CRUST! As soon as my family and friends starting tasting my new concoction, they said, "WOW! I can't believe it's not bread!"

 

Since June 2011 I've been a single mommy to 4 littles, struggling to support my family. I am excited to launch this small business and share this special recipe with others who have intolerances to gluten, grains, dairy or even those who are simply looking for a delicious "bread" loaded with protein for a low-carb food lifestyle--Can't wait for you to try.....

                          "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT BREAD!"

 

                      ~ Erica

I had to try Erica's bread, so I waited (a bit impatiently!) for her to put the product on the market.

This week, I received my first two mixes:

I made the "Just-Like-White" loaf to have with our supper that night...

The directions are super simple:

Empty the contents of the package into a small bowl - I used my favorite four cup mixing bowl.

Mix in two egg whites. Erica says to use fresh egg whites for the best results. Using packaged egg whites will work, but the texture of the bread will be different.

Stir the mix and egg whites together for about 40 strokes, until the mix resembles cake batter.

Pour the batter into an oven safe 2-cup size round or square baking dish, and bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes.

Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy, right?

When the bread is done, it will be golden brown on both top and bottom and firm to the touch.

Let the bread cool slightly, then remove it from the dish. Erica says that when it's baked, the tightly wrapped "bread" keeps in the freezer for four weeks.

But our loaf didn't make it past supper.

So, how did it taste? Absolutely delicious!

The texture was light and airy - different from most "breads" made with almond meal. And the flavor was out of this world. I ate it fresh out of the oven with a bit of butter, but it would also be delicious toasted with a smear of jam :)

Now the rest of my family likes their normal bread products. They liked this bread, but don't want to change to it full-time. But since it fits right into my THM lifestyle, it's perfect for me. It's also perfect for anyone who is looking for a grain-free, gluten-free, yeast-free, sugar-free "bread."

The mixes are a bit pricey for daily use ($4.95 each), so I promptly ordered Erica's cookbook (e-book download) from her website, and a bag of the one item I can't buy at my local store, Heather's fiber. (By the way, Erica is also a Trim Healthy Mama affiliate, so look for the THM button on her website!)

As soon as the fiber arrives, I'll be set to make this quick, delicious bread to accompany any meal I want!

So, let's chat. What is your favorite "diet" food that makes you feel like you're "cheating" when you eat it?

And by the way, stay tuned for the next installment in the Great Sourdough Experiment!