Simply Shari's Gluten Free Pepperoni Pizza

Simply Shari's Gluten Free Pepperoni Pizza
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Pizza is a nearly universally loved type of meal and gluten-free food manufacturers are certainly aware of this since there are probably several dozen types of pizza options out there for people who can't eat wheat flour. And it's appropriate to say that in the last few years, food makers have learned from their initial mistakes regarding pizza and no longer expect gluten-free eaters to consume cardboard-like platters that taste like imitation pizza with a saltine cracker crust.

Simply Shari's Gluten Free Pepperoni Pizza
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

With Simply Shari's Gluten Free Pepperoni Pizza, the evolution of  gluten-free pizza has approached a decent point where the crust is a little more forgiving than a saltine cracker even if it's not going to remind anyone of a deep-dish Chicago style pie. A generous number of pepperoni slices cover the average pizza although this frozen entree does seem to skimp a bit on the cheese and sauce. Perhaps the manufacturer was concerned that their crust couldn't take the extra weight of more toppings (it would likely be just fine).

While there are a few servings within a single box, anyone who is eating this pizza as a meal probably should try to share it as then it would exist as nothing more than a snack before the real meal. Eating the whole thing will pack a fairly significant caloric punch (at about 600 calories for the whole pizza), but over the course of the day this shouldn't be a huge issue unless someone is particularly interested in dieting and wants to restrict calories at every meal.

Simply Shari's Gluten Free Pepperoni Pizza
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Like many gluten-free products, this pizza is labeled with various assertions that it's "all natural" and healthy, but the one thing to look out for is the sodium. Eating the whole pizza will just about take care of your sodium allotment for the entire day at 2000 mg and if you're on a low-salt diet, this pizza should probably be off your menu considerations. The pizza isn't really all that large so it's probably the pepperoni that's causing the sodium level to fly upward toward the stratosphere.

The taste of the pizza would likely be enhanced by the addition of more cheese as the sauce and pepperoni are somewhat spicy and have more than an expected kick to them. But if spicy pizza with some zest is something that pleases you, this pizza will probably do the trick. The experience overall as a gluten-free entree is likely enough to warrant a purchase of a few of these pizzas on sale, but it's definitely something that tastes gluten-free and is just a little different than the "real thing." 

Simply Shari's Gluten Free Pepperoni Pizza
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

And that's the true test of any gluten-free item: whether the finished product is noticeably gluten-free or whether it's indistinguishable from the wheat-flour filled type.

Simply Shari's Gluten Free Pepperoni Pizza Report Card

The Good Stuff:

This pizza tastes like a pizza should and the recipe for the crust is more than adequate. The size is a little small, but is probably appropriate for a single meal so if you're eating this pizza with someone else it's best to pick up a pair of them. 

As pepperoni pizzas go, it's a little spicier than most, so that's something of which to be aware when biting into the cooked and ready pie.

What Could Change:

This pizza has an utterly magnificent display of sodium within its ingredients and since the entire pie is (likely) just going to be eaten by a single person, cutting down on salt the rest of the day is highly recommended. Eating this pizza should be a treat and not a daily occurrence. The pizza could also be a little more generous with the cheese although that might push the sodium levels even higher, so maybe that's just a pipe dream.

Domino's Pizza Gluten Free

Domino's Pizza Gluten Free
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Pizza is certainly a dish best served with wheat. Or that's what the food industry would have most people believe as the "crusts" available for gluten free pizza options really do taste quite different from the original tried-and-true wheat-filled versions. But now it would seem that the major pizza companies are either getting into the gluten-free craze or are at least investigating whether offering a gluten free pizza might make sense.

One of the most recent gluten-free creations in the nationwide pizza industry comes from Domino's and after a few years of doing their best to convince customers that their pizza boasted a whole new recipe, they've decided to try their hand at gluten free. They are not the first pizza chain to do so, but they are probably the first major, nationwide pizza chain to attempt this feat.

Domino's Pizza Gluten Free
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

For a number of years Domino's suffered from the perception that its pizza was a distant second to rival Pizza Hut as far as taste was concerned, but individuals who have been able to try the newer versions of the company's regular pizza have told this author that efforts at improvement to the general product from the company have been positive.

And regarding the gluten free pizza option, the biggest positive of this pizza is that it can be delivered to the door just like a regular pizza and that there's no requirement that a person get their own crust, search for their own cheese and sauce and make the pie on their own. While it's certainly a rewarding experience to see one's own homemade pizza come out of the oven, let's face it: having pizza show up at your door is much more appealing.

What is going to be very obvious about this pizza to anyone who orders it is the fact that it's rather small. Like many gluten free pizza options, Domino's has bought into the idea that for a pizza to be sturdy enough to be gluten free, it needs to be small. Southern California pizza chain Fresh Brothers has proven this to be completely wrong. Domino's should experiment with a larger pie.

Domino's Pizza Gluten Free
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

But beyond minor complaints about the size of the pizza, the pie certainly looks like a normal pizza when it's opened up, even if its price tag as it relates to the size of the pizza is a little steep. Cheese, crust and sauce. It's all there. Of course, one thing to remember is the fact that this pizza will go stone cold in seconds. The minute you crack open that box, that pizza is going to start infusing itself with the cold winds of the north.

It's like a harsh storm off Lake Michigan just blasts its way into the room when one of these things is delivered. And if your pizza delivery guy (or gal) decides to obey the speed limit, you might even open up that pizza to find that it's already on the cold side. Experience has taught this author that there's no reason for any type of pizza to be cold just seconds after the box is opened. This is an area where Domino's needs to improve.

If one is able to deal with the petite size and doesn't mind the general temperature inconsistencies, the most important part of this pizza - the taste - is going to vary depending on what type of pizza is chosen and whether there are toppings. The pizza itself is rather thin and loading it up with a bunch of meats would probably break it in half (and who's to say that the toppings would be gluten-free anyway).

A good way to enjoy this pizza is to get the "white" pizza. I tried it and the herbs that seemed to be mixed in with that version were pretty tasty. It's also recommended that if you try the pizza with just the simple marinara and Mozzarella option, that you DO NOT try the spicy sauce. Get the traditional Marinara. Just trust me on this.

Domino's Pizza Gluten Free
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Domino's Pizza Gluten Free Report Card:

The Good Stuff

This pizza comes to your door in thirty minutes or less (well, in Los Angeles it's more like fifty minutes or less...) and you don't have to do anything but throw out the pizza box when you're done. It's nice to be able to order a pizza like a regular wheat-eating citizen and not have to prepare something just to have some pizza.

In addition, the actual taste of the pizza is on the positive side. Size and temperature aside, there's nothing wrong with the taste and while it might take a few deliveries to choose the right pizza (there are different sauce and cheese options available and some might appeal to individuals more than others), the taste is good and Domino's has done well in this area.

What Could Improve

The size of this pie does leave one wanting more. It really is an individual pie. Yet it costs as much as a medium or a large that's on sale. If you have about fifteen bucks to toss into an investment in one of these things, it's worth the convenience and fun-factor of having pizza delivered to your door.

The biggest complaint though (since anyone who eats gluten-free on a regular basis is probably already used to draining their wallet for such delicacies) is the temperature of the pie. I have had this pizza (and variants of it) delivered at least three or four times and every single time the pizza has either been on the cold side when it was delivered or it's become a little ice cube just minutes after opening it. Not a fun activity to have to nuke a pizza that you just got delivered.

Schär Gluten Free Wheat Free Pizza Crusts

Schär Gluten Free Wheat Free Pizza Crusts
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

There are many ways that pizza can be enjoyed by the general public, but when it comes to gluten free pizza, it's a magic trick as to whether the final product is going to be worth the invariable bags of money required. It doesn't seem to matter whether one orders a pizza from a restaurant that delivers pizza, if a person decides to visit the freezer section of their local grocery store or whether a budding chef decides that making a pizza from scratch is the way to go, the final result is going to be something that is going to cost a pretty penny.

A pizza that is gluten free and actually tastes good is definitely going to cost at least ten dollars for a very modestly sized pizza and likely much more if it's obtained from a restaurant that delivers pizza. While it is fortunate that so many gluten free food makers have recognized the need for a pizza that doesn't have wheat and gluten in it, the fact that someone will usually have to pony up a fair chunk of change means that trying such delicacies isn't going to be that common unless someone's been lucky with the Powerball numbers lately.

Schär Gluten Free Wheat Free Pizza Crusts
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Regarding the Schär Gluten Free Wheat Free Pizza Crusts, a pair of crusts will range from a little over seven dollars to around ten dollars as they always come in a pair in a box. They're also individually wrapped, which means they can be eaten at very different times without issue. They also don't need to be frozen, which means they can sit in a cupboard for a while and be just fine.

Regarding the calorie content and nutritional value of the crusts, like most pizza that tastes good, the crusts are going to be rather caloric and the traditional toppings put on the pizza are probably going to add a few hefty calories of their own, especially if there are things like chicken or pepperoni added on top of cheese and sauce (I am suddenly rather hungry writing this...). When prepared correctly, these crusts do turn out very well, so it's important to have an active lifestyle if an entire pizza is on the menu for a single meal. They're not the sort of food that would rest well in the refrigerator either, so if you're not aiming to eat the whole pizza, having a friend who might be interested would probably be a good idea.

Without a doubt, pizza is this writer's favorite food and so if there's a pizza on the market somewhere that has the words "gluten-free" in it, you can bet it's going to end up in this blog. And since the wrong decision with cooking times, toppings and the finished product can provide wildly different results, experimentation can certainly be expensive.

Schär Gluten Free Wheat Free Pizza Crusts
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

For anyone seeking the best way to prepare this pizza, it's definitely recommended that a nice coating of oil accompany the bread-like disc into the oven as this will provide a much better finished pie with a nicely browned crust. It's also recommended that the pizza be cooked on a very high temperature in the middle of the oven. This provides a crust that isn't burned and a nicely charred bit of cheese on the top.

This crust can certainly come out a winner, but only if it's prepared correctly and some experimentation might actually need to take place depending on the likes and dislikes of the person making the pizza. Generally, such a crust is going to come out rather dry and even crumbly if it's placed into the oven without oil and likewise, if the crust is cooked for too long, it could tend to roll up somewhat and start to crack along the edges. To avoid the potential for an improperly prepared crust, a person is going to need to know his or her oven and how it likes to treat food. It's probably a good thing that there are two pizza crusts in every box because the first one always turns out weird if you don't know what you're doing beforehand.

The bottom line regarding this gluten free pizza option is that it's not going to be any cheaper than the other pizzas out there, but it can turn out to be a very good meal. The result is going to offer a pizza that is a little thicker than some of the other gluten free pizza crusts out there and this is why it's important to cook the pizza only as long as it takes to brown the crust and cook it thoroughly. It's not easy to burn it, but it is easy to dry it out (hence the suggestion on the oil).

Schär Gluten Free Wheat Free Pizza Crusts
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Schär Gluten Free Wheat Free Pizza Crusts Report Card

The Good Stuff:

If you're willing to work with the crust and make a few of these pizzas with various toppings and types of sauce, this pizza can come out tasting pretty terrific. Definitely worth a try, especially if you like pizza and would like to make one on your own.

This pizza crust also conceals fairly well the fact that it's a gluten-free option and anyone who might be eating the pizza with someone who can otherwise indulge freely with wheat and all sorts of nefarious ingredients, it shouldn't be a big deal. The crust is a little denser than one might find of a general wheat type crust, but taste-wise it's a great option.

What Could Improve:

The pizza crust does indeed require some special treatment so as to make sure that it doesn't turn out dried and cracked. Not everyone is willing to put this sort of time and effort into a pizza crust, even if they are promised a terrific result. But whether that is truly something that is worth a check in the negative column is probably up for debate.

Udi's Gluten Free Pizza Crust

Udi's Gluten Free Pizza Crust
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Finding the perfect slice of pizza is a noble pursuit and that venture is made infinitely more difficult when someone must avoid gluten as it's much harder to see a beautiful pizza crust rise as it should without that perfect combination of wheat flour and other ingredients. 

One tactic that those with allergies might take is that of the homemade pizza and after looking around, the average gluten-intolerant individual is likely to find that quite a few different companies offer plain pizza crusts and each company has quite a different approach to their recipe.

Udi's Gluten Free Pizza Crust
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

The universal factor uniting most gluten-free pizza crusts is that they generally do not rise or change size inside the oven while being cooked and if they're a dense product when they're uncooked, they'll remain so even after they've been given toppings and a short ride in the oven.

For Udi's Gluten Free Pizza Crusts, the crusts themselves are rather thin to start so people who like thin crust pizza would likely want to try these crusts as they do seem to be the thinnest on the market at the present time. There are a lot of bakery type entries from Udi's and as one of the major players in the gluten free bread racket, Udi's does tend to have a good recipe for their items.

Regarding the calories and fat within the crust, as is to be expected the nutrition facts on the back of the package of their pizza crusts try to put one over on you by suggesting that a "serving" is only 160 calories and four grams of fat. This really isn't bad, but remember that nobody is going to eat just one serving (which happens to be a quarter of the pie). Just about everyone is going to be able to down an entire pie. So plan your calories accordingly when you make one of these pizzas since you'll be getting calories from toppings as well.

Udi's Gluten Free Pizza Crust
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

The crusts used for this review came out of the freezer section at the local Sprouts and this seems to be the way with a few of the Udi's products so if you're unable to find these crusts in the bread aisle of your local grocery store, it's probably because they're in the freezer.

The size of the crusts is fairly respectable and filling one crust up with toppings is an appropriately sized meal for a single person. It's doubtful many people who were staring a pizza in the face would be able to enter into any sort of conservation and eat just half of one of these. A fresh, hot pizza from the oven just begs to be scarfed down in its entirety.

For the purposes of this review, I just slapped some sauce and cheese onto the crust before popping it in the oven for about twenty minutes or so, but the rigidity of the crust is sufficient to hold any sort of toppings you might want to throw on.

Udi's Gluten Free Pizza Crust
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Taste-wise, which is really the most important part of any pizza, Udi's has done well with their crust and one of the better elements of these crusts is the consistency of the finished pizza once it's been cooked. 

A higher temperature is recommended (on the middle rack because you don't want it to burn before the cheese melts!) to ensure that the crust is cooked in its entirety.

(I likely should have left my pizza in the oven a smidgen longer as the cheese could have been a bit more well-done for my tastes, but I was worried about burning the crust itself)

Udi's Gluten Free Pizza Crust Report Card

The Good Stuff:

Overall, this crust is an easy way to make pizza as someone who can't eat wheat or needs to stay away from gluten and the taste, while not likely to knock your socks off, will definitely satisfy your need for pizza.

Udi's Gluten Free Pizza Crust
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Another interesting factor for these crusts is that they're not ferociously expensive. Here in California they cost between three and four dollars so they might be even less expensive in other locales (and that's the price for a double sack of crusts since they come in pairs).

Overall, these crusts are definitely worth a try as their recipe is solid and the texture of the crust is great. And the good price can't hurt either, right?

To Be Improved Upon:

It might be nice to see a larger pizza in the works as most gluten-free pizza options are always so small. It's kind of a pain to have to cook two separate pizzas if you're cooking for two. The strength of the crust seems as though it would hold up fine with a larger circumference.

Glutino Gluten Free Chicken Pizza with BBQ Sauce

Glutino Gluten Free Chicken Pizza w/BBQ Sauce
Photograph Copyright 2012 Kelsey Wyatt

The frozen food industry is so intent on offering people the pizza they so desire that there is usually an entire aisle dedicated to nothing but frozen pizza and from gourmet pizzas topped with vegetables and types of cheeses that can't be pronounced by anyone who didn't take French in high school to ten thousand types of meat, there is usually a pizza for everyone. 

And this includes people who can't eat gluten or wheat. Although it's worth noting that most gluten free pizzas in the freezer section are a relatively new addition to the selection of gluten free food available on the market.

I have been told that there exists a gluten free pizza from California Pizza Kitchen in the freezer section of the grocery store somewhere, but I have yet to find this delicacy (if you know of any California-local grocery stores where this mystical pizza might be found, do let me know by commenting!). 

And so for my latest foray into frozen pizza, I've had to settle for a Glutino brand of pizza that has promised me chicken and barbecue sauce. After wiping the thin covering of ice and frost from the exterior of the box, the pizza pictured on the front does seem like it would be tasty. But upon first inspection of the box, it would seem that the pizza inside can't be that large as the box itself is quite petite.

Of course, the laughs begin when you actually open the box and see the actual size of this precious sized pygmy pizza.

Glutino Gluten Free Chicken Pizza w/BBQ Sauce
Photograph Copyright 2012 Kelsey Wyatt

It's just so cute. And tiny. AND ALMOST SEVEN DOLLARS. Seriously. This pizza needs to wash the dishes or something for that price. It's got the diameter of a one dollar bill! There aren't a lot of foods that inspire giggles in me, but discovering this expensive gem certainly got me cackling once I opened the box.

Glutino Gluten Free Chicken Pizza w/BBQ Sauce
Photograph Copyright 2012 Kelsey Wyatt

But enough about the size of the pizza. Because tasty things can indeed come in small packages, right? If someone is willing to endure the rather immense cost of this tiny frozen disc, perhaps the resulting pizza pie is worth it.

As with most frozen items, I chose to put this in the oven as things just tend to cook more evenly in the oven and when the food is done, I'm not greeted with a frozen center for whatever it is I choose to cook. Sure there are a few things that can go in the microwave, but frozen pizza generally does best in the oven. And so a little over twenty minutes after popping the pizza into the oven (it was kind of cute... my oven is pygmy sized just like this pizza), I was greeted with a nicely cooked and crisp pizza disc.

Glutino Gluten Free Chicken Pizza w/BBQ Sauce
Photograph Copyright 2012 Kelsey Wyatt

Now, the picture on the front of the box would have you believe that on this tiny pizza there would be at least an entire flock's worth of chicken included, but as it was, the fine folks at Glutino felt it best to include just a single piece of chicken per piece (assuming you cut the pizza into quarters). Considering the price, they're a tad stingy with the chicken.

After the huge price, the tiny size and the lack of chicken, what this item really comes down to is taste. And this is a strong point for the pizza as it does taste good. The only problem is that the entire pizza is about the size of a single slice of a regular pizza and it takes some serious willpower not to simply toss back the entire pizza the second it comes out of the oven. It's like a wee appetizer. The calories and fat are decent on it although the fat seems a tad high for the size of it. The sodium is also a fair punch in the gut as well although the protein is a nice healthy bonus.

Glutino Gluten Free Chicken Pizza w/BBQ Sauce
Photograph Copyright 2012 Kelsey Wyatt

Glutino Gluten Free Chicken Pizza with BBQ Sauce Report Card

The Good Things:

This pizza might be small, but it is very tasty. The rice style crust is done really well and while it might be a tad bit foamy at times (if you put pressure on the crust, it simply feels like foam), this is a small complaint considering the general taste of it is quite good. 

At a basic level, this is just a great tasting pizza. Great job by Glutino for making something that tastes great but is free of gluten.

What Could Be Better:

For all that is holy, the price of this little beast is obscene. It truly is something that defies explanation. Gluten free food is more expensive, but this little pizza takes the cake. Or pie. The pizza is also really small (which makes the price all the more hilarious) and has a fair bit of sodium in it. But if you're willing to overlook the price, it's a good pizza. Worth checking out if you recently got a raise at work or if you're looking to do some spending.

Gluten Free Pizza from Fresh Brothers

Fresh Brothers Pizza Box
Photograph Copyright 2012 Kelsey Wyatt

Every few months a new type of food becomes popular among companies offering gluten free entrees and in 2012, the name of the game is pizza. After several years of suffering through the stale, cardboard discs of gluten free pie crusts, major pizza companies are now getting in on the game along with regional pizza restaurants jumping in, too.

One such restaurant is Fresh Brothers, which is a pizza chain in southern California with around a half dozen locations in and around Los Angeles County. The biography of the owners suggests that the recipes used by the company came from their experiences with local pizzerias in the 1970s. And they are just one of the many pizza restaurants to have started offering gluten free varieties of their pies.

Like most other gluten free offerings, the pizza from Fresh Brothers is only available in a smaller size - medium - although the size of that pie is fairly respectable and would easily feed two people. Someone with a bigger appetite might want to snag an entire pie for himself.

Fresh Brothers Cheese Gluten Free Pizza - Hungry Now?
Photograph Copyright 2012 Kelsey Wyatt

The most important part of gluten free pizza is always going to be the crust because it's the specific element within the recipe which must be modified to accommodate the dietary needs of someone with a gluten or wheat allergy. 

For Fresh Brothers, their crust tastes more like a regular pizza crust than like one of the flaps of the cardboard box in which it comes delivered.

And this is a good thing, because often a gluten free crust will look like a round yet tasteless saltine cracker and will have the same sort of consistency as well.

For anyone who has eaten a regular pizza crust before, it's easy to tell the difference between the taste of a crust that has wheat and the gluten free variety, but Fresh Brothers does have a good way with toppings and their general approach to serving gluten free pizza seems to be one worth checking out. The crust is slightly thicker than a thin crust pizza yet it has the consistency of a regular pie.


It's worth noting that the crust is a tad denser than you might expect from pizza. But I think this is normal for gluten free foods that are placed in the oven.

Fresh Brothers Cheese Gluten Free Pizza
Photograph Copyright 2012 Kelsey Wyatt

Fresh Brothers would get bonus points if they could devise a way to make their gluten free pizza a little thicker, but in its present form, it's definitely one to check out for anyone who has a sensitivity to gluten. 

A note to anyone interested in alternative toppings: it's a good idea to confirm whether specific toppings conform to being gluten free.

And regarding toppings, the nice thing about the crust is that it's of a suitable thickness to accommodate toppings beyond just cheese and sauce. If your dietary restrictions allow for it, the BBQ chicken pizza is highly recommended.

A word of caution for anyone interested in getting a gluten free pizza is that if a person has Celiac Disease, it's always important to confirm the type of cooking conditions in which the pizza is made. Most pizza restaurants will have common preparation areas and traces of gluten might be present in the vicinity of the pizza. Generally, pizza from a restaurant is going to have a high chance of coming into contact with traces of gluten and for individuals with serious allergies, caution is advised.

Fresh Brothers Herbs and Parmesan Topping
Photograph Copyright 2012 Kelsey Wyatt

Fresh Brothers Gluten Free Report Card

The Good Things:

This pizza does indeed taste like pizza and the toppings are great. The size is a bit larger than traditional gluten-free pizza crust. The thickness of the crust is also pretty nice for holding a lot of toppings.

What Could be Improved:

The eternal struggle for people who are forced to eat gluten free or other alternative foods is not the fact that the food tastes like cardboard so much as it is that the food costs an arm and a leg. Fresh Brothers is definitely worth a taste and will probably be a great pizza experience, but it will also set you back a few dollars more than a regular pizza. I always joke that since there's no wheat in the pizza, it's missing an ingredient, so technically it should be cheaper! So far I don't think the gluten free industry has caught on...

Fresh Brothers Cheese Gluten Free Pizza
Photograph Copyright 2012 Kelsey Wyatt

Tips for a Great Pizza:

Get on Fresh Brothers' mailing list! They offer coupons each week and most of their specials are available for their gluten free crusts as well. 


The gluten free variety will be a few dollars more even with the coupon, but getting on their email list is highly recommended for timely discounts.

To find out more about Fresh Brothers and their gluten free pizza options, click here