Like many families that don't eat gluten, we avoid most sausages and hot dogs due to the nitrate content. Since we also avoid pork (which I don't think I've mentioned much on this blog) - those factors really eliminate most sausages. For the most part I haven't missed them - they tend to be fatty anyway. But once in awhile as a treat, sausages are tasty. I have fond memories of special breakfasts that included maple syrup and sausages - yum! Spaghetti and other Italian dishes have more flavor when prepared with sausage instead of plain ground meat. And I grew up in Wisconsin - summer isn't summer without brats on the grill!
I have tried a few of the nitrate free sausages and they're Okay - but nothing that I felt like blogging about. And then Bzz Agent invited me to sign up for a new campaign for Al Fresco Natural Sausages. OMG, yummy is the best way to describe them! Almost all of the varities are gluten free - the exception is the fresh Mango Chipolte flavor - the rest are all gluten free. Most are casein (dairy) free as well - they have the full nutrition information on their webpage. My bzz kit included coupons for 2 free products so I picked up two this week and we tried them both and loved them. Andy specifically asked me to write them up on the grocery list for next week!
The sausages are all made with lean, skinless chicken meat, and never contain any artificial ingredients or preservatives. And they have 70% less fat than pork sausages. If you are a pork avoider like my family, you might want to visit the website before choosing which varieties you want to try - some are in pork casings.
The website has a lot of great information including recipes and more information about the company as well as frequently asked questions and nutritional information on each variety. They also have a where to buy feature. I was surprised to find they were available in several stores in my area including Super Target. I can't believe I had never noticed them before.
We tried the Sweet Apple and Sundried Tomato flavors. Both were yum and yet they were very different from each other. The Sweet Apple was sweet and you could taste the maple syrup in it. This would be great with pancakes or waffles for breakfast. The Sundried Tomato was more of an Italian Flavor and would be good with pasta.
The price wasn't too bad either. $3.99 for a 12 ounce package. That may be more than traditional sausages, but for an all natural product with so much flavor, I think it is a great value.
Check out their website today by clicking here. I have to play with the link feature now that I have figured out it is there and how to use it.
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6 comments:
Kathi, why are nitrates a problem with kids on the diet? Just curious!
Hi Ingrid,
They can cause hyperactivity I believe. More information here: http://www.gfcfdiet.com/Beginningthediet.htm
Kathi, I've tried the AlFresco sausages and I agree that they do taste wonderful. They're hard to find (for us), though!
Thanks for the explanation!
Ingrid,
Do you have a Super Target in your area? My Super Target carries them. Also, you can put your zip code in on their website and find the nearest store.
Sausages by Amy also makes some delicious, all-natural chicken sausages in several flavors that are GFCF (gluten-free as stated on the package and appear to be casein free according to the ingredients lists). I just picked up a value pack of the Italian sausage flavor at Costco and after sizzling them up on my grill, they're quite tasty! (Be careful as a few of the flavors do have cheese added -- but this is clearly marked in the product name and ingredients lists.)
Thanks Erica.
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