It’s my first review and we’re starting with humble oatmeal. This isn’t exactly Portland-specific, but you have to start somewhere. This is gluten free oatmeal from a company called Gifts of Nature. If you’re new to gluten free issues, and just stumbled on this article, you may be thinking to yourself: “Now what is wrong with oats? They’re gluten free.” And you would be right. The problem is that normally farmers rotate oats with wheat, growing them both in the same place on different years. Apparently, on the years they grow oats, some “volunteer” wheat plants will grow in among the oats and will end up in the mix when they’re harvested.

I tell you. Being gluten intolerant is bad enough for cold and hot cereals. As it is, there are no cold cereals sold at Trader Joes that I can eat. Finding out that oats aren’t really safe is like having someone twist that knife that’s already in your heart. How “unsafe” are oats? According to the articles I could find on the subject, they are “ask your doctor” unsafe.

Enter Gifts of Nature Gluten Free Oats. They are available at Whole Foods here in Portland. They cook up, smell, and look just like oats – which isn’t strange considering they’re just oats without the extra wheat.

Can you pick out the gluten free oatmeal?

My partner Sienna says that they taste a little bitter when compared to the oats she usually eats. I took one for the team and tasted both. I was able to discern a difference but it wasn’t much to my senses.

And once you dress them up they’re better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. I think they’re delicious. As with most gluten-free products, they are more pricey than the “normal” equivalent. In this case they are about double the price of regular oats you would get in the store. If you miss eating oatmeal and want to eat a hot cereal other than rice or corn, that’s pretty cheap. Especially when you consider that you’re getting a bunch of meals out of a couple bucks.

Contact info: Gifts of Nature website (which has more than just oats.)

Rating: 4 out of 5 starts

Price: Twice as expensive as the equivalent.