tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24409764392277344472024-03-14T04:07:42.344-04:00Gluten Free and Tasty!. . . tasted and tested, for you by me . . .Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-22337018938926788302012-03-30T15:13:00.003-04:002014-05-28T12:49:32.467-04:00Gluten Free & Tasty Blog has relocated<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">I've moved my blog to custom hosting. Please update your bookmarks to:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://glutenfreeandtastyblog.com/"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: blue;">http://glutenfreeandtastyblog.com/</span><br />
</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">This site should redirect in a few seconds.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">3-31-2012</span></div>
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-75810227823907855492012-01-30T10:55:00.002-05:002012-01-30T11:26:58.640-05:00Gluten Free Cuisine: Chinese & ThaiTeresa and I have been exploring different cultures as we learn more about preparing gluten free meals from scratch. It's often easier for us to avoid gluten by avoiding "American" cuisine altogether.<br />
<br />
We've had great success with Indian, and are now working on Asian cuisines. We have some great Thai cookbooks, but no Chinese ones (yet!).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8DJ-VX5fNfg/Tya8gE5nM8I/AAAAAAAAAFg/sHvfHQ2iNTs/s1600/EggDropSoup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8DJ-VX5fNfg/Tya8gE5nM8I/AAAAAAAAAFg/sHvfHQ2iNTs/s200/EggDropSoup.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Egg Drop Soup</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So far, T has prepared Egg Drop Soup and Thai Fried Rice (it has a kick to it, unlike the fried rice I used to order from any of the Chinese restaurants when I was growing up), both of which are delicious.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-svMz0bsBUOs/Tya8cypGJNI/AAAAAAAAAFY/XkCsD5x9qLE/s1600/Jan2012+027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-svMz0bsBUOs/Tya8cypGJNI/AAAAAAAAAFY/XkCsD5x9qLE/s200/Jan2012+027.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thai Fried Rice</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I would love to hear from my readers. What are your favorite Thai and Chinese dishes to prepare at home? How much do you do from scratch? If you use prepackaged ingredients (ex: noodles), what brand do you use? Where do you get them from?<br />
<br />
Have you had any definite gluten-reactions from products that say they are safe? If so, which ones?<br />
<br />
Do you have any recipe websites and/or books you would recommend?<br />
<br />
If you use tofu in your cooking, what kind do you get? How do you prepare it? (I've tried to cook tofu before, with limited success. However, I've had amazing tofu from a Thai restaurant that I used to frequent, so I <i>know</i> it can be done!)<br />
<br />
Has anyone mastered a gluten free version of those thin little pancakes that are served with dishes such as Mu-shu pork?<br />
<br />
Please do not recommend Chinese restaurants, I am looking for ideas to prepare at home.<br />
<br />
<i><br /></i>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-2423555366853259482011-12-19T10:49:00.001-05:002011-12-19T10:49:16.055-05:00How You Can Help Send Children To A Gluten-Free Summer Camp!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
There’s an age-old saying that, in my opinion, has never
been more true…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It’s better to give than to receive.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And the holiday season is the perfect time for you to give
back to the community.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the spirit of the giving season, I want to bring your
attention to a fundraiser I’m helping promote this week for a great gluten-free
cause.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This week only, giving just $2 of your hard-earned money
will go toward providing scholarships for children to attend a gluten-free
summer camp hosted by the Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF) next summer in
Southern California.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But this week, donating $2 doesn’t mean you’re <i>just</i> donating $2…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This week through Sunday, December 25, <a href="http://www.glutenfreesaver.com/">Gluten-Free Saver has partnered with
Van’s Natural Foods</a> to raise money to send children to next summer’s
CDF-sponsored summer camp, <i>and Van’s is
matching all donations up to $1,000!</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The goal is to raise $2,000 – and when you donate $2, you’re
really contributing $4.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You can read more about the fundraiser here: <a href="http://www.glutenfreesaver.com/">www.glutenfreesaver.com</a>. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The summer camp will be held in San Bernardino in Southern
California from July 30 to August 3, 2012, and it’s open to all 7-15 year old gluten
intolerant and gluten-sensitive children – not just those diagnosed with celiac
disease. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sure, receiving gifts this time of year is always fun, but
the feeling of knowing that your generous donation of just $2 can bring a
tremendous amount of joy to a young child… well, now that’s priceless.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Please help reach the goal of donating $2,000 to the Celiac
Disease Foundation this week. Every $2 helps.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.glutenfreesaver.com/">YES! I want to
help send a child to a gluten-free summer camp and donate $2 right now!</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>P.S.</b> 100% of all
donations will go directly to CDF.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>P.P.S.</b> If you’re
feeling extra generous this holiday season, you aren’t limited to donating just
$2 – you can give as much money as your heart desires! </div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-84648670877254765692011-12-17T21:52:00.000-05:002011-12-17T21:52:39.971-05:00Kinnikinnick's "Toss Your Toaster Exclusive Preview"<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
On December 14, <a href="http://www.kinnikinnick.com/">Kinnikinnick Foods</a> announced its “Toss Your Toaster Exclusive Preview.” To enter, simply Like them on<span style="color: #333333;"> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/KinnikinnickFoods.GlutenFree">Facebook</a></span>, enter your email and Province/State and click enter. That's it!<span style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
If you're already a fan on Facebook, you can click the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/KinnikinnickFoods.GlutenFree?sk=app_208553709226547">Exclusive Preview</a> tab to get to the Entry Form.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
You can only enter on Facebook once, but you can get a daily bonus entry. More details<span style="color: #333333;"> <a href="http://blog.kinnikinnick.com/2011/12/toss-your-toaster-exclusive-preview.html">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b>What's the Prize?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
4 of Kinnikinnick’s new products shipped to your door.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b>No Really What's the Prize?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
You'll have to win to find out,<b> </b>but you won't need your toaster :)!</div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-13939708934847633762011-12-02T16:11:00.001-05:002011-12-02T16:12:32.925-05:00Kinnikinnick Foods Receives Kosher Certification!<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">"Kinnikinnick Foods, North America’s leading manufacturer of gluten-free baked goods and snacks, today announces that its company facilities, and an extensive list of products, are certified OU kosher pareve by the Orthodox Union.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Kinnikinnick runs the largest, dedicated gluten free, dairy free and nut free facilities in North America. Both plants have been through the rigorous certification program under the supervision of the Kashruth Division of the Orthodox Union. By making all of its products in house, Kinnikinnick can ensure all of its baked goods and snacks are safe from cross contamination. The OU certification means that those people with special dietary concerns that follow a Kosher diet now have access to a far greater variety of high quality items. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">The OU symbol will begin rolling out on Kinnikinnick’s packaging beginning this December."</span></blockquote>
<br />
Read more here: <a href="http://blog.kinnikinnick.com/2011/12/kinnikinnick-foods-receives-kosher.html" target="_blank">Kinnikinnick Foods Receives Kosher Certification</a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-19892673524463648092011-11-18T15:36:00.001-05:002011-11-18T15:56:54.452-05:00Product Review: Kinnikinnick Chocolate Cake Mix<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
I made these delicious cupcakes for my birthday in early October, but never got a chance to write up a review! The batter was a wonderful, velvety smooth, sweet chocolate. I wanted to share a picture of it too, but Blogger keeps turning it sideways! When I tasted the batter, I thought, WOW! True, luscious chocolate! Mmmm! Sweet! Won't need frosting (although the box shows a decadent slice of frosted chocolate cake).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cGTzAcfj6w4/TsbCM4NTS-I/AAAAAAAAAFA/H2DxAq_8jzo/s1600/20110927_IMG_0176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cGTzAcfj6w4/TsbCM4NTS-I/AAAAAAAAAFA/H2DxAq_8jzo/s200/20110927_IMG_0176.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
I was pleasantly surprised, however, to bite into a warm, moist cupcake and discover that somewhere between mixing and baking, most of the sweetness had disappeared! I can't tell you how they would go with frosting, however, because I never tried it. I ended up with nearly 24 cupcakes, and knew that with just the two of us, some would go to waste. So mixing up a huge batch of frosting seemed a waste (especially since I'm the only one who really likes frosting, unless it's of the cream cheese variety!).<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QMplFT51mjw/TsbCT-C0H8I/AAAAAAAAAFQ/G0eZO6Azr8Y/s1600/20110927_IMG_0179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QMplFT51mjw/TsbCT-C0H8I/AAAAAAAAAFQ/G0eZO6Azr8Y/s200/20110927_IMG_0179.JPG" width="150" /></a><br />
<br />
What I did try, however, was sprinkling powdered sugar over top of the cupcakes. This was delightful. Very delicious, not to sweet . . . a little messy, but not much! I think that any chocolate lover would be thrilled with this mix. The batter is delicious. The end result is delicious. Just wish I knew more people who I could have shared them with - bad form to waste chocolate, you know. ;-)<br />
<br />
The texture was absolutely perfect. I'm pretty sure that if you fed these to a gluten-eater, they wouldn't be able to tell that they were gluten free at all. Kudos to Kinnikinnick! I will definitely keep this product in mind when I need (or want) chocolate cake!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-63900756088742448492011-11-05T22:10:00.001-04:002011-11-18T15:36:16.131-05:00Product Review: Kinnikinnick Pancake & Waffle Mix<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q-g81sYvIf4/Tsa6VWAcaTI/AAAAAAAAAEg/FneWJVkTkM8/s1600/KinnkinnickPancakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q-g81sYvIf4/Tsa6VWAcaTI/AAAAAAAAAEg/FneWJVkTkM8/s200/KinnkinnickPancakes.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinnikinnick Pancakes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As much as I adore Kinnikinnick products, this wouldn't be one I would choose to purchase. But not because there is anything wrong with the mix itself, this is purely a matter of taste.<br />
<br />
I grew up loving plain, buttermilk pancakes. Maybe a touch of butter, but no syrup at all (overdid that as a kid! There's a funny story that goes along with that experience too.). The sweetest I ever liked for pancakes was at IHOP, where I would get pancakes with walnuts (or is it pecans? I forget), slices of bananas, and a light dusting of powdered sugar.<br />
<br />
T did not like how the mix tasted, but said that since sometimes, the end result doesn't taste anything like the mix, she was still willing to give them a try. (I didn't taste the mix myself.) We both found the pancakes to be too sweet. Butter (Earth Balance) did nothing for them, and maple syrup made the sweetness worse -- and actually, we thought it made the pancakes taste peculiar. However, we tend to buy B grade syrup, which is better for baking. Mos maple syrup you put on pancakes is "A" and is lighter in color and flavor, so that may have been the issue with the syrup.<br />
<br />
Taste preferences aside, as you can see, the pancake mix cooks up very nicely. The pancakes were light and fluffy. They looked and felt just like you would expect a pancake to be. The mix is also usable for waffles, but we don't have a waffle press, so we couldn't try that.<br />
<br />
So we're still on the hunt for a pancake mix that tastes the way I remember pancakes from childhood, but if you like your pancakes on the sweet side, definitely check this mix out!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-73863311691033513012011-10-19T15:23:00.000-04:002011-10-19T15:23:16.937-04:00Kinnikinnick: Pumpkin Spice Donuts review<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Since Fall & pumpkins go together like donuts & coffee, </span><a href="http://www.kinnikinnick.com/"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Kinnikinnick Foods</span></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">, leading provider of gluten, dairy and nut free baked goods, is bringing back its popular, seasonal donut: <b><a href="http://blog.kinnikinnick.com/">Pumpkin Spice</a>!</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HhEWL4fhgUE/Tp8iSaSpLeI/AAAAAAAAAEA/NLvplg0_pw4/s1600/PumpkinSpiceDonuts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HhEWL4fhgUE/Tp8iSaSpLeI/AAAAAAAAAEA/NLvplg0_pw4/s200/PumpkinSpiceDonuts.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Available for a limited time until November 30<sup>th</sup> for purchase via </span><a href="http://www.kinnikinnick.com/"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">www.kinnikinnick.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">, these donuts are made with real pumpkin & spice and are a perfect way to celebrate the season.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><b>Review:</b> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">T and I thought they were a tiny bit dry, but that may have been due to our microwave, and the fact that we warmed two up at the same time. 25 seconds warmed the donuts all the way through, without making them too hot to eat immediately!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">We found them sweet, but not too sweet (we had them as part of our breakfast). The pumpkin flavor is there, but it is <i>very</i> subtle. The icing adds a nice touch, without being overpowering. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Don't get these expecting the same strong flavor as you'll find in Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, but for a nice subtle, sweet hint of the holidays to come. In fact, if you have a Starbucks nearby, I think these donuts would be a very nice accompaniment to the Pumpkin Spice Latte!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Mmmmmmmm! Now to have another donut!</span></div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-63716367382563246012011-09-23T18:29:00.000-04:002011-09-23T18:29:53.517-04:00Product Review: Magic StrawsEarlier this summer, I discovered a new (or, new to me at least) product in Johnson City, TN, called Magic Straws!<br />
<br />
I am a fan of chocolate (and occasionally, strawberry) milk. But the only one that is safe for me to get is Nesquik. Nesquik tends to be pricey, however, and it's not available for purchase in every store. Sure, I could get some Hershey's syrup and make my own at home, but one of the primary ingredients is High Fructose Corn Syrup, which we're eliminating from our diet.<br />
<br />
These Magic Straws looked really good, but while the individual packages said they were gluten free, they didn't say anything about the facility in which they were made. Some of you may remember my post from this summer about Edy's ice cream. Supposed to be gluten free, ran on shared lines, not admitted anywhere. So my willingness to take a chance on shared facility products has been greatly diminished.<br />
<br />
I emailed the company, and to my delight, this is the response I received from Deanna Hawke:<br />
<blockquote><br />
<pre wrap="">I am happy to let you know that our manufacturing facility is 100% gluten free.
</pre></blockquote><br />
<br />
She also sent me a list of flavors, where I could find them, and on-line ordering options. Sadly, the closest place that I could purchase them in person was in Johnson City, TN. I let Deanna know that I would pick up a package as soon as I could, and would let her know when I had reviewed them on my blog.<br />
<br />
She very kindly offered to send me a sample package for free. When I received them, I wrote her back and let her know that I would review them after I had sampled them all. I have now tried all 4 flavors, and here are my thoughts!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Chocolate:</b> This was, by far, my favorite. A slightly sweet, subtle taste of chocolate. So much more <i>real</i> tasting than drink syrups, which have begun to taste more and more like plastic over the years.<br />
<br />
If you grew up in the '70s and '80s, I'm sure you'll remember dolls like "Strawberry Shortcake". These dolls varied from soft to hard plastic, and came with a (usually light) fruity scent, which, no matter how hard the company tried, still had an underlying scent of plastic to it. This is how flavored drinks have tasted to me for years. Even if I got Hershey's syrup in a can, it still tasted like plastic, which is quite a change from my remembered childhood tastes of it!<br />
<br />
If you've been missing a true chocolate milk experience, you'll want to give these a try.<br />
<br />
<b>Strawberry:</b> Tastes like the best strawberry ice cream I ever had, and, like the chocolate, not too sweet.<br />
<br />
<b>Vanilla Milkshake:</b> Before I began boycotting Chick-fil-a, I used to love getting a cup of their "Ice Dream" ice cream. A wonderful, pure, old-fashioned vanilla flavor. Just sweet enough. Reminded me of when my Mom used to make "Junket" for me when I was a kid. Mmmmmmmmm!<br />
<br />
<b>Orange Cream:</b> This is the only one I didn't really care for. I had hopes that it would be like the Creamsicle or "Push-Pop" of my childhood days, and in a sense, it was. Once the milk was in the straw, I was able to suck a few of the 'flavor beads' out of it and try them on their own. In tasting them that way, I did get that wonderful remembered flavor on my tongue. But with a full straw of milk, I'm afraid the milk came across as a tad sour-tasting to me. <br />
<br />
This is how Magic Straws work. The ends of each straw are "pinched". This allows milk through, but keeps the 'flavor beads' in the center. Put the straw in your glass of milk. As the milk flows through the straw, it draws the flavor in the straw with it!<br />
<br />
I am taking my remaining Strawberry and Vanilla straws with me for our trip to NY next month. I know I can always get plain milk at just about any convenience store we stop at, and this gives me a way to have flavored milk which is completely safe for me! Hooray! No mess, either, so if you're travelling with kids who are old enough to use straws, this may be a great new option for you. Be sure to check out the <a href="http://magicstraws.com/comparison-chart.php">Magic Straws</a> nutrition information to see how they compare to fruit juice, syrups/powders, sodas, etc!<br />
<br />
This product is also DAIRY and NUT free, so you if you are intolerant/allergic to either of those, you could still enjoy the Magic Straws in another beverage. They are also safe for people with Corn and Soy Allergies<br />
<br />
Other flavors include: Cookies & Cream, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Wild Berry, Banana, Strawberry Banana, and Chocolate Candy Cane (which I'm told will be coming out for the winter holidays). <br />
<br />
<br />
Check them out <a href="http://magicstraws.com/">here</a>!<br />
<br />
If you get to try some of the other flavors, please comment and let me know what you thought!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-42422467886463860182011-09-22T00:20:00.000-04:002011-09-22T00:20:26.346-04:00Thai, Indian, Mexican. . . ethnic cuisine!I'm curious to know how many of my readers, followers, etc., enjoy cooking cuisines specific to certain cultures (either your own or another)?<br />
<br />
My heritage is Irish/German and English. I'm still working out how to prepare a number of dishes from those countries safely. Two of my favorites though are not part of my heritage: Thai and Indian. Teresa has made several delightful Indian dishes, and the other night, prepared a Thai dish for the first time, which was absolutely amazing!<br />
<br />
Only two items we had to ensure were gluten free: The soy sauce (used San-J's low sodium Tamari sauce) and the Red Curry Paste (Thai Kitchen's is gluten free). Originally, the dish was "Gingered Chicken Kabobs" but we didn't bother with the "kabob" part, so it ended up Gingered Chicken with Veggies, served over Basmati Rice. See the photo below! (The red spots on the chicken are red chili pepper.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OF7fK867Jlc/Tnq1LzjqwQI/AAAAAAAAAD8/OWxcZpVp4pY/s1600/ThaiGingeredChicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OF7fK867Jlc/Tnq1LzjqwQI/AAAAAAAAAD8/OWxcZpVp4pY/s320/ThaiGingeredChicken.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I love Mexican. A friend and I used to go out to the El Rodeo in my hometown all the time. Unfortunately, they (or at least that location) was not gluten-free friendly/aware at all, so I had to stop going. Outside of tacos, we haven't done any Mexican dishes, but I hope to change that in the future.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">What dishes do you really love to prepare? Did you have to modify it to be gluten free? If so, how? Is it a cuisine that is from your heritage, or another one whose food you've fallen in love with? Let me know!</div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-72953055003215248192011-09-14T21:50:00.000-04:002011-09-14T21:50:32.976-04:00Product Review: Organic Bistro Savory TurkeySeveral months ago I received coupons to try Organic Bistro frozen entrées. They closest place we can get them is Tennessee, so we couldn't easily run out and get some, but we finally got down there before the coupons expired at the end of June, and picked up two to try!<br />
<br />
We don't eat a lot of pre-packaged frozen foods, as Teresa prepares meals from scratch which can last us several days, therefore cutting down on the costs of our meals. But when I was still working nights, we liked to keep a handful of frozen dinners on hand, just in case there wasn't something homemade available.<br />
<br />
Usually I do not prefer to eat turkey before going out to do something -- especially work! -- because it makes me a little sleepy, but I have to tell you, the photograph on this box is <i>extremely</i> appealing, so I gave in.<br />
<br />
The entry is called Savory Turkey: Turkey breast in Rosemary Mushroom Sauce with Green Beans & Lentil-Quinoa Pilaf. <i>Oh, my!!!!</i> This meal was just delicious! It survived a power failure of the fridge/freezer, had picked up a little frost, and was still amazing! Yes, some of the turkey bits were a little dry, and some of the mushroom pieces ... not the tastiest, but this could have been attributed to the meal living through a power failure, or just the simple case that sometimes there are parts of meals that aren't as good as the rest. It didn't spoil the meal for me, I simply put them to the side of my plate.<br />
<br />
The green beans tasted like they had just come out of the garden, the gravy on the turkey was smooth, and the lentil-quinoa pilaf? I could have eaten an entire plate of just that and been satisfied! It had a wonderfully rich, nutty flavor, soft, a bit chewy, and very filling.<br />
<br />
It's a little high in sodium (480mg), but otherwise is pretty decent for a pre-packaged meal. We cut out as much sodium as possible, so having one of these meals as a treat now and then is fine for us. I believe this was also one of the lower sodium options available from this product line.<br />
<br />
The veggies and the grins are organic and the packaging is made from recycled materials! Allergens: contains walnuts and milk.<br />
<br />
Nothing on the packaging says the meal is certified gluten free (it just says gluten free), but I did not have any problems after eating it. This is what their website has to say about it:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><div class="text-r-green-med" style="text-align: justify;"><em><strong>Are you really gluten free?</strong></em></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yes, our meals are made with simple ingredients that you can find in a natural foods store. Because we know what is in each and every ingredient in our meals, we can confidently say that all Organic Bistro meals are really gluten-free. </div></blockquote>You can find more information <a href="http://www.theorganicbistro.com/">here</a>, and they have a handy store locator tab so you can find out if any stores near you carry their products.<br />
<br />
We have one more entrée to try -- Wild Alaskan Salmon. I don't know as much about how fish should and shouldn't taste (I mostly have bad childhood memories about fish, with the exception of tuna salad and plain crab legs), so Teresa will be the primary taster on that one! We shall provide a review of it as soon as possible.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-39278527866314253582011-09-14T21:28:00.001-04:002011-09-14T21:29:51.382-04:00Product Review: Aleia's Chocolate Chip CookiesThe last time Teresa and I were in Roanoke, I discovered a very delicious gluten free cookie over at The Fresh Market. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.aleias.com/">Aleia's "A World Without Gluten"</a> are very expensive (I haven't seen them for less than $7.99 anywhere), but they are <i>very</i> good! Not only did the cookies smell delicious upon opening the bag, they tasted amazing, were nice and crunchy (although soft chocolate chip cookies certainly have their yummy place!), and very chocolatey!<br />
<br />
They reminded both of us of "Chips Ahoy!", only tastier, and with better ingredients.<br />
<br />
They do contain eggs, milk ingredients, and soy, and are manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts and tree nuts.<br />
<br />
I would love to try her other flavors (especially the Peanut Butter ones!), but, sadly, they are simply too cost prohibitive at this time.<br />
<br />
Have you tried any of Aleia's products? If so, which ones and what did you think?Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-30841574735193785442011-09-13T11:42:00.001-04:002011-09-13T11:43:14.747-04:00Senate Designates Sept. 13, 2011 as "National Celiac Disease Awareness Day"For those who don't know, today is National Celiac Disease Awareness Day!<br />
<br />
Click <a href="http://www.celiaccentral.org/News/News-Feeds/Celiac-in-the-News/Celiac-in-the-News/161/month--201109/vobid--6075/">here</a> to learn all about it!<br />
<br />
And <a href="http://www.celiaccentral.org/News/NFCA-Newsletters/Online-Newsletter/205/#NotefromAlice">here</a> are thirteen ideas for celebrating or marking this day.<br />
<br />
Our local grocery store mentioned on Facebook that today was National Peanut and National Chocolate Day, which are both delicious snacks. My response was letting them know it was also National Celiac Disease Awareness Day, and asking if the store(s) would be doing anything for it.<br />
<br />
What will <i>you</i> be doing to spread the word? Leave me a comment and let me know!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-74663295010400942892011-09-10T14:15:00.001-04:002011-09-15T19:03:35.283-04:00Product Review: SeanSnax & Cheeky MonkeyNear the end of August, I picked up two small gluten free snacks to try. The store I found them in actually had small sizes of each product, and amazingly, it only cost about $2.00 to buy both of them! But, as they say, you get what you pay for . . .<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.seasnax.com/">SeaSnax</a> is gluten free, vegan, trans fat free, cholesterol free, MSG free, and sugar free. Ingredients? Seaweed, olive oil, sea salt. "Lightly roasted and seasoned seaweed."<br />
<br />
Now, I've had seaweed before, both in a Life Science class in college and in faux-sushi in my pre-GF days. Opening up the package provided me with the expected smell. The taste, however, left something to be desired. It was <i>very</i> fishy. No one who sampled it (Teresa, myself, and our friend V.) enjoyed it. Our cats, however, are a different story! I can't see this product becoming a big hit.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.cheekymonkeyorganic.com/">Cheeky Monkey</a> was the other small snack. They are Peanut Butter Puffs which are organic (certified), gluten free (certified), kosher (certified), cholesterol free, trans fat free, sugar free, dairy free, casein free, vegan, not fried, full of protein. Produced in a gluten free dedicated facility.<br />
<br />
The package also says they are "unbelievably delicious". Delicious isn't the word I would use, I'm afraid. Disgusting, however . . .<br />
<br />
They are nice and crunchy (like Cheetos), and they smell okay, but ... I just couldn't get into the taste. Despite that they use organic peanut butter, to me, they tasted more like they'd used some cheap, slightly greasy PB alternative; perhaps one you'd find in some inexpensive PB candy. I offered one to Teresa, who didn't realize they were supposed to be PB flavored, so hers was a blind taste test. She said it tasted like, "a moldy Cheeto".<br />
<br />
So try these products at your own risk, but if you don't like them, don't say I didn't warn you! :-)<br />
<br />
Coming up . . . much tastier GF snacks!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-64241894248700547542011-09-05T21:40:00.002-04:002011-09-05T22:13:23.590-04:00Cleaning out the kitchen: Part 1When I went gluten free 3 years, 1 month, and 4 days ago, all I was concerned about was eliminating gluten, and a small handful of other ingredients I knew I needed to avoid (artificial sweeteners, MSG, onions, garlic, and items with excessive grease or hot spices). While that seems like a lot of things to call a "small handful," I know many people who are allergic to, quite literally, almost everything. I was also particularly lucky -- many of the things I thought I had developed late-in-life allergies too (garlic, onions, but not artificial sweeteners or MSG) turned out not to be allergies. Once my insides healed on my GF diet, I could eat many foods I'd had to give up.<br />
<br />
During the course of the past year, Teresa and I decided that once we had our kitchen set-up to easily handle a variety of gluten free meals, snacks, and desserts, now we would work on eliminating ingredients which were unhealthy for both of us.<br />
<br />
<br />
We started with the two easiest: salt and High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). I'll be covering HFCS in my next Kitchen entry.<br />
<br />
I researched sodium to find out exactly how much the average person shouldn't exceed per day, and then researched how much salt was in 1 teaspoon, so that we would have a visual to go by. This is what I've discovered (keeping in mind that numbers tend to vary from website to website).<br />
<br />
<br />
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (released January 2011) state that Americans should not consume more than 2,300mg per day, and if you are African American, have hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and/or are 51 years or older, you shouldn't consume more than 1,500mg per day. <br />
<br />
Interestingly, I ran across several different UK websites which recommended no more than 6grams of sodium per day. If you're wondering, the 2,300mg mark for Americans converts to 2.3 grams, and 1,500mg is 1.5 grams. So is food served in the United States saltier than what is served in the U.K.? I do not have research available to verify this idea one way or the other, but having eaten restaurant meals throughout the U.S. and meals in England and Scotland, I would say that I personally find U.S. meals (restaurants) to be far saltier.<br />
<br />
<br />
And what about that teaspoon visual? According to the <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sodium/NU00284">Mayo Clinic</a>, you'll be getting 2,325mg of sodium in just <i>one</i> teaspoon! 25mg more than the highest recommended daily allowance.<br />
<br />
<br />
Should you give up salt altogether? Definitely not! Your body needs sodium -- but not in excess. Among other things, sodium helps your body keep the right balance of fluids. But you can <i>reduce</i> the sodium you take in each day.<br />
<br />
<br />
We have become a culture of <i>hurry, hurry, hurry</i>, which often leaves us little time for healthy, sit down meals. Before finding out I was gluten intolerant, I frequently ate out with friends and family, and I consumed a great deal of pre-packaged foods. Limiting how much you eat out and how much pre-packaged foods you eat will help your sodium reduction effort right away.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Instead of adding salt to food, try other spices. You may still need to cook some meals with a pinch or two of salt, but if you use other flavors (garlic and onion powder for example, but <i>not</i> garlic and onion salts!), and have the self-control to not reach for the salt shaker at every meal, you will see a good reduction here as well.<br />
<br />
Yes, at first your food may seem bland in comparison to what you've been used to eating, but over time, if you really hold yourself to your low-sodium plan, you'll find that you simply do not miss it.<br />
<br />
<br />
"Why do I need to give up so much sodium?" you may ask. "I don't have high blood pressure!" Neither did I. But if I consumed excess salt, especially (but not limited to) at night, my mouth would burn, my lips would feel swollen, and my heart would race. I would feel more anxious and jittery than if I'd had a cup of coffee before bed! Also, if you take in so much sodium that your kidneys are unable to excrete it all, it will begin to build up in your blood, and this can lead to all sorts of problems. (Check out that link to the Mayo Clinic I posted earlier!)<br />
<br />
<br />
One of the other things you can do is pay more attention to what you already have in your kitchen, and what you purchase at the store. We have started an inventory (in Excel) of our kitchen. This includes such things as name of product, date opened (if applicable), expiration date, where it is in the kitchen, and undesirable ingredients. This can be high sodium, HFCS, food additives (I'll cover them in another post), or carbs, calories, and fats.<br />
<br />
<br />
Remember that just because your kitchen is stocked with gluten free items, doesn't mean it is stocked with <i>healthy</i> items. Some are, some aren't. <br />
<br />
More Cleaning out the Kitchen posts to come, along with (finally!) some more product reviews!!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-25122857493736946962011-07-29T17:01:00.001-04:002011-07-29T17:04:00.992-04:00When "FDA Compliance" is not enough.A little over two weeks ago I purchased two "fun size" ice creams. Edy's Lite Slow Churned Mint Chocolate Chip. I'd never had the Slow Churned or the Lite - the only reason I got them is because my preferred choice, Edy's Grand Mint Chocolate Chip was too large to currently fit in our freezer. Edy's website states that these small ones are also Gluten Free, and Edy's had never made me sick before.<br />
<br />
Within an hour of eating the first one, however, I was violently ill. Unfortunately, I took it as a fluke, perhaps something else, maybe I was catching something . . . Edy's never made me sick, it couldn't be the ice cream!<br />
<br />
So the next day, I ate the other one. Exact same reaction within the hour. And now? Still sick, though not as violently or as often, but dairy is a definite "NO!" right now, and the <i>delightful</i> skin reaction which crops up after consuming gluten? Yeah, I've got that too, up and down my fingers and in between, which is my usual reaction spot. My hands were so nicely healed too, so that is highly disappointing, perhaps even more than the stomach/intestinal pains from my accidental gluten poisoning.<br />
<br />
I e-mailed Edy's and asked if there was any chance of cross contamination, maybe the batch needed to be recalled? I received an apology and a note that to best serve me, I needed to call them, which I really didn't want to do. If nothing else, I like to have all my gluten/gluten free research done in e-mail or regular mail so that I have a paper trail of everything!<br />
<br />
Due to my work schedule, it was several days before I could call. I got a very nice lady who was very patient and thorough with her questions, although many were annoyingly redundant and some totally pointless or impossible.<br />
<br />
End result? I'm getting $20 in the mail, which way over compensates for the price of the 2 ice creams, doesn't compensate at all for the pains or having to go to work in a fog, unknowing when the next burst of sick will happen, making my anxiety levels, which as anyone who has gone through this knows, through the roof.<br />
<br />
My options were: A check in the mail, coupons for ice cream, or to file a claim, which quite honestly, I didn't have the energy for, and I'm in no way interested in consuming Edy's in the near future, if ever.<br />
<br />
And why the subject of my post, you may ask? Because I learned this interesting little tid bit: Edy's is PRODUCED ON SHARED LINES, and you better believe they have ice creams with gluten in them!<br />
<br />
The woman on the phone said they clean the lines in between, but we all know this isn't foolproof. I suggested it would be nice if they could include that sort of information on their labels (you know, made in a facility shared with wheat, etc, etc). Her response? "We are in compliance with the FDA. We feel that putting that sort of extra information on a product is over-labelling." Really, lady? Seriously?<br />
<br />
And despite the shared lines info? She told me there was absolutely no way that there could be gluten in the product. I beg to differ. <br />
<br />
I informed her that for those of us who are extra sensitive, it's extremely important to know about shared lines up front, and that it would be unlikely if I ever bought their ice cream again, which makes me sad - they make some of the best mint chocolate chip ice cream there is, and it was a treat I thought I didn't need to give up, but clearly, that's not the case. Goodbye, Edy's.<br />
<br />
FDA rules for gluten / gluten free have <i>got</i> to change - for the better. <br />
<br />
<i>Please note that I only called in about the ice cream. I did not ask if their fruit bar popsicles are also made on these same and/or shared lines with other products. I highly advise finding this out, before you consume any, but I think I'll be making my own at home.</i>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-66387773465158912392011-07-14T14:50:00.000-04:002011-07-14T14:50:06.461-04:00Chocolate-filled cookie goodness!I have collected a number of GF products to review from various trips around the region. First up is a cook from Jovial Foods! These delightful little (and I do mean little!) cookies are a crunchy chocolate mound with a delightfully soft, creamy chocolate filling. MMmmmm!! They remind me of a hard version of some gluten-filled cookie I used to enjoy before I knew better, but I cannot think of what it was! In any case, I am very pleased by these cookies and would definitely get them again.<br />
<br />
<br />
The box says, "Gluten Free, Flavor Full!" and boy are they ever! The box comes with 6 sealed packages, two cookies each. Here is the allergen warning in case you have other food issues: Contains eggs, tree nuts, and soy. May contain traces of milk.<br />
<br />
They are certified gluten free!<br />
<br />
Here is their website so you can check them out: <a href="http://www.jovialfoods.com/">http://www.jovialfoods.com/ </a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-73954222960143887152011-06-27T13:29:00.002-04:002011-06-27T13:44:19.418-04:00Kellogg's & Post do GF cereal right!A few weeks ago, I discovered that Food City carries Kellogg's Gluten Free Rice Krispies! After the General Mills "gluten free" fiasco, I was understandably concerned as to whether or not this cereal would actually be safe . . . along with wondering if it would taste good at all. I'd been so far under-impressed with brown rice cereals. I bought a box (for only $2.99!), and took it home. <br />
<br />
Before I ate it, however, I did some reading on a wonderful site called <a href="http://glutenfreeville.com/">Gluten Freeville</a>. I highly recommend liking them on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/glutenfreeville">Facebook</a> too. You can read more about the cereal at <a href="http://glutenfreeville.com/product-reviews/rice-krispies">this post</a>. It provides very good info, and most important to me, contained this sentence from Kellogg's, "Our gluten-free option is produced in a separate facility, and each batch will be tested to ensure its gluten-free status." Hooray! Kellogg's knows what they're doing! <br />
<br />
Onto the tasting. I used to love eating Rice Krispies straight out of the box. That's something I will <i>not</i> be doing with the gluten free version. Unlike many of GF rice cereals I've tried in the past, they don't taste like cardboard, but they also don't taste like much of anything while dry. Hoping for the best, I poured a bowl, sprinkled some sugar over them, added the milk and .............ooh! They make noise!! (I'd never found a GF rice cereal that made the fun <i>snap! crackle! pop!</i> of Kellogg's.) And with sugar and milk? They taste THE SAME as their gluteny-counterpart.<br />
<br />
<i>Please note that Kellogg's is still producing their regular, gluteny Rice Krispies. Please do not buy the wrong one, especially if you're making RK treats for a friend who will never see the box the cereal came from. The new cereal is in a light yellow box.</i><br />
<br />
<i>What made the original cereal unsafe, you ask? MALT flavoring (from Barley). </i>I think this is also why the new cereal is fairly tasteless when dry. The change to brown rice shouldn't make too much of a taste difference, so the only thing really missing is the sweetener, malt. Given that once the cereal was in a bowl with milk and sugar, I'm going to assume that if you turned this cereal into Rice Krispies treats, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. All the boxes I've had so far have included a recipe for those treats, but you can also find it on the post I linked above to Gluten Freeville's write-up on the cereal.<br />
<i> </i><br />
<i> </i>Once you give the cereal a try, you can go here: <a href="http://newfromkelloggs.com/">New from Kellogg's</a> and let them know what you think!<br />
<br />
I'm hoping they will follow up with some fun cereals (and that they won't try to make them healthy in the process): Frosted Flakes and Cocoa Krispies.<br />
<br />
-----------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
For the last several months, I have run across people writing about how Post (Fruity, Cocoa) Pebbles cereals were gluten free, because the ingredients didn't list anything bad. Anyone who is sensitive enough to be glutened fast by cross contamination (ex: shared lines) learns quickly not to trust something that just <i>looks</i> safe. I had never eaten these cereals either, so I wasn't planning to find out if they were safe for me.<br />
<br />
But then last week at the store, I saw a box of Cocoa Pebbles sporting a huge banner on the box that read GLUTEN FREE. I took a box home. Since cereal will last nearly indefinitely unopened, I set it on the counter and sent off an e-mail to Post asking about ingredients and any cross contamination risk. When I woke up this morning, I had a wonderful reply waiting for me.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your inquiry regarding gluten-free Post Cereals.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Post does not utilize wheat, oats, barley or rye in the formulation of Post Cocoa, Fruity and Cupcake Pebbles. We are happy to finally announce that these select products are gluten-free and are produced on a dedicated line; containing no other gluten products. These products are produced in a building that does not contain any gluten.</span></div></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></div></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Since Celiac Disease is a growing<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>concern among consumers, we have evaluated our process to ensure there is no cross-contact with products that contain gluten. We now have strict supplier verifications and a finished product testing protocol in place to ensure that our products meet or exceed the FDA’s “gluten free” standards.</span></div></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Leslie Spaes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Consumer Response Representative</span></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><br />
Of course, the FDA doesn't have any particularly strict standards. Labels vary from company to company, and many companies won't state "gluten free" on a label if they're not certified, but Post clearly seems to know what they are doing all the same. I'll try this cereal as soon as I can, and let you know what I think. I'm particularly curious to get a box of the aforementioned Cupcake Pebbles and see if they really do taste like cupcakes!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-29797806322471050482011-05-24T16:45:00.000-04:002011-05-24T16:45:30.540-04:00Organic Bistro - Free coupon!Are you a fan of <a href="http://www.theorganicbistro.com/">Organic Bistro</a>? Or are they a product you've been eying in your grocer's freezer section?<br />
<br />
Here's your chance to try one of their delicious-looking frozen meals! I've got a coupon to give away with a maximum value of $6.99!! Given how expensive prepared GF meals can be, this is quite an offer!<br />
<br />
Unlike the last coupon I offered (regrettably, no takers), these products are <i>not</i> limited to one store. The only place I can easily get them at is Earth Fare, but depending on where you live, you may have a much longer list of options!<br />
<br />
Go <a href="http://www.theorganicbistro.com/store_locator/">here</a> to use their store locater, and discover what store(s) in your area carry these products! <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: red;">This coupon expires June 30, 2011, and is only good in the United States at this time.</b></span></div><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>How to win it?</b></span><br />
<br />
First person to leave a real, well-thought out comment on any blog entry I have made since I began this blog, will get the coupon!<br />
<br />
1. Go through the archives and find a post you think is interesting, useful, helpful, etcetera.<br />
2. Write a response to it. Maybe you've had a similar experience with a company and want to share? Maybe you've tried a recipe I've posted and want to tell me how it went? Have you tried a product from a company I've reviewed and want to tell me about it? Tips to share on starting a gluten free diet? Great! I'd <i>love</i> to hear from you!<br />
3. After you've done step two, leave a comment on <i>this</i> post. Tell me what entry you responded to (be sure to be clear). Be sure I'll be able to contact you privately via e-mail too!<br />
<br />
As soon as I get a response, I'll contact you via e-mail (so be sure that <span class="login"><a href="mailto:glutenfreeandtastyblog@gmail.com">glutenfreeandtastyblog@gmail.com</a> is on your e-mail's white list / safe contacts), so you can send me your address. I will then mail you the coupon. Not responsible for coupons lost in the mail, incomplete addresses given, et cetera.</span><br />
<span class="login"><br />
</span><br />
<br />
<span class="login"><i>I reserve the right to decide whether or not a response-entry is valid. Spamming the blog with comments may result in a ban. </i></span><br />
<br />
<span class="login">I look forward to hearing from you!<i> </i> </span><br />
<span class="login"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="login"><br />
</span><br />
<br />
<i>Again, I apologize for not updating in such a long time. Changes at work, getting really sick, and an unexpected death in the family kept me from doing much on-line. </i>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-83024854555971500562011-05-24T16:01:00.001-04:002011-05-24T16:50:41.701-04:00Kinnikinnick: Blueberry Donuts review<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">"To celebrate spring’s arrival, <a href="http://www.kinnikinnick.com/">Kinnikinnick</a>, North America’s largest manufacturer of gluten-free baked goods and snacks, is introducing a new seasonal donut flavor - Blueberry!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BtqVPydgxY4/TdwM9NxDmeI/AAAAAAAAAD4/_ZnSYJG1wFE/s1600/bberry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BtqVPydgxY4/TdwM9NxDmeI/AAAAAAAAAD4/_ZnSYJG1wFE/s1600/bberry.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Filled with loads of jumbo blueberries and an all-natural blueberry glaze (no artificial colors or flavors in this donut!), Kinnikinnick’s seasonal blueberry donuts [became] available April 1</span><sup style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">st</sup><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> exclusively on their </span><a href="http://consumer.kinnikinnick.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/products.home/productcategoryid/17#" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">website</a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> or by calling toll free 1-877-503-4466."</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I was offered a free box of blueberry donuts to sample, but childhood memories make blueberry donuts something I just cannot stomach. For the most part, if it's not fresh berries, I won't eat them. However, it was confirmed that it would alright for my partner to try them out instead. As many of you know, she doesn't have to eat gluten free, but does so for my benefit.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"The donuts have a nice taste of blueberry without being too fruity. I microwaved one for twenty seconds, and it came out very moist. Despite being covered in a sugar-glaze, the donut was not sticky at all!"</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So for you blueberry donut lovers out there? Definitely a product worth getting!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Apologies for taking so long to update this blog. Changes at work, the two of us getting really sick, and a death in the family kept me from writing. </i> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span></div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"></span>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-86132245366160530202011-02-27T02:10:00.000-05:002011-02-27T02:10:53.675-05:00Kinnikinnick: Cinnamon Apple Donuts reviewLast week while visiting my parents, we all tried the Cinnamon Apple (with pink icing) donuts. They were a big hit. The texture is the same as the Cinnamon Sugar donuts. They are a little stickier (presumably because of the icing), but not terribly messy. The icing was tasty without taking away from the flavor of the donuts.<br />
<br />
I particularly enjoyed the apple bits inside the donuts. It reminded me of the fried apples you can get at Cracker Barrel, or the apple bits in the Quaker Instant Oatmeal (whichever one had apples in it) which I used to enjoy pre-gluten-free days.<br />
<br />
We just drank water with these, so I can't say how they would go with tea, but we definitely all enjoyed them. No one would have known they were gluten free if they hadn't been told.<br />
<br />
Another great job from Kinnikinnick!<br />
<br />
One more donut to go: Vanilla Glazed. I hope to try it out later this week!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-38863124380646570742011-02-15T12:13:00.000-05:002011-02-15T12:13:05.568-05:00Tenley Molzahn at Expo West / GF Advice<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">TV Personality and America’s sweetheart, </span><a href="http://www.tenleymolzahn.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Tenley Molzahn</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt;">, will be at </span><a href="http://www.expowest.com/ew11/public/enter.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Expo West</span></a> <span style="font-size: 10pt;">in Anaheim, the world’s largest natural, organic and healthy products trade show, on March 11<sup>th</sup> from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.</span> <span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><img align="left" alt="Tenley-Molzahn---Preziose-creditWEB.gif" height="240" hspace="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=c9d50a01b8&view=att&th=12e0d69e93ea226b&attid=0.1&disp=emb&zw" width="288" /><span style="font-size: 10pt;">A former dancer who maintains a healthy and active life, Tenley turned to eating a gluten-free diet after years of dealing with health issues:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">“After years of being sick, in and out of doctor’s offices, and all kinds of tests and misdiagnoses, I found out the problem was gluten. Gluten had been poisoning my body for years. Today there is a lot more knowledge and research out there, but because of my own rough journey trying to discover what was wrong with me, I care to bring awareness to others about the choice of living a gluten free lifestyle, hoping to help others put an end to their discomfort as well,” Tenley commented.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">She will be at </span><a href="http://www.expowest.com/networknow/Public/Booth.aspx?BoothID=1064281&FromPage=nz_ALExhibitorSearch.aspx&AEID=328,331&IndexInList=0&KeyWord=kinnikinnick" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Kinnikinnick’s booth (#2482)</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> fulfilling her passion to create awareness for the gluten-free lifestyle and sharing gluten-free eating tips and advice. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-21358752706965503302011-02-14T03:46:00.000-05:002011-02-17T18:11:05.144-05:00WIN a coupon!! (FOOD!)I recently received a coupon for "The Original Brat Hans" Original Bratwurst. They look delicious, but they are exclusively sold at Whole Foods, and the closest store to us is about 100 miles (one way!), so we won't be heading down to it any time soon!<br />
<br />
The coupon says:<br />
<br />
No antibiotics, No added hormones, no preservatives...EVER! Always vegetarian fed. No nitrates, Nitrites, MSG, or fillers.<br />
<br />
From further research, I've determined that they've said MOST of their products are gluten free. You'd have to check out the individual packages to be sure you were getting a gluten free product (looks like they have several flavors, so there may be some things they sell which are not GF).<br />
<br />
The coupon is good for a free trial on any one package of The Original Brat Hans Sausages, up to a $7.50 value. The coupon comes with a recipe for sausage kebab using the bratwurst.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>IMPORTANT: Coupon expires on 3/31/2011!</b></div><br />
This is how it works:<br />
<br />
Leave a comment <i>on this post </i>with an idea, recipe, product, company, restaurant, etcetera, which you would like me to research and write up on my blog.<br />
<br />
The reader who leaves the best do-able idea will win the coupon. Make sure you are signed-in to blogger/google, or connected in some manner, or leave an e-mail address at the very least, for me to contact you if I should choose your idea. I will drop the coupon in the mail immediately after confirming the address of the winner, but cannot be held accountable for any delays in mail delivery, or if you leave off part of your address (yes, I've run into that before). <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The recipient of the coupon will need to use the coupon before it expires, try out the product, and <b><i>e-mail me (not comment)</i></b> your opinion of the product, preferably more than just a few sentences. I will share your review on this blog, attributed to you, of course!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>I will accept comments until March 18, 2011, to ensure enough time to contact the winner and get the coupon mailed to you. </b></span>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-73646363436768910352011-02-11T01:49:00.000-05:002011-02-11T01:49:52.200-05:00Kinnikinnick: Cinnamon Sugar Donuts reviewWhen I got home from work on Wednesday night, I was delighted to find that my sample package from Kinnikinnick Foods had arrived! The box was stamped with the note that baked goods needed to be frozen immediately upon arrival. The box came while we were at work -- but since it had snowed during the day, I figured the box had probably stayed cold enough!<br />
<br />
As soon as I put my work bag down, I ripped the box open to discover a treasure trove of <a href="http://consumer.kinnikinnick.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/products.home/productcategoryid/17#62013300223">donuts</a>!<br />
<br />
I received three flavors: Cinnamon Sugar, Vanilla Glazed, and Cinnamon-Apple with pink frosting (the Valentine's Day treat). Tonight/this morning, after my partner got home from work, we pulled a box randomly out of the freezer to try out.<br />
<br />
Tonight's choice: Cinnamon Sugar. <br />
<br />
These are not the size of regular donuts, but they're a perfectly good snack size! If the only kind of donut you hanker for is that of the Krispy Kreme texture, you'll probably be disappointed, but if you grew up on Dunkin Dounts (or the like), as I did, you're in for a pleasant treat! These little donuts are cake-like, but nowhere near as dense as you'd imagine a gluten free donut to be.<br />
<br />
There is just the right amount of cinnamon sugar coating these donuts. Delicious taste without being too sweet. We were able to enjoy the donuts with a cup of Red Rose tea (with milk and sugar) and not have our taste buds overwhelmed. They are not at all sticky, but you will want napkins handy as the cinnamon-sugar is rather crumbly and will come off on your hands! <br />
<br />
My partner (who went gluten-free for me) and I both likened the texture to donut holes. They are very filling. We heated up 2 (one at a time), and split them. The first one was gone quickly, and we immediately went back for the second. We <i>both</i> enjoyed this donut very, very much. <br />
<br />
As soon as we finish this box (4 more to go), we will try out and review another flavor.<br />
<br />
Stay Tuned!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440976439227734447.post-62534501805167398702011-02-02T02:09:00.000-05:002011-02-02T02:09:35.317-05:00Jelly Belly: Update 1I received a response back from Jelly Belly several days ago, but did not post an update because I felt that it contradicted what I was first told.<br />
<br />
Basically: Yes, all the candy, including the ones you specifically mentioned, is made on shared lines. Follow-up email: No, wait, the ones you bought are not made on shared lines! ..........................<br />
<br />
Today I received an email suggesting I post another blog entry since they sent an email to clarify about the gluten issue. Since I didn't feel it clarified anything, and there is still the issue that I got a gluten reaction to eating their products.<br />
<br />
They did say they would forward on the suggestion (to someone) that they get certified by GFCO. <br />
<br />
I wrote them back a few minutes ago and explained why I had not posted a blog entry in response to their last email and will see what I get back. I will post an update as soon as I can after they reply. Dealing with a non-glutening situation.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619139111849636058noreply@blogger.com