New Find: Amore di Mona chocolate

Anything chocolate peaks my interest. So, when I was browsing an online supplier for specialty foods, Caramela with Crunchy Coffee Beans peaked my interest. On a whim, I ordered a bar from Peanut Free Planet.

I am so glad I did! The texture is like a chewie chocolate bar but with a rich taste like a gourmet chocolate bar would be. The coffee taste was very present but it was a good texture and taste.

What's amazing about this company?

The side of the box says it all. What's not on the box is even more impressive. This company is vegan, gluten free, low-glycemic friendly, raw, organic, and non-GMO certified. 

The best part about all this is that the chocolate is top-8 allergy friendly and is making an effort to accommodate those with food allergies. 

The box contained three squares of chocolate caramel (like) goodness. I shared it with my family who, for the most part, liked it too.

Amore di Mona Carmela with Crunchy Chocolate Beans rocked my world! I'd like to try their other chocolates soon. 

Where to buy?

Whole Foods (in store)

Amazon

Peanut free Planet

Dundee Candy

For a complete list of where to buy Amore di Mona chocolate, please visit their website.

I give Amore di Mona two thumbs way up. 

Gluten free Lemon poppy seed muffins

I haven't had lemon poppy seed muffins in years and cracked the code in making GF ones. I will admit that I noshed on them all week and they were delicious reheated too.

Gluten free Lemon poppy seed muffins

Makes: 24 muffins

Ingredients

* 1 1/3 cups sugar

* 3 lemons (zest and juice)

* 2 cups sorghum flour

* 1 cup brown rice flour

* 1/2 cup corn starch (or any other starch)

* 2 teaspoons xanthan or guar gum

* 5 teaspoons baking powder

* 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

* 1/2 teaspoon salt

* 1 1/2 to 2 cups milk

* 4 eggs

* 1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter

* 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

* 4 Tablespoons poppy seeds 

Directions

Preheat oven to 375*. Line muffin tins. 

In a large bowl, zest lemons and add in sugar. Combine until mixture smells like lemons. Add in flours, starch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until combined. Set aside.

In a small bowl, melt butter (I microwaved it). Juice all three lemons and add to butter. Add in eggs, vanilla, and 1 1/2 cups milk. Stir to combine. Pour mixture into dry ingredients bowl and combine. Add reserved milk as needed. Add in poppy seeds and stir to combine. 

Scoop a heaping spoon into each lined tin. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool before storing in an air tight container. Muffins last a week (if that).

Enjoy!

Super easy crockpot Mexi Chicken

Need a quick and easy crockpot recipe that requires just a few ingredients and cooks to perfection? Look no further than Mexi Chicken. This was a total experiment that worked! 

Love it when that happens. ;) 

Crockpot Mexi Chicken 

Serves 6-8 

Ingredients

* 8 chicken breasts (cut in half)

* 1 28oz can Rotel (used original)

* 1 16oz container of salsa (used mild)

* 2 8oz cans corn 

* 3-4 cups chicken stalk

* Spices: Cumin, chili powder, and a touch of salt

Instructions

Combine all ingredients and stir. Cover and cook for 8 hours. 

Before serving, shred chicken. 

These leftovers rock too!  

Gluten Free family approved recipes: A must have

Looking for a cookbook with simple ingredients and mixes? Look no further than Pam Jordan's Gluten Free family approved Recipes. 

Pam uses everyday ingredients to make for her family and shares them with the public. From quick banana pancakes to her awesome One Dish wonder, Pam rocks the GF world and makes it easy to prepare wholesome meals and side dishes. 

I HIGHLY recommend Pam Jordan's Gluten Free family approved Recipes book to all. If you live with other restrictions, the recipes are easily adaptable and substitutions can be made with ease. Two personal favorites include the One Dish wonder and Lemon squares. To see more recipes and to check her out, see her blog. 

About the author: Pam Jordan is the author and blogger of ImaCeliac and a Celiac herself. With over three years of gluten free experience, she puts minds to ease as she takes simple ingredients and mixes and makes fabulous creations with little effort. As a mom with three young children plus a working professional, Pam highlights some of her family favorites that are sure not to disappoint.

Disclosure: This review contains my own opinions.

Recap of #GFAFevent in Austin, Texas

Where to begin? The weekend of the #GFAFevent was spectacular!

Pam's GF shirts were a hit!

HUGE shout out to Pam@ImaCeliac for being the blogger organizer and Red Apple Lipstick for sponsoring the bloggers of the #GFAFevent!

I found a few new products that I've never seen before and they were good! :) Then, there were several favorites that were just fab too! Below are pictures from the event! All products are Gluten free and some are also food-allergy friendly as well. 

Noosa Yoghurt, Namaste GF and top 8 free products, Ebenezer Foods, & Kinnikinnick

Oatmega, Udi's, and Say Cheezz Brazilian tapioca cheese rolls

Glutino

By far my favorite new item! Better Bites Bakery is GF, food allergy friendly, corn free, and vegan! They were so sweet and I couldn't not share! Their cookie dough cake balls were amazing! When I say amazing, I mean swoon! Heavenly!

Enjoy Life rocked with the samples and presence. It's nice when there is a company where you don't have to guess if product x has soy/wheat/ect. All of their products are GF, top 8 free, and more! Truly amazing company! 

A few highlighted brands of the expo...

* Red Apple Lipstick: They are awesome and willing to go above and beyond for their customers. Their makeup is soy free, vegan, GF, and more! They rock and provide amazing products! 

* Better Bites Bakery is GF, food allergy friendly, corn free, and vegan! They were so sweet and I couldn't not share! Their cookie dough cake balls were amazing! When I say amazing, I mean swoon! Heavenly!

* Enjoy Life Foods: They rock my world!! Enjoy Life is top 8 free as well as free of sesame, sulfites, potato, and fillers. They are PR friendly (x1000) and truly rock. They are fabulous about giving samples too. 

* Udi's Gluten Free: Their millet-chia bread is amazing and my favorite! It is also soy, nut, and more free. They have breads and other GF products that are available in most health food stores.

* Namaste Foods: All products are GF, top-8 free, corn free, and potato free. I love their brownie mixture and their spice cake is divine too. 

* Say Cheezz: Gluten free Brazilian rolls with style. With three flavors to choose from, they give the roll style without the gluten. I was really impressed with the regular and sun dried tomato sample. They also have a bacon roll too. 

* Noosa Yoghurt: Noose is heaven in a container. It's not greek but has a heavier texture than regular yoghurt. I have found it at Super Target with the yogurts and they said they're also in Costco. 

* Tito's Vodka: Made in Texas and GF! It's delicious with Fruit punch! :)

To view all the vendors from this event, please visit the GFAF Austin event page.

This expo was amazing and I am so grateful I was able to attend this fabulous event! If you ever have a chance to go to any local expo, jump at the chance. It's not just about the samples, it's about the relationships you will form, with others, and the bond you all share as a whole community. 

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. I attended this event as a blogger.

New & Improved Enjoy Life Cookies review

A few weeks ago, Enjoy Life contacted me to review their new and improved soft baked cookies. I jumped at the opportunity and was pleasantly surprised when they arrived at my door.

Enjoy Life is one special company as they are free from the top 8 allergens (soy, wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, and shellfish). They are also free of potato, sesame, casein, and sulfites. Enjoy Life never changes their top 8 plus more allergy-friendly dedication. That's one awesome thing about them. No worries if they will add milk or soy to their products. They won't! 

A little back story about their cookies. Enjoy Life was one of the first products I tried when I entered the food allergy world. Not only did I stare down the aisles and feel lost. I was desperate for something sweet and safe for me. There, in a local store, I found the soft brownie type cookies and it was love ever sense. There is a slight taste difference from the old recipe to new but it's for the better (in my opinion). 

Onto the cookies...

A personal favorite! Snickerdoodle cookies that will rock your socks off! Enjoy Life Snickerdoodles have the perfect blend of sugar and cinnamon in each bite. They are great by themselves too.

Mom's favorite and she doesn't even have any food restrictions. Just like a gingerbread cookie straight from the oven, these will knock your socks off. The Gingerbread spice cookies have a unique flavor and are good by themselves or with a warm beverage. 

Dad's favorite and he has no restrictions himself yet was willing to taste. The Double chocolate brownie cookies will rock your taste buds. It's a cookie and a brownie all in one. What's more to love? Snack on them by themselves or with a safe glass of milk. However you choose, these will not disappoint.

The Chocolate Chip cookies have the traditional taste of fresh baked, soft cookies. The texture is just right and these will satisfy your sweet tooth. Whether you eat them right out of the package or warm them up, they have a great flavor! 

Two thumbs way up to Enjoy Life for their Soft Baked Cookies! Highly recommend them to anyone who is looking for a great cookie to try or as a treat. I recommend and love each flavor.

Enjoy Life does it again in rocking the food allergy friendly market! Find the cookies at your local health food store or use Enjoy Life Food's where to buy guide to find an option that works for you. Be sure to check out Enjoy Life's other products too.

Disclosure: Enjoy Life provided the four cookie boxes for me to review. All opinions are my own. 

Holy Crap Cereal is pure genius

Background
Holy Crap cereal was founded by Corin and Brian Mullins in 2009. Originally named Hapi Food, Corin Mullins was on a mission to make something safe for her husband's food allergies.  One of their first customers said "Holy Crap...this is amazing." Brian Mullins changed the brand name and suddenly sales went from ten to one thousands bags a day. That's a 1000% increase!

Holy Crap gained popularity after appearing at a kiosk during the 2010 Vancover Olympics. Popularity grew from the Olympics.

After appearing on Canada's Dragon's Den (equivalent to Shark tank in the US) in 2010, Holy Crap generated over one million dollars in revenue the following week.

Since then, Holy Crap is appearing in more than 2,200 stores across Canada and spreading throughout the United States. Holy Crap ships to over forty countries online through the online store. 65% of Holy Crap's ingredients are Canadian.

Interesting fact
Holy Crap has even made its appearance in space through the International Space Station. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield completed a five month space mission in April 2013. Holy Crap Cereal is truly out of this world!

Related info
All cereals are non-GMO, vegan, gluten free, raw, kosher, and free from the major allergens. One serving has more Omega 3s and 6s than salmon, more protein than flax seeds, and more fiber than bran muffins.

Varieties
Holy Crap has four different varieties to choose from. The main difference between Skinny B and Holy Crap is that Skinny B only has chia, hemp hearts, and buckwheat (contains no wheat). Holy Crap also contains dried cranberries, raisins, apple bits, and cinnamon).

* Holy Crap cereal  (130cal, 13carb, 6g fiber, 4g sugar, 5g protein per serving)
* Skinny B cereal (130 cal, 11carb, 7g fiber, no sugar, 6g protein)
* Mary Jane cereal (160cal, 4carb, 3g fiber, 1g sugar, 10g protein)
* Wild Chia cereal (140cal, 11carb, 11g fiber, no sugar, 6g protein)

Servings/Instructions
Each serving of Holy Crap cereal is 2T and 1/4 cup of liquid. Allow to sit for at least three minutes. Each bag contains 8 servings. I tried the Holy Crap cereal as well as the Skinny B cereal with water as well as with rice milk. Both had good flavor. To have a grab and go version, make it the night before and stick it in the fridge to grab and go.

Special Thanks
Holy Crap officially sponsors the bloggers of the GFAF expo for 2013. I was chosen as an official blogger this year. Thank you so much for allowing this great product to be shown off and for sponsoring this year!

USA package

Link to Holy Crap cereal online

 

Coming soon: Products, pictures, and info from the GFAF expo

I had the opportunity to attend the GFAF expo October 26th and October 27th. I have many pictures and products to share with you. It was an amazing weekend and there are items that will be much more than just gluten free.

Please be patient with me! I will have a multi-post series just about the event and all that it offered.

This event was much more than a showcase of various products, it was also a huge connection with people who "get it" and understand GF and food allergies. It was a wonderful experience. I hope to share glimpses with you.

Be back soon...

Cream of broccoli soup

Fall in Texas has hit! It was drizzly all day today and this soup made a perfect addition to lunch. It stores easily and keeps up to a week in a fridge. From start to finish, recipe takes a little less than 30 minutes!

Cream of broccoli soup 
Serves about 6 servings

* 2 (10.7 oz) frozen broccoli steam bags
* 2 cups chicken broth
* 6T butter
* 3T Brown Rice Flour*
* 5T Corn Starch*
* 4 cups milk
* 1t salt
* 3/4 to 1T pepper
* 2t garlic powder
* 2 cup grated cheese

* This recipe is Gluten free. If you are not GF, you can use regular flour until a thick consistency is reached. It would be about 5T flour.

Steam broccoli and set aside. If steaming in a bag, do not drain bag. Once broccoli is cooled, apply pressure to it or use a mallet to crush broccoli into small pieces.

In a deep saucepan, melt butter. Add in flour and stir. Add milk. Cook until combined and consistency is thick. Stir frequently. Add pepper (to taste), garlic, salt, and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Add broth and broccoli. Stir and simmer for 20 minutes.

What's so cool about the GFAF Expo?

Imagine life without convenience foods. Pretty dull, huh? Convenience foods have come a long since I went GF several years ago.

Several years ago, the most convenience foods out there were fairly dull and lacked variety. Since then, the allergy friendly and GF market has boomed.

Getting the 411 on new GF and allergy friendly products can be challenging if you're not attached to every single distributor and have gobs of extra time on your hands. SO, the GFAF expo is ideal for those that are looking for newer products or want to try some samples or talk with company representatives and give vital feedback.

Better yet, you get to be around people that "get it" and it's a breath of fresh air. It's nice when you don't have to explain to every single person why you are GF and beyond.

For me, being GF is a must due to a severe allergy to it and more. So, while every product may not be in my safe range, I can still share the updates and new products news directly to you. Being a Dallas blogger for GFAF Expo means that I will share new product updates, news from companies, and exciting new products on the horizon.

The GFAF expo has over 150+ vendors that are sample and coupon ready just for you. It's not all about the food though. It's about the experience and the variety that is brought to you in distance & reach.

Giveaway: Tickets to the GFAF expo in Dallas

Get 'em while they're hot free! Enter to win TWO GFAF Dallas expo tickets for either Saturday or Sunday. The date? October 26th or October 27th!

How to enter?

1. Comment in the comment section why you want to attend the GFAF expo. 

2. Do one of the following: 

* Follow GFAF Expo on Twitter

OR

* Like GFAF Expo on Facebook

 OR 

* Let someone know you're coming to the Expo via GFAF Expo!  

Two entries per person! :)

Giveaway runs through Monday, October 7th! 

Winners will be announced on Tuesday, October 8th! 

Let me know why you want to attend the GFAF Expo in Dallas! 

Good luck!

Official Dallas GFAF expo blogger

It's official!!! As of Friday, I am apart of the GFAF expo blogger team in Dallas (actually Plano), Texas this year! I am so, so psyched and can't wait to bring reviews and new products to your attention. I will host a giveaway of two tickets, this week, to the expo as well. 

Holy Crap Cereal is the Dallas Team sponsor and I'd like to thank them for this amazing opportunity!

Stay tuned for the ticket giveaway this week! 

Gluten free tres leche cake success

I can honestly say I didn't think this experiment would work out. My cake base messed up with a box mix and I went back with my tried and true flour mixture. It was an adventure in itself. Out of the top 8, this has both eggs and milk. I will be experimenting to eliminate both in the future. :) 

Gluten free Tres Leche cake

Serves: 9-12 

Preheat oven to 350*. 

Ingredients for cake 

* 2 cups brown rice flour 

* 1 cup corn or tapioca starch 

* 3/4 cup milk 

* 2 cups sugar 

* 5 eggs separated 

* 2 teaspoons guar or xanthan gum 

* 3 heaping teaspoons baking powder 

* 3 teaspoons vanilla 

* 1/4 teaspoon salt 

Ingredients for pour over 

* 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream 

* 1 (14 oz) can evaporated milk 

* 1 (12 oz) can sweetened condensed milk 

Ingredients for frosting 

* 1 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream 

* 1/8 cup sugar  

* 2 teaspoons vanilla 

Directions 

Prepare a 9x13 pan with either butter or non-stick spray. 

In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, combine the brown rice flour, corn starch, sugar, and guar or xanthan gum. Mix in salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Add eggs yolks and combine. Mixture will be more like a dough. Don't worry. Fold in egg whites and combine well. Pour mixture into pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes. 

While cake is baking, mix and whisk pour over ingredients together and set aside. 

In a separate bowl, mix cream and sugar for frosting. This will take about 5 minutes. Set aside. 

Allow cake to sit for 10 minutes once baking is complete. With a fork, prick about 12-15 holes in the cake. Also lift the sides to allow the mixture to be spread all over. Pour the pour over mixture on top of the cake. 

Set cake in the refrigerator to cool. 

After 10-15 minutes in the refrigerator, spread frosting on top and place back into refrigerator until serving.

 

Miracle noodles rock

Miracle noodles are just awesome in my book. 

A friend of mine tried them for her diabetic husband a few months ago. I was initially turned off by the package but wanted to find something that would satisfy my carb lovin' fill and not kill my calories/healthy eating each day. 

The package makes you think you'll eat nothing and the noodles, by themselves, are tasteless. The package feels like a weird, watered down solution. I was afraid my noodles would slip through my colander so I drained them in a paper towel in the colander before and after cooking. This is because the noodles are made from Glucomannan, a natural fiber.

Add spices and flavor and it's a no carb, no sodium, no starch,  no fat, no calorie addition to any meal. 

I used the "angel hair" in my chicken and veggie stir fry today and holy yum! 

I can't believe I waited so long to try them!

I am now a miracle noodle believer!!

Raspberry ganache tart

This weekend, I made two raspberry ganache tarts. They were fantastic and I got several rave reviews. Totally patting myself on the back for this one. :)

Looks like heaven I'll tell ya!

Raspberry ganache tart 

Makes: 1 tart or 9 inch pan

Ingredients 

Crust 

~ 2 bags of Chocolate cookies (such as animal crackers, teddy grahams, ect)*

~ 1.5 sticks of butter

~ 1/4 cup sugar

Filling 

~ 1 cup heavy cream

~ 1 10oz bag chocolate chips {Used Enjoy Life's}

Layers 

~ 1/4 cup raspberry jam {Used Smuckers' simply Raspberry}**

~ 2 cartons of Raspberries or fruit you have around

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350*.

In a food processor, grind cookies. If you don't have one, no worries! Place cookies in a zip lock bag and use a medal scoop or ladle and smash cookies into a fine crumble. Melt butter in large bowl. Add cookie crumbs to butter and mix together. Add sugar and mix well. In a greased tart or circular pan, add mixture and press it on the bottom and sides of the pan. Place in oven for 8 minutes. This will "set" the crust. It won't brown. Once the time is up, remove from oven and set aside.

Heat cream until it reaches a boiling point. I used the microwave. Place chocolate chips in a bowl. Pour boiling cream over chocolate chips and let it set for five minutes. This is "magic" as the chips and cream combine to make a luscious ganache. After five minutes, stir mixture. If mixture is too soupy, add 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch to thicken. Pour mixture into "tart" crust. Place pan in freezer or refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, melt jam and set aside.

Once 30 minutes are up, pour and spread jam onto tart. Add fruit and then place back in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 30 more minutes. Once pan is completely cool to touch, store in fridge before and after serving.

Piece of heaven which was served Saturday at a party.

Sunday's dessert for the family. Used raspberries and blueberries to top.

Notes

* For top 8 free, allergy-friendly chocolate crackers, I used Orgran's Outback Animals cookies that weigh 6.2oz per bag. If you use a 10oz bag of regular teddy grahams or cookies, use 1 and 1/2 bags for crust.

** You are welcome to use a different fruit jam if you'd like. I just grabbed raspberry out the fridge first.

Enjoy!