Udi's Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies!

These are not GFCF but they are so beyond this realm of comprehension amazing. When I would eat them they would only last one sitting. They were addicting. These are my favorite cookies Udi's makes.

Udi's Hamburger Buns

The best GF Hamburger Buns ever. No other contenders come close!

I LOVE Udi's Hamburger buns. I tend to use them for everything when they are in my home. I use them for tuna sandwiches, sloppy joes, and the most obvious...hamburgers.

I have had some horrid buns out there and I was hesitant when I tried these a few years ago. My fears soon subsided by the delicious Udi's taste that I have come to expect. As I have said before, I have never had a Udi's item I haven't liked.

Udi's Cranberry Almond Bars

I have a hard time picking easy, portable, mess-free snacks for my diaper bag. I like Luna Bars but it isn't cost effective to purchase them often enough to have them stashed in my diaper bag. I am too cheap. I like boxes that come with a few bars and don't break our bank account.

I had no idea Udi's had granola bars.  I really like their Cranberry Almond. It is convient to stash a few in there for when I get hungry and I need something to nosh on. They are very tasty and can usually tide me over till my next meal.  These have become a pantry staple for us.

Udi's Mighty Bagel!

 Yesterday, I mentioned one of my latest favorite breakfasts. This is my other favorite. However, I haven't just limited this delicious "Mighty Bagel" to just breakfast. I ate one for lunch the other day with some tuna salad inside of it. OUT-OF-This-World.

Mighty Bagels are very filling. I was able to not snack between meals after eating one. My little (newly turned one year old) son loves them too. He is also GF and he insists on helping me devour these whenever he sees them!

I think my baby is a Udi'sholic.

Udi's Cranberry Granola

Photo: Udi's website

 Since I became GFCF, I have been having the same (now somewhat dull) breakfast. Turkey bacon & eggs.

When I tried Udi's Cranberry Granola, I felt  like I was cheating on my GFCF diet. It was really delicious. Not at all artificial tasting. In fact, I can recognize every single ingredient with no guess work (CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE OATS, WILDFLOWER HONEY, DRIED CRANBERRIES (CRANBERRIES, SUGAR, SUNFLOWER OIL), CANOLA OIL, WALNUTS.)

I have replaced my typical breakfast with this delicious cereal (and another Ud's product) for the last week!

I load a big bowl of it with some soy milk and indulge.

UDI'S WEEK!!!!

May is Celiac Awareness Month. I have been living with Celiacs for 5 years now. It gets easier every year since so many amazing products keep coming out on the market.

I try hard not to pick favorites between companies that produce the gf food that nourishes my body. I want to always go into testing a product with an open mind. No comparisons. Let the product stand alone. I was really good at that until Udi's came into my life. Udi's made me LOVE GF bread.  The cookies, the muffins...every product I have tried is exceptional.So, while I love trying new foods, I always seem to come back to Udi's.

So, in honor of my absolute favorite GF company and Celiac Month, I bring you UDI'S WEEK!!!

To start it off, I bring you old reviews (and slightly embarrassing ones with videos!):

Muffins
Pizza Crust

Check back tomorrow for a brand new review!!!

An interview with Krystyn, about her celiac dog!

Harley Jade

I met Krystyn in High School and we have remained friends (thanks Facebook!). She told me about her dog, Harley Jade, that cannot eat gluten. I had heard of celiacs in dogs but never met anyone going through it.

Gluten Free Gluttony: What is the name and breed of your gluten free pet?

 Krystyn: Harley Jade, she is a Golden Retriever

GFG:How did you realize he was gluten intolerant?

K: We found out when she was about 6 months old, her skin was really flakey and her coat was very rough and she wouldn't stop scratching, she even started to eat the fur off her tail and chew her tail until it was raw :( We went through the vet recommend rice and boiled chicken diet but that didn't seem to help. The allergy test finally came back through after almost a year of trial and error with many hard food products.

GFG:Was it hard to find GF pet food?

K: Surprisingly no, I guess this condition is becoming more frequent in animals because of the stuff their great grandparents had is no longer being tolerated by many breeds, I think that's why we are seeing so many more grain free  free food on the market. But our biggest issue was finding a food with zero chicken by products-which pretty much every food has for some reason.

GFG:Does your dog have any other allergies?

K: Yes,to chicken as well.

GFG:Has having an animal with celiacs impacted your life in any way?

K: I guess its let us know what is out there and that its not just a human condition. We would do anything for her so the price is not a big deal, she is our fur kid :) I think the hardest part was not figuring out what was wrong for so long.

GFG: What would you say to anyone trying to figure out if their pet has a gluten sensitivity?

K: With recommendation from your vet, try a rice and some sort of game meat that isn't chicken or beef or pork since those are the most common proteins. If they get better after a month you have found your solution. And if you are a new animal owner go strait to the grain free stuff then you wont have to go though many of the issues we had too. Yes, it may be more expensive in the short term but it will save you and your wallet with the vet and allergy tests its worth it. Much of it has to do with the corn that is the GMO corn causing all of these issues just make sure and read your labels and know what you are feeding your pet. The big brands wont disclose many of their ingredients so be careful.

A huge thank you to Krystyn for taking the time to share about life with her celiac dog, Harley Jade.

Verve! Energy Drink Review

Heard of Verve!? Honestly, I never had before. I am not really into energy drinks. I had never had one prior to trying Verve.

Why not? I am weary of energy drinks. They have a massive amount of junk in them and they have somewhat of a bad rap. So, being that I am a caffeine junky, I don't need a new addiction.

My friend told me about Verve! energy drinks since most of the time I feel like a walking zombie. I have no idea how I function considering I have not gotten a full nights sleep in a year. She handed me two cans: Verve! Energy and Verve! Zero Sugar.

I did my research. Dr. Oz gave Verve his thumbs up. Verve! is the official energy drink of the Phoenix Suns. The more I looked into Verve! the more comfortable I became with this energy drink...not all...but this one.

I opened a cold can of Verve! Zero Sugar (well shaken) and I prepared for all these wild side effects I had conjured up in my mind.  I went through my day with energy .It was amazing. Nothing bad happened. I had energy to get everything on my to-do list accomplished and then some. I was not sluggish.

I don't know why I pictured a jittery day. I had achieved more on a day drinking Verve than I used to accomplish drinking a pot of coffee.

The next day I tried original Verve! Energy and it was the same.

I was flabbergasted. That is the only word I can think of to describe my thoughts on Verve!. I am flabbergasted that I had never heard of this drink that can provide energy in a healthier way. I keep thinking of all the sleep deprived mommies that could benefit from Verve.

Verve! is not sold in stores, so to try this drink you have to contact a brand partner. My friend, Megg, is a brand partner and she can help you with all your Verve! beverage needs.

Life lately, through food...

Snippets of our life...through our food...

Been eating a ton of blueberries and strawberries. So refreshing.

Molly, the carrot thief.

Our house has been produce central. Our fridge is packed and our counters have bowls full of them!

BBQ with friends. My friend's chicken on the left. My turkey burgers on the right.

I learned to shuck corn. Corn on the cob is so yummy

My dinner fail. Threw in a ton of veggies and turned on my crock pot. 8 hours later, the food was cold! Forgot to plug it in.

Sunstart Rocky Road Bars

I cannot have Rocky Road ice cream in the house. I have a major addiction to it and no control with serving size.  When I spotted these, I knew I had to try them. I will admit, I opened the box up in the store. I could not wait to try these. Embarrassing? Yes.

They were amazing. I had to refrain from running back to the display and buying another box. I would eat these again...in a heart beat.

*not gfcf. This was consumed prior to me making the switch. Still delicious though!