'Twas The Night Before Christmas

Glutino sent me this awesome little ditty and I though I would share it with you guys too! Merry Christmas!

WOW Baking Holiday Treats! (Ginger Molasses Cookies & Peppermint Brownies!)

  *I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely  based on my experience. My opinions are honest and unbiased.*

This holiday, I felt spoiled. I normally do not get to indulge in several gluten free goodies. I am lucky if there is one. However, this season there were multiple times that I got to nosh out.  WOW Baking sent me an amazing box a while back and I have been indulging ever since. 
  

 I did not expect to like the Ginger Molasses. I don't know why, but before I even opened it I thought that it did not sound like something I would buy. But, I was surprised, I did like it. I didn't love it but I liked it. Blaine actually loved it. He went crazy for it. Which was perfect because that allowed me to not feel guilty about not wanting to share my favorite item in the box...

My absolute favorite item in the box, hands down was the Peppermint Brownies. I love peppermint, I love brownies, putting them together is a no brainier. Wow really out did themselves. I would buy this in the store on a regular basis, yes, it is that amazing.

Holiday baking with Glutino Sugar Cookies.

  *I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely  based on my experience. My opinions are honest and unbiased.*

I spent tonight working on Christmas. Up late, chipping away at the massive to do list I have to complete before Santa slides down my imaginary chimney. I have baked goodies for other, disinfected the kitchen to get that dreaded gluten out but tonight, it was my turn. My turn for a home baked treat.

Glutino had sent me some goodies (thanks Glutino!!!) and had a sweet tooth that needed satisfying, sounded like a win/win for the night.

I had been eying this in my pantry for a few weeks! It was time to get baking!

Glutino has really user friendly directions and their Sugar Cookies were no exception. Easy peasy.

Cookie Dough!

The batter was delish. I know, only lick the spoon, but OMG! AMAZEBALLS! I almost wanted to just eat the cookie dough.

After I placed the cookie sheets in the pre-heated oven, I waited a mere 15 minutes and my cookies were finished!

                                                They were big, fluffy and smelled great!

Excuse the not so great pic but the cookies tasted great!

Thanksgiving & Glutino Gluten Free Stuffing

 *I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely  based on my experience. My opinions are honest and unbiased.*

Oh, Thanksgiving how you came and went and the days after it seem like a food filled blur.

Thanksgiving dinner was amazing (with the exception of Steve accidentally glutening Blaine and a diaper explosion being the result!). The day was filled with family and love.

The only thing that would make this picture better would be if Steve was in it too. He was playing photographer!

We ate to our hearts content and my mom had tons of GF options. She sent us home with tons of leftovers too! Score!

The next day, I knew what would be the perfect dish to accompany all of the delicious dishes  my mom worked so hard on. Glutino's Gluten Free Stuffing!

I was super excited. I hadn't had stuffing in over five years!

I sauteed the onions and celery per the directions. The aroma was amazing.

 I mixed together all the ingredients, it was so simple.

Yum!

All done!!

Once it was done, I dug in. It was a taste explosion in my mouth. I LOVED it. Blaine loved it. This made my leftovers from my mom's last even longer. I am buying some of this for Christmas.

That is a lot of pressure for one pie... (Glutino Perfect Pie Crust)

*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely  based on my experience. My opinions are honest and unbiased.*


 You know how Sororities have Hell Week? I would deem this November my Hell Month. Too much stress for me. My youngest was in the hospital for a week. That caused me to feel out of sorts. I am not sure I even recovered from it. I feel like getting back into the swing of things has taken me longer this time around. Throw in Hanukkah and Thanksgiving to the mix and November went from stressful to downright chaotic. 

Anyway, Glutino had sent me their Perfect Pie Crust. I had planned to make it before the whole hospital debacle went down. Then I was stuck at the hospital for a week with my mind wandering to other things to take me anywhere else but where we were. I started to picture this magnificent pie. This pie started to represent so many things to me. It almost became ludicrous how many different incarnations of pie I had created in my imagination over the hospital stay. It probably didn't help that every time I went to the cafeteria, non-gluten free pie was staring me in the face.

This pie became a thing. 

Have you seen the movie Waitress? I love that movie. The main character creates these different pies that are supposed to encompass whatever emotion she needs to fill. That is a tall order for a pie. However, I found myself doing just that with the Perfect Pie Crust. 

I had a lot of time to think. I was going to make an elaborate pie but then I decided to go simple. You cannot screw simple up and I had never met a cherry pie I did not like.

I took all my stress out on the dough. It was a lot easier to work than I imagined. I chose to have my Perfect Pie Crust dough rest overnight. I thought that would make it easier to use.

Before it was filled!

I followed the directions and my house smelled fabulous while it baked. 

Finished pie

I was so excited to dig in. However, once I tried it...I was less than thrilled. This was the first Glutino product that I did not go nuts over. There was a sour undertone to the crust. I even called a friend over to try it to make sure I wasn't imagining it. She said she had a hard time getting the aftertaste out of her mouth. I ended up eating the pie...somewhat. I scopped the cherry filling out and eating just that. 

I think I put too much pressure on the pie. I built it up to be a monumental thing. It was silly to assume a pie could cure my November blues. It was just a pie...with a funky after taste.

 

WOW BAKING COMPANY and WOW Pumpkin Spice cookies

*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely  based on my experience. My opinions are honest and unbiased.*


WOW BAKING COMPANY is a company I had heard a lot of buzz around but had not actually tried. They sent me an amazingly generous package last week (stay tuned for tons of reviews!) and they live up to the hype. One word came to mind, "WOW".

 While doing research on WOW BAKING COMPANY, I found a lot of information that swayed my mind into thinking that WOW was a quality company before the shipment even arrived at my doorstep.

WOW BAKING COMPANY always uses:

• Real Butter,
• Real Vanilla
• Organic Cane Juice

WOW BAKING COMPANY never uses:

• Hydrogenated oils
• Refined sugars
• Artificial flavors
• Their products are all GF                                                                                                                                                  

I love that if I want a sweet GF treat,I don't have to worry about any extras in our food. I can share these desserts with baby Blaine and not worry that I am feeding him a bunch of processed crap.  

So, when that gigantic, generous and impressive package arrived at my doorstep, I could not wait to dig in. 

What is better for the Autumn months than some Pumpkin Spice cookies? I cannot think of anything!

I often miss out on typical pumpkin flavored items because they are not gluten free. I have already decided that this Autumn I am not. I kicked off Fall with these cookies. They were the first taste of Autumn I had and they did not disappoint. They were really fresh and I liked them so much that when the package we were sent was gone, I went and purchased more (Find WOW products near you). I am taking these to my Mom's for Thanksgiving! I really liked them!

Halloweenish Brownies.

*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience. My opinions are honest and unbiased.*

 Blaine is my little gluten free baby. I share almost all of my gluten free goodies with him and I am sure that is just how he likes it. It is fun to have someone who can share food with me. Glutino had sent some brownies and what could be better than making them a little festive?

I made the Double Chocolate Brownies as directed on the box and then decorated the brownies with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles. It was perfect pre-Halloween treat to get us geared up for Thursday's Trick-Or-Treating.

I really liked the flavor or the brownies and the middle was very soft and moist. I always have a problem when I bake brownies that the sides are a little too hard. 

Both Blaine and I really liked Glutino's Double Chocolate Brownies and we would defiantly recommend them.

Glutino Toaster Pastry

I make it no secret, I love Glutino items. I have a hard time thinking of a Glutino product my pallet did not like. Their Strawberry Toaster Pastry is no exception. My only complaints is that there is no no frosting on top, and that more do not come in a box... but that is a small oversight.


These toaster pastries do not last long in my house at all. I have a hard time with restraint.

Delallo: Gluten Free Gnocchi

One of my favorite meals to cook lately is Dalallo: Gluten Free Gnocchi. I love how easy it is to make and our whole family loves to eat it. Blaine looks so adorable practicing his pincher fingers when he eats the adorably shaped gnocchi. We all love this meal with tomato sauce, basil and some grated cheese. I totally recommend it to you guys!

Pinterest Dinners I want to try!

I adore Pinterest. There is so much creativity, inspiration and ideas on that glorious site. I have been in a dinner funk. I am so uninspired with food and Blaine became a crazy picky eater. I am feeling like a short order cook most nights because I have succumbed to making more than one dinner.

I started searching my boards and I found some drool worthy dishes that I cannot wait to try!

 

I love fish and this picture makes my mouth water. Recipe found here.

Crustless Spinach Quiche 

Quiche is a food I often forget about. I don't know why but I just do. This particular recipe is completely GF (no need for substitutions) and the list of ingredients is not massive. I like that.

Mmmm...mushrooms!

When I spotted this Roasted Mushroom side, I knew that I could easily make this a meal, just throw it atop some rice and call it a night. What lured me about this meal was that it was simple and vegetarian. Steve and I will totally be enjoying this soon!

Another vegetarian meal (vegan actually)  I have been finding swoon worthy is Spicy Thai Tacos.

I love bacon and sweet potatoes so why hadn't I though of this tasty combination. It looks easy too!

Cook Simple: Cowboy Chili with Quinoa and Cinnamon

I had Cowboy Chili for the first time about 6 years ago and I really like it. It is an easy meal to make and it is very filling. When I spotted the Cook Simple brand of Cowboy Chili at Safeway I got super excited. Cowboy Chili in a box...yes, please!

I loved this because meat was optional and Steve is a vegetarian. So, we made the meal sans meat and it was still delicious. Blaine even gobbled it up. I think I will make it again soon with ground turkey and see how that compares. But, this meal was amazing and I would have it again, for sure! 

Tasty Bite: Ginger Lentil Rice

I love Tasty Bite products because they are quick to make and they are healthier alternatives to many of the boxed items lurking on the Supermarket shelves. Tasty Bite products, are Gluten Free, Preservative Free, Vegetarian, MSG free and all natural. How could one go wrong?

Right now, I am on a Ginger Lentil Rice kick. Blaine loves it and so do I. It accompanies chicken really well and I love that if I am in a pinch, I can have a side dish cooked in 90 seconds. Nothing beats that.

Dear Gluten, I hate you.

Yesterday, I got glutened so badly, I almost welcomed the thought of death. Ok, maybe that is extreme but my insides were turning against me. I somehow got cross contaminated and I am still not certain how. I was so sick off and on that it was terrible. Thankfully, I woke up much better today but I was so nervous that this glutening would be affecting me for days.

Here is to steering clear of gluten!

French Meadow Bakery: Chocolate Cupcakes

Picture taken at Jacob's 7th birthday

Parties are always a toughie to be gluten free at because there is usually an abundance of non-gf food. My son's 7th birthday party was no exception. I ordered 10 pizzas, none were gf so I packed Blaine and I lunch and I had a ton of veggies around to much on should any other guest have food sensitivities. My sister and her boyfriend jumped on the gluten free bandwagon so I decided to bring French Meadow Chocolate cupcakes  as our dessert. I love Whole Foods chocolate cupcakes, they are moist, large and they taste fresh. I was not able to get to Whole Foods prior to the party so I stopped by Sprouts where I spotted this particular brand of cupcakes. I had high hopes. I LOVE cupcakes.

These cupcakes, however, were not at all worthy of praise...far from being described with any sort of affection. These cupcakes were stale and rock hard.  It was as though they were old and they had been sitting on the shelf for a long time. They were not even in the same league of my dear Whole Food Cupcakes.

After many jokes at the expense of the cupcakes, we actually tried to eat them. We were only successful in eating the frosting. We stayed away from the "cake" in fear of needing dental work if we actually tried to bite the rock hard food.

So, do I recommend eating French Meadow Chocolate cupcakes? Absolutely not. I would actually like a refund.

Times is moving so quickly.

My family at the pumpkin patch

It felt like just yesterday that I posted on Gluten Free Gluttony, then I realized all my focus was on Memories And Motherhood and I knew I needed to get back to my food blog. Back to the blog that had seen me through so much. So, here I am. Hello.

Little updates: I am no longer GFCF. Just good ole GF. My son no longer nurses and we didn't see much of a change in him with the GFCF diet so we ditched it. He is gluten free though, like me, and I love having a little buddy share snacks with!

My wedding is 98% gluten free! The whole big meal is gluten free and most of my dessert options are GF! Super stoked.

Tomorrow, is a new post with a new review on it. Here is to posting regularly again! 

Tasty Bite: Thai Lime Rice

I have a few Tasty Bite packages in my pantry right now for one simple reason...convenience. It is fast and easy...not to mention tasty. The other day I needed a side to go with lunch for the baby and I. I made the Thai Lime Rice and we both ate it and enjoyed it. It was not spicy and the coconut lime flavor was not overwhelming. It was the perfect addition to our chicken.

GFCF...urg.

I did my best. I did. I am no longer GFCF though. I missed food too much and I didn't notice any significant change in Blaine so I stopped it a few days ago. I am so glad I can eat my old favorites again!

Mina's Purely Divine Chocolate Cake Mix

I have been sitting on this review for a while...mainly, because I really dislike giving bad reviews. But, this product earned it. I used Mina's Purely Divine Chocolate Cake Mix to make GFCF cupcakes for Blaine's first birthday party. I sampled one the day prior to the party when I baked them and they were so gross that I was relieved I made a non-gfcf cake for our guests. I would have been mortified to serve this cake to them. I have had so many delicious GFCF products that put this mix to shame.

The birthday boy with his cupcake

I will say that Blaine did love his cupcake. I have to keep that in perspective though. Blaine had never had a cupcake before. He didn't know how mouth watering awesome they should be.

I do have other Mina's products to sample and I hope that they are good.  I love that there are so many gluten free companies out there and I want to support our community, not bash it. I hope my next Mina's review doesn't leave me with a sour taste in my mouth!

Udi's Double Vanilla Muffins

My favorite muffin from Udi's is either the Lemon or the Blueberry. However, the most sentimental one for me (yes, I get sentimental about food) will always be the Double Vanilla Muffins.

Why?

Blaine's Birthday Muffin

It is the first muffin my little GFCF baby had. It was his birthday muffin. He devoured every bite with such joy on his adorable little kissable face!

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.