Attune Probiotic Chocolate Bars

Probiotics - I think we all know that they are good for us. Research has shown that probiotics are beneficial and even necessary for good gut health. Just google probiotics and there are tons of articles and studies out showing the importance of them.

But, have you had your probiotics today?

I don't always remember to.

And for those of us with gut issues - which is a big reason that many of us are gluten free - probiotics are more important than ever.

I was recently contacted by Attune Foods and asked if I would review their Probiotic Chocolate Bars. I had never heard of Attune Foods before - so I did some research and asked lots of questions. They also have granola and granola bars in their line - but those are not gluten free. Their only products that are gluten free at this time are the chocolate bars. And the only ones that are casein free as well are the 3 dark chocolate varieties. If you are also soy free - which I know many of my readers are - this product is not for you - all 3 of the bars I tested clearly stated that they contain soy.

They generously sent me a sample of each of their 3 GFCF bars to try.

The 3 GFCF varieties are Dark Chocolate, Raspberry Dark Chocolate, and Coffee Bean Dark Chocolate. Here is a picture of them so you know what they look like when you go looking for them in your store.

Here is the Raspberry Dark Chocolate unwrapped. It is small - just two squares. But there is a ton of nutrition and great taste packed into those 2 tiny squares.

Here is the underside of the Dark Chocolate Raspberry Bar - those little bumps are crunchy bits of real raspberries! Yum!

And here is a fuzzy (sorry - I really need a better camera) picture showing the inside of the Dark Chocolate Raspberry Bar - those red bits are real raspberries.

The bars are small, but that is good. Like most women my age I am forever trying to lose weight and chocolate is a downfall of mine. This gives me my daily chocolate craving without too many calories (80 in the Dark Chocolate, 90 in the Raspberry and Coffee Bean varieties).

Finding these in the stores isn't the easiest thing to do. They do have a store locator on their website. Whole Foods is the closest store to me that carries them. Once you locate a store with them, you need to know that they are kept refrigerated - with the yogurt. While refrigerating them prolongs the life of the probiotics, once you buy them you can store them at room temperature for up to two weeks so they are much more portable than yogurt. I suggest storing them in the fridge and just taking them out when you want to pack them in your lunch or consume them.

You can also order these directly from their website.

The taste was wonderful. I love raspberries so I tried that bar first and was not disappointed. I had the dark chocolate the second day and it was also good. I am not a coffee lover so I saved the coffee bean for the last day - and I was surprised to find it wasn't bad at all. Personally I wouldn't buy it but if it were the only flavor available I would eat it and it would be okay. If you are a coffee lover you may find you love that flavor. Isn't it nice that we all have different tastes?

These bars are also a great source of fiber - not many candy bars can say that.

These bars are to be savored and enjoyed just once a day for probiotic health.

All of the bars contain the statement that they are manufactured on equipment that also processes milk containing products, peanuts, tree nuts and wheat. I asked Annelies about that. Her response was: Our bars are made of gluten-free ingredients and every batch is tested by an independent lab to verify that our bars meet the standard of testing less than 5 parts per million of gluten. What this comes down to is that once a year one product is made in the factory that is not gluten-free, so there is very little risk of cross contamination. We put the manufacturing equipment statement on our bars as a way to not only be transparent about our practices because we know celiacs often have to hunt down the conditions in which food is manufactured, but also to help them and people with gluten intolerances make an informed choice. We are currently being evaluated for gluten-free certification. All of our chocolate bars are gluten-free. All of the equipment used to make our chocolate bars has been totally washed down. The reason we manufacture our bars on shared equipment is exactly as you stated- we are a small company and cannot afford to have multiple lines. I think that’s a great goal for us in the future though!

I feel pretty safe eating these bars with the disclaimer on them - please make your own decision based on your own health needs.

Here is a link to a coupon that you can print out for $1 off 4 bars.

Click here for Attune Coupon

If you are just looking for a chocolate bar to enjoy, these bars may be too expensive for you. If you are looking for a tasty way to enhance your health, then Attune may be the product for you.

I like that they are made from all natural ingredients.

Try them and let me know what you think.

Here's to good digestive health!

Finally a really good gluten free bread!

This egg salad sandwich is made with a prepackaged gluten free bread. It is soft and untoasted. It was wonderful. I never thought I would ever eat a sandwich with untoasted bread ever again. Now, it has been six years since I had regular bread, but this is most definitely what I remember it being like.

So, what is this wonderful bread? It is Udi's.

I have been hearing talk for some time now about this wonderful bakery in Denver that makes gluten free bread that tastes just like the real thing but it wasn't available here in my area. My local food co-op just started carrying it so I picked up two loaves yesterday. They sell it frozen, but once thawed you store it at room temperature and it is so much like real bread it is nothing short of amazing. They were out of the white sandwich bread so I got the whole grain. I need to go back and get some more because one loaf is almost gone already.

I may never bake bread again. My loaf pans are going to be used a whole lot less for bread now and more for meat loaf and maybe pumpkin bread. And my life is going to be much easier.

My son Andy couldn't wait to try a sandwich - he was so young when we pulled gluten from his diet that he doesn't remember soft bread. He ate the entire sandwich and didn't leave any crusts like he does when he eats toasted bread.

My husband doesn't believe it is gluten free. He is afraid that we will hear that, like the recent scam in North Carolina, that it was all false and the bread really has gluten in it. I don't believe that is the case at all. This bread is baked in a dedicated gluten free bakery that people can actually visit - not like the one in North Carolina where no one actually had an address for the bakery (he delivered only).

If you haven't tried Udi's yet - you really should. Ask your stores to carry it if they don't. You can also order directly off their website. I can't wait to try some of their other products. I have heard that the pizza crust and muffins are equally as good.

Enjoy Life Crunchy Rice and Crunchy Flax Cereals

I am a huge fan of Enjoy Life Foods. It is so comforting to be able to see their logo and know that I don’t have to read the ingredients – I know when I see their products without a doubt that there is no hidden gluten or dairy – it just isn’t there. People who don’t deal with food allergies or intolerances have no idea how freeing that is. The one time you don’t read the label may be the one time that the formula was changed and a food previously safe is no more.

So I was quite excited when Enjoy Life contacted me a week or so ago and asked me if I would be willing to try their new cereals. All they asked in return was that I personally try the products and to give my unbiased opinion so that is what you are getting here.

I received the two free boxes of cereal yesterday. One box of Crunchy Flax and one box of Crunchy Rice.

As usual, my son Andy was super excited to be getting something new to try. I thought these cereals might be a little too grown up for him but he wanted to try them. We opened both boxes and sampled a little right out of the box.

Andy immediately asked for a bowl of the Crunchy Rice with vanilla almond milk. I just gave him a small bowl of it since I didn’t want to waste any and I thought he might be expecting it to be lighter – more like a crispy rice cereal instead of so crunchy. He finished it and had a second bowl right away!

I know my boy though and I knew the true test would come this morning. He often times eats something new really well the first time he has it but then decides he doesn’t like it after all. And it is almost impossible to get breakfast down him before school! So, this morning I asked him what he wanted for breakfast and without hesitation he asked for the *new* crunchy rice stuff. He finished the entire bowl and went to school with a full tummy – let me tell you that doesn’t happen very often. I hope this continues! I don’t care how expensive it is if he will eat breakfast every day.

I ate the Crunchy Flax sprinkled over my soy yogurt and it was really really good. I was surprised. Regular readers of my blog know that I am not just into things being gluten and dairy free but also very into health and nutrition. Flax is such a good food for you – but not one that I consume regularly because I simply don’t like the taste. I have tried to like it but it has to be hidden in foods for me to enjoy it. This was great – the crunchy flax bits were just the right size for yogurt – I sometimes have granola (Enjoy Life brand of course) over my yogurt and I find the granola pieces a little too large and a little too soft. The Crunchy Flax was perfect. I’m not sure if the rest of my family will eat the Crunchy Flax but I most certainly will.

Enjoy Life sent me a press release with the products and now that I have shared my personal opinion with you, I’ll share some of what they have to say about their new products.

It appears that these cereals are new to Enjoy Life but they are not new cereals. Perky’s Nutty Flax and Perky’s Nutty Rice have been around for 25 years. They are now transitioning under the Enjoy Life brand, becoming Enjoy Life Crunchy Flax and Enjoy Life Crunchy Rice. Personally I think crunchy is a better name since there is no nuts in either of the cereals.

Both products are made in a dedicated nut-free and certified gluten-free facility ensuring the quality, integrity and purity of the products. All Enjoy Life products are certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) and are allergy-friendly. All Enjoy Life products are free of the eight most common allergens (NO: wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish or shellfish).

Crunchy Flax is 100% natural, sweetened with fruit juice and honey, and has 50g of whole grain, 425 mg of Omega-3’s and 6g of fiber per serving. WOW! Tasty and nutritious!

Crunchy Rice is 100% natural, sweetened with fruit juice and honey and is low fat and low sodium.

I haven’t had the opportunity yet to check my local stores for these cereals, but I do see that glutenfree.com does have them.

If you want to ask your local stores to carry these – or any Enjoy Life product, Enjoy Life does have a letter on their website that all you have to do is print, sign and give to your local grocer – just as easy as that.

If you are a coupon shopper like me, Enjoy Life also has a printable coupon on their website for 55 cents off any product.

Try these new products yourself and then post a comment and let me know what you think of them.

GFCF Pasta with Spinach and Sausage

I made this for dinner tonight and it was really yummy. Next time I make it I am going to add more peppers - otherwise it was perfect.

GFCF Pasta with Spinach and Sausage

6 ounces gf pasta (I used shell shaped, but any shape would work)
1 package Al Fresco Sweet Italian Sausages
1 large onion, cut in half and then into slices
1 bell pepper cut into long slices (I am going to use two or three next time)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2/3 cup chicken broth
8 ounces fresh spinach
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup vegan parmesan

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions, set aside.
2. Slice sausages in half lengthwise and then again so they are quartered, then slice into 1/4 inch chunks - set aside.
3. In a large skillet, cook onion, peppers, and garlic in olive oil until tender.
4. Add broth and sausages, heat to boiling.
5. Add spinach and basil - cook for a minute or two until spinach is wilted, stirring frequently.
6. Add pasta and parmesan. Toss to coat.

4 servings of yum!

GFCF Lasagne without pasta

I was craving lasagne but I didn't have any lasagne noodles and didn't feel like driving across town to the one store that carries them. I did, however, have eggplant in the fridge.

So I made my usual lasagne recipe and used eggplant for the noodles. I fried up the eggplant in a little olive oil first.

It turned out really great.

I made two smaller pans instead of one large pan and froze the other for later.

Enjoy Life Granola

Enjoy Life has reformulated their granola and is it ever yummy!

If you are not familiar with Enjoy Life Foods, you should be.

All of their products are free of the 8 most common allergens (wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish or shellfish).

All are certified gluten free.

All are made in a dedicated nut and gluten free bakery - so no chance of cross contamination!

No artificial anything in any of their products.

And they taste great.
The granola comes in 3 flavors - Cranapple Crunch, Very Berry Crunch, and Cinnamon Crunch.

Cranapple Crunch

Very Berry Crunch

Cinnamon Crunch

We did a taste test at our house. All 3 of us tasted all 3 flavors. While all of us enjoyed all 3 flavors, I found it interesting that each of us picked a different one as their favorite. Andy loves the Cranapple Crunch, Dan prefers the Very Berry Crunch and my favorite is the Cinnamon Crunch.

All three flavors are very crunchy and they remain crunchy in milk (non dairy milk of course in our household) with nice plump chewy raisins or craisins. They are also good just by the handful. Fill a baggie and take them with you as a snack. My favorite way to eat them is sprinkled on yogurt (soy) - it really adds a nice crunch. I might try using them in baking as well. I can picture them as a nice crunchy muffin.....

If you are interested in trying them, they do have a printable coupon on their website for 55 cents off any of their products.

Say Cheez by Namaste Foods

We've been trying a lot of new foods lately. The selection of gluten free foods out there really has expanded since we started this diet 6 years ago. Shortly after we went gfcf 6 years ago, I gave up trying to find anything with cheese. Nothing tasted good. Andy really loved mac and cheese before gfcf and I was disappointed not to find a good substitute for him. Now he doesn't even remember ever eating mac and cheese.

My food co-op had a special last month on Say Cheez by Namaste Foods and I had a coupon so I bought a package. Wow, was it a hit. I have now bought it two more times. Andy devours it like I remember him devouring mac and cheese. Is it the rich and creamy mac and cheese that I used to bake in the oven for hours? No and not even close. But it is not a bad imitation of boxed mac and cheese.

Here is a picture of the product - it is in a brown bag - so you know what to look for in the store.

And here are the contents of the bag.

And here is the finished product.

It went wonderfully with grilled Al Fresco sausages!

And Andy ate all the leftovers today for lunch!

If you are not familar with Namaste Foods, be sure and to check out their website for more information. They specialize in foods that are free of gluten, wheat, potato, soy, corn, dairy, tree nuts, peanuts and casein. So if you have multiple food allergies, this is a great company to be aware of.

Cherrybrook Kitchens

Dan's birthday was this week. Since I have yet to find a plain cake recipe that I really like (I do have some good killer cake recipes on this blog, but not plain ones that my child will eat), I decided to try a mix from Cherrybrook Kitchen.

This is the mix that I used. It only makes one layer or a dozen cupcakes, so if you plan on making a layer cake you will need to buy two.

It was very easy to mix up and it didn't even need eggs so for those of you who are also egg free, here is a mix for you as well.

Here are the cupcakes as they came out of the oven. They were very dark and rich looking. I think Dan and I could have enjoyed them without frosting, but Andy insisted that we frost them - I guess you can't stick a birthday candle in one without frosting (who knew? good thing I have a 9 year old around to tell me these things!).

And here is one unfrosted closer up.

Making frosting is not difficult, but since I had a coupon I decided to try their frosting as well. The frosting was a bit too sweet for me and kind of gummy. It was fine, though, I did eat it - I didn't scrape it off, but I think next time I'll just make my own. Andy, like most kids, loved the frosting and ate the leftovers out of the canister.

I let Andy frost the cupcakes himself. Here is a pic of the finished cupcakes.

And one of the cupcakes up front.

They were very good tasting and nice and moist. I will buy the cake mix again in the future. It was a success.

Be sure and save the bottom flaps off the mixes. You can save them and redeem them for free stuff (I like Free!).

Larabar

I recently wrote to Larabar telling them how much I loved their product and asking if they had any coupons. As we all know, gluten free is expensive, so I have been writing to my favorite brands asking for coupons - can't hurt to try, right?

They wrote back that they didn't have any coupons at this time, but would send me some samples. Then I got another e-mail that coupons were available. I was very happy with my 4 coupons for 50 cents off - every little bit helps.

So, imagine my surprise when a few days later a package came from them containing 4 full size bars! Happy Day! I never even told them that I write a gluten free blog - so they weren't providing the samples for a write up (although they are getting one) - so that is great customer service!

These are the bars I got free. Andy inhaled the cherry pie one before I could have a taste. We will have to take his word for it that it was great. We also got Apple Pie, Cinnamon Roll and Lemon Bar. All were delicious.

There are many things besides the taste that I like about larabar. First of all, unlike soy bars, they are very moist. All flavors are gluten free, dairy free, soy free, non gmo, vegan and kosher. They have no added sweeteners.

Larabars are also a good source of potassium. One thing I have learned while I have been studying nutrition is that we all get way too much sodium and not enough potassium. Sodium and potassium need to be kept in balance in our body. Potassium can help lower high blood pressure. Here is a link to a potassium fact sheet.

If you haven't added larabars to your gluten free casein free diet, I suggest you try them.

New GFCF Chicken Nuggets!

Coming home and finding boxes on our doorstep is no big deal in our household. UPS brings me packages for work almost daily. But whenever there is one that doesn't have my company's return address on it, Andy gets excited and wants to know right away what is in it. Yesterday we got just such a box and he was right to be excited!

When we opened it, we found treasures inside:
It was from Applegate Farms. Not only did it contain 2 boxes of their new gluten free (and casein free) chicken nuggets, it also had DRY ICE! I really should have taken a picture of Andy playing with the dry ice - that provided over an hour of fun. I should mention that you should never let small children play with dry ice and even with older kids like Andy, you need to supervise them and make sure they know the dangers of dry ice.

We have been struggling to find a great tasting chicken nugget. We used to buy the Wellshire Kids/Garrett County Farms (Wellshire Kids brand is now used only at Whole Foods and Garrett County elsewhere). We used to buy a lot of their products. But ever since the Chicago Tribune exposed that their dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets tested high for gluten, we have crossed them off our list.

We love Ian's products. Andy especially loves their allergen free fish sticks. But he isn't a fan of their chicken nuggets. He reluctantly accepts them in his thermos in his lunch box and eats them, but he doesn't love them like he did the dinosaur ones.

So, I was excited to learn that Applegate Farms had come out with a gluten free chicken nugget. We LOVE Applegate Farm's products. Their chicken hot dogs are what I use to make my wonderful mini corn dogs. Applegate Farms is really a great all around company. I'm not going to bore you with all the details, you can go to their website and read all about it http://www.applegatefarms.com/ (and while you are there, read all about the future of our school lunches).

What I am going to tell you about is how great tasting these new nuggets were. I made one box of them for dinner last night and Andy was begging for more. Even Dan and I enjoyed the taste. They have a wonderful taste and texture. Andy likes that they are soft. Try them. They get two thumbs up from all 3 of us.

Purity Farms Ghee

I have been using ghee in more and more of my recipes. The lemon curd I made recently tasted so good because I used ghee in it.

Ghee is butter so it tastes wonderful in all of your gfcf recipes - like real butter - because it is. I know what some of you are thinking - but butter isn't casein free. Ah, but ghee is. Ghee is butter with the casein removed.

It is fairly expensive but it tastes so good. To cut down on the expense you can either make your own or you can mix it with a healthy shortening like palm oil or coconut oil. I have been using it 50/50 with coconut oil in a lot of my recipes.

I was a little reluctant to try ghee at first because I didn't understand how it could be casein free. But after using it for a few weeks with no reactions I became hooked.

I recently contacted Purity Farms via their website and complimented them on their product and asked to be put on any mailing list they have for coupons. They responded that they are just a small company with no mailing lists or coupons but they would be glad to send me a free product. A few days later, just as promised, a free jar was in my mailbox along with a handwritten letter, a nice pen and some recipes. How nice is that? Gotta love customer service like that.

So, if you haven't tried ghee yet and you want that buttery taste in your food - try ghee. You won't be disappointed.

GFCF Lemon Bars

Since I had lots of lemon curd left over from the lemon bites I made recently, I made these bars over the weekend.

They did not last long! They were so yummy.

You could probably add flaked coconut to the topping if you wanted - I don't personally like coconut so I don't add it to any of my recipes, but I could see it going well in this one - if you liked that sort of thing!

GFCF Lemon Bars

1 cup gfcf margarine (I used earth balance buttery spread)

2 cups gf flour blend (I used authentic foods blend which has xanthan gum in it – so if you use a blend without xanthan gum, you may need to add it)

1 cup raw sugar

2 cups lemon curd (recipe follows)

½ cup chopped nuts (I used almonds)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
In a large mixing bowl cream margarine.
Add flour and sugar. Mix until coarse crumbs form.
Pat 2/3 of mixture in the bottom of an ungreased 9 by 13 inch baking pan.
Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
Cool slightly
Spread lemon curd over baked layer.
Add chopped nuts to remaining crumb mixture and sprinkle over the top of the lemon curd.
Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool thoroughly, cut into squares and enjoy!

Lemon Curd

I like this method of making lemon curd because you don’t have to strain it and it always turns out nice and smooth.

6 tablespoons butter substitute (I use ghee)

1 cup sugar (I use organic raw sugar so mine isn’t as refined looking)

2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks

2/3 cup fresh lemon juice

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy
Gradually add eggs and egg yolks (1 at a time)
Beat in lemon juice – mixture will appear curdled.
Transfer mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat until it thickens and reaches a temperature of 170 degrees – do not let it boil.
Transfer to a mixing bowl and press plastic wrap on top so it doesn’t form a skin – cool in fridge.

Store for up to 2 weeks in fridge or 2 months in freezer

GFCF Pizza

Since the lasagna I made a couple of weeks ago was such a success, I decided to tackle pizza. I made two of these babies for dinner last night and between the 3 of us, there were no leftovers - so I would say it was a success. It is so good to be adding old favorites back into our diet - and for Andy to be able to enjoy things he never has.

GFCF Pizza Recipe

Crust -
3 packets gluten free yeast (I used Red Star)
1 1/3 cup brown rice flour
1 cup tapioca flour
4 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. salt
1 packet unflavored gelatin (I used Knox)
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 1/3 cup warm water
1 tsp. raw sugar
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Mix yeast, flours, xanthan gum, salt, gelatin, oregano and basil
In separate bowl mix warm water, sugar, oil and vinegar
Add liquids to dry ingredients and beat with a mixer on high for three minutesSpray two 12" pizza pan with cooking spraySpoon half of dough onto each pan
Grease your fingers with shortening or cooking spray and use them to spread dough out on pans.
Bake for 10 minutes in preheated oven.
Then either add toppings or freeze crust for future use.
Bake the topped crust for 20 to 25 more minutes.

Toppings:
15 oz can Muir Glen Tomato Sauce (1/2 of can for each pizza)Jennie-O Turkey Italian Sausage, cooked – half for each pizza¼ cup chopped onions for each pizza¼ cup chopped red bell peppers for each pizza
1 small can pineapple – ½ for each pizza1 small can mushrooms – half for each pizzaFollow your heart mozzarella cheese, shredded – half for each pizza

Lundberg Rice Chips

If you haven't tried these, you really should. Dan and Andy fight over them when I bring them home. They are super tasty and gluten free.

GFCF Lemon Bites

I have been craving a shortbread type cookie so I got in the kitchen and tinkered today and came up with this delectable bite size cookie!



GFCF Lemon Bites

¾ cup gfcf margarine (I used Earth Balance Buttery Sticks)
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup sugar (I used raw organic sugar)
1 large egg1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups gfcf flour blend (I used Authentic Foods multi blend flour which has xanthan gum in it – if you use another flour blend, you may need to add xanthan gum)
Lemon curd – maybe ½ cup – recipe follows

Beat margarine and sugars until fluffy.
Beat in egg, lemon juice and vanilla.
Beat in flour and baking powder
Chill 1 hour
Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on greased baking sheet – using your finger, make an indent in the middle.
Fill indent with lemon curd
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes
If desired, drizzle icing over cookies

Makes 4 to 5 dozen

Lemon Curd

I like this method of making lemon curd because you don’t have to strain it and it always turns out nice and smooth.

6 tablespoons butter substitute (I use ghee)1 cup sugar (I use organic raw sugar so mine isn’t as refined looking)2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks2/3 cup fresh lemon juice

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy
Gradually add eggs and egg yolks (1 at a time)
Beat in lemon juice – mixture will appear curdled.
Transfer mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat until it thickens and reaches a temperature of 170 degrees – do not let it boil.
Transfer to a mixing bowl and press plastic wrap on top so it doesn’t form a skin – cool in fridge.

Store for up to 2 weeks in fridge or 2 months in freezer

I really outdid myself tonight!

In the 5 years we have been gluten free I have never attempted to make a GFCF lasagna before. And if I do say so myself, I made a pretty mean lasagna in the past. I think it was the idea of the cheese that intimidated me the most. After all it is hard to find a GFCF cheese that is decent.

So, what led me to try making it today? A friend recently decided that gluten free was not something for her and she gave me a ton of gluten free items that she wasn't going to use and a package of lasagna noodles were included. Well, I'm not one to let anything go to waste and my dear husband was salivating at the idea of lasagna. Andy, has never had lasagna but he sure wanted to try it - after all he knew that Garfield loves it!

And I must say - it turned out wonderful! Really really yummy. It got 3 thumbs up from the three of us! My biggest challenge was figuring out what to replace the ricotta cheese with - I searched the internet (google is my friend) and found several recipes, but none that really seemed to fit what I wanted - most had too much salt or used ingredients I don't have on hand so using them as a guide, I made up my own and I think it turned out wonderful.

Here are the pics of the finished product:

And here is the recipe:

GFCF Lasagna

Step One – make GFCF Ricotta

1 box extra firm tofu (14 oz)
¼ cup olive oil
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon parsley
¼ cup lemon juice
Mash with potato masher to mix – you want it to have the same texture as ricotta so you don’t want to over mix.

Step Two – Prepare meat sauce

1 lb mild Italian sausage (I used turkey)
1 lb ground meat (I used ground bison – manager’s special at $1.99 – normally I probably would have used turkey)
1 yellow onion, chopped (about ¾ cup)
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 - 15 oz cans diced tomatoes (I used Muir Glen, one with tomato and basil and one with tomato and onion)
2 – 8 oz cans tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons dried parsley
2 Tablespoons sugar (I used rapadura)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon basil
½ teaspoon oregano
Cook sausage and ground meat with onion and garlic until meat is done and onion is translucent. Drain off all fat.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer for about an hour or until the consistency of runny spaghetti sauce – I wanted it runny since I was using no boil lasagna noodles and wanted the extra liquid for the noodles to absorb.

Step Three – Shred fake mozzarella cheese
I used Follow your Heart brand since it actually melts.

Step Four – assemble the lasagna

I used DeBoles’ Rice Lasagna Noodles

Put a thin layer of meat sauce in the bottom of your dish.
Put a layer of noodles – I used 3 across and then one broken into thirds along the bottom.
Layer 1/3 of the remaining meat sauce
Layer 1/3 of the mozzarella
Layer 1/3 of the ricotta
A second layer of noodles
1/3 of meat sauce
1/3 of the mozzarella
1/3 of the ricotta

Third layer of noodles
1/3 of meat sauce (reserving just a bit for the top)
1/3 of the mozzarella
1/3 of the ricotta
top with reserved sauce – make sure lasagna noodles are totally covered.

Cover pan with foil and bake for one hour at 350 degrees.
Let set for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

And because I like playing with my software, here are the nutrition facts:

Shabtai Gourmet Cookies and Cakes

I received a large package yesterday from Shabtai Gourmet Cookies and Cakes.

Yum.

All of their products are made in a dedicated facility and are free of gluten, lactose, soy, casein and dairy. They are also are certified Kosher for Passover and Kosher Parve . They do not have a storefront, you can order from their website - http://www.shabtai-gourmet.com/ or by calling 516-652-5671. They do offer free shipping on all orders in the continental United States.

We haven't had time yet to sample all of the goodies, but what we have sampled are very yummy. If you are looking for a gluten free product to replace things like hostess cupcake type products - these fit the bill.


The inside of a Ring Ting showing the cream filling.


The Ring Ting's as packaged on the tray. These were my husband's favorite! They are moist chocolate with a cream filling and then a coating.


Raspberry Roll. Very moist and delcious with a coconut topping. Roll cakes like this are very difficult to make with wheat flour - how he manages to produce these without a crumbly texture, I do not know.

My son holding a Rainbow Cookie Square before it disappeared into his mouth. These were very colorful and delicious - like a layer cake with a chocolate coating. These do contain red 40 - which I prefer my child not consume, but for an occasional treat, these are super yummy.

The Rainbow Cookie Squares as they come packaged on the tray.

The entire shipment. As you can see, everything is packaged very well with very little breakage - only the chocolate chip cookies appear to have some broken ones.

Watch for more reviews as we try the rest of the goodies.

If you do not have access locally to a gluten free bakery and do not have the desire to bake yourself, I recommend trying Shabtai. The taste and quality are exceptional.

GFCF Pear Streusel Coffee Cake

Pear Streusel Coffee Cake
Ingredients:
2 medium pears, peeled and cored, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice or fruit fresh powder
Streusel
1 cup gluten free flour blend
1/2 cup rapadura ¼ gfcf margarine
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped nuts (I used almonds)
Cake
2 cups gluten free flour blend
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
3/4 cup rapadura
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk substitute (I used soy milk)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
½ cup margarine, melted
1. Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350° (325° if using a glass pan like I did)
2. Toss chopped pears with lemon juice or fruit fresh powder in a bowl; set aside.
3. In another bowl, combine streusel ingredients, except nuts, cutting in margarine with a pastry cutter or two knives until crumbly. Stir in nuts.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, xanthan gum, rapadura, baking powder and salt; stir to blend.
5. Whisk eggs in a mixing bowl until blended; stir in milk substitute, vanilla, and margarine. Add to flour mixture and fold with a wooden spoon or spatula just until dry ingredients are moistened.
6. Spoon half of the batter into prepared loaf pan; spread out to cover the bottom. Sprinkle batter with half of the pears and half of the streusel. Spoon remaining batter evenly over streusel, spreading carefully to cover. Sprinkle with half of the remaining streusel, the remaining chopped pears and then the remaining streusel.
7. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife carefully around sides; invert the cake onto plate. Turn the cake, streusel side up, onto a rack and let cool on a rack completely. Or just keep in the pan like I did.

Sloppy Joes

Andy has been watching commercials on TV for manwich and thinking they looked pretty darn good. He asked me to check and see if they were gluten free.

So I picked up a can the next time I was in the grocery store to read the label and these are the ingredients I found: Tomato Puree , Water , Tomato Paste , High Fructose Corn Syrup , Corn Syrup , Salt - Less than 2% , Sugar - Less than 2% , Dehydrated Onions - Less than 2% , Dehydrated Red and Green Bell Peppers - Less than 2% , Chile Pepper - Less than 2% , Tomato Fiber - Less than 2% , Spices - Less than 2% , Guar Gum - Less than 2% , Xanthan Gum - Less than 2% , Dehydrated Garlic - Less than 2% , Carob Bean Gum - Less than 2% , Natural Flavors - Less than 2%.

I don't really see anything there that screams gluten to me, but it could be hiding in the natural flavors. More concerning to me was the high fructose corn syrup and corn syrup. We have now totally cut the high fructose corn syrup from our diet and I really don't see any reason to buy this product. I do remember loving sloppy joes as a kid though so I thought I would see if I could create a dish as good but without the yucky ingredients.



Here is my creation in the skillet - it smelled so good!


And here it is sandwiched between two pieces of gluten free toast.


And here is Andy with a clean plate and a satisfied look on his face after eating them.

It really didn't take much longer to make than opening a can and it was so yummy!

Here is the recipe:

Sloppy Joes
1.25 lbs ground turkey (I used 83% lean)
1 medium onion, chopped (about ¾ cup)
1 bell pepper, chopped (about ½ cup)
¾ cup catsup (I use organic with no high fructose corn syrup)
3 teaspoons raw sugar
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1. Cook ground turkey over medium heat until done.
2. Add onions and bell peppers and cook until onion is translucent.
3. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Serve over bread.



Here are the nutrition facts for it - for a serving size I put 4 servings - which was about 2 sandwiches each.

And for comparison, here is the nutriton facts for manwich made with the same amount of ground turkey - 1 can of manwich and also 4 servings.

These nutrition facts do not include the bread. Mine does contain 20 more calories per serving, and less iron, but it has more vitamin C which is so important this time of the year. Otherwise it is pretty comparable.

GFCF Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

GFCF Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups raisins
4 ¾ cups GF all-purpose flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill Mix)
3 cups raw sugar (I’m sure you could use regular)
1 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ½ teaspoons nutmeg
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves
6 eggs
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup applesauce
½ cup chopped nuts (I used almonds)

Directions:
Soak Raisins in hot water for 10 minutes to plump, then drain.
In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, beat eggs slightly, then add pumpkin and applesauce.
Mix wet ingredients in with dry ingredients.
Add raisins and nuts
Spoon batter into muffin tins lined with paper liners or well greased.
Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.

Makes 3 dozen