Ding Dong! The Wheat is dead. Which old Wheat? The Wicked Wheat!
Ding Dong! The Wicked Wheat is dead.
Wake up – sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed.
Wake up, the Wicked Wheat is dead. She’s gone where the goblins go,
Below – below – below. Yo-ho, let’s open up and sing and ring the bells out.
Ding Dong’ the merry-oh, sing it high, sing it low.
Let them know The Wicked Wheat is dead!

As I was lazily browsing Facebook and Twitter this morning with my steaming hot java, I came upon a post shared by Gluten Free Philly about Doritos being reformulated!  Up until now the original nacho cheese variety of Doritos contained wheat.  Sure, there was a myriad of flavors to choose from, but none of them came close to the Doritos that I came to know and love as a child. 

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I never did understand why the original flavor contained wheat, but so many others were gluten-free.  I am pleased to see that Frito Lay has made this change, whatever the reason may be.  Please exercise caution by checking the label to ensure you have the new, reformulated variety before digging in.  The old version that contains wheat is clearly labeled.  Additionally, the Frito Lay website has not been updated to show the new formulation. 

Now, off to see if I can locate a bag so that I can enjoy my lunch – turkey sandwich with Doritos on it! 

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Did you win my Poptillas giveaway?  If you are a winner, please make sure to send me your contact information. 

Did you enter to win the Bakery on Main Truebars giveaway? 

Bakery on Main has been around for many years and they make some pretty awesome gluten-free granola and treats.  Their Truebars, just introduced in the last year, are a favorite in our house.

Our Story

It all started in the small bakery of a natural foods market on Main Street in Glastonbury, Connecticut. Founder Michael Smulders listened to his Celiac customers complain about the taste of many of the gluten free options available to them. He thought that no one should have to suffer because of a food allergy or other special dietary need, and made it his mission to create products that were good for them but taste like they aren’t.

Late in 2003, after tasting a granola recipe one of the bakers was working on, Smulders said, “these gluten free people need granola!” He walked through the store and gathered ingredients and baked the first batch that day. It took almost 2 years to find gluten free sources of all the ingredients and find a place where we could make the product without risk of cross-contamination.
Three years and two bakeries later, their gluten free granola is made in a 34,000 square foot manufacturing facility with state of the art quality controls and in-house gluten testing on every batch. Located just a few miles down the road from the original bakery, the plant maintains the small bakery quality by continuing to bake in small batches.

There are six different varieties of Truebars:

Apricot almond chai – I’m an apricot almond chai bar with nothing to hide. I’m a good source fiber and Omega 3, made with many low-GI ingredients, non-GMO, dairy and casein free, low sodium with no transfats or cholesterol and certified gluten free and Kosher Parve. And not to brag, but I taste really good.

Coconut cashew – I’m a coconut cashew bar with nothing to hide. I’m a good source fiber and Omega 3, made with many low-GI ingredients, non-GMO, dairy and casein free, low sodium with no transfats or cholesterol and certified gluten free and Kosher Parve. And not to brag, but I taste really good.

Fruit & nut – I’m a fruit & nut bar with nothing to hide. I’m a good source fiber and Omega 3, made with many low-GI ingredients, non-GMO, dairy and casein free, low sodium with no transfats or cholesterol and certified gluten free and Kosher Parve. And not to brag, but I taste really good.

Hazelnut chocolate cherry – I’m a hazelnut chocolate cherry bar with nothing to hide. I’m a good source fiber and Omega 3, made with many low-GI ingredients, non-GMO, dairy and casein free, low sodium with no transfats or cholesterol and certified gluten free and Kosher Parve. And not to brag, but I taste really good.

Raspberry chocolate almond – I’m a raspberry chocolate almond bar bar with nothing to hide. I’m a good source fiber and Omega 3, made with many low-GI ingredients, non-GMO, dairy and casein free, low sodium with no transfats or cholesterol and certified gluten free and Kosher Parve. And not to brag, but I taste really good.

Walnut cappuccino – I’m a walnut cappuccino bar with nothing to hide. I’m a good source fiber and Omega 3, made with many low-GI ingredients, non-GMO, dairy and casein free, low sodium with no transfats or cholesterol and certified gluten free and Kosher Parve. And not to brag, but I taste really good.

While all of the above bars are great, I am in love with the walnut cappuccino!  Truebars can be purchased online or in local stores.

Bakery on Main has graciously offered to give one lucky reader a sleeve (12 bars) of their choice!  Please follow the directions below in the Rafflecopter box to enter to win!

Continue reading →

Do you like chips?  Crunchy chips?  The downfall to chips is that they are ususally full of fat, calories and sodium.  I had to go and ruin it, huh?  What if there was a healthier option?  Check out Poptillas!

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Poptillas™ contain up to 25% less fat than the leading tortilla chips because they are popped instead of fried.

• All Natural
• Made with Whole Grain
• Gluten Free
• No MSG
• No Cholesterol
• No Trans Fat
• No Preservatives
• No High Fructose Corn Syrup

For my complete review, click here.  To purchase Poptillas online, click here.

Now for the fun part!  Who would like to win some Poptillas?  Poptillas has generously offered to give 5 readers each a sample pack of Poptillas (3 bags: 1 of each flavor)! Follow the directions below to enter.

Continue reading →

Udi’s Gluten-Free has a fun game called “BUN-GO” on their Facebook page right now.  It is basically BINGO, but Udi’s creatively named “BUN-GO”.  The game offers players a chance to win coupons and a chance to win larger prizes, up to a $500 e-gift card!! 

REWARDS & PRIZES (All dollars "$" are in U.S. dollars): All Entrants will receive the following coupon rewards when they reach the applicable point level:

• 20 Points: a digital coupon for $0.50 off Udi’s Gluten Free Buns
• 70 Points: a digital coupon for $1.00 off Udi’s Gluten Free Buns
• 90 Points: a digital coupon for Buy One Udi’s Gluten Free Bun and Save $2.00 off any second Udi’s Gluten Free product.

Limit one coupon per point level per Entrant. Once Entrant reaches the designated point level Entrant will receive a pop up with instructions to print the coupon or to save it in the Entrant’s Rewards Account.
Twenty-five (25) Grand Prizes: a $500 e-Gift Card from the winner’s choice of The Home Depot®, Whole Foods Market®, Kroger® or Williams-Sonoma (terms and conditions on Gift Card apply). Five-Hundred (500) 180 Point Prizes: Udi’s Summer Grilling gift pack including oven mitt, bread clips, 3 pc tong set, Frisbee, co-partner coupons, & tote bag (Approximate Retail Value "ARV": $60.00 each). Eight-Hundred and Fifty (850) 90 Point Prizes: a grilling cookbook (ARV: $19.99 each). Total ARV of all prizes: $59,491.50. No substitutions for prizes except by Sponsor or as may be necessary due to unavailability, delay, in which case a prize of equal or greater value will be awarded at the Sponsor’s sole discretion. Limit one prize per Entrant per prize level. Prizes are not transferable or redeemable for cash. All taxes and other expenses not specified herein are the sole responsibility of the winner. Sponsor responsible only for prize delivery; not responsible for prize utility, quality or otherwise.

I had better get busy, right? 

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Hannah and I had a girly afternoon yesterday.  We went to get mani/pedis!  It doesn’t get more girly than that, does it?  As I was soaking my feet, I couldn’t help but notice that I felt like I had been transported back in time.  The music in the nail salon contained the some of the following:

• “I Will Always Love You” – Whitney Houston
• “I Can’t Live (If Living is Without You)” – Mariah Carey
• An odd Michael Jackson song that would only be heard in a nail salon.

It was a great way to spend the afternoon.

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I am taking part in a challenge with some friends this month.  The challenge began on June 1st and goes though June 30th.  Each individual chose their own challenge and we were paired up with a buddy to help keep us accountable.  I chose to give up my beloved jelly beans, as I was getting a little out of control with them.  My dentist would not be pleased to learn that I was eating them after lunch and dinner daily.  I didn’t want to try to eliminate anything that would cause me to hyper-focus on the food that goes into my mouth, but I certainly don’t need that extra sugar in my diet.  I chose to instead focus on choosing better dessert options, should I feel the need to have one.  Mini Larabars make a great gluten-free dessert! They are between 90-100 calories and come in 3 varieties – apple pie, cherry pie and cashew cookie.   

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I get the sweet ending to my meal that I am craving without all the added junk. 

What is your favorite gluten-free healthier dessert?

School is out for summer!  I now have a 5th grader and a junior in high school!!  Where did my babies go?  I am looking forward to lazy days at the pool and not being on as strict of a schedule for running and working out.  Mama needs some more of this, too:

This week our meals will be less rushed, something I cherish.  I love not setting my alarm clock, though I find myself still waking up at 6:30 AM.  I guess that is better than 4:30 AM, right? 

Sunday – Italian chicken, brown rice, carrots and salad

Monday – Shrimp scampi, brown rice pasta, steamed broccoli and salad

Tuesday – Tacos, black beans, corn and salad

Wednesday- Thai peanut salmon, sweet potato puffs, fresh green beans and salad

Thursday – Turkey burgers on Udi’s gluten-free buns, sweet potato tater tots, zucchini and salad

Friday – Make your own pizza and salad

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Do you have a gluten-free child between the ages of 12-18?  If so, please help out Amy Leger and have your child complete this survey for the next article in Gluten-Free Living Magazine.

Poll: New Info About Domino’s Pizza – Would you eat it?

Shopping at Gluten Freely

Review: Sarah’s Skinny Sweets

Simply…Gluten-Free Quick Meals

Father’s Day is right around the corner – Gluten-Free Father’s Day

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PS – Check back later this week for a fun giveaway!  Off to relax!!!

Thank you to all who entered the giveaway for the Rice Krispies Gluten-Free Breakfast Kit.  The winner of the kit is:

#42 is

Binie· 3 days ago

Gf rice krispies are awesome any way to eat them! I especially enjoy them with marshmellow fluff.. I dont bother melting it together when im in a rush.. so just throw them in a bowl together – and there you go! The best treat ever!!

Congrats!!!!

I had the wonderful opportunity to sample some more great fruit & nut bars in May.  Kit’s Organic Fruit & Nut Bars, made by Clif Bar, just hit the market yesterday!  I was lucky enough to get to sample these before they hit the shelves and boy, do I love them!

More about the new bars:

EMERYVILLE, Calif., May 31, 2012 – CLIF® Kit’s Organic™, the new, simply delicious snack bar made with 100 percent organic fruit and nuts, is now on shelves nationwide in natural food and select grocery stores.

Inspired by Kit Crawford, co-CEO of Clif Bar & Company, Kit’s Organic contains just a handful of simple ingredients. The bar’s delightful blend of tender, organic fruit and crunchy nuts draws upon Kit’s life experiences on her family farm and in her kitchen, where she developed a passion for organic ingredients and handcrafted food.

Kit’s Organic is gluten-, soy- and dairy-free. The scrumptious snack bar comes in four delicious flavors, each offering a three-fourths serving of organic fruit and just 200 calories or less. In addition, Kit’s Organic has no added sugar, is low glycemic and is a good source of fiber.

Clif Bar brings Kit’s Organic, the newest in Clif Bar’s portfolio of great-tasting food for people on the go, to consumers during its 20^th anniversary year. “When I stepped back to think about what I’d want in a new snack, I knew it had to be organic, it had to be made with simple ingredients and it had to be delicious,” said Crawford.

Kit’s appreciation for organic food began at a very young age, when her parents instilled in her the values of growing your own food and caring for the land. Picking fruit right off the trees and enjoying long, leisurely family meals are the occasions that inspired Kit’s Organic – simple moments and simple ingredients.

The four great-tasting flavors of Kit’s Organic are Berry Almond, Cashew, Chocolate Almond Coconut and Peanut Butter. Like all food from Clif Bar & Company, Kit’s Organic is free of trans fats, partially hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, preservatives and ingredients sourced from GMOs. Kit’s Organic is available nationwide at natural food stores and in the natural aisle of select grocery stores (SRP: $1.59).

After trying all four of the bars, I love them all!  They each have qualities about them that I like.  I find these are great to keep in my purse for emergency hunger attacks – they don’t melt in the heat, either! The ingredients are:

Chocolate almond coconut -Organic Dates, Organic Almonds, Organic Unsweetened Chocolate, Organic Coconut, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Sea Salt.

Berry almond – Organic Dates, Organic Almonds, Organic Barberries, Organic Bilberries, Sea Salt

Peanut butter -Organic Dates, Organic Peanuts, Organic Almonds, Sea Salt.

Cashew – Organic Dates, Organic Cashews, Organic Almonds, Sea Salt.

Have you heard about the new bars?  Have you tried them yet?

***These bars were sent to me free of charge for review purposes.  The thoughts and opinions shared here are mine and have not been influenced by anyone or anything. 

I have some exciting news to share about an awesome event that is going on!  The Celiac Disease Foundation, Team Gluten-Free and GFreek.com have come together to raise awareness and money so that children with Celiac Disease can attend camp, just like their non-gluten-free friends.  There are several camps around the country that offer the same activities as a mainstream camp, but know how to safely feed a gluten-free camper.  Team Gluten-Free is proud to provide scholarships “camperships” to Celiac children. 

Who:

The Celiac Disease Foundation is a non-profit, public benefit corporation dedicated to providing services and support regarding Celiac Disease and Dermatitis Herpetiformis, through programs of awareness, education, advocacy and research.

Team Gluten-Free is a fundraising program that provides a simple way for runners, walkers, cyclists and triathletes to raise awareness and funds for celiac disease. The money raised by Team Gluten-Free™ participants goes directly towards summer camp scholarships for children on the gluten-free diet as well as celiac disease research, support and awareness programs. Team Gluten-Free™ is a fundraising arm of the Celiac Disease Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, public benefit corporation dedicated to the education of patients, families and health care professionals.

GFreek.com connects the gluten-free community with the best gluten-free products, services and organizations through the Annual Gluten-Free Awards and their Podcast The G-Freek Show.

What:

To raise awareness and money; Josh Schieffer from Gfreek.com will be participating in three races for Team Gluten-Free this fall. October 20th is the Beach to Battleship Ironman distance Triathlon; A 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and a full 26.2 mile marathon. On November 4th, four other runners and Josh will run the New York City Marathon. And finally the following weekend, November 11th Josh will run the Charlotte Marathon. To help raise funds, some of the best gluten free companies are providing rewards for financial donors. Rewards will start at $10.00 donations and climb all the way to $1,000.00. The rewards will vary from time to time as companies adjust and add products. Stay up to date with the current rewards.

Why:

A child on the gluten-free diet may have difficulty at a mainstream camp, but shouldn’t miss out on the experience. There are several camps across the country that offer celiac children everything from boating, canoeing, swimming, arts and crafts, low and high ropes challenge courses, adventure programming, field events and team work. Most importantly, all meals are gluten-free, including campfire treats and barbecues. Team Gluten-Free™ is proud to provide camp scholarships or “camperships” to celiac children each summer.

The fundraising begins today, so what are you waiting for?  “Donate and get rewarded” today!

Children all over the country will have an opportunity to create lifelong memories because you took the time to make a difference in their lives.