It is not often that I write a post like this. I really don’t like to “dis” anyone, especially those companies that have gone to the lengths that Starbucks has to offer gluten-free products. However, I am very disappointed in my experience at Starbucks today.

As I went to get some work done this morning at home, I discovered that my internet service was down. I had some pressing things that had to get done, so off to Starbucks I went. I figured that while I was there, I could also sample the KIND bars they were supposed to be sampling today. I went in & ordered my coffee, 2 year old God daughter, Emma, in tow. I sat down, unpacked my laptop and went to get online. Well, that is not possible without a “Starbucks Card/Account”. No free wifi! WHAT? The nice woman sitting next to me told me that I could just sign up right there, so I tried to on the Starbucks website that came up on my laptop. Guess what? They send an email confirmation to your email address before your account can be activated. See where I am going with this? How exactly am I supposed to access my email if I can’t access the internet? I went up to the counter, Emma in tow, offering multiple customers her Goldfish, and asked the barista. Well, seems you can’t sign up in the store, you have to do it before hand. How inconvenient is that? If I would have known that in advance, I would have just gone to Panera or Caribou Coffee. I asked for my money back for my coffee, since the only reason I purchased it was so that I wasn’t in there just to use the internet. I didn’t feel bad because I hadn’t even taken a drink yet & now I had to pack up & head to Caribou, where I am now. As a side note, they didn’t even have any samples of the KIND bar out! I saw all of the gluten-free snacks on display for sale, but no samples.

I can understand a company or establishment not wanting people to come in just to use their wifi, but most people don’t do that. Most people will buy something. I think it is a huge turnoff to customers to charge them for something that they can get for free right up the road. A prime example – me. I am now sitting in Caribou, with a decaf cold-pressed iced coffee and my free wifi. I can guarantee that I will make sure to give my money to a company that looks for ways to accommodate their customers, not inconvenience them.

I received a package of samples from Kay’s Naturals a few weeks back. Rebecca sent me a wide variety of samples that both Jon & I happily dug into.

Some information from Kay’s:

Kay’s is dedicated to bringing a better alternative to traditional snacks and cereals to the health and fitness conscious consumer. Our products are delicious, made with all-natural soy protein and high-fiber. These products can help to sustain energy, manage weight loss, and stabilize blood sugar. They are an option for all ages and lifestyles and for anyone seeking sources of protein in their diets, including people with diabetes, bariatric patients, body builders, vegetarians, the elderly, and children. They are ideal for the office, sports, on the road, and at home.

The products we reviewed:

Apple Cinnamon Cereal

French Vanilla Cereal

Chili Cheese Protein Chips

Crispy Parmesan Protein Chips

Lemon Herb Protein Chips

White Cheddar Kruncheeze

Cinnamon Toast Pretzel Sticks

Jalapeno Honey Mustard Pretzel Sticks

Honey Flavored, Almond Filled Protein Cookie Bites

Cinnamon Flavored, Almond Filled Protein Cookies Bites

Out of all the products that we tried, we liked the Crispy Parmesan Protein Chips & Protein Cookie Bites the best. We enjoyed the other snacks, too. These were great for tossing in packed lunches for school or my gym bag or purse for a quick on-the-go snack or refueling snack after a run. For example, the Protein Cookie Bites have 10 grams of protein and 110 calories per 1 oz serving! I paired this with a small container of Oikos Greek Yogurt for a protein-filled snack! 25 grams of protein & 200 calories. Good bang for your nutrition buck.

You can find Kay’s Naturals products right on Kay’s site, on Gluten-free Mall or on Amazon.com.

I had the pleasure of receiving some free coupons from Luna & Larry’s Organic Coconut Bliss a few weeks back. I have 3 to give away to 3 lucky readers!

Coconut Bliss is soy, dairy & gluten-free. It is organic. It is vegan. It is sweetened with agave. Does it get any better? I think not.

Some more information on Coconut Bliss:

About the Company:

Our company, Bliss Unlimited, LLC, is dedicated to creating unique and exquisitely delicious desserts, consciously prepared from the most nutritious and wholesome organic ingredients available, and bringing them to market in ways that express our reverence for both people and the planet. We are located in Eugene, Oregon (the home of many wonderful natural food companies), where we make Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss with care and love.

About Luna & Larry:

People are continually asking us how we came up with Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss. We’d like to say we are entrepreneurial geniuses, but the truth is much humbler—we just wanted a tasty frozen dessert that we could enjoy eating without feeling bad afterwards. We had both given up dairy for health and ethical reasons, and tried all the soy- and rice-based alternatives, but weren’t satisfied with any of them. They either didn’t taste good, or we felt sick after eating them, or they had a long list of ingredients that didn’t really sound like food. One day Luna said ‘what about coconut milk?’ We’d used it a lot in Thai-style cooking and it seemed ideal. It was naturally rich and creamy and had great nutritional properties. So with the aid of a two-dollar hand-cranked ice cream maker from Goodwill we made our first batch. As soon as we tried it, we knew we were on to something special. As time went by and we shared it with our friends, who also loved it, it became apparent to us that we should focus our energy on this and make it available to more people.

Luna Marcus and Larry Kaplowitz, founders

Flavors:

Pints
Pineapple Coconut
A creamy, luscious, piña colada
Ingredients: Organic Coconut Milk (Organic Coconut, Water, Guar Gum), Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Pineapple, Organic Pineapple Juice Concentrate, Organic Coconut Extract, Organic Rum Extract (view nutrition label)

Naked Almond Fudge
Coconut amaretto Bliss with toasted almonds and fudge
Ingredients: Organic Coconut Milk (Organic Coconut, Water, Guar Gum), Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Chocolate Fudge (Organic Agave Syrup, Water, Organic Fair Trade Cocoa [processed with alkali], Organic Vanilla Extract), Organic Almonds, Organic Dried Coconut, Organic Coconut Extract, Organic Almond Extract, Organic Vanilla Extract (view nutrition label)

Chocolate Peanut Butter
The classic combo, elevated to art
Ingredients: Organic Coconut Milk (Organic Coconut, Water, Guar Gum), Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Peanut Butter (Organic Peanuts, Organic Peanut Oil, Salt), Organic Fair Trade Cocoa [processed with alkali], Organic Vanilla Extract (view nutrition label)

Naked Coconut
The pure coconut experience
Ingredients: Organic Coconut Milk (Organic Coconut, Water, Guar Gum), Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Dried Coconut, Organic Coconut Extract, Organic Fair Trade Vanilla Extract
(view nutrition label)

Dark Chocolate
Dense and silky, deeply satisfying
Ingredients: Organic Coconut Milk (Organic Coconut, Water, Guar Gum), Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Fair Trade Cocoa, Organic Fair Trade Vanilla Extract (view nutrition label)

Vanilla Island
Rich vanilla with a tropical undertone
Ingredients: Organic Coconut Milk (Organic Coconut, Water, Guar Gum), Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Fair Trade Vanilla Extract, Organic Fair Trade Vanilla Beans (view nutrition label)

Mint Galactica
Exhilarating mint with dark chocolate flakes
Ingredients: Organic Coconut Milk (Organic Coconut, Water, Guar Gum), Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Fair Trade Dark Chocolate (Organic Chocolate Liquor, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Vanilla), Organic Peppermint Extract, Organic Fair Trade Vanilla Extract
(view nutrition label)

Cappuccino
A complex and enlivening infusion
Ingredients: Organic Coconut Milk (Organic Coconut, Water, Guar Gum), Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Fair Trade Coffee, Organic Fair Trade Vanilla Extract, Organic Ground Fair Trade Coffee Beans
(view nutrition label)

Cherry Amaretto
Cherries swirled in an aromatic blend
Ingredients: Organic Coconut Milk (Organic Coconut, Water, Guar Gum), Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Cherries, Organic Fair Trade Vanilla Extract, Organic Almond Extract
(view nutrition label)

Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge
A deep chocolate Bliss sundae
Ingredients: Organic Coconut Milk (Organic Coconut, Water, Guar Gum), Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Fair Trade Cocoa, Organic Hazelnuts, Organic Chocolate Fudge (Organic Agave Syrup, Water, Organic Fair Trade Cocoa, Organic Fair Trade Vanilla Extract), Organic Fair Trade Vanilla Extract (view nutrition label)

Strawberry Lemon Love (soon to be discontinued)
Strawberry sweetness embraces lemony tartness
Ingredients: Organic Coconut Milk (Organic Coconut, Water, Guar Gum), Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Strawberries, Organic Lemon Juice, Organic Strawberry Juice (view nutrition label)

Coconut Bliss Bars
Naked Coconut Bars
The pure coconut experience on a stick
Ingredients: Organic Coconut Milk (Organic Coconut, Water, Guar Gum), Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Dried Coconut, Organic Coconut Extract, Organic Fair Trade Vanilla Extract
(view nutrition label)

Dark Chocolate Bars
Dense and silky, deeply satisfying
Ingredients: Organic Coconut Milk (Organic Coconut, Water, Guar Gum), Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Fair Trade Cocoa, Organic Fair Trade Vanilla Extract (view nutrition label)

I tried the Dark Chocolate flavor & instantly fell in love. Y’all know how I feel about chocolate and this dessert is over-the-top (okay, maybe I have been watching too much Guy Fieri & Diners, Drive-ins & Dives). I enjoyed this topped with raw cacao nibs and also mixed in with some Breyer’s Overload Cherry Ice Cream. I can’t wait to try the Cherry Amaretto, Cappuccino & Chocolate Peanut Butter.

Now, the fun stuff. All you have to do to enter to win 1 of the 3 free coupons is:

1. Leave a comment below telling me which flavor you would like to try.

2. Tweet about this contest: “Enter to win a free pint of @LunaadnLarrys Coconut Bliss @kbouldin”

3. Blog about this & link back

4. Contest will end Friday at midnight! I will mail the coupons out on Monday morning, assuming I have all the mailing information by then.

Good luck!!

Gluten-free or not? That is the question. Yes, Barbara’s Honey Rice Puffins are gluten-free – they are made with no gluten-ingredients and are marked “gluten-free” on the box. I eat them all the time with no issue and both Jon & I are very sensitive.    Now, there is a new variety of Puffins that is marked “gluten-free”. Multi-Grain Puffins. Here are the ingredients:

Ingredients: Corn Flour, Dehydrated Cane Juice, Brown Rice Flour, Whole Oat Flour, Fructan (NutraFlora® Natural Dietary Fiber), Oat Hull Fiber, Calcium Carbonate, Natural Flavor, Baking Soda, Natural Caramel Color, Sea Salt, Ascorbic Acid, Iron, Annatto, Vitamin D, Vitamin E (Mixed Tocopherols [Soy]).

Allergy Statement: No peanut ingredients used in this facility. Made on equipment that also manufactures products containing soy, wheat, milk, almonds and hazelnuts.

Free Of: Artifical Flavors, Colors or Preservatives. No Cholesterol, Hydrogenated Oils or Trans Fats.

There is nothing on the site or box that I could see that specifies whether or not the oats are certified gluten-free. I sent an email to Barabra’s yesterday and am waiting to hear back. I would love it if they were made with the certified gluten-free oats because I am a huge fan of Puffins and would love to have another variety to enjoy!

What are certified gluten-free oats? They are oats that have not been contaminated with gluten from the gluten-containing grains they are processed with.

I am patiently awaiting a response from Barbara’s. I will make sure to update here when I hear something.

I had to post a quick note about this – way too good to pass up. Amazon.com is having a sale on Betty Crocker Gluten-free Mixes. 30% off! That is huge!! Combine this offer with the “Subscribe & Save” program (free shipping too) and you only pay $16.68 for 6 mixes!! That is only $2.78 per mix! Stock up on these while the sale lasts!

You can read my reviews of the mixes here:

• Yellow Cake Mix
• Brownies
• Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Devil’s Food Cake

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Raisin Rack is also having some great sales this month. You can check out some highlights here.

Okay, back to my crazy day! Stock up!

The other day I posted my review on Zing Bars. I just received an email today from Stacey at Zing Bars with a coupon code for you guys! This is a great deal, so take this awesome opportunity to try out Zing Bars for yourself or stock up!

Here is the code:

Save $10 on EACH box of 12 ordered. So if they order 3 boxes, they would save $30 dollars. Each box of 12 is regularly priced at $31.95.

Coupon code is: gflife
Expiration date is: Feb 28 2010

Have an amaZING day!!

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I am now almost in month 2 of my marathon training. I can’t believe I am going to run a marathon! So far, so good. My long run is at 10 miles right now and will be bumped up to 12 in less than 2 weeks. The furthest I have ever run is a half marathon, so I will soon be coming up on a new PDR (personal distance record). I have been working hard to ensure that I am getting the proper amount of calories and nutrition in my diet. This stage is fairly easy as my mileage is nothing longer than I have done before. I am trying to really listen to my hunger cues, though long run days are still tough as I have no appetite. I have been really concentrating on smaller meals, closer together on those days. Since I don’t ever really seem to be hungry on those days, I just try to eat something with 200 – 400 calories every 2-3 hours. I got some new products to try out for my long runs, so I will make sure to update and review those soon.

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I am toying with the idea of going vegetarian for Lent. I have become increasingly concerned about where our food comes from since watching Food, Inc and reading more & more about the whole process. I don’t eat a diet heavy in meats right now, and I do enjoy lots of vegetarian meals, but is it something I want to do. And, if I do decide to go ahead & do it, am I doing it for the right reasons. Last year I gave up wine for Lent. That was hard. I have given up chocolate and sweets/desserts in the past, too. Still lots to think about. I also need to consider my nutrition needs while marathon training.

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Check out my latest Examiner article for a review on Joan’s GF Great Bakes English Muffins. You can also read about Living Gluten-free – the Teenage Years on Celiac-Disease.com

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Keep your eyes peeled in the next few days for a fun review & giveaway! A nice treat!

Dee (also known as Gluten-free Dee) was nice enough to send me some complimentary samples of Gluten-free Sandwich Petals. I was so excited! I have been hearing about these all over the blog world & Twitter. Heidi (Adventures of a Gluten-free Mom) did a review on them not too long ago.

I was so excited when I saw who the pacakge was from. I opened them up & could immediately smell the wonderful aroma wafting up from the box. I then saw what deflated my excitement – sesame seeds. 🙁 I can’t eat sesame seeds without getting very sick – almost as bad as getting glutened. Jon, however, has no issues with them & was more than happy to be the sole tester of the Sandwich Petals.

I made these wraps into all kinds of different meals & snacks for Jon. He had them as wraps with deli meat, lettuce cheese & dressing. He ate them for snack, warmed with cream cheese inside. He used them as a taco shell. He had them as a queasdilla with cheese & pepperoni inside. Jon couldn’t stop raving about these wraps. I would make him 2 wraps for a meal & he would be for a 3rd. I was a little concerned that he would balk at the Spinach & Garlic or the Chimayo Red Chile, but he didn’t. He loved the flavors. We are now down to 2 wraps left. He asked me when I was buying more! LOL! I guess that means I better get on it!

(Note, the wraps are cracked in the picture due to Jon messing with it, they don’t crack like other GF wraps)

Some information on Sandwich Petals:

• 10 Gluten-free Ancient Grains
• Prebiotics
• Heart Healthy Omega 3’s
• Require no freezing
• Shelf stable on counter for 30 days
• Versatile
• 90 calories per wrap
• Gluten, Dairy, Soy & Nut-free
• Continuously lab tested by American Institute of Baking to be glutenfree (less than 20 ppm)

You can buy Sandwich Petals right from their website. They are $25 for a box of 36, 12 of each flavor (Agave Grain, Spinach & Garlic & Chimayo Red Chile). Shipping is free. Monday is BOGO – Buy One Get One Free Day!!! Don’t wait any longer – these are the wraps you have been waiting for!

I would like to start out this week’s post with a shout out to my nephew, Noah, who is turning 2 today! Happy birthday Noah!!

Does this kid enjoy life or what?

Noah & his family happen to live where it is a little warmer than it is here in Ohio right now. Yesterday it was 15 degrees when I went for my 10 mile run. BRRR!!! The week before? 50s. Get it straight, will ya? LOL! This coming week we are supposed to have “normal” temperatures, whatever that may be. I’ll take anything above 20 right now, okay?

Heather, from Celiac Family, is hosting this week’s Gluten-free Menu Swap & she chose chocolate as the theme ingredient of the week. Really? OMG….my favorite!!! Did Heather just give me an excuse to incoroprate chocolate into every meal I make this week? 😉 I think Heather may have found herself a new BFF. 😉 What shall I make? I think that I see some Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Loaf in my future, as well as some breakfast oatmeal with some Chocolate Cacao Nibs. I can’t wait to see the other menus this week!

Sunday- Rotisserie Chicken, risotto of some sort, roasted veggies & salad

Monday – Salmon, baked poatoes, broccoli & salad

Tuesday – Baked Ziti, steamed green beans & salad

Wednesday – Filet Mignon, baked sweet potato, asparagus & salad

Thursday – Perfect Pork Tenderloin, mashed potatoes, peas & salad

Friday – Pizza night!

Saturday – Leftovers

Baked Goods

Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Loaf

Blueberry Muffins

Don’t forget to check out Orgjunkie for more menu ideas.

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An overview of the past week:

Zing Nutrition Bar Review

French Meadow Bakery Review

Mixes from the Heartland Review

Moondance Heavenly Desserts Review

Xagave Review

Huge Gluten-free Sausage Recall

Gluten-free French Bread Pizza Recipe

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Sorry I am a day late with the winner for this contest – busy day yesterday!

And, the winner is:

True Random Number Generator
Min: 1
Max: 15
Result:
8

HEIDI!!

Heidi Kelly
January 27th, 2010 at 7:39 pm
Pumpkin Cheesecake! Kim, these look so good that I not only “tweeted” about it, I just did a dedicated blog post! http://adventuresofaglutenfreemom.com/2010/01/27/moondance-heavenly-gluten-free-desserts/

Heidi

CONGRATS Heidi and thank you to all who entered!!! Heidi, I will be contacting you soon by email.

I was sent some complimentary samples of Zing Nutrition Bars in December. I am just now ramping up my mileage again, so I am just working through the bars now. Zing bars are about the same calorically as Lara or Pure bars, but they have more protein – a must for me when I am running as much as I am to train for this marathon. Zing bars are made from hormone-free, antibiotic-free ingredients and contain nothing artificial. This means no high-fructose corn syrup and no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or chemical preservatives that are pervasive in packaged foods. A wholesome choice for adults and kids!

The story of Zing Bars:

It all started innocently enough. As practicing nutritionists, we simply wanted to find a good nutrition bar we could recommend to our patients. But despite our best efforts, there just weren’t any on the market we really liked. If a particular bar was nutritionally balanced, it left something to be desired in the taste department. If it tasted good, it was low in protein and fiber, or full of artificial ingredients, unhealthy fats and empty calories.

Then we came up with a deliciously different idea.

We could create our own all-natural nutrition bar. Our take on the perfect snack. A bar with everything we wanted it to have, and nothing we didn’t. A healthy balance of carbs, protein and beneficial fats, but no artificial sweeteners, colors or preservatives. No trans fats, synthetic vitamins, or allergy-aggravating gluten, wheat or soy protein.

In short, a nutrition bar that everyone- including nutritionists and other healthcare professionals- could love. Zing! Now we hope that you love it too.

Chocolate Peanut Butter -Creamy, crunchy organic peanut butter covered in a mouthwatering organic dark chocolate coating. Pinch yourself… it’s healthy. GF

Almond Blueberry -If you love the smooth taste of almond butter, then this bar is for you. Made with a generous helping of real organic blueberries for an extra flavor and antioxidant punch. As one Zing fan states, “This bar is good enough to bathe in.” GF, SF

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip -“Oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough” would be a more accurate description of this bar’s delectable flavor — if only it weren’t so long. One bite will bring you back to being a kid in Grandma’s kitchen. Now made Gluten Free with Certified Gluten Free oats! GF, SF

Cranberry Orange -We combined real cranberries, organic chunky cashew butter and a hint of orange zest to create our first vegan bar. The result? Amazingly yummy. As nutritionists, we couldn’t bear the thought of skimping on protein so we used rice protein in our latest flavor. Here’s to gluten-free, vegan bars that are also delicious and satisfying! GF, DF, SF

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip -Chunky peanut butter takes the front seat in our newest vegan flavor. Add some real chocolate chips and you have a heavenly balance of savory and sweet. As always, we also kept the nutritional balance, making the bar with rice protein to satisfy your dairy-free cravings. GF, DF, SF

I am going to be honest, I love these bars. The flavors are awesome. Perhaps it is because all 5 flavors contain some kind of nut butter? If you made me choose a favorite, it is a tie between the Cranberry Orange & the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip. I tried these out before & after my runs. They did a great job of fueling me while not making me feel too full. It is also very important to refuel with a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio of carbs: protein after your runs and it is best to do this within 30 minutes to an hour of your run. All Zing bars have 10-13 grams of protein and would be a good way to get the ball rolling.

Click here to see if you can find Zing Bars in your area or you can order online.