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.

I was sent a coupon for a complimentary product from French Meadow Bakery and a few additional $1 off coupons. French Meadow Bakery uses all natural ingredients and avoids using GMOs (genetically modified organisms). Here is some more information from French Meadow’s site:

Mission
One Body, One Planet. Eat Well.
Since 1985, French Meadow Bakery™ has used only top-quality all-natural and organic ingredients, old world bread-baking techniques, ancient healthy grains and seeds, and cutting edge performance foods research to create baked goods the world loves. Here are four reasons you’ll fall in love with us, too.

Our ingredients are all-natural.
Our skilled artisan bakers turn all natural, sustainable ingredients into tasty baked goods. We avoid using ingredients that contain genetically-modified organisms, which impact biodiversity in the plant world and have an unknown effect on human health.

We’re certified by top agencies.
As a small company with sound practices, we’re unwavering about standards of quality. We’re certified organic by the USDA and Quality Assurance International, certified Gluten-Free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization, and certified Low Glycemic for Diabetics by the Glycemic Research Institute. Search for Gluten-Free, wheat-free, and low glycemic index products.

Our foods taste good and are good for you.
We go beyond basic nutrition by using all-natural and organic ingredients that boost your health. Performance foods like hemp, sprouted grains, and flaxseed provide important vitamins, minerals, proteins, and good fats that help your body prevent and treat disease.

We’re committed to sustainability.
Since its beginning, French Meadow Bakery™ has used ingredients and processes that help maintain the biological diversity and productivity of our world’s resources. We use only certified organic grains and all natural ingredients grown in balance and harmony with nature. We support small farmers, the cornerstone of a natural, sustainable food system. And we’re committed to educating our customers on the lifelong benefits of organic foods, which protect not only the planet, but our bodies and minds as well.

I chose the Cinnamon Raisin Bread & Fudge Brownies to sample. In addition to being gluten-free, these products are also peanut-free, casein & lactose-free.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread – This bread had a great texture and had plenty of raisins in it. The cinnamon taste was perfect – not overwhleming at all. I loved enjoying this bread with a schmear of cream cheese for an afternoon snack.

Fudge Brownies – I have to tell you, I didn’t get more than a bite or 2 of these. Jon loved them and enjoyed adding them to ice cream & topping with Cool Whip and Hershey’s Syrup for a homemade sundae.

You can find French Meadow’s products in these locations. If you are interested in trying out French Meadow’s gluten-free line yourself, you can find a coupon here.

All too often I hear about people skipping breakfast. The #1 reason I hear is that there isn’t enough time in the morning. It is true, mornings can be very hectic. However, jumpstarting your metabolism for the day will actually help you loss weight & keep it off. This article goes into detail the importance of eating a healthy breakfast.

Part of the battle I have with my kids in the morning is they just don’t want to eat. They both eat well later in they day, but breakfast is a struggle. I have found that by keeping healthy, lower sugar cereals on hand, I can ususally get something in them.

I was sent some coupons for 4 boxes of complimentary cereal from MyBlogSpark & General Mills. General Mills is making a commitment to further reduce sugar in cereals advertised to kids under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving. The company has already been reducing sugar in cereals while increasing key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, and providing whole grain. General Mills also has several gluten-free cereal options, such as:

• Rice Chex
• Corn Chex
• Cinnamon Chex
• Honey Nut Chex
• Chocolate Chex

Yes, some of those are higher in sugar than others, but what I do is mix a little of the higher sugar in with Rice Chex or Kix for a nice treat. All of the Chex cereals are labeled “gluten-free”. The others are formulated gluten-free as of the date that I am writing this. Please make sure to read the labels in case of an ingredient change.

In addition to being quick & easy, here are some more cereal facts:

Did you know that ready-to-eat cereal eaters consume less fat, less cholesterol and more fiber than non-cereal eaters? Cereals also deliver important vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, making cereal a top source of key nutrients in children’s diets.

Other cereal benefits:
Ready-to-eat cereals, including presweetened cereals, account for only 5% of sugar in children’s diets.

Ready-to-eat cereal is the No. 1 source of whole grains in a child’s diet today.

More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights and lower Body Mass Index measures.
Studies also demonstrate the benefits of eating breakfast. A 1998 study showed that children who eat breakfast tend to perform better at school. Compared to children who skip breakfast, children who eat breakfast score higher on tests, are less likely to miss class or be tardy, have fewer reported discipline problems, and make fewer trips to the office.

If you are interested in trying out any of General Mills cereal, click here to grab $1 off coupon.

I chose the winner using the True Random Number Generator:

True Random Number Generator
Min: 1
Max: 30
Result:
2

And, the winner is……………………

Jessica Meyer
January 25th, 2010 at 10:13 am · Edit | Delete | Spam
I would love to purchase almond flour, it is always a key flour in my kitchen. What a great website!

CONGRATS Jessica!!!! I will be contacting you soon!

Thanks to all who entered my giveaway!! Don’t forget you can still enter the Moondance Desserts giveaway to win free gluten-free brownies until Friday at midnight!!!

I received some complimentary samples from Mixes from the Heartland a few weeks back. MFTH has a great selection of gluten-free products ranging from baking mixes to soups to puddings. Here is some information from their website:

Allergen Facts

No eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, oats, barley, rye, and wheat in the plant.
No bean flours are used in any products.
Plant is allergen controlled.

Eliza Testing

Every raw product that enters our plant must be certified by the producer it will pass an Eliza Test.
This means products in our plant test three parts per million or less for wheat.
The University of Nebraska does our Eliza Testing.
All reports are sent to the Celiac Sprue Association (CSA).
Mixes From The Heartland Inc is CSA certified and we are very proud that all our products carry the CSA seal.

Product Summary

Our products are all natural with no preservatives.
Beans and fruit are all freeze dried and contain no preservatives.
Soups and meals are quick and easy to prepare.
All mixes are family size and serve 4 to 6 people.
Soups make 6 to 8 cups on average.
Pound cakes make 2 1lb loaves or a 9” x 13” pan.

I received the following mixes:

• Blueberry Muffins
• Sweet Potato Brownies
• Cinnamon Apple Coffee Bars
• Zucchini Muffins
• Cajun Pastalaya Soup Mix
• Cheeseburger Chowder Soup Mix
• Potato Soup Mix
• Tortilla Pasta Soup

I passed the soup mixes along to Aaron’s gluten-free friends at work to sample because they all contained onions (taboo for me). Here is what Lindsey had to say about the soup:

OMG that Cajun pasta soup was soooo good! I’m so impressed with how easy it was to make (I did it all by myself lol) and it has so much flavor. I put chicken with it. I’m definitely going to order from them.

The Blueberry Muffins were very easy to mix up & bake.

These were awesome! Jon made 2 of these his breakfast each day until they were gone. They had a great texture & flavor. Can’t beat these – easy & taste great!

Next on my list? Sweet Potato Brownies. I was not sure what to think of these when mixing them up, but man, oh man, they were spectacular! I fed them to the kids (called them “blondies” or they would have not touched them). They both said they were great! I loved the spices in this mix! Try topping them with cream cheese!

You can purchase mixes from Mixes from the Heartland.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please check my latest Examiner article for a very important recall.

I just posted my latest article on Celiac-Disease.com, too.

I had the pleasure of meeting Shelley Ritchie, founder of Moondance Heavenly Desserts, the first week of January. Shelley met me at Whole Foods to bring me some samples of her desserts – cheesecakes & brownies. Shelley was diagnosed a few years back with wheat & gluten intolerance. She began to sift through baked goods trying to find something that met her standards. After mounting frustration, Shelley decided to create her own desserts.

From the Moondance website:

Moondance Heavenly Desserts… homemade in small batches… will send you to the moon and back! Are you tired of tasteless gluten free desserts that just leave you wanting more? The wait is over! Our desserts have the home baked taste you’ve been missing. We understand the culinary challenges involved in baking gluten free desserts, so we have created exquisite desserts available at your fingertips. The finest ingredients and our unique cooking processes give you gourmet creations like none you have ever tasted before. Our delectable desserts are simply heavenly!

All of my finished desserts are tested and certified Gluten Free/Wheat Free by the University of Nebraska’s Food Allergy Research & Resource Program, FARRP, or Q Laboratories in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Moondance Desserts can be found in the mid-Atlantic Whole Foods stores (PA, MD, DC, KY, OH). They can also be found at Maggiano’s in Cleveland (right up the street from Whole Foods). If you are in the Knoxville area, they will be at the Celiac Vendor’s Fair (Saturday, February 27, 2010). You can check here to see other locations that may be close to you.

Shelley was nice enough to bring complimentary samples of 4 different cheesecakes & 2 different brownies. I think I died & went to heaven! Cheesecake was my favorite dessert before going gluten-free.

Descriptions from the Moondance website. My comments & thoughts are in italics.

Lemon Cheesecake –Cheesecake topped with a thick layer of refreshing lemon curd on a pecan shortbread crust. The perfect lemon cheesecake. Smooth & creamy.

Raspberry Ribbon Cheesecake – Cheesecake with an all natural swirl of luscious raspberry coulis on a pecan shortbread crust. Traditional cheesecake taste with a bonus. Very rich & satisfying.

Pumpkin Cheesecake -This seasonal favorite sits upon a delicious gingersnap crust. The heavenly aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg gives this cheesecake a delectable flavor. Our favorite. I served this to my Mom & sent some in to Aaron’s coworkers. It was raved about. Perfect blend of flavors & amazing texture.

Fudge Brownie – Imagine chocolate… rich chocolate… and even more chocolate, and you have just described our Fudge Brownies. Each bite is filled with the lucious taste of fine chocolate. The brownies linger on your tongue like a decadant chocolate mousse. You won’t be able to put these brownies down! Hands down one of the best brownies I have ever had. Thick, fudgey & gooey. YUM!

We have yet to get to the next two, but can’t wait! If they are anywhere as good as the first 4 desserts, we are in for a real treat!

Walnut Brownie – The finest quality crunchy walnuts are nestled throughout our decadant Fudge Brownies for a taste experience that will send you to the moon and back! Packed with oversized chunks of walnuts, each bite of our Walnut Brownie is sinfully rich and will surely satisfy the inner chocoholic in you!

Butter Toffee Cheesecake – Our classic cheesecake topped with handmade butter toffee and drizzles of decadent chocolate on a pecan shortbread crust.

Do you want to try Moondance Desserts Brownies for yourself? Shelley is offering to give one lucky reader a sampling of her brownies. The winner will get 6 brownies – 3 fudge & 3 walnut.  All you have to do is:

1. Leave a comment here telling me what your favorite cheesecake flavor is.

2. Tweet (@kbouldin) or blog about this contest & post a comment with the link or letting me know you tweeted.

3. Contest will end Friday, January 29, 2010 at midnight.

Shelley, it was great to meet you. Thank you again for the wonderful samples – we are truly enjoying them.

Robyn from Xagave was nice enough to send me a complimentary sample of Xagave & a cookbook that contains many great recipes. Once I started browsing through the cookbook, it wasn’t a matter of what I was going to make, it was what wasn’t I going to make? I couldn’t wait to get started!

There are recipes for smoothies, sauces, baked goods, desserts – you name it! I also enjoyed learning how to convert my own recipes! I will show you an example of one I converted & one from Xagave.

Salad Dressing

If you are from the Columbus area, you have most likely heard of the 55 Restaurant Group. While they are no longer operating any restaurants to my knowledge, their salad dressing is still a legend. I whipped up a batch last week using Xagave in place of the sugar.

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup sugar – this is what I replaced – I used 1/8 cup of Xagave per instructions to use only half the amount of sugar called for in salad dressings.

2 – 3 tsps garlic powder

Dash of crushed red pepper

Dash of freshly ground black pepper

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

2. Pour into a container & store in the refrigerator.

This has always been one of Jon’s favorite dressings, so he has been eating salad like it is going out of style! Hey, if I can get my kids to eat salad by whipping up some homemade dressing, I am all for it. This was really easy to make.

Now, the recipe from the Xagave Cookbook.

Tangy Ketchup

I always try to buy Organic kethup because I try to avoid HFCS at all costs. I hate that it is in everything these days. However, ketchup with no sugar is just tomato sauce, IMO, and not what I want for my burger or fries. I love the idea of using Xagave for this. I was pleasantly suprised with how much this really does taste like Heinz Ketchup. Another great fact – this has about half of the calories of the leading brand.

Here is the recipe – give it a try!.

Take a look at how much kethcup this made:

If you are interested in trying Xagave for yourself, you can see if there is a store located near you that carries it, or you can purchase on Xagave’s site. If you purchase the cookbook, you get a 25 oz bottle of Xagave for free!

I am partnering with iHerb.com to offer you guys a $50 shopping spree from the Grocery Section of the store. iHerb.com has a wonderful variety of gluten-free foods available, not to mention vitamins & supplements. I placed my first order a few weeks back & was very pleased with the whole process. Here are some of the products that I chose for my complimentary shopping spree:

• The Gluten-free Almond Flour Cookbook
• Coconut Flour
• Raw Cacao Nibs
• Dried Cranberries
• Almond Flour (x 4)
• Short Grain Brown Rice

I love the short grain brown rice made by Lundberg. This is what I use to make my Baked Coconut Rice.

I have been enjoying the dried cranberries on my salads. I love Craisins, but hate that they have added sugar. These dried cranberries by Eden Foods are sweetened only by apple juice concentrate – no sugar, no HFCS.

And finally, the Raw Cacao Nibs. I have been wanting to try these for a while, but just never remembered to pick them up. Why did I wait so long? These are so good on ice cream or Greek yogurt! I bet they would be really good on oatmeal, too.

Now, the details. How to enter & all that fun stuff.

• This contest will run until midnight on Wednesday, January 27, 2010.
• To enter, leave a comment here after browsing iHerb.com and tell me one thing you would buy.
• Tweet about this giveaway @kbouldin, so I know to count you for an entry.

That is it! This contest is open to US residents only. If you want to give iHerb.com a try for yourself, first time shoppers can use the code: WIM884 for $5 off the first order.