Be Free For Me Blog

This week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com is awarded to a product that I love oh-so very much. Taza Chocolate.

Everybody loves chocolate. All kinds of chocolate.

But after tasting a piece of really, really, really good chocolate there is nothing that compares. And Taza Chocolate is incomparable to any other chocolate out there. No other chocolate even comes close.

Taza is an indulgent treat for me. I always have a disk (Or two. Or  three.) tucked away. Hidden away. To be able to enjoy a small piece of really, really good chocolate can makes a stressful day a tad bit better. =) Funny how chocolate can do that, huh?

Taza Chocolate comes in some really cool flavors too. Including Ginger, Salt & Pepper, Vanilla, Chipotle Chili and more. All of the Taza chocolate is gluten, dairy and soy free, and made with all natural ingredients, with no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives of any kind.

Taza also has a sampler pack that is a great Valentine Day gift for that guy or gal in your life, or even for a sweet little gift for yourself! You can get it on Ebay and take advantage of FREE Super Saving Shipping. Check out the link here: Taza Sampler Pack

All of these wonderful reasons is why Taza Chocolate is this week’s sweet Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com.

Nuttin’s better than a nut butter sandwich! Especially when it is made with Justin’s nut butters. Why? Because Justin’s takes PB&J sandwiches to a whole new level on the sandwich grading scale. Justin Nut Butters makes the old stand-by PB&J’s a sandwich you dream about eating.

They make a PB&J a “want-to” sandwich, not a “have-to” sandwich.

And if you think that PB&J sandwiches are just for kids, think again. Justin’s makes nut butters from not only peanuts, but hazelnuts and almonds too. Plus they make yummy flavors. Flavors like Honey Peanut, Chocolate Hazelnut or Maple Almond.

These nut butters are also certified gluten-free, dairy-free and non-GMO and vegan.

All these reasons are why Justin’s Nut Butters are awarded this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com. Congratulations!

I’ve been sticking to my New Year’s promise to visit my friend Mr. Gym more often, my long lost friend that I missed all through the holidays. But now… now, we’re like old buds once again. Working out day after day. Step after step. Spin after spin. Push-up after push-up.

And when I work out I make sure that I bring along my favorite work-out drink Nuun Active Hydration.

Nuun is an electrolyte enhanced drink tab that I can pop into bottled water for a tasty, drink to keep me hydrated and in tip-top condition during my whole workout. They are the perfect hydration solution for hot yoga classes, spin classes or aerobic activities.

What I love the most about Nuun Active Hydration is that is gluten-free, and has no sugar or carbs. Plus one tab is only 8 calories. My favorite flavors are the Grape, Strawberry Lemonade, Tropical and Fruit Punch,  and  but other flavors include Banana, Orange, Lemon Lime, Kona Cola, Lemon Tea, Tri-Berry, and Citrus Fruit.

Portability, great flavor and hydration, hydration, hydration are all the reasons why this week’s Friday Favorite goes to Nuun – my newest workout companion! Congrats!

Want to get Nuun for yourself? Check out this link on Amazon.com and get FREE Super Saving Shipping!

Nuun Hydration Tablets Mixed 4-Pack (Note: 01/10/13 … Nuun 4-pack  is on sale for $17.99… get ’em when they are still on special!)

If you’re a cheese lover like me… but are trying to cut back on calories and fat… you need to try Cabot Cheese’s 50% Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheeses.

And the best part? Cabot Cheese is gluten-free and naturally lactose-free too!

With 70 calories or less per 1-ounce serving this is the perfect protein-packed snack. I love the 50% Reduced Fat Jalapeno Cheddar since it packs a bit of a punch. I love it for snacking and also thin sliced on a turkey and avocado sandwich. Other varieties of the Cabot Reduced Fat Cheddars include Sharp Light (50% reduced fat), Sharp Extra-Light (75% reduced fat) and the Pepper Jack Light (50% reduced fat).

Lower calories without sacrificing flavor are the reasons why this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com goes to Cabot Cheese! Congratulations!

If you’re looking for a gluten-free appetizer that will be loved by all (aka: even the non-gluten-free folks) check out these gluten-free crostini appetizers.

Crostini means “little toasts” in Italian which is so fitting, since the secret in making the most crunchiest, savory and flavorful crostini lies in the perfect toasting of the bread.

I made my crostinis with Udi’s new French Baguettes. The texture of these baguettes is light and airy. They sliced effortlessly and toasted to perfection.

The first step on making crostini is to slice the baguette at a 45 degree angle using a serrated knife. Next, brush with olive oil and place under a broiler until the toasts are just starting to take on a light golden color. Keep your eye on them when toasting, and be careful not to over broil. When the bread is light yellow in color and still glimmering with olive oil you know you have achieved the perfect little toast.

After you remove the little toasts from the broiler you top them with ingredients. This is where some folks may scratch their head and be at a loss. My only rule of thumb is that you select ingredients that complement each other. Ingredients that give you a medley of flavors that provides the perfect balance in just one simple bite.

Need some inspiration? Look at a menu of a gourmet pizza shop and use the gourmet toppings as inspiration for your gluten-free crostini creations.

Here are some of my favorite scrumptious crostini toppings that I’ve come up with:

Top Row; Left to Right (click on links below for recipes):

–    Broiled Pear and Apple Butter Crostini with Goat Cheese and Rosemary
–    The BLT: Crostini with Tomato Sauce, and topped with a Baby Lettuce Leaf and Smoky Bacon
–    The Southwestern: Tomato Salsa with Sharp Cheddar and Black Olive Crostini

Bottom Row; Left to Right (click on links below for recipes):

–    The Greek: Feta and Black Olive Crostini with a Greek Dressing Drizzle and Baby Spinach Leaf
–    Goat Cheese with Fig Compote and Rosemary Crostini
–    Red Pepper Jelly Crostini with Goat Cheese and Basil

Do you have a Crostini Topping you’d like to share? Please do in the comment section  below!

This week’s Friday Favorite is presented to another one of my favorite bars: The Good ‘n Natural Bar.

I discovered these gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan bars a few months back. I was at a local CVS looking for a quick snack and these were the only bars in stock that were gluten-free. Reluctantly I bought them… not knowing what to expect. But after one bite, I knew that I had found another keeper… another bar to add to my list of go-to favorites.

Good n’ Natural Bars are chewy and soft, full of flavor, and has flavors that are great for a breakfast-on-the-go (Oatmeal Cinnamon Raisin, Cranberry Almond or Lemon) or a snack (Dark Chocolate, Mixed Berry, Vanilla Raspberry). But my all-time-any-time-of-day favorite is the Peanut Butter bar.

I love the “back-story” on these bars too… two friends (Sarah and Ann) started the company making these delicious bars for friends and family. The company grew and grew. And thank goodness…. because now we can all buy them at our local stores. =)

Full of fiber and protein, make these bars are a must-try! Congratulations to Sarah and Ann for making a super tasty and super chewy gluten free bar, and for being awarded this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com. Cheers!

When I was a little girl I’d get a big box and munch them down every time I went to the movie theater. While other kids were getting sour-patched-whatevers and humongous buckets of popcorn – my simple pleasure was Raisinets.

And now that I’m older, I loved to revisit the sweet raisin treats, covered in chocolate… milk or dark.

I like to eat Raisinets by the handful, or in my cookie recipes – instead of chocolate chips. Check out this recipe for Gluten-Free Raisinets & Chocolate Chip Cookies.

And yes… Raisinets are gluten-free. So grab a handful and much away!

Raisinets are this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com since they are tasty chocolate treats that bring back happy gluten-free memories! Congratulations!

This week’s BeFreeForMe Friday Favorite is awarded to a bar that I, literally, just stumbled across.

The Good Bean Bar.

On a recent trip to New York City, I made a quick trip to a Whole Foods Market in the Chelsea section to grab a few “things” (o.k. …  I had to grab a few gluten-free bars to eat in the taxi rides between meetings to hold me over before the next meal).

And what a delight when I found these fruit, and NO nut bars being sampled at the store. Not only did I get a chance to try all three delicious flavors, including Chocolate Berry, Fruit & Seed Trail Mix, and Apricot Coconut, but I also discovered a new favorite bar.

And you all know about my love affair with my gluten-free bars!

The Good Bean Bars are tasty, have only 130 calories per bar, are super-filling, and are free of GMO’s, gluten and nuts. They also have 5 grams of protein and support fair-trade.

The best part about these bars are that they are made from chick peas! Healthy and delicious… my two favorite combos.

So Congratulations! All the healthy benefits and making my taxi cab rides in NYC so absolutely delicious are the reasons why these week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to The Good Bean Bars.

Note: You can find The Good Bean Bar at a Whole Foods Market near you or take advantage of Super Saving Shipping and order them on Amazon.com with the links below. Taxi ride in NYC not required to enjoy 😉

The Good Bean Fruit and No-Nut Bar, Chocolate Berry,Gluten Free, 40-Gram (Pack of 10)

The Good Bean Fruit and No-Nut Bar, Fruit and Seeds Trail Mix, Gluten Free, 40-Gram (Pack of 10)

The Good Bean Fruit and No-Nut Bar, Apricot and Coconut, Gluten Free, 40-Gram (Pack of 10)

Chobani’s new product is one you’re going to flip over… Literally!

Chobani fans rejoice! Flips are the newest in Chobani’s line-up of gluten-free yogurts. Chobani Flips are a cup of low-fat yogurt alongside a separate section of tasty stir-ins. They are all natural, gluten-free, free of artificial preservatives and flavors.

The two current flavors Flips come in are: Honey Banana and Vanilla Chocolate Raspberry. The Honey Banana is low-fat honey yogurt alongside a smooth banana puree. The Vanilla Chocolate Raspberry is low-fat vanilla chocolate chip greek yogurt paired with ripe, sweet raspberries.

I love the Honey Banana for breakfast, and the Vanilla Chocolate Raspberry for a sweet snack… or even dessert.

Chobani Flips are currently only available in the Northeast US, but are making there way across the US. Keep checking your dairy department for them!

Totally delicious, fun… and also low-fat are the reasons why this week’s Friday Favorite goes to Chobani Flips. Congratulations!

I love to top my salad with crispy, crunchy tidbits that give a plain salad a punch of flavor. I usually use dried cranberries, crispy tortilla chip crumbs, or sliced almonds.But recently I found my all time favorite crunchy topping… Gerbs Pumpkin Seeds.

These dry roasted, gluten-free pumpkin seeds are great to add an unexpected crunch to a otherwise boring salad. I also love to grab a handful and snack away. They would also be perfect used in a gluten-free “trail mix” recipe.

Deliciously addictive and full of crunchy flavor are the reasons why this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com is awarded to Gerbs Pumpkin Seeds. Congratulations!