Be Free For Me Blog

I wear one. I wear it all the time. I never take it off. I’d never leave home without it.

What am I talking about? My medical alert bracelet.

I wear my medical alert bracelet because I am allergic to penicillin and sulfur drugs. My allergy is so bad that I become anaphylactic if I take even a small amount of either of these two drugs. I learned my lesson the hard way after having the scare of my life, and a trip to the emergency room that I, or my family, will never forget.

My anaphylactic reaction to these drugs is the same reactions many have that are allergic to various food allergies; nut allergies, peanut allergies, shellfish allergies – plus more. There are also other conditions where people should wear medical alert jewelry including: autism, diabetes, dementia, taking certain medicines like Coumadin or Warfarin, heart disease, arrhythmias, pacemakers, asthma, or children with special needs.

That’s why it astonishes me that so many adults and children with food allergies don’t wear medical alert bracelets.

Medical alert bracelets “talk” when you or your child can’t. “The mistakes that we see when there are reactions in school often have to do with dropping the guard because of lack of education…” said Dr. Scott Sicherer, a professor at pediatrics at Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai Medical Center. “[Have] the child wear medical identification jewelry to keep that in mind.”

My thoughts? If you would tell an emergency room doctor about any condition you or your child have – a medical alert bracelet should be worn with that info on it.

Hope Paige Designs is a company that makes medical alert jewelry and medical identification bracelets that aren’t just functional, but fashionable too. After checking out the Hope Paige website you’ll see that medical alert bracelets have come a long, long way. Say goodbye to the ugly, super huge, cheapo, old-man looking, “one-style and size-fits-all” medical alert bracelets that have been worn for years and touted on flyers stuffed in a “take one” holder on every pharmacy counter in the country.

Hello Hope Paige! The company that makes medical alert bracelets fashionable and fun.

Hope Paige has medical alert bracelets that will appeal to kids, tweens, teens, 20-somethings, Moms, business-people and everyone in-between! I like the fact that Hope Paige designs “gets it”. No one wants to wear a gawd-awful looking piece of jewelry that draws unneeded attention to their condition.

This is especially true with children. It’s hard enough for kids having food allergies, diabetes, or other conditions that may make them feel different. Throwing a clunky medical bracelet on top of that doesn’t make things easier… but Hope Paige changes that. Their focus is on fashion and finding a way to add function without sacrificing the “hipness” and fashion of the bracelet. Hope Paige Designs provide a medical alert bracelet that’s stylish for kids and doesn’t even look medical –  so that kid’s can be more comfortable in their own skin.

Some of the most popular (and my favorite!) medical alert bracelets sold by Hope Paige include the thin and thick black rubber bands, thin pink rubber bracelets, Pandora style bracelets, rope knot bracelets and stainless steel heart link bracelet. Hope Paige Designs also offers free engraving with every bracelet ordered.

The next two (2) weeks WIN-It-Wednesday’s on BeFreeForMe.com is sponsored by Hope Paige Designs. They are offering two (Yes…2!) LUCKY BeFreeForMe members a chance to win the medical alert bracelet of your choice! One winner will be selected from all entries received before Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at 11:59PM EST. The second winner will be selected between all entries received between Wednesday, May 4 and Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 11:59PM EST.

How can you win? Easy! Check out the Hope Paige Design’s website, reply to this blog and tell us what bracelet you would want to win!

Good luck, be safe…yet fashionable… and as always,

Be Free!

You’d think I was asking for the moon trying to find a delicious, chewy and melt in your mouth gluten-free cookie. That was until I tried the new Moondance gluten-free cookies!

Watch out cookie lovers… Moondance Gluten-Free Desserts has done it again!

The ever so sweet line-up of absolutely delicious gluten-free desserts continues over at Moondance with the addition of their three new gluten-free cookies: Mexican Wedding Cookie – a tender butter cookie loaded with ground pecans and coated with powdered sugar; Chocolate Crinkle – a rich, fudgy chocolate cookie coated with powdered sugar; and Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar – a chewy blond brownie bar loaded with mini chocolate chips (my favorite!).

And I promise… these new Moondance cookies will bring you to the moon and back again.

Made in a gluten-free facility by Shelley Ritchie, who was diagnosed with a wheat and gluten allergy several years ago, this gal knows how to bake! After not being able to find truly decadent gluten-free desserts and with her frustrations building, Shelley decided to perfect her own recipes into a magical gluten-free line of products.

Besides these new cookies, some of the other products offered in the Moondance line are Chewy Fudge or Walnut Brownies; or the Moondance Cheesecakes, some of the flavors include the Classic Cheesecake, Raspberry Ribbon Cheesecake or my favorite the Butter Toffee Cheesecake (made with handmade butter toffee crumbles – YUM!). All of the cheesecakes are made with a shortbread pecan crust. Watch out Cheesecake Factory!

These cheesecakes are the PERFECT dessert for your Easter Gathering!

Prepare yourself by unbuckling your belt and re-adjust it a few notches, and enter to win this week’s BeFreeForMe’s Win-It-Wednesday sponsored by the amazingly decadent Moondance Heavenly Desserts. Four (Yes 4!) Lucky BeFreeForMe members will win an assortment of the three types of new cookies. Two (2) winners will be randomly selected from entries received before Tuesday, April 19th, 2011 – 12 midnight EST and another two (2) winners will be selected from entries received between Wednesday, April 20th and Tuesday, April 26th, 2011 – 12 midnight EST.

How can you win?
Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us what is so heavenly in your life that it brings you to the moon… and back again! (Me? Finding new gluten/allergen free products that are yummy and star gazing with the guy I love on clear crisp evenings). And it you’d like let us know which Moondance cookie sounds the most divine to you!

Good Luck, take note of the magical things in your life… and as always,
Be Free!

This week’s WIN-It-Wednesday is sponsored by Food Should Taste Good… a company that is dedicated to making wholesome and healthy snacks.

If you’re not yet familiar with the products that Food Should Taste Good offers you must check out their website and give their chips a try. I love that Food Should Taste Good offers an abundance of yummy gluten-free chip varieties including Olive (perfect with tapenades), Chocolate (smothered in apple sauce or cinnamon cream cheese), Lime (guacamole anyone?), The Works (the ultimate dipper… hummus? sour cream? the kitchen sink?) and, one of my favorites… Sweet Potato (eaten plain or crumbled on top of a fresh garden salad).

And obviously, I am not the only one that has a chip-addiction to these chips. As of today over 147,500 people are raving fans of Food Should Taste Good on facebook. And if you aren’t a fan of Food Should Taste Good now is the time to join!

In celebration of Munch Madness and in support of their “El-Eat Eight Contest” the generous team over at Food Should Taste Good are challenging their fans with a contest yielding a fabulous prize rewarded to all of their facebook fans!

They are offering the chance to get a coupon good for $2.50 OFF of 2 BAGS, as a way of thanking all of their fans that have been cheering them on and happily munching their chips.

All fans will get this coupon if Food Should Taste Good can surpass a total of 800 votes for the winning chip and reach a total of 155,500 fans (at last count they only need 7,500 more fans!) on their facebook page. Make sure you become a fan by April 4th… the day of their champion’chip game… and spread the word to all your friends to chomp into Munch Madness to help reach this goal!

Food Should Taste Good is also offering 4 LUCKY BeFreeForMe members a chance at winning a gift pack of chips for the next two week’s WIN-It-Wednesdays!

How can you WIN?
Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us what your winning Food Should Taste Good flavor is (Me? I have two favorites…Olive and Sweet Potato). Two (2) winners will be randomly chosen from entries received before Tuesday, April 5 at 12:00 midnight EST; and two (2) more winners will be randomly chosen from entries received between Wednesday, April 6 and Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at 12:00 midnight EST. All winners must be a member of BeFreeForMe.com.

Good Luck, take the time to make the free throws that life passes your way, and as always…

Be Free!

When visiting the Whole Foods Market in Newtonville, Massachusetts, I got to chatting with Kimberly Ransom, the Healthy Eating Specialist at this store. (For those of you that have never heard of Healthy Eating Specialists they are folks that work in each of the larger Whole Food Markets helping both customers and team members with their goals of reaching the next level of health in terms of their diet.)

During this visit Kimberly got chatting about Whole Foods Market’s new Health Starts Here program that promotes healthy eating and cooking. The foundation of this program is to encouraging eating whole, unprocessed foods; eating a colorful variety of plants; eating healthy fats; and eating nutrient dense foods. All simple basics for those of us on a gluten-free or allergen-free diet.

Kimberly also mentioned to me the Eat Right America 28-day Challenge! which is one of Whole Foods Markets partners that’s supporting their Health Starts Here program. And although the Eat Right America 28-day Challenge! is not specifically designed for those on a gluten-free or allergen-free diet, and may require tweaking to fit your dietary restrictions, it offers common sense approaches to eating and cooking, most of which are naturally free of gluten and other allergens.

She also let me in on a great deal that is being offered only until 03/31/11… Whole Foods Market shoppers can receive an Eat Right America’s free online Nutrition Prescription membership, consisting of a personal nutritional & eating assessment plan which offers guidance for healthy eating. But to get the free Nutrition Prescription, you need to enter Key Code: CERANANTV on the registration page.

The free personalized Nutrition Prescription includes an online:
•    Personal eating analysis and health risk evaluation
•    Daily eating plan
•    28-day step-by-step daily e-mail support that offers pointers and tips
•    60 days of FREE access to the Eat Right America website, which is packed with delicious recipes, instructional videos and much more.

And if you need more creative recipe ideas to jump-start your new healthy eating plan, your local Whole Foods Market also offers Health Starts Here recipes at their stores, or online. (Note the recipes are tagged if they are gluten or allergen free).

So… besides everyone being a winner by receiving a FREE Nutrition Prescription (Remember to enter code # CERANANTV) complements of Whole Foods Market, another LUCKY BeFreeForMe member will be randomly selected to win a $25 Whole Food Market gift card!

How can you win?
Easy!

To win the $25 gift card reply to this blog and tell us your prescription for good nutrition. Me? A daily dose of veggies, veggies, veggies… and when I think I’ve had enough… more veggies!

All entries must be received by Tuesday, March 29th, 2011 by 11:59PM EST.

Good Luck; Eat, Drink and Cook Merrily & Healthily … and as always,

Be Free!

Back by popular demand are Yumpeez! Made from certified-organic yellow split peas and cleverly disguised as crunchy flavorful snacks.

And as a BONUS, we have added two packages of Pulse Flours… a Chickpea Flour and Whole Yellow Bean Flour (35-ounces each package), so you are able to bake-up some of the recipes featured in this week’s Ask Shelley Case column on BeFreeForMe, as well as in the new booklet about Pulses which was put out by Pulse Canada.

If you have never tried Yumpeez before, you MUST give them a try! These crunchy gluten-free, nut-free, lactose-free and soy-free snacks have an astonishing yummy flavor, nutritional label and health benefits. High in fiber, protein and iron, they are also a fantastic source of calcium.  Better yet they are trans-fat free, low in fat, and certified vegan.

I also can count on Yumpeez to “hold me over until dinner time” since they are low on the glycemic index, which means they are a complex carbohydrate that also provides energy that sustains. Yumpeez are a new and exciting snack… so if your snack-times are turning into nap-times due to the same old boring gluten and allergen-free snacks that you eat day-in and day-out you need to try Yumpeez.

My favorite flavor is the Dill, but the Barbeque flavor is a winner too. New to the Yumpeez line-up is the new Naked variety (the only ingredient: organic peas) that comes in a new larger shaker container. At only 120 calories per pack, I feel good about reaching for Yumpeez for snacking, especially when Spring is approaching and a low-cal and healthy snack is welcomed. I also like to toss a handful over my lunchtime salad, to give myself a crunchy salad topping, with an added protein energy boost.

Now I know why Yumpeez tagline is “Yumpeez Takes You Into Overtime!”.

All these healthy and flavorful reasons is why I am so glad that Yumpeez (and the bonus flours!) are this week’s WIN-It-Wednesday sponsor on BeFreeForMe.com. Yumpeez will provide six (Yes….6!) LUCKY BeFreeForMe members a combo-pack of all three of the Yumpeez flavors, plus the bonus Chickpea and Whole Yellow Pea Flours!

How can you WIN?
Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us how you take yourself into overtime during the hectic work week (Me? I have a cup of green tea and a healthy snack in the afternoons). Three (3) winners will be randomly chosen from entries received before Tuesday, March 15 at 12:00 midnight EST; and three (3) more winners will be randomly chosen from entries received between Wednesday, March 16 and Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 12:00 midnight EST. All winners must be a member of BeFreeForMe.com.

Good Luck, slow down to enjoy the good things in life and, as always…
Be Free!

Want some gluten-free chips that will be gone in a New York minute? Then try New York Style Risotto Chips!

If you’re on a gluten-free diet, or just looking for a good healthy chip alternative, these delicious chips are worth checking out!

What I like the most about the New York Style Risotto Chips is that they’re great for dipping into gluten-free dips, or enjoyed all by themselves. Made of Arborio rice (the same rice that Risotto is made with) these chips are packed with 11 grams of whole grains – plus they taste delicious.

And all of us over here at BeFreeForMe aren’t the only ones chatting up this new chip: New York Style Risotto Chips are also featured in the January/February 2011 Food Network Magazine , on The Rachael Ray Show, and also on the Lifetime Network’s The Balancing Act as a “delicious gluten-free snack”. But see for yourself what all the buzz is about… Pick-up a bag of New York Style Risotto Chips and you’ll eat ’em like they’re going out of style!

New York Style Risotto Chips comes in three varieties: Parmesan & Roasted Garlic, Sea Salt, and my personal favorite Spicy Marinara.

And lucky for all of us, New York Style Risotto Chips are BeFreeForMe’s WIN-It-Wednesday sponsor for the next two weeks! Six lucky winners (3 winners each week) will win a jam-packed gift full of a variety of New York Style Risotto Chips. Enough for you – and enough to share!

How can you win?
Easy!

Reply to this blog post and tell us what “style” (or flavor) of  the New York Style Risotto Chips sound the best to you  and/or your most memorable style or fashion! (Me? My most unforgettable style was my blue “wet-look” leather  vest when I was in kindergarten! Talk about styling… I loved that thing!)  .

Make sure you enter to win twice. Once before March 1, 2011 (12 midnight EST) and another between March 2 and March 8, 2011 (12 midnight EST).

Good Luck, Keep Stylin’ and as always…

Be Free!

Beanitos Chips are a snack lovers dream come true! Beanitos are chips that fill you up with real, healthy and nutritious ingredients, which make them a delicious and smart alternative to corn and potato chips.

Beanitos are also lab tested and certified gluten-free (less than 3ppm), as well as free of corn, potato and soy.

When I first tried Beanitos I couldn’t believe they were actually made from beans. Chips made from beans? But after one chip, I was sold. Crunchy and flavorful Beanitos come in four flavors… Black Bean, Chipotle BBQ Black Bean, Cheddar Cheese Pinto Bean and my favorite, Pinto Bean & Flaxseed.

This got me scratching my head and wondering – why beans? Why make chips out of beans? Well, according to the folks over at Beanitos, it’s no secret that beans are loaded with health benefits – high in fiber, protein and complex carbohydrates – but are sadly underused in the typical U.S. diet. So they decided to give us all our daily dose of healthy, nutritious beans in a fun, crunchy and tasty chip! Obviously, the folks over at Beanitos used their “beans” to come up with this great tasting chip.

Because these chips are made from beans they contain 5 grams of fiber per ounce – this is why they fill you up and leave you feeling more satisfied than the regular old boring potato, corn or wheat based chips. They are also low-glycemic, which is important since low-glycemic foods contributes to good health and can help curb obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart disease!

Now the question I am sure that some of you are wondering but are too shy to ask in a comment on this blog post … Ahemmm … here goes… “Will eating Beanitos give me gas, toots, stinkers, wind, passing of gas — or whatever you may call it?”  Well – the answer is NO! Beanitos will NOT give you gas. Beanitos developed a natural proprietary process that eliminates the common side effects some people associate with eating beans or bean-based products. So… round up your friends and share a bag!

For all these wonderful reasons – We are thrilled that Beanitos is this week’s sponsor of BeFreeForMe’s WIN-It-Wednesday. FOUR (Yes 4!) lucky BeFreeForMe members will receive an assortment of Beanitos Chips, PLUS a Bonus $15 Visa Gift Card!

How can you win?
Easy!

Reply to this blog post and tell us how you use your “bean” to stay healthy and fit.  (Me? I schedule exercise into my week – and treat that time like I would a very important appointment or meeting – so I don’t break my promise to myself to work-out!)

There are also TWO chances to WIN these WIN-It-Wednesday prizes. One is between Wednesday, February 9 and Tuesday, February 15th  (12 Midnight EST) and the second is between Wednesday, February 16th and Tuesday, February 22th (12 Midnight EST). Two winners will randomly be selected each week. So make sure you respond two times to this post!

Good Luck, Use your bean… But follow your heart… and as always,
Be Free!

If you love a soft & chewy granola bar, but haven’t been able to find one since being on a gluten-free (as well as dairy and casein-free) diet… you are now in luck!
The folks over at Bakery on Main have just introduced a new, chewy and just for you granola bar!

These soft & chewy bars come in three flavors: the traditional and all-time-favorite, Peanut Butter & Jelly; the decadent and rich, Chocolate Almond; and the cozy and comfortable, Apple Cinnamon.

And, lucky for us, as well as being certified gluten, dairy & casein free these bars are also free of GMOs, trans fat and cholesterol.

What makes these new granola bars so soft & chewy is the perfect combination of whole grains such as certified gluten-free oats, amaranth & quinoa… all baked to chewy perfection! These bars are great for an on-the-go gluten-free breakfast or snack.

These bars are so new and fresh-out-of-the-oven, that they’re currently only available for purchase on the Bakery on Main website. And if the softness & chewiness of these bars isn’t enough to tempt you, Bakery On Main is offering, for a limited time only, FREE SHIPPING on your entire order when you order any of the Soft & Chewy Granola Bars!

Plus, for the next two week’s WIN-It-Wednesdays on BeFreeForMe.com, the great folks over at Bakery on Main have graciously offered 6 (Yes, SIX!) LUCKY BeFreeForMe members a prize pack that contains three 5-count boxes of the new Soft & Chewy Granola Bars (one of each flavor). This is 15 bars total per prize!

How can you win?

Easy!

Reply to this blog post and tell us why you are lucky… In life, in love, in looking at the little things – just share with us any reason at all on why you are one lucky gal or guy! (Me? I’m lucky to have such great family and friends, a job that I love and the ability to be able to find such beauty in all the snow we’ve been hit with this winter!)

There are also TWO chances to WIN one of these WIN-It-Wednesday prizes. One is between Wednesday, January 26th and Tuesday, February 1st  (12 Midnight EST) and the second is between Wednesday, February 2st and Tuesday, February 8th (12 Midnight EST). Three winners will randomly be selected each week. So make sure you respond two times to this post!

Good Luck, Always look at life from the bright & lucky side… and as always,

Be Free!

Do you often wish you could just click your heels and fill your cabinets with a month’s worth of gluten-free meals… dinners, lunches, breakfasts, desserts and snacks? Now, thanks to Livefreeda all you need to do is click your mouse and have some of the best gluten-free products, arrive at your door!

No fuss… No trouble… No running from market to market to gather up all my favorite gluten-free brands.

The LiveFreeda 28-day gluten-free meal kit is packed with the best gluten-free foods out there… including many of my favorite brands. Brands that have been BeFreeForMe’s Friday Favorites including:  Udi’s bread and bagels, Van’s Waffles, Glutenfreeda Burritos, Kettle Cuisine Soups & Chili, Nature’s Path Cereal, Organic Bistro Meals and Pamela’s Cheesecakes To name just a few.

Breakfast, lunches, dinners, desserts and snacks that I love… for about $13 per day… Shipping included!

And with no measuring, mixing or cooking required – LiveFreeda is great for kids in dorm rooms, school or office lunches and traveling.

After hearing about this new gluten-free meal plan, I thought about how great it would have been if Livefreeda was around when I had first gotten diagnosed with celiac disease. But in actuality, Livefreeda is a good, convenient way to get gluten-free foods for anyone. I plan on ordering a package myself and have it shipped to my family’s house that lives out of state next time I visit for an extended stay. No more searching for my favorite gluten-free foods while on vacation!

This week’s WIN-It-Wednesday is a Double-WIN!

First off, make sure you register to win one of the 30 (YES… THIRTY!) 28-day Livefreeda Gluten-Free Meal packages.  Each of these packages is a $400 value! Remember you must log onto the Livefreeda Contest site in order to enter to win one of these fantastic thirty prizes!

The second way to WIN is right here on BeFreeForMe! Respond to this post and tell us your thoughts on the LiveFreeda Meal Kits and why they’d be perfect for you! Several LUCKY BeFreeForMe members will win one of the prize packs sponsored by the manufacturers of products included in the Livefreeda meal kits. This prize will include an assortment of freebies… product, coupon and giveaways! There are TWO Chances to WIN one of these several prizes! One is between Wednesday, January 12th  and Tuesday, January 18th and the second is between Wednesday, January 19th and Tuesday, January 25th. So make sure you respond two times to this post!

Good Luck, Live Free(da)… and as always,

Be Free!

In honor of the most gleeful time of year, this WIN-It-Wednesday prize is the most fun prize we’ve had yet! I am so happy (or rather I should say…gleeful) that once again Glee Gum has decided to participate in BeFreeForMe’s WIN-It-Wednesday.

Gum is just fun. And being happy knowing you can enjoy it without the worry of allergens and additives is even better.

Glee gum is full of flavor (They come in six varieties: Tangerine, Triple Berry, Peppermint, Cinnamon, Bubblegum and Spearmint) yet it is free of gluten, dairy, soy and nuts. It also has no preservatives, artificial flavors, artificial colors or artificial sweeteners.

And to make things interesting, Glee Gum is the only gum made the old fashioned way, with chicle, a unique gum base which helps preserve the rainforest, not the synthetic stuff most gums are made with these days. Even the boxes are “green” made from 100% biodegradable, recycled cardboard.

Sometimes it’s the littlest things that make you happy. So why not let a ¼” square piece of Bubblegum flavored Glee Gum put a smile on your face?

How Can You Win?
Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us what little thing made you happy today. How easy is that?! (My daily dose of happiness you ask? Snowman making and good old fashioned snow ball fights!)

What Will You Win?

We will randomly pick six (6) winners (3 each week) to win the following prize package: One Mini Glee Variety packs (21 delicious Mini Glee Gum packs in kid-friendly Tangerine, Triple Berry and Bubblegum flavors) PLUS a Buy-One-Get-One FREE coupon for the Glee Gum of your choice.  There are two chances to win… one between Wednesday, 12/29/10 and Tuesday, 01/04/11 and another from Wednesday, 01/05/11 and Tuesday, 01/11/11. So make sure you enter twice!

Good Luck, Be Happy and as always… Be (gleefully) Free!