Be Free For Me Blog

This week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com is awarded to YumEarth Naturals, the makers of candy that is free of gluten, tree nuts & peanuts, soy & dairy.

And as an added bonus all the YumEarth Naturals products are also free of fat, MSG… and even fat.

Some of the products that they make are lollipops that, according to Phil Lempert, the Food Trends Editor for NBC’s Today show and also known as the “SupermarketGuru” are “The best lollipop I’ve ever tasted.” They also make sour jelly beans, and my favorite… the gummy bears.

The gummy bears are also made with real fruit juice, have no artificial flavors or colors, and supply 100% of the daily requirement of Vitamin C. YumEarth also has an extensive list of allergen certifications on their website.

In particular I like the bag of gummy bears that contains 10 snack packs containing 4 grown-up, yet kid-friendly, flavors of gummy bears – Pomegranate Pucker, Sour Apple Tart, Mango Tango and Perfectly Peach. All of them provide an unexpected burst of flavor – unlike any other gummy bear brands.

Each snack pack is less than 70 calories per pack, so they are perfect for snacking.

All of these yummy, gummy reasons are why this week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to YumEarth Naturals Gummy Bears. Congratulations!

Want to buy YumEarth Naturals Gummy Bears? Check out this link on Amazon.com: YumEarth Natural Gummy Bears

I love popcorn. The crunchiness, the quick and easy way it’s a go-to snack, and the way that it’s one of the lowest calorie snacks around.

When I was little my Dad use to make popcorn over the stove the old fashioned way. That’s my favorite way to enjoy popcorn, but these days I just don’t have the time to make it that way.

That’s when I reach for Popcorn Indiana. All of the Popcorn Indiana varieties are gluten-free, and what great varieties they have! My favorite, Touch of Sea Salt, plus  Aged White Cheddar, Cinnamon Sugar, Buffalo Cheddar, and more.

All these tasty & crunchy flavors of good old fashioned popcorn are the reasons why this week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Popcorn Indiana.

Congrats!

One of the things I miss the most since being gluten-free is Chinese food… exactly the way it use to be. A favorite local Chinese restaurants makes a great gluten-free Chow Mein… but, alas, san the noodles. And let’s face it: Eating Chow Mein without the noodles is about the same as eating a peanut butter & jelly sandwich without the bread. In other words, it just doesn’t work.

That is why I thanked my lucky fortune cookie when I heard about Goldbaum’s newest product in their extensive gluten-free line-up… Gluten-Free Chow Mein Noodles.

The Goldbaum’s Gluten-Free Chow Mein noodles are new, so make sure you ask your store for them if they are not on the shelf. Or you can buy them on Amazon.com by clicking this link: Goldbaum’s Gluten Free Chow Mein Noodles, 7 Oz Pack (Case of 12)

Chow Mein noodles that are crunchy, tasty and like the ones I once knew and loved, are the reasons why this week’s Friday Favorite is bestowed upon Goldbaum’s Gluten-Free Chow Mein Noodles. Congratulations!

BONUS: To all BeFreeForMe members… Goldbaum’s is having a giveaway to win a $200 prize pack! Enter win by clicking this link. Contest ends 10/15/12. Good luck!

This week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe is yet another convenient and tasty product.

Classico’s Light Alfredo Sauce, paired with your favorite gluten-free pasta, is a perfect mid-week dinner solution that is quick, easy and a favorite for adults and kids alike.

Another bonus of the Classico Light Creamy Alfredo Sauce is that it has 50% less fat and 45% less calories than the leading brands of Alfredo sauces, but still tastes rich and creamy.

And in case you’re wondering, all of the Classico Sauces (both red and white) are gluten-free.

Quick, easy, tasty, convenient and less fat and calories are all the fabulous reasons this week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Classico’s Light Alfredo Sauce. Mangia!

This week’s Friday Favorite is all about convenience. With the kids back at school, more formal meal times being planned and the car pooling kicking back into high gear – it is always good to discover products that can make our lives simpler… and tastier!

McCain’s Purely Potatoes makes meal time sides a snap. They come in three varieties that are all gluten-free and allergen-free: Whole Baby Skin-On Potatoes (made with just one ingredient – you guessed it:  Potatoes!), Russet Potato Slices and Shredded Hash Browns (both with some added Citric Acid to maintain natural color).

My favorites are the Shredded Hash Browns since there are so many ways that you can use them. You can make them into Potato Pancakes, Potato Casserole or just plain ole’ delicious hash browns for breakfast time.

The McCain’s website also has tons of recipes that use the Purely Potatoes – it’s worth checking out. A couple of the recipes I can’t wait to try are the Purely Potato Sausage and Cheese Frittata and the Purely Potatoes Pesto Potato Salad.

Simple, tasty side dishes that save on time are the reasons why this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com goes to McCain’s Purely Potatoes. Congratulations!

I love cranberries. Growing up in Southeastern Massachusetts we had cranberry bogs everywhere. Cranberries are a staple in my diet. Always have been and always will.

Maybe that’s why Craisins are a must in my gluten-free diet. Made by Ocean Spray these real fruit berries are the sweetest way ever to eat a cranberry.

I like to top my salads with Craisins, sprinkle them on baked chicken breasts stuffed with goat cheese, or add a handful into Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies. The ideas are endless.

Naturally gluten-free, peanut free and containing no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, Craisins are perfect for snacking too. Craisins are also a good source of fiber, which is an added bonus.

All these delicious & healthy reasons are why Ocean Spray Craisins are awarded this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com. Cheers!

Today’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com is awarded to Alo Drinks. Made with 100% All Natural Aloe Vera pulp and juice this gluten-free drink is the perfect way to naturally hydrate. Aloe Vera is also naturally rich with amino acids, minerals and vitamins.

Alo Drinks uses real aloe vera juice made straight from the leaf, never from powder. Along with the aloe, these drinks are blended with just enough all-natural flavors to give each variety a unique and flavorful taste. My favorites are the Aloe with Pineapple + Guava + Seabuckthorn Berry and the Aloe with Pomegranate + Cranberry.

I love the flavor combos, the little pieces of pulp and all the glorious & healthy reasons to start drinking aloe… every day!

Cheers Alo Drinks for being this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com!

Want to Buy Alo Drinks? Check out this link on Amazon.com

We’re really going to spice things up a bit for this week’s Friday Favorite. Being grilling season and all, I love to shake up my ho-hum grilling every once in awhile and season up my chicken, meat and veggie’s with a little spicy love.

That is when I go for my collection of The Spice Hunter Seasonings.

The Spice Hunter spices and spice blends are gluten-free (with the one exception of Grill Shakers Rib Seasoning) so the varieties to try are endless.

Some of my favorite spice blends for the BBQ are the Salt-Free Varieties and include the Cowboy BBQ Rub, Jamaican Jerk Blend and the Mesquite Seasoning blend. These blends are all natural, kosher and contain no MSG or preservatives. Using these flavorful and zesty spice blends adds a zip to your food with no salt at all! An added bonus: Using spices is healthy way to add flavor to foods without adding extra fat or calories.

Spice Hunter Seasonings is awarded this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe because they add a spicy kick, as well as a sassy & sensational flavor to any barbeque… all without adding any extra fat or calories. Congratulations!

Want to Buy? Check out these links on Amazon.com:
Jamaican Jerk Blend

Mesquite Blend

Cowboy BBQ Rub

I love Reese Peanut Butter Cups. I love York Peppermint Patties. And merging these two flavors together into one awesome, organic, gluten-free and nut-free Sun Cup is pure bliss. Pure high-quality dark chocolate, minty and nut-free perfection.

These rich and creamy Reese-Peanut-Butter-Cup-Like candies are made with Sunflower Butter, instead of Peanut Butter – so they are nut-free (peanut & tree nut) as well as gluten-free too (their facilities are nut and gluten free). They are also organic. Gotta love Sun Cups!

These minty melt in your mouth marvels (say that 5 times fast!) are this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com since they are rich, creamy and free of nuts and gluten. Congratulations Sun Cups!

Where to buy the Mint Sun Cups? Check out the following links:
Sun Cups Dark Chocolate Mint

Sun Cups – Dark Chocolate

Sun Cups – Milk Chocolate

Sun Cups Milk Chocolate, Caramel Swirl Cups

This week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com goes to a much loved gluten-free barbeque sauce that adds a kick of flavor to grill favorites.

Weber’s Original Real Molasses BBQ Sauce is an all time favorite. I love this BBQ sauce since it has NO corn syrup, and is packed with real molasses and all natural ingredients.

This gluten-free BBQ sauce is a great way to add a little spice to chicken, beef, pork or veggies. It’s so easy and so tasty.

No corn syrup, no gluten and packed with real molasses and tons of flavor are the reasons why BeFreeForMe is fired up to award this week’s Friday Favorite to Weber’s Real Molasses BBQ Sauce. Congrats!