Be Free For Me Blog

Whoever said that gluten-free crackers are boring and bland, needs to try this sweet decadent dessert using Glutino Gluten-Free Table Crackers.

As of now, gluten free crackers  have been used for only cheese, dips, and spreads – but now they are making a debut into desserts! Welcome deliciousness!

While I was pining and ogling over gluten-FULL cookies recipes found in a magazine, I decided to attempt making one of these recipes with a gluten-free twist.

The result? Our very own Gluten-Free Crackling Chocolate Crackers – a no-bake recipe (perfect when your oven is packed with other baked goods), that is a mix of sweetness and saltiness, and loved by both the gluten-free and non-gluten free folks.  They are simple to make and made with products from two of our Friday Favorite gluten-free brands: Glutino & Kinnikinnick.

For the crispy, nutty topping we sprinkled the tops with Heath Bits o’ Brickle Toffee Bits (we called Hershey’s and they confirmed this item is indeed gluten-free), but you could always sprinkle the tops with crushed Glutino crackers too.

These Gluten-Free Crackling Chocolate Crackers are also great for gifting … we’ve been bundling them up in tins and have been gifting all week!
Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Crackling Chocolate Crackers
The beauty of this recipe is that it is a no-bake dessert, that is great for gifting. If a nut-allergy is a concern, omit the toffee topping and use crushed gluten-free pretzels instead.

One 4.4-ounce package of Glutino Gluten-Free Table Crackers (Check label for allergens)
1 cup of Kinnikinnick Graham Crumbs (Check label for allergens)
1 cup of dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 stick of butter, plus enough to lightly grease the cookie sheets
1/3 cup of light cream
3 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups dark chocolate chips
1 ½ tablespoon shortening or butter
1 8-ounce package of Hershey’s Heath Bits o’ Brittle Toffee Bits (check label for allergens)

Place the Glutino Gluten-Free Table Crackers in a single layer on a lightly greased cookie sheet. You will need 2-3 sheets. If that crackers are broken, that is o.k.

In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the Kinnikinnick Graham Cracker Crumbs, brown sugar, the stick of butter (cut into pieces), and the light cream. Stir until the brown sugar dissolves, butter melts and the mixture is well blended and starts to boil. Reduce heat to medium, and continue to stir for another 6-7 minutes – being careful not to scorch the mixture. Spoon over the crackers, and using the back of the spoon spread evenly. Place the crackers in the refrigerator until cooled – about ½ to 1 hour.

Next, melt the dark chocolate chips and the shortening in a small saucepan, making sure you keep stirring to prevent scorching. Once melted, remove the crackers from the refrigerator and evenly spoon the melted chocolate over the crackers.

Immediately sprinkle the toffee pieces over the crackers. Refrigerate for several hours to overnight.

Break into bite sized pieces. Store in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

Yields: 2-3 dozen pieces.

Recipe adapted from: Better Homes & Gardens, 100 Best Cookies

Want to buy the Glutino Table Crackers and the Kinnikinnick Graham Cracker Crumbs? Check out these links:
Glutino Gluten Free Table Crackers, 4.4 oz
Kinnikinnick Crumbs – Graham Style Gluten Free, 10.5000-Ounce (Pack of 3)

If you’re looking for a snack bar that is good for you, and just as nutritious as a good piece of fruit, look no further!

I found the ultimate fruit in a bar! Oskri Fig Bars.

I love the simplicity of these bars. The only ingredient = Figs.

These bars are naturally sweet and packed with flavor. Perfect for adults and kids. I love the fact that they have only 131 calories, 5.3 grams of protein and also only 1 gram of fat. They are also gluten-free, lactose-free, nut-free and vegan. This bar is a generous size and fills me up too.

They are the perfect bar to throw in your bag, and have as a snack while on the go.

Simple perfection is the reason the Oskri Fig Bars receives this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com. Congratulations!

These bars are also found on Amazon.com and qualify for Super-Saver Shipping. You can find them here: Oskri Fig Bars

This week’s Friday Favorite goes to a company that makes some of my favorite vegetarian AND gluten free products… Sol Cuisine.

I’ve had many BeFreeForMe members ask me what ‘veggie burgers’ and other meatless (aka: soy based) burgers, sausage, etc. are gluten-free AND vegetarian. For those of you that have been searching for such products, you know that they can be very hard to come by.

Well, I have fantastic news! All of you vegetarian and gluten-free friends (and even those of you looking to go “meatless” every so often) your search is over! Some of the products made by Sol Cuisine are exactly what you are looking for.

My favorite products are the Spicy Black Bean Burger (SO delicious, packed with protein and ONLY 90 CALORIES!) and the Organic Veggie Crumbles (So easy & perfect for recipes or with gluten-free sauce served over pasta).

These products are really fantastic tasting. I even had some of my meat-loving family members try them unknowingly and they loved (asked for seconds-love) the “meat sauce” and had no idea… Obviously, not until now – when they read this blog! 😉

I love the fact that the Sol Cuisine products are also easy to find in local grocers. (Want to find a store need you? Check out this link).

Congratulations Sol Cuisine for making such  unbelievably great tasting and easily available vegetarian AND gluten-free products… and for also being selected as this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com!

This week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe is presented to one of the all-time best books I’ve ever received. Although let me mention…  this is not one of those book that you read like a novel. Instead it is one of those “keeper books” that become dog-eared, flipped through, perused, referenced and depended upon for years and years to come. This is one of those books that become a permanent fixture on your kitchen counter.

This book is a sort of chronicle of each and every department, from the grocery aisles to the wine section, of one of the most popular, fan-based and followed supermarkets in the country, Bi-Rite Markets.

The book is co-written by Sam Mogannam and Dabney Gough.  A team that produces the perfect combination of Sam’s food-entrepreneurial brilliance blended with Dabney’s foodie-genius culinary mastermind.

This book takes you through each department of a grocery store, aisle-by-aisle, answering the questions that we all wonder at some point or another: Q: How do I pick the sweetest peaches? A: The dark spot on fruit are areas of concentrated sugars – not a bruise!; Q: Tips for cooking any meat? A: Some pointers are to let the meat come to room temperature and season well with salt & pepper just before cooking, and lubricate your cooking surface with a neutral oil, like grapeseed oil.

Also, included in this cookbook is close to 100 recipes, many of them dishes that are featured in Bi-Rite’s in-house kitchen. I found that many of these recipes are gluten-free and allergen-free (or can be easily modified to be so). Some of my favorites? Brussels Sprouts Salad with Pistachios and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette; or the Apple, Pear Spinach Salad with Walnuts & Blue Cheese. All delicious.

This book is a keeper. Paging through it gets you excited about shopping, the food you eat, and cooking. It gets you wishing you had a neighborhood market owned by a guy like Sam, and a BFF (Best-Friend Foodie) like Dabney. Cheers to the two of you and a job well done!

All these reasons are why this week’s Favorite Friday goes to “Bi-Rite Market’s Eat Good Food”. (Note: Want to get this book for yourself ? Or how about for a perfect gift idea? A hard-cover book for less than $20… Bonus!) Check out this link here on Amazon.com and take advantage of the Super-Saver FREE Shipping!  “Bi-Rite Market’s Eat Good Food” by Sam Mogannam & Dabney Gough

When it comes to a sweet, fast and instantaneous dessert (how is a 1 minute cooking time for ya?) Pamela’s Single-Serve Gluten-Free Brownie Mix takes the cake.

These brownie mixes are perfect for a quick and easy, hot and gooey gluten-free dessert for the moment a mood strikes. No more planning and prepping and mixing and baking and waiting. And waiting. And waiting.

1 minute is all you need!

With these mixes you are able to prepare just one delicious gluten-free dessert. (Side note: Perfect for gals like me that don’t need a whole tray of brownie sitting on the counter and staring at me every time I walk into my kitchen).

The prep on these brownies is simple too. All you need to do is put the mix into a  large cup or bowl, mix in 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of water, mix up and microwave for 1 minute.

Single-serve goodness that is dished up as a perfect hot and gooey gluten-free brownie are the reasons this week’s Friday Favorite goes to Pamela’s products! P.S. No sharing required. =)

Note: Want to buy these single serve brownie packages yourself? Check out these links on Amazon:
Pamela’s Products Chocolate Brownie Mix, 3.5-Ounce Pouch(Pack of 12)
Pamela’s Products Chocolate Brownie Mix, 100-Gram Packages (Pack of 35)

Pamela’s also makes single serve Baking & Pancake Mixes too!
Pamela’s Products Baking & Pancake Mix, 3.5-Ounce Pouch (Pack of 12)
Pamela’s Products Baking & Pancake Mix, 100-Gram Packages (Pack of 35)

This week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe goes to a new product that has recently been developed by one of our favorite gluten-free companies – Goldbaum’s…the folks that offer the Gluten Free Ice Cream Cones (that are also Soy-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free and Peanut-Free too!).

Their new item is a shelf-stable dinner (yes folks… NO refrigeration needed!) that is not only gluten-free, but also free of corn, nuts and soy. The product is also kosher and contains no preservatives.

At first we were a bit leery. A shelf-staple dinner that can be ready in minutes that also tastes good? Is this possible?

And 2 minutes later (the total amount of time it took to cook the Beef Stuffed Cabbage) we discover that not only is it possible – but it’s a reality!

The tomato sauce topping is sweet and flavorful, and the cabbage & filling is just seasoned enough. The portions were hearty and filling, yet there are only 200 calories per package / serving.

These meals are perfect for keeping in your desk or bag for a quick and easy gluten-free meal.

No refrigeration, good taste, convenience, and just 200 calories per meal are ALL the awesome reasons that Goldbaum’s Wonder Meal Beef Stuffed Cabbage is this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com.

Congratulations Goldbaums!

Want to purchase these meals? Check out this link at Amazon.com: Goldbaum’s Wonder Meals: Beef Stuffed Cabbage – Case of 6

For those of you that love popped corn you are going to LOVE this week’s Friday Favorite… Mini Pops Air Popped Sorghum Grain … which is similar to a popcorn – but far, far better!

Mini Pops is air-Popped sorghum grain. When this gluten-free grain is exposed to high heat, the water inside the center of each grain heats up and expands causing the grain to explode… just like popcorn. But unlike popcorn, Mini Pops do not have a hull – those aggravating little buggers that get stuck in teeth and your gums!

Mini Pops are fun to eat and delicious too. Just like popcorn, Mini Pops comes in several flavors including Baby White Cheddar, Cutie Carmel Clusters, Hot & Chilly Chili, Itsy Bitsy Chili Cheese, Itty Bitty Butter, Nano Pepper & Herb, Petite Plain, plus my favorite Subatomic Sea Salt.

If you’re not familiar with sorghum it is fifth most harvested cereal grain in the world. Compared to corn it also has less calories, fat and sodium.

Not only are Mini Pops gluten-free, they are also made in a nut-free facility and free of pesticides or genetic modification.

All these popping good reasons are why this week’s Friday Favorite goes to Mini Pops Air Popped Sorghum Grain! Congratulations!

Sometimes snacks deserve to be a little sassy. Being a sweet snacking gal can get pretty boring sometimes – and there’s nothing like a little zip to pick up afternoon snack time.

That is why I love the Sheffa Snack Mixes. I’ve been a fan of Sheffa ever since I discovered them a couple years back. They’re the type of snack that you wish you had more of once you get to the bottom of the bag.

Sheffa Snack Mixes are just absolutely delicious and unlike any other savory snack I have ever, ever had. In a (good!) way though, this snack is reminiscent of the “oh-so-unhealthy-pretzel-peanut-corn-chip” snack mixes that are served in glass tumblers at bars across the country. BUT… Sheffa Snack Mixes are a gluten-free version that is also far more healthier, tastier and made with only healthy “good for you”  ingredients.  In fact the tagline for Sheffa is “The Best Earth Can Offer”. My favorite variety is the Zesty Snack Mix, made with Crispy chickpea noodles, roasted corn, and toasted seeds that is seasoned to savory perfection.

The other varieties of Sheffa Snacks  are: Spicy (that dishes out a kick of chili), Tasty (with toasted nuts, seeds, and legumes mixed with sweet raisins, tropical fruits, and a hint of chili) & Sweet (featuring coconut-covered roasted almonds and soy nuts mixed with tangy cranberries, sweet papaya and pineapple).

Savory, sassy and one-of-a-kind… this week’s Friday Favorite goes to Sheffa Snacks. Congratulations on being heads above others in the gluten-free snack category!

Want to Buy? Check out these links from Amazon.com. (Bonus: FREE Shipping on orders over $25.00!)
Sheffa Zesty Snack Mix, 6-ounces (Pack of 3)
Sheffa Spicy Snack Mix, 6-Ounce (Pack of 3)
Sheffa Sweet Snack Mix, 7-ounces (Pack of 3)

I admit that I was at first doubtful that these gluten-free ground concoctions of Super Foods would taste good. I know that incorporating flaxseeds into your diet is a great way to add nutritional benefits to my gluten-free diet, and I like flaxseeds well enough. But to actually get “excited” about a flaxseed based product seemed really, really far-fetched to me… that is until I tasted the Linwood’s products.

The concept is simple. Linwood’s has developed a line of Super Food containing products that are like no others that are currently in the market. They have done this by blending ground flax seeds with different combinations of other ground super foods for an unbelievably tasty and versatile healthy product.

Some of the gluten-free combinations that they have come up with include: Ground Flaxseed and Goji Berries; Ground Flaxseeds, Sunflower & Pumpkin Seeds; Ground Flaxseeds, Walnuts, Brazil Nuts, Almonds & Q10; Ground Flaxseeds, Cocoa, Strawberries & Blueberries; and my favorite, Ground Flaxseeds, Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Sesame Seeds & Goji Berries. Linwood’s also offers Organic Ground Flaxseeds and other products too.

Since getting my hands on a bag of this super Super Food, I have enjoyed it so much sprinkled on the top of my yogurt each morning. It adds a nice crunchy, sweet boost that makes my ho-hum yogurt into oh-yum yogurt. I can’t wait to get my hands on a few more bags so I can experiment with the recipes on the Linwood website, as well as try some of my own gluten-free recipes.

This week’s BeFreeForMe.com Friday Favorite goes to Linwood’s Flaxseed Blends for the simple reason of making flaxseeds tasty and … actually FUN! (Yes… it CAN be done!).  Congratulations!

Note: Made in Ireland this product is now available in the USA and should be in stores shortly… ask your stores for it your next visit. Until then I’ll be getting my “Linwood’s flax seed fix” by ordering mine on Amazon.com. Here’s the link: Linwoods Sunflower Pumpkin Sesame Flaxseed, 15-Ounce

Bakery on Main’s newest addition to their gluten-free line-up is a product I truly love. The True Bar.

And loving these bars so much has prompted me to add my own thoughts onto the phrase “Nothing to hide” True Bar’s  tagline .

My addition: “Nothing to hide… but SO much to seek.”

These gluten-free bars are made with natural ingredients and are a perfect choice for those seeking out a quick on-the-go snack. True Bars are also also a good source of fiber and Omega 3, made with many low-GI ingredients, non- GMO, dairy and casein free. Low in sodium and with no transfat or cholesterol, these bars are also certified gluten free and Kosher Parve.

Chew, yet crunchy, True Bars come in six fun, interesting and tantalizing flavors: Apricot Almond Chai, Walnut Cappuccino, Fruit & Nut, Hazelnut Chocolate Cherry, Raspberry Chocolate Almond and my personal favorite, Coconut Cashew. Nothing boring about these bars!

So seek them out for yourselves and see why this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe goes to Bakery on Main’s new Truebars!

Note: Enjoy FREE shipping on the Truebar’s for a limited time. Individual bars or by the sleeve of twelve for a 25% saving!