Be Free For Me Blog

This time of year when the weather is hot, and the afternoons get lazy, I like to grab a glass of fresh-brewed, chilled and iced tea.

But sometimes, my days get crazy and I don’t have the time to brew a pitcher early in the morning to have it chilled and ready-to-pour when my afternoon break time rolls around.

That is why I am so glad I discovered Pacific Natural Foods Simply Tea, a convenient tea that is clean, crisp and ready to be poured.

The best part about Pacific Natural Foods Simply Tea is that it tastes just like the real fresh brewed tea I make myself. Plus it is organic, and is from Fair Trade Certified green tea. A great source of antioxidants, this tea comes in five great gluten-free flavors: Unsweetened, Peach, Kiwi Mango, Wild Berry, and Tangerine. Normally, I would reach for the unsweetened tea, but in my favorite is the Peach – which tastes like fresh brewed tea with a hint of juicy garden fresh peaches.

I also like that the Simply Tea comes in an eco-friendly aseptic packaging that doesn’t need to be refrigerated until opening. Plus, it locks out air and light for added freshness. This way, just in case you don’t drink this refreshing tea all in one sitting, you’ll always get a more flavorful, fresher tasting tea.

Fresh, full-of-flavor, and just like real home-brewed, but without the hassle, are all the reasons why Pacific Natural Foods Simply Tea is BeFreeForMe’s Friday Favorite.

I just discovered my new all-time favorite Lara Bar variety: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip.

Chewy, nutty and sweet, this brand new Lara Bar flavor reminds me of eating rich chocolate ice cream with chocolate chips, drizzled with tons and tons of peanut butter sauce. Although this is not a bar I would eat for breakfast, it is the perfect gluten-free and good-for-you snack when you are looking for something sweet for a mid-day pick-me-up, or after a meal as a substitute gluten-free (and guilt free) dessert.

I love that the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Lara Bar has only 4 ingredients: Dates, Peanuts, Chocolate Chips and Salt. A simple snack that truly knocks your socks off.

Simple, pure and tasty snacking. All these sweet reasons are why Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Lara Bar’s are this week’s BeFreeForMe Friday favorite pick.

I heard the buzz start several months ago. People were chatting, blogging and spreading gluten-free love about the most unbelievable bread they have ever tasted. I thought that it was just hype, gluten-free hysteria gone viral. In the back of my mind, I thought, “Really Folks…. Come on, R-E-A-L-L-Y?  How can gluten-free bread taste JUST like the real deal?”

But after trying Udi’s White Sandwich bread it was love at first slice.

Udi’s not only taste different than other gluten-free breads, it looks and feels different than other gluten-free breads too. Why, you ask, is Udi’s different than other gluten-free breads? Let me list some of the ways:

It can not be confused with a cinder block: The first think I noticed is the weight of a loaf of Udi’s bread. It’s light as air and picking it up doesn’t take two hands, and more muscle than one can muster… or is worth. 

Udi’s gluten-free bread is dairy, nut and soy free too: Great for everyone with multiple allergies.

Light, fluffy texture: This is the most important pointer in this list. The texture is like real white bread, soft and airy. Use it for sandwiches, French Toast or butter and jam. The list is endless – which brings up the next point…

Perfect for dipping into herbed olive oil: I miss bread that is capable of dipping into and soaking up perfectly herbed good quality olive oil. Thank you Udi for giving me back this simple pleasure.

No Defrosting: With Udi’s planning to have a piece of toast in the morning or a quick sandwich mid-day doesn’t require defrosting bread the night before. With Udi’s you take the loaf out of the freezer and easily pop-off (no chiseling off each slice with a knife) the bread slices. Place them on the counter for only about 5 minutes for a perfect piece of fresh bread. Simple.

Toasts-up perfect: Udi’s bread toasts-up even and light brown, and keeps soft in the middle. Toasting perfection.

The heels are even good: Yup. I even eat the heels of Udi’s gluten-free breads. Toasting them up and adding a smear of peanut butter is a perfect snack. Enjoying the heels of any loaf of bread is the ultimate compliment, and a reminder to buy two loaves next time instead of one. 

All these reasons are why Udi’s Gluten-Free Bread is this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com. Give Udi’s a try and you’ll see for yourself, why you’ll be hooked after the first slice too.

Sometimes you just feel like a little cookie. Just a little bit of something to satisfy your sweet tooth.

That’s when I reach for a Orgran Dinosaur Whole Fruit Cookies.

Packed with 25%  fruit, these vegan gluten-free cookies also contain no cane sugar and have less than 5% fat content. They are also free of nuts, soy, egg, yeast and dairy.

These fun little fruit-packed Orgran gluten-free cookies are BeFreeForMe’s Friday Favorite because they are small enough for little hands, but satisfying enough for the big kids.

Trust me… these cookies will never become extinct from your families favorites list.

Now on SALE at Amazon.com: Buy some now! Orgran Dinosaur Wholefruit Cookies, Wildbery Flavour, (8 pack) 6.2-Ounce Boxes

The buttery and sweet shortbread cookie is a cookie that I love.

That’s why I was so excited to find Orgran’s Premium Shortbread Hearts. Petite and fittingly heart-shaped, these gluten and dairy free cookies taste every bit as good as the shortbread cookies I remember prior to going gluten-free.

These traditional shortbread biscuit cookies are made without the butter and gluten of traditional shortbread cookies, but you won’t even miss it. Plus, besides being gluten and dairy free these cookies are also vegetarian, and casein-free.

The Orgran Shortbread Hearts receive this week’s Friday Favorite honor since they are just so lovable. Made for sharing with a friend, over a fresh brewed pot of tea, enjoy these heart-shaped cookies over some good conversation and company. Sweet.

Want to try some Orgran’s Shortbread Hearts? Check them out on Amazon.com:
Orgran Shortbread Hearts, 5.2-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 7)

Cheese, Cheese, I love Cheese!

Cheese is such an awesome go-to snack. Full of protein, healthy and satisfying, it seems that I am always reaching for a piece of cheese when I get hungry and need a bit of protein to hold me over until my next meal.

But what is a girl like me who is always on the run to do? Just The Cheese Crunchy Baked Natural Cheese Snacks to the rescue!

These crispy little snacks are almost too cheesy to be true! Made of 100% real Wisconsin Cheese with a sprinkle of seasonings, these gluten-free, and MSG free snacks are just what a cheese-loving gluten free gal like me loves.

At only 75 calories per pack, with 1 gram of carbs (ideal for those on a low-carb diet) these are snacks that I can feel good about crunching on.

Good taste, good for you and tons of cheesiness are all of the reasons that Just the Cheese Crunchy Baked Cheese Snacks are being recognized as this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com.

Fiber, Fiber, Fiber. Everyone needs their fiber! But many people, especially those with celiac disease, on a gluten free diet, or those with other various food allergies, understand that getting the minerals, vitamins, protein and fiber your body needs can be real tough.

That is why I am pleased to announce the Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe this week is Hodgson Mill’s Milled Flax Seed.

Flax seeds are a fantastic and versatile way to get a daily dose of fiber. Plus they are gluten and allergen free, all natural, and contain no sugar, cholesterol, trans fat or salt.

I like to stir a couple of tablespoon into my yogurt or blend some into a fruity smoothie, for a filling and satisfying breakfast or mid-day snack.

And according to the folks at Hodgson Mills, flax seeds can also be used as a fat substitute in most recipes. Generally, 3 tablespoons of milled flax seed can replace 1 tablespoon of fat or oil. Also, 1 tablespoon of milled flax seeds, mixed with 3 tablespoons of water can replace 1 egg.

Nutritious, fiber-filled and so very versatile are the reasons why Hodgson Mill’s Milled Flax Seeds get this week’s Friday Favorite honors.

Fiber up!

Happy Friday… Happy Memorial Day…  And Happy Summer everyone!

Summer is officially here and it is time to slow-down on the baking and dig into some nice cool refreshing desserts!

One of my new favorite finds is Ciao Bella Gelatos & Sorbets. For those of you who don’t know what a gelato is, it is an Italian style ice-cream that contains less butterfat and less air by volume. Most of the Ciao Bella Flavors are gluten-free; and their sorbets are dairy-free and fat-free too. 

The knock your socks off flavors that Ciao Bella has come up with makes it so very difficult to select just one while standing at your grocer’s freezer. My solution? Buy two!

Some of the flavors they offer are: Triple Espresso, Chocolate Jalapeno, Roasted Hazelnut, Pistachio and Honey Toasted Pecan. My favorite? Believe it or not… the Tahitian Vanilla. I am usually not a “vanilla” type of gal, but I love the deep intense authentic vanilla essence of this gelato, combined with the specs of real vanilla beans in every cool spoonful.

Ciao Bella also offers sorbets for those looking for a dairy/lactose and gluten free dessert. Some of the distinctive flavors of the sorbets are: Lemon Zest Sorbet, Sicilian Blood Orange (which was featured on Oprah’s Favorite Things show!) and Prickly Pear.

I haven’t tried all of the Ciao Bella flavors yet, but plan on making this a goal to accomplish this summer! Note: No need to wish me luck.

Fantastic flavors, tastes that tantalize and ingredients that intrigue are all the fabulous reasons why Ciao Bella Gelatos and Sorbets take this weeks honors of BeFreeForMe’s Friday Favorite!

Sometimes it’s the little things that bring the most joy to your life… and to me finding Gluten-free red licorice was one of those “life is good” moments.

One of the things I missed the most after going gluten-free was red licorice. The sad day I discovered that my beloved red licorice twists contained gluten I remember thinking, “who in the world would have EVER thought that red licorice contained gluten?”

That is why I was so very excited when the folks over at Candy Tree heard about my licorice demise and straight-away sent to the BeFreeForMe offices a big package jam-packed with Candy Tree Gluten Free Red Licorice twists and ropes!

Gluten-free joy for me!

Plus, the Candy Tree products are 100% organic and contain no added sugar. At zero-grams of fat per serving, and only 143 calories for about 7 twists – this is a gluten-free candy treat that I don’t feel guilty about enjoying! The ingredients are simple too: Organic corn syrup, organic rice flour, organic rice starch, organic concentrated fruit juices and organic fruit flavors. Nothing artificial and nothing I can’t pronounce. I like that.

Thanks Candy Tree for making red licorice gluten-free for me! Life is indeed good!

Note: Many BeFreeForMe Members have contacted us on how to buy the products featured on the website and blog. Starting today we will offer links to “buy” these products on Amazon.com, if available. Be sure to check out the Super-Saver Shipping offered on orders of $25 and more!

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It’s no trick… Glutino Chocolate Covered Wafer Cookies are a fantastic replacement for all of us Twix candy bar lovers that are now on a gluten free diet!

I have a couple of favorite candy bars and Twix is one of them. But they are loaded with gluten. That’s why I was so excited to have found these gluten-free cookies (aka: Twix substitute) from Glutino.

They come in two varieties: Milk Chocolate covered chocolate or vanilla wafers. I personally like the vanilla covered wafers the best, but for all the chocolate lovers out there, you may want to reach for the double chocolate variety.

And these cookies are also great in recipes. Looking for a chocolate pie crust? Then check out this recipe made with the Chocolate Wafer cookies. 

Because they are fantastic replacement for one of my favorite candy bars; taste so good that non-gluten-free folks love’em too, and because they make the best Chocolate Crumb Crust, are the reasons why Glutino Chocolate Covered Wafer Cookies receive the honors of this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe!

No Twix! Just Treats!