Be Free For Me Blog

Yup! You heard it right Gluten-Free ORZO! One of things I’ve missed the most since eating gluten-free is Orzo… those tiny little pastas that are excellent in cold salads, soups and stuffed peppers.

I discovered DeLallo Gluten-Free Orzo (and their yummy other gluten-free pastas) at the ExpoWest trade show that I visited in Los Angeles this month.

The DeLallo gluten-free pasta is made with the “the finest raw ingredients sourced from Northern Italy”. They also take special care to make sure the gluten-free pasta, which is a blend of corn and rice, is milled for  full-flavor and the perfect “al dente” bite, that we all know can be so hard to achieve with many other gluten-free pastas.

One of my favorite recipes to make with Orzo is this Olive & Feta Orzo Salad. It is perfect for the first day of Spring!

All of these reasons are why I am so happy to announce DeLallo Gluten-Free Pasta as this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com. Congratulations!

We all know that veggies are good for you, an important part of a well-rounded gluten-free diet, and they taste great too. But what is often hard is getting kids to believe that too.

If you have or know any children that have a hard time embracing veggies in their mealtime, the new children’s book “The Rootlets: Super Rootabilities” is for you and your little ones. Launching just in time for National Nutrition Month (March), this book is written by Vicki Marquez, a certified health coach, wellness expert, and plant based chef. Her mission is to get kids to re-think veggies as being a cool, and a tasty addition to meal time – and to break the stigma that healthy living is boring.

And she has accomplished this mission with this book.

The Rootlets are a cast of fun-loving and veggie-loving characters that are the super-heroes of healthy eating. The cast’s entertaining names (Brocc, Kaley, Carrotina and Cornelius), the bright and colorful illustrations and the thrilling plot of the story make this book a read-again favorite. This 40 page soft back book is perfect for kids aged 4 to 9.

And lucky for us, Vicki Marquez and her new book “The Rootlets: Super Rootabilities” is sponsoring this Win-It-Wednesday on BeFreeForMe.com!

A total of two (yes, 2!) BeFreeForMe.com members will be randomly selected to win a copy of this new children’s book.  One (1) winner will be randomly selected from the entries received before Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at 11:59 PM EST, and one (1) more winner will be randomly selected to win from the entries received between Wednesday, March 18 and Tuesday, March 24, 2015 at 11:59PM. SO – make sure you enter two times to win!

How can you win?

Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us your favorite veggie OR who you would share/give this book too!

Good luck, remember to root for vegetables… and, as always …

Be Free!

PS: Want to learn more? Check out “The Rootlets” Facebook and Twitter pages!

I was thrilled this past week when I found a new gluten-free frozen meal in my conventional grocers frozen case… and it taste good too!

Self Healthy Kitchen frozen meals are developed by Self Magazine whose mission is to help people live a healthy, happy life. According to their website, “For years our readers have expressed a need for quick meals that they can feel good about, so we teamed up with Benevida Foods to create SELF Healthy Kitchen, a line of healthy, delicious frozen foods made with simple, natural ingredients. Each minimally processed entrée contains no artificial ingredients and is huge on flavor.” The meal is also all natural, contains no artificial ingredients, and is minimally processed.

All the varieties of Self Healthy Kitchen are not gluten-free, but the one variety that is gluten-free is the Grilled Drunken Chicken, a dish consisting of grilled chicken topped in a sweet tequila sauce with brown rice blended with kale, cherries and pumpkin seeds. Delicious!

Congrats and cheers to Self Healthy Kitchen’s Grilled Drunken Chicken for being chosen as this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com!

PS: Want to find out where to buy? Click on this link to find a retailer near you!

Naked Edge Snack’s Veggie-Go’s could quite possible be the absolute best snack-on-the-go.

Portable, tasty and full of all things good, Veggie-Go’s make you feel good about snacking.

Veggie-Go’s are similar to a fruit strip but are made from whole, organic fruits & veggies. They are also gluten-free, Non-GMO and certified organic.

The flavors are unique and tantalizing. Perfect for adults, but loved by kids too. My favorite is the Sweet Potato Pie, a sweet blend of Sweet potatoes, apples and spices, that reminds me of Thanksgiving Day. Other flavors offered are: Mountain Berry Spinach, Cinnamon Spice Beet, Carrot Ginger, and the newest addition, TropiKale, a delicious marriage of tropical fruits of kiwi, guava and mango with nutrient-dense kale, pumpkin, and apple.

Cheers and congratulations for Naked Edge Snack’s Veggie-Go’s for being awarded this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com!

Good things do indeed come in small batches. An example of this is Urban Raccoon snack bars. These bars only contain high-quality, good-for-you ingredients that are only made in small batches – unlike most gluten-free snack bars made by larger corporations.

Urban Raccoon snack bars are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, GMO-free and vegan. They are made with organic amaranth and blended with only finest & natural ingredients, such as nuts, chia seeds and fruit.

And the flavors of Urban Raccoon snack bars are mouth-wateringly delicious: Peanut Chocolate, Banana Chocolate (my favorite!), Coconut Chocolate, Cherry Chocolate Chia, Cranberry Maple Almond and the limited-edition and special order, Apricot Cherry. Three of flavors (Peanut Chocolate, Banana Chocolate, & Coconut Chocolate) are made with organic coconut nectar, a lower glycemic natural ingredient binder that is essentially the sap of the coconut tree... Yet another example of using only the highest quality and natural ingredients.

Ohhh… and another thing I love about Urban Raccoon is the “back story” of how it started!  The founder of Urban Raccoon Bars, Brad Indoe, originally started the company out of the personal need for better tasting and better for you gluten-free snack bars. Being gluten-intolerant, Brad wanted a bar that he could bring along with him to work, the gym, and when he traveled. However, the bar needed to be nutritious, satisfying and tasty. However, all the bars that he tried were massively produced “cookie-cutter” bars made by huge conglomerates that contained non-nutritious ingredients and cheap ingredients like rice products. As a result of Brad’s need (as well as every other gluten-free person out there!), Urban Raccoon was founded. Thank you, Brad. =)

And to make the story even super-cooler, the maple syrup used in the Cranberry Maple Almond flavor is from Brad’s family’s farm!

And lucky for us, Urban Raccoon gluten-free snack bars is sponsoring this Win-It-Wednesday on BeFreeForMe.com!

A total of two (yes, 2!) BeFreeForMe.com members will be randomly selected to win a prize pack of these small-batch, nutritious and tasty snack bars.  One (1) winner will be randomly selected from the entries received before Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at 11:59 PM EST, and one (1) more winner will be randomly selected to win from the entries received between Wednesday, March 4 and Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at 11:59PM. SO – make sure you enter two times to win!

How can you win?

Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us what Urban Raccoon snack bar looks the best to you!

Good luck, keep it healthy & tasty… and, as always …

Be Free!

There is nothing better than a Valentine Day gift that is handmade with love. A gift that is overflowing with love and sweetness. A gift that is made from the heart – and it shows.

Bello Treats is a sweet that is perfect for a gift for your sweetie, or even bought for yourself. Perfect for gifting, or even an everyday indulgence, Bello Treats are gluten-free and have no additives, preservatives and contain high-quality, yet simple, all-natural ingredients.

Discovering Bello Treats has been one of my best gluten-free finds in a long time. Handmade with love by Amanda Bellone, these treats originally pop into my gluten-free radar when discovered at my local farmers market.

Amanda is a Brazilian native and created Bello Treats to introduce her beloved authentic Brazilian Brigadeiro. Commonly known as “brigs”, Briigadeiros (pronounced: bree-gah-day-ro) are a traditional Brazilian treat that’s found at most parties, bakeries and grocery stores in Brazil.

These creamy, silky and soft fudgy treats are to die for! Made with sweetened condensed milk,  a touch of butter, and  Belgium chocolates and other fresh ingredients such as fresh shredded coconut or walnuts, these treats melt in your mouth. Creamy and rich, it’s difficult to eat just one.

These delicious treats are true masterpieces. Hand-crafted in small batches, these artesian-style confections are the gourmet answer to satisfy any sweet tooth. My favorite variety is the Happily Married, a soft and creamy milk chocolate andwhite fudge. But other yummy flavors include the Coconut Kiss, topped with shredded coconut; Almond, topped with shredded almonds; Carnival, a kid’s favorite featuring colored chocolate sprinkles; Fun Chocolate Chip, smothered with chocolate chips, and the Traditional Brig, milk chocolate fudge with chocolate sprinkles.

And lucky for us, just in time for Valentine’s Day, Bello Snacks is sponsoring this Win-It-Wednesday on BeFreeForMe.com.

A total of two (yes, 2!) BeFreeForMe.com members will be randomly selected to win a prize pack of these oh so delicious treats.  One (1) winner will be randomly selected from the entries received before Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at 11:59 PM EST, and one (1) more winner will be randomly selected to win from the entries received between Wednesday, February 18 and Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at 11:59PM. SO – make sure you enter two times to win!

How can you win?

Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us what variety of Bello Treats looks the best to you!

Good luck, be sweet… and, as always …

Be Free!

This week’s Friday Favorite is a fun snack that is in a portable pack… Mamma Chia’s Squeeze.

This squeezable snack is easy to love. This all natural snack is packed with organic chia seeds, fruits & vegetables resulting in a snack pack that is perfect for everyone – of all ages. Chia Squeezes are also packed with fiber, protein and 1200 milligrams of essential Omega-3s. They are also only 70-80 calories per pouch and not only gluten-free, but vegan too.

They come in a variety of flavors including Strawberry Banana, Apple Cinnamon, Mango Coconut, Blackberry Bliss, Wild Raspberry, and my favorite, Green Magic – a magical blend of Chia, Bananas and Mangos, blended with Kale, Spirulina and Chlorella…. Delicious!

All these healthy, tasty and convenient reasons are why this week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Mamma Chia’s Chia Squeeze. Congratulations!

When you hear the words “Cookie Dough Ice Cream” you imagine an ice cream that is packed with gluten and dairy. Now… thanks to So Delicious you can enjoy one of our favorite ice cream flavors FREE of these two culprits.

The So Delicious Cookie Dough “Ice Cream” is vanilla coconut based and packed with cookie dough chunks and chocolate shavings. I love eating it on a gluten-free ice cream cone, or in a bowl drizzled with chocolate sauce. And if the Cookie-Dough flavor is not your thing, So Delicious also has other gluten and dairy free varieties such as Cherry Amaretto, Chocolate, Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl, Green Tea and Pomegranate Chip and Coconut.

This week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to So Delicious because they let all of us gluten and dairy free folks satisfy our cookie-dough cravings. Thank you SO Delicious!

This week’s Win-It-Wednesday is in honor of the upcoming Super Bowl Sunday show-down coming up this weekend! The Super Bowl is all about football, and let’s face it… snacking!

Some of our favorite snacks over here at BeFreeForMe are dips and spreads. Sure, we are able to smear and spread these dips on carrot and celery sticks, but gluten-free crackers are so much better. And three of our favorite gluten-free cracker brands will be included in the prize pack for this Win-It-Wednesday compliments of BeFreeForMe.com

What are these three brands? Blue Diamond Nut-Thins, Mary Gone Crackers, and Mediterranean Snacks Hummuz Crackers. All of these brands are gluten-free and found in most larger grocery stores.

Blue Diamond Crackers are loaded with nutritious almonds (or pecans) and are baked to a crispy crunch. With 2-3 grams of protein per serving, these crackers are my favorite with cheese and crackers or paired with our Pimento Cheese Dip. My favorite flavor? The traditional Hint of Sea Salt.

Mary Gone Crackers are not only gluten-free, but also organic, non-GMO, soy free and vegan. These whole grain crackers come in a bunch of flavors that can tantalize any taste-bud. One of our go-to favorites snacking combos is the Hot & Spicy Jalapeno Mary Gone Crackers with our Layered Mexican Dip.

Last, but not least, are Mediterranean Snacks Hummuz Crackers. Made with real Garbanzo beans, these crackers pack a healthy protein punch. I love the Olive Tapenade Hummuz Crackers paired with our Goat Cheese & Olive Spread, or our Feta Cheese Dip. These crackers are a must try!

All of these wonderful gluten-free snacking ideas make this week’s Win-It-Wednesday a delicious reason to enter to win!

A total of two (yes, 2!) BeFreeForMe.com members will be randomly selected to win a variety prize pack of these crackers! One (1) winners will be randomly selected from the entries received before Tuesday, February 3, 2015 at 11:59 PM EST, and one (1) more winner will be randomly selected to win from the entries received between Wednesday, February 4 and Tuesday, February 10, 2015 at 11:59PM. SO – make sure you enter two times to win!

How can you win?

Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us what gluten-free cracker is YOUR favorite (is it one of the three listed above… or do you have another favorite we need to know about?)

Good luck, it’s ok to be a little crackers…  and, as always …

Be Free!

Snacking. Snacking. Snacking. I love the word. I love the way it sounds, and what it means. There’s nothing like a good snack to hold your hunger over between meals. But often it is hard to find a good healthy, tasty AND gluten-free snack.

That is why I love Popcorn Indiana. And in honor of National Popcorn Day on Monday, January 19^th (yes… this truly is a nationally recognized day!) this Win-It-Wednesday is all about a popping good and a-maize-ing snack… Popcorn Indiana.

Popcorn is a good for you snack. It is a whole grain, and compared to most snack foods, low in calories. And with the knock-your-socks off flavors that Popcorn Indiana offers it is one heck of a super tasty snack too!

And the best part is that Popcorn Indiana’s popcorn is gluten-free including their Classic popcorn varieties (which include American Cheese, Caramel, Kettle Corn, Move Theater, Aged White Cheddar, Cinnamon Sugar, and Sea Salt and the newest varieties, Hatch Chili Cheese and Sriracha); The Fit Popcorn variety each with only 37 calories per cup and Biggest Loser Approved (Sea Salt, Olive Oil, Parmesan & Herb, and Real Butter) and the Limited Edition Drizzle popcorn, since what goes better with popcorn than chocolate (Black & White Chocolate Drizzle, Dark Fudge Sea Salt Caramel, Dark Fudge Chocolate Chip or Chocolate Peanut Butter)?

I am so excited that this week’s Win-It-Wednesday sponsor is the healthy and tasty Popcorn Indiana! A total of two (yes, 2!) BeFreeForMe.com members will be randomly selected to win a variety prize pack of Popcorn Indiana! One (1) winners will be randomly selected from the entries received before Tuesday, January 20, 2015 at 11:59 PM EST, and one (1) more winner will be randomly selected to win from the entries received between Wednesday, January 21 and Tuesday, January 27, 2015 at 11:59PM. SO – make sure you enter two times to win!

How can you win?

Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us which Popcorn Indiana flavor looks the best to you! (Me? I love the sweet Cinnamon & Sugar and the savory Fit Olive Oil!)

Good luck, Happy National Popcorn Day and, as always …

Be Free!

P.S. Want to keep poppin’ with the lastest and greatest over at Popcorn Indiana? Make sure you follow them on their Facebook Page and Twitter page!