Be Free For Me Blog

With the Fall season here the easy-going schedules of summer are a thing of the past. It seems that as soon as Labor Day is over, my schedule gets super-busy and I am again on the go… running here and running there.

That is why I’m a fan of Gluten-Free Café meals. A quick few minutes in the microwave, and lunch or dinner is done.

One of my favorite varieties is the Pasta Primavera. Featuring rice noodles, along with zucchini, carrots, green beans and red bell peppers tossed with a cheesy sauce. It’s light and tasty and only 270 calories per package / serving.

Convenience on-the-go and tasty gluten-free  choices (other entrée choices include Asian Noodles, Fettuccini Alfredo and Lemon Basil Chicken) are the reasons why this week’s BeFreeForMe’s Friday Favorite goes to Gluten Free Café’s Frozen Entrees. Cheers!

This week’s BeFreeForMe’s Friday Favorite goes to a new product that is made by a trustworthy and well known gluten and allergen-free food manufacturer, Enjoy Life Foods.

The new product…. Drum-roll please….. CrUnChY Chocolate Chip Cookies! I love these cookies because they remind me of the ever-so-popular Chocolate Chip cookies that my Mom use to pack in our lunchboxes.

Crunchy and full of chocolate chips these gluten, dairy and nut-free cookies are packed with a snap!

Perfect for dunking in milk (yes.. they have been tested and hold-up phenomenally well), as a lunch box treat, or even as a midnight indulgence, these Enjoy Life Crunchy Chocolate Chip cookies are a keeper and this week’s BeFreeForMe’s Friday Favorite honoree.

So snap to it and pick-up a package of these crunchy and snappy delights and give them a try yourself!

Want to try these cookies? Buy them on Amazon.com today!  Here’s the link: Enjoy Life Chocolate Chip Crunchy Cookie, 7-Ounce (Pack of 6)

Although the tag line for Little Duck Organics  is “Tiny Organic Snacks For Tiny Fingers” I and everyone else here at the BeFreeForMe.com offices decided that “big fingers” can call these organic snacks a favorite too!

Little Duck Organics makes organic tiny fruit snacks that contain no preservatives or additives, are gluten-free and NON-GMO project certified and are perfect for little ones fingers to pick up and also eat, since they’ll dissolve quickly in a toddler’s mouth.

These tiny little bites of freeze-dried fruit are tasty and fun. And even though they are made for kids, all the “big kids” here at the BeFreeForMe offices loved them for snacking too.

Available in three delicious flavor combos, including Apple-Banana, Blueberry-Apple and Strawberry-Mango this 13 calorie per serving snack has become one of our recent favorite afternoon pick-me-ups…. As well as this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com. Congratulations!

Want to Buy? Check out Little Duck Organics on Amazon.com:Little Duck Organics Strawberry Mango Freeze Dried Fruit, 1-Ounce Pouches (Pack of 12)

This week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe goes to The Really Great Food Company. In particular, their ever-so-delicious Lemon Poppy Cake Mix.

This mix bakes up a moist and soft… like homemade. This is the kind of cake that you can bake-up, serve and  have the non-gluten-free eaters ask for seconds too.

The Really Great Food Company Baking Mixes are not only gluten-free, but also nut-free, casein-free, dairy-free and soy-free. They are made in a gluten and nut-free facility as well.

This cake is a perfect dessert or served at any brunch. Top it  with a lemon glaze or fresh strawberries and you can make it “your own” and extra-scrumptiously delicious.

Where to buy, you ask? This gluten-free Lemon Poppy Cake Mix can be brought on The Really Great Food website, or in a store near you.

Free of many common allergens, convenient and delicious are the reasons this week’s BeFreeForMe Friday Favorite is awarded to The Really Great Food Company Baking Mixes. Congratulations!

I’m all for a big juicy burger straight from the grill, but recently I’ve been trying to eat meat-free at least a few times a week. The question is what is a burger-loving gluten-free gal to cook up?

Sunshine Veggie Burgers to the rescue!

I’ve found that most veggie burgers are packed with gluten. But Sunshine Veggie Burgers are free of gluten, and also contain no soy. Sunshine Burgers also contain sunflower seeds and Lundberg Family Farms brown rice.

My favorite Sunshine Burger is the Southwest variety, but they also come in Original, Garden Herb and Barbecue varieties too. I haven’t checked them out yet, but Sunshine Burger also makes a Falafel and a Breakfast patty as well.

No Meat and No Gluten – but tons of flavor are the reasons why this week Friday Favorite is presented to Sunshine Burgers.

Shine on!

I am a huge fan of quinoa, but to be truthfully sometimes I don’t have the time, or the energy, to cook up a batch and transform this gluten-free grain into something magnificently delicious.

That is why I was thrilled to discover cocomama Quinoa Cereal.

This creamy, yet slightly crunchy, gluten-free cereal can be served hot… or cold… although I prefer to have my cocomama served piping hot. And besides the delicious taste, another beauty of this product is the packaging – Each serving comes in its own BPA-free microwavable pouch that allows you to have your breakfast ready in just minutes. No water, no mixing, no stirring… no mess. Can you say simple?

And the ingredients are so simple too: coconut milk, banana, organic quinoa, maple syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla, sea salt. I love that all the ingredients are ones I have in my own cupboards. What a great way to start the day!

My favorite flavor is the Banana-Cinnamon. Reminiscent of fresh banana bread right out of the oven, this hot cereal tantalizes your senses with notes of pure maple syrup and fresh vanilla. A breakfast keeper!

All the cocomama cereal, including the Banana-Cinnamon, and the two other flavors – Orange Cranberry and Wild Blueberry – are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free and vegetarian. They are also made with real fruit, and supply a healthy dose of protein and fiber.

Convenience, health and good taste are all the reasons why this week’s BeFreeForMe’s Friday Favorite goes to cocomama Quinoa Cereal.

coco-gratulations!

This week’s Friday Favorite, Wild Thyme Chili Ginger Honey Marinade, was introduced to me by one of my old college buddies that knows me too well.

I have never been a huge fan of salmon, but my friend convinced me that her gluten-free preparation of a salmon steak would result in a slightly spicy, yet sweet, moist and almost caramelized salmon steak that would melt in my mouth and have me adding the dish to me weekday supper repertoire.

And as with any good friend she knows me better than I sometimes know myself, and she was right.

The Wild Thyme Chili Ginger Honey Marinade is a must have in any busy gluten-free kitchen.  After checking out the Wild Thyme website I discovered that they also have more gluten-free items, including two more marinades: New Orleans Creole and Tropical Mango Lime (can’t wait to try this one with blackened scallops); and also salad refreshers and dipping sauces.

It’s important to note that although this marinade is a bit pricier than others I have bought, a little goes a long, long way… so just one bottle can be used  for many gluten-free meals.

Full of flavor, ease of use and making me a lover of salmon are all the reasons why this week’s BeFreeForMe’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Wild Thyme’s Chili Ginger Honey Marinade. Cheers!

To buy this marinade on Amazon.com, click on this link: Wild Thymes Chili Ginger Honey Marinade

Looking for a quick squeeze that’s gluten & allergen-free – but full of fruity goodness? Look no further than GoGo Squeez Applesauce on the go.

These ingenious little pouches of unsweetened apple sauce are perfect for little tikes (Note: the website states the GoGo squeeZ pack has a small cap that makes it unsuitable for unsupervised children under 36 months. For kids under 3, they recommend that you remove the cap and keep it away from your child) but also are handy-dandy low-cal snacks  for the “big kids” too.

They also come in five yummy flavors: Apple-Apple, Apple-Banana, Apple-Cinnamon, Apple-Strawberry and Apple-Peach.

I threw a couple of these ice cold pouches into my beach cooler last week and was able to enjoy a 100% fruit snack without the fuss of a spoon or mess. All this – plus they are gluten and allergen-free too.

So if you’re looking for a little squeeze in your life, check out this week’s BeFreeForMe Friday Favorite – GoGo squeeZ applesauce on the go!

Want to buy? Check out this link on Amazon.com and take advantage of FREE Super-Saver Shipping too! GoGo Squeez appleapple, Applesauce on the Go, 3.2-Ounce Pouches (Pack of 48)

When summer is here, I can’t help but want to whip-up good gluten-free dishes with fresh from the garden ingredients. Fresh herbs, vegetables and some good quality olive oil make a fantastic salad – but throw in some fresh Mozzarella Cheese and I have myself a meal.

One of my favorite mozzarella cheeses is made by Belgioioso. My favorite recipe using this cheese is simple – Cubed mozzarella and fresh tomatoes, thin slivers of fresh basil leaves, all tossed with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, fresh cracked pepper and sea salt. So simple –  but so yummy.

The Belgioioso website also suggests other ways to enjoy their mozzarella including marinating their Fresh Mozzarella balls or cubes in minced garlic, fresh chopped basil, fresh chopped oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and white wine vinegar for at least three hours then serving as a part of your antipasto platter; or topping a roast beef sandwich with roasted red peppers and a slice of their fresh mozzarella, drizzled with olive oil. Yum. This sounds like a delicious sandwich using my gluten-free bread.

According to the Belgioioso website all of their products are gluten-free. So dig in this summer and toss a little mozzarella in with your fresh garden vegetables.

Congratulations Belgioioso Cheese for being chosen as this week’s BeFreeForMe’s Friday Favorite!

Just-Like-I-Remember, Pizza-Party-Deliciousness are the words that come to mind when I think of Gillian’s Foods Pizza Dough Mix.

Better than any pizza parlor around this gluten-free pizza dough is my pick when it comes to pizza… gluten-free style.

Another bonus of Gillian’s Foods products is that they are manufactured in a gluten and nut free environment and their products are dairy free too.

A few of my favorite toppings for these pizza crusts are Barbeque sauce, grilled chicken, mixed cheeses and caramelized onions or my old stand-by tomato sauce, basil, fresh mozzarella and fresh sliced tomatoes.

Any way you top it this pizza dough mix is a must-have  for anyone on a gluten-free (and dairy-free) diet.

Congrats Gillian’s Foods for being chosen this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com!