Be Free For Me Blog

One of the things that people who are starting a gluten-free diet tell me they most the most is stuffed pasta… raviolis, pierogies, and stuffed shells.

That is when I direct them to the Conte’s Gluten-Free Pasta to check out the delicious gluten-free pasta that is made the old-fashioned way – but free of gluten.

I love the Conte’s Gluten-Free Cheese Raviolis. I always have a bag of these raviolis in my freezer ready for a quick and easy dinner.  It’s a cinch to a boil up some hot water, pop in a few raviolis.  Add a fresh tossed salad and top the hot raviolis with some fresh made pesto and my dinner is as good, if not better, than any Italian restaurant in the North end of Boston.
Delizioso!

Quick and easy restaurant quality raviolis and other gluten-free  pastas are why this week’s Friday favorite honors on BeFreeForMe.com goes to Conte’s Pasta Company!

NOTE: FREE Super-Saver Shipping on Conte’s Gluten-Free Pasta on Amazon.com! Here’s the link: Conte’s Gluten Free Cheese Ravioli, 12-Ounce Bags (Pack of 3)

When I was a little girl, I can remember my Mom using Bisquick for every thing… from pancakes, cobblers, dumplings, casseroles and chicken breading!

Now thanks to the folks over at General Mills, they’ve come up with a gluten-free version of this classic kitchen staple.

Like my Mom, I love having a box of gluten-free Bisquick in my cupboards since it is always a sure-bet ingredient when needing to whip-up a last minute breakfast, dinner or baked good.

There are also some great recipes using gluten-free Bisque on the General Mills website. Some of my favorites? Banana-Pecan Waffles and Chesse Garlic Biscuits.

Fast, quick and so very, very versatile are the reason Bisquick is this weeks Friday Favorite honoree on BeFreeForMe!

Want to purchase? Get Gluten-Free Bisquick Mix on Amazon.com. FREE SUPER-SAVER SHIPPING! Here is the link: Bisquick Pancake and Baking Mix, Gluten-Free, 16-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 3)

Fast, Fantastic and Found in my grocer’s freezer case are the three reasons why this week’s BeFreeForMe’s  Friday Favorite is awarded to PJ’s Organic Chicken Enchilada Meal.

This organic frozen meal features a healthy-portioned Chicken Enchilada, accompanied organic brown rice and black beans. It only take 5 minutes to cook in the microwave, so it’s a perfect choice for lunchtime or when you need a quick meal.

All of PJ’s Organics products are made with USDA-certified organic ingredients, and contain no GMO’s, pesticides or preservatives.

Although I haven’t tried them yet, PJ’s Organics also makes a few other gluten-free items including, Beef Enchilada Meal, Deluxe Chicken Taquitos, and Traditional Chicken Taquitos. However, if the other gluten-free items are anything at all like the Chicken Enchilada Meal, you can bet you’ll see PJ’s Organics making the BeFreeForMe’s Friday Favorite roster again in the very near future.

Congrats P.J.’s Organics!

The Fed Ex Man just came to the BeFreeForMe offices and we all almost pounced on him. Why? Because earlier in the day we received an email from Joan at Joan’s GF Great Bakes telling us she was shipping us a FedEx box packed with samples of her new Double Chocolate Muffins.

Once we ripped the package opened we all dug in. And for a moment or two there was content gluten-free loving silence. Mouths were full, heads were slowly bobbing in confirmation, a thumb was being pointed up while stuffing the last morsel into a mouth (O.K…. I admit… that was me), eyes were connecting with others affirming that these muffins were gluten-free superstars. For gluten-free folks this was a powerful conversation… even though not one single word was spoken.

But the words that were finally shared after the muffin-feeding frenzy was complete? “Superstar muffins”, “Full of chocolate ecstasy”, “Rich and chewy”, “Sinful”.

We also liked that these muffins are not only gluten-free, but also dairy-free too.

Joan’s GF Great Bakes Double Chocolate Muffins – the super soft, chewy, fudgy, rich chocolate muffins that are filled to capacity with chocolate chip morsels are this week’s Friday Favorite pick at BeFreeForMe.com.

Thanks, Joan!

P.S. Join me and become a fan of Joan’s GF Great Bakes on Facebook or Twitter!

I love quick and easy, hand-held, grab-on-the-go mini-meals. While rushing from here to there, these types of meals fit best into my lifestyle.

My “bars” (as I fondly like to call them) are great, but sometimes I feel like more. Something that is more like a meal… rather than a snack.

That is why I was thrilled to discover GlutenFreeda’s Gluten-free Pizza Wraps. These portable, no-mess wraps are stuffed with all-time favorite pizza toppings; including, Three Cheese, Italian Sausage, and my favorite, Pesto Chicken.

With less than 240 calories each, these wraps are even less calories than some of favorite bars and supply more protein (14-15 grams of protein per wrap).

Because of their easy prep (easily microwaved) and eat in-hand convenience, these new GlutenFreeda Pizza Wraps take this week’s BeFreeForMe Friday Favorite honor!

This week’s Friday Favorite is all about spreading gluten-free love. Alouette style.

A longtime favorite, I recently discovered that Alouette Spreadable Cheese not only come in a “light” version (50 calories / 4 g fat per 2 tablespoon serving) but it is also gluten-free.

After this discovery, my first thought was to start spreading this gluten-free love!

This spreadable cheese is perfect on gluten-free crackers, celery and carrot sticks, baked potatoes, and my favorite, used as a spread on a smoked turkey and fresh veggie sandwich, as a replacement for fattening (and boooorrring!) mayonnaise.

The Alouette Light Spreadable Cheese comes in two flavors: Cucumber Dill or Garlic & Herb, (the Garlic & Herb is the one that I LOVE as a sandwich spread).

Great for dipping, as a sandwich spread or even by the spoonful… we think you’ll love this weeks Friday Favorite honoree on BeFreeForMe.com!

Looking for a rich and creamy milk alternative that is gluten-free, lactose-free, dairy-free, soy-free and sugar-free? Then try Blue Diamond Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk.

I just tried this Almond Milk about 3 weeks ago, and I have been hooked since. Not watery and not chalky this is the perfect milk alternative for those with special dietary needs.

Made of almonds, Blue Diamond Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk has just a subtle hint of vanilla and is perfect by the glass, over my gluten-free cereal, and even as a creamer in my coffee. And I can’t wait to make a vanilla milkshake using this milk!

And at 40 calories per cup milk, this week’s BeFreeForMe Friday Favorite is a beverage that you can enjoy all day long!

These crispy, tasty cracker-like breads are one of my go-to’s when I need to pack a quick snack or lunch on the go.

Orgran Toasted Multigrain Crispibreads with Quinoa are the perfect size to make mini “sandwiches” filled with cheeses, cold cuts, fresh sliced veggies or smeared with hummus.

I love these gluten-free crispibreads because they are also free of nuts, soy, dairy, egg and yeast… plus they are vegan too.

The gluten-free Orgran Crispibreads get this week’s BeFreeForMe’s Friday Favorite since they are perfect for back-packs, picnics or pick-me-up snacks!

Want to buy? Check out the product on Amazon.com: Orgran Toasted Multigrain Crispibread with Quinoa, 4.4-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 6)

Fun, Fruity and packed with vitamins the Tasty Brand SuperFruit snacks are a gummy and yummy hit.

I love these snacks since they are made with real fruit juice and contain no high-fructose corn syrup. Plus they are organic,  gluten-free, vegan, fat & cholesterol free and made with no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. They come in two types: SuperFruit and Fruit.

The SuperFruit Snack snack-packs contain 70 calories worth of deliciousness – that are far better than any gummy candies or jelly beans. They are perfect as a quick snack at your desk, in the car or for a little pick-me-up as a hold-over until your next meal.

And it seems that I’m not the only one digging these little snacks of delicious goodness: Oprah Winfrey just featured these snacks in her magazine that hit newsstands this week too. Hmmm… I guess great minds think alike!  =)

The healthiness, taste and convenience are the main reasons why Tasty Brand Organic SuperFruit Snacks are this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com.  Found easily on Amazon.com – with FREE SuperSaver Shipping – these snacks are worth every gummy bite! Congratulations!

Get Tasty Brand Organic SuperFruits on Amazon.com (FREE SUPER SAVER SHIPPING!) =)

Here’s the Link to Amazon:
Tasty Brand Organic Fruit Snacks, Mixed Fruit Flavors, 4-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 6)

I admit it … I am a Beef Jerky Junkie. I just love the stuff. Low fat and high protein all rolled into one. When I’m feeling hungry just one or two strips will do the trick.

Ready-to-eat and never requiring refrigeration, these snacks are great for lunch kits, back-packs and for a quick snack right before, or after, the gym.

But since going gluten-free I discovered that most beef jerky contains gluten. So this jerky-loving gal was so excited when I found Golden Valley Beef Jerky.

The beef jerky comes in five (5) flavors: Original, Terryaki, Bar-B-Que, Sweet & Spicy, and my favorite, Peppered.

Not only is  this jerky gluten-free – it also contains no MSG, preservatives, nitrates or artificial ingredients. They are also dairy-free and, according to their website, meet the requirements of individuals that are allergic to milk proteins or are lactose intolerant. Another added bonus is that they are made with organic beef, which is fed organic feed, and raised without added hormones.

In other words, it’s a beef jerky you can feel good about eating!

NOTE: The Golden Valley Beef Jerky is available to purchase on Amazon with Super-Saver shipping! Here is the link:

Golden Valley Natural Organic Beef Jerky, Original, 3-Ounce Pouches (Pack of 8 Pouches)