Be Free For Me Blog

If you love to bake, but hate the mixing and blending of different gluten-free flours, starches, and gums you need to check out Pamela’s Artisan Flour Blend.

This flour blend is all-purpose flour that you can substitute for “regular” flours cup-for-cup. This means that you can bake that traditional family favorite recipe that you loved before going gluten-free with no worries.

Pamela’s Artisan Flour Blend is also not only certified gluten-free, but also dairy-free too.

No mixing, no fussing and the ability to substitute this gluten-free flour mix cup-for-cup is why this week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Pamela’s for their fabulous Artisan Flour Blend.

Congratulations!

Want to try Pamela’s Artisan Blend Flour? Get it on Amazon.com! It’s only $11.37 for a 4-pound bag (as of 5-29-14) and qualifies for FREE Shipping on orders over $35!

It’s the time of year when berries are everywhere… they can even be found in this Win-It-Wednesday on BeFreeForMe! If you’re a Strawberry, Blueberry or Raspberry lover get ready for this great organic breakfast cereal that is made by Erewhon Organic.

Erewhon makes two types of organic brown rice cereal that are packed with berries… the Crispy Brown Rice Cereal with Strawberries and the Crispy Brown Rice Cereal with Mixed Berries.

I love that these two cereals aren’t packed with stabilizers, corn syrup, or preservatives. Plus, these cereals are not only gluten-free, but also free of nuts, dairy and eggs.

Erewhon, which was founded in 1966, has been making gluten-free crispy brown rice cereal for years – they are the first. The original. All their gluten-free cereals are certified gluten-free.

And I love the fact that both of these Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice Cereals contains only several ingredients. Nice and simple, and delicious too.

All these simple, yet appreciated, reasons are why I am so happy to have Erewhon organic cereal sponsor the next two week’s WIN-It-Wednesdays on BeFreeForMe.com.

How can you win?
Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us one simple thing in life that makes you happy. (Me? My garden… because it saves me money and is a nice place to unwind at the end of the day… a double bonus!)

A total of FOUR (Yes… 4!) BeFreeForMe members will be selected to win a prize pack of the Erewhon organic cereals with berries… the Crispy Brown Rice Cereal with Strawberries and the Crispy Brown Rice Cereal with Mixed Berries . Two (2) winners will be randomly selected from the entries received before Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 11:59 PM EST, and two (2) more winners will be randomly selected to win from the entries received between Wednesday, May 28 and Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at 11:59PM. SO – make sure you enter to win two times!

Good luck, Keep things simple… and as always…
Be Free!

P.S. If you haven’t done so yet, make sure you download your $1.50 OFF Coupon for one (1) box of Erewhon’s organic cereals too! Want more deals, recipes, savings and more? Follow Erewhon Organic on Facebook and Twitter!

This week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Spiru-Tein Gold, a great tasting high protein meal replacement that I have been counting on for years.

After working out in the morning, I love to blend-up a spoonful or two of Spiru-Tein Gold with some coconut or almond milk, and sometimes even some fresh fruit. With 12 grams of complete protein, Spiru-Tein Gold gives you the much needed energy replacement that your body needs right after a workout.

Spiru-Tein Gold is gluten-free, sugar free and soy free. It is also non-GMO, vegetarian and the protein is derived from whole food sources: chia, rice, pea and flax.

I love the way that Spiu-Tein tastes too. The flavors are great. My favorite is the Banana Berry Blast, but other flavors include Chocolate Cherry, Tropical Fruit, Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry.

This week’s Friday Favorite gives the energy I need, any time of day. Congratulations for Spiru-Tein Gold!

If you love fruits, but you’re looking for a portable and compact way to bring them wherever and whenever  you go, you need to check out Stoneridge Orchards.

Stoneridge Orchards features dried fruits that are wholesome and delicious. They are grown by third-generation family farmers in Washington State.

Their items are gluten-free and also have no artificial colors or flavors, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup or sulfites.

My favorite is the Montmorency Cherries, but other varieties are Sliced Peaches, Raspberries, Pomegranate & Berries Blend, Blueberries, Strawberries and Berry Blends.

Providing fun, convenient and portable ways to enjoy fruit on the go are the reasons why this week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Stoneridge Orchards. Congratulations!

P.S. Check out the recipes on the Stoneridge Orchards website… so delicious!

If you love popcorn but get tired of the same old flavors (I mean really?  How much of the traditional plain or white cheddar popcorn can a person eat without getting bored!) you need to check out 479° Popcorn.

This popcorn is like no other since it has the most unique and tantalized flavors… flavors made for those that have impeccable taste and demand nothing but the finest in life… even when it comes down to their snacks.

The founder of 479° Popcorn, Jean Arnold, started the company because she had nothing but fond memories of fresh, organic popcorn that was made by her Mom and enjoyed with her family during cozy moments playing cards. Her mom would make the popcorn with a “sturdy stove-top popper that she’d hand crank until the kernels turned into a delightful fluffy treat.”

And over the years, and with years of culinary training, Jean started experimenting with exotic seasonings and flavorings on the same type of organic popcorn her mom popped many years before… and 479° Popcorn was born! (By the way, the name 479° Popcorn comes from Jean’s discovery that 479° is the optimal temperature for popping popcorn! See… you DO learn something new every day!)

479° Popcorn varieties are all also certified gluten-free, Non-GMO and (drum roll please!) low calorie!

And the flavors –  Wait until you see! The 479° Popcorn flavors are: The Savory flavors… Asiago, Parmesan & Cheddar; White Cheddar & Black Truffle; Creamery Butter; Sea Salt; Farmers Market Herb and Toasted Sesame & Seaweed. And the Sweet & Salty varieties include… Toasted Coconut Caramel; Sea Salt Caramel; and Chipotle Caramel & Pumpkin Seeds. And the final flavor is 479° Popcorn’s Limited Addition flavor… Pumpkin Pecan Praline.

All of these savory, sweet and salty snacking reasons are why I am so thrilled that 479° Popcorn is the sponsor of this Win-It-Wednesday on BeFreeForMe.com.

A total of two BeFreeForMe members will be selected to win a case of 479° Popcorn.  One (1) winner will be randomly selected from the entries received before Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at 11:59 PM EST, and one (1) more winner will be randomly selected to win from the entries received between Wednesday, May 14 and Tuesday, May 20, 2012 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 479° Popcorn looks the best to you! (Me? It’s a toss-up! I love the Farmers Market Herb and the Chipotle Caramel & Pumpkin Seeds… yum!)

Good luck, remember to keep your days popping with good snacks… and as always,

Be Free!

P.S. Want to be the first to know about news, flavors, giveaways, and going-on’s at 479° Popcorn? Then follow 479° Popcorn on Facebook!

Everyone needs Vitamin D3 for healthy bones, good moods, and immune system functions, but many of us (including me!) have a deficiency when it comes to this much needed vitamin.

I was surprised when my doctor told me I had to start taking a Vitamin D3 each and every day. But after chatting with him I found out that wearing my sunblock religiously, being indoors for most of the day, and these cold, dark drab New England never-ending winters play a huge factor in my Vitamin D3 deficiency.

This is when I discovered Nordic Naturals Vitamin D3 Gummies. These gummies give me 1000 I.U. of the vitamin (the recommended daily amount), along with a great wild berry taste. These vitamins also contain no artificial coloring, flavoring, or preservatives and are pectin based and gelatin free. They are also manufactured in a facility certified to be free of allergens derived from milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts and soy. They are also gluten-free (in fact, all of the Nordic Natural vitamins are gluten-free!)

Plus these vitamins are so easy to remember to taste since they taste so good! It’s funny how they have actually become my mid-afternoon treat! =)

Nordic Naturals Vitamin D3 Gummies are this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com because they are good tasting, mood boosting, and help keep my bones and immune system strong! Cheers and congratulations Nordic Naturals!

Want to buy Nordic Naturals Vitamin D3 Gummies now? Check out this link on Amazon.com and take advantage of FREE SHIPPING on orders over $35.00!

If you’re a lover of the half popped kernels of popcorn at the bottom of a bucket of popcorn, fret no more – you can now enjoy these little curious and crunchy nuggets of joy… handfuls at a time.

HalfPops are fun little crunchy popcorn snacks that are full of flavor. Being the traditional gal that I am I love the  Butter and Pure Ocean Sea Salt flavor, but the cheesy-ness in me loves the Aged White Cheddar variety too.

HalfPops are also gluten-free, nut-free, and contain no corn syrup, Trans fat, artificial flavors, hydrogenated oils or preservatives. So they are good for you and full of fiber, as well.

All of these curiously & crunchy reasons are why this week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to HalfPops! Congratulations!

Everywhere I look restaurants are featuring items made with powerhouse vegetables such as kale, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and arugula. And with good reason.

These vegetables, called brassicas, also include broccoli, mustard greens, cabbage, collard greens, radish, Bok choy and many others. They are  packed with nutrients, vitamins and minerals, so it is no wonder that folks everywhere are enjoying them in salads, side dishes, starters and smoothies.

I personally love many brassicas. Some of my favorites include arugula, Brussels sprouts and broccoli. But lately I have been using the same ho-hum method of preparation which usually consists of boringly steaming, boiling or broiling.

That is why I was so thrilled to receive a copy of Laura B. Russell’s new cookbook, “Brassicas: Cooking the World’s Healthiest Vegetables”. (Laura is one of my favorite cookbook authors who also has published another one of my all-time favorite go-to cookbooks,  “The Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen: Recipes for Noodles, Dumplings, Sauces, and More” ).

The Brassicas cookbook is cleverly arranged by devoting a single vegetable or class of brassica – such as leafy greens, Asian brassicas (like bok choy or napa cabbage) or root brassicas (radish, turnip, rutabaga) to each chapter. Laura then touches upon key information on preparation and nutrition of each vegetable followed with tantalizing recipes (80 total) and beautiful photographs for many of the dishes. All the recipes are either gluten free or easily adapted to be gluten-free (ie substitute a gluten-free pizza crust, or gluten-free soy sauce, etc.)

Some of the single vegetables that take center stage and have a whole chapter all to themselves thankfully include some of my favorites … and the recipes are to die for.  I now have a whole new reason to love and rekindle my stand-by recipe repertoire with the addition of the gems in this cookbook. My classic favorites like broccoli, cauliflower, kale and Brussels sprouts will never, ever become boring again. Thank you, Laura!

Some of my favorite recipes include Charred Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Fig Glaze; Roasted Radish Salad with Blue Cheese; Romanesco Summer Salad and Mizuna Salad with Cumin-Roasted Cauliflower.

All these healthy and tasty reasons are why I am so happy that Laura B. Russell has offered her new cookbook “Brassica: Cooking the World’s Healthiest Vegetables” as the prizes for this Win-It-Wednesday on BeFreeForMe.com.

A total of two BeFreeForMe members will be selected to win a copy of “Brassica: Cooking the World’s Healthiest Vegetables” Cookbook. One (1) winner will be randomly selected from the entries received before Tuesday, April 29, 2014 at 11:59 PM EST, and one (1) more winner will be randomly selected to win from the entries received between Wednesday, April 30 and Tuesday, May 6, 2012 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 your favorite brassica vegetable is! (Is it broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, bok choy, kale, arugula, radish, turnip, wasabi, collard greens, mustard greens, broccoli rabe, cress, Chinese broccoli, or another???)

Good luck, remember to eat your (brassicas!) vegetables… and as always,

Be Free!

Order your copy of “Brassicas: Cooking the World’s Healthiest Vegetables” on Amazon.com and take advantage of FREE Shipping on orders over $35.

I know that many of you have allergies to color dyes that are included in foods that we eat. Yellow #6, Blue #1, Green #3… And even for those that don’t have an allergic reaction to these dyes, who wants them anyway?

The synthetic ingredients in these food dyes has become a major concern when it comes to health issues.

If you’re looking for a good old fashioned cookie you have to check out Pamela’s Product’s Figgies and Jammies.

Fashioned after the old standby cookie – the Fig Newton – this gluten-free version will knock your socks off. But with one difference… this cookie is far, far better. I love that the “cookie” portion of the Figgies & Jammies is soft, chewy and sweet. One bite and you’ll know what I am talking about!

I also am loving the size of this cookie. An extra-large version of a traditional fig cookie, you’ll need only one to satisfy that sweet tooth.

Figgies & Jammies (I just love the name… so cute!) come in four flavors: The traditional Mission Fig, Blueberry & Fig, Strawberry & Fig, and my favorite, Raspberry & Fig.

Super-sized cookie goodness, which brings you back to days long ago, are the reasons why this week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Pamela’s Figgies & Jammies. Congratulations!