Be Free For Me Blog

I need my chocolate fix. But I don’t consider myself a true chocoholic since I only need “just a little bit” to get my fix.

That’s when I reach into the side pocket of my purse and grab what I call my “bit o’ fix” –  Sweetriot gluten and dairy free dark cacao “peaces” that are dunked in dark chocolate.

I also like that fact that they are packed in cute little recyclable and reusable tins that sport artwork by emerging artists.

And the taste! These tiny peaces truly amaze me. They are so very, very small – yet the all natural and healthy ingredients make popping one in your mouth seem as if you’ve had your chocolate bar fix… without the guilt.

I’m not sure how the Sweetriot gang does it. How they can make something so small, taste so big. And at only 1-2 calories per fix I get to peace-out all day.

Love, Peace and Chocolate!

And as always…

Be Free!

This weeks Friday favorite is yet another snack. Snack time is a fun time, but can often be challenging due to food allergies.

I discovered Yumpeez about one year ago, and have been a fan since. These roasted veggie snacks, are made of, you guessed it… Peas!

Crispy, crunchy and best eaten by the handful, these high protein peas, cleverly disguised as a snack, are an unexpected nut-free, peanut-free, gluten-free, lactose-free, soy-free and high fiber snack.

I also like that these snacks are low fat and low-cal.

Yumpeez are available in two flavors: Dill pickle and Barbeque. My favorite is the Dill Pickle; it has just enough pucker to pack a punch and make an everyday pea something super special.

Available in 1.1 ounce snacking-sized bags on Amazon.com.

Simple, tasty and tiny enough to be discreetly eaten, Smarties are small – but mighty. Billions of Smarties rolls are produced each year. Placed end to end, they would span over 85 thousand miles which is more than 3 times around the Earth!

Smarties are owned by the Ce De Candy Company that started in England in 1932. These sweet-making folks sure are smarties themselves. Over seven years ago they took the lead in labeling allergen statements on their packaging. This is now a law.

I like Smarties as my “little” indulgence when I need a little treat. At only 25 calories a roll, with no fat, it’s a smart sweet treat. Plus, the way I eat Smarties, one at a time, enjoying every white, yellow, green and orange piece, I am sure that I burn off more calories than I am consuming. =)  So why not have two… or three?

Smarties are just plain old smart for the allergen and gluten-free. That’s my friends, is why Smarties take this week’s Friday Favorites honor.

The allergen statement on the Smarties website is straightforward and charted for easy reading. As noted below:

See notes below from the Smarties website allergen statement:
Smarties® and our entire line of products are free from most the known allergens, and they do not appear anywhere in our manufacturing facilities. Our new item, Bubble Gum Smarties®, may contain minute traces of soy lecithin.
We sell our products to many different classifications of trade, including “re-baggers.” A “re-bagger” buys products from many different companies and re-bags them in their own packaging. We cannot verify whether their manufacturing plants are free of nuts, soy, etc. If the UPC number on the packaging begins with “0 11206”, you can be assured that it was manufactured in one of our facilities and that it is allergen free.
Gluten Statement
Smarties® and our entire line of products are gluten free. If the UPC number on the packaging begins with “0 11206”, you can be assured that it is manufactured in a facility that is gluten free and safe to eat if you have Celiac Disease.
All Ce De Candy, Inc. products contain no dairy, thereby eliminating the ingredient Melamine.

I love apples. But sometimes, it’s hard to carry around the real deal.

That’s why (as you have all have heard in the past) how I like to reach for dried apples, or other dried fruits, for those times when I need a quick and easy fruit snack.

Last month I found another favorite dried fruit at the Natural Products Expo is Boston. Yoga Chips. They are made from the highest quality USDA certified organic Fuji apples.

These snacks are also 100% fat-free and bursting with real apple flavor. My favorite is the Apple Cinnamon; but they also come in Original, Caramel, Peach and Strawberry.

These are perfect for snacks on the go, and in essence put a little bit of calmness in my hectic days!

The chill is in the air here in New England, and, as I write this blog, I am enjoying my mid-day cup of tea which is nestled in my hands between thoughts as I type away at my keyboard.

Every once in awhile I like to enjoy what I call a “fun cup of tea”, something flavored… whether it be sweet, spicy or flowery. But if you are gluten-free it is important to know if barley malt or other flavorings that contain gluten have been added.  

This is where Bigelow Tea comes in… they’ve made it super easy for all us on a gluten-free diet by offering up a whole gluten-free product page on their website. The teas can be found in most grocery stores, or purchased directly on-line through their website.

Besides the stand-by Earl Grey and Green Tea, my favorite “fun” flavors are the Ginger Snappish, Sweetheart Cinnamon, and the Spiced Apple Cider Herb Tea.

Grab a cup, relax, sit back , take a sip and enjoy… Gluten-free!

Breakfast can be tough on a gluten-free diet. We all know that you just can’t reach for the basic breakfast items that everyone else in the world is eating. Sometimes it’s hard just to keep up.

On the days that I make myself a bigger breakfast, I reach for Jones’ Canadian Bacon slices. Whether I am fixing gluten-free pancakes, waffles or eggs, the Canadian Bacon is gluten-free, delicious, and a perfect side.

My favorite breakfast special though is a McGluten-Free Muffin: A toasted Joan’s gluten-free English muffin, a fried egg and Cabot cheese, all topped with a slice of the Jones’ Canadian Bacon.

Now that’s what I call keeping up with the Jones’.

Sometime I want a crunchy snack, but want to shy away from higher calorie chips & crackers.

That’s when I grab a handful of Crunchies, gluten and allergen free fruits and veggies that are made through a unique freeze-drying process.

This unique process, which removes 97% of the moisture from the fruit and veggies, contributes to the crunchy texture, all the while retaining many of the nutritious enzymes that are lost through traditional heat drying.

I discovered Crunchies last year at the Natural Food Expo in Boston – and I am looking forward to visiting them again this year too!

Some of the varieties they have are: Strawberries, Blueberries, Mango, Mixed Fruit, Very Berry, Salted Edamame or Edamame Crunchies, or Roasted Veggies.

My favorites though are the Corn Snacks and the Tropical Fruit Mix.

They come in zip-top resealable sharing sized bag or single-serve lunch box / on-the-go sized servings! (Note: there is currently a Lunch Box packs – Buy 2 for $17.99 and get one free!)

Now that fall has official begun, the leisurely mornings of poking around, reading the daily paper on the front porch with a cup of coffee, and nonchalantly deciding what’s for breakfast is over. Sorry folks!

But I recently made a great find with Glutenfreeda’s INSTANT Oatmeal! It is quick, easy and delicious – and perfect for these crazy early September mornings!

This instant oatmeal is made with certified gluten free oats, organic maple syrup and all natural ingredients. But what I like best about them is that they all contain flax, which boosts up the nutritional content and keeps me just a bit more satisfied until lunch time rolls around.

The flavors Glutenfreeda offers are: Maple Raisin with Flax; Banana Maple with Flax (which is my fav); Apple Cinnamon with Flax. Each box has 6 packages of oatmeal in each.

Can’t decide what flavor you may want to try? Get the variety pack that offers 2 of each of the 3 flavors.

They are perfect for a quick breakfast – just microwave for 2 minutes with water. Easy, simple and gluten free! That is why Glutenfreeda’s Instant Oatmeal got my vote for this week’s Favorite Friday!

(Note: Many celiacs question if oats are safe to eat. To find out more on this read this article written by Shelley Case –  http://glutenfreediet.ca/oats.php)

There are a few gluten-free go-to items that I keep on hand at all times. These items are usually ones that are versatile and can be used meal-after-meal, in many different recipes and ways.

Drew’s All Natural Salad Dressings are one of these items.

Not only are many of Drew’s dressings free of gluten and dairy; they are also free of sweeteners, trans fats, ingredients grown from GMO seeds, artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.

They also use the freshest natural and organic ingredients, and the highest quality, expeller-pressed oils.

The taste is fabulous and you can tell that Drew and his staff put extra TLC into the products they make.

What I like the best about these dressings is that I read the list of ingredient, and I have them all right in my own kitchen cupboards, or out in my vegetable garden. Pretty cool, huh?

My favorite dressing is the Garlic Italian. My sister turned me on to using it as a marinade for chicken and seafood. Now I go through it by the bucket-full! It is also fabulous used in omelets and over steamed vegetables. A close second favorite is the Kalamata Olive & Caper. It is so creamy and is unique in flavor… it is a must try!

The extra versatility and the TLC is what made Drew’s All Natural Dressing my pick for this week’s Favorite Friday!

This week’s Friday Favorite is Edy’s Ice Cream, which is a perfect topping to last Friday’s Favorite, gluten-free ice cream cones.

Summertime is the perfect time for cool refreshing ice cream, but often it can be a challenge to determine what brands, and flavors, have particular allergens as well as other dietary needs (low fat, kosher, low sugar, etc.)

That’s why I love Edy’s Ice Cream website’s “Flavor Finder” feature. It allows you to check off what specific dietary attributes you are looking for in an ice cream treat; such as gluten-free, nut-free, kosher and fat free; as well as your specific flavor or add-in preference; some options include with candy pieces, with chocolate chips, with fruit. You then hit a “Find It!” button, and it comes back with a list of ice cream and frozen treats that fit your dietary preferences AND taste buds!

With the Flavor Finder there are so many flavor configurations and not enough days in the summer! Check it out, have fun… and as always…

Be Free!

Also, reply to this post and let us know if you have a certain brand or type of ice cream that you love! We can never have enough ice cream!