Be Free For Me Blog

So many facial cleansers and body washes contain gluten and other allergens.  That is why I was so excited to discover Dew Puffs –  a face and body cleansing sponge that are 100% plant based. These gently exfoliating sponges are made with konjac root – which has been used for hundreds of years in Japan for its cleansing properties, as well as being a key to obtaining beautiful skin.

When you moisten a Dew Puff sponge and use it on the skin the result is exceptionally soft, clean and fresh feeling skin. Just add water, and the Dew Puff becomes soft & pliable and ready to use. No fuss. No hassle. Just a pure and simple and totally natural must-have beauty product.

I’ve been using the Dew Puff twice daily, and I love the way it makes my face feels after washing.  Dew Puffs thoroughly cleans the skin while gently exfoliating, and is far better than using just my hands or a face cloth. Using these sponges makes my skin feel refreshed without drying. They even soothe sunburned and irritated skin.

I also love that these sponges are economical and if used twice daily will last for three months. Another added bonus? They are absolutely perfect for traveling… since they are cleansing sponges you don’t have to worry about any carry-on liquid restrictions!

The Dew Puff Cleansing Sponges are also gently enough for baby’s skin and are 100% chemical free and contain no preservatives. And for all of us with celiac disease or food allergies, Dew Puffs are perfect for any type of skin irritation caused by Dermatitis Herpetiformis, eczema or any other type of allergy.

Dew Puffs also comes in three varieties…  perfect for many types of skin: The Original Dew Puff, that can be used just moistened with water or with your favorite cleanser; Bamboo Charcoal, perfect for blemish prone skin, since it contains activated carbon and minerals to help prevent breakouts, plus antioxidants to fight acne-causing bacteria; and Asian Clay, which helps stimulate skin cells while absorbing impurities below the pore level, resulting in a healthy glow, while providing all the ancient benefits of clay.

All of these refreshing, pure and natural reasons are why I am so excited that Dew Puff Face & Body Cleansing Sponges are the sponsor of this Win-It-Wednesday on BeFreeForMe.com!

Four (Yes, 4!) winners will each receive a prize pack containing three Dew Puffs (one of each of the Original, Bamboo Charcoal, and the Asian Clay). Two (2) of the winners will be randomly selected from all comments / entries received before Tuesday, October 8, 2013 at 11:59 PM (EST), and two (2) more winners will be selected from all comments / entries received between Wednesday, October 9, 2013 at 12:00 AM (EST) and Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at 11:59 PM (EST).

How can you win?
Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us what which Dew Puff (the Original, Bamboo Charcoal, or Ancient Clay) you would like to try the most? (Me? I really love the Ancient Clay!)

Good luck, always remember to be gentle, pure, refreshing, and beautifully you … and as always…

Be Free!

P.S. Join me and follow Dew Puffs on Facebook for more offers, news and contests!

If you’re looking for a quick breakfast on-the-run check out Silk’s new Fruit & Protein drinks.

A juicy-creamy-fruity blend of goodness, these juice & soy based drinks are a great source of calcium and Vitamin D, contain a full day’s supply of Vitamin C and 5 grams of protein.

They are also certified non-GMO, are dairy-free, lactose-free, casein-free, gluten-free, egg-free, and free of MSG.

They come in three flavors: Mixed Berry, Strawberry Banana and Mango Peach. My favorite is the Strawberry Banana and I like to blend it up for a smoothie and frothy breakfast drink. And for an added fruit bonus, I toss in a handful of sliced bananas and strawberries.

This week’s Friday Favorite goes to Silk Fruit & Protein Healthy Juice Blends because they make never having to miss breakfast again easy! Just grab yourself a glass… and you’re good to go! Congratulations!

This week’s Friday Favorite is for all of you that have a sweet tooth. It was love at first bite after trying my first Almond Roca. The kind of love that you want to tell the world about.

Almond Roca’s are bite sized crunchy chocolates that are to die for. So many toffees and crunchier chocolates are packed with gluten, but Almond Roca is gluten-free. So all of you gluten-free toffee lovers can rejoice!

My favorite flavor is the Almond Roca Buttercrunch Toffee, but other flavors of the  Buttercrunch Toffee include Cashew Roca, Mocha Roca and Candy Cane Roca.

All these sweet reasons are why this week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Brown & Haley’s Almond Roca Buttercrunch Toffees! Cheers!

Want to buy? Check out this link on Amazon.com and take advantage of FREE Shipping!

Have you ever paged through a cookbook and tagged almost every single page? Have you ever adoringly gazed at the photos of  sweet gluten-free treats? Or have you ever been beside yourself with giddiness on  finding a recipe for a dessert that you once loved but haven’t had in years since you had no idea how to make it gluten-free?

These are the reasons why I was so excited, giddy and mesmerized while paging through the new cookbook from Kyra Bussanich, Sweet Cravings: 50 Seductive Desserts for a Gluten-Free Lifestyle.

If the name Kyra Bussanich sounds familiar to you it could be because she was the first gluten-free baker to not only appear on – but WIN – the Food Network’s hit Show, Cupcake Wars.

Let’s think about this: Here is a gal that lives the gluten-free lifestyle and bakes gluten-free who is competing  against traditional bakers that use “regular”  flours… and she WINS! Yup… SHE WON!

That means that her gluten-free confections went up against the “real thing” and beat them, hands-down, in the competition. =)

And that only means one thing: Kyra Bussanich’s gluten-free dessert recipes are deliciously awesome and worth trying! And 50 of them are included in this new cookbook. Some of the many that I cannot wait to try include: Apple Crisp, Peanut Butter Truffle Crispy Rice Bars, Cannolizella (yup… gluten-free Cannolis!!!), Linzer Bars, Mexican Chocolate Baked Alaska, and of course, her Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes (and since I’m from Boston, I’m “wicked excited” about trying these!).

All of these sweet reasons are why I am super-excited that Kyra has graciously offered four (yes, 4!) lucky BeFreeForMe dessert lovers a chance to win their very own copy of the Sweet Cravings: 50 Seductive Desserts for a Gluten-Free Lifestyle cookbook!

Two (2) winner will be randomly selected from all comments / entries received before Tuesday, September 24, 2013 at 11:59 PM (EST), and two (2) more winners will be selected from all comments / entries received between Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at 12:00 AM (EST) and Tuesday, October 1, 2013 at 11:59 PM (EST).

How can you win?
Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us what dessert you miss the most since going gluten free? (Me? CANNOLI’S!)

Good luck, remember to always keep your cravings sweet, your dreams full of gluten-free desserts! … and as always…

Be Free!

Want to purchase the Sweet Cravings: 50 Seductive Desserts for a Gluten-Free Lifestyle cookbook? Check it out here on Amazon.com and save! (As of 09-17-13… Only $12.98 AND free shipping if you place an Amazon order for more than $25. How sweet is that?!)  =)

The two things that I need to remember every day is to 1.) Drink more water, and 2.) Take my vitamins. Two very, very simple things that for some reason I always seem to forget!

That is why this week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Karma Wellness Water, a gluten-free product that transform water into wellness! Why? This water is pack with 110% (or more) of the recommended daily allowance of seven essential vitamins: A, B3-Niacin, B5, B6, B12, D, and E. And unlike other “vitamin waters”, Karma Wellness Water contains three to six times the active ingredients of competing brands.

My favorite flavor is the Raspberry Guava Jackfruit, but other flavors bursting with vitamins, superfruits & antioxidants include: Acai Pomberry, Coconut Pineapple, Passionfruit Green Tea and Orange Mango.

Last night I was forced to face the hard-cold reality that summer is indeed over. Just as the days are getting shorter and the evening air a little nippier, the unthinkable happened: My Weber grill ran out of gas.

Yup… it ran out of gas. Just like that. As if to say, “I’m through. I’m done. Let that damn lazy oven do something around this place. Get your creative forces in high-gear, Kathleen. It’s September and I flippin’ quit.”

What a smartie-pant  troublemaker  that Mr. Weber can be.

Plate of raw chicken in hand, I wandered aimlessly back to the kitchen, turned the good ole’ faithful oven up to 350 degrees, opened up the refrigerator door and stood staring. Pondering. Begging my creative juices to start flowing.

I wasn’t ready for this. Where were the days of al fresco dining on the patio, laughing and tan with my margarita in hand while waiting for the gas grill to do all the work and basically cook dinner for me?

And just like the autumn leaves that are getting ready to descent, my next dinner creation creatively fell into place one delicious ingredient at a time. Chicken Tenders Wrapped in Basil & Smokey Bacon. Yum.

And for Mr. Weber? Yes…  I will be attacking his grates feverishly with a hard wire-brush this weekend (payback time, baby!). And maybe, just maybe, I’ll let him get all fired-up once again this year since I decided I can take the back-talking attitude especially when I have my faithful oven by my side.

And after all, a hot toddy on the patio while dinner is cooking is a perfect addition to a cool Autumn evening.

Chicken Tenders Wrapped in Basil & Smokey Bacon

1 ½ – 2 pounds of boneless and skinless chicken tenders (to yield about 1 dozen tenders) – about 4” long

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Several slices of smoked bacon

Approximately 1 dozen fresh basil leaves, larger sized – washed and patted dry

One dozen green onions (the longer the better!) – washed and patted dry

Optional: Red Pepper Jelly, as a side for dipping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Over medium heat, in a large skillet heat the olive oil. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally until almost done through. About 10-12 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, place the bacon slices on top of a paper towel lined microsafe dish. Cover the bacon with a few more sheets of paper towels and microwave for about 3 minutes or until bacon slices are cooked about ½ way –  so they are still soft and pliable,. Remove from microwave, drain excess grease and let drain on clean paper towels.

On a large baking sheet, place the chicken tenders. Top with a basil leave, and wrap with a slice of bacon. Hold in place by wrapping with a green onion and tying a “knot” to hold.

Place in the preheated oven and cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve with a side of red pepper jelly, if desired.

Serves 4.

This week’s Friday Favorite is an all-natural bar that is made with fruits & nuts: Glenny’s Classic Fruit & Nut Bar. Made with only non-GMO, gluten free and dairy free ingredients this bar is packed with fiber & protein.

The ingredients are simple: Raisins, peanuts, honey, apricots, brown rice syrup, crisp brown rice, walnuts, dates, Brazil nuts and sunflower oil. That’s it. Nothing artificial.

I love that these bars are low-sodium and also contain no corn syrup. They are perfect for breakfast & snacking, and are just the right size for slipping into a backpack or purse. Other flavors include Cherry & Almond, Cranberry & Almond and for the real nut lovers, Cashew & Almonds.

Packed with nuts and fruits, and good for you ingredients are why this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com is awarded to Glenny’s Whole Fruit & Nut Bars. Congratulations, Glenny’s!

Want to buy? Check out these links on Amazon.com:

Glenny’s Whole Fruit & Nut Bars

This Win-It-Wednesday on BeFreeForMe.com  is sponsored by the Musco Family Olive Company and features the newest addition to their family of products: Pearls Olives To Go.

Just in time for back-to-school, these yummy, convenient & gluten-free 4-packs of single-serve olives are a great toss-in addition to lunch boxing, snack time, and before sporting activities.

Each of the single serve cups are full of large California black pitted olives. They are only 40 calories per pack, have an easy peel lid and contain no liquid (Yes… NO liquid!). They are also gluten-free and GMO-Free.

Convenience at your fingertips!

These single-serve packs are also great for the adults too. I love snacking on these mid-day and also while driving between meetings (yup… no water = no spilling!). They are also great as a “side” with my gluten-free sandwiches… who needs fattening potato chips when you can have a side of olives instead!

Healthy yumminess at your fingertips!

And it’s no wonder that Pearls Olives tagline is: “Fun at your fingertips!” Kids (and let’s face it… adults like me too!) can help but be tempted to have “olive fingers” while snacking on these little orbs of goodness. That is why the Musco Family decided to have a contest to discover the best “Olive Fingers” photo. The contest is featured on the Pearls Olive’s Facebook page, so make sure you check out their page for more details!

And lucky for all of us, Pearls Olives has also graciously offered six (yes, 6!) lucky BeFreeForMe olive lovers a chance to win a package of their Olives To Go for this Win-It-Wednesday! Three (3) winner will be randomly selected from all comments / entries received before Tuesday, September 10, 2013 at 11:59 PM (EST), and three (3) more winners will be selected from all comments / entries received between Wednesday, September 11, 2013 at 12:00 AM (EST) and Tuesday, September 17, 2013 at 11:59 PM (EST).

How can you win?
Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us how you (or your family) has fun at your fingertips… is it riding bikes, hiking, having a movie night, playing charades? (Me? A couple of my girlfriends along with gluten-free Chinese take-out equals instant fun for me!)

Good luck, remember to always keep fun at your fingertips and make sure you grasp ahold of it as much as possible! … and as always…

Be Free!

Follow Pearl Olives on Facebook to for more contests, news, updates, and special offers!

This week’s Friday Favorite is one of my favorite condiments that adds a complement to so many of my meals: Boar’s Head Pub Style Horseradish Sauce.

This sauce adds a kick, a spike, and oomph to sandwiches, burgers, chicken, beef and seafood. And the best part about this sauce is “just a little will do ‘ya” since just a bit packs a punch of flavor.

Being gluten-free (in fact all of Boar’s Head’s meats, cheeses, and condiments are all gluten-free!), being only 15 calories per serving and packed with flavor are the reasons why this week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Boar’s Head Horseradish Sauce. Congratulations!

Yes… I am coo-coo for cacao. In fact you could dub me a “Super-Chocoholic” since I am one of those people who will find a way to squeeze  some of this superfood’s goodness into my smoothies, snack time and even meal-time too! And if you are a Super-Chocoholic too … this Win-It-Wednesday is for you!

Navitas Naturals, the maker of the finest organic superfoods that increase energy and enhance health, is the sponsor of this Win-It-Wednesday on BeFreeForMe.com.

Navitas makes a whole line of superfood products that are certified organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher, raw and vegan. Some of the products they make are powders for smoothies (can you say “yum” to Pomegranate Powder, Acai Powder or Goji Berry Powder?), dried berries and fruits (you haven’t lived until you’ve tried one of Navitas Dragon Fruit Slices!), trail mixes and snacks.

But, my all-time favorite Navitas products are one’s made with cacao. Cacao (often confused with cocoa) is a pure, raw form of chocolate. And I love it. It is packed with magnesium and one of the world’s best sources of antioxidants. I love the intense, pure chocolate taste of cacao over processed chocolate.

That’s why I am thrilled that for this Win-It-Wednesday, Navitas Naturals has graciously offered the BeFreeForMe Super-Chocoholics a chance to win a super-duper chocolaty prize pack full of their three most popular superfood cacao products: Cacao Nibs, Cacao Powder and the Cacao Goji Power Snacks.

Two (2) lucky BeFreeForMe members will be the winners of this cacao-licious prize pack! One winner will be randomly selected from all comments / entries received before Tuesday, August 27, 2013 at 11:59 PM (EST), and a second winner will be selected from all comments / entries received between Wednesday, August 28, 2013 at 12:00 AM (EST) and Tuesday, September 3, 2013 at 11:59 PM (EST).

How can you win?
Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us the superfood product that Navitas Naturals makes that looks the best to you (how easy is that?)! Good luck, remember to be super and remember to be strong… and as always…

Be Free!

Follow Navitas on Facebook and Twitter for news, updates, and special offers!

P.S. Navita’s products are also perfect for those that are on the Paleo Diet too.