Be Free For Me Blog

Despite all the good, great and countless intentions I often forget to take my calcium supplement each day. Shame on me.

One. Little. Tiny. Thing. … and for some reason I can’t seem to remember to take it. Double shame on me.

That is why I was thrilled when Adora Calcium Supplements sent me a care package of their Dark Chocolate and Milk Chocolate supplements. Packed with calcium and all-natural chocolate these little yummy calcium chocolate powerhouses make taking my calcium supplement not something I forget, but something I crave.

Isn’t it funny how adding some rich, premium, all-natural chocolate can turn the mundane into a delicious “treat with a reason”… full of flavor and full of calcium.

These calcium supplements have only 30 calories per piece (gotta love that!) and taste just like a piece of chocolate. No chalky, vitamin aftertaste or tell-tale signs of being packed with a high quality USP-grade of calcium carbonate, vitamins D3 and magnesium.  

I love that Adora was created by Thompson Brands, a chocolatier with a rich, celebrated heritage of making fine products since 1879. I also love that Adora Calcium Supplements are gluten-free, certified kosher, contain no artificial sweeteners or corn syrup, and also have no Trans Fats. In a nutshell: Adora Calcium Supplements are good stuff, made by good people.

All of these yummy “I can’t wait to take my calcium” reasons are why I’m so excited that Adora Calcium Supplements is the sponsor of this WIN-It-Wednesday on BeFreeForMe.com

And thanks to Adora, two (yes 2!) lucky BeFreeForMe members will be the winners of a delicious prize pack of the Dark Chocolate and the Milk Chocolate Adora Calcium Supplements. One winner will be randomly selected from all comments / entries received before Tuesday, May 7, 2013 at 11:59 PM (EST), and a second winner will be selected from all comments / entries received between Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 12:00 AM (EST) and Tuesday, May 14, 2013 at 11:59 PM (EST).

How can you win?
Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us what Adora Calcium Supplement (either milk or dark chocolate) looks the best to you. (Me? I’m a dark chocolate girl all the way!) Good luck, remember that a daily dose of chocolate can be a great thing, and, as always…

Be Free!

P.S. Want to be the first to know about Adora’s news and offers? Check out their Facebook and Twitter accounts!

Want to buy Adora products? Check out these links to order the Dark Chocolate and the Milk Chocolate online or check out this link to find a retailer near you.

I normally don’t award the Friday Favorite to a product that is so new that you can’t even find them in stores yet. However, there are exceptions… especially when the product is so craved, so awaited for and so , dare I say… needed… that I can’t stop my myself from chatting, blogging and praising the product.

That is why this week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Mary’s Gone Crackers Graham Crackers.

Yes… gluten-free graham crackers!

 I tried these products at a recent trade show and they’re to die for.  The texture, the taste and the versatility of these graham crackers are everything a celiac could want, plus more.

The cookies are just like a “regular” graham cracker – perfect for ‘smores, a graham cracker crust, or eaten right out of the box. But,in fact, I actually prefer the all-natural, gingery-snappy taste of these gluten-free graham crackers over “regular” graham crackers. How many times can you say that?

Keep your eyes open for these long-awaited gluten-free graham crackers in a store near you, and dream about those ‘Smores that you’ll be able to welcome into your summer BBQ once again! Congratulations to Mary’s Gone Crackers on being awarded this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com! … and a big thank you too!

I am so excited to be joining the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) for a webinar on living the gluten-free lifestyle… on a budget!

This webinar, Gluten-Free Menu Planning: Budget-Friendly Tips, will be held on Wednesday, May 8^th, 2013 from 8:30 PM Eastern / 5:30 PM Pacific.

 In this one hour webinar we will be offering up some unique ways to save money on a gluten-free diet including sources for coupons / savings, budget-friendly & healthy recipes, as well as budget-friendly tips.

I am thrilled to be a part of this webinar which has been one of the most popular topic requests the NFCA has received, and I can’t wait to share some tips, tricks and tasty recipes that will help you stay on budget… gluten-free style!

Sponsored by Frito Lay and Cabot Creamery, this webinar is FREE to attend, and the only requirement is a working internet connection. Make sure you sign up today! I’m looking forward to “seeing” you on May 8^th!

If you’re feeling like a nut (a coconut that is) and looking for a soft, chewy and gluten-free macaroon look no further than Jennies Gluten-Free.

These Kosher Parve coconut treats are free of gluten, soy, lactose, sulfites, and trans fats but are full of goodness and sweetness. (Note: Jennies also has a sugar-free product line too!).

These yummy coco-nutty treats that so, so many of us can love and enjoy are the reasons why this week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Jennies Gluten-Free Macaroons. Congratulations!

There are a few gluten-free items that are true keepers. Products that once you try them, you fall in love, want to tell the world all about them.

Joan’s Great Bakes products are one of these keepers.

Made in New York, Joan’s Great Bakes is a family-operated business that puts love and care into every one of their products. Some of the baked goods they offer are Italian bread, Joan’s Sicilian Pizza, Corn Toaster Muffins (I love these toasted and smothered with butter and honey!), Calzones (Yes… gluten-free CALZONES, my friend!), fantastic Double Chocolate Muffins, and my favorite, Joan’s signature English Muffins… real English muffins that have creeks and crevices that grabs a hold of the melted butter. The kind that is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The kind that looks and tastes like an English muffin and not like a crumbly cake disguised into an English muffin shape. True love!

All of Joan’s Great Bake products are gluten-free (made in a dedicated gluten-free facility) and many are dairy-free and corn-free too. All products are also preservative free and have no trans-fats.

Some big news is that Joan’s Great Bakes products can now be found in the freezer section of Whole Food Markets in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine and Northern Connecticut. So all of you New England folks should be wicked happy to hear about that! (Note: If you don’t find Joan’s Great Bakes in the Whole Foods in the states mentioned above ask a grocery team member to help you find them or have them order for you!)

All of these tasty reasons are why we are so excited that Joan’s Great Bakes is the sponsor for this WIN-It-Wednesday on BeFreeForMe.com. Two lucky winners will win a delicious prize pack of Joan’s Great Bake products… full of baked goods…  perfect for breakfast, dessert, dinner or snack times!

How can you win?
Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us what Joan’s Great Bake item is your favorite (if you’re lucky enough to have tried them before) or what Joan’s Great Bake product looks the best to you. (Me? I am the number #1 fan of the English muffins with the Corn Toasters and Calzone’s close behind.)

Good luck, keep those true-keepers in your life, and, as always…

Be Free!

P.S. Want to be the first to know about Joan’s Great Bakes news and offers? Check out their Facebook and Twitter accounts!

Want to buy Joan’s Great Bake products? Check out this link and order online!

I love cake! I love cake! I love cake! That is why I was triply overjoyed when my marvelous mailman delivered my Uforia’s Triple Delight Gluten-Free Cake.

This triple layer cake is a gluten-free melt in your mouth delight. Moist, buttery and rich – just a small slice of this cake is a perfect complement to a cup of tea or coffee, at a birthday celebration or as a dessert at a fancy dinner party, or even to share during a weekday meal with your family.

I love the simple goodness of this vanilla-chocolate-vanilla layered cake. The ingredients are all-natural and the recipe comes from an old family recipe.

This cake is a life saver when it comes to needing a really good gluten-free cake for a birthday celebration or special occasion. You can order it here, and get it delivered moist and fresh right to your door.

All these yummy reasons are why Uforia Triple Delight Gluten-Free Cake is this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com. A triple Congratulations to Uforia!

If you are looking for a bar that is packed (and I mean PACKED!) with protein look for further than the Quest Bar.

Packed with 20 grams of protein a bar, healthy ingredients, and containing no sugar or artificial sweeteners, this gluten-free and high fiber bar is screaming “eat me… I’m good for you!”

The Quest Bar is a perfect choice for those that need a high protein snack between meals. All-natural and super-tasty this bar has quickly become one of my favorites.

The Banana Nut Muffin is my favorite, but other varieties include Vanilla Almond Crunch, Apple Pie, Strawberry Cheesecake… and more.

Perfect for athletes, between meal snackers, and even diabetics… this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com is awarded to Quest Bars. Congratulations!

As I am writing this blog post, I am traveling on a JetBlue airplane. It’s been a frantic morning of packing, getting to the airport on time, and getting through the crazy security lines at Logan Airport. But finally, the big bird is in the sky… and there is a glimmer of love in my eye. Why, you ask? The answer is one simple word: Oloves.

JetBlue has a gluten-free “meal box” option on their planes. (YES… GLUTEN-FREE!… and also vegetarian and kosher). It is called the “Shape Up” box, and this gluten-free box of snacking goodness contains one of my favorite snacks of all time… Oloves.

Yes. I do have a love affair with olives. When others are grabbing a bag of chips, jelly beans or peanuts I am cracking open a can of olives. That is just how much I love them.

But what is an on-the-go-olive-loving gal to do when she needs an olive-fix on the go? Oloves to the rescue!

I am so excited that Oloves, snack packs of perfectly marinated olives that are the perfect grab and go nibble, is the sponsor of this Win-It-Wednesday on BeFreeForMe.com. And Two (Yes 2!) lucky winners will each win a prize packed with 10 packages of Oloves!

At only 50 calories per pack, these quick, easy, healthy, low calorie and tasty olives are full of flavor and do not contain any of the major allergens, or gluten. They are perfect for travel, lunchboxes, picnics, and an office afternoon snack. No stones, no fuss… Oloves are the perfect gluten-free snack.

I have only tried the Tasty Mediterranean variety, seasoned with basil & garlic, but Oloves also make a Hot Chili Mama, heated up with habanero peppers, and the Lemony Lover, packed with lemon and garlic.

How can you win?
Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell me how you “Share the Love”? (Me? I was at the market yesterday and gave the young cashier who was on her break, and in-line in front of me at the register $2.00 to pay for her muffin when her debit card was refused. Why? Because every time I am in that market she is smiling & friendly).

Good luck, share the love and goodness in your heart, and, as always…

Be Free!

P.S. Not traveling on Jetblue? No worries! Ask your local grocer for them… or you can also find Oloves on Amazon.com. =)

When someone says “Van’s Natural Foods” my mind automatically thinks “waffles!” But since trying their new snack bars my love for Van’s has moved beyond breakfast.

Van’s now makes gluten-free snack bars. They come in three great flavors: Cranberry Almond, Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Chocolate.

These bars are chewy, tasty and ready to eat for snack time, or any other time, you’re looking for a quick and easy snack on the run.

I really like the Cranberry Almond bar for a mid-morning snack, and the other two chocolate varieties for a sweet anytime snack.

Packed with gluten-free whole grains & fiber, these baked snacks are a must try.

Cheers and many thanks to Van’s Natural Foods. There’s no waffling about it. These snack bars are keepers! Congrats!

When people ask me what food I miss the most since going gluten-free one of the things that pops into my mind are fish & chips.

Ahhh… the memories. Nicely battered, browned and crispy on the outside with a delicate, white and flaky fish on the inside. These memories bring me back to when I was growing up. We had fish and chips on most Fridays, and always during the Lenten season. It was a sort of tradition, and a weekly staple. But since being on a gluten-free diet most anything that is labeled as “crispy” and “battered” have been off limits, and battered fish has been a distance delicious memory of yesteryear. That is why I was more than thrilled when I found gluten-free Starfish seafood.

Starfish makes a wide assortment of all natural gluten-free seafood items. They offer the battered cod, halibut and haddock that fit the bill when you are looking for a traditional just-as-you-remember battered fish; as well as their two newest items – gluten-free fish sticks (deep skinned Pollock fillets from the MSC certified fishery) in a delicious & crunchy Panko breading, and a Parmesan encrusted Pacific cod (also from the MSC certified fishery).

These all-natural and wild-harvested fish are gluten-free, soy-free, milk-free, peanut-free, egg-free “ready-for-your-oven” fish are all delicious. And coming from a gal that grew-up on Cape Cod I have discriminating tastes when it comes to my seafood!

So being the seafood lover that I am, I was more than thrilled that Starfish is the Win-It-Wednesday sponsor on BeFreeForMe for the next two weeks.

One (1) winner will be randomly selected to win a prize pack of Five (yes… 5!) FREE product coupons from all entries received before Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 11:59 PM EST, and one (1) more winner will be randomly selected to win from the entries received between Wednesday, March 27 and Tuesday, April 2, 2012 at 11:59PM. SO – make sure you enter two times to win!

How can you win?
Easy!

Reply to this blog and let us know what Starfish gluten-free seafood item looks the best to you. (Me? My beloved battered cod for my fish and chips!) or what seafood item you miss the most since being gluten-free.

Good luck, remember to thank your lucky star(fish) that there is tasty gluten-free fish items to enjoy … and as always …

Be Free!

Want to find out more? Follow Starfish on Facebook and Twitter!