Be Free For Me Blog

Sometimes you like things hot. Really hot. But this weekend I quickly discovered that my garden’s peppers are, yes indeed, an example of something that is just way, way too hot.

So what is a girl to do with a garden-full of way, way too hot peppers?

And then suddenly a super-cool idea popped into my mind. Grilled Bacon Wrapped Blackened Pepper Poppers.

The saltiness of the smoked bacon, the creamy smoothness of the cream cheese and the blackened grilled peppers are sure bets to offset the spicy capsaicin, the stuff that makes peppers wicked hot.

The key to reducing the spiciness of the peppers in this recipe is the removal of the ribs, membranes and seeds in the peppers. This is a sure way to reduce, but not eliminate some of the heat. Also the casein in the cream cheese helps ease the burn, while the fat, mixed with the oils from the peppers helps neutralize the heat. I also think that blackening the pepper skins helps lower the Richter Scale of hotness.

Oh… and a word of caution – please (pretty please?) make sure that you wear plastic disposable gloves when preparing this recipe. Hot peppers are serious stuff.

Grilled Bacon Wrapped Blackened Pepper Poppers

Ingredients:
5-6 medium sized hot peppers, (such as Italian, serrano or similar)

About 2 tablespoons olive oil

One 8-ounce package of cream cheese – softened

10-12 slices of smoked bacon

1-2 pairs of plastic disposable gloves (important when handling peppers!)

Directions:
Wearing a pair of disposable plastic gloves, slice each pepper lengthwise, leaving the stems intact.

Using a paring knife, a small fork and your fingers, carefully remove all seeds, ribs and membranes from inside the pepper (basically all of the white stuff inside the peppers). Brush the sides and inside of the pepper with olive oil.

Preheat a gas grill to medium heat, and place the peppers onto the grill, turning occasionally until slightly blackened. (Note: you could also use a broiler to do this too).

Remove the peppers from the grill and carefully stuff the peppers with the cream cheese. Wrap each stuffed pepper with one to two slices of bacon, and place back on grill and cook, carefully turning occasionally, until the bacon is slightly crispy and cooked through.

Serve immediately.

Serves 3-6 as an appetizer.

This week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe is yet another convenient and tasty product.

Classico’s Light Alfredo Sauce, paired with your favorite gluten-free pasta, is a perfect mid-week dinner solution that is quick, easy and a favorite for adults and kids alike.

Another bonus of the Classico Light Creamy Alfredo Sauce is that it has 50% less fat and 45% less calories than the leading brands of Alfredo sauces, but still tastes rich and creamy.

And in case you’re wondering, all of the Classico Sauces (both red and white) are gluten-free.

Quick, easy, tasty, convenient and less fat and calories are all the fabulous reasons this week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Classico’s Light Alfredo Sauce. Mangia!

Back-to-school time should be an exciting time. But for many kid’s (and their parents) with food allergies, food intolerances and other medical conditions back-to-school time can be a scary time too.

That’s why I was so excited to find out about an awesome company called AllerMates, a company founded by a Mom, Iris Shamus, whose was frustrated by the lack of allergy-related and kid friendly items for her child that has food allergies. This frustration lead her to start AllerMates, a line of bright, fun and kid-friendly lunch bags, wristbands and dog tags that young kids want to use and wear – all while keeping them safe.

I love that the AllerMates lunch bag is sturdy and features an outside pocket, ample room inside and an allergy info card located in a clear pocket on the side of the bag. The bright, colorful characters on the bag are fun and kid-friendly. This lunch bag will remind & alert teachers, play group monitors and any other adults, that your child has food allergies – especially during the times that you are not there.

Most of you know that I am a huge advocate of wearing a medical alert bracelet (I wear mine all the time). The AllerMates wristbands are a must-have for kids that have food allergies, as well as asthma, insect sting allergies, cat allergies, pollen, latex, penicillin allergies… plus more. Unlike some of the “I’m too big, I’m made for an adult” medical alert bracelets – these bracelets are made for kids… they are fun, colorful, whimsical and have “kids just love us so they’ll wear us” written all over them. =) These bracelets are also hypo-allergenic (latex-free), waterproof and thoroughly tested for safety and quality. Got more than one allergy? No problem. These bracelets can be worn stacked or AllerMates has a multi-allergy customizable wristband too.

I also love that these wristbands will grow with the child since they all come with three adjustable snaps, that should fit most kids from the age of 2 and up, providing ample room for the kids to grow.

Also, AllerMates can now be found and purchased at Walgreen’s for back-to-school and Halloween. Or buy AllerMates on Amazon.com

All these fun, safe and kid-friendly reasons are why I am so thrilled that AllerMates is this week’s Win-It-Wednesday sponsor on BeFreeForMe.com.

A total of two (2) BeFreeForMe members will be selected to win an AllerMates Insulated Lunch Bag and single Wristband, of their choice.

One winner will be randomly selected from the entries received before Tuesday, September 11, 2012 at 11:59 PM EST, and one more winners will be randomly selected to win from the entries received between Wednesday, September 12 and Tuesday, September 18, 2012 at 11:59 PM. SO – make sure you enter to win two times!

How can you win?
Easy?

Reply to this blog and let us know which AllerMates allergy / medical alert wristband you’d like if you are a winner.

Good luck, remember you never can be safe enough when it comes to food allergies or medical conditions … and as always,
Be Free!

Keep in touch and join me in following AllerMates on Facebook & Twitter!

This week’s Friday Favorite is all about convenience. With the kids back at school, more formal meal times being planned and the car pooling kicking back into high gear – it is always good to discover products that can make our lives simpler… and tastier!

McCain’s Purely Potatoes makes meal time sides a snap. They come in three varieties that are all gluten-free and allergen-free: Whole Baby Skin-On Potatoes (made with just one ingredient – you guessed it:  Potatoes!), Russet Potato Slices and Shredded Hash Browns (both with some added Citric Acid to maintain natural color).

My favorites are the Shredded Hash Browns since there are so many ways that you can use them. You can make them into Potato Pancakes, Potato Casserole or just plain ole’ delicious hash browns for breakfast time.

The McCain’s website also has tons of recipes that use the Purely Potatoes – it’s worth checking out. A couple of the recipes I can’t wait to try are the Purely Potato Sausage and Cheese Frittata and the Purely Potatoes Pesto Potato Salad.

Simple, tasty side dishes that save on time are the reasons why this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com goes to McCain’s Purely Potatoes. Congratulations!

Question:
My garden has an abundance of tomatoes – can you give me some tips on using them, as well as some gluten-free recipe ideas?

Answer:
Any way you slice them, tomatoes are a nutrition powerhouse that are so versatile in a gluten free diet. They are low in calories, rich in vitamins and minerals like potassium, vitamin A and C, as well as lycopene, an antioxidant that gives tomatoes their red color. Lycopene has been shown to play a role in lowering the risk of some cancers, particularly prostate cancer.

Another added bonus – tomatoes are delicious! Let’s face it… you can’t beat the taste of a local fresh-picked tomato! Although you have an abundance of tomatoes now, come winter you’ll be missing these juicy gems, when you can’t find a good tomato anywhere.

Here are a few tips, tricks and recipes to enjoy tomatoes now and in the months to come:

~ Start with selection: Select tomatoes that are heavy for their size, brightly colored, slightly firm and blemish free. If tomatoes are not ripe enough, place them in a paper bag and allow them to ripen at room temperature.

~ Storage: Refrigerating tomatoes stops the ripening process and kills the flavor, aroma and texture (this is why tomatoes turn mealy). Store them at room temperature instead. However, if they are very ripe they can be stored in the refrigerator.

~ Serrate them: The best way to cut tomatoes? Gently with a serrated knife to avoid crushing.

Tomato Types and Uses:
There are so many types of tomatoes it is often difficult to determine what type should be used for which purpose. Use this handy chart below to decide what tomato is best for your use or gluten-free recipe.

Think beyond the summer: Although the peak growing season for tomatoes is June through October there are ways to enjoy fresh tomatoes year-round. Here are some methods to preserving your just-picked tomatoes:

~ Canning: Canning has become very popular once again over the past several years. Check out the canning tomato tips from Canadian Living Magazine.

~ Freezing: Freezing tomatoes is a simple way to enjoy tomatoes off-season for casseroles, soups and chili.  Start by thoroughly washing the tomatoes, and dipping them in boiling water for about 30-45 seconds to loosen the skins. Remove from the water – peel and remove the core. Cut into pieces or leave whole and pack into freezer bags. Remove excess air and seal tight. Remember, when thawed the tomatoes will be slightly mushy so they are best used in casseroles and soups.

~ Cook recipes and freeze to enjoy later: Salsas and sauces freeze up nicely and are the perfect quick and easy start to hectic weekday dinners. Whip up a quick batch of Fresh Pomodoro (Tomato) Sauce today and enjoy over gluten-free pasta once school starts!

Need some healthy recipe ideas using fresh tomatoes or tomato sauce? Check out these links:

Mediterranean Cod with Olives & Feta
Sautéed Chicken with Fresh Tomatoes & Basil
Cilantro-Lime Halibut with Fresh Tomatoes
Chicken Cacciatore (Pollo alla Cacciatora)

Ask Shelley Case is a feature of BeFreeForMe.com. It is published the second Tuesday of each month. Shelley Case, RD is a Consulting Dietitian, Speaker and Author of Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide. Visit Shelley and get more gluten-free tips & info at: GlutenFreeDiet.ca

I love cranberries. Growing up in Southeastern Massachusetts we had cranberry bogs everywhere. Cranberries are a staple in my diet. Always have been and always will.

Maybe that’s why Craisins are a must in my gluten-free diet. Made by Ocean Spray these real fruit berries are the sweetest way ever to eat a cranberry.

I like to top my salads with Craisins, sprinkle them on baked chicken breasts stuffed with goat cheese, or add a handful into Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies. The ideas are endless.

Naturally gluten-free, peanut free and containing no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, Craisins are perfect for snacking too. Craisins are also a good source of fiber, which is an added bonus.

All these delicious & healthy reasons are why Ocean Spray Craisins are awarded this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com. Cheers!

I love, love, love this week’s WIN-It-Wednesday sponsor on BeFreeForMe.com – Musco Family Olive Company.

First of all, olives are one of my all time favorite foods. Ask any of my friends. Olives are by far one of my first go-to snacks and also a quick and easy appetizer. What’s not to love about a big plate full of olives being shared with friends? No cooking, no grilling, no fussing, no mixing. Just olives. Pure and simply good.

Musco Family Olive Company makes some of the best olives around. No wonder they’re the leading supplier of olives in America. Most of us recognize their super-fun logo of a hand with olive-topped fingers – something that my sisters and I use to do with the olives in my Mom’s “relish dish” when we were younger (and o.k., I admit, maybe not so younger too!). To add to the story, we thought is was super amusing that we had an Aunt Olive (No lie). Every holiday my sisters and I would vie to ask “Aunt Olive… would like an olive?” To this day we still laugh about that. I’m convinced that the only reason we left some olives in that relish dish was so that we had a chance to offer poor Aunty an olive. =)

Besides bringing back memories, I love Musco Family Pearls and Early California Olives (depending on the store you will find one or the other) because they are gluten-free, all-natural, vegan and kosher. They also have some great recipes on their website.

Musco Family Olive Company offers a wide variety of olives, and just recently came out with two new product lines. The first new line is Fresh Cured Olives that are hand-picked and then cured immediately to retain their firm texture & natural color. The second line is a Reduced Salt offering that features pimento stuffed olives, with 75% less salt, and black pitted olives, with 25% less salt, than their traditional counterparts. So many people will benefit from these reduced salt olives.

All these healthy, delicious, and fun reasons are why I am so thrilled that Musco Family Olive Company is this week’s Win-It-Wednesday sponsor on BeFreeForMe.com.

And check out the BeFreeForMe Win-It-Wednesday Musco Family Prize Pack! It is AWESOME!  A total of two (2) BeFreeForMe members will be selected to win this Prize Pack that is packaged so pretty and perfect! Each Prize Pack contains the following:

•    1 can Early California Fresh Cured Green Olives
•    1 can Pearls Fresh Cured Green Olives
•    1 can Early California Reduced Salt Black Olives
•    1 can Pearls Reduced Salt Black Olives
•    1 Jar Early California Reduced Salt Pimento Stuffed Olives
•    1 Jar Pearls Reduced Salt Pimento Stuffed Olives
•    1 Musco Family Olive Company can opener
•    Musco Toothpicks and napkins

One winner will be randomly selected from the entries received before Tuesday, August 28, 2012 at 11:59 PM EST, and one more winners will be randomly selected to win from the entries received between Wednesday, August 29 and Tuesday, September 4, 2012 at 11:59 PM. SO – make sure you enter to win two times!

How can you win?
Easy?

Reply to this blog and let us know your favorite way to eat olives or your favorite olive memory. Is it in a recipe? By the handful? Sprinkled over a salad? Did your Mom have a relish dish too? Please let us know! (Another one of my fond olive memories is a Cream Cheese and Olive Sandwich… did anyone else get those as kids?)

Good luck, remember that fun is usually right at your fingertips … and as always,
Be Free!

Keep in touch and follow Musco Family Olive Companies on Facebook!

Facebook.com/EarlyCaliforniaOlives

Facebook.com/PearlsOlives

Today’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com is awarded to Alo Drinks. Made with 100% All Natural Aloe Vera pulp and juice this gluten-free drink is the perfect way to naturally hydrate. Aloe Vera is also naturally rich with amino acids, minerals and vitamins.

Alo Drinks uses real aloe vera juice made straight from the leaf, never from powder. Along with the aloe, these drinks are blended with just enough all-natural flavors to give each variety a unique and flavorful taste. My favorites are the Aloe with Pineapple + Guava + Seabuckthorn Berry and the Aloe with Pomegranate + Cranberry.

I love the flavor combos, the little pieces of pulp and all the glorious & healthy reasons to start drinking aloe… every day!

Cheers Alo Drinks for being this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com!

Want to Buy Alo Drinks? Check out this link on Amazon.com

I wanted to let everyone know of a great webinar that is being offered this week on Thursday, 08/16/12. It is being sponsored by the good folks over at the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) and is focusing on cross-contamination in restaurants and what we need to know.

This is an on-line webinar (aka: easy to attend) and is FREE! (What’s not to love about that?). The session will focus on three components: Education, Empowerment and Advocacy (which are also the cornerstone of the NFCA mission).

Cross Contamination in restaurants is such an important topic to learn about and take control of, yet it is something that many with celiac disease and other food allergies or intolerances fail to recognize as an enormous and significant threat when it comes to our health.

I am excited to attend this webinar and invite you to join me!

Want to attend? Click this link to sign up.

We’re really going to spice things up a bit for this week’s Friday Favorite. Being grilling season and all, I love to shake up my ho-hum grilling every once in awhile and season up my chicken, meat and veggie’s with a little spicy love.

That is when I go for my collection of The Spice Hunter Seasonings.

The Spice Hunter spices and spice blends are gluten-free (with the one exception of Grill Shakers Rib Seasoning) so the varieties to try are endless.

Some of my favorite spice blends for the BBQ are the Salt-Free Varieties and include the Cowboy BBQ Rub, Jamaican Jerk Blend and the Mesquite Seasoning blend. These blends are all natural, kosher and contain no MSG or preservatives. Using these flavorful and zesty spice blends adds a zip to your food with no salt at all! An added bonus: Using spices is healthy way to add flavor to foods without adding extra fat or calories.

Spice Hunter Seasonings is awarded this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe because they add a spicy kick, as well as a sassy & sensational flavor to any barbeque… all without adding any extra fat or calories. Congratulations!

Want to Buy? Check out these links on Amazon.com:
Jamaican Jerk Blend

Mesquite Blend

Cowboy BBQ Rub