Be Free For Me Blog

I love my nachos. My friends come over, any time of year, any time of day (well, almost!) and we make up our nachos. We love our smothered with all the good stuff…. melted Cheese (or a good non-dairy substitute), sliced black olives, jalapeno slices, black beans, guacamole and of course… Salsa. And our favorite salsa? Newman’s Own.

An although Newman’s Own Salsa comes in a variety of flavors – including the basic Mild, Medium and Hot, our favorites are the more off-beat salsa varieties, including Tequila Lime, Black Bean & Corn, Roasted Garlic, Mango, Peach and our all-time favorite Pineapple.

And the best part about these salsas is that they are SO GOOD paired with other foods – as a topping, a marinade and as a dip. An example is using the all-time favorite Pineapple Salsa spooned over a nice char-grilled piece of swordfish topped with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, or the Peach Salsa mixed well with a teaspoon or so of apple cider vinegar and used as a marinade for boneless chicken breasts. And a must try is the Black Bean and Corn Salsa over a Western Omelet… out of this world!

These delicious salsas are also gluten-free, dairy free, egg free, peanut / tree nut free, fish / shell fish free and soy bean free. Plus, you can add MSG and sulfite free to the list as well. Check out all of the allergen info on these Newman’s Own Salsa here.

The next two week’s WIN-It-Wednesday prizes on BeFreeForMe are variety packs of three (3) Newman’s Own Salsas! There will be FOUR (Yes… 4!) winners total… 2 each week. Two (2) winners will be randomly selected from the entries received before Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at 11:59 PM EST, and two (2) more winner will be randomly selected to win from the entries received between Wednesday, December 21 and Tuesday, December 27, 2011 at 11:59PM. SO – make sure you enter to win two times!

How can you win?
Easy!

This week we’re gong to make it easy on you (being the Holiday’s and all)…. Just reply to this blog and tell us what flavor of the Newman’s Own Salsa sounds the best to you. How easy is that!

Good luck, remember to keep the spice in your salsa of life… and as always.
Be Free!

Question:
Since being on the gluten-free diet, I have been careful about trying to eat more nutritious. Do you have any ideas on making gluten-free desserts more nutritionally sound? The Holidays are coming soon… help!

Answer:
The holidays are here and it is the perfect time to enjoy festivities, fun and food with family & friends! This is also the time of year that we tend to eat more sweets and desserts.

Thankfully for those on a gluten-free diet, there are plenty of recipes for brownies, cookies,  cakes,  muffins, and sweet breads in cookbooks and on the web that are made with nutritious gluten-free flours, grains, nuts and even beans.

Here are a few of my tips on making your holiday desserts healthier without sacrificing taste…Enjoy!

Get fruity: Some of my favorite gluten-free dessert recipes that include fruits:
Baked Apples with Raisins and Goat Cheese
Fruit Pudding
Figs & Pears in Honey

Use your bean: Believe it or not, black beans, as well as other pulses (aka legumes) make the most moist, chewy and delicious gluten-free brownies as well as other sweet treats! Pulses include all types of dried peas & beans, lentils and chickpeas.  Frequently overlooked, pulses are one of the most nutritious and versatile foods. They are high in fiber, protein, B vitamins (especially folate), and a variety of minerals-plus they are low in fat and sodium. Talk about sneaking good health into a dessert that everyone will love. You have to try these recipes to believe how good these sweets are!
Black Bean Brownies with Espresso Granache
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Apple Crisp

Peanut butter favorites: If peanut allergies are not an issue, peanut butter is high in protein and loved by “kids” of all ages. These Peanut Butter cookies are made with only three ingredients. Perfect for when the cupboards are bare and cookies are needed in a jiff!
Peanut Butter Quickie Cookies

Oats for good health: Pure, uncontaminated gluten-free oats are a perfect ingredient for making cookies and cakes for the holidays. If you can’t find gluten-free oats in your local market, you can find them on-line from Cream Hill Estates.
Apple Cranberry Crisp
Fruit Flan
Oatmeal-Berry Bars

Go Nuts: Try using ground almonds or almond flour, in your baked goods when nut allergies are not a concern. This sweet flour alternative is perfect for desserts and is very nutritious and high in fiber, protein, and other nutrients such as vitamin E, magnesium and manganese. For more on baking with almonds check out my past blog post, Using Almonds in Gluten-Free Baking & Cooking – A Healthy Addition. Try this moist and fudgy Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe from Carol Fenster… you won’t be disappointed!

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

This week’s Friday Favorite goes to a company that makes some of my favorite vegetarian AND gluten free products… Sol Cuisine.

I’ve had many BeFreeForMe members ask me what ‘veggie burgers’ and other meatless (aka: soy based) burgers, sausage, etc. are gluten-free AND vegetarian. For those of you that have been searching for such products, you know that they can be very hard to come by.

Well, I have fantastic news! All of you vegetarian and gluten-free friends (and even those of you looking to go “meatless” every so often) your search is over! Some of the products made by Sol Cuisine are exactly what you are looking for.

My favorite products are the Spicy Black Bean Burger (SO delicious, packed with protein and ONLY 90 CALORIES!) and the Organic Veggie Crumbles (So easy & perfect for recipes or with gluten-free sauce served over pasta).

These products are really fantastic tasting. I even had some of my meat-loving family members try them unknowingly and they loved (asked for seconds-love) the “meat sauce” and had no idea… Obviously, not until now – when they read this blog! 😉

I love the fact that the Sol Cuisine products are also easy to find in local grocers. (Want to find a store need you? Check out this link).

Congratulations Sol Cuisine for making such  unbelievably great tasting and easily available vegetarian AND gluten-free products… and for also being selected as this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com!

I love my spices. My gluten-free cooking depends on them. A little cilantro here. Tarragon there. A sprinkle of sesame seeds and a dash of dill. Shake on some sage and add sassy it up with cinnamon.

But often I buy some random spice for a gluten-free recipe, use it once, place it in my spice rack and forget about it. Then time goes by. And time goes by. Until I come across another recipe that includes another teaspoon of that random spice… you know the ones… Anise, Caraway Seeds, Mace, or Mustard… the ones stuffed in the back of your spice cabinet. One of those spices that you use every so often.

And I think to myself, “How old is this?”

Well, McCormick’s to the rescue! On the McCormick’s website they now have a tool to check the date of all the McCormick spices in your spice rack. The tool is easy and quick to use. First off  there are a few basic rules: If you have a spice that is in a tin (except for black pepper) or made in Baltimore, MD it is at least 15 years old… so toss it.  Next, check the spice bottle for a use by date, and it there is none, type the code at the bottom of the spice bottom into the “Fresh Tester” calculator to find out how old the spice is.

The McCormick website also gives tips on how long spices last, and other tips to make sure your spices are fresh… Is the color vibrant? Is the aroma strong? The website also gives tips on how to store spices: Store spices in a tightly-capped container and keep them away from heat, moisture and direct sunlight. Replace their lids right after use.

The McCormick website is full of tips, tidbits, useful info and delicious recipes. Give your food a flavorful favor and check out the McCormick website. It’s worth it…  but only after you check all the dates in your spice cabinet!

This week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe is presented to one of the all-time best books I’ve ever received. Although let me mention…  this is not one of those book that you read like a novel. Instead it is one of those “keeper books” that become dog-eared, flipped through, perused, referenced and depended upon for years and years to come. This is one of those books that become a permanent fixture on your kitchen counter.

This book is a sort of chronicle of each and every department, from the grocery aisles to the wine section, of one of the most popular, fan-based and followed supermarkets in the country, Bi-Rite Markets.

The book is co-written by Sam Mogannam and Dabney Gough.  A team that produces the perfect combination of Sam’s food-entrepreneurial brilliance blended with Dabney’s foodie-genius culinary mastermind.

This book takes you through each department of a grocery store, aisle-by-aisle, answering the questions that we all wonder at some point or another: Q: How do I pick the sweetest peaches? A: The dark spot on fruit are areas of concentrated sugars – not a bruise!; Q: Tips for cooking any meat? A: Some pointers are to let the meat come to room temperature and season well with salt & pepper just before cooking, and lubricate your cooking surface with a neutral oil, like grapeseed oil.

Also, included in this cookbook is close to 100 recipes, many of them dishes that are featured in Bi-Rite’s in-house kitchen. I found that many of these recipes are gluten-free and allergen-free (or can be easily modified to be so). Some of my favorites? Brussels Sprouts Salad with Pistachios and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette; or the Apple, Pear Spinach Salad with Walnuts & Blue Cheese. All delicious.

This book is a keeper. Paging through it gets you excited about shopping, the food you eat, and cooking. It gets you wishing you had a neighborhood market owned by a guy like Sam, and a BFF (Best-Friend Foodie) like Dabney. Cheers to the two of you and a job well done!

All these reasons are why this week’s Favorite Friday goes to “Bi-Rite Market’s Eat Good Food”. (Note: Want to get this book for yourself ? Or how about for a perfect gift idea? A hard-cover book for less than $20… Bonus!) Check out this link here on Amazon.com and take advantage of the Super-Saver FREE Shipping!  “Bi-Rite Market’s Eat Good Food” by Sam Mogannam & Dabney Gough

Cookies and Milk. A childhood all-time favorite. An after school snack. A comfort food with fond memories. The ultimate in food dunking.

And the best cookie to dunk, at least according to those in my gluten-free world, are the Kinnikinnick Kinni-TOOS Sandwich Creme Cookies.

These cookies are not just for dunking either. I use them in many recipes, including as a substitute gluten-free cookie for an “Oreo” Pie Crust, or crumbled-up and mixed-in to Sweet Cream Ice Cream… My gluten-free Stone Cold Creamery Style treat I make for myself right in my own kitchen.

I also love the variety of these cookies: The original Chocolate Sandwich Creme (my favorite), the very vanilla-ry Vanilla Sandwich Creme, and the NEWEST addition, the chocolate lovers Fudge Sandwich Creme.

Another bonus is that these cookies are not only gluten-free, but also nut-free and dairy-free.

Any way you dunk it, crumble it or mix it… these cookies are keepers.

That’s why I was so excited when I discovered that Kinninkinnick Kinni-TOOS Sandwich Creme Cookies were sponsoring the next two week’s WIN-It-Wednesday on BeFreeForMe.com.

Two lucky winners will win three packages of these delicious cookies!

How can you win?
Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us your favorite cookie memory (it can be about baking, a certain kind of cookie, fun cookie stories… anything!) Me? One of my fondest memories as a little girl was sitting with my Mom having a cup of tea … but now that I look back, I really think it was just warm water with lemon in it  =) and dunking cookies. Funny it’s the simple things that give you the warmest memories.

One (1) winner will be randomly selected from the entries received before Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 11:59 PM EST, and one (1) more winner will be randomly selected to win from the entries received between Wednesday, December 7 and Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 11:59PM. SO – make sure you enter to win two times!

Good luck, Keep those cookies dunking… and as always.
Be Free!

Note: Want to buy some Kinnikinnick Crème Sandwich Cookies for yourself? Check out these links on Amazon.com, have it delivered right to your door, AND get FREE SUPER SAVER SHIPPING!

KinniToos Chocolate Sandwich Creme, 8-Ounce Packages (Pack of 6)

KinnitToos Vanilla Sandwich Creme, 8-Ounce Packages (Pack of 6)

Kinnitoos Cookie – Fudge Cream Sandwich Gluten Free, 8-Ounce (Pack of 3)

The love affair with these dates started on a beautiful seasonably warm day while overlooking the Inner Harbor in Baltimore.

On a whim, I decided to check out a tappas bar, La Tasca. Their menu was extensive, the staff knowledgeable on some of their gluten-free options, and the views perfect… so it was a clear-cut choice of where to dine. (Oh, did I forget to mention that the sangria selection is to die for too? Loved their Sangria Blanca, a crisp white wine served with sliced peaches, whole cinnamon sticks and peach schnapps… delicious!)

But the best part of this tappas visit was the date. No not the date I was with, but the Datiles con Tocino, a skewered and grilled bacon-wrapped date that is stuffed with blue cheese. A date to die for.

Eating each bite, I was planning to recreate this dish in my own kitchen.

And just this week, I created this dish perfectly. I nailed it. Right down to the slightly caramelized fig, applewood smoked bacon and the tart blue cheese – that quietly takes on a mild entrance after being melted and mated with the sugary figs and salty bacon.

The best part about this quick and easy appetizer recipe is that it only consists of three ingredients and is super simple to make. Look for the figs in the produce department of your supermarkets. Also, the Point Reyes Blue Cheese is gluten-free; along with the Jones Cherrywood Smoked Bacon (which I could write a whole blog post alone just on this bacon because I LOVE it so much).

Following is the recipe, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I and all of my family and friends do too.

Enjoy!

Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Cherrywood Smoked Bacon
Ingredients:

12-16 fresh dates (I used Madjool dates, but any type of large sweet date will work well)
3-6 ounces blue cheese (I use Point Reyes brand)
6-8 slices of Jone’s Cherrywood Smoked Bacon

Directions:

Slice each dates in half lengthwise and remove the pit. Wing open each date, and stuff with a good sized piece of the blue cheese. After stuffing “close” each date.

Cut the bacon slices in half. Wrap a  ½ slice of  bacon around each of the stuffed dates. Secure with a toothpick.

On a gas grill over medium heat, or under a broiler, cook the wrapped and stuffed dates until the bacon is crispy, but not overdone, and the blue cheese is starting to melt.

Serve immediately.

The holidays are here and pie season has begun. But as many gluten-free folks know the pie crust can be one of the toughest feats to master.

But doughy flour-based crusts are not a pie must-have. Being on a gluten-free diet has made me resourceful and creative while in the kitchen. My mind is always reeling with inventive uses and ways to incorporate common ingredients and mainstream products into my recipes.

That is why I decided to roll up my sleeves and include Amy’s (melt-in-your-mouth!) Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies into a pie crust that will have all guest (gluten-free or not) begging for seconds.

Check out the recipe for yourself and discover how these gluten-free cookies crumble into a decadent and delicious dessert.

Want to buy these cookies to make this recipe? Find them on Amazon.com: Amy’s Classic Shortbread Cookies Gluten Free, 5.4-Ounce (Pack of 3)

Chocolate Torte with a Gluten-Free Shortbread Pecan Crust

The crust, made with Amy’s Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies is easy to prepare. This torte is extra rich & decadent… Enjoy!

Crust:

1 box (5.4 ounces) of Amy’s Gluten-Free Classic Shortbread Cookies

1 ¼ cup of pecans (or walnuts)

2 tablespoons of sugar

¾ stick of butter, melted (plus more if needed)

Filling:

16-ounces of semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup of heavy whipping cream

6 large eggs

1/3 cup of all-purpose gluten-free flour

¾ cup of sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

To make the crust:

Put the cookies into a large ziplock bag. With a rolling pin, slightly roll over the cookies until they are crumbs, place in a medium bowl. Next place the pecans in the same bag, and roll with the pin to coarsely chop. Place in the same bowl.

Next, add the sugar and the melted butter into the bowl. Mix with a spoon until the crust mixture sticks together. Use more melted butter if needed.  Press the crust mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9” springform pan. Set aside.

To make the filling:

In a medium saucepan place the chocolate chips and the heavy cream. Over low heat, stir continuously until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl beat the eggs with a hand blender. Next add the gluten-free flour and the sugar. Continue to blend for about 8-9 minutes or until the mixture thickens.

Fold ¼ of the egg mixture into the chocolate and mix. Then fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining egg mixture until blended completely.

Pour the mixture into the prepared crust. Bake for about 60-65 minutes, or until a fork comes out clean when inserted into the center. Cool on a wire rack.

Serve as is, or with a scoop of (gluten-free) Butter Pecan Ice Cream.

Enjoy!

Serves 12.

When it comes to a sweet, fast and instantaneous dessert (how is a 1 minute cooking time for ya?) Pamela’s Single-Serve Gluten-Free Brownie Mix takes the cake.

These brownie mixes are perfect for a quick and easy, hot and gooey gluten-free dessert for the moment a mood strikes. No more planning and prepping and mixing and baking and waiting. And waiting. And waiting.

1 minute is all you need!

With these mixes you are able to prepare just one delicious gluten-free dessert. (Side note: Perfect for gals like me that don’t need a whole tray of brownie sitting on the counter and staring at me every time I walk into my kitchen).

The prep on these brownies is simple too. All you need to do is put the mix into a  large cup or bowl, mix in 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of water, mix up and microwave for 1 minute.

Single-serve goodness that is dished up as a perfect hot and gooey gluten-free brownie are the reasons this week’s Friday Favorite goes to Pamela’s products! P.S. No sharing required. =)

Note: Want to buy these single serve brownie packages yourself? Check out these links on Amazon:
Pamela’s Products Chocolate Brownie Mix, 3.5-Ounce Pouch(Pack of 12)
Pamela’s Products Chocolate Brownie Mix, 100-Gram Packages (Pack of 35)

Pamela’s also makes single serve Baking & Pancake Mixes too!
Pamela’s Products Baking & Pancake Mix, 3.5-Ounce Pouch (Pack of 12)
Pamela’s Products Baking & Pancake Mix, 100-Gram Packages (Pack of 35)

“A man of wisdom delights in water.” ~ Confucius

This quote from Confucius is so absolutely perfect for Ayala’s Herbal Water, the sponsor of  this WIN-it-Wednesday on BeFreeForMe.com.

Let’s face it. We ALL need to drink more water. Just when we think we’ve drank enough, we realize that a few more ounces will do us more good. But it’s just so darn hard to get excited about plain. old. boring. water.

That’s why I was thrilled to find Ayala’s Herbal Water.

With Ayala I am able to actually delight in water (and hey… according to Confucius that makes me one pretty smart chick!). I truly look forward to deciding what fantastic and exotic flavorful blend I will reach for, which usually depends on my mood.

The water comes in two varieties: still and sparkling. The still waters come in 16-ounce bottles and include six tantalizing flavors: Lemongrass, Mint & Vanilla (my favorite!); Lavender Mint; Lemon Verbena Geranium; Clove Cardamom & Cinnamon; Cinnamon Orange Peel or Ginger Lemon Peel. And then there’s the sparkling waters –  which come in a 25-ounce frosted glass bottles and include three dazzling flavors: Sparkling Ginger Lemon Peel; Sparkling Cinnamon Orange Peel; and Sparkling Lemongrass Mint Vanilla.

These waters are perfect for my afternoon pick-me-ups, when I am winding down at night, or after or before a yoga class or workout. They also pair well with many cuisines of food and make a wonderful zero-calorie cocktail mixer… Lemongrass, Mint and Vanilla Herbal Water with a splash of Vanilla Vodka, anyone? 😉

These waters are uniquely different than other “flavored waters” out there because they are made by actually infusing USDA Organic herbs into pure water. There is nothing artificial in these waters. They also contain no sugar, calories, preservatives and gluten.  Intrigued and digging a little deeper to find out more about these waters, I discovered that they were invented in the home kitchen of founder & creator Dr. Ayala Laufer-Cahana… a pediatrician, artist, lifelong vegetarian and mom of 3.

All these wonderful herbal water flavors and attributes are why I am so excited to have Ayala’s Herbal Waters as this week’s WIN-It-Wednesday sponsor on BeFreeForMe. Two lucky winners will win a gift pack of Ayala’s Herbal Waters. One winner will receive a 6-bottle gift pack of the still waters which contains a 16-ounce bottle of each of the six flavors mentioned above. This winner will be selected from all entries received before Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 12 midnight EST. The second winner, which will be chosen from all entries received between November 23, 2011 and November 29, 2011, 12:00 midnight EST, will win a gift pack containing a mixed 3-pack of the 25-ounce Sparkling Ayala’s Herbal Water which contains one each of the Sparkling varieties mentioned above.

How can you win?
Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell me what flavor sounds the best to you (and if you want, when you’d enjoy it the most). Me? Lemon Verbena Geranium  for my afternoon pick-me-up when I need to get focused and calm – yet energized.

Make sure you enter twice to win!

Good Luck, do as Confucius say and “delight in water”… and, as always…
Be Free!

Psssst! Want a coupon for Ayala’s Waters? For a limited time, if you sign-up for the Alaya’s newsletter you get a coupon code for $5 OFF your next online purchase!

Want to know where to buy? Check out their retail store locator… and if you can’t find them at the store where you shop… ASK for them!