Be Free For Me Blog

Any product that is a quick and easy substitute for bread is always a hit with me. That is why I am raving about Suzie’s Whole Grain Thin Cakes.

Made of lightly salted brown rice these all-natural puffed crackers, are perfectly shaped (square!) for a gluten-free “sandwich”. They are also perfect for a quick appetizer. Use your creativity and top them with some flavorful combinations. Some ideas? Goat cheese, basil & roasted red peppers; or  spinach, olives and a pesto drizzle.

At only about 15 calories per cracker, these thin cakes are the perfect way to enjoy all your favorite sandwich stuffings, plus more! I also love that these gluten-free brown rice crackers are fat free, contains no sugar, sodium or cholesterol and are also free of trans fat.

All these reasons are why this week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Suzie’s Whole Grain Thin Cakes! Cheers and congratulations!

I hate bring sick. But it’s that time of year. And no matter where I go someone is hacking, coughing, sneezing, sniffling, spluttering, wheezing… and whining about “How sick” they are. Ewww.

Cold-EEZE to the rescue!

This time, every year, I stock up on Cold-EEZE Cold Remedy Lozenges. The slightest bit of a sniffle and I pop one of these lozenges in my mouth. Why? Because Cold-EEZE has been clinically proven to shorten the duration of the common cold by almost half, or even prevents me from getting sick at all. And if I needed more proof, the Cold-EEZE website states that, “the efficacy of these lozenges is backed by double-blind placebo-controlled studies conducted at both the prestigious Cleveland Clinic and Dartmouth College.”

All of the Cold-EEZE products (besides the lozenges, they are make an Oral Spray, Daytime and Nighttime Quick Melts, and Quick Melts with Natural Immune Support) are gluten-free, and also free of preservatives and artificial colors. They also come in regular or sugar-free varieties, and have great flavors, such as my favorite, Cherry; or Honey Lemon, Strawberry Cream, Mint Frost, and more!

Cold-EEZE is a homeopathic cold remedy made with zinc gluconate, which is a micronutrient that’s essential to human health and facilitates the effective release of zinc ions which can shorten a cold.

Helping me keep cold-free and healthy is the reason why Cold-EEZE Lozenges is this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com! Congratulations!

I found a great new certified gluten-free chip this week that will be perfect for New Year’s Eve appetizers… the Dippin’ Chip by Party ‘tizers.

These chips are sturdy like a cracker, yet crunchy like a chip… so they are the perfect “vehicle” to hold any topping (think provolone wrapped prosciutto and pepperoncini; or goat cheese mozarella wrapped in basil with roasted red peppers) or for a dip (like hummus, salsa or guacamole).  These must-try snacking treats are perfect for snacking, munching and dipping.

The Dippin’ Chip flavors are awesome too: Veggie (the perfect combination of kale, spinach and carrots), Three Bean (made with black beans, red beans and adzuki beans) or my favorite, SuperGrains (A blend of Quinoa, Amaranth and Black Sesame).

These certified gluten-free chips are also cholesterol free; contain no tran fats, MSG, artificial flavors, colors or preservatives; and are all natural & vegan.

All these dippin’ good reasons are why this week’s  Friday Favorite is awarded to Party ‘tizers Dippin’ Chips. Congratulations!

It’s tea time! And this week’s Friday Favorite is being bestowed to one of my favorite tea blends… Bigelow’s Vanilla Chai Black Tea.

I love vanilla… and I love chai… so it’s a no-brainer for me that when these two flavors blend together the result is a smooth and tasty tea.

This gluten-free tea is sweet, yet spicy, at the same time. Made with a  blend of black tea, exotic spices and a touch of vanilla make this a perfect cup of tea.

I also love that this Vanilla Chai Tea comes in teabags OR K-Cups!

This is my new favorite tea to cozy up with… and for that reason, this week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Bigelow Tea’s Vanilla Chai Tea. Congratulations!

Want to buy the tea now? Check out these links on Amazon.com and take advantage of FREE Super Saver Shipping!

Bigelow Vanilla Chai Tea Bags

Bigelow Vanilla Chai K-Cups

This week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to one of my holiday favorites. Mediterranean Lentil Crackers. These crackers are the perfect choice for those holiday appetizers that call for a cracker for dipping, crunching and snacking.

I love that these Lentil Chips are a good source of protein, low in fat, and are certified gluten-free. Plus… they are positively delicious and go great with crackers, hummus, dips and more.

The Mediterranean Chip Lentil Crackers come in four delicious flavors: Cracked Pepper, Rosemary Herb, Tomato Basil, and my favorite, Sea Salt.

Full of flavor, protein and good health are why this week’s BeFreeForMe’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Mediterranean Snacks Lentil Chips. Congratulations!

I love Nana’s soft, chewy cookie bars. Unlike some gluten-free cookies, they are moist and delicious – perfect for tea-time or snack-time.

These gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free and egg-free cookie bars are also non-GMO and are certified gluten-free. The flavors are awesome too: Berry Vanilla, a classic vanilla cookie with a touch of berry; the Chocolate Munch, a chocolate lover’s cookie paradise; and my favorite, the Nana Banana, packed with real banana-y goodness.

Nana’s also makes some great cookies too. Soft and chewy, as well, some of the gluten-free flavors include Chocolate Crunch, Ginger and Lemon. They are also free of the same allergens as the cookie bars.

I also love that both the cookie bars and the cookies are individually wrapped, which means they stay fresh longer and can be transported easily in a purse, back-pack or lunch tote.

All these delicious gluten-free and allergen-free reasons are why I am so excited that Nana’s Cookie Bars are awarded this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com! Congrats!

Want to buy? Check out this link on Amazon.com

I love it when I can easily pick-up gluten-free items in my “regular” grocery store. So I was absolutely thrilled when I found Perdue’s newest addition to their product line-up: Simple Smart Gluten-Free Chicken Tenders.

These certified gluten-free chicken tenders are breaded, tender-shaped chicken breasts that are fully cooked and certified gluten free! Just pop them in the oven and dinner is served!

They are also only 150 calories per serving, and taste great too. These will be a keeper on your dinnertime line-up since your whole family’s going to love them!

For all these reasons Perdue Simply Smart Gluten-Free Chicken Tenders are awarded this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com. Congratulations!

P.S. Purdue also makes Simply Smart Chicken Nuggets that are NOT Gluten-Free… so make sure you read the packaging and make sure it says gluten-free!

This week’s Friday Favorite is Nature’s Choice Easy Quinoa, a product that is a “keeper” since it received the thumbs-up from the non-gluten-free folks!

Nature’s Earthly Choice Quinoa is one of those products that no one can believe is gluten-free.  It’s a tasty, delicious and quick to prepare product that is perfect for a side dish or even “doctored-up” with pieces of chicken, pork, beef, or veggies to become a shining-star main course.

And they have created four delicious recipes of Easy Quinoa. The flavors are all gluten-free and include; Garden Vegetable, Mediterranean & Vegetable Medley, Sundried Tomato Florentine, and my favorite, Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil.

Easy Quinoa is convenient, great-tasting and easy-to-prepare… and for all these reasons they are being awarded this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com. Congratulations!

Want to buy? Check out this link on Amazon.com

This week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to a new exciting snack that I found recently – Yolo Popcorn.

I know. You’re probably all thinking that popcorn is just popcorn.  How exciting can it be? Well, the folks at Yolo know just how to make popcorn a fabulous taste-sensation that will have your taste-buds tantalized and your mouth smiling after every single crunchy gluten-free bite.

The trick is in the flavors. Being made in Vermont, the folks over at Yolo Snacks looked right in their own backyard to find the tastiest flavors around. The flavors that offer a taste of New England in every bag are the Maple Popcorn, full fluffy popcorn kernels that are maple sugar kissed, and the Cheddar Popcorn, popped up with sharp Vermont Cheddar and aged Parmesan. Other flavors include Original Popcorn with herbs, buttermilk and sea salt… which is delicious too!

The fabulous, tasty, gluten-free flavors make this week’s Friday Favorite winner, Yolo Popcorn, the best of all the rest! Congratulations and keeping popping up the good work!

This week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to a quick and easy side dish that is perfect for a Fall dinner or in your favorite recipes – Lundberg Brown Rice Couscous.

I often would find recipes that require couscous as an ingredient. And since “typical” couscous is made with semolina it means it’s off limits to me since it is full of gluten (semolina are granules of durum wheat).  That is why I was so excited when I found this gluten-free couscous made with roasted brown rice by Lundberg.

The texture is perfect and the taste is fantastic. It is light and fluffy, with a nutty taste. Plus it is quick and easy to prepare.

Check out the recipes on Lundberg’s website using this fantastic gluten-free couscous, or try it today in your own favorite recipes. Cheers to Lundberg Brown Rice Gluten-Free Couscous for being awarded this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com!