Bob's GF Cinnamon Raisin Bread

I admit it: I've been very lazy in the kitchen these days. I'm on the lookout for shortcuts, tricks, and ways to get good results in the kitchen with not-too-much effort. I picked up a package of Bob's Red Mill GF Cinnamon Raisin Bread Mix, and thought I'd give it a shot. This is a yeast bread, so those of you that are avoiding yeast will want to steer clear of this one. I was pleasantly surprised by the texture of the bread as it came out of the oven. . . it looked liked cinnamon raisin bread should look. I did not use the recommended 9X5 loaf pan (have I mentioned that I burned something in my loaf pan a while back? Long story, I'll get to it another day), so I opted for an 8X8 pan instead.

Here are my two main gripes about how this bread turned out. First of all, it is just not sweet enough. I don't like when bread like this is overly sweet, but this was in serious need of some sweetness. This bread was crying out for some jelly, if for no other reason than to add some much needed sugar. Also, the bread has a pretty noticeable saltiness to it. I'm not sure what is causing it. My guess is it have something to do with the yeast, but I could be wrong about that. I will give credit where it's due: the texture is quite good, and I was glad the bread didn't have an overwhelming garbanzo bean taste like some other bread mixes I've tried. I have a hard time with breads that use liberal amounts of garbanzo or fava bean flours. To me they give baked goods an odd aftertaste. Fortunately, the folks at Bob's left that out, opting for a different flour mix.

So would I buy this again? Maybe. The kids liked it, though even they asked me to pass the jelly.

Laptop Leftovers

Remember this post I wrote a while back about the Zoe's lunchbox? Well, I love the darn thing so much I bought one for Ayden and one for myself. Of course we each have a different color (to prevent the inevitable fights over which lunchbox belongs to which person); and since red is my favorite color, I purchased this lovely lunchbox in black with red inserts. Oh, and the carrying case? Red and black...too cute!

I'm trying to adhere to gluten and casein free as much as possible. It's not too difficult, since I already prepare all Zoe's food; the only time I find myself in a pinch is when I don't plan ahead. So I'm now being more diligent about doing just that.

Today I had some leftover Pineapple Fried Rice (I went out for Thai food after class last night), salad greens with dressing, some spicy peanuts, and some fresh blueberries. It was delicious, satisfying, and since everything was in moderate portions I felt like I was doing my body good. I'm planning to use this more often; especially on days when I'll be in class till late in the evening. Getting my learnin' on makes me hungry; and after sitting in class for six hours I'm usually ready to chew on my textbooks. That could get expensive.

Mother-Daughter Time

Weep with me, internets: my son started pre-kindergarten this week. I do realize that this should be a time for celebration, and believe me when I say that it is. But the part of me that misses having my little buddy home with me all day is a bit sad. I know, I know...suck it up, right? Ayden is in school from 7:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. in preparation for kindergarten, which starts in August. My little boy's growing up right before my eyes. When we dropped him off on Monday, he made a beeline straight for the toys in his classroom. I said good-bye to him and his reply was something along the lines of, "yeah, Mom, whatever, bye already!"

Zoe and I will be spending lots of mother-daughter time together over the summer. Since her brother's in school and her dad's teaching a few days a week, we get lots of girl time. I took her on a walking tour of the university, which she loved. Zoe really loved when I took her to the campus bookstore and upstairs to Starbucks, where she got to sit in the cafe with her juice like a big gal while her mom had some chai tea. This Friday we will (weather permitting) head out to the beach.

Today, however, we baked cookies. And oh, were they good. I used Bob's Red Mill Mix to prep these cookies ( a good go-to mix), but for me the best part was that I got to break out the Silpat. I'm not a Francophile, but but I gotta say this is one of my favorite French imports. No greasing of the baking pan required, and no burnt cookies...ever. I bought this about three years ago at my neighborhood kitchenware emporium (read: my second home), and it is one of my favorite kitchen items. Did I mention that the cookies NEVER burn on this thing?

Cupcakes and a Movie

I really need to give a shout-out to the folks over at Cherrybrook Kitchen. A while back I tested their Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Mix, and was very pleased with the results. This time, I tried their Gluten Free Dreams Chocolate Cake Mix, and it was heavenly. The product is gluten free, dairy free, egg free, peanut free, tree nut free...and FABULOUS! All I added was some oil, water, and vanilla; poured the mix into these cute little Barbie cupcake cups, bake at 350 for about 18 minutes, and presto! Baked yummy goodness. I topped these little gems with a homemade icing--which had some cocoa added to it because, you know, I love having a little chocolate with my chocolate! The texture of these cakes is perfect; not unlike a certain boxed cake mix that I used to buy in the supermarket a long time ago. Mmm...

The heat is oppressive around here lately, so I've been keeping the kids entertained with indoor activities. After dinner we turn the kids loose outside (by then the hottest time of the day has long since passed). After the cupcakes were out of the oven, I popped in a movie: Flicka. Ayden was not too enthused about it--I guess it's because it wasn't animated--but I thought it was very good. Since the kids have been around horses at their grandma's, and because there's a strong young female character in the movie, I thought Zoe might enjoy it; and she did. And because I'm a bit of a sap, I shed more than a tear or two by the end of the movie. If I don't get back to my homework soon, I'll be shedding a few more tears come exam day next week!

How Do You Do Lunch?

I am often asked how Zoe does lunch at school. It goes without saying that, given her dietary restrictions, Zoe can't just walk up to the lunch lady and grab a tray of what everyone else is having. We've been bagging school lunches for six years now; and as the daily routine of packing lunches developed I started to think more about waste-free (or reduced-waste) lunches. Think about it: all those years of zip-top bags and other assorted packaging really adds up.

And then I found out about Laptop Lunches. They are inspired by the Japanese Bento lunchboxes commonly used in Asia (and gaining in popularity here in the US). The company was founded in California by two moms who were looking for ways to help parents provide low-waste, nutritious lunches to their kids. Great idea, right?

There are lots of things I like about this product. First of all, everything is in its own compartment. Like many kids, Zoe HATES when different foods that don't belong together mingle with each other on a plate. Since everything is stored separately, that is not an issue. Second, organizing food this way goes a long way in teaching my kids about nutrition. When Zoe sits down to lunch every day she looks at a well-balanced meal with proper servings of fruit, vegetables, protein, etc. As someone who came from a home where good nutrition wasn't promoted, I want to reinforce the concepts of healthy eating. Next, this product goes a long way in reducing the amount of trash we generate each day. Again I go back to all those zip-top bags and single-serving products (like juice containers) that we used to use. The lunch system comes home with Zoe every day, I wash it, and we're good to go the next day. Finally, how cute is this thing? The photo above is from the company's website, but Zoe's is an adorable pink one that has a carrying case in...you guessed it, PINK!

I'm buying one for myself to take lunch with me to school; Zoe refuses to share hers with me, even over the summer. I'll be in school full time starting in August, so I need my own anyway. Of course I can't do pink, but perhaps periwinkle blue, or multi-color.

A Plate of Crumbs Doesn't Make A Pretty Picture

I live in a home of eaters. I'm not gonna lie...we enjoy getting our grub on around here. The kids are growing quickly, and with that rapid growth come some pretty big appetites. Why do I bring this up? Because I baked a lovely loaf of gluten free bread, of which I desperately wanted to take some photographs, which my children quickly tore into. I think that before I take anything out of the oven (or in this case, the bread machine) that I need to have my camera at the ready in my kitchen. This loaf of bread? Did not stand a chance with my wee ones.

I picked up a package of Namaste Bread Mix. It's free of gluten, casein, potato, soy, and lots of other stuff. Now if you're egg-free and yeast-free, this bread is not for you; since I'm yeast-free, I had to pass on it. But I must say the bread smelled divine. I was pleased to see that it had a nice crust on the outside and a tender--and according to Zoe, chewy--inside. I put all the ingredients in my bread maker and pressed go. I find that with gfcf breads, I get better results if I set the machine to the whole wheat/dark settings. If using a bread machine, check your manufacturer's instructions. The bread mix has instructions for both oven and machine, so I may try it in my oven next time and see how it turns out. The kids loved it. Zoe has had it with PB and J as well as ham and soy cheese, and she thought it was awesome. Even Flamenco Dad and Ayden got in on the action; they ate it toasted with some Earth Balance spread, and I got thumbs up from both my guys. Next time I'll get a photo of the actual bread; all I've got right now is a sad looking plate of bread crumbs.

We Now Return To Our Regularly Scheduled Freak-Out

Three words: Two. Exams. Today.

I've busted out my full arsenal of anxiety-busting help to get me through finals week. I've been drinking chamomile tea like it's going out of style, my Bach's Rescue Remedy is on standby, and my lavendar-chamomile oil aromatherapy blend is at the ready. So far, so good; by Thursday (when exams are over and all my assignments are in) I should be feeling even better. Exhausted, but relieved.

I came up for air this weekend long enough to bake a batch of cookies for the little ones, lest they stage a revolt and boot their mother for lack of tasty goodness coming from the kitchen. I tried a mix from Cherrybrook Kitchen. It was a sugar cookie mix that Flamenco Dad and the kids thought was very good. To the mix you add butter or margarine depending on your preference, vanilla, and milk (cow, rice, or soy). Roll the cookies into into 2-inch balls, place on a cookie sheet, and bake till the cookies are a golden brown. I had some Purity Farms Ghee in my refrigerator so I used that instead of my usual Earth Balance; the result was a delightfully buttery cookie. I will say that I will use a bit less ghee next time--the cookies were almost too buttery in flavor. I guess I didn't take into account ghee's intense, buttery flavor.Also, even though it doesn't say so on the package, I recommend letting the dough chill in the refrigerator for a while before baking.

Okay...back to work!

Product Review: Shabtai Gourmet

Several weeks ago, I received an email from Andrew Itzkowitz, Director of Sales for Shabtai Gourmet. Shabtai Gourmet produces gluten-free, lactose-free, casein-free, and soy-free cakes, cookies, and other treats. Their products are also certified Kosher for Passover. When Andrew offered me a chance to sample some of their products, I happily accepted. After all, I'm always looking for new gfcf products to try; and although the company is based in New York they do ship products out-of-state, both via mail order and to Publix (which is the grocery chain located all over the Sunshine State).

I was not expecting the MASSIVE box of baked goods that arrived at my home; I must say it was arrived just in the nick of time--I was about to start baking copious amounts of gfcf goodies to keep us stocked up for Zoe through the New Year (Did I mention we went to several parties between Christmas and New Year's Day?)! When I opened the packaged and explained to Miss Zoe that everything in the box was gfcf, and therefore all Zoe-friendly, she squealed with delight; and then proceeded to immediately tear into the goodies. Hooray!

We received the following items: Ring Tings, a vanilla creme-filled cake similar to the Ring Dings and Ho Hos of my youth; Rasberry Roll, a spongy jelly roll cake with raspberry and coconuts; Chocolate Brownies; Chocolate Chip Cookies; Lady Fingers, crisp and delicate with a lemony flavor, and Pread Crumbs, an all-purpose breading.

The results?

With the exception of the Raspberry Roll, Zoe thoroughly enjoyed everything we received--Miss Z is not a fan of coconut (but lucky for her father and me, we love it--so you know what I had first). I thought the Raspberry Roll was very tasty, though my husband and mother-in-law both contend that it was rather sweet. Okay, so I like the sweet stuff; can you blame me? I was particularly impressed by how moist the cake was. And, like I said earlier, I love coconut. And the combination of raspberry and coconut is magical to me.

The Lady Fingers were the next to go. Zoe made quick work of them. Some of the cookies did break in shipping, but the cookie crumbles were used as topping for other desserts. Andrew mentioned that the cookies could be used as sandwich cookies as well; frankly Zoe ate them before I could even try that. They were a hit!

The Ring Tings were Zoe's favorite. The waxy outer coating on the cakes and the creme-filling were especially appealing to her. When you're a kid and you see your friends eating foods like Ho-Hos, it's gotta be tough to not be able to try it. I could tell Zoe was thrilled to have a chance to eat something that looked like a treat her friends eat all the time. It wasn't exactly like the stuff I remember eating as a kid, but it came pretty close. Besides, I actually had a similar commercial cake (brand name witheld so I don't get a nasty-gram) recently, and they don't taste like what I used to eat as a kid.

Next we had the Chocolate Brownies. These appeared to be not as moist as I would have liked, but that may have been due to the trip from New York to Florida. I did warm these in the microwave for a few seconds (outside of the aluminum tray it came in, lest I torch my house), and that seemed to help them. And who doesn't like a warm brownie? Zoe and her brother liked these very much. Flamenco Dad also thought the brownies were yummy.

The Chocolate Chip Cookies were the last thing to go, and I think there are a few reasons for that. First, the cookies had nuts and cinnamon, neither of which are very popular with my children. Second, the cookies sustained some breakage in transit, which made the kids (visual creatures that they are) less receptive to them. Third, they were somewhat crisp for our taste. I prefer my cookies kind of chewy, and so do Zoe and Ayden. The flavor was rather good. I don't ordinarily put cinnamon in my cookies due to Zoe's disdain for cinnamon, but I think the cinnamon added a nice touch. I may have to sneak some cinnamon into my next batch of cookies.

I have used the Pread Crumbs, but I do have some left. A few nights ago I used the breading to make zucchini stix for a side dish. And guess what? The kids ate the zucchini and LIKED it; whatever works for getting my kids to eat more veggies is good enough for me. I might try to use some of the leftover crumbs to work on a tempura batter, but I've gotta do a little tinkering with that one for a bit.

Our overall experience with these products was a very positive one--even our gluten-eating family members enjoyed them. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I am more of a from-scratch type of baker; but these were very well received by my kids, which makes these products a good go-to for a convenient baked treat.

Shabtai Gourmet recently launched their website, http://www.shabtai-gourmet.com/ and also sells some of their products on Amazon. You can visit their website for more information.

Tall, Grande, or Venti?

I've mentioned on more than one occasion that Flamenco Dad is a complete coffee snob. As a result, he has spoiled me to the point that coffee from most retail establishments now takes like what I suspect sewer water would taste like.

Bless his heart, my hubby orders his coffee beans online and grinds them every time he makes coffee. Swoon! Have I mentioned that in the twelve years we've been together, I can count the number of times I've made coffee on one hand?

For years we've been ordering from this coffee purveyor in New York (we found them while strolling through Greenwich Village while we were out on a date). Recently we decided to give the folks at Boca Java a try, and have been very pleased with the results.

Never one to rest on his laurels, the man been searching for even more ways to get his coffee on with even fresher-tasting results. And so, this arrived via UPS yesterday. Oh, and so did these. So last night my husband came home from work and, not unlike a kid in the proverbial candy store, proceeded to roast his first batch of coffee. I think I heard him squeal in delight once or twice.

My entire house smells like a coffee house--not a bad thing, right? I told my mother-in-law that I'm going to have to set up some tables on the front lawn, slap on my apron, and go around taking orders a la Flo from Alice. In the meantime, I'll be in the kitchen baking scones, lemon squares and the like for the handsome, and somewhat obsessive, coffee elitist I married.

A Few Things...

I've been a bit lax in my posting the last few days. I have not been feeling well; in fact, I had to see a doctor for what turned out to be dehydration! The moral of the story? Drink lots of liquids, kiddies. Apparently I haven't been drinking enough. After Thursday evening's flamenco class (which was very challenging), I had been feeling run down and it finally caught up to me. Note to self: bring water AND Gatorade to class next time.

Today I received a copy of a soon-to-be-released gluten free cookbook, Gluten-Free Quick & Easy by Carol Fenster, PhD. I got an e-mail last week from someone at Penguin Group offering me a chance to review the book, and I could not pass it up! So far it's a great read and I am anxious to try some of the recipes. I'll share my thoughts on the book very soon. Also I'll be forwarding some questions to the author, which I hope to post here as well. Carol's website is www.glutenfreequickandeasy.com.

In addition, I'm looking forward to receiving some samples of gluten-free goodies from a place called Grindstone Bakery. They offer a variety of wonderfully delicious-sounding bread and cookies. I can't wait to try these products! Visit their website, http://www.grindstonebakery.com/ for more details about their products.

Finally, my buddy Lynn over at Free to Eat reworked the recipe I posted last week for sesame candy--and morphed it into a cocoa and coconut candy that sounds absolutely divine! I'm going to make a batch asap. Lynn's blog is at http://www.freetoeat.blogspot.com/. For those of you who haven't had a chance to visit her blog, Lynn is an uber-creative lady who has had to reinvent the way she cooks and eats due to multiple food sensitivities. And her family likes to rock-out just like my family does! One day her clan and mine are going to have to get together for one big jam session. Rock on!

Who Wants a Beer Here?

I'm not much of a beer drinker, but I had to give this a try. Anheuser-Busch had gluten free folks doing cartwheels when Redbridge hit the market. It is the first sorghum beer, and I was curious about the flavor; I thought that wheat and barley were what made beer taste like beer. On Father's Day, Flamenco Dad and I took a drive to Total Wine & Liquor Warehouse. FD picked up some new Belgian beers he wanted to try, I got some Spanish wines and my bottle of Redbridge (oh, and some rum too. Hee-hee).

I gotta say...this beer actually TASTED. LIKE. BEER. Shocking, I know. Again, I'm no expert in beers, so I'll leave the specifics like flavor profiles and such to the pros. But to me, the Redbridge had a flavor and aroma reminiscent of American beers like Budweiser or Miller. I have tasted some of the brews that Flamenco Dad bought, and while I'm not ready to buy case upon case of Redbridge (I did like the Belgian beers more), this gluten-free beer is a great alternative. We've got a buddy who is allergic to wheat and barley (and he used to love beer), so I'm going to recommend that he try Redbridge. Who knows, maybe his beer drinking days aren't quite over yet.

Product Review: Sorella Bakery Biscottines

Every now and then a gluten free treat comes along that miraculously appeals to everybody in Casa de Flamenco. I think this week we hit paydirt. I visited Nature's Harvest, one of my favorite shops for gfcf food, and I stumbled upon these cookies. They're Sorella Bakery Gluten Free Biscottines (Vanilla). The company makes several varieties of these cookies, though I must be honest--I did not check the ingredients of the other flavors to confirm if the other varieties (like the chocolate ones) are casein-free as well.

I will say this; these are among the best gluten free cookies I've eaten. Ever. They have a light, airy texture. They're just crumbly enough to make them comparable to traditional biscotti. Oh, and they're fantastic with a cuppa joe. Zoe reluctantly agreed to share them with us; I'm so happy she did. Like most other premade gluten free treats, they are pricier than their traditional counterparts. But they are so worth it for a special treat every now and then. I'll be picking up more of these soon. Delizioso!

Visit www.sorellabakery.com, or check them out at your local natural foods store.

What IS in your food?

Inspired by my buddy Lynn at Free to Eat--and fueled by my hankering for pie--I decided to contact Bird's Eye Foods to ask whether their Comstock brand pie filling is gfcf. I e-mailed them this morning, and here was their reply:

Thank you for taking the time to contact us about Comstock Pie Fillings.
All of the Comstock pie fillings are gluten free. The modified food starch listed in the ingredient statement is corn starch. All of our fruit pie fillings are casein free. You will want to avoid the cream pie fillings, as some of them contain milk.

We value you as a consumer and appreciate your concern.

Sincerely,

Consumer Relations
Birds Eye Foods

I was wondering what to do with those cans of cherry pie filling my mother-in-law bought. Of course, by the time Bird's Eye got back to me I had already cranked out one apple pie, which I'll post shortly. Next up after that is cherry pie baby!

Clearly Marked for Your Convenience

My friend Azure called to tell me about a neat website called Jeeto (www.jeeto.com). They make all sorts of cute tees and patches and things for kids. What attracted me to this site is that they have a collection called the "allergy collection," which features t-shirts, patches, and stickers that will alert people of a food allergy. They've got gluten free, dairy free, egg free, nut allergic even. For parents of kids, especially kids that cannot communicate to others what their allergies are, this could certainly be very beneficial. I can't even count how many times the day care gave Zoe cookies and milk, even though I provided them a list of acceptable and unacceptable food items.

I decided to send them an e-mail today to see if they would consider making a product that lists gluten-free/casein free (hey, kill two birds with one stone). Besides, since putting "dairy free" doesn't mean the same as casein free many times, I figured there'd be no harm in asking the folks at Jeeto. I'm curious to hear what Jeeto thinks about my proposal. Hopefully I'll hear from them soon--and I'll be sure to update on this site to let everyone know what they had to say.

Play-Doh and Gluten Sensitivity

One of the most interesting "fringe benefits" of living gfcf means that your learn about some of the hidden places where common allergens are found. It's also funny when your friends report to you when they've found gluten & casein in unusual places. My friend Stephanie has become a gfcf detective over the past year or so that we've been friends. She is very inquisitive, always asking about the diet and what Zoe's food limitations are (Steph brings her kids over to play with my kids sometimes, and she likes bringing sweets for the kids occasionally).

She called me today to ask me if I was aware that Play-Doh contains gluten. I knew about it, but gluten doesn't bother Zoe if she touches it--only if she ingests it. Ayden likes playing with Play-Doh, but since he is not gluten sensitive I don't worry about it. Whenever Zoe comes in contact with it, or other gluten-containing clays, I make sure she thoroughly washes her hands with soap and water to avoid contamination. You know how it goes: kid plays with clay, kid chews own fingernails, puts fingers in mouth, you get the idea.

I gave Stephanie some more information to think about today, which has nothing to do with gluten. Steph's daughter has a peanut allergy, and Steph mentioned that she was going to go to Chick-Fil-A with her kids. Now, I LOVE Chick-Fil-A. Their fries are gluten free (Take that McDonald's and BK), and the fried products are fried in peanut oil, which is much healthier than the partially hydrogenated oils most fast food places use. But I had to tell my buddy about the peanut oil because of her daughter's allergies--I wanted to make sure she didn't get her daughter anything fried from there because of the potential for allergic reaction. So, it's grilled chicken and a carrot & raisin salad for her daughter.

Steph and I are destined to become the Cagney and Lacey of food detectives.

A Perfect Snack

I love Larabars. They have officially become my favorite snack. I am proud to say that, because most of the snack food I have eaten for much of my life is loaded with the trifecta of poor eating: high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and refined sugars. It took me a while to really start listening to my body; when I did, I realized (finally) that I was filling it with junk. To be fair, I do still occasionally dabble in junk food--after all, some of that stuff does taste really great. But I am learning with time that my body will stage a mutiny if I fill it with too much lousy food.

So, now I have found something that is delicious and healthy that I can eat and not feel bad--or sick--about. Those of you who avoid refined sugar will be happy to know that this raw food bar contains no refined sugar. In fact, most of these bars have 5 ingredients or less: and sugar is not among those ingredients. They all contain nuts, a great source of monounsaturated fats, as well as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Larabars are a great source of fiber. They're gluten free, dairy free, and soy free. My favorite flavors are the Cocoa Mole' and the Cinnamon Roll. My husband says the Cherry Pie flavor is his favorite.

Tomorrow it's back to Wild Oats for me to pick up some more. I may have to start ordering them online by the case.

A Warm Feeling In My Belly

This is my favorite thing to eat for breakfast these days. It's warm and comforting on a cool morning, and it's a great alternative to grits (my husband grew up in the South, so I've eaten more than my fair share of grits in the time we've been together). You can dress this cereal up any way you like. Personally, I like serving it with a little cinnamon and vanilla, a squirt of agave nectar for sweetness, and some chopped walnuts or almonds. Oh, and if I've got some raisins or dried cranberries or cherries, I might add those too. It's very chilly here tonight, so I'm pining away for something warm--I guess that's why I'm thinking about a hot breakfast even though it's 9:45 p.m. Ahh.

P.S.Tomorrow's Election Day, everybody. Make sure to get out there and vote!

"C" is for Cookies

Yesterday I went to my local Wild Oats store to pick up some of our usual fare, but I decided to grab two or three new things to try. I'll be sharing reviews of these products as my kids, husband, and I try them. One of those items has already been tried--and promptly devoured--by my daughter, so I guess we know which item to review first.

Nana's Chocolate Munch Cookie Bars have become kiddie crack in this house. They are gfcf, but they also have no refined sugars, no hydrogenated oils, no cholesterol, no eggs, no soy, no corn, and no cane or beet products. I know, I know; I wondered what was in them too. They are awesome! They are sort of a cookie/brownie; they're dense and chewy. My son found it a little dry, which is true--it tended to crumble a little bit more than I expected it to. My daughter loved them--in fact, she ate four of the five bars that came in the package (My son and I shared the other one). My daughter happily ate them, all the while dipping bits of cookie in her glass of soy milk.

Sadly, my hubby did not get to sample these; he'll just have to wait till I get another box. Poor guy, all he got to do was ogle at the empty box and wonder what sinful goodness used to reside inside.

Tomorrow we are having a birthday party for my daughter, my husband, and me--all our birthdays are in the first week of November. I'm making a gfcf chocolate cake for the occasion. I'll share the details after the party.

These Are A Few of My Favorite Things

I am a busy gal. I've got two kids, a husband with a demanding career, and my own projects that I try to juggle. Suffice it to say that I don't have time to make absolutely everything that goes into my kids' mouths from scratch. When I talk to other moms whose kids have special dietary needs, they always want to know what convenience-type foods I feed my kids. So I thought it would be helpful to share some of the goodies I give to my kids.

1. Envirokidz Cereals by Nature's Path. My kids favorites are the Koala Crisps, Amazon Flakes, and Gorilla Munch. These most closely resemble Cocoa Krispies, Corn Flakes, and Kix Cereal, but they're all gluten/casein-free, unlike their more popular commercial counterparts. P.S., my husband and I sometimes like to eat them too!

2. Nature's Path Crispy Rice Bars in Berry. My kids eat this constantly. What stinks is that only 6 come in the box, which means we go through a box in a few days.

3. Larabars in Ginger Snap, Chocolate Coconut, Cherry Pie, Cocoa Mole--oh, forget this--they're all good! My kids have their preferences, of course. My daughter doesn't like the Cocoa Mole or the Ginger Snap, but she LOVES the Lemon Bar; my son digs the Cocoa Mole and the Chocolate Coconut. But these are excellent and so good for you. The are a great raw food bar. And each one only has like 3 or 4 ingredients--nothing artificial!

4. En-Er-G Breads: Brown Rice Loaf or Tapioca Loaf. I don't always have time to bake GFCF bread for my daughter, so this is a good go-to bread for quick sandwiches or toast.

5. Pamela's Kitchen Cookies. Their cookies, especially the chocolate chunk, are a big favorite here. And what's cool is that I can find them in my supermarket, not just in my health food store--so if I don't have the time to go to both stores I know I can find the cookies at Publix.

6. Mrs. Leeper's Pasta. There are both rice and corn varieties, which means spaghetti and meat sauce is not out of the question for my kids.

7. Zen Soy Pudding. These taste sooo good, that I sometimes eat these too. The chocolate one is very good.

8. En-Er-G Crackers. These have no yeast, no gluten, no dairy, no egg, no nothin! They are thin and crispy, and taste like the real thing.

9. Rice and Shine Brown Rice Cereal by Arrowhead Mills. This makes a tasty and healthy hot brown rice cereal. It's a great gluten free alternative to oatmeal or cream of wheat; it also is nice when you're tired of eating grits (which, where I live, we eat alot of).

10. Taste of Thai Noodle Soups. These all taste fantastic, and they are super easy to prepare, just like ramen noodles. My daughter loves the spring onion and the roasted garlic flavor. They are ready to eat in about 3 minutes. How easy is that?

*I should note that the makers of the products I mentioned have not paid me to endorse these products. These really are things we like to eat in my house. But, hey, if you want to send me some freebies to try out and rate on this blog, I'm so there. I'll be happy to give my honest opinion to my readers.