Category Archives: Snack

Seitenbacher Product Review

I am always looking for new products to try and write about. Protein bars are top on that list. Always hard to find ones that are good and gluten free with out all the sugar and junk.

I was recently sent a wonderful box full of Seitenbacher foods. The are  a company based out of Germany producing a large line of various items from gravy mixes, cereal, pasta to items like protein bars and cookies. Many of their item’s are gluten free. The box I samples included cereal, protein bar, noodles and 2 gravy mixes.

The best part was the pasta and gravy mixes. I took some cut up chicken breast and browned with a munch of fresh mushrooms. Then I used with gravy mix and cooked as instructed in a pot. Add the gravy to the chicken and mushrooms, cooked it down with a little bit of white wine and fresh parsley. Served the whole thing on  top of the noodles and is really was amazing. Growing up in a german family made me love noodles like this and this was the first time I had any  German style gluten free noodle and it was really good. This gravy mix would be great for green been casserole also.

Everything else was great tpp!!! Find gluten free cereal that is enjoyable is often a challenge but this was a great choice. Goes great with milk or yogurt and packed with protein keeping me going all day.

The protein bar really was a meal replacement. Coming in at a little less then 300 calories and packed with protein made it a great choice when on the run. Slightly sweet but tasted nothing like the protein bags I am use too. Not chalky or dry really enjoyable. Plus anything with chocolate is 😉

You can find Seitenbacher as some natural food stores or shop online at http://www.seitenbacher.com/

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Roast Chickpeas

The possibilities are endless with this one. I choose to go with an indian spice but you can get creative. Make a great salty and crunchy snack. Great to serve with drinks or as a salad topping.

 

Ingredients:

1 Can Chickpeas – drained and rinsed

1 1/2 Tbs Spice Blend – I choose gram masala

1 tsp Salt

Spray or 2 Tbs Olive Oil

Place rinsed peas in a bowl spray with non-stick spray or oil. Add spice or herb blend and toss in bowl. Pour on to a large foiled and sprayed baking sheet. Spread everything out evenly and roast at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. Check them continuously so they don’t burn.

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Gluten Halloween Candy Idea’s

Halloween is around the corner and I have been getting a ton of question about safe gluten free candy. A lot of classic favorites are safe but gluten can be in some candy’s that many people  are not aware. To be safe, always READ the label or contact the company.

Safe Gluten Free Candy:

  • Original Butter Finger
  • Sno-Caps
  • Fun Dip
  • Pixy Stix
  • Laffy Taffy
  • Raisinets (my fav 🙂 )
  • M&M’s Original
  • 3 Musketeer
  • Milky Way
  • Dove Chocolate
  • Snickers
  •  Smarties
  • Almond Joy
  • Mounds
  • Kisses
  • Rees’s Peanut Butter Cups
  • York Patties
  • Heath Bar
  • Skittles

Not Gluten Free

  • Twizzlers
  • Cookie and Cream Bars
  • Mr. Goodbar
  • Hershey Extra Dark Chocolate
  • Take 5
  • Kit Kat
  • Licorice
  • Clark Bar
  • Crunch Bar
  • Airheads (made in a facility with wheat)
  • Brach’s Candy Corn (made in a facility with wheat)
  • Nerds (made in a facility with wheat)
  • Whoppers
  • Warheads

With extra candy you have after the big day have fun putting it to good use. I like to make graveyard brownies. Using either store bought gf brownies or making my own. Then topping with chocolate frosting and getting creative.  Use pep’s, colored sugar and candy to make your brownies look like a spooky graveyard.

Another fun snack is making a candy pizza. Top a gluten free pizza crust with some peanut butter and then sprinkle you favorite candy, dry fruit or cereal on top. Fun for kids to do and a great way to prevent them from eating to much candy at a time.

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Healthy Pumpkin Truffles

I was asked to make so fun halloween treats for a show but wanted to come up with something that was a little bit on the healthy side. These little no bake morsels are easy to do and fun to eat.

Ingredients –

3/4 Cup Gluten Free Instant Oat Meal

1/2 Cup Coconut Flour

1/2 Cup Pumpkin

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

2 Tbs Honey

1/4 Cup Sugar

2 tsp Cinnamon

1 Cup White Chocolate Chips (Optional)

Start my mixing oatmeal, coconut flour, baking powder, cinnamon and sugar together. Then add pumpkin, vanilla, mim chocolate chips and honey. Mix and cool in refrigerator for an hour. Then roll into one inch balls. And either serve as is or dip into melted white chocolate and chill to harden. Enjoy!

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Pumpkin Pie Frapachinoo

It is officially Pumpkin season and my favorite time of year. I always joke that I could make anything with pumpkin. This recipe ironically is has no actual pumpkin but the spices along makes you think of any classic fall beverage. Plus this recipe has no added sugar!

Ingredient:

1 Frozen Banana

1 Cup Almond Milk

1 Oz Espresso

1/2 Tbs Pumpkin Spice Mix

Add espresso and  milk to a blender and whip up. Then add frozen banana and spice. Blend  well and serve cold.

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Blue Cheese Slaw

This time of year I try to come up with new football snacks. Chicken wing are my favorite but I always need extra celery and carrot so. This is a great combo and is a fun side dish to any chicken dish.

Ingredients:

5 Carrots Grated

4 Medium Celery Stalks Finally Chopped

1/2 Cup Blue Cheese Dressing (try my healthy version)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix everything together and allow it to chill in the fridge. Stir and serve with grill chicken and baked wings.

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Raindbow Baked Fries

Who does not love a side a fries with a good burger or sandwich. The salty, well seasoned crispy finger food that can be picked up and dipped into a mix a fun sauces. Well I am always looking for healthier alternatives. The idea of deep fried potatoes with no nutritional value is painful. My version is baked, and filled with all the good stuff. Plus the fun colors make it look great on your plate.

 

Ingredients –

2 Cups Baby Carrots

1 Medium Eggplant

1 Zucchini

1/2 Cups Salt plus 2 teaspoons for seasoning.

1 Tbs Cajan Seasoning

1/2 Tbs Olive Oil

Cooking Spray

The first step is to prep the eggplant. Start by cutting the eggplant into large rounds and laying on a baking sheet. Using the half cup of salt, cover each piece, then flip and do the same on the other side. Let the eggplant sit for 45min- 1 hour allowing the salt to pull a lot of the water away. Turning the eggplant slices over mid-way is helpful.

While the eggplant sits. Slice the zucchini in half and then each side into three long pieces. Cut each strip into thirds so that you have two inch sticks. Toss the zucchini sticks into  bowl. Add the carrot sticks to the bowl.

Once eggplant is done rinse each piece very well with water and pat dry. Slice each round into half inch thick strips. Add eggplant to the bowl of carrots and zucchini. Lightly mix them up by hand and coat with some nonstick spray. Add olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and cajan seasoning. Toss everything together and then lay it all out flat and a large, foiled, well sprayed baking sheet. Baking at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes, turning half way.

Enjoy!

 

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Apple Cider Freeze

Fall is my favorite season of the year. I love the weather, the foods, apple picking, the colors of the trees. Every year Jay and I make it a point to have one full day doing fall fun things. This year we went to a scarecrow festival, wineries and apple picking!! With the ten pounds of apples and the gallon of cider we returned with be prepared for a lot of apple related recipes. Since the weather is still warm I came up with this one. A super easy treat the whole family will love.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Apple Cider

All you need to do is toss cold apple cider into your ice cream maker and run for about 10-15 minutes.

If your don’t have an ice cream maker then freeze the cider in ice cube trays. Place frozen cups in a blender and blend until they form a snow.

Optional – For adult, pour over 1 oz of rum to slush for a festive cocktail. IMG_2887

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Choclate Dipped Bacon

I am always looking for creative after dinner treats that are gluten free and anything different then the norm. After a meat day feast I have with my friends I wanted something that everyone would enjoy. I figured you can never go wrong with bacon or chocolate so I just put it together. It was a huge hit!!!

Ingredients:

1 Pack of Bacon

1 Cup of Godiva Chocolate Semi-Sweet

1/2 Tbs Rock Salt

1 Tbs Brown Sugar

Start by backing cutting all the bacon in half and placing on a foiled cooking sheet. Cook the bacon at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Once fully cooked allow to cool on a paper towel to help absorb the grease. While cooling, melt chocolate in a microwave in 10 second increments to prevent burning. Now dip each piece in the chocolate and using a spook coat each side with a thin layer. Place on a plate covered in wax paper. Continue to dip each piece until complete leaving the end uncovered to make it easier to work with and allowing some bacon to be visible. Once complete gently sprinkle a bit of salt and sugar on each one. Put plate in fridge for at least 15 min. to harden and serve cold with or without ice cream. Bacon will keep in fridge for up to one week.

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Guilt Free Blue Cheese

I have recently learned that blue cheese is something that not everyone likes but I grew up loving it from a young age. I can’t think of anything better then blue cheese dressing when enjoy a big plate of chicken wings. But unfortunately blue cheese dressing is always hit in fat, calories and sometimes not gluten free. My version is just as good, if not better, but slimmed down.

Ingredients:

3 oz Crumbled Good Blue Cheese

2/3 Cup Greek Yogurt

1 Tbs Wine Wine Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Mix everything together well. Consistency depends on presence. If you want it smooth mix and mash well. I prefer lumpy so I just combine everything and leave it alone. Allow flavor to come together in the fridge for at least an hour. Serve with veggies, on salad or with wings.

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