Tag Archives: gluten free

Teasia Coffee Review + Small Batch Cold Brew Recipe

Coffee is my fuel every day. I have tons of favorite coffee creations – iced coffee, espresso, macchiato and most importantly cold brew. I have worked in many cafés in the past and truly have a good sense of when coffee is super fresh. This is the key to a good cup of coffee. Freshness from the producer, freshness from bean to grind and freshness from brewing.     

Teasia reached out to me again to sample a new product they are now carrying: single origin coffee. This product is high quality, roasted in small batches and sourced from single producers by country. Origins include locations from Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia and a few other countries..

I sampled flavors from Nicaragua, Segovia, Malawi and Costa Rica. All three types are bold, smooth, rich and clearly top quality coffee. I personally feel that the best way to sample a really great bean is using it for a cold brew. By brewing the coffee only in cold water and not exposing it to any heat, it reduces the acid and also avoids the flavor change that occurs when heating grounds. Cold Brew coffee really allows you to taste coffee for what it really is. If done well, sugar and milk may not be needed because the final product is great and the taste is smooth and rarely harsh.

I have included my small batch cold brew recipe below. Feel free to adjust depending on how strong you like your coffee.

Want to give Teasia coffee a try? Check them out on their website here http://teasia.com/our-teas-shop.aspx or Facebook http://www.facebook.com/teasiateas .

Cold Brew

Supplies:

¾ cup freshly ground Teasia Coffee

4 cups water

1 nut milk bag (coffee filter and funnel can be used in a pinch if needed)
Start by adding the fresh ground coffee to the nut milk bag. If you do not have a bag, pour coffee directly in to the container. Next, place the nut bag or grind into a beverage container or pitcher that holds at least 6 cups of liquid or more. Then pour the 4 cups of water into the container slowly mixing with the beans. Seal the container and store in the fridge for at least 24 hours. When complete, remove the bag, squeeze out any extra liquid and discard the grinds. If you are not using a nut milk bag, slowly filter the grinds out using the coffee filter and a funnel.

Serve over ice and enjoy!



Rise Buddy

Some of my readers know that I am the Lead Chef at Camp Celiac every summer. One important part of that role is to spend time finding great products to have at camp that campers will love and may not be aware of. I was recently approached by Rise Buddy to try an outstanding snack product.

Rise Buddy is a healthy snack option when your looking for something salty, savory and fun. Its easy to find gluten free crackers on the market but hard to find one that comes in fun flavors and shapes. They taste similar to a normal cracker but are made from whole grain 100% brown rice. They come in four great flavors including sea salt, BBQ, Sour Cream and Onion and my favorite PIZZA!!

Rise Buddy Healthy Snacks Have it ALL:
Gluten-Free
Trans-Fat Free
Over Baked, Not Fried
Education Smart Snack Approved
Whole Grain from Brown Rice

Buy them online today!! Shop NOW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New England Clam Chowder

With a big snow storm in town and temperatures low, it is a great time for a big pot of a good creamy soup. New England clam chowder is a great classic very easy to make.

Ingredients:

2 large potatoes (peeled and chopped)

8oz clam juice

4 stalks celery (chopped)

3 medium carrots (peeled and cut into rounds)

1 onion

2 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoon butter

1/3 cup flour

32 oz chicken broth

1/4 cup white wine

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoon garlic powder

38oz chopped clams with juice

1 1/2 cup half & half

In a small pot start by boiling potatoes in clam juice. In a large pot melt butter and cook carrot, celery and onion. Once onion starts to become translucent add pepper and flour. Mix until combined. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Now, add wine, bay leaf, garlic and half&half. Continue to cook for 5 minutes and then add clams with juice. Cook an additional 5-10 minutes until soup is at a low boil. Serve hot.

La Brea Bakery Bread

A good, sliced gluten-free bread is the hardest thing to find in the gluten-free world. Many of us just stick to one of the few name brands we see in stores but most of them are never that great. I recently received samples from La Brea Bakery. This is an outstanding product and available to buy online!

 La Brea Bakery is the #1 selling artisan bread company in the country. La Brea Bakery created award-winning gluten free breads that taste different than most other options available.

They offer two outstanding flavors.  A classic white that is soft with a thin crust. Also a multi-grain that is soft on the inside with a nutty crust. You can find more about each option here . 

I have sampled a great number of gluten free sliced bread and this product clearly stands out. Has all the characters a gluten-free eater is looking for. The flavor of both option is spot on tasting clean and full of fresh baked flavor. Quality is spot on, clearly coming from an artisan company and not a mass produced item. Slice size is nice, not to big or small, great for toast or sandwich. No air holes in the slices which is always important and hard to find. Both options have an actual crust that has its own character and is part of the loaf. Texture soft, smooth, fluffy and not chewy at all. Toast’s up great and hold’s up to anything I have put on it yet. 

Where to buy:

Amazon Fresh 

Find Store Locations Here

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Gluten Free Dump Cake – Easiest Cake Ever

Finding an great crowd pleasing gluten-free dessert is not easy. I have been reading dump cake recipes for a long time but finally gave it a try with my own gluten-free redo. 

Ingredients:

1 20 oz can cherry pie filling ( I used a low sugar option but make sure it is also labeled gluten free since this product often contains food starch)

1 15 oz can crush pineapple (drain and save the juice)

1 box gluten-free vanilla cake mix 

1 stick butter

Start by adding the cherries and drained pineapple into a deep square baking dish that is well sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Next, slowly top with one pack of cake mix speak evenly across the fruit and pressed down a bit. Then, sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of pineapple juice over the top. Finally, evenly distribute pieces of the butter all over the top of the cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-65 min or until golden brown on top. Serve hot with ice cream or whip cream. Enjoy!!!!

Confetti Bars

Looking for a fun Halloween treat? Looking for something different? This treat is it. Similar to a rice crispy treat but packed with color and fruity flavor. With fruity pebbles now being labeled gluten-free this is a safe a addition to your next get together or exciting lunch box addition.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons salted butter

26 marshmallows

8 cups Fruity Pebbles Cereal (make sure the box says gluten-free)

Use a large pot because mixing the cereal can get very messy. Start by melting the butter over medium heat in the pot. Once melted, add the marshmallows and continue to cook over low to medium heat. Mix slowly until butter and marshmallows are fully melted and combined. Be careful not to burn or carmalazie the mixture. Once melted, remove from heat and add cereal to pot. Gently combine the mixture. Pour mixture into baking dish and gently press down. Any size dish works depending on how thick you want to cut the bars. Let mixture cool in pan for 45 mins. Finally, cut into bars or fun shapes. Enjoy!!

Loeb’s Crunch

Who does not love something crunchy? A crunchy snack, crunchy coating on meat, crunchy salad or sandwich topping. Finding gluten-free options can be limited. Well Loeb’s Crunch has done it! They have created a line of gluten-free ingredients / toppings that will take your next meal to a whole a new level.

I recently sampled three of Leob’s Crunch gluten-free all-natural products including quinoa crunch, onion crunch and jalapeno crunch. The onion crunch reminded me instantly of green bean casserole on thanksgiving. The jalapeno crunch was my husbands favorite topped on gluten-free quinoa mac&cheese and zesty guacamole. My favorite of them all was the quinoa crunch. I have salads everyday and a handful of these little puff balls make any salad something special. I found myself snacking on them all week. Croutons tend to be greasy, dense and lack flavor but quinoa crunch was light, crunchy, full of flavor and fun to eat.

Pick a bag up at a store near you. Loeb’s crunch can be found at Walmart, Shoprite, ACME, HEB and many more stores. Find them near you at: http://loebscrunch.com/store-locator

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Visit the site: http://loebscrunch.com/ to learn more.

First Fresh Chicken Sausage Review

I am always happy to review new gluten-free product that are something special. Recently, I received a sample of  delicious Chicken Sausage.

Sausage is one of those items that can have hidden gluten. Between the seasoning, flavors and outer casing it is important to read labels and ask questions. The family that created this product has experience with Celiac Disease first hand and have created a product that is both completely gluten-free and healthy. Chicken sausage has 78% less fat then the tradition products on the market. Made with a short list of real ingredients:

Ingredients: Chicken breast filet, chicken skin, water, contains less than 2% of: salt, spices, natural flavorings, dextrose, sodium citrate, sodium diacetate, packed into a collagen casing.

It browned well and was great both on its own and in a simple tomato sauce. The flavor of the herbs and spices really was evident.

Check out there website and find a location to pick some up:

Our Sausage

Peach Cobbler

For Easter dinner the number one request was to make a real southern peach cobbler.  I have done plenty of fruit crumbles but this was a new challenge. To make a gluten free cobbler that was super easy and stayed moist. This recipe is a bit different then the tradional ones because it is layered with the cake part on the bottom and the fruit on top. My peach cobbler was a hit, best part of Easter dinner by far!! Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

2-10oz bags Frozen peachs

Juice 1/4 lemon 

1 cup coconut sugar divided by into 2 parts

3 tablespoons butter (melter)

1 tablespoon cornstarch 

1 cup gluten-free flour (cup for cup worked great)

2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 pinch salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup milk 

Start by placing peaches, juice of the lemon and half the sugar into a pot. Cook over medium heat 15 minutes until peaches start to become soft and liquid starts to boil. Add the corn starch, mix well and continue to cook over low heat for 5 more minutes.

While peaches cook pour melted butter into a deep round baking dish and set aside.

In another large bowl mix flour, other 1/2 cup of sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Once mixed well add milk and continue to combine. Now, scoop the batter into the baking dish of melted butter in. Once peaches are ready gently place them on top pressing down lightly. No need to mix. Bake at 35o degrees for 45 min.

Serve hot with ice cream 🙂
   
 

SUNWARRIOR Review

Shakes have become my healthy meal option on the go. After a good workout or running out the door, my daily routine includes a nutritious shake of some kind. Adding protein to a shake can be difficult since many of the powders on the market are filled with junk and not gluten-free.

Sunwarrior is a clean plant based protein and natural supplement option. Sunwarrior offers a large selection of products with items the are raw, organic or all-natural. Can’t beat an option that is gluten-free, soy free, non-gmo, dairy free and vegan.

Many different options are available:

Classic Protein is made from fermented brown rice. This simple formula is suggested for those with food allergies and our more granola customers.
Warrior Blend is a synergistic combination of pea, goji berry, and hemp proteins with the bonus of medium chain triglycerides from coconut. Warrior Blend has a slightly better amino acid profile and includes the anti-inflammatory power of coconut to speed recovery.

Classic Plus relies on brown rice, pea, quinoa, chia, and amaranth for ancient grain goodness without the gluten or carbs. It has a similar amino acid profile to Warrior Blend, but a slightly different texture and flavor.

Read more about this product or buy online at: https://sunwarrior.com/store/

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