Tag Archives: gluten free

UNREAL and UNJUNKED Candy

As the guilt free foodie cutie I think it is my job to expose some of my great product finds. I normally am not one that will pick up a candy bar or anything you would find on the check out line but when I heard about this stuff I was impressed.

Imagine your favorite candy made with real sugar, no corn syrup, no artificial preservatives, really milk, extra protein and fiber with no hydrogenated oil or fats. Your not dreaming, this stuff is real. They are making some great products that can hold up against the well known unhealthy competitor. The peanut butter cups with the true old fashion filling we all remember. Chocolate sugar coated candies similar to M&M’s that are perfectly sweet and crunchy, great solution to the munchies. Best of all a Chocolate Peanut Bar just like a Snicker Bar but at only 200 calories and 5 grams of protein it will get your hunger under control in minutes and not leave you feeling guilty.

Are UNREAL™ products gluten-free?

Our candy is made with all gluten-free ingredients, but produced in facilities that handle gluten.

The best part is you can find this product at the same location and price level as the competition. Find it at CVS, Walgreens, Kroger, Target, Rite Aid and many more places.

For more info check it out at:

http://www.getunreal.com

http://www.facebook.com/unreal

@getunreal #getunreal

Guilt Free Mocha Java

Every-time I am in the local coffee house I try to justify giving into the decedent sweet and chocolate infused mocha coffee. Not only will I get my caffeine fix but my chocolate craving will be under control. Just adding sugar free chocolate syrup won’t compare to a gooey creamy 350 calories beverage on the menu. Its my goal to always recreate things like this into something I don’t feel guilty about. Well, after many attempts I did it. Give this one a try to fill that craving next time.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Fresh Coffee
1 1/2 Tbsp Splenda
1/2 Tbsp Agave
2 Tbsp Coco powder
1/2 Cup Almond Milk

Place all ingredients in a pot bring to boil while whisking. Then lower to a high simmer and allow to reduce for about 15 minutes. Serve warm or cool over ice.

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We Bee Brother Honey

I am always looking for great new products the are gluten free, guilt free and worth being noticed. I have always believed in the health benefits of honey and regularly useing it in my cooking. While looking for ingredients for my next show I stumbled on We Bee Brothers Raw Honey.
They are a great local family own and run company. They are retrieving bee’s from around the area and making some great honey. They also like to get creative and make fun flavor’s.
Honey is great as a drink sweetener, cooking, addition to any cheese plate, ice cream topping and many medical benefits.
I will be using their honey on NBC tomorrow along with a bunch of recipes I will be posting soon. Tune in to check it out.

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Thyme Martini

The We Bee Brothers don’t just make the best honey but they also like to get creative. I recently got a sample of their thyme honey and the second I tried it all I could think was cocktail. You have to give this one a try.

Ingredients:
1/2 Lemon
1 tsps We Bee Brothers Thyme infused honey
1 oz water
1 oz vodka

Heat water and add honey. Stir until honey is dissolved. Pour honey mixture into a shaker along will juice of lemon, vodka and a few piece’s of lemon peel. Shake well and add one ice cube. Shake again and then strain into nice glass removing ice cube. Garnish drink with lemon wedge and peel. Enjoy!

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Popcorn Balls

The easiest healthy snack has always been popcorn. Since it’s the best go-to gluten free snack I wanted to try something new with it. Popcorn balls are super easy and fun to do with kids. Add anything you want. Try your favorite candy or some healthy nuts. Maybe colored sugar or sprinkles for a great holiday treat. With Halloween around the corner adding some candy corn could make this a great alternative to the pounds of candy kids consume.

Ingredients:
1 Bag Popped Popcorn (remove all   kernels not popped )
12 Marshmallows
2 Tbsp Peanut Butter ( my favorite for this one is Peanut Butter & Company’s Honey Version, combined with the marshmallow it makes something that taste similar to caramel)

Simply melt peanut butter and marshmallows in an oiled pot on medium low heat. It will happen fast and need to contently be mixed. As soon as it melts pour over popcorn in a large bowl. Mix together well by hand. Don’t worry about breaking the popcorn because it will all stick together. The mixture hardens quick so work fast. Form balls with mix just like you would a snowball, pressing together firmly. The size of each ball will vary depending on hand size but you should get about 8 out of this mix.
If you follow this recipe exactly they each are under 90 calories. Great for after school snack!

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Tour Stop: Tampa

Tour Stop: Tampa,Florida

Second stop for the Guilt Free Foodie tour was Tampa, Florida. Due to the hurricane, my trip was cut a little short but I still got to visit three great places. At each stop I would hear about another “must try” gluten friendly location. The best part of touring around so far is hearing all the stories people have of the reasons about why their restaurant is making the effort to be gluten free and all the positive feedback they’ve had from the gf community.

The first stop on the trip was a place called “Taco-Bus”. They have a few locations around the area but I visited the St. Petersburg location. The Taco-Bus was recommended by a gluten free blogger in Tampa who said that “it’s the best place in town”. It has also been featured on different TV networks, on shows like Man vs. Food. I was greeted by both their wonderful PR rep and the store manager who took us through the menu and let us taste a lot of goodies before ordering our meal. Since it is Mexican food, it is for the most part gluten free with options of corn tortillas for tacos, chips and tostadas. In addition, the beans, all the meats, and even the tempeh is gluten free. The samples first started with some of the homemade beverages. My favorite was the half and half mix of pineapple and watermelon water. Then I tried samples of all the taco fillings from chicken to steak and even tofu, tempeh, mushroom corn mix, and my ultimate favorite – the butternut squash. I love my meat but this squash was different than any taco filling I have ever had, something I will have to replicate. It is spicy and sweet with almost a creamy texture. I tried the guacamole too which was outstanding and super fresh. By the time I ordered food, I was almost full but my squash tacos, rice and beans were really good! The best part about this place is that they are 24 hours four days a week and serve breakfast EVERYDAY. We enjoyed it so much that they we went back the next day for a late night snack. The Taco-Bus is a must try when you are in the Tampa area. Check out their website to find the other locations around Tampa Bay. Website: http://m.taco-bus.com/

The second stop was a gluten free pizza place called Gourmet Pizza. They serve gluten free pizza, bread sticks, dessert and beer. The gluten free pizza is on a thin ten inch crust and can be made into almost any option. I tried the specialties which include Crawfish Cajun, BBQ Chicken, Pineapple Bacon and Veggie. The crust was very crispy and firm enough to hold the toppings without needing a knife and fork which seems to always be an issue with gf crust. My favorite topping was the BBQ chicken for sure but they were all very good. Website: http://www.gourmetpizza-company.com/

The last stop, was like finding a hidden treasure for the GF world. It was Burger21 which is a fun, modern and hip burger and shake spot. Good gluten free options and substitutions are starting to appear more but Burger21 is taken safe gluten free eating to a whole different level. Burger21 has, by far, the safest gluten free procedures I have seen yet. All the staff was outstanding and they allowed me in the kitchen to watch my burger get made. The process they use to avoid cross contamination is amazing. When a gluten free order comes into the kitchen, the staff knows to wipe down the counters, clean hands again, get out the designated gluten free utensils and to only use the designated gluten free grills. Their burgers, buns, most sauces and fries are all gluten free. I had the cheeseburger with sweet potato fries with apple cider sauce and a chocolate frozen yogurt milk shake. The whole meal was very good and the gluten free bun tastes just like a regular one and just as fluffy. This burger was the best gf burger I have ever had and even Jeff (who is not gluten free) was amazed at the quality of the bun. The staff (PR people, managers, waiters, cooks and cooks in training) made the experience even more enjoyable. The best part is that Burger21 is starting to expand beyond their locations in Florida and is planning to open two in NJ in 2013. I can’t wait!!! Website: http://www.burger21.com/

The more that I travel and meet people, the more I realize that the gluten free community is making an impact. It is becoming rare to meet someone that does not know someone who is gluten free. Restaurants are learning that eating gluten free is not a diet fad but rather, an illness. Don’t be scared to travel and try new places. Do some research before you go and you may be surprised at what you find.

Quesadilla

Since most quesadilla’s are made on big flour tortilla its one of the few mexican dishes that are hard to get gluten free. I have been playing with my favorite pizza crust from Sweet Christine’s Bakery and figured out that the work great for making quesadilla’s in the oven. Bonus, two of these gluten free crusts Are less calories the one big flour tortilla.

Recipe –

2 gluten free 10 inch pizza crusts ( Buy the best at http://www.sweetchristinesglutenfree.com )

¼ Cup red pepper sliced

¼ Cup Sliced Mushroom

1/8 Cup Mexican Cheese Shredded

½ teaspoon chipotle powder (Use paprika is you would prefer it not spicy)

½ teaspoon Adobo seasoning

Salt and Pepper to taste

Oil or non stick spray

The first step is to slice and sauté the veggies on an well oiled pan. While veggies cook add in salt, pepper, chipotle powder and adobo seasoning. Cook on a medium flame for about 5 minutes or until veggies begin to get soft. Spray/ Oil both sides of each crust. Place on a sheet pan and top first with an even layer of veggies and then cheese. Place second crust on top and press down. Bake at 450 for 5 minutes and then carefully flip and continue to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the quesadilla a few minutes to cool. Cut in to triangles and serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole.

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Lizbeth Lane Simmer Sauce

I love when I am asked to review a new gluten free product. It’s great when I can try something new, play with it, and then tell you where to get it.

I recently received a set of Lizbeth Lane Simmer Sauce. They are all gluten free finishing sauces which are a simple way to turn any basic dish into something gourmet in under five minutes. Many sauces like this, normally have a thickening agent that contain gluten. This product is 100% gluten free. The different flavors go well with seafood, veal, chicken and pork. You basically just sauté the meat in a pan with olive oil and then add the jar of sauce to the pan for the last five minutes. Once the meat is cooked just serve over gf pasta or rice.

This sauce will make any weeknight meal into something special. Give it a try and let me know what you think. You can buy any of their products at http://www.LizethLaneCuisine.com. You can also find them at Acme and Whole Foods in the Delaware Valley. The website has some good recipes but one of mine is below.

Ingredients:

1 Jar of Roasted Red Pepper & Basil Cream Lizbeth Lane Sauce
1 Yellow Pepper
2 Chicken breast Sliced
2 Cups Riced Cauliflower

Slice pepper and cook over medium meat with chicken breast for about 4 minutes. Pour in jar of sauce and continue to cook until sauce is hot and chicken is completely cooked.

I like to use veggies instead of pasta. Sometimes I use shredded carrots, broccoli slaw, spaghetti squash or this time a cauliflower dish that is similar to rice. Simply remove the florets of the cauliflower from the stalk and either grate by hand with box grater or in a food processor.

Serve over Cauliflower or pasta with parm cheese on the side.

I plan to get a little fancy with some of the other sauce so check back soon for more great ways to use this fun gluten free product.

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Flan

The other night my boyfriend and I where sitting on the coach and he said he was home sick and all he wanted was his mommy’s flan. I was not allowed to look up a recipe or put my own spin on it, I had to get the exact recipe directly from her and no funny business. So, at 10 P.M. my mission started.

EDITED: 12/25/16

Ingredients:

2 Can of condensed milk
1 Can full of water
6 egg yolks
4 whole eggs
1 cup sugar
* vanilla or any extract optional

In a large bowl beat eggs very well and then slowly add milk and water and continue to beat and whisk very well. If you have a mixer or blender that might be more very helpful. Blend together the eggs, then separately blend together the milk and water. Slowly add the milk/water mixture to the egg mixture while mixing together.  In a small pan pour in sugar and melt into a syrup. This will take time, but be patient and continue to stir. Keep the pan at a medium heat and keep stirring and you see a caramel form in about five minutes. ( Note: If you over cook the sugar it will start to clump and form crystals. If the heat is to low the syrup will never form and sugar will turn dark and hard. ) Now take the hot syrup and pour it quickly in to a well sprayed baking dish that is the shape that you want the flan to form. Quickly move the sugar around to cover the bottom. This is hard because it will harden quickly, but its fine if its not perfect because it will melt in the oven. Now pour the egg mixture on top of the syrup in the baking dish.

Set up a water-bath. The picture below will show you how I did it. I filled a large baking pan half way up with water and put it on top of a bigger sheet tray to make it easier to hold. Place the baking dish with the flan in the water bath. BE CAREFULLY not to get any water in the dish.

Bake the whole thing at 350 degree for about 1 hour 15 minutes – 1 hour 30 mins. Keep and eye on it because any temp change will change the cooking time. To check the doneness use a tooth pick and see if it comes out clean.

Remove the whole thing from the oven carefully being careful not to get water in the flan. Allow the flan to cool out side a water bath.

To serve – flip flan onto a flat dish and cut into serving size pieces. Make sure it is completely cooled before flipping.

It came out great but it will never be as good as the one Jay’s mom makes. My next attempt will be with unsweetened fat free condensed milk to see if I can make a guilt free version.

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Johnny Cakes

I think I discovered this one by accident. I am always looking for new breakfast ideas and since I always have corn meal around I wanted to see what I could do. The best part about this recipe is that you can add anything you want. This time I used blueberries but you can add bananas, strawberries or chocolate. You can even make them savory as a fun dinner side by adding a little cheese or even sauté onions or peppers.

Ingredients:

(Note- this recipe makes one serving. Multiply all ingredients for more)

1/4 cups corn meal
1 egg
1/8 cup milk ( any kind)
* 1/4 blueberries ( feel free to change it up with different fruit, chocolate, cheese or even veggies )
1/2 Tbsp sugar optional*

Mix all ingredients together and allow it to stand for a few minutes. Place batter in spoonfuls on a hot well oiled or buttered pan. Cook on one side for about two minutes until brown and then flip and repeat on opposite side. Serve hot with syrup, jelly and or butter.

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