A G-Free Birthday

The sky is now periwinkle and the clouds dissipate by noon like wisps of fluffy cotton balls. It’s been so rainy and cold this winter that I do not even mind the dewy blanket of humidity that seems to constantly coat my skin. It’s all the blessings from Mother Nature as she turns our season into summer. I crave salads, hummus, grilled meats and vegetables, and of course every fruit imaginable. Luckily for me, all the above are naturally gluten free (minus store bought salad dressings and croutons of course but I never cared much for those things anyway).

My pops had his birthday this weekend. The Chicago Blackhawks played Saturday night. You do the addition and it’s a no brainer that we would host a birthday party for him Saturday night and watch the game. I could think of no better birthday present for him than a first game win for the Stanley Cup. Well, maybe the Cup itself but we have to count our blessings one day at a time right?

I have been asking my husband to make his ribs now for quite some time. My pops’ birthday rolls around and he was more than acquiescenced…Ah well, I knew I would get them one way or another! I cannot reveal to you his rib recipe, however, I will tell you the element that I had to do some research on to make sure that I would be enjoying these without stomach pain. The only stomach pain that is allowed is when I eat way too many and I am stuffed to the brim with joy and satisfaction.
I had read on a few blogs on vinegar and a few reported that it was out of the question. Well my friends, if I thought everything contained gluten, go check and see how many condiments have some sort of vinegar in them! After a couple books and online research I discovered that malt vinegar and flavored vinegars seemed to be the only ones I had to avoid. Since I clearly could not have my favorite fish and chips from the White Lion English Pub here in town anyway, malt vinegar was really not a hard blow to this celiac’s ego. Furthermore, I could have apple cider vinegars for example, just not apple cider flavored vinegars. It’s all in the wording my dears, but we are getting used to obsessively reading every label by now anyway right?

Hosting a party on the first big pool Saturday can be done easy without having to sacrifice too much pool time. We had to get the ribs on by two, so that gave us a good amount of time to soak in the sunshine. That said, once we got home I did not want to be slaving in the kitchen when I could be playing outside. I will forever be a kid at heart which means consequently that I will itch to be outside when the sky is blue and the sun is warm. Those days were always so hard to attend class or focus on work. I will be sure to exclude that opinion in my resume.
The menu:

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

•4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
•2 (15 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained
•2/3 cup tahini
•2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
•1 cup muir glen fire roasted red peppers
•1/2 teaspoon dried basil

In an electric food processor or blender, combine garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, and lemon juice. Process until the mixture is smooth. Add roasted peppers and basil; process until the peppers are finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer hummus to small bowl, cover and chill until you are ready to serve.
I served carrots for dipping, but any crudités or dipping food of your choice works!

B’s Famous Ribs
Husband will not let me disclose. But they are finger lickin’!

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

•4 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into sticks
•Ground Cinnamon
•Ground Nutmeg
•Sea Salt
•Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Halve your sweet potatoes and slice into thin strips. Blanch for about 2 hours. Drain.
Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Add enough olive oil to coat. Add Cinnamon and Nutmeg to taste and toss. Lay strips out on a foil covered baking sheet and sprinkle sea salt over the strips.

Bake in the oven for 40 minutes turning the fries half way through so they do not burn. Broil for 3 minutes at the very end to crisp. They will not be as crispy as normal fries as the natural sugar content of sweet potatoes is higher. If you like a crispier fry, you may have to take the fry in oil route. I like mine freshly baked and oil free!

Namaste Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Maple Icing

I chose to make a vanilla cake from Namaste’s Vanilla Cake Mix and make icing from scratch. Instructions for the cake are on the bag, and I added a tablespoon of vanilla to give it a rich color. It came out pretty well but I think I will add cream cheese or sour cream to the batter next time to ensure that it bakes with a richer, more moist texture. I did not have time to make it down to whole foods for the icing so I made this one up and it turned out delicious!!

Gluten Free Icing
½ cup Spectrum Natural Organic shortening
½ cup butter, softened
1 tbs pure vanilla extract
2 tbs pure maple syrup
3-4 cups powdered sugar
2-3 tbs milk

Happy Birthday Pops and best of luck to the Chicago Blackhawks!

“When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore"

I love a good slice of pizza like the next. So, when I was diagnosed and was combing through the lists of all the things that I could not eat, my heart inevitably fell when I saw pastas and pizza. That is, the pasta and pizza that I was eating before. Just like all the other gluten gorged groceries out there, there is always a substitute. Glass of red wine half full on this celiac’s Sunday night.


We all like to kick up our heels and just enjoy a good pie once in a while. I have made my own pizza crusts in my flour flecked past and enjoyed many make your own pizza nights with friends. I was determined to make this night no different than the next. Easy, simple meal, that would be in our tummies in no time.

I picked up a box of gluten free pizza dough mix, Annie's organic tomato and basil red sauce, and some toppings and headed over to the produce section to see what my husband would choose for his Italian masterpiece. I must admit I already knew that a margarita pizza was in store but I pretended to be surprised when I saw him holding the roma tomatoes and fresh pulled mozzarella. Of course, he too likes to raid the backyard basil at every chance. He looked down at my basket full of parmesan and organic genoa salami and I am sure was just as surprised at my choices. But then his eyes focused in on the pizza dough mix. He perused the directions and as soon as his gaze fell on the “let rise for 30 minutes, bake for 30 minutes…” I knew this would not cut it for our ‘no hassle’ cooking night.

I convinced him that I would do all the work and we headed down to the freezer section so I could pick up some bread for the week. Behold, tucked into the frozen section of whole foods was a readymade gluten free pizza crust. Winner winner chicken dinner. Or pizza dinner in our case.

The crust was thick, delicious, and baked perfectly in the oven. I layered slice upon slice of fresh salami, parmesan, and oregano on my pie, and my husband made a delicious margarita pizza with our fresh basil. We enjoyed good red wine, and a lazy Sunday. That my friends, is amore.



Since we are on the subject of pizza, I must bring up another easy way to get your fix. Joe Momma’s pizzeria in downtown Tulsa also makes gluten free pizza crust. For those of you who enjoy a thinner crust pizza, this is your pie. You can ask for any of the specialty pizzas to be made on the 10 inch crust, and it is absolutely delicious. We enjoyed a “California love” pizza with chicken the other night. Go check it out!

A Summer Invite

The smell of sunscreen, the birds chirping outside my side patio, the bright blue sky…Ah, summer’s arms are wanting to embrace us. As I was having my morning coffee on the patio, I was thinking about what I could make for dinner to jump start our taste buds into the new season. I laid my head back, let the sun kiss my face, and as I lowered my chin my gaze fell upon the vivacious green leaves of the newly sprouted basil. And PRESTO! The dinner conflict was resolved in an instant with a delicious bowl of PESTO!

I just love the bright green color and kick it gives to so many dishes. I use it as a spread for sandwiches, top pasta with it, serve it up appetizer style for a group...the possibilities are endless. You can freeze it in cubes and save it but there is never a leftover dollop in site over in this kitchen!

Tonight, it will be a crust for chicken thighs. A delectable invitation to summer if I must say. There are so many different ways to make pesto, so choose your favorite, or follow my simple recipe below. This dinner was so easy and quick. I enjoy the decadent taste of bone in chicken thighs and I think it has more flavor, however you can subsitute chicken breasts, bone in or sans bone, just as easy. I served it with a salad to keep it simple.

Basil crusted Chicken Thighs
•4 organic, free range chicken thighs, skin on
•Fresh cracked pepper
•Extra Virgin Olive Oil
•Basil Pesto (recipe below)

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

Heat Olive Oil in the pan. Sprinkle cracked pepper onto the chicken thighs and place skin side down in the pan. Brown both sides (should take less than 5 minutes). Place in baking dish skin side up and coat each piece with basil pesto.
Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes and presto!

Basil Pesto
•3 cups fresh basil leaves, stems removed
•1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
•4 garlic cloves, peeled
•Extra virgin olive oil, as needed ( I am pretty liberal with it )
•1/2 cup grated Parmesan
•Pinch of sea salt

Toast pine nuts in the oven at 350 for about 7 minutes.

Put the pine nuts, garlic and about ½ cup of olive oil into a food processor and pulse. Add basil and parmesan and pulse until smooth (adding olive oil as needed).

Taste test. I add a dash of sea salt but the parmesan does give it enough salt for some.

"Mares eat oats and does eat oats..."

Oats are troublesome for many celiacs. So, you can imagine that I was pretty apprehensive to see how well I could roll with the gluten free rolled oats I bought yesterday. Some adventures in celiac land are a bit more discomforting than invigorating. I still have yet to dive into a heaping pile of scrambled eggs in the morning, and I have been putting off the question of oats now for a month. I have read many pieces of literature on the subject and they all seem to contradict one another. What I have learned is that everything is trial and error, much like life. How are we supposed to know what works for us if we don’t try it once?
At the risk of crumpling into the fetal position for an hour, I decided to roll with it (the gluten free rolled oats I mean). I was picking up my six year old from school and taking him to the park so an after school snack was a perfect way to mix in the possible antagonist. My first inclination to incorporate oats was into a granola bar of course.

“Look mommy!! Another brontosaurus footprint in the rock! Hurry, and come look!” cried Mitch, my ambitious and creative six year old. We were hunting for dinosaur fossils and footprints in Woodward Park. Granola bars in hand we decided to settle down on a ‘volcanic rock’ and discuss our findings. We talked about how some dinosaurs were herbivores and only ate plants. We fantasized about the T-Rex in all his glory and how he was a carnivore who only ate meat. Then we discussed how we are omnivores because we eat both. This slowly sunk in and I could see him connecting the dots of this new information. “These granola bars don’t have meat in them right?” Mitch inquired. “So, the brontosaurus would eat them!”

Thus the name of my granola bar was born…”BRONTOSAURUS BARS”. Don’t be fooled by the child named concoction however, because these granola bars have an adult stamp of approval as well. My husband called them addictive and I must agree. Great for on the go snacking at any time, and to sate a sweet tooth after a meal. I am sure you will be roaring with delight!

Brontosaurus Bars

•1 egg white
•½ cup organic crunchy peanut butter
•1/3 cup organic brown sugar
•¼ cup organic honey
•¼ cup agave nectar
•2 cups gluten free rolled oats (you can substitute regular if you wanted but I tasted no difference)
•¼ cup slivered almonds
•1/3 cup gluten free semi sweet chocolate chips
•¼ cup dried cranberries
•Pinch of salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat egg with a mixer until frothy.

Stir in the peanut butter, sugar, honey, and agave nectar. Mix until just combined.
Add the oats and almonds (and pray for no reaction…optional)
Fold in the chocolate chips.

Spray a baking dish liberally with vegetable spray, and place a piece of parchment paper inside allowing some to fall over the edge. Lightly spray the parchment paper. This will help you easily lift out the granola from the pan in one piece. Pour granola mixture into the dish and spread evenly with your spatula. Top with dried cranberries.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven and let rest for one hour at least. Lift the parchment paper and flip onto a baking sheet. Cut bars into desired pieces. Let out big, booming ROAR! (I have a six year old, don’t judge)

My reaction? Just pure bliss. I am a celiac that can roll with the best of them. I suppose it just takes time and when you are ready, like any life challenge that proposes itself, you will be ready. I will leave you with a quote that this experience reminded me of,

“Wild oats will get sown some time, and one of the arts of life is to sow them at the right time.”
Richard Le Gallienne

A Family Affair

I have always loved to eat organic and healthy. My mother always said that I could eat cardboard (referencing the healthy foods) and enjoy it if I put my mind to it. In sharing my recipes with friends, I had a general response of, “Oh that sounds great! If I was gluten free than I would definitely try it!” Here is the kicker my dears, most things that I cook everyday for meals or snacks are naturally gluten free. Fruits, Veggies, Meats, Fish…all delicious and gluten free.
Becoming gluten free opened my eyes to a new world of cooking. It’s easy to throw in a dash of flour to thicken a sauce. But now, I think more about the flavor combinations and can choose from a variety of flours and thickening agents! Just because we have lived our lives so far just experiencing white and wheat flours, does not mean there aren’t a plethora of other choices out there, and much tastier too. It’s been fun to play in the kitchen with coconut flour, almond flour, and brown rice flour! Cooking is a richer experience, and I can taste it in my food.
That said, I decided to have my parents and sister over for dinner the other night. I would prepare a typical meal at my house. I am sure they were bracing themselves all day for the g-free experience. I decided my main course and dessert would be naturally gluten free to show that you really do not have to sacrifice flavors and textures to live my lifestyle. To throw in a challenge for myself, my appetizer would feature a gluten free substitute.

Now of course I made this a themed event. I wanted my table setting to reflect spring and nature since both the plants and I were going through changes. My palette would be greens and lavenders, and bring an eco country feel to the table. I used over sized plates for an easy solution to a colored charger, had multiple vases of shades of purple flowers, used my Nan’s china, and of course created cute place cards out of flowers and paper leaves. These were simple and easy. I took green construction paper and cut out leaf shapes. Then I glued on a skinny rectangular white piece on top. With a glitter glue pen (a blessing to have a 6 year old) draw the first letter of everyone’s name. The rest of the name can be done in purple sharpie. With a hole punch, punch a hole on the inside of the leaf and slide your flower on. Easy, spring place cards!

We are always very comfortable when we entertain my parents (meaning we usually eat with our plates in our laps and watch whatever sport is on in my living room), so I wanted this to be a more formal dinner. There is something special about having all your loved ones sitting around a table enjoying a good meal and wine.
I digress. I suppose we should get onto the meal.
My dinner would be comfort food since the weather has decided to turn quite chilly and I figure I won’t be able (or will not care to enjoy) a hot meal much longer. Although I am bizarre with my food selections sometimes and will want hot soup on a hundred degree day and ice cream during an ice storm.

The menu:

G-Free Bruschetta

•Honey baked brown rice bread (found in whole foods freezer section)
•EVOO
•Fresh Spinach
•Minced Garlic (I minced 2 cloves)
•Freshly Shaved Parmesan
•Dried Greek Oregano
•Tomatoes (I actually decided to leave these out but I know typically with bruschetta that this crime so you choose!)


Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Thaw out 4 slices of the bread in the oven for a few minutes. Take out and quarter them. Drizzle each piece with EVOO. I love the taste of good olive oil so be as liberal as you want. Just do not get it soggy. Nobody likes a soggy bottom ;) Layer your spinach, garlic, and if you so choose, diced tomato. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and blanket freshly shaved parmesan on each piece. Sprinkle the oregano. Put back into the oven for another 5 min or just until the parmesan is bubbling.

Arrange prettily on a platter and serve to your guests with a big glass of wine!

Beef in pomegranate sauce over a bed of chive and buttermilk mashed potatoes
• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds grass fed beef
• Sea salt
• Light olive oil, as needed
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
• 1 14-oz can Muir Glen fire roasted crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
• 1 teaspoon dried herbs de Provence
• A small pinch of cinnamon

I slow-cooked my recipe in a crock pot because it was the easiest for me and I love how it smells up the whole kitchen. When you are working all day and prepping on your lunch break, you gotta do what you gotta do.

Salt the beef on all sides. Get your slow cooker situated and turned on to High.

Heat a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef on all sides to sear in the flavor, using long tongs to turn the pieces. This doesn't take but maybe five minutes, or so. Remove the beef and set aside.

Add a small dash of olive oil to the crock. Add in sliced onion and garlic. Stir to coat with the olive oil. Place the beef on top.

Pour in the pomegranate juice, crushed tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. Stir to combine. Add the cranberries, dried herbs, a pinch of cinnamon, sea salt and ground pepper.

Stir to co-mingle ingredients.

Cover and let the magic happen- about 4 to 5 hours.

Taste Test. I did not add anything but we all have our preferences. I served mine side by side with the mashed potatoes (see recipe below) but over the top would also suffice.

Serves 4. Recipe derived from glutenfreegoddess.

Buttermilk and Chive Mashed Potatoes

• 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small shallot, chopped
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Cover the cubed potatoes with cold salted water in a large saucepan and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.

While potatoes are cooking, add the butter to a small saucepan and sauté the shallot until translucent. Add the buttermilk and warm. Season with salt and pepper.
Once tender, drain potatoes, return to pot, and coarsely mash with a potato masher. This is the stress relieving part of the day so enjoy. Stir in the warmed buttermilk mixture, season with salt and pepper and garnish with chives.

Heaven on a plate. Seriously. My mother even commented how long it has been since she ate homemade mashed potatoes. Skip the box flakes and get mashing. Trust me, it’s worth it.

Brown sugar baked Peaches

I was trying to think of a fresh, spring dessert to serve my family. As I meandered through whole foods produce section I was entranced by a delicious aroma. Peaches. Oh! They smelled delicious and ripe. That would be my star of the night. And they were on sales, BONUS! I snagged 4 and the wheels in my head began turning with delight.

• 1 cup organic brown sugar
• 3 tbs melted unsalted butter, cubed
• 2 cups hazelnuts
• 4 peaches

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Kiss your significant other.

Put the hazelnuts in the blender and pulse until roughly chopped. Add brown sugar and butter in the blender until smooth. Half and pit the peaches. Make sure you carve a big enough cavity to hold your sweet mixture.

Place your peaches in a baking dish and spoon in the mixture. Bake for 25 minutes.

Enjoy!

"EGG'stential Circumstances

After I finally found out that all my problems had derived from a gluten allergy, I figured that I would be free to eat whatever did not contain it. However, eggs and sugar still sent my tummy flying off the handle. I had already succumbed to the diet and lifestyle and decided to make peace with it but now I felt like there was a whole list of other dietary demons. I started researching and found that the damage I had unknowingly caused to my small intestine would take up to two weeks to heal, causing me to be sensitive to many foods. Eggs being one of my most volatile villains. They said to slowly reintroduce these antagonistic elements back into my diet and I should react normally in a month’s time. WHEW!
That said, I decided the best way to slowly introduce eggs back into my diet would be to bake! Okay, and maybe a small craving for something sweet. I have baked a couple different cookies, a few cakes and one cupcake recipe so far, and have run across a lot of obstacles in the oven. Baking times are different, and I tend to be a crazed cook staring helplessly into the lit oven, coaching and coaxing the outside of my cakes not to burn as the inside cooks at a glacial pace. Presentation has not quite taken part yet, as my cookies are tending to stick to the parchment paper but everything tastes wonderful! I could not get my hubby and son to stay out of my chocolate chip cookies the other day.
I had a wonderful success with the following peanut butter and banana cake recipe on my first run! The taste of peanut butter and banana marry so well, and the cake was absolutely irresistible! It kept well frozen too, so I had a go to snack attack treat. This recipe, compliments from glutenfreegoddess.

Not only is the cake gluten-free and sugar-free, it's grain-free. So those of you on sugar and yeast-free diets can indulge.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 8 or 9-inch cake pan with greased parchment.

Mix the wet ingredients in a bowl:
4 ripe medium bananas, mashed
1/2 cup organic natural peanut butter (I used creamy for a rich texture)
1/3 cup organic agave nectar or honey (use the agave, so good!)
2 organic free-range large eggs
2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract
Whisk the dry ingredients together first, then beat into the wet mixture till smooth:
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 cup fine almond meal
Dash of stevia powder , to taste (I used ¼ cup brown sugar instead!)
Dash of cinnamon or nutmeg, to taste
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and place in the center of the pre-heated oven.

Bake until done - about 35 to 40 minutes - and a wooden pick inserted into the center emerges clean. I went closer to 40 minutes and the middle was still just a tab creamier, but no complaints on this end!

Cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

Makes 8 to 9 servings. Freezes well, pieces wrapped individually. Yummy cold.

Cinco De Mayo

I think I have officially left my "cinco de drinko" days behind me. I would much rather spend time with my family on my patio with a bottle of good wine and a home cooked meal. I find staying at home so much more pleasant. Plus, I know the service will be good ;)
If you know me, you know that I theme EVERYTHING. I love to make events out of every occasion. Naturally a gluten free cinco de mayo feast was in store for last night's dinner. There are a plethora of mexican restaurants in our area, so I think I have had my fair share of mexican fare to know how to make an enchilado or two. The best part is, I can eat corn, a staple of the cuisine.
I took a couple recipes from glutenfreegoddess and made them my own. For my enchilades, I added artichokes and roasted red peppers to a slow roasted chicken filling, spiced it up with some green chiles, and tingled our tastebuds with some pineapple salsa.

To begin the meal, I made a heaping bowl of guacamole. You can put as much heat as you would like in yours. Mine turned out mild but absolutely addictive.

6 large, ripe avocados
3 tomatillos, chopped
2-3 ripe red tomatoes, seeded, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded, diced fine (add the seeds for heat!)
Sea salt, to taste
3-4 fresh juicy limes

Peel and pit the avocados; cut the fruit into chunks and toss into a large bowl. Mash the guacamole down for a smoother consistancy. I had mine slightly chunky. Add the chopped tomatillos, tomatoes, garlic, and jalapeños. Toss lightly. Season with sea salt to taste. I did a couple taste test, just to be sure of course. Squeeze fresh lime juice all over the guac mix and toss again again.

Another taste test!

Serve the guacamole with lime wedges and lots of blue corn tortilla chips. We topped our enchilades with the extra.

Now for enchilades that made my husband and father-in-law go loco!

Chicken, Artichoke, and Fire Roasted Red Pepper Enchiladas with Pineapple Salsa

2 cups of your favorite pineapple salsa-I used Newmans Own Pineapple Salsa
1 lb cooked chicken, shredded (see below for how I cooked mine)
Juice from one big fresh lime
Sea salt and ground pepper
Extra Virgin Olive oil, as needed
12 corn tortillas
1 4-oz. can chopped green chiles
shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 can Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Tomatoes
1/2 can Artichoke hearts, quartered

Prep chicken:
I slow roasted 1 pound of organic, free range chicken in a slow cooker with organic, low sodium chicken broth for about 4 hours on high. It shredded very easy when I took it out with tongs.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


Pour about a half cup of salsa into the bottom a lightly oiled 9x12" baking dish.


Squeeze lime juice all over the cooked chicken; season with sea salt and pepper and toss well to coat. Add fire roasted tomatoes, and artichokes.


Heat a couple tbs of olive oil in a skillet, and heat one corn tortilla until softened, turning it over once to coat with oil. Just a few seconds or so on each side. You do not want it to crisp up as it will break when you begin to roll. Place the tortilla into the sauced baking dish; fill with chicken mixture, and roll up seam side down, placing it at the far end of the dish. Repeat for the remaining tortillas, adding more oil, if needed. I added after every 2 or 3.


Pour the remaining salsa all over the rolled tortillas. Top with chiles. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.


Bake in a 350 degree F. oven until the enchiladas are bubbling and heated through, about 30 minutes.


This recipe is easily doubled (with a larger pan, or use two pans).


Serves 3 to 4, depending upon appetites.

For my son, or those picky eaters that may attend your fiesta, I made chicken and cheese quesadillas on the panini press.

***I used the left over chicken mix, artichokes, and artichoke hearts and put them over spinach for lunch today. A couple pieces of mango did the trick to bring it all together. MMMMM

OLE!

Journey to a New Aisle

Now that I have been emersed into a gluten-free lifestyle, Whole Foods has become my life line. I travelled down their gluten free isle and was put at ease knowing that I could pluck something off the shelf and pop it into my mouth without combing through ingrediant lists and having an anxiety attack. I still checked out all the labels just to be sure, but found many snacks, cereals, bread mixes, and desserts (c'mon cannot live without a good cookie!) that to be honest, tasted better than most of the things I was eating before.

I eat a lot of fruits and veggies for snacks but I also crave salt. I used to be able to take down a bag of goldfish single handedly. Naturally, I wanted something that I could put in a baggie in my purse to take with me sometimes that did not require prep. You know you have an open mind when your new favorite stack is named "sticks and twigs". Mary's Gone Crackers sea salt "Sticks and Twigs" are absolutely delicious and so healthy for you! All organic and gluten free. My first snacking on the go epiphany.

Gluten free or not, you should try them! My husband and I can barely keep them in the pantry for longer than a few days.