My Recipe was Published in the Newest Gooseberry Patch Cookbook!

Hi everyone... I am excited to share that my Mustard Thyme Potato Salad recipe was published in the newest Gooseberry Patch cookbook entitled 101 Soups, Salads & Sandwiches!  I haven't received my copy yet, but based on the cover art (above) it appears that my recipe is also featured on the cover! Woo hoo! 

I have been a loyal  fan of all things Gooseberry Patch for over a decade and now I am a tiny piece of their history (I am feeling all warm and fuzzy inside right now). :)

If you purchase a copy of 101 Soups, Salads & Sandwiches be sure to leave a comment here and let me know how you liked the recipes!

Note:  I can't say how many of the recipes inside are gluten free, with the exception of mine of course, but I would imagine the ones that aren't can be easily modified.

Have a yummy day!

Review: Gluten Free Skin & Body Care from Daisy Blue Naturals

Many people who do not live a gluten free lifestyle think it is all about food choices.  If it were only that simple!  Most people with Celiac Disease believe that anything that has a chance of entering your mouth, even accidentally, should not contain gluten.  Take skin and body care products for example; these products are on our face, bodies and hair; inevitably they are going to be ingested, even in small amounts whether we intend for them to or not.  When you wash your face, the lather from the cleanser will most likely make contact with your lips.  If you apply lotion on your body the residue left on your hands could enter your mouth if the two make contact.  You get the picture!

Because my daughter has Celiac Disease, I seek out only gluten free skin and body care products for our family.  I would hate for cross-contamination to occur via lotion residue on our hands transferring to food we prepare for her and several other {equally undesirable} scenarios.  I have found a solution in Daisy Blue Naturals; they offer skin and body care products that are gluten free, all natural and affordable.  An added plus is that Daisy Blue Naturals use essential oils from plants and flowers as well as a myriad of botanicals in their products.  Essential oils not only smell lovely, they are therapeutic as well.  This means you get natural, gluten free skin care that creates positive change in the skin... a triple win! 

I had the opportunity to sample the Lavender Lotion and Lavender Soap from Daisy Blue Naturals; it is no secret to those who know me that I have an affinity for essential oils, especially lavender.  The Daisy Blue Naturals Lavender Lotion makes me happy the minute I smell it due to the power of aromatherapy.  Lavender is naturally soothing and healing... it instantly calms my busy mind and puts a smile on my face.  I start my day with it after my morning shower and end my day with it before going to sleep.  The texture of Daisy Blue lotion is silky but in no way greasy, it has a quick absorption time and slips easily over the skin with out pulling.  The Daisy Blue Naturals Lavender Soap has the same dreamy scent as the lotion and a rich creamy lather; my skin feels soft and nourished after using it.  My daughter with Celiac Disease loves the Daisy Blue Naturals lavender products as much as I do... we are both huge fans!

I think it is worth mentioning that I am a licensed Cosmetologist who has worked as a corporate product trainer for a major skin care company and I give Daisy Blue Naturals my "pure and effective seal of approval."  These very special gluten free products are formulated and handmade by Daisy Blue Naturals.  Yes, handmade.  Neat, right?

Daisy Blue team member lovingly hand-making soap.

Please note that there are a few products on the Daisy Blue website which have wheat germ oil listed in the ingredients; upon inquiry Daisy Blue informed me that all of the products are now gluten free.  They are in the process of updating the ingredient listing on a few remaining products on their site to reflect this.

I highly recommend Daisy Blue Naturals; it is lovely, effective gluten free skin care that makes me happy every time I use it.

Daisy Blue Naturals is not sold in stores; order directly from the Daisy Blue website or click here, then scroll down to the contact form to find a Daisy blue Consultant in your area.  A Daisy Blue home party is a great option if you want to earn free products! Exciting career opportunities as an Independent Consultant for Daisy Blue are also available.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was not compensated for this review. I received complimentary product for review purposes from the product company and/or their PR agency. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions I have expressed are solely my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Happy Holidays from Gluten Free Taste of Home (and my Santa's Helper)!

I'm not sure my cat agrees, but I think she makes a cute Santa's Helper!

Wishing you and your family a healthy, happy, holiday!  More gluten free reviews and giveaways to come in the New Year.

Giveaway & Review: Make Your Own Candy Kits (Ingredients are Gluten Free & All-Natural)!

I had the chance to review a tasty, educational and all natural product with my kids... a Make Your Own Chewing Gum Kit from the makers of Glee Gum! They also have a Make Your Own Chocolate Kit and a Make Your Own Gummies Kit available; my kids and I are anxious to try those next.

Impressively, all three Make Your Own Candy Kits are gluten free - a blessing for kids who have Celiac Disease, like my daughter. No doubt that these kits would make creative hands-on holiday gifts for the children on your shopping list (after all, what kid wouldn't want to make candy?)!

The process of making the chewing gum with the kit was surprisingly easy; my kids and I were able to produce about 50 pieces of natural chicle based gum in both cherry and cinnamon flavors. We found it interesting to learn that chicle comes from the rainforests and is what all gum used to be made of (not full of chemicals like most gums are these days). The Make Your Own Gum Kit brought my family together for some sticky, hands on fun! All of agree that this would be a fun activity to do again very soon.

WIN a Make Your Own Candy Kit!

(1) Freebie Fairy follower will WIN (1) Make Your Own Candy Kit of their choosing (retail value $13.00)

TO ENTER GIVEAWAY:


Visit my Freebie Fairy blog using this link (once you are there the instructions to enter the giveaway will be at the end of the blog post); please do not attempt to enter here, as I am only accepting entries on my Freebie Fairy blog.


Best of luck!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I was not compensated for this review. I received complimentary product for review purposes from the product company and/or their PR agency. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions I have expressed are solely my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: Zevia All Natural Soda (and a coupon opportunity!)

I was thrilled to hook up with Zevia All Natural Sodas to sample their Mountain Zevia flavor. I became an instant fan upon learning Zevia contains no artificial ingredients whatsoever and is sweetened with Stevia instead of sugar.  I normally avoid zero calorie soda because I do not care to consume artificial sweeteners; the downside of that is that when I do decide to drink a soda it is full of refined sugar (also not ideal).  With Mountain Zevia I can indulge in an all natural citrus-blend soda that is completely gluten free, guilt free and absolutely delicious!

Will I buy Mountain Zevia again?  You bet!  Also, I hope to partner with the folks at Zevia to sample additional soda flavors soon, and will let you know what I think of them in the months to come.

As of today, if you "like" Zevia on Facebook you will be able to print a $1.00 off Zevia coupon - HURRY so you don't miss out!

Katz Gluten Free COUPON CODE (today only!)

Exciting news for fans of Katz Gluten Free baked goods; they are having a one day sale! Simply place an order on the Katz Gluten Free website before midnight today using the coupon code OneTime (all one word) and save $3 off of your order! Katz Gluten Free is allowing this coupon to stack, so this is a great opportunity for savings!

Enjoy!

Cookbook Review: Gluten Free Makeovers

Have you heard about Beth Hillson's new cookbook Gluten-Free Makeovers?  If you haven't had a chance to check it out yet I highly recommend that you do!  Gluten-Free Makeovers is chock full of family favorite recipes that you may remember missing from when you used to eat gluten - the author used her years of culinary training to makeover these recipes so that you never have to miss them again!

So far, my favorite recipes from the Gluten-Free Makeovers cookbook are: Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup and Socca (Chickpea Flatbread).  Double-plus-good!  I am looking forward to experimenting with more of the tempting recipes in this fantastic new cookbook!

About the author:

"Beth Hillson is the founder of Gluten-Free Pantry, the president of the American Celiac Disease Alliance, and the food editor of Living Without magazine. She lives in Connecticut."


Disclosure of Material Connection: I was not compensated for this review. I received the item/items featured in this post for review purposes courtesy of the product company and/or its PR or publishing company. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions I have expressed are solely my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”