GIVEAWAY WINNER: Gluten Free Breakfast Kit

And the winner is:

gkuroda (comment #5)

Congratulations! You were e-mailed on 6/13/12; please reply to my e-mail (not this post) within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen.

Special thanks to the Kellogg Company® for sponsoring this giveaway!

Cookbook Review: Betty Crocker Gluten Free Cooking

As many of you know I am a lifelong fan of all things Betty Crocker.  I love that they have created affordable and tasty gluten free foods in the last few years, especially their dessert mixes and Bisquick.  Now the folks at Betty Crocker have written a gluten free cookbook full of delicious recipes, some using Betty Crocker gluten free mixes and others using regular gluten free flours.  I personally appreciate the recipes that use the Betty Crocker gluten free mixes, as they are time savers for my busy family.

I made a super-easy cherry coffee cake recipe from the Betty Crocker Gluten Free Cooking book that utilized gluten free Bisquick and my family loved it!  The cake was moist and flavorful and was a real treat for breakfast or dessert.  You can substitute any flavor of canned pie filling you wish in the recipe with great results; I will definitely make it again.

I am looking forward to making many more of the recipes from Betty Crocker Gluten Free Cooking.  I hope you will enjoy this wonderful additional to your gluten free cookbook library as much as I do!

GIVEAWAY: Gluten Free Breakfast Kit ($70.00 approx. retail value)!

GIVEAWAY PRIZE is One (1) “KELLOGG’S® RICE KRISPIES® GLUTEN FREE BREAKFAST KIT: one (1) nine-ounce box of Gluten-Free Rice Krispies ®, one (1) Kellogg's Rice Krispies® Assorted Mugs, four (4) Linden Street Boston Checks Placemats from JC Penny, four (4) Gerber Daisy White Napkin Rings from Crate & Barrel, one (1) Set of Monogrammed Napkins from West Elm, and two (2) Rice Krispies Snap!™ Crackle!™ Pop!™ Bowls . Total ARV: $70

I have been a fan of Rice Krispies cereal since my childhood; I can still remember putting my ear to the cereal bowl to hear them snap, crackle & pop! Now I enjoy sharing gluten free Rice Krispies cereal with my daughter.  To help gluten free families like mine, Rice Krispies has teamed up with “The Gluten-Free Dietitian” Tricia Thompson, MS, RD to to "de-bunk" the following gluten myths:

Myth One: You always have to pay more for gluten-free products.

"Gluten-free doesn’t have to mean more expensive or a trip to a specialty store. For example, a box of Kellogg's Rice Krispies Gluten Free cereal costs the same amount as Kellogg's Rice Krispies and is sold alongside the original blue box."

Myth Two: All gluten-free snacks for kids require extra attention from mom and dad.

"Not all snacks require a lot of time and preparation. With many favorite products now available in gluten-free varieties, it’s easy to whip up a quick gluten-free snack that the whole family will love, like Rice Krispies Gluten-Free Treats™."

Myth Three: Food that’s labeled “gluten-free” is healthy.

"Not all gluten-free products qualify as healthy. When grocery shopping, look for gluten-free cereals, breads, and pastas that are made with gluten-free whole grains or have been fortified or enriched as they are good sources of iron and B vitamins, which may be lacking in gluten-free diets."  

You can find fun gluten free recipes using Rice Krispies cereal on their website, Facebook and Pinterest pages.

How to enter this giveaway: 

Simply leave (1) comment on this post sharing your favorite way to serve or prepare gluten free Rice Krispies cereal; be sure to leave your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win.  Giveaway open to US residents only.  Limit one entry per person.

Giveaway ends Tuesday June 12, 2012 at 3:00 p.m. PST (entries received after this time will not be posted). Winner will be selected by random.org. Winner will be notified by e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected; PLEASE NOTE: I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR E-MAIL REPLIES THAT ARE SENT TO ME AND NOT RECEIVED IN MY INBOX FOR ANY REASON. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE A PROMPT REPLY BACK FROM ME ASSUME I DID NOT RECEIVE YOUR E-MAIL. RE-SEND YOUR REPLY UNTIL YOU RECEIVE A RESPONSE FROM ME WITHIN 48 HOURS (FROM THE TIME I SENT YOUR WINNER'S NOTIFICATION E-MAIL) OR A NEW WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN. LEAVING AN ENTRY COMMENT ON THIS POST WILL SERVE AS ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS.

Click here for the official giveaway rules.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Kellogg Company® has provided me with a Kellogg’s Gluten-Free Breakfast Kit to conduct a reader giveaway. However, my opinions on the product are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive sentiments towards Kellogg Company® or their products.  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.” 

Is Dominoes Pizza Chain's Gluten Free Crust Safe to Eat?

While the gluten free community is always looking for new gluten free dining options, the first priority is figuring out if the foods offered are safe to eat. The Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) has released a statement regarding the release of Dominoes Pizza chain's effort to introduce gluten free pizza crust.  Here is an excerpt from that statement: "While GIG appreciates Domino's desire to offer a gluten-free pizza, we do not feel the effort put forth demonstrates a true commitment toward making a safe environment for producing gluten-free food."  To read GIG's entire statement regarding Dominoes gluten free crust on Examiner.com click here.

I trust GIG's opinion on gluten free restaurant safety; based on their statement I personally will not be purchasing the Dominoes gluten free pizza for my daughter who has Celiac Disease.  I find it unfortunate that Dominoes does not understand the need for adequate cross contamination practices when offering gluten free food to its customers.

Review: Exotic Gluten Free Simmer Sauces from Saffron Road

I enjoy preparing from scratch home cooked meals for my family, but on especially busy weeknights I sometimes use a few prepared foods to help speed up the process.  Prepared foods typically contain less than healthy ingredients, so I opt for all natural products such as the new gluten free Simmer Sauces from Saffron Road.

Saffron Road’s gluten free Simmer Sauces come in four flavors, each a unique taste of world cuisine.  My family had the pleasure of sampling the following simmer sauce flavors, which I am happy to report are also dairy free:

A light sauce with the authentic Thai flavors.  

A slow simmered sauce bursting with exotic flavors. 

Indian flavors in a slightly spicy sauce with peppers and authentic spices.  

My family agrees that Saffron Road's new gluten free Simmer Sauces are delicious and very fresh tasting.  I intend to keep a supply of them in my pantry for quick and tasty weeknight meals!

Note:  Most of Saffron Road’s products are certified gluten free by the Gluten Free Certification Organization (GFCO), including all four Simmer Sauces.  Saffron Road is proud to offer certified Halal cuisine.

Celiac Awareness Music Video!

Thanks to Kate from the Gluten Free Gobsmacked blog for posting this fun Celiac awareness music video; it's a parody of Simon & Garfunkels song Cecelia. Enjoy!

Consumer Alert/Product Recall: Jelly Belly Deluxe Easter Mix (contains gluten!)

Beware... Jelly Belly Deluxe Easter Mix candies are being recalled due to the fact they were made with undeclared wheat.  The candies are falsely labeled gluten free.  The recalled product was distributed nationwide.

Details:

Assortment of seasonal Peter Rabbit Deluxe Easter Mix “Gluten Free” candies
2.7 ounce bags
UPC number 071567992794
Lot codes of:

11111, with Best Before date of January 11, 2013
111215, with Best Before date of February 15, 2013
Lot code 120120, with Best Before date of March 20, 2013

The Jelly Belly Candy Company of Fairfield, California initiated the recall.  The reason for the recall is that the Deluxe Easter candy mix contains wheat and malted milk balls, which contain gluten.

If you have a question or need more information, contact Jelly Belly Customer Service at 1-800-323-9380 from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm PST (Monday through Friday).