Monday, June 14, 2010

Review: Kind Bars - Gluten Free

At the Whole Foods Gluten Free Fair I was offered 4 varieties of Kind Bars to take home and sample, so I could share my opinion of them with all of you. I must admit, I am a bit of a "bar skeptic"... most of the time I find bars to lack great flavor and texture. Not the case with gluten free Kind Bars; these bars are crunchy and fruity, but not overly dry or chewy! They are really yummy and satisfying. :)

I was happy to learn that Kind Bars are tested for gluten and meet FDA’s proposed requirement of 20ppm (0.002%) of gluten, and that their manufacturing plant is dedicated gluten free and has a strict allergen control program. Most varieties are also dairy free!

Kind Bars are available in Fruit & Nut varieties and Kind Plus, which have the added benefits of antioxidants, Omega 3's, and protein.

BUY IT:

Purchase Kind Bars directly from the Kind website, or click here to find the store nearest you that carries Kind bars.

Friday, June 11, 2010

GIVEAWAY WINNER: iHerb $50.00 Shopping Spree

And the winner is...

#14 the bookworm

Congratulations!

Special thanks to iHerb for sponsoring this giveaway!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Giveaway & Review: Fosse Farms All Natural Gluten Free Dressings


My local Whole Foods Market was having a gluten free fair a few weeks ago. My family and I attended the fair and had a chance to sample foods from many gluten free vendors. One of our favorite discoveries that day were the delicious all natural gluten free dressings from Fosse Farms.

Fosse Farms dressings are fabulous on salads, but are also great for marinades, pasta, cooked vegetables, to dunk gluten free bread in (try it with Udi's Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread), and more! Because Fosse Farms dressings are made with all natural ingredients they taste extremely fresh, far more so than any bottled dressing I have ever tried.



Benefits of Fosse Farms Dressings:

- Gluten Free

- Soy Free

- Salt Free

- Vegan

- Kosher

- All Natural

- No MSG

- No Preservatives

- No High Fructose Corn Syrup

A Message from Fosse Farms Founder, Elaine Fosse:

I began making my dressing in 1987. Because I was unable to find a good tasting dressing without additives and preservatives, I went to work trying to come up with the best possible dressing for my family. Using the sweetest berries, the least amount of sugar, no additives, no preservatives, no salt, and no added water, I produced a fantastic small batch of brightly hued raspberry dressing. My family was thrilled as were my friends that tasted it. Requests began pouring in from friends and family to make more and more! Every time my husband and I were invited to a dinner party, the hosts would say, “. . . and bring that marvelous dressing!”


In November of 2004, I assisted my co-worker with a bake sale to raise funds to benefit the Family Support Group for soldiers at Ft. Lewis in Washington State. Without time to bake anything, on a whim, I brought 4 bottles of my raspberry dressing to the bake sale. That’s how it all started. The orders started pouring in. For the next year and a half, all the proceeds were donated to the Family Support Group. With the amazing number of requests for my raspberry dressing, I have expanded the line to include blackberry, cranberry, and marionberry. I have also expanded my line to include organic blackberry, cranberry, raspberry, and creamy herbal Provencal. Having committed myself to never compromising the quality of my dressings, I am proud to offer these products for all to enjoy.

The vinegar used in my dressings is flavored by me to perfection from locally grown herbs, cranberries, blackberries, and marionberries. Unlike mass-produced salad dressings and marinades, I offer products you can always count on to titillate your taste buds. In addition, all of my products are nutritious, and beautiful. The possibilities for its use as a dressing and marinade are endless – even the kids love it! Once a person tastes these delectable treats, not only are they “hooked,” they are spreading the word to others and finding new ways to include it in their recipes.


I had the sincere pleasure of chatting with Elaine Fosse while at the Whole Foods Market gluten free fair; she was kind enough to let my family sample every flavor of her delicious dressings, and we were instantly hooked. I knew that you would all love her dressings too, so I asked if she would be interested in sponsoring a giveaway on Gluten Free Taste of Home; she generously agreed, so be sure to enter the giveaway at the end of this review for your chance to WIN a (5) bottle assortment of Fosse Farms dressings.

Fosse Farms Dressings are available in the following DELICIOUS flavors:

Raspberry, Blackberry, Cranberry, Marionberry, Organic Blackberry, Organic Cranberry, Organic Raspberry, and creamy herbal Provencal.

My family loves every flavor of the Fosse Farms Dressing collection, but if we had to single out favorites, mine would be Blackberry and Provencal, my husband loves the Provencal, my youngest daughter loves the Raspberry and the Provencal, my son loves the Blackberry, and my oldest daughter loves the Cranberry and the Raspberry. But again, we all love every flavor! Fosse Farms dressings truly taste homemade... they are really very special!

BUY IT:

In addition to ordering Fosse Farms dressings directly from their website for home delivery, you can purchase them at the following retail locations:

- Whole Foods Market - (5) convenient locations: Bellevue, WA & Redmond, WA Vancouver, WA & Westlake, WA "Pearl District" Portland, OR

- East Point Seafood - South Bend, WA

- Bayview Thirftway - Olympia, WA

- C by the Sea - Seaside, OR

- Marlene’s Market & Deli 2 locations - Federal Way, WA & Tacoma, WA

- Nature's Market - Kent, WA

- Pioneer Grocery - South Bend, WA

- Ralph’s Thriftway - Olympia, WA

- Farmers Market - Raymond, WA

- Farmers Market - Hoquiam, WA

- Grandma’s Treasure Chest - Grayland, WA

- All Wrapped Up - Montesano, WA

- The Buttery - Cannon Beach, OR

*Also stop by Cannon Beach's Farmers Market in Oregon on Tuesdays from June 16, 2010 through September 1, 2010.

WIN IT:


I am GIVING (1) Gluten Free Taste of Home follower a (5) bottle assortment of Fosse Farms Dressings.

TO ENTER GIVEAWAY (mandatory):


1) Become a Gluten Free Taste of Home follower (must follow PUBLICLY via Google Friend Connect in the side bar of this website) AND visit the Fosse Farms website to browse their dressing selections; LEAVE ME A COMMENT telling me that you are now following Gluten Free Taste of Home PUBLICLY via Google Friend Connect, AND also tell me which flavor of Fosse Farms dressing you are most excited to try. (1 entry)


BONUS ENTRIES: (each entry comment must be entered separately to be a valid entry):


2) Blog about this giveaway linking it back to this post AND the Fosse Farms website. Please LEAVE ME A COMMENT with THE LINK TO YOUR POST or it will not count. (3 entries)


3) Visit the recipes page on the Fosse Farms website; LEAVE ME A COMMENT with the name of the recipe using Fosse Farms dressing that you would most like to try. (1 entry)


4) Grab my Freebie Fairy button and display it on your website/blog (copy the html code for my button from the sidebar of The Freebie Fairy website and paste the code into your website), and LEAVE ME A COMMENT telling me you did it. (1 entry)


5) Follow me on Twitter AND tweet the giveaway; LEAVE ME A COMMENT with the link. MAXIMUM 1 tweet/RT per hour please! (1 entry PER tweet/RT)


6) Follow my Freebie Fairy giveaway & product review website PUBLICLY via Google Friend Connect (in the right hand sidebar of The Freebie Fairy website) and LEAVE ME A COMMENT telling me you did it. (1 entry)


7) Grab my Gluten Free Taste of Home button and display it on your website/blog (copy the html code in the side bar of my Gluten Free Taste of Home website and paste the code into your website), and LEAVE ME A COMMENT telling me you did it. (1 entry)


*GIVEAWAY OPEN TO US & CANADA*


Giveaway ends on Thursday June 17, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. PST (late entries will not be posted). Winners will be selected by random.org. Winners will be notified by e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond before new winners are selected.


*REMEMBER... please leave your e-mail address with EACH entry so I can contact you if you win.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I was not compensated for this review; I received complimentary salad dressing for review purposes courtesy of Fosse Farms. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are 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.”


Best of luck!

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Giveaway & Review: iHerb $50.00 Shopping Spree!


I found a great online store called iHerb that carries thousands of health related products, many of which are gluten free! They carry vitamins and herbal supplements (vegan, vegetarian, raw and gluten-free are available), cosmetics and personal care items that are organic and/or cruelty-free as well as over 1000 natural and specialty grocery items (to view the gluten free grocery items click here).

iHerb recently offered me my choice of $50.00 worth of products from their site to sample and review. I chose to try the following GLUTEN FREE *products:


Michael's Naturopathic Daily Multi-Vitamin for Women is a great multi vitamin for us gals who are also looking to promote lustrious hair and strong nails. This gluten free supplement does not upset my stomach as some supplements do, and it is reasonably priced too! I am impressed!

"Manufactured with all natural fillers, binders and costing. This product contains no wheat, gluten, corn, soy, yeast, starch, sugar or anything artificial. Our products contain organically grown herbs, when available. Our herbs are never treated with heat before or during the manufacturing process."


The Nutritional Yeast Flakes from Now Foods are quickly becoming a staple in my kitchen, now that I am cooking dairy free. I am using nutritional yeast to make delicious vegan "cheeze" sauces and gravies. It also tastes great sprinkled on popcorn. This Nutritional yeast is GLUTEN FREE, (not all brands are), so no worries! It is packed full of healthy benefits, and has adds a great buttery/nutty/cheesy flavor to foods.

"NOW pleasant tasting Nutritional Yeast Flakes are produced from a specially selected strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This yeast is grown on enriched purified cane and beet molasses under carefully controlled conditions. This is primary grown yeast and is therefore NOT a brewery by-product as is brewer's yeast. This ensures freedom from Candidia albicans yeast." Contains no sugar, wheat, salt, starch, wheat, gluten, corn, soy, milk, egg, shellfish or preservatives.


I love these anti-oxident packed Goji Berries from Navitas Naturals. I snack on them plain, add them to cereal, and I incorporate them in my homemade granola recipe. The flavor of a Goji Berry is slightly tart, similar to a cranberry, but sweeter. They are naturally gluten free!

iHerb says: "Goji berries have been used is Asian herbal medicine for over 5,000 years. This bag contains 100% pure goji berries that are certified organic, vegan and kosher. The goji berry is one of the most nutrient-rich foods on earth. It is a vegetarian form of protein, packed with essential amino acids, rich in vitamin A and a good source of vitamin C. Goji berries possess over 20 trace minerals and vitamins including zinc, iron, phosphorus, riboflavin (B2), vitamin E as well as carotenoids, including beta-carotene."


As a long time fan of natural castille soaps I was happy to find it at such a low price! I chose the Dr. Woods Pure Tea Tree Castille Soap, and use it as a shampoo, body wash, as well as a household cleaner. I love the fresh feeling this product gives me, and the tea tree oil smells wonderfully clean.

iHerb says: "Dr. Woods does not contain any harsh detergents that can strip away skin's natural moisture. Tea tree oil is a naturally therapeutic skin conditioner that will leave skin unbelievably soft. And with added Vitamin E, skin will feel naturally clean and smooth."

I will definitely purchase all of these products again... the prices were so reasonable, and they have great customer service (including fast shipping).

A MESSAGE FROM iHERB:

"Mission Statement: Providing the best overall value for natural products through "e-simplicity". For twelve years, iHerb has striven to enhance your online shopping experience. Initially, our company promoted the benefits of St. John's Wort. Hence the name: iHerb. It is now a world-class online store, supplying a vast selection of brand name natural products.

We believe iHerb offers the best overall value, period! Our success and very existence are dependent on the repeat orders and word-of-mouth recommendations of loyal, satisfied customers.With the advanced e-commerce platform, plus our 48,000 sq. ft. Irwindale warehouse (almost 3X as big as before), you'll find:Features to make your online ordering safer, faster and more pleasant.

Over 600 well-known, respected brands. Over 16,000 products.We are confident you'll find iHerb to be your first choice for quality, price, reliability and convenience--on every effortless order. Try us! Read more.

View the Quality Assurances by some of the brands we carry QC Issues"

BUY IT:
Visit iHerb.com to purchase a huge variety of health products (many are gluten free!). Use Coupon Code TEW414 to get an additional $5 off your initial order!

Over 99% of orders placed by 1:00 pm PST are shipped out the same day!
New Domestic UPS Shipping Rates:Ground: Flat $4.00 (Free for orders over $40.00) 2nd Day: Flat $6.00 (Free $120.00)
WIN IT:
I am GIVING (1) Gluten Free Taste of Home follower a $50.00 shopping spree on iHerb.com!

TO ENTER GIVEAWAY (mandatory):
1) Become a Gluten Free Taste of Home follower (must follow PUBLICLY via Google Friend Connect in the side bar of this website) AND visit iHerb.com; LEAVE ME A COMMENT telling me that you are now following Gluten Free Taste of Home PUBLICLY via Google Friend Connect, AND also tell me the name of a gluten free product from iHerb.com that you are most excited to try. (1 entry)

BONUS ENTRIES: (each entry comment must be entered separately to be a valid entry):

2) Blog about this giveaway linking it back to this post and iHerb.com. Please LEAVE ME A COMMENT with THE LINK TO YOUR POST or it will not count. (3 entries)

3) Follow iHerb on Twitter. (1 entry)

4) Grab my Freebie Fairy button and display it on your website/blog (copy the html code for my button from the sidebar of The Freebie Fairy website and paste the code into your website), and LEAVE ME A COMMENT telling me you did it. (1 entry)

5) Follow me on Twitter AND tweet the giveaway; LEAVE ME A COMMENT with the link. MAXIMUM 1 tweet/RT per hour please! (1 entry PER tweet/RT)

6) Follow my Freebie Fairy giveaway & product review website PUBLICLY via Google Friend Connect (in the right hand sidebar of The Freebie Fairy website) and LEAVE ME A COMMENT telling me you did it. (1 entry)

7) Grab my Gluten Free Taste of Home button and display it on your website/blog (copy the html code in the side bar of my Gluten Free Taste of Home website and paste the code into your website), and LEAVE ME A COMMENT telling me you did it. (1 entry)

*GIVEAWAY OPEN US ONLY*

Giveaway ends on Thursday June 10, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. PST (late entries will not be posted). Winners will be selected by random.org. Winners will be notified by e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond before new winners are selected.

*REMEMBER... please leave your e-mail address with EACH entry so I can contact you if you win.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was not compensated for this review; I received $50.00 worth of gluten free products of my choosing for review purposes courtesy of iHerb. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are 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.”

*Disclaimer: Statements made, or products sold through this web site, have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Read More

Best of luck!

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

CAN I SHARE SOMETHING WITH YOU?

Tastebudding.com, a new online recipe community geared toward Moms with kids offered me a trade opportunity: they agreed to give me (2) $50.00 Land of Nod Gift Cards in exchange for submitting 10 healthy, kid-friendly recipes with photos.

After 2 weeks I still had not received the gift cards. When I alerted Tastebudding.com that the cards had not been received, they said they sent them, brushed my not receiving them off as a "post office error", and said that they were out of cards and would not be sending me any.

As you can imagine, it was very distressing to me to learn that after spending many hours of my time submitting recipes to Tastebudding.com in exchange for gift cards, that I will never receive them.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

GIVEAWAY WINNER: Goldbaum's Natural Foods

And the winner is...

#10 clallen

Congratulations! You were e-mailed on 6/1/10. Please respond to my e-mail within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen.

Special thanks to Goldbaum's Natural Foods for sponsoring this giveaway!

Cookbook Review: The Gluten-Free Vegan - 150 Delicious Gluten-Free, Animal-Free Recipes


I have been trying very hard lately to remove animal products from my diet, with the exception of cruelty-free eggs that I buy from from a local farmer's small flock of humanely treated, cage-free hens. I was happy to find The Gluten Free Vegan cookbook from Susan O'Brien, because it is full of easy to prepare meals that fit into the way I am trying to cook for my family. I have been quite impressed with the family-friendly recipes I have tried so far; I highly recommend this cookbook to anyone on a gluten free diet that also wishes to cook without animal products.
ABOUT THE BOOK:

"Ideal cookbook for many health conditions: The Gluten-Free Vegan is a groundbreaking cookbook, combining both special diets for healthier, allergy-free eating. Millions of Americans have health conditions like celiac disease, fibromyalgia, or food allergies that require a gluten- and/or dairy-restricted diet.

In addition, going vegetarian/vegan is fast becoming mainstream, and many vegans are also looking to cut gluten from their diet. The Gluten-Free Vegan offers solutions for anyone seeking a tasty approach to healthier eating.

Quick, easy, and delicious recipes: Written by a food-allergy sufferer and gourmet cook, this collection includes more than 150 healthy recipes for a wide range of dishes that are both gluten-free and vegan. The cookbook also includes guidelines of each dietary restriction, information on sugars, raw foods and organic foods, advice on ingredient preparation, quick-cooking tips, and resources for easily finding ingredients."

BUY IT:

Click here to find a retailer selling The Gluten-Free Vegan cookbook.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was not compensated for this review; I received complimentary copy of The Gluten-Free Vegan cookbook for review purposes courtesy of the Da Capo Press. 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.”
 
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