Favorite Gluten-Free Potluck Recipes

Posted on June 8, 2013 by kachalmers2

With summer nearly upon us, and lots of picnics and parties in store, I thought I’d share our family’s top 3 favorite gluten-free potluck recipes with you…enjoy!

First off, Hot Feta Artichoke Dip:
• 1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 6-8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup mayo
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients and spoon into 9″ pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Garnish with chopped tomato and green onions if desired. Serve with GF tortilla chips.

Secondly, Aunt Barb’s Famous Taco Dip:
• 1 pkg cream cheeze, 8 oz.
• 1 container (16 oz) sour cream
• GF taco sauce
• lettuce, in thin, short strips (also good without)
• 2-3 tomatoes, diced
• cheddar cheese
• guacamole, cilantro, black beans, corn, etc. — if desired

Soften cream cheese and mix together with sour cream. Spread mixture onto bottom of 13×9 pan. Top with other ingredients working in layers. Serve w/ tortilla chips. If you want a thinner cream cheese/sour cream layer, just split it between a 13×9 pan and a 9″ pie plate and top both dips separately.

Third, Confetti bean mix:

• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can of corn, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley (or dried herbs to taste)
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper (or orange, yellow, etc.)
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Dressing:
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive or canola oil
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp sugar

In large bowl, combine first 9 ingredients. In another bowl, whisk vinegar, oil, chili powder & sugar and mix well. Pour over bean mixture, toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve w/ slotted spoon.

You can find these and more of our favorite family recipes at this link where you can download a free, printable-by-page PDF.

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and be sure to check out the online photo album of g-free kids and g-free kids’ stuff page.

Snikiddy Review and Giveaway

Posted on December 2, 2012 by kachalmers2

This post is long overdue… Snikiddy has been a favorite brand name in our house for the past few years when we first picked up a bag. What kid doesn’t love super-crunchy snacks they can both eat and play with? We’ve tried a few Snikiddy varieties, but my daughters’ favorite is their grilled cheese puffs, which are little, cheddar-cheese flavored, crunchy balls of gluten-free goodness. They never get sick of them, and if we are buying a bag of Snikiddy, that is the kind they always choose.

Here are the ingredients for the cheese puffs: CORNMEAL, RICE FLOUR, SUNFLOWER AND/OR SAFFLOWER OIL, CHEDDAR CHEESE (CULTURED PASTEURIZED MILK, SALT, ENZYMES), NONFAT MILK, WHEY, SALT, NATURAL FLAVOR.

You won’t see chemicals or artificial colors in these babies. Snikiddy products contain no corn syrup, no hydrogenated oils, no trans fat, no preservatives, are low in saturated fat and are wheat and gluten free. It’s a healthier alternative to so many other similar snacks.

We have also tried (and enjoyed) Snikiddy mac n’ cheese puffs, and sea salt and bbq baked fries, but the grilled cheese puffs remain #1 in my girls’ eyes — and in mine. Something about that combination of flavor, texture, size and shape just do it for us I guess… We have yet to try their “Eat Your Vegetables” varieties, but I am hearing good things so far…

Just for fun: My one daughter enjoyed making this origami basketball hoop (below) to toss her cheese balls into. Even if you don’t like your kids to play with their food, this is still something they could easily learn to make. Of course my daughter had to make a whole park to go along with hers! Instructions for a simple hoop are on this video.

For more information about Snikiddy, please take a moment to visit their website: You can find out more about the company & its people at:
http://snikiddy.com/about
and you can read more about their products here:
http://snikiddy.com/products
.

So — I’ve got a simple giveaway for you… Snikiddy was kind enough to send me some free product coupons which is what I’ll be giving away. There will be 3 random winners, each receiving a “free full size product” coupon and a $1 off coupon, which they can redeem themselves at a local retailer.

To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment below, letting me know which Snikiddy snack your child would most like to try if you were to win these coupons.

Giveaway ends at midnight on Thursday, December 6, 2012. Then the 3 winners will be notified, and will have 24 hours to get back to me, otherwise new names will be chosen. U.S. and Canadian residents only please. Thanks for your understanding…

Disclaimer: Snikiddy sent me free product coupons for this giveaway. I only promised an honest review and was not compensated in any other way. Opinions are my daughters’ and my own.

RW Garcia Tortilla Chips: Review, Giveaway and GF Recipes

Posted on August 23, 2012 by kachalmers2

I first became a fan of RW Garcia when I spotted their red & green holiday chips in Wegmans a few years ago. They looked too good to pass up, so I brought them home and the entire bag disappeared quite quickly. Since they’re only available around the holidays, each year we stock up and enjoy a good 5+ bags of them, between eating them at home and bringing them (along with dips) to parties for festive and gourmet-tasting dipping chips.

Recently I contacted RW Garcia, who sent me a box of bags to sample and review, since at the time they weren’t available locally, other than the holiday chips. Our favorites were the MixtBags: sturdy, thick, solid, hearty triangles without holes or bubbles. We enjoyed the yellow & blue chips and the yellow & red chips equally. They held up flawlessly while scooping beef bowls and chicken bowls (a go-to meal of ours — recipe below/photo directly below). Another thing I like about their triangles is that they aren’t too wide where you have to maneuver them into the corners of your mouth They fit perfectly!We also tried a few varieties of their “Dippers”. These were a bit thinner than the triangles, and were longer rectangular shapes, perfect for dipping. These were a little more fun for my girls to dip into hummus and taco dips, and my girls liked the “3 seed Veggie” flavor the best. When your kids try these, remember to show them how to not “double dip!”

The other two flavors we tried we a little too sophisticated for my kids, but I, myself, really enjoyed them. They were not flavors I would see myself choosing in a store, but it was fun to have the chance to try them and expand my flavor horizons. The “curry and mango” flavor was a nice combination of Indian and Mexican flavors: a bit spicy with a hint of mango. I especially enjoyed the “Himalayan pink salt & tellicherry cracked pepper” chips as they had a really savory, rich, gourmet taste, which ended up being the perfect match for my feta artichoke dip. (photo directly below, and recipe below)

Overall, RW Garcia chips have a certain gourmet taste and heartiness we haven’t found in other tortilla chips. They are definitely our first choice of dippers to accompany so many of our favorite recipes (taco dip shown directly below) which I am sharing below…

In addition, RW Garcia’s website is proud to state the following about their chips:

We use only certified non GMO corn
Our oils contain no trans fats
Our organic corn is certified from seed to milling
Our spices are non-irradiated and free of artificial ingredients
All of our products are wheat and gluten free

As promised, here are some of our favorite gluten free recipes that require dipping chips:

Mexican Bowls (our homemade version of a Chipotle bowl from many years ago)
Basically this recipe is Mexican ingredients all mixed up together and eaten with tortilla chips. There’s no right amount to put in of anything—just keep adding stuff and mixing til it tastes right. Reheats well too.
Basic “Bean Bowl” Ingredients:
• 2 cups cooked rice (brown or white)
• 1 can corn
• 1 can black beans, if desired
• salsa to taste
• extra diced, fresh tomatoes if desired
• sour cream to taste
• shredded mexican cheese to taste
• lime juice to taste, if desired
• chopped fresh cilantro, if desired
• chopped avocados, if desired
To make a “Chicken Bowl”, add grilled, diced chicken to basic ingredients (with or without GF taco seasoning) -OR-
To make a “Beef Bowl”, add cooked, ground beef mixed with GF taco seasoning
Mix together all ingredients and heat up in microwave. Put into individual bowls and scoop up the mixture with GF tortilla chips.

Hot Feta Artichoke Dip
• 1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 6-8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup mayo
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 clove garlic, minced
Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients and spoon into 9″ pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Garnish with chopped tomato and green onions if desired. Serve with GF tortilla chips.

Aunt Barb’s Famous Taco Dip
• 1 pkg cream cheeze, 8 oz.
• 1 container (16 oz) sour cream
• GF taco sauce
• lettuce, in thin, short strips (also good without)
• 2-3 tomatoes, diced
• cheddar cheese
Soften cream cheese and mix together with sour cream. Spread mixture onto bottom of 13×9 pan. Top with other ingredients working in layers. Serve w/ tortilla chips. If you want a thinner cream cheese/sour cream layer, just split it between a 13x9pan and a 9″ pie plate and top both dips separately.

You can find these and more of our favorite family recipes at this link where you can download a free, printable-by-page PDF.

And now for the giveaway: One random winner will win five bags of RW Garcia tortilla chips, as shown in this photo:

To enter, please leave a comment below, letting me know which of our favorite recipes you will be trying if you are the winner of these fabulous chips (or link to your favorite online recipe). Please include your answer in your comment in order to be entered…I won’t count entries that show this post wasn’t read completely.

Giveaway ends at midnight on Wednesday, August 29, 2012. Then the winner has 24 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new name will be chosen. U.S. and Canadian residents only please. Thanks for your understanding…

Disclaimer: RW Garcia sent me a box of bags of chips to try for this review. Half of the bags in that box were set aside by me for this giveaway. In return I only promised an honest review and was not compensated in any other way. Opinions are my daughters’ and my own.

Proud to be gluten-free with these cool awareness bracelets

Posted on April 6, 2012 by kachalmers2

How could a g-free kid not feel proud, when sporting this unique bracelet?!

I attended my local Celiac support group’s 25th anniversary party this past Fall, where I finally got to meet Dr. Fasano and Pam King from the The Center for Celiac Research & Treatment at Mass General. I am honored to have Dr. Fasano’s endorsement of my book and that numerous copies of it are available for patients to peruse at their Center. At this “Gluten Freedom Day” event, I was thrilled to hear Dr. Fasano speak so much on the topic of gluten sensitivity as well as Celiac, as both conditions touch my family.

After his presentation, Pam was selling these TriBandz bracelets in the vendor area, along with Dr. Fasano’s books. I had seen them before online but hadn’t realized how cool they are in reality. I knew I had to get them for my 8 year old twin daughters, one of which has Celiac and the other gluten sensitivity. I knew they would love to wear something special that other kids don’t have (especially after every kid on the face of the planet was wearing those SillyBandz for so long!)

Each bracelet is only $3 which includes three 3D disks that pop in and out. You can also buy up to 3 different sets of five variety packets (of 5 different disks) to mix and match for only an additional $2 a set. The bands come in 3 sizes and we bought the smallest, which
wasn’t too loose nor too tight. My daughters have had fun borrowing each others’ disks and they change up their bracelets a lot. Kids can even wear these for sports as there are no sharp edges, plus they can get wet. The rubber is soft, sturdy and very durable.

We are proud to be able to support the research Dr. Fasano and his team are doing at the Celiac Center — from creating a “Making Tracks for Celiacs” team every year where we collect donations for the Center, to personal donations and spreading the word about what they do. When you purchase these TriBandz bracelets, you are even supporting important research taking place there. And of course, as kids wear these bracelets and talk about them with friends and family, it is also helping to raise Celiac disease (and gluten sensitivity!) awareness in many little corners of the world.

Think of all the g-free kids out there who would love to sport a cool bracelet like this…
Give them in Easter baskets, as stocking stuffers, part of a birthday gift, or “just because.” If you are part of a support group, please ask those in charge to consider buying these in bulk to sell at your events and meetings, or to give them as gifts to newly diagnosed gluten-free children.

As we like to say:
“Celiac disease isn’t contagious…but awareness is. Please help spread it!”

To find out more, and to order, visit www.celiacwalk.org and then click on “Celiac Awareness Items” on the lefthand side.

Snyder’s Gluten-Free Mini Pretzels: Review, Ideas and Giveaway!

Posted on March 5, 2012 by kachalmers2

Way back before I went gluten-free almost 5 years ago, my husband and I used to be huge Snyder’s of Hanover (regular) pretzel fans. I remember eating Snyder’s pretzels when we started dating in 1989! Our favorite snacks were their sourdough hard pretzels, pretzel rods and sourdough nibblers. Once I went gluten-free I thought I would never enjoy another Snyder’s pretzel again — that is, until the day I discovered their Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks back in 2010.

Ever since, our family has been their #1 group of fans — I’m the kind of #1 fan (in my own mind) of their pretzels that I feel like I’m almost a stalker or something. I honestly think that we’ve gone through one bag almost every week since we first found them at our local Wegman’s store. Even my dog begs for them and my non-gluten-free husband loves them! We bring them everywhere as snacks, and just really appreciate and enjoy their taste, texture and lack of weird after-taste (that you get with other brands of gluten-free pretzels).

So you can imagine how excited I was to find out that my favorite pretzel company just came out with a new shape…Snyder’s Gluten Free Mini Pretzels. My daughters and I couldn’t open our first bag fast enough. We almost ate the whole thing that same afternoon, eating them both plain and dipped into hummus.

They taste just like our beloved GF pretzel sticks — buttery “regular pretzel” taste with the perfect amount of salt — but we are really enjoying this new shape and texture. It’s funny how Snyder’s can make another product using the same ingredients (click here for ingredient list) but how they seem “new” to us all over again. Their texture is a little different, but in a very good way… These mini pretzels are thinner and a bit crispier than the sticks. Something about the shape, size and taste of them makes me feel like I’m eating just plain regular pretzels, taking me back in time to the days when I could have any pretzel in the world. I can honestly say that I would keep eating these pretzels even if I could ever go back to eating gluten-free. They really are that good. (And, like the sticks, the minis are also dairy-free, casein-free, egg-free, and low-fat, by the way.)

With St. Patrick’s Day and Springtime coming soon, we came up with a few simple ways to make the following cute, little salty-sweet treats, using both minis and sticks…

Sweet & salty shamrocks:

Sweet & salty dragonflies:

Simple flowers:

and M&M buttons & nonpariel buttons:

For all of the above, we preheated the oven to 400 degrees, arranged pretzels and placed colored melting disks or chocolate disks with nonpariels (round sprinkles) on top. Melt them in oven for 30-60 seconds and place in freezer to harden. The buttons only take about 30 seconds but the others take around 60 seconds to melt enough. Because ovens differ, I would suggest you do a little trial and error until you’re able to get them to melt enough to stick onto the pretzels so they don’t fall apart. I brought a big tray of these to my grandma’s 90th birthday party yesterday and they all disappeared without anyone realizing they were g-free!

Here are some other sweet ideas I found in case you’re interested:

I ask you: Who better than Snyder’s to make our favorite g-free pretzels? (Now in 2 different shapes!) Which other company makes gluten-free pretzels right here in the good ol’ U. S. of A? None that I know of — other brands are imported. The fact that they are Certified Gluten Free (with that sight-for-sore-eyes logo printed right on the bags) is a huge plus, too, and I commend them on making the effort. Also Certified Gluten-Free are their Multigrain Tortilla Chips in their EatSmart Naturals line. And they also offer 100 Calorie Pretzel Stick Packs now, too. Next I am pulling for them to make gluten-free pretzel rods!

By the way, please be sure to tell your child’s supporters how readily available and inexpensive ($2.99 for an 8 oz. bag at my Wegmans) Snyder’s gluten-free pretzels are. I don’t know how many times my kids have been to parties that have regular pretzels sitting out as a snack, when (had the host known about Snyder’s GF) maybe they would have been willing to just put GF ones out instead. It’s a simple way to make g-free kids feel “thought of” and included.

Now for the giveaway: Snyder’s of Hanover has generously agreed to give away 1 full-size (8 oz.) bag of their new Gluten-Free Mini Pretzels to 10 lucky, randomly-drawn winners. All you have to do is comment below, saying what you and your g-free kid are looking forward to doing with Snyder’s new pretzels: Making a special treat with them? (If possible, include link to online recipe); Eating them plain? Dipping them in something? (If so, what?) Let’s share some ideas and inspiration…and if you’re already a Snyder’s fan, feel free to add reasons why you prefer their pretzels over others. Giveaway ends at midnight on Monday, March 12th. If winners don’t respond by Wed. March 14th, new winners will be picked to replace them. Good luck! -Katie

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Keep coming back for more things for g-free kids, and don’t forget to check out the photo album and kids’ stuff page!

[ Disclaimer: Snyder's sent me free samples of their mini pretzels, as I could not find them available in stores at the time. The opinions I expressed are my own, honest feelings about their products and I was not coerced into writing a positive review. ]

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Category Archives: reviews

Favorite Gluten-Free Potluck Recipes

Snikiddy Review and Giveaway

RW Garcia Tortilla Chips: Review, Giveaway and GF Recipes

Proud to be gluten-free with these cool awareness bracelets

Snyder’s Gluten-Free Mini Pretzels: Review, Ideas and Giveaway!

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