Be Free For Me Blog

A little sprinkle here… a little snacking there. That is how I like to enjoy Eden Food’s Organic Pumpkin Seeds.

Sprinkled on top of my salad at lunch time for an extra crunch, or eaten by the handful as a snck, these pumpkin seeds pack a healthy dose of flavor, protein, and fiber.

I was so happy when I found dry-roasted pumpkin seeds that are gluten-free, since so many dry-roasted products contain wheat. I also like that they are low sodium, and also made with sea salt.

Providing good healthy snacking is the reason why this week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Eden Foods for their Dry-Roasted Organic Pumpkin Seeds! (Like ‘em hot? Be sure to check out Eden’s Spicy Pumpkin Seeds too!). Congratulations, Eden Foods!

The first thought that came to mind after hearing about the true old-world-style Italian gluten-free foods made by Bove’s of Vermont was “Mangia!”

Eat. Eat. Eat. And love every single gluten-free bite!

If you’re craving really, really good gluten-free sauces and meatballs (YES! MEATBALLS) that are gluten-free, priced really reasonably and are available either in your local grocer or online, look no further than Bove’s.

Bove’s is a 3^rd generation family-run company that produces authentic sauces and meatballs using only the finest all-natural ingredients and time-tested recipes. They cook their products in small batches for that “made at home” taste and stay true to their classic family recipes … recipes that have made them famous and have been in their family for over 72 years.

I also love that the Bove’s pasta sauces are made with ingredients like crushed tomatoes, spices, fresh hand-peeled garlic, fresh onions, wine, premium cheeses and extra virgin olive oil… basically ingredients that you have in your kitchen cabinets or refrigerator. No fake tasting, corn-syrupy, modified food starch fillers are in these sauces. Bove’s uses only the best ingredients. Nothing artificial… Ever!

Getting hungry? Their line-up of pasta sauces: include: Vodka, Alfredo, Roasted Tomato, Marinara, Roasted Garlic, Mushroom & Wine, Three Cheese & Tomato and Basil. And I’m not the only one who loves these sauces. Here are some praises & applause from others:

The Vodka sauce was featured on the Food Network’s Throwdown with Bobby Flay and was Voted Best Vodka Sauce by Family Circle Magazine.

The Roasted Garlic sauce was on “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” with Melissa D’Arabian who is the host of Ten Dollar Meals. And Real Simple Magazine voted it “One of the Best Tasting Garlic Sauces in the Country”

And the MEATBALLS... where do I start? They are SO delicious! These flame-broiled then frozen meatballs are made with grass-fed & hormone-free beef, rice flour, fresh garlic, finely diced onions, Pecorino Romano cheese and non-GMO spices. Gluten-free goodness hand-rolled for topping your gluten-free pasta, or to snuggle into a gluten-free roll for a meatball sub (yup… remember those?).

By far these are the best tasting frozen meatballs available AND they happen to be gluten-free. Yay for us!

All of these reasons are why I’m so excited that Bove’s is the sponsor of this WIN-It-Wednesday on BeFreeForMe.com.

And thanks to Bove’s, two (yes 2!) lucky BeFreeForMe members will be the winner of a delicious prize pack of two Bove pasta sauces of their choice. One winner will be randomly selected from all comments / entries received before Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at 11:59 PM (EST), and a second winner will be selected from all comments / entries received between Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 12:00 AM (EST) and Tuesday, May 28, 2013 at 11:59 PM (EST).

How can you win?
Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us what your two pasta sauce choices will be if you win. (Me? 1. Three Cheese & Tomato and 2. Basil) Good luck, remember that being natural, fresh and traditional like Bove’s is a great thing, and, as always…

Be Free!

P.S. Want to be the first to know about Bove’s news and offers? Check out their Facebook and Twitter accounts!

Want to buy Bove’s products? Check out this link to find a retailer near you.

Normally the Friday Favorites on BeFreeForMe.com are awarded to food products… Delicious gluten and/or allergen free must-try’s.

But this week is an exception. Why? Because this week’s Friday Favorite honoree is a product that I am so in love with. It is one of those products that once you have it, you can’t believe you lived without it. It is one of those products that make you say: “Daahhh! Why the heck didn’t I think of inventing that myself?”

And the best part about this product is that you can get it on Amazon.com for only $5.99.

What is this miraculous product? The Pro Beauty Tools Beauty Spatula.

This must-have beauty tool is a mini spatula with a cleverly shaped head that allows you to swipe along the sides, the bottom and under the shoulders of beauty product bottles. Yup… inside all of your pricey gluten-free beauty products… make-up, creams, shampoos, conditioners. The Pro Beauty Tools Beauty Spatula is washable too… so you can use it over and over again.

If you’re like me, I tip all my beauty product bottles upside down after they are “empty”… so I can get out every single last drop. But realistically this doesn’t work. BUT… the Pro Beauty Tools Beauty Spatula does!  All you need to do is swipe the mini-spatula around the hard to reach crevices and spots inside the bottle and voilà… you get up to 25% more product out of each bottle that normally you’d be throwing away.

All of these cost saving & “how did I live without this in the past” reasons are why this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com goes to the Pro Beauty Tools Beauty Spatula!

Want to buy one for yourself? Check out this link on Amazon.com!

Despite all the good, great and countless intentions I often forget to take my calcium supplement each day. Shame on me.

One. Little. Tiny. Thing. … and for some reason I can’t seem to remember to take it. Double shame on me.

That is why I was thrilled when Adora Calcium Supplements sent me a care package of their Dark Chocolate and Milk Chocolate supplements. Packed with calcium and all-natural chocolate these little yummy calcium chocolate powerhouses make taking my calcium supplement not something I forget, but something I crave.

Isn’t it funny how adding some rich, premium, all-natural chocolate can turn the mundane into a delicious “treat with a reason”… full of flavor and full of calcium.

These calcium supplements have only 30 calories per piece (gotta love that!) and taste just like a piece of chocolate. No chalky, vitamin aftertaste or tell-tale signs of being packed with a high quality USP-grade of calcium carbonate, vitamins D3 and magnesium.  

I love that Adora was created by Thompson Brands, a chocolatier with a rich, celebrated heritage of making fine products since 1879. I also love that Adora Calcium Supplements are gluten-free, certified kosher, contain no artificial sweeteners or corn syrup, and also have no Trans Fats. In a nutshell: Adora Calcium Supplements are good stuff, made by good people.

All of these yummy “I can’t wait to take my calcium” reasons are why I’m so excited that Adora Calcium Supplements is the sponsor of this WIN-It-Wednesday on BeFreeForMe.com

And thanks to Adora, two (yes 2!) lucky BeFreeForMe members will be the winners of a delicious prize pack of the Dark Chocolate and the Milk Chocolate Adora Calcium Supplements. One winner will be randomly selected from all comments / entries received before Tuesday, May 7, 2013 at 11:59 PM (EST), and a second winner will be selected from all comments / entries received between Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 12:00 AM (EST) and Tuesday, May 14, 2013 at 11:59 PM (EST).

How can you win?
Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us what Adora Calcium Supplement (either milk or dark chocolate) looks the best to you. (Me? I’m a dark chocolate girl all the way!) Good luck, remember that a daily dose of chocolate can be a great thing, and, as always…

Be Free!

P.S. Want to be the first to know about Adora’s news and offers? Check out their Facebook and Twitter accounts!

Want to buy Adora products? Check out these links to order the Dark Chocolate and the Milk Chocolate online or check out this link to find a retailer near you.

I normally don’t award the Friday Favorite to a product that is so new that you can’t even find them in stores yet. However, there are exceptions… especially when the product is so craved, so awaited for and so , dare I say… needed… that I can’t stop my myself from chatting, blogging and praising the product.

That is why this week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Mary’s Gone Crackers Graham Crackers.

Yes… gluten-free graham crackers!

 I tried these products at a recent trade show and they’re to die for.  The texture, the taste and the versatility of these graham crackers are everything a celiac could want, plus more.

The cookies are just like a “regular” graham cracker – perfect for ‘smores, a graham cracker crust, or eaten right out of the box. But,in fact, I actually prefer the all-natural, gingery-snappy taste of these gluten-free graham crackers over “regular” graham crackers. How many times can you say that?

Keep your eyes open for these long-awaited gluten-free graham crackers in a store near you, and dream about those ‘Smores that you’ll be able to welcome into your summer BBQ once again! Congratulations to Mary’s Gone Crackers on being awarded this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com! … and a big thank you too!

I am so excited to be joining the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) for a webinar on living the gluten-free lifestyle… on a budget!

This webinar, Gluten-Free Menu Planning: Budget-Friendly Tips, will be held on Wednesday, May 8^th, 2013 from 8:30 PM Eastern / 5:30 PM Pacific.

 In this one hour webinar we will be offering up some unique ways to save money on a gluten-free diet including sources for coupons / savings, budget-friendly & healthy recipes, as well as budget-friendly tips.

I am thrilled to be a part of this webinar which has been one of the most popular topic requests the NFCA has received, and I can’t wait to share some tips, tricks and tasty recipes that will help you stay on budget… gluten-free style!

Sponsored by Frito Lay and Cabot Creamery, this webinar is FREE to attend, and the only requirement is a working internet connection. Make sure you sign up today! I’m looking forward to “seeing” you on May 8^th!

If you’re feeling like a nut (a coconut that is) and looking for a soft, chewy and gluten-free macaroon look no further than Jennies Gluten-Free.

These Kosher Parve coconut treats are free of gluten, soy, lactose, sulfites, and trans fats but are full of goodness and sweetness. (Note: Jennies also has a sugar-free product line too!).

These yummy coco-nutty treats that so, so many of us can love and enjoy are the reasons why this week’s Friday Favorite is awarded to Jennies Gluten-Free Macaroons. Congratulations!

There are a few gluten-free items that are true keepers. Products that once you try them, you fall in love, want to tell the world all about them.

Joan’s Great Bakes products are one of these keepers.

Made in New York, Joan’s Great Bakes is a family-operated business that puts love and care into every one of their products. Some of the baked goods they offer are Italian bread, Joan’s Sicilian Pizza, Corn Toaster Muffins (I love these toasted and smothered with butter and honey!), Calzones (Yes… gluten-free CALZONES, my friend!), fantastic Double Chocolate Muffins, and my favorite, Joan’s signature English Muffins… real English muffins that have creeks and crevices that grabs a hold of the melted butter. The kind that is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The kind that looks and tastes like an English muffin and not like a crumbly cake disguised into an English muffin shape. True love!

All of Joan’s Great Bake products are gluten-free (made in a dedicated gluten-free facility) and many are dairy-free and corn-free too. All products are also preservative free and have no trans-fats.

Some big news is that Joan’s Great Bakes products can now be found in the freezer section of Whole Food Markets in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine and Northern Connecticut. So all of you New England folks should be wicked happy to hear about that! (Note: If you don’t find Joan’s Great Bakes in the Whole Foods in the states mentioned above ask a grocery team member to help you find them or have them order for you!)

All of these tasty reasons are why we are so excited that Joan’s Great Bakes is the sponsor for this WIN-It-Wednesday on BeFreeForMe.com. Two lucky winners will win a delicious prize pack of Joan’s Great Bake products… full of baked goods…  perfect for breakfast, dessert, dinner or snack times!

How can you win?
Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us what Joan’s Great Bake item is your favorite (if you’re lucky enough to have tried them before) or what Joan’s Great Bake product looks the best to you. (Me? I am the number #1 fan of the English muffins with the Corn Toasters and Calzone’s close behind.)

Good luck, keep those true-keepers in your life, and, as always…

Be Free!

P.S. Want to be the first to know about Joan’s Great Bakes news and offers? Check out their Facebook and Twitter accounts!

Want to buy Joan’s Great Bake products? Check out this link and order online!

I love cake! I love cake! I love cake! That is why I was triply overjoyed when my marvelous mailman delivered my Uforia’s Triple Delight Gluten-Free Cake.

This triple layer cake is a gluten-free melt in your mouth delight. Moist, buttery and rich – just a small slice of this cake is a perfect complement to a cup of tea or coffee, at a birthday celebration or as a dessert at a fancy dinner party, or even to share during a weekday meal with your family.

I love the simple goodness of this vanilla-chocolate-vanilla layered cake. The ingredients are all-natural and the recipe comes from an old family recipe.

This cake is a life saver when it comes to needing a really good gluten-free cake for a birthday celebration or special occasion. You can order it here, and get it delivered moist and fresh right to your door.

All these yummy reasons are why Uforia Triple Delight Gluten-Free Cake is this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com. A triple Congratulations to Uforia!

If you are looking for a bar that is packed (and I mean PACKED!) with protein look for further than the Quest Bar.

Packed with 20 grams of protein a bar, healthy ingredients, and containing no sugar or artificial sweeteners, this gluten-free and high fiber bar is screaming “eat me… I’m good for you!”

The Quest Bar is a perfect choice for those that need a high protein snack between meals. All-natural and super-tasty this bar has quickly become one of my favorites.

The Banana Nut Muffin is my favorite, but other varieties include Vanilla Almond Crunch, Apple Pie, Strawberry Cheesecake… and more.

Perfect for athletes, between meal snackers, and even diabetics… this week’s Friday Favorite on BeFreeForMe.com is awarded to Quest Bars. Congratulations!