gluten-free "happy pills"

Admittedly, I was inspired for this idea by a photo I saw on facebook.  But I quickly thought that my kids would LOVE this idea and I could easily make a jar of gluten-free "happy pills".  Hopefully this cute idea wont translate to teaching the kids to take a pill(medication) to find happiness.  It's just meant to be a fun treat and may work as a mood shifter when the kids are grumpy - especially my teenager.

Gluten-Free Waffle Dessert

I surprised my little guy with a toasted, gluten-free, Van's Apple Cinnamon waffle, topped with a scoop of vanilla yogurt and a bit of dark chocolate sauce for dessert last night!  

Gluten Free Waffle Delight!

After nearly 2 years of plain gluten-free waffles, I was so excited to find Van's gluten-free Apple Cinnamon and Blueberry waffles this morning at Stop & Shop!  My little guy is gonna be thrilled!  I think I might surprise him tonight with a warm, toasty waffle with a scoop of frozen vanilla yogurt on top for dessert!

Heart Shaped Marshmallow Treats

My kids and I had fun creating this gluten-free treats for my son's classroom Valentine's Day party.  These treats are simple to make and the kids can be fully involved in the process.

Simply melt some gluten-free chocolate in the microwave.  Dip the marshmallows in the melted chocolate.  Then dip in gf sprinkles if desired and place on wax paper.  

After about 30 minutes add a fun party pick, transfer to a platter and cover with plastic wrap.

Chocolate dipped marshmallows are fun for any occasion - choose a fun shape for your next special occasion. 

Post Cocoa Pebbles vs Mom's Best Crispy Cocoa Rice

Before our Celiac Disease diagnosis I NEVER would have served a chocolaty cereal to my kids for breakfast.  We only ate big brand but whole grain, fortified, unsweetened cereals.  However, due to the limited availability of gluten-free cereals on our supermarket shelves and the high cost of gluten-free cereals I gave in to the wallet friendly, easily accessible Post Cocoa Pebbles.  Then, a few weeks ago I came across Mom's Best Crispy Cocoa Rice and decided to conduct a blind taste test with my kids and compare nutrition labels.  The results were surprising!

Can you tell the difference between the two cereals pictured above?  

I asked my kids to rate each cereal on a scale of 1-10 and to describe each cereal.  They did not know which cereal they were eating only Box A and Box B.  My picky eater gave both cereals a 9 1/2 and my little guy gave both cereals a 10.  Both kids said both cereals were yummy.  However, my picky eater said the Mom's Best had a "slightly weird taste".  

Comparing the nutrition facts was very interesting.  Both cereals have the same number of calories with the Post have 10 more calories from fat.  However, both cereals have an equal percentage of total fats,  saturated fats, cholesterol, dietary fiber and protein.  Surprisingly Post has only 10g of sugar while Mom' Best has 13g of sugar.  In addition the Post Cocoa Pebbles had significantly higher amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folic acid, and vitamin B12.

So, we'll stick with the Cocoa Pebbles - in moderation of course :-)

Gluten Free Hot Cocoa Mixes & Recipes

 According to the article Cocoa in the August/September 2011 issue of Living Without Magazine, cocoa, when ingested  properly, is a powerfully beneficial food.  The polyphenolic flavonids in cocoa are linked to overall heart wellness, including lower blood pressure, stronger blood vessels and improved cholesterol levels.  Dutch processed cocoa preserves and retains the nutrient benefits of cocoa.  I use gluten-free Saco premium Dutch Cocoa.  So, now that we all feel better about our chocolate consumption, here are a few of my favorite hot cocoa recipes.  I make fresh hot cocoa almost every night about 9 months out of the year as my dessert.

1 1/2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa or Saco premium Dutch processed cocoa 
3 tsp sugar in the raw
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 oz vanilla soy milk
2 oz organic 1% milk


1 1/2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa or Saco premium Dutch processed cocoa
3 tsp sugar in the raw
1/2 cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
4 oz vanilla soy milk or 4 oz vanilla almond milk
2 oz organic 1% milk

1 1/2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa or Saco premium Dutch processed cocoa

3 tsp sugar in the raw

1/2 cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

4 oz  lite coconut milk or 4 oz vanilla rice milk

2 oz organic 1% milk

1 1/2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa or Saco premium Dutch processed cocoa

3 tsp sugar in the raw

1/2 tsp cinnamon

4 oz coffee flavored soy milk

2 oz organic 1% milk

Be careful if choosing to use a hot cocoa mix.  Both the Starbucks and Nestle brands are manufactured on shared equipment with wheat/gluten.  Ghiardelli does not contain any gluten ingredients nor does it provide an allergy disclaimer on it's label regarding gluten.  However, after diligent searching on-line, I was able to verify that all Ghiardelli cocoa mixes are manufactured in a shared facility with barely malt and Ghiardelli does not test for gluten.

Qwackers

A salty, crunchy "goldfish" alternative for you gluten-free kids' lunchbox!  

You can order online at Qwackers for $30 for 30 - 1oz. bags.  Qwackers are also available at a limited number of retail outlets and their website provides a retail store locator app.

Happy Qwacking!

Little Soya

Little Soya gluten-free, travel sized, soy sauce packs are perfect for anyone on the go and living a gluten-free life!  Little Soya packs are Non-GMO, have no MSG and are lite sodium.  They are perfect for my hubby to bring to work to flavor rice, snow peas, snap peas, chicken, sushi, etc.  I heard about these several months ago, but only recently found them on the shelves at my Stop & Shop. 
Little Soya packs are great to bring with you when traveling or dining out.  Many Asian or Fusion style restaurants are happy to cook a meal gluten-free, but rarely provide g-free soy sauce - so bring it with you!

Nature's Path

It's funny how excited I can get over the delivery of a box of gluten-free goodies.  But, it's true and I really do try to appreciate the small things in life:)  Nature's Path was recently running a special: 10% off plus free shipping for any purchase over $30.  So I ordered 7 bulk bags of gluten-free cereal, 3 boxes of gluten free cereal and 1 box of crispy rice "granola" bars for a grand total $64.00.  In the g-free world - I call that a bargain!  
Be careful when placing your order - although all products are organic and Non GMO, NOT all are gluten-free.