Udi's French Toast Sticks With Cranberry Apple Compote

Here is the first recipe that I have come up with using the Udi's products that were sent to me. I hope that you find it as warm and comforting as my family does. Two awesome things about this recipe are that the components can be eaten together or separately and can be easily frozen for a quick bite when you are in a rush.

French Toast Sticks With Cranberry Apple Compote

Ingredients

French Toast Sticks
4 slices of Udi's Whole Grain Bread
2  large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Cranberry Apple Compote
2 small apples
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup canned cranberries
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp margarine
1 tbsp cornstarch


Directions

French Toast Sticks
Slice bread into four equal rectangles.
Whisk together eggs, milk and cinnamon.
Preheat a non stick pan on medium heat with margarine or butter.
Soak bread slices in the egg mixture, turning once and making sure they are completely coated. When bread is no longer firm to the touch it is ready to be removed.
Add bread sticks, a few at a time to pan and cook until all four sides are slightly toasted.


Cranberry Apple Compote
Peel and chop apples into small cubes and place in a pot.
Add lemon juice, cranberries, brown sugar, cinnamon, and margarine then mix with wooden spoon on med/low heat.
Once juices start seeping from the apples, mix cornstarch with enough cold water to make a paste and add to mixture while stirring.
Leave on heat for several minutes, stirring occasionally until mixture is thick and apples are no longer crunchy.


Head over to the Udi's Fall Comfort Giveaway on my blog for a chance to win $150.00 CDN worth of amazing products from Udi's!

Udi's Fall Comfort Giveaway

According to a recent survey commissioned by Udi's, 4.3 million Canadians are saying goodbye to Gluten. People are choosing to eliminate Gluten for various reasons ranging from Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance or because it helps to alleviate other medical conditions that thrive with a Gluten Free substitution such as Autism or MS. A lot of people are making the switch a family affair to show support for relatives who must adhere to this way of life.

Eating Gluten Free doesn't have to be boring and tasteless. To prove that, I will be participating in a "Fall Comfort" food challenge hosted by Udi's. They have supplied me with the same items that YOU COULD WIN!

In the next few weeks I will be showcasing various recipes that I have come up with using the items that I have received from Udi's . Are you excited to see what I come up with? I am!

Udi's has offered a prize pack valued at $150.00 Canadian, to one of my lucky readers. The prize pack includes plenty of Gluten Free items to make your Fall a little more comforting, plus a cutting board, Udi's lunch box and a cozy throw to keep you warm.

Udi's Prize Pack

You can find Udi's products at most major retailers including Sobeys, Metro, and Real Canadian Superstore. Don't forget to check your local health food shop as well.

Visit Udi's website to see their product range or to view some tasty recipes.You can follow them on Twitter Facebook and Pinterest as well.

Enter to win this Udi's prize by following the Rafflecopter instructions below.

Good Luck! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Empower A Newly Diagnosed Celiac

Below is in my personal opinion, what every newly diagnosed Celiac needs deserves to have at their fingertips.  



The Canadian Celiac Association's Pocket Dictionary. At
$9.95 for non-members it's a bargain. Per the CSA - "This pocket-sized dictionary was developed to help people with Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity to select acceptable foods and understand food ingredients so that they may avoid foods containing gluten. It provides a brief description of each item along with an assessment of its acceptability for the gluten-free diet."

A Grocery store tour

How priceless would this be?! A tour around your favourite grocery store with someone who specializes in not only Celiac Disease, but nutrition. This would be a great help in showing newbies where to find safe staples AND what fruits and veggies they should be stocking up on now that they will be lacking some serious nutrients in GF food. I know I'm dreaming here but,it would be a great way to get Celiac's shopping at certain retailers. Just putting it out there...

An informative book on Celiac Disease such as "Real Life with Celiac Disease" by Melinda Dennis and Daniel Leffler. This is  a great book for those who are unfamiliar with Celiac or want to educate themselves further.

A Gluten Free care package

Check out a free basket that the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center offers the newly diagnosed. This is a great way to set people up for success as it contains many essential items that will help alleviate the overwhelming feeling of uncertainty that most of us feel upon diagnosis.

Gluten Free cookbooks

You can find these almost anywhere that sells books now. Pretty awesome! One of my favorites happens to be the DK Gluten-Free Cookbook. Check out my tips for finding a cookbook full of recipes that will work for you here.

A Support group

While there are many of them out there, it is worth investigating to find one that is suitable. Support groups can range from in person gatherings to "pages" on Facebook. Take this with a grain of salt as they only offer the support that members are willing to put into it and can often be a pool of misinformation at times. Rest assured that there are indeed legitimate and helpful groups out there. I suggest starting with either the NFCA or CSA to find a local group or page that is helpful.

Product Review: Barilla Gluten Free Pasta

Some exciting news in the world of pasta - Barilla is introducing a line of Gluten Free pasta! It's made with non GMO corn and rice in a dedicated Gluten Free facility. With four varieties to choose from (spaghetti, penne, rotini and elbows) the meal possibilities are endless. I was happy to learn that this pasta was created with Celiac's in mind and not just for the diet hungry fadsters. The wonderful folks at Barilla kindly sent me some pasta to sample.

When I first opened the box of spaghetti, I noticed the colour right away. It is just like "regular" spaghetti, not gritty or gray like some of the other brands that I have tried. The instructions on the box are very simple and to the point. Ten - eleven minutes in boiling water while stirring occasionally. 

My family and I really enjoyed the spaghetti. It has the texture that I remember (pre Celiac diagnosis) growing up with and it tastes great. The only items that I added to the pasta were tomato sauce and frozen peas. Sometimes simple really does pay off. It was a great meal that paired nicely with an Udis bun doubling as garlic bread.

Not sure what to make? Check out Barilla's  recipe page for some inspiration.
As for the price point of 2.79- $3.29, no complaint's there.

Barilla Gluten Free pasta is in the process of hitting stores. Expect to see it widely available by the end of 2013.

If you have had the chance to try Barilla Gluten Free pasta, let me know what you think.

Blame Gluten....When It's At Fault

Sometimes people make me laugh, shake my head and then wonder.There seem to be a lot of folks out there who blame Gluten for just about everything. I have seen enough silly statements to draw a comparison to an old Country music joke. No offence to anyone who enjoys Country music ;)

Lets remember that misinformation spreads like wildfire. Celiac is not contagious but stupidity and ignorance seem to be. Believe it or not, many of the points below have been wildly debated about in Celiac forums. I certainly do not blame the newly diagnosed - it's a learning curve. There just seems to be so many people that add fuel to the fire by constantly spreading falsehoods about this complex and misunderstood disease. Heck, most Doctor's don't even correctly understand.

• Celiac Disease is not responsible for your fear of heights
• The dog did not do it's business inside to protest your Gluten Free ways
• A mosquito landing on a piece of regular bread and then biting you, will not make you ill. Unless it's some West Nile Virus kinda thing.
• Meat from a cow that enjoys wheat will not cause a Celiac reaction.
• The scent of the bakery section at your grocery store is not making you ill. That's called anxiety and you are making yourself sick by fearing a reaction.

All jokes aside, the problem with blaming Gluten/Celiac for everything is quite serious and could be detrimental to ones overall health. As no two Celiac's are alike, it is up to us to understand our reaction(s) to Gluten. By blindly condemning Gluten when it is not the real culprit, we risk further harm by not seeking medical attention when necessary.

Chapters Introduces Stonewall Kitchen Baking Mixes Online

Chapters now carries select Stonewall Kitchen Gluten Free baking mixes online. 

I tried the Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut Mix and it worked beautifully in my mini doughnut maker. Can't wait to try the rest of the line! Just make sure you are clicking on the GF items when ordering as there are some non GF items as well.

 

Gluten Free Not By Choice

life-style

plural life·styles

[count] : a particular way of living : the way a person lives or a group of people live 
▪ She envied the lavish lifestyles of wealthy people. ▪ Eating right and exercising are essential to having/leading/living a healthy lifestyle.


I'm really beginning to wish that we could go back in time and have someone coin a new term for those of us who eat Gluten Free out of medical necessity. Seeing the words diet or lifestyle next to Gluten Free really cranks my gears. It often implies choice. Something someone with a dietary restriction does not have.

I guess I just feel that Celiac Disease needs to be separated from the mainstream. Put in the forefront if you will. If someone wants to eat Gluten Free by choice that's a-okay. However, I would like that to get less hype. Celiac/Intolerance needs to be the star of the show here. No one ever confuses people watching their sugar intake to lose weight with Diabetics. Nor does anyone ever say that they maintain a shellfish free lifestyle. 

Many people see me eating something that is Gluten Free and feel the need to mention that they "tried" it (Gluten Free) once and just couldn't handle the restriction. Talk about a pet peeve. I wish people understood how silly they sound. Yes, it's frustrating gibberish that I can roll off of my back. But the hard part is the shear lack of education out there about Celiac Disease. Sometimes I think that the blissfully ignorant are worse to deal with than the disease itself.

Tim Hortons Gluten Free Macaroons - Review

With all the talk of American franchise Dunkin Donuts offering an array of pre packaged Gluten Free goodies, you can imagine my delight when out of nowhere Canada's beloved Timmy's surprised us with Gluten Free coconut macaroons! Totally unexpected AWESOMENESS right?!

Yes, I have a sweet tooth ;)






Let's talk about why I am loving this yummy treat -

• Tim Horton's rolled this product out the right way - with Celiac customers in mind. A first of it's kind in Canada.
• It is certified Gluten Free through the Canadian Celiac Association's Gluten Free Certification Program and that is no easy feat. They have very strict policies that keep Celiac health a number one priority.Check my photo above for the seal of approval.

• Price point is $1.29 for a pack of two macaroons. That alone says that Tim Hortons cares as they are not attempting to nickel and dime us like most companies who venture into the Gluten Free world.

• Each package is individually wrapped and prepared off site in a dedicated facility.

I would not  consider myself a coconut fan but I really enjoyed the texture and flavour of this sweet little meringue style confection! The added bonus of a chocolate drizzle is just enough without going overboard. If you are not normally a sweets person, this is most likely not a product for you. 

They are small enough to fit in a purse or a small lunch bag while being packed full of flavour. Makes for an easy to take "just in case" snack for those adventurous moments where something Gluten Free may not be easily accessible.

It's a great product for a treat and by treat I mean something that is consumed in moderation. Yeah, it's quite sweet so lets go there for a nano second - This is a snack. It is by no means meant to be healthy. Does anyone honestly walk into a donut shop and expect health food? I think not. So with that being said I applaud Tim Hortons efforts to create a Gluten Free item on their menu.

We now have an option on the road. Seeing as there is a Tim Hortons on nearly every block and every major highway exit in Canada, finding these babies should be easy peasy. We drove to Florida last year and a certified option like this would have been a welcome convenience! I can imagine the joy of Celiac cottage goers as well. 

The website states that the Gluten Free macaroons are available for "a limited time" which is kind of disappointing. But I understand that they probably want to see how well it is received before they make any long term decisions regarding it. I for one am hoping that this product does well. If it does, perhaps we could see Gluten Free prepackaged muffins and donuts in our future.

Thank you Tim Hortons for being Celiac friendly!



*Disclosure : I was sent a free sample of Tim Hortons Gluten Free Macaroons. My opinion is that of my own and was in no way affected.