Sunday

Celiac Friendly Christmas Gift Ideas


Looking for gift ideas for the gluten-free foodie on your list? Create the ultimate Celiac friendly gift basket using the widely available options below. If you live in an area where gluten-free items are not very prominent, explore online shopping with my post Online Gluten-Free Groceries Canada.



Gluten Free Baking Mixes



Gluten-free baking mixes go a long way. They are an asset to any foodie and are time savers, especially during the holidays. 


Gluten Free Cook Book


The How Can It Be Gluten Free Cookbook by America's Test Kitchen is a great choice. I own this and I love how much insight it provides about the science technical differences behind gluten free. It's widely available in the US and Canada. You can view detailed information on the book here.







Something Fun



Personalized aprons are adorable and useful. Check out the CafePress website to see the one above and more.




New tools and gadgets can inspire some kitchen fun. It's the little things, like whisks, muffin cups, spatulas and bowls that go a long way.




     Gluten Free Magazine



    There are many magazines which center around gluten-free living. Most of them can be found in local grocery and book stores. Another option is to purchase a gift subscription for that special person on your list.


    Awareness Items


    Pretty Little Celiac sells some really cute headbands, bracelets, and shirts. These items are cute, and they promote awareness of Celiac Disease as well. I personally own 2 of the headbands, a rubber bracelet, and a stretch bracelet.




    Zazzle offers up a variety of unique gluten free and Celiac awareness items.You can check out the options here.




    Top off the gift basket with a set of  Gluten Free Labels. They are super handy have a wide variety of uses. I have a set and love them!










    Stuffed Tomato Boats With A Kick








    The cold weather is here to stay, bringing with it the longing for comfort food. I have created the recipe below, as part of the Hidden Valley Gluten Free Challenge. These Stuffed Tomato Boats With A Kick, are a great addition to any meal. They are also a perfect little snack, which will warm you right up.




    Ingredients


    • 1 boneless chicken breast
    • 4 Roma tomatoes, halved
    • 1/3 Cup Hidden Valley Spicy Ranch Dressing
    • 1 Tbsp gluten free apple butter BBQ sauce
    • 1/4 Cup crumbled, already cooked bacon
    • 1/4 Cup diced green onion
    • 1 Tsp Olive Oil
    • 1/2 Cup sour cream
    • 1/3 Cup grated, Marble cheese
    • Shredded lettuce to garnish

    * Always read labels to ensure ingredients are gluten free



    Directions


    1. Preheat oven to 350F.
    2. Heat 1 Tsp of Olive Oil in a pan, over medium heat. Add chicken to pan and cook each side for approximately 10 minutes. Chicken should no longer be pink. You can use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken has safely cooked to an internal temperature of 165F-170F.
    3. Let chicken rest for about 5 minutes.
    4. Place chicken in a bowl. Hold chicken steady with one fork and use another to pull or tear the chicken apart.
    5. Add Hidden Valley Spicy Ranch, gluten free apple butter BBQ sauce, crumbled bacon and green onion to the shredded chicken. Stir ingredients together until well incorporated. Set aside.
    6. Use a spoon to scoop out the pulp and juices of tomatoes. Fill tomatoes with chicken mixture and place on baking sheet.
    7. Add cheese to top of the now filled tomatoes
    8. Bake for 15 minutes. Tomato skins will be blistering slightly when done.
    9. When tomatoes are finished baking, top each with a spoonful of sour cream. Place shredded lettuce (as little or as much as you like) on top to complete dish and serve.



    Hidden Valley Ranch Products and other promotional consideration were received in exchange for providing the above recipe as part of a submission in a contest sponsored by Hidden Valley Ranch.



    Promise Gluten Free Double Chocolate Muffins - Review

    Promise Gluten Free sent me a Free Product Coupon so I could review one of their products. I chose the Double Chocolate muffins. Because, let's face it - CHOCOLATE.






    I was super impressed with how moist and flavourful these muffins are! Promise Gluten Free provides chocolaty goodness without the dense grittiness, that is all too often part of Gluten Free baked goods. Muffin number two remained in the package for a mere 24 hours before I devoured that as well. Safe to say I am a fan!







    I think it would be a wonderful advantage to see single packages of these muffins available for purchase at Tim Hortons locations across Canada. How cool and convenient would that be?! If Dunkin Donuts can sell pre-packaged gluten free donuts and muffins in America, I'll bet there is nothing stopping Timmie's from doing the same, here. Especially so when there is a fantastic product, like this to team up with.



    The Double Chocolate muffins are sold two to a pack, for $3.99  and can be found at Metro stores. Not sure if your store carries the Promise Gluten Free line? Check out their store locator.



    For more information on all things Promise Gluten Free, visit their Facebook page here and give them a follow on Twitter: @PromiseGF




    I am looking forward to exploring the rest of the product line. Have YOU tried Promise Gluten Free? If you have, feel free to comment with your thoughts.





    Tuesday

    Circulon Griddle - Review



    I have a new favourite item in my kitchen. It's the Circulon Griddle! 

    This innovative piece of equipment is part of the Prime Collection and replaces the clunky, and heavy griddle that I have dreaded using for years. It's amazing how something so sleek can provide a fair amount of cooking space! Think outside the box with with me - griddles are not just for breakfast. So far, I have enjoyed preparing grilled cheese, chicken and even homemade tortillas on the griddle. The meal options are endless.





    Features:

    The griddle is 9.8x17.7 inches
    3-Layer Total Non-Stick System
    Metal Utensil Safe
    Removable Temperature Probe (ranges from 200F-440F)
    PFOA, Lead and Cadmium Free
    Hard Anodized Construction






    What I Love:

    The griddle has a non stick surface, so there is no need for oils and fats

    It's extremely lightweight and takes up very little space 

    Clean up is a breeze. Simply remove the power cord and the griddle can be immersed in water

    There is a pour spout in a corner of the griddle, which provides an easy way to dispose of grease

    The griddle heats quickly and evenly

    Easily stored in cupboard



    What I Don't Love:

    The handles. Although stylish and functional, they become hot as the griddle heats up. I would suggest that the Circulon team add a silicon gripping to correct this issue.




    Interested in getting a Circulon griddle of your own? It's available 
     exclusively at Canadian Tire for $69.99

    You can follow Circulon via Twitter @CirculonCanada and Facebook here




    *** I received a complimentary Circulon griddle in exchange for review. Opinions are my own.








    Monday

    The Art Of Ignorance

    I'm sure you have heard about the Jennifer Lawrence debacle by now. If you haven't, well, she pretty much summed up gluten free as a new form of anorexia. Not cool and really ignorant.

    Why is it that famous people feel the need to continually talk publicly about things which they are definitely not educated about?



    I will tell you why.

    The media does a fantastic job of glorifying gluten free as a trend. Rarely does anyone talk about Celiac. When they do, its nothing more than a fluff piece that overlooks the ugly side of this autoimmune disease. Those with the opportunity to educate the masses spend their time sensationalizing silliness and feeding people incorrect information. Many Doctors don't even really understand Celiac and many go about diagnosing it incorrectly.

    As a result, the general public is pretty misguided about an already complex and misunderstood disease. This is why I don't entirely lay blame on J-Law and others like her. I'm sure she has received a fare share of backlash from our community. As a result, I hope she has become a little more educated on the matter at hand. 

    If you are planning on reaching out to her via social media, remember to keep it respectful and insightful. 




    Disclosure

    This policy is valid from 23 February 2013

    This is a personal blog written and edited by me. All opinions are that of my own. I am not a healthcare professional or an expert. All information presented in this blog is purely that of my own experience and or opinion. Please consult a medical professional before making any changes to your diet.

    I write this blog as a hobby that I am passionate about. From time to time, I may receive monetary compensation for a sponsored post. I only work with brands that I trust and would use in my own home.

    This blog accepts complimentary products for review. The opinions I have of a product will never be swayed by a company sending me an item(s) for free. I take into consideration the opinion of family members who are gluten-free due to Celiac Disease and I also value the opinions of non-gluten free family members. Taste is a matter of personal opinion so please use your own discretion and don't take my opinion as a gold standard.

    Any ingredient or gluten-free claims should be verified with the restaurant/manufacturer as things can and do change.

    For questions about this blog, please contact: sandra@glutenfreedoll.com

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