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
*** 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.
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.
Friday
Thornhill Farms - Review
I'm a snacker. Everyone knows it. Having to bring a "just in case there are no safe options" snack with me when I'm out, most likely plays a roll in it.
So when Thornhill Farms sent me some of their products for review, I was up for the challenge.
Rice Bites flavors
Sea Salt
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Sea Salt & Vinegar
Applewood Smokey BBQ Flavor
Snack Cracker Thins flavors
Sea Salt
Cheddar Cheese
Sour Cream & Onion
Lime & Black Pepper Flavour
I appreciate that both the Rice Bites and Cracker Thins are baked instead of fried. They are also certified Gluten Free, which lets face it, is AWESOME!
Thornhill Farms gets the flavours right, without overdoing it. I don't feel like I'm overindulging with these products. They are very light to eat and don't leave you feeling weighed down like other snacks do.
Overall these are great snacks. Bonus points for being able to munch on them in the car sans mess. If you have been on a long car ride with munchkins, you know exactly what I mean.
My personal favourite is the Apple Smokey BBQ Flavour Rice Bites! I could honestly down a whole bag myself. But I didn't. I shared with my lovely family who really enjoyed our little snack! This flavour in particular, would be great with a BBQ meal or picnic.
You can find Thornhill Farms Rice Bites and Snack Cracker Thins across Canada. They retail for a reasonable $3.49 and can be found at the locations below.
Quebec : Tao
Maritimes : Sobeys
Ontario : Bulk Barn and natural food stores
Western Canada: London Drugs and natural food stores
You can also order by the case, through Thornhill Farms directly (Canadian orders) or Better Batter (US orders) here .
Happy Snacking!
Walt Disney World handles special dietary needs such as gluten-free, allergens and kosher, etc. with extreme care. Navigating meal times can be overwhelming so it is important to have a plan of action before you head to the world.
Check out the tips below, to ensure that you have a magical quick service experience.
Check out the tips below, to ensure that you have a magical quick service experience.
10 Tips For A Magical Quick Service Experience
1) Be Prepared
- Contact Disney's Special Diets team to get a reference list of what gluten-free and other dietary items are available and where to find them in the world.
- Plan your meals in advance.
- Visit Disney's dining page to become familiar with dining options such as price point, theme and cuisine type.
2) Time It Wisely
- Dining at non-traditional times will help you avoid the mealtime rush. Try having lunch before 11:30 am and dinner somewhere around 4:00 pm or 7:00 pm.
- Special dietary meals can take an extra 10-15 minutes to prepare, so order these first.
3) Try Something New
- Epcot is a great place to be adventurous. With eleven different countries providing Quick Service fare, you can pretty much eat your way around the World here.
- Want a French-inspired meal, with a Table Service feel? Try Be Our Guest in the Magic Kingdom. This Beauty and the Beast themed restaurant offers Quick Service dining at lunchtime. It also commands long lines, so try to get a Fast Pass, if you can.
4) Variety, The Key To Happiness
- Look for locations which offer a wide range of food choices. My personal favourites include Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe (Magic Kingdom) and Landscape of Flavors (Art of Animation).
- Cosmic Rays Starlight Cafe has various order "bays", with each offering varying food selection. Be sure to check out the menu board so you know which bay to order from. This place is huge! With lot's of seating, both indoors and out finding a table should be easy peasy.
- Landscape of Flavors has several stations which provide both international and American style food. I love how fresh everything is here! You actually get to see your meal being made, fresh. Another plus to this Quick Service location, is the personal customization available for many dishes.
5) Sit Back And Relax
- Take time to slow down. Enjoy your meal, along with the beautiful Disney atmosphere. Not only will you feel refreshed, you will have a new found appreciation for the detail which surrounds you. Your feet will thank you for the extra downtime as well.
6) Know Before You Go
- Familiarize yourself with the open and close times Quick Service locations. Operating times vary throughout the parks and resorts.This is especially important during the offseason.
- Pepper Market in the Coronado Springs hotel automatically adds a 10% gratuity, even though it is a Quick Service location. You can avoid this extra charge by ordering your meal to go.
7) Save Money
- Quick Service items can be ordered a la carte. If you don't want something that is part of a combo, skip it and save the difference in cost.
- Ghirardelli in Down Town Disney to enjoy some offers free chocolate samples.
- Club Cool in Epcot provides a free sampling of 8 different soft drinks from around the world.
- Not sure about a certain menu item? Ask for a sample. Many Quick Service locations will happily provide a tasting size sample, free of charge.
- All Quick Service locations can provide you with a free cup of ice water
- If you opt for the dining plan, avoid using snack credits for drinks. Instead, use your refillable mug at the resort. No dining plan? Consider purchasing a Rapid Fill Refillable Mug.
- Having a muffin or a bowl of fruit for breakfast will allow you to save money and time in the morning.
- Some snacks are even big enough to share...if you want to, that is.
9) Enjoy A Meal Off The Beaten Path
- Consider a ride on the monorail, to one of resort hotels for lunch or dinner. It's a great opportunity to get away from the parks, during peak hours. These Quick Service locations are also much quieter, which is a bonus.
- If you are renting a car, head over to BoardWalk or Downtown Disney for a meal. Both destinations offer outside seating, with beautiful views of the water.
10) Thanks For The Magic
- Disney is light years ahead of the curve when it comes to accommodating dietary restrictions. Make a cast member’s day magical by saying thanks!
- Stop by Guest Relations at the parks and let them know how thankful you are for all of their hard work. Be sure to bring up anyone who has given your vacation an extra sprinkling of pixie dust!
- You can also email wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com to voice your appreciation.
Special Notes To Remember
- Bring Disney's dietary reference list with you to the parks
- Gluten Free meals are made to order so allow an extra 10-15 minute wait
- When in doubt, ask questions
- Consider sharing a meal. Disney portions are quite big
If you will be in the Orlando area in November, drop by the Food Allergy and Celiac Convention at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort. This is a ticketed event and takes place on Saturday, November 22nd, 2014.
Thursday
Food Allergy And Celiac Convention
Looking for a Celiac safe, vacation destination? Want variety and amazing flavour at every meal? Walt Disney World is where its at. I mean it. When it comes to safe Gluten Free dining, Disney does it best. I can say so from personal experience!
This November brings us the Food Allergy and Celiac Convention at Disney. I am happy to share that I am a member of the blogger street team for this great event. Being part of the team means that I will be sharing information related to both the event itself and all things Disney gluten free.
The event will be hosted on Disney property at the Coronado Springs Resort on November 22nd 2014.
You can purchase tickets here
Adult tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door*
Kids' tickets are $5 in advance as well as at the door*
*Door tickets will only be available, if there are any left for purchase
Follow event updates via Facebook and Twitter: @celebrateaware
The proceeds from ticket sales will go to food allergy & non-profit organizations.
This November brings us the Food Allergy and Celiac Convention at Disney. I am happy to share that I am a member of the blogger street team for this great event. Being part of the team means that I will be sharing information related to both the event itself and all things Disney gluten free.
The event will be hosted on Disney property at the Coronado Springs Resort on November 22nd 2014.
Event Details
- Expo Area (featuring vendors, sponsors & non-profit organizations)
- Welcome Breakfast (ticketed event for guests)
- Non-dairy Ice Cream Buffet (ticketed event for guests)
- Kids Corner
- Speakers, panels, & workshops focusing on all aspects of celiac disease & food allergies
- Culinary demonstrations, featuring Disney chefs
- 15 Minutes of Fame Stage where vendors & sponsors can highlight their unique brands & products
- Raffle baskets & giveaways (before & during the event weekend)
- Pre-event recipe booklets where vendors & sponsors can highlight their unique brands and products with recipes
- And more!
Tickets
Adult tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door*
Kids' tickets are $5 in advance as well as at the door*
*Door tickets will only be available, if there are any left for purchase
Follow event updates via Facebook and Twitter: @celebrateaware
The proceeds from ticket sales will go to food allergy & non-profit organizations.
***This event is not affiliated with the Walt Disney company***
What it's like to be Gluten Free in Canada
We enjoy the hard work provided by the Gluten Free Certification Program. When the below symbol is on a package, we can be sure it has met high standards and is safe for consumption.
Some Canadian Celiac Facts
1 in 133 people in Canada are estimated to have Celiac Disease.
Thunder Bay MPP Bill Mauro has our backs as currently Ontario is the only Province in which the Celiac blood test is not covered.
Just introduced a bill for ohip funding of blood testing for celiac disease. Too many people affected and too many undiagnosed #onpoli #tbay
— Bill Mauro (@BillMauroMPP) May 28, 2013
Researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario are working on a therapy to treat Celiac Disease.
Our Laws
It is illegal to label oats gluten free in Canada. They may only carry wheat free on the label.
The Canadian Government offers support information online.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA )is responsible for enforcing Canada's strict food labelling laws. If something is mislabelled Gluten Free or is leading people to believe it's safe, when in fact it is not, we can report the offending product here.
They are also responsible for our Food Recall Warnings program. This program provides alerts via email sign up, Twitter, Facebook, RSS Feeds and mobile application.
They are also responsible for our Food Recall Warnings program. This program provides alerts via email sign up, Twitter, Facebook, RSS Feeds and mobile application.
Notable Canadian Celiac's
Max Domi is a Minnesota Wild 2014 draft prospect , and son of retired Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Tie Domi.
Christine Nesbitt is an Olympic gold medal speed skater
Tom Kostopoulos ia a former Calgary Flames Right Wing and current member of the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins farm team)
Tuesday
Happy Canada Day !!!
I'm always on the hunt for Gluten Free snacks that I can take on the go with me.
So, I was happy as can be, when offered the chance to review Nakd Raw Fruit & Nut bars.
The 4 Gluten Free bars I sampled are :
Berry Delight
Cocoa Delight
Cashew Cookie
Cocoa Orange
While all four are tasty, the Cocoa Delight is by far my favourite! If you are wondering what to compare these to, they are similar to Lara Bars. I think you need to be a fruit and nut bar fan to begin with, in order to appreciate this product as it is definitely not your average cereal bar.
Hubby and our little man tried these bars as well. Hubby was impressed and will most likely dip into my pantry for more. Little man is on the other hand was less than enthused. I think he was actually kind of mad at me. That's okay though as it leaves more for me to snack on!
WHOLE FOODS SMOOSHED TOGETHER!
NO ADDED SUGAR
GLUTEN, WHEAT & DAIRY FREE
Friday
Stess Less When Dining Out
Dining out can be frightening and down right stressful. Although many restaurants are providing Gluten Free fare and advertising so, often times they neglect safety in exchange for profit.
Over the years, I have developed a certain mind set when heading out to eat. I try to treat the experience like a job interview. Pretend that you are the employer. Ask questions. A lot of them. Remember, you are looking to see if the restaurant as a whole can safely meet your needs.
Be honest and just tell it like it is. You have an autoimmune disease called Celiac. This is why you need to avoid certain ingredients and it is also why cross contact with offending ingredients is a big no no.
Go with your gut instinct. If something feels off, or too good to be true, it usually is. This leads us to something extremely important. When in doubt, go without. That's right, say it again. Know that there is no shame in politely declining to eat, if you do not feel safe.
Applaud those places which are upfront and honest in not being able to cater safely to restricted diets. If you are somewhere which cannot accommodate your needs and you are comfortable not eating, order a beverage and enjoy some conversation with your party.
Research in advance, whenever possible. Email head office and get a confirmed list of Gluten Free options as well as a contact at the restaurant. Speak with the contact from this establishment and let them know that you will be visiting and when. If possible, print out the confirmed list of safe items and bring it with you to the restaurant.
Don't settle. If you are tired of the same old salad or baked potato, then go somewhere with more options. Or skip this round of dining out all together. There is no point in inflicting misery upon yourself.
Don't ever feel like a burden. You didn't ask for this health condition and you need to do everything you can to manage it safely.
As part of Celiac Awareness Month, I am taking part in the Campbell's Gluten Free Broth Recipe Challenge. To help spread awareness, I developed my own recipe with Campbell's recently launched No Salt Added Ready to Use Vegetable Broth. This broth is also 100% Gluten Free.
I have never made soup from scratch before so what better reason to give it a shot then this opportunity right here! I had a lot of fun experimenting in the kitchen and even taught myself a thing or two, thanks to trial and error.
Below is my Garden Vegetable Noodle Soup recipe:
Ingredients
1 Carton of Campbell's No Salt Added Ready To Use Vegetable Broth
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 Tablespoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Minced Garlic
1/2 Onion
2 Carrots
1 Tomato
5 Mini Potatoes (I used Mixed Little Gems)
1/2 Cup Frozen Edemame
1 Cup Whole Grain Instant Brown Rice
1/4 Cup Gluten Free Pasta (I used Brown Rice Fettuccine)
Desired Seasonings
Directions
Prep your desired pasta per the instructions on the box
While the Rice is doing it's thing....
Contest Time!!!
Would you like to win (4) Coupons to enjoy 1 FREE 900ml carton of Campbell's No Salt Added Vegetable Broth?
4 lucky readers have a chance to win 4 of these FPC's each! Enter below through Rafflecopter!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I have never made soup from scratch before so what better reason to give it a shot then this opportunity right here! I had a lot of fun experimenting in the kitchen and even taught myself a thing or two, thanks to trial and error.
Below is my Garden Vegetable Noodle Soup recipe:
Ingredients
1 Carton of Campbell's No Salt Added Ready To Use Vegetable Broth
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 Tablespoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Minced Garlic
1/2 Onion
2 Carrots
1 Tomato
5 Mini Potatoes (I used Mixed Little Gems)
1/2 Cup Frozen Edemame
1 Cup Whole Grain Instant Brown Rice
1/4 Cup Gluten Free Pasta (I used Brown Rice Fettuccine)
Desired Seasonings
Directions
Prep your desired pasta per the instructions on the box
- Bring 1 Cup of Water to a boil
- Add Rice and stir in 1 Tablespoon of Butter
- Turn off heat and place lid on pot
While the Rice is doing it's thing....
- Prep those Vegetables! Cut Onion, Carrots, Tomato, and Mini Potatoes into bite size pieces. Think small enough to get a variety in one spoonful.
- Add the Vegetable Oil, Minced Garlic and bite size Vegetables, as well as, the Edamame to a large pot and let sweat.
- Cook pasta until al dente (it will finish in the soup)
- Pour in 1 Carton of Campbell's No Salt Added Ready To Use Vegetable Broth
- Add both the cooked Rice and Pasta
- Stir gently
- Add 1 Teaspoon of desired seasonings (ie: Salt and Pepper)
Garden Vegetable Noodle Soup |
***Disclosure: Campbell Company of Canada provided me with product to develop this recipe.
Contest Time!!!
Would you like to win (4) Coupons to enjoy 1 FREE 900ml carton of Campbell's No Salt Added Vegetable Broth?
4 lucky readers have a chance to win 4 of these FPC's each! Enter below through Rafflecopter!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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