{Review & Giveaway} The WHOLE Gang 2013 Desk Calendar!

2013 Cookbook Desk Calendar (© The W.H.O.L.E. Gang)

[Giveaway is now closed! The lucky winner has been notified by e-mail. If there is no response within 24 hours a new winner will be chosen..check your e-mails!]

I can’t believe it is already December! Which means the holiday season is in full swing and just around the corner is 2013! How did this year fly by so quickly?!

I know most of you have already started your holiday shopping but I have the perfect stocking stuffer idea for those with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or those who just love tasty food in your lives. Diane of The WHOLE Gang came up with an amazing idea this year…a desk calendar with gorgeous color photos of each of the 12 recipes (which you will find on the back of each month). All the recipes are gluten and dairy free! You will also find directions on how to prepare the dishes vegetarian, vegan, and paleo! As an added bonus there is a secret access code for a hidden page full of insider tips, tools, resources and 28 additional recipes on her website!

The desk calendar comes in a clear CD case specially made to stand-up on your desk to display the beautiful calendar. I already have mine on my desk! Each calendar costs $14.95 plus S&H and you can order them at: http://www.thewholegang.org/2013-cookbook-desk-calendar/ 

Hidden Page Features:

• 9 new additional recipes & links to 19 more recipes

• cooking tips and tricks

• additional suggestions for the recipes along with instructional photos

• information on ingredients & tools- resources to find items they might not have

• instructional cooking videos

About the Author:

  Diane is the founder and creator of The WHOLE Gang website where she shares easy, healthy,     gluten-free living through recipes, coaching and resources.  She is a Gluten-Free Specialist, Certified Health Coach, Chef and Professional Recipe Developer. She has cooked for over 40 years and lived gluten-free for 5 of those years.

Want to win your own 2013 Cookbook Desk Calendar? Diane has been generous enough to offer one of my readers a chance to win their own desk calendar which can be kept by you or given as a gift! A winner will be chosen at random using random.org. The winner will be notified by e-mail and will have 24 hours to respond. If no response is received a new winner will be chosen. Best of luck to all who enter…you are going to love this!

To enter complete one or all of the entries below. Be sure to leave a separate comment for each one!

1. Leave a comment below telling me why you want to win this and if you would keep it or gift it? (Mandatory)
2. Like The WHOLE Gang on Facebook (Optional)
3. Follow The WHOLE Gang on Twitter (Optional)
4. Like Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Facebook (Optional)
5. Follow Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Twitter (Optional)
6. Share this post on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. and leave a comment for each separate share. (Optional)

Giveaway begins today, Sunday December 2, 2012 and will end at 11:59 EST on Wednesday  December 12, 2012. The giveaway is open to residents of the United States and Canada!

[Full disclosure: I was sent a calendar, free of charge, from Diane Eblin of The WHOLE Gang for this review and giveaway. All opinions expressed here are my own. – Again, thank you Diane it is beautiful and I hope you make another one next year as well!]

Meet Penny {Cloud Star Review & Giveaway}

This giveaway is now closed. The winner was lucky number 8 – Jenni! Congratulations and thank you to all who entered.

Penny is a 9 year old Jack-a-bee which means she is 1/2 jack russell and 1/2 beagle.

On May 1, 2012 Bryan and I adopted Penny from a local shelter called The Potters League here in Portsmouth, RI. We had lived here for two years and would always say “one day we’ll stop in  to look around”, but never did. Well we finally made it in, with no intentions of coming home with a pet (isn’t that how it always is?), we were looking for a hedgehog (someday we still hope to have one). We looked at their website first and it said that all they had were puppies and all were adopted, so we figured we were safe.  We went in, filled out the paperwork to have them call us if they happen to get a hedgehog in and then asked if we could just look around. The told us about the lay out of the shelter so we headed off to the dog area. Almost all of the stalls had puppies in them, cute as they were they were adopted and we had no intentions of adopting anything, especially a puppy. We made our way to the last little stall and there she was, quite as can be. It was love at first sight.

Let me back up a little bit and give you a little back story…I am not a dog person! Pretty much anyone who knows me well will agree to that statement. However, when I first went to Bryan’s house I learned he had a dog…a bit one, but she was amazing. I fell in love with her and we had the pleasure of having her as our house guest two years ago a few months. In April of this year she had to be put down, which was so heart breaking. I felt so bad for Bryan, and his family. Bryan started looking at dogs online and I said, maybe one day when we have a house we can get a dog. But I had some rules – I wanted small…but not one that would fit in a purse. So I attempted to describe my ideal dog. When we say Penny for the first time, I said she is it…she is the perfect size!! She was everything that I had described to him the night before.

After acknowledging to each other that we both really liked her, we asked to take her on a walk. We had her outside for about a half hour, played with her, took a few pictures, and realized that she had no interested in other dogs, was pretty quite, and very well-behaved. She was my kind of dog. Soooo we asked to put a hold on her, made a few phone calls, and picked her up two days later.

She is a complete cuddle bug, loves to be outside, is terrified of loud noises, and a little skittish at times (we think she may have been abused a bit). Penny is amazing and I can’t imagine not having her around. She gets so excited to see us when we walk in the door, even if we were only gone for five minutes. She is also an incredibly picky eater!! No lie we tried to give her the food from the shelter, but that was a no go, so we found a great food that she loves and it just so happens to be gluten-free. She also is extremely picky about her treats…she will take a milk bone from you and leave it on her pillow for two or three days and then eat it. We weren’t sure if we would ever get her to like treats until Cloud Star came along. She goes crazy, and I mean crazy for these treats. They have a great line of gluten-free treats and when I opened the bag for the first time she was chasing me around to get a treat. I tried to hid the bag from her but she went search for it. She had never done this before so we were completely surprised.

Check out Cloud Star’s website for more information about this great company and the people who run it!

I’m a huge fan of these treats because one she loves them, and two they are gluten-free which means they are safe for me to handle and give to her. The lovely people over at Cloud Star have offered a giveaway to one of my readers. For your chance to win just read below how to enter!

Cloud Star Giveaway:

One winner will win either a Prize Pack for a Dog: Two boxes of the oven baked Grain Free Buddy Biscuits dog treats and two bags of the soft & chewy variety, a Wag More Bark Less magnet or a Prize Pack for a Cat: (1) each of the three cat treat varieties.

1) Leave a comment below saying which prize pack you hope to win (mandatory)

2) Like Cloud Star on Facebook

3) Follow Cloud Star on Twitter

4) Like Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Facebook

5) Follow Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Twitter

6) Share this giveaway on twitter (must include @Creatively_GF), Facebook, or Pinterest – be sure to link back to this page and mention Creative Cooking Gluten Free in the post.

This winner will be chosen by random.org and will have 48 hours to respond by e-mail with their mailing information, if a the chosen winner does not respond in the allotted time, a new winner will be chosen.You must leave a separate comment for each entry. Giveaway is open to all who are residing in the contiguous United States.

Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Wednesday October 31st.

Rudi’s “What’s Under Wraps?” Giveaway!

This giveaway is now closed…winner was chosen by random.org and has been notified by e-mail! Thank you to all who entered.

Rudi’s Gluten Free comes out with some fantastic products and they recently just released another one…soft gluten-free tortilla wraps in three delicious flavors. You can get these great wraps in either plain, spinach, or fiesta (see below for more information on each wrap). This is something that so many on a gluten-free diet have been waiting for

There are two giveaways on this post, so be sure to keep reading…

The first giveaway on Rudi’s Gluten Free’s Facebook Page where you can win one of the following prizes. This giveaway ends on August 31st so head on over to their facebook page and enter for your chance to win, then scroll down to check out the next giveaway!

PRIZES :

Bella Cucina® 13506 Quesadilla Maker.  ARV $20.
Tiago Light Blue Tortilla Warmer.  ARV $25.
Oxo® V Blade Mandolin.  ARV $40.
Stainless Steel Watering Can.  ARV $50.
Williams-Sonoma® Molcajete.  ARV $50.
Marisol Chip and Dip Set.  ARV $60.
Philips® Fidelio® Docking Speaker.  ARV $130.
Cuisinart® Stainless-Steel Ice Cream Maker.  ARV $145.
Weber® One-Touch Gold 22 ½ Inch Grill.  ARV $150.
All-Clad® Stainless Steel 7-piece Cooking Tool Set.  ARV $165.
Le Creuset® Dutch Oven.  ARV $240.
Breville® Compact Countertop Oven.  ARV $270.
Margaritaville® Fiji Frozen Concoction Maker.  ARV $350.
Wüsthof® Grand Prix 8-piece Knife Block and Knives Set.  ARV $550.
Brevelle Juice Fountain Duo.  ARV $550.

HOW TO ENTER :

• Head over to the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery Facebook page.

• Click to “Like” Rudi’s.

• Click “Guess & Enter to Win”.

• Fill out your information on the entry form, guess what’s under wraps (you do not have to get the answer correct to be entered) and click “Submit”. Each daily winner will be chosen at random and announced on Facebook the following day

• Click “Log In with Facebook”.

• Click to get your $2 off coupon for Rudi’s gluten-free tortillas.

ENTRIES ALLOWED :

Limit one entry per day per person.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE :

This Promotion is open t all legal U.S. residents of the 50 states and the District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older at the time of entry.

DURATION :

The entry period for this Promotion begins on August 13, 2012 at 12:01 AM MDT and ends on August 31, 2012 at 11:59 PM MDT.

The second giveaway is also courtesy of Rudi’s Gluten Free and one lucky reader will win the following prize package:

1 Brunch Themed gift package including:

• Stonewall Kitchen Raspberry Jam
• Nutella
• Wooden tongs
• Ceramic serving bowl
• Spreaders set of 2
• Placemats (4)
• Glasses/flutes (set of 2)

Plus all packages will include product coupons & Rudi’s swag!

HOW TO ENTER :

• Head over to the Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery Facebook page and click “like” – leave a comment below saying you did so

• Like Creative Cooking Gluten Free Facebook page and click “like” – leave a comment below saying you did so

• Leave a comment below telling me what you would make with this prize package

• Head on over to Rudi’s Gluten Free website and tell me which of their products, other than the wraps would you like to try

ENTRIES ALLOWED :

Please leave a comment below for each entry above (Max of 4 entries per person)

WHO IS ELIGIBLE :

This Promotion is open t all legal U.S. residents of the 50 states and the District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older at the time of entry.

DURATION :

The entry period for this Promotion begins on August 15, 2012 and ends on August 25, 2012 at 11:59 PM EST.

I myself would love to have won this package – I love brunch! I would definitely make  some breakfast quesadillas with the nutella and jam – with some fresh fruit. Yummm! – So if by some crazy chance you win and decide you don’t want it, I’ll be happy to take this off your hands. Ha ha. Trust me you’ll enjoy these!

Below is the Rudi’s press release

Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery What’s Under Wraps Facebook Campaign Rewards Fans with Fun Kitchen Prizes and Yummy Gluten-Free Tortillas
Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery Facebook fans can guess what’s hidden under the three new flavors of Gluten-Free Tortillas for a chance to win prizes and discover new recipes 
 
Boulder, Colo. – (Aug. 13 2012) – Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery has a surprise for gluten-free food lovers with its new What’s Under Wraps Facebook campaign. For three weeks starting today, Aug. 13, Rudi’s Gluten-Free Facebook fans can guess what kitchen gizmos are wrapped in the new Rudi’s Gluten-Free Tortillas for a chance to win what’s underneath. Additionally, once fans “like” Rudi’s Gluten-Free on Facebook, they can receive a $2 off coupon to try out the three Gluten-Free Tortilla flavors—Plain, Spinach and Fiesta, and also gain access to new tortilla recipes revealed each day. Rudi’s Gluten-Free was founded on the optimistic idea that you don’t have to give anything up to go gluten-free, so celebrating its new line of Gluten-Free Tortillas makes perfect sense.
Once fans “like” the brand and get access to the $2 off coupon, they can click on the giveaway tab and guess what new prize is wrapped under the scrumptious, new tortillas. Once a fan has submitted a guess, they’re automatically entered to win the daily prizes—no correct guess required. Prizes include a Cuisinart Stainless-Steel Ice Cream Maker, Bella  Quesadilla Maker, Tiago Tortilla Warmer and a Le Creuset Dutch Oven, and of course, new Rudi’s Gluten-Free Tortillas. Each daily winner will be chosen at random and announced on Facebook the following day.
To help inspire some added creativity in the kitchen, the What’s Under Wraps Facebook application also includes a daily recipe reveal featuring recipes made with the different flavors of Gluten-Free Tortillas, including recipes like Dessert Nachos, Mini-Mexican Pizzas and Picnic Tortilla Roll-Ups. All recipes were created by Rudi’s Gluten-Free experts to maximize the taste and texture of the new Gluten-Free Tortillas. 
“We take great care and pride in baking delicious gluten-free products that taste and feel like the real thing, and our new campaign is meant to inspire gluten-free fans with cheerful prizes and delectable tortilla recipes,” said Doug Radi, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Rudi’s Organic Bakery. “We hope our daily giveaway will help brighten the day for all of our fans and inspire some fun in the kitchen.
Rudi’s Gluten-Free products are free of artificial ingredients, preservatives and genetically modified organisms (GMOs), including the new Gluten-Free Tortillas.  The Tortillas are made with whole grain flours and have a soft, pliable texture, ready to be rolled into a delicious burrito or tasty sandwich wrap. To satisfy everyone in the family, the Tortillas are available in three varieties, each made with simple and wholesome ingredients, including whole grains and 5 grams of fiber per serving. The three flavors include:

• Plain Tortillas (MSRP - $5.99) - Soft and pliable so they’re perfect for building a simple quesadilla or a loaded chicken burrito.

• Spinach Tortillas (MSRP - $5.99) – These delicious tortillas are made with gluten-free ingredients moms can feel good about. Their soft and pliable texture make them the perfect wrap for a variety of ingredients, from a chicken Caesar wrap to a morning egg and cheese delight.

• Fiesta Tortillas (MSRP - $5.99) – Spice up your favorite Mexican meal with these tasty tortillas made with red bell pepper, jalapeno, onion and garlic flavors.

Additional Rudi’s Gluten-Free products include Original, Multigrain and Cinnamon Raisin Breads, Pizza Crust, Hamburger Buns and Hot Dog Rolls. All products are available nationally at natural foods stores and select mainstream supermarkets. For more information and to find local availability, visit rudisglutenfree.com.
About Rudi’s Organic Bakery, Inc.
Rudi’s Organic Bakery, Inc., has been passionate about baking better breads for families for more than 30 years. Founded and headquartered in Boulder, Colo., Rudi’s Organic Bakery is the only nationally available brand offering a full line of nutritious and delicious, certified organic breads and baked goods. Rudi’s Organic is committed to baking breads using only the best organic ingredients and no artificial additives, preservatives and GMOs. In 2010, Rudi’s Organic leveraged this heritage to create Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery, a line of gluten-free breads and baked goods made with wholesome, all-natural ingredients so that each bite tastes like the real thing. Rudi’s Organic and Rudi’s Gluten-Free products are available nationally at natural foods stores and select mainstream supermarkets. For more information, visit www.rudisbakery.com.

Gluten-Free Frito-Lay Recipes

Don’t you just love when a favorite item or brand of yours is actually gluten free, and provides the information on their website! I know I do. I get abnormally excited over something that most would consider small, but to me its all about the small things in life. I’ve always been a fan of Frito-Lay’s products however, I never realized how many of them are gluten-free! Check out their recently updated list here. I think you will be presently surprised. This was brought to my attention by the National Foundation For Celiac Awareness (NFCA) when they asked if I would like to be a recipe tester for some of the new products.

I was assigned the Frito Waffles with Mascarpone and Warm Strawberry Compote. I had the option of changing up the recipe if I so desired to, however I rather liked it just as it was. The waffles were more on the savory side, but topped with the Mascarpone and Strawberry Compote made them a sweet-savory treat. I made these for my neighbor and myself whose respective other halves are away for the summer and she was recently told from her doctor that she needs to avoid gluten and wheat. They not only would be great for dinner but they made a mighty delicious dinner 🙂

In addition to my recipe and post check out the NFCA’s page for additional recipes and bloggers:  http://www.celiaccentral.org/frito-lay/recipes/

Keep reading to learn how you can win your own Frito-Lay products!!

Frito Waffles with Mascarpone and Warm Strawberry Compote

175 grams (about 1 1/4 cups millet flour)
50 grams (3/4 cup) crushed Fritos® Original corn chips
1 tablespoon golden flaxmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup milk
3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup melted butter
1/4 cup honey
3 large egg whites

Strawberry Compote
1 pound strawberries, hulled and quartered
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mascarpone cheese

Combine flour, corn chips, flaxmeal, baking powder, milk, egg yolks, vanilla, butter and honey
in a blender container. Blend until smooth. Beat egg whites in a medium bowl until they form
soft peaks. Fold flour mixture into beaten egg whites until incorporated, being careful not to
deflate egg whites.

Pour about 1/2 cup of batter onto greased, heated griddle and cook until waffle is done,
according to manufacturer’s instructions. Repeat with remaining batter.

Combine strawberries, sugar, cornstarch and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium
heat until juicy and thickened, stirring often.

Serve waffles with mascarpone cheese and warm strawberries.

Yield: about 9 waffles.

Notes:

To make these a little sweeter – maybe add a tablespoon of sugar

This recipe was pretty easy and quick to make. Again this is great for breakfast or dinner. Who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner? I know I do!

I ended up eight large waffles

My waffle maker is old (very old) so they came out a bit darker than I had hoped.

The strawberries and Mascarpone are fantastic on this – don’t add anything to the cheese, just add a dollop on top of the waffles and then top with the strawberry compote.

Head on over here to enter for your chance to win a prize package from Frito-Lay!

 

 

One Vinaigrette – Two Dishes {O Olive Oil}

In my last post about O Olive Oil, I mentioned that I was one of the lucky bloggers who was chosen to participate in the O Olive Oil challenge over at erecipecards.com. Each blogger was asked to do two posts – one a tasting and the second a recipe. Please take a second to read my fist post – A Naked Tasting. I was generously provided a bottle of the O Meyer Lemon Olive Oil and the Pinot Noir Wine Vinegar to taste and create a recipe with.

As I mentioned in my last post these have a higher sugar content and in turn a lower burn temperature which make them great for finishing oils and vinaigrettes. I decided to do just that – make a vinaigrette and then create two dishes to use it with, both of course are gluten-free and can easily be made vegetarian by simply omitting the chicken in one and the fish in the other – you can also add in some delicious tofu!

Meyer Lemon and Pinot Noir Vinaigrette (adjust this to meet your needs)

3 parts O Meyer Lemon Olive Oil

1 part Pinot Noir Wine Vinegar

Small Shallot – minced

Kosher Salt – to taste

Fresh Ground Black Pepper – to taste

Pinch of sugar

I know you are probably wondering where the exact measurements are but I think vinaigrettes are a personal judgement call.  Taste as you go, adjust as needed based on your likes and needs. This oil and vinegar make such a delicious vinaigrette – its sweet and tangy all at once.

Quinoa Salad with Meyer Lemon and Pinot Noir Vinaigrette

1/2 cup quinoa

1/2 cup red quinoa

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

1 small zucchini diced (1/4 inch)

1 small summer squash diced (1/4 inch)

1 1/2 cups roasted chicken (omit or sub with tofu for vegetarian option)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Meyer Lemon and Pinot Noir  Vinaigrette – to taste

Lemon Zest

Directions

1. I roasted mine with a lemon pepper compound butter that had a light drizzle of the olive oil in it and placed it under the skin. When done – let the chicken rest and cool – shred and set aside.
2. Cook quinoa according to package instructions.
3. In a small non stick pan over ow-medium heat add 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and gently cook the mushrooms, zucchini, and summer squash – just to warm them up a bit.
4. In a large bowl add the vinaigrette, shredded chicken, and veggie mixture – toss to coat.
5. When quinoa is finished cooking add directly into the bowl with the chicken, veggies, and vinaigrette – toss to combine and let sit for at least 20 minutes so everything soaks up the awesome vinaigrette.
6. Toss in the tomatoes and zest lemon over the top before serving.
7. This makes for a great entree or as a side dish. You can add anything you really wanted to this dish as quinoa to me is like a blank canvas just waiting to be jazzed up a bit. This dish can be served warm or chilled, which makes it great for the summer and a picnic or BBQ!

Grilled Tilapia Pasta with Meyer Lemon and Pinot Noir Vinaigrette

Penne pasta (gluten-free)

Broccoli florets and pieces

1 – per person, Tilapia Fillet

1 slice of lemon per piece of Tilapia

Meyer Lemon Olive Oil

Meyer Lemon and Pinot Noir Vinaigrette – reserve 1-2 table spoons

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat grill to medium-high.
2. Create foil packets – in each packet place lemon slices, and two fillets of fish, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with just a little bit of the Meyer Lemon Olive Oil, and seal the packet.
3. Grill the packets lemon size side down first for 3-4 minutes, flip and repeat.
4. Remove fish packets and set aside for one minute.
5. Open fish packets and flake the fish into chunks. Set aside until pasta is complete.
6. Cook pasta according to package.
7. During the last 4 minutes of cooking add in broccoli florets and pieces.
8. Strain pasta and broccoli, place in a large bowl and toss with vinaigrette – the warm pasta is going to soak up all of this beautiful vinaigrette.
9. Place pasta on individual plates or bowls – top each plate/bowl with grilled Tilapia fillets and drizzle with reserved vinaigrette.
10. Another dish perfect for the summer, especially on a week night – quick, easy, delicious, and full of flavor from just a few ingredients!

 

 

 

Rudi’s Giveaway!

I love Rudi’s Gluten-Free products! Every time they contact me about promotions and giveaways I’m always happy to help spread the word. Right now Rudi’s is running a great giveaway on their Facebook page called “Four Weeks of Giveaways” They are offering up some amazing prizes so be sure to head on over and check it out and enter for each one!! Also on their Facebook Page is a $2.00 off coupon for one of their products – so be sure to get over there and snag one and give Rudi’s a try if you haven’t already.

On top of those great prizes they are also offering one of my readers the following prize package:

•      Rudi’s GF Sticky Notes
•      Rudi’s GF Bread Clip
•       Ruid’s GF Banana Pudding Recipe Card
•      5 Free Product Coupons
•      Spice Grinder
•     Delight Magazine
•     Gluten Free Living Magazine
•      Rudi’s GF Branded Toaster
•      Rudi’s GF Reusable Bag

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a great prize! Aren’t they generous people over there at Rudi’s?

How To Enter:

One (1) winner will be chosen to win the prize package above courtesy of Rudi’s Gluten-Free  There are several ways to enter so be sure to do as many as possible to increase your chances. You must leave a separate comment for each entry. Giveaway is open to all who are residing in the contiguous United States. Winner will be chosen by random.org and notified by e-mail. Winner will have 48 hours to respond and then another winner will be chosen. Giveaway is open until TUESDAY MARCH 6th at Midnight (EST). Good luck to all who enter!

“Like” Rudi’s on Facebook (and be sure to enter their weekly giveaway while you are there)

Follow Rudi’s on Twitter

Head on over to Rudi’s Website and come back here and let me know which product you would like to try first

“Like” Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Facebook

Follow Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Twitter

I do not receive compensation for these posts and the opinions are 100% my own.

Steamed Shrimp and Vegetables. A Le Creuset and EdgeWare Review & Giveaway!!

Updated 2/18/12 10:15 am – This giveaway is now closed.The two lucky winners have been chosen!! Congratulations to Marnely (Le Creuset Farm Fresh Steamer Set) and Karol (EdgeWare V-etched Zester). Please check your e-mails. Winners were chosen using random.org. I would like to again, thank Le Creuset and EdgeWare for sponsoring this giveaway. 

Over the last three and a half years I have had the opportunities to do many reviews of great products. I truly enjoy doing reviews of cookbooks, and gluten-free products, and I’m looking forward to do more in the future along with any culinary based items (kitchen appliances, tools, etc.).

I love kitchen gadgets. Here are a few of my “must-haves”  items: Chef Knife, Stand Mixer, Mixing Bowls (different sizes), Prep Bowls, Boning Knife, Steamer (pan/bamboo basket), Zester, Grater, Silicone Whisk, a good set of Non-Stick Pans, Cast Iron Skillet, and a Crock-Pot. There are plenty more items, however this is a great starting point.

Two of my favorite companies for kitchen products are EdgeWare and Le Creuset. I mean, don’t well all hope to own their products?? I was sent one of each of the following products to test out and review and I have to say, I am honestly in love with both of them. And, now two lucky winners will have a chance to win one of the following prizes (one winner for the Zester, and one for the Farm Fresh Steamer!)

First up we have a fantastic Zester from EdgeWare – The V-etched Better Zester! Here is what their website has to say about it:

New for 2012! The star of the new Edgeware V-etched line of graters is the Better Zester.This zester takes zesting to a new level with its innovative design and features. The V-etched Zester blade is made up of over 300 tiny V- shaped teeth and is covered with a non- stick coating. The food- approved coating allows the zester to smoothly glide across the surface of all types of citrus, while finely zesting the outer layer of skin and not the bitter pith. The Better Zester includes a “fresh zest” storage container with squeegee. This additional accessory gathers the fresh zest as it is grating and the squeegee helps remove the moist zest from the back of the blade. The ergonomically shaped kitchen tool features a non-slip tip and soft touch handle as well as a reusable protective cover. The Better Zester is available soon at specialty retailers nationwide in Stealth Charcoal Gray or Zesty lime Green.  Dishwasher Safe. Designed in the USA.

I’ve been using this almost daily since I received it…for zesting fruits, ginger, garlic, etc. I love the back of it where the container/measurer is, because it has the “squeegee” that works so well for getting all the little pieces. It is perfect for so many applications and a “must-have” in every kitchen.

Le Creuset Farm Fresh Steamer Set. This is a three (3) piece set that is a must have, especially when you are looking to make healthier cooking choices. I’m currently taking a Nutrition and Sensory Analysis course and our two main cooking methods are steaming and poaching – talk about a perfect time to review this huh? We are also trying to eat healthier this year by cutting out a lot of the “bad” foods and cooking methods and replacing them with “healthier” ones.

I’ve used this pan a few times, and it is wonderful. I’ve had another steamer for a while but was never a big fan of it. The Le Creuset one is a 3-quart steamer and its  base is constructed of tri-ply stainless steel and can be used separately to prepare sauces or side dishes.

For vegetables and seafood with maximum nutrients and the truest flavor and texture, steaming is the way to go. Le Creuset’s Farm Fresh Steamer Set, with its 3-quart base, fitted 2 3/4-quart steamer basket and tempered glass lid, offers a convenient and healthy option for meal preparation. Less water to heat means vegetables cook quickly, while maintaining their flavor, texture and nutritional value.

• Steamer insert can be used with all Le Creuset stainless steel saucepans
• Precision-pour rim allows for clean, convenient pouring directly from the pan
• Tempered glass lid locks in moisture and heat while providing a clear view of food as it cooks
• Brushed steel exterior prevents fingerprints
• Dishwasher safe for easy cleaning

I also really loved the facts that it is dishwasher safe and the brushed steel prevents fingerprints.  I tested it out in the dish washer and it works great! Even with out the dishwasher it is still a very easy item to clean. This pan also has very even heating and you don’t need to use very high heat due to the material and design.

Below is a recipe I made one night to try both of these items out. We have been craving vegetables and lighter foods lately so I thought a simple dish of steamed shrimp and vegetables would be a great solution.  The cooking time was about 15 minutes!! Perfect for a weeknight meal that is also healthy and delicious.

Steamed Shrimp and Vegetables

Yield: 4

3/4 Pound Medium Shrimp (raw/cleaned and deveined)

2 Tablespoons light gluten-free soy sauce (San-J)

1 Tablespoon Toasted Sesame Oil

1/2 Teaspoon Chili Oil

1 Large Garlic Clove – grated

1/2 Inch piece of Ginger – grated

1/2 Teaspoon Brown Sugar

1 Teaspoon Rice Wine Vinegar

1 Large bunch of Bok Choy – Chopped

1/2 Cup Shredded Carrots

1/4 Cup Sliced Water Chestnuts

1/4 Cup Sliced Bamboo Shoots

1/2 Cup Snow Peas

Grate the ginger and garlic with the V-etched Better Zester. In a small bowl mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil, garlic, ginger, sugar and vinegar. Add shrimp to a separate bowl and poor 1/3 of the mixture over the shrimp, toss to coat well and set aside.

Fill the Farm Fresh Steamer with about 1 1/2 quarts of water (or stock…slightly more flavor if you use stock with aromatics in them like crushed garlic and ginger pieces – this is what I normally do), and heat over medium-low heat.

Once the steam starts to build up in the pan, add the bok choy, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and cook for 2-3 minutes (these take a little longer than the shrimp). Add the Shrimp, carrots, and snow peas, cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until shrimp is cooked throughout. Do not over cook the shrimp.

Toss with remaining sauce and serve over steamed rice. Top with a little chili paste if you like a bit more heat (we love spice so it is usually added).

Now for what you have all been waiting for…the giveaway!!

Two winners will be chosen – One (1) for the Le Creuset Farm Fresh Steamer Set and One (1) for the EdgeWare V-etched Better Zester.  Both of the products are awesome and I am very excited to be offering a giveaway. There are several ways to enter so be sure to do as many as possible to increase your chances. You must leave a separate comment for each entry. Giveaway is open to all who are residing in the contiguous United States.

1. “Like” Le Creuset on Facebook (Mandatory)
2. “Like” EdgeWare on Facebook (Mandatory)
3. Follow Le Creuset on Twitter (Optional)
4. Follow EdgeWare on Twitter (Optional)
5. “Like” Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Facebook (Optional)
6. Follow Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Twitter
7. Leave a comment below saying what dish you would make first!
8. Tweet about this giveaway “@LeCreuset Farm Fresh Steamer Set and @SmithsEdgeware Zester #Giveaway at @Creatively_GF http://wp.me/pnrJm-tv enter today! Pls RT”

Please leave a separate comment for each entry!

The giveaway ends on Friday February 17. Two winners (one for the Le Creuset Farm Fresh Steamer Set and one for the Edgeware V-etched Better Zester) will be chosen by using random.org. Winners will be notified by e-mail on Saturday February 18th and will have until noon on Tuesday February 21st to respond. If no response is received a new winner will be chosen.

I would like to thank Coaction Public Relations, EdgeWare, and Le Creuset for the opportunity to review these wonderful products and for offering this giveaway.

*This giveaway is sponsored by Coaction Public Relations, EdgeWare and Le Creuset. I was not paid for this review, and the opinions expressed in this post and my original review are completely my own.

Whenever Bars (Pamela’s Products) Review and Giveaway!

UPDATE: 12/10/11 10:20 am – Giveaway has ended – The lucky winners are Karin A. and Cathi (please check your e-mails)!   Congratulations to you both and thank you to all who entered.

Have you heard of or tried the new Whenever Bars that Pamela’s Products released in October? I was asked if I wanted to give them a try – of course I said yes, I love Pamela’s Products! Plus with school I am always on the go and always looking for quick, delicious, convenient and gluten-free items to throw in my bag – these bars meet all of those requirements.  I actually ate these as breakfast bars and they are absolutely delicious.

The bars come in four different flavors: Oat Blueberry Lemon, Oat Cranberry Almond, Oat Chocolate Chip Coconut and Oat Raisin Walnut Spice.  At first I wasn’t so sure about the Oat Raisin Walnut Spice because I’m not a huge fan of raisins but they ended up being one of my favorites.  The flavor combinations that Pamela’s Products have created are perfect.  I especially loved the Oat Blueberry Lemon…delicious! I also really enjoyed the addition of the chia seeds in them.

The bars are gluten-free, dairy-free, low in sodium and cholesterol, and are sweetened (primarily) with agave nectar and coconut sugar. Each box contains 6 (six) individually wrapped bars.

I’ve also included the press-release that was sent to me.  I think you will all really enjoy these bars.  Great to send with your kiddos to school, purse, brief case, or school bag (if  you are in school like I am).  The bars were filling and satisfying.

I need to add these to my Amazon wish list!

The extremely generous and wonderful people over at Pamela’s Products has offered the following prize package to TWO of my readers!

1 Box – Oat Blueberry Lemon Whenever Bars

1 Box – Oat Cranberry Almond Whenever Bars

1 Box – Oat Chocolate Chip Coconut Whenever Bars

1 Box – Oat Raisin Walnut Spice Whenever Bars

1 Package Baking & Pancake Mix

To enter to win one of two prize packages scroll to the bottom of the post to see the entry rules!

NEW GLUTEN-FREE WHENEVER BARS FROM PAMELA’S

MAKE ON-THE-GO SNACKING EASY AND HEALTHY

Nuts, Fruit, Chia Seeds and Chocolate Make These Bars a Standout

UKIAH, Calif. – October 12, 2011 – Setting the gold standard in gluten-free baking since 1988, Pamela’s Products is launching a new line of snack bars inspired by their loyal customers. Whenever Bars are soft and chewy, gluten-free, whole grain bars that are as delicious as they are healthy and convenient.

Pamela’s gluten-free certified Whenever Bars come in four delicious flavors: Oat Blueberry Lemon, Oat Cranberry Almond, Oat Chocolate Chip Coconut and Oat Raisin Walnut Spice. The line is making its way to store shelves nationwide with an SRP of $4.99 per box, five bars per box and they are also available on Amazon.com.

“Whenever Bars are our first on-the-go gluten-free snack,” said President and Founder Pamela Giusto-Sorrells, a third generation natural foods entrepreneur and baker. “I wanted to create a great tasting snack that anybody can enjoy wherever, whenever. They’re made with simple, real ingredients such as cranberries, blueberries, raisins and dark chocolate so you’ll feel satisfied, not hungry, after you eat one.”

Only the highest quality ingredients are used in Pamela’s Whenever Bars, including gluten-free oats, almonds and walnuts. The addition of chia seeds gives the bars a significant Omega 3 essential fatty acids and dietary fiber boost. They’re also non-dairy, low in sodium and cholesterol, and lightly sweetened primarily with agave and coconut sugar. With nine grams of whole grains per serving, the bars meet the Whole Grain Council’s requirements for wholesome grain servings and include the council’s stamp on their packaging.

If anybody knows what it takes to produce a great tasting gluten-free product that everyone can enjoy, it’s Giusto-Sorrells. She’s honed her gluten-free baking expertise with delicious, simple, wholesome ingredients and a lot of patience during her more than 20 years in the business.

About Pamela’s Products

Since 1988, Pamela’s Products has created some of the best-selling gluten free products on the market, including Traditional, Organic and Simplebites Cookies, Biscotti, Baking Mixes and Ready-to-Eat cakes, found in natural food and grocery stores throughout North America, as well as online. For additional information about Pamela’s Products, including recipes, baking and allergy information, visit www.pamelasproducts.com.

Entries are open until Friday December 9th at midnight! Each person can enter up to SIX separate comments (see above guidelines). The two winners will be chosen on Saturday December 10th using random.org – the winners will have 24 hours to respond via e-mail with their contact information.  If I do not hear back within the allotted time frame, another winner will be chosen. The prize package will be shipped directly to the winners from Pamela’s Products. Giveaway is open to all who are residing in the contiguous United States.

1) Head on over to Pamela’s Products website and come back here to leave a comment  letting me know which bars you would like to try the most. (Mandatory)

2) Head on over to Pamela’s Products website and let me know which of the recipes listed on the Pamela’s Baking & Pancake Mix you would try first. (Mandatory)

3) Like Pamela’s Products on Facebook (Optional)

4) Follow Pamela’s Products on Twitter (Optional)

5) Like Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Facebook (Optional)

6) Follow Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Twitter (Optional)

All of the opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.  Pamela’s Products generously supplied me with samples to review and are sponsoring this giveaway to two lucky readers! Photos and log are courtesy of Pamela’s Products.  

Good luck to all who enter!

Gluten Free Asian Kitchen – Giveaway!!

UPDATE: 12/10/11 9:30 am – Giveaway has ended – The lucky winner is Brittany  who said: “I want to try the stir-fried rice noodles with chicken and peanut sauce. I would keep it. I could live off of Asian food (and Mexican). I might actually buy this if I don’t get it.”  Brittany – please check your e-mail! Congratulations Brittany and thank you to all who entered.

A few months ago I was fortunate enough to review Laura B. Russell’s cookbook The Gluten Free Asian Kitchen Recipes for Noodles, Dumplings, Sauces, and More. This is by far one of the best cookbooks out there, especially if you are gluten free and miss eating Asian inspired dishes. Bryan and I could live on Asian food – of all kinds.  We have thoroughly enjoyed all of the recipes that we have made so far. You can read my complete review here.

Today I will be sharing two of the recipes from Laura’s book and giving away a copy to one lucky reader!  Trust me, you will want to enter this giveaway – you won’t be disappointment in any of the recipes.  Roasted Pork Meatballs

serves 4 as a main dish, 6 as an appetizer

 

1¹/₂ pounds ground pork

8 green onions, white and green parts, minced

7 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks lemongrass, bottom 4 inches only, peeled and minced, or substitute the grated zest of 2 lemons

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1¹/₂ tablespoons sugar

1¹/₂ tablespoons Asian fish sauce

³/₄ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons cornstarch

Nuoc cham (page 27) or Spicy Mango Sauce (page 32), for serving

Lettuce leaves, hoisin sauce GF, Carrot and Daikon Pickle (page 114), and fresh cilantro, for serving (optional)

In a large bowl, combine the pork, green onions, garlic, lemongrass, cilantro, sugar, fish sauce, and salt. Stir to combine the ingredients. Refrigerate, covered, so the flavors have a chance to marry, at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours. More time equals more flavor.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Oil a baking sheet. Stir the cornstarch into the meat mixture. Form the meat into twenty-four 1¹/₂-inch meatballs. (You can form the meatballs several hours ahead of time. Keep them refrigerated until ready to cook.) Transfer the meatballs to the prepared baking sheet. Cook the meatballs until browned and cooked through, turning once with a spatula, 12 to 15 minutes.

For serving, skewer the meatballs with toothpicks and arrange them on a serving platter with the nuoc cham or mango sauce for dipping. Alternatively, using lettuce leaves as wrappers, spread a bit of hoisin sauce on each lettuce leaf and add a meatball, some of the pickle, and a few cilantro leaves.

variation For a juicy, coarse-textured meatball, substitute pork loin, cut into 1-inch cubes, for the ground pork. Toss the cubes with the ingredients in the first step and then freeze the mixture for 20 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and pulse until the pork is coarsely chopped, about twenty (1-second) pulses. Proceed with the recipe, including the marinating time.

heads up

You’ll need to marinate the pork for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours. The dish calls for nuoc cham (page 27) or Spicy Mango Sauce (page 32). You can prepare the nuoc cham up to 2 weeks ahead, or the mango sauce up to 3 days ahead.

Spicy Mango Sauce

makes about 11/2 cups

11/4 cups diced fresh or frozen mango (thawed if frozen)

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves

2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 jalapeño chile, seeds and ribs removed

3/4 teaspoon salt

Combine the mango, cilantro, vinegar, ginger, oil, jalapeño, and salt in a blender. Puree until smooth. The sauce will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for about 3 days.

Nuoc Cham

makes about 1³/₄ cups

¹/₃ cup sugar

1 cup very warm tap water

¹/₄ cup Asian fish sauce

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

¹/₄ teaspoon red pepper flakes

In a small bowl, combine the sugar with the water. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the fish sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Refrigerate until ready to use. The sauce will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

Kung Pao Chicken

serves 4

1¹/₂ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¹/₂-inch dice

4 tablespoons soy sauce or 
tamari  , divided

1 tablespoon sake or dry sherry

¹/₂ teaspoon salt

¹/₂ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons warm water

1 tablespoon sugar

2¹/₂ tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

2¹/₂ teaspoons toasted sesame oil

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

8 cloves garlic, minced

6 green onions, white and green parts, sliced

¹/₂ teaspoon red pepper flakes

¹/₂ cup coarsely chopped roasted peanuts or cashews

Steamed rice, for serving (optional)

In a medium bowl, stir together the chicken, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, the sake, salt, and pepper. Set aside until ready to use.

In a small bowl, stir together the warm water and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add the rice vinegar, sesame oil, and the remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce.

In a large frying pan or a wok, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned but not all the way cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining chicken and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the cornstarch to the chicken. Toss to combine. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the ginger, garlic, green onions, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chicken back to the pan and stir to coat. Stir in the soy sauce mixture and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sauce coats the chicken and everything is heated through, about 2 minutes longer. Stir in the peanuts; serve hot with steamed rice.

Want to win The Gluten Free Asian Kitchen from Laura? This would make a great gift for a family member or friend with Celiac Disease (or you could keep it for yourself). Please leave a separate comment for each entry – up to 6 entries per person.

1) Visit Amazon and check out the cookbook by “Looking Inside” – then come back here and post a comment telling me which recipe you would like to try most (Mandatory)

2) Post a comment telling me if you would gift it or keep it (its okay if you keep it:) (Mandatory)

3) Like Notes from a Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen on Facebook (optional) – if you already do…leave a comment telling me so.

4) Follow Laura B. Russell on Twitter (optional) – if you already do…leave a comment telling me so.

5) Like Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Facebook (optional) – if you already do…leave a comment telling me so.

6) Follow Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Twitter (optional) – if you already do…leave a comment telling me so.

Entries are open until Friday December 9th at midnight! Each person can enter up to SIX separate comments (see above guidelines). The winner will be chosen on Saturday December 10th using random.org – the winner will have 24 hours to respond via e-mail with their contact information.  If I do not hear back within the allotted time frame, another winner will be chosen. The book will be shipped directly from Ten Speed Press and the Crown Publish Group. Giveaway is open to all who are residing in the contiguous United States.

I would like to thank Laura and her publishers for not only sending me a review copy but also providing an additional copy as a giveaway to one of my lucky readers.  The opinions expressed in this post and my original review are completely my own.  I have enjoyed this cookbook and very thankful to Laura for putting together such a wonderful and comprehensive book on my favorite cuisine which I have missed very much since being diagnosed.

Reprinted with permission from The Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen: Recipes for Noodles, Dumplings, Sauces, and More. Copyright © 2011 by Laura B. Russell. Published by Celestial Arts, an imprint of Ten Speed Press and the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA. Photo Credit: Leo Gong.

Dolcetti Cookies {Review & Giveaway}

Updated 12/5/11 – 7:46 am – Congratulation To Cindy and Meghan – You’ve won the giveaway!  Be sure to check your e-mails.

Updated 12/5/11 – 5:00 am Giveaway has ended – winners will be announced and contacted via e-mail on 12/5/2011! Thank you to all who entered – don’t forget to enter the other two giveaways going on right now! Best of luck to all who enter those too.

Have you heard of these cookies yet?  If not, let me introduce you to some extremely delicious little treats from Dolcetti Cookies (find them on Facebook!) that are made from ground nuts and free from: wheat, gluten, dairy, cholesterol, preservatives, oils, artificial ingredients, soy products, and trans fats! I fell in love with Dolcetti cookies from the first bite.  Absolutely delicious – especially if you are like myself and love nuts. If I had to pick one of the five flavors as being my favorite…it would probably be the macadamia and coconut Dolcetti’s. You can taste the little hit of lime zest in them.  Yum!

I thought these would go great with a cup of tea so the other night I made a cup of vanilla tea and had two cookies to go along with it. (the serving size is two cookies, but I’m going to admit that it is extremely hard to just eat two of these.  I could probably eat the whole bag.) This little tea and cookie snack made me think of my Grandma Lu, she always has a cup of tea at night with something “sweet”, which usually means a cookie of some sort.  I think these would be a perfect gift for her (and she’s not even gluten-free).

These cookies are inspired by an old Italian recipe, and instead of using flours the creators of Dolcetti instead used finely ground nuts.  Here is a little blurb from their website:

We have come up with our own method of milling nuts without heating them, to obtain a smooth and nutritious dough.  Our process does not require any added oils or fats.  In fact, Dolcetti are completely flourless and dairy free. We believe in creating cookies with a very short list of ingredients, and the best part is that you will recognize them all. Finally, Dolcetti do NOT contain any:

WHEAT – GLUTEN – DAIRY – CHOLESTEROL – PRESERVATIVES – OILS
ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS – SOY PRODUCTS – TRANS FATS

We use only the finest quality ingredients and our cookies are baked daily.

These delicious soft baked nut cookies come in five delicious flavors:

Almond Dolcetti: A soft and light cookie with delicate almond flavor, accented with fresh grated orange zest… A fan favorite

Ingredients: Blanched California almonds, evaporated cane juice, fresh egg whites, pure almond extract, fresh grated orange zest, aluminum-free baking powder

Pistachio Dolcetti: From a very old Sicilian tradition, a cookie with a very distinguished flavor, a unique and delectable experience.

Ingredients: Roasted California pistachios, almonds, evaporated cane juice, fresh egg whites, honey, fresh orange zest, aluminum-free baking powder

Macadamia Coconut Dolcetti: Take a bite, close your eyes and you’re in paradise.

Ingredients: Roasted macadamias, almonds, evaporated cane juice, shredded coconut, fresh egg whites, honey, fresh lime zest, aluminum-free baking powder

Hazelnut Chocolate Dolcetti: The most decadent of all our flavors, rich hazelnuts are combined with the finest quality Belgian dark chocolate for the most classic pairing…It’s love at first bite.

Ingredients: Roasted hazelnuts, almonds, evaporated cane juice, fresh egg whites, 63% dark chocolate (cocoa, caner sugar, cocoa butter), honey, aluminum-free baking powder

Peanut Chocolate Dolcetti: Our take on an American classic, fresh roasted peanuts combined with semi sweet chocolate and a dash of sea salt give this famous cookie a new personality.

Ingredients: Roasted peanuts, almonds, evaporated cane juice, fresh egg whites, honey, aluminum free baking powder, sea salt

Dolcetti is based out of Oakland, CA and you can find their cookies in the following places if you are local:

• The Walnut Creek Farmers Market, Walnut Creek, CA. (Every Sunday 9am – 1pm)
• Wine Thieves, 2926 Domingo Ave Berkeley CA. Visit their website.
• That Takes The Cake, 2271 Union st San Francisco CA. Visit their website.
• The Food Mill since 1933, 3033 MacArthur Blvd Oakland CA. Visit their website.

Or you can order online at: www.dolcetticookies.com – minimum 3 bags, and you can use any combination of flavors to meet that three bag minimum!

Daniele – the owner of Dolcetti Cookies has kindly offered a giveaway for two of my readers!  See below for how to enter. Contest ends on December 4th, 2011 at midnight. Two winners will be drawn using random.org and cookies will be shipped directly from Daniele at Dolcetti Cookies. Giveaway is open to all who are residing in the contiguous United States.

1) Visit Dolcetti Cookies and leave a comment saying which cookie(s) you would like to try most (Mandatory)

2) Like Dolcetti Cookies on Facebook – then come back here and leave a comment saying you did so

3) Like Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Facebook – then come back here and leave a comment saying you did so – if you already Like CCGF leave a comment saying so.

4) Follow Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Twitter – then come back here and leave a comment saying you did so – if you already follow CCGF leave a comment saying so.

Thank you Daniele for the delicious cookies and for sponsoring this giveaway!

(All photos courtesy of Dolcetti Cookies www.dolcetticookies.com)

Five Star Marinade (Review & Giveaway)

We love to grill – chicken, steak, burgers, and especially vegetables.  Depending on what we are grilling we use different seasonings, sauces, and marinades – it usually is something spicy.  About a month ago Burt – the creator of Five Star Meat Marinade asked if I would like to try his gluten-free and diabetic friendly marinade, of course I said yes!

Bryan’s dad has diabetes so lately I have been trying to find things that are suitable for him.  When Burt shared the information about the marinade with me saying that it was “All natural, NO MSG, NO Sugar, NO Preservatives, NO Oils or Fats”, I thought this would be a great marinade for him to try.  Sadly we don’t get to see him much but I figured his birthday is coming up so I’m going to put together a little goodie bag for him.  I’m also going to start experimenting with some refined sugar-free baking for him also and hopefully send Bryan down with some diabetic friendly baked goods.

Back to the marinade 🙂

Here is a little bit of history from Five Star Marinade’s website:

While growing up,  holidays were special for many reasons. Getting together with family, good food and lots of laughter. Most meals were potluck,  making it easier on those hosting the event. We always had the traditional turkey or ham as a main course, but my Grandmother would provide another meat with her marinade. Everyone loved the flavor so much that often the family dinners would break tradition serving only her meat dish.  Little did Grandma know that her marinade was a healthy substitute for sugar or molasses based barbeque sauce.

Grandma is gone now but I have taken the recipe and bottled this great taste for everyone wishing great flavor without the worry of calories, preservatives or fat. The marinade is easy to use and is excellent for barbeque, broiling or baking making it enjoyable all year no matter the weather.

My marinade is just the thing for those on restricted diets such as those on low sodium, sugar free, gluten free or Diabetics.

Last week I decided to marinade some chicken breast over night (per Burt’s instructions) and grill them up and served them with some spicy broccoli and a  side salad.  Oh man is this marinade delicious!! It has a bit of a peppery kick to it, which I loved and a great flavor.  I made an extra piece of chicken so I could slice it up and have it atop a salad the next day for lunch. I think next weekend I’ll be marinading (only 30 minutes) and grilling up some portabella mushrooms.

The marinade is simple – yet extremely delicious!  Five Star Marinade Ingredients: Vinegar*, Salt, Spices, Paprika, Garlic *Red Wine Vinegar (not distilled white) so this marinade is also corn-free (for those of you who have corn allergies, this is perfect for you)!

Thank you Burt for making such a delicious, gluten-free and diabetic friendly marinade! And thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to sample your delicious creation (your grandmother would be so proud of you!)

Who would like to try a bottle of this delicious, gluten-free, sugar-free all-purpose marinade?  One lucky winner with have a chance to win a bottle – please leave a comment for EACH entry!

1) Like Five Star Marinade on Facebook

2) Follow Five Star Marinade on Twitter (@GFMarinade)

3) Like Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Facebook

4) Follow Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Twitter (@Creatively_GF)

5) Leave a comment below saying what you would like to try this on.

One winner will be chosen using random.org on Tuesday June 26th, 2011.  The lucky winner will have 48 hours to respond after they receive my e-mail.  If a winner does not respond in the allotted time, a new winner will be chosen.  This contest is open to US residents only – the prize will be shipped directly from Five Star Marinade.  Good luck to all who enter!

Three Year Blogiversary

(I know the picture above doesn’t have to do with food but daisies are my favorite flowers of all time) 

This month I’ll be celebrating my three-year blogiversary – June 27th to be exact. I have been trying to think about a great way to celebrate it and I think I’ve finally figured it out.  I’m going to do a giveaway!  This is not a giveaway sponsored by anyone or company in particular.  What I am planning to do is get a good-sized box and fill it with all different kinds of goodies: gluten-free treats, coupons, kitchen items etc.  Below you will see a list of what has been included in the box so far.  I’ll continue to add to the box as I find things I think you all might like.  There are going to be plenty of opportunities for all of you to enter so be sure to read them all and post a separate comment for each entry.

I started Creative Cooking Gluten Free as a way to release my frustrations in this new lifestyle.  I knew from the beginning that this wasn’t going to be a very easy transition for me.  I am Italian and French and lets just say we love our bread and pasta in my family.  I couldn’t imagine life with out the two but was determined to find amazing substitutions that were suitable for this new adventure in my life.  Over these past three years I have tried many different gluten-free items, many of which have been sent to me from the companies directly (which I am beyond thankful for and feel very fortunate to work with these companies).  However, in the beginning of this new lifestyle I tried so many different foods that made me want to cry – and not in a good way.  I couldn’t believe that people actually ate some of this food and thought it was good.  The bread was absolutely disgusting – looked and tasted like a brick (I won’t mention brand names).  So instead of giving up and eating what I wanted to eat I did research, read books, but most of all I found some pretty amazing gluten-free bloggers who gave me hope.  With out these lovely ladies I don’t know if the transition would have been as easy as it was.  It was such an amazing feeling and relief to see that there were others out there with Celiac Disease and their food looked amazingly delicious.  Almost too good to be true, but thankfully the look of their food and the taste were spot on.

I have been sick for most of my life.  I was diagnosed when I was younger with IBS and Lactose Intolerance, however I don’t know if I have either – I know for sure I am not Lactose Intolerant because I could eat all the dairy I want and be fine, it was everything I was eating with it that made me sick.  Since going gluten-free I have never felt better.  My Fibromyalgia also has improved greatly.  There used to be days where I couldn’t even get out of bed but I haven’t had one of those days in years – Wooo Hooo! (If you are someone who also has Fibromyalgia, you know how exciting that is). It was so nice to finally have an answer to all of my symptoms, even if it took them almost twenty years to figure it out.  I’m much happier and healthier now.  I don’t really miss gluten much.  Every once in a while I will crave a nice piece of Italian or French Bread but when Bryan buys a sandwich or something containing lots of gluten, I ask to smell it 🙂 no, really I do and I’m not ashamed to admit it.  Thankfully he is used to it now and will even offer me a sniff.

The majority of the recipes you will find on this blog are recipes that I enjoyed before going gluten-free and adapted them to be gluten-free.  Some of my favorite recipes to adapt are my grandmother’s and the recipes found in Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food Magazine.  These recipes are simple, easy to find ingredients, and delicious.  I’m also a huge fan of Asian food so you will see plenty Asian inspired recipes on here with a handful of recipes that I adapted from P.F. Chang’s.

I will be the first to admit that I am not perfect and neither is this blog.  I have no problem talking about my mistakes and failures on here.  As I mentioned, this was first started to release my frustrations and track my progress and in three years it has turned into what it is.  Creative Cooking Gluten Free is a forever changing blog and it will continue to evolve over the coming years especially when I begin my culinary labs.

If you weren’t aware already, in March I enrolled in my dream college to pursue my dream of being a chef.  My goal is to complete my degree in Culinary Nutrition and become a Registered Dietitian – and to do this whole program as gluten-free as I possibly can.  Thankfully the Chefs that Johnson & Wales University are very accommodating.  So please stay tuned to more of my adventures.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes/posts over the last three years:

• Sweet and Spicy Chicken
• Balsamic Steak
• Garlic Basil Shrimp
• Beef a La Sichuan 
• Garlic Green Beans
• Tomato and Goat Cheese Salad with Basil Vinaigrette 
• Butternut Squash Soup
• Apple Crisp
• Bacon Cheddar Scones
• Granola 

I would like to thank my inspirations and all of my readers and followers.  Without all of you this blog truly wouldn’t be what it is today.  I can’t thank you enough for all of your support, kind words, encouragement, and wisdom.

To thank YOU I am doing a giveaway! As I said, there are plenty of ways to enter and this list will continue to grow as I find different items to add, but for now here is a list of the items to be included in the box (even if you don’t like/or can’t use everything enclosed in the box you can share with a friend!):

• 1 Package (22oz) of Bob’s Red Mill All Purposed Baking Flour
• 1 Package (21oz) Bob’s Red Mill Brownie Mix
• 1 Bag of Mini Pops (3oz)
• 1 Cute little cupcake holder
• 1 Set of 2010 Chef Series Recipes from POM Wonderful
• 2 POM Wonderful Rubber Bracelets
• 1 Carton (12oz) Pacific Natural Foods Organic Cream of Mushroom Condensed Soup
• 1 Carton (12oz) Pacific Natural Foods Organic Cream of Celery Condensed Soup
• 1 Carton (12oz) Pacific Natural Foods Organic Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup
• 1 Small Bamboo Cutting Board
• Coupons: Thai Kitchen (1-free item), Coffee House Breve Creme (1-$.55), Breakstone’s Sour Cream Dip (3 – $1.000), Breakstone’s Sourcream Zesty Blends (3 – $1.00), World Harbors (1 -$1.00), Tribe Hummus (1- $1.00)
• 1 POM Wonderful Apron
• 2 Small Flex Cutting Boards
• 1 Reusable Tote/Grocery Bag from FoodieBlogroll.com
• 1 Box (6.3 oz) of Enjoy Life Food’s Crunchy Sugar Crisp Cookies
• 1 Bottle *16.9 Fl oz) of “Pre-Brus Whitening Mouth Rince” from the Natural Dentist
• 1 Tube (5 oz) of “Healthy Teeth and Gums, Anticavity Toothpaste” from the Natural Dentist
• 1 Tube (5 oz) of “Healthy Teeth and Gums, Whitening Toothpaste” from the Natural Dentist
• 1 Box (10oz) Lundberg Plain Roasted Brown Rice Couscous
• 1 box (10oz) Lundberg Mediterranean Curry Roasted Brown Rice Couscous
• 1 Package of “No Pan Required” Cupcake Liners (Brown and Teal)
• 1 Box (12oz) Kellogg’s Gluten-Free Rice Krispy Cereal
  

Ways to enter:

**Please be sure to leave a comment for EACH entry – and if you already do one of these please leave a comment below saying so – Thank you!!

Mandatory Entry:

Leave a comment below saying what you would like to see more of on Creative Cooking Gluten Free

Optional Entries:

Subscribe to Creative Cooking Gluten Free

“Like” Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Facebook

“Follow” Creatively_GF on Twitter

Leave a daily entry saying “Daily Entry” and then the date

Tweet about this giveaway and be sure to include @Creatively_GF and #3Blogiversary

Mention either on your blog or on Facebook (and be sure to link back to this post)

The giveaway will run until Thursday June 30th at 11:59 pm (EST).  The giveaway is open to US Residents (continental) only.  One winner will be chosen and will have 48 hours after they receive an e-mail notification from me to respond with their shipping details.  If the original winner does not respond within the allotted time another winner will be chosen.  I use Random.Org to pick winners of any and all giveaways on this blog.  

Thank you all for an awesome three years- you are all awesome!  It has been a huge learning curve but I wouldn’t really change much about it.  I’m looking forward to many more years to come and plenty more recipes, reviews, restaurants, and more to share with you.

Good Luck!

Yabba Dabba Doo Cookies (Review + Giveaway)

Last year (almost to the day) I posted a recipe for  Fruity Pebble Treats after I had gotten “glutened” by eating a rice krispy treat – silly me for missing the MALT flavor ingredient (see my post about the new gluten-free Rice Krispies here).  So instead of making the same mistake twice, I followed the advice of one of my readers, Kristi, and made the crispy treats using Fruity Pebbles (I’ve also made them with the cocoa pebbles and both are awesome!).  Before making these I called Post to double-check that these two cereals were in fact gluten-free and was assured that they were gluten-free.  You can check out the original post here.

A few weeks ago I received an e-mail from Post with the following information:

Thought you might be interested in hearing that longtime favorite Post cereals, Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles, are gluten-free and can be enjoyed on their own or in gluten-free treats!

They also generously sent me a box of each the Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles to review and offer a giveaway to one of my lucky readers (see below).  I decided that I would make something with the Fruity Pebbles because as I found out last year Bryan really really likes the Cocoa Pebbles and pretty much that means those were off-limits and were his to enjoy. 😉 (I’m such a nice girlfriend huh?)

And the following is from the press release that was attached:

Beginning in January, Post Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles cereals will lower sugar content and establish a new upper limit of 9 grams per serving for Fruity Pebbles; 10 grams per serving for Cocoa Pebbles. In addition to lowered sugar levels, all Pebbles varieties are also deemed by FDA regulations to be Cholesterol Free, an Excellent Source of Vitamin D, Low Fat and Providing 10 Essential Vitamins and Minerals.

Pebbles, a rice-based cereal, will also be receiving Gluten Free certification, a relatively unique distinction in the cereal category.  In response to increased concerns over celiac disease and products containing wheat gluten, the brand went through a rigorous FDA approval process to achieve Gluten Free status on all Pebbles boxes.

“Post Foods is dedicated to providing both nutritious and delicious cereals for people of all ages, and we’re pleased to announce improvements to the Pebbles brand that will assist in our ongoing efforts to improve kids’ nutrition,” said Bart Adlam, President of Post Foods.  “By lowering our sugar content and receiving Gluten Free certification, we hope moms feel confident serving a cereal that combines the fun and heritage of Bedrock with great taste that kids love. “

Additionally, Post Foods is working in tandem with the Children’s Food & Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI), a program launched by the Council of Better Business Bureaus to help tackle the issue of childhood obesity.  A progress report released Dec. 15^th by the CFBAI shows Post Foods is demonstrating excellent compliance with the established pledge to advertise healthier foods to kids and continues to achieve steady progress in promoting products that are better for them.

Now you will see “Gluten-Free” listed right on the boxes so now there is no second guessing if these are gluten-free or not.  You can now make those delicious crispy treats or better yet you can try one of their many other recipes such as these Yabba Dabba Doo Cookies (Pebble Cookie Crispies). The recipe listed on their website is not gluten-free however, it is super easy to convert this recipe to be gluten-free.  Below is my adaptation of Post’s original recipe which is a great recipe for both kids and adults:

Yabba Dabba Doo Cookies

1 pkg. Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix- such as Betty Crocker* (If using this cake mix, add two teaspoons of vanilla)

1/2 cup Oil

1/4 cup Water

1 large Egg

2 1/2 cups Fruity or Cocoa* Pebbles Cereal (*if using Cocoa Pebbles use a gluten-free chocolate cake mix)

Heat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl mix the egg, oil, and water until well combined.  Add in the cake mix and mix until combined with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.  Once everything is combined add in the Pebbles and mix well.

Drop tablespoons of batter onto an ungreased cookie sheet (I always line my pans with either a Silpat or with parchment paper) about two inches apart.  Bake for 11 minutes or until cookies are beginning to brown.

Cool cookies on a wire rack – makes about 4 dozen.

I had a box of the Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix on hand however you could use another gluten-free yellow cake mix or better yet try this awesome recipe from the lovely Carrie at Ginger Lemon Girl who created her own gluten-free vanilla cake mix.

Now for the giveaway!  Who wants to win a box of each the officially Gluten-Free Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles?!? It’s pretty simple to enter just follow the instructions below by Monday June 13th at 11:59 pm:

You MUST leave a separate comment for each entry.  Each person may enter up to four times total.  The boxes of cereal will be sent directly from Post.  There will be one winner. The winner will be notified by e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond and claim their prize.  If the winner does not respond in that time frame a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway is open to anyone in the continental U.S.

Ways to enter:

• Follow Creatively_GF on Twitter
• “Like” Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Facebook
• Subscribe to this blog and receive e-mails with new posts (top right of this blog)
• Mention this giveaway on Twitter (include @Creatively_GF) or on Facebook (mention @Creative Cooking Gluten Free)

Thank you to the lovely people over at Post for providing these samples and offering a giveaway to one of my readers.

Pacific Natural Foods – Review & Giveaway

UPDATE: The five lucky winners have been picked and e-mailed.  They have until Tuesday May 24th to respond.  If a winner does not respond in that time frame another winner will be chosen.  I went through all of the comments and we had 57 total!  (Some comments were all together on one so I wanted to make sure that everyone received the correct number of entries).  The winners were picked using Random.org (I love this site!) and our five winners are: Venessa, Sofia, Kristina, Rebecca and Kristen – Congratulations to you all.  I know you are going to love these products and can’t wait to hear your thoughts once you’ve tried them. 

Venessa said: I would love to try all the flavors. Everything sounds delicious! Thank you for this opportunity.

Sofia said: I would love to try the hazelnut chocolate milk! Looks delish!

Kristina said: oooh I would LOVE to win this – I could really use it right now! I want to try the cream of celery and the cashew carrot ginger looks great too.

thank you to you and Pacific for the opportunity!

Rebecca said: I would love some of that chocolate-hazelnut goodness! I’m sure it’s as great as the other Pacific Natural Foods products I’ve had (mostly soups, milk)

Kristen said: Ooooo, I would love to try the soups! The spicy black bean soup sounds particularly yummy to me.

UPDATE: The contest is now closed (5/20/2011)

May is National Celiac Awareness Month! In honor of this there are tons of great things going on to celebrate.  The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness is featuring a Gluten Free Blogger A Day (I will be featured on May 29th), Tons of great cookbook and product reviews and giveaways are also happening on a bunch of blogs – so please be sure to check out all the great posts this month.

A few weeks ago I was contacted by the lovely people at Pacific Natural Foods asking if they could stock my pantry with some of their products.  I have used their broths in the past and absolutely loved them, especially the low sodium broths because I like to control how much salt I put into my dishes. Their products are all natural and delicious. The broths were the only products that I had tried because that is what I could find around me.  I was pleasantly surprised when I looked at their website to see the huge selection of gluten-free products they had (listed under special diets).  They have condensed soups (these are the only condensed gluten-free soups on the market!), creamy soups (I’m in love with the Cashew Carrot Ginger soup – sooo good, and I plan to use this by serving it over some rice with chicken, mushrooms, baby corn and bamboo shoots), and some very delicious “milks” made from soy, almonds and even hazelnuts.  So when I received the e-mail asking if they could stock my pantry I of course said yes and little did I know that they would actually stock my pantry.  I feel truly blessed by receiving all of the wonderful products pictured above.

We’ve tried the Creamy Tomato Soup and the Cashew Carrot Ginger Soup (as I mentioned above) and both were extremely flavorful.  Bryan loves tomato soup and he really enjoyed this.  He even ate it with his favorite little oyster crackers (he still has some gluten food items in the house and he can’t eat tomato soup with out them). The Cashew Carrot Ginger soup is amazing.  Thick, creamy, filing and the right balance of flavors.  I did try a few bites of the tomato soup (before the crackers were added) and it was such a nice treat to be able to have tomato soup again.  I have missed it so much and this tomato soup was delicious.  Homemade gluten-free croutons would go great with both of these soups.

I can’t wait to try more of the amazing products from Pacific Natural Foods.  They also have some very delicious sounding recipes online that I am looking forward to trying out along with creating a bunch of my own.  This one here for Grilled Chicken Primavera of course served over some delicious gluten-free pasta instead.  

Have you tried Pacific Natural Food’s products yet?  Would you like to? If so the very generous people at Pacific Natural Foods have kindly offered to give FIVE of my readers a chance to win a similar gluten-free pantry staples kit to the one that I received.  In order to be entered in the giveaway simply follow the instructions below:

1) Leave a comment below telling me which product you would like to try

2) “Like” Pacific Natural Foods on Facebook and leave a comment below saying you did so.  If you already do please leave a comment below saying so.

3) “Follow” Pacific Natural Foods on Twitter and leave a comment below saying you did so. If you already do please leave a comment below saying so.

4) “Like” Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Facebook and leave a comment below saying you did so. If you already do please leave a comment below saying so.

5) “Follow” Creatively_GF on Twitter and leave a comment below saying you did so. If you already do please leave a comment below saying so.

6) Tweet about this giveaway (be sure to mention @Creatively_GF so I can track the tweet) and leave a comment below saying you did so

Open to US Residents Only! This giveaway will end on Friday May 20th at 11:59 p.m. Each person may enter up to six times.  There will be five winners chosen by using random.org.  Winners will be notified by e-mail and will have 72 hours to respond.  If a winner doesn’t respond within that time frame another winner will be chosen. Again, I was sent the products shown above by Pacific Natural Foods and the comments and reviews are completely my own.

The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten Free! (Giveaway)

I heard a rumor months ago that Anne Byrn, Author of the The Cake Mix Doctor books was to release a gluten-free book.  I got a bit excited about it seeing as I have given her regular books as gifts many times.  I was generously sent a copy to review and sadly I didn’t get to bake anything as quickly as I had hoped but I did get a chance this week to finally bake her Honey Bun Cake (think cinnamon rolls in a coffee cake form, yummm).  We were gone for two weeks to New Jersey to visit Bryan’s family and some of our friends and then of course a few days before heading home, I get a nasty cold which is still holding strong.

If you aren’t familiar with Anne or her books please take a second and visit her website: www.cakemixdoctor.com.  Her latest book, The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten Free is fantastic! There are 76 recipes for cakes and other desserts.  She uses gluten-free cake mixes that you can find at most of your grocery stores (Betty Crocker etc.)  She also lists in each recipe how to make these recipes dairy-free (if possible).  So this cookbook is great for families with multiple allergies.   Here is a little information from her website about her new book and why she decided to make a gluten-free version:

Now comes sweet news for people on gluten-free diets. They can bake their cake and eat it, too. Anne Byrn shows how to transform gluten-free cake mixes into rich, decadent, easy-to-make, impossible-to-resist desserts. Performing the magic that’s made her a best-selling baking author with more than 3.3 million copies of her books in print, she doctors mixes with additions like almond extract, fresh berries, cocoa powder, grated coconut, cinnamon, lime zest, and more – naturally, all gluten-free ingredients. Dessert is back on the menu!

My readers pleaded with me to write a gluten-free Cake Mix Doctor! Many had baked my cakes for years until someone in their family could no longer eat gluten. For five months I baked nothing but gluten-free cakes that began with a mix. At times I felt like a mad scientist, turning a yellow cake mix into cookies, bars, even gingerbread. And when I was able to bake the Darn Good Chocolate Cake gluten-free…that was a big day! You don’t have to be gluten-free to enjoy these recipes. You just have to love cake.

I decided on the Honey Bun Cake because I really was craving cinnamon rolls and don’t have the flours to make them from scratch right now so this was the closest I could get to them, and this cake was awesome.  I made it for breakfast one morning, seeing as it’s a coffee cake it worked really well.  I did however leave off the glaze (by that I mean, I forgot about it) that normally is on cinnamon buns – but I am sure it would taste fantastic with it.  The cake is very easy to make with ingredients that you probably already have on hand.  The flavor was perfect, not to sweet and very moist. This is a recipe that we will make again and again.  I can’t wait to try more of her recipes, which I think my next one will be the Holy Cow Cake (chocolate cake with butterfingers, caramel and whipped cream on top!). This cookbook sheds a whole new light on boxed cake mixes and plenty of ideas for cakes, cookies and bars.  I wish I had this when I was making my birthday cake this year – next year will be a much better cake 🙂

In addition to the copy that I received to review Anne has offered two additional copies to give to my readers!  It is simple to enter for awesome giveaway, just follow the instructions below. Don’t forget to leave a comment for each one:

• Subscribe to Creative Cooking Gluten Free
• “Like” Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Facebook
• “Follow” Creative Cooking Gluten Free on Twitter
• Click HERE and “Take A Look Inside” at the Index and tell me what recipes you would like to try
• Tweet about this giveaway (use button below, and leave a comment each time you tweet)

Two lucky readers will be chosen to win a copy of this great book.  The giveaway will end on Thursday January 13th at 11:59pm.