Favorite Things: Part 5

Happy Friday everyone! In anticipation of the upcoming weekend, I saved Favorite Thing #5 for last, to hopefully inspire a special delicious, gluten free breakfast treat over the weekend. What could be better than waffles or pancakes, thanks to Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix?!  This little package of wonderful has been part of the Gluten Free Grazer kitchen (and my parents' too) for well over a decade! That's how much I love this stuff.

Whether I'm in the mood for homemade pancakes or waffles, I use this mix to satisfy that craving. The recipes are right on the package so they're easy to follow. I only use egg whites (because yolks make me sick) and sub in applesauce for the oil. What results are light and fluffy breakfast treats! 

I also recently used this mix with my hamantaschen and was quite pleased with the result! This is a very versatile product and great to have on hand for the frequent baker and breakfast maker!

In case you missed it, be sure to check out the first 4 installments of my Favorite Things!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

It's been fun sharing some of my staple products with y'all! Please be sure to leave a comment below if you try any of these products and what yummy things you create with them!

Favorite Things: Part 4

We're in the home stretch! Now that you've learned about my love for hot cereal, tortillas, and crackers, I wanted to tell you about my favorite bread (just to round out our carb fest!). I discovered this Ener-G High Fiber Loaf in the fall and now always have a loaf on-hand.

When I was first diagnosed as gluten intolerant as a kid, my mom and I tried so many different breads, trying to find one that had a decent taste. There were the paper-white loaves that needed to be burnt to have any taste, the ones that crumble at the touch, and those that were so dense they sat like rocks in your stomach. Now, thanks to tons of experimentation and a broader gluten free audience to cater to, companies are creating some really wonderful breads for gluten free eaters.

I picked this high fiber loaf because of its nutrition stats, taste, and versatility, and haven't been disappointed yet!

My favorite way to eat this bread is toasted up either with some peanut butter or jelly or for an egg breakfast sandwich, which I often enjoy.

For a weekend treat, I've used this bread to make french toast. Just dip in a mixture of egg whites, almond milk, cinnamon, and vanilla and then cook on the stove until golden brown.

Past toppings have included: peanut butter, sugar free syrup, and fresh berries.

Another favorite is garlic bread!

Just as with any loaf of bread, the possibilities are endless with what you can use this for! That in-and-of itself is a great reason to have a go-to bread staple in your gluten free pantry!

Enjoy!

Favorite Things: Part 3

As you may start to notice, my favorite things series is quite carbohydrate heavy. You might ask why this is so let me explain. Since graduating from college (almost) 3 years ago, I realized that many of the foods I love most and eat frequently can't be purchased in a box or bag. In fact, most of them can be bought at my favorite farmers market at various points throughout the year!

I believe that whole grains are an important part of a healthy diet as long as there are plenty of legumes, nuts, vegetables, and fruits to go along with them. Today's favorite item, along with the others discussed on Gluten Free Grazer this week, is a great accompaniment to a salad, a veggie platter, or dipped in hummus. Mary's Gone Crackers are crunchy, flavorful, whole grain crackers that I actually discovered in college and have encouraged many people (including Mom and Dad) to incorporate into their pantries!

I don't often snap too many pictures of these crackers, simply because I can't wait to enjoy them with some hummus or salsa for an afternoon snack!  I've also crumbled them on top of salads for added crunch and flavor.

These crackers come in 4 or 5 flavors, my favorites being the black pepper (which has a nice kick to it) and caraway. Since I usually eat a small handful at a time, a box of these lasts me for a while!  If you prefer a "chip" over a cracker, they make a pretzel-rod inspired treat called Sticks and Twigs in a few fun flavors as well.

You may also recall that the folks at Mary's sent me a new product to try out recently. The company is developing a couple of flavors of cookies, which I can attest are delicious as well!

Whether packing for a summer picnic, prepping some party hors d'oeuvres, or simply looking for a tasty crunch, I love these crackers and am sure to always have them on hand!

Favorite Things: Part 2

Now that we've nourished ourselves with breakfast, let's move on to my second favorite item. When I first tried these last summer, I have to admit I was a bit skeptical. Not because of the ingredient list (it's short!) nor the nutritional information (130 calories, 2 g fiber) but because the idea of a wrap is an extremely foreign concept to me!  Since first trying these tortillas, I've never looked back. This is why Food for Life Brown Rice Tortillas are my  #2 favorite item.

The possibilities for incorporating these wraps into a healthy gluten free diet are endless: wraps with (gf) deli meat or veggies, personal-sized pizzas, burritos, tortilla chips, and more!

Over the summer, I often made wraps to bring to the pool or on outings, and who doesn't love a good, thin crust pizza during college (or pro) football season? Go Longhorns!! :-)

Check out some of my favorite uses for these fantastic tortillas!

Personal-sized veggie pizzas:

Burritos:

Wraps

In case you missed it, make sure to check out Favorite Thing #1.

What are some of your favorite recipes using tortillas?

Come back tomorrow for Favorite Thing #3!

Favorite Things: Part 1

I'm really excited about this favorite things week for a few reasons. As I posted on Friday, there are a lot of people in my life who are recently trying a gluten free diet, for one reason or another. As a veteran gluten free-er, I've spent a lot of years seeking out quality, nutritious products that taste good. I gave a lot of thought as to the products I wanted to write about, but Favorite Thing #1 was a no-brainer for me!

Perhaps my absolute favorite, or maybe it's because I choose to start most days with him, Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Hot Cereal is my Favorite Thing #1.

I first decided to try this product a couple of years ago after wishing I had something like oatmeal that I could eat for breakfast or a snack in the winter. Frozen waffles, toast, etc. just weren't filling me up for a respectable amount of time!

When I first experimented with the cereal, there was some learning involved. I choose to cook my cereal in the microwave on most mornings to save time. I think I've developed a science behind making sure my bowl doesn't boil over in the microwave! The key is to heat the mixture of cereal and water (almond milk, etc.) for 1 to 2 minutes at a time, stirring often, and watching closely to avoid the dreaded cereal spill-over!

Over time, I've experimented with different flavor combinations to avoid boredom with this delicious breakfast. I also recently started to combine it with toasted buckwheat groats to mix up the texture just a little bit and add a nuttier flavor.  Here are a few flavor highlights:

Peanut (and Almond) Butter and Jelly!

Vanilla Blueberry

Sunny Pineapple

Maple Berry with Sweet Potato

Nectarine Blueberry

Oats in a Jar

Enjoy! In my honest opinion, eating this cereal is a great way to start your day!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my Favorite Things tomorrow!
 

Crazy Busy

Hi everyone,

I've been quite the busy bee over the past few days - a friend from college is in town and we are having fun exploring DC!

A recap will come soon! 

In the meantime, check out the excitement coming to the Gluten Free Grazer this week!

Ciao!

My Favorite Things Series

In the last week alone, 3 people I know have told me that they have recently started eating a gluten free (and often dairy free) diet for one reason or another. It seems like the "trend" to be gluten free has hit home so-to-speak, with Celiac diagnoses and other GI-related issues.

I remember the fear and confusion my parents felt when switching me over to a gluten free diet as a kid, and as an adult, I know that those feelings are only intensified after years of eating varieties of glutinous foods. In the spirit of helping the newly gluten free (and those of you looking for new GF ideas) I am announcing a "Favorite Things" series here at the Gluten Free Grazer. Every day next week I will be featuring one of my favorite gluten free products and some recipe ideas that are healthy, nutritious, and delicious! Be sure to check back each day for the new feature!

This will be a 5-part series filled with some pretty fantastic goods! Can't wait to share them!

~Sarah